Customer Reviews

Million Dollar Mailings (The Libey Business Library)

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At first I hesitated ordering this book because of the price...now I 'kick-myself' for not getting it sooner. From my point of view, a top-notch marketing book has to have information that is relevant, easy to understand and applicable to the point that I can go out and use it immediately. Theory doesn't pay the bills. I want facts, I want to know exactly how others have done it successfully. This book does just that. While the book deals with direct marketing issues, its lessons can be applied to virtually anyone that has to market a product from the Main Street retailer to someone supplying a service to a manufacturer. It is that good. You'll see example after example of direct mailings that have made their respective companies millions upon millions. You not only see every piece in detail, quite often you get the inside thoughts from person that actually developed the piece. Sort of like finding out why a famous artist drew the nose a certain way. To me, that insight itself is priceless. Again, someone that owns a retail store could take loads of info out of this book and apply it to their own situation. Same thing could be said about anyone that needs to 'market' in order to survive. As far as the price goes, yeah it's a few bucks. But I'll tell you, I've spent hundreds of dollars on individual marketing seminars and courses in the past that don't measure up to the value this book provides. And while many of these courses and seminars give you bits and pieces of what works and what doesn't, this book gives you the details. I've read Denny Hatch's other books and should have known that this was going to be 'winner' also. The only negative I have is that the book is huge, I'm going to have to clean out a few of my not-as-useful marketing books in order to have room. Now that I think about it though, I can see it being used as reference so often that maybe it just needs to stay on the desk. The bottom line is that I'll make far more money with this book than I would without.

When I ordered this book I had no idea how absolutely H-U-G-E this thing is. I got this massive and heavy package from Amazon and couldn't think of what it was. As I split through the brown paper I was happily surprised to find Million Dollar Mailings.

If you write copy you must own this book. It's a veritable swipefile in a book. Everything is organized for you!

Just imagine how much this book would be worth to you if you could take just one idea from it and increase your response rate by say 1%. And think about time savings when you can have this thing right next to you you while you're writing your copy.

The way to get good at copywriting is teh same way you get good at painting - study the masters. You better bet that this book won't be far from my side.

This is the one book that anyone who writes sales materials, be it ads or letters must have.

With detailed analysis of marketing programs that work, you will quickly find, through the many examples, a marketing piece that you can use as a template to create your own winning marketing strategy.

There is no need to reinvent the wheel, and this book proves it.

Denison Hatch has gathered together proven winners in direct mail marketing.

For those of us whose job it is to write sales letters and direct mail, we know that reading the works of others, studying what works and what doesn't is one of the quickest ways to be successful as a direct mail/sales letter writer.

By perusing this book and studying the way these direct mail packages were put together and the techniques that were used is a veritable classroom between to covers for those wanting to know more. And if you are in direct marketing, you are always learning something new!

A good read and a valuable addition to your business bookshelf.

The title is accurate - these ARE million dollar
mailings - direct mail pieces that are sent to very
broad markets. As such it is a useful study source
for the pro. For the person marketing his or her
own start-up or small business it may be of lesser
usefulness.

This book will probably be of most interest to
those interested in how highly-polished direct mail
offers are written and designed:

Omaha Steaks,
Gevalia Coffee,
Magazine subscriptions...

Primarily this book shows how the most successful direct
mail pieces get the reader to open the mail, comprehend
the offer, and make a decision. This is no small feat -
these pieces are by-and-large interuptive marketing.
For example: you get an Omaha Steaks mailing because
you are on a list as a buyer of low-end luxury goods.
The mailer makes a wild guess that you are likely to
be a meat eater and mails to you with no knowledge of
your dietary habits.

If you market online you will in general have to
interpret how to transfer direct mail concepts to
websites. The nearest online equivalent to most of
these mailings is marketing to big ezine lists or
outright spamming. These pieces are the most successful
pieces of junk mail in recent years.

What comes through in many of the letters is how
subtly cunning and targeted at their ideal customer
they are. Much online copy is more expansive, with
exhausting bullet-lists and what Stephen King calls
"literary elephantitis" - a luxury not permitted
by the weight restrictions of direct mail.

Much of the persuasive value of these direct mail offers
is hinged upon the safety of buying on approval, often
from a familiar brand. As such they are instructive
in how the massive marketing systems of corporate America
function.

This is not a basic copywriting text by any means - the
lessons herein will require diligent study and thought to
apply. I don't have any doubt owning this book will make
you a better copywriter. Compared to a lot of other "swipe
files" you can buy today it's diverse in terms of
mailing formats, product types, and copywriting styles.

I have been a Denny Hatch fan for years. Bought this book and was not disappointed with the content. GREAT appendix questionnaires for anyone in the business. Successful samples galore! Looking for the lastest update from '04 through now to study the maturation of the internet/direct mail complementary relationship. If you are a student of advertising, save your beer money for a month and get this book. If you are an old timer in the trade get it for your shelf reference library.

Dennison does an excellent job of laying out multiple examples and giving the visual aid that helps get your creative juices flowing. I think the book is excellent for any aspiring direct mail marketer. The book lays out fair history of the art of direct mailing and how you can immediately begin working on your own campaign.
Only downer was I look for an extended updated version of the book that covers utilizing these concepts online.

Andre J Benjamin
Author
CONQUER THE RECESSION

[...]

Thousands and thousands of different direct mail packages are mailed every year.

A few are super successful. This book collects the cream of the crop. the "control" letters that made these companies fortunes over the years. And explains why they worked. Will cut decades off your learning curve.

You can use these time tested successes to duplicate. So that your own mailing will be a success. Shows all different types of formats for mailing. As well as different types of offers.

Two other recommended books to learn from are Herschell Gordon Lewis' "World's Greatest Direct Mail Sales Letters" and "The Greatest Direct Mail Sales Letters of all Time" by Richard S. Hodgson

But both of these are hard to find and expensive. Who knows how long Million Dollar Mailings will be available for?

The thesis of this book is really quite simple. Some marketing programs simply work better than others. Here in one (large) book is a collection of the best programs put together by the best in the business. With this new edition, the latest trends in direct marketing are discussed giving them exposure along with the old standbys. Also some of the techniques (sweepstakes) that were huge a few years back have crashed in popularity. Their story is included.

One big change since the last edition of the book is the growth of the Internet. Still in its infancy (direct mail has been around for about 800 years) I view the Internet and E-Mail marketing as a baby, but an important one to watch as it grows up. In general Mr. Hatch has a fairly negative view of the Internet as an advertising medium. I think he's just not seen the effectiveness yet. Amazon sold 1.5 million copies of the latest Harry Potter book before the book was published. That's a pretty good sized business.

This is as close as one gets to being a kid is a direct marketing candy store. Although, the examples are increasingly dated, they are no less brilliant examples of dos and donts. A great starting point or swipe file. Add it to your library today.