–> Tupperware Parties for Books? Why Not?
For years, the house-party concept has been used to sell products, especially in the network marketing industry. Think about Amway/Quixstar, Avon, and other household names. and think about Tupperware, which probably did the most to popularize the model–so much so that the phrase “Tupperware party” came into the language.  (Click here to continue reading.)

–> Holiday Special: Principled Profit
Get a special deal on Principled Profit this holiday season, perfect for gift giving! Order 4 to 9 copies for just $12.95 each plus shipping (actual shipping if they’re all shipped to the same address, or $4.30 each if you’d like them shipped to different addresses), or order 10 or more copies and pay just $10.50 each plus shipping. For foreign orders, order 4 and pay $12.95 each plus $12 shipping, or order 10 or more copies and pay $10.50 each plus shipping. Please note if you’d like a gift acknowledgment included and/or autographed copies.

–> Do Your Holiday Shopping With Us–Discounts on Books for Your Favorite Entrepreneurs
With the holidays coming up, this is a great chance to save money on Shel’s books–they make fabulous gifts for the entrepreneurs, authors, marketers, and business managers in your life, or for those who’d like to be authors or marketers.

–> Recent Media Coverage of Shel and His Work
A new feature: spotlight on some of the places where Shel’s been featured recently.

–> How to Get Grassroots Marketing for Half-Price
Over 300 pages of solid information on lowering your marketing cost, boosting your return

–> Friends and Colleagues Who Want to Help

• Your Chance to Blog at FastCompany.com
• Powerful Interview with Joe Sugarman, and More
• Paulette Ensign’s Publishing Prosperity Course
• JointWinWin.com
• Perfect Networker

–> A No-Cost Way to Connect with Reporters Seeking Stories
My friend Peter Shankman, a very well-connected PR guy in NYC, has started a no-charge service called Help A Reporter Out. He sends queries from reporters a few times a day, and if there’s a good fit, you answer the journalist. And he gets some leads that never make it to Profnet/PR Leads. This should be a no-brainer–but don’t abuse it. Only answer if you’re approrpiate for the query, or else you’ll spoil it for yourself and everyone else . If you get one good lead in a year, it’s worth it. He has passed on leads from the NY Times and Washington Post, as well as lesser venues. Sign up at www.helpareporter.com

–> Finally–An E-Book Site Puts Authors’ Needs First
Writers: Mark Victor Hansen (of Chicken Soup fame) has just launched a very author-friendly e-book/multimedia content distribution site at http://www.youpublish.com/referredby/shelhorowitz. No fee to set up, no fee to upload your files (wide range of types), 50% commission.

–> Facebook Teleseminar with Mari Smith
If you’re not on Facebook yet, you may be missing valuable business opportunities. If you are on Facebook, are you getting the most out of it for your business? Recently, The Blog Squad grilled Mari Smith about why you need to be on Facebook and how to use the social networking site to be smart about building your business. Now you can get access to the audio program from the live teleseminar for an investment of only $20.

–> You’re invited to join Foundercontact
Christophe Poizat, founder and chairman of the International Network of Social Entrepreneurs (INSE) has invited you to receive a free membership with Foundercontact. Foundercontact International Ltd is a web 2.0 online marketplace designed to bring entrepreneurs into contact with 3500 investors for seed, early stage, or growth capital. With members from 5 continents and 93 different countries, it opens up international business opportunities for entrepreneurs. Sign up at http://www.foundercontact.com/user/register

–> Hear and Meet Shel, September through November 2008

–> Which of Shel’s Books is Right for You?

–> Latest Additions to the Websites

–> Administrative Information
Subscribe, unsubscribe, back issues, etc.

–> Don’t forget to play our games, at the top of any page on FrugalFun.com– no fees to play, prizes to win, and you help me continue to bring all this good information to you.

Published monthly since July, 2007 by Shel Horowitz
16 Barstow Lane, Hadley, MA 01035 USA
413/586-2388

For years, the house-party concept has been used to sell products, especially in the network marketing industry. Think about Amway/Quixstar, Avon, and other household names. and think about Tupperware, which probably did the most to popularize the model–so much so that the phrase “Tupperware party” came into the language.

In a recent newsletter, Steve Harrison of Radio TV Interview Report/Free Publicity offered a few examples of authors who have done very well with house parties. One of them, Kelly Corrigan, a big-publisher author (Hyperion), actually did a traveling house-party book tour covering over 30 events up and down the Northeast, using her wide network of personal connections to get people in a living room to hear her read and buy books.

The result? #15 on the New York Times Best Seller List. Is that cool, or what?

Personally, I’ve done a house party as a book launch (and got over 50 people to my friend’s loft in Brooklyn for the New York launch event), but never tried to do a house-party tour. Maybe when book #8 comes out, I’ll try it, in addition to bookstore events.

Book parties can provide a big advantage for lesser-known authors who may not easily attract a crowd in public venue such as a bookstore or library. By getting your friends to invite their friends, and providing them with the chance to meet a real author at close range, you can have a very successful event.

Anybody out there try this? Tell us what happened.

Yesterday, Wednesday, October 15, I blogged about some aspect of poverty as part of Blog Action Day. 7000 blogs will participate. Please stop by and see my post: http://www.principledprofit.com/good-business-blog/

–> Newman’s Own: Positive Power Spotlight, October ‘08
If ever a business created the perfect positive storm around quality, integrity, and product story, it was Newman’s Own. This selection of salad dressings, snack foods, and other goodies has been on my list of businesses to feature in this column for many years. It took Paul Newman’s death to move it to the front of the line.

–> Another Recommended Book: The 4Cs of Truth in Communications
The 4Cs of Truth in Communications: How to Identify, Discuss, Evaluate and Present Stand-out, Effective Communication, by Isabelle Albanese (Ithaca: Paramount Mountain Publishing, 2007)

–> Holiday Special: Principled Profit
Get a special deal on Principled Profit this holiday season, perfect for gift giving! Order 4 to 9 copies for just $12.95 each plus shipping (actual shipping if they’re all shipped to the same address, or $4.30 each if you’d like them shipped to different addresses), or order 10 or more copies and pay just $10.50 each plus shipping. For foreign orders, order 4 and pay $12.95 each plus $12 shipping, or order 10 or more copies and pay $10.50 each plus shipping. Please note if you’d like a gift acknowledgment included and/or autographed copies.

–> Do Your Holiday Shopping With Us–Discounts on Books for Your Favorite Entrepreneurs
With the holidays coming up, this is a great chance to save money on Shel’s books–they make fabulous gifts for the entrepreneurs, authors, marketers, and business managers in your life, or for those who’d like to be authors or marketers.

–> Recent Media Coverage of Shel and His Work
A new feature: spotlight on some of the places where Shel’s been featured recently.

–> How to Get Grassroots Marketing for Half-Price
Over 300 pages of solid information on lowering your marketing cost, boosting your return

–> Friends and Colleagues Who Want to Help

• Your Chance to Blog at FastCompany.com
• Powerful Interview with Joe Sugarman, and More
• Paulette Ensign’s Publishing Prosperity Course
• JointWinWin.com
• Perfect Networker

–> Hear and Meet Shel, September through November 2008

–> Which of Shel’s Books is Right for You?

–> Latest Additions to the Websites

–> Administrative Information
Subscribe, unsubscribe, back issues, etc.

–> Don’t forget to play our games, at the top of any page on FrugalFun.com– no fees to play, prizes to win, and you help me continue to bring all this good information to you.

Published monthly since September, 2003 by Shel Horowitz
16 Barstow Lane, Hadley, MA 01035 USA
413/586-2388

The 4Cs of Truth in Communications: How to Identify, Discuss, Evaluate and Present Stand-out, Effective Communication, by Isabelle Albanese (Ithaca: Paramount Mountain Publishing, 2007)

Reviewed by
Shel Horowitz

From the Fortune 500 world of advertising comes this perky little book, and surprisingly, its advice is very applicable to small entrepreneurs with limited budgets, and translates well to many other media besides TV ads.

Albanese’s thesis is that the most effective communications embody four characteristics, all of which begin with the letter c:

1. Comprehension: how well the message gets across
2. Connection: whether the reader/listener/viewer/web visitor feels the material is relevant and emotionally arresting
3. Credibility: Is the message in tune with the customer’s perception of the brand? Is it based in ethics?
4. Contagiousness: Will the message spread with the help of its own prospects and the media?

She quotes Edward R. Murrow:

To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful

And then flips the statement around to say that credibiity creates believability…which creates persuasion…which results in sales.

After analyzing each of the 4 Cs, she applies them to a raft of marketing and informational messages, including e-mail (a particularly good analysis that mirrors many of the points I’ve discussed in my Frugal Marketing Tips and my various books), Instant Messaging, eBay, and even movies. Oh yes, and she shows how the 4 Cs may have influenced the 2004 presidential election. In the final chapter, she applies the formula to personal communications between lovers or spouses, and between parents and children.

Shel Horowitz is the founder of the Business Ethics Pledge and the award-winning author of Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First and six other books.

If ever a business created the perfect positive storm around quality, integrity, and product story, it was Newman’s Own. This selection of salad dressings, snack foods, and other goodies has been on my list of businesses to feature in this column for many years. It took Paul Newman’s death to move it to the front of the line.

The biggest qualification for inclusion is the firm’s pledge from Day 1 to give 100 percent of profits to charity. OK, so it helps that his movies made Newman independently wealthy–but still, this is a remarkable platform. And a whole lot of terminally ill children who attended one of Newman’s camps will never forget his generosity (to name one of dozens of examples). In his years in business, he was able to raise and donate $250 million to thousands of different charities, some of which–like those camps–he was directly involved in setting up and running.That’s an average of 410 million a year!

While most of the rest of us will never be in that situation, we could certainly donate five or ten percent of our net revenues to worthy causes. Tithing really does make the world better, and often helps the giver as well (see my friend Paula Langguth Ryan’s work at artofabundance.com.

Bt it’s not just the charity work. It’s a commitment to organics before it was fashionable (now spun off to a separate company, Newman’s Own Organics…a willingness to forge creative partnerships (as I advocate strongly in my award-winning sixth book, Principled Profit: Marketing That Puts People First)high-quality, great-tasting products…and a sense of humor and play that’s present on all the company’s packaging and very much in evidence on the website (consider that the press room page is labeled “hoopla”–or this quote from the “Our Story” page):

We anticipated sales of $1,200 a year and a loss, despite our gambling winnings, of $6,000. But in these twenty-six years we have earned over $250 million, which we’ve given to countless charities. How to account for this massive success? Pure luck? Transcendental meditation? Machiavellian manipulation? Aerodynamics? High colonics? We haven’t the slightest idea.

With the holidays coming up, this is a great chance to save money on Shel’s books–they make fabulous gifts for the entrepreneurs, authors, marketers, and business managers in your life, or for those who’d like to be authors or marketers.

As a subscriber, you can not only get the usual discounts for ordering the books in combination, but you also get FREE shipping in the U.S. (or a $5 savings on shipping elsewhere) on any order for printed books now through December 1–and that offer is not for the general public. This offer holds for single copies of any of these books, and multiple copies of the two Grassroots books.

To get the free shipping, all you have to do is visit our order page at https://www.frugalmarketing.com/cart/ If you’re in the U.S., enter FREESHIP when you get to the Discounts and Coupons field and the cart will automatically zero out your shipping. If you’re elsewhere, enter FREESHIP in the comment field (NOT the coupons) and I’ll manually take $5 off (I still have to punch every order into a cc terminal so this is not a big deal)

If you want multiple copies of Principled Profit–a very wise decision–I have an even better deal for you a bit farther down the page. (If you want to know more about any particular book, please click the book titles):

<begin note>Sorry to be late this month. We had a problem with the order form, and as you’ll see, that directly relates to the content of this month’s tip.</note to readers>

–> (Very) Late September Book Marketing Tip: Anatomy of a Promotional Offer
This is a real offer (actually two real offers) that I’m making to you–and then I’m going to analyze it and show you my exact thinking in constructing it. I think this may be extremely helpful in your own marketing, especially since I deliberately violate two key marketing rules. (Click here to continue reading)

–> Friends and Colleagues Who Want to Help

• Your Chance to Blog at FastCompany.com
• Powerful Interview with Joe Sugarman, and More
• Paulette Ensign’s Publishing Prosperity Course
• JointWinWin.com
• Perfect Networker

(Click here to continue reading)

–> Hear and Meet Shel, through November 2008

–> Which of Shel’s Books is Right for You?

–> A No-Cost Way to Connect with Reporters Seeking Stories
My friend Peter Shankman, a very well-connected PR guy in NYC, has started a no-charge service called Help A Reporter Out. He sends queries from reporters a few times a day, and if there’s a good fit, you answer the journalist. And he gets some leads that never make it to Profnet/PR Leads. This should be a no-brainer–but don’t abuse it. Only answer if you’re approrpiate for the query, or else you’ll spoil it for yourself and everyone else . If you get one good lead in a year, it’s worth it. He has passed on leads from the NY Times and Washington Post, as well as lesser venues. Sign up at www.helpareporter.com

–> Finally–An E-Book Site Puts Authors’ Needs First
Writers: Mark Victor Hansen (of Chicken Soup fame) has just launched a very author-friendly e-book/multimedia content distribution site at http://www.youpublish.com/referredby/shelhorowitz. No fee to set up, no fee to upload your files (wide range of types), 50% commission.

–> Facebook Teleseminar with Mari Smith
If you’re not on Facebook yet, you may be missing valuable business opportunities. If you are on Facebook, are you getting the most out of it for your business? Recently, The Blog Squad grilled Mari Smith about why you need to be on Facebook and how to use the social networking site to be smart about building your business. Now you can get access to the audio program from the live teleseminar for an investment of only $20.

–> You’re invited to join Foundercontact
Christophe Poizat, founder and chairman of the International Network of Social Entrepreneurs (INSE) has invited you to receive a free membership with Foundercontact. Foundercontact International Ltd is a web 2.0 online marketplace designed to bring entrepreneurs into contact with 3500 investors for seed, early stage, or growth capital. With members from 5 continents and 93 different countries, it opens up international business opportunities for entrepreneurs. Sign up at http://www.foundercontact.com/user/register

–> Latest Additions to the Websites

–> Administrative Information
Subscribe, unsubscribe, back issues, etc.

–> Don’t forget to play our games, at the top of any page on FrugalFun.com– no fees to play, prizes to win, and you help me continue to bring all this good information to you.

Published monthly since July, 2007 by Shel Horowitz
16 Barstow Lane, Hadley, MA 01035 USA
413/586-2388

–> Get Out of Town
Hey, all you city folks–and especially parents–get out of town! Here’s a taste of what we country folks have in store for you on October weekends, just a short drive, bike ride, or train ride from your megalopolis. Yes, you can do this from New York, from Chicago, from L.A., and from smaller cities. (Click here to continue reading)

–> Do Your Holiday Shopping With Us–Discounts on Books for Your Favorite Entrepreneurs
With the holidays coming up, this is a great chance to save money on Shel’s books–they make fabulous gifts for the entrepreneurs, authors, marketers, and business managers in your life, or for those who’d like to be authors or marketers. (Click here to continue reading)

–> Friends and Colleagues Who Want to Help

• Your Chance to Blog at FastCompany.com
• Powerful Interview with Joe Sugarman, and More
• Paulette Ensign’s Publishing Prosperity Course
• JointWinWin.com
• Perfect Networker

(Click here to continue reading)

–> Hear and Meet Shel, through November 2008

–> Which of Shel’s Books is Right for You?

–> Latest Additions to the Websites

–> Administrative Information
Subscribe, unsubscribe, back issues, etc.

–> Don’t forget to play our games, at the top of any page on FrugalFun.com– no fees to play, prizes to win, and you help me continue to bring all this good information to you.

Published monthly since May, 1997 by Shel Horowitz
16 Barstow Lane, Hadley, MA 01035 USA
413/586-2388

–> Revisiting Postal Direct Mail, Part 1: When?
A lot of marketers think direct-mail–the old-fashioned kind that shows up in your physical mailbox–is the most important tool in their arsenal. But others have been badly burned and are reluctant to try again. So…when does it make economic sense for you to use postal direct mail? (Click here to continue reading)

–> Anatomy of a Promotional Offer
This is a real offer (actually two real offers) that I’m making to you–and then I’m going to analyze it and show you my exact thinking in constructing it. I think this may be extremely helpful in your own marketing, especially since I deliberately violate two key marketing rules. (Click here to continue reading)

–> Friends and Colleagues Who Want to Help

• Your Chance to Blog at FastCompany.com
• Powerful Interview with Joe Sugarman, and More
• Paulette Ensign’s Publishing Prosperity Course
• JointWinWin.com
• Perfect Networker

(Click here to continue reading)

–> Hear and Meet Shel, through November 2008

–> Which of Shel’s Books is Right for You?

–> Latest Additions to the Websites

–> Administrative Information
Subscribe, unsubscribe, back issues, etc.

–> Don’t forget to play our games, at the top of any page on FrugalFun.com– no fees to play, prizes to win, and you help me continue to bring all this good information to you.

Published monthly since May, 1997 by Shel Horowitz
16 Barstow Lane, Hadley, MA 01035 USA
413/586-2388

Shel Horowitz’s Monthly Frugal Marketing Tip, October, 2008

A lot of marketers think direct-mail–the old-fashioned kind that shows up in your physical mailbox–is the most important tool in their arsenal. But others have been badly burned and are reluctant to try again. Which is understandable, when you think about spending a dollar or more per envelope (postage, printing, professional copywriting, etc.), and only converting about 2 percent.

2 percent is considered a very decent return–but at a dollar each, that means each actual sale costs you $50, not counting the cost of product.

So…when does it make economic sense for you to use postal direct mail? Here are few situations; there are others, of course:

• You’re selling high-ticket items. If you’ve got a $500 product that costs little or nothing to produce (let’s say, an information product), and your cost of sale is $50, you’re doing very well.
• You’re mailing to influencers and decision-makers who control large numbers of orders–for example, wholesalers and distributors who might order thousands, or professors who could order 300 copies of your book for use in their courses
• You know that your lifetime customer value is high enough to more than justify the high cost of that first sale; this new customer will go on to spend thousands of dollars with you over the next few years
• You’ve done some things to bring down the cost and/or increase the return, so your numbers work better (we’ll talk about how to do that next month–if you can’t wait, I recommend ordering a copy of my fifth book, Grassroots Marketing: Getting Noticed in a Noisy World, http://www.frugalmarketing.com/cart – we’ve got some very nice specials right now)