Newsletters Made For You- Exceptional Living

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”

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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

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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”

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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

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Don’t worry… berserk violence isn’t required.

People today are mailing less.  A lot less.

As Americans turn from paper to electronic communications, the amount of mail handled by the Post Office continues to drop.

From 213 billion pieces in 2006 to 177 billion last year.

BTW:  Those numbers are staggering. Now you know why our mail occasionally takes a ‘left turn’ on us. Overall, the U. S. Postal Service is incredibly reliable.

Anyway, this means that your marketing will stand out even more in your prospects and clients mail boxes.

And it will get even better. Volume is expected to drop to 150 billion by 2020.

This is good news, indeed.

Now is the time to step up your print marketing. While everyone is falling back to email-only marketing, your mail will definitely get noticed.

This is why newsletter marketing is so hot. No one is doing them… including your competitors.

Some biz owners think they’re hopelessly old school. Others may have tried client newsletters and failed (they’re harder than they look).

Most entrepreneurs think of printed newsletters as quaint old things, like handwritten letters or electric typewriters. So while marketing certainly isn’t exempt from fads, client newsletters are absolutely evergreen.

And if you do it right, your customers will actually look forward to getting their client newsletter each month.

Exceptional Living is now only $1.49 each – printed, personalized, addressed and mailed first class.

Activate your free account and jump in. You can play with the cool editing features, upload images to your account, etc.

You don’t pay a dime until you decide that you want to place an order. In the meantime kick the tires on our free newsletter templates.

If you do choose to order, for less than 18 bucks a year per client, you can keep in touch every month and build your customer relationships.

I’m hard at work on April’s issue of Exceptional Living. It should be ready for viewing in the next few days.

I’ll keep you ‘posted (pun intended).

Taking action just feel right.

-  David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

PS: Save $77! I’ll waive your first month’s subscription of Exceptional Living print newsletter!

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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

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Getting a client to write a testimonial can be tough – even if they’re your number one fan.

This is because people generally hate writing. And they fear sounding dumb even more.

But you gotta have testimonials!

You can talk all day how wonderful you are. But when people hear the same thing from someone else, NOW it becomes believable.

4 Testimonial Tips You Need To Know:

1. Do not ask you client: “Can you write a testimonial about me”

You won’t get any replies. Instead, send a form with four or five leading questions that cannot be answered with ‘yes’ or ‘no’. If you use mail, include a stamped, self-addressed envelope along with a nice letter.

Bad example: “Did we do a good job?”
Better: “What did you like best about our job [or product]?”

Phrasing your questions like this will get much better comments.

2. Long testimonials are better than short ones

Saying “…fabulous…” or “…excellent, wonderful” looks suspiciously faked and skillfully edited. I call these ‘movie review’ testimonials.

Full sentences – two or three of them – come across as more believable and sincere.

3. Specific, detailed testimonials are better than general or superlative testimonials.

Bad example: “We are very pleased with your product.”
Better: “It’s hard to find a company like yours that really cares about the customer. Thanks for…”

The prospects you’re trying to sell probably have the same problems you solved for your current customer. Let Mr. Customer tell Mr. Prospect how your company came to his rescue.

4. Always use full attribution. Use their full names PLUS the city and state they live in.

Bad example: “D.G. in Indiana” or simply saying, “David G.”
Better: David Gruttadaurio, Princeton, Indiana

People will be more likely to believe it’s a real testimonial if you provide full disclosure.

NOTE: You must get written permission! Even this should be done in a non-threatening way to your client.

Don’t ask, “Can I use your testimonial?” Instead ask, “Can I use your name and tell people you are a happy customer?”

Testimonials are one of the eight Involvement Triggers used in Exceptional Living client newsletter. Discover the other seven. Click here.

Taking action just feel right.

- David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

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

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“How often do you want to remembered by your clients? ”

That was my reply to a guy asking often to send a client newsletter. He told me “We currently send them something every 6 weeks. I think a monthly newsletter would be too much.”

Go for it, fella. But think about this:

When people get things frequently and consistently, they are perceived as having value or being important.

That’s why monthly client newsletters frequency works best. It arrives often enough to stay ‘front and center’ in your clients mind.

Something else to think about…

Imagine you’re walking down a street, and you want to get someone’s attention. You could hold up a sign but they might not see you. You could yell, but they may not hear you.

The one guaranteed way to get their attention is to literally grab hold of them!

That’s the idea behind marketing ‘touches’ or client contacts.

Here’s the problem:  A single or infrequent ‘touch’ doesn’t do squat.

Most people are NOT affected by a single marketing touch. In fact, the science of marketing says it takes at least seven touches to generate a customer’s buying interest.

Why does it take so many ‘touches’? Because most clients are not ready to buy RIGHT NOW. But they may be in three months… or six months… or 12 months.

When your customer or patient begins receiving your monthly newsletters, it usually goes something like this from their point of view…

First month: “Huh… looks like [your company] sent me something. Wonder what it is?”

Second month: “Hey… didn’t I just get something from [your company]… it looks familiar.”

Third month: “Another newsletter from [your company]. I wonder if I’ll be getting it every month?”

Fourth month: “It’s my monthly newsletter from [your company] again. I sure enjoy getting it.”

By the fifth month, the pattern is established and the expectation is now ingrained. Your customer will begin to look for their print newsletter every month.

And that is a very, very good thing… because you have now become memorable to your customers.

Taking action just feel right.

-  David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

PS: There’s still time to get your March customer newsletter order in – now just $1.49 each – printed, mailed first class in 6 page, edge-to-edge, full color. Click here.

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Do you think history repeats itself?

Roy H. Williams (The Monday Morning Memo guy) commented today on a book called ‘Generations’.

The authors went back over 400 years and identified four 20 year cycles mankind seems to revert to, over and over again. Each cycle appears like clockwork. Right now, we are seven years into the current cycle.

To prove his point, Roy then looked at the life of Moses as an example.  Bible buffs will find this incredibly fascinating.

While we cannot predict the future, we can predict the trends that drive us towards certain mindsets. These mindsets govern many aspects of our lives… including how we spend our money.

Marketing lesson: We need to be agile and fast-moving with our marketing message. Constant client contact enables you to adapt to the moods that drive your sales.

And there is no better way to maintain a relationship with your clients then with a monthly customer newsletter.

And I have one waiting for you.

The March issue of Exceptional Living is locked and loaded here.

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

Taking action just feels right.

-David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

PS: You can read Roy’s Memo here.

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Can one big marketing idea really change your business?

Yep. Just ask Phillip Morris.

The Marlboro brand was marketed for several decades as a ladies cigarette… it was “Mild as May.”

Then a new idea was pitched. It was simple, really. Expand your target audience by changing the marketing message.

That idea was The Marlboro Man.

Love him or hate him; it’s the most powerful brand image in the history of marketing.

How powerful?

In 1954, Marlboro was a $154 million a year brand. Not too shabby, really.

Then, in early 1955, The Marlboro Man went national. By the end of 1955, Marlboro was a $5 billion brand. That’s right… BILLION. A whopping 3241% sales increase.

By 1957, Marlboro’s sold $20 billion.

In 1971, cigarette ads were banned from TV. But The Marlboro Man continued his relentless ride. By 1972, Marlboro became the number one tobacco brand in the world.

Putting our complaints and ethical issues aside, as a marketer, we have to ask:

What made this idea work?

Answer: Phillip Morris was NOT selling cigarettes. They created and sold a desirable lifestyle image. Guys wanted to be like him; girls wanted to be with him.

It’s still being done today. Pay attention to the Starbucks, Lufthansa Airlines, and Polo Ralph Lauren brands. They rarely speak about their products or services. But they always glamorize the people using them.

Big lesson here. Why can’t you do the same? Think real hard how you can make your products or services about MORE than what they are.

This is EXACTLY what we did with our client newsletter, Exceptional Living. Click here to view.

The header features a beautiful beach and a couple lounging under a palm tree. It’s “The Insider Resource For The Art Of Living Well.”

Sure. It’s just a customer newsletter.

But… it’s also promoting a lifestyle promise… it’s presented with style… and most importantly, YOU were the one to send it to them.

In 2010, make this one of your BIG ideas. Send your customers Exceptional Living every month.

I can’t guarantee a 3241% increase in business. But I can guarantee a 300% increase. It’s a promise. Click here for more info.

Taking action just feels… great!

-David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

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Not many companies will pay you to walk away from the job.

In fact, I know of only one.

Zappos. They sell shoes… exclusively online. They did $1 billion in sales last year.

Zappos is famous for their unique approach to hiring employees.

All new hires are put through a six week training program – it’s very thorough, but it’s not unique.

Then, after about a week or so, Zappos makes The Offer.

New hires are told, “If you quit today, we’ll pay you for the time you’ve worked, PLUS give you a $2,000 bonus.”

Why???

Because if you’re willing to take the company up on The Offer, you obviously don’t have the sense of commitment they’re looking for.

They want only motivated, highly enthusiastic ‘true believers’ in the Zappos company culture.

It’s this kind of employee that becomes the heart and soul of the ultimate customer experience.

Here’s the BIG marketing lesson:

It doesn’t matter if you’re a one-man band or have a few dozen employees. Your customers can SENSE your level of commitment to them.

They can smell inattention and boredom like a Rottweiler can smell fear.

The problem is most businesses today are competing on low prices; customer service has fallen by the wayside.

Smart companies are ramping up their customer service levels to all-time highs.

Clever entrepreneurs are also adding a monthly client newsletter into the mix.

They understand customer newsletters are a vital part of the formula to get and keep clients for life.

Exceptional Living is the king of customer newsletters. Click here and I’ll mail you three samples today.

Taking action just feel right.

- David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

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

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Was it voodoo? Maybe it was black magic.

99% of retailers today are hurting.

So how did J. Crew increase same-store sales a whopping 8% last year AND keep their inventories super lean?

(BTW: Same-store sales are a key measurement of retail performance.)

Hint: It WASN’T the ‘cheap, cheaper and cheapest’ mindset that’s taken over today.

Trading profits for sales makes as much sense as saving the American economy with epic federal spending and massive national debt.

Nope. J. Crew did the unthinkable.

They increased profits by… drum roll please… selling at higher prices!

Yep. They had fewer customers… BUT bigger transactions.

Here’s what J. Crew had to say about this:

“We distinguished merchandise that cannot be found elsewhere, and tailored our customer service.”

Translation: They ‘premium-ized’ their brand even more and then bulked up on customer service.

I got this info from Dan Kennedy. He then mentioned the fatal flaws SO MANY businesses make today:

Here are 4 of 9 Price and Fee Failures:

1. Pricing by industry norms.
2. Excess concern about competitor’s lower prices.
3. Attracting customers who buy by price.
4. Not offering premium or premium-priced options.

(The other 5 are in his February No BS Marketing To The Affluent Letter)

DK’s conclusion? “Decisions born of fear and fragility rarely turn out well.”

It’s easy to panic. Sales have dropped. So dropping prices would seem to make sense. But playing that game has some nasty consequences.

1. If you drop prices now, how to justify raising them later?
2. Plus, can you REALLY afford to lower your pricing now?

Food for thought: 10-20% of consumers will always pay top dollar for what they perceive to be the best. I’m actually one of those people.

Obviously you have to back that up premium pricing with premium products and services and truly outstanding customer service.

It can be done – it is being done – even in today’s economy.

For more info, check out my blog post from a few days ago about this.

Taking action just feel right.

- David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

PS: They’re back! We temporarily ran out of newsletters sample packs. Order yours HERE.

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Back when I was a kid, shopping was a social event.

Dad went to the same hardware store every Saturday. He’d buy stuff, of course.  But the store owner usually asked dad to have a cup of coffee  with him.

For the life of me, I can’t remember his name – but I do remember that he smiled a lot.

Who knows… maybe that was all part of his plan…

The hardware guy had a talent for developing a bond with his customers. Today it’s called building a client relationship.

No one knew about customer newsletters in those days. Looking back, I guess you could say he used a verbal newsletter.

He was quick with a story or a joke. He’d chat about current events. And he always mentioned who shopped earlier that day (testimonials?).

He did everything a customer newsletter is supposed to do.

Exceptional Living newsletter is just like that… kinda like you’re dropping in for coffee with your clients.

It provides a ton of interesting info, told in fun and easy to read way.  It’s all about having a conversation with someone.

I guess it doesn’t matter what decade you live in. Creating clients for life just comes naturally to an entrepreneur.

Exceptional Living makes it easy.  And getting started is free, fast and easy.

Get a conversation going over a cup of coffee with your customers, starting with the February issue.

BTW: There’s a great article on page two on how passwords get cracked.  You’ll change you passwords after reading it. I did.

You can check it out here.

Taking action just feel right.

- David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

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