Direct Response Copywriter on Discounting

Many of my closest friends work in the restaurant industry. In fact, one of my clients is a local restaurant … as you’ll discover in a minute.

For the last 10 days, my restaurant friends, who are mostly servers, have been totally fed up.

You see, it’s been restaurant week here in Charlotte. That means 10 days of several restaurants offering a three-course dinner for $30.

The restaurants are mostly upscale establishments so the week offers a major discount. I get to hear about restaurant week from the server perspective and they all HATE it. H-A-T-E in capitals … with hyphens. And you'd think they'd love it due to the extra traffic.

To participate, restaurants pay a fee to the organizer. I believe they also have to hand over some gift cards. So, for ten days, a restaurant pays to decrease revenue – and that’s in a low margin business. The fee to participate is either $1,500 or $3,000.

The organizer touts the following benefits.

• Increased traffic in a down period just after Christmas.
• Increase in beverage sales as people will be willing to splurge on wine, etc.
• The chance to get new people in the door.

This leads me to the issue of discounting. For 10 days in the winter (and 10 days in the summer) the participating restaurants get a ton of people to visit. But they have to decrease their prices at least 35% … in many cases much more.

Plus they must organize an atypical menu so they don’t lose too much money. A manager of a big steak house told me she has to add extra staff and order extra food … even more expense. The diners get a watered down experience but they save money.

And then restaurant week totally disrupts the normal flow of the establishment. My server friends complain about the following …

• “Amateurs” who are just there for a deal and don’t tip well.
• The absence of high-tipping regulars.
• The extra work for no extra money.
• A lack of business before and after restaurant week.
• The people who show up will rarely be back as many come from a long way.

Again, my manager friend said it was pretty much a nightmare. Some restaurants GAIN business by not participating; diners call up and want a refuge from the chaos of the restaurants participating in restaurant week.

In a spirit of total transparency, I persuaded my restaurant client to start a discounting program: if you sign up for the email database and stay on the email database, you get a free birthday dinner – an entrée or appetizer. It costs the restaurant about $15.

So I’m guilty, as charged, of discounting … when I’m generally anti-discounting. In direct response, we strive to stress value to avoid straight-out price battles.

The free dinner is one of the oldest direct marketing tactics and, as a direct response copywriter, I’m going to start with that one.

But after 3 years of the “birthday club” at Sir Edmond Halley’s, it’s been a big success. A small restaurant has built a significant and growing email database – always valuable.

We measure the results and a chunk of the database comes in for the birthday dinner. Some come in alone but the majority bring 3-4 people. And several bring big parties of 10 or more.

This rewards loyal patrons and encourages new people to visit the restaurant…which is difficult to find. The additional business, in terms of food and beverage sales, more than covers the free entrée. The program doesn’t interrupt the normal flow of the restaurant. If just a few of the newcomers become semi-regular patrons, that’s another big benefit.

Restaurants keep signing up for restaurant week so there must be something in it. But my restaurant friends all hate it – even with floods of people.

Ironically, I’ve sent emails to my client’s database touting that they DON’T participate in restaurant week … and the restaurant was busy during that week.

As I always say, discounting is dangerous. It must be handled very carefully.

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I'm a direct response copywriter. I write direct response copy for clients around the world. Enter your information to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or contact me here if you have a project you'd like me to quote.

I'm also a Dan Kennedy Certified Copywriter for Info-Marketers.

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Disclaimer for the above.

The Dan Kennedy Copywriter for Info-Marketers Certification is awarded to professional copywriters who have successfully completed a course of study of preparation for such copywriting. This Certification has not been provided by an accredited education institution. It does not constitute endorsement of or liability for any individual copywriter by Mr. Kennedy or any companies or organizations affiliated with Mr. Kennedy. The client's relationship is solely with the individual copywriter retained via any agreement.

Direct Response Copywriter on Super Bowl Advertising

I read an article in The Wall Street Journal about ad spending for the Super Bowl. The cost for each spot is comical ... around $3 million for 30 seconds. I'll work for that!

Several companies will be advertising for the first time in the big game. On the big game? For the big game? I don't know...

Several companies will be advertising for the first time. In the past, even some smaller companies have spent vast sums to be part of the Super Bowl mix. Chunks of advertising budgets will be spent because so many people will be watching. It's a huge risk.

As a direct response copywriter, I wish these companies would spend their money on a solidly executed direct response campaign.

It will be impossible to measure results from the Super Bowl spend. But with a direct response campaign, they could actually measure results and make decisions based on what worked and what failed.

The world might find the Bud Light ads funny but will they increase sales? Not even Budweiser, with all their marketing horsepower, will know.

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I'm a direct response copywriter. I write direct response copy for clients around the world. Enter your information to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or contact me here if you have a project you'd like me to quote.

I'm also a Dan Kennedy Certified Copywriter for Info-Marketers.

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Disclaimer for the above.

The Dan Kennedy Copywriter for Info-Marketers Certification is awarded to professional copywriters who have successfully completed a course of study of preparation for such copywriting. This Certification has not been provided by an accredited education institution. It does not constitute endorsement of or liability for any individual copywriter by Mr. Kennedy or any companies or organizations affiliated with Mr. Kennedy. The client's relationship is solely with the individual copywriter retained via any agreement.

Direct Response Copywriter on Voice

Sometimes, a potential client will say something like, “I want the copy to capture the voice of the author.”

Other potential clients will say, “we need to get the brand voice together.”

I can turn up the volume and I can turn down the volume when I’m writing direct response copy. Some copy needs heavy amplification. Some copy needs to be soft.

But that’s not about “voice” in advertising. To be frank, I’m not sure I really understand the voice concept. Or maybe I do … MailChimp has a slightly cheeky approach on their website.

Here’s my reply to potential clients who want voice.

“Do you want to capture a voice or sell stuff?”

You (I) can spend hours trying to capture a certain voice or feel. But it’s always a fruitless endeavor.

It’s like when a client says, “I don’t really know what I want but I’ll tell you when I see it.” That’s fine if I bill by the hour and the client has an unlimited budget.

My clients let me write copy that sells their products and services. As a direct response copywriter, that’s my job.

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I'm a direct response copywriter. I write direct response copy for clients around the world. Enter your information to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or contact me here if you have a project you'd like me to quote.

I'm also a Dan Kennedy Certified Copywriter for Info-Marketers.

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Disclaimer for the above.

The Dan Kennedy Copywriter for Info-Marketers Certification is awarded to professional copywriters who have successfully completed a course of study of preparation for such copywriting. This Certification has not been provided by an accredited education institution. It does not constitute endorsement of or liability for any individual copywriter by Mr. Kennedy or any companies or organizations affiliated with Mr. Kennedy. The client's relationship is solely with the individual copywriter retained via any agreement.

Direct Response Copywriter on Having a Laugh -- Sort Of

I watch very little television. However, during the fall, I watch some football (both types) and this means I, by default, have to watch TV advertising.

As a direct response copywriter, I watch the branding ads and laugh … but for all the wrong (or right) reasons.

On major networks, the ads are the usual pulp … entertaining branding ads with no call to action and, thus, no accountability.

Expensive media placement. Expensive production.

I won’t bang on about how big ad agencies do business (ripping you off) and I won’t mention how branding people view advertising (as a way to deceive clients into placing huge media) and I’ll avoid the subject of 95% of corporate marketing directors (who NEVER want to be accountable and hide behind social media and their branding agency), and I certainly don’t want to mention ROI (in the company of branding people) but a couple of ads currently running for big brands make fun of direct response TV ads.

Hmmmmm …

In a Geico ad, the Tasmanian Devil rips through a direct response TV ad for plates. How this relates to car insurance is a bit beyond me but, after all, I’m just a direct response copywriter. So what do I know? I write direct response copy that generates millions in sales. That’s all.

And another insurance ad, for a company I can’t remember (ha!), is running a semi-spoof of QVC. And QVC is a direct response medium.

Oh how those creative directors must be guffawing when they create these ads. They’re certain to win prizes! They’re so creative! Oh you’re so very very funny! It’s a new level of creativity! We’ll link this to social media and it WILL go viral! The client will be so so happy!

Let me tell you something, you super-clever branding people …

Sooner than you think, your party is over.

TV is over and that’s your medium. Online advertising, according to every source, now attracts more money than “traditional” media and that means, get this, you can measure ROI. And your clients will now be asking you to, get this, if you’ll excuse the split infinitive, produce actual financial results. Return … on … investment.

So while you might mock direct response, direct response copywriters, and direct response TV ads, we’re going to win. Or more saliently, the client is going to win … which is what really matters.

If you continue to hang on to your branding MO, you’ll be out of work extremely soon. Your game is over. If I were you, I would make some time, and soon, to discover the fundamentals of direct response marketing.

All of us will welcome you with open arms. This might shock branding types but direct response is collegial and welcoming. We’re all in this together. We’re all in this to help our clients make some money and build the value of the business. We happily share ideas to help each other grow.

Start with Scientific Advertising.

And spend some time with David Ogilvy, who actually loved direct response … as you’ll discover here.

Rant over.

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My thoughts about the tragedy in Paris. Here in the United States, there’s a reason the First Amendment is the first amendment.

Free speech is the foundation of a free society.

For the last 30 years, the merchants of political correctness have been trying to take away our free speech by telling us what we should say and what we shouldn’t. It's an attempt to control us and take away our freedoms.

I wonder how the merchants of political correctness feel right now. I very much doubt they even get the connection.

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I'm a direct response copywriter. I specialize in providing direct response copy for the direct marketing environment for clients around the planet. I specialize in sales page copy ... copy that persuades readers to pull out their credit card and buy. Enter your info to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or contact me here if you have a project you'd like me to quote.

I'm also a Dan Kennedy Certified Copywriter for Info-Marketers.

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Disclaimer for the above.

The Dan Kennedy Copywriter for Info-Marketers Certification is awarded to professional copywriters who have successfully completed a course of study of preparation for such copywriting. This Certification has not been provided by an accredited education institution. It does not constitute endorsement of or liability for any individual copywriter by Mr. Kennedy or any companies or organizations affiliated with Mr. Kennedy. The client's relationship is solely with the individual copywriter retained via any agreement.

Direct Response Copywriter on Real Marketing

Some random thoughts about direct response copywriting during this holiday season.

I was out in Los Angeles visiting a client. I stayed one night near Culver City. I spent the next night in Newport Beach -- one of my favorite spots. Whenever possible, I like to stay in family-owned hotels. They're tough to find and no, I don't count Hilton as a family-owned hotel.

Genuine locally-owned hotels and inns ooze charm plus they can be less expensive than chains. These hotels have personality.

In Colorado, I love The Mountain Chalet Aspen. In Newport Beach, I discovered the Bay Shores Peninsula Inn just a few blocks from the beach on the Balboa Peninsula. It's a little old school plus it's not going to win any awards for architecture but it provides a lesson for all direct response marketers.

I received a friendly greeting when I arrived. The guy at the desk made me feel genuinely welcome. After my visit, I received a thank you email. And then -- get this -- I received a thank you card.

Guess where this direct response copywriter is staying the next time he visits Newport Beach?

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My new site providing "look over your shoulder" copywriting videos is up and running. It's in its infancy so it's just $2 a month right now. I'm adding at least one video a day. Click here for more info.

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I attended a couple of big marketing/copywriting conferences this fall. And they are still in my mind. The first was Titans of Direct Response in Stamford, Connecticut. The event was a tribute to Marty Edelston who told his copywriters: "tell the truth." That's the best advice for every copywriter. I don't lie or make stuff up when I write direct response copy. I research and provide facts tide to benefits.

At the AWAI Bootcamp in October in Delray Beach (worth a visit) I especially enjoyed hearing from Brian Kurtz of Boardroom who told us about what it takes to write for big marketers. Enthusiasm and desire were two traits. I love being a direct response copywriter. In the past few weeks, I've been taking notice of people who are enthusiastic about their work -- even if the work is somewhat menial. Enthusiasm makes all the difference in sales.

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I'm a direct response copywriter. I specialize in providing direct response copy for the direct marketing environment for clients around the planet. I specialize in sales page copy ... copy that persuades readers to pull out their credit card and buy. Enter your info to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or contact me here if you have a project you'd like me to quote.

I'm also a Dan Kennedy Certified Copywriter for Info-Marketers.

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Disclaimer for the above.

The Dan Kennedy Copywriter for Info-Marketers Certification is awarded to professional copywriters who have successfully completed a course of study of preparation for such copywriting. This Certification has not been provided by an accredited education institution. It does not constitute endorsement of or liability for any individual copywriter by Mr. Kennedy or any companies or organizations affiliated with Mr. Kennedy. The client's relationship is solely with the individual copywriter retained via any agreement.