A Deadly Mistake Even Some Copywriters Make

Sometimes, just for fun, it's good to look and see what your competition is doing.

Maybe they have a marketing idea that will spark a new one in your own head - you just never know. It's even a good idea to just browse around and look at sites unrelated to your business, because some of the best ideas come from unusual places.

So, tonight I did a little search for copywriters. It all started with checking to see how my SEO was doing, and making sure I hadn't slipped from page one for any of my primary keywords.

No, I hadn't, but then I decided to see who else was sharing the pages and what they had to offer. One was my friend and fellow copywriter Kay Faulk - but I knew she'd be there.

The very first site I visited broke one of the first rules in copywriting: Remember that it isn't about you. It's about your prospect.

But here, on this "professional's" site, there were 17 paragraphs, two of which began with "My" and ten with "I."

One of the ways to double-check your copy is to use the "find" function in word and search out every "I word" (such as me, we, our, etc.) and count them. Then search out every "you" and "your."

The goal is to end up with either 3 or 4 times more "You" word than you have "I" words.

This rule is so firmly ingrained in most copywriter's heads that it becomes difficult to write an answer when someone asks a question that calls for an answer beginning with "I." It just feels wrong.

The lady does know something about search engine optimization or she wouldn't be on page one of a Google search, but if her client copy is similar to her personal copy, it isn't very good.

How to make readers delete your mail

How silly would that be? But from the looks of my mailbox, plenty of people are working hard at it.

One that stands out today says something like "Why Jerry hated my article." But guess what? When I scrolled down, I saw no mention of Jerry or an article. It was just a whole lot of short blurbs urging me to click and go to dozens of different places.

I deleted it. I'm not that curious about Jerry or her article.

I've said it before - nearly everyone has said it before - be sure your subject line is not only interesting enough to make people open your mail, but has some relevance to the message below it. Otherwise, people won't just delete this time - after you've done it to them a couple of times they'll automatically delete without bothering to look at what you have to say.

One of our most well-known copywriting gurus is doing that now - his headlines promise some information,but when you scroll down you find that you'll only get the information if you buy something. I don't even bother to look any more. I really should take the time to opt-out of his stuff, but the speed of my satellite connection leaves a lot to be desired, so I don't want to take the time.

So - if you offer something in your subject line, be sure your visitors find it quickly when they open your mail. Otherwise, you'll lose your credibility and the trust you work so hard to build.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Marketing smarter instead of more expensively

Your prospects - the people who are still spending money - see thousands of advertising messages every single day. I read somewhere that we see more now in a week than our great-grandparents saw in a lifetime. And I don't doubt it - Just the junk e-mail puts a hundred or so in front of most of us every day. Add the newspaper, TV, radio, direct postal mail, Billboards - and it's astounding.

So... how can you stand out from all this noise?

I think you need to start with the customers you have - Give them a good incentive to give you their email addresses, and then mail to them regularly. But not just with an ad.

I believe you need to send them something interesting enough that they might pass it on to friends. Then include a weekly special that's for your email list only. In other words, let them feel special, and let them invite their friends to feel special too.

What's interesting enough to read regularly, and send on? Articles about your field of expertise are one good idea. But you could also send a weekly quote, a good joke, or even a puzzle. If you get alerts about viruses, send those as a courtesy. If there's a special event coming up in your community you could give updates about it. If you're supporting a local charity you could talk about it.

Just make sure you:
1) Send something in addition to a sales message.
2) Include a call to action in the form of something special for your customer

They call it viral marketing, and if you do it correctly, you can begin to reach more and more people who are actually interested in what you offer - and spend a fraction of what it would cost to run ads in newspapers and magazines.

If you offer a "once in a while service," such as real estate sales - use this method to maintain top of mind awareness - and perhaps even to bring your customers super special (exclusively from you) deals from other businesses. (You could even sell ad space in your email - but do be sure you believe in the other person's product or service before you do!)

Spend less - benefit more! And if you can't figure out how to write those letters, write me! Copywriting to add to your income is what I do.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Marte Cliff
writer@marte-cliff.com

What's the difference between anxious and eager?

Think about those two words... I've been thinking about them ever since this afternoon when I listened to a teleconference with Herschell Gordon Lewis.

He was talking about the importance of the words you choose in marketing, and how each word conveys a subtle meaning. Even while it "says" the same thing.

For instance, think about the two phrases: "Declined to comment" and "Refused to answer." They give you two different feelings, don't they?

But back to the headline - the word anxious conveys a bit of anxiety - even though it might not be what you mean. But the word eager conveys enthusiasm and hopefulness.

Another "trick" he mentioned was about making things seem bigger or smaller by the unit of measurement you choose. Would you rather have a "quarter pounder" or a 4 ounce burger?

I've taken all sorts of copywriting classes, and like most copywriters, I read and study about copywriting almost every day of my life, but listening to that man was incredible. I took 10 pages of notes in one hour. I'd heard him speak before, which was why I made it a point to listen today. If you ever get the opportunity to hear him - jump at it.

The kind of psychology he talks about will help you even if you're not a copywriter - because everyone needs to persuade someone sometimes.

Yours for success and successful persuasion,
Marte

After the marketing, follow up and service make the sale

Earlier today I made some changes to my primary website: marte-cliff.com, but after I did it I thought maybe I need to go back and add a disclaimer for those business people who aren't just going after a one-time direct sale from their marketing.

It is absolutely true that your marketing materials have to send the right message - they have to touch some emotion in the reader (or viewer) to cause them to stop, think about your message, and take action.

But for many businesses it doesn't end there. You aren't asking your customers to just "click here to order." You're trying to draw them in to use your services, you need to explain your product in person, or you want to sell them products on an ongoing basis. After all,if you're selling your real estate services, want them to patronize your health spa, or are merchandising steel buildings, your marketing materials are designed only to bring you leads.

And if you get a dozen great leads in a day and then let them go cold because you didn't respond to their inquiries - they'll be gone by tomorrow.

Then, if you get a customer but fail to give the service they expect, they won't ever come back.

So, while your website, your ads, your letters, and the rest will bring customers to you if they're written correctly, what happens later accounts for at least 50% of your success.

I'm constantly amazed at the companies who don't bother to answer customer inquiries. And of course, when I'm the customer I'm not only amazed, but annoyed!

Why do people do that? It costs money to get a lead, so ignoring them is a lot like taking handfuls of bills out on a windy day and letting them fly.

Speaking of bills, I ran across a really strange situation lately. Someone sent me a very persuasive direct marketing piece. I think I already told you about it. It was so persuasive that I decided to Google it, and found out that it was a scam. But... in the envelope with the marketing letter was a "Million Dollar Bill."

That caught my imagination - I thought of all kinds of ways to use that for advertising, and even to enclose with a "Thanks a million" note to people who have done me a good turn. It's just a fun thing to have. On the bill was the web address of the person who supplied the bills, so I went there.

Hmmm... no prices. No way to order. But there was an email address, so I wrote, asking for pricing and ordering instructions. That was at least 2 weeks ago and I've not had a reply. Now how goofy is it to go to the trouble to set up a website for your business and then ignore someone who writes wanting to know the price and how to order?

Since then I've found several other websites that sell the million dollar bills, and I'll order from one of them. But again - goofy. This person made me aware of the product, but someone else will get the sale.

I'll bet if you keep your eyes open you'll find more examples like this. So... write and tell us about them!

Proofreading - one of the most vital steps in marketing

Ever get a marketing letter from someone and change your opinion about them and their business? I try not to let that happen if it's a person I know - and know that they're good at what they do - but when I hear from a stranger, I can't help but form an opinion based on their written words.

Sometimes a letter can do more harm than good when it shines a negative light on the expertise of the sender.

It's not just the composition that counts. It's true that a letter that fails to tell the reader "what's in it for me" will not get the hoped for results. But a letter filled with mis-used words, misspellings, and plain old typos can portray that person or business in a really bad light. As in sloppy, or unintelligent.

One accountant wrote that she had lost business because the letters she sent out made her look as if she paid no attention to details. Not a good trait for an accountant!

The cure is proofreading - not just once, but 2 or 3 times. And not immediately after you finish writing. At that time you still know what it is supposed to say - even if it says something else. It's easy to overlook a missing word or a repeated word or a spot where it says "teh" instead of "the." (Yep, you guessed it - that one is one of my big problems. Even copywriters need proofreaders.)

Sometimes it's helpful to use tricks on yourself. Read your work aloud to catch missing or doubled words, or read it backwards to catch misspelled words. The best method of all is to get someone else to read it aloud to you.

When you go to the trouble to contact your clients and prospects, make sure that your letter makes a favorable impression - proofread before you send!

Oh - and that goes for email, too. It's such an easy place to make a silly goof!

Do you love to write? If not, don't do it.

Although I can't understand it, some people do not love to write. It makes no sense to me, because writing is downright fun, but I won't argue with those who disagree.

What I will argue with is the idea that people who dislike writing should still try to produce their own ad copy. It just doesn't come out right - and it takes valuable time away from them doing what they do best, whether that's selling houses, hanging drywall, or repairing cars.

Poorly written ads can actually make a business or a business person look unattractive to the very prospects they're hoping to win. Does it make sense for them to pay for that kind of advertising? I don't think so.

Sometimes you have something to say and you know it exists only in your own head. So you think you have to write it. You do, but only to an extent. The best solution is to dump it all out on paper, and then bring in a writer to put it together in the right order, with words that make it interesting. You and your writer work together to create a finished, polished project.

I do that for clients, and I did it for my husband. You see, he's a retired home builder and he wanted to tell people things they need to know before they hire a contractor and embark on the exciting adventure called "Building my dream home."

Between my years in real estate and his as a contractor, we heard so many tales of woe that it seemed like something we just had to do. So, since he's definitely not a writer, he merely put down his thoughts in random order. Then I sorted them out, asked him a lot of questions to fill in the holes, and turned it into an e-book called Home Building Simplified.

If you're thinking about building, check it out. And in the meantime, get a free copy of our report entitled "How to Spot a Bogus Contractor," by emailing helpmebuild@getresponse.com.

If you have marketing materials that need to attract more clients, or if you have a report or book burning in your head - but you don't like to write - get in touch.

I'll help.

Are you driving away prospects with offers that are too good to be true...

Today I got a postal mail promotion from a well-known company - in it was a letter about a "system" for making money on the internet that "anyone can do" even if you have to go use the computer at the library.

It promised rich rewards for being an "Internet deal maker." I read the whole thing because I thought that this particular company couldn't afford to send out something completely bogus. But... in spite of the temptation, I didn't mail in the payment.

Why? Because I learned a long time ago that things that are too good to be true usually aren't true.

If I told a copywriting client that my letter would absolutely quadruple his sales within 2 weeks - would he believe me? I hope not. I know a good sales letter could do that, and I'd be glad when it did. But since there are so many other factors to consider, if I promised it I'd be a fool, or a liar.

Look at your own promotions. Are your promises reasonable? If not, tone it down a bit and see if your response doesn't improve.

And if you need a sales letter that speaks to your prospects, or a web page that shows what you can do for your prospects, drop me a note. I'd love to help.

Yours for prosperity,
Marte

Use the holidays to spark your marketing creativity

Did you do a promotion for St. Patrick's Day? I'll have to admit that I did not do any promotion for my copywriting business - but I think we all should be looking at each of the holidays that come along as a good reason to make contact with our client lists, and even reach out to new prospects.

The bars and some restaurants do a good job - after all, this is the only time of year you can buy green beer. Not that I want green beer - that actually sounds kind of awful - but who doesn't love a reason to celebrate?

Hmmm... what do I drink that's green? Green tea perhaps, or lime flavored soft drinks. For whatever reason, the only things that seem like they should be green are veggies. But color and marketing is a subject for another day.

What could you have done? Some kind of promotion dealing with luck? Could you have hidden a "pot of gold" in your store or on your website and offered a discount to customers who found it?

It's too late now to do something for St. Patrick's, and if you're using print media it's probably too late to do Easter, so what's next?

April Fool's day seems like a good time to do a fun promotion, and if you act quickly, there's time to get something in the mail or the local newspaper. And of course there's time to tweak your website a bit.

Today, take out the calendar and look at the events coming up. Then write them all down and let your imagination run wild with ideas about how to tie them to your promotions. Be silly, be outrageous, be creative - and something really spectacular will come of it. In fact, get some friends and family to sit down with you and toss out ideas. Sometimes the best ones come from something that sounded ridiculous at first.

Just do it - and remember to laugh a lot!

Marte

Marketing 101

Yesterday when I stopped to have lunch I looked around for something to read - and found the local "freebie" newspaper (weekly, 8 pages). After glancing at the 7 articles (yes, always 7) I then turned to the advertising.

I have to hand it to the ladies at the newspaper - they must be very good sales people to get so many local businesses to place ads. It's not their fault that at least 80% of those ads say nothing at all - that part isn't their job. They are often called upon to take the advertiser's information and turn it into an ad, but there's no way that they can do a copywriter's job. Even if they've been taught the difference between a useless ad and an effective one, they simply don't have the time to do more than arrange the information given to them.

Maybe I should take out an ad myself and offer a course in Marketing 101 - It would include things like:

• Have a reason to place the ad
• Take time to come up with a headline
  
• Know who you are trying to attract
• Let them know what it is you actually do
  
• Tell your prospects what they stand to gain by doing business with you
• Include your name
• Include your phone number
• Include your address
  

I don't guess I'll do it, but it's fun to think about.

Meanwhile - I'll keep on writing letters and e-mails and web copy for my clients, and turning occasionally to watch the snow fall outside my window.

I did have to leave my cozy office for a while today - to shovel some of that beautiful white stuff. So much fell off the roof that the pile was threatening to run into the satellite dish that keeps me connected to the rest of the world. Can't have that! And then I had to shovel enough so I could open the gate and feed the horses. I don't think they'd appreciate an excuse in place of dinner.

Life in North Idaho right now seems to revolve around snow - plowing, shoveling, and wading through.

Hope you're warm and cozy tonight!

Working from a home office...

Do you work from a home office? Then you know just how difficult it can be some days.

For some reason, people think that when you work at home, you aren't really working. Sometimes even your beloved family falls into that mindset. Take today, for instance.

My husband, who is retired, is getting ready to go on the annual fishing trip to Montana. That means about 2 weeks of planning and packing in order to be away for 4 whole days. He thinks he's not bothering me with any of it... but somehow, having someone running in and out of the house all day looking for things really is an interruption.

About the time I've figured out exactly the right words to help promote a client's business, I hear footsteps overhead and the sound of someone rummaging around in the cupboards. The words fly out of my head and I go upstairs to help.

Then a very good friend called, asking me to go on an outing with her on Friday. She's retired too, so forgets that I need to keep fingers to the keyboard if I plan to pay the bills.

And then there's the neighbors. This afternoon our neighbor lady, also retired, came by to give me some plants for the garden. It was very thoughtful of her, but...

So, once again I've decided to quit fighting it. After the house quiets down tonight and my husband is fast asleep, I'll be able to concentrate and I'll get back to work. Then all I'll have to worry about is the cat jumping into my lap at an inopportune moment -- and the dogs reminding me that it really is time to go outside.

It's a very good thing that I am, by nature, a night owl.

How about you? If you work at home, have you trained family and friends to let you work during "working hours" or do you, like me, burn the midnight oil? Have you found great ways to cope with the "work from home" situation? If so, share...

OK, off to do stuff around the house until things quiet down...

Marte

P.S. If you've been sweating over how to get your emails read, go grab some great free information at emailpromosexposed.com

And of course, if you want some help with those emails, your web copy, a letter you need to mail, your personal brochure, or any other marketing piece, get in touch. Visit me at www.marte-cliff.com or email: marte@copybymarte.com

Why do you choose to open an e-mail?

Last week I wrote an e-mail promotion for a client who wanted to use the subject line: "Mother's Day Special." We did, and we got about a 15% open rate with a 6% conversion rate.

I'd like to increase her open rate on the next one and still maintain the good conversion rate. But how? I've thought about that a lot for the past several days.

What makes the difference between opening an email and deleting it without looking? The name of the sender, of course. And then the Subject line. We're all getting subject lines designed to trick us in to opening. Things like "Thanks for calling" and "Old friend found you." Those might get opened, but if you're like me, your annoyance at being tricked is enough to make you delete just as soon as you see it's bogus.

So what does work? I'd love to hear your opinions. What makes you delete without opening? What makes you open and at least give the message a glance? Was my client correct in stating that the email contained information about a special? Or should we have gone to a curiosity subject like "What does Mom want most this Mother's Day?"

What I do know for sure is that a steady program to build trust is vital. You absolutely must give your e-mail recipients something of value when you write. Not just a promotion, but information people can use. Then when they see your name in the send line, they'll open it to see what you have to say today.

After that, you have to be consistent. I've seen 3 or 4 internet marketers who started out well and have since fallen into the habit of "advertising only" in their emails. Now if they had something good to say I'd never know, because I delete automatically when I see their names.

So, do you have a rule of thumb? What makes you open or delete?

Looking forward to your answers,

Marte

Marte Cliff, Copywriter
www.marte-cliff.com