Advertising Secrets of the Written Word: The Ultimate Resource on How to Write Powerful Advertising Copy from One of America's Top Copywriters and Mail Order Entrepreneurs

Advertising Secrets of the Written Word: The Ultimate Resource on How to Write Powerful Advertising Copy from One of America's Top Copywriters and Mail Order Entrepreneurs
Average customer rating:

Joe is AMAZING!

Buy this book

Wow - tremendous book

One of the best books on crafting mouthwatering copy ever written!

Ditto

Advertising Secrets of the Written Word: The Ultimate Resource on How to Write Powerful Advertising Copy from One of America's Top Copywriters and Mail Order Entrepreneurs
Joseph Sugarman
Manufacturer: Delstar Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Marketing | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Mail Order | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1891686003

Customer Reviews:

Joe is AMAZING! .......2007-04-05

I have never been so impressed by a copywriter
like I have been with Joe. I saw him speak a long
time ago at a Mark Joyner event and bought this
book. I have had it by my side ever since.

I couldn't recommend it enough!

Matt Bacak
Author of Secrets of the Internet Millionaire Mind
and The Ultimate Lead Generation Plan

Buy this book.......2007-01-05

Of the dozens of books I have read on the subject this one is the only one that I feel was well worth the purchase price.

Ideas backed by facts not opinions.

Wow - tremendous book.......2007-01-03

I think it was about the second chapter, maybe earlier where he mentioned the 'magic stat thermostat'. Well, back when I was a kid in the early 80's (read like 10 years old), my dad used to get tons of mail order catalogs (like Hemmachler, sharper image, etc...), and liking technology at a young age, I used to look through them. Well, JS&A must have been one of them as well, as I specifically remembered this ad! I recalled the ad tearing the product to shreds before recommending it (I even remebered what the thing looked like). It was that substantantial, that as a 10 year old (roughly), I recalled it today. At the same time, I recalled another ad that I thought was odd - some handheld game that was supposed to be some big conspiracy. Sure enough, that was one of his ad examples at the end of the book.

This alone should be a testament to exactly how powerful his ads are. Not too mention, his writing style as an educator in the field of written ads is astounding - I could not put the book down.

Although geared toward catalog sales, the techniques clearly can apply to the web as well. So, if you are interested in selling anything - order this book now!

One of the best books on crafting mouthwatering copy ever written!.......2005-09-14

Joe Sugarman is a copywriting and marketing genius.

Probably known best for his "BluBlocker" sunglasses ads, Joe has provided aspiring (and experienced) copywriters with a treasure trove of useful information, tips and step-by-step techniques.

During the 80's Joe held annual Copywriting and marketing workshops and smart marketers willing paid thousands to learn his "secrets".

As far as I can tell, Joe has shared every last one of those million dollar secrets in this must have manual.

This one is a "no brainer". Buy it. Read it. Use it.

Ditto.......2005-08-06

After reading all the 5 star reviews I have nothing to add. I agree this is an excellent book.

How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters

Average customer rating:

You must buy this book
How To Write a Successful Fund Raising Letter
Disappointed
Success at Last
Development officer

How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters
Mal Warwick
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 078795652X

Book Description

For busy fundraisers, writing letters of appeal can be confusing and laborious. Now, a guide from the nation's premier letter-writing tutor--direct mail expert Mal Warwick--shows fundraisers what makes the best letters work. Whether its general advice about the most effective mail strategies, or specific advice for those interested in the details of a direct mail campaign, Warwick keeps fundraisers on track when he reminds: "You're writing for results--not a Pulitzer Prize."

In How to Write Successful Fundraising Letters, Warwick's step-by-step model for writing a successful appeal walks you through the critical stages; his topics range from laying the groundwork for a prosperous campaign all the way through to the importance of thanking donors. Supported by an extensive collection of model letters, Warwick's no-nonsense, jargon-free work has helped thousands of fundraisers achieve results.

Read a review written by Charity Channel Founder/CEO Stephen C. Nill:

http://charitychannel.com/publish/templates/?a=471&z=25

Customer Reviews:

You must buy this book.......2007-05-10

If you ever think you will have to write a fundraising letter, you NEED this book. Too many people think it is just like writing any other kind of letter but it isn't. There is a rhyme and, more importantly, a reason to it. Don't write a fundraising letter without reading this book first.

How To Write a Successful Fund Raising Letter.......2007-05-07

Excellent for a review of those with experience and super for those new at the experience. We have used it for both occasions

Disappointed.......2007-01-17

I am not an expert in writing fundraising letters. So, when I found a book with a title "How to write successful Fundraising Letters" it was as if I had won the lottery. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it because I was on a dealine to write a fundraising letter for a non-profit organization for which I had volunteered. I ordered the book, and paid just as much to have it deleivered the next day (local bookstores do not carry it). I found the book to be a tutorial and not something I could quickly benefit from. It is written to teach how to properly write and follow-up a fundraising campaign letter. The samples provided were very specific to 3-4 scenarios and did not offer much context. I guess I was looking for a book with hundreds of samples so that I could pick and choose phrases, paragraphs, etc.

Success at Last.......2007-01-11

I have toyed around with various funderaising letters over the years, reinventing the wheel each time. This book is a tremendous guideline for writing great fundraising letters and has many great examples.
I was able to raise over $100,000.00 in a recent campaign and for the first time I have had a number of people comment on how well the letter appealed to them, and how well it was written. I keep this book close at hand.

Development officer.......2006-11-06

have read part of it not all---so far it is good and helpful

Direct Marketing: Strategy, Planning, Execution

Average customer rating:

A Must Read for Marketing Professionals
Definitive, complete, timeless
Definitive, complete, timeless
Best Business Book

Direct Marketing: Strategy, Planning, Execution
Edward L. Nash
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0071352872

Book Description

The "master strategist of direct marketing" has enhanced his classic reference with a wealth of proven direct mail strategies for the Internet age. This eagerly awaited edition adds in-depth information on profitable use of the Web for direct response sales, as well as increased coverage of alternative media, infomercials, telemarketing, and database marketing.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Read for Marketing Professionals.......2003-07-30

When I first ordered Direct Marketing it sat untouched on my desk for several weeks. At two inches thick (I measured it), I was dreading another boring tome that took a thousand words to say what could have been covered in ten. When I finally cracked the cover, I was pleasantly surprised.

Not only is Direct Marketing devoid of fluff, every word is packed with the insight of a gentleman who has obviously earned his knowledge from the school of hard knocks. As I continued to read the fourth edition of Direct Marketing I found that it is more than a book on direct mail, it's an essential read on marketing in general:

* Nash makes it easy to understand the importance and mechanics of marketing measurement and metrics.

* While emphasizing the accountability and predictability of direct marketing, Nash does not discount general marketing knowledge.

* Nash makes planning practical and concise. The chapter on marketing plans is the best coverage of the topic that I've seen.

* The Internet and other interactive vehicles are fully embraced.

In short, if you're a marketing professional, buy this book.

Definitive, complete, timeless.......2002-06-21

Mr. Nash, I love this book. I say "love" instead of "loved" because it's not a book you read once. It has become a valuable resource for our company. Thank you.

Definitive, complete, timeless.......2002-06-21

Mr. Nash, I love this book. I say "love" instead of "loved" because it's not a book you read once. It has become a valuable resource for our company. Thank you.

Best Business Book.......1999-09-07

Wonderful! Straight to the point. Packed with facts, not fluff. No pipe-dreams. Money making, practical, and thought provoking. There is so much information and advice here, it could have easily been three or four books. Well worth the full price -- a bargain on amazon. Buy it!

Average customer rating:

Brilliant!
Every Small Business Needs This Book
Solution to those who are suffering within your organization

Advanced Email Marketing
Jim Sterne
Manufacturer: Lyris Technologies, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Email Marketing: Using Email to Reach Your Target Audience and Build Customer Relationships

ASIN: 0974439304

Book Description

Email is conceptually brilliant: low cost, high speed, personal, dynamic, and interactive. But there's a big difference between knowing that email is a powerful marketing tool and proving it.

So how do you know if you're doing it well? How do you show your CFO that it's really helping the bottom line? How do you convince your boss or business partners that a decent investment in email management tools will pay off? You can promise to prove how well email is increasing awareness, building interest, populating your sales cycle, and generating revenue.

This is a book of proofs. A book about the ways and means that email can be put to the test. A book about how an individual goes about demonstrating the power of email and pointing to specific results. This is a story that shows how you can as well.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant!.......2005-04-21

I am an email-marketing beginner. I had no idea what email marketing and promotion looked like, I hadn't a clue how to approach it. This book is perfect for me and exceptional on a few counts.

First, Jim Sterne packs an awful lot of material in a very skinny book. I'm used to software books that are padded unmercifully and then priced (ummm ...) arrestingly, let's say. This thin, dense book is a welcome treat.

It follows from the book's compressed, all-useful content that it's a quick read: a couple of hours to go through it the first time. No slogging through stuff I already know because I'm afraid the author will spring some new info on me -- Gotcha! -- somewhere in the first 100 pages of fluff (see above).

Then I'm just bowled over by the quality of the editing. Unlike almost all books I see these days, I could find no distracting grammar or spelling abominations, the kind that make me distrust and suspect the author. Another treat!

Finally, what might have been a lot of detailed soporific lecture material, the same stuff that put me to sleep in Econ 101, Sterne manages to arrange in vital and vibrant form. Vivid, too! Yea, verily! Sterne gives us a moribund marketing team, introduces an email-marketing journeyman, and then lets the work and conversation flow as everybody learns a whole lot, as we do. And the story has a poignant, happy ending, too: bring your Kleenex.

Bravo! A brilliant job.

Every Small Business Needs This Book.......2005-01-25

Advanced Email Marketing really should have been called, "Email Marketing Strategies for Beginners." Sterne takes a complicated subject and breaks it down into a very digestible format.

If all business and/or technical books read like Sterne's we'd have a lot more small businesses showing black instead of red.

Solution to those who are suffering within your organization.......2004-04-21

For the starter of email marketing, it is a good guide to grasp what is all about email marketing and its effectiveness. You do not feel you wasted your money after reading it. For those who are engaged in email marketing, it would give you a path to the successful roadmap of how you should convince your boss and business partners. You would regret it if you do not read this and put it into practice. I have a lots of corporate clients who are suffering within their organization. I think I can introduce it to them if it is translated in Japanese. If it is OK to translate this into Japanese, I could do this. The story is very enticing. Norito (email marketing consultant from Tokyo, Japan)

Creating a Profitable Catalog: Everything You Need to Know to Create a Catalog That Sells

Average customer rating:

Good direct marketing reference
Just About Everything You Need to Know
The ultimate handbook of catalog selling
Don't start a Catalog until you've read this book!!!
Comprehensive Overview

Creating a Profitable Catalog: Everything You Need to Know to Create a Catalog That Sells
Jack Schmid
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0658000640

Book Description

"Jack's in-depth knowledge of the catalog market and his exceptional talent for articulating a precise set of how-tos for seemingly every aspect of this complex business are unrivaled. . . . A masterful volume of a highly complex and challenging topic, written by one of the best catalog consultants around." -- Laura Beaudry, Editorial Director Catalog Age "Creating a Profitable Catalog is a comprehensive guide to modern-day cataloging. It includes up-to-the-minute information on concept and creative development, design and production, merchandising, circulation planning, database marketing, operations, and financial management. All of these topics are analyzed in intricate and careful detail as author Jack Schmid guides the reader through every step of building a successful catalog--either in print or on-line. This is a must-have for any aspiring cataloger's library and a welcome addition to the bookshelves of catalog industry veterans. Praise for Creating a Profitable Catalog by Jack Schmid "Jack Schmid is one of this country's best catalog marketers, and he has packed this book full of detailed, practical know-how on each and every aspect of cataloging. This book is important to anyone already working in our industry, but it is indispensable for someone just getting into the business." -- Bill Spaide, Partner Spaide, Kuipers & Company "I consider Jack Schmid to be the number one catalog strategist of our time. His magnificent new book, Creating a Profitable Catalog, is a treasure chest that starts with the year 2000 and goes beyond." -- Bob Stone, Chairman Emeritus Stone & Adler Author of the bestselling Successful Direct Marketing Methods

Customer Reviews:

Good direct marketing reference.......2007-06-14

This is a great book for understanding all aspects of creating a Direct Marketing company or a direct marketing program within your company. The basics and then some are in this book. Well written in that it kept my attention from new ideas and way it was written.

Just About Everything You Need to Know.......2005-08-14

Virtually every company that makes things has to ahve a catalog. It's the thing that tells your customers what you do and gives them the detailed information that they need to make a decision.

Catalogs began with the mail order industry where the technology grew to measure sales return per square inch of paper. Over time, the professionals learned what worked and what didn't. Then when everything was working pretty well, the Internet came along and changed all the rules. All of a sudden space was endless, no more big checks to the printers. Communications was essentially free, no more big checks to the post office. The rules changed because the option to thumb through the catalog was no longer there. Instead sophisticated search and discover techniques needed to be worked out.

Jack Schmid has been in the catalog business, both print and electronic for many years. In this book he passes along dozens, if not hundreds of points. The book covers quite a lot of ground. Much of the book is on the functions that have to be performed whether the catalog is printed, electronic or both. This includs things like product selection, fullfillment, customer service and finance. There is a goodly amount of material on the printed version of the catalog, as these are still required by most companies. There are several points interspersed throughout the book and finally chapters on things like database marketing, the Internet, and more.

This is one of the most all inclusive books available on catalog marketing and includes just about everything there is to know.

The ultimate handbook of catalog selling.......2004-07-29

If you want to read only one book on the catalog business, make sure you pick this one.

I've read more than 5 books in English and German on the catalog subject and Schmid's book is in a class of its own.

It promises to cover the entire catalog process, including strategic planning, merchandising, creative, marketing (circulation), fulfillment, testing, and measuring response and ROI. And it delivers on the promise to an extend that I've never seen before. I spend this summer in Cannes, France, and enjoyed Schmid's book in the hot sun. Just couldn't put it aside...

His 11 pages long spreadsheet model in appendix includes everything for a new catalog start-up feasibility study ... and provides insight for the budgeting process to more experienced catalogers. [Why doesn't he provide a downloadable version in Excel on his homepage?]

The only competitor to this book is probably Katie Muldoon's 1995-publication, which is out of print (her home page says that a new book on the strategic aspects of catalogs is forthcoming).

One weakness that all books on cataloging have so far is their unserious treatment of the Internet. Schmid's book is from 2000 and it shows. It doesn't contain solid work on dynamic publishing, which is exploding via the Internet these years. It's not that Schmid doesn't accept that the Internet will be a phenomenal factor, but in this area so much of the catalog processes have been digitized since 2000. Thus, on this promise it doesn't deliver.

I still recommend this book as the best source so far to understanding all the catalog processes and hints to improving the bottom-line.

Peter Leerskov,
MSc in International Business (Marketing & Management) and Graduate Diploma in E-business

Don't start a Catalog until you've read this book!!!.......2002-11-06

This is such a great book for a company that is starting a Catalog business or thinking about it. It covers all aspects of the Catalog business and gives you a checklist of all the necessary tasks to launching a successful catalog. Great book...

Comprehensive Overview.......2002-01-18

A wonderful overview of the catalog world with plenty of real-world examples including: ROI calculations, promotions, customer segmentation.....
Worth its wieght in gold!

Sold!: Direct Marketing for the Real Estate Pro

Average customer rating:

Direct Marketing for the Real Estate Pro
Just Read this Book !!
Sold! is helps build sales!
A MUST READ for every Real Estate Broker
Straightforward and Solid

Sold!: Direct Marketing for the Real Estate Pro
Lois K. Geller
Manufacturer: Capital Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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The ABC's of Prospecting: The Ultimate System for Every Real Estate Sales Professional
Real Estate Presentations That Make Millions
Real Estate Rainmaker: Guide to Online Marketing
1,200 Great Sales Tips for Real Estate Professionals
Make Millions Selling Real Estate: Earning Secrets Of Top Agents

ASIN: 1933102276
Release Date: 2006-12-19

Product Description

This lively book shows the more than 1.25 million real estate agents & brokers in North America how to use the proven techniques of direct marketing to make more money and sell more units. Drawing on the principles her agency has used in successful campaigns for Ford Motor Company, Weight Watchers, and American Express, Lois introduces real estate professionals to her easy-to-use Geller's Just In Time DM Program® so they can get the correct message into the proper hands at the right time. Spiced throughout with Lois's sane and savvy advice and stellar examples of winning ads and mailing pieces, SOLD! is guaranteed to help you target your marketing efforts, so you will be planting more sold signs and growing your business in no time.

Customer Reviews:

Direct Marketing for the Real Estate Pro.......2007-07-16

I was very disappointed with this book! If you are new to real estate and know nothing about marketing you may find it helpful. For experienced realtors - forget it! The information was very basic and much of it not related to real estate. I was hoping to learn about lots of specific direct marketing techiques and products that were proven to generate an abundance of good, cost effective buyer and seller leads, unfortunately this book does not do that.

Just Read this Book !!.......2007-03-27

The Writer hits the nail on the head for those Realtors wanting to become successfull with Direct Mail...read her book, it's written buy a person who teaches this stuff to the business world..Enjoy!

Sold! is helps build sales!.......2007-02-24

SOLD is a must read for the professional real estate agent, and also for both the new and experienced sellers. Lois writes like a friend to the reader when she spells out exactly what should be expected from an agent. It is a wonderful guide ...even supplying pages for the readers' questions and comments along with names, addresses and web sites of RE people for any further info. Very good illustrations, too.

A MUST READ for every Real Estate Broker.......2007-02-05

If you would like to increase your sales-whether you are just starting or a seasoned veteran, pick up this easy to read guide.
Each page is filled with great marketing advice and exercises so that you can put them into action.
I was so impressed with this book as I read it on a flight across country, that I bought ten copies to give out as gifts.

Buy it!
Andrea N--Manhattan, NY

Straightforward and Solid.......2007-02-05

I recently received this book to review it for my magazine, lore. I get a lot of real estate books, and I read them all, but this one really beats most. The information is logical, solid, actionable, and the book is highly readable. I was recently at a luxury real estate gathering and heard a terrific coach, Jennifer Cummings talk about precisely the same things that are in this book. I highly recommend it, and in fact am ordering a number of copies to send to other people. Don't miss it!

Average customer rating:

I read this book straight through...too
The Mercifully Brief, Real World Guide to... Raising More Money With Newsletters Than You Ever Thought Possible
Terrific
Save the Newsletters!
Quick, easy read that is full of helpful advice

The Mercifully Brief, Real World Guide to... Raising More Money With Newsletters Than You Ever Thought Possible
Tom Ahern
Manufacturer: Emerson & Church
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1889102075

Book Description

There's a sleeping giant in your midst. One with enormous fundraising potential. And unless your newsletter is bringing in thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars every year, it's time to shake it from its slumber. Today, countless organizations are raising more money with their newsletter than with traditional mail appeals. And after reading Tom Ahern's riveting book, Raising More Money with Newsletters than You Ever Thought Possible, it's easy to understand why. Great newsletters, as distinguished from the mundane ones many of us receive, have so much more going for them. For starters, they deliver real news (not tired features such as "From the Director's Desk'' and "Introducing Our New Staff"). They make the donor feel important. They use emotional triggers to spur action. They're designed in a way to attract both browsers and readers. And they don't depend on dry statistics to make the organization's case. Ahern knows newsletters inside and out. Not only has he written his fair share, but he's analyzed scores of them for other organizations. Moreover, his workshop, "How to Write Great Donor Newsletters," is consistently over-subscribed. So when he speaks - as he does in engaging and eloquent prose- you hang onto his every word. The essence of Raising More Money with Newsletters than You Ever Thought Possible centers around seven fatal flaws, as Ahern calls them. "Almost every donor newsletter I see suffers from at least one of the flaws," he says early in the book. "You would be shocked by how many newsletters suffer from all seven." Along the way to discussing - and dissecting - these fatal flaws, the reader is treated to such chapters as: o Making news out of thin air o What a front page is for o Lower the grade level of your writing o Anecdotes versus stats o How should it look? A proven formula And those are only five of the 45! succinct chapters in this book. Chances are you already have a newsletter, that's the good news. You have the vehicle in place. The even better news is that transforming your newsletter into a substantial money raiser isn't all that difficult. As Ahern himself says, "You don't need a degree in journalism to publish a newsletter that will keep your donors inspired (and generous). You just need a few skills and insights." Read this book. Pick up those skills. And be assured that the ratio of time spent versus gains realized might well be the most cost-effective of your entire career.

Customer Reviews:

I read this book straight through...too.......2007-10-11

After reading Tom Ahern's "How to Write Fundraising Materials That Raise More Money: The Art, the Science, the Secrets" straight though, I read this one straight through too. Since much of the material was reiterated in a different way, I was able to skim yet have a much fuller understanding of the concepts. I would read both as they are both valuable. I never read books straight through, these are different. I found these to be riveting and rejuvenating. Fun, fast, easy reads that impart an amazing amount of insight into writing for fundraising.

The Mercifully Brief, Real World Guide to... Raising More Money With Newsletters Than You Ever Thought Possible.......2006-08-23

Concisely and sharply written with easy to use advice. Affirmed things that I "knew" but had forgotten about. Used the advice and our newest newsletter has much more "pop" to it. I'll be interested to see if there will be an uptick in donations following its release in a week or so.

Terrific.......2006-07-22

Hi Tom,

Your book Raising More Money With Newsletters Than You Ever Thought Possible is terrific!

I started reading it just after completing a quarterly newsletter. I can't seem to finish your book because I keep running to the computer to "fix up" the thing I had thought was a newsletter. I am reading this on a stay-at-home-day-for-reading and when I'm not at the keyboard I am phoning colleagues with new ideas. They may never let me read again.

I heard you speak at the AFP Congress in Toronto and knew this would be a good book. Thanks for making it even better than that.

Are you changing the world? Maybe not. But you are certain to change newsletter writing!

Julie Kinkaid

Save the Newsletters!.......2006-06-29

This book will save you money and time. It's a quick, fun read, and there are great tips on every page. Moreover, it is research-based, with practical ways of implementing all the ideas. No BS, no wild hairs, just sound, practical advice. It will be "immediately usable," to steal the perfect caption of another reviewer.

This book turned up while I was mulling over creating two different newsletters for two different organizations. My earlier involvements with newsletters were a bit frustrating. Tons and tons of work went into them, but their impact was disappointing, despite some really good content.

Reading this book, I finally understand why my earlier attempts were, well, stinkers. I was using bad models and repeating bad habits so commonl in this industry. Now, I feel that I have the tools to make much more effective marketing pieces. One of my upcoming newsletters is actually going to be a rescue job of a lackluster publication, and this book has helped me to see exactly how to fix it--and to make putting it together a much easier task.

And to steal another idea from an earlier reviewer, I too am going to give this to some people I know, who really need this excellent advice.

The proof is in the pudding, here. Ahern follows his own advice, and his book is totally engaging, convincing, and if he was a non-profit organization rather than an author, I'd send him a check. "Save the Newsletters!" How much is a membership?

Really, get it. It will help all of your writing, not just newsletters. I hope the author writes more, on similar topics, maybe a general book on writing marketing copy. We need more smart, fun, practical, and mercifully brief resources like this one.

Quick, easy read that is full of helpful advice.......2006-06-27

I love this book and have already implemented several recommendations. It is easily worth the purchase price.

Average customer rating:

I couldn't even get through this book
Better than a college course!
Okay book if you've already decided on a business area
One of the best books on the subject of mail order catalogs
One of the best books on the subject of mail order catalogs

How To Create Successful Catalogs
Maxwell Sroge
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Advertising | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Creating a Profitable Catalog: Everything You Need to Know to Create a Catalog That Sells
Creating Catalogs that Sell

ASIN: 0844236616

Book Description

Turnkey Creative Advice--from an Industry Expert! Here is everything you need to create irresistible catalogs--in one comprehensive volume. Amply illustrated with examples from today's best catalogs, How to Create Successful Catalogs lets you see how top consumer and business-to-business catalogs handle cover shots . . . order forms . . . company letters . . . and headlines. You'll learn how to . . .

Keep your catalog under budget and on schedule by organizing tasks and preventing expensive mistakes
Fill your catalog with "sales appeal" that draws in new customers--and keeps them
Create copy that makes your customers want to buy--and accurately and appealingly describes your products
Take advantage of cost-effective new techniques that are transforming the way catalog art is produced and printed
Communicate easily with printers and production personnel with the comprehensive glossary of industry terms

With catalog expert Maxwell Sroge as your guide, you'll produce appealing and successful catalogs your customers will order from again and again!

Customer Reviews:

I couldn't even get through this book.......2004-02-01

After reading "Catalog Copy That Sizzles", I had to read this book. I found the chapter on creating and writing descriptions of be long and boring.

The rest of the book is a great resource when it comes to creating a catalog, but don't get one book and one author's opinion. Get at least two or three books so you can form your own opinion on how to create your catalog and you can use the tips and techniques of a variety of authors.

Better than a college course!.......2002-05-24

I learned more about designing catalogs from this book than I learned from my entire college education. It's not so much a graphic design book as it is a formula for content. You'll how to design photos (or articulate your ideas to a professional photographer), how to lay out our front and back covers, how to design an effective order blank, etc.

There are two things I REALLY like about this book. First, it cites good, solid research to back up its recommendations. Second, it doesn't have the "I-know-it-all-and-if-you-don't-follow-me-you'll-fail" attitude that so many do-it-yourself business books have.

You'll also appreciate the abundance of real-life examples the book gives you--you'll look at catalog pages from well-knwon companies like Lands' End, Viking, and Brookstone.

Keep in mind, too, that many of the concepts you'll learn here will carry over into both web site and brochure design.

Okay book if you've already decided on a business area.......1998-11-07

This is an okay book if you've already figured out the business side of building a catalog business, which I would argue is actually extremely important. This book is more implementation oriented with good color examples of other catalogs. It's more about the production of the catalog which I think is more intuitive. The challenge is finding a new business area that can be profitable.

One of the best books on the subject of mail order catalogs.......1998-01-14

If you are thinking of putting together a mail order catalog, this should be one of your first investments. National Mail Order Association Recommended

One of the best books on the subject of mail order catalogs.......1998-01-14

If you are thinking of putting together a mail order catalog, this should be one of your first investments.

Direct Marketing Rules of Thumb: 1,000 Practical and Profitable Ideas to Help You Improve Response, Save Money, and Increase Efficiency in Your Direct Program

Average customer rating:

Excellent Reference Book
An awesome resource for publishers and booksellers

Direct Marketing Rules of Thumb: 1,000 Practical and Profitable Ideas to Help You Improve Response, Save Money, and Increase Efficiency in Your Direct Program
Nat G. Bodian
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Advertising | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Computers & Internet | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

2,239 Tested Secrets For Direct Marketing Success : The Pros Tell You Their Time-Proven Secrets
Direct Marketing Techniques: Building Your Business Using Direct Mail and Direct Response Advertising (Crisp Fifty-Minute Books)
Direct Marketing: Strategy, Planning, Execution
The Complete Guide to Direct Marketing: Creating Breakthrough Programs That Really Work
Tested Advertising Methods (Prentice Hall Business Classics)

ASIN: 0070063400

Book Description

A goldmine of tested DM tips and techniques. DM guru Nat Bodian's latest direct marketing tool crams 40 years of experience into a treasure drove of response-driven strategies for racking up sales by mail, phone, and space advertising. Exhaustively indexed to make fast access easy, Direct Marketing Rules of Thumb packs 1,000 priceless time and money saving ideas you need to: prepare, use, and evaluate every DM component--from headlines to offers to credit and collections; locate, select, time, and test top-selling mailing lists for business, professions, medicine, consumers, charities, and more--plus work with list brokers, managers, and compilers; land your share of the $300 billion telemarketing business--including getting started, finding help, preparing scripts, targeting top prospects, selecting lists, and more; sell successuflly through card decks; snag the best prices on paper, printing, production, and mail shop services; create and place low-cost DM space ads; much, much more.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Reference Book.......2007-07-09

Excellent Reference Manual. This will stay on my bookshelf for easy referencing at all times.

An awesome resource for publishers and booksellers.......2005-04-14

This is an amazing resource for ideas. It should be on every bookseller's bookshelf. I keep it handy for when I am hungry for creative ideas.

Like all of Nat Bodian's books, it's top quality and full of great information, packed with 59 chapters in 400 pages. While it is pre-Internet, you will be hard-pressed to find a more thorough treatment of the direct marketing topic.

This book is in the same league with John Kremer's "Book Marketing Made Easier" (bookmarket.com) and E Haldeman-Julius's "First Hundred Million" (100millionbooks.net). Both are PACKED with ideas, the latter also packed with proven sales numbers for what titles did and did not sell. Both are also out of print unfortunately. Kremer's book can be picked up used and is well worth the money. The other is available in digital format but is largely unavailable except for hundreds of dollars, if you can find it.

If you have a chance to pick up any of Bodian's books, do it! I love them.

Average customer rating:

One of the Best 5 Copywriting Books Ever Written
Incredible Stuff!
Brilliant insights from an entrepreneur who has seen it all!
Important Resource to Help in your Marketing Efforts
Mail order wisdom

Marketing Secrets of a Mail Order Maverick : Stories & Lessons on the Power of Direct Marketing to Start a Successful Business, Create a Brand
Joseph Sugarman
Manufacturer: Delstar Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Advertising Secrets of the Written Word: The Ultimate Resource on How to Write Powerful Advertising Copy from One of America's Top Copywriters and Mail Order Entrepreneurs
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Triggers: 30 Sales Tools you can use to Control the Mind of your Prospect to Motivate, Influence and Persuade.
2,239 Tested Secrets For Direct Marketing Success : The Pros Tell You Their Time-Proven Secrets
The Adweek Copywriting Handbook: Ultimate Guide to Writing Powerful Advertising and Marketing Copy from one of America's Top Copywriters

ASIN: 1891686062

Book Description

Many so-called marketing experts wrtie books on how to market products. But it is rare to find an actual practitioner who not only has acheived marketing success himself (and many times over) but is able to express himself so beautifully in prose. Joseph Sugarman has written a book that every marketing person or anygbody in business should definitely read. The book is filled with marketing strategies that he taught for many years. It provides valuable lessons--all sandwiched in between actual marketing examples. A very valuable book for anybody in marketing or wanting to understand marketing.

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best 5 Copywriting Books Ever Written.......2004-04-21

Second in the "Secrets" series by Joe Sugarman, this outstanding book provides DOZENS of full page ads written by Sugarman, along with the story of how he conceived the idea for the product, and what became of the promotion. This book is brilliant, and one of my Top 5 copywriting books of all time. For the price, it is the bargain of a lifetime. Get it now before it goes out of print and becomes one of those "impossible to find" classics. Truly an awesome book.

Incredible Stuff!.......2003-06-23

Joe Sugarman's books are an extraordinary read! I've been writing copy professionally for years, so I'm no slouch. With the information Joe shared, I've been forced to rethink my entire approach to copywriting! Discover how Joe thinks, as he takes you by the hand on a tour through his most successful ads from his now legendary, JS & A catalogue. His amazing stories will make you laugh. They'll make you cry. You'll be touched at the deepest level and it will be an experience you won't soon forget. Get these books... now!

Brilliant insights from an entrepreneur who has seen it all!.......2002-01-07

Few writers are as clear, as candid and as helpful as Joe Sugarman. He not only packs his "Secrets" books with invaluable lessons that have taken him decades to learn, but he gives you fascinating, behind-the-scenes looks at dozens of advertising and marketing campaigns. From concept to completion, Joe lays out everything you could possibly hope to learn about writing compelling and profitable copy. But most important of all, Joe's books draw as much from his failures as his successes, making them infinitely more valuable that those that sell nothing but pipe dreams. As for those who complained that Joe's material is dated, sure some of it is dated as the examples literally span decades. But keep in mind, while tastes and styles may change, human nature does not. And no one understands human nature better than Joe Sugarman. His insights are timeless and their value, priceless.

Important Resource to Help in your Marketing Efforts.......2002-01-06

Marketing is not an easy career, however Joe Sugarman's experience can help even the most experienced expert. Most good information in this field is obtained for at least several hundred dollars, Joe's work is an exception. For such a meager price you can get alot of entertaining advice about what works and what doesn't in the world of marketing. You will be hard pressed to walk away from this book without several ideas about what to do with your current project or what to begin now.

Mail order wisdom.......2002-01-06

There are tons of marketing books, but in this one Sugarman tells you his success secrets for the specific area of marketing in which he is a proven master -- mail order. If you sell products directly from TV, space ads, or direct mail, and your promotions ask for the order rather than build brand awareness, this book can help you dramatically boost your response rates and profits.

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