Today, I spoke to Rich Gorman, who is the owner of DirectResponse.net. Gorman is considered an industry expert in the field of Direct Response Marketing, with over 10 years of online marketing experience. In addition to consulting, Gorman maintains a blog at DirectResponse.net that has helped him to spread the word about a relatively new industry. He shared his insight on how he continues to build his brand, and where he hopes to go in the future.
[Disclaimer: DirectResponse.net sponsored this interview post]
How do you define the term “Direct Response Marketing?”
Direct Response Marketing is marketing that is designed to elicit a direct response from a targeted audience. This response is specific and quantifiable.
For example we promote skin care products online. Our goal is to elicit a direct response out of consumers by having them fill out the call to action form on our landing page www.TryHydroxatone.com and then submit their credit card information. The response is specific and quantifiable.
What originally led you down the career path of Direct Response Marketing?
I started actively promoting products online in 2001 as an affiliate marketer. My goal was simple: improve conversion rates. As an avid researcher, I have spent years peeling back the direct response onion. I have tested thousands of different website styles, copy, and traffic channels. Today I can finally say that I have online direct response marketing down to an exact science.
My end goal of improving conversion rates is not fully accomplished – and for that matter never will be.
The online world is constantly changing. i.e. In the past 2 years we’ve started to add social media plugins to all of our campaigns. These plugins add layers of credibility that were not available 5 years ago.
What are the top 3 elements that define the “Rich Gorman” personal brand?
I can sum it up in 1 short sentence: loved, hated, but never ignored.
How do you continue to stay ahead of the market so that you are viewed as a thought leader?
STRICT FOCUS. I work 7 days a week inside the world of online direct response marketing. I religiously follow the leaders in the space. Additionally I keep a close eye on other direct response marketer’s campaigns.
If I see something I like I test it out and then put my own spin on it.
By nature I’m a perfectionist. I never get complacent. Even when our campaigns are doing awesome I still look to find ways to improve.
What was the biggest professional risk you ever took, and what was the result?
I put myself out there big time last year when I launched my own
website, www.DirectResponse.net. It was a dangerous thing to do as a direct response marketer because there are so many haters out there.
The result was well beyond my wildest imagination. The direct response community was ripe for a seasoned online direct response marketer to start a blog. I supplied the demand and have since positioned myself as an authority in the space. The blog allowed me carve out an area of expertise for me in the market. Through it I’ve met some really awesome people in the space and some of us are making money together now. It can’t get much better than that!!!
What are your personal goals? What keeps you motivated each time you wake up?
My personal goal is for my wife and children to view me as the best husband/father in the world. I love my family dearly.
When I wake up in the morning I don’t go to work. Instead I get to enjoy my hobby which in turn pays exceptionally well. I absolutely LOVE what I do. There’s nothing like watching a campaign go live for my clients and see it bring in 3,000 sales in a day for a sum of $150k!! That’s FUN!!
What advice do you have for our readers who are looking to build their own personal brand?
If you’re going to put yourself out there and build a strong personal brand, make sure you’re living life on the up and up. As the old saying goes, “the loudest person in the room is also the deadliest person in the room.”
Building a personal brand is extremely important. Make yourself STANDOUT. Avoid mediocrity by taking calculated risks. Most importantly, before building your brand, determine your exact beliefs…then stand by them with absolute unwavering conviction!
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Rich Gorman started working in online direct response marketing over ten years ago and since has made his fortune as the industry’s primary trail-blazer. Now that he has become a seasoned professional in the direct response and affiliate marketing game, Gorman has teamed up with other industry leaders to share valuable insider information with other direct response marketers. As a leader in the online direct response industry, Rich Gorman has been able to construct an extensive network of insiders that have agreed to help with DirectResponse.net by contributing their information and advice, including Seth Godin.
