Newsletters Made For You- Exceptional Living

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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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

Newsletter, client newsletter, custom newsletter, newsletters, print newsletter client newsletter, customer newsletter, David Gruttadaurio, exceptional living, Newsletter, newsletters, print newsletter

“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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Ever read “No B.S. Direct Marketing” by Dan Kennedy?  It’s a classic.

What I love about DK is that his marketing strategies easily transfer from one industry to another.

That’s probably because he’s worked with clients in 68 different businesses, industries and professions.

So, when he talks about marketing, you should probably pay attention to him.

Anyway, last night I was reading where he says you should build a fence around your herd (clients).

What kind of fence?

Client contact and communication… the stuff of customer relationships.

That kind of fence will keep your customers from straying. And it makes sure your competitors stay out.

Kennedy’s advice: “My single biggest recommendation is the use of a monthly customer newsletter. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, maintains your fences better.”

So, what shape is your fence in? Is there a slate broken? Maybe you have a whole section missing?

Fear not.

Nothing will mend your client contact and communication faster or better than Exceptional Living customer newsletter.

Dollar for dollar, NOTHING is more effective at adding zeros to your bank account.

Sound good?  It gets even better.

First: Try Exceptional Living on me. That’s right… free-ola. The first month’s on me.

Second: We have new pricing. Imagine being able to send your clients a monthly, 6 page, full, edge-to-edge color newsletter that’s PERSONALIZED, addressed and mailed first class for only $1.49 each.

Yikes… I get queasy just thinking about it.

But I also know it’ll make a huge difference on what your bottom line looks like at the end of 2010.

So, I’m cool with our new pricing.

Hop over to WebtoPrintIQ and see how fast and easy it is to get started fixing fences and multiplying your money.

Taking action just feels right.

-David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

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I sure didn’t expect to get a marketing lesson at a cosmetic counter at Macys.

Here’s the deal:

We were doing some shopping and wandered into the Cosmetic District. You know… the section of the store with a gazillion brands of cosmetics.

My wife has sensitive skin and she heard Clarins had cosmetics just for her.

I just knew that they ALL charged up the wazoo for their stuff.

Anyway, we get to the counter and I’m ready to ambush the saleslady. I asked her, “what makes Clarins better than the other eight cosmetic brands in the store?”

She proceeded to rattle off fact after fact:

- It’s the only major cosmetic line still family owned.
- They manufacture ALL of products from one location in France – making QC impeccable.
- They indeed use all plant-based ingredients – plus no animal products are used and there’s no animal testing.
- They even grow the plants themselves all over the world.

Every point made sense. No other cosmetic company could make these claims. In just two minutes, she made her product line stand out from the crowd.

I was sold. The cosmetics were for Stacy, but I was convinced their stuff was worth the premium prices.

(Stacy proclaimed later that Clarins products were noticeably better than anything she had ever used.)

Here’s the takeaway:

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

Obviously you have to back that up with products and services that are truly outstanding.

But in the space of two minutes, Clarins moved out of the pack and into the spotlight.

How can YOU stand head and shoulders above the crowd?

1. Don’t be boring.
2. Market your biz in a way that screams ‘quality’.
3. Don’t be afraid to charge top dollar. That’s just another way to stand out as different.
4. Make sure your message matches your target market.

Exceptional Living customer newsletter will do all of the above.

See what I mean. Check out the February issue. Click here.

Taking action just feel right.

- David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

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Mastermind #4: Rising From The Ashes

I just spent two very full days (9 a.m. to 9 p.m.) with 15 extremely sharp and savvy entrepreneurs in the Andrew Lock Magical Mastermind group.

As promised, this is the 4th of 5 marketing strategies you can use in your own business.

Who knew the doc was selling Oxycontin on the side?

The owners of the Multi-Specialty Clinic where he worked sure didn’t know.

But that didn’t stop the insurance company from withholding $4.5 million from them… which was NEVER paid even when they were cleared of any wrongdoing.

Poof… $4.5 million gone. Money they expected. Money they needed. Money they never saw.

That’s the story of one of the members in my mastermind group.

Of course, they went bankrupt.

What would you do at that point? Here’s what they did.

First, they vowed never to be at the mercy of an insurance company again. Then they started over. They also began teaching other doctors how to shift their practice to a cash-only business.

Now they hold seminars that people pay $4000 a pop to attend.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “Our greatest glory is NOT in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.”

In their case, they were burned to the ground… but rose up from the ashes.

BIG TAKE AWAY:  Sometimes it ain’t easy being an entrepreneur. But that’s what makes YOU so special.

Honestly, who else will do what you do? Most people are content to work for a paycheck. And that’s cool… for them.

But you and me are cut from a different cloth. We work without a net We are risk-takers.

So, the next time your back is to the wall; and it looks like it’s all crashing down around you; remember this story.

Also remember Winston Churchill’s words: “Never, never, never give up!”

And never forget that you are my hero.

- David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

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I just spent two very full days (9 a.m. to 9 p.m.) with 15 extremely sharp and savvy entrepreneurs in Andrew Locks Magical Mastermind group.

As promised, this is 2 of 5 marketing strategies you can use in your own business.

We have a copywriter in the group. He’s worked for Donald Trump, Mark Victor Hansen (Chicken Soup For the Soul series) and many other heavy hitters.

He told us he’s studied fundraising for years. He wanted to figure out the number one reason that motivated people to give money.

Then he asked us what we thought it was.

The answers ranged from ‘guilt’ to ‘a love for people.’

The answer?

People donated money because they were asked to do so. Yep… it’s really that simple.

BIG TAKE AWAY: It sounds simplistic, but it’s true. The reason we don’t sell the service or the product is because we don’t we don’t pull the trigger: we fail to ask for the sale.

This hit hard. Looking back, I could see how true that was in my own experience.

Plus, our own attitude can affect the results. If we’re not 100% committed to asking for a buying decision, our prospects can sense this.

The saying goes, “he who hesitates is lost.” A lack of confidence in ‘pulling the trigger’ will almost always fail.

This applies to your sales copy, ads, online selling… all of it. You must have a call to action. You must say in some form: BUY NOW TODAY.

When you look at the monthly offer I include for you each month in Exceptional Living, you will see exactly how a direct response ad works.

Take me up on my offer: CLICK HERE and have me send you 3 samples of a client newsletter that really pulls the trigger.

Taking action just feels right.

-David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

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Used to be, back in the day – your father’s day – customer loyalty was pretty much a given.

For example, if you were an ‘Oldsmobile’ man, you bought Oldsmobile vehicles until the day you died.

Brand loyalty ran deep.  It was taught to children; and then passed on to the grandchildren.

When I was a kid, we used to go to the same neighborhood restaurant every Sunday like clockwork. If we missed a week, the owner would call to make sure we were ok.

He did it because he was really concerned about us, not because he didn’t get our money that week.

But that was then… and this is now.

Consumers today will desert you at the drop of a hat.

These new rules cut across entire industries and into the big cities and small towns.

A marketing plan from 1980 just doesn’t work anymore.

This is what has NOT changed:

75% of all buying decisions are STILL based on relationships.

Today we just have to work much harder now to earn (and keep) the loyalty of our clients.

Communication is the starting point of all relationships.  A client newsletter is the most powerful way to communicate to your customers.

Here’s why customer newsletters work:

Every time your client gets your newsletter, it’s another chance to get to know you better. And the better they know you, the more they will like you.

Consumers will buy over and over from people they like. Don’t you?  It’s becomes an enjoyable, pleasant and likable experience. It makes you feel good about your buying decision.

A customer newsletter sent regularly (key word) and that is interesting (another key word) has the marketing magic to accomplish this. If done properly, it can create relationships that last a lifetime.

If you haven’t looked at Exceptional Living lately, perhaps it’s time to add it to your marketing arsenal.

It’s how you can dominate your market.

- David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

PS:  Click here to have me send you three free samples of Exceptional Living today.

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Ever hear people gripe about their jobs?

Me too.  All the time, actually.

In fact, I heard about it in a country song this morning:

Man, I’ve been workin’ too hard.
Ten hour days and I’m tired.
Damn this knuckle bustin’,
back breakin’, no paying job.

That pretty much sums up what a lot of people are saying today. They can’t get ahead and they hate their dead-end job.

But… here’s the rest of that song:

Know where I’m goin’ from here;
Hot headed women, cold beer.
Kick up my heels for a little while
and do it country style.

Yep. That’s the ticket to getting a better life: Find a party… dance and drink beer… just be sure NOT to better yourself.

Yeah… it’s just a song. And I like a good time, too.

But there’s a point to be made.

This is what really steams me: 99% of people who are whining, DO NOTHING to better the lives.

There is a ton of free advice out there, just for the taking. If you were to spend 49 bucks or so, you can buy some real content.

Sure, it takes discipline and better use of your time – like reading… but now I’m preaching to the choir.

That’s why I take my hat off to YOU.

Because you are a doer. You want… no, crave… information. You’re willing to put the time in; you do what it takes to succeed.

Here is a short of who I listen to:

www.dankennedy.com
www.perrymarshall.com
www.mondaymorningmemo.com
www.michelfortin.com
www.helpmybusiness.com

Get on all of these guys’ lists. You’ll be a better entrepreneur for it.

Here’s to taking action,

- David Gruttadaurio
“The Print Newsletter Expert”

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