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Outrageous Advertising That’s Outrageously Successful by Bill Glazer

The full title of this book by Bill Glazer is

Outrageous Advertising That’s Outrageously Successful: Created for the 99% of Small Business Owners Who Are Dissatisfied with the Results They Get“.

In my review on Amazon.co.uk, I gave this book a rating of Four Stars which means I consider it to be good.

Here is my book review.

Are you brave enough to try these outrageous methods?

The title promises “Outrageous Marketing” and the contents is likely to shock you to your core if you haven’t seen American style, over-the-top, direct response marketing before.

First a bit of background. Bill Glazer was a long term student of direct marketing & copywriting “legend” Dan Kennedy as he managed his men’s clothing store and he eventually became Kennedy’s partner in Glazer-Kennedy, a business selling marketing advice and training to small businesses. If you’re new to Dan Kennedy, the place to start is probably The Ultimate Marketing Plan 4th Edition which introduces you to his thinking and isn’t really about preparing a marketing plan.

On to this book.

Would you send out a handwritten sales letter to your customers with words scribbled out and notes added in the margin? Bill Glazer did.
Would you write a marketing message on a place-mat from a cafe or have a letter crumpled up and mailed inside a mini waste paper bin? Bill Glazer did.

Do you want your marketing to SCREAM at your prospective customers “LOOK AT ME”? Bill Glazer does.

In these days of information overloaded where people are potentially exposed to thousands of marketing messages every single day, the first, vital battle is to break through the clutter and to get attention if you’re going to commit to using outreach marketing.

Getting one of these outrageous marketing pieces is likely to arouse some curiosity, if only “who on earth has sent me this?” A strong headline can then force the prospect to start reading, almost against their own personal will.

The majority of the examples in the book relate to direct mail and whilst it is increasingly expensive, it can be the only way to reach well protected decision makers.

I’m not brave enough to go this far with my marketing. One of the advantages of the book and its many examples is to show you that your “risky adverse” sales letter is comparatively tame and perhaps you need it jazz it up a bit more. I fluctuate between two positions on the commercial mailings I receive. Sometimes I’m ruthless and everything goes for recycling without being looked at but other times I’ll take the time to review what comes in and critique it in my mind. Too many examples pompously tell me how great the businesses are without trying to hook my interest or delivering proof. No wonder they don’t work well.

If you’re interested in being outrageous, I think it’s sensible to think relatively small and test a sales letter on a relatively small part of the market. If it gets results, send it out to more potential customers and when you’re confident, the most important customers. You can then use outrageous advertising in the media.

Two things may irritate you about the book. One is the self confidence of the author and the bragging about how great his techniques are. The second is that the book promotes Glazer-Kennedy hard although the website address used no longer directs to a functioning offer which suggests that he is not as clever as he thinks.

It is available to buy from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

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