Dear Friend,
Long time no speak.
There’s a reason for that.
One reason is I’ve been tied up with a lot of projects. (Or at least that’s been my excuse.)
The REAL reason is… Gary Halbert’s death back in April really took the wind out of my sails.
If you’ve read any of my previous newsletters you know that Gary was my friend and mentor. I’ve learned soooooo much from him.
It was comforting to know that the solutions to many of my business and personal problems (plus a lot of laughs) were just a phone call away.
But that’s no longer an option.
I really miss you, Gary.
After Gary’s passing I thought some sort of tribute to his life would be appropriate. But it seemed like everybody and their brother in the direct marketing world was publishing tributes to Gary. Damn good ones, too.
What more could little old me add?
I struggled with this for months… and every time I tried to write a fitting tribute, I couldn’t.
What made matters worse was I wasn’t able to attend Gary’s memorial service in Los Angeles.
The week of Gary’s memorial one of my good friends was murdered. And there were about a million things his widow needed my help with.
And a few days after that, a friend’s 15-year old daughter was run over by a hit and run driver and wound up in a coma. We kept a 24-hour vigil around her bed at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida.
I was completely overwhelmed… I could barely keep up with things.
To make matters worse, I was so ashamed I didn’t make the memorial, I couldn’t even bring myself to call Gary’s son, Bond. (Still can’t.)
And the motivation I had to keep up on the newsletter went out the window.
I’m sorry about that.
But it’s given me a lot of time to think of a fitting tribute to Gary.
See, Gary was the “kitchen table entrepreneur’s best friend.” He taught you how to “bootstrap” a business from scratch (with practically no money) and build it into a million dollar business.
There are THOUSANDS of people who started with no money and no experience but built successful direct response businesses from what they learned in Gary’s newsletters.
I’m one of them.
Back when you still had to pay for Gary’s newsletter and it arrived via good old fashioned postal mail, I used to drop EVERYTHING to read it the very minute it arrived.
Back then, I had a civil service job that I HATED. But every month Gary’s newsletter arrived giving me hope I could start a successful “kitchen table” direct marketing business and break free from my stinking job.
A few years later, I did just that.
My initial success was pretty humble… but it was enough to pay the bills so I could quit my job.
And even after I had broken myself free from being a wage-slave, Gary’s newsletter would give me info (and hope) to grow my business.
The feeling I remember most was the HOPE I got from each issue.
By the way, a few years ago, Gary put almost ALL his back issues online for free at www.TheGaryHalbertLetter.com. His sons are running the site now and are going to keep all the newsletters there. It’s truly a multi-million dollar education in direct response marketing… all for FREE.
Where was I?
Oh yeah… the HOPE.
Anyhoo, I got to thinking…
Instead of me writing a one time tribute to Gary… why don’t I change course a little bit and make my entire newsletter…
A Tribute To Gary Halbert!
Let me elaborate…
I started this newsletter back when I was still doing freelance work. It was originally supposed to be a way for me to attract new clients and promote my copywriting and consulting services.
But I ain’t a copywriting hoe no mo’.
Translation for the phonetically challenged: “I am no longer accepting clients.”
Since I am actively involved in starting all kinds of new direct marketing projects… I want to share what I’ve learned… and am STILL learning.
And since Gary’s passing has left a HUGE void, my new goal is to pick up where Gary left off and make this newsletter…
“The Kitchen Table Entrepreneur’s Best Friend”
Actually, if I only achieve 10% of what Halbert did with his newsletter, I will consider The Doberman Dan Letter a HUGE success.
Look… I’m not delusional enough to believe I can be another Gary Halbert. My sincere desire is that I can continue forward in the SPIRIT of Gary’s newsletter and…
- Offer hope to people with a dream of leaving a job they hate…
- Show how to “bootstrap” your business to success… for those that have very little money to start a business.
- Show you how to start a real BUSINESS with ongoing profits that can support you for DECADES… NOT one time money making gimmicks that will be killed every time Google changes its parameters.
- How to literally start from scratch and operate a million dollar business from your kitchen table. I’ve done it and hundreds of other people have done it with what you’ll discover in my newsletter.
- If you already have a successful online business, how to multiply that success ten-fold by intelligently incorporating offline media… especially direct mail.
- How to get the maximum profits out of your business each and every month.
- How to find red hot niches with wads of cash burning a hole in their pockets, STARVING for your products.
- And much more…
See, I’ve actually done what I talk about. I’ve got the battle scars to prove it.
I didn’t just attend a few seminars and hang out my shingle as a direct response copywriter and consultant. I have really done (and am still doing) what I teach.
So what I’m trying to say with all this rambling is… I may have been knocked down for a bit but the Doberman Dan Letter is going to be better than ever.
Stay tuned ‘cuz in the next issue I’m going to show you my very first direct marketing project with all the details of how I did it.
That little project (initially a miserable failure) launched a multi-million dollar business that still continues today.
All the best,
Doberman Dan
P.S. What’s that? Do I hear you whining that I didn’t give you any REAL content in this issue? Just babbling on about why I haven’t written in a while and what I’m GONNA do.
You’re right. Talking about what I’m GONNA do doesn’t amount to JACK SQUAT! (As Matt Foley used to say.)
Alright… I’ll give you some real content. Some damn good content, as a matter of fact.
Would you like to learn how to double your sales with some very simple direct marketing tactics? In fact, they’re so simple one of them will only take you an additional 2 seconds per order (4 seconds if you’re slow) to implement.
I spoke at Brock Felt and Buck Rizvi’s “Secret Society of Traffic & Conversion” seminar this past weekend in Orlando… and I hid a little gem on a secret page just for the attendees.
It’s an interview Ben Settle from BenSettle.com did with me recently. It’s entitled “How to double your sales in 59 days or less.”
Lots of secrets revealed in this interview. One Ben especially liked was the sneaky way I’ve gotten magazine ads at up to 90% off rate card.
Lots of other good stuff, too.
Click here to check it out.
P.P.S. I spoke with Michel Fortin today. That guy is one sharp cookie. He has some insights about online and offline marketing that could make you a whole bunch of money.
Michel’s got a TON of resources that will help you build your biz and rake in oodles of fungolas at SuccessDoctor.com.
