The Future of Direct Response Marketing Part 1: Building the Foundation

We sat down with famed business strategist and “guru to the gurus”, Rich Schefren, founder of the automated webinar (2007), for insight into where the direct response marketing industry is headed. He gave us some great personal accounts of what makes a marketing strategy good, what doesn’t, and how he got to where is today. You can leverage his extensive knowledge to take your business to the next level.

The first step is building the foundation, and he made that abundantly clear based on his own business ventures as well as his clients’. The basis of your product, business, and your direct response marketing campaign need to be sound. Here’s some background on Rich, how he got started, what he’s up to today, and what he’s learned along the way that’s made him so successful.

Pioneering the “Free Guide to Get Started” Phenomenon

We’ve all seen it, and you might even use it yourself. The “download this free book to get started” method. No strings attached, no obligations, just free content that provides valuable insight into whatever it is you sell. We now live in an age where you can create one of the lead generation landing pages with a single click. Did you know Rich pioneered that (for the most part, anyway)?

In the early 2000s, “free” things were rarely ever free, and if they were then they didn’t provide any value. It was more of a teaser to get you to buy the product. What it had right, in regard to direct response marketing, was the sense of urgency involved. “Act now and get your first 5 newsletters for free!” That method is still used today.

Rich wanted to entice his target audience to want his product, his business coaching services, by giving them something they could really use. He wrote and released his Internet Business Manifesto on his blog anticipating around a dozen new customers would come from it. Instead, he got thousands which reshaped his entire life.

Are you applying the “free stuff” direct response advertising model to your own business?

One question that has stuck with Rich from a Q&A he saw was from an online coach who asked something along the lines of, “I’m afraid to put material from my coaching program into my front-end products because I don’t want to cannibalize my program. What do I do?”

The answer is 100% put your best ideas out there for potential customers to see, give people the meat of your product or service. This is what direct response marketing is: eliciting an immediate response from customers. What’s the best way to get an instantly positive response? By giving them something they can use, something of value. Do that and those people will buy your product looking for more insight, more depth, and more guidance because now you’ve proven your expertise and confidence.

This Q&A was one of two defining moments that led to the release of The Internet Business Manifesto.

Are you using the right type of motivation in your CTA?

And not just your call to action, throughout your entire digital marketing plan. Ask yourself this question. What brought you here? What motivates you to get up in the morning and continue your business? Why do you believe in your product? Or do you believe in it, at all?

Take it from Rich: you need sell something because you believe in it, not believe in something because you sell it. If you sell a product because you absolutely believe in the product and the benefit it has for customers, then that’s a great foundation for your direct response marketing efforts.

When customers reach the end of your spiel, your clear call-to-action should excite them. They should feel like they’re headed towards success with your product.

If you only believe in your products because you sell it, then customers are going to see right through it. They will see you’re in it only to make money. They’ll see that there’s no real value in the product. And with that, you won’t make a dime.

What if you do believe in your product but nobody’s buying it?

If you believe in the product and no one is buying it, then it’s time to look at your marketing techniques. Customers clearly aren’t feeling the same way about your product as you are, they haven’t come to the same conclusion.

Why do you believe in your product? What events brought you to this conclusion? Whether that’s speaking to people, going places, trying products and wanting to improve them—whatever it might be, there has been an event or series of events that lead you here.

Your inbound customers aren’t on the same path as you and your current form of marketing tactics aren’t cutting it. What do you do? Abbreviate that experience and lead your prospects through it so they can come to the same conclusion as you.

This tactic applies to all types of marketing channels. Whether you’re running a social media direct response ad campaign, direct mail strategy, email marketingreferral program––whatever it is, this direct response marketing strategy works. You’ll quickly connect to a specific audience, provide them a clear CTA (i.e., a way to take immediate action), and your small business will see a massive return on investment. Just look at what The Internet Business Manifesto did for Rich. Conversion rates through the roof. Or infomercials, albeit they have much more air time and consumer attention than a simple Facebook ad.

This was the second defining moment that led to the release of The Internet Business Manifesto.

The Internet Business Manifesto—A Prime Direct Response Marketing Example

Rich’s report is one of the most perfect examples of direct response marketing. Ironically, it’s no longer a free downloadable PDF. Instead, it’s an e-book you can find on retailers like Amazon. But that doesn’t mean giveaways and digital advertising in the form of free content isn’t a marketing strategy that works (at the very least for brand awareness). We keep bringing up this report because this was the game-changer for Rich.

The two previously mentioned foundation strategies for direct response marketers are what he combined in order to release this report, also leading to its incredible success. And his, of course. Believing in the product and putting some of his best ideas into a free PDF for anyone to read brought him thousands of new clients. Those clients connected with The Internet Business Manifesto and could apply its content to their own lives. They would make more money if they saw business the same was as Rich, and that led to unparalleled success.

This report is the foundation of his success. But looking closer, the reasons why he released it are the real foundation. Like the book is the brick and the reasons are the mortar. You need both: a quality product and contagious, truthful motivation.

Don’t expect the same results for your business right off the bat. Sometimes, all you might get are a few extra phone numbers. But follow up with that contact information, keep your response rate high, and soon you’ll see higher conversion rates.

Top Habits of a Successful Businessperson

There are certainly habits and characteristics all successful businesspeople display. Some of the traits can be seen by what not to do instead of what to do.

The most common mistake is creating a business around the ideal you.

Most entrepreneurs are looking beyond right now and far into the future of their business. They see themselves as successful people who act and speak a certain way. But rarely does that reflect who they are right now.

You cannot form a successful business around a mythical version of yourself. It’s not believable because it isn’t real, and because of that you won’t get followers.

Why is this the case? Because personal change is really difficult. How many times have you told yourself that you’ll stop smoking, or you’ll hit the gym at 6am, or you’ll eat healthier? How many times did you actually do it? Now apply that to your business. It’s unrealistic and setting yourself up for failure.

Here’s an example: Rich is a perfectionist. He knows this, especially when it comes to building presentations and products. No matter the length of time given, he would spend every single second of it nitpicking and perfecting the product. Knowing this, his marketing strategy has to be one in which every product he creates and sells is one created live.

How does this make sense in terms of the “mythical you” syndrome? Because the product will be sold first and adjusted later. There’s no time to nitpick and try to craft this incredible, flawless product because it would never be created. Instead, he promotes a product created live, analyzes customer reaction, and adjusts it later to meet the needs of the customer.

Personal motivation needs to be in its proper place.

Before, motivation was aimed at the CTA and your marketing efforts. Here, we mean your personal motivation—the thing that drives you to wake up in the morning and go. What is it?

Successful businesspeople know what motivates them and apply it properly.

Another example from Rich: he is not motivated by money. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense for him to attend weekly financial meetings about how they can reach a certain figure by the end of the month. He doesn’t care about it enough to make an impact and putting himself in that position will only degrade his interest in the company. Instead, he created a team of people who are motivated by money and who will do all they can to meet those financial goals.

Interested in gaining more insight by the famed Rich Schefren?

Here, we conclude Part 1 of our insight into the future of direct response marketing by covering the foundations of a successful business by giving you marketing tips that guarantee measurable results.

Part 2 of our interview with Rich is on its way to your eyes and ears, and with it you’ll gain catalogs of new and existing customers in demographics that might surprise you. In the meantime, you can digest what’s been uncovered so far and start applying it to your business. Direct response marketing and the nature of e-commerce is dynamic. It’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest industry news and insight, which we’re more than willing to provide.

And, of course, an online business doesn’t mean much of anything if you can’t process payments. Contact us about getting a merchant account that can handle your increased sales once you apply Rich’s advice.

Comments

114 responses to “The Future of Direct Response Marketing Part 1: Building the Foundation”

  1. 20bet Avatar

    Your article gave me a lot of inspiration, I hope you can explain your point of view in more detail, because I have some doubts, thank you.

  2. binance Avatar

    Your article helped me a lot, is there any more related content? Thanks!

  3. binance Avatar

    I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article. https://accounts.binance.info/en/register?ref=JHQQKNKN

  4. TeddyWailt Avatar
    TeddyWailt

    CuraBharat USA: CuraBharat USA – CuraBharat USA

  5. TeddyWailt Avatar
    TeddyWailt

    worldwide pharmacy: online pharmacy mexico – farmacias mexicanas

  6. Charlespot Avatar
    Charlespot

    canadianpharmacyworld com: TrueNorth Pharm – online canadian drugstore

  7. MichaelUrinc Avatar
    MichaelUrinc

    canadian pharmacy uk delivery TrueNorth Pharm canadianpharmacymeds com

  8. Charlespot Avatar
    Charlespot

    CuraBharat USA: buying medicine online in india – CuraBharat USA

  9. TeddyWailt Avatar
    TeddyWailt

    mexico farmacia: order from mexico – SaludFrontera

  10. MichaelUrinc Avatar
    MichaelUrinc

    canadapharmacyonline com onlinecanadianpharmacy 24 TrueNorth Pharm

  11. Charlespot Avatar
    Charlespot

    CuraBharat USA: online pharmacy website – CuraBharat USA

  12. TeddyWailt Avatar
    TeddyWailt

    reputable mexican pharmacy: mexi pharmacy – purple pharmacy online ordering

  13. Charlespot Avatar
    Charlespot

    TrueNorth Pharm: canadian pharmacy no scripts – TrueNorth Pharm

  14. TeddyWailt Avatar
    TeddyWailt

    CuraBharat USA: CuraBharat USA – CuraBharat USA

  15. MichaelUrinc Avatar
    MichaelUrinc

    mexican rx SaludFrontera mexican rx

  16. Carlosindes Avatar
    Carlosindes

    https://truenorthpharm.shop/# best canadian online pharmacy

  17. Charlespot Avatar
    Charlespot

    CuraBharat USA: CuraBharat USA – CuraBharat USA

  18. TeddyWailt Avatar
    TeddyWailt

    mexican pharmacy: SaludFrontera – can i order online from a mexican pharmacy

  19. StevenHAM Avatar
    StevenHAM

    medikamente rezeptfrei Blau Kraft De online apotheke rezept

  20. IsraelGat Avatar
    IsraelGat

    medikament ohne rezept notfall: online apotheke preisvergleich – apotheke online

  21. EnriqueCex Avatar
    EnriqueCex

    http://potenzapothekede.com/# tadalafil erfahrungen deutschland

  22. Donaldpeere Avatar
    Donaldpeere

    preisvergleich kamagra tabletten: kamagra erfahrungen deutschland – Viagra Generika Schweiz rezeptfrei

  23. Williamagove Avatar
    Williamagove

    https://mannerkraft.com/# ohne rezept apotheke

  24. IsraelGat Avatar
    IsraelGat

    online apotheke: MannerKraft – gГјnstigste online apotheke

  25. StevenHAM Avatar
    StevenHAM

    ohne rezept apotheke Blau Kraft De online apotheke deutschland

  26. EnriqueCex Avatar
    EnriqueCex

    https://blaukraftde.shop/# eu apotheke ohne rezept

  27. Donaldpeere Avatar
    Donaldpeere

    kamagra oral jelly deutschland bestellen: kamagra erfahrungen deutschland – Viagra Generika kaufen Schweiz

  28. IsraelGat Avatar
    IsraelGat

    cialis generika ohne rezept: rezeptfreie medikamente fur erektionsstorungen – europa apotheke

  29. StevenHAM Avatar
    StevenHAM

    п»їshop apotheke gutschein blaue pille erfahrungen manner gГјnstige online apotheke

  30. IsraelGat Avatar
    IsraelGat

    online apotheke: diskrete lieferung von potenzmitteln – eu apotheke ohne rezept

  31. Williamagove Avatar
    Williamagove

    https://mannerkraft.shop/# gГјnstigste online apotheke

  32. Donaldpeere Avatar
    Donaldpeere

    internet apotheke: sicherheit und wirkung von potenzmitteln – beste online-apotheke ohne rezept

  33. EnriqueCex Avatar
    EnriqueCex

    http://potenzapothekede.com/# cialis generika ohne rezept

  34. IsraelGat Avatar
    IsraelGat

    gГјnstigste online apotheke: Blau Kraft De – online apotheke preisvergleich

  35. Donaldpeere Avatar
    Donaldpeere

    generisches sildenafil alternative: kamagra erfahrungen deutschland – Wo kann man Viagra kaufen rezeptfrei

  36. IsraelGat Avatar
    IsraelGat

    п»їshop apotheke gutschein: apotheke ohne wartezeit und arztbesuch – europa apotheke

  37. Williamagove Avatar
    Williamagove

    http://blaukraftde.com/# apotheke online

  38. StevenHAM Avatar
    StevenHAM

    online apotheke blaue pille erfahrungen manner online apotheke gГјnstig

  39. Donaldpeere Avatar
    Donaldpeere

    kamagra kaufen ohne rezept online: preisvergleich kamagra tabletten – Viagra Apotheke rezeptpflichtig

  40. IsraelGat Avatar
    IsraelGat

    eu apotheke ohne rezept: blaue pille erfahrungen manner – online apotheke gГјnstig

  41. Donaldpeere Avatar
    Donaldpeere

    Potenz Apotheke: cialis generika ohne rezept – ohne rezept apotheke

  42. StevenHAM Avatar
    StevenHAM

    online apotheke eu apotheke ohne rezept europa apotheke

  43. EnriqueCex Avatar
    EnriqueCex

    https://blaukraftde.shop/# beste online-apotheke ohne rezept

  44. Williamagove Avatar
    Williamagove

    https://intimgesund.com/# kamagra kaufen ohne rezept online

  45. Donaldpeere Avatar
    Donaldpeere

    online apotheke rezept: günstige medikamente direkt bestellen – apotheke online

  46. IsraelGat Avatar
    IsraelGat

    apotheke online: Gesund Direkt 24 – europa apotheke

  47. StevenHAM Avatar
    StevenHAM

    gГјnstigste online apotheke tadalafil 20mg preisvergleich Potenz Apotheke

  48. MichealDon Avatar
    MichealDon

    ed med online VitalEdgePharma VitalEdgePharma

  49. DerekWew Avatar
    DerekWew

    EverTrustMeds: Ever Trust Meds – Ever Trust Meds

  50. Dennisarorp Avatar
    Dennisarorp

    EverTrustMeds: EverTrustMeds – EverTrustMeds

  51. MichealDon Avatar
    MichealDon

    Clear Meds Hub

  52. DerekWew Avatar
    DerekWew

    VitalEdgePharma: VitalEdge Pharma – VitalEdge Pharma

  53. Dennisarorp Avatar
    Dennisarorp

    ClearMedsHub: Clear Meds Hub – Clear Meds Hub

  54. MichealDon Avatar
    MichealDon

    Clear Meds Hub ClearMedsHub ClearMedsHub

  55. DerekWew Avatar
    DerekWew

    VitalEdge Pharma: VitalEdgePharma – VitalEdgePharma

  56. Dennisarorp Avatar
    Dennisarorp

    EverTrustMeds: Cialis 20mg price – EverTrustMeds

  57. MichealDon Avatar
    MichealDon

    VitalEdgePharma VitalEdgePharma VitalEdgePharma

  58. DerekWew Avatar
    DerekWew

    buying erectile dysfunction pills online: VitalEdge Pharma – VitalEdge Pharma

  59. Dennisarorp Avatar
    Dennisarorp

    : ClearMedsHub – Clear Meds Hub

  60. MichealDon Avatar
    MichealDon

    Ever Trust Meds Generic Cialis price п»їcialis generic

  61. DerekWew Avatar
    DerekWew

    EverTrustMeds: Buy Tadalafil 10mg – Cialis without a doctor prescription

  62. Dennisarorp Avatar
    Dennisarorp

    ed meds by mail: VitalEdgePharma – VitalEdge Pharma

  63. MichealDon Avatar
    MichealDon

    VitalEdgePharma VitalEdgePharma ed medicines

  64. DerekWew Avatar
    DerekWew

    VitalEdge Pharma: VitalEdgePharma – VitalEdge Pharma

  65. Antoniofen Avatar
    Antoniofen

    http://vitaledgepharma.com/# ed medicine online

  66. DerekWew Avatar
    DerekWew

    VitalEdgePharma: VitalEdgePharma – best ed meds online

  67. Richardgef Avatar
    Richardgef

    http://vitaledgepharma.com/# cheapest ed online

  68. MichealDon Avatar
    MichealDon

    ClearMedsHub

  69. DerekWew Avatar
    DerekWew

    Ever Trust Meds: Cialis without a doctor prescription – Buy Tadalafil 20mg

  70. Dennisarorp Avatar
    Dennisarorp

    VitalEdgePharma: VitalEdge Pharma – VitalEdgePharma

  71. MichealDon Avatar
    MichealDon

    VitalEdgePharma VitalEdgePharma VitalEdge Pharma

  72. Dennisarorp Avatar
    Dennisarorp

    buy cialis pill: Buy Tadalafil 5mg – Ever Trust Meds

  73. DerekWew Avatar
    DerekWew

    Clear Meds Hub: ClearMedsHub

  74. MichealDon Avatar
    MichealDon

    Ever Trust Meds Cialis 20mg price in USA EverTrustMeds

  75. Aaronrip Avatar
    Aaronrip

    Indian pharmacy international shipping: Best online Indian pharmacy – Indian pharmacy international shipping

  76. JamesLot Avatar
    JamesLot

    mexico pharmacy: Mexican pharmacy price list – mexican pharmacy

  77. Montetap Avatar
    Montetap

    http://curamedsindia.com/# Indian pharmacy international shipping

  78. Eugenetutty Avatar
    Eugenetutty

    indian pharmacy: Indian pharmacy online – Indian pharmacy to USA

  79. JamesKaw Avatar
    JamesKaw

    Canadian pharmacy online MapleCareRx Canadian pharmacy prices

  80. Aaronrip Avatar
    Aaronrip

    BajaMedsDirect: Mexican pharmacy price list – Mexican pharmacy ship to USA

  81. JamesLot Avatar
    JamesLot

    Indian pharmacy online: Best online Indian pharmacy – Indian pharmacy international shipping

  82. Eugenetutty Avatar
    Eugenetutty

    mexico pharmacy: BajaMedsDirect – Mexican pharmacy ship to USA

  83. Aaronrip Avatar
    Aaronrip

    india pharmacy: india pharmacy – india pharmacy

  84. JamesKaw Avatar
    JamesKaw

    india online medicine Indian pharmacy ship to USA Indian pharmacy international shipping

  85. JamesLot Avatar
    JamesLot

    Indian pharmacy to USA: Indian pharmacy to USA – indian pharmacy

  86. Aaronrip Avatar
    Aaronrip

    Best Indian pharmacy: india pharmacy – CuraMedsIndia

  87. JamesKaw Avatar
    JamesKaw

    MapleCareRx MapleCareRx canadian pharmacy

  88. Eugenetutty Avatar
    Eugenetutty

    Canadian pharmacy prices: canada online pharmacy – MapleCareRx

  89. Aaronrip Avatar
    Aaronrip

    Indian pharmacy online: Indian pharmacy to USA – Indian pharmacy to USA

  90. JamesKaw Avatar
    JamesKaw

    online pharmacy india Indian pharmacy ship to USA Indian pharmacy ship to USA

  91. Eugenetutty Avatar
    Eugenetutty

    Canadian pharmacy prices: Canadian pharmacy prices – Canadian pharmacy online

  92. JamesLot Avatar
    JamesLot

    india pharmacy: Indian pharmacy international shipping – Indian pharmacy international shipping

  93. Aaronrip Avatar
    Aaronrip

    Pharmacies in Canada that ship to the US: Canadian pharmacy prices – Canadian pharmacy online

  94. Eugenetutty Avatar
    Eugenetutty

    MapleCareRx: safe canadian pharmacy – Canadian pharmacy prices

  95. Aaronrip Avatar
    Aaronrip

    mexican pharmacy: mexican pharmacy – BajaMedsDirect

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *