Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BONUS:
How To Make More Money
In 41 Businesses
How To Increase
Your Profits In Any
Economic Climate
By
Peter Sun
Foreword by
Winston Marsh
A word on Testing: The Marketing Strategies in this Manual work. However you have to test
how they’ll work for you and your business. If you wish to follow the publishers advice and strate-
gies please test them on a small scale before committing your business future and your money to
them. See chapter 16 on page 67 for more details. Since conditions change you may have to ex-
periment to find out what will work for you.
A word on Copyright: A lot of business people and companies would dearly love to own the
world - so that they could rent it out.
I believe it is far more important to focus on how to serve better, improve mys elf and help others to
share any good fortune I may have.
In your own business, look at how you can keep improving, instead of worrying about your
“competition” (you are your greatest competition). Don’t think about who is going to steal your
ideas.
Just think how to give your customers even better service, greet them with an even bigger smile and
show them that you really care about them. That way they’ll never want to leave you, no matter
what anyone else does. After all, being successful in your business is about being happy and con-
stantly improving what you do, because it is also your life…
Remember: - Everyone comes into this this world with nothing and leaves with nothing. I have
never seen houses, cars or bank accounts following a hearse.
So make sure you enjoy every moment of your business and your life.
Published by Peter Sun Direct Marketing, P.O. Box 18 Bond University, 4229
Phone (075) 96 3822 Fax: (075) 96 5126
First Published February 1993
Second Edition August 1993
American Edition June 1997
Milldona Group
Phone (630) 73600468
Can you really increase your sales from an advertisement by
206%, get 980% more response to your yellow pages ad, or
sell $26,900 worth of products in less than 4 hours? Read
what others are saying….
1. A music retail store sells $26,900 worth 4. A portrait Photographer Increases sales
of products in 4 hours. from a $200 advertisement by 206%.
That’s $2975 more sales per week - at no
Ian Cook mailed 1,290 old customers with a letter idea
from our marketing manual. In the first 15 minutes 90 extra cost.
people came in the door. He had to post two “guards” to
let people in and manage the line outside the store. Al- Wayne had the Marketing Audit and One Hour consulta-
most 500 people came in during four hours. tion with Peter Sun. He said, “I tested an advertisement
with a different headline and lots of written information
The $27,000 worth of sales was at a good profit and com- instead of photos in it, as you suggested.
pares to $32,000 sold during the whole month last year….
Before these changes I was getting seven bookings at
Ian Cook, Owner Brown’s Music World $550 from two ads costing $200 each. A total of $1,925
in sales per ad. After using the new ad as you suggested,
I got 10 bookings at about $590. For a total of $5,900 in
sales from one ad costing just $200.
2. A Yellow Page Ad gets over 1100% bet-
ter result than opposition’s same size ad on That’s a 206% increase in sales and even bigger increase
the same page. in profits.”
A carpet cleaning company gets ten jobs in two weeks Wayne Radford Photography
from a Yellow Pages ad written by Peter Sun. This is
worth $550 in sales. Their opposition has a same size ad
on the same page and gets two calls and no sales for the 5. Cleaning Products supplier increases
same period. new customers by 50% per week with a
Peter Critchley, the owner said, “People commented on
new Yellow Page Ad.
how the ad made them want to use me. The ad gave them
confidence to use me and no one else. My conversion Robert said: “I’ve had about 50% increase in new cus-
rate of enquiries is over 90%. This compares to the 25% tomers since your ad came out. Each of these could be
to 60% that is common in my industry.” worth $3,000 to $4,000 per month to me.
Peter Critchley, PriceCut Carpet Cleaning I was a bit skeptical. Changing from my usual ad with
my products and major supplier brand names in it, to
your ad with lots of information on why people should
3. $195,000 worth of business at a cost of buy from me was a big decision. However, your ad
$1,025… worked much better.
A Gold Coast Glamour Studio got 500 bookings from five The new customers also commented that they liked the
ads costing $725 each. This result booked out their two ad. The information in it gave them confidence to call
studios three months in advance. Five bookings at $390 me rather than the other suppliers.”
each from one ad was the average result before they used
our services... Robert Letizia, Jay & Jay Industries
Preface to the American Edition
Welcome to the world of Peter Sun Marketing! Peter Sun has done amazing things for the business
community in Australia and now is helping business owners across the United States. This edition of
How to Increase Your Profits in Any Economic Climate is identical to the Australian edition with a
few changes.
Certain Australian idioms and phrases have been changed for ease in understanding the text. In cases
of actual ads recreated here, the actual ad with Australian wording has been kept. Additionally, some
locations have been changed to reflect the American locale. Finally, the text has been exhaustively ed-
ited to make sure the principles and thoughts of Peter Sun are stated as clearly and precisely as possi-
ble.
In reading this work, make sure and try some of the promotions and campaign. Peter has often said to
me of his work:
“All you need to do is emulate someone else’s work and then DO IT!”
Good marketing!
Millard W. Grubb
Director, Milldona Group
Agent for Peter Sun
June 1997
Forward.
When most people go into business they know all about the product or service they are gong to sell.
Trouble is they don’t know much about getting it sold.
You see a plumber knows all about plumbing: a restaurateur knows about restaurants: and an engineer
knows about engineering. But what do they know about attracting the attention of clients and custom-
ers as buyers? The answer is very little.
There aren’t too many courses, whether they teach, plumbing, restauranting, engineering or whatever
that teach people how to create an avalanche of customers. The sorry truth is that most people in bus i-
ness don't know much about getting people into their business.
Peter Sun has created a readily readable and highly informative manual to answer the need. To help
people who are good at their business to be good in business. And being good in business is all about
having heaps and heaps of delighted customers buying what you’ve got.
This manual contains the good oil on literally thousands of concepts and ideas that will help anyone in
business to be better providers of their business.
By literally taking the great big ideas, the fantastic little ideas and lots and lots of in between ideas, Pe-
ter Sun has created a treasure trove of information for people who want to know how to successfully
capture customers.
It’s a manual that ought to be compulsory reading for anybody who is in business or thinking about go-
ing into business. And once you start reading it, you can’t put it down.
Reading this manual will probably mark a turning point in the lives of thousands of business people,
large and small. A turning point not only because of vastly increased profitability but also because it
will take out the uncertainty of survival for so many business people. It’s simply a guarantee for suc-
cess.
On a personal note, the Author, Peter Sun, lives, eats, breathes and sleeps what he proposes. His enthu-
siasm, vibrancy and dynamic approach to business and life come blasting out of every page. You’ll be
so positively affected by his philosophy and practical approach. You will never be the same again.
Winston Marsh
International Business Speaker, Nationa l President of
National Speakers of Australia
How this Manual will benefit you….
With this Marketing manual, you will learn how to get better results in your business and have more
time to enjoy your family, friends and some of the other things that a profitable business can give you.
I’ll show you step-by-step, how to create your own winning marketing strategies and advertisements.
All aimed at increasing the sales and the profits in your business.
Everyone markets themselves...either well or badly. Marketing is about people. It’s about knowing
human nature and using this knowledge to benefit yourself and others.
If you are in business, then you are also a marketing company - whether you think of yourself as such
or not. That’s because every business is in the business of getting customers and selling products or
services to them.
That’s why the methods in this manual will apply to you, no matter what business you are in. The
proven principles you are about to learn work just as well for a tiny corner store as they do for a large,
hi-tech, multinational company.
Most companies do not close down because of too much business and too many happy customers.
They close for lack of sales and not enough customers.
There are only three ways your business can increase sales -
You’ll learn exactly how to maximize all three areas, to prosper and thrive in any economic climate.
Plus you’ll get practical, easy to use strategies, that you can apply to any business.
You’ll see the marketing strategies applied in over 103 ads, letters and promotions that worked. Plus in
Part 2 of the Manual, you’ll see these strategies applied in 41 individual businesses. Even if your bus i-
ness in not amongst them, you can adapt the strategies from the examples given in this section to your
business..
Best of all, it’ll make your business life more enjoyable and fun.
Peter Sun
Peter Sun
P.S. I do not wish to claim that I “discovered” all the ideas I present to you in this Manual. I got lots of
inspiration from The Results Corporation, from Jay Abraham and other people’s philosophies. What
I’ve attempted to do is apply them in my business and put them into a package that will make it easy
for you to understand and apply in your business.
Contents - Part 1:
Forward……………………………………………………………………….……..by Winston Marsh
PART 1: 58 Marketing Strategies To Increase 10. How to write newspaper and magazine “ads”
Your Profits…. that are 600% more profitable than “standard” ads
…………………………………………...….page 44
1. Why marketing is the easiest way to make money
in your business……………………………….page 2 11. How to get FREE products, money and market-
ing support from your suppliers…...……......page 50
2. The 6 Marketing Principles you must know to
make your sales soar…...……………………...page 4 12. Eleven tested methods to increase selling power
of your ads, letters and promotions…………page 54
3. How you can be a top Marketer. The “Secret
Method” every successful ‘Marketing Expert’ uses 13. How to guarantee 10%, 25%...or 50% more
………………………………………………...page 7 sales by asking a simple question…………..page 59
4. How to collect your customer’s names - use them 14. How to use the U.S. Post Office and Ma Bell to
to make extra profits - and turn them into a saleable triple the inquires and sales in your business
asset…………………………………………...page 9 ……………………………….……………...page 61
5. Your Yellow Pages ad - A simple technique to get 15. How to get customers to tell you what you
you up to 980% better result - at no extra cost should be selling to them - and to thank you for
……………………………………………….page 14 asking ………………………………………page 63
6. How to make powerful offers to instantly attract 16. Six ways to monitor and test all your marketing
new customers to your business……………..page 21 efforts - to generate maximum results from every
Marketing Dollar you spend………………..page 67
7. How to write headlines that will get you up to 19
times greater response to all your ads, letters and 17. Nine quick ways to raise cash for your busi-
brochures…………………………………….page 28 ness - NOW…………………………………page 71
8. How to use Direct Mail to quickly increase your 18. How to make lots of money - and be happy
sales and profits……………………………..page 32 ………………………………………………page 79
Hairdressers…………………………….page 108
Part 1:
58 Marketing Strategies To
Increase Your Profits….
Why marketing is
1
The next month they sent another letter offering new
customers $10 credit for the next month only. (See fig-
in your business….
Better than leaving your money in the bank, isn’t it?
Currumbin
1st May, 1992
Friday 4:25 pm
Thank you for taking the time to enter our draw for a dinner for two and for your
suggestions and comments.
The dinner was won by Peter Wildman from Currumbin. Don’t despair if you
weren’t the lucky winner. We have some good news for you. As a thank you for
entering our draw, we’re offering you a consolation prize.
You can come any Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening until the
end of May.
Incidentally, Wednesday and Thursday evenings are a great time to come in.
You’ll be entertained by the mellow music of Tony Drouyn and his guitar.
Keep in mind that this month the full moon will be on the 17th of May…
Since Autumn has arrived, we’ve moved our wood fire heater back into the
restaurant. With the sails unfurled you will enjoy cozy fire-side dining. You’ll
love the warming winter treats included on the menu.
And what about a hot, frothing cappuccino from our new Espresso Machine?
You can enjoy a free one at the Elephant Rock Café (just bring in the enclosed voucher).
It is delicious!!
Thank you again for taking part in our draw and for your suggestions. You’ll see
some changes over the next few months that will make your dining with us even
more enjoyable. We’re looking forward to seeing you soon.
Leonie
P.S. Please book by calling 98 2133. We’ll make sure you’ll enjoy your meal
with that special Elephant Rock.
Figure 2 - This letter got 18.8% response. First time customers filled out a Win $40 FREE Dinner competition coupon and
customer survey (see page 13). One hundred people were mailed to, and 18.8% responded and spent $52.20 on average, per
letter back. That’s $991 for every 100 letters.
Why marketing is the easiest way to
make more money in your business…. 3
The 6 Marketing
2
people in businesses I consult with cannot answer that
question clearly and convincingly.
Principles you Most businesses make the “me-too, I am here and that’s
why you should give me your money” appeal to their
must know to make customers. If you want your business to grow you must
first determine what you can offer that the others can’t.
your sales soar... A bamboo-furniture store on the Gold Coast offers to let
his customers try and see a lounge or dining suite at
home for a week...before they buy it. No obligation.
Out of every ten businesses we look at, nine will not be Does it work? You bet it does, nine out of ten items that
following at least four of these principles. Put these go out on that basis are sold. It’s his Unique Selling Ad-
money making principles into action and your bus i- vantage.
ness profits will instantly increase.
What’s your? It can be lower prices, longer warranty,
Marketing Principle No. 1: Monitor the you are quicker, smarter, you have a wider range...and so
response to all your marketing on. Your Unique Selling Advantage should be used in
and advertising efforts. all your headlines, and letters to your customers.
Most business owners I speak to have no idea whether their Marketing Principle No. 3: Test different
advertisements, letters and other promotions are working or strategies, advertisements and prices.
not. They spend $100, $500 or $1,000 on a particular ad-
vertisement or promotion every week just because they feel How do you decide what products you sell and what
they should. strategy and price you will use? It is amazing how busi-
ness owners simply “know” what will work and what
This is absolute lunacy. won’t. Instead of letting the marketplace and customers
tell them by testing a number of strategies on a small
As a business owner you should NEVER, I repeat NEVER scale.
run any promotion unless you have a way to monitor the
results. You can make a whole heap more money by testing.
Let me ask you - would you place an order with any sup- If you want to maximize the return from your business
plier and pay for it without having any idea whether you got you have an obligation to conservatively test and let the
the goods or not? I bet you wouldn’t. Well, believe it or market tell you what it wants.
not, it is no different to placing an advertisement or sending
a sales letter. You should know exactly what you get for If you have salesmen in the field or you are running an
your money. advertisement or sending a sales letter, you owe it to
yourself to try different approaches, sales pitches, offers
Anyone who says to you, “Just keep your name out there and headlines in your ads.
and you’ll get results somewhere down the line,” is simply
wasting your money. And yet that’s exactly what most of Why? Because a different approach used by one of your
all the advertisements I see do. At best they get deferred salespeople may be getting 30-50% better result than the
results. At worst - and that’s in 95% of the ads I look at - others. Wouldn’t it make sense to have every one of
they achieve no purpose whatsoever. your people use this new approach? And then have one
of your people test yet other ways to increase this new
You must monitor everything you do. This is the backbone level of results? Of course it would.
of all your successful marketing.
You should test price. Let us say you are getting ten
Marketing Principle No. 2: Find and calls a week. Out of those ten calls you sell four items
develop your Unique Selling Advantage. for $400. What would happen if for one week you tried
to sell them for $350. How many would you sell and
Why should I buy from you? What can you offer that the would you make more profit? Another week you should
fellow down the road can’t? Remarkably nine out of ten test $500 and monitor what that sales-price does to your
sales and profits.
The 6 Marketing Principles you must
4 know to make your sales soar...
price or make any other proposition to your customer -
always tell them the reason why.
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
2. Testing - What can I test and how? (Price, 5. Have I ever done a customer survey? If
guarantee, headline, etc.) not, see chapter 15 for ideas on how to ask the
right questions. What questions can I ask my
_____________________________________ customers?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
3. Am I mailing my customers? If not, when
can I start and what offer can I make to them?
Other Action & Ideas: __________________
My first mailing will be on: ______________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________
I’ll offer: _____________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
The “Secret Method” and asked for directions? How helpful most people are. You
just have to ASK…
every successful Use this approach and remember...the way to repay someone
for helping you, is for you to help someone else in the future.
Marketing Expert Make the good deeds go around and share your knowledge to
help others.
uses... Start a marketing ideas file for your business. Every time you
see an advertisement, a direct mail letter, or a flyer that at-
tracts you, keep it. Record good TV commercials. Ask your-
How did every marketing expert start? In fact how did
self, what advertisement or sales approach did I respond to.
anyone who becomes great in their chosen business or
What business do I like to go to, and why? Become a market-
personal field begin? What is their “Secret?” ing “Sleuth.”
Every successful ‘Marketing Expert’ started by emulating Observe others - when something irritates you - write it down.
someone else. Emulating is a fancy word for OBSERVE, I hate it when they ask me to open my bag when I am walking
STUDY and LEARN FROM. out of a supermarket. Why? Probably because on an uncon-
scious level it seems as if they are saying, “We don’t trust
You are surprised? We learn to walk, to talk, to write, and you.” I have even avoided walking into some stores for that
even to love from the people around us. You started a bus i- reason.
ness because you saw others doing it. You learned to drive a
car by seeing someone else first and then doing it yourself. They don’t do it at Marshal Field’s, or Nordstrom or in the
successful franchise stores. Why do they have to do it? Why
Even Michelangelo began by copying someone else’s painting punish the 97 people who are honest, for the three who are
style. not? That seems like bad business to me. What would happen
if they focused on giving better service instead? I’ll bet their
I decided to learn about marketing after losing everything in profits would increase…
my first business. I had no idea how to start. Then I read
something very interesting written by Gary Halbert. He is a Please DO IT - observe, learn and apply it in your business.
‘Guru’ of direct mail and has probably written more success-
ful direct response advertisements and promotions than any- Ask others in your business to come up with ideas and re-
one else living today. ward them. People like to be acknowledged. That is the rea-
son for the success of some of the MLM companies. Their
Gary said that the way to write great letters and advertise- Rah-Rah meetings with their gold, silver and diamond pins
ments was to sit down and copy out - in your own handwrit- being given to achieve are good examples of people recogni-
ing - the best ads and letters you can find. The ones that made tion that works.
the most money.
The same thing happens in sports. People get excited when
What happens is that the writer’s way of thinking actually im- they score a goal. Can you apply that knowledge in your busi-
prints on your mind after you have done it a few (hundred) ness? Do you have goals for you and your team?
times. Let me tell you - IT WORKS.
There is a new and very successful department store called
If you want to be good at anything, Nordstrom. In their shoe department, the sales are up to nine
find the most successful people or times greater per square meter, compared to shoe stores in
businesses and learn from them... Australia.
Ask them how they got to be so successful. People love to Why is that? Well, for a start, the staff always bring back
talk about their successes. You can get 20 years of experience three pairs of shoes from the stock room when serving a cus-
in half an hour if you ask the right people the right questions. tomer.
They also take note of your shoe size and the style And, most importantly…
of shoe you like. They mail you with special offers.
They have special sales for ‘your shoe size’ and Talk with your customers. Ask them what
customer only previews of new styles. All this they want and give it to them.
gives you the message, “We care about you: our
customer.” Your customers will always tell you exactly what
you should be selling, how you should be selling it
How can you apply that to your business? In a and how much you should sell it for. They tell you
video store you could always bring another two se- by their willingness or failure to spend their money
lections with each customer request. A fashion with you.
store can do the same when you ask for a particular
size. A car dealer can offer to test drive two cars Start being a “Marketing Expert, “ NOW. It’s eas-
that he picks, based on your first selection. A res- ier than you think.
taurant can give you a sample-taste of other dishes
on their menu, and so on…
What is unique about their service or product? Other Action & Ideas: __________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
names, use them to The third way to collect names is to have a section on your
warranty card or on your cashier receipts. Either you or
saleable asset...
tant. Plus you may want to add a “How can we improve
our service to you?” with a space for their comments.
I DID!! About eight years ago I had some shirts and trou-
Name Address Phone Any other information you want sers made in Hong Kong. I got a HUGE surprise when a
Christmas Card arrived in my mailbox from the tailor.
Guess where I went to buy more shirts when I visited Hong
Kong some four years later? That’s right, the same tailor.
Then you simply ask your customers…
I wonder how many tourist businesses in Australia send
“Would you like to go on our Special Customer list?” “Thank You” notes and Christmas Cards to their custom-
They’ll love you for it! ers?
I saw this method used at a Brisbane market. The name What else can you do with your customer list? Well,
collection pad was just lying on the table and the people you can ask them what you can do for them in the future,
were lining up to put their name down. and at the same time, how you can improve your service to
them. Just by asking you show your customers that you
A health food store owner in Nowra, south of Sydney, care more about them than Jack does down the road.
said his customers thank him and feel honored for the op-
portunity. An accountant asked his clients what they wanted. He dis-
covered his clients needed help in managing and marketing
Another way to collect names, is to make an offer on a their businesses. He was able to get business which other-
sign in the store. Something like - “WIN $100 Worth of wise would have gone to someone else…
Products” (see page 11), “A $50 Wardrobe Consultation,”
“A Subscription to a magazine,” - or anything else that Even if you haven’t got what your customers want, you can
your customer is likely to find useful and attractive. Have always find someone who has and promote their products
a name collection slip on the counter for them to fill in. for a percentage of the profits.
It’s easy to test. You don’t have to mail or phone all your Now you have a SALEABLE ASSET. How come?
customers at once. Mail 100, 500 or 1,000 and see if they Well for a start - you can offer to do mailings for other
respond. If they do, then you mail the others. people’s products - for a share of the profits. You can
“rent” your customer list through a broker. You’ll get
Another way to make extra sales is to keep educating anywhere from $150 to $500 for a thousand names every
your customers about your products, your service, your time someone rents your customer list. However…
field or expertise and how they can benefit from them.
The biggest benefit of having a mailing
A builder in Clayton, Victoria, has a brochure called “ A list of your customers’ names comes
Survival Guide...How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Extending when you want to sell your business.
Your Home.” A furniture company sends a report on “15
things you must know about designing and decorating With your mailing list and proven results of mailings,
your office.” you can prove to any prospective purchaser the amount
of money they will continue to make. Mail order busi-
A restaurant can send special cooking tips. An account- nesses are easy to sell because you can tell exactly what
ant can give “7 Little-known Secrets to Reduce your Tax the business is worth by the size of the customer list and
bill this year.” the respons e to past promotions. You now have the same
advantage.
What can you offer? Find out and start mailing
NOW!! Your goodwill is no longer some imaginary, intangible,
airy-fairy figure. It’s a proven and tested customer base
How often? Well, it’s highly unlikely that you will mail that you can show to purchasers. OR, you can sell the
to your customers too much. Every three months should business and keep the rights to your customer list. Then
be a minimum. You should mail something every two you can continue to find new products to mail to it.
months or so. Again - TEST what will work for your
1. ______________________________________ ________________________________________
2. ______________________________________ ________________________________________
3. ______________________________________ ________________________________________
4. ______________________________________ ________________________________________
5. ______________________________________ ________________________________________
It’s easy...Just fill in the card and drop it in the box pro-
vided next to the counter. You don’t even need to buy any-
thing.
Figure 3 - This sign with name collection slips next to it, was used by a health food store to collect
names. Most customers are delighted to write their name on your mailing list.
Figure 4 - This name collection slip was used with the Win $100 store sign (see Figure 3) to collect names.
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Figure 5 - This appeared in the newspapers. The store is collecting names by using a customer club theme.
Figure 6 - This is the name collection method used by a restaurant. It was given to customers after they
finished their dinner. It also gives the restaurant suggestions on service, food and décor improvements.
technique to get you it fixed. You want to make sure it is fixed properly and
quickly - the first time. Because you’ll be without a car while
up to 980% better
it’s getting fixed, a loaner car will be just great. (See page 16.)
cost…
They look in the Yellow Pages because they don’t know who to
call. That’s why…
87% of the people who open a Yellow Pages have al- You need to sell them on the “reasons why” the y
ready decided to buy. They just aren’t sure who from. should choose you over another business.
Your Yellow Pages advertisement must focus on the
reasons why they should buy from YOU. Get the reader’s attention with a strong headline, and give them
reasons why they should choose your company as against your
What is the thing that strikes you when you open the Yellow competitors in the Yellow Pages. Ask them to call you to get a
Pages? Go on, have a look. You’ll notice that 99% of all the free report, make an appointment or to get some free advice.
ads look pretty much the same. Name of company at the top,
products or services supplied below, plus a pretty drawing or The way to test what will appeal about your company is to run
a photo of whatever they are selling. You probably think: “It the same ad you want to place in the Yellow Pages in other me-
must work and that’s why they are all the same…” dia and test your headlines and different approaches to get the
best result. Find the most successful version and place that ad
Actually, the reason the ads are all the same is because they in the Yellow Pages. Since it only comes out once a year it is
all copy from each other. It’s a lot easier for the person de- far too costly and time consuming to test these different ver-
signing the ad to make your ad look just like the others. It sions in the Yellow Pages themselves.
actually takes at least four times as long to create an ad like
the ones at the end of this chapter. You have to spend the Here are four things you must do to increase the
time and find out what unique advantage you can offer to the results from your Yellow Pages ad.
prospective customers.
• Offer something extra to the reader in the headline. It can
So, how do you write an effective Yellow Pages ad? Before be advice, a report, a sample of the product or a guarantee.
I tell you, let me give you something you must remember not And please, your company name is not a headline that will
only for Yellow Pages but for all your other advertising as get you sales from new customers.
well.
• Tell the reader exactly why they should call you rather than
Tests of monitored ads prove that people are someone else.
five times more likely to read what is,
• Be specific in your claims.
(or looks like ) an editorial article,
than that which is obviously an ad. • Offer a strong guarantee.
And the other thing to remember is that when people open Let’s say you are selling tiles. To say you have good service,
the Yellow Pages book, they are looking for a “solution.” great prices and largest range of tiles means nothing. Every-
body makes those general claims. Give specific information
For example. Imagine you have a legal problem. You don’t such as…
just want a lawyer. You want someone who is going to listen
to you. Someone who will care about you and your prob- We have 3456 different colors and styles to choose from,
lems. Someone who will be available and return all your
calls and do your work on time and correctly. (See page 15.)
Go through the Yellow Pages and make note of It will bring you results to make it worth your while.
the ads with a benefit headline and lots of copy.
Call them and ask them if their advertisement is If you want help with your Yellow Pages ad
getting results for them. Most will be happy to Call me (630) 736-0468
Figure 7 - This Yellow Pages Ad has an attention getting headline, plus lots of reasons why you should choose this
particular firm of lawyers (solicitors). They offer a FREE 1 hour consultation and a booklet. This is always an
attractive proposition. This sort of ad will attract you if you are looking to choose a lawyer.
Figure 8 - The benefit headline in the ad on the left plus good information in the ad will always work better. Compare
it with the ad on the right. It tells you virtually nothing to make you want to call them.
Figure 9 - This ad received ten, yes ten times the response compared to the “standard” ad placed last year - 10
calls per week resulting in 2 to 3 jobs worth $3,200 per week. That’s an extra $136,000 a year. That’s 980% of
leverage for only a slightly higher investment.
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Ask for our free report: “20 most common carpet stains and how to get rid of them.”
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1. FREE One hour delivery. If you have an cleaners. They are 5 times
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Figure 11 - This Yellow Pages Ad will work for the chemist. All the other ads offer nothing. He offers a Guaran-
tee and a FREE Trial. A FREE Consultation or fitness assessment in this case is always an attractive proposition.
Six headlines you can use are: “5 Reasons 6. Training and experiences of your staff: ___
why you should call (your company name)” - _____________________________________
You can talk to the experts about your _____________________________________
(your product or service)” - “Don’t phone
another (printer, carpet cleaner, etc) until
you read this.” - “FREE trail” - “House 7. Price value/saving and why: ___________
owners: (your target market) Get expert ad- _____________________________________
vice before you buy (your product) - call us _____________________________________
now.” etc.
Even if you just approximate the extra sales, you will start to get
powerful offers some idea of what every customer is really worth to your busi-
ness.
to instantly attract Why is it so important to know this? Well, knowing the Life-
new customers to
time Value of your customers gives you a HUGE “Marketing
Edge” and I am gong to show you…
“It would have taken me six months to bring in the kind of What you are doing is “buying” a new customer.
business direct mail brought me in six days. I couldn’t af- You do it because you know how much a regular
ford to wait six months…” customer will spend with you over their lifetime.
He tripled his business since using only similar direct mail “Buying” new customers with an irresistible offer really
approaches to qualified prospects. works, and it works amazingly well almost every time.
It works because human beings are creatures of habit.
The letter was written by Murray Raphel, a famous market- We keep doing the same old comfortable things we’ve
ing and advertising expert. He also owns a very successful always done. To get a customer to break their habit of
shopping center. (He promotes it only by direct mail). going to another business, you must give them a very
strong reason to try you.
Are you excited by the possibilities for your business?
Wait. There is more. Because they don’t know you, they will not be confident
to try you and that’s why a FREE offer is a risk free way
Who is Australia’s best known hairdresser? His name for them to get to know you.
is Stefan.. His picture is in most shopping centers in the
form of a life size cut out next to the hairdressing salons There is one exception when this approach won’t work!
that bear his name. It won’t work when your products and/or service is
lousy. When you don’t follow up your customers with
Stefan started out by offering “Thank You” notes, letters and other forms of personal
communication. And in that case you deserve it. Be-
Free Sytlecuts. (See page 25) cause good business is about developing relationships
with your customers.
Before you rush out and start making free offers to the YOU WILL knock the socks of your competitors
world…. every single time with this approach because they’ll
still be offering 10% off.
Figure 12 - Use this form to calculate the Lifetime Value of your customer. It will help you determine how much
you can spend up-front to “buy” a new customer.
1. Based on the Lifetime Value of my customers 6. Other action and ideas from this chapter:
(use the form on the previous page to work out ________________________________________
what it is) what sort of offers can I test in my pro- ________________________________________
motion to attract new customers? ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________ Need more cash flow?
________________________________________
________________________________________
Free
2. Why am I making this offer? (Remember you
must give the reasons why in all your ads).
Report:
“How to Increase
________________________________________ Your Profits In A
________________________________________ Recession!”
________________________________________
Top Marketing
________________________________________ Experts Reveal:
1. How to get up to 980%
more response from your
3. What suppliers can I get to help me with mak- Yellow Pages Ad—at no
ing these offers? See chapter 11 for approaching extra cost.
your suppliers. 2. How to write headlines
that get you up to 19 times
greater response to all your
________________________________________
ads, letters and brochures.
________________________________________ 3. How to use “Attention
________________________________________ Grabbers” to make sure
________________________________________ your letters stand out and
________________________________________ get more sales.
4. The “Big Secret” that
increases the readership of
your newspaper and maga-
4. What sort of offers attract me to other bus i- zine ads by 450% or more.
nesses and what have I responded to? This report— worth $29—
is FREE to readers of the
________________________________________ Bulletin Newspaper.
________________________________________ Phone (075) 981153
________________________________________ Or fax your details to
________________________________________ (075) 981061
________________________________________ 19A329844
Figure 14 - Make this offer and start a chain of hair- Figure 15 - These offers were delivered to 10,000
dressing salons. Target this offer to people who can homes around the shop. FREE photo album and other
afford to come back . Give them great service and gifts were a great incentive for new customers - 187 peo-
haircut. Follow it up with a letter or phone call. You ple came in. The $2,520 in sales made this a profitable
should convert 30 to 70 % of people to regular cus- promotion and got lots of new picture-framing custom-
tomers. ers who will return many times in the future.
Figure 16 - What a great way to “buy” new customers and build a business. This FREE pizza offer resulted in 491
customers coming in during the three weeks. Of these, 223 were new customers trying out the pizzas for the first
time. And they'll be back because their pizzas have one inch thick toppings and taste great. The extra sales of
$6,474 covered the cost of the giveaway.
ELEPHANT ROCK CAFE 776 Pacific Parade, Currumbin Beach, 982 133. B.Y.
0700
Figure 17 - A $10 of FREE food value used by a restaurant. It was given to four health food stores to hand out to their
customers with purchases over $20. From 2,000 vouchers given out, 86 vouchers were presented to the restaurant with
an average sale of $41.25 per voucher. A great way for a restaurant to attract new customers.
Richard Squires
County Executive
1125 Atlantic Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Good morning…
I’ve enclosed a copy of our menu. And I’m so proud of the excellent
quality and superb taste of everything we have, I would like you to be
a charter member of our TASTER’S CLUB.
There is.
For you.
I’ll call you in a few days. Pick and choose what you want from the
enclosed menu. And I’ll have it delivered to you a short time after
you call.
Enjoy!
Norman Gordon
NORMAN GORDON
Figure 18 - This letter was sent by a small restaurant to influential people in the community: elected officials,
prominent businessmen, and professionals. For 100 letters sent the reaction was excellent. More than half took
advantage of steady regular customers. This letter was written by Murray Raphel, author of many excellent books
on retail marketing. (See Bibliography page 135).
greater response to
These headlines are aimed at testing the reader’s intelligence
and ability to guess. They are usually the result of endless
corporate meetings and advertising agency think tanks.
all your Ads, letters Here are a few samples of confusing headlines. Guess what
“Go for the Gong” - subtitled - “your face will be red if you
Please get a copy of today’s newspaper. don’t.” Any ideas what it’s selling?? No, you lose. It’s not a
TV game show, a story on sexual and mating habits or a tale
Look at the front cover and tell me what you read… about a steep mountain climb to reach the sacred Chinese
gong…
Let me guess, it probably says something like this - Cold
Blooded Murder, Sex Scandal, Corruption Charges It’s a full page advertisement trying to get you to advertise in a
Laid, Innocent Victims Sues or something equally griz- suburban newspaper. Here are a couple of better alterna-
zly and sensational. tives…
Do you know why most of the main articles in newspa- “Would you like to double your business?…...48 of the
pers start with headlines relating to disasters, murders, sex companies that advertise in our paper have!”
and corruption? Well, I am going to tell you anyway. It’s
because that’s what sells newspapers. It attracts people OR
who read newspapers (and sometimes even those who
don’t) and they buy it. “FREE report - How to reach customers spending 1.9 bil-
lion dollars with effective newspaper advertising.”
The only purpose of a headline
Another clever headline I have come across recently is this
is to target the person you want one. See if you can guess what they are selling…
to reach and to sell them
on wanting to know more. “JUST WHAT A SLAB OF SEASONED WOOD NEEDS.
A LITTLE MORE SEASONING.” This could be selling
If you want proof, look at the magazine racks in the news- anything from a wood stain or preservative to a new recipe.
agents. Magazines aimed at young women such as Cleo It’s confusing and written in hard to read upper case typestyle.
have articles headlined, “What You Always Wanted To Some better alternatives….
Know About Men,” “4 Signs To Look For If He’s Cheat-
ing On You,” or “8 Tips On Looking Great This Sum- “At XYZ furniture we don’t use glues, nails, screws,
mer.” hinges, stains or paints...That’s why the rugged, natural
look will last you a lifetime.”
Magazines for home owners have articles headlined, “12
Tips To Help You Renovate On A Budget,” “New Fash- OR
ion Colors For Your Bathroom…”
“Every piece of XYZ furniture is made from salvaged tim-
None of the successful magazines have on their covers or ber...and is guaranteed for life by its makers.”
as headlines for their articles the publishers or the article
writer’s names. Let’s face it: Who would buy a magazine In both the previous examples the writers assume - wrongly -
or newspaper with “Efficient Publishing Company” as the that the readers will continue to read into the rest of the ad to
feature story followed by the Ron Smedley and Sarah find out what it is they are trying to say. What they don’t real-
Bushwhacker reports? ize is that, five times as many people read headlines as read
the rest of the advertisement, article or letter.
Ask other people to read your openings and have 10. How to own a $139,000 investment home from
them pick the one they like out of the three or four only $35 per week and no deposit.
you give them.
11. Have a house you’ll be proud of...with Color-
The world’s biggest selling magazine, Reader’s Di- Makers range of 362 tiles and new easy-to apply
gest, selects cover stories by placing advertisements house paint.
in other publications. They ask you to choose three
out of about 30 artic les listed in their next issues 12. The most comfortable shoes you have ever
and they will send them to you in advance. worn or your money back.
The most popular request is used as the article fea- 13. How to avoid having your car stolen this sum-
tured on the front cover. Because that is the mer on the Gold Coast. (Car alarm)
“Headline” that sells the magazine.
14. How to raise your child’s IQ before it is even
Pretty neat trick isn’t it? That’s how they got so born. (Educational tapes)
big!!
15. Free Giant Cookie. (Food Sample Promotion)
Read these 23 headlines and use
16. Look great with our FREE Stylecut.
them to inspire you in creating (Hairdresser)
your own headlines…
17. How to turn $5,000 into $5,436 in just 12
months. (Bank deposit account)
1. 9 good reasons to choose Country Curtains
quality Sun Blinds and beat the scorching heat 18. FREE Report - “How to increase your profits
this summer. (Vertical Blinds) in a recession.” (Potential customer’s name generat-
ing ad for this book)
2. If your bathroom isn’t ready in 8 days I’ll
give you $100 cash for every day we go over 19. How to double your income in just 60 days.
time. (Bathroom renovation) (Personal-development goal program)
3. If your home doesn’t have an alarm, he’ll 20. Which of these 5 skin problems do you have?
break-in in just 10 seconds. With a Wormald (Cosmetics range)
back to-base alarm he won’t even try! (House
protection) 21. Vita-Mix Makes Juice 12 Times Faster Than
Other Juicers - And 400% More Nutritious. (Fruit
4. How to have a cool quiet bedroom. Even on Juicer)
hot summer nights. (Air-conditioners)
22. Why are we giving you these $18.50 delicious
5. Free 1 month gym membership worth $79 Macadamia Nut Chocolates - for FREE? (Candy
with every pair of Reebok Cross-Trainer shoes. mail order offer)
This weekend only.
23. Brighten up your dark rooms in less than 1
6. 10 easy ways to meet people, have fun and hour. (Skylight)
5.___________________________________
10 Headlines I can use in my business… ____________________________________
____________________________________
1. “FREE Report: How to…” ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
6.___________________________________
2. “7 Facts you should know before you…” ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________
increase your sales short as you like. You can send as many or as few of the “little
white sales people” as you like. And, you can test different of-
and profits...
fers, guarantees, prices and products without telling the whole
world what you are doing.
Best of all, you can pre-sell the wonders of what your products
If you learn how to use Direct Mail properly, the results and service will do for your customers. To the point where
can be so amazing, it may take your breath away. your customer behavior resembles shark feeding frenzy!
You’ll have them rushing to your place of business, mobbing
There is no business that cannot benefit from using Direct your sales staff and burning out your cash registers from too
Mail. Yet, 95% of business owners have never sent a “Thank much use!
You” letter (see page 34), let alone a sales letter to their cus-
tomers. These two types of letters will keep your customers A restaurant and a health food shop started mailing to their
coming back. Customers want a friendly personal service and existing customers. They had an increase of 39% and
regular contact or communication from you. 35.5% respectively, in their sales after three months. A
Pizza Restaurant increased its takings by 235% in two
After all, if you don’t write or call your friends, you’ll lose weeks.
contact with them after a while.
These increases happened at a time when other businesses in
A friendly, personalized letter is the next best thing to person- their area recorded their slowest months ever.
ally visiting your customers with products in your hand. It
will give your business a big advantage over your competitors, Direct Mail really works.
no matter what their size or how many more stores they have.
Why is Direct Mail so effective and does it always work? Well
Read the next three lines very carefully… of course it doesn’t. Sometimes what you send through the
mail doesn’t work. But that is not the Direct Mail’s fault.
It costs five times as much to gain a new Rather, it lies with the message, offer and target to which it’s
customer as it does to sell something sent.
else to your existing customer.
The beauty of Dirct Mail is that you can test different mes-
And yet, most business owners spend all their time, money sages, offers and targets in small quantities. When a letter
and effort chasing new customers. works, it works like crazy, because you mail it to everybody on
your list.
Why is that? Probably because they have never really used
Direct Mail properly. And none of your competitors will know about what offers and
ideas you are testing.
Once you have seen just how well Direct Mail works, you’ll
never go back to anything else. Here are some basic rules of Direct Mail. In fact this is true for
any marketing promotions you do…
The reason why Direct Mail works so well is because it shows
your customers that you care about them, and care about them 1. The best results always come from mailing to your own
enough to send them a PERSONAL letter - the sort of letter customers. (See page 36)
they get from a friend.
After all, they already know you. They have already had a
Your customers will like getting letters from you. After all, good experience with you. They will be most likely to come
they have given you their trust and money in the first place. back again.
A letter tells them you care about them. It can also tell them Compare this to a situation in your personal life. (If you don’t
about something special, such as a “Customer Only Sale,” a have time for such pleasures now, you will when you start ap-
new product or service you now offer, some helpful informa- plying these methods.)
This would be as if a good friend of yours arranged for a Direct Mail to your existing customers has the effect of
person to go out to dinner with - because this person has you and your business becoming a friend to them.
the same interests, likes the same food, is the same age as
you, or whatever. What could be better than that? Friends stay with you,
don’t they? When your customers start thinking of you as
Not as good as No. 1 but it’ll have to do. a friend, your business suddenly becomes a lot of FUN
and VERY PROFITABLE.
3. The next best result is from a letter to a well tar-
geted prospective customer list. (See page 35) As a matter of fact…
Mailed to people who are similar to your own customers. Dollar for Dollar, nothing will return as much
Similar in what they buy, where they live, their interests to your business as Direct Mail.
etc. Or a list of all the single women or men in your age
Action Plan
1. Am I mailing my own customers? 5. What other business could I approach to mail
________________________________________ to this customer list?
________________________________________
2. If I am not mailing my own customers, what ________________________________________
could I offer them and when will I start to mail ________________________________________
them? ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
6. Other ideas for promoting my business with
Direct Mail.
3. Do I send “ Thank You” notes to my custom-
ers? ________________________________________
________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
4. Who should I send a “Thank You” not to to- ________________________________________
day? ________________________________________
________________________________________
Sexton Hill
6th November, 1992
3:35 p.m.
Good Afternoon
I am sending you this letter because I want to Thank Yo u for visiting our nursery and for
entering our drawing for the $50 Gift Voucher.
The prize was won by Beryl Parry of Kingscliff and she was delighted. However I’m sorry
YOU didn’t win the first prize.
So here’s the good news. As a thank you for entering the draw I’ve decided to give you a
consolation gift. It’s a bottle of Searle’s - Special Blend Liquid Fish Fertilizer worth $5 - to
make your plants really thrive and look healthy.
To get your FREE Searle’s - Special Blend Fertilizer, simply bring this letter with you
during November and pick one up.
We’ll also keep you informed on the latest plant releases, send you a regular newsletter
with tips on how to plant, what to plant and other useful information. Plus give you first
choice of specials and customer only events at the nursery.
P.S. Please remember your FREE bottle of Special Blend Liquid Fish Fertilizer is waiting
for you anytime in November. Just bring in this letter with you.
Figure 19 - A “Thank You letter” is the first step in Direct Mail process. It confirms to the customer that you care and
makes them more open to future offers. This letter brought a 33.5% response from new customers who put their names
in the draw to win a prize and go on the mailing list. It showed a profit up-front and will build future goodwill.
The cheque attached is not redeemable an any bank—however it could be the most valuable
bonus you’ll ever receive.
This cheque pays your fee to access the best copywriting and journalism professionals. Plus
an initial consultation with me assess how you can save money and get better results by using
The Journalists Agency.
a media release and PR that really sell your company and your products
a brochures that highlight the best points of your products, services and your
corporate image.
You’ll get all these services at a price that’s 28% to 51% below that charged by major P ublic
Relations and Marketing agencies. We don’t have their fancy offices, chandeliers or lots of
office staff. You get service and you deal direct with the professionals who do the work.
The You can get all this help at a moment’s notice. You will be dealing with practitioners best
suited to your particular need. Plus you’ll be accessing the 1156 specialists listed on our
Journalists computer—from all over Australia.
Agency Ph Ltd
You’ll never be stuck for a person to do a writing job ever again.
SYDNEY
It won’t cost you a cent to find more about the benefits of using professionals from The Jour-
487 Parramatta Road nalists Agency. “Spend the cheque” —
LEICHHARDT 2040 call me now on (02) 550 9749 to arrange a time to meet and I’ll explain exactly
Postal: PO Box N20 how you will benefit by using The Journalists Agency.
PETERSHAM NTH 2049
Phone: (02) 550 9749 Yours Sincerely
Fax: (02) 5509681
Brian Morris
CANBERRA
Figure 20 - This letter got $44,870 worth of business in four weeks without any phone follow-up. Previously the
response was close to zero. It’s important that your message is attractive to your targeted prospect. By attaching a
“check” and giving the benefits of what the journalist agency can do for you - the response zoomed.
Southport
13th April, 1992
Monday 9:09 a.m.
Thank you for taking the time to enter the draw for a $20 voucher
worth of products in our shop.
The prize was won by Cheryl Lower from Runaway Bay. You are disap-
pointed that you didn’t win? Well, here is the good news. To
thank you for entering the draw….
By filling it out, you make sure that we’ll look after you the way
you would like.
It will only take you a few minutes. You don’t need a stamp. Just
send it to Reply paid 34, PO Box 1407 Burleigh Heads, 4220. Or
bring it to the shop next time you come in.
Thank you again for taking part in our draw. We’re looking forward
to seeing you again.
P.S. The $3 voucher is yours to use in our shop at any time you
want...
Figure 21 - This letter to a loyal customer list received a 44% response rate. Forty-four people out of every 100
mailed redeemed the voucher and spent more besides. Twenty-five percent of the people returned the survey, giv-
ing the owners valuable information for future marketing and product range.
Dear PETER
PRIMA Hairdressing wishes to introduce to you the L’Oreal Autumn colour range
and is offering you a free semi-permanent color to the value of $28.00 with your next
style cut and blow wave.
Telephone us now to make an appointment, and we look forward to seeing you soon.
We also take this opportunity to invite you to join us at the ‘Elephant Rock Café, Cur-
rumbin, for refreshments.
Yours faithfully
PRIMA HAIRDRESSING
SHOP 7, PALM BEACH AVENUE, PALM BEACH, QUEENSLAND 4221 TELEPHONE: 34 2628, 34 6377
Figure 22 - This letter with a gift voucher was sent by a hairdresser to his clients. The letter was not great in con-
tent, but it still resulted in a 6.75% response rate. This shows the great power of endorsement of a product (in this
case a restaurant) by another business.
To the
Peter Sun Direct Marketing, P.O. Box 1407, Burleigh Heads, Qld, 4220—(075) 981 153
Figure 23 - The envelope above contained coupons with offers from 12 retail businesses. All the businesses were
from one area and they shared the cost of distributing these envelopes to 10,000 homes. Because their offers were
good and the envelopes only reached their best prospects (people within five miles of their stores), it worked well
for them.
Figure 24 - The coupon below was in the envelope as well as the coupons shown on pages 25, 26, and 131. If you
are really switched on you can organize something similar with retailers in your area and get your coupon in for
FREE.
The result for the shoe repair business below was 102 new customers from a total of 203 coupons returned. Sales
totaled $1,102.
Mr. K Isles
61 Ware Drive
CURRUMBIN WTRS QLD 4223
My name is Denis Kenny, I look after the Marketing at the Sanctuary and I have decided to make August our special…
Simply by bringing this letter to the Sanctuary turnstiles and purchasing 2 adult tickets or a Family pass, we will give you
in return…
You can choose from hot meals, daily specials, sandwiches, snacks, anything you like from our main restaurant.
However, you’re not the only one that gets a “Free” lunch. Every day our visitors and staff give out hundreds of free
lunches…
To the kangaroos, Wombats, Koala and all t he other Aussie Animals at the Sanctuary.
Why are we giving you a free lunch? Well simply because we want you to enjoy our magnificent natural bushland, our
daily event program, our reptile presentation and we want you to come back more often.
The $15.00 FREE lunch offer is only for Gold Coast Residents and you must bring this letter with you, during the month of
August only!
Yours faithfully
CURRUMBIN SANCTUARY
Denis Kenny
DENIS KENNY
MARKETING MANAGER
Figure 25 - Good offer - Wrong target. This was mailed to the voters of record of residents close to the Currumbin
Sanctuary. The response from 600 letters was 21 people. The offer should have been aimed at families with
young children, the Currumbin Sanctuary’s best prospects.
your customers...
give the money back? Because it wasn’t his fault. Because he
needed to confirm it with the manufacture first?
Before you answer me, let me ask you. What happens if you You can apply a money-back guarantee to almost any
don’t give the money back to a customer who is unhappy? product or service.
You lose a customer, right? WRONG!! To make a guarantee work for you, and increase your sales, you
must be absolutely blatant about it. You must guarantee that
You lose ten customers. Because that unhappy customer is your customers cannot lose by dealing with you. Take the risk
going to tell at least ten people. They are going to tell them of their purchase on your shoulders. Make it easy for them to
how he or she got ripped-off and why they’d never go back to buy. Tell them about how great your guarantee is.
“that place.”
You may be thinking… “I can’t give a money-back guarantee
You end up with an ulcer because of the stress of refusing to and tell everyone. People will take advantage of me. I’ll go
give them their money back. And to top it all off, you’ll broke.”
probably have to give back the money anyway - after they
take you to one of the many consumer tribunals set up to han- The truth is -
dle such complaints.
When you implement a strong guarantee, any increase in
Imagine for a moment, what would have happened if you just refunds (if there is any) will be more than compensated
smiled at that person and said… “Certainly, I’ll be glad to by the increase in sales in most cases.
give you your money back.”
A clothing manufacturer gives a money back guarantee. His
What would happen? For a start that person will probably not refunds are $5,000 per year...on sales of $15 million per year.
even want their money back. Most people don’t want their
money back. Please understand one thing: things such as Satisfaction Guar-
anteed, 2 Year Warranty, 3 Year Structural Guarantee and
They usually want the problem fixed. guarantees that are not publicized or have “fine print” will not
work. Neither will guarantees with exclusions and special con-
A friend of mine, Elio Ciavarella, owns an Ideas in Cane fur- ditions. If you put “fine print” exceptions and special clauses
niture store on the Gold Coast. A customer phoned him. He in your guarantee, you’d be better not having a guarantee at all.
was very angry. His $260 cane chair arrived late and was not
the color he wanted. He was mad and demanded his money
back.
To be effective, your guarantee must be specific, blatant
“Certainly,” Elio said. “Would you like me to mail the check and self-punishing, if your products or service don’t pe r-
out to you or will you pick it up?” The man was stunned. As form as you say they will.
he later said, he expected a fight to get his money back. “You
can mail it to me,” he replied. Here are some examples of effective guarantees:
Elio mailed the check the same day with a note to apologize “We guarantee to have your guttering delivered within 4X
for the inconvenience. hours - if we fail - IT’S YOURS FREE.”
Mordek - a guttering manufacturer
Action Plan
3 Guarantees I can use in my business. 3. Service:
Figure 26 - This guarantee is for a computer Figure 27 - A guarantee that is also a unique selling
software program. If you needed an accounting advantage. It is clearly spelled out on our business
package - wouldn’t it make you at least try it? card.
Figure 28 - The guarantee on the $1,840 set of tapes is clear. This company - The Results Corporation - has a
Money Back policy on all their products - even their $4,500 seminars. What’s more there is no time limit. They
are one of Australia’s fastest growing companies. (See Bibliography on page 135)
Figure 31 - A clothing company that stands behind its products. It’s also good business. Money back guarantees
increase sales. The large department stores have been doing it for years. That’s why they are large.
T RUE B LUE
CHEMICALS
Guarantee
If any product should not yield results as claimed the full pur-
chase price will be refunded upon return of any unused portion
within thirty days. The Company guarantees the quality of each
one of its chemical products. When its products are used as
directed, the Company warrants results as claimed by represen-
tatives and Distributors of True Blue Chemicals.
Customer
Product
Representative
Date
Figure 30 - This is a guarantee from a company that believes in the effectiveness of its products. Guarantees like
this one are a building stone for your success.
You tell them where to come to take advantage of your great Figure 31 - This is a good example of an editorial style ad. It
offering and give them the phone number to ring. gives a benefit in the headline and lots of information on how to be
a better public speaker.
Now you can cut Photo dation of Ian Richter of Rathdowney Motors I began using
HPR 30 after he overhauled the engine and have traveled
oil consumption over 160,000 km since, and use only 1/2 liter of oil be-
tween oil changes. I regard this as fantastic and thought I
and save money! would write and tell you. Thanks again for the ‘good oil.’”
“Some oils might cost less to buy but they won’t save you Mr. Jim Wolters of Keperra has been a friend of ours at
money,” says Gavin Campbell of Penrite Oil Company. Penrite for over 7 years and writes to me every so often in
For too long you’ve been told that oil consumption in your one of Jim’s letters he says the following: “I’ve not only
car is “normal.” climate and most particularly your vehicle. stayed with HPR 50 but have changed my gearbox, diff and
Sure, your car might not be brand new, and perhaps its Just think; if the temperature where you are now is, say, radiator to your marvelous products. I drive an ‘81 GH
done a fair few kilometers, buy you service it regularly so 26C (and its probably hotter), that is a full 46C above the Sigma, and before using your oils, I used about 4 liters of
you ask, why does my engine use so much oil? temperature a 15W/40 engine oil is designed around and oil a month. Now I use 4 liters a year, a great improvement
Well let me tell you a bit about the subject. 56C above which a 5W/30 is designed around. you might say, and that’s an understatement!”
It’s possible the oil you buy is inadequate or inappropriate All oils thin out with heat, and multi-grade engine oils are Mr. Ross Emery of Mackay wrote this about his experience
for the job it has to do in your engine. designed to compensate for this, hence the second numbe r since changing to HPR 30. “After 18 months of use of HPR
You know, the specifications for engine oils are written in in the designation, ie: the 30 in 5W/30, or the 40 in 30 I have only favorable things to say about it. After the
America or Europe, and are based on sub-zero operating 15W/40. first week of use my fears about oil lag on start up were
temperatures. Our HPR Series of engine oils are all made with high vis- allayed. Now I use Penrite oils exclusively. I couldn't afford
There are various reasons for this. Just two amongst them cosity base oils specifically chosen to retain exceptional to use anything else!”
are; firstly, it is possible to drive a vehicle straight from the body, at and above 100C. This means that the oils are Like Ross and all our other friends, can you afford not to
equator to the artic circle. Secondly, the extended northern obviously going to be heavier at low temperatures too. use Penrite HPR Series oils?
hemisphere winters must be considered , when long peri- However if you are concerned about sub-zero tempera- Find out more about the pr otection you can give your
ods of sub-zero temperatures are experienced. tures, supposing you do trips to the snow, or the Granite Belt whole vehicle with HPR oils and Radiator Treatment. Cut
Amongst the hundreds of tests lubricants are subjected to in winter, you need not be, because, for instance HPR 30 has out and post the coupon to me today (you don’t need a
during development, a re the ones concerned with viscosity a typical Borderline Pumping Temperature of –12C, which is stamp) and I will send you our brochures and names and
or “thickness” of the finished products. more than adequate for Australian conditions. addresses of nearby stockiest, then you too can start saving
One of these tests is called “Borderline Pumping Tem- Any oils that are inappr opriate for the job become easy to money.
perature” and relates to the minimum temperature that push past the rings, and leak past the valve guides, even
permits satisfactory oil flow through the oiling system of the though the engines may be in good condition and still have TO: GAVIN CAMPBELL
engine. plenty of power. PENRITE OIL COMPANY PTY,LTD
This is indicated by the first number you see in the desig- This is when the experts either say to you its “normal” or Yes, I want to find out more about Penrite HPR Series
engine oils, lubricants and Radiator Treatment, and
nation for an engine oil, such as 5W/30, 10W in 10W/40, else they’re recommending mechanical repairs. the names and addresses of stockiest near my home
15W in 15W/40 etc. The letter W stands for winter. The “Quite often that’s totally unnecessary!” so I can give my whole vehicle protection, and save
temperatures these numbers relate to are –30C for 5W; - Pernrite HPR Series engine oils can, in many cases, cut oil money.
25C for 15W. consumption, improve engine life, reduce exhaust smoke
In our opinion these extremely low ambient temperatures Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. ______________________________
and most importantly, save you money.
Address ______________________________________
are not relevant to normal operation of cars in Australia, I have numerous letters here and receive many phone calls ________________________Postcode: _____________
particularly here in Queensland. I think the lowest you’re from our motoring friends telling me of their experiences
going to see is –6 to –7C around Stanthorpe in mid winter. with our oils and how their cars are perfor ming. Cut out coupon and post to REPLY PAID No $
PENRITE OIL COMPANY P/L 18 LOCHLARNEY ST
At Penrite we make our HPR Series of engine oils to suit You will be interested to read what Mr. Les Anderson of BEENLEIGH QLD 4207
Australian conditions, our temperatures, our humidity, our
PENRITE OIL COMPANY PTY. LTD.
No postage stamp is necessary
PENRITE
18 Lochlarney Street, BEENLEIGH QLD 4207 Ph (07) 807 2977 Fax (07) 807 3266
Figure 34 - This “Article” is in every months issue of the RACQ road magazine. The company got around 147 replies in
the first week and 10 to 15 replies every day after that for the rest of the month. They sent out a package full of very in-
formative reading and a list of the dealers nearby.
Why is Kathy so strict with the quality of the opals she sells? Figure 40 - This is an editorial ad with a catchy
headline. It received four orders with on-going
The reason is that she gives an International Unconditional 100% Money business potential. You can experiment with small
Back Guarantee with every opal. Even after you return home you can send ads to see what’ll work for you.
back your opals if you are not completely happy.
ANA HOTEL
ELKHORN AVE.
Endors $5 makes $100
GOLD COAST HWY.
PACIFIC OCEAN
OPAL GALLERY
ESPLANDE
Figure 42 - This “Editorial ad” got 40 to 50 calls every time it ran in a local paper. The cost was around $230. The
more interesting information you give, the better the results. The small photo and the FREE consultation all increase
response. The weight loss center also had a great guarantee - no weight loss, no charge!
money and marketing We want someone who’ll share the risk with us. We
There is a man in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who writes a four To get help from your existing suppliers (see page 51),
page advertising supplement every three months. He you can write a similar letter or call them in person
inserts it in his local paper...and he doesn’t pay a cent whenever you approach your suppliers with a request, or
for it. anyone else for that matter.
How come? Because his suppliers pay for it all. Make sure you tell the supplier what’s in it for them.
Why would his suppliers want to pay for his advertising? Suppliers are only too happy to support you if they see
Because when he advertises he sells lots of their products. that you have potential. Show them your potential by
He says to them, being well prepared BEFORE you see them. Have cop-
ies of ads, promotion details, costing and dates for the
“We’ll go 50-50. My half is writing the ads and putting it promotion.
all together. Your half is to pay for it all.”
This shows them you are serious.
Every supplier has a budget for co-op advertising. Co-op
advertising is money and/or products that the suppliers allo- If they are smart and your promotion works, they can
cate for helping retailers promote their products. document how it was done, and give it to their other cus-
tomers outside your area.
The funny thing is most of their customers never ask for it.
Most co-op advertising produced by the suppliers doesn’t Point this out to your supplier. It will make your propo-
work. It usually consists of some weak, institutional ads sition even more attractive. You can bet they probably
that the suppliers run on behalf of the retailers. Here is a never thought of doing it!
word of advice…
What if you are a shoe shop and you only have one store
Don’t use their ads. and your ad sells a 100 pairs of shoes? How many other
shoe shops could you sell your marketing system to any-
Instead, write your own ads, based on what you have how?
learned in this book and ask the supplier to contribute (see a
letter you can use on page 51). The suppliers can contribute
in four ways.
Palm Beach
17th November, 1992
1:24 p.m.
I have a way to increase your sales and profits through our Pizza outlet…
We have engaged a professional marketing company with the aim to increase our customer base
leading to greater repeat sales of products.
To bring in new customers, we have come up with a number of strategies. We know that once a
new customer visits us, over 56% will remain with us as a regular customer.
We are both going to benefit from the new customers and the repeat business they bring us. I’d
like you to help me to make an attractive offer to get new people to try us out.
The way you can help is either with some advertising money or by supplying the stock we can
use as a giveaway or a FREE add-on to sales. This will be advertised to attract new people to
us.
If you help us with that, we’ll set up the whole promotion, pay for the advertising and marketing
costs. Plus, we’ll create some top flight promotions which you can use with your other custom-
ers in areas non-competitive with us.
Our aim is to maximize the number of new people we get from our promotions. We want to
develop long term, repeat business relationships with the new customers. This will lead to
much better results and profits as they come back again and again.
I’ll call you to show you an example of what we are proposing to do.
Thank You
Figure 43 - Use this letter to get your supplier to help you get new customers and more sales from your existing
customers. You can also phone them with the same proposal. They will almost always give you FREE products
and if you sell lots of their products, you’ll get money as well. We have used this approach successfully many
times. Let me tell you, it works extremely well.
Try either the delicious Macadamia Nut and Ginger Cookie or the Muesli
Cookie with fruits and nuts that just blend beautifully in your mouth. I’ve
arranged to have the Giant Cookies Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th
of April at the Ecology Shop, 116 Scarborough St., Southport,
Ph: 913 144.
Yes, I am dying to try one of your Giant Cookies. I’ll bring this
leaflet with me to the Ecology Shop, 116 Scarborough St., Sout h-
port and exchange it for one of the Cookies worth $1.30.
Figure 44 - This leaflet got a whopping 52% response. It was hand delivered to offices around the store. Some
350 people tried the cookie in two days. The supplier paid for the leaflet and the cookies. He now has a proven
way to start new customers in other areas.
It is essential that you take steps NOW to protect yourself and your family against the ills DON’T DELAY...YOU MUST ACT QUICKLY
of winter.
Make sure you eat well...lots of good hot soups, broths...lots of lovely lentils, barley, Now is the time to start building up your resistance. Don’t wait until you feel sick...don't
veggies and so on, MMMM, good stuff. Keep well wrapped up...don’t need heroes going wait until your nose stuffs up, your head feels like lead, your throat is on fire...start NOW...
around giving us all the flu or a cold...drink plenty of hot drinks, take heaps of garlic and TODAY...come in and get your bargain from Herbs and Health...where professional advice
Vitamin C...coddle yourself...you deserve it ... is FREE...
Photo Illustration
OUR
What with children centuries as a stomach
being the family chauf- SO YOU FIND THAT soother. You would normally pay
feur, holding down a job, YOU FEEL TIRED ALL It also has Raspberry, $14.90 for the 50 tablet
being mother, house- THE TIME Fennel, Barberry, size.
keeper, patcher upper,
soother and so on… If this is you then
listen...here is something
Horsetail and Spear-
mint… You can have this
women’s supplement
PHILOSOPHY...
NO WONDER YOUR that could help… AND THAT’S NOT ALL less a massive twenty
ENERGY LEVEL Natural Nutrition have percent.
GOES DOWN a supplement just for
YOU. It is called
It also has Royal
Jelly, digestives, amino
You pay only $11.90…
a saving of THREE Rule Number One…
Now you have tried WOMAN’S MEGA VIT acids for concentration. DOLLARS.
eating better. MIN. What is so special This supplement has So if your diet is not The Customer is always right
You eat all the right about this supplement is been ESPECIALLY adequate to support your
foods...as often as you that it has in it THIRTY designed for today's busy lifestyle you could
can...but what with the
pace of your life it is true
SEVEN different ingredi-
ents. Not five or six but
busy woman.
This has helped lots
find as so many other
women have that Natural Rule Number Two…
that sometime as you 37. of local women whose Nutrition’s Woman's Mega
don’t have time for It has generous diet has not been Vit Min is just what you If the Customer is ever wrong
breakfast, lunch is a amounts of all the vit a- adequate enough to have been looking for.
sandwich grabbed as you mins and minerals… support their busy re-read Rule Number One...
run...and at night you are lifestyle...it could help
often just too tired to eat PLUS...herbs such as you too.
after cooking tea… Chamomile the soothers,
South Coast Register, Wednesday, May 20, 1991 45
Figure 45 - This is one of the eight full-size pages that Ron Gellatley had in his local paper every three months - FREE.
He writes great copy and notice the benefit-giving headlines. These articles get results and the suppliers pay.
increase the selling 4. Pictures don’t sell. In most cases the cost of the ex-
tra space taken up by a picture will not pay for itself.
power of your
You must experiment in trying ads with and without pic-
tures and working out the cost of each. In food lines and
some color magazines the opposite may be true. You
ads, letters and have to test it and see.
promotions... 5. Always tell the full story. People don’t read ads in
series. Every ad should tell the full story. When you at-
tract a reader’s attention, present all arguments for your
What makes one marketing approach get a huge re- product or service. You may not get another reading
from that person in months. Always include all the im-
sponse and another fail miserably? More often than
portant appeals your product has.
not, it’s the execution. It’s the way you do it.
The general rule for ads, letters, etc, is…
All advertising and marketing is based on fixed principles.
Advertising operates according to fundamental laws and not
“The more you tell the more you sell.”
chance. These laws and principles were set down by a man
named Claude Hopkins in 1923. They are based on 36
You wouldn’t send out a salesperson and tell them to
years of tested and monitored advertising - ads, letters and
“keep it brief.” You’d want them to present all the ad-
promotions whose results were measured and compared.
vantages of your product or service.
The advertising laws were set by doing marketing cam-
Advertising is simply “Salesmanship in Print” or what-
paigns on hundreds of different products, from toothpaste to
ever media you are using.
motor cars. Thousands of ads, headlines, and layouts were
compared and analyzed.
6. Superlative claims don’t count. Give actual facts
and figures. To say something is “The best in the world”
The following 11 laws were based on the results obtained
or “Nearly 7,000 have been sold” or “Great service”
from these tests.
makes no impression. They are expected claims. The
reader loses respect for you because of the exaggeration.
There are exceptions that do not follow these laws; how-
ever, they are few and the products promoted are usually in
To say “People from 38 countries have tested our prod-
such demand they would have succeeded anyway.
uct” or “6,586 have been sold” or “You’ll have it deliv-
ered in four hours or it's Free” is believable.
Here are the 11 laws that
will increase your results. If you say “Our product will last up to 37% longer” peo-
ple will realize you have made comparisons and don't
1. Coupons and 800 numbers increase response. Count- expect you to lie in print.
less tests prove that coupons multiply returns. People defer
action then forget. A coupon is cut out and it reminds the 7. Never advertise negatively. Always present the at-
person to take action and send it. The 800 numbers encour- tractive side, not the offensive side. Show and feature
age people to phone because it’s free. the happier results which come from your product or ser-
vice.
2. Always write in 8, 10, or 12 point type. Most of your
reading is done in newspaper size print. If you test your re- People are seeking happiness, safety, health, love and
sults, you will find that oversize type does not pay. Double acceptance. Show them the way to get it.
your size and you double your cost. If your story is interest-
ing, people will read in in their usual type. If it’s not, they Picture the rich, not the poor, when selling wealth. To
will not read it in any size of type. sell toothpaste picture clean, bright teeth and smiles, not
decay and bad breath. (See page 58)
3. Don’t use capitals. Most of our reading is done un up-
Eleven tested methods to increase the selling power
54 of your ads, letters and promotions...
8. Prevention does not sell. Cure does. All tests in 10. Learn what headline most appeals to your target
advertising show that people will do little to prevent customer. You will multiply the results of your ads by
troubles. They will do anything to cure troubles that ex- eight, 14 or 19 times by a change of headline.
ist. They will not anticipate disasters.
A headline acts as a flashing light with a person’s name
They are seeking advantages - improvements - new ways on it. You select what you read by headlines. So it is in
to satisfy desires in their life. Focus on solutions and ads. You must always measure what effect a change in
your results will increase. headline has on your results.
9. It is an uphill battle to sell products in print or in 11. Never rely on your judgment and experience in
person without samples and FREE trials. To succeed advertising. Test everything you do in the most exact
in your business, you must let prospective customers way possible. A panel of advertising experts was asked
sample our products. This allows them to be emotionally to vote on a series of ads to determine which got best re-
involved with your product. sults.
For low cost products such as foods, drinks, and high re- In all cases they got 50% WRONG when comparing
peat sales items, give them a FREE sample on inquiring. these ads.
For larger items, a FREE trial, or inspection period is a
must. The cost of this free sampling is the cheapest way Are you game to say you know better?
to get the highest results from your ads.
Test headlines, prices, and guarantees.
Free sampling will build up your business in the quickest
and cheapest way. Test everything you do and monitor the results.
Action Plan
Use this checklist to increase the effective- 6. Do I give actual facts and figures to support
ness of your ads, letters and promotions… any claims I make?
________________________________________
1. Do I use headlines that target my customers? 7. Do I make it easy for potential customers to
________________________________________ try my products at my risk?
________________________________________
2. Do I offer benefits in my ads and headlines?
________________________________________ 8. Do I advertise the positive and what people
will gain by using my products?
3. Do I test different headlines? ______________ ________________________________________
4. Do I test different offers? ________________ 9. Do I tell the full story in each ad?
________________________________________
5. Do I write in upper/lower “newspaper print”
type style? If you answered yes to less then three of these,
________________________________________ you have work to do. If you got four to six yes
answers, you are on the way to success. If you
got more then seven yes answers, you are proba-
bly very rich.
Figure 46 - This ad was well targeted in a health magazine. It has a free 008 number (800 number), a coupon and is
written in upper and lower typestyle for easy reading. The photos can attract attention and project a human and believ-
able image to the reader. There are plenty of benefits and reasons why this healing method will benefit the person who
learns it.
Figure 47 - This “article” has a benefit headline that targets the customers I want. It is written in newspaper style
and upper/lower typestyle. It has testimonials and gives plenty of benefits and reasons why you should get this
book! The small photo draws attention to the article just like in the newspapers.
A serious matter
Film is a serious matter. So dental science has long sought for
ways to fig ht it. Two have been found. One disintegrates the film at
10-Day Tube Free It is Free
all stages of formation. One removes it without harmful scouring.
Many careful tests have proved these methods effective. A new
At your store this week This ten-day test.
type tooth paste has been created to apply them daily. The name is
Pepsodent. Simply send
coupon.
Insert your name and address and then present this
coupon and you will receive a 10-Day Tube of Pepsodent
Protect the Enamel for Free.
Pepsodent disintegrates the film, then removes it If you live east of town, mail coupon to: The Pepsodent
with an agent far softer than enamel. Never use a Company, 1101 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, IL and tube
film combatant which contains harsh grit. will be sent by mail. Two other needs
discovered
Address
Two other essentials were revealed by
research. So Pepsodent multiplies the
alkalinity of the saliva. That is there to
neutralize mouth acid, the cause of tooth
The New-Day Dentifrice Present Coupon to
decay. It multiplies the starch digestant
A toothpaste based on modern research Now in saliva. That is there to digest starch
advised by leading dentists the world over deposits on teeth.
Film—the robber
DEALER’S NAMES
Figure 48 - These ads are selling smiles and beautiful teeth. They have good headlines. You get a FREE sample.
They were written by Clause Hopkins, the “father” of scientific advertising methods.
50% more sales by What other businesses can use this technique?
asking a simple
Every business has opportunities to up-sell or cross-sell.
A paint and tile store has developed a checklist (see Fig-
ure 49 on page 60).
question... When the customer is at the cash register, he/she gets one
handed to him/her. The staff member says, “To save you
One of the easiest ways to increase your profits, is to time later, would you like to use this checklist to make
ask a customer who has just purchased something to sure you have everything you need?”
buy something else.
•Clothing stores can have a checklist of accessories
Next time you are at a McDonalds Restaurant watch how with every suit or dress.
they do it. They’ll ask you the question, “Would you like
some french fries or a drink with that?” That question •Hardware stores could mention a special offer on ham-
probably gives them an extra $700 or $800 MILLION in mers, rubber gloves or torches.
sales each year worldwide.
•Wholesalers can up-sell a cover for the computer or a
How can you profit from this knowledge? box of floppy disks.
No matter what business you are in you can add-on and • Restaurants can suggest taking home a pie.
cross-sell products to your customers. What would happen
if you owned a shoe store and you asked your customers as • Alarm or air conditioning installers can have a chec k-
they were about to pay for their purchase… list of other services the homeowner may need - things
such as fencing, carpets, and landscaping. They can
“Would you like some shoe polish with that,” or “Do you then refer those leads to other people for a fee or a per-
need any socks?” centage of the sale.
If you serve 50 customers a day and only one customer in The point is, IT WORKS.
five takes you up on the offer, it means ten extra sales -
sales you never would have had. At say $2 profit per item, The customer feels that you care because you are
you have $120 per week extra profit. thoughtful enough to suggest something that may be
needed, and you get the benefit of “Extra Profits.”
That’s $6,240 per year!! For one tiny item!
Profits you never would have had.
Car dealers are experts at up-selling. You start with a basic
$10,000 car and then you add some cloth seats, radio, air How will you know if it works for you? Try it.
conditioner, and power steering and you’ve just spent an-
other $3,500 - all in last the 10 minutes of the sale...after Do if for a week or two using different items and ap-
you’d already signed up for the basic car! proaches. Have a competition for your staff.
They don’t make much money on the car itself - they make Have a prize for the staff member who sells the most of
it on the “extras.” the chosen item each week.
A Shell service station in Bowen won a competition for sell- And watch your profits climb.
ing the highest volume of engine oil. When I asked the
owner how he did it he replied, “It’s easy. We say to every-
one - Please lift your bonnet and I’ll check your oil.”
Since RACQ research found that 75% of all cars run low on
Trim Paint……………………………………………………………………………………………..q
Undercoat……………………………………………………………………………………………..q
Roller tray……………………………………………………………………………………………..q
Ladder…………………………………………………………………………………………………q
Dropsheets (2 x min)………………………………………………………………………………….q
Figure 49 - This checklist is on the counter of a paint store. It reminds the customers of everything they’ll need.
Every customer is given a copy of this checklist as their receipts are being done. It saves the customers time ...and
of course, it increases the sales.
How to guarantee 10%, 25%...or 50%
60 more sales by asking a simple question…
How to use
14
You may not have a product expensive enough to do
such a fancy “letter.” However, it’ll work for any letter
you send.
U.S. Post Here is how you can increase your profits with the
Office and Ma Bell to “Phone, Phone, Mail, Phone” technique…
business...
sage that you will say to him. Something like this…
Action Plan
1. Am I making a phone call before I send out an Other action and ideas: _____________________
important letter? ________________________________________
__________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________
2. Am I following up with a phone call two days ________________________________________
after I send the letter? ________________________________________
__________________________________________ ________________________________________
________________________________________
3. Do I test mailing by Federal Express for extra ________________________________________
impact? ________________________________________
__________________________________________ ________________________________________
Daily News
Edition
March 1, 1993 Weather: Excellent for increasing your business. Phone: (075) 981 153 Free for business mined people.
Figure 50 - This promotion was laminated, framed and mailed by Federal Express to Owners or Managing Directors of large
companies. It is made to look like the front page article of a newspaper with a story about the person to whom it is addressed.
When followed up by a phone call, all owners said they read it and three out of four were interested in more information or an
appointment with me.
to tell you what you For example: If you answered no to the question “Do you
have a water filter?” and later on you ticked water quality
should be selling to
as your areas of concern (as many people did), The Ecol-
ogy Show would know you are a prime prospect for buying
a water filter. If you said you had arthritis, they will offer
them - and to thank you a sample of celery extract which relieves it.
Another way to get feedback is by having a “Customer Sug- Believe me, if you follow what I have told you, you won’t
gestion Box” in an easy to see place at your business. A even have to be sneaky and pretend you are working for a
gym in Melbourne called Re-Creation has a suggestion box radio station doing a survey.
in their changing rooms. They ask,
The way The Ecology Shop did it was simple to say…
“How was your work-out?”
“You must have noticed the survey we’ve enclosed. This
The answers help them give their members what they really is, in fact, an important tool. For us to give you the best
want. service we can. Donna and I really believe in personalized
service for you.
You can also get information by mailing your customers the
survery sheet and a little “gift” for filling it in. Have a look Be filling it out, you make sure that we’ll look after you the
at Figure 21 on page 36 for a sample letter to send with your way you would like us to.”
survey.
Action Plan
Here are some questions I can ask 7.______________________________________
my customers in a survey… _______________________________________
Name:_________________________________________________________
Address:___________________________________ Post Code: __________
•What do you like the best about the shop and why?____________________
______________________________________________________________
•What do you like the least about the shop and why?____________________
______________________________________________________________
• Is there any health related subjects that interest you in particular? Check off
as many as you want.
Figure 51 - This survey forms the basis of The Ecology Shop future service improvement and marketing promotions. It
tells them what the customers are interested in and how to improve their service and product range.
Company:_____________________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________
Hi, I am doing a market survey on engine reconditioning. Would you mind answering
a few questions for me?
What are the three most important things for you? E.g.. (pick up and delivery, reliabil-
ity, good work)
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Figure 52 - This is a survey used by an engine reconditioning company for service stations and motor repairers. The owner
wanted to know what services were important to them from their existing suppliers. Based on their answers, he will then know
what to offer to get their business. His follow up letter will also contain an offer of $100 credit towards the first month’s ac-
count with the Engine Shop. He can make this offer because each new trade customer is worth several thousand dollars in re -
peat business.
efforts - to generate 1. Ask every customer who buys from you, or even cus-
tomers inquiring to buy, how he or she heard of you. You
That way you’ll never have to say, “I did just as Peter told 5. What should you test in your ads and letters? You
me in his book and he screwed me. It didn’t work.” Rather should test headlines, prices, offers you make, people you
it’ll be, “Peter told me to test everything first and I didn’t. are targeting, and different actions when you tell the reader
Silly me!” how to take advantage of your offer. Test positioning on
the page and in the publication. Test different publications
Ask yourself in all your promotions. What did it cost? How and time of year when your ads appear.
many people came in? How many people bought? What
was the value of the average sale? How many people will 6. What to test with sales people and telephone inquir-
come back after the first sale? What was my cost of in- ies? Test different approaches that the sales people use.
Action Plan
1. Do I know where my customers are coming 3 ways I can test in my business...
from?
______________________________________ 1. ____________________________________
2. ____________________________________
2. Am I analyzing all my promotions? 3. ____________________________________
______________________________________
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Figure 53 - This ad keeps appearing in the Gold Coast papers. Over 100 people bring in the coupon with the Buy One -
Get One FREE offer - on Friday and Saturday nights. More people come in during the week. Some of the customers will
come back, making this a very successful little ad. It could be improved by making it clearer to read and not in reverse
type. White on black typestyle has been tested to decrease results by over 50% in some ads.
Figure 54 - This editorial type was placed in the Figure 55 - The response to this lead generating ad is easy to
local paper. One hundred twenty-eight coupons measure. ColorMakers will either get a coupon back or a call
were redeemed and more people came in without asking for the free decorating guide. This method will reach
the coupon. It resulted in a 35% increase in the potential customers who are about to renovate.
sale of cappuccinos, plus there were add-on sales.
After the promotion, the sales continued at $30 a
day above the previous level - that’s $9,360 in ex-
tra sales per year.
Promotion name:
People and areas targeted:
No. of letters sent, vouches given out:
No. of people responding:
Percentage of vouchers or letters back:
Total $$ sales from the promotion:
PLEASE NOTE: If you have a high repeat business, it is acceptable to have a Loss on the first time customer.
You’ll make up for it in future sales. The idea of analyzing your results is to achieve the highest profit or lower
cost per customer from the promotions you do. Once you have a good result, keep doing that promotion while
trying to beat it by testing different approaches, headlines, offers, etc.
NEED HELP? We guarantee to increase your turnover and profits or our services are FREE! If you want help
in using this form or if you want to increase the results from your Yellow Pages ads, brochures, direct mail or ads con-
tact Milldona Group, 239 E. Country Drive, Bartlett, IL 60103. Phone: (630) 736-0468 Fax: (630) 736-0488.
Figure 56 - Use this analysis sheet for your promotions. Keep a copy of the promotion in a binder in a clear display page and
insert your results in the other side. You’ll have a record of marketing successes and failures. You can use the best ads as
you need them. Ads and promotions that have worked and which you have monitored and recorded are like cash in the bank.
You can draw on them whenever you need more business.
Cash for your busi- fore I put them on general sale - for only $380 each.
ness - NOW...
Plus I’ll do any alterations, normally $25, for Free. But
you must come before the 29 Twionnptembfer toyourGeorgne
Is your business in trouble? Do you need to raise cash
fast? With these nine strategies you can raise the cash
you need for expansion of your business, purchase of
new stock or more long term marketing strategies.
You can adapt every one of these ideas to almost any type
of business…
Thank You!
•The Laundromat can offer FREE drying with every wash, To scream that you have something on sale for 25%, 50%
if you purchase 10 washes is advance. or 70% off is ineffective when everyone else is doing the
same. Your sale and the value you give must be exception-
•The car cleaning can offer a wax (worth $20) with every 5 ally attractive. How do you do that? By starting your ad,
cleanings paid in advance. letter, phone call, radio or TV ad with a headline or its spo-
ken equivalent.
•Hairdressers can offer 5-6 different services worth $148
for $59. (See page 110) You can use something like...
And so on… •A $3,560 Australian Leather Lounge Suite for just $990
plus you’ll get a $149 foot stool - Free.
This strategy will give you immediate cash. You should set
aside a portion of this money to fulfill your obligations, and •A 1992 remote control Color Sony 10” TV with stand.
use the rest of the money to develop some of the other mar- On sale for $100 less then 1978 black-and-white TV
keting ideas in this book. prices.
Strategy #3...The “Special,” “VIP” or •Get all your laundry done for only $2 per load plus 25
cents for drying - next seven days only.
“Preferred Customer” Club concept.
•An $80 dinner for two, complete with one bottle of
In a nutshell, this is an offer inviting a limited number of French champagne and two pre-dinner cocktails for only
your customers to join a Special Customer Club. $29 weeknights and $39 weekends.
Memberships can be FREE or you can charge a small fee. •$14,000 Ford with $2,480 in factory options. Plus $2,850
All members get the opportunity to purchase at discounts in dealer extras, a two year 60,000 miles warranty and two
over regular customers, plus you can throw in bonuses of free services - all for only $13,950 including all on road
your product etc. Look for high perceived value but low costs.
cost bonuses. Club members should also get first hand no-
tice of new products, regular newsletters and other benefits •Mermaid computer retailer blunders. Over-orders in re-
you find appropriate. cession. All stock 50% off the marked prices.
Some of the up market hotels use this strategy to get their •Air conditioners installed in any home for $100 less than
guests and people living near the hotels to use their facili- the regular price, with two annual service calls worth $150
ties. They will telephone or send a letter offering an exclu- for FREE.
sive opportunity to join their Club. The Sheraton Mirage
charges $150 to join their Club and then you get to eat at all •A $159 pair of Reebok shoes for only $99 plus you get a
their restaurants for 50% off. Plus there are other benefits. three month gym membership worth $129 - FREE.
This strategy will give you up-front cash as well as extra • Cappuccinos for only 49 cents - this week only.
revenue from future mailings to these customers.
The important thing is to…
Strategy #4…A “Regular” Sale.
First, give the essence of your offer in the headline. The
The sales that work the best need a rational and believable aim is to get the prospective customer’s attention to read on
explanation for the price reduction. You must compare the to find out more!
reduced price to the regular price to show the value you are
offering. Next, you must justify with solid, logical reasons why you
are giving such a great deal - why they cannot get this deal
“We ordered 450 of the XYZ product for the summer sea- In either case, this offer ends on the 15th of December,
son. Normally we only have about 30 left by this time. 1997.”
However, someone forgot to tell my buyer we are in a reces-
sion. Strategy #5...Network with
We still have 250 of the XYZ product left - and my account- another business.
ant is screaming. To be able to buy new season stock we
must first sell 230 of these widgets. It is costing us $35 each Go to a business that would logically benefit most by ac-
month in interest plus the profits we are losing by not hav- cessing your customer base or prospects. Allow them to
ing the new stock in the store. access your list for 50 - 50 or 60 - 40 (or whatever you
agree on), of the profits they’ll make.
We will sell them for 65% less than you will buy them at Joe
Blogg’s store. To get the best deal, show the other person how you have
spent thousands of dollars building the trust of your cus-
However, you must act now. tomers. Tell them you will endorse and recommend them
to your customers to make the sale easy for them.
This offer is only good until the 25th of September. After
that we’ll put them in storage and hope to make up our The important thing is to go to people with top quality
profit and expenses with the expected manufacturers in- products or services, that your customers or prospects are
crease of 27% next year. likely to want and need.
This means you are saving 75% if you buy now.” For example:
You are leveraging their goodwill and you get to access Figure 57 - How to beat the recession. This coupon offer was
hundreds or thousands of people with their endorsement. distributed to 10,000 homes. The pet center has been booked
a solid week in advance since. This is the first promotion that
worked for them. The secret lies in the FREE offer.
Strategy #2. How can I pre-sell my product or Strategy #6. What process, ad or system have I
services? developed in my business that could I sell or li-
______________________________________ cense to other businesses?
______________________________________ ______________________________________
______________________________________
Strategy #3. Do I have a VIP Customer Club?
If not when will I start one and what form will it Strategy #7. What business can I barter with?
take? Would I benefit by joining a Barter Network?
______________________________________ ______________________________________
______________________________________ ______________________________________
Strategy #4. What reasons why will I give for Strategy #8. What charity group, club, associa-
a regular sale and when will I have it? tion or sports organization could I access to pro-
______________________________________ mote my products to their members?
______________________________________ ______________________________________
______________________________________ ______________________________________
$5 Five Dollars $5
This voucher will buy you Five Dollars worth of products
at The Ecology Shop where you will find an exciting range
of chemical-free products.
To know more about The Ecology Shop, turn this voucher over.
The Ecology Shop, 116 Scarborough S t., Southport, 913144 (opposite Monarch travel)
This voucher is valid for June and July 1992
Figure 58 - This currency was printed by a health food shop. It can be used as a giveaway for first time customers or to
pre-sell to their own customers at a discount. The Ecology Shop gave $10 in Eco-dollars to customers purchasing over
$100 of goods instead of a discount. Customers perceive this $10 to be more valuable - the $10 probably only costs you
$6 in real terms.
Cutters Art
30-32 CURRUMBIN CREEK ROAD Picture Framing Block Mounting
ELISE & NARRENE CURRUMBIN QLD 4224 Art Supplies Photo Restoration
CUTTER PHONE: 346 988 Laminating Art School
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Wholefoods
Niecon Plaza
Broadbeach Qld
Ph: (075) 389 488
________________________________________
V.I.P. DINER
FREE Kleins
Kleins TRIAL CARD FULL CLUB MEMBERS
EXCLUSIVE BENEFITS
Figure 59 - Examples of customer Club Cards. Basically a business card that may be laminated, these cards give the customers
the feeling that they are special. The benefits range form 5% to 20% off all purchases to a FREE meal or Gift Voucher for every
$XXXX spent at a particular business. This approach keeps your customers loyal to your business.
NULON
with a unique range of proven Australian products marketed and satisfactorily used in the Middle East
Europe, America and South East Asia. Over the past decade over 5 million astute motorists in Austr a-
Ellis, said consumer acceptance of the
product has been excellent.
$39.95
lia alone have used the product satisfactorily. Here now are just a few products for your car or com- Since Nulon had been re-launched in WA
mercials, tried, tested and proven to save you money. What’s more, if the claims we make in the earlier this year, Marlows has had to in-
advert do not substantiate, we will GIVE YOU YOUR MONEY BACK. See your nearest stockist crease its stocking of the Nulon range of
listed and save on motoring costs right now. products by up to 50 percent, due to de- If your car engine is in good condition,
mand. the Nulon E30 treatment ensures it
“They wanted Nulon products which we maximum engine performance and
had not stocked, but public awareness of protection for 80,000 kilometers (1,300
Nulon, the engine treatment, has had enormous suc- them has caused us to introduce the new hours). It reduces fuel and oil consum p-
lines,” he said. tion, maintenance costs, mechanical
cess since its re -launching on the WA market. There noises, and reduces cold start up dam-
age and promotes a quieter smoother
has been overwhelming response and support by Photo engine. Ideal for petrol engines.
consumers in the automotive area. The Ultimate Nulon E10 Engine
In the first month alone, there was a 467 cause engines and their moving parts to wear Treatment to Give Your Old
percent increase in demand for the product with out. Car engine a New Lease of Life
36 percent more growth in each of the two With Nulon, the maximum benefit is achieved
following months. when you change the oil filter and the oil then Salesman Ian of Marlows, with Bruce Recommended
Its WA distributor, Statesman Enterprises Pty adds the product. McMahon an avid believer in Nulon. Retail Price
Ltd. says the response by buyers has increased It assists the piston movement in the early
NULON
the company’s turnover dramatically. start-up stage when much cold-run wear is The E10 and E20 Teflon-based anti- $9.50
Nulon which is manufactured in Australia caused. friction engine treatments had by far the
adds a friction modifier to an engine’s working Statesman’s two sales managers, Shane highest demand among buyers.
parts, cutting down on wear, enabling it to run Taylor, industrial, and Terry Saville, commer- “We have also had to increase the amount
smoother and more economically. cial, have been inundated with calls from the of Nulon items kept as stock items at our Proven to reduce friction and oil con-
It contains Teflon - the same product used on public praising its results. six metropolitan stores and one at Bunbury sumption on any car. It will reduce
non-stick fry pans and a patented product of the Many have trailed it and were happy with the because of demand,” said Mr. Ellis. fuming and exhaust smoke, reduce wear
Du Pont company of the USA. results and benefits such as cash savings “The product has taken off better than and calm down noisy engines and stop
Nulon is designed as a metal coating to resist through better running engines. others since it does a specific job for motor- nuisance oil leaks. What’s more, it will
friction and heat build-up, the two effects that ists.” increase power and give you a smoother
“And we are having a lot of repeat busi- quieter engine and extend its life. Ideal
ness, people coming back for more, so it for worn out, four stroke petrol gas and
seems obvious that they are getting what diesel engines (use Nulon HP if avail-
Someone who knows the Nulon magic... they want from the product.” able). It sure beats buying a new engine
He said he believed the public well with Nulon E10.
A well-known identity in the WA automotive “All I could hear was the noise of the tires,” understood what it offered.
scene over the past 30 years, Don Hall, of said Don, former motor racing driver and an
Subiaco, is totally convinced about the m agic engineer by profession. The Nulon R -45 Corrosion
powers of Nulon’s Teflon-based engine trea t- “In my business you have to try all these The Nulon G60 Automatic Inhibitor to Protect Your
ment. products coming on the market so in turn you Transmission and Power Steering Radiator System
He describes ias remarkable the effect it had can give the public advice on them.” he said. Additive for Longer Life
when tried on one of his family cars, a Range He also cites the case of his company’s Specifically designed to protect alum i-
Rover. Mazda 323 panel van which ran to 120,000 km num copper cast iron, steel and rubber
He said it was unreal how the Nulon lowered before being pen stoned off. It would not have components and neutralize harmful acid
the noise levels in the 4WD’s gearbox and done that had it not been for Nulon treatment,” Recommended build up in your cooling system. Pro-
transfer case and even made gear selection he said. Retail Price tects against cavitations, erosion and
much smoother and easier. Don is now restoring a British Cooper Mk5 electrolysis and prolongs the life of the
$10.50
NULON
Range Rovers normally had a fairly noisy open wheeler racing car and when it is ready to system. It does not increase the boiling
transmission system to the extent that the run - it will have Nulon to help it. point or decrease the freezing point on
distance whine of the gears generally shut out the system. It is suitable for all modern
any noise from the off-road tires. hi-performance engines.
Nulon Products are Easy to A unique formula to improve value
Photo Use with a Money-Back operation for smoother gear changes,
reduces noise, oil leaks, friction in gears
Guarantee and does not affect the friction surfaces of Recommended
Proved Australian Nulon products with clutch plates and extends life of your trans- Retail Price
NULON
Teflon by DU PONT used in cars or mission in power steering units it will give a
commercials will protect your inves t- smoother quieter operation, reduce oil leaks $8.45
and protect against heat damage to seals and
ment and increase the value of your car. extend the life of your car.
Mr. Don Hall They come with a no-gimmick money-
back guarantee for your peace of mind.
Figure 60 - This is the first half of a two page ad in the “Perth TV Times.” This high copy ad style got NULON 1,531% in
business last year. It’s one of the many effective ads written by Bruce Roberts from Forward Marketing in Perth W.A. Bruce
proves time and time again that “the more information you give, the more you sell.” It has a good headline, testimonial and it
works.
Use this FREE Gift Voucher for a 1 hour Home Mortgage Reduction and Taxation consultation. You’ll
learn - How to legally pay off your Home Mortgage in full in less than ten years without increasing your
present repayments. - How to convert a non-tax deductible Home Mortgage into a tax deductible loan. -
How to legally reduce the tax you pay - even if you are a Pay As You Earn wage earner. - How to pay less
then 12% interest on all your credit cards. - Plus more.
YOUR LETTERHEAD
John Smith
Managing Director ABC Corporation
23 Smith at Brisbane, 4001
Hello John,
I am sending you this letter because I’ve something very important to tell you.
THANK YOU!
I’ve been putting a lot of thought into what I could give you as a gift to say ‘thank you’ for
being a client and letting me look after your real estate needs.
I thought of sending you a bottle of expensive liquor or a couple of tickets to a dinner. Which
I’m sure you would appreciate. However, I thought that once the pleasure of consuming these
things is over, you’d have no lasting benefit from them.
So,
...as the Gift Voucher says, I’ve arranged a gift of 1 hour
Home Mortgage Reduction and Taxation Consultancy, to the
value of $165 with a Financial Planning company I know.
Financial Technology And their services come to you with my personal recommendation,
Gerry O’Neill is passionate about getting results for his clients, so I’m excited to be able to
give you this opportunity. You are under no obligation to develop the relationship further if
you choose not to.
- How to legally pay off your 25 to 30 year Home Mortgage in full, in less then ten years,
without increasing the amount of frequency of your present Mortgage repayments.
- How to convert a non-tax deductible Home Mortgage into a tax deductible investment
loan.
- How to legally reduce the tax you pay - even if you are a Pay As You Earn wage earner.
- How to pay less then 12% on all your credit cards instead of the usual 22% to 24%.
Figure 61 - Example of an endorsing, joint-venture letter. This letter can be sent by you to your customers. It includes a Gift
Voucher worth $165, which also promotes goodwill for you. You get to send a $165 gift and the person giving the service
gets exposed to new clients. It may work for you!!
When I told my friends about this letter they said I was crazy.
Dear
I am sending this letter to you because I have something very important to tell you.
THANK YOU
Thank you for being a customer of ours. But that’s not all.
You’ve noticed I’ve attached a $50 GIFT VOUCHER with this letter. You may be wondering
why I am giving you something that’s as good as a $50 note, to spend as you like in our shop?
Actually, it’s quite simple. Let me tell you the reasons why I am giving you this $50 Gift.
Because our business has been pretty quiet lately, we were sitting around the other day trying to
figure out how to get more people into our store. In the past we’ve tried to advertise in the
newspapers, on the radio and we even considered TV.
But guess what? They are all incredibly expensive. A small quarter page ad in the Bulletin
costs around $501. And a radio campaign for a week costs about the same. And we get no
guarantee that anyone will walk into our store as the result of spending all that money.
That’s why I’ve decided to do something different this time. Rather than give our money to the
newspapers or the radio—I am giving it to you.
You can spend your $50 GIFT VOUCHER as you like, there
Gift Vo
Benow u
a L o d g cher
To: ___ e Furn
______ iture
______
_____F
rom: PE
Please a TER S
ccept th
is gift v UN
oucher
This vo worth $
uc 50.—
Lodge F her may be use
urniture d towar
store 47 ds
Valid u Ashmo any purchase a
re Rd, B t
ntil: ___
______ undall P Benowa
______ h: 38 8755
____ Is
One vo sued by
ucher p : _____
er visit ______
- Please
tu
__
rn this v
oucher
over
Figure 62 - This was an offer to a customer list of an up-market furniture store. The offer was simple: “rather than
spend money on advertising, we are giving it to you in the form of the $50 Gift Voucher.” There were a couple of spe-
cials mentioned on pages 2 and 3 of the letter. The letter resulted in at least 17 people coming in to the store during a
very quiet period. It also generated a lot of goodwill.
Action Plan
1. Am I spending most of my time on business and 3. Do I share my knowledge and my good fortune
making money - at the expense of my family and with those who are less fortunate?
my health? _________________________________________
_________________________________________
4. What will I do in the next month that will benefit
2. What have I done in the last year to help others? others without any reward for myself?
_________________________________________ __________________________________________
_________________________________________ __________________________________________
profits in 41
and phone or mail them regularly. This is the
basis of your long-term success.
businesses…. This will work for every business listed here. How come?
Because human nature doesn’t change and people like to be
recognized and treated as special.
This part of the book shows you by practical example
some of the ways to market specific businesses.
Just like your friends. If you don’t write or call them - you
don’t see them.
I’ve taken 41 separate businesses and given you the best
ways to improve those businesses quickly and for the long
It’s that simple.
term. You will see that the ideas given in one business are
applicable to many others. Read them all.
Accountants:
them increase their profit, than by reducing their tax!
Accountants: How to
increase your profits… 83
Beauty Salons:
Why not send out a leg wax special in the spring. Call your
clients and encourage them to come in.
profits…
work and you will make a strong offer to make sure they
come in.
Figure 63 - This is an example of vouchers you can use to get referrals and lots of new clients. This FREE consultation
will lead to more business if you give good advice when the person comes to you. Send these to your client’s customers.
Use them for referrals and have others giving them to their friends and businesses.
You can also get other stores in your area to give you free
profits….
these to your customers if they buy over a certain amount in
the shop.
Your customers will appreciate this and you’ll get lots of re-
The only way to build up regular customers is to get
ferrals and repeat business.
people to try your products. If your product is excel-
lent, your service friendly and your bakery looks at-
tractive, those people will come back again and again.
Another thing to do is to give the vouchers of other busi- We are open for breakfast:
nesses in your area to give to their customers as a gift. Tuesday to Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Every time they sell something to their customers they can Saturday and Sunday 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
give them a voucher for your product. They can say:
“As a Thank You for shopping with us you can have a Present this coupon
FREE XXXX from the bakery on us. Just take this voucher
to them at XXXX.” This voucher gives you a FREE Cob Bread on
any day until 10/2/93.
When the customers are in your store, capture their name, Tim & Shelley
address and birthday with a “Win a Prize” sign and name
collection slips (see Figure 3 and 4 on pages 11 and 12). One voucher per visit per household please.
Send special birthday cake offers, wedding cakes, parties,
Father’s - Mother’s Day cakes etc.
Bakeries: How to
increase your profits… 85
Shop 4, 455 Oxley
Drive,
Oxley Plaza,
Runaway Bay Qld 4216.
PHONE (075) 377 399
IL
R ETA
&
A L E ays
O L E S en 7 D
W H Op
Figure 65 - This hand delivered leaflet brought an extra $600 in sales per week for four weeks after it was run. On aver-
age, 62 people came in on Saturday and Sunday for their FREE loaf. The average extra sales were $4.24 per voucher.
Bakeries: How to
86 increase your profits…
Bike Shops:
Since you bought the XXXX bike for your son/wife/daughter
about six months ago, I thought I’d let you know that I am
having a Sale on adult bikes for the next two weeks.
How to increase your I have 15 of the easy to ride XXX bikes at 24% less than you
profits….
could get them at XXXX store. Plus, I’ll throw in a Free
helmet.
Bike riding was one of them. At all times, sell the benefits of bike riding, not the bike.
The kids love to see the parents join them and you’ll get some
fresh air and exercise to boot.
Builders:
1… Making sure the builder does a good job.
The report can be a few sheets of paper with a checklist of • FREE Report tells you how to choose a builder.
things consumers should look for in a builder.
• How you can have a second investment home for
You can now do a press release about this report to local less than $35 per week and no deposit.
papers, radio stations and TV stations. Offer this booklet
FREE to anyone who calls you or comes into your office. • DON’T RENT. You can have your own home for
less then $150 per week and a $3,000 deposit.
These are your leads.
• FREE $1,000 plan design and consultation for your
In your ads and Yellow pages listings test different ap- home.
peals and approaches. Use headlines such as:
You can also mail these offers to people who rent homes.
• If your home isn’t finished on time - I’ll give you a A company doing this is converting two out of ten tenants
$1,000 for every week we go over time. into home owners.
Figure 66 - Yellow Pages or newspaper ads that will work for you. Benefit headlines. Lots of informative copy and good
offers are the basics of every good ad or letter. Don’t believe those who say “People won’t read all that writing.” Tests of
thousands of ads prove otherwise. Wouldn’t you want to know as much as possible if you were about to spend $40,000 to
$450,000 or more on a home or renovation.
Builders: How to
88 increase your profits…
Car Dealers:
in half of all purchases, this is a great way to get lots of
goodwill and business.
profits…
lar basis. And when they are ready to buy again they’ll see
you first.
Finally, it costs a fortune for each lead you get. If the per-
The first mistake almost all car dealers make is that
son really does not want what you have, why not do a deal
they don’t test different approaches, headlines and of-
with your competitors and sell one of their cars. You have
fers in their promotions.
spent money and effort to bring the person to you. You
will recoup your marketing costs and maybe even make a
The second is that they don’t mail to their customers
profit.
after the sale with regular personal letters.
It may be unlike anything you have ever done; however,
Firstly, you must start mailing to your customers with
test it and see. It may well be profitable.
“Thank You” notes, reminders of services due and offers
for other cars.
Allow serious prospects to rent a new car for a day or a
weekend or a week (test which one sells more cars). Have
Start a “XYZ dealers Car Owners Club.” Either FREE or
them put the rental deposit on their credit card and leave
for an annual/once only fee, members get FREE gifts, dis-
their car as security. If they buy, forgive the rental charge.
counts on servicing and parts. Have special barbeque
days, advanced driving courses, weekends away, etc.
Offer four free services, oil changes with each purchase.
Make your customers feel part of a family. The cost of
Run an ad with headline:
five or six letters is minute compared to the goodwill, re-
ferrals and repeat sales you’ll get.
“RED HOT CARS AT DIRT CHEAP PRICES” incredible
recorded message reveals how to get amazing bargains by
To buy a car a person must first drive. Get a mailing list
buying your car at government auctions. Call XXX-XXX-
of car owners who are most likely to want the type of car
XXXX.”
you have and make all sorts of offers to them.
Give truly revealing information on how to buy these cars
Do a deal with a local restaurant to supply you with din-
and where. End the message by saying:
ners at cost. Use these as an incentive to test drive a new
car.
“If you don’t have the time to go there, I’ve just bought
eight of those cars and I’ll let you have them at just 8%
Print a “handwritten note” on a piece of paper that looks
above my cost.”
like it has been torn from a notebook...saying:
Offer a booklet titled:
“I may have a buyer for your car. If you want to trade it
in call me at XXXX car dealership,” signed, the owner.
15 Pitfalls of buying a car -
OR and how to avoid them.
“I noticed your car is in great condition. If you are inter- Run ads for it in the newspapers and follow up inquirers
ested in trading it in on a new car call me. I can give you with an offer. Offer a FREE lunch or service to selected
a good price for it.” signed, the owner. prospects if they test drive a new model.
Put these under the windshield wipers of cars in the street. Most importantly, keep in touch with your past customers.
They are your best source of new business.
A car dealer started offering women only “FREE Car
Fix-It Courses” - for simple maintenance like checking
water and oil, battery, fan belt and how to change a wheel.
Since women own 40% of cars and are a major influence
profits….
When you run ads, you must give reasons why I should go
to you rather then the guy next door.
Retailers:
not use that to get more sales of any product or service?
FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE
COMPLETE BRAKE ELECTRONIC LABOUR ON LABOR ON AIR RW.C OR 15 4 LITRE OIL & WHEEL ENGINE ANY PAINT
SUSPENSION ADJUSTMENT TUNE-UP OF RADIATOR CONDITIONING POINT SAFETY FILTER CHANGE BALANCE DEGREASE PANEL OR
CHECK & WITH ANY ENGINE FLUSH SERVICE CHECK & UPON a) 2 - wheel RUST
GREASE WRITTEN (Parts Extra) (Coolant Extra) (Freon Extra) WRITTEN COMPLETION OF b) 4 - wheel REPAIRS
REPORT REPORT 3 free services DISCOUNT
$25.00
$25.00 $35.00 $48.00 VALUE $35.00 $25.00 $63.00 $32.00 $20.00 $50.00
VALUE VALUE VALUE VALUE VALUE VALUE VALUE VALUE VALUE
Figure 67 - This card was sold by a service center for $25. They sold 236 of them in two weeks. It has a photo of the
center on one side and a list of the FREE services on the other. You get $358 worth of services for $25. It locks you in
to them for various check ups which lead to repair work.
No matter whether you want a new tire as a cheap alternative to retreads, a reliable family radial
or a high pe rformance tire, my T -Marts can offer you the very best value for money prices.
If you need tires, please do something about it now...and I urge you to drive safely.”
TIRES FOR TRADESMAN Bob Jane T-Marts proudly stock all these proven trusted tire brands:
GOOD YEAR YOKOHAMA DUNLOP AUSTRALIAN
85 R 14 (8 Ply) Kieber BRIDGESTONE MICHELIN ALL-ROUNDER
to suit most:
Econovan, HI Ace, Holden Kombi, METROPOLITAN
Mazda, Navara, Urvan, Dyna 100, etc. Browns Plains
Buy tires or wheels on no deposit Chermaide
Borrow up to $1,100. Repay from $9.49 per week! Coorporoo
Darra
With ‘AGC Credit Line’ you can borrow up to a limit
AUSTRALIAN of $1,100 and
Enaggera
Ipswich
ALL - ROUNDER repay a minimum Redcliffe
Springwood
Bob Jane’s top selling tire of $40 per month or
95
Strathpine
range. Over 1 1/2 million sold! $9.49 per week. Taringa
Heavy duty light commercial
Aussie steels for tradesmen,
$ Available to ap-
PROVINCIAL
couriers, contractors. XTRAS proved purchasers Bundoberg
DEN E
NO HID from Bob Jane T -Marts. Cairns
Caloundra
Dalby
Gladstone
4WD VEHICLE TIRES Mackay
Maraochydora
10 R 15 Maryborough
Mermaid Beach
To suit most: Mt. Isa
Landcruiser, Nissan Patrol, Ford Maverick, Nambour
F100 etc. Rockhampton
Southport
Toowoomba
Townsville
Pos - A - Traction Tweed Heads Sth
Trading Hours
7:45 am - 5:15 Monday to Friday, Ipswich and Rockhampton open until 8:00
Compare the cost of these
$165
pm Thursday. Bundaberg, Toowoomba and Maryborough T-Marts open
quality 4WD tires with others until 12:00 noon Saturday. Metropolitan and Gold Coast T -Marts open unt il
remarkable value. Aussie steels 2:00 pm Saturday. Redcliffe, Taringa and all other Provincial T -Marts open
give sure footed traction in off until 4:00 pm Saturday
road and highway use.
XTRAS
DEN E
NO HID
$
29
Take advantage of this great $29 bonus offer…
and save $26.00
SAVE Your car will drive more smoothly with less vibrations and
$26.00 your tires will give you maximum mileage.
Expires one months from publication date J33215
Figure 68 - Australia’s best known tire retailer always uses a coupon in his ads. That way he can tell if his ads are work-
ing or not. There is a good headline plus plenty of copy to tell you about his offer. Notice the add-on value products, such
as free balancing, fitting and a free report on tire care and safety.
SIMONS LIDCOMBE
bargains always go first.
Please note that all prices quoted include measuring,
delivery, quality underlay and laying, that is they are
FULLY LAID.
Simons have a tough-wearing carpet from Hycraft. It’s
great for the family needing no nonsense floor covering.
During this clearance, this carpet is going for only $49m
fully laid.
STOCK CLEARANCE
Godfrey Hirst’s Cut n’Loops have been sacrificed. In
four stunning colors, they show enormous savings and are
being given away this week for only $69m. SALE EIGHT DAYS
ONLY
For those on a tight budget, what about a fine denier
plush pile for only $57m. That’s right, so rush in for one
of the best buys in town.
Who wants a pure wool carpet for what you would HURRY! THE
expect to pay for a nylon carpet, then grab Simon’s super It’s Simons Warehouse special EIGHT day clearance
BEST BARGAINS
special, during this sell-out it is going for only $59m, but sell-out. We are over stocked and MUST clear all ranges
ALWAYS GO
stocks are limited. URGENTLY. Everything must go! Pay cash and save on our
FIRST
entire stock range of famous brand carpets. Berbers, Plush
Hundred’s of carpet ranges are on display, providing STOCKS ARE LIMITED
Piles, Cut and Loops everything is slashed for EIGHT days,
even the most fastidious buyer with sufficient choice to SALE MUST END for personal shoppers at the Lidcombe Warehouse only, so be
meet individual taste in color and quality. MONDAY 16/9/91 quick!
For the very best in a Stainmaster plush pile carpets,
you cannot go past Simons exclusive range in forty
colors. They have extra heavy duty ratings including LOOK AT THESE
stairs and are only $109m fully laid.
Then there are stain-release twist piles going for a mere BARGAINS
$87m fully laid. These fashion carpets are hard-wearing, SCULPTURED CUT @ LOOP
Slashed $15 meter, fashion styling, great colors,
easy to clean and are ideal for any home. HEAVY DUTY 80/20 WOOL
great value
How abut a nylon Berber carpet with heavy duty ratings TWIST
from Redbook Carpets, going for only $75m in five great
colors. Or Homfray’s 50/50 wool Berber in the latest
$69 meter A great carpet for all those heavy traffic areas
grab this one quick!
$89 meter
colors, styled for the fashion minded for only $82m. This
is great buying for those wishing style and quality at HEAVY DUTY PURE WOOL BERBER
Reduced over $22 meter, Great value. Hurry in
sensible prices. for this one, huge reduction
Simons Carpets are almost giving away their heavy duty LOOP PILE CARPET
80/20 wool twist pile carpets. Starting at $89m fully laid $97 meter Ideal for rumpus room, kids rooms etc.,
is Clandlon, which comes with a heavy duty rating and has to be the best bargain in town
$49 meter
has to be fantastic buying for anyone wanting a bargain. ALL STOCKS REDUCED!
There are hundred’s more, showing what must be great ALL PRICES INCLUDE
buying for the person wanting true value for money. Also DELIVERY, QUALITY UNDERLAY
there is a huge selection of remnants reduced to clear. AND LAYING STAIN MASTER PLUSH PILE
So go to the biggest and best, take in your measur e- YES - FULLY LAID PRICES Great value! Extra heavy duty floor
ments or house plans for on the spot deals, on some of the covering including stairs.
$109 meter
best carpet around.
Don’t forget they are open seven days. With all prices
slashed for this sell-out.
So come in, grab some real bargains at:
SIMONS We LIDCOMBE
Figure 69 - A regular sale ad. This ad has been running for the past six or more years. It has reasons why the sale is on. It
has a time limit and there are price comparisons to give credibility to the discounted price.
Cleaners:
them automatically. This allows you to plan your jobs well
in advance.
Children’s
Offer to personalize the child’s clothes with their name. Go
to kindergartens and give them gift vouchers to give to their
customers, with endorsing letters.
Stores:
mailings with toy stores. You mail to their clients and they
mail to yours with an offer or a gift voucher.
profits…
pram!!
Retailers:
to our customers and you’ll access a new stream of custom-
ers for no promotional costs…”
profits…
coffee costs 30 cents. A FREE Haircut costs $4 to $5.
Not only will the people buy additional things, but they will
come back as repeat customers.
Your customer list is your most valuable asset - as it is
for all businesses.
Here are some other strategies for you.
Capture all your customer names with a “Win a $300 ward -
Select your best customers and hold a private showing
robe and be on our Special Customer list” or something
of the latest imported fashions.
similar. Get details of their birthday, clothes size, and any
other details you need.
Serve wine and snacks. Get the suppliers to help with orga-
nizing this event.
Segment the list according to the customer’s interest. Seg-
ment it by style, color or special size. When you get some-
A ladies store encourages customers to take clothes home
thing they like, call them.
and try them. If they are not happy, they can bring them
back for a full refund. The ladies store sells lots more
Your customers will love you for your - “Special Customers
clothes that way.
Only” offers, previews of new stock and sales.
Yes, some people may take advantage of that offer. Ho w-
Have closed door sales and previews. One Miami retailer
ever, your sales will usually increase by more than enough
takes in more money in four days of one of these sales, than
to cover it. Test it for a month or two and see.
in four weeks of normal trading.
Make it easy for your customers to buy. Display this sign at
What if you have four dresses in size 10 and two dresses in
the front of your store.
size 16 left in stock at the end of the season. What if you
mailed to only those sizes on your mailing list. Or called
“We gladly refund - take it home and try it.”
them saying:
Much better than No Refunds.
“I have a dress left in your size. It’s also your favorite
color. I’d like to offer it to you at 35% off (or with a shirt
A jeans shop in Detroit says, “If you need to use our phone,
and scarf thrown in FREE) before I offer it to the general
you are welcome.” Sales increase.
public. Would you like me to hold if for you for a few
days?”
Go to other retailers in your area and have them give you
access to their customer list. You write and mail the letter
No more 60% off sales for you - You add value and give
recommending you to their customers on their letterhead
extra service to your customers.
and signed by them - with a gift voucher attached - a really
valuable one, with no strings attached for $10, $20, or a
Get some FREE dry-cleaning vouchers to give away with
FREE scarf, shirt or socks.
each purchase. Go to hairdressers and have them give you
FREE $10 vouchers to give to your customers as a thank
You can afford to break even or LOSE money up front, be-
you. Same with the local restaurants.
cause yours is a repeat business (refer to chapter 6).
The coffee shop can give you FREE cups of coffee.
Capture the name of each new customer and you’ll make
lots of future sales and profits (refer to chapter 4).
Why would they give you all this for FREE? Explain it to
them like this…
Have a checklist to go with every suit or dress. List all the
accessories and add-ons that logically go with those pur-
“We spend a lot of time advertising and promoting our
chases. You will get extra sales if you say to the customer:
business to get new customers. I’d like to promote your
business and at the same time have something of value to
60 00
For a sample of a checklist see Figure 49 on page 60.
$
Have a contest: “The world’s most way out jeans.”
Get people to bring in photos of themselves in un-
usual jeans. OUTFIT
Or, get your customers to bring in photos of them-
selves in your clothes at unusual places. Put them on
the wall in your store and have an album as well. For BUY ANY MEN’S
incentive, have a grand prize of a $300 Gift Voucher JEANS/PANTS
or something similar. PLUS
POLO AND GET A
FREE
$60 POLO AND
SHORTS OUTFIT
Buy any of our products and GREY FEATHER OLD JEAN OWNERS
receive a T-Shirt absolutely Revamp your old jeans and jackets
FREE. Value $20. with anything from leather to linen.
Don’t spend on new when old
Unique designs created on LOOKS and FEELS BETTER.
100% cotton give you the feel We’ll help you create the look you
and originality you’re after. FRONTIER CLOTHING Co. want!
One coupon per visit. Valid until 31/1/93
Leatherwork - Clothing - T-Shirts - Your order comes with a FREE T-
Screen Printing Specialists. Shirt Value $20.
Phone & Fax (075) 34 3166 Specialist dress maker/designer.
24 hr. 70 7403 One coupon per visit. Valid until 31/1/93
SURF WEAR 54 Currumbin Creek Rd Currumbin 4223
Figure 71 - This offer was successful in that it introduced new customers to this factory outlet. They got a response. How-
ever it would have worked better if the offer was simply a FREE T-shirt.
profits….
fer.
Computer
If you have a series of programs, offer the first one worth,
say $350, for $29 - your cost. Explain it like this:
Software:
“To get you to try our range of software, we want you to try
the XXXX for less than what it costs us. You’ll see that it is
as good as software costing four times as much. Once
profits…
our programs have a full Money Back Guarantee and you
get FREE training support for three months.”
This will give you leads and build your list of customers
Most software compaines sell you their package. You are
real fast. Next, you make all sorts of offers to these people.
stuck with it whether it ends up working for you or not.
Do a joint venture with all sorts of other people who have
You can offer a Money Back Guarantee. Yes, there are peo-
business clients to endorse your products.
ple doing it, and yes, it does work. Why not test it?
Computers/Computer Software:
How to increase your profits… 97
Dentists:
How to increase your Dear, _PETER______
profits….
Our records show that it has been some
time since you last sought dental treat-
ment. Please contact the surgery to
Have all your customers on a computer. Mail them with make an appointment at your earliest
birthday cards, Christmas cards, and little “Thank You” convenience.
notes after each visit.
Dr. JOHN DER TATEOSSIAN
Ask for referrals. Make your clients feel special by telling BDS (HONS) SYD. UNI
DENTAL SURGEON
them you appreciate their business.
75 BALL STREET TEL: 304221
Give them booklets on oral hygiene and tips on keeping their
teeth looking good.
Offer FREE cleanings and check-ups. Have your custom- Figure 72 - This cute reminder postcard is in my mailing box
ers send these to their customers and friends. every six months - it works.
Dry Cleaners:
ple. Some other offers you can make are summarized in the
following headlines…
How to increase your Dry cleaning for our cost plus $1 per garment.
profits… Two shirts cleaned for the price of one - July only.
Dentists/Dry Cleaners:
98 How to increase your profits…
Fast Foods,
them out to their customers with each purchase. Offer a
FREE cappuccino to get new customers, or one at a special
price. Your customer will come back many times. Make a
Carry - outs:
strong offer to get them to try you.
profits…. Let your regular customers try new food items on your menu.
Give them a taste and ask for comments. This makes your
customers feel special.
A business was built by sending out an invitation to the
people around the store offering - A FREE lunch.
Most of all, have friendly, smiling staff. Without them you
will not get repeat sales.
Yes it’s true. If you have a good product and friendly smiling
service, you can offer lots of freebies to build up your trade
Have a suggestion box in your shop. Your customers will tell
quickly.
you what they want (see chapter 15).
“Buy one - Get one Free” is also effective as an offer to get
Have regular give-aways with your order - just little unex-
the people in.
pected things to make your customers feel good. It can be a
small biscuit, follies or whatever.
What if you cooked up a giant birthday cake and got the press
to do a write up about it? Give away a few hundred slices and
Read the section on restaurants on page 125 for more ideas.
watch your sales climb.
Free Cappuccino
How would you like a FREE, steaming, hot, frothing cappuccino?
We have a new Espresso machine at the Elephant Rock Café. To celebrate, we’re offering you a complimentary cup of cof-
fee. Enjoy your coffee looking over beautiful Currumbin Beach. Choose one of the delectable cakes freshly made at the café.
Or you may prefer a delicious burger, bagel or sandwich during the day. In the evening, relax near the fire upstairs and
choose your meal from the blackboard menu of unique dishes.
Cafe: Tuesday to Sunday 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. A la carte dining: Wednesday to Saturday from 6 p.m.
Sunday Breakfast: 8 to 10:30 a.m. Sunday evening: set menu and live music 5 to 9 p.m.
Dinner bookings advisable. Call on 982 133
The elephant Rock Café, 776 Pacific Parade, Currumbin Beach, 982 133
This offer is valid for the month of May 1992. This voucher cannot be combined with another offer.
Figure 73 - This voucher was handed out by non-competitive businesses in the local area. It brought 168 customers from
1,800 vouchers - a 9.3% response. The add on sales were $4.60 per voucher brought back, plus lots of new customers
were introduced to the café - total cost - $70. You can do this promotion over and over again.
profits….
red roses may cost 15% more than they do today.
rs
e go
M
c Gr DRY CLEANERS 11 13 FREE 16 18 FREE
12 14 17 19
Paradise Center 38 9576 * The Pines 98 2182 * Australia Fair 32 0853
Every 5th garment FREE. Offer applies to Trousers, Shirts, Skirts (plain), Jackets,
Jumpers ONLY.
Name: _______SUN______________________________
21
22
23
24
FREE 26
27
28
29
FREE
1
2
3
4
FREE 6
7
8
9
FREE
Present this card when you LEAVE your dry cleaning
Figure 74 - This Dry Cleaner card works out the same as 20% off. The offer of “Get four done and fifth one is FREE,” is bet-
ter than a percentage. It produces more long-term loyalty by giving the customer the incentive to come back. Florists can also
use this idea for increasing customer loyalty.
Florists: How to
100 increase your profits…
Franchising:
Offer a guarantee. “You’ll refund the franchise fee and
take back the stock if the franchisees aren’t happy after 12
months of solid effort.”
How to increase your Make it easy for them to expand their business by making
profits….
sure you have ads and marketing systems that you have
tested and which work.
Fruit Shops:
You aren’t selling fruit and veggies. You are selling health,
good feelings and compliments to the chef.
profits… They want the meal that it makes; they want the compli-
ments of their friends about their cooking skills; they want
to lower their cholesterol and lose weight.
Run coupon specials in the local papers. Have other busi-
nesses give your vouchers to their customers as a thank
How about these headlines in your store…
you.
How to get your cooking bragged about - with our zuc-
Your customer will return week after week. The name of
chini and tomato casserole.
your game is repeat business.
The most delicious avocado and sprout salad you’ve
Capture your customers’ names with a prize draw and mail to
ever tasted or it’s on us.
them regularly with specials, recipes, salad and cooking dem-
onstrations. Have recipes placed with various fruits and vege-
24 ways to make a great salad.
tables. Tell people how to eat and use exotic or unusual fruits
and veggies.
Want to lose weight? Eat more apples and oranges.
GIVE SAMPLES OF EVERTHING!! If you only eat fruit for just one week, I’ll guarantee
you’ll feel great and lose 10 pounds. If not, I’ll pay for it
If people can taste it, they will buy more. If you show them all and give you another week’s supply of fruit FREE.
what to do with your product and give them a taste, they will
buy even more. Have books in your store on raw food recipes. There are
several of these available such as “Raw Energy” by Leslie
Sales of particular lines can be up to 35% higher with recipes, Kenton.
demonstrations and taste samples being given out. If you
make up dishes of salads, let people taste it and give them the Now, pay close attention. I am going to tell you a secret
recipe with all the ingredients they’ll need to get… that will make you a ton of money if you do it right..
Franchising/Fruit Shops:
How to increase your profits… 101
The most delicious and healthy thing to do - with all fruits This also helps you lose weight - I personally lost 16 kilos
and some veggies - is to juice them. Try juicing apples, or- in three months on a juice and raw fruit and vegetable diet.
anges and blend banana and/or paw-paws into it. Give sam-
ples of these juices to your customers. People spend millions of dollars on weight loss each year -
you have the perfect answer. Use it.
Sell the juicers (national brand is the best) and watch your
sales shoot up. Why?
Figure 75 - This full page ad got over 358 coupons returned. Good response. However it needs a good headline and benefit ori-
ented copy. A name collection system should be in place at the store. A better offer of a FREE bunch of celery got over 2,000
replies.
How to increase your Use this booklet as an offer in your promotions and in your Ye l-
profits….
low Pages ad. Make sure your ad is along the lines I gave you in
chapter 5.
In all your advertising describe the furniture and tell a story about
Mail to your customers regularly. Make a note of what
how it’s made, where it comes from, etc.
each customer is interested in and what they have already.
Segment your mailing list and make different offers ac-
Go to magazines with the sort of readers that may want your fur-
cording to the customer’s interest.
niture. Rent their subscriber lists for your area only, if possible,
and mail to those people with an offer.
Give your customers first notice on new arrivals of stock. Of-
fer them little gifts if they come to the store to see a new piece
Hold an “Evening with the furniture makers” and put on a few
of furniture. Send books or articles on decorating. Follow up
drinks and appetizers.
your mailing by phone.
Send lots of little personal notes to your old customers or phone
Send a “Happy Birthday” card for their lounge suite after one
them with offers especially for them, saying:
year. Your mailing list is your biggest asset. Use it.
“I was at the furniture show and I saw something that reminded
Go to other companies, such as carpets, curtains, builders, and
me of you.
get them to recommend you and vice versa.
I don’t know if you are interested, however let me tell you about
Give an unconditional Money Back Guarantee. Let your cus-
it. It was a rare piece of XXXXX. It took 56 hours to make with
tomers try pieces of furniture in their home for a period of
blemish-free timber and leather and, while it’s not cheap, it’s a
time without obligation… “To see if it grows on them.”
beautiful piece of furniture.
A furniture shop on the Gold Coast sells nine out of ten pieces
If it sounds like something you’d be interested in, give me a call
of furniture left in the customer’s home that way.
because I’ll order one especially for you…”
Offer complementary products. If you know that a person has
a certain style of lounge suite, it could be interesting to
send them a letter saying:
“I hope you are enjoying the lounge suite you bought 50 $50 YOUR FIFTY DOLLAR $50
50
GIFT VOUCHER
from me last year.
This sort of letter will make the customer feel that you
Figure 76 - This was a very colorful and realistic Gift Voucher sent to
are thinking of him. Try other offers along this theme.
128 customers with the letter on the next page.
shers in Cane
Decorated Refurbi Photo
“MY WIFE WILL DIVORCE ME WHEN SHE FINDS OUT ABOUT THIS!”
But frankly <Person > I’ll put my marriage on the line and all for a good rea-
son, “you!”
You see the other day I was sitting in my office at home thinking of you and
I realized I don’t really deserve your business any more!
Since your last purchase I haven’t done enough to let you know that I value
you as a customer. People like yourself are very unique so I’m going to at-
tempt to restore our relationship.
And it won’t cost you a cent. As a matter of fact <Person > I’m going to gift
you the money to shop with us.
You’ll notice that attached to this letter is a $50 Gift Voucher for you.
This Gift Voucher is my way of saying forgive me and I desperately want to
restore and revitalize my relationship with you.
This is a genuine and honest offer with no stings attached. It’s $50 for you
to come into our shop to spend on whatever you wish, be it a cane planter for
that thriving indoor plant...or simply you can put the $50 down as a part
payment towards that special cane bedroom suite you’ve been dreaming of, but
haven’t allowed yourself.
Please go to page 2.
Figure 77 - This letter was sent to existing customers who purchased from the store six to 12 months ago. From 87 letters
sent, 14 people came in with the voucher on the previous page. Total sales were $6,870. The cost of the promotion was
$670.
Health Clubs: Condition #1 You must agree to come at least four times a
week and follow the program we design for you. We know
profits…
greater attractiveness, then you’ll want to renew at the full
rate.
After all, when you become the person you’d really like to
All the gym ads I see scream PRICE - SPECIAL - JOIN
be, you’ll be only too happy to renew your membership to
NOW FOR A GREAT DEAL.
maintain the new ‘YOU.’
I don’t want to join a gym because the membership is on
Condition #2 You must agree to come only in the off-hours
special. I know it’ll be even cheaper in a few months as
(between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.).
things start getting desperate for the owners.
Condition #3 You must agree to give us a testimonial for
We all join gyms to lose weight, to get fit, to build strength,
out future promotions.”
to feel better, to be more attractive and to make new friends.
This approach and your FREE Trial Membership offers will
How about starting all your marketing and ads along these
bring in people quickly and in large numbers. You’ll make
lines…
some money up-front and lots of renewals if you give them
great service.
Here is a Way to Become Tight, Lean, Attractive, and
Remarkably Healthy in Just 45 Minutes Three Times a
Make all sorts of offers to your expired members, buy the
Week.
expired members of other gyms and mail to them as well.
How to Make Friends, Have Fun and Lose Weight at the
Go to a sports store and other retailers and offer to give
Same Time.
them vouchers for one, two or three month memberships to
give away with every purchase if they advertise the offer to
If You Were Given $1,345,000 Isn’t This the Kind of
the public.
Health Club You’d Build??
Most members get discouraged after the first two or three
If you Spend 45 Minutes With Me 3 Times a Week, I’ll
weeks. Send them reminder cards and call people who
Give you a Trimmer, Healthier and Better Looking
haven’t been coming for a while. A gym in Melbourne
Body in Just Thirty Days...and I’ll help you keep if that
called Re-Creation sends a card with a dinosaur saying,
way for the rest of your life.
“Since we last saw you dinosaurs roamed the earth…”
Build a Body You Can Be Proud Of.
This has huge goodwill value. Have a hot line members can
How To Look Better, Live Longer and Have Fun.
call if they are down and don’t feel like training - offer
counseling and support services.
The next thing I’d do is offer all sorts of trials and offers for
first time customers. It makes sense to offer FREE one, two
Everybody wants to make a friend - have your staff intro-
or three month Trial Memberships if a large number of
duce people to each other in the gym. All they have to say
those people join up (see chapter 6).
every time they see two people training or near each other
is…
Lots of people are undecided about joining a gym. Run ads
headlined:
“By the way XXXXX have you met XXXXX, he or she is
from…”
“Three Hundred and Fifty 3-Month Memberships to
XXXX Gym for Only $19.
On Valentines Day offer FREE roses for member’s Valen-
tines.
As part of a Marketing Test, XXX Gym wants to see just
what effect price has on getting someone to start on a regu-
lar health and exercise program.
Ho...Ho...Ho…
ON THE FIRST DAY OF CHRISTMAS MY BEST
FRIEND GAVE TO ME (not a Partridge in a pear tree) but…
INVITATION
PRESENTED TO:__________________________________
ADDRESS:________________________________________
Figure 78 - This “Invitation” for an open day was sent to all members and distributed around the gym. It got 14 new me m-
bers at a cost of $440. Before this idea the gym was about to spend $2,400 to advertise in the newspapers and radio. This
promotion can be repeated over and over and over.
Here’s
DUTON ST
POINTS NORTH
Showcase
TOILETS
APARTMENTS
SHOWCASE on the
HEALTH CLUB
Beach
ADVANCE SHOPPING
BANK
your
GRIFFITH STREET
ON OPEN CLOSE
I . P MONDAY
TUESDAY
6:30 AM
6:30 AM
9:00 PM
9:00 PM
D
THURSDAY 6:30 AM 9:00 PM
C
SATURDAY 8:00 AM 6:00 PM
SUNDAY 8:00 AM 6:00 PM
2nd Level Showcase on the Beach 6 Months full membership for the price of 3 months!
Marine Parade Coolangatta Queensland 4225 Regular price $240 - You pay only $120
Telephone: (075) 991 812 Facsimile: (075) 991 403
VIP CARD No: VOID WHEN
EXPIRY DATE: 22-10-92 SECTION CANCELLED
Figure 79 - This card has $395 worth of value for $39. It was sold by telephone to people living close to the gym. They
sold a lot of cards. However, in my case there was no follow up to see if I had used it. This VIP Card concept can be used
by hairdressers, dry cleaners, video shops and most other repeat businesses.
profits…
Call your clients after five weeks and ask if they want to
book in for another haircut. If not, when should you call
them next? Your clients will like this. We are all too busy
and forget. When is the last time you serviced your car?
Read chapter six on the Lifetime Value of a customer.
What if your mechanic called you every three months?
Stefan built his empire on it.
Send a “Thank You” note with a $3 Gift Voucher for a
The quickest and easiest way to build your business is to
shampoo. Include a questionnaire to get suggestions on
offer FREE style-cuts. Or you can have $10 Gift Vouchers.
how you can improve your service (see page 65 and read
On the back of the vouchers you must put some reasons
chapter 15).
why the person should come to you.
Write a birthday card as soon as you know the client’s date
Go to other businesses that have as their clients the sort of
and put it in a month and date file for mailing later. Write
people you want to attract. These include women’s bou-
something like:
tiques, beauty salons, health clubs, modeling agencies,
weight loss centers or jewelers. Tell them:
“Dear XXXXX, Congratulations!! It’s your birthday on
September 24.
“How would you like to have a $10 Gift Voucher or a
FREE Style-cut to give to your customers at no cost to
We’d like to help you look your best on that special occa-
you?”
sion. Please call me on XXXXX. Bring this note with you
and drop in even if you don’t need a cut. I have a small
If possible have them mail the vouchers as a “Thank You”
present waiting for you.
and they can offer one of their services at the same time.
After you have read this book, you’ll be much better at writ-
Happy Birthday!!”
ing letters than they are. Offer to write it for them.
You can pre -sell ten haircuts at a discounted price or by
The cost of the giveaway is small compared to advertising a
adding something extra. You can pre-sell any combination
15% opening special, or perms for $35. These sorts of of-
of your services, (see page 110 and 70).
fers actually cost more because the response is small and
the cost of the ad is not. Plus you have your overheads to
Read the section of florists for a sample letter to send.
pay in the meantime.
Send letters to people explaining what you did when they
When the client comes in for their treatment make sure you
had their perm, tint or whatever. Educate your customers.
get their name, address, phone number, hair color and style,
Tell them how you do things. Send your clients tips on how
birthday and their partner’s name and birthday.
to look after their hair. People love to know.
Give a five or ten minute head massage. People love this.
Do a press release. How about…
In Japan and India you get a 15 minute massage with every
hair cut. People will come just for the massage. This will
Why your hair shows the world how you really feel
put you miles ahead of the other hair salons.
about yourself?
Get a person to give neck and shoulder massages. You can
12 Ways to keep your hair looking great after a perm/a
ask a masseur who wants to build their business. Tell them:
style-cut/a tint or whatever…
“Would you like to get some new customers at no cost to
Keep phoning, mailing and educating your customers...
you apart from your time?
Hairdressers: How to
108 increase your profits…
Prima
Hairdressing ‘A Lasting Impression’
Dear JENNY,
Sincerely,
D Horsley
DAVID HORSLEY
Figure 80 - This letter was sent to old clients who hadn’t been in for six months. The result was 112 re -activated clients from
402 letters sent. If half of them come back just twice more, it adds up to $2,780 in sales. This approach of re-activation old
customers can be used by any business.
Hairdressers: How to
increase your profits… 109
Hair Design
a g g ie G
M Figure 81 - Gift vouchers
like this one can be handed
Gift Voucher out by other businesses to
their customers. You can
also package these with
To ________________ From _Maggie_____________
product sales etc. Experi-
Please accept this gift voucher valued at $5.00_ ment with different
amounts to see what draws
This voucher may be used towards any hairdressing service
on your first visit to our salon. the greatest number of new
customers.
Valid until _ 15 -12-9 2_______ Salon Manager ______________
NOT
NOT VALID
VALID WITH
WITH ANY
ANY OTHER
OTHER PROMOTIONAL
PROMOTIONAL OFFER
OFFER
11 SAND
SAND STREET,
STREET, TWEED
TWEED HEADS
HEADS Ph:
Ph: 363
363 442
442
Prima
HAIRDRESSING
Elite Card
Two Men's Cuts Value $30.00 Figure 82 - How to pre-sell your services. Offer this card to
One Ladies Blowave or Set your existing and new clients. It has $237 worth of value for
Value $15.00
$99 or whatever you want to make it. It will lock in that cus-
One Ladies Cut & Blow Dry tomer to your salon for the next six months. This card can be
Value $27.00
sold over the phone, by mail or in the salon.
Two Children’s Cut & Blow Dry
To Value $20.00
One ladies Tint or Highlights
Value $40.00
On Semi-Color Value $20.00
Two Elite Steam Treatments
Value $30.00
One Ladies Perm (SHORT HAIR)
Value $55.00 Incl. Cut
ONLY ONE SERVICE PER VISIT
Hairdressers: How
110 to increase your profits…
Hardware
Collect all customers’ names and mail to them with offers
every month. How about sending a letter with:
Stores:
“Be the chef of the neighborhood with the new XXXX bar-
becue.”
How to increase
Even if you don’t have the barbecues in stock, you can get
deposits on a special bulk-order barbecue special.
your profits…. What if you asked every person as they are paying:
Health Foods:
special features on health, how to use products, recipes for
healthy eating, etc.
How to increase
Promote seminars on health and get a share of the profits
for endorsing the seminar to your customers. This can
your profits…
make you more money than your shop. Because your cus-
tomers are people who like to know more about their well
being, they will respond to good seminar offers.
As with all retail businesses collect and mail your custom-
Print your own money and use it instead of discounts.
ers regularly (see chapter 4).
Send all your customers a questionnaire about their health
If you have a juice or sandwich and salad bar offer a FREE
concerns and follow up with offers based on their interests.
juice or FREE sandwich to first time customers. Promote this
in your area and get every new customer on your list.
Have a customer club and give a $10 voucher for every
$100 that your customers spend in your store. This will en-
Start a card on customers buying vitamins and make a note of
courage them to keep coming back to you.
any health concerns they have. Send them articles to help and
educate them on feeling better.
Hardware/Health Foods:
How to increase your profits… 111
Hotels: Add all sorts of offers to your basic room rate. Get dis-
counts for amusements, restaurant vouchers and free water
How to increase
sport vouchers. This will help you stand out from the others
in your area.
your profits… Ask your customers to fill out a survey (read chapter 15).
Use the information to improve your service and to segment
your customers depending on why they come and at what
It costs a lot to get a first time guest. Most hotels never
times of the year.
take the time to strategically use Direct Mail to keep
their customers coming back.
Have standards for service and how to treat all your guests.
The more your guests feel like they are part of a family the
When a customer calls for information don’t just send a
more likely they are to come back.
brochure. Most of the inquiries come from women. Send
them a personal letter about all the advantages your hotel
Read a book called “The E-Myth” by Michael Gerber. It
has. How close is it to the nearest beach or park. How big
has a brilliant example of how to do it.
and safe the pool is, what clothes to bring and wear and the
weather.
Do a joint promotion with the local real estate firm. People
who stay in your hotel are likely prospects to invest in the
Call and confirm a week later to make sure they got the let-
area. You can offer FREE accommodation if they want to
ter and would they like to make a booking. If they book
have a look at some real estate. Get the real estate firm or
during the next week/month there is a FREE $50 dinner
developer to pay your room costs and share the commission
voucher for them. Make an offer to get them to act NOW.
on a 50-50 basis or whatever deal you can make (see page
73 on networking).
Invite a select number of travel agents to get to know you
and your hotel well. Keep in touch with them. They will
Get names from other businesses and amusement centers in
want to recommend you to their customers.
your area. On the Gold Coast for example there is the Cur-
rumbin Sanctuary. They have thousands of visitors each
Find travel agents with a customer list and offer to do a
week and they have some names and addresses in their vis i-
mailing to their customers. You write the letter.
tors book.
Get the locals to eat at your restaurant, have good quality
What if you asked them for those names and mailed them
food, entertainment and service and capture their names as
with an offer from your hotel with a free entry to the park or
well. They all have friends who visit and may want to stay
something similar? The Sanctuary can get their entry fee
at your hotel.
from you for every guest who takes you up on it for provid -
ing the names to you.
Read the restaurant section of this book for more ideas on
that.
Start a frequent stayer program. Offer FREE dinners, extra
nights and other rewards for staying with you on a regular
Have special theme weekends and weeks for Mother’s Day,
basis.
Father’s Day, and other occasions.
Have special Club cards for local residents to use your fa-
Hold travel nights in clubs and other venues in the bigger
cilities and restaurants at special rates.
cities. Have a prize draw and collect everyone's name and
follow up. A hotel in Theredbo is doing these and catering
Remember, people want to be recognized and appreciated.
for the mature citizens. He has 95% occupancy all year
That’s why Customer Clubs work.
around.
Hotels: How to
112 increase your profits…
Ariel View of Hotel Resort Photo
Postage
Stamp
surfing & sailing yesterday. Off to Movie-
world tomorrow, Sea world the next day.
Love to all R.
Figure 83 - This post card was mailed to 220 people. The note was written by hand and signed J & P. It aroused the curi-
osity of people who received it. It resulted in 47 people calling up the resort to ask who it was that sent the card. Plus lots
of requests for information on room rates.
Hotels: How to
increase your profits… 113
“Here’s a Holiday
you’ll love…because
everything is planned
MAKE MONEY
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Don’t you love it when you have The “Freelance travel Writer’s
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we’ve arranged 3,427 trips. So we’re very
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Figure 84 - The “How Passionate Are You?” ad caught my eye. The headline certainly catches your attention, doesn’t it? It makes
you want to read on to find out how passionate you are. Keep an eye out for things that attract you and keep them in a file. Later
on, you can use them to inspire you and give you ideas in your own promotions.
Hotels: How to
114 increase your profits…
Insurance/
$1,800 a week for life. Find out how…
Financial
print” on your insurance policy.
Advisors:
How to protect yourself from the insurance company’s
fine print.
How to increase
Put me to the challenge!…
...Let me show you how to save at least $65 on your in-
your profits…
surance with better cover - or the lunch is on me!!
Keep records on personal details of your clients and use • How to save thousands of dollars of future lump sum tax.
these to build a relationship with them. • How to make the new RBLs work for you.
• How the government can fund your job t ransition.
• How to get a guaranteed monthly retirement income which grows
Try using these headlines: to fight inflation.
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than ordinary rollovers.
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Why your insurance policy “Fine Print” may cause you RETIREINVEST
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6 reasons why you should deal with XYZ insurance. Figure 85 – This ad keeps appearing in various forms every
month or so. It has a strong appeal with the FREE Seminar
Secure your future and turn your hard earned income headline. Others ads by the same company are, “Retired?
into Real Wealth. FREE Seminar to show you how to increase your in-
come” and other similar offers targeted at different sections
of the community.
S DUTY
PAID
RONALD A. SANDILANDS
DATE
The Sum of: ONE HUNDRED & FIFTY DOLLARS EXACTLY 22/09/92
Pay: $ 150.00
Mr. Peter Sun
PO Box 1407
Burleigh Heads, Qld 4200 Ron Sandilands
SIGNATURE
:282096”484:1576883: ”
Hello Peter,
The “cheque” shown above isn’t redeemable at any Bank - but it could be the most
valuable bonus you will ever receive.
* Find out if your Insurance company can legally avoid paying your claim.
* Be sure your personal policies are providing the protection you expect.
* Calculate how much is enough, and find out if you have the right type of
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* Bring yourself up to date with the most innovative change in the industry
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Wright Arcade, coordinating Facsimile (079) 514 360
Victoria Street Estate Planning, Life and Disability Insurance, PO Box 80
Mackay Qld 4740 and Self-Managed Superannuation. Mackay Qld 4740
Figure 86 - This letter with a mock check attached was sent to 45 people. It was followed up with a phone call and resulted
in six appointments from the first 12 calls. The check idea will work for a lot of service and retail industries as well.
How to increase
I only have three of these in stock. If you want one I will
hold it for you…
your profits…. By the way, if your wife doesn’t like the XXXX for any rea-
son, we’ll give you a full refund…
Collect your customers’ names and their spouses’ names.
This will knock their socks off. Follow up with a call:
Get all the dates of their bi rthdays, anniversaries, special
occasions and what they bought from you.
“Did your wife like the XXXX you bought for her?”
Mail a month before the special dates and say something like:
Have a gift voucher for $20 and go to other businesses with
affluent customers. They can gift them to their customers
“Make your wife feel extra special on May 5th. After all it is
and recommend you.
her birthday.
Newspapers
months at the normal rate.
and Magazines: A computer magazine started six people like this and two
ended up becoming regular advertisers. It costs them $80 in
profits…
for each advertiser started like this.
Go to your suppliers to help you with the cost and get old
How to increase
copies of magazines as give-aways from t ime to time.
your profits…
Pre-sell $100 vouchers for say $90 if paid in advance. This
will lock-in those people to buy only from you.
Plumbers: Have a guarantee: “If we turn up late we’ll take 50% off
your bill,” or something similar.
your profits… “We are fixing your neighbor’s house at number XXX.
Since I am in your area I will be happy to look at your
plumbing, leaking taps, drains, etc. You will save yourself
Your biggest asset is your customers. After each job call
$35 on our fee. This saving is valid for today or tomorrow
the customer and ask if everything is OK. Keep in touch
only.”
with your customers and you will get lots of referrals.
Have a “VIP Customer” cars or fridge magnet offering 15%
To get new customers, you could offer a FREE $35 inspection
off future work. Tidy up after yourself and be polite. Re -
of plumbing, taps and hot water systems. Offer the same for
member, treat your customers as you want to be treated
gas or whatever you specialize in.
yourself.
Plant
2… Send a “Thank You” letter with a voucher as in chapter
2. It will work for you just as well as for the restaurant.
Nurseries:
3… Follow up with regular letters with offers to different
sections of your list. Segment your customers into indoor/
outdoor, exotic, cactus, etc. and make different offers to
How to increase
each according to their interest. Always make a special o f-
fer when you ask for their business.
your profits… 4… Keep looking for products and services you can offer
to your customers, either as a jo int venture or by yourself.
You can go to lawn care companies, landscapers, automatic
Follow these six steps. They are the same as for all other
sprinkler installers, hydroponics companies and hardware
repeat businesses such as florists, clothing shops and bak-
stores.
eries.
5… Offer special first choice on new arrivals to your exis t-
1… Use a “Win $100 worth of plants” sign to collect the
ing customers. Contract them by phone or letter. Make
names, birthdays and gardening interests of each customer.
them a special offer on those plans.
Have a suggestions section on the card.
Newsagents/Plumbers/Plant Nurseries:
118 How to increase your profits…
6… Offer incentives for referrals, send letters to people on have seen the spring blossoms of some of our 4,565 plants,
either side of the houses where your customers live and give you’ll be back to buy more in the future…”
them a $20 or $5 voucher to try you out.
Give your vouchers to other retailers to give to their cus-
Set up a home delivery and mobile plant shop service. Take tomers. Have booklets titled:
the plants to your customer’s home and let them choose what
they want from your truck. You already know what they like How to Make Your Garden Beautiful.
and stock the truck accordingly.
6 Things You Should Know About Planting Roses/
Mail-drop the area around your store with a $5 or $10 Palms/Herbs/Poppi es…
voucher and a letter saying:
How to take the guesswork out of choosing plants for
“To make your home beautiful, something you’ll really be your home.
proud of, I’d like to give you a $5 Voucher to spend as you
like at our nursery. Your guide to healthy and beautiful plants.
Petrol (Gas)
What if you gave every person as they pay for their gas a $20
Voucher for a service or a tune-up or a set of new tires? Or a
discount for a wash?
Stations/ A gas station had a small sign next to the amount on the
pump saying:
Car Wash: “Would you like your car looking like new again? Get a
Wash’n’Wax token for just $3 with your gas purchase. It
profits…
This worked. As the fellow said, almost 25% of all people
get the wash. If they get 100 people a day, that adds up to
$525 per week in extra sales, mo st of which is pure profit.
It’s about time someone lived up to the name of Service
When you send out statements to your account customers, do
Station again. With every other gas station being self-
you make offers to them in the same mailing for car servic -
serve, you’ll find gold with a full service outlet.
ing, new tires, whatever else do you do? Tell them and make
them an offer for those services.
Forty percent of motorists are women and I’d guess they
don’t like getting gas or oil on their hands and clothes. Plus
Want more account customers?
with 70% of all vehicles running low on oil you’d probably
sell a lot of oil as well, and tires and fan belts and radiator
Offer $50 or $25 off their first month’s gas account.
hoses. What if you asked all your customers when they last
had a service?
After all, you’ll be mailing them with all your other services
and making lots of money with add-on sales, won’t you?
Your average customer is worth probably $5 to $7 for every
You should be!
visit. Over a year this adds up to $250 to $350.
What if you had some smart young person washing the wind-
You could offer a FREE car wash to every one living within
shield and vacuuming the inside front carpets as well? And,
say three miles of your station. Make them fill in a Win a
heaven forbid…
FREE Service card with name, address, birthday, make of
car, etc.
What if you returned every car you got for service or any
other work, washed and polished inside and out?
Make it easy for people to try you out for the first time. Cars
are expensive to run and you’ll get lots of future business if
you treat the customers right.
Offer all sorts of add-ons to your customers - car alarms, After all, you are a SERVICE station first and gas station
roof racks, mag wheels, car radios, tow bars, steering locks, second, aren’t you?
detailing, etc. If you don’t sell those items, do a joint ven-
ture with someone who does (see page 73).
Printers:
This will be very profitable for you.
your profits… 35 Ways You Can Save Money And Make More Profits
From The Printing You Are Now Buying.
You will have lots of repeat business from every new
or
customer - especially new businesses. Keep that in mind
when you are looking for new customers.
How to get more sales with your company brochures.
You can offer 500 business cards FREE with every 500 or-
To get new and repeat business, have your sales people ap-
dered at the special price. It won’t cost you all that much
proach the prospects in this way…
extra and you’ll get that customer’s other business.
“We are printers and I’d like to naturally get your business.
Offer FREE pick up and delivery. Have a same day service
However I am calling for another reason today. You see we
if picked up before 10 a.m. Or if picked up after 3 p.m.,
have just researched a special report called XXXXX. There
it’ll be back by 11 a.m. the next day.
is nothing like this anywhere and the information it has may
save you hundreds or thousands of dollars and make all your
Advertise your Unique Selling Advantage such as…
printing much more effective.
“If we don’t deliver on time, your job is FREE.”
It tells you how to save on paper costs, what graphics in-
crease readership, how to write headlines that get up to ten
Offer FREE copy writing services for sales brochures worth
times the results, how to write copy that gets read and acted
$100. Have certificates printed with this on them to give to
upon, how to increase response with coupons, and how to
your customers to give to their customers. See page 158 for
use a print broker plus more.
a letter endorsing someone else.
It’s worth $19. However, I’d like to give it to you. I hope
Offer a FREE one hour consultation with an advertising
that once you've read it and realized just how knowledgeable
consultant. Do a deal with them– they’ll be exposed to lots
we really are you’ll want to at least give us the option to
of business people and pick up clients from it.
price your next printing job…”
Offer FREE typesetting or do the first job at your cost if it’s
Finally, give yourself an edge and write a Yellow Pages ad
pre-paid.
along the lines suggested in chapter 5. You’ll streak ahead
of your competitors.
Contact the Visitors and Convention Bureau and hotels for
details of up-coming conventions. Call the organizer and
Offer your special report in the ad.
offer your services, saying:
Headline your ad like this:
“Hi, I am the local instant printer. When you have your
convention you’ll probably need some printing or copying
To get the best out of your printing needs…
to be done.
Here are 6 reasons why you should call XXX now.
I’ll take care of it for you. I’ll pick it up in the morning and
bring it back in the afternoon…”
Figure 87 - These offers will work for you. You can drop these to all business houses. You will get on-going business from
every new customer and get more business from your existing customers.
Printers: How to
increase your profits… 121
How to get
2
TO THE
off the ropes MANAGER
FOR THE PRICE
and put some of ONE
YES!
You only pay for the first color
we give you the second colour FREE
INSIDE
1/2 Price
Print
Offer
Figure 88 - This brochure and coupon were part of a monthly mailing I get from a printing company that is marketing oriented.
They always make a special offer and include lots of helpful information in their mailing. This brochure was also used in a tar-
geted business mailing with good results.
Printers: How to
122 increase your profits…
Real Estate:
How to increase
your profits…
Firstly, I’d look at your Yellow Pages ads and other ad-
vertising you do. Start keeping track of which headlines
are working for you.
Look through the papers and when you see something that
catches your eye, cut it out and file it away. Describe the
properties with emotion. After all, you are not selling four
bedrooms and a kitchen - you are selling cozy bedrooms,
space to entertain, safety and fun for children, and a rela x-
ing haven for the adults.
Ask the owners what attracted them to the house when they
bought it and what are the best things about the area and the
house. Speak to the woman, because she is the one who
usually chooses the home.
There are two markets you are selling to - the person who
will live in the home and the investor. You should have
different strategies for both. To the investor you sell:
Peter Gillman
with parties and your friends tains, the coast below me
all admiring the views. transforms into a fairyland
The house is solid, secure and of lights.
PETER GILLMAN
even though it’s not flashy...it There is plenty of room to
has a warm and comfortable keep 3 cars and even a boat.
feel about it. And there are My neighbors are lovely
LS HOcKER high ceilings and beautiful and you’ll easily make
chandeliers. friends in this part of town.
354 New South Head Rd If you are a keen gardener The agents said all this is
and love the outdoors you’ll worth $285,000, but my son
DOUBLE BAY appreciate the large lawns. is moving and I want to go
And the red and purple with him. Give us just
Poinciana trees are full of $245,000 and it’s all yours.
birds. To arrange a visit, call
Your children will love Geoff Trein on 321 833, or
Figure 89 - This hand written note may have better response than a exploring the bush land at the 762 348 a.h.
glossy brochure. Make sure you put it only into a selected area just
in case 20 people turn up in your office at the same time. This
worked eight times better than a glossy brochure for one agent!!
FIRE SALE
ABANDONED WATERFRONT
REDLAND BAY HOME
RETIREMENT DREAM
Owner alone now, can’t fulfill plans of retirement dream for 2 for $200,000
We love our home.
on secluded hideaway. Meandering creek borders a level
home site surrounded by century old gums and pines. Only
minutes Gold Coast/Brisbane Hwy. Some building materials
below its value
REAL ESTATE agents tell us we’ll
You will too…
on site, some gardens set out, natural rock hewn landscaping
partially completed. Majestic views over surrounding Pim - easily get $650,000 for our home if we
pama countryside. wait, but we can’t. If you’ve always
71/2 ACRE - GIVE AWAY at $89,950 yearned to live in a country-style, wa-
Our home is the former Graceville State School B block terfront home on Moreton Bay, with
and over 10 acres of beautiful native forest. sweeping panoramic views, here’s your
But its not at Graceville. It’s at Kobble Creek, just past big opportunity!
Samford. And the school today is a magnificent & special The luxurious home has 45 sq of living
quality home. It is cool, comfortable and very easy to live space, 5 bedrooms, a huge billiard
in. room, a modern Tasmanian oak and
The eight foot wide veranda faces northeast, and so do the
brush box kitchen, and is only 200
main bedrooms and living room. The bush is beautiful and
the barn has a loft.
meters from a magnificent golf course.
YUK And there is a lot, lot more to tell about “Graceville.” So The 60 perch property is a haven for
THIS PLACE IS UNBELIEVABLE we have asked Dorothy Collinson of L.J. Hooker Samford children, because a boat may be tied up
We scrapped the bottom of the barrel to come up and Monika Gibbs of Les Douglas Real Estate to be our at the bottom of the garden, there’s a
with this one! The house has been long neglected , agents for this sale. wall from which to fish and a beach for
badly needs painting, and redecorating, the junk in You can ask them about the 42+ acres farm too. swimming.
the yard needs removing but if you’re a fix-it-up “Graceville” is open for inspection today and tomorrow, The new owner will have the conven-
bug the potential is enormous. Set in the heart of 2:00-3:00 p.m. and goes to Auction on 21. ience of being just 35 mins from the
Guanaba on 9 acres of prime acreage land, included Brisbane GPO and Gold Coast.
is a large dam, creek, 2 road frontage, 2 cows, 1 A contract for $450,000 has been pre-
bull, a calf and a gaggle of geese, but at $149,000
pared and may be signed by the first
what do you expect, properties in the immediate
vicinity are on the market for twice the price.
person to jump at the opportunity. Our
commitments require the house to be
sold this weekend so please ring now
for a private inspection with a view to
signing on the dotted lines.
Figure 90 - Selection of ads that are out of the ordinary. Use headlines that attract attention and lots of interesting copy in all
your advertisements.
How to increase your “Would you like to see a FREE movie? Here is your
profits…
chance. If you eat early at XXXX restaurant you get one
ticket for each dinner.”
Restaurants: How to
increase your profits… 125
Enjoy A Special Feast Of
Middle Eastern Dishes With
Elenie’s Exotic Dancing
Come on Thursday September the 17th, 1992
And enjoy an exquisite set menu designed by “The chef” Barry...Semit
Breadrings covered in Sesame Seeds, Egg and Lemon soup, Artichoke
Hearts filled with Babaghanoush, Fish stuffed with Herbs, Yogurt
marinated Spatchock, Sweets platter of Orange Almond Cake and
Small Turkish Pastries as well as Turkish Coffee.
Tables of four or more will be set. So if you are alone, or if you are a
couple, you will have a chance to meet new people.
The evening starts at 7 p.m. For the set menu and the dance perform-
ance $30 per person.
Figure 91 - How to make money with special nights. This night was promoted only to existing customers. Twenty letters
were sent and 100 of these leaflets were given to customers eating at the restaurant ten days before the night. The result?
Forty-one people booked at $30 per head, ($8 above the average sale) 21 people were turned away and all who came asked,
“When is the next one.” Cost of letters and leaflet - $50. Special event nights are a simple and effective way to keep your
existing customers coming back.
Restaurants: How to
126 increase your profits…
For all our regular customers -
A Thank You
FREE Breakfast
For Mum
Yes, it’s true!! Any mother can enjoy a Free breakfast on Mother’s day
the 10th of May at the Elephant Rock Café. The Free breakfast consists
of a fresh juice, fruit salad or muesli, a hot main course and tea or coffee.
Choose a delicious main course from the A-La-Carte menu:
- Elephant Rock Eggs, - Smoked Salmon and Herbed Ricotta Omelet, -
Chicken Sausage and Mushroom Sauce, - Marinated Tofu Steak...And
more.
This is a special day and we want your mom to really enjoy it...Be sure to
have a table. Book now by calling on 982 133.
Figure 92 - This Mother's Day breakfast leaflet received a 33% response from existing customers. The leaflet was given
out a few days before the Sunday.
Restaurants: How to
increase your profits… 127
Food Lovers:
Photo
A great value night out
at Burleigh... Restaurant Review
by Peter Sun
Figure 93 - This was a promotion to office people around Figure 94 - A restaurant ad with a difference: Written
the restaurant. It has a great offer. The voucher was in the in an editorial style this sort of ad should be placed in
folded brochure. It could have been improved with a head- the early section of the newspaper. This will make sure
line - there was none! Mr. Monty’s is not a headline. it’s read by the most people.
Restaurants: How to
128 increase your profits…
Shoe Stores:
ter 14 on up-selling).
Figure 95 - This is an ad with a difference. Adding value will cost you a lot less than discounting. Plus it seems more valu-
able to your customers. This ad will give you ideas for a copy intensive ad with lots of sub-headlines with benefits, and an
offer instead of a discount!
How to increase
“7 Things You Should Know About Family Law”
your profits…
“How to claim Workers Compensation”
Write a column for the local papers and feature your book-
let in it.
Let your client know on a regular basis what services
you can offer them and have a newsletter with helpful
information on all sorts of legal issues. Have FREE initial consultations and give
first class advice in this hour.
Make your letters light and easy to read. Sophisticated let-
ters end up in the garbage bin - no matter how fancy your This will give you lots of business.
letterhead is!
Read chapter 5 on Yellow Pages and write an ad that makes
To get new clients have your present clients refer you to you stand out from the rest (see page 15).
Please call Gerry O’Neill at Financial Technology Please validate this voucher
28 Palm Beach Ave Palm Beach 4221 by phoning before FEBRUARY 31,1993
Ph: 98 2544 Fax: 98 2027
Figure 96 - You can use this sort of voucher for lawyers, accountants, insurance and other professional services. By giving
the first hour away FREE, you’ll get lots of people with legal problems wanting to talk with you. This will then lead to other
work. This is an extremely powerful approach.
Food Stores: Have coupons in all your advertising for new customers,
FREE Bread, Potatoes and Eggs are good examples.
How to increase your When the first-time customer comes, get them on your
profits…
mailing list and send them coupons for another three
weeks. This will get them used to coming to your store.
Test the different offers and monitor how much your cus-
The way to customer loyalty and more sales is to make
tomers spend per visit. With your customers returning
your store fun and friendly. Use personal direct mail
week after week, you can afford to give away a good offer
instead of those ugly full page ads I see in the papers
up-front.
every week.
Pro mote certain higher price items such as stainless steel
Read the chapter on fruit shops. Most of those ideas will
cookware to your customers. Offer lay-away on them.
apply to you.
Have an unconditional Money Back Guarantee on every-
Have lots of cooking demos - not just sampling of beans
thing. And don’t check your customer’s bags as they leave.
and sausages. Have a couple of ladies cooking-up tasty
After all, 97% of people are honest. Why punish them for
dishes to sample every day in your kitchen corner.
the 3% who are not?
Give out recipes every week. Have a nutritionist in the
Offer FREE bus pick up of customers and FREE delivery of
store for free advice on a couple of days per week. They’ll
the groceries. Have an area for children to play in and even
do it free because they’ll also get clients from it.
some live animals or humans in duck’s and cow customers
walking around, if your store is large enough.
Have a suggestion box and use the comments to give your
customers what they want.
Is there a line up at the register? Break out some cookies
and ice cream to pass the time. Serve tea and coffee and
Connect your cash register to a bell and revolving lights.
orange juice all the time.
Have random winners of groceries. Take their photos and
have a “Winners Wall Of Fame.”
Have smiling customer service people at the checkouts.
Not check out operators. Most of all have fun!
Figure 97 - This coupon returned 404 customers to the store. It was delivered to 10,000 homes at a cost of $480. Total sales
were $3,062. This sort of offer will attract new and existing customers to the store - try it.
Supermarkets/Food Stores:
How to increase your profits… 131
Travel Agents:
How to increase your
profits…
If you are like most travel agents, you simply react to
QE2
FLY FREE
your client’s requests.
Give your best clients a gift voucher towards their next trip. Figure 98 - This ad has a good headline. It has a limited time
Offer extra value with a map and book on the area they offer and it has lots of interesting copy. Anyone who has
want to travel to. heard or been on the QE2 knows this is a great ship. The
headline will attract them. Make your ads interesting along
Send “Thank You” notes and keep in touch. After all - the lines I suggest in chapter 10.
most people will travel somewhere every ye ar - for the
rest of their life.
profits…
Have video retailers give $100 worth of movies from your
store with every video recorder they sell.
6 7 8 9 10
Figure 99 - Customer club cards like this one will get you customer loyalty The give away is equal to 10% off. However,
this “Buy 10 get one FREE” approach is more attractive and encourages people to keep using your video rental.
You can use your customer base to sell other products too.
(Electronics):
What if you asked the person buying the stereo:
How to increase your What if you offered the person who bought a TV a video to
profits….
match:
Wholesalers/
Another way to get dealers and stores to take your prod-
ucts and services is to help them increase their business.
Manufacturers:
Even if your help has no direct relation to selling your prod-
uct, human nature is to pay-back and reciprocate buying
your products and services.
How to increase your Start a newsletter on helping your dealers and stores make
profits…
more money. Buy them good books on marketing, (such as
this one) and send them as gifts with “Thank You” letters.
2) The Results Report by The Results Corporation Ph: (07) 870 3700
5) Mind Your Own Business and Would Saks Fifth Avenue Do It by Murray Raphel Ph: (609) 348-6646
or phone (02) 247 7744 Australian Direct Marketing Association in Sydney.
6) My Life In Advertising and Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins Ph: (02) 247 7744 Australian
Direct Marketing Association in Sydney.
7) Tested Advertising Methods by John Caples Ph: Who knows where I got that one from. Try a large
bookstore or the Australian Direct Marketing Association on (02) 247 7744
Bibliography... 135