This week we present two marketing to women ads from financial service providers.

The first ad from Fidelity Investments appeared on page 19 in the September 2006 issue of Sunset magazine.

The Fidelity ad appeared immediately after a 12-page bind-in insert on retirement planning from the Editors of Money magazine.  Four of the insert pages, including the back cover, were also Fidelity ads.  The inside back cover was the facing page to the ad shown above and consisted of a list of all the cities and states housing a Fidelity Investment Center.

The second ad from Wachovia Bank appeared on page 33 in the September 2006 issue of House Beautiful.    

To assist you in studying the above ads, you might want to refer to Chapter 9 in either edition of Barletta's book.  Chapter 9 is titled:  "Go! Communications That Connect."

As Barletta writes in the introductory paragraph, "From Chapter 9 you will learn how to:

• "get the most out of your media budget when targeting women.
• "frame your brand's message within the context of female gender culture.
• "watch for executional details that can make or break your communications materials."

Marketing to Women

If you're still not comfortable with developing a marketing to women strategy for your company, everything you need to know can be found in just 300 pages.

By reading both the first and second editions of Martha Barletta's book, Marketing to Women - How to Understand, Reach, and Increase Your Share of the World's Largest Market Segment, you will be equipped to develop a marketing strategy that will resonate with women - including PrimeTime Women^TM.

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Nonstop Networking

These few tips will make it much easier for you to approach people at your next networking event.

In this weekly article, you'll find valuable networking advice from Andrea R. Nierenberg, "The Queen of Networking."

Nierenberg likes to think of networking "as the ongoing process of creating connections and nurturing relationships that benefit both parties over time."  You can start networking at any time and do it anywhere.  In fact, according to Nierenberg, most of us may already be doing it without realizing it.

Part I of Andrea Nierenberg's second book, Million Dollar Networking, published in 2005, is about meeting people and establishing relationships and business opportunities.

Chapter 3 is titled, "Techniques for a Successful Networking Event."

This chapter is devoted to presenting all the techniques you'll need for a successful networking event.

The second major subhead in Chapter 3 is "Arrival - Take a Deep Breath."

Arrival - Take a Deep Breath

According to Nierenberg, "You made it to the event.  You did your research; you have opening lines, small talk topics, and have polished your thirty-second infomercial.

"Now it's showtime.  You're ready!"

The networking techniques appearing under this subhead are:

• "Introduce Yourself to the Host
• "Get in Line
• "Dive into a Group
• "Start a Conversation with Your Dinner Partner"

This week we'll cover what Nierenberg wrote about diving into a group.

Dive into a Group

Nierenberg writes, "Approaching a group of people engaged in active discussion is hard to do.

"Look for a group that looks friendly.  They may be laughing, smiling, or enjoying each other's companionship.  Wait for an opening, and say, 'I don't mean to interrupt, but you seem like a friendly group.  I'm new here.  Would you mind if I joined you?'

"Who could say no to that?  Often when I use this approach, people smile and say to me, 'You have courage.  I admire the fact that you can do this.  It's nice to meet you.'  This is something I do a lot because I walk into many places where I am new and have to jump in.

"I had just arrived in Los Angeles and was going to be speaking the next day to a group of anesthesiologists on presentation skills.  That's right, I was going to be talking about speaker skills to a group that normally puts people to sleep.

"There was a cocktail party that evening, and as I walked into the room, everyone was engaged in conversation.  I looked around and saw that most of the people were talking in pairs.  I usually don't dive into conversation with two people who are talking together because it could be personal.

"Then I spotted a group of three people smiling and chatting informally.  I walked over and said, 'I hope it's okay to join you.  You seem so friendly.'  They were great, and I ended up talking with the main anesthesiologist for the session.  By the time I spoke the next day, we were buddies.

"Take a risk and you may meet some very interesting people along the way.

"Admittedly, approaching others already in a group is not easy.  Even with all of your preparation it can still be uncomfortable.  So, what I sometimes do is give myself a pep talk before approaching people I don't know.

"Think of positive and interesting things about yourself, such as:

• "I'm glad to be here because it's going to help me grow professionally.
• "I'm an expert in my field and eager to be a resource to others.
• "I'm a great listener.
• "I'm a friendly person and eager to learn and meet new people.

"It's all in your attitude.  Positive self-talk really works.  I remember watching the Olympics and observing how top athletes give themselves a pep talk before their performance.  If it works for them, it can work for you. 

"However, be sure to give your pep talk silently.

"Once, on a plane to Chicago, I was going over my notes for a speech.  Part of my preparation is, of course, a pep talk.  After I did my pep talk, I took off my earphones.  As the plane descended, several people around me started to applaud.  I had forgotten where I was, and everyone heard me talking to myself!"

In a sidebar titled, "Networking Goes To The Dogs," Nierenberg writes, "I practice smiling and saying hello to people who are walking their dogs.

"People are generally friendly, and even if they aren't, their dogs usually are.  Try this exercise if you are uncomfortable about approaching new people; it's good practice.

"Also, as you continue to see some of the same people, it's a way of getting to know them over time and perhaps making them a new contact."

Next week we'll present what Nierenberg wrote about starting a conversation with your dinner partner.   

Learn more about networking and Andrea Nierenberg by visiting her website at http://www.mybusinessrelationships.com.

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Copywriting Insight

To improve your writing skills, consider writing white papers. 

What are white papers?  Think of them as the term papers you wrote in high school and college.

Writing white papers was the topic of freelance copywriter Robert W. Bly's article, "How to Write a Great White Paper," appearing in the September 4, 2006 issue of DM News.

Bly writes, "The use of white papers as a marketing tool has skyrocketed in recent years, not only for selling information technology but also to promote various products and services beyond hardware and software.

"A professional writer or editor hired to produce the text for a white paper typically is not an expert in the subject, which more often than not is both technical and arcane.  For instance, I've written white papers on everything from measuring ROI from content management systems to promoting bone healing with an implantable electromagnetic generator.

"Before the Internet, the greatest challenge for the writer was lack of information.  Research often was the bottleneck in devising a white paper.  The local public library contained little usable information on the specialized topics, and subject matter experts often were uncooperative in sharing information with writers.

"In the Internet era, the problem is too much information.

"Let's say you are writing a white paper on COBRA administration.  A Google search on COBRA will bring you 29.2 million Web pages mentioning COBRA.  I kid you not.  After printing the relevant information from just the top 10 or 20, you can have literally hundreds of pages of background information on COBRA.

"The writer's challenge is not in finding sufficient content for writing the paper, but in selection.  How do you know what content to include, or what to leave out?

"All you have to do is ask and answer one question:  'What is the marketing objective of this white paper?'  Importantly, topic and marketing objective are not the same thing.  For a white paper titled 'Administering COBRA,' the topic is how to administer COBRA benefits.  But if you are selling software to automate COBRA administration, your marketing objective might be:  'Get human resources managers who need help in administering COBRA benefits to call us and ask for a demo of our system.'

"Three things to include.  Once you define the marketing objective, it's much easier to select the appropriate content from your vast library of source material for inclusion in your white paper, as well as ruthlessly prune research materials that sound interesting but do not help achieve the objective.

"There are three categories of content you should include in your white paper.  The first is content that directly enhances the ability to achieve your marketing objective.  For instance, I recently wrote for a client a white paper on how to comply with a federal regulation concerning data privacy.  Let's call it 'Regulation X.'  One of the marketing objectives was to convince readers that they should make Regulation X compliance a priority (many do not).

"So I researched on the Internet whether any organization or its employees had suffered negative consequences from not achieving full Regulation X compliance.  Many had, and I added some of that material to the white paper to drive home the point that ignoring Regulation X would harm your company and your career.

"Useful tips and how-to information are the second type of content to add.  On the Regulation X paper, the client gave me a list the federal government publishes on '9 simple steps to achieving Regulation X compliance.'

"The list is short and sweet, so I included it as a sidebar.  The purpose of the white paper is not to serve as a how-to manual on Regulation X compliance; that's beyond the scope of any document limited to white-paper length.  But the reader feels he or she is getting useful ideas from the sidebar so is more inclined to read and keep the white paper.

"The third type of information involves comparing the various options for solving the problem and steering the reader toward yours.  In the Regulation X paper, there were two types of options.  Most software companies sold one specific tool to enable compliance in each of the different rules covered by Regulation X.

"My client, by comparison, sold a single comprehensive tool covering all areas.  In the white paper, we gave a seemingly objective analysis of the two options, which of course indicated that the advantages of the single-source approach outweighed those of the rule-specific tool approach - a belief that naturally would lead the reader to pick our software over that of competitors.

"When you have a ton of information available on the topic, avoid taking the attitude that 'the more content we can cram into our white paper, the better.'  Your reader is busy.  If your paper has the heft of 'Moby Dick,' the reader will put it aside.  The writer's task is one of selectivity: knowing what to leave out is almost as important as knowing what to put in.

"What to leave out.  To start, leave out information that the reader can get elsewhere easily and does not forward the marketing objective. 

"In the Regulation X white paper, the client initially wanted several pages outlining the regulation's sections and subsections.  I asked where he had gotten this detailed write-up.  He replied that he had lifted it from a government Web site almost word for word.  I suggested just summarizing Regulation X, its purpose and its importance in a paragraph or two, and then including a link to the site for readers who wanted the complete description.

"Next, leave out extraneous detail.  I also asked the client, 'Does knowing the full Regulation X requirements line by line help the reader decide which tool to use?'  The client admitted it does not.  Then it's extraneous detail.  It adds length without adding value.

"The third type of information to leave out is material that is interesting but irrelevant.  I read a white paper on fuel cells that detailed the history of batteries and included the invention of the voltaic cell and galvanic pile.  It was fascinating but irrelevant to the automaker deciding which fuel cell technology to put into his electric car.

"Is there an ideal length for white papers?  Yes and no.  Of course, the text should be as long as it takes to achieve the marketing objective.  But as a rule of thumb, I find the most effective white papers to be 3,000 to 4,000 words. 

"At 2,000 words or less, a paper doesn't seem substantial enough, and perhaps is better suited to an article.  Much beyond 5,000 words, the bulk becomes ponderous enough to scare off busy prospects who would at least skim the document if it seemed less imposing."

Free White Papers on Marketing Topics

Free white papers on assorted marketing topics are available online at the DM News website at http://www.dmnews.com.  You'll see the free white paper offer in the lower right corner of the home page.

Or go straight to the white paper landing page at http://www.dmnews.com/latest-whitepapers.php.

DM News

DM News is a weekly newspaper devoted to direct response, database, and Internet marketing.  You can obtain a free subscription by visiting the DM News website at http://www.dmnews.com.  DM News Online is available on the same website.

Robert W. Bly

Robert W. Bly is a freelance copywriter, direct mail consultant, and author with over 25 years of experience.  He's written numerous articles and books including what some call the "Bible" of copywriting, The Copywriter's Handbook and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Direct Marketing.

The third edition of his copywriting handbook, The Copywriter's Handbook, Third Edition:  A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Copy That Sells, is available online at http://www.amazon.com for $11.56.  Unfortunately, only used copies of Bly's complete idiot's guide are available and are commanding high prices.  Check amazon.com for price and availability.

To learn more about Robert W. (Bob) Bly, visit his website at http://www.bly.com.

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Focus On Design

You read and learn a lot about marketing to women in this newsletter.

But what about marketing to men?

The colorful direct mail package featured in this week's issue was designed around a sports motif and directed at a male audience.

It arrived in your newsletter editor's mailbox on September 5, 2006.  The design on the outer envelope and the teaser copy at the bottom - beneath the mailing address window - was all it took to get me to quickly open this package.

Take the teaser copy to the right of the football . . . what promotions am I being offered that are about to end?

This brief teaser, alone, is enough to intrigue prospects to open the envelope.  It's the curiosity factor.

But before opening this envelope, let's turn it over to see what awaits us on the front side.

Wow!  That is one neat graphic and along with the brief bit of copy tells prospects immediately that the offer inside is all about speed . . . in this case, accessing all the sporting sites on the Internet in a matter of seconds.

What fanatical sports fan could resist such an offer?

More importantly, prospects are told the special offer ends soon.

Is Spending Extra Money on the Outer Envelope Worth It?

In the March 27, 2006 issue of this newsletter, in the Focus on Design article, we presented the late direct mail expert Ray Jutkins' "13 Platinum Ideas for Direct Mail Envelopes," found on his since deactivated website at http://www.rayjutkins.com. 

Three of Jutkins' platinum ideas relate to the outer envelope.

"Illustrations, Photography & 'other' Graphics

"Our world is graphic.  And color.  Action.  Movement.

"Your audience expects graphics.  So, give them what they expect.  And begin on your envelope.  [Emphasis added]

"Photography is more believable - even today with computer images - than illustrations.  Although on an envelope I've not found it makes much difference.  Photos must be high quality to convey your message - an illustration does not need to be as exact.

"A chart or graph can be effective on your envelope, too.

"I don't think it matters much what you do - I think it matters a whole lot you do something.

"Using the Front AND Back

"Fact:  3 of 4 people who touch your envelope will turn it over before opening. 

"Since this is true, use the back of your envelope!  If for no other reason than you will be different from the rest.  As something less than 2% of the mail I receive has done anything with the back of the envelope.  [Emphasis added]

"What should be on the back?  More of what is on the front!  An extension of your teaser copy.  A testimonial.  A graphic illustrating your product message, an important point, a specific feature.  Almost anything in that empty space.

"Remember:  Nobody reads the white space."

"Lead with Your very Best Offer

"The second most important part of every direct mail package is the offer.  Second only to the audience . . . the list.

"Since this is a fact, lead with your very best offer.  If your best offer does not work - nothing less will be close.

"There is every reason you should begin your direct mail offer on the outside of your envelope; competition for your reader's attention.  If your message is as compelling as it must be to get the action you need, start early.  Start on the envelope.  [Emphasis added]

"Maybe it is teaser copy that begins to explain what your reader will earn, gain, save, make . . . or how they will feel, react, look.  Maybe it is a picture of the premium.  Maybe it is a graph or chart that demonstrates the results and begins to 'prove' your point.

"Whatever it is, your offer is the reason the majority of your marketplace will 'talk' to you.  Start your message on the envelope."

Continuing the Sports Motif

Expecting a number of inserts, opening the colorful 6" x 9" outer envelope yielded a scene as sparse as the visiting team's locker room during the first quarter.

All alone in this oversized envelope was a single sheet of paper measuring 8 ½" x 13 ¾", printed on one side only.

As you can see from reading the brief letter, the sports motif is carried throughout the copy.  Words like score, offense, defense, line up, and the clock is ticking pull prospects through the copy.

Not visible in the photo above is the signature block at the bottom of the letter, the all-important P.S., and the AT&T website address and toll-free number in large, bold letters and numbers.

In this particular campaign, the design team opted to take the money that would ordinarily be spent on an expensive 4-color brochure and put it into the outer envelope.  In this case, it's money well-spent.

It was a very simple package bearing a very simple message of a very simple offer . . . the perfect approach when marketing to men.

The Follow-up Postcard

Not wanting to depend on the envelope package alone to generate new high-speed Internet customers, the marketing folks behind this offer sent prospects a follow-up postcard which arrived in your newsletter editor's mailbox on September 25, 2006.

Details on this "reminder" postcard are available in this week's Ask ACTON article below.

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Marketing Terminology Made Simple

Are you familiar with the term "Apostle Marketing?" 

Apostles are your best customers . . . the customers you can count on to spread the good word about your product, service, and business.

Your company's goal is to identify its apostles and nurture them while creating more along the way.

Apostle Marketing was the subject of a brief article, "Converting Apostles," by Lee Marc Stein, which appeared in the March 2003 issue of his free, online E-letter Increasing Return on Marketing Dollars.

Stein writes, "'Apostle Marketing' is the art of identifying your highest-potential customers . . . nurturing that potential . . . motivating and empowering this 'Golden 5%' to preach positive about your company . . . and capitalizing on their work.

"APOSTLES are more than merely Advocates . . . they're Advocates with a Mission and with Passion.

"Who are these 'Golden 5%'?  For one thing, size doesn't matter.  Apostles are not necessarily the biggest customers in revenue or profit, but highest-share customers.  They are those Jill Griffin in Customer Loyalty:  How to Earn It, How to Keep It called the most leveragable of the four types of loyalty.  It's high repeat purchase and high level of attachment.

"Once you have identified your best Apostle candidates, how do you convert them?

"It starts with the very first transaction.  In fact, it may even start with the way you handle an initial request for information.  The most critical stage is immediately after the initial purchase of your product or service.  Proactivity here is key.  Incorporate these tactics into your program:

• "Learn to say 'Thank you' every time.  In most cases, you can do it in an automated way without it costing you a penny.  But occasionally invest in a surprise 'Thank You' for customers who appear to have Apostle-potential.

• "Get feedback early and act on it quickly.  Whether the feedback is positive or negative may not matter IF you fix the negative feedback immediately.  The theory espoused by Peppers and Rogers is that customers want the opportunity to teach marketers what they want.  If the company learns quickly, that's the climate in which Apostles grow.  [The One to One Future:  Building Relationships One Customer at a Time, by Don Peppers and Martha Rogers.]

• "Understand the attributes of your product or service that Apostles might want to share with others (it may be company character).  Character is definitely part of the hook that catches Apostles.  Companies like Ben & Jerry's, L.L. Bean, Lexus all have character that stands out from competitors.

• "Earn word of mouth.  You do this when you continually exceed customer expectations.  This means continuous planning to add more value to the product or service . . . AND spontaneous acts of kindness that surprise your customers.  Inviting involvement also earns word of mouth - whether you earn it as a partner, member of community, or advisor.  Again, this could be an event or participation in a user group.

"You'll learn that recognition can be as important as tangible rewards.  Think about this - you frequent a highly rated restaurant.  You decide to bring friends from out of town one night.  You've talked about how good the food is.  What more wonderful thing than walking in and having the Maitre D and/or waiter greet you like a lost brother and ask how your recent trip to Europe was. 

"The same kind of recognition can be accomplished in every mailing to your customer database. 

"The ideal Apostle says:  'I'm glad to buy from you because you let me know you know who I am.  You recognize in dozens of ways the fact that I do business with you.  That makes me feel appreciated.  I want my friends and family to have the same experience so I'm going to tell them all about you.'"

A Google search of the key words "Apostle Marketing" yielded 52 hits as of November 24, 2006.

Jill Griffin

Customer loyalty expert Jill Griffin is founder and president of The Griffin Group.  You can learn more about Griffin and her company at http://www.loyaltysolutions.com. 

Jill Griffin is the co-author of Customer Winback:  How to Recapture Lost Customers and Keep Them Loyal.  Her latest book, Customer Loyalty:  How to Earn It, How to Keep It, published in 2002, is available new in paperback for $15.61 from http://www.amazon.com.  Inside this book you'll discover the seven keys to growing a loyal customer and the 12 laws of loyalty.

Lee Marc Stein on Apostle Marketing

A much more detailed article on Apostle Marketing by Lee Marc Stein, "The Gospel of Apostle Marketing," is available on Stein's website at http://www.leemarcstein.com/gospel.htm.  It's also available on the SalesVantage.com site at http://www.salesvantage.com/article/view.php?w=91. 

Lee Marc Stein is a direct marketing consultant and copywriter.  He works with direct response agencies in addition to having his own clients.

You can visit Lee Marc Stein online at http://www.leemarcstein.com.  For a free subscription to his monthly e-letter, click on the icon in the upper right corner of his homepage.

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About Marketing ROI

ROI tip of the week:  To gather valuable marketing intelligence, consider joining the growing number of companies that are running invitation-only online communities.

Information on this phenomenon was discovered in the article by Matthew Creamer, "Welcome To The Anti-Social Club:  Invite-only online nets become CRM tool for marketers," which appeared in the August 7, 2006 issue of Advertising Age.

Creamer writes, "Call it the anti-My Space.

"While the proprietors of social networks pimp their large, youthful and presumably engaged audiences in the hopes of grabbing big ad bucks, droves of major marketers are, without fanfare, running invitation-only online communities where they can bounce ideas off their best (or worst) customers, sample broad cultural attitudes and spread word-of-mouth advocacy.

"These small, controlled and comparatively risk-free environments offer companies a respite from the free-for-all of social networks, those digital dioramas of consumer behavior that have become testing grounds for brand loyalty.

"'These networks are quickly becoming the new CRM tools,' said Jamie Tedford, senior VP-marketing and media innovation at Arnold Worldwide.  'The importance of the number of friends a brand has is a reflection of the new opt-in permission-based marketing.'

"In trying to navigate the space, many companies are following Communispace, a 7-year-old company based in Massachusetts, and its rather old-school philosophy that when it comes to friends, having fewer and better is the way to go.

"Communispace, with groups averaging 400 to 1,000 people, is based on the notion that developing customer relationships in a consumer-controlled world doesn't mean baring one's entire corporate soul.  It's just about loosening that proverbial kimono a bit, enough to communicate with a targeted and engaged audience, sliced and diced any way you want it.

"That means the audience could be the most loyal and profitable customer, or it could be non-customers used to troll for product feedback and sniff out new-product ideas.  You could ask them for pictures of their homes or new lingo they've heard.  Or, you can just sit back and listen as community members follow their own tangents.

"Communispace has added 16 clients since Jan.1, grown 100% in the past year, and is hiring 10 people a week.  The company declined to disclose exact revenue figures but its CEO said it's in the eight-figure range.  And it's got a blue-chip client list that would make many a Madison Avenue giant jealous:  It manages 225 communities for marketers such as Kraft Foods, Hewlett-Packard, Charles Schwab, Hallmark, Unilever, Reebok, General Motors Corp., General Mills, State Farm, and Starwood Hotels.

"The communities have had tangible effects.  Community members assured Unilever's Axe that its Tsunami body spray wasn't an insensitive name following the 2004 disaster and they helped Kraft decide which Asian foods it should include in a line of diet products.  Charles Schwab himself dipped into the community to sample investment strategies and market viewpoints prior to going on a press tour.

"Unlike, say a corporate sponsored page on My Space, you can't just visit those communities.  In fact, you won't see them at all unless you cough up the $200,000 a year it costs to build one of your own.  They're accessible only to consumers that have been invited into them.  (The company flatly, though politely, denied Advertising Age's requests to monitor a community or even speak with one of its members.)

"That privacy, of course, is the point.

"'If it's small, private and select, you can get more engagement than much larger communities,' said CEO Diane Hessan.  'You control who you're talking to.  It's not the lonely-hearts club and it's not your competitor pretending to be someone else.  Not all customers are created equal, and we don't have to talk to everyone who uses a product to get the information we need.'

"What brief glimpse Ad Age got into the doings at Communispace, through a couple of screen shots provided by the company, showed anything but a dreary collection of bulletin boards.  For instance, the first thing most would notice on the shot of the home page for the Axe Community, devoted to the successful Unilever deodorant targeted at young males, is a photo of scantily-clad Olympian Kristi Leskinen next to a request to do some 'homework' on Spike TV programming.

"Three Uses

"It's quickly become clear that social networks have three marketing uses: market research, customer loyalty, and, of course, as an advertising channel that's useful in getting your product or service in front of a lot of eyeballs. 

"Andy Sims, senior VP-director of interactive at Zenith-Optimedia, said consumer research on My Space is best used to give some qualitative context to quantitative analyses.  'This is quite different from research-oriented communities [such as those created by Communispace] where "real" consumer insight can be uncovered.'

"When asked whether a Communispace community is more about activating word-of-mouth endorsements or sampling attitudes and opinion, Ms. Hessan acknowledged the communities' power in cultivating loyal customers out of members. 

"But she said it's turned down business from marketers who seek to leverage their communities as a place merely to flog brands outside of the community.

"'Engaging consumers isn't instant pudding,' she said."      

Communispace builds and runs private online customer communities.  You can learn more about the company by visiting its website at http://www.communispace.com. 

Advertising Age

Article author Matthew Creamer is a writer in Advertising Age's New York news bureau.

You can access Advertising Age articles online at http://www.adage.com.  You do not have to be a subscriber to register for online access to the Ad Age website.  On the homepage, go to the box in the upper right corner.  If you are already registered simply select "Login."  If you wish to register for site access, select "Register Now."  After providing the required information and selecting a password, you will have ongoing access to the site to search for articles in past issues.  If you can't find the article by title, try searching using the author's name.

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Bank Marketing Research

Some companies have been known to spend millions of dollars coming up with a suitable name for its new product or service.

This money gets spent on expensive research done by pricy vendors specializing in name development.

Other companies take a simpler route.

The marketing teams at these companies look to the product's benefits for an appropriate name.

Naming a new product was the subject of freelance writer Gary Bencivenga's article, "How to Name Your Product . . . including 21 examples of great names," which was the subject of Bullet #17, appearing in the January 31, 2006 issue of his free, online e-letter Bencivenga Bullets.

Bencivenga writes, "The best product names have a benefit built right into them. 

"For example, Kleenex embodies the benefit of clean.

"So does Mr. Clean.

"I love the name Swiffer, the dust picker-upper that swiftly glides over your floors and under your coffee table to snare the dust bunnies.

"Health & Healing, the newsletter from Healthy Directions, is a great one.

"For an oven cleaner - Easy Off.

"For a car window shade - Way Cool.

"For weather stripping that blocks winter drafts under your front door - Draft Dodgers.

"Fat Blaster, Wonder Bread, Mr. Peanut, Arrid Anti-Perspirant, Vein Away Cream - great names.

"I like my own company's name - Accountable Advertising, Inc.

"A new product I recently came across is names Bites.  These are bite-sized oatmeal and jam treats from Quaker Oats.  A splendid little name, Bites.  Quaker Oats is already selling 5 million Bites a day.

"I love the name Blue Blockers, Joe Sugarman's famous sunglasses that shield your eyes from harmful blue rays.

"If you're well-known in your field, consider naming your product after yourself, as did Ransom Eli Olds with his Oldsmobile and also his company, Reo Motors, names from his initials.  The benefit here is that your market respects you and knows that if you've put your name on a product, you're proud of it.

"Louis Rukeyser could not have chosen a better name for his newsletter than Louis Rukeyser's Wall Street.  It quickly became the most successful launch in the history of investment advisory publishing.

"If you're in a service business, it can likewise pay to name your company after yourself, as clients like dealing with the person whose name is on the front door.

"Whenever you come up with a good name, be sure to do a name search, so you don't step on anyone's toes, triggering angry cease-and-desist letters or a costly lawsuit.  If your search reveals that your name is unique, lock it up quickly.  Have your attorney apply for a trademark.

"Always keep your eyes peeled for good names and jot them down.

"While driving recently, Pauline and I spotted a paint store with a name we liked - The Fresh Coat Paint Store.  It immediately planted the idea of how nice a room or house looks with a fresh coat of paint.

"Just as we do, make it a game, a hobby, to collect great product names.  Your list can goad you to greatness when you need inspiration.

"Another time while driving, we passed a dentist's office in the Hamptons, where we live.  His sign:  Gentle Dental.

"The True Story of 'Painless Parker'

"Speaking of dentists, have you ever heard of 'Painless Parker'?

"You'll enjoy this.

"Back in the early 1900s, there lived a famous dentist and flamboyant pitchman named Edgar R. 'Painless' Parker.  He looked like Colonel Sanders and behaved like P.T. Barnum. 

"He wore a top hat and a necklace made of teeth he had pulled from his patients' heads.  To attract new business, if you can imagine this, he crisscrossed the countryside with a combination circus-and-dental-clinic.

"He would roll into town, with his circus-and-dental-clinic in tow, proclaiming 'Painless Dentistry!'

"He'd set up his dentist's chair on the bed of a horse-drawn wagon parked in the center of town, and hired a brass band to play as he pulled teeth.  The twofold purpose of the brass band was to attract a crowd and drown out the moans of patients, who had been plied with whisky and other pain-reducing concoctions.

"For his outrageous antics, he incited the holy wrath of his fellow dentists.  The American Dental Association denounced him as a 'menace to the dignity of the profession' and vowed to put an end to his shameless promotions, which made headlines and attracted scores of patients wherever he went.

"The dental establishment hatched a strategy.  They accused him of false advertising since he claimed that his dentistry was painless, and no dentistry could truly be called 'painless.'  If they could legally deny him the right to promote 'painless' dentistry, they'd severely undercut demand for his services.  At last, the deacons of dentistry had their rogue treed and surrounded!

"But the wily pitchman outfoxed his tormentors again.  Parker legally changed his first name to 'Painless,' and they couldn't do a thing except gnash their teeth.  Emboldened, 'Painless Parker' opened a chain of some 30 West Coast dental offices, all featuring his ingenious name which proved so appealing, he employed 70 dentists and grossed $3 million per year, quite a fortune in his day.

"Never underestimate the power of a good name - one with a built-in benefit!"

A Plumbing Company in Santa Fe

Drainworks was the company name painted on both sides of the van spotted in Santa Fe, New Mexico by your newsletter editor as he was attending this year's ACTON Marketing symposium in October.

Remember Bencivenga's advice:  "The best product [or company] names have a benefit built right into them. 

Free Checking and Totally Free Checking

Both Free Checking and Totally Free Checking are excellent examples of great names - both with a built-in benefit.

Now, think about names like Platinum Checking, Gold Checking, Silver Checking, Express Checking, ATM Checking, e-Checking, Executive Checking, and on and on.  Do any of these names suggest a valuable, actionable benefit?

Spend a few minutes trying to remember a checking account you've had, that you've encountered, or read about.  Can you remember a name that is stronger, more memorable, or promising than Free Checking or Totally Free Checking?

Neither can we remember seeing or hearing such a name.

Gary Bencivenga

Gary Bencivenga has been writing direct response copy exclusively for almost 40 years and is considered one of the most respected copywriters of our time.  He's now sharing his wealth of marketing knowledge in his free online newsletter titled, Bencivenga Bullets. 

Bencivenga studied under copywriting legends David Ogilvy, John Caples, and others.  You can learn more about Gary Bencivenga, and order his free online newsletter, by visiting his website at http://www.bencivengabullets.com.

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Ask ACTON!

Improve your response rate by "reminding" customers and prospects that the special offer you sent them is about to expire.

When discussing postcards with clients and prospects, we remind them that one of the most appropriate uses for the postcard format is reminder and follow-up communications. 

The marketing folks at AT&T used an oversized postcard measuring a robust 6" x 11" to remind your newsletter editor of the special high-speed Internet offer described in this week's Focus on Design article above.

The timing was perfect:  The postcard arrived at your newsletter editor's home on September 25, just days before the expiration of this special offer.

Keeping with the sports motif to ensure continuity with the earlier envelope package, the photo and copy on the front of the postcard is very similar to that on the front of the outer envelope.

Like the earlier letter, the copy on the back of the postcard highlights the superb offer - three high-speed service choices labeled Fast, Faster, and Fastest.  The only copy missing from the letter are the three opening paragraphs which aren't critical to the offer.  

The marketing folks at AT&T have succeeded in differentiating the AT&T service from that offered by competitors by casting the widest net possible . . . an offer of three different price-points from a low of $12.99 a month to a high of $27.99 a month.

This unique pricing philosophy harkens back to the 1950s when Sears Roebuck offered its "Good," "Better," "Best" approach to quality and pricing.  Hopefully AT&T will have as much success with their three-tier pricing as the folks at Sears achieved over 50 years ago.

Testing is the only way to determine the incremental response lift delivered by a follow-up reminder postcard.  At a minimum, to be effective, the increased revenue from the additional new accounts must be greater than the cost of producing and mailing these postcards.

In Summary

To get maximum value from your direct mail budget, you should consider adding postcards as part of your direct mail format mix.  They offer a fast and cost-effective way to communicate important messages to customers and prospects.  Recipients like them as they are able to receive your message immediately.

Are You So Busy Looking at Trees that You Can't See the Forest?

Naming a new product?

Need help brainstorming?

Looking for a new tagline?

Seeking ideas for new products or services?

Require assistance developing a winning offer?

Are you considering making changes to your existing product line?

The marketing experts at ACTON Marketing are available to help you develop new ideas to better serve your customers and grow your market share.

As Marketing Professor Philip Kotler advises, one of the best ways to generate new ideas is to bring together a diverse group of people from different backgrounds and hold brainstorming sessions. 

ACTON Marketing employees are able to provide the diversity you need to generate your list of new ideas and possible innovations.  Contact us today to learn more about our creative brainstorming sessions.

For more information on having ACTON Marketing's creative team work for your bank, call George Monnier at 402-470-2909.

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Why Read The Newsletter?

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Past Issues of the Newsletter

All past issues of the ACTON Marketing, LLC newsletter are available online at http://www.acton.com/newsletter_jump.php

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You may contact ACTON Marketing, LLC by calling 402-470-2909, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (CT).  Or write to us at:

ACTON Marketing, LLC

3401 N.W. 39^th Street

Lincoln, NE  68524