You’re about to see not only a great example of old school content marketing, filled with lessons you can use today, but you’re also about to see the perfect example of what I call “direct response content marketing.”
Keep reading and you’ll see what I mean…
A Direct Mail Legend That Content Marketers Should Know About
Maxwell Sackheim is a direct mail legend. If you have never heard of him, here is why he is so respected:
- He wrote one of the most famous ad headlines in the history of advertising (“Do You Make These Mistakes in English?“), which ran profitably for 40 years.
- He’s a founder of “The Book of the Month” club.
- Many of the direct mail legends like Victor O. Schwab got their start working at Sackheim’s agency.
- He’s the author of ”My First 60 Years in Advertising” and ”How to Advertise Yourself.”
- He was named to the Copywriters Hall of Fame in 1975.
- DMNews.com gives out an award named after him
Well, if that wasn’t impressive enough, you need to add one more thing to that list of his achievements: content marketer.
Here’s why…
How Maxwell Sackheim Used Content Marketing to Get New Clients
I came across an ad that Sackheim wrote for his agency called “Seven Deadly Advertising Mistakes” and I quickly realized, it isn’t just an ad. It’s a brilliant example of content marketing!
Here’s the definition of content market that I give in my book 51 Content Marketing Hacks so you can see why I call this ad content marketing…
(NOTE: You can grab a free copy of my book in our free Member’s Resource Area.)
“Content marketing is the creation (or curation) of engaging content for the express purpose of gaining the attention and favor of a certain group, so that they will be persuaded to do business with an individual, business, or organization.”
– My personal definition of content marketing in my book 51 Content Marketing Hacks.
Maxwell Sackheim didn’t just create an ad to promote his agency. No, instead he created a full-page article that gave his readers powerful information on how to create an ad.
It was content to get their attention and gain their favor, so they would consider hiring him and his agency.
Let me break the ad down for you and show you some of the powerful things that he did in the ad…
12 Content Marketing Lessons from Maxwell Sackheim’s Ad
This ad isn’t just a great example for direct response marketers, it’s also a great example of how to create awesome content that your prospects will consume.
Let me show you six of the ingenious things he did in this ad and show you the eleven content marketing lessons you can learn from him:
- He makes the ad irresistible with an intriguing headline and byline: “Seven Deadly Advertising Mistakes: Conclusions Based Upon 45 Years of Experience with Keyed Advertising.”
- Lessons #1: If you don’t capture your reader’s attention at the beginning, then they will never read your content.
- Lesson #2: Your headline and byline is the most important part of your content. Don’t just use any old headline and/or byline.
- He begins the ad with a powerful intro… “We do not presume to know all there is to know about advertising – But we have been planning, preparing, and placing keyed advertising for 45 years, and from the traceable results from ads that failed, and ads that succeeded, we have learned many of the things that influence people, and many that do not.” | “We believe that the motives which induce people to respond to a keyed advertisement will move them to go to drug stores, grocery stores, and other stores for the goods advertised. By avoiding these Seven Deadly Advertising Mistakes, the sales of your product, or whatever it is, and however it is distributed, will increase.”
- Lesson #3: The way you begin your content is the next important thing after your headline.
- Lesson #4: You should introduce your content in a way that does one of the following things: proves your expertise, explains why the content is important to the reader, and/or promises them some desired or needed information.
- He then offers a way for people who don’t have time to read his whole ad to get a copy of it in the form of a “lead magnet.” He tells the people that if they don’t have the desire or time to read it right then, then they can mail the coupon at the end of the ad to get a free copy of it in the form of a pocket-size booklet.
- Lesson #5: Make sure to provide ways for people to consume your content later. This is not only helpful for your reader but also gives you leads that you can follow up on.
- He then gives them the powerful information he promised them in the form of seven advertising mistakes: 1) GIVE THE READER A REASON FOR NOT READING 2) USE HEADLINES THAT WHISPER SWEET NOTHINGS 3) USE PICTURES THAT DO NOT TALK 4) THE CURSE OF CLEVERNESS 5) GO AROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN 6) LEAVE’EM DANGLING 7) USE “YACKETY-YAK COPY”
- Lesson #6: Make sure that the content you provide your reader is worth their time and effort.
- Lesson #7: Don’t just give them generic information. Always present valuable information in an entertaining and intriguing way.
- He then finishes his ad with information to help his readers apply what they’ve learned from the information he’s given them. He does this in the form of seven questions the readers can ask about their advertising: 1) DOES IT GIVE THE READER A REASON FOR NOT READING? 2) ARE WE USING HEADLINES THAT WHISPER SWEET NOTHINGS? 3) ARE WE USING PICTURES THAT DO NOT TALK? 4) IS OUR ADVERTISING CURSED WITH CLEVERNESS? 5) DOES OUR APPROACH GO AROUND ROBIN HOOD’S BARN? 6) DO OUR ADVERTISEMENTS LEAVE THEM DANGLING? 7) DO OUR ADVERTISEMENTS CONTAIN “YACKETY-YAK” COPY?
- Lesson #8: Make sure that the content that you create is practical in some way or another. This type of content is much more valuable than just informational content.
- Lesson #9: Whenever possible, make sure to include ways that will help your reader apply what you’ve taught them.
- Lesson #10: When your reader sees results that you or your company helped them get through your content, guess who they will want to purchase from or work with?
- Finally, like all direct response marketers, Sackeheim made sure to leave his readers with a “call to action.” He ended this ad by saying, “We believe our approach to attracting, interesting, convincing, and selling the public is sound whatever you sell, however you distribute it.” | “We are willing to prove this to any advertiser, on one product, in one market. The ‘gamble’ is so small and the stakes are so high that you have little to lose and much to gain by making the test.” | “We shall be pleased to confer with you at your convenience. Write us now! And here is your coupon!…”
- Lesson #11: Make sure that in most cases and situations you always have some sort of “call to action” in the content that you create. (This is something that many content marketers leave out regularly.)
- Lesson #12: If you really want your reader to take action, then make sure that you make an irresistible and risk-free offer. That’s what Sackheim did here. He offered them the chance to see results on one product in one market for free. How can you create an equally powerful offer?
Want to See the Full Ad?
The complete ad is not only a great example of content marketing, but it also contains some really great information about how to create interesting, engaging, and powerful content.
I know that the image I used above is blurry. Sorry about that! But the ad was way too big to include in this post!
If you would like to see the full ad, you can download a readable, PDF version of the ad in our free Member’s Resource Area.
Are you interested in finding out more about what direct response content marketing is all about?
Click the image below to learn how it can help you to be a better marketer and/or your company’s marketing to see more results.
Get a Free Copy of My Book
For a limited time, those who join in the month of April will get a FREE COPY of my book 51 Content Marketing Hacks.
P.S. A Page Out of Sackheim’s Book – If you would like me to show you how direct response content marketing can improve your results, then contact me.
I will prove that it can help you by applying it to one of your products or services in one market – for FREE.
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