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· 596 ratings · 45 reviews

Start your review of No B.S. Direct Marketing: The Ultimate No Holds Barred Kick Butt Take No Prisoners Direct Marketing for Non-Direct Marketing Businesses

This is a quick and fairly painless read, with some sound advice on ignoring how the big boys do marketing. What Kennedy has to say about effective marketing could be summed up in 10 bullet points and, in fact he does:

Rule 1: There will always be an offer
Rule 2: There will be a reason to respond right now.
Rule 3: There will be clear instructions on how to respond.
Rule 4: There will be tracking and measurement.
Rule 5: Whatever brand building occurs will be a happy by-product, not bought.
Rule 6: There will be follow-up.
Rule 7: There will be strong sales copy, not vague hyperbole.
Rule 8: In general, it will look like mail order advertising.
Rule 9: Results rule, period.
Rule 10: Keep your advertising on a strict direct marketing diet for six months.

The rest is just detail and, annoyingly, blatant lead generation sales copy from other folk who spend a couple of pages boasting how awesome their new found wealth is, and all you need to do is go to their website to find out how you too could be as wealthy as them. Irk. Oh, and always match the right bait to the right fish. And start a newsletter. Do all these right, and you've got it made, he says. Well, we'll see.

Download my starter library for free here - http://eepurl.com/bFkt0X - and receive my monthly newsletter with book recommendations galore for the Japanophile/crime fiction/English teacher in all of us.

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Sep 22, 2015 Waseem rated it it was ok

The 2 stars are only for Dan Kennedys opening content ( and small last part) which sets out a great reminder of what good direct marketing foundational principles should be - which can play a key part in a successful campaigns - as with majority of Dan's info , his wisdom is gold even if it wasn't anything new if your familiar with his material like me - but credit where it's due can't totally disregard the value in the book .. But...

The rest went downhill from there - best described as "useful

The rest went downhill from there - best described as "useful but incomplete" since we are presumably marketers reading this book - which is great for marketing but not a book where we just keep getting resources to buy more shit no matter how good

I bought a book damn it! I am your customer so you can reserve the useful but incomplete stuff for a prospect :(

Anyways! As always my friends ...

To Our Continued Success!
Waseem Mirza
http://www.WaseemMirza.net

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This was a really good book, especially for business majors. It shouldn't be thought of as a sales book for just people in sales. If you are an entrepreneur or in marketing or a small business owner...this is a really helpful guide to selling your business, creating new consumer leads, and even selling yourself a little. :) I really enjoyed this book. Its more conversational than a lecture because Dan Kennedy tells a lot about his life and his success. This was a really good book, especially for business majors. It shouldn't be thought of as a sales book for just people in sales. If you are an entrepreneur or in marketing or a small business owner...this is a really helpful guide to selling your business, creating new consumer leads, and even selling yourself a little. :) I really enjoyed this book. Its more conversational than a lecture because Dan Kennedy tells a lot about his life and his success. ...more

I'm not a sales person, but I found this book very practical. It lived up to it's name and contained no B.S. No fluff. No warm fuzzies either. Just the strait dope on how to do sales better.

On of the core principles in the book was you should be selling to people who want to buy, not just anybody. If you don't open well, you won't close. If you have to work at or "hard-sell" or try to trick the person at the end, you have done the beginning wrong.

Also there was a bunch of stuff on just how to co

I'm not a sales person, but I found this book very practical. It lived up to it's name and contained no B.S. No fluff. No warm fuzzies either. Just the strait dope on how to do sales better.

Also there was a bunch of stuff on just how to communicate well.

Only draw backs are that Kennedy is a ludite when it comes to technology. But as he points out the stuff he teaches works just as well as it always has.

I'd recommend this book to any sales person. Matter of fact I'd wish a lot of the sales people I've dealt with had read it.

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Jan 23, 2008 Wendy Burge rated it really liked it

With a title like this how could I not read it! I love Dan Kennedy and all his buisness books. He really is a pioneer in marketing and I can honestly say that by following his wisdom and expertise I have never been disappointed in my marketing results. A must read for any bdoy in business even if you are not a marketer.

Aug 10, 2008 Terry rated it really liked it

Makes a strong case for direct response marketing. Some of the contributing authors were a bit too commercial, making the book a direct response marketing letter. It was a useful read, however...enough so to read other No BS books in the series.

Very good book. Lots of ideas.

Dec 30, 2010 Marlene rated it really liked it

Very good. But not at all what I had intended to buy. Wish I had read the cover a little more closely before I bought it.

Dec 23, 2012 David rated it it was amazing

Great Direct response marketing from the godfather of DRM.

Dec 31, 2012 Ari rated it really liked it

Great advice from one of the masters, and he is entertaining too

Nov 23, 2013 Russell Turner rated it really liked it

Lots of practical advice within these pages and some interesting new angles with which to take one's marketing efforts. Lots of practical advice within these pages and some interesting new angles with which to take one's marketing efforts. ...more

Jan 16, 2013 Chung Chin rated it did not like it

One word came to mind after I finished reading this book: Cheated.

My review for this book will be a warning - stay away from it. Reasons:
1. If you think that you're picking up this book to learn about direct marketing from a so-called "Master", you'll be sorely disappointed. Out of the 17 Chapters in the book, Dan Kennedy only wrote 8 of it and most of it are 2 to 3 pages long. The rest are contributions from other direct marketers.
2. You might think, "Well, it's not too bad. At least you can still learn something from other marketers." Again - wrong. You'll learn almost nothing. Only a few of those contributors sincerely contribute and actually add-value to you. The rest of it are full of air and read more like self-advertising and promotion than actual experience sharing.

This is my first one-star review and the reason why I rated it so is because I can't imagine why would someone try to sell a book yet does not add any value to his readers. It is a pure waste of my time and the only redemption for myself is that I did not buy this book (I borrowed it from the library). Still, the time wasted cannot be compared to the money saved.

So, again - Stay.Away.From.This.Book.

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Mar 19, 2008 Jeffrey rated it really liked it

You've just got to love Dan Kennedy. I've read six of his books, joined his online / offline marketing club, watched the DVD's, bought the CD's and attended his seminars. So I must say this may come off a bit biased. I like him because he's, first of all, real. As the titles of his books say 'No BS.' Personally, as a coach I coach in the no BS zone: total disclosure, honesty no holds barred.

According to Dan Kennedy, as you may know, direct marketing is king. However, he's successful because he'

According to Dan Kennedy, as you may know, direct marketing is king. However, he's successful because he's aware of the new, the best and brightest ideas and people. So even though he's the direct marketing guru, he knows that there are successful business owners with non-direct marketing businesses, thus the book.

If you're not into 'provocative, irreverent and sarcastic" then you're not going to like the "Millionaire Maker." (back cover). All I can say is gobble up everything he's got. If you've know of uber-successful popular businesses, good chance Dan Kennedy is behind a good number of them.

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Sep 22, 2016 Trevor Chapman rated it really liked it

This book was very helpful if you are trying to learn more about direct marketing. Not the most interesting book but lots of great ideas. This book was recommended to me by Elliot Hulse, which he said a lot of his greatest successes were because of Dan Kennedy. So because he found him to be helpful i figured i would read one of his books and the reason i'm telling you about Elliot Hulse is because he has put Dan Kennedy's ideas in practice I have not so I would not be able to say if it works or This book was very helpful if you are trying to learn more about direct marketing. Not the most interesting book but lots of great ideas. This book was recommended to me by Elliot Hulse, which he said a lot of his greatest successes were because of Dan Kennedy. So because he found him to be helpful i figured i would read one of his books and the reason i'm telling you about Elliot Hulse is because he has put Dan Kennedy's ideas in practice I have not so I would not be able to say if it works or not. Sense Elliot Hulse is a successful personal trainer that started from the bottom and is now at the top I would say that these tips helped him a lot. This book was very good overall though and if you are interested i would suggest you get it because it is a cheap book and a quick read. If you want to grow your business success this should be a great option, also Dan Kennedy has a lot of books you can read to help improve your business so if you need help on a different topic you can more than likely find it from Dan Kennedy. ...more

Dan Kennedy is one of the best, if not the best in the business. He's known as the "Millionaire Maker." I like him because he's straight ahead, irreverent and to the juggler. He's not out to offend, but to cut to the chase and cut the fluff talk to ensure not only brevity of message but effectiveness.

I've gotten his business letters for years, bought half dozen of his books, watched the DVD's, listened to the CD's, bought his products, and attended his seminars. Most who get involved with Dan,

I've gotten his business letters for years, bought half dozen of his books, watched the DVD's, listened to the CD's, bought his products, and attended his seminars. Most who get involved with Dan, stay with Dan because Dan is the man. Sorry, couldn't resist.

If you want to know anything about business marketing and sales, you've found "the" source.

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"No B.S" is a hard promise to keep for a book designed to sell workshops and boot camps, and not surprisingly, the book is full of it.

But it's also full of good ideas, or rather "rules," and Kennedy paints a comprehensive enough picture that you feel like you could employ them fairly well, especially if you already have experience copy writing. It's not so much a handbook, but it is a decent checklist with rationales.

Ultimately, the scarcity of good examples leaves you wanting more. And frankly

"No B.S" is a hard promise to keep for a book designed to sell workshops and boot camps, and not surprisingly, the book is full of it.

Ultimately, the scarcity of good examples leaves you wanting more. And frankly, Kennedy's style might inspire confidence in his target demographic—land-locked male conservatives, he explains—but I'm left unconvinced.

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This book was a major disappointment. I've been reading a lot of Dan Kennedy lately, especially the No B.S. series, but this book was the worst.

First it isn't really written by Kennedy. It is a collection of essays by his students on direct marketing. But even these essays don't give you the practical meat his other books do.

Read Wealth Attraction or Sales in the series instead.

This book was a major disappointment. I've been reading a lot of Dan Kennedy lately, especially the No B.S. series, but this book was the worst.

First it isn't really written by Kennedy. It is a collection of essays by his students on direct marketing. But even these essays don't give you the practical meat his other books do.

Read Wealth Attraction or Sales in the series instead.

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Jun 27, 2014 Cyndie Courtney rated it really liked it

Recommended to Cyndie by: Michael Ellsberg

Sounds much more manageable and practical for small businesses than a lot of the advertising and marketing advice out there, plus the "try it and see what works" side appeals to my scientific side. Easy, short read with advice that's easy enough to try for yourself and see how it works, even though it seems a little cheesy. Compelling enough that I might check out some other books in the series. Sounds much more manageable and practical for small businesses than a lot of the advertising and marketing advice out there, plus the "try it and see what works" side appeals to my scientific side. Easy, short read with advice that's easy enough to try for yourself and see how it works, even though it seems a little cheesy. Compelling enough that I might check out some other books in the series. ...more

Very useful book on direct marketing. It deserves 4 stars for content but it drops a star because the kindle formatting is very poor in places and I had to switch to iPad in some sections, just to be able to read it.
It would have benefitted from more examples of direct marketing and phrases or pitches that work. It does acknowledge however that it is not a copywriting book.

Apr 11, 2016 Mark Pauls rated it it was amazing

This book may be more relevant in this day and age than you might think. Dan Kennedy knows his stuff and offers no BS steps get your direct marketing going. Given we get spammed with email on a daily basis this book offers a method which is likely more effective now than it was when the book was written.

May 03, 2016 Quinn rated it really liked it

This is a must read for anyone running a small to medium sized business, a should read for anyone in marketing and a required read for anyone selling yellow pages. I really liked Kennedy's approach to picking out the massive differences between the way a corporation with thousands of employees and shareholders should do things vs. what a one man band should do when it comes to advertising. This is a must read for anyone running a small to medium sized business, a should read for anyone in marketing and a required read for anyone selling yellow pages. I really liked Kennedy's approach to picking out the massive differences between the way a corporation with thousands of employees and shareholders should do things vs. what a one man band should do when it comes to advertising. ...more

Jul 17, 2016 Bruce Harpham rated it it was amazing

Read this book for the second time in 2016. It is an excellent overview of the principles of direct response advertising. The book does well in including a few case study chapters at the end. I would have liked to see more detailed examples showing sales letters, advertising details (e.g. costs etc) and results.

For added insight, pair this book with Kennedy's Ultimate Sales Letter book.

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Sep 02, 2008 Tina rated it it was ok

Maybe it's just because I've been on to this stuff for a while. This book didn't really say anything that I didn't already know and it definitely didn't tell you how to use direct marketing. It just told you that you should be doing it. Maybe it's just because I've been on to this stuff for a while. This book didn't really say anything that I didn't already know and it definitely didn't tell you how to use direct marketing. It just told you that you should be doing it. ...more

May 25, 2012 Lain rated it really liked it

Lots of takeaways and good stuff, but it seemed a tad outdated for the internet world. I don't disagree with any of the principles presented, I'd just have preferred to have more mention of incorporating email marketing. Lots of takeaways and good stuff, but it seemed a tad outdated for the internet world. I don't disagree with any of the principles presented, I'd just have preferred to have more mention of incorporating email marketing. ...more

Jan 08, 2015 Michael Saul rated it it was amazing

A great way to get started for those that are looking for a primer on direct marketing. Especially good for consultants that deal with brick and mortar businesses that have no idea about direct marketing and how it can explode their business if not properly.

Mar 11, 2009 Chris rated it liked it

This was a short, easy to read and easy to grasp book. The author has a good mix of sales philosophy, personal motivation, and sales tactics to make this book an interesting read.

Mar 23, 2013 Eliot rated it liked it

Kennedy is an entrepreneur so this is not your typical sales system book, more of a business attitude book with a strong emphasis on sales.Always enjoy what he has to say.

Mar 26, 2013 Hisham rated it did not like it

Further than the first chapter, this book taught me nothing. Dan used this book to market his other products and many of his friends and fellow marketeers. Highly disappointing waste of time.

Some of the content seems vague and fluffy to me, although I have gotten some interesting ideas to think about. Thanks D.K.

May 01, 2018 Sean Rosenthal rated it really liked it

Interesting Quotes:

"With a nod to Dr. Seuss: the WHO is very, very important. When you choose and use media, WHO are you hunting for? When you craft your message, WHO is it supposed to resonate with? . . .

Interesting Quotes:

"With a nod to Dr. Seuss: the WHO is very, very important. When you choose and use media, WHO are you hunting for? When you craft your message, WHO is it supposed to resonate with? . . .

"A member of one of my coaching groups owned a very profitable, very unusual business: for a fee, his company helped frustrated U.S. men meet and marry brides from foreign countries and arranged for their brides' immigration. He was a one-stop shop, providing access to thousands of prescreened women in Russia, Asia, and other lands eager to marry U.S. men. It facilitated communication, coaching, trips to the different countries, and assistance with legal matters. The basic fees were $495.00 to $995.00 when he joined my group, but they quickly leapt to $4,995.00 to $9,995.00 on my advice, with no change in client acceptance, although that's not my point here. I questioned him about the WHO of his business. Who were the clients? Who were the best clients? He told me they were everybody: preachers, teachers, truck drivers, pro golfers, executives, barbers, butchers and candlestick makers. But when I asked if there were more of one than the other, I hit the nerve; he didn't know. So we investigated. And we found that about half of all the clients were twice divorced, long-haul truck drivers . . .

"With the information uncovered, here's what we could do: first, radically alter the places he advertised and the amounts of money allocated to different places. There are magazines for and read only by truck drivers, truck stops where literature can be distributed, mailing lists, even phone number lists that can be 'voice broadcast' messages . . . So instead of spending 100% of the ad dollars in general media like USA Today, at least half should go where half the clients are coming from . . . Second, he could take all his generic ads, sales letters, testimonial booklets, etc. and tweak them, creating a version talking only to and about truck drivers, featuring only testimonials from truck drivers . . .

"The WHO is very, very important. If you know WHO you want to attract, you can often find media or lists that reach only them. Often, the right description of WHO already exists in your business, and you just haven't paid any attention to it or thought about how to use it."

-Dan Kennedy, No B.S. Direct Marketing: the Ultimate No Holds Barred Kick Butt Take No Prisoners Direct Marketing for Non-Direct Marketing Businesses

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"You can be the best cook, the best mechanic, the best chiropractor, best dentist, best salesman, the best in any category. That does not always translate into your business being successful. I know a lot of great chefs whose restaurants went bankrupt; there are lots of great chiropractors who are barely making ends meet.

"So how do you attract a steady stream of leads, sift, sort, and prequalify, stay in touch with prospects automatically, and then build relationships that turn them into customers for life?

"The secret that answers this question is in understanding the sale itself. When someone buys something, it is a PROCESS, not an EVENT".

-Ron Romano, in Dan Kennedy's No B.S. Direct Marketing: the Ultimate No Holds Barred Kick Butt Take No Prisoners Direct Marketing for Non-Direct Marketing Businesses

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Dan S. Kennedy is the provocative, truth-telling author of seven popular No B.S. books, thirteen business books total; a serial, successful, multi-millionaire entrepreneur; trusted marketing advisor, consultant and coach to hundreds of private entrepreneurial clients running businesses from $1-million to $1-billion in size; and he influences well over 1-million independent business owners annually Dan S. Kennedy is the provocative, truth-telling author of seven popular No B.S. books, thirteen business books total; a serial, successful, multi-millionaire entrepreneur; trusted marketing advisor, consultant and coach to hundreds of private entrepreneurial clients running businesses from $1-million to $1-billion in size; and he influences well over 1-million independent business owners annually through his newsletters, tele-coaching programs, local Chapters and Kennedy Study Groups meeting in over 100 cities, and a network of top niched consultants in nearly 150 different business and industry categories and professions.

As a speaker Dan has repeatedly appeared with four former U.S. Presidents; business celebrities like Donald Trump and Gene Simmons (KISS, Family Jewels on A&E); legendary entrepreneurs including Jim McCann (1-800-Flowers), Debbi Fields (Mrs. Fields Cookies), and Nido Qubein (Great Harvest Bread Co.); famous business speakers including Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Tom Hopkins, and Tony Robbins and countless sports and Hollywood celebrities.

Dan has addressed audiences as large as 35,000....for more than ten consecutive years, he averaged speaking to more than 250,000 people per year. Corporate engagements have included American Honda, Floor Coverings International, IBM, Pitney-Bowes, Sun Securities. Today, Dan rarely accepts speaking engagements outside of Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle ™ events.

As a direct-response marketing consultant and copywriter, Dan is the 'hidden genius' behind full-page magazine ads you read, TV infomercials you see, online marketing and direct-mail you receive. He is routinely paid upwards from $50,000.00 to, on average, $100,000.00 to $200,000.00 plus royalties to craft direct-response ads, sales letters, direct-mail campaigns and integrated offline/online marketing systems for his private clients.... over 85% of which repeat. His advertisements created for clients have appeared in over 200 magazines from industry trade journals, airline magazines and The Wall Street Journal to USA Today and Readers Digest to Cosmopolitan.

He has created winning campaigns for health, diet and beauty products and companies, B2B and industry products including software, and investments including Canadian land sold to Asian investors — but his #1 specialty, where he does most of his work, is with clients in the information-marketing industry including book, home study course, online course and newsletter publishers; seminar, conference and event promoters; coaching organizations; and associations. Most new client relationships begin with an initial consulting day at his base fee of $16,800.00, conducted in one of his two home cities. There is usually a waiting list, and new client candidates are asked to communicate initially via a one to two page memo describing their business, needs and interests.

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