Customer Reviews

Bly on Direct Marketing

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I'm a bit prejudiced when it comes to Bob Bly. I don't know him on a personal level, but he has put over $100,000 in my pocket. How, you might ask? About a year ago, I took information from one of his books (he's the author of over 60) and put it to use in my business--massive profits were the result.

When I saw that "Bly on Direct Marketing" had been published, I bought and devoured the entire book in just two days. Now I'm going back through it and compiling a new action list for my business; I'm certain I'll double my revenues in the next 12 months.

Not everyone's results will match mine, of course; but I'm hard-pressed to think of any business that would not benefit from the real-world, tried-and-tested instructions contained between its covers.

The best thing about this book is that it's not a collection of wide-eyed theory and empty catch-phrases (like so many business books these days); it's more like a to-do list. Pick the items that will make the most impact on your business, and get to work!

Bly has helped me help my clients build huge lists and profitable direct marketing campaigns. Expecially helpful is the chapter concerning online and subscription marketing. The online strategy is to have people contuously read about your free content, gain their trust, develop credibility and then he lays out the techniques to convert them into long term purchasing customers. It does takes a while but it works. Bly also helped me get back to the basics. Overall, creating the correct perception by using Bly's suggested direct marketing language and offers work in the real world. Customers approve of Bly's direct marketing methods because they keep sending more money.

I had the chance to meet and here Bob Bly speak at a conference in Del Ray Beach, Florida during November 2008. He is a very nice person and a consummate professional. This book is a summary of many of the articles that he has written. Like many "Masters" he is constantly learning and improving his skills in the profession.

The Direct Marketing that Bly writes about is real nose to the grindstone marketing, where everything is accountable. It is not Brand marketing, or the stuff you are likely to have learned in college.

Bly covers Copywriting, TradeShows, B2B, High-Tech and much, much, more.

If you have come to the opinion that there is more to marketing than the Brand, this is a great place to start.

I though I was getting a scholarly text on marketing, instead this book is nothing but yet another blowhards' ideas about why his way is better. As is typical with this type of book, this text fails to cite references, back up claims, or produce any proof that anything in it is valid. Instead of a bibliography, he has a suggested reading list which is a ludicrous list of other peoples' marketing strategy books. He has even conveniently listed their price and where they can be purchased. He has managed to get quotes from people about how well their marketing is going using his methods, but lo and behold, those quotes come from people who have the most to gain from their claims being true...with no statistics to back it up. Case in point:

'"Postcards offer immediate impact," says Perry Frank of Modern Postcards.' (Page 28)

So basically a guy who makes his living marketing with postcards thinks it's a good idea to market with postcards? Brilliant! Other gems like this intersperse the book along with popular buzzwords. This book is perfect for anyone who doesn't know how ignorant they are...they'll think they're getting decent information. Anyone else? Save your money.