Devin Bull - On Direct Mail Layout

Effective layout is just as important, if not more so, than an effective
message. You may write a terrific letter or have a terrific message for
your potential clients, but if it's not laid out properly, they'll never
read the message. To illustrate this point we have included, for your
reference, the same well-written letter laid out in two different formats.
Your letter probably has about two to five seconds at most to grab the
reader's attention. If they can't look at it quickly and understand the
basis of your message, you are probably wasting good time and money by
mailing it. It's quite obvious when looking at the examples which one has
the greatest likelihood of being read and which one will probably go
straight into the rubbish can.

As an optional additional level of service we may have included several
sample letters in a supplemental manual. You may use them as they are or
adapt them to suit the local needs of your particular business venture. If
you develop your own materials, remember that your letter probably has about
two to five seconds at most to grab the reader's attention. Therefore, be
sure to include an "attention grabber" which tells them what the contents
are about as soon as they glance at it. This is usually done through a
title, through bolded or enlarged type in the text, or by 'bullets'
summarizing the benefits of your services.

Another name for direct mail is 'junk mail.' Of course when you're sending
it you prefer to refer to it as 'direct mail advertising', but when others
receive it they consider it junk mail. Any unsolicited piece of mail which
is poorly laid out has a very small chance of being read by the targeted
audience. As previously stated, you have just a few seconds to make your
message; that's all the attention time you can expect from most clientele.
You must let them know what the content of your direct mail advertising is
about within this short time period. It has been determined by experts who
have studied direct mail advertising that most people will look at a letter
or an advertisement for just a few seconds. If it has a lot of
information-typed material-on it, and none of it stands out, it will
probably end up in the trash can. The reason for this is that when an
individual looks at a letter with a lot of content in it, but no header or
highlighted portion which lets them know what is contained therein, they
realize that it's going to require a time commitment on their part even to
find out about the message. Most busy people are not prepared to make this
commitment for an unknown, and they therefore throw the letter in the trash
can. To avoid this, you should make use of effective layout methods to
ensure that as soon as somebody looks at your letter, within two seconds
they will know what it's about.

You can do this by using a header at the top of the page which says, for
example, "Cut Your Costs" or "Looking For A Great New Job?" Or you can use
bullets or numbered statements in the middle of the text which are in large,
bold type and which stand out to the eye of the reader. The bullet might
include a benefit summary of your program, for example:

Improved Cash Flow
Overnight Confirmation of Acceptance
Reduction of Errors
Reduced Paperwork
Lower Overhead

A partial list of layout or design tools you can use to capture people's
attention and let them understand the contents of your letter at a glance
includes:

Personalized Opener or Greeting
People enjoy seeing their own name. Don't send out letters that say "Dear
Doctor," "Dear Office Manager" or "Dear Businessperson." Instead, find out
the doctor's or office manager's name and use that. By personalizing your
letter, you'll increase your response rate.

Use Subheadings
Introduce key points and emphasize or introduce new points with subheadings

Vary Margins and Indent Paragraphs
This makes it easier on the eye and draws the eye to changes in the regular
margin.

Highlight Benefits with Bullets
This has been expanded upon in the paragraphs above.

Use Bold Type and Underlining
Key points can also be emphasized or explained through the use of bold type,
underlining or a combination of the two.

One word of caution about layout: Don't try to use all of the above
techniques or ideas in one letter. Jumping back and forth between one style
and another will simply confuse the reader and muddle your message. The
overall point you want to understand is that you want something that is very
sharp, clean and presents the message at a glance. When they look at the
letter and see what it's about and they're interested in the contents, they
will then read the entire contents of the letter, and your whole message
will be conveyed to your potential client.

"The person behind the business mkes it succeed" by Devin Bull

There is no such thing as a business that succeeds by itself. It is the
person behind the business that makes it succeed, regardless of how great
the actual business opportunity may be. If the operator or owner of that
business is not diligent or conscientious, he or she may in all likelihood
fail. Therefore, when considering the risk factor of a given business
venture, you must not only take into consideration the amount of money
you're putting up, but also your personal commitment, as well as whether or
not you actually have the drive and ability to make that business work.

Book excerpt from: Succeeding in Your New Business by Devin Bull. For more
information please visit: http://StartingSuccessfulBusines.com/Catalog

Devin Bull on Time Management

If you are the type of person who finds yourself running from one crisis or
project to another or juggling three or four tasks at once, then it's time
you started to take control. Instead of letting the circumstances and
events going on around you dictate what you do and when you do it, turn the
process around! Time management means that, as much as practically
possible, a person dictates what to do and when to do it by having an
overview of different jobs and projects that need to be accomplished and by
prioritizing them.

Before we go any deeper into the subject of time management or time control,
it may be important to clarify exactly what we mean by this terminology. In
the literal sense, it's not really possible to control or manage time. Time
passes and none of us really has any control over it. You can't make it
pass faster or slower or more efficiently. What you can do, however, is
manage or control what you do while time passes. In other words, although
you cannot directly exert control over time, you can exert control over
events that occur within time.

It would be both foolish and naive to state that a person can control all
events. Although there are some so-called positive thinking courses or
so-called mind control courses where the individual is supposed to believe
that he can control all events, or cause things to happen exactly as he or
she wants them to happen, we not only don't subscribe to this philosophy, we
think it's a load of bunk. In summary, there are two kinds of events:

1. Those you can control.
2. Those you can't control.

Events you can control

The events that you can control can be broken down into two categories: (1)
events that you think you can control and you can, and (2) events that you
think you can't control but you can. The time of day that you arise in the
morning is an example of an event that you can control. So too is the time
that you go to bed at night. Interruptions by colleagues and co-workers are
examples of events that many people think they can't control but they
actually can.

We can teach you how to better organize your life and your time so that you
can accomplish more by being better disciplined and organized.

In our book we teach you how to control those controllable events which you
are now having difficulty controlling, which are consequently affecting your
efficiency and productivity.

Events you can't control

There are two kinds of uncontrollable events: (1) the ones that you can't
control, and that you know you can't control, and (2) those events that you
can't control, but which you mistakenly believe you can. Uncontrollable
events which we can't control include the rising and setting of the sun, the
changing of the tides, our own imminent death, and so forth. So far as
examples of events we cannot control although we think we can, there are
many examples: we cannot control another person's thoughts or feelings, for
example. Nor can we always control what time we arrive at work, although we
think we can. If there is an accident on the freeway resulting in a traffic
jam, for example, although you thought you would arrive at work by 8:30, the
reality of the situation is you may not get there until 9:30 because you
have no control over the traffic jam.


- Devin Bull

Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained

Hi, I'm Devin Bull. I am blogging to have some fun and entertain people (and make a few bucks on the side). If you don't like what I post, then don't read it. But, if you would like to support my work please visit my online store. We have over a dozen books for sale that are designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs start and successfully run a small business. Thanks.

Please visit: http://www.startingsuccessfulbusiness.com/catalog/

Devin Bull resting dog

Devin Bull the dog taking a rest on a hot = day.

Devin Bull, he’s no fool

He’s chilling out in a cool rock = pool

Devin Bull, he’s the man

No need for sun ban with that nice brown = tan

Whatever

Devin Bull--An interview on being Devin Bull

Interviewer: We're sitting here today with Devin Bull. Devin, how would
you describe being Devin Bull?

Devin Bull: I'm just a regular bloke. Nothing particularly special.

Interviewer: What about your opinion on how other people see Devin Bull?

Devin Bull: There's only a couple of people in my life that I give a shit
about what they think about me. If I spent my life caring about what
everyone thought about me I would be a mental case.

Interviewer: What is Devin Bull's favorite food?

Devin Bull: I don't really have a favorite food. The closest to my
favorite food would probably be French fries (but don't tell that to my
doctor). Probably I like my own cooking the best. I'm a pretty good cook
so it usually tastes good. Not always super healthy, but tastes good.

Interviewer: Any last comments on being Devin Bull today?

Devin Bull: Not really. I don't think anyone really gives a shit about who
Devin Bull is. Everyone else has their own lives to deal with. I know
who I am and have a clear sense of purpose in my life. Achieving that
purpose is what is important to Devin Bull.