How Copywriting Helps Build Your List 3 Ways

by CathyG on April 17, 2012 · 0 comments

When I surveyed readers recently, one question that kept recurring was list building.

In fact, when you market online, the topic of lists is a little like age, weight or money: sensitive and often deeply disguised. If you don’t believe me, just try to put together a joint venture with a requirement for minimum list size, unless your dealing with people whose marketing power is so BIG you don’t need to ask.

When clients hire me for an Espresso session, they often raise concerns about list-building. Some have been told they need to do more navel-gazing to pick the perfect niche. Others have been presented with complex, arcane methods I never fully understand.

A lot of the mystery behind list-building comes from the confusion between content creation and copywriting. Any words and graphics that fill your website, ebook, blog or even Pinterest – that’s content. When you create content with the intention of motivating readers or listeners to that, you are copywriting.

Here are 3 things you’ve probably been advised to do. When you create copy – the content that motivates readers to act – you make it happen.

(1) Coaches frequently advise clients to use blogging, article marketing and forum posting to build lists. A great idea … but that’s a lot of content to create. Copywriting teaches you to make one piece of content do the work of three – and I blogged about it here: http://budurl.com/multipost

(2) Need a juicy giveaway to motivate subscribers to sign up for your ezine? Think of creating a compelling non-hype-y headline that makes prospects say, “That’s me!” and then following up with a strong introduction that resonates with your reader’s emotions.

(3) Once they’ve downloaded your info, you’re not finished. At this point you’re not selling products: you’re selling interruptions. You persuade readers to interrupt their peaceful day to read your message. Each section calls for a headline. Your writing is designed to motivate readers to take action, rather than read the way they’d devour a murder mystery or thoughtfully peruse a text.

If you’d like to explore your own opt-in system and get some inspiration and ideas, let’s share an Espresso: http://budurl.com/espressocall

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Authentic Copywriting: Alternatives to Biting The Gold

by CathyG on April 14, 2012 · 0 comments

The Olympics will be held in London this summer ( I’m following the women’s  team of USA Basketball, which includes several members of “my” WNBA team, the Seattle Storm). You can bet that after the medals are distributed, we’ll see photos of top winners biting into the gold. Supposedly that’s a test to see if it’s authentic.

We’re hearing a lot about authenticity these days on the Internet, because

– many people are getting tired of hyped-up, sales-y copy that gives them a headache, and

– increasingly business owners describe themselves as “conscious entrepreneurs,” even when they offer straightforward, left-brained services.

Not being a gemologist, I don’t know if biting into a medal tells you anything.  But as a copywriter, I have several ways to see if your copy passes the authenticity test, and I’ll present just two of them here.

(1) Authentic copy focuses on the client.

That’s why “write the way you talk” advice can lead to copy that gives exactly the opposite effect of what you intended.

Let’s face it: conversations with friends tend to be one-sided. Hopefully friends don’t listen with the question, “What’s in it for me?” poking around in their brains.

It’s also why I don’t recommend branding on a personal quality, such as having curly hair or being blond.  Those examples may seem extreme but they are based on real people who hopefully are not reading this post.  Most of the time the mistake is more subtle.

Let’s say someone suggests you brand yourself as a maverick.  (I actually got this suggestion myself awhile back.) How does being a maverick make you better able to serve your client? If you depart from mainstream principles in your practice, how do you deliver better results? Those are the questions I’d want you to ask.

So what are some positive examples of authentic branding?

Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero promises to deliver “Red Hot Copy.”  That’s not about Lorrie: it’s about what she creates copy that’s on fire – and that brings results – in a distinctive way. (We talked about copywriting together in a recent program on Copywriting Secrets.)

Lisa Steadman is “The WooHoo Woman,” but it’s not about her. She works with clients to create “woohoo” experiences, using her solid background in corporate America where she managed Mattel’s Barbie branding for many years. Lisa’s brand is so strong that once you hear her speak or watch some videos, it’s hard to hear someone else say “woohoo” without thinking of Lisa. She even has an exuberant, woo-hoo personality!

I was so impressed with Lisa that I persuaded her to offer a bonus call for the workshop you can attend starting May 10. As she would say, “Woo hoo!”

(2) Authentic copy is about showing, not telling.

One of the most powerful, under-utilized ways of communicating authentically is to paint word pictures, so you take your reader into the world you want to create.

Suppose you offer a healing technique to reduce tension. You could say, “Enjoy more calm and peace than ever before.” Or you could say, “This technique will stop a tantrum-throwing child in mid-scream. She’ll be sound asleep in less than 15 minutes.”

“Conquer stage fright” is abstract and bland. Instead, you can encourage your audience to imagine how they’d enjoy standing in front of 200 people, feeling as comfortable as if they were presiding over the family dinner.

If you read a lot of copy that sounds inauthentic, hype-y and sales-y, start counting the adjectives and adverbs. I’ll bet you’ll find lots of words and not too many word pictures.

And …

To explore the ways to create authentic copywriting and discover how these techniques will help you attract more targeted clients, sign up for one of my caffeinated consulting sessions! Get the info here.

 

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Best advice from a marketing mentor

by CathyG on April 13, 2012 · 0 comments

OK, it’s a survey … what’s the BEST advice you ever got from a marketing mentor? And what’s the worst (if you are willing to share)? No need to mention names!

f you don’t see a place to comment, click on the title of this post. Clicking on the word “comment” should work.

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Want your online marketing to stand out? Go underground for buried treasure.

by CathyG on April 12, 2012 · 3 comments

Since moving to Philadelphia, I’ve been taking improv classes and becoming a part of the comedy community. One of my instructors shared some wisdom you don’t hear often.  He emphasized that some comics depend on “blue” subject matter and other topics that you’ll hear about when you visit the sophomore class of a college fraternity. There’s a place for this humor, he said, but it’s lame if you’re relying on the whoopie cushion factor to carry the scene.

In the same way, a lot of online marketing copy relies on hype-y phrases and tired old promises to carry the message. As a copywriter, I often use proven phrases that can seem formulaic. If you want to get a handful of phrases and structures for your own copywriting, I recommend purchasing Words That Sell by Richard Bayan

But just adding a few hot phrases to your copy won’t help you make more sales. That’s like adding a few touches of blue humor to a blah comedy act and expecting to sound like Jay Leno.

(1) Dig for buried treasure.

When I work with clients, our time together is just the tip of the iceberg. I read blogs, notes, testimonials and even page 23 of a website. You’d be surprised what’s lurking back there.

For example, one of my earliest websites was created for a logistics consultant.

His specialty? Finding more room in a warehouse so business owners didn’t have to make new capital investment in order to grow.

What made him unique? Buried deep in the website was a hint. He was able to accomplish his consulting with just one visit to the client site.

Wasn’t that a negative? I wondered. After all, a lot of clients figure the more hours you spend ,the more value they get.

But he set me straight. When a consultant visits a factory, he or she creates a disruption. Production lines halt. Managers have to drop what they are doing and start showing the visitors around. Additionally, the client also pays travel time and expenses.

Now we had a hook. This benefit went right on the home page. In his case, the benefit was credible because he had so many years in the industry and had won all sorts of rewards.

(2) Identify the blog posts that resonate with your market.

Recently I came across a business coach who specialized in motivation. Frankly, I dismissed her as a resource because her home page was ho-hum.

I’m not sure how I got on her mailing list and I kept meaning to unsubscribe. Then one day she wrote a brilliant, creative, “knock ‘em out of the park” newsletter, with a copy in her blog. That’s what belongs on her home page, I realized. I’m still debating whether to write and tell her.

My own blog posts have been guiding my branding strategy. For instance, I recently wrote a post, “Why Your Mother Is Not Your Copywriter.” That post drew comments as well as Facebook mentions. Needless to say, I’m paying attention.

(3) Listen to your own teleseminars and conversations with clients.

For many of us, the act of speaking to a live audience will bring forth ideas, phrases and opportunities we weren’t aware of. Sometimes an audience member or client will ask a question and you realize, “Yes – I do know the answer!” At other times you find yourself changing the content of your talk as you speak and you feel your audience resonating.

Of course you also get follow-up comments and feedback from these events. Since you are attracting participants who are already interested in the topic, and open to learning from you, this hidden treasure will be especially valuable. Keep your notes in a place where you’ll remember to look when you’re writing copy for home pages, programs and future products.

If you want to learn more about applying standard, proven techniques, you can grab the Copywriting Secrets home study course, based on a workshop I co-presented with world-famous copywriter Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero:
http://www.SwipeFileSuccess.com

Of course, I’m available to support you as you develop your own online marketing presence:
http://budurl.com/espressocall

 

 

 

When creating home page copy, it is important to stand out from the pack in your industry. Remember this motto: If you pass the 50-person test, you’ve failed  “Standout Strategy.” Need a refresher? Return here:

Now let’s fine-tune this strategy.

You can always stand out by doing something wild, off-beat and even obscene.

 

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12 hard-nosed standout business strategies from Jeff Bezos

by CathyG on April 10, 2012 · 0 comments

Many business leaders see Jeff Bezos as the successor to Steve Jobs as the top leader of American business. In this Forbes article, Bezos shares 12 business strategies that would be extremely valuable to any of our businesses. You can read the original article here: http://onforb.es/IecA49

For example -

“Determine what your customers need and work backwards.”  We could put this on a sticky note on our computers and reaview it every day.

“If you want to be inventive you have to be willing to fail.”

“This is Day 1 for the Internet. We still have so much to learn.”

Some of these strategies seem to conflict with what we’re hearing from the gurus, such as “There are two kinds of companies: those that try to charge more and those that work to charge less. We will be the second.” However, I think he’s not suggesting that everyone should charge less: he’s advocating that we take a position and be clear on it.

Enjoy the full article here.

Just as a reminder … if you’d like your own customized “standout strategy,” check out the Espresso Consultation here.

What do YOU think? Write your comment below. If you don’t see a place to write comments, click on the title of this post. You will be taken to a new page where you can add a comment.

 

 

 

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Why your website copywriting fails when you pass the “50 people” test

by CathyG on April 10, 2012 · 0 comments

What’s the “50 people” test? That means at least 50 of your competitors – businesses who offer the same thing you do — could have the same home page copy as you do … sometimes without changing a word. And that means you’ve failed the “stand out from the pack” test that leads to connecting with targeted clients.

For example:

Do you feel that you keep working hard but just don’t see the results you hoped for?

Do you love what you do but hate marketing because it feels SO inauthentic?

Are you tired of working REALLY hard but not seeing results?

If these questions sound familiar, you are not alone. You probably have seen these questions – or very similar versions – over and over on coaching websites. I’ve picked on coaching but no matter what you field, you’ll find the same challenge.

What’s wrong with these questions?

– They don’t introduce your unique personality and style.

– They don’t show how you’re different.

– They don’t resonate with clients who are jaded from working with dozens of other coaches.

Why do we keep seeing questions like these? My hunch is that many of these business owners are hiring business coaches who are very good at the “what” but not the “how.” Many business coaches are frankly bored with fine-tuning words, phrases and bullets. Often they haven’t been trained themselves.

If you’re working with a coach who claims to be wildly successful, chances are she’s not writing her own copy anymore (if she ever did). If she IS writing her own copy, something is wrong and she should call me immediately. ;-)

Many coaches will advise you to have 3 to 6 “pull” questions on your home page. That’s not a bad idea. But they won’t tell you how to phrase the questions. And frankly, to someone who’s not sensitive to copy the way a musician picks up an off-tune trumpet, these bullets seem just fine.

So how can we make them better?

(1) Rephrase your pull questions as, “Can you relate to these scenarios?” Then you can include several juicy scenarios, such as:

“You’ve worked with 5 mentors and 4 home study courses and you are still struggling to get past $20K a year.”

“You’re too busy seeing clients and following up with prospects to update the website you’ve outgrown.”

(2) Forget about pull questions and promote irresistible solutions.

“Attract dog-loving clients who are motivated to create the best dog companions in the world.”

“Create your own army of advocates who fight for your success (so you reach your goals faster and more effortlessly than you ever believed possible).”

(3) Make questions specific to your target market.

“Are you still struggling to get more clients with the same box of tools you used five years ago  (and you feel overwhelmed when you try to learn what works in today’s market)?”

“Do you want to stand out from your competitors in your industry (but you’re afraid you’ll come across as hype-y and sales-y if your websites doesn’t look like everybody else’s)?”

I hope you noticed that these examples would require a lot of soul-searching if you write them yourself and a lot of research and strategy when you hire a copywriter (although copywriters sometimes work a lot faster because they have more practice). These examples were just spun from my brain. With a client, I’d write at least a dozen – maybe 25 or even 100 – to reach the pull questions that differentiate you from the competition in a meaningful way.

If you’d like to create some stronger pull questions of your own, so you no longer pass the “50 people” test, let’s start with an Espresso call: http://budurl.com/espressocall

We will also talk about this topic in my teleseminar on April 26: http://budurl.com/chatapr26

and in May I’ll be offering a workshop to help you infuse your unique personality – and selling points – into your online copy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Why Your Website Might Resemble An Easter Egg

by CathyG on April 7, 2012 · 3 comments

copywriting and easter eggsDo people still decorate Easter eggs? When I was a child, we had school projects about decorating. Back then people were less sensitive to differences of culture, at least in my school. So everybody was expected boil eggs and dip them in food coloring.  We also didn’t have video games, so there was less competition for our attention among our young minds.

Since I don’t have kids I rarely see an Easter egg up close. But the analogy occurred to me when I was answering some questions last week from clients and prospects.

(1) Websites, like Easter eggs, rarely last forever.

After working with dozens of business owners to create a compelling, “stand-out” online presence, I’ve discovered that the most constant success factor is willingness to change. Your website may need change because …

…your market has changed. Your followers no longer respond eagerly to the promises you made a few years ago. Sometimes your services become obsolete or attractive only to a specialized segment.

– Your business has grown.

– You no longer have time to offer services that you made available when you started. For instance, many consultants and coaches no longer offer free “Discovery sessions” to anyone who asks. Some screen prospective clients; offer no free sessions at all.

– You added larger-scale services you didn’t know how to offer at an earlier stage.

– You want to play on a bigger stage and your website needs to reflect your new role.

– New technologies allow you to manage your online presence more effectively.

For instance, WordPress used to be the baby chick of the online world. You’d use WordPress for blogs and small, start-up websites. The idea was that you would graduate to a real, full-blown HTML website.

The truth is, you can create anything in WordPress that you can create in HTML. I recommend WordPress because it’s so easy to get help.  Not only will you pay less for tech support (and you’ll rarely need it), but also you’ll find qualified low-cost resources luring on fiverr.com and other low-cost centers.

In fact, WordPress is so straightforward that I can offer clients an affordable Express package of a basic website and copywriting – something that was unthinkable at an earlier time.

(2) Websites, like Easter eggs, are fun to decorate, so it’s easy to forget what’s under the shell.

It’s not hard to find websites with magnificent design and the equivalent of an unsalted hard boiled egg underneath. After all, design is fun! Clients often begin a consultation with, “I haven’t chosen colors yet!” The truth is, you’ll find your colors and logo as you create the content and work with more clients … effortlessly.

(3) Websites, like Easter eggs, can be hidden away and found only during a treasure hunt.

The most challenging part of a website is standing out from the pack and getting traffic. Surprisingly, you can get high page ranking and targeted traffic by creating compelling, relevant content. Some of my own sites and pages have landed on page 1 of Google for popular search terms … when I wasn’t really trying.

Finally, even when you peel a boiled, fresh Easter egg, you rarely have a meal. You need to supplement with side dishes or whatever people serve with boiled eggs these days (unless, of course, you are a body builder on a very rigid diet – I just met one in my gym).

Similarly, your website needs to be part of a strategic plan for online marketing.  It’s not enough to put up a site. You need to direct visitors so they can’t help tripping over it, instead of being forced to go on a treasure hunt.  You’ll need to think of ways to get traffic and I’ve created another post on this topic.

When I work with private clients, often we discover the plan as we create the content. There’s something about creating the copy that makes the rubber meet the road (if you’re following me, you know I love this phrase). Ideas start bubbling. If you’d like to get started, join me for an Espresso Consultation.  Prepare to find some hidden treasure you hadn’t anticipated … even if you’re not looking.

Please leave a comment about today’s post and (if you like) share how you’re spending this weekend, with or without a holiday theme. If you don’t see a place to leave comments, just click on the title of the post and you’ll be directed to a page where you can add your own thoughts.

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Copywriting: 3 Ways to Add Authenticity To Your Website and Sales Letters

by CathyG on April 5, 2012 · 2 comments

When I first started copywriting, I was very concerned with “authentic voice.” If you had asked me,  I would have said, “Your website needs to sound like you.” Now I would say, “When you set up your website and sales letters, in an ideal world, prospects will say, ‘You sound just like your website!’”

That’s different.

Your website words may differ from the words you would use in conversation; your sales letters can be quite different. That’s not surprising: after all, we add our own voice as we read and we hear the same words differently when we listen. In fact, we hear differently when we listen to a public speaker.   That’s why your website or sales letter may sound like “you” when you work with a copywriting program or even hire a professional copywriter.

(1) Recognize that readers will assess authenticity based on your online personality. That’s not the same as your brand. Often your brand will become clearer as you develop your online personality.

Brands have personalities – even big brands like the soft drinks and detergents. One exercise that’s used by marketing students is, “Imagine this brand were a person. Would you expect to find it at a party or a neighborhood bar? Would it be the life of the party or an introvert, sitting in a corner?”

Some experts will disagree, but I believe your online personality doesn’t have to be exactly like your offline, behind the scenes personality. In fact, I think your clients would be happier not knowing that you just locked your keys in the car or spent several years in a destructive relationship. If you’re a professional organizer or relationship coach, you may want to share these stories after you’ve conquered the underlying challenges: you frame your experience as a success story.

(2) Choose words and phrases that are consistent with your professional online personality.

If you’re an “in your face” personality, you will choose words and phrases that will conflict a personality like “girl next door” or “earth mother.”

You also can choose what to report in social marketing. For instance, I know one marketer who presents a gentle, supportive personality; supports conscious entrepreneurs; and posts warm and fuzzy “feel good” quotes on Facebook. Another marketer will share stronger opinions and photos taken at outdoor events.

(3) Avoid using stock images of people, especially photos that show up everywhere.

When you use these photos in sales letters (in moderation) and blog posts, readers understand, “They’re just illustrations, like arrows or bullet points. They break up the text.”

When you use the photos on your website, especially your graphic header and about page, you send a message, “I’m like everybody else.”

If you’d like to learn more, be sure to sign up for my next teleseminar April 26:
http://bit.ly/apr26call

Not everyone will agree with the contents of this post: what do you think? What is your biggest question about branding, brand personality and authenticity?  Add a comment below. If you don’t see a place to write comments, click on the title of the post and you will be directed to a new page, showing only this post.

 

 

 

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What A Copywriter Can Tell You About Adding InfoGraphics To Your Marketing Mix

by CathyG on April 3, 2012 · 0 comments

You may hear the word “infographic” [information graphic] coming up more and more these days. What’s an infographic and why might you need one? I didn’t pay attention till Copyblogger created an infographic, 22 ways to create compelling content when you don’t have a clue. The first part of this infographic has gone viral on Pinterest; I even repinned it myself. It’s here: http://www.copyblogger.com/create-content-infographic/

What is an infographic?

According to Wikipedia and other sources, it’s just a visual representation of “information, data or knowledge.”  A pie chart or bar chart with good labels would be an infographic.

Why are we seeing more idiographics these days?

People are getting more visual these days. Some information is easier to communicate graphically rather than textually.

As a copywriter, here’s my take on infographics:

The information must be direct and relevant. An infographic with boring, useless information won’t do much.

Successful infographics are simple and use illustrations to make their points. Almost anything can be presented as an inforgraphic. However, I believe that great infographics present information that’s easier to grasp as a graphic

For example, many of us will find it easier to differentiate our Starbucks orders with this infographic rather than a listing: http://lokeshdhakar.com/coffee-drinks-illustrated/

This info could be presented with text but it makes a bigger impact visually: http://thechrisvossshow.com/how-big-twitter-is-in-2012-infographic/

This infographic seems to be working against itself. The info is good but hard to read; the dancing labels in the lower right just add confusion. http://www.princeton.edu/~ina/infographics/weapons.html

Another will be hard to read and the graphics don’t contribute much to your understanding:  http://thechrisvossshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/tumblr_lq9xuxFVS61qanrvyo1_1280.jpg

This “How Google Works” infographic has been wildly popular, with good reason. The graphic suits the topic. The authors are admittedly biased; they want to communicate, “Google is complicated and we can help you get through it!” The full-size version of this infographic is quite readable.

How you can use infographics

  Make sure the top part of your infographic can function as a standalone symbol that can be embedded in blogs and Interest. Add the panel to your Pinterest account.  Here are 3 ways to learn how to use Pinterest  for business:

  When you present your infographic, make sure to include code and permission so others can embed your infographic. The code is just straightforward html for a live clickable image.  Include your name or logo. You don’t want to copyright: you want to everyone to include it!

 Keep your infographic easy to read. Avoid jamming a lot of info together and using white on black, colored type or confusing layouts. The idea is to draw readers into your info graphic and make the information accessible.

Where to use your infographic:

your blog post (just don’t overdo)

your Pinterest account  (3 ways to learn Pinterest)

your sales page for your signature system

Where can you get an infographic? I’ve seen listings on fiverr.com and would start there, as well as the usual low-end sources: guru.com, Rent-a-Coder, and Craigslist. Some graphics firms specialize if you’re seeking a higher-end version.

What do you think? Is there an infographic in your future? Click on the link below to comment. If you don’t see a place to comment, click on the title of this post and you’ll be taken to a new page.

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It’s An Online Marketing Emergency: Who Will You Call?

by CathyG on April 2, 2012 · 0 comments

It was the kind of nightmare every homeowner dreads. My ceiling started dripping. Either the roof was coming down or my hot water heater – which was due to be replaced a week later – had decided to fight back. It was a Saturday night. Needless to say, I am clueless about anything electrical or mechanical – not especially good qualities in a homeowner.

Fortunately the company where I’d ordered the hot water heater had an emergency line. A neighbor got the water turned off and the plumbing company reassured me: I was okay till Monday.  What a relief! Just having someone to call – someone who could identify danger signals  and assure me that once I’d taken certain steps, I was in the clear.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have that kind of on-call service on call for your online marketing? Of course when you’re online, you get a lot of missed opportunities, minefields and mini-disasters.  I’m told that the Chinese ideograph for “crisis” combines disaster and opportunity – just like most website marketing.  For example:

Monday: You’re offering a new product and you think this new offer might take you in a new direction. Do you need a new website? New domain name? Just a page? And what’s the best way to handle the opt-in?

Tuesday: You wake up to find a message in your inbox, inviting you to be a guest on a teleseminar … if you can be ready by next week.  You need to create a bio, topic title and 10 questions.

Wednesday: You realize you have a networking lunch on Friday and your cards aren’t back from the printer. You’ve just created a new program and you want to be sure you share at this live event. Maybe you should create a flyer but what should you include? What does a flyer look like?

Thursday: You hear about a new program on the market and a new product that sounds really good. You wonder … are they all they’re cracked up to be? It would be nice to have a way to evaluate them objectively (and you’d save a bundle if you avoided buying something useless).

What’s the solution?

Of course you could sign up for a Platinum type program, for $850 – $1500 a month at the low end. You’d get a couple of calls each month, maybe some group meetings, and almost always some e-coaching.

But if you’d like to skip the icing and go for the cake,  you probably get the greatest value from e-Coaching. Mine is called the Coffee Pot because a lot of people hire me for a single shot of Espresso Coaching, which comes with a week of e-coaching. They then decide they want to get access to the whole coffee pot.

I’ve got a special on right now – good for another week – and slots are going quickly. I can only work with 6 e-Coaching clients at a time and when those slots are gone, there’s nothing I can do without adding extra hours to the day.
When you join me for an Espresso Consultation, sign up for the Coffee Pot within a week and take $200 off your Coffee Pot Coaching. Learn more about the Espresso Program here.

The Coffee Pot starts here.

You don’t just get solutions; you also get peace of mind. As the MasterCard commercials say … “Priceless.”

 

 

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