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How I just found Gary Halbert's wet dreams!

Marketing, social media, advertising

eTox

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So I've been researching a lot on how modern brands use direct response tactics to make a shit ton of money.

Long story short I realized after spending some cash on Facebook ads that they've got quite expensive over the years.

Turns out I wasn't the only one.

Big brands are looking for ways to lower their CPA drastically...

And there is only one way to do it:

Advertorials BAABY!

Ad (sells the product) -> product page just doesn't work anymore (unless you're fine losing money)

What I found out brands are doing now is:

Ad (sells the click) -> advertorial (sells the product) -> landing page (converts the person)

I've got some examples:

- Miracle Brand
- Sutera

I've been looking at these recently. I bet there are a lot more brands doing this Gary Halbert style advertorials to convert like crazy!

PS:

You can do it too!

It doesn't even cost much either...

Here is the tech-stack most are using:
1. Capture a copywriter
2. Use webflow for advertorials & landing page
3. Use Shopify checkout for payments

Keep it simple and print money!!!
 
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eTox

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But what still bothers me is I don't know how they build these custom checkouts...
 

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I visited miracle brand's instagram & facebook page....

what do you mean by advertorial ? I see them sending people direct to optin pages like "win a free x bundle" or stupid shit like that.

But I didn't see any advertorials.

Care to post actual live links of their funnel.
 

eTox

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I visited miracle brand's instagram & facebook page....

what do you mean by advertorial ? I see them sending people direct to optin pages like "win a free x bundle" or stupid shit like that.

But I didn't see any advertorials.

Care to post actual live links of their funnel.

Scroll more through their ads. They typically have a:

1. Clickbait title
2. Image creative

Here is the list of all of their current advertorials:

 

eTox

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I've been going through Miracle's and Sutera's TOF ads after watching multiple Affiliate World Conference lectures regarding ads...

And listen,

They are all in 1:30-2:00 minutes long!

They are literally direct response letters in a video format.

That's crazy...

I previously thought you had to bombard people with 30-45 second bullshit dropshipper ads.

Turns out it's better this way.

Heck, if it works for them, I have to give it a try too!
 

eliquid

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Couple of things:

1. Did you think this was new? I was running what was considered pre-advertorials back in 2007 ( fake blogs ). So this has been going on for some time now even when FB ads was cheap. Don't think that just bc FB ads have gone up, that people started doing this. The first advertorial I seen on FB based off my fake blogs was in late 2009. Just making it clear so your thinking logic can be good so you don't mix up the "why" with the "when".

2. What people are doing on the front end isn't so important. See #1 above. These people could be breaking even or losing money on the front end. Most successful companies are finding ways to increase LTV and making money on the backend. I know a ton of companies that generally either:
  • Make very little on the front end 1x1 sale
  • Don't know their cross attribution metrics to know what ads really did what
  • Have poor tracking ( similar to above )
  • Break even
  • Lose money on the front end 1X1 sale
You only start making "great" money when you start getting additional sales from the same customer.

Meaning:
  • Cross sales
  • backend sales
  • list rental
  • etc

While I find it awesome you figured this out on the front end, what I don't want to happen is you convert over to this style and realize that if you don't have what I am talking about above, you think to yourself this wasn't what it was cracked up to be.

I have found too many people try to copy the front end and after all the work and money spent still can't get things going and quit.

Pay attention to the backend first.
 

eTox

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Couple of things:

1. Did you think this was new? I was running what was considered pre-advertorials back in 2007 ( fake blogs ). So this has been going on for some time now even when FB ads was cheap. Don't think that just bc FB ads have gone up, that people started doing this. The first advertorial I seen on FB based off my fake blogs was in late 2009. Just making it clear so your thinking logic can be good so you don't mix up the "why" with the "when".

2. What people are doing on the front end isn't so important. See #1 above. These people could be breaking even or losing money on the front end. Most successful companies are finding ways to increase LTV and making money on the backend. I know a ton of companies that generally either:
  • Make very little on the front end 1x1 sale
  • Don't know their cross attribution metrics to know what ads really did what
  • Have poor tracking ( similar to above )
  • Break even
  • Lose money on the front end 1X1 sale
You only start making "great" money when you start getting additional sales from the same customer.

Meaning:
  • Cross sales
  • backend sales
  • list rental
  • etc

While I find it awesome you figured this out on the front end, what I don't want to happen is you convert over to this style and realize that if you don't have what I am talking about above, you think to yourself this wasn't what it was cracked up to be.

I have found too many people try to copy the front end and after all the work and money spent still can't get things going and quit.

Pay attention to the backend first.

I'm a noob so I've figured few things out and got excited.

It's not new 100% for sure (i am not the one to know)

My problem right now is I need to drive traffic at a more reasonable price to my product pages.

So I've figured out a few things others are doing it and then validated with proof from big brands.

I find that I never believe what others saying unless I find 3 independent concrete proofs that this actually works.

So if I read it in books, then I heard guys on this forum talkin about it, then I saw conferences about it and then I went and justified it with concrete examples from actual brands that are pushing volume...

then I choose to believe it.

I'm just a naive stupid kid who got burned a few times by his own arrogance and cockiness.

Thanks for replying though!!!

What's your taking on TOF ad creatives? What do you do? What works for you or for others?
 
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eliquid

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I'm a noob so I've figured few things out and got excited.

It's not new 100% for sure (i am not the one to know)

My problem right now is I need to drive traffic at a more reasonable price to my product pages.

So I've figured out a few things others are doing it and then validated with proof from big brands.

I find that I never believe what others saying unless I find 3 independent concrete proofs that this actually works.

So if I read it in books, then I heard guys on this forum talkin about it, then I saw conferences about it and then I went and justified it with concrete examples from actual brands that are pushing volume...

then I choose to believe it.

I'm just a naive stupid kid who got burned a few times by his own arrogance and cockiness.

Thanks for replying though!!!

What's your taking on TOF ad creatives? What do you do? What works for you or for others?

Yeah, I just wanted to make sure you knew the whole picture is all.

TOF, usually what works is click baiting stuff. Getting people to even take notice and know/learn.

Trying to push benefits/overcoming rejections almost never works TOFs. It can get sales, sure.. but if we look at classical TOF its gotta be whatever gets the attention.

Right now, thats typically video and clickbait. Meaning, not over the top clickbait ( lies ) but something that grabs the attention.

Also, make sure you are making ads that cater to the device. 1:1, 4:5, etc all work different on diff devices.

FOMO is also good for TOF ( generally falls into click bait too )
 

Kung Fu Steve

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The "tactic" isn't as important as the strategy.

All ads have copy. Written, spoken, imagery, or otherwise.

I'm glad you're excited here but @eliquid is right -- most businesses are using their first sale to break even on their advertising costs in the hopes that either their product is so good you'll re-order, or you'll give them a chance to sell you something else you might like.

If you're looking to compete in today's advertising world, you're going to need much more than a magic-bullet advertisement... you're going to need several... and a better long-term strategy.

The goal is not necessarily to spend less on advertising, it's to increase the profit or ROI on that advertising.

What are you selling now? Are you just getting thrashed and spending money on ads on FB without getting any sales? What's the real problem?
 

eTox

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I have to confess...

After analyzing a bunch of ads I cam to the conclusion that

I'm pretty fking right.

Look at these brands for examples:

1tac - sells a flashlight!
Sutera - sells a pillow
Miracle - sells bed sheets

Do you know what other brands like them have in common?

Direct response sales letter type videos!

They use them for prospecting and then reengage %VV with benefit + review driven retargeting video ads focused on the product it self.

For remarketing they use a simple image ad with a push to action that chases you around.

F*cking simple.

Prove me wrong!

But I believe that if you want to sell the crap out of a functional product then using DR type video ads and sending them to a checkout landing page is ONE OF the best ways to do it.

And of course these brands 100% have powerful back ends that cross sell and up sell different products to the same customers.

I'm just a stupid naive kid. The best part? I can get smarter!
 
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eTox

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Stop calling yourself this.

You're doing great.

For a person who was bluntly ignorant during his 20-22s and got him self and his mother bankrupt and lost everything he earned, calling my self a stupid naïve kid one more time is just a reminder of what other's IRL told me.

If you think you know something but don't have the proof from 3 independent trustworthy sources that shared information recently and you can't prove it through example and reasoning. You don't know it. You cant...

I wasted my time and money BELIEVING that I am smarter and know more about making games than developers, game designers and user acquisition guys who told me I need $1M, a team of 5 experts with 5+ years of experience, a year and 5-10 concepts I won't make it.... great. In a year I made everything I possible could not to succeed and then wasted a year justifying that.

Knowing how confident and cocky I am I'd rather be so knowing 300% I am right and have the proof to justify it.

People don't change. I haven't changed. But I found that if at least I can influence this somehow, then I'll be more right than wrong in the long game.

I understand now that it probably adds to much negativity to the forum.

I'll stop it.

Thanks for the compliment though ❤❤❤
 

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