Look, the hard truth is, it's extremely difficult to sell boring stuff. No one cares about your product or service, no matter how great YOU think it is, until you make them pay attention.
That's where direct response marketing comes in. The goal is simple: get a direct, measurable response from your marketing and advertising. An opt-in, a purchase, a phone call. Something that moves the prospect to TAKE ACTION.
Branding on the other hand is vague and fluffy. It's the person at the office meeting asking questions that sound smart but don't actually solve any real problems or move the needle.
Big companies spend BILLIONS on branding with nothing to show for it. Super Bowl ads with talking animals and celebrity endorsements. Social media posts about "building customer relationships". Give me a break.
Meanwhile, that unsexy little direct response ad with a killer hook and irresistible offer is quietly stuffing cash into the bank, day after day, week after week.
Why? Because it's interesting to the TARGET CUSTOMER. It grabs attention, piques curiosity, and makes a compelling case to respond RIGHT NOW before the offer disappears.
THAT'S how you sell. By being interesting to the right people and motivating them to act. Everything else is mental masturbation.
So take a hard look at your marketing. Is it putting prospects to sleep? Or is it jolting them wide awake and compelling them to whip out their wallets?
If not, you know what to do. Craft a hook that grabs 'em by the eyeballs. Make an offer they can't refuse. And tell them exactly what to do next.
That's the essence of direct response. And it will beat branding every time.
So what're you waiting for? Go sell something.