Dale King: Some Internet marketing experts advise newbies to steer clear of Internet marketing, because it's too competitive.  Do you agree with that assessment?

Jeffrey Dobkin: Yes, and stay out of print advertising, because that's too competitive, too.  And don't take booth space out at trade shows, either.  Or TV ads.

It's all competitive.  The toughest part about marketing on the Internet is getting people to your site.  Then, running a close second: I've seen more orders and clients lost because of a poorly designed site.

My first preference for any off-line advertising is to get people to CALL on the PHONE, and not to go to a website.  My first preference for any on-line advertising is to get people to CALL on the PHONE, also.

That way we can track the ad response, track the placement vehicle (the magazine or paper the ad was placed in), and see exactly what a person wants or needs.  If you send a respondent of an ad to a website and he or she leaves the site without ordering, you don't really know why, do you?

Was it that he or she didn't like your product? Your services? Or your site design was bad, or poor navigation, or he timed out, or perhaps his wife just came in when he was going to order and told him she knew he was sleeping with the cute little red haired girl that worked in the 7-11 because she found a large Slurpee cup in his sock drawer wrapped in a pair of women's underwear and she knew he would never get a large Slurpee because he was too cheap.  And then she didn't believe you when you said the underwear wasn't yours.  Or, did that just happen to me?

Dale King: Is that your final answer?

Jeffrey Dobkin:  Well, you get the idea.  Whether it's an ad or a website you send clients to, most of the time I still like to generate a phone call. I guess I'm just old school. Can you sell from a website?

Sure.  But unless the person is bound and determined to order, it can be a tough sell, just like selling from a brochure you send.  It can be done, but it's easier to sell a phone call than sell a product from a sheet of paper.  If I can make the reader call - I can then sell the product myself.  So, I still like driving orders to the phone.

Dale King: How is Internet marketing different now, as opposed  to when you first got started online?

Jeffrey Dobkin: Well, last Wednesday when I got started it was much earlier in the week.  Now it's Friday and the difference is now that it's Friday, I go home early.  Oh, wait... I go home early on Wednesday, too.  I play racquetball at 4:00 PM and I never miss a game unless it's to take my kids to baseball or somewhere.

Difficulties marketing on the Internet are similar to when I started: can't drive people to your site, can't get to the top of the search engines, on-line selling is still rough because good order pages are expensive.

Dale King: How important has goal-setting been to your overall success?

Jeffrey Dobkin: I haven't set any goals other than get famous, and here I am working on my computer 8 hours a day so I guess that ain't happening yet.

Actually, most days I work under different parameters.  My only real goal is to save lives by the lifesaving technique I've discovered. Readers can read about it at my website, http://dobkin.com.  It's in the "Members Only" section - which is really an open section. 

It's entitled "A Technique to Delay Brain Death in Heart Attack Victims," but the procedure also works in drownings victims, drug overdose, suffocation, electrocution victims and some others.  So... after you're done reading this interview - please fast forward to my website and read that.  It may save your life or the life of someone close to you.  You can learn the technique in under one minute and it works instantly in time of crisis.

Now, back to reality - where I virtually think we are.  My daily routine is to write articles which I enjoy doing, write client material like direct marketing letters, newspaper ads, magazine ads, or write marketing plans, which I also enjoy; and finish my books which seem to take forever because I'm so long-winded.  My primary title, How To Market A Product for Under $500 weighs 2-1/2 lbs.  I stopped writing so people would be able to pick it up.  I have about a dozen copies left so if you want one ($29.95) call now.  When these sell out it will only be available in PDF format and also as a POD title - for $75.

So as you can see, goal setting isn't my first priority.  OOOPS.  Can I take all that back?  No... guess not.  That's what you get when you call so early.  Or late.  Or whenever.  Or, did you just send me these questions in an email?

Dale King: How important has reading been to your overall success?

Jeffrey Dobkin: I read a lot.  Not many books, but I skim and read over 125 magazines a month.  To keep up with trends, to keep up with the industries my clients serve, and to make sure my articles get good placement.  Even though I'm in a lot of magazines, it's still thrilling to open one up and see an article of mine has made it into print.  I know editors have a huge selection to pick from, so I know it's a privilege to have mine placed.

Dale King: If you could recommend one book that all Internet marketers should read, what would it be?

Jeffrey Dobkin: It would be my book, How To Market A Product for Under $500 (Or Uncommon Marketing Techniques) because I need the sales. Actually, you don't have to buy my books, just send me the money. Kidding.  OK, no I wasn't. They're great books for Internet marketing because they are completely filled with practical tips and techniques in direct marketing - which is what the Internet is all about - direct marketing and direct sales.  Not much technical Internet stuff - I leave that to the, you know, geeks.  Oh... sorry Dale...

Dale King: In your opinion, what technology has changed Internet marketing the most over the last 5 years?

Jeffrey Dobkin: The Internet in itself is relatively young since Al Gore started it a few years back.  Well, that's what he said, and politicians don't lie, do they?  The Internet has been advancing in leaps and bounds since its inception, and is still relatively young. Just wait a couple of years, and streaming video will take over. That's my belief.

The most progressive technical changes are the greater availability of faster connections. Software enhancements are certainly upfront too as the search engines and search options and pay-for-search have come about.  Which is not only a big business, but a great technical option for advertisers.  SEs are the most wonderful gift to humanity, and especially great for us marketers.

Personalization software to support marketing and mass marketing is becoming better.  You can now write a effective letter and send it to a list of subscribers and make them think they are the only ones receiving it, or one of a very few.

I'm not talking about stripping a guys name and address into the letter like in cheap direct mail solicitation ads - and saying "Since you, Jeffrey Dobkin, who lives in Bala Cynwyd Pennsylvania."  I'm talking about having the customer give you information then sorting it for relevancy and sending only information the customer wants.

For example, American Airlines asks its Skymiles participants what places they'd like to travel to, then when special prices come up for those destinations they send members an email with just those places - all other destination emails are suppressed.  The client sees only relevant information - he's happy.  And your open rate hits close to 100%.  That's database marketing at its best. And it's getting better.

Dale King: What new technology do you see changing Internet marketing over the next 5 years?

Jeffrey Dobkin: Video feeds, and the technology filtering down to give everyone the knowledge to easily make videos.  It's almost here now. The big drawback is I can flip though a magazine and read the parts that are relevant to me and be outta there in 10 minutes.  But with video you have to watch the whole thing in real time.  So if the good part in a magazine is on page 125, I can go right there.  If the good part in a video is at minute 140, I'll be long gone.

Search will keep redefining itself, getting better - as long as Google doesn't sell out - and continue to be a real blessing to everyone.  And marketing will get more serious and easier for smaller players.  Most businesses will have a web presence, and it will be more necessary, and easier to create.

Dale King: What person has influenced you the most in your lifetime, and how?

Jeffrey Dobkin: My older brother has been very supportive of my personal life.  He's freed me from having to pay a huge mortgage that was crushing me financially for a few years.  Without that, I  wouldn't have been able to take the time or have the creative freedom to write the books and articles I enjoy writing. Without his help, I'd be too busy serving clients, which pays the bills but doesn't afford me the opportunity to help others as I do through my books and articles.

Dale King: If you could give my readers one piece of advice, what would it be?

Jeffrey Dobkin:  Buy my books.  Seriously.  If your readers need thousands of inside tips on marketing and direct marketing - my books really are a Godsend.  Here's why: Over the past 25 years I've gone into thousands of businesses and asked what works, what doesn't?  I wrote down all the techniques that worked well for almost everyone. So, in a sense my books took 25 years to write. Hummm.... seems like it, anyhow.

Your readers can go to my website and read some of the articles to see my style and information-rich content.  These are the books I needed when I was a young man learning about business.  I stayed up many nights looking for this information.

Dale King: Thank you very much Jeffrey. I appreciate you taking the time to do this interview.

Jeffrey Dobkin: Thanks for the interview.  Hope it was interesting to you and will be for your readers.

Jeffrey can be reached at:

Jeffrey's website: http://dobkin.com

Warning: This interview is the exclusive property of Jeffrey Dobkin. It may not be reprinted in any format...period!