How to make sales from gurus who don’t promote your products
Published: Fri, 07/07/17
He is the master of getting millions of dollars in free publicity and has done so for everything from selling the Brooklyn Bridge (which he did, and for only $14.95)… promoting his rare autograph business… his book on how to find the love of your life in just 90 days… getting donations to his dog shelter… and probably hundreds of other products, causes (like The Innocence Project — that gets wrongfully imprisoned men free), and services.
Anyway, about his finding love book.
He makes a small fortune off that book each Valentine’s Day.
(Using just free publicity.)
And, he once told the story of how he used his PR skills to do it by getting what he calls “Gold Card” media appearances. Those are TV shows, radio programs, newspaper articles, etc that are known by everyone and mass broadcasted. And, just by getting on those shows you automatically make yourself “safe” to be interviewed by the rest of the media.
My favorite example is his Phil Donahue Show appearance.
He was on there due to his love book.
And, he said he didn’t make a single dime from being there. (I don’t even think they mentioned his book, and certainly didn’t show people how to get it which is pretty standard on radio, for example).
But you know what?
It didn't matter.
Donahue was a gold card media appearance.
And, it opened the door to him being on thousands of other shows.
And, he did profit from those other shows as a result of being on ye olde Donahue show.
(Regardless of Donahue not plugging his book.)
The point?
We can use this online, too, with email.
How?
By aggressively going after gold card testimonials. These are testimonials from gurus, experts, industry leaders, celebrities, etc in your market that, even if they don’t “say” much, just their NAME makes you “safe” to buy from (even if they don't promote your product), just like being on gold card media appearances made Paul Hartunian safe to be interviewed by the media.
So go for the gold, baby.
One gold card testimonial can be worth actual gold, after all.
Speaking of gold card testimonials:
One of my copywriting heroes -- who I studied like crazy when I first started learning copywriting -- Brian Keith Voiles sent me this nice note not too long ago:
"I subscribed to your newsletter there for a few months and I absolutely fell in LOVE with you, your writing, and your personality. Not to mention the brilliant insights you spewed outta the pie hole every month. You're damn brilliant, dude."
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Ben Settle