Do you spend hundreds of dollars on marketing books and courses? I know I do which is not bad but it takes a lot of time, time that can be used of implementing marketing strategies and actually making money.

Would you believe me if I told you that there is a free way to get the best marketing ideas that are working right now at no cost?

Yes, it is possible and as you have already guesses this is the so called “junk mail” that you get on a daily basis.

Because of the “recession” companies have scaled back on sending mail but there are still enough of them that do it.

To learn you just need to observe what they do – how they make there offers, present them and price the products/services they sell.

I live in a big apartment building and every night I go through the trash bin next to the mail boxes and pick up the interesting pieces of mail that have been discarded.

It is amazing how much one can learn just by looking at what companies mail. What’s more – you can see what works and what doesn’t.

Here are a few examples.

Every month or so I get the same letter from Statefarm from 3 local insurance agents. Is it stupid or what? They are wasting there money sending me the SAME letter 3 times in one day on behalf of three different agents.

What I like about the mail piece is the attached card that has a dedicated number that I need to call and a code (for tracking purposes) to get special rates (that makes me feel important) – these are the two things that I can use when marketing to people.

Last night I found in the trash can a mail piece from Southwest Airlines. On the envelope (in the companies colors) there is an offer for 2 free tickets. I am to open it yet and see what the catch is but the take away is that if you are about to send unsolicited mail – make sure that it will get open by picking the curiosity of the receiver.

This morning I found a megalog about …bowel movement improvement pills. It is made to look like a magazine – with articles that give free but valuable information and at the same time gently pitch the product.

The takeaway – using this format you can lower the resistance of consumers because they think they get  a magazine not a direct mail piece.

I guess you are thinking – I don’t get any junk mail what can I do. The obvious answer is – get on the mailing lists of companies.

The second best thing is to ask friends/colleagues to bring you their junk mail.

Over time you will start to see patterns in the way offers are make, guarantees are worded and so on.

That’s how you will now that this is something that works because if it didn’t it won’t be used.