When I get ready to write a novel, I start by defining the main character. Then I decide where (in terms of location) most of the novel will take place.

The location will have a big impact on the sales of the novel. Novels that take place in LA, New York City, Washington DC, or Florida will automatically attract readers who like to read novels set in those locales.

With the location set, I decide on the general direction the novel is going to go, including characters that will be met along the way, and come up with the key event that starts the first chapter off so it goes in the right direction.

Then I start writing. 

I usually write about an hour a day, completing one or two chapters. If I can maintain that schedule, I can usually get the first draft of the novel completed in two months.

Inspiration for the location, character and action comes from my real world experiences, as well as items I find in the news.

--Bill Myers

Best Selling Genres: Romance, Crime/Mystery, Science Fiction & Fantasy Horror

I write the kinds of books I like to read. Florida fiction without a lot of violence, no serial killers, and adventures that I think people would like to see themselves doing.

As far as book genres - Fiction is about 78% of all books sold at Amazon. So if you want to write books that people tend to buy, write fiction.

When it comes to what kind of fiction to write, the best selling genres in order of sales is: romance, crime/mystery, Science Fiction and Fantasy/Horror.

If all you want is to make money writing fiction, write romance novels as they sell best.

"When you're not practicing, someone somewhere is. And when the two of you meet, assuming roughly equal ability, the other person will win."  Bill Bradley

Ø If you aren't practicing what you love, someone else is.

  Ø It's never too late. You stay truly alive as long as you love your life.

  Ø The best way to make your dream come true is to make other people's dreams come true.  

     From James Altucher's call to Bill Bradley.  

How Often Should We Mail Out Newsletter?

Dear Direct Response Letter Subscriber:

Subscriber WG asks: "How often should we contact our customers
with a newsletter?"

There are two schools of thought here.

The first is that you should not e-mail your subscribers too
often, because if they hear from you too frequently, they will
unsubscribe from your newsletter.

The second says you should e-mail your list as often as you
can, because the more frequently you can send them offers, the
more orders you will get and the more money you will make. 

Which one is correct?

Actually, both--but for different markets. 

For most B2B marketing, the first school of thought is true. 

Research shows that when you e-mail your subscribers more than a
few times a month, the open rate begins to decline. 

So if your priority is having subscribers read your content, a
monthly or at most weekly schedule is best. 

But for B2C marketers who are selling products directly on the
Internet--e-commerce sites and especially info marketers--the
more often you e-mail, the greater your revenues. 

Yes, the average open rates go down. 

But because your subscribers are getting so many more e-mails
from you, your weekly online orders and revenues skyrocket. 

Caveat: Not all the e-mails you send your list can be sales
messages. 

If all you send are e-mail marketing messages, your open rates
will plummet -- and your opt-out rate will soar. Your list will
evaporate and your online revenues will vanish.

So what's the optimal ratio of sales messages vs. content
messages in your e-mails? 

You want to send as many sales messages as you can while not
causing subscribers to delete your e-mails without opening them
... or opt out of your list. 

The ideal ratio for achieving that goal -- maximum orders and
sales, high open rates, few or no opt-outs -- is this: 

Slightly more than half of your e-mail messages -- 50% or more --
should be pure content: news, information, data, and other
educational articles of interest to your subscribers. 

Logically that means slightly less than 50% of your e-mails, but
as close to half as possible, can and should be sales messages --
offering a product for sale online. 

The majority of online marketers worry about sending too many
e-mails.

But years ago in a lecture she gave, online marketing expert
Amy Africa wisely told the audience that the biggest mistake
most online marketers make is not sending enough e-mails to
their lists. 

"If you do not e-mail frequently enough, you are leaving money
on the table," she said.

Sincerely,

Bob Bly

P.S. If you have or are going to start an e-newsletter but are
worried about producing enough articles to publish on a regular
schedule, my folio "Ready-Made E-Zines" gives you dozens of
pre-written articles you can drop into your e-zine. Use them as
is or edit to fit your style. Click here to use the article folio
risk-free for 90 days: 

www.readymadeezines.com

This article appears courtesy of Bob Bly's Direct Response Letter found at www.bly.com.

Be sure to use MailChimp.

If you don't have an email marketing list, you don't have a digital business.   --Ed Dale

Bob Bly Tips

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***In B2B marketing, does sales copy work better than content?***

Given the number of content marketing pundits who say
traditional copywriting is dead, the result of a survey by
Eccolo Media of B2B tech buyers, ranging from engineers to
C-level executives, may surprise them -- and you.

The key finding: while more than 30% said white papers (content)
are influential in their purchasing decisions, nearly 40% said
product brochures and data sheets (sales copy) have greater
influence on their purchase decisions. Conclusion: B2B prospects
may tell you they love your free content, but your sales copy is
more effective at getting them to buy.

Source: Today@TargetMarketing, 1/9/15.

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***May I teach you everything I know about succeeding as a
freelance copywriter?***

That's what I intend to do at my upcoming weekend seminar
"Getting Clients: How to Start and Run a Successful Six-Figure
Freelance Copywriting Business" on March 20-22, 2015 in
Weehawken, NJ on the banks of the majestic Hudson River. 

"I am appreciative of all the information you shared at the
'Getting Clients' conference in Baltimore last summer," says
Cynthia Kincaid of Gahanna, Ohio. "You've helped me greatly in
getting started in this field and you continue to help me grow
professionally as a copywriter."

Click here for details and to register. But I urge you to hurry:
we are limiting attendance to the first 60 people who register,
and when we did this seminar last year, we had to turn away a
lot of people because the seats filled quickly:

www.awaionline.com/bb2/bly

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***Best colors for components of DM packages***

A traditional direct mail package has multiple components
including an outer envelope, sales letter, brochure, lift note,
and reply element.

When you are selling a high-end professional service to a
sophisticated audience, and want to convey an image of
professionalism, all components should be printed on the same
color paper stock; cream, ivory, and white are the top three
choices here.

When you are selling mail order merchandise to consumers,
especially middle America, make each element in the package
colorful and a different color; e.g., a Kraft envelope, white
letter, four color brochure, lift note on robin's egg blue
stock, order form on canary yellow. Reason: it makes each
element pop visually, compelling the recipient to handle and
look at all of them.

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***Tip for Facebook advertising newbies***

When placing your ad on Facebook, click on the ad set menu
either in the live account or the Power Editor. Doing so will
allow you to choose who is served your FB ad by their interests
and behavior. Or, click on More Demographics when in live
account or Power Editor and you can select your audience by
income. Result: you are able to reach a target audience with FB
ads based on demographic and psychographic selections.

Source: Social Media Examiner, 1/26/15.

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***Features vs. benefits in marketing to engineers***

The notion that only benefits should be in your copy and
features are boring and no one cares about them is nowhere less
true than in industrial marketing.

"The first thing an engineer wants to know is do your products,
parts, and components meet his or her design specifications and
standards?" writes industrial marketing consultant Achinta
Mitra. For example, simply state 'Manufactured to ASME Code
standards, designed to handle up to 300 psig and 415o F.' Don't
try to embellish features with wordy benefits."

Well, yes and no. I agree that the facts and specs are what
engineers look for first. But I know from long experience that
great industrial copy gives both the feature as well as the
benefit it delivers.

Source: Industrial Marketing Playbook, www.tiecas.com

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***Why the Internet hasn't killed print catalogs--yet***

I often say the death of direct mail has been greatly
exaggerated, and here's more proof: according to management
consulting firm Kurt Salmon, 11.9 billion print catalogs were
mailed in the U.S. in 2014. 

Reason: while many consumers order online for convenience or go
to a retail location to get the product right away, they enjoy
thumbing through catalogs to look at products and get ideas. In
addition, receiving a catalog reminds them of the availability
of a product or the existence of a merchant they otherwise would
have never remembered.

Source: Talon Newsletter, 1/15, p. 3.

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***Sell with your newsletter***

Few things encourage readership loyalty for an online newsletter
like special promotions that can only be found in the
newsletter. Seven out of 10 Internet users say they have taken
advantage of a discount offer from a marketing e-mail. 

Source: Today@TargetMarketing, 1/15/15

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***5 tips on presenting price in your copy***

1--When a product is on sale, prominently show the price. Use
dollars, not percentages. Percentages aren't easily calculated
in the mind -- or worse, they are miscalculated in the mind and
you risk losing a sale.

2--Incrementally break down the price. Show it as the cost per
day, cost per use, or some other practical way to reveal
increments of the price. Example: an annual subscription to an
online database selling for $99 gives you "unlimited, 24X7
access for only 27 cents a day."

3--Compare the price to an everyday item, such a cup of coffee,
a postage stamp, or lunch at a diner.

4--Compare to your competition. If you have a price advantage,
show it. If you don't, then compare at a different level that
includes longer product life, more convenience, or other
benefits.

5--Position the price presentation as a cost of not buying now.
In other words, show how the price could increase in the future,
or the loss that can happen by waiting. This positioning also
creates urgency.

Source: Gary Hennerberg, Today@TargetMarketing, 1/21/15

-----------------------------------------------------------------

***Long copy vs. short copy update***

A financial advisor was mailing a 2-page flier to invite people
to his free investment workshops, which he uses to find
prospects, a percentage of which become his clients after follow
up.

He hired a freelance copywriter to write a new mailer. But when
the copy was put into a lay out, it was 4 pages instead of 2.

When the financial advisor showed the 4-page mailer to a
marketing expert in the investment niche, the guru told him it
would not work because it was too long and people are in a hurry
today.

The advisor mailed the copy anyway. Result: the 4 pager
generated twice as many enrollments in the workshop as the 2
pager.

His conclusion: "When you are deciding what to do with the
million dollars you plan to invest, you will find the time to
read good long copy."

So we know long works well in sales copy. But can it also work
in content, where the prevailing belief has long been that no
one reads long content and shorter is better? Joe Pulizzi,
founder of the Content Marketing Institute, writes: "Long-form
content is back. In some organizations' blogs, we are seeing
blog posts eclipse the 2,000-word mark on a frequent basis."

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***Another copy cliché to avoid***

I urge you not to use the phrase "crushed it" in your e-mails,
social media posts, blog, newsletter, and other copy. Although
relatively new, "crush it" has already worn out its welcome from
overuse. In addition, it is braggy, egotistical, and arrogant,
if you are applying it to yourself or your product. 

Banish "crushed it" from your vocabulary. It is, however, OK to
tell your reader that you hope THEY crush it. But not that you
did.

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***My 84th book is out!***

This month I published my 84th book, "The Blunt and Brutal Truth
About Business and Life: Observations, Facts, and Axioms from a
Cranky Curmudgeon." It's the latest collection of the best of my
weekly e-mail articles, to which you are a subscriber. If you
like my online essays, or are hoping to reread a particular
favorite, check out the book here:

www.bly.com/BluntBrutalTruth

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***Save $500 on the next Information Marketing University
weekend training***

Fred Gleeck and I are giving a repeat performance of our popular
weekend boot camp on how to start and run a successful 6-figure
information marketing business, "Information Marketing
University." For more information and to take advantage of the
$500 Early Bird discount while you still can, click here now:

www.fredandbobinfomarketinguniversity.com

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***Today's laugh***

The other day I woke up hungry for bacon and eggs, and asked my
wife if the bacon, which was open, was still good. Without
missing a beat she replied: "Good enough for YOU...."

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***Quotation of the month***

"If you don't saturate your life in a single quest, you'll
dilute your focus to a point where becoming outstanding becomes
out of reach."
--Steve Martin

Source: Early to Rise, 1/20/15.

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***Reprint my articles -- free!***

Media, bloggers, marketers, editors, publishers, Web masters --
need powerful content on your Web site or blog? You can
syndicate or republish any of the articles you've read in Bob
Bly's Direct Response Letter -- for free! To view complete
articles, visit our newsletter archives at
www.bly.com/archive. Republishing our articles is quick
and easy. All you have to do is include author attribution
(byline/name of author) and the following statement, "This
article appears courtesy of Bob Bly's Direct Response Letter,"
and include a back-link to www.bly.com. That's it!

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***Our 60-second commercial***

Bob Bly is available on a limited basis for copywriting of
landing pages, direct mail packages, video sales letters,
brochures, white papers, ads, e-mail marketing campaigns, PR
materials, and Web pages. We recommend you call for a FREE copy
of our updated Copywriting Information Kit. Just let us know
your industry and the type of copy you're interested in seeing
(ads, landing pages, etc.) and if Bob is available to take on
your assignment, we'll tailor a package of recent samples to fit
your requirements. Call Bob Bly at 973-263-0562 or e-mail
rwbly@bly.com.

History of Content Marketing

Content Marketing comes in many forms: news, video, white papers, e-books, infographics, case studies, how-to guides, question and answer articles, photos, etc.^[1][2][3]

Advertising has long used content to disseminate information about a brand, and build a brand's reputation. In 1891, August Oetker sold small packages of his Backin baking powder to households with recipes printed on the back. In 1911 he started publishing his very successful cookbook. It went through major updates over past 100 years and is one of the most successful cookbooks, globally reaching 19 million printed copies. All recipes originated from the test kitchen of the Oetker company, and the book was carefully written as a textbook to teach cooking from scratch. Oetker was very aware of the need for good marketing, practical communication and use of his doctor title to lend authority to his marketing.

In 1895, John Deere launched the magazine The Furrow, providing information to farmers on how to become more profitable. The magazine, considered the first custom publication, is still in circulation, reaching 1.5 million readers in 40 countries in 12 different languages.^[4]

Michelin developed the Michelin Guide in 1900, offering drivers information on auto maintenance, accommodations, and other travel tips. 35,000 copies were distributed for free in this first edition.^[5]

Jell-O salesmen went door-to-door, distributing their cookbook for free in 1904. Touting the dessert as a versatile food, the company saw its sales rise to over $1 million by 1906.^[6]

The phrase "content marketing" was used as early as 1996,^[7] when John F. Oppedahl led a roundtable for journalists at the American Society for Newspaper Editors. In 1998, Jerrell Jimerson held the title of "director of online and content marketing" at Netscape.^[8] In 1999, author Jeff Cannon wrote,“In content marketing, content is created to provide consumers with the information they seek.”^[9]

Recently, content marketing has become more prominent, especially where digital and online marketing is concerned. Seth Godin, American author and Marketeer stated in 2008 that 'content marketing was the only marketing left.'^[10]

By 2014, Forbes Magazine's website had written about the 7 most popular ways companies use content marketing.^[11] In it, the columnist points out that by 2013, use of content marketing had jumped across corporations from 60% a year or so before, to 93%^[12] as part of their overall marketing strategy. Despite the fact that 70% of organizations are creating more content, only 21% of marketers think they are successful at tracking ROI.^[13]