Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Copyright 1992 by Group M, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher except as
follows: Pages may be reproduced by the purchaser for use in connection with his or
her business. All other publishers rights under copyright laws will be enforced.
Table of Contents
Its
probably the most powerful tool of any business, and also the most neglected. Using it properly
can make the difference between success or failure. Between happy customers or no customers.
Between growth or closure. To use this powerful tool requires no special skills or equipment, costs less
than 44) cents to implement, but can have a most profound effect on any business large or small.
This tool iswritten communication. Usually in the form of a letter. Sometimes in the form of a
display or classified ad. Regardless of the form used, the results can be dramatic.
Our own business grew from an idea and $200 in 1988 into an internationally known and respected
product development and marketing company with over a million dollars in sales in less than three and
a half years. And almost every penny we earned, every project we undertook, every major advancement
we made was the result of a letter we had written to someone.
A single letter can make a difference. The investment in a single stamp, piece of paper, and an envelope
may be under 50 cents, but the return on that single letter can be worth hundreds of thousands of
dollars. We know. It worked that way for us. And it is working that way for many other beginning and
growing businesses.
Still, many businesses dont understand the need or beneficial return of writing letters. And some that
do, dont know exactly where to start. So to show others how it has worked for us, we compiled this
book of letters weve used to help our business grow.
As you read through this book youll see how we used the written word in many different ways to make
our business grow. Youll see how a single letter can save you hundreds of dollars, or earn you
thousands. Youll see how to use letters to build customer good will. To make connections with
celebrities. To find new clients. And how to get free publicity for your new business or product.
And alongside each letter youll see information Ive supplied telling you why the letter was created,
how it was used, and the effect it had. Plus, in many letters Ill tell you the psychology that went into
writing the letter so youll understand why I did certain things the way I did.
Ive also included some personal letters I wrote that may also help you in your personal life. Youll see
the letter I developed that allowed me to sell my home in just 14 days - in one of the most depressed
real estate markets in North America.
Everything you see in this book is an actual letter, display ad, or classified ad Ive used in my own
business, or something we developed to help other people use in their business. Some letters are
actually one of a series of letters. Each series of these letters is so noted so you can keep up with the
development over time. (A good example is the series of letters that led to my developing a business
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Bill Myers
P.S. Feel free to send me copies of the letters, ads, and other correspondence that you develop. If you
want me to critique it and send it back to you, be sure to say so. Send your letter to Group M, 321
Quachita Avenue, Hot Springs, AR 71901.
One of the first things we discovered when we began using the written word as a means to reach
our customers and- business contacts was that the look of these letters had a tremendous impact on
how our company was perceived by the recipient of the letter.
For example, in our earliest letters we used a computer word processor to develop the correspondence
and printed the result out on our cheap dot matrix printer. When we mailed these letters, we got little or
no response. We discovered much later that the reason these letters didnt work was that they looked
like they came from amateurs. They did not have the look of a letter from a successful business. And
this caused a lack of credibility in anything we said in the letter.
This lack of credibility cost us money, and lost the respect of the people we needed most for survival
customers who bought our products and magazine editors who made the decision on whether to print
our press releases.
It was pure luck that we solved this problem. We had just upgraded to more powerful word processing
software, and the examples in the manual showed what the program could do if you were using a laser
printer. We were so impressed by these examples that we gathered up all our credit cards and went out
and bought a Hewlett Packard laser printer.
And that was one of the best moves we made. Because from that point on, everything we printed and
mailed had the look of success. And the results were overwhelming.
Just from the look of our letters people got the impression we were a well-funded corporation that went
to great lengths to make sure everything was right. And that perception gave people added confidence in
our company which translated into more and more sales.
About the same time we noticed that more and more magazine editors, the same ones that had trashed
our earlier press releases, were beginning to print our most recent ones. And this too translated into
sales. And these new sales were not because we had changed the wording of our sales letters or press
releases, but because we changed the way we printed them.
Adding a laser printer to your business is probably one of the fastest ways to improve the perceived
image of your company to the outside world. If you dont already have a laser printer you can use to
print all your sales letters, press releases, and general correspondence on, get one.
Your letters, press releases, and ads will look like a million bucks. And that can make all the difference
in your success. (Which would you rather do business with... a company that sent you a very
professional letter, or a company that sent something that looked like it came from someone down on
his luck living in a mobile home?)
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Its kind of funny really. When I got started in this business my home had just been destroyed by a
tornado and I was living in an 8 by 32 mobile home. I didnt have indoor plumbing, and my telephone
was fifty yards from my front door attached to a temporary pole. My nearest neighbor was eight miles
down a dirt road.
I was living in the backwoods of Arkansas in true poverty conditions. Yet when people received
business correspondence from me, they just assumed from the look of the letters that I was a major
player in a profitable corporation. And that gave them the confidence to do business with me.
People do judge a book by its cover. And first impressions do count. So be sure to take a look at every
piece of correspondence you mail.
Every time someone sees printed information from your company they receive subliminal impressions
about your business. Impressions about whether you are a professional or an amateur, precise or
careless, neat or messy, in control or negligent. These messages are all in the appearance of your letter,
ad or press release.
The good news is that you have complete control of the impression you deliver. You control the layout,
the font size, the quality of the paper, the format and style, and the size and type of letterhead. Getting
these elements to work together to your advantage is as important as what the words say on the paper.
There are several good books on graphic layout you can use for reference, but perhaps the best
reference is letters sent out by the really successful people in the industry. These letters can be
invaluable reference tools when you are trying to develop the look that works.
We save and file every piece of mail we get, and use these as guides to improve our own letters. I
suggest you do the same thing.
And never forget or take it for granted...
The look of a letter is almost as important as what the letter actually says!
The advent of low cost home and business computers has made it possible for just about anyone to
turn out letters, books, ads, and press releases that look like they were created by expensive Madison
Avenue ad agencies on the best typesetting and graphics equipment that money can buy. Having the
ability to do this at a low cost is a tremendous competitive advantage for the small business owner.
Today almost everyone has a personal computer. Yet many people havent taken advantage of all the
things a computer can do for them. This is mostly due to the fact that some very popular computer
programs are extremely difficult to use, and have led many people to believe that all computers and
programs are difficult to use.
Fortunately, this is not the case. Especially when it comes to word processing or document preparation.
As computers have become more powerful, the software has become easier to use. As an example, it
normally takes us less than an hour to train someone to use our own in-house desktop publishing
system. (Of course, weve got five years practice so we know what is important to teach)
Anyway, since so many people have called and asked us about the system we use, Ive decided to
include a complete listing of all the components. Here it is.
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Other Considerations
Weve recently begun experimenting with Windows software on our computers, and have discovered the
graphics capabilities adds a new dimension to our publishing potential. Some of the letters in this book
were created using Windows Draw.
One final point. Before we write a letter or an ad, we define what we want the letter to accomplish.
Then we think about the person who will i4 reading what we write and we try to figure out what it
would take to cause them to take the action we want. We write down the hot buttons we feel will make
the reader react, and then write a letter (or ad) using those as the key points and theme of the document.
We think the development of any letter or document should be driven by the wants and needs of the
person receiving the letter. They are the important ones.
To summarize, get your hands on a laser printer, define exactly what it is you want your letter to
accomplish, write down the hot buttons that will make the person reading the letter react, and then do
it.
Press Releases
Writing a good press release and mailing it to the right people is usually the quickest and least
expensive way for any business to generate a lot of new customers and orders. Yet, the majority of
businesses dont write or make available to magazine or newspaper editors a single press release.
What a lot of businesses dont realize is that many magazines and newsletters depend on these press
releases to fill their pages. And all you have to do to get your press release printed in some publications
is to mail them one.
Weve used a lot of press releases back when we didnt have enough money to buy advertising. And we
still use them today, for every new product we put on the market. Over the years weve learned that
when writing a press release, these are our main objectives:
1.
To get the press release accepted by the magazine editor and printed in the publication.
2.
Once printed, to get the press releases read by people who get the magazine.
3.
To get the desired reaction from people who read the press release and are potential customers.
(We define the desired action before we write the press release.)
As you look at the following examples of press releases, notice how many of them do not look like a
standard press release at all. Instead, they look like articles. And this is intentional. Weve discovered
that writing a press release that looks and reads like an article from the magazine has a good chance of
ending up as a featured article in the magazine.
When this happens, not only do we get lots and lots of free publicity, we usually also get an authors
fee for the article. Thats right, they run the press release/article and pay us for writing it!
Heres how to go about writing a press release that will make you money.
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3. With the sample copy of the publication in hand, look through it and identify all the press releases
or press release/articles printed in it
4. Using the sample press release or article already printed in the selected publication as a guide, write
your own press release. Structure your press release so it closely resembles ones already printed in
the publication. Include all the elements found in the printed release. This includes photos,
typestyle, total length of press release, length of headline, everything.
5. Once youve written and proofread your press release, print it out in a format that fits in the
magazine. This is so youll have an idea of how itll look if the magazine accepts it If the press
release is too long or too short, fix it. You want to be sure your press release/article is just right for
the magazine.
6. After youve done all this, print the press release on your laser printer using your best paper, attach
a high quality black and white photo, write a short cover letter, and send the press release to the
editor of the publication.
7. Repeat this same process with several other publications.
General Notes:
1. On all press releases (but not on articles) include the phrase, Review copies available. This gives
the editor a chance to decide to write a full review of the product Dont do this on articles though,
they should be the equivalent of a review for the product anyway.
2. Always include a photo with the press release. We go to great lengths to pose the photo in a manner
that is most likely to appeal to potential customers.
3. Always send a press release in a 9 x 12 envelope, with a cardboard insert to keep it from being bent.
4. Always call the magazine and identify the proper spelling of the name of the person the press
release article should be sent to.
5. Always be prepared to answer questions about anything printed in the press release. The editor may
call, and if the press release is printed customers will call. Always treat these calls like they are the
most important ones youll ever get. Because they are.
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A new videotape, Desktop Video and The Amiga Computer, is designed to introduce viewers to the
tools and technology of desktop video. This two-hour video tape produced by Group M Video
provides viewers with useful information on setting up and using a desktop video system to create
their own professional video productions.
This tape includes sections on selecting computer hardware, computer software, interfacing with a
genlock, and setting up a low-cost studio. Also included are video reviews and examples of video
output from the most popular desktop video software programs available today. These video
reviews cover character generator, titling, paint, animation, digitizing, and 3D software.
The Desktop Video and The Amiga video is available from Group M Video for $30. Orders can be
placed by calling 1-501-321-1845.
Contact: Bill Myers 501-321-4845
***View copies of this tape are available upon request
This is one of our earlier press releases written back in the days when we couldnt afford to advertise.
This release convinced us we didnt need money to get exposure in the magazines we wanted to be
in. When we sent the release, we included a photo of the product being mentioned in the release.
This release appeared in several publications, and generated thousands in sales.
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Press Release/Review
Pre-publication Information
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Press Release/Article
Photo Shown Here
Bill Myers has put together his own Desktop Video production studio so that he can produce what he calls
Guerilla video from his home in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
This article has appeared in over 20 national publications over the past two years. It is actually a
Press Release written by me under the pen name of JoJo Gunn (thats my dogs name). I discovered
that laying out the Press Release as an actual article made it more likely to be printed, and we do a lot
of that now. An unexpected benefit, JoJo Gunn receives royalty checks every time this article is
printed.
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This is a typical cover letter I send when Im trying to get a Press Release or article printed in a
particular magazine. Notice how the letter is crafted to appeal to the desires of the magazine editor
and not to my own wishes. I want to make his job easy, so I go to the trouble of showing him how the
article would look in his magazine. To get his attention, I send the letter along with the article UPS
Next Day Air.
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Press Release/Article
Independent Venture
PHOTO OF HOME SHOPPING SHOW TV SCREEN
Your home shopping network must offer consumers products that they cant generally find on other shows of this
nature. Collectible items like coins, baseball cards, even used Rolex watches can be hot sellers. People will buy
what they want; especially if they feel they wont find the same item anywhere else.
POTENTIAL EARNINGS:
$1000 an hour and up.
ADVERTISING: TV, Press Releases, Word of Mouth, and TV Program Guide Listings.
BEST ADVICE FOR SUCCESS: Dont try to compete with established competition. Program for a narrow market of customers who can
afford high dollar hobby related collectibles.
Its a lot easier than you think to get into this business and start earning $20,000 a week almost
immediately.
By Bill Myers
Last year viewers in this country spent hours purchasing products shown on television home shopping shows! This major trend in consumer buying
has generated millions of dollars in profits for entrepreneurs who have jumped into this two billion-dollar way of doing business. Consumers have
fallen in love with the concept of buying at home, and the big corporations that operate the shopping networks love being able to sell millions of
dollars of merchandise without the overhead of a retail store. It is an ideal arrangement, and one you can get involved in with a minimal investment.
Thanks to major breakthroughs in computer and satellite technology, anybody can get their own home shopping show in front of millions of viewers
for as little as $400 per year. And by offering the right products to the right audience, that $400 investment in airtime, can return thousands of dollars
in profit - per hour - all with minimal risk.
Along with the cable companies, about 14 million US consumers tuned into the satellite signals with their home earth
stations and watch the 115+ channels of programming. Reaching these consumers, typically affluent homeowners, is the
path to prosperity with your own home shopping show.
And, the good news is that you dont have to be a big company to buy time on the satellites. Anyone can do it. No special licenses are required.
And with satellite airtime costing as little as $400 an hour, its a real bargain. Especially when you consider the size of the market you can reach with
a satellite delivered program.
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So, when the other home shopping shows are selling fake jewelry, power tools, and plastic seesaws, you should be offering something else. High
dollar collectible and special interest items; baseball earth, rare and unusual coins, rare books & old newspapers, even used Rolex watches these
are the kind of things that will raise viewer curiosity (youve got to keep them watching) and stimulate sales.
Once youve settled on the kind of products youll be selling, your next step will be to set up a means to take and process customer orders. Since all
your orders will come in on the phone youll obviously need phone lines manned by live operators all the time your show is on the air. If you dont
want to miss out an sales, youll need to have enough incoming lines to handle every customer call.
You may wish to contact Bill Myers - Editor, Video Marketing Letter (501) 321-1845
This is page one of a two-page Press Release / article. I wrote this for a specific publication. Notice
how I went to the trouble to make sure everything fit within the restrictions of the magazine size. I
even measured the columns and chose the fonts to match those that the magazine uses. This kind of
article can be worth tens of thousands dollars in free publicity.
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Press Release/Article
Customers will want to pay for their purchases with charge cards, so to stay in business youll have to be able to accept them. If you
dont have a merchant account, youll have to come up with one.
One way to do this and get inventory at the same time is find a local business and offer to sell his inventory on your TV show on a
commission basis. As part of the arrangement, get the business to agree to process all sales through their own charge card merchant
account.
ADVERTISING
When you start most new business venture, you usually have to spend money on advertising to attract customers. Fortunately with your
home shopping show, you wont have to do this. People with satellite dishes watch TV just like most other Americans dowith a
remote control in their hand. They constantly flip through the whole range of channels looking for something different or new. And just
having your show on the satellite will get it seen. And being seen is the key to getting sales.
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Obviously, its better to schedule your show when the largest audience is watching TV, and when you arent competing against blockbuster
TV events. Youll probably want to test different time slots to find the best time for your show.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
The real keys to success in operating your own home shopping show are:
Getting your show on satellite.
Offering products that your viewers want (collectibles are definitely hot).
Being able to take phone orders and process credit card payments.
This is the second page of the Press Release / article. Notice how theres no overt attempt in the
article to promote any specific product or service; just good information that will lead readers to know
more about this opportunity. And thats why its reasonable to have information about my company
and its phone number included at the close of the article.
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Press Release/Article
An Out Of This World Way To Get Your Toaster The Pay For Itself..
Toasters in Space
By Bill Myers
Editor Video Marketing Letter
Look. Up in the sky! Its a bird! Its a plane! No, its, its ... a Toaster
Video Toasters are now up in space. You can find their output riding the birds of technology, TV satellites. Of course, its not too surprising that
Toaster graphics and video effects are being seen by millions of TV viewers worldwide via satellite. More and more mainstream video producers
are using the Toaster every day.
But you may be surprised to learn that a number of Toaster owners who are not affiliated with any network or broadcasting system are using satellites
to broadcast their productions to the world.
A number of Toaster owners are using satellites to broadcast their productions to the world
They have discovered that while it is almost impossible to get an independently produced video aired on the mainstream networks, its easy to get
the same program broadcast to most of North America via satellite.
And its surprisingly cheap. While network time sells for thousands of dollars a minute, prime satellite time sells for as little as $400 per hour, and
by selecting the right satellite, you can get a piggyback ride on most cable systems and reach as many as 60 million viewers.
What most people dont know is that anybody can buy time on the satellites. Its cheap, and a number of
guerilla video
Producers (independents and entrepreneurs) are using this
Space-age technology to reach the mass consumer markets
Mega corporations such as RCA, Hughes, and GE, who invest millions to put these things in orbit, own the satellites. Once they get them in space,
they rent time on them to anyone willing to pay the price. And depending on the demand, the price varies. Today, there is an overabundance of
satellites. So transponder time is cheap. Real cheap. You can buy an hour of time on satellite Westar IV for $400. And you can use that hour to
broadcast just about anything, music videos, news, variety hours, navel tapes, even home shopping shows. And anything you broadcast can reach an
audience of 15 million people.
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be sure that the time slot you choose works for both East and West coasts. (Remember that while 8:00 PM EST may appeal to you, most of your
California viewers will be snack in rush hour traffic at that time, unable to watch TV.)
What to Uplink?
So, what are people uplinking? Some, like Shaun Kenny of North Branch, New Jersey, create and uplink their own Home Shopping Show. Shauns
two hour show airs four times each week. On it he sells everything imaginable, including lots of used and one of a kind items (one night he sold a
Corvette). People do watch and buy. Sometimes as much as $25,000 worth of products are sold per show. Thats not bad for a $400 investment.
Shaun produces his show with an Amiga and camcorders.
In addition to Shauns show (he calls it Greensheet), there are a number of other Amiga produced home shopping shows up on the birds. One sells
nothing but baseball cards. Another sells antique watches and pre-owned Rolexs. Others sell computer and video equipment.. The one thing they
all have in common (other than the Amiga graphics) is that they make money.
And considering the costs involved it is not surprising for someone with an Amiga computer, a camcorder and a 314 deck, the costs to produce a
one-hour home shopping show are limited to the price of the blank tape, the labor to produce the graphics and $400 for the uplink time. With this
minimal overhead and a potential audience in the millions, it doesnt take much to break even. And just a few sales can make the shows quite
profitable.
The Amiga and the Toaster has given us the tools to produce video. And easy access to satellite TV deli very gives us a way to get our videos
in front of the masses.
The Antique & Collectible car show put together and uplinked by Harold Wesley of Lubbock, Texas, is a good example of this type of production.
Harold contacted the owners of collectible cars and offered them the opportunity to feature their car on nationally broadcast satellite TV for $50 for
a thirty second spot. The price included Amiga graphics identifying the car, the selling price, and the phone number of the owner.
In addition to contacting car owners, he also contacted large antique car dealers, and offered them the same deal. The response has been quite good.
The first show had over 40 paid ads, and its been growing each week
To create the ads, Harold uses an Amiga computer with a Toaster, a WJAVE-5 mixer from Panasonle, and a Canon HIS camcorder. He focuses the
camera on a still photograph of the car, freezes the image with the mixer, and adds the graphic. Then he freezes another image with the mixer, and
dissolves between the two. This process is repeated with each new ad. Harold says it takes about three minutes to produce a thirty-second video
want ad this way.
This is the second page of a Press Release article. Again notice how this page appears to be right out
of a magazine. And notice that I dont try to sell anything in the article; but in the last paragraph I
encourage interested readers to contact my company for additional information. Then in the final
block notice howl was able to slip in a real nice plug for the newsletter I was marketing!
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END
This is not a real Press Release. But it produced real results. We were trying to get the city to clean
up an abandoned house in our neighborhood, but we couldnt get anything done. So I wrote this press
release on the fictional Rat Town and sent copies (with photographs) to the local newspaper, mayors
office and Chamber of Commerce. In less than 72 hours, the site was cleaned up at the request of the
mayor!
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Classified Ads
Classified ads, when used effectively, can be one of the quickest and inexpensive ways to
increase sales and customers. A single well-written classified ad can generate hundreds of thousands in
sales, yet can cost you pennies to run.
Unfortunately, most people dont appreciate the pulling power of classified ads. They think classified
ads are for selling cars, or finding jobs, not for expanding a business. And while its true a classified
ad is a good way to sell a car, or find a job, it is also true that classified ads can be used to launch and
operate multi-million dollar businesses.
In fact, many businesses rely exclusively on these small low cost ads, to generate all their sales. The
reason is simple. Once you have discovered how to harness the power of these ads, you really wont
need to run expensive display ads.
The key point about classified ads is that they are most effective when used as lead generators. In these
ads, you are not trying to convince someone to spend money with you in the ad. Instead, youre trying
to identify a potential customer by having that customer contact you as a result of the ad. Once
potential customers have identified themselves, you follow up with your direct mail offer for the
product or service you want to sell.
Writing an effective classified ad is one of the most exacting forms of copywriting. With twenty words
or less you have to say something that will cause potential customers to call you. And you cant rely on
eye-catching illustrations or professional layouts to catch the readers attention. Its all in the wording.
Heres what we do when we need to write a classified ad that really works.
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1.
Define what we want the ad to accomplish. Do we want the customer to read the ad and smile?
Or, do we want him to read the ad and call us? (In most cases we want the customer to call us
immediately upon reading the ad.)
2.
Define the profile of the person most likely to purchase our product or service. (Is it a man or
woman, young or old, rich or poor?) If you cant identify with whom you are going to sell a product
to, its almost impossible to write an ad that will get theft attention.
3.
With the most likely customer profile developed in step two, you should list the hot buttons,
those words, ideas, and concepts most likely to gain the immediate attention of anyone in the
profile group. These hot buttons might be phrases like work at home, financial freedom, overnight
weight loss, immediate loans or overseas jobs.
4.
Using the list of hot buttons we came up with in step three, we should see how we can weave them
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into a 20 word or less ad that accomplishes the goal we set in step one. When writing the ad, the
first three words are extremely important and must be selected with purpose. They should call out
to our potential customers.
5.
If our goal is to get the reader to identify himself to us as a potential customer we should offer free
additional information. This way we get the customer to call us and give us theft name so we can
send them something. We normally do this by saying, For Free Information Packet call 1-xxxxxx-xxxx.
6.
After the ad is written to our satisfaction, we search out a number of highly targeted newsletters and
magazines that our customers read. Then we find the ones with the least amount of classified ads,
and run our test ads there. We always avoid general interest publications. The ad rates are too
expensive and the response too small.
7.
Before the ads appear we develop our ad response pack. This is the free information that people
who see the ad will be calling about. And it is this response pack that will generate the sale.
Obviously having a good response pack is critical to the success of the project.
8.
When the ads appear, we keep track of the total number of inquiries for each ad, from each publication.
This lets us know which ad works best, and which publication pulls best. We use this information
when we roll the ad out on a wider scale.
One final point. The success of a classified ad is determined by the number of responses to the ad, not the
number of sales. Sales are related to the follow-up effort, the response pack, not the lead generating
classified ad. Generally if you get five or more responses to a low cost classified, you are on the right
track.
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Classified Ad
SATELLITE SCRAMBLING got you down?
We have the solution! Call 1-501-321-1845 for FREE Information
This is one of the best pulling classified ads we ever used. The ad is very short and simple, but it immediately attracts the attention of the people we wantedsatellite dish owners. Because this ad is only 14
words long, we could afford to run it in 20 publications at an avenge cost of $37 per ad insertion.
One of the reasons the ad was so successful is that we built a lot of curiosity by not revealing the
product in the ad. When people called in response to the ad, we told them wed be happy to send them
complete information at no charge. The material we sent them included a newsletter reporting on little
known devices being used in the satellite underground to de-scramble TV signals. We were selling
subscriptions to that newsletter, and sold over 4,000 using ads like this!
Simple Classified Ad
Earn $1,200 a week with your Camcorder
Call 1-501-321-1845 for FREE details.
Another simple classified that works. Just 12 words yet it grabs the attention of people we want.
Again, notice we arent trying to sell anything in the ad, all we want is people to call and give us
their names and addresses. Once we have their name, we follow up with a response pack.
The beauty of this ad is that it will work for almost any income opportunity; just change two words
(the amount that can be earned and the way to earn it), and you have a new ad.
Because these ads have so few words, we can afford to run them in several different publications.
These ads pay for themselves with just one order a month.
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Classified Ad
Earn $600 a week with your Computer
Call 1-501-321-1845 for FREE Details.
Another simple 12 word classified ad that really works. Notice how the earnings are broken down by
week instead of year? This is done on purpose because potential customers are more interested in what
they can earn next week rather than next year.
Also notice that all three of these ads use the word FREE. This is one of the most powerful words
you can use in a classified ad. Other powerful words are EASY, HOW TO, NEW, NOW and
CALL.
When writing your ad remember to keep it simple and easy to understand. Long classified ads usually
dont work, and cost much more to run.
Classified Ad
Open Your Own Army Surplus Store
Earn thousands
Call for FREE Information -- 1-501-321-1845
We ran the above ad in Soldier of Fortune, American Survival Guide, and Shot Gun News with excellent results. We were selling a how-to book for $60 to a very specific market and we were able to reach
this market very inexpensively with this classified ad.
When people called about the ad, we got their name and address and sent them our response back,
which generated the sale. This product sold well until we retired it.
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Classified Ad
ARE YOU EARNING $250,000 A YEAR? If not,
you should be reading The Video Marketing Letter.
Call 1-501-321-1845 for FREE sample.
In many magazines you can buy classified ads by the column inch. Doing it this way allows you to use
graphics, borders and special fonts in your ad. All this can make your ad really stand out, especially if
you are the only advertiser doing this.
The above classified ad is designated to fit in a one column inch. We run it in several different
professional video magazines and consistently generate about ten times its cost in sales. We run it with
the bold border around the ad, and the bold headline to attract attention. And it works.
When we run ads like this we set them up to run on a til forbid basis. Which means the magazine
gives us their best rate and will run the ads forever, unless we tell them otherwise.
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Classified Ad
This is an ad we ran in the classified section of our local newspaper when we wanted to sell
our house. Because we wanted our ad to get noticed, we purchased four column inches for
this ad, and created something that would attract attention. Many real estate agents said we
were wasting our time doing something like this, but this ad generated over 60 inquiries about
the property being sold.
Once youve learned the power of running classified ads you should hesitate to use what you
learned to help you in your personal dealings.
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Display Ads
The
Display ad is the sexy side of the written word, and is the area most businesses look to rapidly
increase sales. When developed with care and used with caution, a display ad can be highly effective.
However, running expensive display ads is extremely risky and more often than not, they do not recover
their costs.
Of course most people who sell these ads wont tell you this. Instead theyll tell you about their large
readership, and how if just a small percentage of their readers respond to your ad, youll get rich. It
just makes sense. Run a big ad, make a lot of sales, and get rich.
Except it doesnt usually work that way. What happens is you pay big bucks for a big ad, and when it
rims, nothing happens. No orders, no calls. And youre out the entire amount you paid for your ad with
nothing to show for it.
Most people who havent run a large display ad simply dont believe this can happen. They cant
conceive that they wont get a response from a large ad. But I can tell you from personal experience it
happens. A lot more often than anyone selling these ads wants you to know.
For this reason I strongly recommend that anyone thinking about buying an expensive cbs-play ad
should consider the risk. If you cant afford to lose everything you invest in the ad, dont do it. In most
cases, a simple press release will be more effective (and quite a bit less expensive) than a large display
ad.
Its true that we have had considerable success with some of our full-page display ads, but after several
early failures we set up some guidelines to follow when running these ads. These guidelines are:
1.
We always test ads in low cost publications. Rarely do we ever pay more than $300 for a full-page
act even in national publications.
2. Our full-page ads are always run in highly targeted, limited circulation publications. We only run
ads in places that we know our customers will see.
3. We always run a break-even analysis before we place an ad so we know for sure exactly how many
sales well need just to pay for the ad. If the numbers indicate well need more than five sales, we
dont run the ad.
4. We always create the ads ourselves. That way we have absolute control over the content, the
structure of the offer, and exact wording. It does make a difference.
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5. We always request specific ad placement in the magazine or newsletter. We usually request a right
hand page in the back two thirds of the magazine. Never let a magazine decide where they theyll
place your ad.
6. We always negotiate the price of the ad. Usually we pay about 45% of the printed rate card rate
(and sometimes we pay much less than that).
By following these guidelines we are able to reduce our exposure to financial loss on display ads in
magazines. If the ad fails to work, we still lose money and momentum, but not near as much if we had
blindly run expensive ads.
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Display Ads
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Display Ads
River Front Farm with Crystals, Indian Artifacts & Lots of Privacy
General Description:
Secluded river front farm adjoining Hot Springs village with ultra modern 1,800 square foot
Three bedrooms, 2 bath home.
Custom built, intelligently designed, super energy efficient home features cathedral ceilings with
massive wooden beams, wall to wall carpet, central heat & air, ceiling fans in every room, plus whole
house fan.
Home opens onto 48 foot long glassed in deck with hot tub and exercise facilities.
Additional larger sun & entertaining deck for enjoying the outdoors.
Home was custom built for well-known author/video producer as retreat and has all the amenities
including satellite system and Sony big screen TV.
The house was designed to withstand earthquakes (and just about anything else), and still be virtually
maintenance free.
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Backup heating and water systems make house livable under almost any condition.
Pantry large enough to keep two year supply of food.
Home and surrounding area professionally landscaped.
This is a real showplace.
Additional Buildings:
Location
This property adjoins the north side of Hot Springs Village and is less than seven miles off of
scenic Highway 7 North.
The commute distance to downtown Hot Springs is 22 miles.
The nearest major shopping facility is 8 miles away.
Located in Jessieville school district.
Price - $118,000 (some owner financing is possible)
For more information about this property or to arrange a private tour, call Charlotte Hitchens at
624-4141.
R5-4#11 Real Estate sales of star route 10, Box 353, Hwy 7 north Hot Springs Village,
Arkansas 71909 Office 501-922-3633/624-4141 or 1-800-364-9007
This is a full-page display ad we created to help sell our home. We ran this ad on the back cover of
the local Homes Gallery Real Estate magazine for a cost of $180. Within 14 days of the ads release,
our real estate agent received over 160 calls, had qualified 60 people, showed the property to 16, and
had four bona fide offers. We sold the property for exactly what we wanted.
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Display Ads
Revealed at last in a blockbuster Video
(Knowing this can save your life or keep your dream from going up in
smoke.)
Do you know which floor plans are in the most demand? (And which
floor plans you should always avoid?)
Getting Financing
Do you know the best place to look if you need financing to buy your dream
RV? (Most RI owners get their financing this way.)
Do you know which make of RV is the easiest to get financing for? (This
can make a major difference when on apply for your loan.)
Do you know the quickest and easiest way to get financing on any RV?
(This will surprise you and most everyone qualifies.)
All this information and more is covered in The Insiders Guide to
Buying Your Dream RV, a one-hour VHS videotape produced by a
professional RV buyer. Youll be amazed as what you see, and youll learn
how to get the RV of your dreams without getting stuck with an overpriced
lemon.
The Insiders Guide to Buying Your Dream RV videotape is priced at $69.95
and can save you thousands on your next RV purchase.
WARNING:
If you are even thinking of buying a new or used RV, you owe to yourself to
view this tape first. It will make your dream possible, and save you thousands
of dollars in the process.
For more information or to place an order call:
1-501-321-1845 or write
RV Research
321 Quachita Avenue Hot Springs, AR 71901
Money back guarantee if not satisfied.
MasterCard, check or money order accepted
P.S. This video covers trailers, tent trailers, motor homes and fifth
wheels.
We created this display ad for a friend. He was able to buy a full-page ad in the RV Trader magazine
for under $300, and the ad quickly paid for itself. The key to success with ads like this is to run them
in places that are extremely affordable and reach the right market It would not be cost effective to run
an ad like this if it cost more than $500 to run.
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Display Ads
Americas Leading Equine Veterinary Specialist
Reveals
Full-page ads like this are fun to create, but are risky to run. This ad was effective but because it was
run in a publication where ads like this cost a lot, it was not profitable enough to continue. The same
ad run in lower cost publications was profitable. (Donkey Ad)
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Display Ads
The Guerilla Video that could save your
life during the turbulent times ahead...
Plus...
Includes 10 Lists
That May Save Your Life
1. Ten most dangerous places to live
during the social unrest sure to follow
a system collapse.
2. Ten best places to live before chaos
breaks out.
3. Four cars you dont want to drive dining
the tough times ahead.
4. Seven items used as currency in most
black market economies and why you
will want to store them now.
5. Five important books that you dont
want to be without during bard times.
This ad is typical of the kind we like to write. The controversial nature of the subject of the ad really
draws attention. And the layout of the ad makes it easy to read. We used several strong typesetting
elements in this ad that improve its performance; strong headline, many bullets, testimonial type
quotes, intriguing subheads, and high price. (Personal Survival)
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Display Ads
The Video that can change your life and help you fulfill your
dreams
The Women s Guide
to Marrying for Money
GRAPHIC
SHOWN
HERE
An entertaining and educational discussion of a subject they dont teach you in school.
Based entirely on facts designed to greatly increase your chances of finding Mr. Right includes
all the necessary steps youll want to know if you are sincere about your goal.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Ten cities where your chances of meeting wealthy men are the highest.
2.
Five places to work where you hive the best chances of meeting wealthy men.
3.
Six hobbies that almost guarantee that youll meet single wealthy men.
4.
Five basic signs that a man is single, wealthy and looking for you.
5.
Four best places to spend your leisure time in search of Mr. Right
If you compare this ad to the one on the previous page, youll notice the format is almost exactly the
same. Once we create an ad that works, we try to incorporate the same typesetting elements in other
ads. An ad like this can be profitably run in any low cost publication because the controversial nature
of the product always generates curiosity buyers. However, some publications wont run ads like
these.
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Display Ads
New Book of Letters Gives
Small Businesses Unfair Advantage
If you own a small business (or are planning to start one), heres how to get the unfair advantage you need to win
new customers and successfully compete with any business in any marketplace!
While so many other businesses are wringing their hands over the
economic-slowdown, a few have discovered a way to continue to
make good money, even in these tough days. What is their secret?
Developing a good relationship with their customers, suppliers, and
business contacts.
While this may sound like just good common sense, most small business
owners just dont have the time to write the continual stream of direct
snail letters, press releases, classified and display ads, post cards,
TV commercials, advertising response packs, and other written
materials that developing and sustaining a good relationship demands.
And thats a shame, because.
Its through these letters, ads, press releases and general
correspondence that a small business can establish itself with
customers, and successfully compete with any size business in almost
any marketplace, no matter what product or service us being sold!
Having this remarkable resource is like owning the Goose that laid the
Golden Egg. Anytime you need a direct mail letter, an ad, a rate sheet, or
even day-to-day correspondence, you look in your copy of the Unfair
Advantage Latter Book and find what you need. Its like having an expert
there in your office with you to help get the job done! You dont spend
time reinventing the wheel. And thats your unfair advantage.
Imagine having at your fingertips over ISO pages of examples of direct
mall copy that really works! And everything is indexed for quick and
easy reference! Some of the jewels youll find in this book include..
-
A letter that sold over $25,060 in products in the first 30 days it was
mailed! And over $50,000 in 60 days. Plus the two blow up letters
that went on to generate a further $50,000 from the same list.
Orders for classified ads, including the ads themselves and the
rates paid. (Use these letters when you place classified ads
in different publications.)
Youll find all this and a lot more. Plus authors notes on how to get the
best out of each letter, with tips on layout and design. This is one of
those real treasures no small business should be without!
1-501-321-1845
Croon 14 PM,
321 Oumebita Avenue
Hot Springs, AR 71901
This is the full page display ad we developed for the book youre reading right now. The ad includes
all the elements you should include in any adstrong headline, bullets, subheads, bolded words,
and order information. The only thing we didnt include was a photo, and we will be testing that out in
the future.
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Display Ads
Get Paid to Surround Yourself with Beautiful Women
How to Start and Earn Big Bucks with Your Own Talent Agency
Imagine having hundreds of beautified young women paying you
to rake their pictures, and then paying you again to find them jobs in TV
commercials as extras for motion pictures and photo shoots!!!
By Ron Beemnan
Respected Talent Agent, Industry Insider
If you are looking for a business opportunity that will surround you with beautiful women as well as
make you money, then your ship has finally come in. One of the most exciting new business
opportunities unfolding throughout the country is that of becoming a professional talent agent for
aspiring actresses and models.
While the income earned from a Talent Agency can easily exceed $100,000 a year, the start-up costs
usually are less than $1,000, and best of all, no experience is necessary. You just have to like
talking to, photographing, and helping beautiful women.
New Faces and Figures
Hollywood professionals and TV producers are always on the lookout for fresh new faces to use in
their movies and commercials. Amateur models discovered by consultants have starred in major
video productions, auditioned for prime time TV, and have appeared in fashion, photography,
and promotional assignments too numerous to mention. Each time a model is used, the agent
who located the model gets a cut of the modeling fee - sometimes as high as 70%!
All over the country fresh young faces are desperately looking for agents to help them get their
modeling career started. And in most areas, professional agents have alt the work they can handle.
Most are so busy they dont accept new clients, which means its almost impossible for inexperienced
talent to get a foot in the door. Thats where you come; by offering new talent a way to get a break. By
allowing beautiful people to pay you to help them get their career off the ground, and by being a friend
and an advisor to budding starlets.
Becoming A Body Hunter For Profit
One of your main duties as a talent agent is scouting agent looking for beautiful and interesting people
who might have the potential to appear on TV or in magazine ads, or even in the movies.
As you can imagine, its not too hard to find people eager to break into the modeling and acting
business. Once they learn you are a talent scout, theyll beg you to take their pictures and try to find
them work. And they are willing to pay you to do it for them.
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You can get everything you need to get into this most exciting business including The Insiders Guide
to Starting and Earning Big Bucks With Your Own Talent Agency, for just $89.95. Call 1-501321-INS today, use your Visa, MasterCard, or American Express, and well rush everything to
you (personal checks and UPS COD OK).
Studio B Productions
321 Cuachila Avenue
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1401421-lea
Money back guarantee - If not satisfied Visa/MasterCard/check
or money order accepted - UPS COD available in some areas.
You must be at least 18 to order this product!
This is another one of our controversial attention getting full-page ads. This ad is clearly written for a
specific type of person reading a specific kind of magazine. By placing the ad in publications that
reach our audience and charge low per page rates, this ad can be consistently profitable. Please note
- we wrote this ad as a favor for a friend, our company doesnt sell products like this one.
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Display Ads
Sometimes its just too expensive to run a display ad, but you still want to reach readers of a particular
magazine with more than just a classified. In those cases, you may want to consider 1/3, 1/6, or 1/9
page ads. Heres a 1I6 page ad we ran in VideoMaker magazine. This ad was profitable but was not a
good ad. We did not provide customers with a reason to buy.
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Display Ads
Heres another 1/6 page display ad we ran in VideoMaker. This ad was much more effective than the
one shown on the previous page. We changed the headline, provided detailed benefits of owning
each product, and offered a money back guarantee. This ad outpolled the earlier ad 10 to 1 even
though it was for the same products and ran in the same magazine.
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Display Ads
Videos desired to show you how to set up your own low-cost desktop video produced by real purple using
desktop video in the real world. Video Marketing Letter DTV#4 - Desktop Video & the Amiga - A handson guide to setting up your own desktop video system using the Amiga computer. Covers equipment
selection, demonstrations of the best software, studio design, and lots of practical advice on getting the
most for your money while avoiding costly mistakes. Two hours. $30.00.
DTV#7-Desktop Video & the IBM. Finally, a tape that shows you how you can use your IBM or compatible
computer for the creation of Desktop videos. This tape covers low cost genlock (to key graphics), ROB
encoding, creating title graphics & animation, studio design and equipment configuration. One hour
$3000.
DiV#5 - Desktop Video for Profit. A guerilla video that shows you how to earn thousands from your DiV
productions. Includes how to find dents, how much to charge, how to research a project, type of videos to
produce, where to sell your videos, and much more. Two hours. $30.00.
* SPECIAL BONUS * Order two tapes for $50 and receive six months of the Video Marketing Letter
FREE.
FREE Desktop Video Hotline
Answers to your technical questions
1-501-321-1429 weekdays
Call for more information and your free sample of the Video Marketing Letter. We offer a money back
guarantee & accept Visa, MC, checks & UPS COD - Next Day Air available.
This is a one-third-page ad for the same products featured in the one-sixth-page on the previous page.
When we ran this ad we got more calls but about the same number of orders that we had received
from the 116 page ad. The ad attracted more attention and created more interest (which is good) but
was not as profitable as a one-sixth-page ad. An ad like this costs almost $1,000 to run (one time). It
required 50 sales just to break even!
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Last year (1991) Americans spent almost half a Trillion Dollars (490 Billion) on products and
services sold via the mails. This means that one out of every four dollars spent by American consumers
last year went to products sold via sales letters sent through the mail. And this year (1992) while retail
sales are hurting due to the extended economic downturn, mail order sales continue to be strong.
The use of a direct mail sales letter is one of the most powerful ways a business can almost immediately
increase its sales. A major advantage of selling through the mail is that, in most cases, there is less than
a ten day turn-around from the time a Sales letter is mailed, and the customer makes the purchase. This
means a business can raise huge sums of cash in just a few days by sending the right sales letter to the
right mailing list.
Most direct mail letters can be used also as response packs for classified ads. After developing a
response pack for a very successful classified ad we were running, we covered that our response pack
letter could be mailed by itself to selected lists with impressive results.
Getting started with a direct mail letter project is easy and relatively inexpensive. Taking into account
printing costs, envelopes, and stamps, it costs under $500 to mail one thousand letters. And if those
letters are for the right product with the right profit margin, the effort can be quite profitable.
The key to success in direct mail is...
1. Finding the right market to sell a product to, and
2. Finding the right product to sell to people in the market you have selected.
Experts tell us that while the letter itself is important, having the right product for the right market is
most important. If you have the right product, and offer it to the right market, you can be successful
with a mediocre letter. But if you have the wrong product, or offer the right product to the wrong
market, even the best copywriter in the world cant write a Sales letter that will make the project a
success.
With that in mind, we always use the following guidelines when we begin to develop a direct mail offer.
1.
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still on them (you cant sell to people who dont have money).
C. Finding people who have recently purchased through the mail something similar to what we
want to sell.
D. Finding a current mailing list for people identified in A, B, and C above.
2. Find the right product. To us that means:
A. A product that is unique and not readily available from other sources. (We dont want to have
to compete with Wal-Mart.)
B. A product that has a favorable price to cost ratio. (It must be profitable for us to sell.)
C. A product that is shippable.
D. Most important - a product that the people in our target market want.
3. Create the right offer and deliver it correctly. Which means:
A. Developing the offer with the target market in mind.
B. Taking steps to build credibility in the offer and product
C. Providing the customer every opportunity and reason to purchase from us.
D. Delivering the offer in such a manner that it will get read and opened.
And while all this may seem like a lot of work, doing it right really can pay off big. Some of our direct
mail letters return $20 for every dollar we invest. And they do that in 14 days or less! Just one major
success in direct mail is all you need to become wealthy. And even moderate success can be quite
profitable.
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But I decided to see for myself. While he busied himself with another customer, I pulled out my Gold
Tester and did a reading on the ring. And in just a few seconds I discovered the seller had no idea what
he had. Because...
The ring tested 141C, and the Panda coin set in it tested above 18k!
With difficulty, I contained my excitement and made an offer of $17.50 for the ring. And the dealer,
sure that he was getting the best of me, accepted my offer!
I couldnt wait to take the ring to a jeweler to get an appraisal. When I showed it to the jeweler he
confirmed that the Gold Tester had been right. The ring was 14 karat and the Panda coin in it solid
gold. And best of all, it appraised at $500!
Now my wife and I take the Tester out every weekend on what we call our Treasure Hunts. And at the
rate were going, well soon have enough to put our kids through college. But make no mistake about
it, even though its simple enough for a child to use, the Gold Tester is no toy.
A product of the space age, the Tester is small enough to tuck into your shirt pocket, yet it is packed
with highly advanced solid-state circuitry making it extremely reliable and durable. and as tough as any
pocket calculator and its reliability is one reason it is used by thousands of professional jewelers across
the country.
Free Gold!
When you get your hands on your own Gold Tester the first thing youre going to want to do is start
testing and grading samples of different metals. So, along with the patented Gold Tester, you get two
identical-looking gold rings. One is pure, 100% Urithiam gold (like Hanks wifes ring). The other is
genuine 10k gold.
You probably wont be able to tell them apart. Most people cant. In fact, most people think the fake
ring is real. But when you test them with the Gold Tester youll know the truth. And youll discover
how important it is to have the ability to test gold yourself (so you dont get burned like Hank).
Of course, theres a lot more to buying, owning and selling gold than being able to quickly tell the
difference between real gold and cheap gold colored metal. Thats why, along with the Gold Tester and
the FREE gold rings, you also get three of the best Gold Prospecting Tools weve ever seen. These
three tools were originally developed for an investment seminar, where attendees paid hundreds of
dollars to receive this kind of information.
But theyre yours absolutely free when you order your Gold Tester. Heres what youll get...
-
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FREE TOOL#1 - The ArtofRuving Gold videotape. In this amazing video youll see how to use the
Gold Tester to your fullest advantage. Youll learn how to test different items including rings,
watches, bracelets, and coins. Plus youll get the inside scoop on the best places to look for those
hidden golden treasures.
FREE TOOL #2- The Golden Rule. This handy pocket-sized card shows you exactly what the
melt value of any piece of gold is - no matter what the market price of gold is. Youll know how
to figure the value of 10k, 12k, 14k, 18k, even 24k gold items. And you wont need a computer to
do it. The golden rule does the work for you.
FREE TOOL #3- Golden Fleeces. Please be forewarned - you may be upset when you read this
report. Youll learn about different gold scams people are using to pawn off fake gold coins, gold
Unfair Advantage
bars and gold jewelry to unsuspecting consumers. After reading this report, youll know why
having a Gold Tester is one of the best investments you can make.
These valuable tools show you the real way to make money with gold, and they show you how not to
lose your shirt in the process. And all of these tools are yours free when you order your own Gold
Tester.
Not All That Glitters Is Gold
Gary had paid $10,000 for the watch. It was a Rolex Presidential day-date perpetual oyster watch with
an 18k gold case and band. And when he found out I was carrying my Gold Tester he nervously came
over to me and asked me to test his watch.
I could tell he was worried. He had purchased the watch on pure faith. He had no way to know
whether it was real gold or not. And now he was going to get the truth.
He took a deep breath when I touched the Tester to the case of the watch. And thats when Gary
relaxed, because the Tester indicated 18k or more. And then we tested the band, and got the same
result, 18k or more. The Tester proved it. The $10,000 Rolex was real. And Gary could sleep a little
better knowing that the $10,000 he had invested in the watch was for the real McCoy.
What Would You Pay to Protect Your Lifes Savings?
It has happened, you know. People have lost their entire life savings to unscrupulous gold or jewelry
dealers.
Im not saying it will happen to you, but isnt the peace of mind this Tester brings (not to mention the
free gold and free Gold Prospecting Tools) well worth the special introductory price for only $38?
Better Than Risk-Free Guarantee
The Gold Tester is designed to remove risk from your life; not add more. So were offering this unique,
better than risk-free guarantee.
If youre not satisfied with your Gold Tester simply return it and your payment will be promptly and
courteously refunded.
However even if you decide to return the Tester, the FREE gold rings and the FREE gold prospecting
tools (the video tape, the Golden Ride, and the Golden Fleeces report) are yours to keep as our way of
saying thanks for trying the Gold Tester.
So you see, you cant lose if you take advantage of this offer - you can only come out ahead. The only
way you can lose is by w ordering, and continuing to put yourself at risk every time you purchase gold.
Order now, and put your mind at ease (and maybe your kid through college!). And remember, when
you order youll receive:
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The Professional Pocket Size Gold Tester with all accessories (rechargeable batteries, battery
recharger, carrying case) with full warranty
The Art of Buying Gold video tape
Unfair Advantage
Yes, you get all of this, along with a no-risk, money-back guarantee for only $389. To get your Gold
Tester today, use the enclosed order form, or for even faster service call toll-free 1-800-247-5188 and
use your Visa, MasterCard or American Express card. And yes, Rush delivery is available upon
request
You really have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S. Frankly, jewelers are not at all happy about our offering this device to the general public. They
have a lot of pull with our supplier and there is a very real danger of our supply of these devices
being cut off at any time. If you are interested, I urge you to call 1-800-247-5188.
PPS Remember, the FREE gold rings and FREE Gold Prospecting Tools are yours to keep even if
you return the Tester.
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1. Weak or confusing headline that did not compel the recipient to read the rest of the letter.
2. Too much text, which discouraged recipients from reading letter and also limited our typesetting
options.
3. Too small letter font which made it difficult for some recipients to read.
4. Not enough margins (not enough white space) which made letter look uninviting.
5. Not enough emphasis on the elements of the offer.
One of the good things about a direct mail letter is that it is easy to change the letter between mailings.
We usually print and test 2,000 letters and based on the results, make our changes. And then we test the
changes against the original letter. The one that pulls best is the winner.
Anyway, we made changes and you can see them in the next letter.
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you think about it. But thats just a small part of the story.
These old watches have a tremendous nostalgic appeal. They were worn in the trenches of World War
One, on the streets during the Great Depression, in the skies over World War Two, and sometimes, by
spies dining the Cold War. These watches were there when history was made.
Maybe you remember the pocket watch your grandfather carried? Or the favorite wristwatch your
father wore? These watches went with them everywhere; to work, to church, and, yes, sometimes to
war. Having one of these old watches and thinking about all the places it has been is part of the fun of
collecting these things, and another reason, more and more people are getting into watches.
But its not just limited to this country. All over the world the value of a good watch is
recognized. Whether you are a farmer, a sailor, a businessman or an astronaut, a good
dependable watch is absolutely necessary for success. Maybe thats one reason watches have
become the traditional symbol of success or achievement throughout the world. The giving of a
fine watch upon graduation, promotion, or retirement has reached almost ceremonial status in
many cultures (including ours), and with good reason. A watch can be worn as a trophy; to
show accomplishment. This is a fun part of collecting old watches; they can be worn. Unlike
most works of art, or collectibles, watches serve a purpose. They are precision timekeepers
designed to be carried daily, which means you dont have to lock them away in a vault. You can
wear them. They are built to withstand enormous abuse and shock, even submersion in the
depths of the ocean. Yes...
But even all this doesnt explain why watch brokers worldwide would be willing to pay $3,000 to
$300,000 for these old watches. There is another reason. And that reason is...
Greed
Yep, plain and simple greed. See, over the last few years the market value of old wrist and pocket
watches has skyrocketed. Thousands of new (and quite serious) investors are seeing the potential for
huge gains in the collectible watch market. Theyve seen prices for the finest of these watches double,
and in many cases, triple over the past two years. And, even more spectacular, prices of some of the
more common watches are showing fivefold increases in prices. And that, my friend, has investors
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(and as someone looking for a hedge against inflation). Anyway, I place ads in the local papers around
here (like the ad you see on page one of this letter), and people call me with watches for sale. These
ads work quite well. I get a lot of calls, and I buy a lot of watches.
In just the past few days Ive purchased ten great watches. Among them a Lord Elgin Automatic (worth
about $300), a Vulcain Grand Prix Alarm watch (worth over $300), a fine Omega Seamaster Deville
(worth over $400), and a nice Girard Perregaux Gyromatic (worth about $400). These are all great
watches. But what I really like is...
How to quickly identify a collectible watch, and how to know what to pay for a.
How to tell how much gold is in a watch, and what that gold is worth to you.
How and where to find the best buys on collectible watches (youll be surprised).
How to tell the difference between a collectible watch and a modern reproduction.
How we are able to buy watches for as little as 10% of their market value (and why people are so
happy to sell them to us at those prices).
What to look for when buying watches for resale or as a hedge against inflation.
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What kind of watches youll never want to buy as an investment and why.
How to sell any watch you buy for instant CASH and where to find ready buyers.
The strategy we use to triple our money on every watch we buy for resale.
As you can see, this tape covers just about everything you need to know to get started. But to get a
good start in this adventure you need a little more. And thats why we include FREE along with the
tape the Complete Price and Identification Guide to Watches. This 890-page book is guide used by
almost everyone in the industry. It has over 2,000 photographs making quick identification of any wrist
or pocket watch a snap, and with each watch it shows current (1992) market prices. Weve looked at a
lot of watch books, and this is the only one to have.
Along with the tape and the book, I also include my Confidential List of Watch Buyers, a phone
directory of watch brokers desperately trying to fill the buy orders placed by international investors.
This list can be your map to the bank when you want to sell a watch for instant cash. Of course, you
may not want to sell to brokers at all. There are better ways to get top dollar for your watches, and I
cover these techniques on the tape.
Another thing I include is my Watch Buyers Crib Card. It looks like a regular business card, but it is
my secret weapon when buying watches. See, on this little card Ive printed a list of the watches most
people consider collectible, and when Im out at a yard sale or flea market and see a watch, I can pull
out my card and check to see if its worth buying. This thing has been real useful in sorting out the
junk from the treasures, and if youre going to get into this, youll want a copy of this card.
OK.
Heres the good part. You can get everything Ive mentioned, including the Introduction to
Collecting and Investing in Watches video tape, the Complete Price and Identification Guide to
Watches book, our Confidential List of Watch Buyers, and the Watch Buyers Crib Card for just
$89.95. And that price includes UPS shipping costs.
Thats right. You can have this complete package shipped your way today for just $89.95 by calling 1800-247-5188 and using your Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Next day delivery is also
available, and if you like, you can order UPS COD. We try to ship every order within 24 hours, and, of
course, your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.
Now think about this for a moment. The next time you wander through a flea market, an antique store
or yard sale, you might discover the watch shown on the front of this letter, the one that sold for
$250,000 at auction last year. And with the information in this package, you would instantly recognize
its worth and know how to buy it for a fraction of its true value. Think how much fun and how
profitable that could be.
Its easy to start the fun. Just call 1-800-247-5188 (anytime) and ask for the Collecting Investment
Watches package. Youll be glad you did.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S. As I mentioned in this letter, Im always interested in making offers on any watch you might wish
to sell. If you have something interesting, give me a call at my office (1-501-321-1845).
PPS.
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If you place your order by phone, Ill include a handy pocketsize magnifier perfect for getting a
closer look at all those watches youll find on your next treasure hunt. This is yours FREE
when you order by calling our Toll-Free 24 hour order line, 1-800-247-5188.
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Many of The Most Valuable, Most Sought After Watches Are Still Being Found At Yard
Sales, Flea Markets, Or From Individuals and Can Be Bought For A Fraction of Their
Market Value!
This means that no matter where you live, you can probably go out this weekend, hit a few yard sales,
flea markets, maybe even antique stores, and find valuable collectible watches. Of course, you need to
know which watches to buy. Not all are collectible, and market prices for different watches, range from
under $100 to over $250,000. And for the novice, its almost impossible to tell the difference between
a $25 watch and a $25,000 watch unless you have some kind of identification guide. Fortunately, there
is such a guide. It has pictures of over 2,200 wrist and pocket watches for easy identification and along
with each watch is a description and the current (1992) market value of the watch. Later on in this
letter Im going to show you how to get a copy of it FREE!
But first, lets take a quick look at why prices of vintage wrist and pocket watches are going up so fast
and how you can get a piece of the action.
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platinum. And just about all contain at least seven ruby jewels, some have as many as fifty! All this in
a package small enough to carry in your pocket or wear on your arm! Pretty amazing when you think
about it! But thats just a small part of the story.
These old watches have a tremendous nostalgia appeal. They were worn in the trenches of World War
One, on the streets during the Great Depression, in the skies over World War Two, and sometimes, even
by the spies of the cold war. These watches were there when history was made.
Maybe you remember the pocket watch your grandfather cried or the favorite wristwatch your father
wore? These watches went with them everywhere; to work, to church, and yes, sometimes to war.
Having one of these fine old watches and thinking about all the places it has been is part of the appeal.
And just another reason, more and more people are getting into watches. And it is not just limited to
this country. All over the world the value of a good watch is recognized. Whether you are a farmer, a
sailor, a businessman or an astronaut, a good dependable watch is an absolute necessity. Maybe thats
one reason the giving of a fine watch upon graduation, promotion or retirement has reached almost
ceremonial status in many cultures (including ours). And with good reason - A watch can be worn as a
trophy; to show accomplishment. And, unlike most works of art or collectibles, watches serve a
purpose. They are precision timekeepers, meant to be carried daily. They are built to withstand
enormous abuse and shock, even submersion in the depths of the ocean. Yes...
Greed
Yep, plain and simple greed. See, over the last few years the market value of old wrist and pocket
watches has skyrocketed. Thousands of new (and quite serious) investors are seeing the potential for
huge gains in the collectible watch market. Theyve seen prices for the finest of these watches double,
and in many cases, triple over the past two years. And, even more spectacularly, prices of some of the
more common watches are showing fivefold increases in prices. And that, my friend, has investors
excited (or as my wife Karen puts it Drooling for Profits).
Anyway, this excitement is beginning to drive the market. It may even be the fuel that starts a buying
frenzy, especially at the low end. Older watches sold for $30 last year are bringing $300 to $500 at
collector auctions this year (no telling what theyll bring next year).
With all this going on, its no surprise that investors are swamping watch brokers with standing buy
orders for all the fine collectible watches they can get their greedy little hands on. And its no surprise
that more and more investors are tuning into this market everyday. But there is a problem; a big
problem.
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And watch brokers are in trouble. They cant find the watches they need, which means they cant fill
existing orders. And when they cant fill orders, they cant make money. And since they cant just
order up a supply of fine old collectible watches (remember most of these watches are still hidden away
in dresser drawers, jewelry boxes, or on someones wrist), they find it impossible to keep up with the
demand. And thats one reason watch brokers worldwide are running ads in newspapers, magazines, on
radio, even on TV, trying to buy watches. They need these watches to meet their existing orders, and
they are willing to pay cash to anyone (including you) who can bring them the watches they need. This
means if you find and buy a vintage watch at a flea market for $30, chances are real good you can pick
up a phone and quickly sell it to a watch broker for a huge cash profit. As long as the demand for these
watches stays so much stronger than the supply...
If You Can Learn How To Locate These Valuable Watches and Buy Them Right; You Stand
To Make A Pretty Decent Profit
Of course, there are risks. Buy the wrong watch, or pay too much for any watch and youre in trouble.
But, if you buy the right watches, and you buy them at bargain basement prices, the profit potential is
truly amazing! Watches could be your ultimate hedge against inflation. They might even be your ticket
to a very secure retirement.
Now a little secret - I buy old watches. Not on a grand scale like the major watch brokers, but more as
a local investor looking for a hedge against inflation. Anyway, I place watches wanted ads in the local
papers around her4 and people call me with watches for sale. Frankly, these ads are like panning for
gold. I get a lot of calls, and I buy a lot of watches. And every so often, I hit the mother lode. I buy a
watch for twenty or thirty dollars and find out its worth thousands! Just by keeping my eyes open, Ive
been able to buy $800 and $900 watches for as little as $30. And you can too, especially if you like
roaming antique stores, estate auctions, flea markets and yard sales. Thats where you find the best
deals.
Anyway, just by knowing what to look for and where to look, you too could be buying old watches for
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ten cents on the dollar. And then you could enjoy quick cash profits as you sell them to eager
collectors and watch brokers (like me). But before you can get started making money with watches,
there are a few things you need to know, like which watches to buy, and which watches to avoid. Also,
how to know how much to pay for a watch, when never to buy, regardless of the price, and how to get
people to bring you watches. And surprising places where you can find the most unusual watches at
the best prices. And where and how to sell watches for quick cash, and how never to get burned when
buying watches from total strangers.
To help you get started, Ive put all this information and more in a videotape called Introduction to
Collecting and Investing in Wrist and Pocket Watches. This tape is geared for the beginner and is like
having a quick-start guide to watch collecting. The video shows you:
How to quickly identify a collectible watch, and how to know what to pay for it.
How to tell how much gold is in a watch, and what that gold is worth to you.
How to tell the difference between a collectible watch and a modern reproduction.
How you can buy watches for as little as 10% of their market value (and why people will be so
happy to sell them to you at those prices).
What kind of watches youll never want to buy as an investment and why.
How to sell any watch you buy for instant CASH and where to find ready buyers.
The strategy you can use to triple your money on every watch you buy for resale.
The tape covers just about everything you need to know to get started in this profitable adventure. But,
as I mentioned on page one, to really get started off right, youll need a watch identification and price
guide. So when you get this tape, you also get.
A FREE copy of the Complete Price and Identification Guide to Watches. This is the watch
identification and price guide used by almost everyone in the industry. With over 2,000 photographs in
this book, youll be able to make a quick identification of any wrist or pocket watch and know instantly
the current market price.
Of course, once you start finding valuable watches, youll probably want to find people to sell them to.
You can always call me, but frankly, I only want bargains. To get top prices for your watches, youll
want to sell to watch brokers. And thats why, when you get the tape, youll also get my Confidential
List of Watch Buyers. A phone directory of watch brokers eager to buy vintage wrist and pocket
watches. They can pay you instant cash for your watches.
Another thing you get with the tape is the Watch Buyers Crib Card. It looks like a regular business
card, but it can be your secret weapon when buying watches. When you see it, youll know why.
Anyway, you can get all this, everything Ive mentioned, including the:
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Visa, MasterCard or American Express card. In most cases your order will be on its way within 24
hours, and, of course, your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.
Now think about this for a moment. The next time you wander through a flea market, an antique store
or yard sale, you might discover the watch shown on the front of this letter, the one that sold for
$250,000 at auction last year. And with the information in this package, you would instantly recognize
its worth and know how to buy it for a fraction of its true value. Think how much fun and how
profitable that could be.
Its easy to start the fun. Just call 1-800-247-5188 (anytime) and ask for the Collecting Investment
Watches package. Youll be glad you did.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S. As I mentioned in this letter, Im always interested in making offers on any watch you might wish
to sell. If you have something interesting, give me a call at my office (1-501-321-1845).
PPS If you place your order by phone, Ill include a handy pocketsize magnifier perfect for getting a
closer look at all those watches youll find on your next treasure hunt. This is yours FREE when
you order by calling our Toll-Free 24 hour order line, 1-800-247-5188.
Collectiblewatchinvestment.tif
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Collectible Watch
Investment Package
Please send me the complete Collectible
Watch Investment Package. I understand
this package includes:
City:
State:
Zip:
Daytime Phone:
Includes:
The
The
The
The
PLUS:
If you place your order by phone youll
receive FREE a pocket magnifier. All for
just $89.95 and we pay UPS shipping.
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things. For instance, weve learned that 19 million vehicles on the road need engine work. Many need
complete engines and in these shaky economic times more and more consumers are willing to replace
an engine rather than buy a new car - good news for us - bad news for the car dealers.
But even better news for us is that providing customers what they want, a new or rebuilt engine, we can
make good money, and we dont have much competition. There arent many shops offering customers a
complete engine replacement But you can.
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The answer is easy. Most professional video studios will charge you four to six thousand dollars to put
together a simple 30-second TV commercial. Commercials produced for the national market can cost
hundreds of thousands of dollars to put together. For most entrepreneurs, spending that kind of money
is simply out of the question. So, they dont bother with TV. They suffer because of it. They miss
sales. In too many cases, they simply go out of business. But that doesnt have to happen to you. We
will produce your choice of either a 30 or 60 second TV commercial for your product for a total
finished price of $718.20, and you dont have to pay us until you see and approve the final product.
Thats right. For a total, no-strings-attached price of $718.20, we will produce your 30 or 60-second
broadcast quality TV commercial. You dont have to pay for it until you like it
Heres how it works.
1)
You call us and tell us you want a commercial. Tell us a little about your company and product
and the purpose of the commercial.
2)
Send us a sample of the product and some of the marketing materials you are currently using. We
will use the product sample in the video footage and your marketing materials to develop a script
All materials you supply will be returned to you upon completion of commercial.
3)
We will write a script, record a voice-over, and outline the commercials graphics and video
footage. This will be sent to you for your approval.
4)
With your approval, we will complete your commercial and send you a review copy on VHS tape
so if any changes are needed, you can suggest them at that time.
5)
We then will complete the final commercial and send it to you. Payment is due at that time and
can be made by company or personal check or Visa/MasterCard.
Bill Myers
Senior Producer
P.S. Be warned. Running a TV commercial can cause problems. One of our clients told us they have
had to stop running their TV spots because they received more calls than their order department
could handle. If having too many sales is not a problem you worry about, call us today.
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This is the original response pack we sent out to everyone who responded to our classified ads about
opportunities in desktop video.
The strategy of this letter is to first educate the reader and explain in detail the opportunities available
to them through desktop video. We went to great lengths to break down all the possible roadblocks
that might occur with this topic by removing all the hype and magic, and showing how simple it could
be to get involved with this technology.
When writing this letter we knew that our most likely customer would be an above-average intelligence,
motivated individual, wanting to get involved in something that would give them independence. Thats
why the letter is eight pages long and uses words beyond the grade school level.
Over the three years weve been mailing this letter it has consistently pulled in orders. When sent out
as a follow-up response to a customer inquiry it converts 70% of the readers into customers. When you
read the letter, be sure to take notice of the subheads and the P.S. Also notice how we included a
yellow post-it note looking device on the front page.
In the P.S. youll see how we direct the reader to a second letter in a sealed envelope that spells out the
terms of the offer. This keeps the readers from peeking at the offer until we have educated him about
the opportunity. This is a technique we learned from Gary Halbert.
Also notice the testimonial page and the Quickest Way I Know to Mae a Million Dollars page. Both
of these build consumer confidence and make the package more appealing.
And finally, check out how we structured the offer on the No Risk Order Form. We gave the reader
two choices, either a simple Yes or Double Yes; 99% of the orders were for the Double Yes offer.
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back. Then, grab a comfortable chair and relax. Telling the whole story is going to take a while. Well
talk about necessary equipment, the graphics computer, video production, and new trends in producing
video for profit, and well talk about how you can fit in.
Making Money with Videos
First, to make money with desktop video you must recognize that desktop video is a business. And to be
successful, it must be run like a business. There are, however, some crucial differences between a DTV
business and almost any other business. Differences youre going to love, including:
The Multiplier Effect
Its a sad fact that most people go through life selling their most precious asset (time) at giveaway prices.
No matter what their profession, auto mechanic or physician, an hour is still billed as an hour. It can only
be sold once, unless that hour is videotaped, and sold over and over and over. Thats what you do as a
video producer. You leverage your time. Your effort is multiplied. Each of your videos becomes a small
business; a mini-gold mine. You can earn income over and over and over again, by selling your videos to
thousands of customers. Long after your effort to create the video is but a distant memory, the money
keeps rolling in. While youre out working on producing other mini-gold mines.
Everyone knows that to make money, You should buy low and sell high. Good advice to be sure, but
most people dont follow it. If they buy for $25 and sell for $30, they are happy with their $5 profit. Of
course, by the time they pay the IRS, pay their overhead, and pay their employees, they end up with
nothing. But the video business is different - you buy for $3.00 and sell for $40 (or more). And usually
that means about 1200% profit for each copy of the tape you sell. Which is not bad, but it gets better
because the income can be all yours. By copyright, you are the sole owner of the contents of your video.
That means 100% of the gross income is yours. You dont split with some supplier. You dont have to pay
royalties. You keep it all. Of course, you will have to pay income taxes; everybody does (or is supposed
to). Now for the down side - this video business can put you into a top tax bracket overnight. But hey,
thats what happens when you make a lot of money! Now some good news!
Small is Beautiful!
You probably agree that having your own business, being your own boss, is the best way to become
financially independent. Youll never make a lot of money digging someone elses ditch. Need I say
though, that starting a traditional Main Skeet business can be a daunting task. But fortunately, this
video business is different - very different. You can start working from home, in your spare time. Most
do. It takes little investment, maximizes the profits to you (no middlemen), and creates solid earnings
for years to come. Sounds good, right? And even though your profits can expand quite rapidly, your
actual business staff does not have to. Which means, if you like having a small business (we do), but
want to make big profits (count us in again), then desktop video will appeal to you.
Is
Not in the least. Thats a dream. Anything worthwhile takes some effort determination, and some
money. Our experience has taught us something very important. If you have a small amount of capital,
common sense, and are willing to follow the steps, you can succeed with desktop video - most likely,
beyond your wildest imagination. All you have to do is get started. Youll find it isnt how much effort
you apply; its what you do with that effort. When you work all week for someone else in exchange for
a paycheck, only one thing is certain; you start all over again on Monday morning. Unless you are
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made redundant, which is happening a lot these days. People getting laid off. Or worse, getting
replaced by a machine. Itll probably get worse as the economy slows.
The problem with most businesses is that to make a little money, you must risk a lot of money. In retail,
you sell purchased inventory for profit. But once sold, you must re-buy inventory to profit again. So
usually you risk a hundred dollars to make ten. Something is wrong there.
But with your video productions, you only have initial production costs, usually labor, to worry about.
You get to sell copies of the finished tape over and over again, to as many people who are willing to buy
them. No matter whether you sell just one copy or 100,000 copies, the initial production costs remain the
same. So while your up-front cost is fixed, there is no cap on potential profits. This can get real interesting!
How Much Money Can You Make?
I talk to people all the time who tell me they are making a little extra money by videotaping weddings,
birthdays, even funerals. And yes, there are lots of ways to make a little money with video production.
But this isnt our direction, making just a little money. Personally, our goal is to become financially
independent through the videos we produce. And we have almost achieved our goal (in just 18
months!).
But we had to learn to say no to the requests for weddings and birthdays. We even pass on the
occasional industrial video. Because weve learned that the way to real income in desktop video is by
making special interest tapes that can be sold to the many markets overlooked by the mainstream
producers. Markets they think are too small. But markets plenty big for us. Selling just 350 tapes
earns us $10,000. And thats not bad for a few hours of production and editing time.
Most videos you produce will sell for $40 to $70 each. Youll sell them directly to a nationwide (and
worldwide) audience via classified ads and direct mall (well talk about this later). Starting out, youll
probably only sell an average of seven tapes per week at $39 each, so your income will only be $273 or so
for the week. Disappointed? Dont be - $273 times 52 weeks is $14,196 per year. Thats for starters.
Youll probably produce a new video once a month. Thats 12 a year. And if each just sells one copy a
day, by years end, youll be earning $468 per day, $3,286 a week, or $170,000 a year. The videos can
continue to be good money-makers for years to come, which means the money still rolls in whether you
are working or not. But wait, were assuming that all 12 of your first years videos sell just one copy a day.
Guess what happens if you hit on a topic that goes platinum overnight? Imagine the kind of income
you earn from a video that sells 2,000 copies a month! Its astronomical; sometimes $5,000 a day from
just one tape. We know, we had one such hit back in early 1989. And believe me, it is really exciting,
especially since most of that money stays warm in your pocket. No need to split the profits (except
with the IRS). You own the product.
You own all the equipment that produced the product, and you dont have a lot of overhead. You can
work from your home, from a freighter at sea or even from the backwoods of Arkansas like we do. Of
course, it wont exactly work like this for you. One of your videos may be an absolute flop. Then
again, some will really take off. Thats the beauty of this simple business. You dont risk disaster with
one failure. So what if one of your videos is a flop? Just do another one, it may be a hit. Just
remember you dont have to make a big splash to make a lot of money.
And its easier than you. Think. You can do this at your own pace. You can keep your present job until
the money starts to roll in, then go full time when you feel confident of your future. Each of your video
projects will make a certain amount of money. But more importantly, with each new production you will
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gain skills that will make your next production even better.
Will Anybody Buy Your Video Productions?
The world is a big place. Over half billion English speaking people with access to VCRs. And all you
have to do is come up with a topic that will get about 300 of those people to reach into their pockets and
buy a tape from you. Think you can come up with a topic that a few of that half billion people will want
to see? You can try as many times as you like. And you dont have to produce the tape until you get some
orders for it. Of course if you do sell to those 300 people, you get to pocket $10,000. Now consider this.
If you needed information on how to build a small cabin in the woods for under $5,000 would you rather
see some slick Hollywood actor read lines about how to do it, or would you rather watch someone whos
actually doing it? A real person who really knew what he was doing. Which tape would be worth more to
you as a viewer? The one with the real people! Thats the kind of tapes we put together because they offer
our customers real information they can use, presented by real people they can relate to. At the same time,
these tapes offer you, as a producer, the best opportunity to make money. They are easier to produce, with
real people in real situations. Of course, you shouldnt expect to win an Oscar for any of these productions.
But you will be able to build up quite a stack of Georges from them; as in George Washington, like on the
dollar bill.
More of the five senses come in to play with a video. You hear, see, feel, learn and understand. I love to
read! But there are many things I would rather watch on video. Its simply easier to learn some things
when you can see it done. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and they are right. Now a picture
can be worth thousands of dollars - to you through video.
How to Choose A Subject for Money Making Videos
People want information today. They want specific information that makes a difference. They want
information not offered in school or shown on network TV. They want to see real people providing real
information learned in the school of hard knocks. Viewers are tired of fancy pants Hollywood actors who
cant do anything but read lines on a teleprompter. People want to see real people. And that pretty much
describes the type of videos you can produce - with real people on both sides of the camera.
Whats there to make a video about? Anything people want. And thats a key point. Make videos with
information people want, and youll make money. Make videos with information people need, and
youll go broke. Because, people buy what they want, not what they need. Finding out what people
want is easy. Just look at their buying habits. Look at their hobbies, their special interests, and their
passions. Find something they spend money on and give them a video on the same topic. They will buy
it. Whats your passion? Cars, photography, or making money? If I offered you a video that would
show you how to make more money with less work, would you buy it? (I hope so). Give people what
they already want and you will be successful.
You still need to ask What can I make a video about that I can sell and earn me profit? Almost
anything. As long as you dont try to compete with network TV or Hollywood, you have a pretty good
chance of making a good living producing how-to videos, by becoming an Information Provider. By
saving people money and time; by teaching a new skill, by getting them a better job. Provide
information important to them. Think Im nuts? Thats not an uncommon reaction. Well, Ive made a
small fortune doing just this. No brag just fact. Providing information with small books and reports,
and now videos. Pick the right subject, and give it a special twist. Do something different like this.
I have a friend who produced a tape that was simply a Macaw (thats a bird) speaking three separate
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phrases for an hour. He marketed the tape to other Macaw owners as a way to train their birds to speak.
Good Idea? You bet! Hes made over $20,000 from that one tape.
In another example, a subscriber in Virginia called our hotline with a problem. He had been looking for
a video topic for months, but hadnt found one he liked. We talked about a number of possibilities, but
still nothing struck his fancy. Then he mentioned that he had just traded in his small motor home for a big
RV, and had saved several thousand dollars by buying a used one. Said he spent almost a year researching
all the different makes and models and had done a pretty thorough job of learning how to buy a used RV.
Amazing. Do you know how many people own Recreational Vehicles in the U.S.; over twelve million.
And did you know that there are several RV Trader publications where people list their used RVs for
sale? And did you know that you could buy a full-page ad in the RV Trader for less than $175 a
month? I wonder how many of those people reading the RV Trader would be interested in a video that
showed them everything they needed to know to get the best used RV at the best price? Think the tape
would sell? Maybe a few hundred copies - maybe a thousand or more - maybe even enough to buy an
RV?
Remember that you only have to sell a few hundred tapes to make a very good profit
OK, maybe you dont know anything about RVs. How about yachts or airplanes or Mercedes? A tape
on how to buy any expensive item that people want but dont know anything about is a potential best
seller, and easy to advertise. Since all you have to do is place an ad in the RV Trader, Airplane Trader,
or Boat Trader, whatever. And let the buyers come to you.
Successful Video Marketing
In this business, you dont need an expensive office, lots of employees, or big overhead. You dont have
to knock on doors or beg retailers to stock your tapes to make money. Instead, you use small classified ads
in newsletters and special interest magazines reaching people interested in the topic of your tape. Usually
with an ad like this:
Get rich with your own Mini-Gold Mine!
Call for free information packet. 1-501-321-1845.
When people call you (or your answering service), you get their name and send them out what we call a
response pack that consists of a letter and all the reasons why they should buy your tape. Then if they
find your tape and offer appealing, they buy, usually over the phone paying with a credit card. Its that
simple. And its a proven method that allows you to reach a nationwide and worldwide market easily and
cheaply; without expensive premises and big overheads. You decide where and how you choose; no one
ever sees your office and studio anyway.
Of course, youll have to get your master tape duplicated so you can send copies out to your customers.
Starting out we recommend that you use a duplicating service, where it will generally cost you less than
$100 for each tape you have made. Later you may want to set up your own duplicating facilities as we
have. In the meantime refer to our monthly source list (its included with each issue of the newsletter) for
an updated list of the best places for tape duplication and supplies.
Is There Room for You in This Business?
There are over 610 million English-speaking people on this planet with access to VCRs. And they create
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a huge demand for tapes. But did you know there are less than 800 video studios worldwide turning out
new video productions? (Eight hundred and one, including mine). Now compare that with the how-to
book market where over 1,000,000 authors turn out over five million books each year. Then consider that
most people would rather watch a video than read a book. Think there is room for any new tape titles?
Maybe a million - maybe ten million?
Why isnt everybody getting into this business? Quite frankly because most people would rather watch
TV than make TV. Just look down the sidewalks as you drive to work tomorrow and ask yourself.
How many of these other people even know about desktop video, and if they did, would they
recognize the tremendous possibilities? Remember, not everyone is as smart or motivated as you are probably a very small percentage of our entire population would even take the time to read this letter,
like you have. And this is a level playing field. Its equal opportunity for all. No matter who you are
and where you are, you can be a part of this, if you want. Its up to you whether youll be a player or a
viewer.
Have you ever tried to drive a nail into a board without using a hammer? Maybe using a shoe, or a
book, or something equally inappropriate? Its almost impossible isnt it? But given a hammer, even a
child can drive a nail (sometimes in places youd rather not have nails). Anyway, its the same with
video production. Producing a video of acceptable quality is almost impossible if you dont have the
right tools. But if you use the right tools, and follow a basic formula, its a relatively simple process
that can be mastered in a few hours, especially by someone who has spent thousands of hours watching
TV.
How many hours have you spent watching your TV? The experts say if youre over 30, youve probably
watched 10,000 hours. And thats more time than you spent in any classroom. Now did you learn
anything from all those hours with your TV? Sure you did. You learned how to recognize bad video
productions. And that is important knowledge, my friend, knowledge that can keep you out of trouble.
Trouble I got into early on with my productions. Yes, some of my early video productions were real
stinkers. And unless youre lucky, some of yours will be too. But if you know just a few basic rules of
video editing, you can make any video look better. A rule like the 3/30 rule can save a production, (or win
it if not followed). Whats 3/30? Simple. No scene lasts over three minutes, no camera shot lasts over 30
seconds.
Knowledge like this is invaluable. And is the kind of thing we share with you in each issue of the Video
Marketing Letter. Maybe thats why most subscribers choose to renew their subscriptions, because we
show them how to make good videos - and good money.
So, How Much Does it Take to Get Started in the DTV Business?
This is the good part. Most people think that it takes big bucks to produce video. And, for the most part,
I want them to continue to believe that. But the inside secret is that you can produce quality video
productions with little or no up-front investment, even if you dont own any video equipment at all.
If you have a good idea for a video (remember the idea or topic is the gold in your gold mine), then you
have crossed the biggest hurdle. The rest, the talent, the studio, and the equipment can be rented. If
you dont know where to rent equipment, call us. We have developed a Guerilla Video Producers
Network of over 300 people who are into producing these types of videos. These people are located
all around the country and are looking for a chance to use their skills and equipment
With their help, you can get your first video off the ground. And well be happy to match your needs up
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with someone in your area. Theres no charge for this service, and its a great way to meet other people
who have skills that can make your videos better. Later, if you set up your own video studio, you may want
to add your name to our Guerilla Video Producers Network. Again, no charge. Of course if you have
money to spend, and you want to put together a first class video studio, you can do it for under $5,000, and
that includes the computer, the editing equipment, a professional lighting and audio system, and a case of
blank tapes. A system like this will be more than enough to produce high quality videotapes, and can start
making you money the first day you set it up. We discovered that by renting our system out on an hourly
basis, we were able to pay for it in just 27 days. You can do the same. We can even refer people to you
who want to rent your equipment. But video gear can be expensive. If you get started in the wrong
direction, you can blow a lot of money in a hurry, and end up with worthless toys. So no matter what you
do, read the next section.
A Basic Video System Primer
The Video Format you choose now will affect every other aspect of your future in the video business.
Your decision is critical, and the wrong decision will cost you thousands. Heres why:
Your customers home video recorder (VHS) plays back at 270 lines of resolution. Any video with
resolution below this level appears grainy, washed out of focus, and off color. If you shoot in VHS (1st
Generation), by the time you edit (2nd Generation) and make your duplicates to sell (3rd Generation), the
resolution will be well under 230 lines. The quality just wont cut it. Your customers wont be happy, and
youll be continually giving refunds to irate customers. This is no way to run a business.
If you have no equipment now, consider yourself lucky, and start looking at 3/4 U-matic gear. This is the
same professional equipment used by most of the studios and provides professional results. While a new
U-Matic editing system might cost $45,000 you can find a used editing system (player, controller, recorder)
in excellent condition for under $2,000. Combine this with your camcorder, and youre ready to go. And
the results - oh, they are so impressive - people will notice.
And having 3/4 U-Matic editing capabilities opens the door of opportunity for you. Youll find a
steady stream of clients wanting you to produce everything from TV commercials to industrial videos,
simply because 3/4 equipment labels you as a professional. If you want to rent your equipment out to
help pay for its initial cost 3/4 is the only way to go. But before you buy any equipment, give me a
call. Ive done a lot of research on 3/4 equipment and can tell you what to look for and what to avoid.
I can even tell you what the market price is on a particular piece of equipment. So before you spend
money, call me.
Still, if you must invest in consumer quality gear, invest in S-VHS or Hi8. Starting with 400 lines
resolution in S-VHS or Hi8, you have room to spare. Your customer gets everything he pays for. But
there are still problems with Hi8 and S-VHS; color crawl when converting to VHS is probably the most
noticeable. Genlocks (well talk about them later) for S-VHS and HiB cost twice as much. By the way,
each issue of the Video Marketing Letter includes pages of classified ads where you can find some
great bargains on equipment and studio supplies for sale by other beginning video producers and
equipment that will help you build your own studio. In previous ads weve seen 3/4 decks for under
$300, studio cameras for under $500. And for subscribers, there is no cost to run an ad.
Hems a Typical Desktop Video System
A. Video Acquisition Gear
1) Camera - Should be high-resolution format with good optics (we use the Canon A1-MK II HIB)
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2) Tripod - An absolute must. Be sure to get one built for video. Bogen is the best
3) Separate Monitor - Very essential. Shooting without a monitor is sometimes like shooting blind.
4) Lighting - Use professional video lights. Something like two Lowell Omni lights with totabrellas.
5) Audio - This is easy and inexpensive. Use Radio Shack lavalier mike ($27.95).
B. Video Editing Equipment
1) Consumer system - 2 Panasonic AG 1960 S-VHS decks, I Panasonic AG 95 controller, 2 Panasonic
CT-1381 monitors. Mail Order - new cost - $3,000.
2) Professional U-Matic system - Choice of:
A) JVC CP5550, JVC CR8250, RM86U - Editing suite with cables (approximately $2,400 used);
or
B) Sony VO-5800, VO-5850, RM440 - Editing suite with cables (approximately $5,500 used).
C. Titles, Graphics, Animations
Professional graphics, titles and animations can set your productions apart from those of a tourist with a
camcorder. Without graphics your video is just home movies. With them, you have a commercial product.
The ability to add graphics - good graphics-is what DTV is all about.
And today, for the first time ever, you can purchase a low cost computer system to create titles, graphics,
and animations that rival those of Hollywood. The computer is the Amiga 2000. Combined with a genlock and two pieces of software you have everything you need, all for under $3,000. And no, I dont sell
these computers. I dont even get any kind of kickback from the company that developed them. But they
are the tool that will get the job done. And yes, Ive tried the IBM and Mac and they wont do the job
unless you plan to invest more than $12,000 to upgrade their capabilities.
If you want to know more about the Amiga, see our video, Desktop Video and the Amiga. This is the
starter tape that just about everybody agrees is the way to get your feet wet with DiV. Its a good example
of a guerilla video, one of the first we produced. You can get this tape free - read on.
Now, The Power of Video
Theres one other thing about desktop video you should know. It gives you the power to change the world
- no kidding. Your video productions can have a real impact on people and their future. You can show
them how to have a better life, how to earn more money, how to be happier - through video.
You can have an effect on local, statewide and national levels. Nothing is so powerful as a good video
piece. And politicians understand this. They know that entire careers in government have been made or
destroyed as a result of a good or bad video piece. Consider the effect the Willie Horton ads had on
Michael Dukakis bid to become President of the United States. If you want to influence the direction
of your community, you will find a video studio can be a very powerful tool. Placing ad spots on TV is
very inexpensive (as low as $1.00 a minute on most cable systems), and is a good way to get your voice
heard in your community. If you want to get a point across, nothing can compete with the right
commercial run at the right time.
For a long time, video has been controlled by the few. Now we have a chance to make a difference. Please
give this some thought along with everything else that Ive said in this letter.
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Closing Comments
Are you still with me? You are? Good. Not only are you a wondrously perceptive and gracious human
being, you also seem to have the patience of Job.
I got into this video business just about two years ago. I had no experience with video or photography.
Heck, I didnt even own a VCR. But my first tape made me over $40,000 in just 90 days. Last year, we
grossed over a 1/2 million dollars and hope to double that this year. But Im no whiz kid or computer
nerd, and Ill be the first to admit that my videos are not Hollywood productions. TV professionals might
wince in pain at some of the editing and presentation. But our customers love them, because we give them
what they want; valuable information not available anywhere else. Thats important.
You can do the same or better, and I can be your guide. If youve liked what youve read in this sample
issue, and like the way we present it, then I invite you to subscribe to a full year of the Video Marketing
Letter for $72. When you do, youll get:
12 monthly issues of the Video Marketing Letter, written to show you how to profit with DiV
12 updates on marketing videos in the UK and Europe written by our European staff
Unlimited use of our technical and marketing hotline to help you with video questions
The Video Marketing Source Guide for best prices on equipment and supplies (updated monthly)
Full use of the Video Marketing Classifieds free (a great place to buy and sell equipment)
DiV starter kit including three free subscriptions to video industry magazines, a press pass, a model
release form, and coupons for discounts on other videos
We think we offer a very unique service at a reasonable price. But frankly, not everybody is interested in
this opportunity. If youre not then I understand. Of course, if you do join us there is no risk involved.
Everything has a money back guarantee. If you look at our tapes and our newsletter and decide its not for
you, send everything back. Ill personally send you a prompt refund. No questions, no quibble. And it
wont make me feel bad if you do. Its just good business.
If you join in this grand adventure by becoming a video producer, I can assure you it will change your
life. Youll become involved with people and places you only dreamed of before. Youll discover
hidden talents within you. And, you are very likely to become wealthy in the process.
I hope you feel Ive delivered on the promise I made in the beginning of this letter - to tell it all. If you have
questions feel free to call me (1-501-321-1845). This technology will change your future.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
PS.
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Remember back on page seven when I said you could get a copy of the videotape Desktop Video
and the Amiga free? To find out how, just open the enclosed pink letter. I think youll be pleased
with what you find there.
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Basically everything you need to know, including pitfalls to be avoided. But let me warn you, people
have told me that after seeing this tape they couldnt sleep for a week! Too many new ideas floating
around in their heads! Well, weve just re-shot this tape and included the newest money making
techniques weve learned including TV Trader, Homes Gallery, Paranoia videos even TV commercials.
Normally, we would be selling the tape for $39.95, but if you order it now with your subscription, Ill
let you have it for $18. And well pay UPS shipping right to your door. What a deal!
To order, select Double Yes on the order form or for fastest service call 1-501-321-1845.
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NO-RISK ORD
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Dear Bill,
YES, Sign me up for the Video Marketing
Letter. Ive enclosed $125 as payment for a
full one-year subscription. Please send me my
free copy of Desktop Video and the Amiga
video tape which shows me all I need to know
to set up my own personal desktop video studio.
I understand that if Im not completely satisfied
or if I feel that the tape and newsletter dont
offer enormous value, I have the option of
canceling my subscription and receiving a full
refund.
NOTE: Please make a11 checks and money orders payable to Group III. Worldwide orders
accepted in US. Dollars. Subscribers outside of North America please add $24 per year.
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U.S. Mail & UPS will deliver a package right to the front door of every home in this country
The major past-time of most Americans is watching TV and video tapes
Most Americans are finding that much of the fare on free (network) or pay-TV does not suit their
needs
The material costs in a one hour video tape is less than $200
If you produce and sell just 350 tapes on a single topic at a price of $39.95 each, you will cash flow
almost $14,000
If you produce just twelve tapes a year (one a month) and they only sell 350 copies each, you cash flow
$168,000
If you have any luck at all, out of your first 12 tapes, at least one will be a pretty big hit and sell at least
4,000 copies. That one tape will bring in $160,000.
At the end of the first 12 months, you should be bringing in around $14,000 a month on tape sales
($168000 a year)
As you begin your second year, you will continue to earn money from all the tapes you did the previous
year. Which means you make money for work you did last year.
There are more than 240 million people in the US. Most of these people have a hobby or follow a
subject of special interest.
To bring in $10,000 all you have to do is produce a tape on a topic that will interest just 300 people out
of the total 240 million population
The major studios cant afford to produce tapes for markets of 10,000 people or less
Our first tape (about pirate TV) sold over 4,000 copies, earning us over $120,000. We shot it with a
borrowed camcorder in a spare room m our home. We advertised it in The Black Box Newsletter.
That tape eventually turned into a series. The latest of which is The Pirate Video #5.
Your videos do not have to be Hollywood productions. They do have to provide worthwhile information.
Best sellers are how tos. People are willing to spend money for information they cant get elsewhere.
Marketing videos is simple. Run test ads before you shoot the tape. If you get a response, ten do the
video, if not, then run a test ad on another subject.
All this and more is covered in The Video Marketing Letter and Desktop Video for Profit
videotape by Group III.
For more information, call 1-501-321-1845
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Thanks a lot for the DiV #4. I am pleased so see that you are a Yokel just like me, I thought you had to be genius.
You certainly put a lot of thought into this and I noticed that the flicker was not noticeable as they have been on my
tapes made with the Amiga. Now I know why. H.B., Uflis NC
Thank you for the desktop videos and your newsletter. You are a great help so us in production work. This is our
5th year and if I had known someone like you I could have saved us thousands of dollars when we started out keep
up the fine wart You are great! V.G., Lengby MN
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Cover Letters
You
should look at any contact with your customers as an opportunity to strengthen your business
relationship with them. And a good way to do this is with the use of what we call cover letters. These
are the letters we always include with every product we sell, every free sample we give away, and in
response to every request for additional information.
This is specifically true when delivering a product to your customers. If you simply mail or ship the
product, with no further explanation or thank you for their order, the customer is likely to feel that they
have been used. They may think that your company is only interested in the sale, and once you have
gotten the sale, your concern ends. They will fill jilted.
But when you include a cover letter, thanking them for their business, showing them how to get the
most of the product they ordered, where to call to get any questions answered, you show that you are
concerned about the customers satisfaction. And this concern is good for business, and for repeat
sales.
The keys to a good cover letter are:
1. The letter should be written as a personal letter and sound like it came from a real person
2. The letter should be signed be a real person, and should include the phone number of a real person
that can be reached within your company if the customer wishes to contact you
3. The letter should appear to be printed specifically for the customer who gets it. This means it
should be on original letterhead paper, and not an obviously photographed copy.
4. The letter should be hand-signed in blue ink
5. The cover letter should be the first thing the customer sees when opening the box the product is in
(if you mailed the product)
6. You should read and revise all your cover letters every few months to make sure they remain fresh
and relevant to the customer, the product and your company
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Cover Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
Dear Friend,
Thanks for your request for a sample of the Video Marketing Letter. Enclosed is a copy for your review.
Before you read the enclosed letter, be warned - this letter concentrates on showing people how
to earn money by producing and marketing videotapes. If you are one of those people who is
offended when someone shows you how to earn money without breaking a sweat or getting
calluses on your hands, then the Video Marketing Letter is not for you.
On the other hand, if you think you have above average intelligence and are not ashamed of
using your intelligence to make money, then youll probably love the enclosed letter. Most of
our readers are discovering that guerilla video is an exciting opportunity to make a great deal of
money legitimately while leading the lifestyle of their choice.
Of course, Im not going to try to convince you in this cover letter that the Video Marketing letter is for
you. Youll have to decide that for yourself. Thats why we offer an evaluation copy VML to potential
customers. Weve found that those people who understand the realities of our society, and have goals
that conflict with normal means of producing income, quickly realize that the VML offers a path to
financial security.
If you like what you read in the VML, I invite you to join us in our adventure. Im a real person, and I
encourage you to call me and let me know what you think of VML.
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Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S. We maintain a FREE Video Marketing Hotline. If you have questions about video
production or marketing, and want some answers, give us a call at 1-501-321-1429.
This is a letter we send out whenever anyone requests a sample of our newsletter. The letter is
designed to reinforce the value of the product being offered and to also show potential customers that
they are dealing with real people rather than a computer. Notice how we use the PSs to leave the
reader with a positive feeling about our company and the product.
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Cover Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
Dear Friend,
Thanks for your order from the Collectors Resource Channel. We appreciate your business and
will do everything in our power to make sure you are satisfied with your order items.
Please take a moment to look at the enclosed items to be sure they are exactly what you ordered
and are in the condition you expected. If there is any question about your order dont hesitate to
call us (1-501-321-1845) Monday through Friday, 8:30 - 5:00 p.m. Our show will be airing on
Sunday afternoons at 2:00 EST. Normally our show can be seen on Telstar 1, transponder 9.
Occasionally when that transponder is not available we can be found on other channels on Ti or
G6. If you have trouble finding our weekly show, well be happy to send you a free VHS copy
of our latest show. Just call our offices and well be happy to do it!
By the way, if there are things that you would like to see on our show, or if you have any
suggestions on how we can make our show better, we would love to hear from you. You can
call us at our offices in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas (1-501-321-1845), or write us at:
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
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And finally, if you have items that you would like sold on satellite, we would appreciate the
opportunity to discuss selling them on our show. Items considered for sale on our show must be
of high quality, of interest to collectors, and UPS shippable. If you have anything like that, call
us at 1-501-321-1845. Again, thanks for your order!
Sincerely,
Karen and Bill Myers
This is the letter we send every time somebody orders a product from our home shopping show we air
on satellite TV. We use the letter to thank our customers and to instill in them confidence that we
really do care about them. We ask them for their opinions, and give them a way to reach us if there
are problems. Letters like this create loyal customers and are good for your business.
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Cover Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
Dear Friend,
Congratulations on your purchase of the Collectible Watch Investment Package. Youve made a
wise decision, and by using the information provided on the video and in the guidebooks, youll
discover how easy it can be for you to have fun and make money with old watches. Whether
you are young or 14, employed or retired, investing in and collecting vintage pocket and
wristwatches can be a very enjoyable and profitable hobby. No matter where you live, its likely
youll have no trouble finding plenty of watches to buy at bargain prices; if you follow the advice
given on the videotape.
After watching the video and browsing through the guidebooks, you should be able to start your
watch treasure hunt this weekend. Of course, dont expect to discover a $10,000 watch priced
at $20 on your first try. Still, youll probably be amazed at how many interesting and valuable
watches you can find at bargain prices. Dont spend more than $25 for any watch. Its too easy
when caught up in the treasure hunt and buy things you really dont want: and wont be able to
resell. Yes, collecting and investing in vintage watches is fun, and when you watch the video,
youll see how a husband and wife team have turned their weekends into exciting expeditions in
search of real treasurers in the form of collectible wrist and pocket watches. Youll learn how
easy it can be to build a collection of valuable watches worth thousands of dollars with just a
very small starting investment.
Many experts expect the collectible watch marks to really take off over the next few years, and
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when it does, prices could go through the roof. So its probably a good idea to start building
your watch collection as soon as you can. That way, when prices really take off, youll be in a
great position to cash in, because you lamed about it here and started building your collection
before the rush. We appreciate your business and hope you have as much fun (and enjoy as
much) investing in collectible watches as we have. If you have any questions or comments dont
hesitate to call us. Our office number is 1-501-321-1345.
Sincerely,
Bill & Karen Myers
P.S. Enclosed you will find a free gift - a pocket magnifier that can come in real handy when
you are examining all theme watches youre going to find. Use it with our best wishes and
thanks for your order.
This is the kind of letter we send when someone orders from one of our direct mail offers. In this case,
this is the letter that goes out with the watch offer (complete offer is reprinted in this book). The
purpose of this letter is to thank the customer for his order, tell him how smart he was to order this
product, and get him instantly involved with the product. Doing this reduces the chance of product
returns, and is good for business.
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Cover Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
Dear Friends,
Thanks for your order of The Easy Guide to Pro Video Gold. Your tape and companion work
disk is enclosed. This one-hour video will show you the quick way to get the most out of Sheriff
Systems Pro Video Gold character generator software package. And the companion disk will
give you over 250 sample screens you can use in your own video productions.
The main data file on the companion disk is the TV Trader file. The first 70 pages of this data
file is what we use as a teaser tape on our local cable system to promote the TV Trader video
want ads. With a little modification, you should be able to use the same file to first sell the idea
to your local cable TV system manager, and then run as your own teaser or promo tape. To
view the complete TV Trader teaser, load TV-Trader into Pro Video Gold, press ESC, then
press Help.
The data file also includes several background screens, which are designed to be used with Pro
Video Gold. Most of these screens have the extension in their file name. Background screens
can be loaded using shift F3 from the edit mode. The Easy Guide to Pro Video Gold was shot
and edited on 3/4 equipment, and your copy was dubbed from a second-generation master. We
used a Digital Creations Super Gen genlock to add all the graphics to the video. And, as noted
in the tape, all graphics seen on the tape were created using Pro Video Gold.
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If you have any questions about anything on the tape, or how a particular graphic effect was
created, dont hesitate to call me.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S. Wed like to add more PVP graphics and backgrounds to our disk. If you have created
anything youd like us to include on the disk, send it to us. Well be sure to give you credit for
your contribution. Thanks.
This is another letter we send out with a product. Notice how we thank the customer for his order, tell
him about everything in the package and how to use it. We want our customer happy with our
products, and a cover letter goes a long way to preventing any disappointment. Also notice how we
use the P.S. to invite the reader to show us how good he has gotten using our product and then
explain the benefits of having all this. Again this is to build confidence in the customer that the
product will help him.
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Cover Letters
IMPORTANT!
READ THIS FIRST!
Dear Friend,
Here is me Guerilla Video Boot camp Reference Library. As promised, this package includes:
-
In addition to the August issue of the Video Marketing Letter enclosed with this package, youll find an index of
the contents of the back issues of The Video Marketing Letter. This index can be used to find more specific
information on topics previously covered by Bill in his letters.
The information in this Boot camp package is incredibly valuable, and as you go through it you will hear and see
things that may change your life. But, before you start digging through the materials, I want to ask you to do me a
favor.
Please, Please, Please! Before you start to watch the 12 Boot camp tapes or open the folder containing the reference
material, please watch The Guerilla Bill Hour and Desktop Video for Profit tapes first. These two tapes will give you
an incredible head start on understanding what this Guerilla Video business is all about. These two tapes cover the
basic and lay the groundwork for all that follows on the other tapes and in the reference material. So, do you a favor,
watch those two tapes first. Then, at your leisure, watch the rest.
If you do this, I know that you will truly get the most out of the Boot camp Tapes and become as excited about
this business opportunity and lifestyle as Gary Halbert and I are.
And remember Bill is a real person. If you have questions about what you saw on the tapes, or about anything he
says, dont hesitate to call him. His office number is 1-501-321-1845 (and you can reach me there, too).
Sincerely,
Karen Redpath
P.S.
If you have any questions, feel free to call our office. The number here as 1-501-321-1845.
This is the cover letter we sent out with The Guerilla Video Boot camp tape library. As this was a very expensive
product with lots of components, we wanted to be sure the customer got the most out of it. So we included this
letter giving him advice on how to use it best, as well as thanking him for his order. The letter also points out
some unexpected valuable items we included FREE to give the customer even greater satisfaction on ordering
this product This is good business and creates satisfied customers.
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Cover Letters
IMPORTANT!
READ THIS FIRST!
Dear Friend,
Thank you for purchasing this book. In it youll find the original issues of the first year of The Video
Marketing Letter (edited only to provide current phone numbers and resources).
These letters are a personal account of how I was able to take a simple idea (guerilla video), and turn it
into a half million dollar a year business. The letters include information about the concept of
producing and marketing guerilla video, the equipment required, and many golden ideas that can still be
used today to make you money.
Before you begin reading these letters I want you to know that when I started in the business of producing videos back in 1989, I had zero experience in video production. In fact I didnt even own a
camcorder or VCR. All I had was an idea and $300, for a videotape on a subject I thought people might
be interested in. That idea turned into the Pirate Video, the first tape ever put together. It documented
different devices people were using to unscramble satellite TV signals and I compiled the tape from
footage supplied to me byte manufacturers of the devices. To promote the tape, I placed a small ad in a
publication called The Black Box Newsletter, and within 120 days bad sold over 4,000 copies of that
tape. Thats when I decided there might be a future in this video business.
After producing 11 additional tapes that made me more money than I could make in a real job, I decided
it was time to let other people in on this great money making adventure. I began writing about what I
was doing and how I was doing it; I told everything. What worked and what didnt. And thats how
The Video Marketing Letter came into being.
This book will provide you with the opportunity to learn from the beginning, and see the path to
success I followed. Doing it this way, youll be able to duplicate my success and avoid my failures.
Along the way youll find the sources and we that will save you money and propel you into the fast lane
of video production and marketing. Youll learn about the philosophy I followed that made success a
manageable thing.
I hope you enjoy your journey through The Video Marketing Letter. I hope you can learn from the real
life experiences of an average person who got caught up in a great adventure.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S.
If you have any questions about any of the stuff I cover in these letters, feel free to call me at
my office. The number here is 1401-321-1845.
This is a cover letter we used when customers ordered back issues of our newsletter. The letter is designed to
insure the customer is in the right frame of mind when he reads the book so that he can get the most out of the
information being offered in it. We discovered that using a letter like this when we sent out our products always
increased repeat sales.
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Cover Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
Dear Friend,
Congratulations. Your decision to take us up on our FREE subscription offer to The Video Marketing
Letter may be a turning point in your life. This may sound strange, but it can be true. Youre going to
discover an exciting adventure awaiting you. An adventure that can open the door to substantial
income, personal freedom, and a lifestyle most people just dream of.
Your Amiga computer gives you the power to create broadcast quality video, and that power can mean a
comfortable income for you; if you are willing to take the extra steps to pursue the opportunities open
to you.
This is what The Video Marketing Letter is about. Opening the doors of opportunity for you. Providing
you with a roadmap that shows you how to navigate in the real life adventure we call Guerilla Video.
Youll learn how to use your home video studio as a platform to launch your career as an independent
video producer. Youll learn how to earn income with how-to tapes, video catalogs, TV commercials,
even your own home shopping show via satellite. Youll discover why having your own video studio
can free you from ever having to worry about a job.
This is the adventure that awaits you. While we know this adventure is not for everyone, we can assure
you that those who do go down this road never look back. Enjoy each issue of The Video Marketing
Letter with our compliments.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S.
If you feel youve just got to see more, we suggest you get a copy of Desktop Video for Profit,
the video that shows how easy it is for you to start your career as an independent video producer. This
tape is available to you FREE with a paid subscription to The Video Marketing Letter. Call us at 1501-321-1845 and well tell you more
One way we discovered we could sell our products was to offer trial subscriptions to our newsletter.
With each trial subscription we sent the above letter. This letter thanked the customer for taking the
chance on a free subscription, and showed him how this was going to improve his life. And then we
gave the customer an opportunity to purchase products from us.
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Cover Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
Dear Friend.
It was suggested to me that since so many subscribers have a complete set of the back is-sues of The
Video Marketing Letter, it would be nice if I provided you with an index of subjects covered in all of
the previous issues.
The index would make it easy for you to find topics, tips, and techniques covered in the earlier issues.
For example, if you wanted to know how to write a Press Release for your video that was sure not
published, the index would let you know to look in the July 1990 issue. Or if you wanted a complete
Guerilla Video Business Plan, you could look in the November 10, 1989 issue. Its such a good idea
that we did it. And rather than try to sell you some thing youve already paid for, Ive decided to simply
mail these indexes out to all subscribers. Your copy is included with this letter. I hope you find it
useful.
If you have ideas of your own on how I can improve the services that Bill Myers and Group III provides
to you. Please dont hesitate to let me know.
Thanks again for being a subscriber and customer of Group M Video.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S.
If you dont already have a set of back issues, you can purchase a complete set of either year for
$60, or both years for $100. To order, just call Sissi, Rita, or Jim at our offices. The number is 1-501321-1845.
Sometimes we sent cover letters for products we were giving away free. In this case, we were giving
the customer a complete index of back issues of The Video Marketing Letter, which would make it
easier for him to look up information. Of course, the index of back issues also gave many new
subscribers a reason to purchase the back issues from us. And the PS. showed them how to do it!
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Cover Letters
The next four pages are various cover letters created for different products. All are designed to
thank the customer for his order, and to increase customer satisfaction with the product. We
always send out cover letters with our products. And you should too. Its good for repeat
business.
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Cover Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
Dear Fellow Video Producer,
Here is our latest tape on Desktop Video Technology featuring the Video Toaster, Panasonics WJAVE5 digital mixer/switcher, MicroSearchs Chromakey, Sheriff Systems new CG fonts, tips on
finding and buying used professional video equipment, and lots of other stuff.
As we made this tape we experimented heavily with all our new equipment and software and did things
we would never do on a real commercial project. Dont use this tape as an example of how to produce
videos. It is not intended for that, and is not representative of the kind of work we produce for real
clients.
This tape is designed to let you see the possibilities of what can be done with your video system, and a
few things that shouldnt be done. For example, youll notice that shooting with two cameras really
provides some nice effects. On the other hand, shooting with two cameras requires that the cameras be
closely matched (color balanced & white balanced), or colors on the final tape will be incorrect. You
can see this incorrectness on this tape. Other things you might want to take notice of is that we used
the WJ-AVE5 to create the background graphic between each scene; this was done by freezing and then
painting a frame of video (all done in the WJ-AVE5). The graphic was rolled on using a Toaster effect,
and tides overlaid also using the Toaster. Similar effects could have been accomplished without the
Toaster using the digital effects of Pro Video Post.
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For those interested, the tape you received is a 3rd generation tape. The first and second generations
were on 3/4.
If you have any questions about anything we created on the tape, or have any suggestions on how we
can upgrade the quality of the product, feel free to call our studios. The number here is 1-501-3211845.
As always, we thank you for allowing us to share our products with you.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
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107
Testimonial Letters
Today
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In the next few pages youll see samples of the testimonial 1etters I have written that opened new doors
for our business.
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Testimonial Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
Date
Gary Halbert
Suite 4
5701 Overseas Hwy
Marathon, Fl 33050
Dear Gary,
This is just a short letter to let you know how much I enjoy and appreciate The Gary Halbert
Letter. Your monthly advice on direct marketing and mail order sales has provided me the
guidance and direction to take a simple idea and build it into a $500,000 business; in just 12
months!
When I first considered subscribing to The Gary Halbert Letter, $200 seemed like a lot of
money, and it stopped me as that time. But that was perhaps the best investment I have ever
made in my life. Certainly a better return for the dollars than the years I spent in college getting
a degree in Finance & Marketing. Ive learned more about malting red money from a single
issue of The Gary Halbert Letter than I did in four years of college.
Your book Making Maximum Money in Minimum lime really got me started. Following the
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guidelines and advice in this book earned me almost half a million dollars last year alone. And
with the information provided in The Gary Halbert Letter, Im participating in a lifestyle, a grand
adventure, that I never would have thought possible. Yes, The Gary Halbert Letter has made me
a lot of money. Yes, The Gory Halbert Letter has made my business grow. And yes, The Gary
Halbert Letter has opened a door into possibilities that I only dreamed of before; and changed
my future forever.
Thanks.
Bill Myers
Editor - The Video Marketing Letter
This is a letter I sent to marketing guru Gary Halbert telling him how much I appreciated his newsletter
(The Gary Halbert Letter), and his book Maximum Money in Minimum time. Just four days after I
mailed the letter, Garys personal assistant called me and invited me to be their guest at an upcoming
marketing seminar that Gary was conducting. As their guest I would get in free, others paid $7,200!
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Testimonial Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
Date
Gary Halbert
Suite 4
5701 Overseas Hwy
Marathon, Fl 33050
Dear Gary,
Thanks so much for your personal invitation for me to attend your upcoming Key West seminar
as your guest. To me, this is one of those once in a lifetime opportunities that should not be
passed up. So count me in - Ill be there!
In return for your generous offer, Id be very happy to produce a Gary Halbert guerilla video for
you (at no cost of course). You could use the video any way you choose - as a standalone
product; a premium to new subscribers, or a renewal gift. The per unit production cost of a sixty
minute video (including cover & artwork) is around $2.50. If you want to do a guerilla video,
give me a call and well schedule a shoot at your convenience. It should only take about half a
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day of taping, and I can fly my equipment down on just a few days notice.
Again, thanks for the invitation to attend your Key West seminar.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
Editor - The Video Marketing Letter
P.S.
Ive enclosed a tape case that might give you some idea of how your video could be packaged.
This is the letter I wrote thanking Gary Halbert for the invitation to attend his seminar as his guest. In
accepting Garys invitation, I offered to video tape the entire seminar and suggested a way he could
use the tapes as a marketable product. I also enclosed a tape case that had a cover I created for the
soon-to-be released tapes of Garys seminar. When I got to Key West for the seminar Gary
introduced me to everyone and I was able to develop some long-term business relationships with
speakers and participants in the event.
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Testimonial Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
This is a series of letters I sent to Jerry Buchanan, editor of TOWERS Club newsletter. Not only did
Jerry call me up, he offered to print information about me and my company in his newsletter so his
readers could contact me. This kind of exposure can be worth tens of thousands of dollars. Since first
writing Jerry, weve developed a good business relationship. I feel quite fortunate that when I need his
advice or help, all I have to do is pick up the phone and call him.
06/14/90
Jerry Buchanan
Towers Club Newsletter
POB 2038
Vancouver, WA 98668
Dear Jerry,
As a recent subscriber tote Towers Club Newsletter, I just want to let you know how much I appreciate
your work. Upon subscribing, I ordered the tape and the book, and found both to be worth much more
than the price.
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I have already put many of your ideas and suggestions into practice and found them to be quite
profitable.
Thanks for the opportunity of letting me be one of your customers.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S.
115
As thanks for your great information, I have signed you up to a complimentary subscription to
our newsletter, The Video Marketing Letter. Enclosed are a few past issues. I would love to
hear your comments.
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Testimonial Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
06/19/90
Jerry Buchanan
Towers Club Newsletter
POB 2038
Vancouver, WA 98668
Dear Jerry,
Frankly, Im overwhelmed. All the nice things you said in your reply letter. Sure, we get a lot of letters
from our customers everyday thanking us for our tapes and newsletter, but rarely do we get one from
one of the true geniuses of customer service, the one and only Jerry Buchanan (Im going to get that
letter framed!).
Thanks for your invitation to join the Towers Club Inner Circle. Of course I cant let this opportunity
to learn from you go by, so I have completed the acceptance card and enclosed it along with this letter.
Im looking forward to working with you.
Jerry, the written word has impacted society over the past 2,000 years, and it has been an open market
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to all comers. Anyone with a typewriter or a pen can get in. On the other hand, video, the most
powerful tool in society today, has been controlled by the few. And as such, reflects the agenda of
those few. But that is about to change. The doors of opportunity this new technology has created are
already open to those who know. And thats why Im doing the Video Marketing Letter; to spread the
word about the new technology that puts video production into the bands of the people.
Ive been publishing The Video Marketing Letter for one year as of this month. In that one year, Ive
built a mailing list of over 6,000 potential customers and currently have over 1,500 paying subscribers.
We receive 400 to 600 inquires per month about our tapes and newsletter. Our current one-year
subscription price is $45, but will soon go to $60. Each issue is published monthly and is mailed first
class.
Most people get involved with our newsletter through the basic Desktop Videotapes (Desktop Video &
the Amiga (or IBM), & Desktop Video for Profit). It is by watching these tapes that people discover
just how easy it is to produce quality videos using a home computer. The technology is here and it is
affordable, but most people have a hard time believing that they can produce their own how-to videos,
video documentaries, or even TV programs on a extremely low budget and still have quality results.
Our tapes let the secret out!
People are starting to realize that the next communications revolution will be with the guerilla videos
being produced by a new wave of information brokers. And thats where we come in. When people
buy our tapes (two for $50), they get a FREE six-month subscription to the newsletter. Since
beginning a year ago, weve found that we have an 89% renewal rate, with most customers spending
$150 with us in the first 12 months (for newsletter renewal and other videotapes we sell).
I also offer a FREE Desktop Video Telephone Hotline, where I get to talk to people all over the country
that are putting together grass roots video productions. I usually learn as much from them as they do
from me, including which local topics are hot, and which are not. I learn about sources of information,
people like you. And, I get to make good contacts with the people that will be driving the TV industry
a few years down the road.
To me, Desktop Video is more than a way to make videotapes, or make money. It is a real chance to
influence the direction of this country. Already, many of the subscribers of The Video Marketing
Letter are producing their first videos. Others are creating productions for local cable systems. Some
are even doing work for the networks.
Within a couple of years, many of my subscribers will be directly involved in the production of TV in
America, and I hope to have some influence with them. You know what kind of power TV has. Youve
seen what TV has done to our society. Perhaps by working for change from this direction there is a
way we can make a difference.
Back to your letter. Your comments on why I should offer back issues of the newsletter are very valid.
With the current issue I have enough to complete a book of the first year. I added a nice cover (like
Gary Halbert used on his Maximum Money book) and its at the printer right now.
Regarding your tape, usually tapes duplicated from VHS copies lose a lot of quality in the process.
Ive got equipment that restores much of the loss, and I used it to make a copy of your tape to check the
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results. The quality is not bad (certainly reproducible) but the not bad image may not be what you
want to deliver to your customers. It would only take a few hours to re-shoot this tape and make it
sparkle! Id be glad to assist you anyway I can. In the meantime, if you need copies, I have a complete
duplication setup here, and can turn out 200 copies a day).
Im taking some advice you had in your last newsletter - Im planning a trip to the Oregon Coast in the
next two weeks to scout a new location for my business. I think youre right about living in the
Northwest. Ive looked into other options including overseas, but the USA (even with all the problems)
still seems the best place to live. Ill call you before I leave and maybe we can get together while Im
out your way.
One final note, Im sure there is a way we can work together to help other people get involved with
producing and marketing their own videos. Since you have more experience in this area, Ill trust you
to come up with something that would work for both of us.
If you need to contact me, feel free to call me anytime.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
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P.S.
Ive taken the liberty to make up a quick cover for your tape. A cover like this will help your
customers perceive the true value of the tape and adds little to the cost.
PPS
With your permission I will be letting my readers know about TOWERS CLUB USA in the next
issue of The Video Marketing Letter.
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Testimonial Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
07/17/90
Jerry Buchanan
Towers Club
P.O. Box 2038
Vancouver, WA 98668-2038
Dear Jerry,
Thanks so much for providing information about desktop video in your newsletter. The response has
been great! Ive talked to a lot of people who read Towers and they all have one thing in common - they
respect you and put a lot of faith in what you say. That really says something about the trust youve
built with your readers.
I have been so impressed with you and the Towers newsletter that I recommended it to the readers of my
newsletter, The Video Marketing Letter. I hope that my readers take the time to become acquainted with
Jerry Buchanan and Towers Club.
Heres something you might want to pass on to your readers...
Last month, I changed my inquiry response pack offer to reflect that with a paid subscription to my
newsletter, customers would receive, as a free gift, the two-hour tape Desktop Video for Profit.
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Previously, we had been selling the tape and giving the newsletter subscription free. To my surprise,
the response has been great. Apparently, people would rather pay for the newsletter and get the tape as
a free gift, than pay for the tape and get the newsletter free. Anyone publishing a newsletter might wish
to consider setting up a similar offer. Subscribe to the newsletter and get, as a free gift, a videotape on
the subject (incidentally, tape costs are less than $3.50 for duplicating and packaging). Its easy to
produce such a tape. Anyone with a camcorder can produce a simple, but informative tape (as long as
they work within their own limits). People who are hesitant to produce their own tapes might want to
use our Guerilla Video Producers Network referral service. We maintain a directory of video
producers interested in doing low-budget work for others and we are always glad to help people find
someone to assist them in creating their own video. There is no charge for this service.
For more information about the Guerilla Video Producers Network, people can call 1-501-321-1845.
Jerry, your test using your computer for word processing was interesting. But if youd like, I can take
your experiment one step further. If youll send me your newsletter on disk (in any format), Ill typeset
it using Ventura software, and print it on my laser printer. I can create any layout format you choose;
the one you are currently using is easy. Once this is done, all I have to do is pour in your data, and
print it. The finished product will be camera ready! And, Ill give you the template I created to
duplicate your format.
If youll send me your word processing data files, Ill turn around your document next day air UPS.
Now I dont do this for a living, but l think youd be surprised at how easy it is to take advantage of the
low cost tools of desktop typesetting and laser printing. And maybe some of your readers might want
to compare laser quality with typeset quality. If you want to experiment with this, just give me a call.
I just got back from my Oregon trip Friday morning. It was a whirlwind trip where we covered 6,100
miles in eight days. We saw all the sights - Mt Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park, Custers
Battlefield, and Wall Drug. But most impressive of all was Oregon. We traveled the back-roads, into
the high deserts, across the mountains, and then down the coast. It was great.
The trip was good for me. It gave me the opportunity to spend up to l8 hours a day thinking about what
I was seeing, how America was changing, and how all this tied in with the business of being an
information broker. Dining the trip I came up with ideas for new books, new newsletters, and several
good videos (Ive almost completed one book, and have started scripting a video).
Jerry, Im sure you realize the importance of getting away from the daily routine and being exposed to
new ideas and information. It is a necessary part of the creative process. I hope your readers know that
they must expose themselves to new situations and thought in order to grow. While the trip tired me
out physically, it renewed me mentally and creatively. I can see why people choose to live in the
Northwest.
I appreciate all the help and support you have provided.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S.
If you ever need anything I can help you with, (video work, loser typesetting, advice on
computers), please call me.
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Testimonial Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
08/21/90
Jerry Buchanan
P.O. Box 2038
Vancouver, WA 98668-2038
Dear Jerry,
Glad to see that everything worked out great during your bypass operation. And really happy to see
that you gave up smoking and other bad habits. We need you strong and healthy so you can keep
on giving us that good advice and guidance.
And again, thanks for the mention in your newsletter. Every time you mention my name, my phone
rings, and we get a chance to show someone else how easy it is to get started with desktop video.
The response Im getting from your readers reminded me of you. Ive spent a lot of money for
expensive display ads in national magazines, but I almost always get a better return on the dollar
from classified ads placed in publications that reach a narrow but specific market - like Towers Club
USA Newsletter.
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So, thanks for waking me up again. Heres an ad I would like to run for the next four issues.
Twenty-five words @ 95 cents a word, times three insertions, works out to $71.25 (fourth insertion
is free). Ive enclosed a check to cover the cost of the ad.
I would appreciate any advice you can give me to perk up the ad. I plan to use something similar in
other classifieds we will be placing.
Again, thanks for all the help.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
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Testimonial Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
Date
Jerry Buchanan
Towers Club USA
P.O. Box 2038
Vancouver, WA 98668-2038
Dear Jerry,
I got your package today and I must say that the April/May issue of the TOWERS Club USA
Newsletter is the best and most powerful eight pages of marketing advice Ive ever seen in one place. I
think your readers will be very excited about what they see. And the new layout is really great. It
makes a good first impression and feels expensive and important.
Im so impressed with your current issue that I think the readers of my letter should see it. With your
permission Id like to encourage them to call you and get a free sample of your most current edition. I
think that almost everyone who sees it will want to subscribe. It really looks good!
Boy, I can sure empathize with your experiences in that electronics store. All that stuff on display and
youre at the mercy of salespeople who work on a commission and dont care if you get what you need.
Unfortunately, the only thing most salespeople know about video is the specific profit margin on a
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125
The enclosed tape is a copy of our direct video promotion, and includes a guerilla TV
commercial we produced for Gary Halbert. If you need a commercial, call me and well do it
for free. If your subscribers want a commercial, its $518.20 for a 30 or 60 second spot for any
product that can be shipped via mail or UPS.
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Testimonial Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
02/07/92
Jerry Buchanan
TOWERS Club USA
P.O. Box 2038
Vancouver, WA 98668-9958
Dear Jerry,
Congratulations on another excellent issue of the TOWERS Club, USA Newsletter! I find that I get more usable,
down-to-earth ideas and direction from your letter than any other source. Your deep experience shows through in
each letter.
In your latest letter you mention that you might begin publishing Jerry Buchanans Soap Box Soliloquies. Well, if
you do, sign me up. I eagerly await the first issue.
Your insights into life, your personal comments, and your political arguments are always quite stimulating. And even
though I might not always agree with every word you write, I tremendously respect your willingness to express an
intelligent opinion - something that there is a real shortage of in this county.
The politically correct movement seems to be so intent on insuring that we are all equal, they are willing to force us
to think alike, even making it a crime to express opinions not correct. This legislatively mandated correctness has
reached a point where teachers are required to instruct elementary school children about alternate sexual lifestyles,
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but are forbidden to teach any kind of morality, including the difference between right or wrong. It is no wonder the
county has the problems we see all around us today. This county needs individuals willing to stand up and speak
their mind, even if their thoughts upset the politically correct crowd. So go ahead, write your newsletter. And sign
me up.
And again, thanks for doing such a consistently good job.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S.
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Perhaps you should do your new newsletter on cassette. That way we can listen to it on our radio on our
way to work, instead of being force fed politically correct news.
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Testimonial Letters
Group III Productions
100 Bridge Street - #27
Hot Springs, AR 71901
(501) 321-1845
(501) 321-1429 (fax)
April21, 1992
Dr. Burton Elliot
The Arkansas Department of Education
4 State Capitol Mall
Utile Rock, AR 72201-1904
Dear Dr. Elliott:
Group III Video Productions would like to give oar full endorsement and support for the selection of Hot Springs as
the site of the Arkansas School of Mathematics and Science. The Hot Springs area offers many unique educational
opportunities as well as a good environment for learning.
Group III has gained national recognition as a company among the first to develop practical applications for leading
edge computer technology. We are heavily involved in the use of computers as communications tools, and we were
pioneers in the integration of personal computers with the production of educational videos by incorporating digital
animation and three-dimensional modeling.
At oar offices in Hot Springs, we have a complete television and video production studio we me to produce training
tapes on high tech subjects (including the rue of personal computers, video gear, and digital mixers. In recent
months, weve expanded into satellite transmission to broadcast our locally produced television show to all of North
America. In addition to our video production studios, we also maintain a complete state-of-the-art computer based
publishing lab. Combining computers, laser printers, and Windows software, we are able to produce and publish
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books, magazines, newsletters, and communication oriented graphics for local, national, and international clients.
Our staff has provided training in the application of computer technology to many clients, including Fortune 500
corporations, foreign governments, major universities as well as individuals. Should the Arkansas School of
Mathematics and Science locate here in Hot Springs, we would be more than happy to offer our services, as they
might be needed. For example, if students wished to become involved in setting up a computer lab, learning more
about the production of television, or even getting hands-on training in the practical application of digital animation
techniques, we would be glad to provide assistance.
We appreciate your consideration of Hot Springs as the location for the Arkansas School of Mathematics and Science.
We think it is an ideal place for this facility.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
This is kind of like a reverse testimonial letter. Our city was a candidate for the placement of a special
school of science and mathematics and they wanted us to write a letter of support. We were told this
letter would be read by the Chamber of Commerce, most city officials, the state board, and lots of
interested parties. So, we wrote the letter explaining that not only did we support the school, we would
be happy to offer to teach some of the things we were doing. Several people who read the letter
eventually became our clients.
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10
Seminars
A good way for almost any business person to share their knowledge in their area of expertise is hold
a seminar or a series of training sessions. When you put on a good seminar you are providing
educational services that may not be available anywhere else. And generally the information you
provide in the seminar has tremendous value to seminar participants, primarily because you are
condensing down years of actual experience into a very short training session.
Seminars can be promoted in various ways; classified or display ads, radio or TV spots, or direct mail
campaigns. The method you choose usually depends on the nature and admission price of the event For
lower priced events of a general nature, youll probably want to advertise in the local newspaper, and
on TV and Radio. For higher priced events, you may want to use display ads and direct mail campaigns.
Over the past three years, weve conducted four high-priced seminars. We promoted these events with
highly targeted direct mail campaigns sent to very limited audiences. In every case, we were able to fill
up our events with mailings to less than 1,000 people. And thats for events with an admission price of
over $1,000 for four days!
Of course theres a lot more to putting on a seminar than just signing up participants. You generally
have to invite speakers, make arrangements for the meeting hail, make arrangements with the hosting
hotel, prepare an agenda, schedule special events, prepare name tags, develop hand-out material, and
make sure the audio video system work.
This can be a lot of work. But a successful seminar helps a lot of people, and can be quite profitable to
you and your business. In addition to the possibility of substantial monetary profit from the event, a
successful seminar will allow you to make contacts with people who can become great assets to your
business for years to come.
Plus, if you put on a great seminar, you can build a name for yourself, and a reputation of putting on
meaningful events and this will make it much easier to sign up participants and speakers for your next
event
Over the next few pages youll see the letters we developed to promote one of our seminars, the
material we developed to use during the seminar, and a direct mail letter we used to market the tapes of
the seminar to people who werent able to attend.
The following series of letters and documents were developed for the Direct Mail Boot camp we
conducted in the Spring of 1992.
For this seminar we arranged to have some of the legends in direct mail come to Hot Springs Arkansas
and spend four days teaching and advising participants on how to create successful direct mail projects.
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This was an extraordinary event, and we were able to pull it off with the letters and documents youll
see in the following pages (plus a lot of form cases and hundreds or hours of preparation.) Among these
letters youll see the direct mail piece we used to promote the event, letters to participants, letters to our
travel agent and the host hotel, an agenda for the event, a comment sheet, and finally the direct mail
piece we used to sell the tapes of the event.
If you are really-serious about making money in the nineties, read this...
On May 11 - 14, Ten of the Nations Most Successful Marketing Experts will Gather in Hot
Springs, Arkansas for a Very Special Purpose to Teach 50 People their Secrets of Making a
Fortune in the Direct Mail Business.
Those who attend will have the extraordinary opportunity to learn and consult with some of the
legends of Direct Mail including
Marketing Guru Gary Halbert.
This is your opportunity to join them.
Dear Friend,
Imagine being able to spend four days with some of the best direct marketing minds in the country, people whose
names read like the Whos Who of direct mail names like Gary Halbert, John Canton, and Carl Galletti.
Further imagine these experts have all come together for one reason to take the time to teach you the secrets
theyve used to make a fortune in direct mail.
Sounds interesting, right? Well, let me assure you that this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from the Masters
of Direct Mail will be more than just interesting. It could be the turning point in the lives of those who participate.
Because they will be taught the ultimate skill How To Earn A Good Income Anywhere, Anytime, By Developing
And Following Through Direct Mail Projects.
The people who come to this event are going to have the unparalleled opportunity to spend four days in the
company of the brightest, most gifted, direct mail experts and copywriters alive today. These Princes of Print
have been convinced to take time away from their very busy schedules to come to Hot Springs for one specific
purpose
To Provide Personal Training To A Few Very Lucky People Wanting To Learn The ART Of Producing MoneyMaking Direct Mail Projects.
But wait a minute! What do we mean by Direct Mail?
Well, in the context of this seminar, direct mail refers to the process of selling a product (or products) by sending
sales letters to prospective customers through the mail. Many people refer to these sales letters as junk mail, but
not the people who use them. Because these junk mail sales letters produced more than 200 BILLION
DOLLARS in sales last year alone!!!
And Part Of That 200 Billion Dollars Can Be Yours!!!
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See, even if you dont have a product to sell, even if youve never sold anything, even if you know nothing about
direct mail, you can still get into this business and learn how to make large sums of money quickly. And you can
do it from anywhere in the country. You dont need to live in the big cities, you dont need a big office or any
employees or very much capital. In fact, all you really need is someone to show you how to do it right. After
that...
Youll Know The Secrets To Raising @@ 88,000 To @@ 880,000 Cash In Just A Few Days!
But dont get me wrong. Direct mail is not some Get Rich Quick scheme. It is a way of doing business. A way to
reach a huge audience of millions of potential customers without having to knock on a single door. Or to make a
single sales call. Its all done by mail.
And even a small success can reap huge profits. Profits that can change your life. But its not the money that
changes your life. Its the freedom that money gives. And, while many of us may have gotten into this business
for the money, we soon discovered that the real reward of success is...
The Freedom To Live Your Life As You Choose.
See, when you have money you dont have to depend on a real job. Or for someone else to support you. You gain
an air of confidence and a feeling of security that few people ever experience. And you become more aware of
how precious life really is (especially when you can afford to enjoy it). This is the real reward of success in direct
mail. True independence. But let me warn you it is a feeling that once tasted is hard to give up.
OK. Heres An Example Of How Easy It Is To Make Big Money With A Direct Mail Project.
Lets say youve identified a group of people who want to buy a specific product they cant find in their local
market. You contact the manufacturer of the product and he agrees to sell you the item (which has a retail price of
$269), for the wholesale price of $129. This means you will earn $140 profit for each sale of the item you make.
And thats good.
Now lets say, you invest $485 to print and mail letters to 2,000 of the people you already
identified as wanting to buy this product. Assuming just 2% of these people respond to your
offer, youll sell forty units, and make a gross profit of $5,600 (40 X $140). Of course, after you deduct the
cost of the mailing, you end up with $5,115 net profit And even though thats more than a 1000% return on your
investment, you probably want to make more than $5,115 (Yes, youre one of the greedy ones.)
Anyway, to make more money, you just mail more letters.
If you mail another 20,000 letters, and get the same 2% response, your profits go up to $51,000!!! Again, not bad,
especially since you probably made it all in less than 11 days!!! (The time it takes to mail a letter, get an order and
process it.) But this is just the tip of the iceberg. You could mail 200,000 letters and perhaps make $510,000. And
you could keep mailing until you either ran out of names to mail to or got bored counting your money. (Dont
laugh, most people stop mailing before they run out of names.)
Anyway, the secret to success here is to...
Identify a market of customers who want and have the ability to buy a specific product.
Create the right offer that will make customers want to order the product from you.
And finally, follow through with the mailing and order processing.
It sounds easy. And when you do it right, it is. Of course, doing it right means putting all the little pieces together
just the right way. And thats what youre going to learn at our Direct Mail Boot camp. That, plus a whole lot
more, inc1uding
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How to find the Ultimate Direct Mail product for your market (and how to get manufacturers and distributors to
send you free samples of products they want you to sell).
How to write a killer direct mail offer that will Make People Want To Send You Money!!!
How to Avoid The Really Dumb Mistakes behind almost all direct mail failures! (This alone can assure you of a
100% better chance of succeeding.)
How to find Start-up Capital And Complete Financing for any direct mail project!
How to find names, addresses and spending habits of the group of people Most Likely To Want To Spend Money
With You!
How to Master The Mechanics Of Producing A Direct Mail Offer That Really Works!
How to use Premiums and Free bonuses To Boost Your Sales Through The Roof. (And why the best premiums
probably wont cost you a dime.)
How to use Magic Words in your offer that can dramatically increase your response rate!!! (And why to avoid
using certain words and phrases that will kill sales.)
How to estimate the profit potential and risk of any direct mail offer, and know in advance which ones will be BIG
Winners before you invest a single penny!!!
How to use the Post Office for Maximum Effect!!! (Includes techniques to disguise bulk mail, getting the best
postal rates, and timing your mailing for best response.)
How to use Printing Services to get the most out of your mailings (and how to get your printer to agree to
underwrite most of the start-up costs of your next mailing).
How to put your Direct Mail Order Entry and Product Fulfillment System on Full Auto Pilot!!!
(How to get orders taken, charge cards processed and products shipped the no-pain way.)
What you might do to Protect Yourself Legally before you start any direct mail project!
How to develop a strategy to generate at least $100,000 In Profits Over The Next 180 Days!!!
Youll learn all this, and as I promised, a lot more. And youll learn it from real Pros. People who know how to do
it right, and who have a proven track record of...
Raising Huge Sums Of Money In Just A Few Days
With Direct Mail Projects Theyve Created!!!
These experts, the ones who will be teaching at this direct mail boot camp will include...
Guru Gary Halbert - Yep, the one, the only, the real Gary Halbert in all his glory is going to be here. And hell
be doing what he is famous for astounding you with his genius - like ability to come up with crystal clear solutions
to almost any marketing problem.
John Carlton - Johns the guy who wrote many of the direct mail offers for Howard Ruff, Gary North and Lee
Euler. His work really pulled for these guys and gained him fame as a world class copywriter. Hell amaze you
with his slant on reality.
David Deutsch - Davids an award winning mainstream copywriter from one of the finest advertising houses on
Madison Avenue (Ogilvy & Mather). Working freelance now, his copywriting and promotional genius has
attracted the attention of many Fortune 500 clients.
John Eger - John is one of the nations most brilliant marketing strategists. He and his partner Phil Kratzer (who
will also be at the seminar) place more classified ads than just about anybody in the country, and through their
work they know whats selling and whats not, and probably know more about which words work (and why) than
anybody else in the business.
Carl Galletti - Carl is one of the best freelance direct-mail copywriters alive today, a member of the elite group of
people considered copywriting geniuses. More than just copywriting, Carl also understands the relationship of
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how words must look on paper to sell. He can show you how to increase response to almost any letter just by
changing the mechanics.
Lisa Morrice - Lisa is president of On Target Communications, a marketing firm specializing in public relations
and direct response methods. Not only is she a great copywriter, but she can also turn out books on almost any
subject you wish to market A tremendously talented person who can show you how easy it is to create the
ultimate product for your market.
Karen (Redpath) Myers - Many of you may remember Karen from the two years she spent working down in the
Keys as Gary Halberts personal assistant Karen is a veritable wail ting rolodex. She personally knows just about
everyone whos done anything in direct mail; she has organized massive mailings and set up complete order
processing and fulfillment systems, and through her network of contacts she can get just about anything done.
Plus, shes married to me...
Guerilla Bill Myers - Im probably one of the laziest guys youve ever met I didnt used to be, but since Ive
learned how easy it is to make all the cash I need with direct mail projects, I find I have no use7 for a real job.
Now I just spend a few hours a week thinking about new projects, and every few months I put one together to
create a fresh cash flow. Its a tough life, but somebody has to do it. But with a little practice, I bet you too can
learn to be lazy and like it!
Mystery Guests - Theres going to be a few other big guns here, but since Im having to write this letter before
they confirm, Im not going to reveal their names here. Still, you can be sure youre going to get to work with
people who are legendary in this business.
And all these people will be in Hot Springs for one reason
To Teach You The Step By Step Procedures The Experts Use
to Create A Successful Money Making Direct Mail Project!!!
Of course, therell be a lot more than the lectures, training sessions and workshops. Youll be given plenty of take
home reference materials including books, video tapes, sample direct mail offers, even computer software
thatll greatly increase your chances of making money when you get home. And well even provide you with
sources for some of the best direct mail products!
Plus, youll be given time to speak privately with the experts. To get advice or suggestions on how to get your next
project off the ground. Youll make connections with people who will remember you and be able to help you in
your future efforts. And just to be sure everyone gets to know each other, weve arranged some pretty interesting
class projects and relaxing after-class adventures run and around the world famous Hot Springs National Park
here.
Now here is the part youve probably been wondering about - the cost. Normally an event with this caliber of
people providing training on this particular subject would have an admission price of $6,000 or more. Its true.
Gary Halbert charged $6,950 for his last seminar and had no problem filling it. And, those who attended agreed it
was worth every penny. But A lot of people who need the kind of information and training we will be providing simply dont have $7,000 to
spend. And people who do may be reluctant top with that kind of money in the current economy. So, just this one
time, were going to reduce the price of this $6,000 seminar to $1,395!!! And to make it even more fair, each paid
attendee can bring one guest FREE!!
But if you want to come, to experience this life-changing event, you must call and reserve your seat right now. We
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are limiting participation to just fifty people so we can offer personal attention to everyone. And at this price, seats
will fill quickly.
To take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity, you must reserve your seat today by calling our offices at 1501-321-1845. (Yes, you can use your Visa, MasterCard, or American Express to hold your seat.)
This is one of those rare opportunities that can change your life. I hope you can make it.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
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P.S.
We are holding this event at the world famous Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa nestled in downtown Hot
Springs, Arkansas, a stones throw from Hot Springs National Park During your stay youll enjoy clean,
clear mountain air, exploring the shops of the historic downtown area, and dining in your choice of
excellent restaurants. And after a long day, youll be able to join everybody for a soak in the
mountainside pool and hot tubs. (Plus; youre sure to appreciate how far a dollar goes in our little town
here.)
P.P.S.
This is your chance to get involved in an adventure that can change your life. Youll be able to meet and
work with the real gurus of direct mail including Gary Halbert, John Carlton, David Deutsch, John
Eger, Phil Kratzer, Carl Galletti, Lisa Morrice and Karen and Bill Myers. And youll get to see firsthand
the lifestyle these people have carved out for themselves. A lifestyle you could be living.
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
April 28, 1992
Dear Mr. Catricala,
This is confirmation that you have been accepted to participate in Group Ms Direct Marketing Boot camp beginning
Monday, May 11, 1992, and ending Thursday evening, May 14. The boot camp will be headquartered in the Crystal Ball
Room at the Arlington Hotel in the center of the historic district of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas.
All of the boot camp attendees and special guests will be staying in the spacious, elegantly-appointed rooms available at the
Arlington. We have arranged a special room rate of $65 per room for two people or $55 per room for single occupancy.
There are also fabulous Suites available on request.
To insure a room we suggest you to call the Arlington immediately on receipt of this letter and make your reservation. Be
sure to mention the fact that you are attending Group Ms Direct Marketing Seminar to get the maximum discount. The toll
free telephone number is 1-800-643-1502 (or 1-501-623-7771 inside Arkansas). We have enclosed a brochure on the
Arlington so you can see how unique and fabulous this hotel really is.
If you are traveling to Hot Springs by air we recommend you schedule your trip so as to arrive on Sunday, May 10, and
plan to stay in town until the following Saturday. This will allow you the maximum discounted airfare, and give you plenty
of time to enjoy the adventures our National Park has to offer.
If you fly with a commercial airline, you will fly into Little Rock and then travel to Hot Springs by auto, approximately 50
miles into the mountains. (Weve found you can get great airline discounts from a company called Travel Bargains 1-800872-8385.) A shuttle is available for those not wishing to rent cars, and the Arlington Hotel is within walking distance of
most of the special attractions you will want to see while you are here.
Hot Springs is a great place to bring your family. There are always lots of things for them to do while they are here, and
remember you are welcome to bring one guest into the seminar with you. But if you do decide to bring a guest please
make sure you register him or her with Sissi as soon as possible.
We will have a package of information waiting for you when you check in at the Arlington. If you have any questions, or
need any assistance in making travel arrangements or booking accommodations, dont hesitate to call Sissi at 1-501-3211845.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
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P.S.
May is Spring here in Arkansas and traditionally the weather will be delightful with sunny days in the 70s and
80s and cooler temperatures at night. The dress code is informal for your maximum comfort.
P.P.S.
This is your chance to meet and work with the real Gurus of direct mail, including Gary Halbert, John Carlton,
John Eger, Phil Kratzer, Lisa Morrice, David Deutsch, Carl Galletti and Karen and Bill Myers.
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
May 1, 1992
Dear Mr. Bernstein,
Just a short note to update you on the upcoming Direct Mail Boot camp.
First, I want to let you know this event is turning into The Direct Marketing event of the year! After we announced that
Gary Halbert, along with several other heavy hitters of direct mail would be here, many other players in the industry
decided they didnt want to be left out.
So, along with the experts we named in our previous letter, youll get a chance to work with and learn from several others,
including Ted Nicholas, a remarkable man who has sold over 200 million dollars of his own products through direct mail
and magazine ads.
This is really going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity for us all to meet and rub elbows with the whos who of the direct
marketing world. Im really excited that you and I are going to be a part of it.
OK, a few notes to make your trip easier.
If you are flying in and are not renting a car, you need to know the airport shuttle does not run after 8:00 P.M. If your flight
comes in late, you need to make arrangements to get to Hot Springs. You can rent a car from Thrifty for under $40 a day,
and their office at the airport stays open 24 hours a day. Or if you choose, you can take a taxi, itll cost about $60 to get to
Hot Springs.
A reminder about the weather in Hot Springs in May. Normally the temps will range from the low sixties to the high
eighties. Of course, there is no such thing as normal weather in Arkansas, especially in the spring. Dress casual for the boot
camp, bring leisure clothes for your free time, and dont forget your swimsuit (for the meetings in the mountainside hot
tubs).
If you are currently working on a marketing project, or have a product you are planning to market, this is a good
opportunity to have your ideas reviewed by the experts. You may want to bring some of your work or your product along
for this reason.
When you check in at the Arlington, there will be a packet of additional information waiting for you. In the meantime, if
you have any questions, dont hesitate to call our offices.
We are looking forward to your arrival here in Hot Springs.
Sincerely,
Bill & Karen Myers
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
Attention: Aline
Palm Travel
Fax# 305-948-6000
Listed below are the names of the people who will be contacting you to make travel arrangements
pertaining to Group Ms seminar being held in Hot Springs, AR May 10 through May 16:
Gary C. Halbert
David Deutsch
Carl Galletti
Lisa Morrice
John Canton
These people will be flying into Little Rock from domestic destinations nationwide. Group M will
accept the charges for their flights on the following credit card:
AMEX Optima William H. Myers
Please let me know who these people should ask to deal with when they call to make their individual
reservations and I will pass the information along to them with your telephone number.
As each individual calls to make reservations please call us to confirm the dates of the flight and the
person involved.
Thank you,
Karen Myers
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
William H. Myers
Please guarantee that Gary Halbert is placed in the complimentary suite that you have made available to
Group M (Ste# 443 as assured on form# 67254).
Thank you,
Karen Myers
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
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Tuesday
8:00 - 8:30
8:45
9:00
11:00
2:00 - 5:00
9:00 - 6:00
Wednesday
8:00 - 8:30
8:45
9:00
11:00
2:00 - 5:00
5:00 - 6:00
Thursday
8:00-8:30
8:45
9:00
11:30
2:00-5:00
5:00-6:00
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6:00
* This schedule is flexible and subject to change. Announcements regarding the scheduling of informal
workshops on specific subjects will be made each day.
For your convenience our staff members are available to assist you. Jim Powell will be coordinating things
at the Arlington Hotel, and Sissi Hazier will be handling everything at our downtown offices (321-1845)
located at 321 Quachita Avenue.
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2. Was there anything you would have liked to see included in the Camp?
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Dear Friend,
Everything you have heard about the Direct Mail Boot camp is true.
Even the stories about what Gary Halbert did in the Al Capone suite at the Arlington Hotel are true. (Yep, Gary
would have made Big Al Proud)
But the biggest story of all is what happened to those of us who participated in the boot camp. We learned the
ultimate skills like
How To Make a Good Income Anywhere, Anytime,
By Developing and Following Through Direct Mail Projects!!!
Its true. No matter who you are or where you live in this country, you can learn how to make a good income
doing nothing but coming up with and rolling out direct mail projects. And its an easy business to get into. You
dont need an office or storefront, you dont need retail clerks or salespeople, you dont need a heavy investment
in inventory. In fact, all you need to get into the direct mail business is to...
Start Mailing Sales Letters!!!
Of course, just because you start mailing letters, doesnt automatically mean youre going to make money. Thats
because success in direct mail is kind of like baking a cake. To bake a cake, you use a recipe, put in all the
ingredients in the right order, pop it in the oven, and you end up with a cake. But try to make that same cake
without a recipe, and chances are youre not going to end up with a cake at all. In fact, youre probably going to
end up with one heck of a mess!
And its the same way with direct mail projects.
If you try to make money in direct mail, and dont know or dont use the Recipe for Success in Direct Mail (the
recipe revealed by the experts at The Direct Mail Boot camp) youre probably going to have the same kind of
success rate youd have if you tried to bake a cake without a recipe. Just about zero. (And youd still end up with
a big mess on your hands.)
But if you know, and use, the amazingly simple, straightforward Recipe for Success in Direct Mail (as revealed at
the Direct Mail Boot camp), youre going to discover it is easy to make money with direct mail ventures. And its
easy to pursue a lifestyle where all you do is come up with, and follow through on, direct mail projects. Its a real
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adventure, and an adventure that can make you rich, if you know the recipe for success!
And that was the purpose of the Direct Mail Boot campto bring together the best minds and top performers in
the direct mail business for four solid days, so they could teach the Recipe for Success in Direct Mail to others.
And thats exactly what they did.
Some of the experts who participated in the boot camp were...
Gary Halbert:
Ted Nicholas:
John Carlton:
John Eger:
David Deutsch:
Carl Galletti:
Lisa Morrice:
Phil Kratzer:
Karen Anderson:
Bond Halbert:
Guerilla Bill
& Karen Myers:
Whose clients eagerly pay him $15,000 an hour for his marketing advice!
Known as the most successful Magazine Advertiser in the Country!
One of the best copywriters alive today, known for getting results!
Co-owner of National Response Corporation; places 4,000 ads a week!
Ex-Madison Avenue Copywriter, now highly in-demand freelancer!
Direct Mail Catalog Expert, President of Lord & Collins!
President of On Target Communications, specializing in direct response!
A brilliant marketing strategist, involved in two-step marketing, 900 numbers!
List broker specializing in joint ventures and endorsed mailings!
Another Halbert (Garys son) with the gift of marketing brilliance!
Known for their low budget projects that net high returns!
This amazingly talented group of people, all of whom make a living in some aspect of the direct mail business,
came together for the first time ever for a single purpose ...
To teach Direct Mail Boot camp Participants everything they knew
about creating successful direct mail projects!!!
And instead of just giving speeches, they spent four days demonstrating how to create successful projects in a
logical, step-by-step process. Starting at the beginning with the very basics, and sequentially working through each
step in the entire process. Everything was covered, but just to be sure everybody got it, the experts actually...
Came Up With A Direct Mail Project And Developed It
From Beginning To End Right There In The Boot camp!
A complete project. From start to finish. From coming up with the idea, to defining the market, to creating the
product, to developing the offer, to getting it all down on paper, even to mailing and taking orders. They did it all!
And in the process, they revealed the recipe; the template for success in direct mail. And until you see it for
yourself, youll never believe how easy it can be for you to make good money in this business (as long as you
follow the proven formula).
Here are just some of the things the experts taught us:
Why it is so important to Define The Market First, before you come up with the product. (Most people come up
with a product, and then ask Who can I sell it to?. Thats the wrong way.)
Where to find the Ultimate Market to sell Direct Mail Products To. (And how to know beforehand if the people
you are mailing your letter to are in the position to buy from you.)
How to find the Ultimate Direct Mail Product for your market (And how to get manufacturers and distributors to
send you free samples of products they want you to sell)
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How to Avoid The Really Dumb Mistakes behind almost all direct mail failures! (This alone can assure you of a
1000% better chance of success.)
How to find Start-Up Capital and Complete Financing for any direct mail project!
How to find names, addresses and spending habits of the group of People Most Likely To Want To Spend Money
With You!
How to write a killer direct mail offer that will Make People Want To Send You Money!!!
How to Master the Mechanics of Producing a Direct Mail Offer that Really Works!
How to use Premiums and Free Bonuses to Boost Your Sales Right Through The Root. (And why the best
premiums probably wont cost you a dime.)
How to estimate the Profit Potential and risk of any direct mail offer, and How To Know In Advance Which
Projects Will Be Big Winners before you invest a single penny!!!
How to Use the Post Office for Maximum Effect!!! (Includes techniques to disguise bulk mail; getting the best
postal rates and timing your mailing for best responses.)
How to acquire the mail order rights to Best Selling Books and Videos for as little as $250!!!
How to get a Print Shop to agree To Underwrite Most Of The Stan-up Costs Of Your Next Direct Mail Project!
(And how to use printing services to increase your response rate.)
How to put your Direct Mail Order Entry and Product Fulfillment System on Full Auto Pilot!!! (Get orders taken,
charge cards processed and products shipped without your involvement!)
What you must do to Protect Yourself Legally before you start any direct mail project.
A strategy to generate $100,000 in 120 days starting with just a $600 investment!!!
The experts showed us all this and more! And they presented it in a way that made it easy to follow and simple to
understand. More importantly, we learned success in direct mail can be almost automaticif you follow the
recipe! The same recipe being taught to us by people who were actually doing what they were showing us how to
do, and that was...
Raising Huge Sums of Money With Direct Mail Projects!!!
But you know, its funny. All the experts kept talking about was how they werent in direct mail for the money,
instead they were in it mostly for...
The lifestyle that haying money permits them to live.
Its a strange way of thinking about money, but I guess theyre right. Its not so much the money thats nice, its
what having money allows you to do.
See, when you have money, you dont need a job, you dont have to work for anyone else. And not having to
show up for work every day frees up a lot of your time. Time you can choose how to use. Time to spend with your
family. Or on your hobbies. Or on an adventure. Whatever, The Choice Is Yours.
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But as the experts pointed out, having the choice to do what you want, and having the free time to do it, can
become quite addictive.
Once you taste this freedom, youll find it bard to go back to your old job. Youll never want to work for anyone
but yourself. And youll know why those who are doing it say a career in direct mail is the ultimate adventure!
Being able to come and go as you want, to travel, to spend time with your family, your friends, or to just sleep late,
are luxuries far more enjoyable than a big car or a fancy gold watch. (Or so say the experts.) According to them,
the real reward of success True Independence!
(And I always thought it was the money!) Anyway, listening to these successful people talk about their lifestyles
was fascinating. And it made us realize that money isnt the goal. Money just provides a means of reaching many
different goals, goals as different as the individuals who set them. (But money is not a bad thing.)
There is something that money brings, though. Something that none of the speakers actually talked about, but
something that could be seen in all of them. There was an air of confidence, a feeling of security, maybe even an
inner peace that made these people stand out in a crowd.
But maybe it wasnt the money, maybe it was the knowledge that they had discovered a way to live well., no matter
what happened in their lives. They knew that anytime they needed money for anything, all they had to do was follow
the recipe for success in direct mail. And in a few days, money would start filling their mailboxes.
A surprising thing about these experts is that they werent at all hesitant to share the techniques they had mastered.
They didnt hold back on anything, they told us everything, gave us advice and direction, and even told us about
their biggest mistakes. It was amazing...
They had discovered a way to escape
from the rat race, and didnt mind sharing the secret!
They were also honest with us. They told us direct mail is not some Get Rich Quick scheme. It is a way of doing
business. A way to reach a huge audience of millions of potential customers without having to knock on a single
door. Or without having to make a single sales call. Its all done by mail. (Which means you can launch projects from
your kitchen table.)
And, because you can reach so many potential customers inexpensively...
Even a small success with a direct mail project can reap huge profits!
You dont need a sophisticated operation mailing hundreds of thousands of letters a week. In fact, using the recipe
for success, you can earn $20,000 or more per month, doing small mailings into the right market. You can keep your
business small, yet still be able to make big money.
Another thing they taught was you dont need much money to get started (they really pounded this into our heads).
In fact, they all agreed that having too much money is one reason many people fail! The logic behind that statement
is surprising, but it turns out to be true.
Anyway, those lucky enough to attend the Direct Mail Boot camp realized very quickly that they were part of something
very special This was one of those amazing, profoundly life changing events you sometimes read about in the
biographies of people who have made it big. No doubt sometime in the future, when some successful person is asked
what was the turning point in his (or her) life, he (or she) will point to participation in the Direct Mail Boot camp.
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Unfortunately, not everybody who wanted or needed the kind of experience the direct mail boot camp provided was
able to attend. Some people, still stuck in the rat race, couldnt get away from their jobs. Others had prior commitments
they couldnt reschedule. And many just couldnt afford the thousands it would cost to fly to Hot Springs to participate
in this event for a week.
Even some of those who had the free time, the funds, and an open schedule, found they couldnt get in. To their
disappointment, they discovered that the limited number of open seats at this event filled up just days after it was
announced (but thats no surprise considering what was being taught, and who was teaching it).
Anyway, if you are one of the ones who missed out on this life-changing experience, and want the recipe for success
in direct mail, along with the private and confidential advice and direction from some of the best minds in the industry,
youre in luck!
See, everything at the Direct Mail Boot camp was professionally recorded onto broadcast quality video tape. And a
complete library of those tapes, along with ail the materials handed out during the boot camp, plus a printed summary
of the event, along with a step-by-step direct mail workbook, is now available to you.
And along with the tapes and hand-out materials, youll also receive
A Turn-key, Ready-To-Use Direct Mail Project,
along with the REPRINT and REPRODUCTION RIGHTS
of the book and video tape sold in the offer!
Well talk about that later, but first lets look at...
The Components of the Direct Mail Boot camp Experience
When we began putting this package together we wanted to include everything that made this event so important to
those who participated. And we also wanted to include some Free Extras that would make the home version of the
Boot camp Experience even more worthwhile. And this is what we came up with starting with
The complete minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour, day-by-day video tape record of everything that went on at
the boot camp. Watching these tapes from start to finish is like having a front row seat at the boot camp. Shot
by video professionals with multiple cameras, youll feel like you were there! Youll see and hear every
speaker, every workshop, every presentation, every question asked and every comment made during the
boot camp. And for your convenience, the tapes are indexed by day and hour and subject matter. And for
review purposes, youll find each tape cover has a brief summary of the information found on that particular
tape.
Plus, along with the tapes youll get...
The complete package of hand-out and reference materials used by the actual participants during the boot
camp. This includes many sample direct mail letters, special computer software to analyze direct mail projects,
sample press releases, review copies of several direct mail related newsletters, review copies of various
magazines, several catalogs of products suitable for direct mail, samples of mailing lists, direct mail how-to
video tapes, special books, and even product samples. Heres just a short list of some of the things youll
get...
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Direct Marketing in a Discretionary Economy video - learn how to sell even in bad times!
Review copy of Book Marketing Update newsletter - great info source on marketing books!
Review copy of Video Marketing Letter - recommended by all the top names in marketing!
More than fifteen catalogs packed with unusual products -full of great product ideas!
Review copy of Marketing Tools Alert - covers mail order software, databases; etc.
Review copy of The Numbers News - provides inside info on results of selected mailings.
Review copy of American Demographics Magazine - in-depth consumer & market research.
Mailers Software Catalog - best single source for direct mail software. CD ROMs, etc.
How to Form Your Own Corporation for Under $75 - Ted Nicholas bestseller.
The Direct Mail Toolbox - IBM compatible computer software you can use to perform breakeven analyses, pricing strategies; and profitability studies on any direct mail project Also includes
net worth, income making and budget modules.
A VHS video tape of Guerilla Bill and Karen Myers latest satellite home shopping show
(youll learn how you can get your own home shopping show up on satellite for as little as a
$125, and use your show to test market direct mail products like they do!)
Plus, a copy of the direct mail letters developed as class projects during the boot camp.
But thats not all. Along with all this, youll also receive...
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A Million Dollar Rolodex with the names, phone numbers and addresses of all the experts who participated
in the boot camp, plus other resources youll want to know about. This rolodex is actually on rolodex cards
you can add to your personal rolodex file.
A Million Dollar Resource Directory - Just like above but printed out on computer paper so you can use
it no matter where you are.
A Directory of Boot camp Participants - This directory has the names, addresses, and phone numbers of
people who participated in the live boot camp. As you view the tapes, and you hear comments and questions
from these people, you may find someone you want to network with. This directory gives you a way to
contact them.
A copy of Success in Direct Mail, A Common Sense Guide to Profits. The direct mail workbook designed
to give you the complete recipe to success in direct mail. Its full of vital information and has numerous
checklists that will help you insure your project is a success. Youll love the way its laid out. Its easy to
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follow, and youll use it every time you start planning a direct mail project.
A subscription to Myers Direct, the newsletter written by Guerilla Bill Myers specifically for those just
getting into direct mail. Here youll find the latest information on what is working, and what isnt and why.
Plus tips on equipment and software that will make your direct mail business more successful, and even
ideas for direct mail projects. Plus special features written by Karen Myers dealing with the mechanics of
direct mail, some of the lifestyle benefits, and tips on how to effectively operate a husband/wife direct mail
business.
The Unfair Advantage Letter Book with over 150 pages of tested letters, display and class4 fled ads,
press releases, TV commercial scripts; and day-to-day correspondence letters needed by most direct mail
businesses. This book was taken directly from the word processing files of a successful direct mail business
and includes almost all of the written correspondence from their first three years in business. It provides a
rare peek inside the private files of a successful, kitchen table, direct mail business. And it can provide you
with plenty of examples you can use in your business.
And in addition to all this, you get an Extra Special Bonus, exclusive to the home version of the Direct Mail Boot
camp Experience. A Bonus so unique, so special that by itself it is worth over $1,000! But its yours FREE with
the Direct Mail Boot camp Experience! Because...
One of the first things youre going to want to do after youve watched the boot camp tapes is roll out your own
direct mail project. So, just to be sure you have one, when you order the Direct Mail Boot camp experience, you will
get...
A COMPLETE, READY-TO-USE DIRECT MAIL OFFER!!!
Thats right, along with the complete set of tapes, and all the reference and resource materials, and all the other extras,
you also get a ready-to-use direct mail project with the REPRINT and DUPLICATION RIGHTS of the book and
video being sold in the offer!!!
This means that when youre ready to go to market with your first direct mail project, youll have one you can use.
And...
Youll have the DUPLICATION and REPRINT RIGHTS to the products you are selling. Which means when you roll
out this project, the money you make from it is yours! No royalties or fees to be paid to anyone ever! ! ! And even if
you decide not to use this project, You Still Have The Right To Use The Book And Tape Any Way You Choose!
Its Like Having Your Future Delivered To You On A Silver Platter!!!
Having the reprint and duplication rights means you can sell the book and tape individually, or you can package them
up with other products, give them away as premiums, or just keep them until you are ready to use them. You can even
turn this ready-to-use project over to your son or daughter and let them use it to build their college fund! Its up to
you.
Of course, there is no guarantee this project will make money for you. We have tested it, and it has (@@and sf11 is)
making money for us. But, there is no guarantee youll get rich with it.
One things for certain though, you wont have to pay any royalties or copyright fees to us or anyone else when you
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sell this product. You get to keep the profits, and youll only have to share them with Uncle Sams favorite nephew,
the IRS.
But before you start counting all the money youre going to make with this, theres something you need to know. We
are not giving this material away. In fact, even though this is an amazing offer, we dont expect many people to be in
a position to take advantage of it. And thats OK. Because this offer is not intended for everyone. So...
If you are broke, or down to your last penny,
or dont know where your next meal is going to come from,
or are mentally or emotionally disturbed,
then dont bother ordering the Direct Mail Boot camp Experience. It isnt for you. Or...
If youre looking for a magic pill to fix all the problems in your life,
or cant or wont follow instructions,
or dont want to listen to advice,
then this is not going to work for you either. Its not magic. Or...
If you are the least bit shady, and looking for a quick way to scam
unsuspecting little old ladies out of their life savings ...
Then look somewhere else. We dont want this kind of information to fall into your hands.
On the Other Hand, if you are looking for a path which can take you to the level of personal success and financial
rewards that you desire, a path that has proven to work time and time again for others, the Boot-camp Experience
might be exactly what you are looking for. Especially if you can afford to invest in your success.
Operating your own direct mail business offers you one of the most direct, hassle-free ways you can generate a
substantial cash flow quickly... if you know the recipe for success. And the complete Direct Mail Boot camp Experience
is the only opportunity of its kind for you to learn that recipe from some of the most successful names in the direct
mail business.
But its not free.
Its going to require an investment in money (to get the tapes) and time (to watch them). if you sincerely feel you can
make that investment, then read on. Ive got some good news for you.
By now you know the Boot camp Experience is more than a set of tapes. More than a library of carefully selected
reference and resource material. More than the 10 extra bonus items. And more than the reprint and duplication
rights to a tested direct mail offer you can use to start making money right away.
It is all these things and more.
And combined with your desire to live your life on your own terms, it can be...
The Total Learning Experience That Changes Your Life!
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Theres nothing quite like the feeling of success. And that feeling can be yours. It is within your grasp. No matter who
you are or where you live, you can have a profitable future with direct mail projects. And the Direct Mail Boot camp
Experience can be your launching pad.
OK. Lets talk a little more about the investment required. Tapes from other seminars of this caliber are usually priced
in the $2,400 range. And usually these tape sets are worth every penny of the asking price. But the problem is, not
everybody can afford to invest that kind of money, especially right now. Life has its demands, and many of those
demands are financial.
Still, an investment m ones future can sometimes be pricelessif only one can afford to make that investment. (Its
sad but truesome people cant afford to be successful). Anyway, if you can afford success, and recognize this as an
opportunity to fulfill your dreams, this is your chance to participate in the complete Direct Mail Boot camp Experience,
including...
The Complete Set Of Video Tapes of the best minds in direct mail showing you how to do it right
The Complete Set Of Handout and Reference Materials of resource and reference tools
All the Extra Bonuses (The Unfair Advantage, the computer software, books, tapes, and more)
And
The Ready-To-Use Direct Mail Offer complete with reprint and duplication rights, plus everything
else we mentioned in this letter...for $1,095!
Yes, thats a substantial investment, and obviously not for everyone. But the few who take this step will find the
rewards to be enormous. To reserve your Direct Mail Boot camp Experience use your Visa, MasterCard, or American
Express and call 1-501-321-1845.
This is a very rare opportunity for you to experience what others will just dream about. The freedom and financial
rewards of personal success. I hope you are able to take advantage of this. If you have any questions, dont hesitate
to call me. My office number is 1-501-321-1845.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
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P.S.
Accompanying this letter are comments from people who participated in the Direct Mail Boot-camp
Experience along with some photos I thought you might be interested in.
P.P.S.
Weve covered a lot in this letter, and if you have questions about any of this, feel free to call our offices for
more information. Ask for Jim or Karen or @@ Sisal or me (Bill). We all participated in the Boot camp and
we can tell you more about what went on, and what is included with this package. Our office number is 1501-321-1845, and you can reach us there Monday thru Friday, from 8:30 AM through 5:00 PM (Central
Standard Time).
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How would you like to spend four days with these guys?
(Pictured clockwise from center: Gary Halbert (with ball cap), John Canton, Karen Anderson, Bond
Halbert, Bill Myers, Karen Myers, David Deutsch, Ted Nicholas, Carl Galletti, Lisa Morrice, Ken Kerr,
Loretta IJuffy. Not Pictured John Eger, Phil Kratzer)
Gary Halbert (photo below) dazzles his listeners with advice on how to succeed in direct mail.
An appreciative audience (photo bottom left) listens intently as they learn the Recipe Of Success.
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What People are Saying About the Direct Mail Boot camp
Experience
Wed love to show you all the great comments written about the boot camp by participants, but room wont allow.
So, well just concentrate on what they said about Gary Halberts work during the boot camp, and their feelings
about the overall boot camp experience.
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This has been the best organize4 best researched and presented seminar I have ever been to. What I liked best
was that it actually covered the entire process of coming up with a mail order or direct mail project and putting it
together and into operation. There was no Pie-in-the-Sky. It was realistic Heres how to do it, ABC, lusts & bolts
type of information from the leading people in this field All teaching from years of actual experience.
Tim Y., Ottuinwa, IA
The very complex subject of Direct Mail laid out in a clear, simple, step-by-step system. So simple anyone can do
it! Great Job! If you cant take it from here and make a ton of moneyyou are beyond all hope.
Ken K., La Jolla, CA
The material I got was practical professional and astoundingly thorough. I expected the material to be good but
I never expected the amount of information I got Garys information was priceless
Chuck B., Atlanta, GA
Garys point-by-point explanation of how to construct an offer and where to get a product was exactly what I
needed. This was my first exposure to direct mail marketing and I have received so much good information that I
cant wait to get home and begin using it
Steve P., Harrison, AR
Gary Halbert s point-by-point explanation of how to construct an offer and where to get a product was incredibly
valuable. I hung on his every@@ ~rd... I cant wait to go home and try some of his suggestions.
Sandy L., Carbondale, CO
I hung on Garys every word. I cant wait until I go home and try some of his suggestions. Each day I went in I
thought the experts had shared as much information as they had then Id learn a whole ton of new stuff all over
againit was tremendous!
BA., Los Angeles, CA
Gary definitely lived up to his expectations.. . and then some!
E. T. W., Albuquerque, NM
As always. Gary kept everyone on-track and in-the-money. Anyone who follows his advice will make a fortune. I
couldnt believe the valuable secrets he received...
Carl G., Lawrenceviile, NJ
Great! Great! Great!... . Garys comments always seem so precise, right on target, and conclusive!
Dave S., Glenview, IL
Superb! Gary really knows his stuff He solved a major problem for me; it will cause me to make at least another
$100,000 this year!
Thomas G., Atlanta, GA
Those 4 days literally altered my entire thought process. There were no more fears about if what I was doing was
right or wrong.. . after 4 days I knew
Dan R., Harrison, AR
Superb! Literally hundreds of ideas which will make or save more than 10 times the cost of the seminar!
Thomas G., Atlanta, GA
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- Shown on this
page Bill Stephens
(bottom left),
Karen Anderson
(center left), Dan
Reynolds (top
left), Gary Halbert
and Bill Myers
(top center), Bond
Halbert
(top
right), John Eger
(center right),
Ron
Beernan
(bottom right),
Ted Nicholas,
Lisa Morrice,
Loretta Duffy,
Bond Halbert,
Karen Anderson
(Center Photo)
Direct Mail Boot camp 1992 Produced by Bill Myers & Group M Video
Productions 321 Ouachita Avenue. Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845 Fax 1-501-321-1429
Opposite Page: - John Canton explains the unusual approach he uses to write award winning copy involving the balancing
of cold hard reality and magic (top left) David Deutsch takes a break after his spellbinding presentation on the new marketing
realities (top right). Lisa Morrice covering the basics of coming up with a profitable direct mail offer (middle left). Ron
Beeman directs the camera crew from his control panel (Bottom right). John Err talks about the three components needed
to take money in every direct marketing project (bottom left).
This Page: A team of the worlds best copywriters work together Mailbox, preparing to share the inside secrets that helped
him get $200,000,000 in sales (top right). John Canton and Karen Myers share a laugh with Gary Halbert as he prepares a
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direct mail offer for the class (bottom right). Karen Anderson shows boot campers where to find the best mailing
lists, and how to use them effectively (bottom left).
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the recipe of success in direct marketing to boot camp participants. Right - Guerilla Bill Myers who,
along with his wife Karen, was responsible for putting together The Direct Mail Boot-camp 1992. Bill is
shown wearing his Class II Kevlar bullet proof vest. The vest symbolizes the idea of building a bullet
proof direct mail business on a low budget.
The Boot camp was hailed as an extraordinary success from those tat participated in this once-in-alifetime chance to learn from the greatest minds in the direct mail business!
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
Dear Friend,
Congratulations on your decision to invest in The Direct Mail Boot camp Experience. As you apply the techniques youll
learn in this package, youll quickly discover why The Direct Mail Boot camp Experience can become the most important
investment in your future youve ever made.
There are several components to this package, and each and every one of tern is important to your success in direct mail. To
get the most out of the complete boot camp experience, we suggest you do the following.
1. First, watch all the tapes in the order they are presented. Youll want to take notes, and keep the reference material in
Box #2 close by so you can keep up with the tapes.
2. After you have viewed the tapes, take some time to digest what you have learned. As you think about all the
opportunities available to you, you should begin to set some personal goals on what you want to achieve with your
new knowledge.
3. With your personal goals in mind, look at the Turn Key projects available to you on the Options pages included in
Box #1. Evaluate how each project can help you gain experience and develop a cash flow, and then select the
project(s) you wish to pursue.
4. Complete the Choice form found in Box #1 and return this form to us.
5. Then, Apply What You Rave Learned! The choice of whether to actually roll out one of our projects, or to develop
one of your own is up to you. But no matter what you do, Do Something! The surest way to fail is to do nothing at
all.
In about 14 days, we will be sending you The Direct Mail Workbook and the Unfair Advantage Letter Book to help you get
your first project off the ground. In addition to these books, well be sending additional resource information and your first
copy of Myers Direct, the newsletter dedicated to helping you gain success in direct mail. This is just part of the continuing
support we will be supplying you.
If you have any questions about anything in this package, or anything you see or hear on the tapes, or if you need help getting
a project off the ground, dont hesitate to call us. Our office number here is 1-501-321-1845 (fax us at 1-501-321-1429). Wed
love to hear your comments.
Sincerely,
Bill & Karen Myers
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P.S.
Dont forget that your investment in this package is fully deductible from the admission price of the next Direct
Mail Boot camp which will probably be held the first quarter of 1993. Since these boot camps fill up quickly,
well be sure to give you advance notice.
P.P.S.
The Direct Mail Boot camp Experience will change your life if you let it.
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The following series of letters and documents were developed for the Guerilla Video Boot camp we
conducted in the Spring of 1991.
The purpose of this event was to give participants hands-on training in the use of professional video gear,
as well as training in the marketing of video products.
We assembled 10 top name speakers and trainers, over $100,000 of professional video gear, and signed up
forty participants for this unique event. Everything went as planned, and many of the participants signed
up for a second boot camp.
On the following pages youll see the direct mail piece we used to promote the event, letters to participants,
an agenda for the event, a comment sheet, and finally the direct mail piece we used to sell the tapes of the
event.
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And because the boot camp is being held in such a nice place, and because of so many people finding out what
happened at the last boot camp, Ive been able to line up what I consider the best group of doers (people that actually
get things done) in the video and marketing field, and got them to agree to come share their secrets with you. People
~e...@@
Steve CanonVideo Producer for ESPN, RKO, NASA, Monster Truck Video
B. R. CoxScript writer and the voice of over 1,000 commercials and TV shows
Jason CrowYes, he is the world famous musician and Amiga graphics artist
John Eger Specializes in cost effective media placement, media connections
Joe ReinhardtOwns Composite Video, and is expert professional video equipment broker
John CookseyPerhaps the best guerilla video producer in the country, a real whiz kid
Joe MornHollywood quality video producer, credits include TV, videos, commercials
Peter RefeinerOwner of Intercomputing, expert on Amigas, Euro-marketing
Dan ReynoldsProduces own weekly TV program for cable, can show you how...
Shaun Kenny Produces home shopping show and news programs uplinked via satellite
Phil KratzerCreated National Response Corp., can show you how to market your tapes
Plus Ron Beeman (producer), Annie Cooksey (talent), Jim Powell (studio), Michael DeBuys (computer
graphics), and others (including some surprises).
Now, thats a crowd of talent. And when all these people get together for four days and share their ideas, techniques,
and secrets ... watch out. Powerful things are going to happen. Connections are going to be made. Joint Ventures
started. And careers made.
By now, you know all that. And you know these two boot camps will fill up quickly. Especially since Im going to
mail information about them to over 4,000 people. But, as a subscriber to The Video Marketing Letter, you get the
first chance to sign up. The price for either the July or September boot camps is $1,395 per person. This covers the
cost of admission to the boot camp, our reference tapes, our ready-to-use marketing materials, class handouts, and all
the materials youll use to complete the class projects. You are responsible for handling your transportation and
lodging costs (your special rate at the world class resort for you and up to four people is $65 per night).
These two boot camps will fill up quickly. And this will be the only information youll receive about them from me
unless you call Sissi today and tell her youre interested. Please let us know early so you wont be left out.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S.
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Take a good look at the faces of the people who attended the last boot camp. Take a look at all the things
we did, and the good times we shared. And then ask yourself, Is this what I need in my life? If the
answer is yes, call Sissi today at 1-501-321-1845.
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
Bill Myers
P.S.
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If you have a camcorder, be sure to bring into the seminar. And dress casual. No ties allowed. And bring a
swimsuit for the hot tub adventure.
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Name:
Business Name:
Street:
City:
Phone (Daytime):
State:
Zip:
For your information: Hot Springs is located in a secluded mountain valley in central Arkansas. The
climate in September will be warm with the weather ranging from the high fifties to the low eighties. The
nearest airport is 54 miles away in Little Rock, and you will probably want to rent a car to make the most
of your stay here. Special rates are available at the Lake Hamilton Resort and Conference Centre (1-501767-5511) for seminar guests, but you are free to stay anywhere you choose. Reservations at the Lake
Hamilton Resort must be made at least four weeks in advance and you must mention Group M to get the
special rates. (Other nearby hotels may offer even lower rates, call us for specifics.)
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
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Agenda
Sunday, September 15, 1991
All Day
9:00-9:45
9:45 - 10:35
Dan ReynoldsDan produces a highly profitable weekly 1V program for his local
cable system. Hell show how easy (and profitable) it is to get your own program on
cable.
10:35 - 10:50
Break
10:50-11:40
Shaun KennyShaun currently produces his own home shopping club over satellite.
He also produces a weekly news/entertainment show. Shaun will talk about using satellite
technology to make money.
Lunch
1:15- 2:05
2:05 - 2:15
Break
2:15 - 3:05
3:05 - 3:15
3:15 - 4:05
Break
Joe MorinJoe is an Independent Producer, whose credits include the Poor Mans James Bond and
DiV 101. He is also the editor of the Desktop Video Newsletter and will talk about
producing videos for profit.
4:05 - 4:20
Break
4:20 - 5:30
John EgerJohn is one of the sharpest marketing minds in the country. He is involved
in marketing books, videos, 900 lines, and is always looking for joint venture
opportunities. His four part presentation will walk you all the way through production
development and marketing.
5:30-6:00
7:30 - 9:00
Socializing in the Atrium PoolEveryone is invited down to the Atrium pool to spend
an hour or two relaxing and socializing with the speakers and guests.
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Agenda
Day II - Tuesday, September 17, 1991
8:30 - 9:00 A.M.
9:00-9:45
9:45 - 10:35
10:35 - 10:50
10:50-11:45
Howard Walker - Howard is the Editor of Satellite Watch Newsletter. Howard will talk
about his adventures in Guerilla Video and satellite.
11:45-1:15 P.M.
Lunch
1:15-2:05
Peter RafeinerPart II. Peter continues his discussion about the mail order business,
and how to buy an Amiga computer.
2:05-2:20
2:20 - 3:15
Break
Ron BeemanRon is an independent video producer who has learned how to make a good living
doing just video. Hell tell you about his experiences in Hollywood, about the Sony
Institute, and about monster truck videos.
3:15 - 4:05
Joe Reinhardt - Part II. Joe continues his discussion on how to buy and make money
with professional video equipment.
4:05 4:20
Break
4:20 - 5:10
5:10 - 5:40
7:00 - 9:00
@@
Ongoing Workshops
Amiga Video - Michael DeBuys, a top Amiga graphics artist, will show you how to create knock-their-socks-off digital
graphics.
Digital Mixing & Special Effects - A hands-on demonstration of the WJ-AVE5 digital mixer.
Tooling for Video - Demo of various titling programs
Video Toaster - Hands on demo of the Video Toaster
Camera Lighting - Ron Beeman
Satellite Uplinking & Home Shopping Show - Shaun Kenny
Steadi - Cam Demonstration with Jim Powell
Evaluation and use of professional video equipment - Joe Reinhardt
Note: This is a flexible schedule.
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Agenda
Day III - Wednesday, September 18, 1991
Todays the day everybody gets to workboth in the field and on the editing equipment.
8:30 - 9:00 A.M.
9:00 - 9:30
10:00-4:30 P.M.
4:30 - 5:00
5:00 - 5:50
9:30AM - 10PM
9:00 - 10:00
2:00 - 6:00
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Commercial Assignment
Objective:
Your goal is to create a 30 second or 60 second (your choice) TV commercial suitable for airing on local
cable TV. To produce this commercial you will need to call the client to set up an interview and shooting
schedule. When you visit the client, you should ask him what he wants to emphasize in the commercial,
and what he wants the commercial to accomplish. Find out if the purpose of the commercial is to:
o
o
o
o
o
Your team will be assigned a team leader who will act as an advisor. Dont expect your team leader to
produce the commercial for you. His task is to help you learn by doing. Hell keep you out of deep trouble,
but hell also let you make mistakes you can learn from. You should plan on using individual team members
personal camcorders to shoot the footage of the commercial. Your team leader will schedule time on the
editing equipment for you.
One of the hardest parts of putting together a commercial is coming up with and agreeing on the concept
or idea. Youll discover one of the best sources of creative ideas will be from the clients current advertising materials (if any exist). Printed brochures are especially helpful as they usually contain all the important information about the business. & sure all the information on this is accurate as youd hate to use the
wrong phone number or address.
When looking for ideas, feel free to refer to the Video Producers Ready Reference Reel. This tape includes 100 TV commercials which can give you inspiration for your own commercial.
When you settle on a commercial concept, storyboard your idea. There is a sample storyboard and blank
storyboard forms attached to this sheet for your use. Do not attempt to produce the commercial until you
have drawn up a storyboard This is part of the exercise, so keep the storyboard.
The Process:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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Notes:
A. When creating commercials you are not @@ trying to create a work of art, and you are not in a
contest to see who can create the most elaborate production. You are trying to produce the result
that the client wants. Simple works best. Dont make the mistake of haying to be too creative or
creating too complex a production.
B. Keep in mind that in the real world producing a commercial must be cost effective to you. In this
classroom exercise you will be budgeted a maximum of four hours of editing and computer time.
C. Weve found it can sometimes be frustrating to work with a team to produce the commercial in
this exercise. Dont be surprised if friction develops between team members. One way to get
around this is to create two or three variations of your commercial with each team member working
a different task in the various productions. This gives the client a choice and allows each team
member to get more familiar with the process of putting commercials together.
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and how to figure out what equipment you really need. This tape alone can save you thousands of dollars in equipment
costs and hours of headaches.
Shaun Kenny on Using Satellite TV - Shaun is known throughout the industry as a pioneer in using satellites to
broadcast his own video tapes to the rest of the world. He has figured out how individuals like you and I can use
satellites to reach huge markets. On this tape he shows how you can setup your own low-budget home shopping
show, and how it can be profitable the very first hour it airs. Shaun also covers how to deal with up linkers, which
satellites to use, and why satellite technology is the future. Truly an eye-opening discussion from a genius.
Joe Morin on Finding & Working With Clients - Joe is a Hollywood class producer who abandoned the big city
for life in the backwoods. In this tape, Joe shows how to find clients, how to set prices, how to get clients to pay, and
what kind of productions pay best Joes stories about crazy clients, and even crazier video tapes(the Poor Mans
James Bond is one of them) will keep you laughing the entire hour. But you can learn through Joes humor, and see
what it takes to make a good living in video even if you live in the boon docks.
John Eger on Successful Low Budget marketing - John Eger is the guerilla marketing specialist that people like
me, Gary Halbert, Alan Mills, and other folks who want to sell products call for advice. Johns unique approach to
life, his dry sense of humor and his brutal honesty about the potential success or failure of your project contributes to
his reputation as a straight shooter. In this tape John talks what it takes to get your product off the ground, and how
to greatly increase your chances of success without spending anymore money. A very interesting and educating
performance.
Peter Rafeiner on the Amiga Computer - So you want to know about the Amiga computer, and maybe even want
to buy one. Well, this is tape to see. Youll see Peter Rafeiner, owner of Intercomputing, explain the ins and outs of
using and buying an Amiga computer for video applications. And youll learn why Peter feels many of the tricks mail
order companies use to suck more money out of you are unnecessary and unethical. But be warned, Peter is from
Germany and his opinions about the American way of marketing may sting a little. But youll learn about the Amiga,
and how not to get burned in the marketplace.
Ron Beeman on Product Development - Ron makes his living developing and producing video projects for himself
and others. In his tape youll learn what to do after youve come up with a good idea for a video. Hell show you how
to map out your strategy, how to Bill Myers on Just About Everything - Ok. So I interrupted most of the speakers,
sometimes to explain, sometimes to interpret, and sometimes to simply to give them a hard time. So, Im on almost
every tape, and even fill up another tape with general comments and suggestions about how to get into, profit and
enjoy this crazy adventure we call guerilla video.
Youll also see and hear from Jason Crow (on the Toaster), and Jim Powell (on cameras and using the steadi-cam),
and J R Cox (on scripting and voice over), and Annie Cooksey (on make up and camera performance), and a whole
lot of other people giving theft two cents worth.
But thats not all ...
You see, most of the speakers had printed materials they gave the boot camp attendees. Things like script out line
forms, and cable TV contracts, and client agreement sheets, and sample ad kits, and even complete books. And we
gave each attendee a special bag of even more printed materials that we wanted them to have. Stuff that people really
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Take a good look at the faces of the people who attended the last boot camp. Take a look at all the things we
did, and the good times we shared. And then ask yourself, Is this what I need in my life? If the answer is
yes, call Sissi today at 1-501-321-1845.
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Guerilla Bills presentation actually lasted 43 minutes. When he was done, he was given a standing ovation and was
swarmed by the attendees. People forgot how hungry and tired they were. They wanted to talk to Bill, not let him get
out of the room, not let him go anywhere, until they could talk to this guy.
Gary and I were stunned We couldnt believe what wed witnessed. seen this backwoods country boy, a nonprofessional speaker, an unknown, present in plain English perhaps the easiest and surest way that anyone in the
room could realistically make big money. And Guerilla Bill had done it himself. Without a big investment, without
much work From the backwoods of Arkansas. He was proof that it really, really worked.
Over the next four days of the seminar, Guerilla Bill showed us a lot more. He brought us back to earth many times
by showing us the easy way (as he says it the lazy way) to making money. His ability to see through the BS right
into the heart of the matter impressed us all. And made him the most popular speaker at the seminar.
During the closing ceremonies, Gary made it a point to personally thank Guerilla Bill for coming to the seminar. And
invited him back And then he said...
Bill Myers is probably one of the most dangerous men on this planet. I had no idea what Gary meant at that
time. I do now (Ill tell you about that later).
Anyway, immediately after that seminar, Gary sent me to Arkansas for 10 days to learn all I could from Guerilla Bill.
He sent me up with 50 hours of video tape from the seminar, and wanted me to edit the tapes so he could market
them. I was scared. I didnt know anything about video production, I didnt even own a VCR and hadnt had the
opportunity to watch much TV in my native New Zealand.
Bill said this wasnt a problem. He could show me everything I needed to know about producing video in just a few
days. And then he called me ...
THE ULTIMATE VIDEO VIRGIN.
And I was. But I had a job to do and I was going to do it. And with Bills help, I got all the tapes done. And Gary
marketed them for $2,195. You may have bought a set If you did, you were able to see Bills performance at Garys
seminar, and you know its just as Ive described on the first two pages of this letter.
When I got back to Key West from Bills studio in Arkansas, and Gary saw the finished tapes, he immediately bought
a complete desktop video studio, identical in every respect to Bills. Because Gary could see the potential of guerilla
video. He knew this was the future. That video had such a pervasive influence on our society that anybody who knew
marketing and could produce video (tapes, commercials, infomercials, etc), would make a lot of money. A whole lot
of money.
And Gary is experimenting with video right now. Hes got a TV commercial for his Maximum Money book, and hes
just completed his first Gary Halbert infomercial.
As for me, I stayed in contact with Bill. Almost daily. And when he announced that he was going to conduct something
he called a Guerilla Video Boot camp, a four day hands-on seminar to teach video virgins how to produce and market
videos, I offered to work at his boot camp - for free. I wanted to be there. I knew magical things would happen.
Especially with his line-up of speakers which included:
John Eger on Successful Low Budget Marketing - You have probably heard of John Eger and his partner Phil
Kratzer. Gary is always talking about these guys and they are featured speakers at all his $7,000 seminars. And with
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good reason John Eger is the guerilla marketing specialist people like me, Gary Halbert, Alan Mills, and other folks
who want to sell products, call for advice. Johns unique approach to life, his dry sense of humor and his brutal
honesty about the potential success or failure of a project contributes to his reputation as a straight shooter. At the
Guerilla Video Boot camp John talked about how to find a product, how to know if it has any chance of success, what
it takes to get your project going, and how to greatly increase your chances of success without spending any more
money. This was one of Johns best public performances. John came because he knew video could make him a lot of
money. While he was there he made deals to have three videos produced for him and he plans to market them
through his national classified ad network.
Another speaker there was
Shaun Kenny - Shaun spoke about using satellite TV to promote products and services to a worldwide market. He
has been running his own home shopping network, broadcast over satellite TV, for seven years and is always looking
for new products to sell on his show. At the boot camp, he showed us how easy it is to buy satellite time and how to
reach potential audiences of 18 million people. He told us it costs him just $400 to uplink an hour of his home
shopping show, and he sometimes sells $25,000 worth of products during that hour. He showed how easy it is to get
your own show on the air, and how to find product to sell. Shaun also worked to help people at the boot camp get
their productions, their commercials and their infomercials in front of a huge world audience for pennies. He is a nice
guy to talk with, very friendly and open about everything he knows. He even told us about the dark side of his
political baffle with the media giants like HBO, Cinemax, and players in the cable monopoly. Best of all, he gave us
his private phone number so we could contact him when we needed advice about satellites and uplinking.
Another speaker there was...
Steve Cannon - You may have seen Steve Cannons name in the credits on productions for ESPN, RICO, NASA, the
first series of Monster Truck Videos, even Pro Wrestling (dont laugh, theres a lot of big time money made in
Wrestling). At the boot camp Steve told us how he gets networks like ESPN to give him all the free ad time he wants,
and how they pay him to produce videos for them. He told us how he was able to sell over 50,000 copies of one of his
earliest tapes.. . without spending a dime on advertising. Steve and his wife Ellie (who until recently was an ESPN
sports desk anchor) told us about behind-the-scene deals common with the major networks, and how to get one of
these deals started. They told us how to get involved in major video joint ventures even if you dont have any video
equipment. Steve is kind of a Hollywood type, but his information is real.
One of the most interesting speakers was...
Dan Reynolds - Youve probably never heard of Dan, (and I have no idea how Bill was able to find all these unique
people), but Dan produces his own daily TV show for his local cable system. Hes really got a sweet deal. The cable
company gives him the channel, pays for his office, and then lets him keep all the money he makes from the advertising he sells! At the boot camp, Bill gave him a hard time about how greedy he must be not to let the cable channel
make a little money. But Dan showed us all how to do the same. How to put together a show that would attract
viewers and advertisers, how much to charge advertisers (and how to get them to pay), and how to keep the cable
company happy. (Imagine how nice it would be you could run all the commercials you wanted for your products for
free!!!) Dans easygoing style fooled a lot of people, until they saw what this laid-back producer had accomplished.
He had all the benefits of owning his own TV network without any of the expenses!
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Bills general comments and suggestions about how to get into, profit and enjoy the adventure he calls guerilla
video was the highlight of the boot camp. We heard serious talk about a marketers obligation to his customers, the
need to have a good product, and why its important to treat customers right. And we learned how Bill had to cope
with the changes that guerilla video can cause. Changes like having to deal with earning over $300,000 a year! And we
heard about the power of video. The most influential power of the 20th century. A power that can and does change
lives.
But that wasnt
You see, most of the speakers had printed reference materials they gave the boot camp attendees. Things like script
outline forms, marketing templates, cable TV contracts, client agreement sheets, sample ad kits, and even complete
books. In addition to all this, Bill gave each attendee a special bag full of materials he uses almost everyday in his own
projects. The kind of stuff people really serious about making money would want.
That special bag even included a creative reference video tape Bill had put together. The one hour tape was full of
guerilla video and commercials including the TV commercial Bill produced for Gary Halbert, the commercial for
interest that pulled 287 calls the first time it was run, a sales prospecting animation, lots of crazy 900 number
commercials, and even a segment on making your own commercial.
As you might have guessed, Bills Boot camp was a tremendous success. We were all treated like royalty, and Bill
took us out on adventures every evening. One night all of us went into Hot Springs National Park and soaked in the
soothing thermal waters. Another night we went to an off-Broadway show where we all got experience taping a live
event. Everyday was a new adventure. We even went into the mountains and dug pure, clear-as-glass crystals. Theres
photos of some of these activities enclosed with this letter.
Truly, the whole Boot camp experience was quite an eye-opening adventure. Perhaps the most exciting, most
stimulating, and most vitalizing experience of my entire life.
After reading this far, you probably can figure out why Gary Halbert is telling his closest friends and lifetime subscribers
they need to go to one of these things. They need to experience the Boot camp. To be a part of the future.
But there is a problem.
See, Bill is kind of a private person and doesnt do many boot camps. Just two so far this year. And he fills up each
camp almost as soon as he announces them. He always has people on a waiting list for the next camp. His next two
camps are completely sold out. In fact they are overbooked. And there are no more planned this year!!! None!!!
Which means if you wanted to come to what Gary Halbert, John Eger, Phil Kratzer, Hollywood George Deland, Dr.
Dave Jenkins, Glenn Osborne and lots of other entrepreneurs believe is the most important seminar of the decade,
you probably cant get in.
But Bill is pretty
You see, during the boot camp, Bill had more than $60,000 worth of video equipment set up for all the attendees to
use. Cameras, switchers, editing systems, lights, mikes, even computer effects generators. And from the first minute
of the first day, Bill made all the paying attendees operate the video gear (with assistance from the experts). So
everybody there got their hands on the equipment Their assignment Get every speaker, every workshop, every training
session on video tape. From every angle.
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A six month subscription to The Video Marketing Letter (written by Bill Myers). Gary Halbert said every
one of his subscribers should be reading Bills letter.
A copy of Desktop Video for Profit the one hour video which explains how Bill got into this business,
and how he is able to make $500,000 a year being lazy.
A copy of Setting Up a Low-Cost Video Studio A one hour video which explains in detail everything it
takes to put together your own low-cost video production studio.
A Directory of Boot camp Speakers and Workshop Leaders with addresses and their private phone numbers.
Experts who will be available to you to discuss your project. People you can reach on the phone. People
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Plus ...
A tape of Guerilla Bills Spellbinding Presentation At Gary Halberts $7,000 Marketing Seminar. (This tape
is part of Garys $2,195 package).
Quite frankly, this is an amazing offer.
And as a Halbert subscriber, yogi can recognize the value of this stuff. Its the real thing. Still, if you have any
questions about the materials in this package, call me (Karen Red-path). My phone number is at the bottom of this
page.
Now, if you want your own copy of The Best of the Boot camp Tape Library with all the reference materials and
the extra free stuff, call Sissi, Rita, or Jim at Group M Studios (thats Bills production company). The number
there is 1-501-321-1845. Of course, you can purchase the tapes using your credit card, COD, or company or
personal checks. And everything will be shipped the same day you order. Theyll treat you nice. Bill may even
answer the phone himself. (But ever since Entrepreneur Magazine listed his company as one of the 500 fastest
growing companies in the country, he is a little hard to get to.)
Anyway, I thought for sure you would want to know about The Boot camp Tapes and Guerilla Bill. And I wanted you
to know about the changes in my life. Be sure to read the last P.S. in this letter for the details.
Sincerely,
Karen Redpath
P.S.
These tapes were all mastered on broadcast quality 3/4 tape using professional gear. The boot camp attendees
operated the cameras and the mixer control panel, and youll get to see the skills they learned and the
equipment they used. You will be impressed.
P.P.S.
OK. Earlier in this letter I mentioned Gary Halbert had said that Guerilla Bill Myers was The most dangerous
man in the country. I didnt understand what he meant then, but now I think I do.
See, about three months ago I left Key West and moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Im not real sure why I
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did. Gary wasnt either. I like the area. I like the mountains and the lakes and the National Park here. And I
still do work for Gary, mostly on a per project basis. But I am no longer involved in the day to day operation
of his office.
After attending two of Bills Boot camps, I find that working for others for a living really is hard. Especially
since I now know how quickly I can raise a lot of money with a guerilla video. And, yes, I am working on a
number of video related projects. And helping others to put together joint venture deals. Its not like work
Ive ever done before, its extremely exciting and very lucrative.
Its not so much a job or work as it is a lifestyle. I think Im finding out what Bill meant when he said he was
the laziest man on the planet. You really dont have to work at this. You spend most of your time thinking.
Thinking of new projects, new approaches to old projects, and new adventures. I guess thats what all this
is.. . an adventure.
I work out of my lakeside apartment here in Hot Springs, and hang around a lot down at Bills production
studio. I help Bill out at his seminars and he helps me with my laundry.
And as this adventure grows, and I learn more about being lazy and independent and happy, I think I know
what Gary meant when he told me Bill was the most dangerous man in the U.S. At least as far as I am
concerned.
If you want to call me about this video thing, or the Boot camp tapes, or about life in Arkansas, you can
reach me at 1-501-525-0450. Unless Im doing laundry.
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11
TV Commercial Scripts
These days it seems like just about everybody is getting TV commercials produced. And with good
reason. you want to reach the masses quickly, TV is the way to go.
But you must have more than just a commercial You must give the masses a compelling reason to do
business with you. And because the medium of TV is primarily visual, you must present a visually compelling
reason.
With that in mind, when you write a TV commercial you should strive to create word pictures. These
word pictures will make adding video to your script much easier, and will make your commercial much
more powerful.
Commercials are generally created by first writing the script Then having the script recorded by a voiceover expert. And then adding video images that correspond to the words being read by the announcer. If
the script was written with word pictures, adding video is easy. If the script were written using pure logic,
adding the video images and creating an effective commercial would be nearly impossible.
Over the next few pages are samples of TV scripts weve written. You may wish to read these scripts out
loud to get the full impact of them.
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TV Commercial Script
Fishing Map TV Commercial
The product being sold in this commercial is a detailed map showing the secret fishing holes used by the
pros on local lakes. This concept can be applied to almost any community that has fishing areas.
Production Notes: This is a @@ SO second voice over to be read by a deep male voice. All references to
Hot Springs should be changed to your city. All references to Lake Hamilton should be changed to your
nearby fishing lakes.
Do you really want to catch fish?
I mean big fish Not just @@ minnows?
If youre tired of coming home empty-handed, tired of sitting for horns without a bite, tired of never
snagging the big ones... then you need a copy of the 26 best fishing holes in Hot Springs. Arkansas.
This amazing map and guidebook will show you:
Secret fishing holes the guides never talk about.
The best places on Lake Hamilton to catch fish every time.
The secluded cove that almost always produces record fish.
Ten easy-to-get-to fishing spots that always produce fish.
And the one secret place in Hot Springs where you can always get your limit every time you go out.
This amazing map and guidebook will change your fishing luck forever Now youll know the secrets that
have never been published before!!!
You need the Maximum Fish Map & Guidebook for Hot Springs. And you can have it for $19.95 by
calling 1-501-321-1845.
If you really want to catch fish, if youre tired of coming home empty-handed, order the Maximum Fish
Map today by calling 1-501-321-1845.
Call right now while youre still thinking about it, 1-501-321-1845.
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The lakes also are a favorite for boaters, skiers, scuba divers, campers, and just sightseers. Many of Hot
Springs finest homes dot the shores of Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine, providing a peaceful lifestyle
to those who live on the water.
Hot Springs favorable year round climate means the living is easy. The winters are mild and, except for
infrequent intervals, outdoor recreation can be enjoyed year round. The highest average monthly temperature
is 93 in August, while the coolest month is January with an average high of 52 degrees.
Hot Springs is well known among horsemen as the home of Oaklawn Park, one of the countrys major
thoroughbred racing centers. In the early spring months some of the worlds finest horses race at Qaldawn
around an infield dotted with blooming fruit trees.
Scenic beauty beyond compare. . . outdoors recreation ranging from fishing, hunting, boating & skiing,
hiking & camping, crystal mining, horseback riding or just day dreaming in the park
A beautiful resort city surrounded by the pristine and sublime beauty of a national park thats Hot
Springs.
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Video Catalogs WORK. We produced a video catalog for one company who discovered an amazing thingwith the video catalog, the number of sales and the dollar amount of those sales in-creased a whopping
three hundred per cent! This same company even charged a $20 dollar fee for the catalog, then applied the
$20 toward the purchase of any item from the catalog.
The cost to the company? Less than $6 dollars per video tape, delivered. You can easily see that the $20
dollar fee more than took care of the expense. And dont forget those extra profits from 300 percent more
business!
What about the company who uses a sales force? Would you like to make each salesperson on your staff
spend less time prospecting and more time selling. Who wouldnt say yes to that?
Thats what youre doing when you put TV on your sales team with VIDEO PROSPECTING.
Heres how it works:
Have your top salesperson do a sales presentation on video tape. Polish the video with tides and graphics,
and mail the finished version to your potential customers. Follow up with a phone call in a few days. One
company we worked with discovered they were three times more likely to make a sale with video prospecting.
And since you can produce a quality video for less than you would spend to send that top gun on a threeday business trip, you can see what a difference video prospecting can make in your bottom line.
How much do you spend a year on printed brochures? Do you have a product , a service, or a way of doing
something thats too hard to explain in print? if you do, your problems are solved when you show and
tell the story with a VIDEO BROCHURE.
The old saying, a picture is worth a thousand words is especially true in a video brochure. Seeing is
indeed believing, when your customer can watch the product demonstrated right before his eyes. In fact,
many mass marketers are using program videos, up to 30 minutes long, to demonstrate all kinds of
products. Youve seen them on late night TV. You can put the same idea to work for your business. And
you can achieve a quality video, delivered to your customer, for less money than it costs to call him long
distance and take ten minutes to explain your product Thats rightless than a ten minute phone call!
And of course, theres TV Commercials. You can still spend thousands to get your message produced and
broadcast on a commercial television station. But for much, much less, you can buy bargain-priced
commercial time on Cable television, reaching home subscribers who are willing to watch more television
and pay extra for the privilege. Your message reaches thousands of households for a literal cost of pennies
per minute. Cable television is the best bargain in advertising today. And with new low-cost commercial
production techniques, an effective selling commercial will cost less than a quarter-page ad in most
newspapers. Furthermore, commercials bring instant response. If your commercial was running on television
right now, your telephone could be ringing right nowwith customers wanting more information, ready
to buy your products!
NOW...PICTURE THIS!
Picture yourself putting video to work in your businesswith Video Catalogs...Video Brochures...Video
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Operating Manuals...TV commercials...Animation Picture the difference in your time spent selling...the
difference in your dollars per sale...the difference in your profit statement, every week....every month...every
year of the nineties. Picture your business growing.
If thats the kind of future you want for your business, we can help make it happen for you. We specialize
in producing high response but low cost business and commercial videos that get results. To find out how
we can help your business grow, call us today and well get together and discuss your needs.
fade to black.
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12
Miscellaneous Letters
Ive discovered that the most profitable thing we can do in our business is write letters. Spending the
time to develop letters we send to our customers, our suppliers, our media, and our financial resources,
always pays us back. And usually the payback is quick and beneficial to our business.
Single letters have been the seed which led to $20,000 clients. Single letters of inquiry have saved us
thousands off the purchase price we pay for our equipment and supplies. And single letters to our media
sources have generated pages and pages of free publicity.
Of course not every letter we write is a sales letter or press release. Many of the letters are routine responses
and inquiries that every business faces on a day to day basis. And many times these responses and inquiries
can be handled with a simple phone call.
But weve found that in most cases, a letter gets the job done better and quicker. Plus a letter gives us
physical evidence of how we responded so that later on if there is a problem, we have the letter as a
reference.
In the next few pages, youll find examples of letters we developed as part of the daily routine of our
business.
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
Bill Myers
P.S.
192
When Producing Commercials for Profit is ready, we will be sending you a copy FREE.
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
Dear Customer:
Recently you made a purchase from our company using your credit card. We would like to send your order
out to you but the bank card authorization center tells us we have a problem with your credit card number.
In most cases the problem occurred because we wrote the number down incorrectly.
We apologize for our error and need your help correcting the problem. Please call us so we can send your
order out to you immediately.
For fastest service call 1-501-321-1845, and ask for Sissi. We will be waiting for your call.
Thank you for your
patience.
Customer Service
P.S.
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
10/04/91
Mr. Adrian Archer
Audio Video Department
Bahamas Tourist Office
255 Alhambra Circle - Suite 414
Coral Cables, Florida 33134
Dear Mr. Archer,
In reply to your FAX, concerning our Desktop Video & the Amiga video tape, we are happy you found it useful.
And we are happy to provide the following tapes and resources our compliments.
I hope you find these materials useful in your current or future video projects. If you have any questions about setting
up your own studio, or where to find the best deals on equipment (new or used) or just need technical support for low
cost video production, feel free to call my office. Well be glad to help.
In addition to providing technical support, we can show you how to reach millions of North American viewers via
satellite, with your own weekly TV program. The cost for uplinking to the satellite can be less than$450 (US) per
week.
By the way, we are always looking for a good excuse to travel to the Bahamas so if you are interested in someone to
provide video production related on-site training, we would love to talk to you about it.
Again, thanks for the complimentary letter.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S. You will find sources for buy-out music, new & used video equipment, Amiga computers & software, and other
production supplies in the source pages of our newsletter.
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
07/21/91
Mr. Tom Jones
XXXXX Publishing Company
@@xxxx XXXXX~XX XXXXX
Dear Mr. Jones,
I am writing a review on various desktop publishing software currently available for the IBM platform. In my review,
titled Premium Desktop Publishing Software I am comparing the features and usability of programs such as Aldus
Page Maker, Ventura Publisher, and Word for Windows.
In addition to these three big name programs, Id also like to do a full review on your desktop publishing software. I
think your software will compare favorably with this group, and it is a real bargain when you compare prices.
If youd like me to include your software in this article, Ill need you to supply me a review copy by no later than
October 1st, 1991. This copy should be sent to the address on the letterhead of this page.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 1-501-321-1845.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
P.S.
You may have seen some of my articles in Computer Shopper, Publishing for Profit, and High Tech Times,
or read my regular column in Direct Mail Profits.
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
07121/91
Mr. H. Sota Indo China Exports
@@xxxx xxxxx~xx xxxxx
Bill Myers
P.S.
Id be very happy to send you a video tape copy of our latest show so you can see how we feature products
like yours. Just call my office and ask Ms. Hazier to send you show.
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
03/31/92
Mr. John S. Ford
Poolside Productions
xx-xxxxx~xx xxxxx
Dear Mr. Ford,
Recently as I was looking through a copy of Special Interest and How-To Video Guide I discovered your
video, The Home Owners Guide To Swimming Pool Maintenance. I am currently preparing a large
mailing to swimming pool owners, and I have been looking for a product I could include in my mailing.
Your tape may be the product Im looking for.
If it is, Id like to begin negotiating the rights to market your tape to my audience. Typically I pay an up
front cash amount for the marketing rights, and then a percentage of gross sales. ha mailing like this, your
profits could exceed $2,500.
If this interests you, I would like top~~@@ however I must see a review copy of the tape first. If youll
send me a copy of your tape The Home Owners Guide To Swimming Pool Maintenance, to contact you
within 24 hours after I receive it so that we can negotiate a way that this can be profitable for both of us.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call meat 1-501-321-1845.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
Director of Special Projects
P.S.
if you have any other tapes or books related to the topic of swimming poo1 maintenance please let me
know. I have a market hungry for that kind of product.
P.P.S. I will be doing my mailing the first week of May (typically the month that people start getting their swimming
pools in order). If I am to include your tape, I must see a copy of it prior to April 15, 1992.
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
07/10/91
Dear Richard,
Thanks for the letter.
I think your idea of Life Size Celebrity Photos is very interesting and has potential for being a money maker for
you. I would be extremely interested in seeing bow a photo image of Mr. Bush would appear on video, and
would be happy to try it out for you and report the results an upcoming issue of my newsletter.
If the Life Size Celebrity Photos are realistic enough, I think you would have the basis for a good business
opportunity offering where you could sell a pack of say three basic photos and a how to make money with
them manual. If marketed properly, you could probably get between $595 and $995 for the basic start-up kit.
Of course, it would be easy to do a direct mailing to professional photographers showing them how your Life
Size Celebrity Photos could make them money. This would be an easy sell, and would be a low cost way to test
(and perfect) the offer.
Anyway, I accept your offer of a free George Bush. Send him right away. Im looking forward to testing him in
my next video.
Again, thanks for your letter and your offer.
Sincerely,
Bill Myers
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
Bill Myers
199
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
03/ 28/91
Dear Elan Designs,
Group Ms weekly hour long satellite TV show about Desktop Video will begin airing in a few weeks and
wed like to be able to feature some of the products your company offers. In order to do so, wed like
permission to show all, or any part of, your demo disks to our viewing audience. And, wed like to have
copies of the latest demo disks you have.
Our program will concentrate exclusively on the technology of Desktop Video, and will include segments
on various aspects of video production with emphasis on computer integration into a video system. Our
target audience is the videophile who already owns a home satellite system, a camcorder, multiple VCRs,
and a home computer.
By uplinking over satellite, our show will reach all of North America including Canada and Mexico, with
a potential viewing audience of over 22 million satellite dish owners. Our pro-grain will also be offered to
the hundreds of U.S. cable system operators and their 66 million viewers.
In addition to the content of the show itself, we will be carrying commercials for many of the products
shown. While the majority of our allotted commercial time is already presold, some time is still available.
Current rates for 30 seconds spots are $25 per inclusion, if you are interested in buying any commercial
time, please call Rita at our offices.
This show can be an opportunity for you to have your product demonstrated to a huge market at no cost to
you. All we need is demo disks of your product and permission to show them on the air. if you want free
TV exposure to a nationwide audience, I urge you to call us today. Our office number is 1-501-321-1845.
Sincerely,
Sissi Haner
P.S.
200
Group M also publishes The Video Marketing Letter which reaches over 3,000 video producers each month,
and is the producer of a full line of Desktop Video Tutorial Video Tapes including Desktop Video for Profit,
Desktop Video & the Amiga, The Easy Guide to Pro Video Gold, and Advanced Guerilla Video Production
Techniques.
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
08/16/90
Dear Don,
Thanks for the copy of Positioning. I like what the guys who wrote it have to say. They present a very clear
case for product identification and marketing strategies. Many good ideas in the book which I will add to
my checklist of considerations when creating new products and marketing plans.
Thanks for taking the time and expense to send me a copy of this book if there is anyway I can return the
favor, just let me know.
Bill Myers
Editor
Video Marketing Letter
201
13
Miscellaneous Forms
One of the great things about having a desktop publishing computer is that when we need to, we can
create any form we desire. This really comes in handy when youre in the kind of business thats involved
in many different activities and has need for various printed forms, labels, signs, and other documents.
Over the next few pages youll see many of the forms weve created for our business.
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CLIENT:
PAGE:
VIDEO
203
of
AUDIO
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Facsimile Transmission
Cover Sheet
Date:
Time:
To:
FAX Telephone Number:
From:
Number of Pages Sent:
Cover Message:
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205
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TALENT RELEASE
I understand there is a videotape being taken of me on this date _____________. I hereby
assign and authorize the producer __________________________ the right (All Rights) in
and to such videotape. I also authorize said producer, without limitation, the right to reproduce,
copy, exhibit, publish or distribute any such videotape, and waive all rights or claims I may have
against your organization and/or any of its Affiliates, Subsidiaries, or Assignees other than as
stated in this agreement.
Signature of Talent
__________________________________
Signature of Producer(s)
__________________________________
Date
__________________________________
TALENT RELEASE
I understand there is a videotape being taken of me on this date _____________. I hereby
assign and authorize the producer __________________________ the right (All Rights) in
and to such videotape. I also authorize said producer, without limitation, the right to reproduce,
copy, exhibit, publish or distribute any such videotape, and waive all rights or claims I may have
against your organization and/or any of its Affiliates, Subsidiaries, or Assignees other than as
stated in this agreement.
Signature of Talent
__________________________________
Signature of Producer(s)
__________________________________
Date
__________________________________
TALENT RELEASE
I understand there is a videotape being taken of me on this date _____________. I hereby
assign and authorize the producer __________________________ the right (All Rights) in
and to such videotape. I also authorize said producer, without limitation, the right to reproduce,
copy, exhibit, publish or distribute any such videotape, and waive all rights or claims I may have
against your organization and/or any of its Affiliates, Subsidiaries, or Assignees other than as
stated in this agreement.
206
Signature of Talent
__________________________________
Signature of Producer(s)
__________________________________
Date
__________________________________
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VIDEO RELEASE
For good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged II consent that
the videographer, his legal representative, successors or assigns, shall have the absolute right
and permission to copyright, publish, use, sell or assign any and all photographic pictures and/
or moving pictures and/or videotaped images of me taken on this date, whether apart from or in
connection with, or illustrative of written printed matter, story, or news item, or for trade, advertising or for any other purposes in conjunction with my own or a fictitious name, or in reproductions thereof in color or otherwise.
I hereby release, discharge, and agree to save harmless their legal representatives or assigns
and all persons acting under their permission or authority or those for whom they are acting,
from any liability by virtue of any blurring, distortion, alteration, optical illusion, or use in composite form, whether international or otherwise, which may occur or be produced in the taking of
said video and/or the publication thereof
I hereby waive any right that I may have to inspect and/or approve the finished product of the
advertising copy that may be used in connection therewith or the use to which it may be applied.
I hereby warrant that I am of full age and have every right to contract in my own name in the
above regard. I state further that I have read the above authorization and release, prior to its
execution, and that I am fully familiar with contents thereof
DATE _____________________
PHONE _____________________
MODEL _______________________________________
ADDRESS
GUARDIAN ____________________________________ (IF MODEL IS UNDER AGE)
AGENCY
VIDEOGRAPHER _______________________________
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VIDEO RELEASE
In consideration for value received, I (video subject):
do hereby give (video producer):
and pates designated by the video producer, including clients, licensees, purchasers, agencies, and others, the irrevocable right to use my name (and any fictional name) and audio &
video image for sale to, and reproduction in, medium for purposes of advertising, trade, display,
exhibition, competition, or editorial use. I have read this release and understand and agree to its
terms. I affirm that I am more than _______ years of ages.
Signed __________________________________ Date _________
Witness _________________________________ Date _________
Guardians Consent:
I am the parent or guardian of the above named minor and hereby approve the foregoing use
subject to the foregoing terms and conditions.
Signed __________________________________ Date _________
VIDEO RELEASE
In consideration for value received, I (video subject):
do hereby give (video producer):
and pates designated by the video producer, including clients, licensees, purchasers, agencies, and others, the irrevocable right to use my name (and any fictional name) and audio &
video image for sale to, and reproduction in, medium for purposes of advertising, trade, display,
exhibition, competition, or editorial use. I have read this release and understand and agree to its
terms. I affirm that I am more than _______ years of ages.
Signed __________________________________ Date _________
Witness _________________________________ Date _________
Guardians Consent:
I am the parent or guardian of the above named minor and hereby approve the foregoing use
subject to the foregoing terms and conditions.
Signed __________________________________ Date _________
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@@ Video Association
PLACE
PHOTO
HERE
@@ Editorial Staff
PRESS
VIDEO Marketing Letter
This is a Press Pass we created to use at a national convention we wanted to attend but we couldnt get in
because the tickets were sold out When we mentioned we were writing an article about the event, we were
told we could get in free as press ... if we could present our press pass.
So we created the card above. We added a passport photo, signed on the signature line, and had the card
laminated. It looked pretty authentic.
When we wore this pass we could go anywhere we wanted in the conventional hail, no one asked us any
questions. And youd be surprised at how nice everyone treats you when you wear a press pass and are
carrying a camera.
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210
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
INVOICE
Ship To: SAME
Bill To:
Due Date:
Terms:
DETAIL OF ORDER
Purchase Order Id:
211
Invoice Date:
Description
Quantity
Ship Date:
UPS Reference:
Amount
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218
14
Another great reason to have your own desktop publishing system is that when you need to,
you can quickly turn out brochure, flyer, even a newsletter promote a special event or product. Adding
clip-an and simple graphic elements, you can create single page documents that can generate thousands
in sales.
This freedom of being able to create (or change) a brochure or flier when you need to gives your
business tremendous flexibility. And with the advent of portable notebook computers and portable
printers, you can create these documents whenever and wherever you need to. With our own portable
system we have generated brochures on the road or on the plane which we had copied and distributed at
the trade shows we were going to.
Having the tools to create these documents can also become a business in itself Our office manager has
been able to supplement her income by quickly producing menus for restaurants, flyers for real estate
agents, and special coupons for photographers. Her business exists because she can quickly produce
the kind of work youll see in the next few pages
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VIDEO PRODUCTION
Seminars, Satellite TV Shows, How-to Tapes
Let us Turn Your Ideas or Events Into Marketable Video Products!!!
Seminars - Turn your next seminar a special event Into a profitable vldeo/audio product We provide
complete audio video services using broadcast quality equipment. multiple cameras, and live digital
dubbing.
TV Commercials - Are you taking advantage of it? If not you may be missing out on big sales. We can
produce your highly effective 30 second broadcast quality 1V commercial for as little as $495!
How-to Tapes - Got a great Idea for a video or book? We can turn your hot Idea into a one bout ready-tosell video tape In two working days for as little as $1,395. Dont miss out on the demand for specialized
videos!
Video Catalogs - Dont lose sales because your printed brochure just doesnt tell the whole story. Let us
show you how a video catalog featuring your products can turn cold inquiries into cash sales.
Video Producer; Ron Beeman, whose credits include over one hundred TVcomniercials, numerous ESPN sporting events, over fifty
how-to tapes, several multi-day seminars, can turn your idea into a polished, profitable video product. A product you l feel good about
selling to your customers.
VIDEO PRODUCTION
Seminars, Satellite TV Shows, How-to Tapes
Let us Turn Your Ideas or Events Into Marketable Video Products!!!
Seminars - Turn your next seminar a special event Into a profitable vldeo/audio product We provide
complete audio video services using broadcast quality equipment. multiple cameras, and live digital
dubbing.
TV Commercials - Are you taking advantage of TV? If not you may be missing out on big sales. We can
produce your highly effective 30 second broadcast quality 1V commercial for as little as $495!
How-to Tapes - Got a great Idea for a video or book? We can turn your hot Idea into a one bout ready-tosell video tape In two working days for as little as $1,395. Dont miss out on the demand for specialized
videos!
Video Catalogs - Dont lose sales because your printed brochure just doesnt tell the whole story. Let us
show you how a video catalog featuring your products can turn cold inquiries into cash sales.
Video Producer; Ron Beeman, whose credits include over one hundred TVcomniercials, numerous ESPN sporting events, over fifty
how-to tapes, several multi-day seminars, can turn your idea into a polished, profitable video product. A product you l feel good about
selling to your customers.
220
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Our Commercials can make your phones ring. And ring. And ring.
And we can do it on your budget And within your time frame. You supply a basic script and we provide
the camera work, the voice-over, the graphics, even the computer animation on a 3/4 time base corrected
master tape. We even provide you a VHS review copy. All for $718.20. And well test the effectiveness of
your commercial on a national satellite feed at no additional charge so that we can fine tune your spot for
maximum pulling power. Because we know thats the way you want it done.
We can even show you how to target your commercials to reach selected markets across the country for as
low as $2.50 a spot, even on CNN !!! Youll discover that selective targeting techniques can double your
response while actually reducing your air time costs. Its a simple matter of giving the right market the
right product
Let us show you these and other things you need to know. Including tricks you may have never thought of.
Techniques to give you the biggest bang from your TV budget Call today.
Our number is 1-501-321-1845.
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To find out more, or to make reservations, call Bill or Karen at this very
private number 1-501-321-1845. Call today!
222
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GROUP M PRODUCTIONS
321 Ouachita Ave.
Hot Springs, AR 71901
1-501-321-1845
1-501-321-1429 (fax)
223
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Success in 91
1991 is here. And with it comes the reality that the
economy in this country is slowing down. If were
lucky the recession will be short lived. If not, well
have to work hard to find new ways to keep our
businesses.
Of course, as in all limes, good or bad, there is
opportunity. For example, if your competitor cuts
back his promotional efforts, now may be the time
for you to expand yours to pick up the market share
he is going to lose
In the past year weve helped many businesses add
new customers and increase their sales through the
creative use of business videos. Using video as a
communication and sales tool is an exceptional way
to expand your customer base, leverage the power of
your sales force, and create multiple Levels of
customer satisfaction at affordable prices.
If you would like to know more about the possibilities
of using videos to expand your business, call us at
our local production studio here in Hot Springs,
Arkansas. The number is 321-1845. Thanks.
Bill Myers
Senior Producer
Group M Videos
In this issue...
224
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Video Prospecting
Companies that use an outside sales force
p lay a numbers game. It works like this
the more prospects the sales people see, the
more product they sell. But since every sales
staff is limited by time, many sales are
missed from customers who never got the
opportunity to hear the companys message.
One of the businesses we worked with
this summer got around this problem by
having a video tape made of their top
sales person doing
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Working on a Budget
Most businesses are working with limited
budgets, and it is important to know the budget
so that the video producer can design the
production to stay within it.
There are many ways to keep the cost of a
video production down, but the easiest is to
spend more time in the planning stages to
avoid excessive costs in the production and
editing stages.
Outlining your objective, and then sticking
with that objective throughout the production,
is usually the best guarantee that the end result
will be what you wanted.
Heres a sample of the range of prices you can
expect (but remember, nothing is fixed in
stone):
CommercialsA 30 second commercial
designed to be broadcast over cable will cost
226
Other Considerations
Never undertake a video project unless all
parties are aware of, and understand the
importance of sticking to the budget.
Overall video production quality is a major
factor in the cost of any production. We
generally recommend that our clients avoid
trying to create a work of art, concentrating
instead on creating a video that keeps the
viewers attention, and builds confidence in
the company supplying the tape.
(We are happy to offer a free price quote on
any project you may have in mind.)
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The video catalog you produced for us translated into sales. I want you to start
on another one for us right away. Steve H., Testron Industries, NY
Weve tested the commercial you produced for our 1-900 number against the
others weve been using, and frankly yours outpulled the others 10 to one.
Thanks for showing us how to make money with our commercials. Charles S.
You are a great help to us in production work. This is our 5th year and ff1 had
known about your company I could have saved us thousands of dollars. V & C
Video and Photo, Lengby MN
227
Group M Productions
Hot Springs, AR
501-321-1845
15
Obtaining Updates
Dear Friend,
The printed material in this book is continually being updated. With each new printing, additional
letters, classified and display ads, brochures and press releases are added.
If you would like to receive the latest update to this book, call Group M at 1-501-321-1845 and ask for
information on updates to the Unfair Advantage Letter Book When you call, youll need to know that
this book is Release Version - 06192.
If you have any suggestions, comments or ideas on how we can improve future releases of this book,
feel free to write us at:
Group M Productions
321 Ouach.ita Avenue
Hot Springs, AR 71901
And dont forget we are real people, and you can reach us by phone. if you need help or advice with a
letter, or are looking for a resource or product or just have questions about anything youve seen in this
book, dont hesitate to give us a call.
I wish you the best in your business adventures, and hope that the information and examples provided
in this book help you achieve your goals.
P.S.
228
If you have written a letter or ad and would like us to include it in our next release of this
book, send me a copy with a letter giving me permission to use it. if I do, Ill give you credit
for your work, and send you the next three releases of this book FREE.