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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The things you can learn from the news…

Boeing’s ballyhooed 787 finally got off the ground. It was two and a half years late. The six failed attempts didn’t look good either.

But here’s the marketing angle:

I ran across Reuter’s news service post: “Airbus congratulates ‘robust rival’ Boeing on 787.”

Hmmm… In case you didn’t know, Airbus – a European consortium – and Boeing are bitter rivals.

In the article Airbus CONGRATULATES the people of Boeing. And then adds “the 787 underscores the continuing advancements in commercial aircraft.”

Now the shark bite. It ended by saying, “We look forward to a continued robust rivalry with our A350 XWB.”

Knowing that the world was watching… and as Boeing held its collective breath… Airbus took the opportunity to plug its own plane.

Funny how a ‘best wishes’ announcement turned into an Airbus commercial. This is great marketing.

Another funny thing: Their A350 has yet to be built. Well, except for that 387 sq. ft. panel I saw online. Really.

That’s right. Airbus made it sound like it was already flying the friendly skies.

Airbus has moxie, my friend.

There’s a big marketing lesson here.

How many times have you read a press release or news article about a competitor? What do you do about it? Usually nothing… or kick yourself for not getting the publicity first.

Why not do an ‘Airbus?’

Congratulate your rival. It was a great accomplishment (whatever it was). And than add, “We look forward to a continued stimulating rivalry for our [product or service].

So many times we cringe at the success of our competitors. Taking the initiative and stealing their thunder can be done quite easily, as Airbus deftly showed us.

The lesson? Carpe diem… seize the day, entrepreneurs. Make the day your own.

Bring out YOUR inner shark. Use a client newsletter in your marketing to seize the attention of your customer.

Taking action just feels right,

- David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

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He was young, both stupid AND smart, and played a killer piano.

Jerry Lee Lewis was called the killer since he was baby in Louisiana. But he lived up to that name with his music. He was rock & roll’s first great wild man.

He knew the value of branding. So, he often mentioned himself in his songs – something no one had thought about doing.

He was a marketing genius.

Here’s an example. Check out how his song “Lewis Boogie” begins (featured in the film, Walk the Line):

My name is Jerry Lee Lewis,
come from Louisiana
I’m gonna do you a little boogie
on this here piano
Doing mighty fine, I’m gonna make you shake it
I’ll make you do it,
and make you do it, until you break it
It’s called the Lewis boogie, in the Lewis way
Lord, I do my little boogie woogie every day

How’s that for self-promotion and branding? He did this throughout his career.

BIG marketing lesson from the killer:

It’s OK to talk about YOU.

Don’t do it your marketing ads… because all people really care about is ‘ME’.

But you CAN mention yourself so people can identify with you. They get to know you. And they begin to like you.

This is what newsletter marketing is all about. You start a relationship with a customer to create clients for life.

BTW: I have a killer newsletter called Exceptional Living.

I want to prove it to you. I want to send you… not one… not two… but THREE real issues of Exceptional Living newsletter.

FREE… as in no strings attached. Absolutely zero obligation. I’ll never mail you anything again unless you OK it first.

Here’s what you need to do to get three hard copy issues of the best customer newsletter on the planet:

Just click here.  Then, let me know where to send your free three issues.

That’s it. Simple and easy. I’ll send it to you at my cost.

Just click here. Aren’t you just a ‘teensy bit’ curious what Exceptional Living newsletter REALLY looks like?

Taking action just feels right,

- David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

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So… you have concluded you need to a send out a monthly print customer newsletter.

Congratulations! You’ve just rocketed past 95% of other businesses by implementing a marketing program that guarantees you will get and keep clients for life.

As with some other aspects of life… size matters when it comes to print newsletters.

The size and format you select for your print newsletters speaks volumes about your publication. It sets the tone how your clients perceive your newsletter and more importantly, how they view YOU.

One the basic decisions you will need to make is what format will you use.

Letter-sized customer newsletters: One page, 8 ½ x 11 printed on both sides.

This is the easiest size of newsletter that people can produce. It is also the cheapest. But this really isn’t a newsletter… it’s just a fancy letter.

Here’s the big problem with little newsletters:

1. It rarely gets read because it has no substance or importance associated with it because it appears insignificant.
2. It screams:  “I’m too cheap and you’re too unimportant for me spend any time and money on you.”

Avoid this newsletter size like the plague.

Legal-sized customer newsletters: One page, 8 ½ x 14 printed on both sides.

This format is a bit larger than the letter sized newsletter, but still smaller than the 11 x 17.

Everything that was said about letter-sized newsletters applies to legal-sized;  it pretends to have substance, style and value for your clients, but it is sadly lacking in all of these areas.

11 x 17 customer newsletter format: Printed on both sides.

This size is essentially the equivalent of four letter sized pages.

This newsletter size tells your clients you take them seriously and you want to really communicate with them.  Most people expect a certain kind of professionalism and formality when it comes to newsletters in this size. With its capacity for large amounts of information, people also expect a four page newsletter to offer valuable information that is relevant to them.

Add an insert – which is really pages 3 and 4 – and now you have much more than a newsletter. You have a piece of literature for your customers to enjoy.

Print it in full, edge-to-edge color (like Exceptional Living) and now you have elevated your print customer newsletter to magazine status – something that gets passed on to others after it’s read by your client.

Dull boring content is all about you.

Of course, no matter how polished and professional your newsletter looks, the content (articles) must match the formatting.  Boring content cannot be fixed by a newsletter even if it has the proper ‘fit and finish.’

As pointed out many times in this blog and other articles, content is king.  Make your client or patient newsletter personal, interesting, engaging and fun.

If you can win your customer’s hearts… their wallets will follow.

To skyrocketing your profits,

David Gruttadaurio

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Rule #4: Avoid constipated marketing.

All of your marketing needs to be regular – there can be no blockages or obstructions to getting it out on a regularly; it CANNOT be hit-or-miss.

This rule applies especially to your print newsletter if you want clients-for-life.

Here’s what the dumb businesses do:

They think a client newsletter is a good idea – that’s smart. They grasp the first three rules I have already outlined – that is really smart.

Here’s where they suddenly get dumb:

They want save a buck… and decide to send it out quarterly. They try to disguise their cheapness by calling it a ’seasonal’ newsletter (i.e. Summer, Autumn, etc)

If you don’t send a customer newsletter monthly, don’t send it at all.

Here’s why:

You are fighting against all of the reasons a print newsletter marketing program works.  It keeps your name ‘front and center’ in the mind (and hears) of your customer and patient.

By sending your newsletter monthly, you become part of the pattern of your customer’s lives. They pay their bills monthly, they get their favorite magazines monthly … and they become accustomed to getting your cool, killer, client newsletter monthly.

It becomes an integral part of their familiar routine.

And that, my friend, is how you create clients for life!

Maximize ALL of the benefits of sending a customer and patient newsletter by doing so regularly every single month.

It will pay for itself in spades!

To skyrocketing your profits with newsletter marketing,

David Gruttadaurio
The Print Newsletter Expert

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Rule #3: Get personal

A client newsletter is relationship building marketing tool.

Never forget that.

Yes, you send it to keep clients for life.  You want to make money and to get more referrals and testimonials by sending a monthly newsletter.

But none of those things will happen if you don’t connect with your customers and patients on a personal level.

- That’s why I tell you to put your picture in your newsletters, preferably on the first page.

- That’s why I tell you to share a ’slice of your life’ with your customers.

Your personality has to come out in what you send to your clients. This is especially true with your monthly customer newsletter, but it applies across the board to ALL of your marketing.

The objective of ALL your marketing – including your client newsletter – is to have your customer or patient know, like and trust you.  That won’t happen if you are hiding from them behind your company name or logo.

YOU need to be front and center in their minds.

An easy (and fun) way to do this is to have a monthly column written by you and about you. You can call it “My Corner”.

Use this small space in your newsletter to talk about what you have going on in your life.  Been on vacation? Write about it.  Get a new pet? Tell your clients. Something funny happen recently?  Share it with your customers.

You may think this all sounds like it would be boring to your clients, but I assure you it is not.

People are curious by nature. They wonder what you do when you are not ‘in your business’.  Give them a peek into your world.  They’ll feel closer to you and begin to you view as a friend, not just a business owner.

Plus… you will earn yourself clients for life.

Next post: The fourth and final rule – Avoid constipation!

To skyrocketing your profits with newsletter marketing,

David Gruttadaurio
The Print Newsletter Expert

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