December 24, 2005:

     I know, I know. Art directors like "white space" in their ads and writers are told to "keep the copy short." But in my experience the most effective casino ads do just the opposite. The winners start with a strong proposition and they're crammed with benefits. They often have 500 to 1,000 words of copy and NO picture or illustration (sometimes not even a logo) They depend on a strong, direct headline to draw the prospect in; they pack each paragraph with information, and the copy doesn't end until the writer has thoroughly covered the subject.

December 12, 2005:

    Studies show the average reader scans a newspaper page in three seconds, looking for something in his or her own self-interest. But we're not interested in "readers" of a publication. We're interested only in those prospects who want to go to gaming casinos and bet their money. Nobody else matters. So when your casino advertises in print, it only makes sense to communicate the offer to the prospects in a headline that is simple, clear and direct.

December 1, 2005:

    How any times have you been in a meeting with your ad or promotion agency and kept quiet even though you didn't care much for the ideas they presented? After all, they sounded so sure of themselves, said all the things your management wanted to hear, and bolstered their case with flashy graphics. So maybe their ideas weren't as bad as you thought. After all, they're pros, and they know the ad and promotion businesses. But hold it a second. You know the casino business better than they ever will. So speak up. Don't ever abdicate the knowledge you bring to the table.

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November 21, 2005:

    I adapted the following from from Murray Raphel's wonderful little tome, Selling Rules: Elmer Wheeler had the unique ability to come up with just the right wording or phrase to sell merchandise. Asked to improve sales at drugstore counters, he told clerks to ask "One egg or two?" when a customer ordered a milkshake. A new salmon catch, when processed, turned white. Since most salmon was pink when opened, packing companies feared the worst. Wheeler advised them to add these words to the label: "This salmon guaranteed not to turn pink." When the Petroleum Institute wanted to increase gasoline sales, he instructed attendants to ask this question when someone pulled into the station: "Fill 'er up?"

November 11, 2005:

    Most direct marketers know that the fear of loss is more powerful than the prospect of gain--and they write their sales letters accordingly. In his excellent book, Selling Rules, my friend Murray Raphel uses the following to drive home the point: Says Murray, "The Franklin Mint offered the first in a series of limited edition collector's plates. They advertised only a limited amount available. After that there were no more. The die is cast aside. Many customers ordered late and were shocked to have their checks returned. "Sorry, the edition is sold out.' What happened the next time Franklin offered a limited edition? They sold out immediately."

November 1, 2005:

    Is your own personal opinion the deciding factor in determining which ads should run? If your answer is "Yes,"then consider the following advice from Claude Hopkins, author of Scientific Advertising: "We must never judge humanity by ourselves. The things we want, the things we like, may appeal to a small minority. The losses occasioned in advertising by venturing on personal preference would easily pay the national debt. Only the obstinate, the bone-headed, will venture far on personal opinion. We must submit all things in advertising, as in everything else, to the court of public opinion." Hopkins wrote those words in 1923. They're still true.

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October 22, 2005:

    Here's another one from my first book, Casino Marketing, published in 1994: My close friend, the late Andy Byrne, told of a life insurance company that tested two ads. The headline on one read, "Leave Money for Your Family After You've Gone." The second headline was "Get Rid of Money Worries for Good." Then Andy turned and asked, "Which one pulled best?" I'll give you the winner in a moment, but the real hero of this story is the person who insisted on testing instead of guessing. That always saves the company money. The winner was the second headline, which pulled five times as many coupons as the first headline. So $100,000 invested in the second ad, Andy pointed out, would give you the same results as $500,000 invested in the first headline.

October 12, 2005:

    The late writer Bill Jayme called research, "The art of making obscure that which is obvious." I agree. I'll take the gut feeling born of experience over research any time--and I'll win more than I'll lose. Remember Coca Cola? They did a mountain of research before the changed the flavor. The real mission of research is to provide ammunition for the creative process. Research alone doesn't bring people into casinos and it sure can't make them gamble. The emphasis on technology has depersonalized the business. The customers sense it. They want to be treated as human being, not as parts of a segment. (from my book Casino Marketing, 1994)

October 1, 2005:

     The question I hear a lot is, "Is it legal to place bets on the Internet?" So naturally, I turned to the final authority, law professor I. Nelson Rose. He asks the question and answers it on page 3 of his just-released book, Internet Gaming Law. Here's what Nelson and co-author Martin D. Owens say: "The answer is 'yes,' 'no,' and 'nobody cares,' depending on what you bet on, from where and with whom. The only constant element in gambling law, on or off the Internet, is the exceptions." From there the book gets down to the fine points for another 280 pages. Internet Gaming Law reads quickly, is not loaded with legal jargon, and is lively and often witty. I recommend it.

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September 23, 2005:

    I've seen casino letters that look like narrative road maps. First they tell you the VIP Lounge or the Casino Promotion Booth will be open only on certain hours, as if you always bother to commit that sort of thing to memory. Then they give you directions. Turn right, turn left, go to the second floor, take the elevator. Then they caution you that the offer in the letter "cannot be combined with any other offer." Times, directions and threats just make people mad--if they even bother to read them. They don't belong in a casino letter. (From my book "Casino Marketing")

September 12, 2005:

    If you think your casino is the world's finest, and that your logo on the envelope is enough to make your prospect shudder with delight, look out. That's a company viewpoint. Or if you think you're doing the prospect a favor by inviting him to your special events, and that he can't possibly refuse all the comps you're offering, be careful. That's a company viewpoint, too. The prospect couldn't care less what you think about your company or your offer. He wants to know what's in it for him--in specific, tantalizing detail. (From my book, "Casino Marketing")

September 1, 2005:

    "A guarantee of satisfaction certainly must be hinted in all services that are offered. And a guarantee can be implied as part of your offer even when you're generating leads or building traffic. Guarantees make people comfortable. One of the things that you don't want to do is have your attorney write a guarantee. It needs to be written by the marketing people. Simple. Easy to understand. Short words. And speaking of short, maybe the best guarantee ever is from Land's End. Here's what is says: Guaranteed. Period."

--From "Power Direct Marketing," by my good friend, the late Ray Jutkins.

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August 23, 2005:

    In a contest such as the Romeros at Casino Marketing, the 2005 National Conference, the judges put more emphasis on measurability than on the looks of the piece. The whole purpose of the contest was to see how many room nights were booked, how many new customers were acquired, how much casino revenue was generated, how many new leads surfaced or what was the competitive advantage gained. The winners backed up their submissions with cold, hard facts. And if you're leery about disclosing actual figures, then use percentages. The bottom line for the judges was, "Did it sell?"

August 12, 2005:

    In all advertising contests, neatness counts--and don't ever forget it. In Casino Marketing, the 2005 Conference, some entries for the Romeros were handwritten, with occasional crossouts. The judges (Jim Seagrave of the Stardust, Ira David Sternberg of the Las Vegas Hilton, Jackie Brett of the Imperial Palace and Ron Bell of Coast Casinos) had difficulty making out some of the words and phrases in the explanation that accompanied each entry. Believe me, it's not good to make the judges scowl. So make sure that every word comes from your computer, and for a little extra readability, always use Roman type such as Palatino or Courier. Stay away from the modern sans serif faces such as Helvetica; they're hard to read, hard to comprehend.

August 1, 2005:

    If you're entering some of your work an advertising contest, the most important thing to know is (1) is it a beauty contest or a sales contest, and (2) who's judging it. Most advertising competitions are beauty contests, so slick, sophisticated, expensive work usually wins, regardless of impact. But if you're asked to append sales statistics to your entry to prove it sold something, that becomes the most important item--and fancy design and four-color printing are secondary. As for judges, the opinions of art directors, writers and executives always differ wildly. So if (for example) there are two writers on the judging panel, the copy in your entry may determine win or lose. Who said life was fair, anyway?

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July 22, 2005:

    A common mistake in direct mail is the failure to tell the prospect or customer exactly what you want them to do. "Call the free 800 number now...mail back the coupon today...make your room reservation now." Usually you'll find these commands in the last paragraph of a sales letter, but they should be repeated throughout the letter as well. The more you tell them what you want, the more your targets will respond. It's a simple., easy-to-remember rule, so memorize it now, today, this instant (or sooner).

July 12, 2005:

    When most advertisers (including casinos) buy space in a magazine or newspaper they believe their ad should reach out to the "readers" of the publication. I hope you don't believe that because it's dead wrong. Most of the "readers" of a publication have no use and no desire for most of the products advertised. So you should be interested only in those "readers" who have a need or a desire for your product or service. Nobody else matters. To get them to read your ad, use a headline that appeals to their self-interest, such as "Play the slots three hours, stay free in Las Vegas."

July 1, 2005:

    I'm outa here in a few days, gang. Going to Las Vegas to award the first annual Romeros at Casino Marketing, the 2005 National Conference, at the Rio. The dates are July 17-19, and maybe I'll see you there. Yeah, they finally named an an award after me. It's going to be weird to hear the announcer say something like "And here to award the next Romero, is Romero." The tip here is to stick around the gambling business so long they think you invented it.

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June 24, 2005:

    In today's society, there's a protest group to fit all occasions. You never know when a press conference can turn into quicksand. Let's say the casino general manager is announcing a major expansion--generally a harmless subject. But if people show up with signs that read "Save the Butterflies," you could be in trouble. Chances are the protest will get more ink than the groundbreaking. So before you ever let your GM up there on the podium, think like a reporter. Anticipate embarrassing questions and prepare him. It may pull you out of a spot some day. (From Casino Marketing.)

June 13, 2005:

    Old-style press agents knew how to sink a hook into an editor. The hook came in the first paragraph, then came a logical link to the casino. In other words, they wrote news and feature stories in a casino setting--not "press releases." But somewhere along the line many casinos forgot that tactic. It still works, though. A good story will see print even if you don't buy an ad schedule. (From Casino Marketing.)

June 1, 2005:

    Did you ever pick up a book and read right through it because it was so interesting? Chances are it was long on quotes and short on narrative. Writers know quotes read faster, which is why they sometimes make up two-thirds of a novel. You can apply the same tactic to press releases about your casino--but this tip comes with a caution: avoid flapdoodle (quotes without substance). Fill your releases with meaty quotes and they'll be used. Fill them with junk quotes and they'll get tossed. (From Casino Marketing.)

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May 23, 2005:

    The best ads are simple. Research has shown that from high IQ to low IQ, people have one thing in common--they like to receive information in the easiest possible form. They don't want to struggle to understand it; they don't want to have to interpret anything, and they don't want to play guessing games. The best ads are also direct. They have direct headlines that reveal the benefits of the offer, in contrast to indirect headlines such as puns or plays on words that hide the offer. They're easy to understand and to the point--in language you don't need a dictionary to translate. (Excerpted from a speech I gave to the World Gaming Congress in 1994.)

Talk about customers, not about the casino

    Those of you who have been to my seminars and read my books know that I preach the gospel of long, personal letters as the best way to deliver a casino offer. Through the years I've made a lot of converts--but many of them stop reading or listening to me after the word "long." They think length is the key. It's not. The key is to fill a long letter with benefits, to talk about the customer, not about the casino--and to make that customer feel special. Ads don't do that. Ads are filled with claims, and adjectives such as "exciting" and "fantastic" and "world-class" as if shouting these dreary old words will somehow persuade the reader to accept the offer. Not a chance. (Excerpted from a speech I gave to the World Gaming Congress in 1999.)

May 1, 2005:

    Not long ago, Advertising Age magazine played its story on Stealth Marketing under the headline, "Marketers Flock to Loyalty Offers." So what were the "Loyalty Offers" the magazine was talking about? A new secret weapon?No, just the same thing we've been doing for years in the casino business--identifying our best customers, making them members of a club, and pulling them in through direct mail to play our slots and tables more often. Campaigns like these used to be out in the open where you could see them--produced mainly through print advertising (the old mass marketing ideas at work). But when you market from your database using direct mail and the telephone, you launch your attacks in total secrecy. And when your competitors finally discover what you're doing, it's too late. (Excerpted from a speech I gave to the World Gaming Congress in Las Vegas in 1993.)

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April 21, 2005:

    Rudolph Flesch in "Say What You Mean" argues that many business writers believe they must confound their readers with formal language and vague verbiage. He calls it, "...a curse, a special language that comes between writer and reader, a curtain that prevents them from understanding each other." Flesch is right. Phony dignity is sure death in direct mail. So forget the the intellectual words. Use emotional words. Change "begin" to "start." Change :"fond of" to "like." Change "receive" to "get." Change "difficult" to "hard." Get it? (from Casino Marketing)

April 12, 2005:

    Generalities are the enemy of salesmanship. If you want to sell, be specific. I copied the following line from a casino brochure: "We cater to your every need and whim." You know, sure as hell, they don't cater to your every whim. And "need" is a dreadful, lazy, non-specific word that should never be used in ad copy or brochures. How much better to say, "We'll meet you at the airport with our limousine, introduce you to our casino manager, suggest a restaurant, make you a reservation for our show, and even press your suit if you need it." Now you not only get the message across, but put ideas into the prospect's mind with one specific after another. (from Casino Marketing)

April 1, 2005:

    The hardiest strain of hype is the unverified claim. Remember that the next time you're salting your ads with trite slogans such as "Most jackpots," "More winners," "Best food" and the ever-popular "Loose slots." But wait! Claims backed up by facts can become powerful and persuasive advertising. Magazine polls can verify your rankings in a number of areas; testimonials are well-read and can prove your points; or you can list the number of jackpots and the exact amounts paid. As long as you can prove it, no problem. But unverified claims usually hurt more than help. (from Casino Marketing)

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March 21, 2005:

    This month's tips are all on sports betting. They come from The Master (and my dear friend) the late Mort Olshan, and his book, Winning Theories of Sports Handicapping: "Playing at home, a mediocre team becomes good and a good team great...The most unpredictable teams are those where the coaching is not commensurate with the talent...When in doubt, take the points. And the most propitious time to take the points is when the favored team itself is mediocre..Pro basketball is the Russian Roulette of sports, the most treacherous game to predict...An injury to a popular player often sparks his teammates to a fiery effort."

March 11, 2005:

    This month's tips are all on sports betting. They come from The Master (and my dear friend) the late Mort Olshan, and his book, Winning Theories of Sports Handicapping: "The pro is patient and disciplined; he won't play unless he has some legitimate advantage going. The born loser's lust for winning distorts his judgment. He follows no proven disciplines. He zigs and zags. He is out of phase and out of rhythm. Worse yet, unwilling to learn from his mistakes, he is condemned to repeat them."

March 1, 2005:

    This month's tips are all on sports betting--and on life in general. They come from The Master, the late Mort Olshan, publisher of The Gold Sheet, one of the first nationally syndicated sports handicappers, and author of Wining Theories of Sports Handicapping. Mort was a dear friend--to me and to many others: "The NFL releases an exhaustive list each week of players whose availability is uncertain for any reason. We have found that 95 percent of the ailing players recover and play. If Jones has a 50-50 chance to play, he'll play. If Jones is a near certainty to miss, his chances of playing are no worse than 75 percent. If Jones is in the hospital for surgery and you know that for a fact, it's just possible he may be sidelined."

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February 18, 2005:

    When gaming tournaments began with the World Championship of Blackjack in Las Vegas in 1979, the contestants paid $250 each to enter. I know that because my partners and I produced the tournament and NBC Sports televised it. But in the late 80s, most casinos switched to "free play" tournaments with the house furnishing the chips. Too bad. Now it;'s an entitlement. But because entering free and playing free is such a killer benefit, you have to keep pushing it, even if most of your players know it. Why? Because there's a constant stream of new players entering your database--and you have to assume that they're hearing about it for the first time. (From Secrets of Casino Marketing.)

February 8, 2005:

    I could hardly believe my eyes. There it was in a Wall Street Journal piece on advertising: "One-to-one marketing is becoming a Madison Avenue obsession." There is really only one response to that. Duh. The advantages of one-to-one (i.e. direct marketing) are so much greater than the tired "creative" embraced by general advertising that only the most dense of reactionaries could deny it. Yet while there are regular features on general advertising in the Wall Street Journal, there is never a feature on direct marketing. Do the WSJ editors ever read their own stories?

February 1, 2005:

    If I really want to reach a business friend or client by phone these days I never call their office number because most of the time I get voicemail. Instead, I call their cell number and get through practically every time. My hunch is that it's the same for you. So if you're a casino marketer catering to big players, knowing their cell number is often better than knowing their e-mail address. Of course, they have to opt in. If they do, you should respect their privacy. Call only when you have a dynamite offer or invitation. I once predicted the fax would put the telegram out of business. Now I think cells phone will put faxes out of business.

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January 24, 2005:

    Research shows that a coupon in an ad increases readership, and there's a logical explanation. A coupon tells the reader you have something special to offer and that he can get it directly from you by using the coupon.Coupons give you a way to measure your ad because it's so simple to code them and tally the response from each publication. In turn, that gives you a powerful reason to buy one publication over another because you immediately know your Cost Per Response. So if you can drive customers into your casino at $1.50 each from Publication A, why would you buy ads that deliver customers for $7 each in publication B?

January 12, 2005:

     Looking for a single word to describe your casino or to highlight the customer experience? The Wall Street Journal points out that one or two word mottoes are hot. For example, I'm sure the instant you read the following mottoes you'll know the company. Ready? How about "Done," "In," "On," "Thank you" and "Always." Missed a few, huh? That's my point. The use of short, ordinary words is a fad, soon to be history. So instead of a word or two, write some 10 or 15-word mottoes that drive home something you do better than the competition. And don't write eight or nine and stop. Write a hundred of them. And don't get cute; selling is serious business. P.S. The companies you couldn't remember from their mottoes are, in order, Nextel, Verizon Wireless, IBM, Citibank and Wal-Mart.

January 1, 2005:

     Check this nice piece of writing from catalog consultant Glenda Shasho Jones in DM News: "The sooner a reader 'gets' what we are trying to communicate, the sooner they move to the next step on the purchase decision chain...comprehension is a strategy within design. Too often what is perceived as beautiful design will work against comprehension." This is a lady after my own heart, and her advice is particularly apt for casino marketers who insist on using words as design elements and prefer clever, indirect headlines to "Lift their ads out of the clutter." Too few understand that ads that hide the offer ARE the clutter. To sell, use a direct headline that reveals a benefit or makes a promise. Right, Ms. Jones?

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December 24, 2004:

     Casinos have a long history of cozying up to sports stars and sports events, and for good reason. No, it's not the free tickets. It's the demographics. Under the headline "2.3 Million Affluent Males are Waiting for your Pitch," in one of my online marketing newsletters, I discovered that ESPN will rent its "powerful opt-in email list." The ad claims that "89% are males between the ages of 18 and 49 with an average annual income of $75,400." Think about that the next time you sneer at a casino for promoting boxing matches or race cars.

December 12, 2004:

     Casino marketers take note: "Can Blogging Help Market Your Product?" asks direct marketing wizard and author Bob Bly in the Nov. 1 issue of DM News. He starts by quoting a "blogging expert" who believes blogging is a platform from which to lobby, network and influence sales--and a way to circumvent traditional media. But it's clear Bly is having none of that argument. He points out, quite correctly, that blogs are online diaries and are often rambling and incoherent, and while (for example) an e-zine comes right to you, not so with blogs. You have to search them out. The verdict: pass on blogs as affective marketing vehicles.

December 1, 2004:

     Here's a tip that applies to casino ad writers. Pat Friesen, writing in Target Market magazine, reminds us to put headlines in quotation marks. "Those little squiggles attract more attention," she says, and she's correct. Quote marks also speed up reading. That wonderful novel you just breezed through and are recommending to your friends was about two-thirds dialogue.

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November 23, 2004:

     How do you make your ad stand out from those of your competitors? Of course, there are many ways. But here's a blanket answer: check your competition's ads and discover what they're doing--then do the opposite. For example, if your competitors are advertising in color with short copy blocks, your ad in black and white with long, persuasive copy will stand out. If they use short, indirect headlines, then you go for long, benefit-heavy headlines.

November 12, 2004:

     Will cash bonuses bribe your rated players into recommending your casino to friends and associates? In my experience, yes--but circumstances have to be perfect, the cash has to be eye-opening, and you MUST have a way to measure the promotion for effectiveness. An example: In the days when my partners and I ran BJ tournaments worldwide under the banner of International Gaming Promotions, Inc., we offered $50 if one of our regular players brought a new player who paid the $250 entry fee and played. Response was amazing. Some of our players would bring four and five new players per tournament. It was one of the best promotions we ever did, and we could track the results to the penny.

November 1, 2004:

     "The first lesson to remember is this: Your customer is not a statistic. The buyer is not packaged in neat demographic profiles waiting for your message to arrive. There is only one common denominator you can count on--interest in your product." From Ed Nash's Direct Marketing, Strategy, Planning & Execution

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October 22, 2004:

     "The mind has no room for what's new and different unless it's related to the old. That's why if you have a truly new product, it's often better to tell the prospect what the product is not, rather than what it is. The first automobile, for example, was called a 'horseless carriage.'" From the classic book Positioning: the Battle for Your Mind, by Trout and Ries.

October 12, 2004:

     Almost all casino advertising and collateral material promises "fun" and "excitement," but no one seems to have the slightest idea how to fulfill such vague promises. The truth is, they're just empty advertising words. My suggestion is to avoid such vapid generalizations and make specific promises instead The company that makes a promise and keeps it is so rare these days that customers talk about it. And you know what they say about word of mouth advertising. (From my first book, Casino Marketing)

October 1, 2004:

     Direct marketer Jim Rosenfield attacks the superiority of "long copy" in the September issue of Direct magazine. He cautions direct marketers that while long letters used to work, the marketplace has changed. The DM writers I know realized that years ago. For example, my early direct mail efforts for casinos sometimes ran to four pages. Now my letters almost never go past a single page, but they still pull just as well. So I agree with Rosenfield. I just think he misjudges direct marketing writers.

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September 20, 2004:

     I'm no fan of branding, but I admit that a powerful tag line or slogan can conjure up a brand image in nothing flat. Too bad you can't measure the effect on sales. Anyway, Direct Magazine columnist Kate Muldoon recently listed the following tag lines and asked her readers what brands they brought to mind. Go ahead, try it:: All the news that's fit to print...Good to the last drop...Breakfast of champions... Where's the beef?...Just do it...We try harder...Have it your way...Fly the friendly skies.

September 10, 2004:

     Robert W. Bly, one of my favorite direct marketing writers, quoted author Nick Usborne in a recent edition of DM News. "Go to your favorite Web site," says Usborne, "strip away the glamor of the design and technology and you're left with words--your last, best way to differentiate yourself online." Your faithful reporter has been decrying the vapid copy on most casino Web sites for years. Nice to know I have some support now.

September 1, 2004:

     Most everyone on the creative side of the direct mail business knows that the P.S. is the second best-read portion of a sales letter. But why? Here's a cogent explanation by Lee Marc Stein of Direct magazine: "In terms of units of a letter that are most frequently read, the headline is first, of course. Why is the P.S. second? Because after reading the head, recipients let their eyes fly down to the signature. And the P.S. is right under the signature."

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August 23, 2004:

     Back in the days when my partners and I in International Gaming Promotions, Inc., were conducting Blackjack tournaments worldwide, our mailings all carried an Early Bird discount offer. In most cases it saved tournament players $50 (off a $250 entry fee). The majority of entries came in by the deadline, so we always knew weeks ahead that we had met our projections--but still had time to send a second mailing if we hadn't. Yet few casinos ever use this tactic.

August 12, 2004:

     In their book "The Dynamics of Making a Fortune in Mail Order," the Brendells say that a headline that simply gets the reader's attention is not enough. The headline's meaning must be grasped "in a flash," and it must promise a reward for reading the ad. In direct marketing, these are basic truths. If you want a shock, look through your newspaper and any handy magazines and see how the big majority of the ad headlines can't be understood, and promise nothing.

August 1, 2004:

     "Ads in Videogames Pose a New Threat to Media Industry." That Wall Street Journal headline stopped me. It turns out that among the companies now making their own video games and giving them away free online are Chrysler-Jeep and the US Army. Jeep has had more than 250,000 downloads (read, leads) and has sold hundreds of vehicles.The Army reports success with its "America's Army" PC game that's also free at recruiting offices. Others such as Cadbury Schweppes are placing billboards inside established games. Food for thought for casino marketers.

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July 23, 2004:

     Veteran direct response writer Joan Harris once asked 11 other direct response copywriting pros to list their favorite selling words. The words that turned up most often in the Harris survey were "You," "Your," "Free," "New" and "Now." Not a single writer listed "We," "Exciting" or "World Class." Maybe you should check your advertising copy one last time. (From my first book, Casino Marketing.)

July 13, 2004:

     Here's how Tom Collins, a veteran direct marketer and writer, defines poor print ads: "Classic cases of not running the ad to increase profits, but rather using increased profits to run more advertising." I agree with Tom. A huge percentage of print ads are just awful, from headlines to copy. They don't sell and they are not accountable. Two reasons why: the writers value style over substance, and the art directors hate words, which is why they use copy blocks as design elements.

July 1, 2004:

     One thing I've learned in casino marketing is that my instinct is just as good or better than research. It's that way all through the business, especially on the casino floor. Give any sharp casino executive a survey aimed at his customers and ask him to predict the answers before it goes to the public. He or she will be amazingly close to the final survey results. Never be afraid to follow you instincts.

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June 24, 2004:

     Recently a friend went to work for a Reno casino, so I called to congratulate him. A voice said,"VIP Services, please hold." I sat there like a dummy, holding the phone for two or three minutes before I gave up. I called again the next day and again I was put on hold before I had a chance to say a word. The next day, same thing. So I think to myself, "What if I'm a big player calling for a reservation? Will I keep trying or will I call a casino that answers?" (From my first book, Casino Marketing)

June 13, 2004:

     You're in real trouble if you begin to believe your own image ads. When you start reading them, nodding your head and saying, "Right! That's exactly who we are," it's time to call the wagon I've seen ads that looked like they were targeting the company CEO instead of the customers. To test for smugness, count how many times the copy says "We," "Our," and "Us." These are killer words in advertising, especially when they precede an unsubstantiated claim. (From my first book, Casino Marketing)

June 1, 2004:

     I've written for years about the disaster a single asterisk can cause. If your customer spots one at the end of your headline, he says, "Oh, oh." He knows immediately that the headline is a lie because in the recorded history of advertising there has never been an asterisk that ADDED anything to the offer. If you qualify your offer with an asterisk in your headline you're sending up a red flag that says, "Beware! We're going to stick you with something."

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May 24, 2004:

     In their monograph entitled "How to turn complaints into cash," casino service specialists Michele Comeau and Ian Brooks give some good advice on action to take when the customer is wronged. Their suggestion: When the wronged customer tells you what happened to him, say "Thank you for letting me know." Then, in order, acknowledge the wrong, apologize, and make things right. It's just good, solid common sense, but you'd be amazed how often it's overlooked.

May 13, 2004:

     Joe Karbo's "The Lazy Man's Way to Riches"was one of the best-selling "How to" books in history. In it, Karbo use the title of the book to illustrate one of his best sales points. In writing an ad or a title, says the author, "Pick out the one, most important, specific thing the product will do." Karbo says he would never have named his book something like "It's Easy to Make Money, because "It doesn't communicate and it's not personal."

May 1, 2004:

     In "24 Ways to Improve Your Direct Mail," author Jim Kobs writes, "If you want someone to take a specific action, if often helps to give him a limit to do so. If your offer is a special one, this approach makes it seem even moreso. It implies the offer is so generous you cannot afford to continue it indefinitely." Good advice from a pro. I always advise clients to put a limit or a deadline on the offer. "Forcing the response" approach usually gets results.

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April 23, 2004:

     Who should sign your direct mail? The general manager, the casino manager, the slot manager, the promotions manager or a casino host? I always prefer the GM because he or she is the least likely to quit and walk over to a competitor for another five thousand a year. The others are more likely to leave; it's the nature of the business. But they can take a ton of business with them when they do. GMs generally don't vanish overnight and when they do change you can smooth the way with a transition letter that introduces the new boss.

April 13, 2004:

     Your direct mail should build trust. And that means you can't afford to use the tricks that some outside companies use to get the customer or prospect to open the envelope. Here are two of the worst (1) You get a letter that has "Second Notice" stamped in red in on the outer envelope. You open it thinking you've forgotten to pay a bill. Inside is a sales pitch. You're furious because you fell for it and now the postman probably thinks you're a deadbeat (2) You get an oversized, official-looking brown envelope that tells you "Legal Documents Enclosed." In panic, you open it. Inside is a sales pitch. Then you're mad, really mad.

April 1, 2004:

     Casino general managers who sign their direct mail offers usually get a lot of mail--some congratulatory, some complaining. But every letter that comes in represents an opportunity to bind that customer to you. Answer everything. Take some action on complaints and tell the customer what you've done. Thank those who wrote to praise you or to praise an employee. Keep the letter short, skip the formal corporate language and sign in blue ink. Always in blue ink.

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March 26, 2004:

     Do you think you know your customers--I mean, are you really in touch with their priorities, their likes and their dislikes? Do you really know what motivates them? Then check your inactive file and ask yourself what happened. Why did all those thousands of customers simply stop coming to your casino? What kind of approach will bring them back again? Which ones are genuine prospects and which are suspects? Never guess at the answers. If you ask the customers, they'll tell you. (From my first book, Casino Marketing.)

March 13, 2004:

     Learn the other person's job. If you're in the marketing department, spend a couple of days a month on the casino floor, talking to customers and finding out how the slots and tables make money. If you work in the casino, spend a day with marketing. Spend time off and on with all the major departments. When the time comes to rally all the department heads for a floor promotion, the exchange of ideas speeds up and the barriers fall. (From my first book, Casino Marketing.)

March 1, 2004:

     Half the people I phone are in meetings, and most meetings are a waste of time. Here's how to make your meetings shorter and more productive: tell everyone in advance what reports you expect from them; never invite more than half a dozen key execs; Let them talk while you listen; make sure everyone in the meeting gives you an opinion or an idea. If a project , report or concept can't be explained in 10 minutes, move on. (From my first book, Casino Marketing.)

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February 23, 2004:

     In Selling Rules!, my pal Murray Raphel gives some priceless advice about ad headlines. Here's Murray: "David Ogilvy had his copywriters create as many as 100 headlines for the same ad...he told his staff when they had written an effective headline they had spent 70% of their client's money...seven out of 10 people read the headline of an ad, but only three of 10 keep on reading." Here's an example of a killer headline Murray wrote years ago: "Would you buy a $50 Yves St. Laurent shirt on sale for $29?" P.S. Murray's an Atlantic City retailer and one of the sharpest direct marketers around.

      Casino special events are splendid fun and the prizes are super. But how much casino revenue do they really generate? If you're doing promotions that can't be tracked for effectiveness, you're going to be very embarrassed when the GM says, "You just spent $750,000 on this promotion. What did I get out of it?"If you can't answer the question you're in trouble. The only way to avoid trouble is to keep a tight rein on the ad budget (direct marketing can be tracked) and figure out a way to count the numbers and the individual play brought in by the promotion. Use your creativity on that one.

February 1, 2004:

     My pal Ray Jutkins quotes direct marketing surveys that show four out of five prospects who open your letter will read the P.S. before they read anything else. It's a good reason to

1. always include a P.S., and

2. use it to do some more selling--such as repeating the offer or restating a particular juicy benefit.

You have to push prospects, not just hope they'll respond. So make it clear that you want them to enter the slot tournament or accept your free room offer before the deadline--and give them your 800 respoonse number. Greed takes over from there."

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January 24, 2004:

     Do you think you know your customers? If so, why is your "inactive" list so large, and what causes those people to stay away?" If you really knew them you'd also have the answer. Some casinos compile basic information on their customers and think they have a database. Wrong. They have a list. A list can tell you "what" and not much more. A properly set up database compiles specifics, and only specifics can tell you "why."

January 12, 2004:

     Are you using an outside company to send bulk e-mail? Are you buying prospects from list brokers? Or do you have your own extensive list that goes out frequently? In all cases be sure the prospects have opted in, otherwise you may find yourself in an embarrassing position. Primedia's Direct Newsline reports that the Federal Trade Commission has set seven marketing-related priorities for 2004. One of them, says Lee Peeler, deputy director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, is to "dedicate significant resources" to enforcing the Can Spam Act. "Passage of the legislation is not the occasion to declare victory," Peeler said. "This is an enforcement issue and a technological challenge for the industry."

January 1, 2004:

     What can you do to ensure your direct mail is actually opened by the customer or prospect? Well, not much. But Dick Gorelick, of Graphic Arts Pulse & American Printer advises making your package "lumpy." Gorelick, writing in Primedia's Direct Newsline, suggests you include a keychain, pocketknife or similar item. (Pocketknife?) While your postage costs rise, says Gorelick, "Many believe that these costs are more than offset by increased rate of response to the offer." Hmmm. A gaming chip, maybe?

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December 22, 2003:

     Casino marketers take note. The old reliable "Free" still works in e-mail subject lines. Kris Orser of Direct magazine says "Free" is a "Definite plus, no matter what you've heard." He cites the results of a six-week test by E-Post Direct (Michelle Feit, president) where "Free" lifted response by 26%. Feit said the subject line "Free direct mail encyclopedia" beat out a line for the same offer that read, "Boost sales, increase profits and expand marketplace awareness."

December 12, 2003:

      When my pal Ray Jutkins recommends an idea to increase response to a direct mail program, I always listen. The man is a direct response genius. Here's what he recommends to be placed above the salutation on your letters: "First, use an exact date. A very specific date. December 1, for example. When mailing first class, usually an exact date works. Another idea is to use a specific day of the week. Simply put the word "Monday" on all of your mail. No date, just the day, "Monday." It works. Try it. "

December 1, 2003:

     Casino marketers take note. Chief Marketer, a Primedia e-mail newsletter, quotes a Harris Interactive study that shows 26% of consumers now prefer to reach retailers by e-mail. But the big majority, 74%, still prefer the phone. Greg Gianforte, CEO/founder of RightNow in Bozeman, MT, advises companies to get smart about their Internet marketing. Gianforte says a human-assisted phone call costs $7 on average. An e-mail transaction costs $2.25.

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November 24, 2003:

     George Breen, in his book Do-It-Yourself-Marketing Research, makes the following interesting observation that may help small-store casino marketers: "Only very rarely can a questionnaire be written properly in its first version. Resign yourself to one revision after another until there is general agreement that the document will do the required job. The help and advice of others is of the utmost importance." That's a nice way to say that the first pass is just a draft, to be adjusted later. Never accept the first version and run with it.

November 13, 2003:

     My pal Ray Jutkins is one savvy direct marketer, and a regular fire hose of tips to improve sales and relate to customers. One of his recent newsletters emphasized the importance of Web sites. Said Ray, "Today every business--if you are a serious business--needs a Web site. There is no longer a debate. If you don't have a listing on the World Wide Web, who are you? You are nobody. You are nothing. You are small. Weak. Insignificant. And certainly way back in the 20th Century." Any doubt where Ray stands on the issue? To subscribe to Ray's free E-Zine, sign up at www.rayjutkins.com/form_ezine.htm.

November 1, 2003:

     The messages you see on the front of mailing envelopes are called "teasers." Problem is, too many casino mailers take the term literally, which results in silly and often obscure messages. Too bad, because prospects and customers sometimes make a decision to open the envelope (or toss it) from these messages. So here's the rule: ALWAYS use your teaser to lay out a promise, a benefit or even your offer. And get specific. This is not the time to speak in vague generalities. "Free room offer inside" will always beat "Great room deal."

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October 24, 2003:

      (From John's first book, Casino Marketing): Efficient casinos have flattened out their organizational structures. The emphasis is on lean, disciplined management. Problems aren't put aside until they become crises; they're attacked immediately Decisions are made quickly, not analyzed and debated endlessly until a "safe" solution is discovered. Trends and shifts in the marketplace work for, not against, such companies.

October 13, 2003:

     Make sure the creative people working on your account understand that you expect their ads to sell rooms, food, beverage or the casino. And tell them you're going to track every ad to make sure. It's a lot better for both sides that way. You don't spend ad money because you're a warm human being, and you don't spend it to embellish the portfolios of art directors. Beauty doesn't always equate with effectiveness. The best ads are those that are packed with information --not with clever plays on words.

October 1, 2003:

     One of my favorite writers is Dean Rieck, president of Direct Creative, Columbus, OH, www.directcreative.com. Dean writes a column in DM News, and his tips are priceless. In a recent column entitled "What People Really Do With Your Mail," he writes, "When people glance at your mailing, they're looking for what you're selling and the deal you're making to sell it. So make it good. Make it fast. And make it clear. Doubt fills trashcans." Pretty good copy, huh? The guy is terrific.

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September 24, 2003:

     Last year I wrote a column for IGWB decrying the persistent use of "exciting" to describe everything in casinos from the front entrance to the chef's hors d'oeuvres. My objective was to make "exciting, "excited" and "excitement" so despised that any casino would be embarrassed to use then in ads or collateral. I asked readers to be on the lookout for brochures and ad copy that did NOT contain these words, and promised I'd print their names. I got two replies. One, from Bruce Bis, cited a newsletter from the Soaring Eagle casino in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Another, from Michelle Fouts, nominated a brochure from Bronco Billy's Casino in Cripple Creek, Colorado. I promptly misplaced their letters. Recently I found them--and here (at last) are the mentions I promised. The tip? Never use such shopworn words.

September 13, 2003:

     Casinos often overlook the hidden benefits of direct mail Here are a few courtesy of my pal Ray Jutkins: Direct Mail allows you to position your product in the marketplace... you can speak in the language of your identified and segmented audience... you have room to tell your whole story and to sell your product or service...and you have the opportunity to use the effective emotional appeal, combined with reason, that is so necessary in gaining any sale.

September 1, 2003:

     In 1951, Dr. Rudolf Flesch completed a readability study for the Associated Press and produced the famous "AP Writing Handbook." His conclusions stand to this day. Casino direct mailers please take note: "Briefly," said Dr. Flesch in his introduction, "my formula stresses short sentences (an average of not more than 19 words each), short words (an average of not more than 150 syllables per 100 words) and liberal use of words and sentences that have human interest." In 43 years in the casino business, Dr. Flesch's wisdom has never failed me.

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August 23, 2003:

     This tip parallels the new York Lottery story to your left. You may remember the old saying, "I know half of my advertising is wasted. I just don't know which half." That may have been true once, but no longer. Direct marketing made it obsolete. There's only one SURE way to know if your advertising is working, and that's to make ads that are measurable and accountable. Such ads require a response directly to you. Only then will you discover your cost per sale or cost per lead. Without such a response, you're guessing.

August 13, 2003:

     What can legitimate marketers do to combat spam? Stephen Cobb, senior VP of research at ePrivacy Group (www.eprivacygroup.com), writing in Target Marketing magazine, says this: "Throttle back any e-mail activity that consumers could mistake for spam...undertake a thorough review of your privacy statements and practices, opt-in list documentation and consumer complaint procedures...get educated about anti-spam initiatives." Cobb also says that spam is eroding consumer confidence in all forms of advertising. He advises legit marketers to lobby Congress to adopt reforms.

August 1, 2003:

     Primedia's online newsletter, Chief Marketer, reports the Direct Marketing Association had opened a Web site to help members comply with the government's do-not-call (DNC) list. Topics include pre-recorded voice messaging, used in increasing numbers by casinos. Also covered are predictive dialers, caller-ID and fax broadcasting. Answers to FAQs are provided by senior DMA staffers; the DMA will keep updating the site (www.the-dma.org/cgi/member/dncregulationfaq.shtml).

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July 21, 2003:

The Do it now Ending: The only way to close

     Usually, modesty forbids. But the hell with it. I'll quote myself from my first book, "Casino Marketing." Under the heading "The Do it now Ending, I wrote "When casino letters come across my desk I read the last paragraph first (a little eccentricity of mine). Most of the time I find something like 'We look forward to seeing you soon.' This trite, non-motivating statement is the worst way to end a letter. Instead, ask for the sale by telling your target EXACTLY what to do. Send back the acceptance card today, or dial 800-123-4567 and tell the operator you're confirming."

July 12, 2003:

     R. Scott Ukrop, VP of Marketing for Ukrop's Super Markets in Virginia, writing a guest chapter in Brian Woolf's book, "Customer Specific Marketing," says "The mouth is mightier than the pen. As much time and effort as we put into our newsletter to get our message out, it wasn't read as much as we had thought. Surveys showed our monthly readership was hot...but people tell you what you want to know." Ukrop said he switched to "targeted offers" and readership zoomed. Pretty much like the casino business, isn't it?

July 1, 2003:

     Some gems from author Harry Beckwith in his book, "Selling the Invisible--a Field Guide to Modern Marketing." To broaden your appeal, narrow your position; say one positive thing and you will become associated with many; creating and communicating differences is central to effective marketing; prospects do not buy how good you are at what you do. They buy how good you are at WHO you are. Beckwith's book was an alternate selection by the Book of the Month Club. I recommend it.

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June 26, 2003:

     You receive a letter from a casino. The teaser on the front asks you to look for a "special offer" on the back. You turn it over to discover an ad for Viagra. Crazy? Maybe a little far fetched, but don't dismiss the possibilities your mailing envelope offers. Paulette Kranjac., writing on Insert Media in DM News, says "You can charge for an ad on your envelope if you think you have a market." Well, do you?

June 12, 2003:

     Dean Rieck, writing in the May 19 edition of DM News, lists eight areas to review if your direct mail bombs. Perhaps the most important is "Revisit Your Offer." Says Rieck, "There's not a product in the world that can't sell more with a better offer. How about a stronger guarantee? Free gift? Time limit? Introductory discount. Your choices are endless. Be creative and aggressive."

June 1, 2003:

     I spoke recently to a group of double-sharp casino marketing people in East Chicago, Indiana. Before I went they sent me nearly a hundred samples of their direct mail. The work was good, although I couldn't find a personal letter (my favorite tactic) in the collection. Their skeptical question was, "Will customers and prospects actually read a personal letter?" My answer: "Yes, but only if the letter talks about the customer, and not about the casino. And it must spell out benefits, not features."

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May 23, 2003:

      The most famous control letter in the history of direct marketing is about to change. The Wall Street Journal's "Two young men" letter, written in 1974 by Martin Conroy and used as the newspaper's basic subscription package ever since, was beaten in recent tests. A new package by Malcom Decker Associates runs four pages and uses color. The old version ran two pages, black and white. Much of Conroy's original copy remains, however.

May 11, 2003:

      You seldom see insert media (package inserts, card packs, blow-in cards, statement stuffers, etc.) in a casino mailing. That could change. With mailing and paper costs rising, smart casino marketers will be looking for ways to make an extra buck. DM News, the popular direct marketing trade paper, now has an insert media section. And the Direct Marketing Association will hold its first annual Insert Media Day on Sept. 10 in Rye, N Y. P.S. Check your local newspaper insertion rates, too.

May 1, 2003:

      Are you sending a reply envelope with your next mailing? Here are some tips to make it sell harder. They're from Paul Barbagallo, associate editor of Target Marketing Magazine and Inside Direct Mail: (1) Print the response deadline on the front side (2) Nearby, use a picture of the premium (3) Test a handwritten message on one side (4) Stick on a stamp instead of using a printed indicia (5) Print the prospect's return address on it.

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April 21, 2003:

     I've had casino marketers tell me they're afraid to send the same letter twice because the customers will remember it. I always smile and bring up "The Ebbinghaus Curve of Forgetfulness," developed in 1885, and still used by researchers. The curve shows 75% of the information you learn any given day has been forgotten in two weeks. By the fourth week you've forgotten 95% of it. But forget Ebbinghaus for a second. Ask yourself what you received in the mail yesterday. Well? Case closed. (From my first book, "Casino Marketing.)

April 12, 2003:

     Some profound advice from Ray Jutkins, one of the nation's best direct marketers: "People want you to prove your statements. They want to trust you. They want to be sought after. People like the feeling of power and control, and they respond in direct proportion to their personal identification with you, your company and your offer." (From my first book, "Casino Marketing.)

April 1, 2003:

     You'll do your advertising agency a big favor if you tell them up front you expect your ads to sell, not just look pretty. Beauty doesn't always equate with effectiveness. The best ads are packed with information, not with clever plays on words. Tell your agency you want to be able to track each ad so you can compare the cost with the amount of revenue or the number of leads generated. I guarantee they'll approach the creative challenge differently. (From my first book, "Casino Marketing.)

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March 23, 2003:

          English is a wonderful language; there are two ways to say almost everything--intellectual and emotional. In casino letters or ad copy, always put emotion to work for you. The word "finally" for example, is intellectual. The emotional way is "at last." Here are a few samples to get you started on your own list (intellectual word first): dislike/hate; difficult/hard; dine/eat; beverages/drinks; gourmet room/steakhouse.

March 11, 2003:

     The best headline ever written? It's hard to beat the late David Ogilvy's famous line, "At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in a new Rolls Royce comes from the electric clock." Don't ever let anyone tell you that long headlines are taboo. If they're built on benefits and promises, as this one is, they work. This one has 18 words; I've written them with more than 20. Long, information-filled headlines pick out prospects from suspects.

March 1, 2003:

     If your direct mail copy isn't taking all the little edges, you're not playing the odds. Here are some of the basics. Always indent the first line of a paragraph five spaces; always set your letter flush left, ragged right; never justify; never write a sentence more than 19 words long; never end a page with a period; never write a paragraph more than four lines long; write talking, not writing.

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February 20, 2003:

     Here's my annual December warning. The deadliest month in the casino business comes every year at the same time and for reasons unknown to science it seems to catch marketers by surprise. Listen up good people. You now have nine months to develop a promotion, a tournament, a house party or some other business builder to rescue the month. So get cracking now, today. Put it off and you'll regret it.

February 10, 2003:

     The late David Ogilvy was one blunt-talking adman, especially when it came to the value of research. "I admit that research is often misused by agencies and their clients," he wrote. "They have a way of using it to prove they are right. They use research as a drunkard uses a lamppost--not for illumination, but for support." My old pal Andy Byrne joins in with this gem: "Should you use research? Yes, but warily."

February 1, 2003:

     Brian Howard, writing in Target Marketing Magazine under the headline, "Does your Web site pass muster?" passes along these thoughts: "Before you start tweaking and troubleshooting, you need a clear idea of what it is you want your Web site to do. Is your goal simply to sell...supplement your call center...build an online community of users? Only when you know what you're trying to do can you measure how well you're doing it."

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January 23, 2003:

     Casinos can take a lesson in customer relationship management from William (The Refrigerator) Perry, two-time NFL Pro Bowl defensive lineman with the Chicago Bears. DM News says Perry's "no frills" web site (thefridge.net) gets 100,000 hits a month. Spend $100 on the site and Perry phones you personally. His agent says he spends about 40 minutes a day making calls.

January 12, 2003:

     Do your customers care if your mail arrives First Class or Third Class? Some direct mail pros say customers are discriminating and view Third Class as junk. Others claim if the offer is a good one, and revealed in a teaser on the envelope, it doesn't matter how you sent it. But some things we know for sure: a stamp, even a Third Class stamp, beats a printed indicia; to be effective, the teaser must reveal a benefit; a handwritten envelope bearing a First Class stamp will always be opened.

January 1, 2003:

     Not many of us casino types consider which way worldwide marketing is headed when we make our annual budgets. Why should we? But just in case you're curious, a survey of more than 700 marketers in the US, Japan, Germany, the UK and France reveals the following for 2003: ad spending, down to 44.5%; direct mail, up to 13.3%; the Internet, up to 7%; sales promotion, down to 19.4%; PR, steady at 12.8%. (From the Wall Street Journal.)

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December 23, 2002:

     As I advanced through the ranks in casino marketing at the old Del Webb Sahara in Las Vegas, I learned that you don't pull yourself up by your bootstraps--you get pushed up by the people below you. I went out of my way to keep my staff informed, to create a pleasant working environment and to praise their good work--in writing, to the general manager. I was on their side and they knew it. I did it in every business I owned, and they all succeeded. (Thanks for visiting and best wishes for 2003.)

December 12, 2002:

     How well do you reward your frequent casino customers? Sure, their slot club card carries a load of benefits, but a nearby competitor may be offering much more. If you suspect you're falling behind, think "added value," which is code for small improvements that have high perceived value. In the outside world, for example, Hertz Gold Club members who arrive in cold weather find their cars already have the heaters running. Pretty neat, huh? Cost, almost nothing. See what I mean?

December 1, 2002:

     Most casino Web sites are attractive, but do they sell? The answer in too many cases is a blunt "No." Now comes Jakob Nielsen, who is on tour plugging his new e-mail newsletter and giving "usability" seminars to direct marketers and business groups. Among Nielsen's Top 10 Design Mistakes in Web designing are these: No prices; horizontal scrolling; Fixed font size; Blocks of text; Infrequently asked questions in FAQ, and URL longer than 75 characters. (As revealed by Ken Magill in DM News.)

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November 21, 2002:

     Do you think you know your customers? Think again. Despite the growth of casino databases filled with information, the misunderstanding of customer preferences remains a problem. Too many casinos try to impose their will instead of simply asking their customers. A retail example: When the makers of Brawny paper towels asked 4,100 women to tell them what makes a man "brawny," they were stunned at the replies. Instead of body builders, the bulk of the nominees, says the Wall Street Journal, were "flabby fathers and balding husbands." Character topped appearance.

November 12, 2002:

     Direct Magazine, one of the best of the direct marketing publications, says the next Congress is a cinch to pass strong privacy legislation. Marty Abrams, writing in Direct, gives ten reasons why. Reason No. 5 goes right along with my tip of Nov. 1. Abrams puts it bluntly: "We have more and more state do-not-call lists but consumers are still being bothered at dinnertime (by telemarketers)." Make sure your customer questionnaires that ask for home phone numbers follow that with, "Best time to call." Never call outside the customer's preferred time.

November 1, 2002:

    Given a chance to block out telemarketing calls by a new law that took effect this summer, Colorado residents have responded in amazing numbers. Colorado's official "no call" list has grown to nearly half the state's two million residential phone numbers in just a few months. If other states begin to adopt the law (which is a cinch), casino telemarketers could find one of their most effective tactics defeated. Make sure your current numbers are all "opt in" or you may be in trouble. (More about this in our Nov. 12 "Tips" section.)

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October 24, 2002:

    Joe Karbo's famous, "The Lazy Man's Way to Riches," published in 1973, is filled with priceless advice on direct marketing. Here's one of my favorites about ads: "Don't use small type that's difficult to read. Anything that's worth saying is worth saying aloud. And small type is associated with something you're trying to hide." True!

October 12, 2002:

    Who's the better customer--one with a favorable view of your brand or one with a favorable outlook on life in general? Research by Direct magazine and Yankelovich, Inc., shows it's the second--by a surprisingly wide margin. Problem is, there are few, if any, lists that include "attitudinal information." J. Walker Smith, president of Yankelovich, advises you make an attempt to identify and target the optimists among your customers. P.S. Let me know when you find out how to do that.

October 1, 2002:

    Direct mail should build trust as well as deliver offers. Trust is the glue that makes regular customers stick around. But try to deceive them and they're gone in an instant. In the world of direct mail outside the casino business, deceptive offers such as the negative option are staples. My best advice: play straight, keep your offers crystal clear and forget the hidden gimmicks. It's just not worth it.

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September 23, 2002:

Direct vs. general: A brief definition

    The seventh edition of Which Ad Pulled Best contains a priceless quote from Andy Byrne on the difference between direct response advertising and general advertising. Said Andy, "Direct response advertising tends to have considerably more copy than general advertising. Those in general sometimes forget that what is "copy" to them is "information" to the reader. And because the direct response ad has used its headline to pick out only those who are genuine prospects, the information is welcome."

September 12, 2002:

Why don't casinos use a guarantee?

    In his classic book Direct Marketing, published in 1982, Ed Nash laid down hundreds of rules that still apply. He put particular emphasis on the guarantee. "In direct marketing," he wrote, "a guarantee of some sort is not an option. It is a necessity." Nash pointed out that companies with the most generous policies seem to be consistently among the most successful. Now count the casinos with guarantees. Too bad that most of the industry passes on such an effective tactic.

September 1, 2002:

Don't throw away an envelope teaser

    Teasers! That's what they call those messages on the front of envelopes. Never has a tactic been so ill-named. Too many casinos think "Teasers" are supposed to actually tease, so you see silly and irrelevant lines that hide the offer. Because a "Teaser's" job is to get the envelope opened, it should always contain a benefit or a promise. Next to your own name and address, "Teasers" are the best-read copy on an envelope, says my pal and direct marketing genius Ray Jutkins. Make them work for you; don't throw them away.

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August 23, 2002:

Kinder, gentler approach Instead of dunning notes?

    Will casinos soon be collecting debts with a kinder, gentler approach? Alicia Orr Suman, editor of Target Marketing magazine, reports that Discover card, Hallmark and Bank of America have seen a big lift in response from gentle reminders instead of dunning notices. Discover's card says, in part, "We understand life's unexpected detours." It has a babbling brook on the front, says Suman. Will casinos follow? My opinion: no chance.

August 12, 2002:

"You" and "Your" Are OK, But get rid of "We"

    Every now and then one of the direct marketing magazines will ask a group of copywriters to list their favorite selling words. The results are predictable. They always begin with "You," "Your," "Free," "New" and "Now." I've never seen a single writer who listed "We." Maybe you should check your direct mail copy one last time before it hits the printer.

August 1, 2002:

    Casino ad directors take note. In a recent "Target Marketing" magazine article, direct marketing pro Margaret Rose Roberts advises the use of full page ads when running sell-off-the-page campaigns. She claims they're more cost effective. Beg to differ. In my first book, "Casino Marketing," I explain the results of a test by the Cahners Publishing Company. The test showed quarter page ads were far more cost effective. They delivered almost as many inquiries as a full page, but the cost-per-inquiry was just $7.97 compared to $20.44 for the full page.

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July 22, 2002:

    Here's a good lesson for casino marketers. The other day I received an unsolicited letter from a mortgage company that wanted to refinance my house. Enclosed were eight, three-cent stamps. The letter bragged about the company's cleverness, and how the three-centers would not only help me use up my 34-centers when postal rates went up, but would help the economy! It never mentioned the cost of refinancing nor how it would lower my monthly payment. It talked about the company--not about me. A fatal error. I kept the stamps, tossed the letter.

July 11, 2002:

    In virtually every casino market you'll find a slew of small publications and visitor guides, all clamoring for your advertising dollar. Each one claims it's best, and local prints are persistent and hard to turn down. What to do? Make one direct response ad that requires the reader to bring it in to get the offer. (Work hard on your headline so it pops out a benefit.) Run the ad simultaneously in all the local pubs, and for the same length of time. Winner gets most or all of your budget. Losers have no comeback.

July 01, 2002:

    Regina Brady (Reggie Brady Marketing Solutions) passes along the following e-mail tips in Target Marketing Tipline: "Keep subject lines to 35 characters or less. According to a survey by Brooks Brothers, the average subject line length of e-mails sent by its competition is 34. Gap, J. Crew, Lands' End, Neiman Marcus and Polo were just some of the companies identified in the study. Compelling subject lines contain benefits, are personal ("you" and "your"), use strong verbs, ask a question and use direct marketers' favorite word, FREE (only if you are a consumer marketer, she says).

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June 23, 2002:

In May, the Wall Street Journal published a not-too-complimentary editorial on Indian gaming. The piece, entitled "Casino Nation," deplored the Seneca compact that will bring casinos to western New York. The Indian side fired back with some not-too-complimentary words about the WSJ. The Journal ran a second editorial; the Indians fired back again. It's natural to get mad when someone nails you in print, but in this case the Indians would have been better off to keep quiet. Why pick a fight with such a powerful adversary? Indian casinos are nationwide and their influence is growing. When the tide is running in your favor, who needs controversy?

June 11, 2002:

Recently, my wife and I segmented and examined our mail for a month. She got two personal, handwritten letters; I got one. Talk about endangered species--this is ridiculous. Just goes to show you how e-mail, fax and the telephone have taken so many of the simple joys out of our lives. So the next time you want to make a big impression on a few of your best customers, write them--in longhand. Keep it short. Don't include an offer. Tell them how much you appreciate their business. And at the end say, "Thank you." Then mail it--using a first class postage stamp. I guarantee it will be the best 34 cents you ever spent.

May 22, 2002:

Relationships are the base of any casino's business, the floor under your feet. Only a crew of happy, friendly employees, eager to please, can create the climate in which relationships begin. Once you achieve that, only one key point remains: fulfill the expectations you create. From there it's a short walk to the bank.

May 11, 2002:

I tell this story in my first book, "Casino Marketing," because it's such a wonderful lesson for all casino marketers: Charles Givens, the millionaire author of "Wealth Without Risk," says he was a flop trying to sell real estate at Beach Mountain in his early days. An old sales pro took him aside and pointed out the problem. "You're out there trying to sell mountain dirt," he told Givens. "Nobody wants to buy mountain dirt. They want to buy dreams."

May 1, 2002:

This doesn't apply in every locale, but it sure worked for me in Las Vegas at the old Del Webb's Sahara. When I put together a casino floor promotion, I'd always check the times of the opposition's shows before setting my cash drawing times. I'd run my "leader," which was The $100,000 Shower of Money drawing, against the opposition's first show. Then I'd set up another (smaller) midnight drawing to counter their second show. Since most of our attendance came from our occupancy, I'd force our guests to make a decision. Many times our guests asked me if I would hold the drawings earlier so they could see a show on the Strip. "I'll think about it," I always said. And I did.

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Apr 22, 2002:

Planning a casino floor promotion? There are five sacred rules. The first is, "It must have a specific objective (such as increasing slot revenue by 30%, occupancy by 15%, and traffic by 5,000 a day) and a way to measure that objective during and after the event. The easiest thing is creating a format; the hardest is creating a format that makes money for the casino.

Apr 11, 2002:

In Jeffrey Dobkin's "Uncommon Marketing Techniques," a gem of a book, he devotes a chapter to changing your attitude at work. Under No. 3, he writes, "Talk to yourself, out loud, in your car on the way in. If you're not comfortable with you, and if you can't talk to yourself out loud and be comfortable with that, better learn. You should be your own best friend. Make a joke. Spring forth with a dialogue. Do it out loud. Plan the day. Say what you're going to say to someone who's on your mind. Yell if you want. Make noise. Above all, get comfortable with yourself."

Apr 1, 2002:

If you're the ad director of a small or mid-size casino and your budget is modest, spend it on measurable, accountable ads. Don't get caught in the "branding" strategies of large advertisers. Miller beer, for example, recently unveiled a multimillion dollar branding campaign that is plain silly. One TV ad, says the Wall Street Journal, "recalls the plight of a guy who accidentally swallows a sexual stimulant before a barbecue and stays in the pool due to his excited state." Another shows "a 20-something guy who, upon waking, is stunned to see a makeup-streaked face staring back at him in the mirror." Fun? Sure. But you're better off with a benefit or a promise.

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