That’s why I put together some time-tested and proven tips and strategies designed to give you a big boost in growing your business.  I think you’ll find a lot of value from the quick-read ideas presented in “Profit-Rich Marketing: Proven Strategies to Help You Grow Your Business,” which are designed for easy implementation.

The practical marketing approach and proven strategies will help you to:

• Create the Marketing Mindset
• Create Explosive Growth in Your Business
• Utilize Marketing Secrets of the Masters
• Measure Marketing Success
• Design Profit-Rich Marketing Materials
• Write Copy Like the Pros
• Build Your Online Money Machine
• Drive Targeted Traffic
• Use Blog Marketing to Build Your Business
• Monetize Your Social Media Marketing Efforts

Get more details on my “Profit-Rich Marketing: Proven Strategies to Help You Grow Your Business” and leave us a comment to let us know some of the ways you’d like to improve your business.

You can learn more in three days by going to a trade show than you can in 3 months, or even years, of just searching.  The key is selecting the right show to get the best bang for your buck…

You must decide on the goals for exhibiting before you decide to invest.  The best questions to ask are:

1. What does it cost you to get a lead?

2. How many of those leads will convert to customers?  Another way to say this is, what is the conversion rate?

3. What is the profit on the upfront sale?

4. What is the long term value of the customer?  That is truly the most important question.

If you cannot benchmark and estimate the answers to those questions you cannot make a rational ROI decision on investing in a trade show.  Other questions can be… Are you trying to influence people to purchase? Supporting a brand? Trying to get leads? Trying to make a sale? Get Publicity?

There two main types of shows:

1. Consumer Shows: This type of show is for you if you need to make a sale, be where the consumers are, and reach consumers in a different manner than you would normally.  If you are trying to reach consumers directly with a product or if you are trying to do market research then you need to go to a consumer show.
2. Trade Only Shows: If you are trying to reach multiple channels at once, you should go to a trade only show. You’ll have the influencers, the purchasers and the buyers from different companies all analyzing and evaluating different products. You can talk with other vendors to find out what magazines they are reading, what other trade shows they market in, and how they’re marketing their products to the same audience.

For this blog post, I’m going to refer to Trade shows (Industry specific B-2-B), but you can easily relate the same ideas and concepts to consumer shows (open to the public B-2-C).

Once you’ve decided between a consumer trade show or trade only show, you will need to choose which one to attend. Keep in mind, you may want to exhibit at both types of shows depending on your marketing strategy. Here are some tips to help you decide on the right show for your business:

1. Check the history of the show to see how many vendors they had the last couple of years to make sure it’s a good show.
2. Understand what audience will be there. Are they going to bring speakers to the show? Is there a curriculum that’s going to bring people in? How much pre-show marketing are they going to do? If you know the size and demographics of the audience, you can make an informed decision on whether or not this show is worth your time and efforts.
3. Contact vendors and other people who have exhibited at past shows. Try to get ahold of people who are trying to reach the same audience, but who aren’t direct competitors, and ask them if they thought this particular show was effective.

A lot of people don’t take advantage of the accelerated learning and marketing opportunity trade shows offer. Make sure you identify your goals and do your research before choosing which trade show to attend. Once you’ve chosen the right trade show, there are several things you need to make sure you do before the show and during the show to make sure it’s a huge success.

In future blog posts, I will reveal several secrets to successful trade shows, but until then… if you have a question or comment enter it below.

90 Ways to Grab hold of Your Customers’ Emotions and Move them to Take Immediate Action

90 ways to Relate to your Customers so Well You Freak Them Out

90 ways to Seduce Prospective Customers and Get them to Go On a Second Date

90 ways to Use Emotional Charm to Sweep Customers Off Their Feet

90 ways to Break Down the Wall Between You and Your Prospective Customers

90 Ways to Slay the Emotional Dragon and Win the Heart of Your Customers

90 Ways to Hook Your Prospective Customers Using Emotions as Bait

Clients are always asking me, “How do you get customers to buy more?”

My answer:
You must connect with them on an emotional level. People make purchases based on their emotions, and once you have created an emotional bond with a customer you increase chances of getting repeat purchases from that person. If you tell a prospect your product or service will make her so attractive that nobody – man or woman – who passes by will be able to stop themselves from staring at her in awe and amazement (or with eyes full of envy) you will turn that prospect into a customer. Then, if you deliver enough added value to that customer, she will come back again and again and will become a loyal customer who will even refer her friends to you.

So how do you provoke a desired emotion in a prospective customer and get them to take action? You must make sure your copy addresses certain motivational buying triggers. I made a list of 90 motivational triggers. You’ll notice that all product/service benefits fall into one of these categories. I’m sure there are many more motivational triggers that need to be added to my list, so let me ask you: For what other reasons do you think people make purchases?

1. Satisfy Curiosity
2. Make Money
3. Save Time
4. Avoid Effort
5. Achieve Comfort
6. Enjoy Health
7. Be Popular
8. Gain Pleasure
9. Enhance Enjoyment
10. Feel Clean
11. Be Praised and Admired
12. Be In Style
13. Satisfy an Appetite
14. Own Beautiful Possessions
15. Attract the Opposite Sex
16. Be Independent
17. Emulate Others
18. Take Advantage of Opportunities
19. Get a Surprise
20. Be Successful
21. Make Work Easier
22. Gain Prestige
23. Be Sociable
24. Express Creativity
25. Be Efficient
26. Protect Oneself and Family
27. Protect the Future of a Family
28. Be a Good Parent
29. Be Liked
30. Be Loved
31. Express a Personality
32. Be In Fashion
33. Avoid Embarrassment
34. Fulfill a Fantasy
35. Be Up To Date
36. Own Attractive Things
37. Collect Valuable Things
38. Satisfy the Ego
39. Be First At Something
40. Enjoy Exotic Tastes
41. Live In a Clean Atmosphere
42. Be Strong
43. Be Healthy
44. Renew Vigor and Energy
45. Get Rid Of Aches and Pains
46. Find New and Rare Things
47. Be More Beautiful
48. Win the Affection of Others
49. Satisfy Sexual Desires
50. Bring Back Pleasant Memories
51. Be Lucky
52. Live Longer
53. Feel Important
54. Gain Knowledge
55. Be Recognized As an Authority
56. Enhance Leisure
57. Save Money
58. Have Security in Old Age
59. Overcome Obstacles
60. Do Things Well
61. Get a Better Job
62. Be Your Own Boss
63. Gain Social Acceptance
64. Keep Up With The Jones
65. Appreciate Beauty
66. Be Proud Of Possessions
67. Resist the Domination of Others
68. Relieve Boredom
69. Gain Self-Respect
70. Win Acclaim
71. Win Advancement
72. Seek Adventure
73. Satisfy Ambition
74. Be Among the Leaders
75. Gain Confidence
76. Escape Drudgery
77. Gain Freedom from Worry
78. Get On the Bandwagon
79. Get Something for Nothing
80. Escape Shame
81. Avoid Effort
82. Protect Reputation
83. One-Up Others
84. Replace the Obsolete
85. Add Fun to Life
86. Work Less
87. Relax
88. Avoid Criticism
89. Avoid Physical Pain
90. Avoid Trouble

Like I said, I’m sure there are many more motivational triggers, and as an experienced marketer I’m always open to feedback.  So, I hope you can now go review your copy, see what motivational triggers you have used (or should have used), and let me know what you think so I can add your ideas to my list. Post your additions in the comments box below.

Think about your role in the marketing process?

Are you an Executive, Marketing Director, Entrepreneur, business owner, or sales person? … Regardless, “The Profit Rich Marketing Show” will help you increase your sales and profits!

Here are some Keys get you on track.

Check your (BS). Belief System. Is your BS supporting you or getting in your way?

What about your Self-Talk… That constant voice in your head… Is it mostly optimistic or pessimistic?

You’ll also want to Overcome F.U.D.(Fear, uncertainty and doubt-that can keep you stuck-in-a-rut of inaction or analysis paralysis.

My mindset as a marketer started at age 15 when I started my first business. It was a painting company and you can imagine the challenges I faced, especially since I was earning minimum wage, living on my own in the “projects-paying $17 a month for government housing.

I still remember my first customer lead. A prospect called asking for a quote to paint the interior of their home…I was so excited… whoo hoo!

One little problem. I didn’t even own a paint brush!

So I went to the local paint store and asked for help from the manager. I said “if you help me, I’ll buy all my paint and supplies from you forever.” At first, he was reluctant and didn’t take me seriously. I suppose I wasn’t the model businessman. Age 15… long hair… army jacket. He went over to the shelf and opened a can of paint, dipped a new brush and then started spackling me with paint.. He said, “If you want to be a painter-you’ll have to look like one!” He gave me a clipboard, calculator and instructions. I was set…or at least I thought I was…

I drove to the prospect’s house, walked up to the door and was about to knock… when that little voice in my head said, “Hey, what are you doing? You don’t have the skills, experience… You aren’t old enough, Smart enough…”

That self-talk wasn’t helping much. Then my other voice kicked in! “What have you got to lose? Go for it !” So I knocked on the door.

A man answered and we went through his house room by room, with him telling me what he wanted. “Oil based here. Semi-gloss there, Fix the cracks in the ceilings, Glaze the windows…”

My mind was racing… “Oh my god, What am I doing now”-but I just wrote it all down. I told the man I’d have to go back to my office to prepare the quote and that I’d be back in 30 minutes. My Office… Right.. J

I returned to the paint store and the manager helped me prepare the quote. Back to the prospects house I went. Walked up to the door again and just as I was ready to knock… that little voice said, “just go home… forget about it…” F. U. D!

Something possessed my hand, and I knocked! The door opened and this time the man’s wife was home too. Great!

She took one look at me and stepped behind right her husband.

I handed him the quote and said…, “The total for the painting job is $1,025. I need 50% up front… and 50% on completion”

There was the longest pause in my life. He took a look at me, took a look at the quote, and said, “Do you have any experience?” Being a street-smart kid, I replied “Here’s how we work… if you’re not 100% satisfied with the work we perform, then you don’t have pay!”

The wife said, “Honey… Write the boy the check!… And he did!”

I got to my car and sat there staring at this check for $525. That was more than I earned in a month… and I’d done it in about an hour. I thought, This is so cool! I’ve got to learn more about marketing and making money! By the end of the first year, I was making $35,000 with three crews with an average age 40 years old. This was 1976 – That was a lot of money for a teenager!

The main point is that it’s not your circumstances, experience, marketplace, competition, or products that determine you’re overall marketing success…. It’s your mindset!

This brings us to the next point…

There’s really no such thing as Money Problems… only a lack of ideas. If you want to increase your profits, then increase your creativity to generate more money-making ideas. Subscribe to the RSS feed to be automatically notified for Part 2.

It was 8:00 o’clock on a Thursday morning. I arrived at my office to find my email in-box filled with orders worth over $70,000 dollars…  It was a great way to start my day!

Earlier that week, I’d launched my Marketing Mentorship program by sending out a 3-part email series to my customer list.   The first email mentioned that something big was coming soon-that was the teaser…  The second email sent one day after that…  was the reminder message…, and the third email, was the actual sales letter with links to the special landing page.

Now, I’d experienced this type of success and even better ones many times before… for generating sales leads;  growing ezine subscriber lists;  and selling a wide variety of products and services, with prices ranging from 9.00 to $90,000 dollars. “Make money while you sleep”….they said… “Grow your business exponentially by leveraging the power the Internet… they said… And I listened!”

Now-there were many voices-some good-and some full of hot air… but through testing and tracking… and testing again, I was able to formulate and perfect many methods to get more visitors to our sites.

I’ve been marketing on the internet now for over a decade… My company, Prime Concepts Group owns and operates over 100 websites for our products & services, and many more for our clients around the globe… and if there’s one thing I’ve learned… be careful of anyone who claims to know everything about the internet, or internet marketing, pay-per-click, search engine optimization, or any subject for that matter…  The culture and behavior of internet users, along with the search engines are constantly in flux and you’ll want to adapt or you’ll get left behind.

Even experienced Internet Marketers-like me-are quick to tell you to test everything in the sales process; track the responses you get: and measure the conversions and everything you do to make sure it’s effective!  Even in this fast changing environment, there are proven Internet marketing strategies that have worked repeatedly to produce profitable results… and that’s what today’s show is all about!

Oh… and just in case your curious… this isn’t a blog posting about technology… it’s about communication and adding value…

The ideas and concepts I’ll be sharing can be used by the novice, the techie, and the corporate executive.   They apply to entrepreneurs, small businesses and corporations and for not-for-profit organizations… A couple things for sure, you don’t have to be a techno-geek to understand everything… but you will want to take good notes!

The next suggestion is to split your notes into two categories… one half for “Aah-Haa moments” and the other half for “Action Steps“.  That way, when you review them you’ll have a clear plan of action!  Are you ready?  Let’s go!

Think about your last big purchase…  Did you use the internet-either for research or to buy something?  What was the last thing you purchased from a website?   What are your favorite sites–and why?  Make a list of the top five that you visit and after watching the video above, go visit them through the mind of an “Internet Marketer”   I’ll let you know what to look for…

The next important concept is to “get inside the mind of your prospects.” Get to know their behavior and habits.  How do they buy?    What factors influence their buying decision?  Over the years, I’ve worked with entrepreneurs, small businesses and major corporations to improve their sales and profits.  Through that experience, it was common for some of them to under utilize the main stages of the buying process.   Keep in mind that the actual purchase is just ONE stage.

Sure… this concept of *stages* applies to all types of selling, but especially for the web–where you’ll most likely need CONTENT to address each stage in the buying process.  This not only helps your site visitor have an improved experience, but it also helps the search engines catalog you as a good reference.

Subscribe to the Blog RSS Feed and check out www.InternetProfitKit.com for more resources on using Internet Marketing to Grow Your Business.

Post your questions about growing your business or improving your marketing performance below. Thanks!

We’ve may have never met, but I bet a major portion of your business comes from referrals. It comes from satisfied customers who talk about your work with their friends, colleagues, and people on the street.

Why not take the power of those satisfied customers and use it to help new prospects decide to spend their money with you?

There’s no better way than to showcase your work and build your credibility than through testimonials, case studies, and endorsements. These can be displayed in your offices, included in your marketing materials, used on your website, and featured in your advertising.

Building trust and credibility are major factors in the buying process. Although the use of customer testimonials may seem ridiculously low-tech in today’s world of big-budget marketing campaigns, it is a proven and successful method that really works for companies of all sizes. If you’re not including customer testimonials in every aspect of your marketing, you’re more likely to lose sales unnecessarily.

Imagine how easy it would be to differentiate yourself from the competition if a prospect saw your “Wall of Fame” in your office. The “Wall of Fame” approach is simply a prominent wall or display space dedicated to framed letters, photos and testimonials. I know one company that took a photo of every satisfied customer before they left the premises. They attributed an increase in sales of at least 30 percent to their efforts.

Think about how powerful your website would be if you included testimonials on your homepage, “About Us” page, and product detail pages. You can also add a testimonial submission form on your website where customers can go and send you their feedback.

Don’t forget testimonials in your traditional marketing either. If you’re sending out a direct-mail post card for an upcoming promotion or special event, include a couple of powerful testimonials. Don’t try to cram in too many, just one or two well-written, specific endorsements of your products and services will suffice in most cases. The more expensive the product or service, the more testimonials you’ll want to use.

Testimonials can really punch up your print, TV and radio advertising too. Look around and see how often TV and radio commercials feature testimonials, or how often you read them in print ads. They are everywhere in successful marketing because they work.

In essence, your customers are helping you make sales through third-party endorsements.

Testimonial Tips

A testimonial is a brief statement of satisfaction from someone who has done business with you (usually satisfied customers or vendors). Customer testimonials can take many forms. The best is a video testimonial—perfect for creating a demo video to loop on a TV in your shop or for your website.

The next best would be an audio testimonial, great for websites or your music-on-hold systems. Another great format would be a photo testimonial with a written endorsement. And finally there’s the simple written testimonial that can be used as part of your sales brochures or advertising.

Testimonials don’t need to be long, but they do need to communicate value. For maximum effect, they should describe a specific and measurable benefit. It’s best if you can include the person’s and/or the firm’s name, but this may not be practical, depending upon your business. You can always say “a leading supplier” or just use their initials or first name.

Avoid non-specific testimonials because they don’t create as much credibility. They may be sincere, but generic “you’re terrific!” notes don’t express specific benefits.

How Do You Get Testimonials?

This is the hard part… you just ask! It really is that simple. When you’ve completed a new or especially noteworthy transaction, ask that customer to fill out a feedback form.

Or you can mail a form along with a thank you letter, but it’s usually easier to get their input while they are in your store. Remember, you can use a video camera, digital camera or voice recorder to capture the gems. There are no excuses; you can pick up a video camera for a couple hundred bucks or even use your cell phone camera, making the cost negligible.

Soliciting and using customer testimonials increases credibility, builds buyer confidence and helps you grow your business. Start today and make it your mission to compile your arsenal of testimonials.

What do your customers hear when they’re put on hold?

Neither you nor your prospects get anything of value when your customers are left listening to music… and having them listen to a radio station isn’t much better. Chances are they’re not even hearing music, just commercials. Worse still, they may end up hearing a commercial for a competitor! Putting callers on hold and leaving them in complete silence can leave them thinking they’ve been disconnected and they’ll hang up.

If you’re not using your “music-on-hold” system to promote your business, you’re missing out on significant relationship-building opportunities.

Maybe in the past you played with the idea of having a custom “on-hold” message, but figured it’d be too hard to set up or too expensive, but these days nothing could be further from the truth!

There is a vast selection of top-quality “on-hold” message systems available for businesses of all sizes and budgets. You can compare features and prices at just about any major brick-and-mortar electronics store, as well as on dozens of “music-on-hold” websites.

The custom options for “on-hold” messages can be summed up in two words—variety and affordability. There are “bare bones” setups starting around $50, all the way up to multi-line, multi-message units designed for larger companies.

If you’re a mom-and-pop-size business, then an entry-level single-line, music-on-hold unit may be enough for you. These can be used by anyone wanting to provide music or custom messages to callers placed on hold. Just plug in your phone line from the wall, your single-line telephone, and a sound source (CD player, MP3 player, computer sound card). To place callers on hold, just push a button; to remove hold, push button again. It’s that simple.

Digital “on-hold” players are great because you don’t have to worry about wear and tear on your tape-recorded message—it’s stored on a digital memory chip. It will sound exactly the same even after a year or more of playing to your callers. And again, many units let you use your own audio source like a CD player, an MP3 player, or your computer. And if there’s a power outage, most digital units automatically reload when power is restored.

Some equipment for “on-hold” systems you can purchase, others you lease under contract. Be careful leasing though, as with some companies you may end up paying much more for that player over time than it’s actually worth. Costs vary with the systems and your requirements. Some “on-hold” companies have subscriptions that require a monthly payment (even if you only update your message once a year); others let you purchase a one-time program with nothing more to buy. Word to the wise… do your research.

Technology options aside, the most important part of your “on-hold” system is the message.

I’m sure you already know this, but just as a reminder, content is king, so it’s important that you craft an informative, benefit-driven marketing message for your “on-hold” audio. Messages should be about 10 to 30 seconds long and mention the benefits/solutions your business provides.

I recommend recording a loop of two or three different “messages,” each separated by music. This way you’ll have a variety of messages for callers to hear, reducing the chances of them always hearing the same recording.

Make sure your recordings are fast-paced, to the point, and dynamic (like a real conversation and not a robot reading from a script!). Other points to keep in mind include:

• Assure prospects that a representative will be with them as soon as possible.
• Every message should end with a quick statement of appreciation for the customer’s call.
• Change your messages periodically. If you offer special promotions and sales that change frequently, you’ll need to update often. Change your “on-hold” message at least once a year.

There are hundreds of “music-on-hold” companies online that for a fee can sell you the equipment, help you write your script, provide the voiceover talent and help you find the right music too. You can visit their websites and listen to samples of “on-hold” messages to get an idea of what you need.

There will always be times when you have to put a customer on hold, but there’s no reason why it can’t be a win-win situation for you and your prospect. If they’ve got to be on hold, don’t waste their time playing music or commercials for other businesses.
Whether you go the “do-it-yourself” route or pay a professional service to create your messages, the important thing to understand is that you definitely need a custom “music-on-hold” system as part of your relationship-building and marketing program.

If you’re still not convinced, let me leave you with this: one recent telephone marketing survey showed that custom “on-hold” message systems can increase sales by as much as 26%.

Wouldn’t a double-digit sales increase make your day?  If you want to hear the Prime Concepts Group on hold marketing message just call us.  Of course, it’s our goal to make sure that you aren’t on hold very long, if at all, in the first place, but when you are, you get helpful information that makes the time on hold speed by…

What do you think?  Post your comments below.

Yes. Most people already know how to do it!

That’s because most people already know how to tell stories… and storytelling is was great copywriting does. The reality is that if you can talk, you can write great copy. In part two, we continue our journey into the psychology and copywriting strategies that are used by the pros to generate millions of dollars in sales. We’ll explore more of the secrets that will help you craft compelling copy. One of the most critical – if not the most critical – elements you must master to be a great copywriter is the headline. Did you know that on average, five times as many people will read a headline as read the content of your copy? Unless your headline sells your product or service you may have wasted 90% of your money!

Why? Because it doesn’t matter how great your offer is, how compelling the body copy is, or what a bargain your price is. If you have a lousy headline, no one will read further to discover the other stuff. The headline also sets the tone of the copy, and puts the reader in a certain mindset before she even begins to read.

Let’s suppose your headline is something like:

How Badly is Your Lawyer Ripping You Off?

The reader is likely approaching the copy with an expectation of finding out something her lawyer doesn’t want her to know, with an expectation of uncovering ways that she can save some money.

So assuming your product can address these issues, your prospect is already predisposed to your offer before she’s read the first sentence! And that’s a pretty strong position to be in.

Your job is to grab your prospect’s attention. Anyone who is not a prospect isn’t important to your copy. For example, let’s say you are selling some kind of insurance for motorcycles. A good headline for you might be something as simple as:

ATTENTION MOTORCYCLE OWNERS!

Naturally anyone that doesn’t own a motorcycle will likely skip your ad. So what? You aren’t writing for everyone – you’re writing for qualified prospects.

Headlines and subheads help you get the prospect’s attention. They entice to into reading the rest of the message. This is more important today than any other time in advertising history because prospects have never been so distracted before, so bombarded with information, and so overwhelmed with stimuli.

There are probably as many different permutations of headlines as there are copywriters. But I believe that they can be grouped into some major categories. Each of these types serves its own purpose, depending on the product, service, concept or idea you are promoting.

You will likely find a type that you gravitate to, and it works well for you. That’s fine; you are naturally going with your strength. But be open to using other types occasionally, as the situation calls for them.

Types of Headlines

The Question Headline: Do You Make These Mistakes in English?

The News Headline: Amazing New Medical Breakthrough for Fat Loss

The Benefit Headline: Lose 30 Pounds in 30 Days!

The Scare or Fear of Loss Headline: Act Now or Miss this Chance Forever!

The Intrigue Headline: Can You Pass the Prosperity Test?

The Testimonial Headline: “My Hair Started Growing Back in two Weeks!”

Headlines are not the only assault weapon in your arsenal of attention-grabbing actions. Subheads allow you to expand what you’re doing with your headline. You can bring in other elements, or simply continue what you started with the headline. Here’s a couple examples using some of our earlier headlines, but adding a subhead this time around:

Lose 30 Pounds in 30 Days
Wear your new bikini next month!

Can You Pass the Prosperity Test?
Or are you destined to remain poor your whole life?

This next technique comes from my colleague and master copywriter, Bob Bly, to help you Rate and improve your Headlines using the 4U’s.

Please write down the words: Urgent    Unique    Ultra-Specific    Useful.

Then write these two headlines: “Free Ezine Subscription”

Leave a couple spaces… then write: “Get Targeted Traffic And Higher Sales …In Less Than 27 Days”

Now, using a scale of 1 through 4, with 1 being the weakest and 4 being the strongest, rate each headline according to the 4U’s.

“Free Ezine Subscription”
Is this headline Urgent? On a scale of 1-4? Nope. I give it a “1.”
Is it Unique? Hardly… another “1.”
Is it Ultra-Specific? Maybe a “2″ because you know it’s free and
an ezine, but what is it about? Probably a “1″ or “2.”
Is it Useful? Score another “1.” It’s not useful because you don’t
even know what it’s about.
The total score for this headline is only a 4 or 5 out of a possible
16. Not very good.

Repeat the process on the other headline…

“Get Targeted Traffic and Higher Sales… in Less Than
27 Days.
Is this headline Urgent?
Is it Unique?
Is it Ultra-Specific?
Is it Useful?

Sure it’d be great if all of your headlines scored 16, but it’s not about having all 4U’s in all categories. Use them to help improve your headlines and you’ll get better results.

Practice writing headlines using the six different types of headlines. Add subheads if you’re feeling especially creative!

Then look at your current marketing materials and website. Review your headlines and go rate them using the 4U’s. They don’t have to score all 4U’s, but this method will help you see were you can improve your headlines.

Easing Prospects into Your Body Copy

You need headlines that make the prospect read your subhead. And you need a subhead that makes them want to read your opening paragraph. And you need an opening paragraph that makes them want to read the next paragraph and the next. Every paragraph has the same function; to pull the reader through to the next one.

For most copywriters, the opening of a sales letter or ad is the hardest part. Once they get into the flow of the copy, they do fine. Many copywriters take a few paragraphs getting “warmed up.”

Unfortunately, those few paragraphs are likely to be the ones that drive away a large percentage of prospects.

No matter what medium you’re working in, your prospects are busy, skeptical, and distracted. Many open your sales letters over the trash. They scan a page in a magazine or newspaper before they commit to reading it. Their fingers are on their computer mouse ready to click or on the TV remote, just waiting to punch a button.

You don’t have time to warm up. You’ve only got a few seconds to grab them by the collar, throw them up against the wall, and shout, “This is important to YOU! Pay attention now!”

So that has to happen first with your headline – and then in your copy lead-in.

What’s the best way to cut right to the chase, and grab the prospect without meandering around, warming up?

I learned this secret from legendary copywriter and my business partner Randy Gage. You’ll want to start with one of his six body copy lead-in templates. Use any one of them, and you are immediately into the copy narrative. Once there, the copy will flow naturally. All are effective; it’s simply a case of deciding which one is appropriate for the offer that you are making.

Randy’s surefire body copy lead-in templates are:

• The Burning Question(s)
• The Invitation
• The “Behind the Scenes” Story
• The “YOU” approach
• The Take-Away

Here are some examples:

The Burning Question(s): “First, two questions, if I may…”
You can use one or more questions… but no more that three in most cases.

The Invitation: “You’re invited to be one of the first in your area to receive…”

The “Behind the Scenes” Story: “It was 8:00 on a Thursday morning. I arrived at my office to find…” or “Well it happened again. I proposed a marketing strategy to a new client who told me it wouldn’t work.”

The “You” Approach: “Executives like you are a very special breed. You’re the kind of person that…”

The Take-Away: “Odds are that you don’t even qualify for the offer I’m about to make. But on the slight chance that you do…”

So let’s review. First, if you’ve ever told a story to your friends or family, you have the makings of a great copywriter. Use these simple techniques to help paint a mental pictures of the joy the prospect will get by purchasing your product, or the hardship he’ll continue to endure without it.

You have a system now for writing effective headlines, subheads and lead-in body copy templates. Use the 4U’s to rate and improve your headlines too.

You don’t have to have a degree in English to be a copywriting pro! Practice, evaluate, and keep on practicing! You’ll know you’re copy is working when your prospects convert to customers.

I get asked that all the time and always tell the person the same thing: Yes. Chances are you already know how to do it!

That’s because you already know how to tell stories, and great copywriters are great storytellers. The key is that you just have to learn the proper structure, and “unlearn” all the stuff your elementary and high school teachers taught you about writing.

If you ever made up a story for your children, you’re a copywriter. If you’ve ever gathered with friends as a teenager and told ghost stories, you can write copy. Great copywriters simply paint visual pictures of events. Events that happened in the past, events that may happen in the future, or events that won’t ever happen – unless you buy their product.

You either paint the picture of the joy the prospect will get using your product, or you paint the picture of the hardship he will continue to endure without it.

Why?

Because people love stories. No one is interested in dry facts and statistics about your product, but they’ll be captivated by copy that tells them how your product will impact their life. And the more emotion that you bring into that story, the more compelling it will be to your prospect.

The reality is, if you can talk, you can write great copy.

Your job as a copywriter is to get into your prospect’s head and learn intimately what is causing him a headache. Put yourself in your prospect’s shoes and find out what is keeping him awake at night. Then, if your product or service can help him – tell him that in no uncertain terms.

A plain, rational ad with all the logical reasons why your prospect should buy may not be enough. You’re going to need to break through the clutter of other marketing messages; the clutter in your prospect’s mind and his possible denial and apathy.

That requires copy with emotion – usually charged, and sometimes confrontational.

Master copywriters tend to be curious about life. They read a great deal, like to travel, have a variety of interests, find other people interesting, and they are very good listeners.

To be a great marketing copywriter understand that you should write like you talk - not in formal, perfect English, but in a clear, conversational style of writing.

There is no “right” way to write copy. The only real outcome you are looking for is “effective” copy. By that I mean copy that leads the prospect to buy your product or service. The more you write copy – the better you will get at it. As long as you practice your skills will improve!

A Few Copywriting Basics

You must become an expert on your product and service before you can attempt to write about it. You need to know your customers. Who are they? How to they behave? How to they buy? Make a list of the questions that you think the prospect has about your products/services. Write to one specific person in your target market.

Identify the inherent emotion in the situation. Is it fear, success or something else? Make a benefits list of your product or service so you’ll know how to capture attention.

In addition to these tips, here are 15 basic guidelines that develop these ideas a bit deeper. These are just guidelines. In part two of this article I’ll cover writing interesting headlines, subheads and body copy, but for now, get familiar with these steps.

15 Copywriting Tips

1. Benefits come first. Benefits are inherently about the prospect; the things he or she will get if they purchase your product or use your service. When you write about benefits, you’re writing about how the prospect will lose weight, get more energy, re-grow his hair, make money, save money, or find a way to bump off his mother-in-law without getting caught. The most effective copy leads with benefits, and validates with features. Features are the things about your product or service, such as “it has 300 hp,” “it contains 15 special vitamins,” or “open 24 hours.”

2. Validate with features. Benefits are personal and emotional – pride, satisfaction, prestige. Features are facts. A car’s 300-hp engine is a feature, it’s fast acceleration and feeling of exhilaration is the benefit. It’s critical that you understand the difference between benefits and features.

3. Create a compelling offer. Tell the whole story using “word pictures,” metaphors or stories to highlight the prospect’s problem and the solution your product/service provides.

4. Brain dump your first version, then edit later. If you attempt to edit while your being creative you’ll interrupt your flow. Let it all flow out during the creative process, and wait to edit and evaluate it later.

5. Write for ‘scanners’ and ‘readers.’ Use both short paragraphs, paragraph headings and bulleted lists for prospects who scan mailers, and longer, content-filled paragraphs for people who prefer to read your every word. You’ll need both types of copy to get both types of prospects to read your copy.

6. If you make a claim, be prepared to prove it!

7. Use bold, italics and underlining sparingly. The only purpose of the formatting is to help the reader get through the message. Abuse it and it loses its impact and is hard to read.

8. Use “flow devises.” Things like dramatic fragment sentences, split paragraphs at the bottom of the page, etc. keep your prospects reading.

9. Reveal a minor flaw. We did this with an inventory overstock and sold $25,000 in one weekend. When we placed orders for CD sets, there was a mix up on the purchase order and we ordered 1,000 instead of 500. So I wrote a sales letter e-mail on a Friday telling my list that they could benefit from our mistake and buy them at cost if they ordered in the next 24 hours.

10. Ask for the order. Use specific language and action steps to guide the reader to your desired conclusion – the sale.

11. Give an incentive to ‘act now.’ Offer a limited-time lower price, an extra gift or bonus, free shipping, etc. to sweeten the deal for your prospect.

12. Talk in “YOU” terms. Always write copy toward the prospect and their needs. Don’t fall into the “I” or “we” trap.

13. Present benefits before price . Don’t rush to name the price before you’ve told you’re your prospect why your product or service is so terrific. When you do reveal the price, briefly justify it.

14. State your guarantee after price. Guarantees reduce the prospect’s sense of risk, and aren’t used as often as you might fear.

15. Raise questions and provide answers. Think of probable questions your prospects might have, and then provide answers. An example could be “You’re probably thinking… how much does this cost?”

Other Copywriting Strategies to Consider

Give your copy “news” value - don’t be afraid to write it as if it was a newspaper article, a TV Special Report, an advertorial, catalog, magalog or even an infomercial. A great way is to model great copy used in another industry or medium. Just keep yours eyes open and pay attention - million-dollar ideas for copy are all around you!

I know we’ve covered a lot of ground already, so let’s end part one here. Think about what you’ve read and try putting these tips into practice on your next copywriting project. Remember, you’re telling a story… and the more often you tell it, the better you’ll be at it.