Overdeliver

1. Overdeliver: The Core Mindset for Lasting Success

Everything in business (and life) is not a revenue event, but everything is a relationship event.

Beyond expectations. Overdelivering means consistently giving more than promised to prospects, customers, and partners. This builds integrity, loyalty, and exponential growth. It's a mindset rooted in playing the long game and building a business you genuinely love.

Pillars of extraordinary. Becoming extraordinary in business requires four key pillars: outworking everyone (through deliberate practice and seeking feedback), possessing insatiable curiosity (understanding people and the market deeply), surrounding yourself with smart people (leveraging expertise and seeking accountability), and focusing on helping others first (generosity as a default). This mindset fuels constant improvement, viewing even successful campaigns ("the control") as enemies to be beaten.

Give 100%. Adopt the 100:0 principle in relationships: give 100% effort without expecting the same in return. This reduces stress and fosters an abundance mindset characterized by gratefulness, creativity, and cooperation. While there's a risk of being taken advantage of, the payoff in strong relationships and competitive advantage is immense.

2. Master the Timeless Fundamentals of Direct Response

Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist.

Standing on shoulders. Success in marketing, like any field, comes from understanding the foundational principles established by pioneers. Studying the "original source" – legends like Claude Hopkins, Robert Collier, John Caples, David Ogilvy, Eugene Schwartz, and Gary Halbert – provides centuries of proven strategies, saving you from costly trial-and-error. Their insights into human psychology and measurable advertising are as relevant today as they were decades ago.

Psychology is paramount. Direct marketing is fundamentally about understanding human behavior – what motivates people to buy. Gene Schwartz emphasized that marketers don't create demand; they channel existing desires by deeply understanding their audience's fears, hopes, and needs. Respect your market; assume they are smart and deserve genuine care.

Smart shortcuts. Don't reinvent the wheel. Leverage existing knowledge through resources like swipe files (collections of successful ads and promotions). Studying what has worked for others allows you to work smarter, not just harder, and build upon proven formulas. Recognize that many "new" marketing techniques, like lookalike audiences, have roots in older, sophisticated methods like regression modeling.

3. Your List (People) is Your Most Valuable Asset

No mailer [or marketer] spends enough time on lists.

The 41/39/20 rule. The success of any direct response campaign is primarily determined by the list (41%), followed by the offer (39%), and then the creative/copy (20%). A perfectly targeted list can make even average creative profitable, but the best results come from combining a great list with an irresistible offer and world-class creative. Your list is not just data; it's real people, your "online family."

Niche and table selection. Choose niches (verticals) where you can go "a mile deep" and become a "category of one." This allows for highly targeted marketing and avoids competing in crowded, broad markets. Listen to your audience; they will often reveal where the most profitable niches and product extensions lie. Focus on clients who provide the most value (recency, frequency, monetary) to identify profitable segments.

RFM is king. Recency, Frequency, and Monetary value (RFM) is the bedrock of list segmentation.

• Recency: Recent buyers are most likely to buy again.
• Frequency: Multibuyers are highly valuable and likely to continue buying.
• Monetary: Customers who spend more are likely to do so again.
  Analyzing RFM allows you to tailor messaging and offers to different segments, maximizing response and profitability. This applies to lists of any size, online or offline.

4. Craft Irresistible Offers Your Market Can't Refuse

The right offer should be so attractive that only a lunatic would say “no.”

Know your audience, then offer. An irresistible offer is deeply appealing to your target market. This reinforces why list selection and understanding your audience's psychology are prerequisites. Offers should be relevant, valuable, and congruent with your brand and the content that attracted the audience initially.

Test and refine. Use research methods like Q tests (questionnaires/surveys) to gauge interest in potential products and offers before launching. While expensive, this scientific approach predicts tangible results and prevents costly failures. Be willing to break the rules based on strong anecdotal evidence or market trends, but always measure the results.

Leverage assets and structure. Look for undersold or underutilized assets you already own (content, past promotions) or can acquire rights to, and repackage them into compelling offers. The structure of your campaign (e.g., long-form vs. short-form copy, free trial vs. cash-with-order) influences the type of customer you attract and their likelihood of repeat purchases. Use bonuses and premiums to increase perceived value and create multiple entry points for your audience.

5. Creative & Copy: The Art and Science of Connection

It’s not the copywriter’s job to create desire.

More than just words. While accounting for 20% in the 41/39/20 rule, creative and copy are essential for connecting with your audience and making offers compelling. Don't outsource this to amateurs; hire world-class copywriters who understand direct response principles and can act as strategic partners. Great creative transforms a profitable promotion into a blockbuster.

Characteristics of the best. World-class copywriters possess key traits: hunger (dedication to the craft), insatiable curiosity (deep research into the audience and topic), smarts (seeking feedback and mentorship), passion (genuine interest in the subject), understanding of direct marketing principles (lists, offers, metrics), humility (learning from failures), and generosity (sharing success). They are "canaries in the coal mine," sensing market shifts early.

Audience language. Great copy uses the language of the target audience. It's not about perfect grammar but about using words and phrases that resonate and feel familiar. Ask: "Would they know what this word means?" and "Would your customers use that word?" Tailor creative and messaging to different list segments based on their source, behavior, and psychology; there is no one-size-fits-all creative.

6. Embrace Multichannel Marketing for Survival and Growth

Never adapt your idea to the technique, adapt the technique to the idea.

Avoid the number 1. Relying on a single marketing channel is the most dangerous thing you can do. Diversifying across multiple channels (online and offline) protects your business from unpredictable platform changes, policy shifts, or algorithm updates. It ensures you always have alternative ways to reach profitable customers.

Meet customers where they are. Your audience uses multiple channels for information and entertainment. Research where your core market spends their time and attention (social media, email, direct mail, print, TV, radio, podcasts, etc.) and market across those channels. Don't define yourself by a single channel (e.g., "Internet marketer"); be a direct response marketer who uses the most effective channels for your product and audience.

Hire specialists, buy à la carte. Direct marketing involves numerous specialized areas (media buying, copywriting, design, data analysis, fulfillment). Avoid "one-stop shops" that claim expertise in everything. Hire the best specialists for each channel and function to maximize effectiveness. This was true in the past with fewer channels and is even more critical today with infinite advertising opportunities.

7. World-Class Customer Service Protects Your Lifetime Value

Marketing by walking around is a requirement, not a choice

The invisible function. Customer service and fulfillment are critical marketing functions, not afterthoughts. While often unnoticed when done well, mistakes in these areas can severely damage customer relationships and reduce Lifetime Value (LTV). It's easier and more profitable to keep an existing customer happy than to acquire a new one.

Listen and learn. Actively seek out customer feedback, especially complaints. Listen to customer service calls, use secret shoppers, and talk directly to customers. Every complaint is an opportunity to learn about flaws in your process and identify unmet needs or silent problems experienced by others. Address issues quickly and generously, aiming to turn negative experiences into positive ones.

Build a barrier to switch. Create such a positive and unique customer experience that it becomes difficult or undesirable for customers to leave for a competitor. This isn't about holding them captive but about providing superior value and service that fosters deep loyalty. Examples include personalized service, unexpected bonuses, or unique benefits that competitors don't offer.

8. Focus on Lifetime Value (LTV) to Finish Rich

No direct marketing business can survive without repeat business.

Beyond the first sale. A single product or promotion is not a business; repeat business is the foundation of long-term profitability. Lifetime Value (LTV) – the total revenue expected from a single customer over their relationship with your business – is the most critical metric to track. It allows you to understand the true profitability of different acquisition channels and campaigns.

The bogey calculation. LTV enables you to determine your "bogey" – how much you are willing to lose on the initial sale or acquisition cost, knowing you will make it back (and more) through subsequent purchases (renewals, cross-sells, upsells). This allows you to spend more aggressively on acquiring valuable customers than competitors who only focus on breaking even on the first sale.

Congruence protects LTV. Maintain congruence across your brand, products, offers, and messaging. Incongruent offers or experiences can erode trust and significantly decrease LTV. While the need for cash can be tempting, compromising your core principles for short-term gain (the "moose on the table") risks alienating your most valuable asset: your loyal customers.

9. Build Relationship Capital: The Ultimate Long Game Investment

Life is long.

Contribution over networking. True connection comes from contributing to others without expectation of immediate return. This "Vitamin C(onnect)" is a vital, free, and infinite resource. Avoid superficial "networking" and instead focus on building genuine relationships through consistent, thoughtful interactions.

Compound interest on connection. Relationship capital is a valuable asset that grows with compound interest over time. Invest in relationships with remarkable people by being interested in them, showing appreciation, and consistently contributing. This capital is built through authenticity, integrity, and humility, not just transactional interactions.

Intentional connection. Create opportunities for deeper connection, such as intentional dinners (large or small) where you bring interesting people together to share insights. Embrace competition as coexistence, sharing knowledge freely like Mariano Rivera. Avoid unnecessary conflict or legal action ("don't make your lawyer rich"). Be mindful that someone is always watching how you show up, and small gestures of generosity and thoughtfulness (like sending "lumpy mail" or thoughtful regifts) can have a lasting impact.

Last updated: May 1, 2025