Copy-Cat-Copywriting

If you're like me, you go to those networking luncheons. And you get advised to follow up. Set one-to-one coffee dates. Lunches. And more.

Some organizations allow you to send post cards to their membership once a year. They freely give out phone numbers.

In the last year, here's a sample of what I got from my fellow members of one organization:

• A badly typed, photocopied letter introducing me to a financial services company. The letter emphasized the benefit of working with women after the writer's negative experiences with "chauvinistic" males.



• An attractive post card introducing me to a consulting firm that targets small to medium-sized firms with employees. "We're here if you need us," said the message.



• A phone call at 11:30 AM on a Tuesday. The caller plunged right in with, "I want to introduce myself. I have a service to help with aging parents..."

I interrupted. I have no aging parents. I have an aging tabby cat who's spoiled rotten. No problem: she wanted to "introduce herself" just so we'd know who we are. She chose the phone instead of those time-consuming coffee dates.

What was wrong?

(1) Connect to invite your target audience to a special event. You can do the "get to know you" thing at lunches and happy hours.

(2) Focus your mail on the target audience's problems, not your own agenda. If you have no training in copywriting, break open the piggy bank and hire a copywriter...or invest in an hour or two of copy coaching.

(3) Respect time - yours and everybody else's. Set up coffee dates only if you have a genuine mutual interest. At the very least, ask, "Is this a convenient time to call?"

As it happens, I go to noon workout classes at my gym almost every day. That caller couldn't have picked a worse time.

Follow-ups are magical when you set them up as marketing activities. They're deadly when you don't.

Labels: bragging101, groups, internet marketing, networking

Recently a website owner asked me, "Do people really read those About pages? I don't."

A good question. My own visitors read my home page first and my "about" page second, in terms of frequency, on both my websites. Your own clients may differ.

But if even one person turns to the "About" page, you need a really good story. If they turn to this page, they're *really* interested.

I find clients often have superb credentials and compelling stories -- scattered all over the website. When we collect their stories on one page, the result can be very powerful.

Labels: about, internet marketing, page, website marketing

A few days ago I received an email from a networking group: "We need a sales letter to increase our memberships. Have you ever written copy that resulted in a big increase in membership applications?"

I visited the group's site. The home page gave no hint of what benefits I might anticipate by joining the group, beyond the usual vague promises of "empowerment." The site invited women to sign up for membership, but provided no way to build relationships via newsletter.

I doubt that anyone will sign up for a monthly membership - even one as low as $17 - without knowing about the group. Yet we were not told about who belongs and why.

Copywriting can do a lot of good if your product appeals to a target market. This group needs to explore their target market and their positioning before moving ahead.

Labels: copywriting, internet marketing, target market

It's all over the Internet. If you're poking around, reading marketing ezines, you can't miss the message: "Raise your prices." "You're probably not charging enough." "Want to get paid more? Just ask."

Sometimes these folks are right.

But when you're advised to charge more, I suggest you ask your mentor wannabe, "Do you know my market? Have you tested my market? Who sells higher-priced products to this market?

Now I want to introduce two cautions. First, I am not referring to one-to-one consulting. You can't leverage your individual consultation time.

And if you can charge eight hundred dollars for a bound notebook of 200 pages and 2 CD's (not even elegantly packaged), go for it. I know someone who does.

But I would add a few cautions.

(1) Internet consumers compare your offering with others.

I belong to Christina Hills's Shopping Cart Queen Club. I can't recommend it highly enough. For only $29 a month (first 6 months free if you buy the cart from her), it's a steal. Christina offers one 60-minute teleclass every month. Members get to submit questions. She answers every one, either in the class or via email to all club members.

You also get access to tools you can download. And every month she uploads a video demo for specific features, such as upselling or tracking.

These ideas may sound simple, but they save me time and earn me money. (If you're interested, you can go here: My link to Christina Hills's page.

Perry Marshall also offers a $29 Renaissance club, with a live call every month. Also a great value: Go here for my link.

So now let's say you want to start your own club. They're intensely popular these days. You'll probably see gurus charging $97 - $997 for monthly dues.

But I'm hearing rumblings of discontent. These clubs are being compared to Christina's club and Perry's club. If I belong to both those clubs for a total of $58, why would I join a club for $97 to get just 2 calls?

So these days you need to offer something pretty solid. A lot of marketers offer forums. A few years ago, forums were hot. These days, I am finding people are forum-ed out. They're not prowling forums searching for resources where they can pay big bucks. They're looking for free advice. I've gotten a few clients from forums. Every single one asked for bargain prices and demanded individual attention in the form of 32 phone calls.

No thanks.

Labels: forums, internet marketing, marketing clubs, rants

My ezine readers have been invited to send questions related to website copy -- from a full site to a page or even a paragraph.

For the first example, see
Challenge #1

We looked at copy for an ebook about a special way to overcome clinical depression.

After reading my comments, website owner Robin said, "I knew a lot of what you said. But I'm not sure my target audience will respond to a direct sales letter."

My response: Go for it!

I felt the same way when I revised my career site,
Midlife Career Strategy

To my surprise, my own personal and professional friends approved the changes. "Finally you're thinking like a marketer!" they said. "Now I realize you're serious about your business."

You have 2 issues here:

(1) As Robin recognizes, those who know her may differ from those who arrive on her site as strangers. She may need a more direct approach to reach the visitors. Personally, I would experiment: people who don't know Robin may benefit even more from her approach than those who know her.

(2) As I say elsewhere, your copy sounds gentler to your target market than to you or your friends. Over and over, clients who show my copy to their own clients are surprised. What you, the website owner, see as a "hard sell" actually comes across as warm and friendly to the target market, if it's done right.
See my article on copy shock.

Labels: client attraction, clients, copy challenge, copywriting, internet marketing, website marketing

Mostly I work with service professionals, who tend to be a generous group. They really love their customers and they want to give them more...and more. So often they add resources to their websites. They list "News about My Topic" right next to the menu bar. Sometimes they even have links embedded within the copy. They have a page of great resources, such as local bookstores. I used to do this, too. But let's face it: Who's website is it anyway? Who's paying rent (the hosting)? You rented the space so you could promote your business. So should you be generous? Sure. Be generous when you send out your ezine. Include referrals when you have paid clients. Be generous with your affiliates: those who pay you to sell their products and services. I would be very careful with recommendations: they can come out to bite you! But while visitors come to your website, they need to read your headlines, your copy and your articles.

Labels: advertisement, internet marketing, promotion, website marketing

Networking begets networking. At a recent luncheon, a nice attendee "Pamela" approached me. "So you're a copywriter. I belong to a BNI group and we are looking for a copywriter." Well, I've looked into BNI. The problem is, I have yet to find a single copywriter who had a profitable experience at any BNI group. (If you differ, please let me know.) I've met several who said, "Nice lunches. Fun people." But this group seemed genuinely interested. They meet at lunch (not an ungodly breakfast hour) at a place where I can walk in 15-20 minutes. They even chose a nice restaurant with good food. So I attended a meeting. Immediately after the meeting, we visitors were taken aside. We were given long application forms and encouraged to join. "You'll be in by next week -- for sure the week after," they said. "We just have to check references." So I got permission to give them names of 2 references. That took a little time. My references answered questions, also making time. Then nothing happened. I got a call. "We think there may be a conflict with another member. She lists marketing on her business card." My immediate reaction: "Why didn't you check this out before inviting me to apply?" My next reaction: "Any competent copywriter will be involved in some marketing. You said the group was looking for a copywriter. Therefore..." And then I wondered, "Do they really understand what a copywriter does? Will they assume I'll scrawl words for $35 an hour?" But there's a bigger question. BNI has thrived by allowing only one business category per group. These days business categories are blurred. It's not just copywriters who confuse these networking groups. A life coach "Kendra" applied to join BNI. She was blocked by a hypnotherapist who complained they would respond to the same challenges. Yet another group includes a hynotherapist, a life coach and a licensed psychotherapist. Even more important: customers and clients have to be clearer than ever on what they want. "Alan" confides, "I'm so disorganized! I don't seem to get anything done. My office is cluttered and I never seem to have time for anything." We can refer Alan to a professional organizer, who will de-clutter and suggest systems to save time. Some organizers talk about their clients' lives and lifestyles too. We could suggest Alan hire a life coach, who will help set priorities and create accountability and structure. We might even suggest a therapist who works with the "worried well." Some therapists actually target the same market as coaches -- self-pay personal growth seekers. They are licensed to go deeper: they might ask about Alan's life. If he just broke up a serious relationship or lost a job, he may need to talk about feelings before he can break through the clutter barrier. The flip side: Three people hang out shingles with identical labels like "chiropractor," "physical therapist," or "massage therapist." Most chiropractors work by cracking something in the body (I've never been to one so I'm not sure about this). But I just met a licensed chiropractor who works with a technique that doesn't call for cracking -- and that doesn't require repeated visits. I went to one physical therapist for chronic tendinitis. After many visits I saw no improvement. He didn't believe in ice or inserts. He believed in repeated visits. A second physical therapist made 3 recommendations in a single visit -- including ice and inserts. I am now nearly pain-free and I walk and exercise a great deal more. And massage therapists: Is a Swedish massage therapist competing with cranio-sacral massage? I have no idea. For copywriters, the challenge is to communicate just what the business offers and just what pain gets relieved. Many websites don't even have a "how we work" or "how we solve problems" page. Yet these days, the "how" page may be more relevant than ever. And I predict that leads groups will face tough challenges if they insist on labeling businesses in tight categories. I've told the group I am no longer interested. They're very nice so who knows - I may change my mind. But in the long run, we have to be increasingly aware that labels no longer tell the full story.

Labels: bni, business, coaching, groups, internet marketing, labels, networking

If you live in certain parts of the world, you probably have a box of Arm & Hammer baking soda in your home. You probably grew up with the familiar orange box and you take it for granted. When I taught Marketing 101, we would spend entire classes discussing Arm & Hammer baking soda as an example of a long, long product life cycle. It’s no accident. The company keeps finding new ways for customers to use the product: keep refrigerator fresh, put out fires, brush teeth, add to cat box…and a whole lot more. Your service needs longer life, too. How many creative ways can we benefit from your service? For example, copywriting can be used to create sales letters and websites. But copywriting also Creates irresistible offers to your website visitors Creates strong headlines for articles Develops strong content for your ebook or “real” book Sells your house Sells your unwanted stuff on eBay …and a whole lot more. A logo design can be used on a business card…and also on letterhead, newsletter, decal for car window, flyers and… Party entertainment can add value to bachelorette parties, birthdays, reunions, picnics, business retreats, training exercises and… Tip: Ask your clients how they’ve used services like yours. Then ask the same clients, “What are your 3 greatest challenges -- in any part of your business (or life, if it fits)?” See if a few creative tweaks -- to the service or the service’s advertising – will deliver genuine value to these clients.

Labels: branding, copywriter, customer service, internet marketing, life cycle

How can you tell who's on track to success? My answer: The way they talk about time. Recently I met a competent, likeable professional I'll call Louis. It takes awhile to realize just how good he is. Louis tosses off comments about new clients, success and increased income. He gets glowing thank you letters from clients. And he says, "I really need more clients." So how does Louis spend his time? he belongs to a business group that's built more on friendship than networking. He belongs to Toastmasters. He volunteers in his community. He coordinates refreshments for parties. And he's considering hiring an expensive coach to move his business to the next level. What's wrong with this picture? Louis is already a good-enough (or more than good-enough)speaker. Sometimes a Toastmasters chapter will be a good source of referrals. More usually, chapters don't attract decision-makers or independent business owners who can hire Louis. Louis needs to guard his time ruthlessly. We all need social outlets, friends and family. But it's easy to remain in activities that no longer fit our needs. When you're a new networker, groups like Toastmasters make a lot of sense. You get a safe space to develop your skills. You practice speaking. For some, lifelong membership contributes to personal and professional goals. But at some point you have to ask whether Toastmasters (or BNI or your business group) continues to contribute to your growth. I belong to a group of women business owners that seems to be a good source for what I want: speaking engagements and clients. But I've met other business owners who have left the group because it's no longer working for them. That's the point. You're not destined to outgrow a particular group. And I recommend giving every new group 3 to 6 months to get to know you. But every 3 to 6 months, stop and ask yourself, "What have I gained from this group? Have I learned something I can use in my business? Made contacts? Grown? Do I feel good after a meeting -- recharged and energetic? If not, time to move on." Those who succeed get tough with their own apppointment calendars. P.S. I've put together an irreverent 21-day time management program that (readers tell me) actually works! Click here to learn more: http://www.cathygoodwin.com/timebook.html

Labels: internet marketing, networking, success, time management

Since moving to Seattle about 18 months ago, I’ve had to find all sorts of services: a hair stylist, health insurance broker, physical therapist and more. At first I asked for live recommendations. Bad move! My acquaintances didn’t know insurance brokers. Someone at my gym suggested a physical therapist. Several women swore by their hair stylists. After several visits to the physical therapist, I still limped around on sore tendons. I survived 2 embarrassing hair cuts and a disastrous, overpriced color change. But I found a good insurance broker. I love my hair stylist. My new physical therapist got me walking comfortably after a single session. Where did I find all these people? The Internet, of course. Citysearch.com, to be precise.. I did make a couple of calls to ask get first-hand information. But I’ve mostly given up on live tell-a-friend referrals. I’m not alone. In Small Is the New Big, Seth Godin says that listing references has become obsolete. We leave electronic footprints all over the Internet. We review and get reviewed. Sites like movingscam.com can save us thousands of dollars, if we use them responsibly. More about Godin’s book: http://tinyurl.com/3bmacm What does this mean for promoting ourselves as businesses? First, even local businesses now need a website with a strong marketing message, not just a calling card. They need content strategy for their virtual storefronts. My new hairdresser advertised herself as a curly-hair specialist. Her salon got great reviews on citysearch.com Even an anti-fashion individualist (like me) needs to get frizz-proofed for Seattle’s damp climate It was a no-brainer. . Second, we all need to be proactive in supporting good services. We help them stay in business, grow and expand their services. We especially need to be proactive because a single off-the-wall customer can have an unfair impact. I’ve seen bizarre complaints posted for services that I patronize regularly. Third, we need to encourage clients and customers to review our services. You can post your own service – even coaching, consulting and copywriting – on citysearch.com and yelp.com. When clients thank you for good service, suggest they write a review from anywhere in the world. True, some services have been known to ask their mothers and brothers to send in reviews. In my experience, fake reviews stand out, just as they do with online bookstores. Of course, you can get reviewed in blogs, websites and other services. Some sites have even sprung up to review Internet marketing gurus. We’ll probably see greater use of these sites as more people post to them and they become more helpful. Your own testimonials, with URLs linking to the clients, create your own unique review site. And someday the phrase “references available” will be meaningful only to those who remember the origins of “cut and paste.” To learn more visit my website.

Labels: client attraction, internet marketing, retail, website marketing

How to become a client. More prospects call simply because you’re better known. Some are serious; others are tire-kickers. Consultants and coaches often offer complimentary get-acquainted calls. Okay, I’m going to be edgy here. I have never found those calls helpful when I’m the client. The whole dynamic changes when money changes hands. Moving from comp to paid, I’ve often felt I was talking to a whole new consultant. So as you get busy, I recommend offering a paid sample of your work. For copywriting, it’s a diagnostic project. For consultant, I offer hourly calls. My clients can deduct the cost of the initial call if they move on to a bigger project. I work only with serious clients and I can begin delivering value from the very first moment of our call. We both win if we solve the client’s problem in a single hour. If you offer any no-charge option, I recommend setting up a task to be completed before the call: a series of questions, a mini-project – anything to show your client is serious. Design and writing professionals need to create some small projects so a client can test them before committing big bucks. Many readers will disagree but I believe free tasting sessions should be reserved for the supermarket aisles. I’m the worst: when Gracie (the dog) and I visit our favorite bakery, I’ve been known to buy a cup of soup and take home a handful of bite-sized samples for dessert. I'm sure many readers will disagree - and I welcome controversy! Post a comment below.

Labels: appointments, business, clients, internet marketing

Every so often a well-known marketing consultant warns us, "Choose a mentor who has walked the talk." In other words, hire a mentor who can demonstrate success. Ask to see sales reports. Work with someone who's still actively marketing, not someone who's stopped marketing to become a marketing coach. But I'd take this advice with a medium-size grain of salt. Sure, you need a knowledgeable source. And that argument has merit. But you've probably heard the saying, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." My response: "So what?" Basketball coaches run the gamut. Occasionally you'll see a great player who goes on to become a great coach. But you also see coaches like Pat Summitt, who coaches champions but was never a superstar herself. And you see great players like Cynthia Cooper who failed to find success as a coach. Marketing coaches also come in a variety of flavors. Experienced marketers often coach by saying, "Here's what I did." Even when they're successful today, they grew their businesses in a different world. Economists talk about externalities -- the way we're affected by what everyone else does. For instance, telephones gain in value as they become more commonly used. And some products actually lose value as they become more popular: think of your favorite restaurant or ski resort. Today, just about everyone has an ezine. You no longer stand out if you send out a monthly mailing. In fact, I advise clients to send ezines at least twice a month. These days, you'll get lost in the crowd and your readers forget you if you don't show up often in their inboxes. Teleseminars and forum groups also have become extremely popular. Recently I got an email from a harried ezine reader: "Will you send a reminder of your teleclass? I've signed up for so many things I've lost track." Networking events have become more focused and more directly commercial. You no longer stand out with a great elevator speech. "Groups are begging for speakers," one affluent marketing coach told me. "Not around here," I answered. So how do you choose a marketing consultant? First, begin with the free and low-cost stuff. Buy an ebook. Read his ezine. Try a few tips. Do they work for you? Good: try some more. Second, talk to your guru's clients. Did they find the sessions helpful? Are they earning money? Or do they just say, "I loved working with her. She was so nice." Third, develop your own intuition and keep your power. Ultimately success depends on connecting with a target market and your target market's pain. In my experience, few mentors can help. You have to invest huge amounts of time digging into your market. Ideally you'll have a natural "in" with your market -- something you can't be coached for. Bottom line: No guarantees. You have to take control of your market. If you've already started to see meaningful success, a lot of mentors can help you. If you're trying to reach a resistant market with a product they're not excited about, few can, no matter who they are.

Labels: coaching, gurus, internet marketing, mentors

Q. “I need a database of names and email addresses, based on visitors to my website. But an ezine takes a lot of work and a single information product seems inadequate. What else can I offer?” A. You’re right. Once upon a time you could send out an ezine every month or two. Now there’s so much clutter you need to have your name in front of readers every week or two. Otherwise they’ll assume you’re sending junk mail. That’s a lot of work when you’re starting from scratch. All that effort for just a small list? Whew! And even if you have an ezine, you may want to share new information with your readers. The answer: Create an e-course. An e-course is a series of short “lessons” sent to subscribers, one at a time, over a period of days, weeks or months. You send them through autoresponders, using the same program you use or ezines and other e-mailings. Website visitors sign up through an opt-in program, giving you their names and emails...and permission to send them a series of messages. Some marketers mail lessons daily – a good way to remain in front of readers. One well-known marketer just created an e-course with 87 lessons, sent one day at a time. She gets daily contact with a subscriber base for almost 3 months. We’ll remember her for a long, long time, especially since the quality of tips was very high. But most marketers create 5 to 7 messages, sent every 2 days. The idea is to create credibility with good information, while adding names to your own subscriber database. Readers who stay with your course till the end are probably seriously interested in your topic (or are seriously compulsive about finishing what they start). Each message should: (1) Remain short: 350-500 words. (2) Focus on one specific point or tip – a takeaway, preferably something your readers can begin to use immediately. (3) Include a thought-provoking question or assignment that will challenge your reader. (4) Avoid giving away the store. (5) Present valuable content not easily obtained elsewhere. Of course, each ecourse includes your resource box with content information and a word of promotion. You can expand each message into an article for your article marketing program, post your messages into your blog and save your messages for the day you’re ready to create your first ebook. Nothing is wasted. And you get to build your subscriber database, without writing new content every week for a small audience. It worked for me!

Labels: content, copywriting, internet marketing, list building, strategy, writing

When visitors come to our websites, we want them to act: subscribe to an ezine, sign up for a seminar or buy a product. But visitors tend to stay for just a short time and they’re almost always in a hurry. How do you motivate visitors to get into action? (1) Make the Call to Action simple, visible and easy to follow. Sounds obvious. But on some websites readers still get frustrated trying to sign up for a class or buy a product. They can’t find the form. Some websites don’t even tell the reader what they offer: classes, coaching, information products, or …? (2) Create urgency around purchase. Urgency often translates to time-sensitive offers. “Discount if you buy now.” “Only a few left.” These techniques work if you have a genuine limitation and your target market doesn’t wait for a crisis before buying. By way of analogy, few car owners will say, “Gee I just bought new tires but this special is so good I couldn’t resist.” That’s why these offers work better for information products than for consulting or coaching. Clients hire a consultant because they need help right away. Occasionally you might catch someone on the edge: “I know I’ll need this someday and the special offer was enough to push me to buy.” (3) Create urgency around your client’s pain. Most web site owners don’t want to create fear-based appeals. And nobody wants to sound sales-y and pushy. When you know your market really well, you’ll be able to create urgency by identifying the client’s pain precisely, signaling, “I know exactly what you’re going through.” And you promise solutions so “You don’t have to experience this pain any more. We have answers.” Finally, urgency requires honesty. Your call to action includes a genuine offer of a quality product. Your limitations are real: at the stroke of midnight, prices change. When you run out of product, you really have no more to give. And of course you really have the program and knowledge to help your client deal with pain realistically and effectively. You may use this article in your ezine or blog if you (a) make no changes, (b) notify me at cathy@makewritingpay.com, and (c) include the following resource box with live "clickable" links: Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., helps service professionals increase the maketing potential of their websites so they can attract clients, increase sales and build a community of raving fans. Get the 7 Best-Kept Secrets of Client-Attracting Websites. http://www.copy-cat-copywriting.com/subscribe.html

Labels: client attraction, internet marketing, website marketing

Q. Hi Cathy! I’ve just received an email from a local business networking group. They want me to give a talk in January! When I call the program director, what do I ask? A. This query came yesterday from a real reader, just as I was getting ready to write this ezine. Feel free to email me with your own tips and thoughts. First, congratulations on getting invited to speak! Something’s working in your favor. Second, when you call, the program coordinator will probably bombard you with info. Take notes as she speaks and she may answer all your questions – even the ones you hesitate to ask. Here’s what you need to know: (1) What is the goal of the event where I’ll be speaking? And what do members want? Generally it's dangerous to assume you know what a group wants. They may have hated the last three speakers and be ready for a change. Your meeting coordinator will have feedback and will be able to point you in the right direction. (2) Describe the members. Who are they? What are their challenges? Now you can organize your talk so they’ll be eager to learn from you. If you're giving a longer speech or workshop, ask if you can call a few members to get a sense of where they're coming from. (3) Am I talking to newbies or fellow professionals in my field? Tailor this question to your expertise. For instance before I give a talk on website marketing, I will ask, "Do most of the audience members have websites up and running, or are they still in the thinking stage?" If you're giving a value-based talk -- anything from law of attraction to laws of astrology – ask how the group perceives your topic: serious belief, light enjoyment or outright skepticism? (4) How long do I speak? Does that include questions? Let's say she says 30 minutes with another 15 for questions. Time your speech for 15=20 minutes and leave more time for questions. About 50% of the times I've spoken to lunch and dinner groups, my time gets cut by "announcements" from the group's officers. Or they start late. (5) I would like to bring handouts. And I would like to pass around a list for people to subscribe to my ezine. At the same time I will be giving a 20% discount on my products. How does this work with your organization? I once got invited to address a Continuing Ed class. I was asked to sign a contract promising I would not promote my organization and that I would not do business with any attendees unless I gave the university a piece of the action. Needless to say, I declined the invitation. You get paid two ways: directly through a substantial honorarium or fee, or indirectly by gaining a platform to promote your products. Otherwise you’re selflessly donating time and energy. Make an informed decision. (6) Will the group be formal? Unless you know the group, tactfully ask about what you might wear. Once upon a time you could show up in a suit and be safe. But now you could be marked as naive. Recently I heard an experienced speaker say, “Nobody would show up in a suit – not here.” Suitless in Seattle. Yeah, I know, but we’re almost done... (7) Will the group be willing to participate in a brief hands-on exercise? Come up with an exercise that will showcase your talents, get audience members engaged and leave them hungry for more. They’ll remember you because you jogged their kinesthetic senses as well as their brains. If you’re like me, you’re the one who will get hungry...for more speaking engagements! Each time it’s a new and fun experience. If you would like to use this article, please make no changes, let me know, and use this resource box: Cathy Goodwin offers copywriting and coaching to service professionals who want to increase the marketing potential of their websites. Visit http://www.copy-cat-copywriting.com Get the 7 best-kept secrets of client-attracting copy: http://www.copy-cat-copywriting.com/subscribe.html

Labels: copywriting, internet marketing, professional, promotion, services, speaking, strategy

Who else is ready to say good-bye to downtime? Let's face it: we all have slow seasons. Nobody's calling. Your email inbox remains empty. You feel frustrated. But when you have a series of information products, you always have business. I've made sales on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. For a list of my ebooks, see http://www.cathygoodwin.com/books.html During slow seasons, you update your ebooks and revise your sales copy. You send out articles and study ways to attract visitors to your sales pages. Maybe you get ready to write another ebook. You have a very demanding, hard-to-please 24/7/365 client. You. No ebooks yet? Start here. (1) Choose a topic. Ideally your topic will be timely: People download information to get up-to-the-minute information. internet-related: They're already on the Internet - hello! dedicated to solving a painful problem related to money, health, or relationships. (2) Make sure lots of people are searching for ways to solve this problem. Use overture.com and wordtracker.com to see if anyone's searching for your topic. (3) Develop a list of twelve tips you offer to solve your reader's problem. Each tip should be written in the form "Do X...so you can..." Each tip becomes your chapter heading. Example: You decide to write, "How Entrepreneurs Lose Weight and Keep it Off," subtitled, "How to Resist the Call of the Refrigerator When You Work Alone at Home" Your tips might be: Stock up on pre-washed healthy snacks so you won't reach for the candy bar that's all ready to eat. Teach your dog to demand a walk as soon as you open the refrigerator door, so you'll release your energy in healthful ways. Move your refrigerator to the attic, so you'll have to think before you snack (and you burn calories climbing up those stairs). As you can see, I am not an expert on this topic. In fact, I just might be a candidate for your book, if you or your client has just the right expertise. (4) Under each chapter heading identify at least 3 takeaways you'll offer, along with relevant benefits. (5) Draft the sales letter. Yes. You saw that correctly. Draft the sales letter before you write the book. (6) Decide how readers will buy your book. Your shopping cart can be set up for immediate downloads. Or you can use Clickbank to advertise and collect money for you. (7) Write the book in straightforward, simple, dynamic style. Use lots of white space on the page. Develop the promises you made in the sales copy. (8) Transfer to a PDF file with a table of contents. You can use Word but I use Acrobat for the security features. (9) Make final tweaks to your ebook sales letter and post on your website. (10) Write at least 5 articles to promote your book on the Internet. Some authors just use parts of each chapter. Now get ready for for the ka-ching of your virtual cash register. If you're hearing nothing but silence, revise your sales letter . And join the "no more downtime" club with a lifetime membership Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., helps service professionals who want to maximize revenue potential of their websites. Visit http://www.makewritingpay.com. Download the 7 best-kept secrets of client attracting websites. http://www.makewritingpay.com/subscribe.html

Labels: copywriting, e-books, entrepreneurship, information products, internet marketing

Monica, a very competent businesswoman, was explaining her new website. “The headline will be my slogan,” she said confidently. “You know: the part that goes, ‘More impact when you speak, every time.’” Ouch! Definitely not the way to go. Naturally I’ve disguised the details but Monica’s not unusual. You’ve got at least 5 ways to brag – all different. (1) Your slogan usually appears near your logo on your website, on your business card and (often) in your elevator speech. Your slogan should reflect the benefits you offer your clients, not your own uniqueness. I once saw a slogan on a truck, “We know everything about lumber.” My response: “So…why should I care?” Better: “We use wood to make your home look beautiful.” Ali Brown’s “Boost business with your own ezine” does the job. So does Michael Port’s, “The guy to call when you’re tired of thinking small.” I’ve used “Promotion with professionalism” and, “If your website isn’t making money while you sleep, we need to talk.” My current career slogan: “From career breakdown to career breakthrough.” (2) Resource box statement. When you send out articles to promote your business, you need a short signature block – 5 to 7 lines – to conclude your article. You’ll need a brief sentence summarizing your uniqueness, such as: “Mary Jones helps high-earning professionals lose their credit card debt and gain financial security in six months or less.” Some professionals opt for a simpler version: “Bob Smith helped over 200 authors publicize their books to increase sales” or even, “Jane Doe has been helping corporate executives manage their careers since 1992.” I recommend a sentence rather than a phrase because resource boxes get chopped when your article gets published. The expert here is of course Alexandria Brown the Ezine Queen. (3) Irresistible freebie. To motivate website visitors to sign up for your ezine, ecourse or podcast, you need a gift they can’t wait to download. Go for broke with this one: if it feels over the top to you, it’s probably just right for your readers. Typical titles refer to a number of critical or essential tips. “Secrets” sounds corny but it still works. I’ve had considerable success with “7 best-kept secrets of client attracting copy.” Others might be “How to avoid the 5 deadly mistakes made by career changers.” Tip: I encourage my copy clients to begin a website copywriting project with the freebie. It’s a good way to get in touch with your clients’ pain. (4) Headline. Your home page needs a killer headline that motivates readers to keep reading. We could spend a whole article on this topic – in fact, whole books have been written about headlines. Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero wrote: "Copywriting: The Secret Weapon Your Competitors Hope You Never Figure Out How to Use!" Learn more! (5) Elevator speech. Designing an elevator speech resembles creating copy for your website: you focus on the target and demonstrate your benefits. A new book on elevator speeches that’s worth a look. The author lives here in Seattle and I’ve heard her speak: Give Your Elevator Speech A Lift I don’t recommend trying to economize on promotion by using the same concept for all 5 bragging opportunities, although you’ll find this formula applied successfully to packaged goods marketing. Purina Pet Foods has a wonderful trademarked slogan, “Your Pet, Our PassionTM.” They use it on everything from their website to ads. We’re different.

Labels: business, clients, coaching, copywriting, entrepreneurship, ezine, internet marketing, promotion, start-up, website marketing