Copy-Cat-Copywriting

People are getting smarter. A few years ago, I would meet dozens of clients who jumped into a business feet first. Marketing seminars and ebooks focused on tactics, such as article marketing, or accountability.

Today one of the most-asked questions is, "How do I know I have a market?" And we're getting better answers than, "If you build it and send out positive vibes, they will come."

Don't ask where I heard that. You don't want to know.

Three tips for the smart new marketer:

(1) Does your market match your medium?

Some products and services can be sold effectively via the Internet. Others will do just fine in a live bookstore, but die on the Internet, and vice versa.

To take just one example, nearly every Internet marketer recommends Robert Cialdini's book, Influence. But if Cialdini had offered Influence as an ebook for the first time through an Internet website, I suspect he would not have attracted buyers. Like Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point, another live best-seller, it's too theoretical.

Of course, if Cialdini or Gladwell wrote an ebook today, who knows what would happen?

(2) Do you have evidence that people will pay for what you offer?

"I have an idea for a new service," Georgina wrote. "When people get ready to move, they have trouble packing. I will come to their homes, coach them on how to pack and also deal with the emotions of moving."

Georgina has a nifty idea but I bet she finds few takers. Those who pay for their own moves are reluctant to pay professional movers to pack for them (although it's often cost-effective). And although relocation can be as traumatic and expensive as a wedding, let alone a party, the notion of "relocation planner" has not caught on the same way "wedding planner" has.

"No competition" has a nice ring to it...but often means "no interest."

(3) Can you test your market?

You probably know that Tim Ferriss, author of Four Hour Workweek, tested his title on the Internet, using Google adwords, even though his book targeted live bookstores.

Before writing a full book, launching a campaign or (especially) starting a business, you can test your idea with: adwords (google, yahooo and/or msn); a complimentary teleseminar (and a repeat to test for novelty effect) google analytics sales page for a mini-version of your ultimate product tests through your shopping cart..and a whole lot more.

Setting up a test will help you find your audience, fine-tune your promotions and choose a name for your product and website.

Tests are so powerful, I would actually encourage clients to learn the basics or hire help before launching a website and product. For instance, I just tripled click through rates by adding a hyphen to a title word (midlife to mid-life). And my subscriber ezine response doubled when I changed the background color. No change in copy, type face or text...just the background behind the sales letter table.

Some months ago, the New York Times decided to add a new layer of monetization to its popular website. Certain popular articles -- notably op-ed pieces -- were designated Times Select, available only by subscription. The cost was minimal.

But apparently not enough folks were interested. I suspect some readers simply gave up on the website. Anyway, given the web, most of us could find these articles with a few keystrokes. Or our local newspapers reprinted the under a licensing agreement.

So the Times quietly withdrew the Times Select feature. Now anyone can read anything.

Even the Great Gray Times has to take a step back now and then. Sometimes a business model sounds good on paper, but falters in practice.

Labels: business model, cutting back, pricing

On September 11, Perry Marshall sent out a promotional
mailing. He noted that crises could create opportunities, and
he is launching a new elite mentoring program. He reminded his
readers that six years ago, he was just getting start on what
is now a wildly successful business.

In today's teleclass, Perry acknowledged that many readers
found this email offensive. When they wrote, he said, he apologized.
He lives in Chicago, hadn't known anyone affected personally, and
didn't mean to offend. He also noted that many companies benefited
from 9/11 - and some listeners chimed in to note that flag manufacturers
were quick to take advantage of the patriotism in the air.

I was surprised by the mailing but not particularly offended.
For one thing, I now empathize with anyone who does mailings. We are
under pressure to send out so much "stuff:" ezines, blogs, promo
letters and more. Inevitably we'll slip and say something that rubs
readers the wrong way.

Of course, it's harder to overlook insensitive remarks on race,
religion or aspects of personal life, such as the Don Imus slurs against
the Rutgers basketball team. One reason: we know that these remarks
go from mind to mouth. If Don Imus genuinely respected female basketball
players of any race, he would never have said anything.

When I taught college, I have to admit we used to get pretty cynical
about our students. Then I taught for group that officially discouraged
comments about current students and encouraged respect. We could still
give tough but fair grades: otherwise I wouldn't have taught there. I
won't be associated with academic giveaways.

But I found that when we were encouraged to respect our clients, it was
easier to deal with them when grading and commenting. There was no split
between public and private persona.

If you genuinely respect your clients, you'll deal with the appropriately...
naturally...although occasionally you will rub someone the wrong way. It's
inevitable, if you're also going to be authentic.

The WNBA likes to give awards. Best offensive player. Best defensive player. Best all-around (won this year by Seattle's own Lauren Jackson...okay, we also share her with Australia). And a new award: Best sixth man (they don't say "sixth woman").

Then there were playoff awards: MVP, winner and so on.

But if I were giving awards, I would award the Phoenix Mercury the best website as well as the league championship they just won. Check it out:
http://www.wnba.com/mercury

These folks were amazing. Throughout the playoffs, the home page flash intro was changed as the team advanced -- always optimistically. "1 and 0." "Tied 2 for 2."

And every time the site opened with a montage of photos from the last game.

Inside you can find dozens of videos of the team -- satisfying the soul of the most die-hard fan. They even give us a tour of the players' locker room, directed by MVP Cappie Pondexer, where we learn that superstar Diana Taurasi "has so much stuff she needs two lockers."

I could say "I wrote about them when..." Check out my blog entry of July 14, 2006: Copywriting and Basketball.

Phoenix deserved to win: great players, great heart, catchy "Mighty Mercury" tune and (most important) an awesome website.

You've probably learned the difference between features and benefits - A feature is what a product has or is. But even experienced marketers get confused, especially after visiting dozens of websites that present pseudo-benefits as the Real Deal.

Features are characteristics that physically describe your product or service. For a good example, go to a mail order catalog or the individual product descriptions on an electronics site.

For example:

Thebridge line holds up to 50 people and you can mute out callers. Generate financial reports with just one click of your mouse. Pay bills by phone. Batteries included.

Marketers who are new to the world of copy frequently get critiqued with, "Too much emphasis on features! Where are the benefits?"

A benefit

-- is what your buyer gains from a specific feature.

-- answers questions like, "So what? How will I be different after I make this purchase?

-- describes how the product or service will help customers solve their problems.

Benefits and features are connected by the "so that…" bridge. So you often see bullets like these:

"Batteries included so that you can begin using the product as soon as you open the package."

"One click financial reports so you get immediate statements, ready for your accountant."

"Pay by phone so you can pay your bill 24/7."

Alas, these bullets highlight pseudo-benefits. They expand on the features.

Real benefits are more emotional. They go right to the heart and the wallet. They're about results. They tell a story. For example:

One-click financial report: I can spend more time with my family instead of sitting at the computer generating reports.

Pay by phone: You don't have to spend half an hour looking for your checkbook, finding a stamp, wondering if the post office lost your check.

Never pay late fees. Batteries included: I won't get mad because I have to make an extra trip to the store to buy the batteries I forgot.

As always, tailor benefits and features to your market.

For a target market with hectic schedules and frequent travel, the best benefit to "pay by phone" can be, "Never miss a payment in Des Moines because you're in Bangkok."

For parents of young children, "batteries included" can mean, "Never disappoint your kids when they want to try out their new toys."

Bottom line: When you've got a story to tell, you've probably uncovered the real benefit.

Tip #1: Get an email account where you can see your
bulk folder -- all the messages your mail system has
decided you don't need to see. Go through your bulk
mail at least once a day. I've found email from people
in my address book, whitelisted messages, and (most
important) people I don't know yet, but wish I did.

Even so a few emails will disappear into a black
hole. Not much you can do. Even US mail disappears
sometimes.

Tip #2: When you get emails from PayPal, amazon and
eBay, be suspicious. I never click on links in those
messages.Instead, I forward to
spoof@amazon.com
spoof@ebay.com
spoof@paypal.com

Within seconds, you get a reply advising you that
the message was fraudulent or (more rarely) that
it was a real message from the company.

This small step helps track down the bad guys
(or so they say). Obviously if more people did
this, we would have less spam. Maybe.

Labels: email, junk mail, spam

Earlier I noted that emails should be considered copy,
especially if you're including commercial content. I figured
everybody knows how to do email these days, but...

Someone just sent around a message to all her acquaintances:
"Hi - I'm teaching 3 very different classes at [venue]. Please
open the attachments to learn more. I hope all support me..."

OK, what's wrong?

You need a teaser to motivate readers to attend events. Why should
I open even one attachment, let alone three? I have no idea what's in
any of them and the titles are un-helpfully called "Class1, Class2 and
Class3."

If the 3 events really are separate, come up with a story to tie them
together. And paste your copy into the message. I can't believe anyone
would ask a group of acquaintances to open attachments these days.

She's a newbie. But then my organic produce delivery service sent around
a note: "Dear Cathy: Our records show that you still have bins to return..."

Bins are gray boxes the company uses to hold our wholesome foods. They
leave bins at our door (with perishables wrapped in foil and ice). I leave
them out on delivery day. Aside from being a responsible customer, I just
don't have room for them in my apartment.

So I wrote back, "Is this note addressed to me personally?"

Eventually they replied, "No - we sent this message to everybody."

So why annoy the "good" customers? Just say up front, "This message is
being sent to everyone on our list. If you've returned all your bins,
we thank you from the bottom of our hearts of lettuce, romaine and rutabaga.
If not, please send them so we can continue to bring your apples and pears
this fall..."

Did I write back to enlighten these folks? No way. I learned a long time
ago: wait till they *ask* for advice. They won't.

Labels: announcements, classes, e-mail

Copywriting clients often ask this question. Who and how much?
Here are 3 ways to find a designer when you are on a budget.

Before you start:

Save budget for copywriting! Remember: copy is your quarterback.
Copy throws the ball and scores points.

Web design is your offensive line. Design helps the copy get through
to your website visitors.

You need both. But there's no point in putting together a beautiful
site with weak copy. Sure I'm biased, but ask the top Internet
marketing gurus where they invest their own funds. It's rare to find
a major Internet marketing guru with an expensive website.

Sure, if you're in the design business yourself, you need a
professional looking website. But you don't need bells and whistles.
In fact, some fancy extras actually hurt your ranking in the search
engines.

Your copywriter or marketing consultant should stage-manage your
web project. If you don't know any HTML (what websites are made of),
definitely get someone to work between you and the designer.

(1) Get a referral from someone whose website you like.

But don't assume you'll get the same quality. Designer Don may
have created Jane's site when he was new to the field: he invested
time and energy to create a showcase site for his portfolio.

Or Designer Doris may have worked closely with a copywriter or
marketing consultant who guided her work. Doris may not think of
sharing that info unless you ask...in which case you would do better
to hire the consultant.

(2) Go to a networking event.

Whenever I offer a speaking event on copywriting or marketing, inevitably a few designers are in the crowd.

Talk to designers. Get their cards. Ask for samples.

Ideally you will find a talented designer who's just getting started:
a win-win for both of you.

(3) Go to craigslist.

You can also visit eLance and Rent-a-Coder but I've had best luck
with craigslist.

Here's what to do. Use a blind ad. Describe your project.
Ask for a brief resume and online portfolio. Ask for a price quote
(a range of prices should be acceptable in the early stages).
Add that you will not consider designers who do not provide these
items and you will give preference to designers who also provide
references.

One Internet marketer asked for a logo. She got quotes all the way
from $75 to $1500.

You have somewhat more protection on Rent-a-Coder and e-Lance,
although the process is more cumbersome, because these sources
publish quality ratings (the way amazon and eBay rate sellers).
They also note histories of disputes.

But I have never had a problem on craigslist. Paying with a credit
card or PayPal does give you protection.

Finally, you can choose to work with a copywriter and/or marketing
consultant. (Many copywriters also work with strategy - I always do.
Look for words like "content strategist" or "copy strategist.")

Most of us have networks and we can make some calls and/or queries.
We can also talk directly to the designer. I deliver all my copy in
HTML for easy cut-and-paste.

And many of us will help you test, set up keywords and a whole lot
more.

Labels: web designers

Was that a yawn I just heard? Yesterday I was helping Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero with her Bootcamp talk -- and that was the topic.

Oh no...I've heard this stuff over and over...

But as I got deeper into the issues, I realized that we can all use a refresher. I just looked at some of my own ebook copy and realized - "Oh no! I forgot the benefit in the headline! Back to the drawing board."

So here are 3 tips:

(1) Features for a service business can be experience or credentials.

For example, let's say you've been in the Marine Corps and you are now a marketing coach. For some target markets, your "about" page headline could read: "How a tough ex-marine can help your start-up business destroy the competition"

That's an extreme example, but you get the idea. I had to make up a story where I have no real clients!

(2) Bob Bly is a famous copywriter and best-selling author. In one article, he says that sometimes you need to sell on features alone. For example, say someone is an expert on cars. They want to know cylinders and RPMs. They'll toss away emotional benefits as pure hype.

(3) If you are writing an information product, create features and benefits first. Or if you're the type who writes, go back and write the features and benefits after the first draft. Don't commit till you've got the sales letter.

You probably have the features and benefits already included - just need some highlights and headlines.

Labels: basics, benefits, copywriting, features

Ever hear the expression, "The devil is in the details?"

In copy, the angel is in the specifics. Your message comes alive when you tell stories, illustrated with genuine examples.

Why do we watch news magazines like 60 Minutes and Nightline? Why do we watch reality shows like Super-Nanny? Why do feature writers illustrate with very specific people?

For example, the Wall Street Journal recently featured a story about corporate parking lots. Yes, parking lots. Are you starting to doze off? I was.

But the WSJ is not written by fools. The writer opens with the story of Dave, who earned the right to park his midnight-blue Porsche 911 right next to the entrance. He is Number One in sales. And everybody knows it.

Specifics: Dave, Porsche, blue, sales. We've all known people like Dave and now we can relate to the story, whether we cheer for Dave's sales "wins" or wince at the corporate ego structure.

The best way to Get Specific is to apply the For Example Test.

You write something like, "Our service develops strong leadership."

You add, "For example, John was a wishy-washy wimp before attending our seminar. Now he takes charge and earns respect as soon as he steps to the front of the room."

You've clarified: Your service teaches executives like John to create a leadership presence. Now you go back and write your benefits more clearly.

Naturally you'll edit (most readers don't think of themselves as wimps and we don't want to encourage a new trend). And, if you do this exercise right, you end up with more examples than you'll ever need.

And while the devil may be in the details, now you're on the side of the angels.

Labels: copywritig, narratives, stories

Did I hear a yawn when you read this title?

Every copywriting class begins with a discussion of
features and benefits. But it's always good to review.
Every so often I'll write a piece of copy, set it aside
and then realize: Oops, I've left out the benefits.

Benefits are:

what the client gets from your product or service
answers to the "so what" question
what differentiates you from your weaker competitors

Feaetures are:
how you get the benefits to the client
why you are the only person (or company) who can deliver those benefits

So can you jump directly to benefits?

Not necessarily. Bob Bly (among others) has pointed out that some
markets couldn't care less about benefits. They're experts. They're
familar with the product. They want to get down and dirty technical.

Experienced markets will often head directly to the features. Their
eyes will glaze over the benefits they've seen over and over. For
example, if you're hiring your first life coach, you might respond to
the "take your life to the next level" promise.

But if you've hired a few life coaches, you'll want to know how you'll
get those benefits. Will your coach be a cheerleader? An advocate of
law of attraction? A mirror to reflect who you are? An expert in your
field who's on the border between consultant and coach?

Regardless, your copy still focuses on benefits.

Here's one trick. Imagine your client compares notes with someone who
went to your weakest competitor - someone who might be a good marketer
but doesn't really deliver. What benefits will your clients get --
how will they be better off than those who went to your incompetent
competitor?

The work backwards. What results will they get? And why?

Labels: benefits, copywriting, features

It's rare to see real customer service on the Internet
these days. So I was pleasantly surprised (not to say
amazed) when I got an email from Alexandria Brown's
assistant, Sharon.

I had taken advantage of the Ezine Queen's periodic
sale to run some ads in her royal ezine. After I sent
in my ads, I realized I had made a mistake in the
link. I had planned to make some changes at my end so
the wrong link would be the right link.

But before I had a chance, Sharon, Ali's assistant,
emailed to tell me they had checked the link and found
it wasn't working. I replied right away. Somehow that
message disappeared, but not to worry: I got a follow-
up phone call to be sure everything was okay!

I ended up giving her a different link, just to be
safe - but what amazing service. How many of us would
have checked our own links, let alone the links on our
ads?

That's where the Ezine Queen really succeeds.
Flawless execution.

If you've never heard of the Ezine Queen and don't
know what I'm talking about, go here and sign up for
her ezine here.

You'll be richer for it.

Labels: customer service, execution, ezine queen

Before moving to Seattle, I lived in a small town in New Mexico. One of my most outgoing neighbors was someone I'll call Daphne.

Daphne had lots of friends, as well as acquaintances she assumed were friends.I was onen of the latter.

Periodically we would get messages like, "I'm going to be visiting Chicago next week. Does anyone know a good place to eat?" Or, "I'm looking for a good lawn service." Or we'd just get updates on Daphne's life.

My favorite was the time Daphne wrote, "I'm collecting flowerpots for a special project. Just drop them off at my house, on the porch."

I admired Daphne's confidence. But I didn't love getting these email updates. The problem was, I didn't know how to tell her, without sounding rude. I never responded, but the messages kept coming.

Daphne not only sent messages: she didn't bother to disguise the recipients. So we all knew who was On The List.

In my opinion, Daphne crossed the finish line when she set up space to sell some of her crafts. (Don't try to guess who she is. There were no crafts. Daphne is real but the details are disguised.) Now she's creating a commercial message - an advertisement - but claiming to be friendly and social.

Daphne honestly thought she was helping her friends stay connected with her. But in the 21st century, she was actually creating a newsletter -- the electronic equivalent of those Christmas letters some folks still send to their families and friends.

A holiday letter once a year is not a bad idea. But imagine including an insert saying, "Here's a list of everyone on my Christmas card list." Would you do that? I didn't think so.

Recently I received a few emails along the same lines as Daphne's. The sender honestly wanted to share some news.

So if you know any folks like Daphne, send them to this blog. When you send a message to people who don't know each other, *always* use the bcc, not the cc. You're violating their privacy and exposing them all to spammers.

If you plan to write more than once a quarter, set up an opt-in autoresponder series. Make it easy to opt out.

Or consider setting up a networking group. In Seattle, we have meetup.com and biznik.com, where members can post announcements of activities (with restrictions).

Your email provider or web host may have options to allow you to send to a list of names without announcing the names.

And if you're serious about starting an Internet business, forget about using ordinary email, right from the beginning. When I started my first ezine, I used to do just then: I would send out multiple emails to 10 or 20 respondents at a time, all using bcc.

Eventually my email provider sent me a friendly warning. Today I don't think I'd have lasted as long. And when I finally set up an opt-in list, via my shopping cart, everyone had to opt in. Needless to say, I lost a few of my subscribers and the list was pretty small back then.

If you don't have enough subscribers to justify an ezine, start with an ecourse. Or sign up for a blog and invite everyone to subscribe.

Keep your friends! Think bcc. Think autoresponder. And if you're starting a business, think about the hazards of doing business with friends.

Labels: autoresponders, e-mail, ezines

Every morning Gracie and I walk past an area called "cookspace," a building where professional pastry chef and savory cooks can rent space to prepare food. They mostly supply corporate accounts, catering services and large parties. The front wall is composed entirely of clear glass windows, so we see them working day and night. Once a year they hold a delicious Open House, where I collect enough desserts for a month.

Nearly every morning, even Sundays and Holidays, we see someone rolling dough in the early morning. We see people there in the evenings too. Usually they're alone and they're always working alone. I don't know if they've got music piped in. They certainly wouldn't have dogs or cats for company.

As I walk by. sometimes we exchange waves - they like Gracie. I'm reminded of a little book, The Dip, by Seth Godin. It's the counterpoint to Tim Ferriss's 4-Hour Work Week.

When starting along the pathway to passion, or following the admonition to "do what you love," we're excited at the beginning. Then, says Godin (p. 17-18), "the Dip happens. The Dip is the long slog between starting and mastery...the long stretch between beginner's luck and real accomplishment."

For a pastry chef,living the dream means working alone at a long table, on cold winter mornings.

Labels: hard work, living the dream, seth godin, the dip, tim ferriss

Friday I sent out a solo mailing to my list, with the subject, "Invasion of the Tire-Kickers." I thought it was kind of cute. The idea is that you prepare for tire kickers by writing copy that will convert them to buyers.

No dice.

I guess it was too cute...or too much like copy?

Here's what I said. I had fun with it ... now, there's a warning sign:

Has your site experienced the Invasion of the Tire-
Kickers?

These Intra-Terrestrials come to your website, skim
your home page, and maybe read an article or two. Then
with just a click of the finger, they're off again, on
their way to another location in cyberspace.

How can you trap them on your page? How can you
transform the Invasion of the Tire-Kickers into a
community of raving fans and fun-loving buyers?

The answer (drumroll, please): your copy. Over and
over, the top Internet multi-millionaires say, "Copy
is the Number One skill you need on the Internet."
I've heard these words from Tom Antion, Perry
Marshall, Derek Gehl's seminar leaders, and many
others who walk the talk.

And that's where we come in. Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero,
acclaimed copywriting mentor, will be offering her
boot camp starting just next week. Lorrie knows how
to de-mystify copywriting better than anyone I know. I
learned from her myself. She makes it fun and even
adds a touch of Hollywood glamour.
Learn more.

You see, Tire-Kickers secretly want what you have (if
you've scoped them out). They will put on the brakes
and reach for their credit cards when they see a
headline that touches their heart or a bullet point that
pierces their soul.

Be warned: This course is not for sissies. It's
called Boot Camp for a reason. After all, you'll need
to be in shape when the Tire Kickers come. So you get
assignments, drills, contests... the energetic
equivalent of push-ups and pull-ups.

But you will emerge with copy that will bring you
immediate rewards and results. My ebook sales soared
immediately after I applied what I learned.
LStart here.

Copywriting Camp starts next week. It's none too soon.

September is coming. The Tire Kickers will be
preparing for a massive invasion as the weather cools
and vacations end.

LWill you be ready?

P.S. As a special bonus, register through my link and
get a complimentary 45-minute call to add value to
what you've learned.
LAdd value.

P.P.S. I work with Lorrie as a copy coach so you will
get tips from me throughout the boot camp, at a
fraction of the investment to hire me personally.