Key Takeaways:
- Marketing turnarounds are built on direct response strategy, not guesswork.
- com saw 350% revenue growth from a complete repositioning and relaunch.
- Premium offerings can be revived — or created from scratch — with DR copy and strategy.
- Website design must follow direct response rules, not branding rules.
- Upsells, cross-sells, and new product launches multiply recurring revenue.
- Most underperforming products fail because they’re not positioned properly.
- A multichannel approach — email, video, landing pages — creates scalable, predictable growth.
- You can implement this same turnaround system in any industry.
What do you do when sales are flat… when growth stalls… when your product underperforms… when your marketing is no longer generating sales, leads or conversions?
You create a marketing turnaround.
And a real turnaround always requires:
• Repositioning
• Rebranding
• A new offer
• A new conversion funnel
• A new creative approach
• And powerful direct response strategies including direct response copy.
That’s exactly what my team and I did for TheStreet.com, one of the most well-known financial websites in America.
The result?
350% growth over projections.
The Background
TheStreet.com — founded by Jim Cramer — had a problem.
Traffic was solid.
Brand awareness was strong.
But sales were declining.
Premium revenue was shrinking.
Upsells and cross-sells were underleveraged.
They needed a transformation.
So I flew to New York, met with their leadership, and we built a complete direct marketing turnaround plan.
The Strategy
We recommended a campaign to:
1. Establish RealMoney.com as a standalone premium service
A completely separate revenue engine independent of TheStreet’s free content.
2. Re-design both websites
We rebuilt pages to sell, upsell, and cross-sell with direct response architecture.
3. Launch multiple new premium products
We identified top columnists and transformed their expertise into four new paid newsletter services and membership offers.
4. Create multichannel marketing assets
Direct-response emails…
Conversion videos…
Landing pages…
Sales funnels…
And a database-driven upsell strategy.
5. Aggressively cross-sell and upsell
Every page.
Every email.
Every conversion sequence.
The goal:
Build a direct marketing revenue engine that would outperform previous sales models dramatically.
The Creative Turnaround
Here’s what we executed:
1. Website Rebuild
We redesigned TheStreet.com and RealMoney.com using direct response principles:
• Stronger offers
• Improved credibility blocks
• Higher-value positioning
• Better emotional flow
• Cleaner sales pathways
• Lower friction
Both sites became lead-generation and monetization machines.
2. Premium Positioning
RealMoney.com was repositioned as a high-value premium membership.
Investors instantly understood the value.
Objections disappeared.
Sign-ups surged.
Thousands enrolled and they were paying premium pricing exceeding client expectations by over 200%.
3. New Product Launches
We launched four new premium newsletters featuring TheStreet’s best-known columnists.
These became recurring revenue drivers.
Result?
350% above projected revenue.
4. Aggressive Cross-Selling and Up-Selling
We identified every opportunity to move users from free content → low-ticket → high-ticket → recurring revenue.
Every click became an opportunity to increase value.
5. Direct Response Copy Everywhere
We replaced “nice” creative with high-impact direct response copy.
This included:
• Emotional sales copy
• High-converting landing pages
• Conversion-driven video
• New email campaigns
• Banner ads designed to sell
• New shopping-cart strategies to reduce abandonment
Every premium product received its own full DR campaign.
The Results
TheStreet.com saw a total marketing transformation.
• RealMoney.com became the largest premium investment site in America.
• New product launches became major revenue drivers.
• Upsells and cross-sells multiplied customer value.
• A new, profitable, scalable model was created.
• Growth exceeded expectations by 350%.
This is what a true marketing turnaround looks like.
Action:
How About You?
Do you need:
• More leads?
• More conversions?
• More paid customers?
• A more profitable product funnel?
• A turnaround for a declining product?
• A repositioning into a higher-value offer?
If so… contact Michael today at 615-933-4647 or email [email protected] to explore your own marketing turnaround.
Let’s see if we can dramatically lift your results using a proven direct response multichannel strategy.
This could be the most profitable conversation you have this year.
FAQs:
1. What exactly is a marketing turnaround?
A systematic repositioning of your product, brand, and offer to increase conversions, revenue, and lifetime value.
2. Does this work for any industry?
Yes — financial, B2B, subscription, ecommerce, nonprofits, publishing, and even political fundraising.
3. How fast can results happen?
Some clients see improvements within 30–90 days, depending on assets and implementation speed.
4. Do I need a new product to do this? Not necessarily.
We often create new premium versions, new positioning, or new monetization paths.
5. What makes CDMG’s turnaround process different?
We use true direct response science — not branding, not opinion, not creativity for creativity’s sake.
Everything is:
• Measurable
• Testable
• Scalable
• Designed to produce ROI
6. What does the process cost?
We tailor the turnaround to your company’s size and goals.
Michael can explain options in one short conversation.
7. How do I get started?
Call Michael at 615-933-4647 or email [email protected].
He will evaluate your current product, offer, brand, and sales system — and show you what kind of turnaround is realistically possible.
About Craig Huey:
Craig Huey is President of Creative Direct Marketing Group (CDMGinc.com), a 30-year leader in direct response advertising and multi-channel marketing. Under his leadership, CDMG has:
- Tested more than 10,000 digital marketing variables.
- Mailed over 10 million pieces of direct mail in the last year alone.
- Won more than 120 awards for marketing excellence.
Craig is also the publisher of Direct Marketing Update, the trusted newsletter for company presidents and marketing directors looking to maximize ROI with cutting-edge, accountable advertising strategies.
Let CDMG Be Your Partner in Driving Growth
Media Help, Copy Help, Testing Help, D2C, and e-Commerce Help
CDMG is more than an ad agency
Let us be your second opinion
CDMG’s award-winning team, run by marketing veterans Craig and Caleb Huey, is dedicated to improving your advertising, marketing, branding, and bottom line with a proven approach that maximizes response rates and ROI.
With expertise in media, data, digital, and creative strategy, we’ve earned over 120 prestigious awards, in 2024 alone.
Why CDMG?
- Proven Success: 120 prestigious awards in 2024 alone.
- Data-Driven Strategy: We don’t guess. We know what works. Our campaigns are crafted with precision to deliver maximum ROI.
- Expertise Across the Board: From media buying to digital copywriting, testing, and direct-to-consumer strategies—we’ve got it all covered.
- Real Results: We’ve helped launch new products, reposition brands, and turn small businesses into multimillion-dollar success stories.
Let us help with your video needs!
We produce:
• Pre-roll videos
• Video sales letters (VSLs)
• TV commercials
• Infomercials
• Addressable TV
• Videologs
…and much more!
Our team has launched new products… and helped reposition companies to a higher level. Our strategies and tactics have generated leads, and built powerhouse e-commerce programs that have helped turn small businesses into multimillion dollar success stories and grown large companies.
Our formula is data driven, accountable advertising that supercharges your growth. Every campaign is crafted precisely, focusing on what matters most to drive your success.
Let’s discuss your marketing challenges and give you a second opinion.
Contact Michael Oppenheimer at 615-933-4647 or email him at [email protected].
Start transforming your marketing results today with CDMG, Inc.