Posted by:
Troy White
November 7, 2008
Issue #541
Fellow Business-Builders,
A short and sweet one this week. I am out of town for a business conference and look forward to sharing my insights with you when I return.
Question for you …
Can you use long copy for selling soda?
Most people love to question the use of long copy.
"It’s not needed" … "No one will read all of that" … "You can do the same job without all the words," etc.
All untrue.
How do I know that?
Facts. Based on a hundred years of measurable, scientifically proven tests.
The results of the test? Long copy will always outperform short. A four page letter will outperform a two page. An eight page will outperform a four page … and so on.
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Posted by:
Daniel Levis
November 5, 2008
Issue #539
Dear Web Business-Builder,
I can tell you from direct experience that a solid guarantee can absolutely rocket your response. This is especially true in markets where guarantees are not commonplace.
But even in markets where guarantees are a copywriter’s standard stock in trade, they are still an integral part of your promotion.
So what makes a response-rocketing guarantee?
What are the tried and true word choices and phraseology that will make your guarantee a winner?
And perhaps most importantly, what is the psychology behind a guarantee that sells? These are the questions we’ll ponder in today’s issue.
Guarantees are all about eliminating risk of loss. They are a powerful tool for taking away excuses your prospect has for convincing himself he doesn’t need your product. And they are yet another way for you to demonstrate benefits and your absolute confidence and enthusiasm in the solution you are offering.
Implicit in your guarantee are the answers to two fundamental questions:
1 — How likely is the solution to perform as promised?
2 — Will it work for me?
You may have heard the term, “risk reversal.” Well this second point (will it work for me?), reveals the concept behind risk reversal. The vendor reverses the risk associated with the transaction, essentially betting money on the prospect’s ability to obtain the promised results. He guarantees it will work FOR YOU.
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Posted by:
Carline Anglade-Cole
November 4, 2008
Issue #538
Are you in a rut?
Stuck working on a project you don’t give a squat about?
Staring at a blank page – with nothing to say?
Need a little kick in the pants to get back on track?
Scared you’ve lost your copywriting MOJO – and don’t know if you’ll EVER get it back?
Don’t worry – I can help you!
The truth is: You’re not alone. Just about every copywriter I know goes through phases of self-doubt … dried up creative juices … and even burn out! If that’s you, take comfort …
… But don’t just sit there and wallow in your pity – Here are four of my surefire MOJO boosters you can use right NOW to get out of your rut … get your enthusiasm back … and start writing killer copy again!
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Posted by:
Daniel Levis
October 29, 2008
Issue #534
Dear Web Business-Builder,
Being human, every thought we have manifests itself in our behavior in some way. The more pervasive and persistent a thought is, the more significant the manifestation.
If this weren’t true, there’s no way you could persuade anyone to do anything. When someone reads your copy, you are guiding them to have certain thoughts.
And those thoughts impact their behavior in some way. You want that impact to move your prospect closer to a purchase.
Therefore, the secret to creating the thoughts that will motivate your reader to opt in to your list and buy your products begins with your own thoughts.
There’s an old saying. “People tend to do pretty much what we expect them to do.”
If you approach your writing tasks with a positive expectation that people will buy, you are in effect programming your own behavior.
You are giving your subconscious mind the fuel it needs to find the creative hooks and language patterns that will create the desired cognitive outcomes in your reader’s mind.
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Posted by:
Daniel Levis
October 22, 2008
Issue #529
Dear Web Business-Builder,
People often ask me:
“Is there a method for getting inside the heads of a target market? You talk about the importance of understanding a target market’s desires, fears, frustrations, beliefs, and so forth … but how do I do that?”
This is a great question …
EVERYONE marketing online should be asking it. So I’ll give you my answer today …
Some marketers seem to be psychic. They just seem know what people want. I’m not one of them. And in my experience, most entrepreneurs are not.
Most of the business people I’ve worked with, even IF they’ve been working with a particular market for years, generally DO NOT have a good handle on what’s going on inside people’s heads when those people are online trying to solve their problems.
One of the biggest mistakes a freelance copywriter can possibly make is to take what a client says about their target market at face value. I say this from personal experience.
Your clients are either too close to their own businesses to be objective, or they just don’t understand the online dynamic.
There is a lot of guess marketing going on. And guessing probably isn’t going to give you the stellar results you’re looking for.
See here’s the deal. To sell effectively online, it’s essential you demonstrate extraordinary empathy for the people you’re selling to. He who demonstrates the most empathy wins.
And having an accurate read on your target market’s desires, fears, frustrations, and beliefs is the foundation on which that empathy is built.
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