Newsletters Made For You- Exceptional Living

I listen to only handful of people for marketing advice.

Paul Hartunian is one of them. Paul specializes in publicity – he’s the best – the man knows marketing.

I got an email from him the other day I thought was pretty insightful.

Let me know what you think of his advice at the end of this post.

Paul said we’re judged daily in three main areas. Sure, there’s a bunch of secondary ways people judge each other. But these are the primary three. If you can’t pass them, you’re out.

1. How well you speak.

2. How well you spell.

3. Whether you chew with your mouth open (really).

That’s it. If you don’t pass these three tests with people, you won’t go any further with them.

You can bet you’ll never hear a CEO or bank president say, “Yo… Mr. So and So, I want to axe you a question.”

Or… sit down to an important business dinner and begin sounding like a cement mixer as he eats. Do this and the deal will never get done.

Other ways people judge you in business:

One has to do with your choice of email service providers.

If I’m doing business with Joe’s Window Cleaning Service, I expect to get email from Joe@JoesWindowCleaningService.com – or something similar.

Mind you, I’m NOT not talking about your general or personal email address.

But if you email my business office, you’ll get a reply from david@doneforyouprinting.com. I’m serious about my business.

When I see someone using AOL or Gmail as their primary business email provider, I don’t think they’re a serious business.

I have nothing against free hosting or email services. But when they’re used as your primary business tools, you’re taking a huge risk.

This is your business. For many people, this is your livelihood. This is your income. Why are you screwing around with unreliable services, advice, information, etc.?

I only want the best for my business because I know the money I spend will be returned to me over and over. And the best isn’t free.

You must get the best for your business – or suffer the possible consequences.

It’s time to get serious about your business and relationship marketing.

-  David Gruttadaurio
The Relationship Marketing Expert

PS: Next Monday, August 30th at 6:30 p.m. (CST) we help you get serious about marketing your business with another Mastermind Webinar. Get serious about your biz.

Newsletter

So you’re planning on doing some advertising.

You need new customers and you’re getting ready to make an ad.

As you begin your marketing masterpiece, you MUST think ‘outside-the-box.’

When it comes to advertising and marketing, “playing it safe” is the least safe thing you can do.

M.I.T. (yes, that M.I.T.) just released a report that reveals a surprising connection between progress and “playing it safe.”

When bonuses were given for better performance, the bigger the bonus got the best the performance – but ONLY when mechanical skills were required.

But when bonuses were offered for cognitive skills (i.e. using your noodle creatively); higher incentives led to poorer performance. I swear I’m not making this up.

Professor Daniel Pink said, “Psychologists, sociologists and economists have replicated these findings over and over again.”

This is why you should care: When moola is on the line – most people – (like YOU planning your marketing), tend to second guess or completely reject their creative impulses.

In other words, most entrepreneurs want to play it safe… they’re afraid to be different.

Fear is a terrible master. Because…

…when we attempt the outrageous; we accomplish the miraculous.

Done For You Printing is a place for brilliant misfits – entrepreneurs that have achieved mainstream success – but who have never really bought in to it.

Consider us your ‘Marketing Outside The Box Company.’

One look at our company newsletter, Exceptional Living, tells you we’re a very different species.

NO ONE DOES WHAT WE DO. We know ‘cuz we’ve been looking for partners. And all we’ve found are a bunch of Nervous Nellies that are afraid of their own shadow.

Author Rita Mae Brown’s colorfully put it this way: “As a woman, I find it embarrassing to be in a meeting and realize I’m the only one in the room with balls.”

Contact us about your company newsletter. It will crush the competition.

And while you’re at it. Email Brett (brett@doneforyouprinting.com) to schedule a marketing make-over. Newsletter clients get a whopping 25% off.

You need a perspective from ‘outside the box.’ That’s where we live.

- David Gruttadaurio
The Print Newsletter Expert”

————————————————————–

http://www.WebToPrintIQ.com

About David Gruttadaurio

David Gruttadaurio is widely recognized as the expert in print newsletter marketing and relationship-based marketing.

David now has clients from around the world who are successfully using his products.

He is the editor of Exceptional Living newsletter and a published author in print and online magazines and blogs.

David and his family live in the small town of Princeton, Indiana.

Copyright 2010

Newsletter, company newsletter, print newsletters company newsletter, exceptional living, print newsletter

Memorial Day commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. It is fitting and proper that we do not forget this real meaning of this day.

But it is also appropriate to honor ALL of the men and women serving in the armed forces that put themselves in harm’s way.

Meet the Carnahan brothers from Evansville, Indiana.

All five brothers – Ernest, Edwin, Norman, Donald and Charlie Bob – went off to fight in World War II.

Remarkably, all five came back home alive.

Norman (88), Donald (85) and Charlie Bob (82) are still alive.

Charlie Bob recalls a woman in their neighborhood who lost her only son in the war.

“She couldn’t understand how it was possible that her only boy died and Mom had five and we all returned safe and sound,” he said.

Still, their mom had plenty of sleepless nights.

“Worrying about us all throughout the war – I don’t see how Mom kept from going mad,” said Donald. “We were poor, and Dad was dead from a heart attack. Mom kept everything going. She was truly remarkable.”

Typical of soldiers at war, Donald said, “I don’t think any of us boys thought that our military service was causing any kind of hardship at home. Patriotism was big in those days. You didn’t think of getting out of the fighting. You did what you could to get in the middle of it.”

Indeed. Such is the mindset of a warrior.

Have a safe and happy Memorial Day.

David

Newsletter

You may think nothing is gained by looking old ads.

You would be wrong.

Take this 50 year old ad from 1959.

The 1959 Chevy ad shows the typical cars being sold back then. They were huge – most weighed around two tons. Gas was dirt cheap then, so no one bothered to calculate fuel mileage.

If you sold cars in 1959, you had to make a bold and clear statement that you were DIFFERENT. Your goal was to become the obvious choice.

Now, check out this ad from VW…

VW followed Earl Nightingale famous advice, “If you want to be successful, look at what everyone else is doing, and DO THE OPPOSITE.”

While the auto industry was building land yachts, VW was doing the exact opposite, as showcased in their brilliant ad.

BIG lesson: Almost everyone in your industry has similar backgrounds and experiences.

You have to become a risk-taker. Plain-Jane ads deliver Plain-Jane results. If you want exceptional results and success… you must DO THE OPPOSITE.

I know… doing what’s comfortable is safe. Unfortunately it’s also boring for your customers. Being boring means being invisible. Being invisible means no sale.

One way to avoid being lumped in the same lame category as your competitors is to send a customer newsletter.

NO ONE does that.

And if your client or patient newsletter is Exceptional Living… then WOW! You’re immediately perceived as being different. You avoid swimming in an ocean of mediocrity.

Taking action just feels right, doesn’t it?

-David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

PS: Fight sameness with a vengeance! Click here to check out my FREE OFFER.

————————————————————————–

http://www.WebToPrintIQ.com

About David Gruttadaurio

David Gruttadaurio is widely recognized as the expert in print newsletter marketing and relationship-based marketing.

David now has clients from around the world who are successfully using his products.

He is the editor of Exceptional living newsletter and a published author in print and online magazines and blogs.

David and his family live in the small town of Princeton, Indiana.

Copyright 2010

This blog post is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this mail is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of David Gruttadaurio.

Newsletter

Most marketing gurus make building a brand sound like it’s rocket science. It isn’t.

Do you want to know the secret to building an irresistible brand?

A guy worth $4 billion revealed his secret.

It is very simple… and totally brilliant.

“You must have the finest quality products or services. If you do that, then you’re in the re-order business; NOT the selling business.”

He is John Paul DeJoria, owner of Paul Mitchell salon products and the high-end Petron Tequila brand. (The guy with the famous ponytail.)

He knows what he’s talking about. Branding is the process of distinguishing yourself or your products. It’s the sum of who you are; what you do; how you are different and better than the competition.

DeJoria was recently featured on the TV show, “How’d You Get So Rich?”

He told an incredible story.

After high school he was in the Navy. Then he sold encyclopedias from door-to-door for three years. Time goes on. By 1980 he was homeless and living in his car. Then he and his partner started the company with $700.

Now his products are sold in over 100,000 salons in 85 countries.

Yeah, yeah, yeah… you’re not Paul Mitchell Systems… and neither am I. Really, how many companies are?

Here’s the big lesson about successful branding:

1. Excellence is mandatory in today’s New Economy. Consumers are demanding nothing less.

2. You must stay in front of (or at ‘top of conscientiousness’) with consumers.

In these two ways, entrepreneurs are no different from the big brands.

Nothing will scream ‘excellence’ louder than Exceptional Living company newsletter.

When you send it to your customers every month, they can’t help but reminded of the great service or products they received from you in the past.

Who knows… maybe it will be the beginning of YOUR billion dollar brand.

We have company newsletter ideas that work.

- David Gruttadaurio
The Print Newsletter Expert”

PS: Click here to check out our 8 exclusive involvement triggers on display in the June issue of Exceptional Living.

————————————————————————————————–

http://www.WebToPrintIQ.com

About David Gruttadaurio

David Gruttadaurio is widely recognized as the expert in print newsletter marketing and relationship-based marketing.

David now has clients from around the world who are successfully using his products.

He is the editor of Exceptional living newsletter and a published author in print and online magazines and blogs.

David and his family live in the small town of Princeton, Indiana.

Copyright 2010

This post is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this mail is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of David Gruttadaurio.

Newsletter, company newsletter, newsletter ideas, print newsletter company newsletter, exceptional living, newsletter ideas, print newsletter

American Express recently did a survey of small business owners. They wanted to find out what make us tick; what motivates us to start and continue running a small business.

The results were astounding… but not really surprising.

-  Small business owners put in an average of 55 – 60 hours a week.

-  Small business owners spend almost every weekend catching up on work.  They have no plans to take any time-off.

-  62% said not taking vacations doesn’t bother them.

-  64% said they wouldn’t think twice about doing it all again.

FEAR was the number one reason for not taking more time off. Fear of giving up control and fear of not making money while they were gone.

**39% acknowledged a skilled staff would make things easier; but most weren’t willing to take the time to train them.

TSS is the problem!

THIS is the problem! TSS (Time Suck Syndrome™) is why so many small biz owners are overworked, not as happy as they should be and haven’t attained the financial success they desire.

All because they can’t let go!  They are addicted to running each of their day-to-day operations.

TSS is the biggest hindrance to small business success. YOU are the only thing standing in the way of your success!

Yes, it takes hard work. Yes, it takes time. But that time should be spent creating systems to automate the process of growing a business, training employees and executing sales and service processes.

THIS stuff is the ‘hard work’ that makes success easy.

It’s true that a great company cannot run without the entrepreneur.

But… spend your time doing the things that bring in the most money and that make your business run effectively WITHOUT you being involved.

These are the things that will make your business and your life Easy, Simple and Profitable.
Suffering and saving your way to profits leads to a life of anxiety and mediocrity.

Smart biz owners understand and appreciate the power of a client newsletter. But the time to put one together is usually just too much work.

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel here, folks.

This is one of those things you can completely outsource at WebToPrintIQ.com. Because it’s 97.99% Done For You.

Make this your first step to REAL business independence.

Brett and I have newsletter ideas that will work for you.

- David Gruttadaurio

“The Print Newsletter Expert”

PS: Click here and I’ll send you a hard copy of our relationship marketing marvel.

————————————————————————–

http://www.WebToPrintIQ.com

About David Gruttadaurio

David Gruttadaurio is widely recognized as the expert in print newsletter marketing and relationship-based marketing.

David now has clients from around the world who are successfully using his products.

He is the editor of Exceptional living newsletter and a published author in print and online magazines and blogs.

David and his family live in the small town of Princeton, Indiana.

Copyright 2010

Newsletter, client newsletter, newsletter ideas, print newsletter, relationship marketing client newsletter, newsletter ideas, print newsletter, relationship marketing

So we’re in Wal-Mart’s electronics department on Saturday. We were looking at a new iPod Nano for Stacy.

I had totally forgotten it was a holiday: National iPad Release Day. But I was reminded of Apple’s big day when I heard a small voice say: “I want an iPod Touch when I get older.”

I looked behind me; and then did a double-take. It came from a child sitting in a shopping cart.

“How old is he?” I asked his mom in amazement. “He’s five” was her reply.

Now I’m staring at him. I asked mom, “Where did he learn about the iTouch?”

“From his sister,” she said, nodding toward the nine year old girl nimbly working the iPhone on display.

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure when I was five (and even nine), my aspirations didn’t include high priced gadgets.

You know how I talk about ‘clients for life’ a lot? This is exactly the reason why.

It’s also the reason why Apple’s revenue in 2010 is expected to be $54 billion.

Yeah, yeah, yeah… I know. You aren’t Apple.

But… you can be LIKE Apple.

Apple has created an ecosystem that consumers trust. Once you enter Apple’s digital universe, you never want to leave. It’s a walled garden full of beautiful and exotic stuff; it’s stuff people don’t just WANT – they deeply believe they cannot live without it.

Maybe your biz doesn’t fall in the hip, chic or cool category. Really, how many do?

But you can  build a wall around your customers. You can create a relationship experience so pervasive and powerful that they cannot fathom going anywhere else.

That my friend, is the basis of relationship marketing. It’s how you get clients for life.

And that is something you CAN do.

Start your customer lockdown with our company newsletter. Click here to check out the April issue of Exceptional Living.

We have newsletters ideas that work.

- David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

PS: Click here and I’ll send you a hard copy of our relationship marketing marvel.

————————————————————————–

http://www.WebToPrintIQ.com

About David Gruttadaurio

David Gruttadaurio is widely recognized as the expert in print newsletter marketing and relationship-based marketing.

David now has clients from around the world who are successfully using his products.

He is the editor of Exceptional living newsletter and a published author in print and online magazines and blogs.

David and his family live in the small town of Princeton,
Indiana.

Copyright 2010

This post is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of David Gruttadaurio

Clients for Life, Newsletter, company newsletter, newsletter ideas, relationship marketing apple, apple ipad, Clients for Life, Clients Newsletter, company newsletter, exceptional living, newsletter ideas, relationship marketing

So I’m standing at the counter of the pretzel shop in the mall.

Behind the counter were three employees – two teen girls and a guy, probably in his mid 20’s. They were caught up searching for something in the back.

Apparently searching for a paying customer wasn’t on the agenda. I stood there wondering when I would be graced with their attention.

Finally – after several minutes – the guy looks up and asks, “Get I get you something?”

No… it’s just that I usually hang out by the shoe store, but this space looked available…

I walked away without saying a word.

I often talk about the wasteland of customer service today. But this goes waaay past that.

It’s just bad marketing… yep, marketing.

How do you define marketing?  In its most narrow sense, it’s the various media you send out to prospects and clients.

In its most expansive sense, its EVERYTHING you and your employees do, day in and day out.

Some examples:

At Disney World, steam cleaning the streets and painting the fence posts every night is marketing, not park maintenance.

Ray Kroc thought consistently clean restrooms at McDonald’s was marketing, not a janitorial process.

How we present ourselves to customers; how we answer the phone; how quickly we return phone calls… it’s all part of our marketing program.

There is no such thing as an unimportant detail.

And the worst word is marketing (besides boring) is ‘random.’ Aimless, ‘hit or miss’ marketing just plain sucks.

It’s ineffective and wasteful and… forgetful.

That’s why I tell you send a monthly company newsletter to your customers.

Anything less than monthly appears random and hapless on your part. Inconsistency is what drives people crazy. It will drive your clients away.

A monthly company newsletter creates a professional image, especially if it’s a print newsletter like Exceptional Living.

Click here and I’ll send you a hard copy of the April issue – plus the previous two months.

We have newsletter ideas that work.

- David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

PS: Ready to get started? Activate your free account!

————————————————————————–

Copyright 2010

This post is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of David Gruttadaurio

Newsletter, company newsletter, newsletter ideas, print newsletter company newsletter, exceptional living, newsletter ideas, print newsletter

I was talking yesterday with Jeff . He’s the guy that built WebToPrintIQ.com… from blank sheet of paper.

Saying Jeff is good with computers is like saying Leonardo was an OK painter.

Anyway, he was telling me that some of our clients don’t know what VDP is all about.

So here’s the scoop:

VDP isn’t quite a miracle. But it does have magical powers. Plus… it’s just plain cool.

It stands for Variable Data Printing. It’s a fancy phrase to say we can personalize everything we print and mail for you with the first name (and/or last name) of your customer somewhere on the marketing piece.

It allows you to get very personal with your customers.

Personalization has power!

Research shows that VDP does amazing things to response rates for direct mailings. In fact, VDP mailings response rates are four to six times higher than direct mailings without this technology.

And the more you customize direct mail to your recipient, the more likely the response rate will be higher.

Here’s an example: Let’s say you send out 500 Exceptional Living client newsletters next month. Each one will have each customer’s name four times throughout the 6 pages.

Imagine the power a personalized company newsletter like that will have with your customers.

Yep, VDP is very cool.

It’s also something most of the other guys (that attempt to ‘do’ newsletters) cannot offer you.

Just one more reason why you want your company newsletter to be from me and Brett.

BTW: The sample pack has three newsletters with examples of VDP on each of them.

Click here to have me send them to you.

Taking action just feel right.

-  David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

————————————————————————–

http://www.NewslettersMadeForYou.com

http://www.NewslettersMadeForYou.com/blog

Copyright 2010

This post is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of David Gruttadaurio

Newsletter, company newsletter, newsletters Clients Newsletter, company newsletter, newsletters

While reading the Sunday paper, I came across an article about a family-owned business started in 1942.

It’s a fitness equipment company.

And like most fitness supply stores, they also had a shoe department.

This is where it gets interesting: They recently spun off the shoe department and made it a separate enterprise.

That isn’t the interesting part.

Then they created a new market for custom fit shoes. They call their new enterprise Ultimate Fit.

Their specialty is fitting shoes based on the customer’s feet, gait and body mechanics.

Can’t say for sure what that means…

But I can tell you this: They have a hit.

We drove by the place and it was hopping. There were at least a dozen people (mostly kids with parents) in the store.

Then… they branched out to setting up spaces in the fitness clubs and doctor’s offices. They promote their biz through organized races and walks in the community. They hold clinics to educate consumers on the importance of properly fit shoes.

Do you get it?

They reinvented themselves. They became About Something Significant. Dan Kennedy talked about this in his January newsletter

Granted, at the end of the day, they just sell shoes.

But to their clients, their community, their industry… they are much more significant than the sum total of what they sell.

Why can’t you do the same thing? And please don’t say your biz is too ordinary to be About Something Significant.

With this in mind, how many of your competitors send a monthly client newsletter? I don’t know you personally (yet), but I do know the answer:

Zip, zilch, nada, zero.

Stand out, be significant, reinvent yourself. Begin the process in a very tangible and real way. Send your customers killer newsletters each month. Our customer newsletter templates online are free to use. Exceptional Living is… well, exceptional.

They’ll remember you as being About Something Significant.

Activate your free account if you haven’t done so yet.

Taking action just feels right.

-David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

——————————————————————–

http:/www.NewslettersMadeForYou.com

http://www.NewslettersMadeForYou.com/blog

About David Gruttadaurio

David Gruttadaurio is widely recognized as the expert in print newsletter marketing and relationship-based marketing.

David now has clients from around the world who are successfully using his products.

He is the editor of Exceptional living newsletter and a published author in print and online magazines and blogs.

David and his family live in the small town of Princeton, Indiana.

Copyright 2010

This email is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any portion of this email is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of David Gruttadaurio

Newsletter, client newsletter, customer newsletter, free newsletter templates, newsletters, print newsletter client newsletter, dan kennedy, David Gruttadaurio, exceptional living, free newsletter template, Newsletter, newsletters, print newsletter, template