Publishing History & Reviews
Million Dollar Mailings
by Denison Hatch
Copyright © 1992 Denison Hatch
Publishing History — U.S.
Libey Publishing Incorporated hardcover edition published 1993
ISBN 0-89526509-5
Regnery Gateway
Phillips Publishing
Bonus Books
Revised & Updated Edition published 1995
Bonus Books. Includes a long section on
Internet Marketing
ISBN 1-56625-162-1
Shortly after Million Dollar Mailings was by published, dilettante publisher Don Libey sold his company to conservative publisher Regnery Gateway amidst promises by publisher Al Regnery that he was serious about launching a business book division. Lunch with Libey and Regnery in Washington, D.C.L. confirmed the promise. Shortly thereafter, Regnery sold to arch-conservative newsletter publisher Tom Phillips who told me in a long telephone conversation that he had no interest in publishing hardcover business books. Why should he spend all the money to publish a hardcover book for $50 , he asked, when he could create special reports in plastic binders and sell them for $300. Phillips’s agenda was conservative publishing. Million Dollar Mailings languished. Finally, after a nasty and prolonged legal contretemps with Regnery-Phillips, I got the remaining inventory and the film back. The book was republished by Bonus Books in Chicago.
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Contents
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Acknowledgments Foreword, by Axel Andersson
Part I: The Art and Science of Direct Mail
1. In the Beginning
2. Why Direct Mail?
3. Direct Mail: The Ultimate Trompe l'Oeil
4. The Direct Mail Package by Malcolm Decker
5. Twenty-six Design Tips to Lift Response by Ted Kikoler
6. The Key to Successful Advertising: Interrupt and Keep on Interrupting
Part II: The Grand Controls
7. Double Postcards
8. The Next Step: The Mini-Package
9. Consumer Magazines I: Miscellaneous Special Interest
10. Consumer Magazines II: Women's Interest/Home/Shelter
11. Consumer Magazines III: Science and Nature
12. Consumer Magazines IV: The Nation and the World
13. Starting from Scratch: The Launch of a Magazine
14. Consumer Publishing I: Continuity Series
15. Consumer Publishing II: Negative Option Clubs
16. Consumer Publishing III: Individual Titles
17. Lead Generators
18. Memberships and Merchandise
19. Newsletters
20. Business and Financial Magazines
21. Boardroom Reports
22. Home-Study Programs
23. The Catalog
24. The Dow Jones Story
25. Format, Technique, and Offer Grid
26. Analysis of the Data
Appendices
Appendix 1. Positioning by Dennis S. LeBarron
Appendix 2. The Seventy-one Grand Controls
Appendix 3. Names and Addresses of Writers and Designers Bibliography
Index
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Reviews
Million Dollar Mailings Copyright © 1992 Denison Hatch. All rights reserved
I got this book, despite the high price, because I needed to write some copy and was trying to get some good advice. The book is well organized and has lots of examples. The negative is that some of the sections probably won't be good examples to each reader so that even though something here will be helpful, not all of it will, but you still have to pay for it all. The other problem is that most of it is geared towards the big players, those with national scope and budgets.
I don't necessarily regret getting this however, because the cost, if you consider the cost of taking a class, isn't really that bad, the book has value and I did learn some new things. I'd also recommend Sugarman's book on copy writing, he doesn't get as much into layout as this one does, but he really gets into the nuts and bolts of writing stories as copy and compelling people to act. This book is less of a "how to" course and more of a "here it is" now go and do likewise course.
Hatch has spent years collecting and organizing mass mailings and here he presents the best of the best and gives advice on how to use some of this information in your own campaigns. Highly recommend to people in the field or people that want to learn
Imitation--the sincerest form of flattery, and success!
March 13, 2003
Denison Hatch has gathered together proven winners in direct mail marketing.
For those of us whose job it is to write sales letters and direct mail, we know that reading the works of others, studying what works and what doesn't is one of the quickest ways to be successful as a direct mail/sales letter writer.
By perusing this book and studying the way these direct mail packages were put together and the techniques that were used is a veritable classroom between to covers for those wanting to know more. And if you are in direct marketing, you are always learning something new!
In a slump with your advertising? Need new, fresh ideas? I have the perfect reference book for you—Denny Hatch's Million Dollar Mailings. Nearly 441 pages of successful direct mail pieces fill this oversized book. Including the famous Wall Street Journal sales letter that was first mailed in 1974 and still brings in heaps of subscriptions. Mr. Hatch also interviews the writers and designers of these mailings, adding an intriguing behind-the-scenes view of the creative process. This book is worth every penny.
5 out of 5 stars
Holy swipefile batman -
this thing is like 20 pounds!
February 20, 2003
When I ordered this book I had no idea how absolutely
H-U-G-E this thing is. I got this massive and heavy package from Amazon and couldn't think of what it was. As I split through the brown paper I was happily surprised to find Million Dollar Mailings.
If you write copy you must own this book. It's a veritable swipefile in a book. Everything is organized for you!
Just imagine how much this book would be worth to you if you could take just one idea from it and increase your response rate by say 1%. And think about time savings when you can have this thing right next to you you while you're writing your copy.
The way to get good at copywriting is the same way you get good at painting - study the masters. You better bet that this book won't be far from my side.
—A reader from Boston, MA, USA
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