Unless you’ve been completely cut off from the online world the last few months…

…you’re most likely aware that there has been a fair amount of discussion and not a little concern about new guidelines issued by the US Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) relating to online marketers.

Specifically, as how they relate to bloggers, affiliates and the use of testimonials.

Marketing maven Jim Edwards has done the internet marketing community a great service by going straight to the source and interviewing Rich Cleland of the FTC about these new guidelines.

You can watch the webinar right here…

http://www.igottatellyou.com/blog/ftc-change-interview/

It’s completely free, nothing to buy and in the spirit of the FTC regs, I am NOT an affiliate (LOL!).

Seriously, all marketers and copywriters need to be on top of this and a big “Thank You” to Jim for organising this and making it freely available.

If you’re not in the US, don’t think this doesn’t apply to you.  Most countries have similar laws (in Australia it’s the ACCC and the Trades Practices Act) and the FTC is often seen by other authorities as setting the standard.

The old-style newspaper business is struggling in many countries around the world.

Falling circulations, shrinking ad revenues because of difficult economic conditions and an ineffective response to the disruptive change of the internet mean that traditional media groups are in danger of going out of business.

So no great surprise when media baron Rupert Murdoch announced recently…

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Every now and again, I come across a piece of advertising copy…

…usually a headline or tagline of some sort…

…that is absolutely breathtaking in its utter inanity and stupidity.

Bear in mind, that as a direct response copywriter I read a lot of ads and see a lot of mediocre advertising.  So I’m not easily shocked.

However, when I saw this… Read More→

…who don’t use direct response marketing and copywriting.

In the UK “Daily Telegraph” is this article…

“Marketing Spend Falls At Sharpest Rate For Nine Years”.

A recent survey found that…

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If there is one idea that justifies the use of the title “Scientific Advertising” by copywriter Claude Hopkins it’s this…

“Almost any question can be answered, cheaply, quickly and finally, by a test campaign. And that’s the way to answer them – not by arguments around a table. Go to the court of last resort – the buyers of your product.”

Now, I’d suggest that the buyers should be the court of first resort (not last!), but that’s a quibble.

In chapter 15 of his classic copywriting book “Scientific Advertising”. Claude Hopkins discusses two ways to use testing…
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Chapter 14 of the Claude Hopkins copywriting classic “Scientific Advertising” is all about getting the product to the customer – “Getting Distribution”.

Now, for the classic direct response marketer or someone doing business on the internet, this subject may seem of little or no interest.

But there are 2 reasons why this may be useful…
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