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*A Book Review*

2239 Tested Secrets for Direct Marketing Success

By Denny Hatch and Don Jackson

by Michael C. Gray

April 30, 2003

What if you could assemble a roundtable of the best minds in direct marketing to tell you how they design and implement their successful campaigns, tips to improve marketing pieces for better response, and how to test your efforts?

That's what Denny Hatch and Don Jackson have assembled in 2239 Tested Secrets for Direct Marketing Success.

Since this is essentially a book of tips or highlights, it doesn't flow smoothly like a textbook. It is still an invaluable collection of marketing gems.

As you study this material, the priority of items in the mix for marketing success becomes apparent. Most important is the market itself, which is associated with a list. This has to be a group of people that you can identify and can find a way to talk to (media) with a passionate common interest that makes them open to offers relating to their area of interest, such as golfers. Second is the offer itself. If the people comprising the market have no interest in what you are offering them, you are wasting your time. To some degree, the offer should appeal to the market and sell itself, rather than requiring a hard sell. A hard sell will probably require a one-on-one wrestling match with a salesperson. Third is the message or sales story. You need a compelling story to make the benefits of the offer apparent to the people comprising the market so they will want to respond.

My favorite chapter of the book is about lists (page 215). Why? Because I haven't found very many details about finding lists and working with list brokers in many other books. The contributors to this book make it clear that it generally doesn't pay to be cheap in working with list brokers. The list broker should be a key player on your marketing team. It's well worth the additional investment to better identify people who will be interested in your message. Eight responsibilities of a broker and seven things a mailer must provide are detailed.

David Ogilvy called direct marketing the secret weapon in his marketing arsenal. You should master this art with the help of other experts to achieve success in your business.

Get it on Amazon: 2,239 Tested Secrets For Direct Marketing Success.

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