Many small businesses in America right now are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. Not because they don’t have great products or services to sell (most do). But because they don’t have the slightest clue how to market themselves.

I hear from people all the time that “there’s no money” in their industry. I ask them just one simple question: “is there anyone in your industry making a LOT of money right now?" (The answer’s always yes).

So my reply is “Well, it's not your industry that’s the problem…  it's your marketing. And frankly that problem is going to follow you around no matter what industry you work in.”

Ouch.

Harsh but oh-so-true.

Ever hear that old saying “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door?”

Total garbage.

That statement was most likely made by a someone very well versed in marketing theory but with not a scrap of experience working in the trenches, never having owned a successful business in their life.

Here’s the REAL truth.

It's not the best product that wins. It’s the best marketing. And the best kind of marketing is direct response marketing.

The problem is that very, very few people know what real marketing is. I’m talking about marketing that actually works, not what should work. Real marketing based on proven “in the trenches” scientific testing, successfully used in the top 5% of small businesses in America right now.

It's time for you to get in on the action.

So I’m going to share with you two of my secret marketing strategies that are dead simple to implement and you can get started on today.

Direct Response Marketing Strategy #1 – Forget doing any more brand advertising. You've likely heard me beat this drum before but it bears repeating again. And again. Because it runs completely contradictory to what everyone else does (and tells you to do). It’s a giant waste of money, you don’t know if it's even working, it takes a MEGA multi-million dollar budget to make any kind of splash in a market, and it will grow your business at snail’s pace, (if it doesn’t bankrupt you first). Instead, embrace direct response marketing like the life raft it is on the titantic. Direct response marketing rocks. It is supremely powerful. It's changed my life and it will change yours.

And that brings me squarely to tactic numero dos...

Direct Response Marketing Strategy #2 – Start learning how to do REAL marketing to your prospects (REAL stands for Rewarding, Easy, Authentic and Loved). This is the kind of marketing that people actually look forward to receiving. Tell me, when was the last time a direct mail piece of yours was eagerly ripped open?

BUT. This means you have to have the backbone to swim against the current. It means doing things that other people might think is crazy, out of the box, even outrageous. Not long ago I created a multi media marketing sequence for a law firm that included a toy car, a roll of toilet paper and a video of a Scottish guy singing while wearing a wooly hat and a pair of boxer shorts.

One of the partners outright refused to send it.

Fortunately the other partner had a lot more sense and sent it anyway.

And....

The campaign is pulling like gangbusters.

It’s their single most successful ad campaign they’ve ever run. It’s got people talking, laughing, and most importantly calling to make appointments.

(Side note: When was the last time you ever heard the words "laughter" and "law firm marketing" in the same sentence?)

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to get REAL with your marketing.

Your business depends on it.

PS The original unhappy partner of the law firm is now one of my biggest fans. I've even got him reading David Ogilvy and Dan Kennedy and learning all about direct response marketing.