Writers of Short Sentences
by Bill Alpert
Perhaps you’re old enough to remember video of John Cameron Swayze delivering the iconic Timex slogan: Takes a Licking and Keeps on Ticking. Fans of the recent TV series Mad Men were recently reminded of the classic Think Small print ad campaign for Volkswagen. Both ads were conceived and penned by the legendary [...]
Graphic Design, Death and Opportunity
Graphic Design: The Corpse and Your Opportunity
Over a decade ago typographer and graphic designer Kathleen Tinkel wrote:
Armed with our Macs, we presumed to compete with our creative partners (typographers, illustrators, airbrush artists, retouchers and more), helping to put some trades out of business. But the computer isn’t as capable as a talented artist or skilled [...]
New Tools, Same Old Traps
OK, I love the web, and likely you do too. Still, I’ve been hard pressed to understand how “social networking” comes into play for business marketing. Most of what I’ve seen falls into the category of shameless self promotion. And that’s a shame.
Certain hard truths will always be unavoidable, be it in print, direct mail [...]
The Perfect Website
Well of course, it doesn’t exist.
Still, too many sites seem to miss the mark; they’re stuck in old world thinking about marketing and advertising. They focus their engergy on promoting a brand, or product benefits. Yes, people still do buy the brand, but using a website to promote a brand misses the point.
The brand message [...]
A Basic Direct Mail Marketing Plan
by Bill Alpert
Forget the elevator speeches and the boring chamber mixers. Follow this plan and you’ll be more successful in business and in life!
1. Concentrate on pinpointed target market(s).
2. Have at least two good reasons to add a name to your list.
3. Call to check names and titles on your list
4. Write great copy, for [...]
Print Is Forever
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How much would you pay for this screen shot of Wednesday’s New York Times Inauguration issue? Likely, not much, even in full resolution. E-mail and web pages live in the cyber-world. We don’t put much value on them.
Physical copies of the actual newspaper were going for $30 or more on E-Bay, according to a report on [...]
Marketing by Yelling Louder
How can you find new customers in a down economy?
For more than the last 100 years its been about yelling the loudest to the largest number of people. Making them notice you. Pushing a business card in their face. Building a restaurant on a street that they pass frequently. Bombarding them with “me-too” direct mail. [...]
United States Postal Service new NCOA rules
Starting November 23, the USPS will require that all presorted mailing lists be cleaned using the National Change of Address (NCOA) directory. It’s a 95 day rule. Your list needs to get cleaned at least every 3 months. If you’re busted for sending “dirty” mail, your postal discounts will be forfeited, and you’re liable to [...]
Mail Domination
Well, when it comes to mailing, it’s the Postal Service that makes the rules. Starting November 23rd we have a new rule to think about: the Move Update Requirement. It’s an effort to reduce waste, save cost and deliver more mail. All good ideas.
Just last week, one of our clients expressed shock at how many [...]
10 cents worth of shampoo
How can just a few words and a single ounce of shampoo bring fortune to your company? How can saving a few pennies end up costing you hundreds or thousands of dollars?
I’m in Chicago on an extended business trip, and decided to try a new (to me) hotel chain: Extended Stay Hotels. Upon checking in [...]
William Alpert is a seasoned entrepreneur and 35 year business veteran. His California based companies design and create printed and electronic marketing materials for Fortune 500s, entrepreneurs as well as advertising and graphic design professionals. He is the author of InkBlot, a weekly journal on business marketing in the internet era. 
