How To Write Ads That Work

This is as close to a magic formula as you can get. There's a lot more to writing ads than following a formula, of course, but having this framework should get you well on the way to writing a competent, if not great, marketing piece.

If you've been digging around at the library and gotten into the archives of the masters you've almost certainly discovered the formula of AIDA = Attention, Interest, Desire and Action. that's a good start, but this is how it's really done.

As you write your piece, try to get into the head of your client or prospect. What exactly are they looking for and how would they benefit from using your product or service? Furthermore, how would they benefit by buying from you rather than a competitor. So.. give it a shot.

Just one thing.. make sure you budget a whole bunch of time - even a short piece can take a non-writer as long as 10 to 20 hours to get right.

Here you go:

1. Headline (the "Attention" part)
This is, by far, the most important element - this has to be a big, bold promise of some kind. Give them a reason to read the next line.

2. Sub-Headline.
Just as the purpose of the headline is to get you to read this line, the purpose of this line is to get them to read the next line. Plus, backing up the promise is really important.

3. Benefits (sort of today's version of "Interest.")
Use the benefits of your product (as opposed to features) to put your prospect smack in the middle of the picture. How should your customers feel when they're using it? How would they feel if they missed out?

4. More Benefits.
Skepticism is high these days; it takes a lot to convince people.

5. Proof.
Testimonials work. Amazing facts are always good. Easy-to-understand statistics help, too. That sort of thing. Prove that your product does what you say it will do.

6. Risk Reversal.
How about a money-back guarantee? There can be no risk whatsoever.

7. Photo.
This isn't required, but it will definitely increase your response rate. Show someone enjoying the product. Illustrate the benefits. Even a photo of you, which personalizes the piece and makes it seem real, helps a lot.

8. Offer. (Just one, though)
You have to offer something. It's amazing how many ads are produced without an offer. "It's important to get your out name out there," is the reason heard most often. Sorry - without an offer, your ad is dead. Nothing happens.

9. Call to Action.
You must ask your prospect to do something. Really! If the rest of the ad is reasonably well-structured, people will act - they'll take advantage of your offer and do exactly what you ask them to do. This is where your ad can become your best salesperson.

10. Reducing the Resistance to Accepting Your Offer.
It's that guarantee again. And it's OK to mention it more than once - reducing your customer's risk to zero is really important.

Now.. if you really want to kick it up a notch:

11. Create a Sense of Urgency.
Use language like: "Just five days left..," "Only 12 lucky golfers will..," "Take advantage today and you'll also get.." You know what I'm talking about, right?

So there you have it. Try writing a couple different versions and split up your mailing or post two different web pages to see which one draws responses. That's how it's done..

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About the Author: Mike Schwagler is a direct response copywriter with over 20 years experience in industrial sales and marketing (B2B) in a wide variety of areas, including highly technical and scientific products, product assembly and services. He's also worked direct to consumer with over 12 years in residential real estate sales. You can check him out at http://biznik.com/members/mike-schwagler.

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Trying To Write Compelling Salescopy? Play To Your Readers' Emotions...

Benefits show -- in detail -- how your product will solve your customers' problems, improve their lives, save them money, and so on.

In a nutshell, benefits answer the BIGGEST question on readers' minds: "What's in it for me?"

But how do you know which benefits to focus on? What are people searching for when they type words into a search engine and end up on your sales page? More importantly, why are they searching?

(Hint: it's not because they like to spend money on random sites on the Internet!)

The answer to "why" is the secret ingredient that lies at the heart of EVERY successful salesletter: emotional appeal.

People don't buy things for rational reasons. They buy for emotional ones. They want to feel good... hopeful... satisfied... proud... relaxed... acknowledged... secure...

... you get the picture.

If you can identify the underlying emotional needs your product or service satisfies, you can write copy that identifies with your reader in a very intimate way. In a way that says YOU understand them. That you've been there yourself. And that you've found a solution to the very problem their emotions are driving them to solve.

That's powerful stuff.

So how can you write emotionally-charged salescopy that connects to your reader? Start by looking at the problem your product solves. What's the underlying emotion it addresses?

Let's say you sell an eBook on 5-minute makeup tips. What problem does your eBook solve? The need to look professional in a hurry and without too much effort? What emotions are being catered to? Pride? Vanity? Laziness? All three?

Out of all human emotions, some are more powerful "sales" drivers than others. So the first step to writing emotionally-charged copy is to identify which "power" emotions are at the core of your product.

Here are seven power emotions that you can tap into, to write salescopy that converts the MAXIMUM number of visitors into paying customers...

Power Emotion #1: Fear of Loss

One of the most powerful human drivers of change is fear. Fear of losing those things that are most important to us. It could be our sense of security that's at stake. Our money. Our health. Or even our happiness.

When you identify fear, you can write salescopy that speaks to that emotion, and indicates how your product will overcome that fear.

Here are some examples of copy that recognizes fear and offers a solution to it:

• "Lose $3,000 tomorrow without this advice…"
  
  
• "Protect your computer from viruses that can wipe out your entire hard drive."
  
  
• "Selling your home? Avoid the top 10 mistakes that can cost you thousands of dollars!"

Notice how these examples use words like "protect" and "avoid"?

Just as there are power emotions, there are power words that correspond to those emotions!

What are some other power words besides "protect" that correspond to fear? Well, you can try words like:

• Save
  
• Secure
  
• Safety
  
• Clinch
  
• Red flag
  
• Defend
  

Keep in mind that when you identify negative emotions like fear, your ultimate goal is to show how your product or service takes away these fears.

Your job is to identify the fear that is there, relate to your reader based on that emotion, then provide relief from that unpleasant emotion. That's why the power words related to fear are positive.

Power Emotion #2: Greed

Greed is another powerful emotion that drives us to take action on our goals. Whether it's our thirst for money, security, fame, recognition, power, or just about anything else that we desire.

So how do you acknowledge these desires in your salescopy? And more importantly, how will your product provide them?

Take a look at some examples of copy that does just that:

• "We'd like to introduce the easiest, simplest, and most efficient proven method for you to make money... This revolutionary method is 100% real and effective, and it will make you increase your income about 90%, so you can make between $100 and $500 a day."
  
  
• "Club Sportiva gives you the keys to our private multi-million dollar car collection... letting you experience everything from the classics like a Jaguar E-type and Bentley to the newest exotic Ferraris and Lamborghinis."
  
  
• "Tired of scraping by, only buying products if they're on 'sale', living paycheck to paycheck? Discover how to break the cycle once and for all, and start living a life of luxury."

And here are some power words you can use to connect with your readers' inner longing for easy acquisition:

• All
• Amass
• Money
• Millionaire
• Monopolize
• Results
• Proven

Power Emotion #3: Lust

Lust is perhaps the most pleasurable of the power emotions. And who couldn't use a little more pleasure in their lives?

Some examples of salescopy that hand you lust on a platter:

• "In this section, you will learn a step by step process for how to win the game of love, so that you can immediately begin attracting the love of your life."
  
  
• "Learn the seduction secrets that will make women melt in your hands..."
  
  
• "Are you ready for a night on the town? Your best girl friends -- check! Money for cover charges and one drink -- check! Oh wait -- what to wear? No worries, FlirtCatalog has one of the largest selections of sexy dresses to put your mind at ease!"

Home in on this pleasurable emotion using some of these lustful words

• Compel
• Attract
• Love
• Delicious
• Tempting
• Enticing
• Charming
• Discovery
• Health
• Tempt
  

Of course, people can lust after things as well as people (like a Lamborghini!). So keep in mind that your product doesn't have to be focused on "getting the girl" or other types of people-related lust.

Power Emotion #4: Vanity

If your product caters to people's vanity -- pride in their appearance, abilities, and achievements reflected back by others -- you're in luck. It's another top-selling emotion.

• "If you want to be one of those women who always looks great no matter what you're wearing, no matter what your age...and even if you're not at your "ideal weight," then this will be the most important letter you've ever read."
  
  
• "In the last 10 years, we've helped thousands of men and women of all ages and fitness levels to look and feel their very best -- people just like YOU!"
  
  

In fact, whole industries are built around this need to look and feel our best. Let's face it. We can all use a boost sometime. And those products that appeal to our vanity can provide them.

Some other vanity power words include:

• Attractive
• Confident
• Magnetic
• Younger
• Stronger
• Beautiful
• You
  

Think about how your product or service caters to this power emotion... image consulting, exercise equipment, cosmetics, laser eye surgery, baldness cures... the list goes on.

Power Emotion #5: Pride

Do you feel pleasure when you know you've done something well? Feeling good about your accomplishments is what pride's all about.

To connect with pride, your ultimate goal is to show how your product will provide a sense of worth or accomplishment.

Let's take a look at a couple of examples:

• "Would You Want Your Name Written In The 'Largemouth BASS' Hall Of FAME? What if I could show you insider up-to-date secret techniques that will put your name in the history records like the old-school stars -- Kevin VanDam, Denny Brauer and Gary Klein?"
  
  
• "Now You Can Transform Ordinary Fabric Into a Handmade Quilt That Your Family and Friends Will Love, Admire and Cherish – Even If You Have Never Made a Quilt Before!"
  
  
• "Transform the book idea in your head into a completed and ready-to-publish manuscript in your hands."

The opportunities for identifying with pride are endless! Your pride power-words:

• Accomplish
• Master
• Transform
• Best
• Biggest
• Greatest
• Money
• Proven
• Results
• Envy

Power Emotion #6: Envy

You've worked hard all your life, but you're not even close to making that 6-figure salary you thought you'd be making by now. But it seems every time you turn around, there's someone else who is.

Ah, envy. Whether you've got it for someone else or you want others to envy YOU, it's a powerful emotion. And it's one of the top instigators of change.

Envy is the state of seeing others who have what YOU want. So if you're going to identify with envy, you need to be prepared to tell them how your product will give them what they're lacking. In a word, your copy needs to promise fulfillment.

Testimonials, examples, and personal stories inspire envy -- and give inspiration to take further action:

• "Your buddies will be AMAZED at your LUCK or so it would seem... If they only knew what you're about to discover..."
  
  
• "I was working a corporate job for almost 9 years. Finally I had it when my salary was cut by 30%... Today my life is drastically different. I work out of my home office in NYC. I gave up the suit for jeans, sweats and shorts. And I spend most of my day doing what I love: working out, shopping, volunteering and walking my dog Cheila. And I have already tripled my income this year working this business 20-25 hours a week."
  
  
• "Desperate Scrawny "Nerd" From Texas Humiliates The "Big Boys" At The Gym After Accidentally Discovering The Body's Hidden Natural "Trigger" For Blasting Through Rotten Genetics And Packing On Up To 3 - 6 - Even 9 INCHES Of Shredded Muscle...NOT In Years...But Just WEEKS!"

Here are some envy power words you can use:

• Desire
• Covet
• Begrudge
• Secret
• Ordinary
• Extraordinary
• People just like you
  

Just remember, envy is only a negative emotion if it doesn't prompt someone to take concrete steps to change whatever it is about their lives that isn't working for them.

And if your product can provide those steps, your customers need to know about it!

But first you have to capture their attention... by using genuine testimonials or personal anecdotes you can inspire a little envy, then go on to describe how your reader can achieve the same enviable state!

Power Emotion #7: Laziness

These days, there are a lot of things competing for our time and attention. Family, work, hobbies, giving back to the community... the list goes on and on. So products that can provide quick results with minimal effort are extremely appealing.

That's where laziness comes into play.

Laziness is the need for maximum results with minimum effort. And its allure is powerful.

Here are some examples of "lazy" copy:

• "Avoid the common fitness mistakes that waste your time."
  
  
• "How would you like to write your book in 3 days? Attend my Author's Boot Camp and get that book that you know is inside you out of your head and onto the paper in one weekend."

Your lazy power words:

• Instant access
• Save time
• In less than
• Break-neck speed
• Lightning
• Easy
• Guaranteed
• Roadmap
• Blueprint
• Avoid mistakes
  

Those are the top 7 power-emotions in a nutshell. Did you notice that salescopy from the same website came up in a couple of examples? For instance, the examples about writing a book covered laziness AND pride. Most copy will cater to more than just one type of emotion.

And there are natural combinations of these emotions, too: pride, laziness, and greed; fear, pride, and vanity; or envy, vanity, and laziness, for example.

So by all means, choose two or three to highlight throughout your copy and sales process. In general, any more than that, and your copy won't be as focused or effective as it should.

But remember, emotion is the element that will turbo-charge your salescopy, so think -- and FEEL -- like your potential customers.

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5 Tips to Become a Better Marketer

Let's start off by discussing what marketing is. According to the American Marketing Association (from Wikipedia)...

"Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. The term developed from the original meaning which referred literally to going to market, as in shopping, or going to a market to buy or sell goods or services."

The above tasks are by no means easy, especially now during our less than stellar economy. Marketers have fascinating yet challenging jobs that essentially boil down to making business work. I was thinking about a few things that marketers can do to help improve their game and wanted to share those things with you.

Stay up to date with technology

Technology is shaping how we market to and build relationships with our users. We have tools that let you communicate to the world instantly, social networks that allow you to build fan pages, applications that can tell what store carries a particular product and for how much, etc. As a marketer you need to be aware of the new technologies out there and how they could potentially impact how you do business.

Create conversations not broadcasts

Broadcast messages are dead, they are just too easy to ignore and tune out. Instead of focusing on creating broadcast messages to large groups of people, shift strategies and try to create conversations with your marketing tactics. The more flow of information you can create the better.

Communicating the new

It's no secret that the marketing landscape is changing. It's not enough to just want to be a part of the new type of marketing. You have to be able to understand why you want to be a part of it and how to communicate that to senior execs. Take twitter as a simple example. Would you be able to justify using twitter for business to your boss? Part of marketing is being unique and standing out, being the "purple cow;" the other part is communicating why and how you are going to become that "purple cow." Desire and ideas will only get you so far, you have to back up your actions and decisions.

Metrics and measurement

Part of being an effective marketer is the ability to show results. How do you do this? by identifying metrics that tie in with your marketing objectives and then showing those metrics increasing. How do you justify the cost for a billboard ad or a television commercial? How do you justify creating a facebook fan page or a twitter account? Learn how to use online analytics and measurement tools and make sure you understand how to correlate your metrics with your actions.

Listening and responding

As a marketer you should be keenly listening to, observing, and engaging in the conversations and discussions that are going on around your product or service. Pay attention to what your users want and don't want what they like and don't like. Technology has created virtually free ways for marketers to monitor their brand and create online focus groups. Much of the information a marker needs can be found online for free (or can be gathered). If your customers complain, listen, if they talk to you, respond. This is how you can keep your conversations from turning into broadcasts.

There are several other things that can be added to this list but I'd rather hear from you. What are some of your tips for becoming a better a marketer?


Source : http://www.mpdailyfix.com

Author : Jacob
http://www.jmorganmarketing.com

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Online Business Functionality

What Do You Want Your Online Business To Do? I'm sure you've heard the term Web 2.0 recently and wonder... What does that mean?

Well, "Web 2.0" refers to a perceived second generation of web development and design, that facilitates communication, secure information sharing, interoperability and collaboration on the World Wide Web. Essentially, Web 2.0 changes the way people use and interact with the web.

The concepts behind Web 2.0 have led to the development and evolution of web-based communities, hosted services, social-networking, blogs, Twitter, et cetera, et cetera. There are some really cool web companies coming online and doing great things.

As a business owner, you're probably thinking, "Web 2.0 means I need to spend even more money on my already oversized technology budget." Well, we're here to help.

With Web 2.0 we need to change some terminology. Instead of talking about your "web site" let's talk about your "online business". The technology changes to the web have changed the way web sites work, or at least, should work.

nstead of having your web site simply display your telephone number and physical address, web sites are now living working extensions of your business. Your web site should be more proactive and work hard to:

* Amplify Your Voice
* Automate Your Customer Service (Self-Service)
* Sell Products Online
* Generate New Leads
* Build Your Community
* Build Customer Loyalty
* Amplify Your Voice

Amplify Your Voice

One of the best ways to amplify your voice is through Blogs and Email Marketing. Good content addresses your customers' information needs, and search engines love good content. It also gives your business a human touch.

Automate Your Customer Service (Self-Service)

How many customer phone calls do you get asking about the same thing? And, how much time is spent answering the same question? Every web site should have a section that focuses on Customer Service. It is important your web site has an FAQ section, Webforms and Workflows and Secure Zones to help your business automate your customer service.

Sell Products Online

Building eCommerce web sites and selling your products online was once a very expensive, time-consuming adventure. The cost to develop online shops has gone down dramatically. If you want to sell your products online, there is nothing standing in your way. Online shops are a great way to expand your business' reach and product offering.

Generate New Leads

Your web site should offer users an option of getting in touch with you. Webforms and workflows help ensure your web site is converting users to new leads.

Build Your Community

A good business will always have a community of dedicated customers. With your online business, Blogs, Forums, Comments, Customer Databases help to build that community and keep it strong.

Build Customer Loyalty

Building customer loyalty is a lot harder than it seems. It takes incredible focus to make sure your customers are loyal. Your web site needs to help you do just that. Targeted Email Marketing, Comments, FAQs are all aspects of your online business that should be working for you to build that loyalty.

Businesses must embrace the strengths of the web and use it as a platform. Make your web site, your online business, work for you!

Oh, and if you need a great web site design and development company to help, let's talk. We'll take you by the hand and provide good guidance. We give concrete ideas about suitable design, what functions your web site should have, and strategy to help you achieve your business goals. We take the time to help our clients prioritize their goals so that we can provide you with a great solution.


About the Author: John Sullivan - After 5 years as the Interactive Director for a fortune 500 company, Bullsprig was started by John Sullivan in 2003. Since then, we've done a lot and learned a lot. We take pride in being partners with major companies, small start-ups and everything in between. Our work has won national and international marketing awards.

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Work On Your Web Content And Your Content Will Work For You

Effective website content can generate targeted traffic, improve conversions, increase average sales value, and even increase customer retention levels.

It's no secret that website content plays a pivotal role in generating traffic; virtually every marketing website and SEO newsletter extols the search ranking based benefit of keyword optimised content.

However, content that concentrates solely on keyword densities and extensive keyword lists is often bereft of character and may be doing more harm than good – you can generate as much website traffic as you like but if your content doesn't effectively convert traffic into bottom line sales then your business will suffer.

You Can Improve Rankings With Good Quality Content

Website content CAN improve rankings, but improved search engine positions do not have to come at the expense of poor quality content.

Use your researched keywords but add inflexions as well as semantically, or topically, related keywords. Throw in a collection of Search Engine Presumed Synonyms (SEPS) and you have the ingredients to write high quality content that will perform in every way.

Convert Visitors To Customers

Writing good quality web page copy isn't enough to ensure you get conversions. The copy needs to sell and it needs to sell to your target market.

If you don't know or understand your target market then you should start researching and really get to know the people that will be visiting your website. Effective copy should also give visitors a reason to buy your products or pay for your services and to do so immediately.

Generate A Buzz

Word of mouth marketing has been one of the most effective forms of marketing for small businesses and service providers for generations.

Websites can benefit in a similar way but on a much grander scale. Offer something of genuine value that causes intrigue, answers a question, or offers credible and useful information. Not only will your visitors appreciate it and be more likely to trust what you say but they'll also be inclined to tell others with similar interests. The end result could be the type of viral marketing you only dreamed of.

Enjoy Greater Average Sales Figures

If you're adequately tracking your website's performance then you should have a good knowledge of the average sales value your site generates. The greater the average figure, the more you can afford to spend on design, development, marketing, and other website and business improvements.

Your return on investment will be greatly improved if you can provide content that persuades visitors that they need to buy a handful of products rather than one. As well as offering discounts or offers such as free shipping for orders over a certain value, directed content can help towards this end.

Gain Greater Customer Retention Rates

The most successful businesses are those that retain their customer base. This is true whether you're selling products or services, whether you're promoting your own products or those of an affiliate program.

A returning customer costs you less in marketing, improves your website ROI, and increases your sales figure. What's more, a returning customer that's happy will already be sold on the service that you offer; they will trust you and believe your word.

Offer useful and insightful tips and articles on how to get the most from your products or services and always provide a high level of after sales customer service to enjoy the best possible customer retention rates.

About the Author: Matt Jackson - WebWiseWords is a website content writer providing content writing and SEO copywriting services that are geared towards improving all aspects of your online business. Entireweb.com

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