Posted by:
Troy White
July 31, 2007
Issue #191
In this issue:
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How to get other people to pay for ALL of your marketing …
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The 12 cent miracle cure to slumping sales …
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How BIG is the difference between digital and print? Why should you care?
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$250,000 in 5 months is very possible … how?
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And much more!
Fellow business builder,
To me, internet-only marketing is missing the boat. Focusing all of your marketing effort online may be doing you much more harm than good. Yes – e-mail is ‘free’. Yes, websites are next to ‘free’. And yes, you can test much faster and with more detail than doing offline marketing.
But, when I personally get 420 – 550% better results using print … my radar tells me that something is amiss in cyberworld.
I’m talking about the lowly piece of paper that people have to actually touch. That thing that wasn’t supposed to exist in the ‘paperless’ office – HA! I have more paper now than ever before.
Anyhow, for my clients and prospects … I opt to not only send them e-mail newsletters – but to also send them print newsletters.
Why?
- They can’t delete in a nanosecond.
- They have to physically handle it (even to throw it out).
- They can pass it to others.
- There is MUCH more perceived value in paper than on the screen.
- There is less competition in the physical mailbox than in the e-mail box (I don’t know about you – but I don’t get 500 pieces of stuff in my physical mailbox to deal with every day – I do in my inbox).
- They are much less likely to get upset with you abusing their mailbox than their inbox.
And …
- The results speak for themselves!
When I run a print newsletter I use different links I can track back to the specific source of order. And the numbers speak for themselves. From a print ad I ran in one newsletter, I saw a $8.61 per click return. From the same ad in my e-zine I saw a $0.76 per click return.
Well over 1,000% better … same ad … same product … many of the same contacts. But print converted exponentially better.
I go with what works – and this works.
So, I thought I would share with you one of my newsletters and how I structure it (and how you should too).
First, hokey and silly WORK!
My experiences with cartoons for the Wild West Wealth Summit gave me more than enough proof that you should be using cartoons in your business.
People ate it up and wanted more of it.
Which is why I have a team of cartoonists (which you can get for next to nothing on elance.com) working on a number of projects for me.
It stands out in an environment that is incredibly difficult to stand out in.
I use my kids in some of my articles. Having twins puts me in the 3% bracket of families with young kids. And people are fascinated with this. I share success secrets I learn while watching them play – and people love those articles.
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Posted by:
Clayton Makepeace
July 30, 2007
Issue #190
Issue #190
- Four Principles All Great Opening Sales Copy Shares …
- Seven Proven Ways to Get Your Sales Copy Off to a Fast Start …
- Much More!
Dear Business Builder,
You’ve stopped your prospect in his tracks with a powerful, emotionally-driven headline and deck …
Your deck copy supports and expands upon your headline structure, adding specificity, intrigue, irony and intensity – all wrapped around powerful reasons why reading your ad is the single most important thing he could possibly do now …
Now it’s time to really get his juices flowing – with powerful, emotionally driven, opening copy that makes it impossible for him to look away.
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Posted by:
David Dittman
July 28, 2007
Issue #189
Welcome back to another issue of Working It Out!
Last issue I took a break from landing pages and went in-depth about WordPress and how to install and configure it. Now I’d like to jump back into landing page design and finish up where we left off …
… Two issues ago I discussed some essential basic elements to consider when laying out a landing page for the web. This week I’m going to expand on that concept and discuss some examples of effective sidebars and other graphics related techniques.
In this issue:
- How my poor dating habits can help you build a better sales page …
- Four examples of effective side bars …
- A list of things NOT to do when putting images on your site.
- And much, much more …
Sidebar Basics
When I sit down and design a sidebar I try to always remember that someone is reading this thing and my goal is to steer them in a particular direction.
In some cases I ask them to do something, a call-to-action, like signing up for my e-zine or buying my products.
In other cases I just want to give them an addition to the running copy providing more detail and giving some eye relief.
Let me explain what I mean by eye relief. When you have a large dense portion of copy, it’s important to make it as easy as possible for the reader. Now compelling copy is 95% of the struggle but the delivery of the copy is an important factor.
When a person is diving into your copy it’s important to give them the chance to come up for air as they go through the page …
It is difficult to read a continuous block of text and thus the need for eye relief surfaces. Eye relief, simply put, is a break in the copy to allow your eyes a quick rest.
You can accomplish this break many different ways including, shorter line lengths and paragraphs and also sidebars and images.
Now back to the steering process of your landing page …
Think of it as a relationship and this is the first date.
So here I am all excited about going out on the date.
This is the element of reading an interesting banner that compels me to click on it for more information.
Now I casually, confidently meander to the door … I knock politely, loud enough so she can hear me but, not too loud as to be domineering or overly eager … I’m playing it cool my friends …
All right my interest is piqued so I click on the banner.
And there she is, just as drop dead gorgeous as when I saw her earlier that day … Inwardly I’m nervous and a bit intimidated but I act fast … Quickly I smile and present the first of many witty banters this evening will see …
The Landing Page Headline jumps out at me and quickly catches my interest. I’m pleased to see that the banner did not misrepresent my hopes of what the page would be.
It’s time for to see if this relationship can go anywhere … And I press on through my inward struggles of our first encounter …
So I strike a witty conversation with my companion in where I discuss the State of the Union and how I was the real mastermind behind the Internet … It’s a bold move but my confidence grows with every sip of champagne …
This is the point where the copywriter shows their worth by giving me a convincing yet compelling argument while establishing themselves as someone I can trust, making me all the more interested in buying.
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Posted by:
Julie McManus
July 27, 2007
Issue #188
Dear Business Builder,
Happy Friday and welcome back to In the ‘Net Trenches. It’s Friday morning and my deadline has come and gone. For some reason I’m blocked … completely unable to come up with an interesting Internet marketing article.
Perhaps it’s the end of summer syndrome that’s grabbed hold of me and won’t let go. Maybe it’s the desire to be out playing with the kids in the neighborhood, hanging out at the beach and sleeping in late – not a care in the world – like when I was a kid.
Yet, I honestly can’t remember the last time I slept past 7:00 a.m.!
Or maybe it’s just plain ol’ procrastination that’s rearing its ugly head. I’ve never found writing easy … and I’m sure many of you don’t either. But I love it and perhaps it’s the blank page I fear the most. All of the ideas swirling around in my head … and the menacing blank page staring right back at me.
Heart pounding, palms sweating, stomach churning … I’ll get started after I answer this e-mail, take this phone call or approve this ad copy. Fearing that any minute the phone will ring and it will be “The Redhead” looking for my issue. Thankfully I think she has a bit of a soft spot for me … or else there could trouble.
But, in the words of Mary Poppins, “well begun is half done.” Once the words start to hit the paper the hardest part is over. Yet it’s no comfort in getting started.
Why Do We Procrastinate?
Procrastination is a widespread problem. We all do it to various degrees. We put off today what we can do tomorrow … it can be as simple as putting off paying the bills we don’t want to pay even though the money’s in the bank or as serious as delaying finishing an important presentation at the risk of being fired to go play golf.
Here are 4 basic reasons we procrastinate:
- The task is too hard – we tend to defer difficult tasks for easy ones. Yet, by doing this we’ll always find an easier task to accomplish and the big stuff never gets done. This can be disastrous if the task that is too hard is something like paying taxes or getting regular medical checkups.
- The task takes too long – often long projects tend to be harder to fit in. You just never find the necessary block of time to complete the task. But, most often these projects don’t actually take as long as we initially project.
- I don’t know what I’m doing – if you lack the skills or knowledge to complete a task, that task only becomes that much harder. Fear of looking like a fool can easily keep you from getting started.
- Plain ol’ fear – Fear of making a mistake, fear of looking stupid, fear of embarrassing ourselves … are all tremendous contributors to procrastination.
There are many other much more serious psychological causes of procrastination but for this article, I’m going to assume our problems are only minor. After all, I’m not a doctor and I don’t even play one on TV … I’ve been procrastinating going to med school!
Excuses According to Julie …
Procrastination is really just a series of excuses we tell ourselves.
Here are a few excuses that could be keeping you (or me) from accomplishing what you’ve set out to do:
- Waiting for an epiphany – I’ll do it tomorrow when I’m feeling fresh … If I sleep on it, the idea will come or the best way to tackle the problem with show itself …
- Putting fun first – I’ll do it after I run an errand … have a swim in the pool … buy that fabulous blouse I’ve had my eye on … all work and no play makes Julie a dull girl …
- In desperate need of a little relaxation – I’ll do it after I take a shower … take a walk … read a little of Harry Potter … or just plain clear my head …
- They’ll probably just cancel the project – if I just wait long enough, they’ll decide they don’t need the task done after all …
- Escaping the pressure – I’ll do it after I veg on the sofa … meditate … or sit in front of the boob tube!
The Need to Rationalize …
Overcoming procrastination is hard and the excuses are easy to rationalize. Rationalizing these excuses only makes them that much harder to overcome. But, you’ll need to overcome them in order to achieve success.
Here are several excuses you might be making for procrastinating:
- I work best under pressure … the solution will come after I’m so stressed out that I’m starting to hyperventilate (my personal favorite) …
- I don’t know what I’m doing … If I do a little more research before I get started, I’ll avoid making a complete ass of myself …
- I’d rather have toothpicks jammed under my fingernails than do this assignment …
- I’m not in the mood for this … perhaps a gallon of Haagen Daz will do the trick …
- I’ve spent so much time on this project I can’t bear to think about it one more minute … I wish it would just go away …
- Last time I waited to the last minute it worked out just fine … the world didn’t come to an end and I actually did a damn good job!
The fact of the matter is none of these excuses are going to get the job done any faster. It’s best to beat them now before they become your mantra.
Overcoming Procrastination …
The problem with procrastination is the more (and longer) you do it, the harder it becomes to break … you just strengthen the negative feelings you have toward the specific tasks you’re putting off.
You further solidify the habit of putting off today what you can do tomorrow … you avoid obtaining the skills or knowledge you need … and you allow yourself to be overcome with the fear and guilt that keep you locked into the same vicious cycle.
Here are 4 steps for overcoming procrastination:
- Recognize and realize you are delaying that which you need to accomplish. Own up to the fact that you are procrastinating. Write down the steps you need to take to get started.
- Uncover the real reason for the desire to delay. Write them down.
- State your case and dispute the excuses you’re making for delay. Take yourself to task and realize that the majority of excuses are not rational and will never come to fruition.
- Set a time to get started and stick to it. Hold yourself accountable and give yourself a reward for completing the task when you said you would. Enlist the help of a nag … someone that can keep you on track.
A Vow to Stop Procrastinating …
I tend to think that sometimes procrastination can be a good thing … perhaps that’s a sign of a truly functioning procrastinator. I’m sure you’ve experienced this situation … you’ve waited so long to make a decision that only Xanax will quell the massive anxiety that’s setting in and then in a flash of brilliance the answer (or idea) comes … making you wonder why it took so long. Perhaps it just took your subconscious a little longer to sort it out.
But, in all honesty that’s just another excuse! Make the decision right now to stop this nasty habit dead in its tracks!
Hope that helped …
Until next week,
Julie McManus
Editor, In the ‘Net Trenches
THE TOTAL PACKAGE™
And Web Media Goddess
P.S. Are you in the ‘net trenches? Do you need help? Send
me an e-mail to AskJulie@MakepeaceTotalPackage.com and
I just might answer your question in an upcoming issue.
P.P.S. Have you checked out The Total Package affiliate program lately? We’ve added tons of new creative to help you earn cash on any new subscriber you refer and we’ve opened our archives up for the pilfering… Click Here to check it out NOW!
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Posted by:
Michael Masterson
July 26, 2007
Issue #187
If you think simplifying your life will mean making less money, enjoying less success, maybe even being less effective as a businessperson, think again.
Simplifying your life is about having more – not less – of the good things. More productivity. More passion. More meaning, love, friendship, serenity, etc.
You can have more of those things simply by having less of the bad things – unproductive work, unsatisfying rituals, self-destructive habits, energy-draining acquaintances, battles, bad feelings, and fatigue.
You can have a fuller and simpler life … and enjoy it more too. As I try out and succeed with techniques to help do that, I’ll pass them on to you.
Today, I’d like to talk about one way to simplify your life at work. If you follow my suggestions, you’ll not only achieve more productivity but also gain more serenity by avoiding emotionally costly conflicts.
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