Direct-Response Marketing Copywriter Tom Trush | Advertisements, Website Content, E-mail Autoresponders, Sales Letters

Are Your Prospects Really That Different?

If your first response to a new marketing idea ever included the words “But MY prospects are different — they won’t respond to that,” then I encourage you to read my latest article on the American Express OPEN Forum.

The reality is prospects in all industries share several common characteristics. You’ll learn all about them here:

Want To Build Trust? Don’t Overlook These 7 Prospect Characteristics

As you might imagine, I want to drive as much attention as possible to this piece. The way you can help is by sharing the article on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+ — just use the buttons at the top of the article.

Of course, you can also post a comment.

I really appreciate your help. Thank you!

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5 Steps to an Appealing Opt-In Offer

An appealing opt-in offer — or what you give away to prospects in exchange for some piece of contact information — is essential in seeing a return on many marketing investments, especially your website.

Without one, you lose easy opportunities to collect, qualify and communicate with an ever-growing audience that wants to receive your marketing messages. Furthermore, you leave yourself in a dangerous and expensive position because you must always chase leads.

Understand, however, getting anyone to share personal information grows more difficult by the day. So you need an irresistible incentive your prospects can’t ignore.

Here’s how to create one:

• Step 1: Brainstorm your prospects’ most pressing problems. Why are they searching for solutions?

• Step 2: Determine your prospects’ desire outcome. How would their situations be different if the problem you can help solve wasn’t part of their lives?

• Step 3: Decide what you can offer to help prospects achieve their desired outcome. Do you want to share tips, strategies, methods, formulas, insider advice or something else?

• Step 4: Figure out the amount you want to give away. How much information is needed to provide value and still leave ample opportunity for follow-up?

• Step 5: Explain what your prospects can expect after using your information. If your prospects take your recommended action, how will their situations change?

E-mail addresses are the most common contact requests on opt-in offers.

For example, on business websites, you often see requests such as “Sign up for our newsletter” or “Sign up for updates.” Vague opt-in offers like these might have worked a decade ago, but nowadays you need a stronger appeal. If you offer a newsletter or updates on your website, include several benefits for joining your list.

Or, better yet, come up with a more compelling incentive …

If you’re a mortgage broker, you might offer “Insider Secrets to Protecting Your Finances and Getting a Low-Interest Mortgage — Even if You Have Bad Credit.”

If you’re a chiropractor, you might offer “3 Easy Exercises That Reduce Lower Back Pain in Just 10 Minutes a Day.”

If you’re an estate planning attorney, you might offer “How to Protect Your Assets and Plan Your Estate During Economic Chaos.”

Get the idea?

The bottom line is you must deliver instant value and give prospects a reason to look forward to your future e-mails. If you maintain contact and consistently deliver helpful information, your opt-in list of subscribers will become your most valuable marketing asset.

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9 Ideas for Your Year-End Marketing Makeover

That time of the year is near.

As 2011 draws to a close, you’re likely thinking about ways to improve on your achievements from the last 12 months. You may even feel a renewed enthusiasm for marketing your business.

If so, congratulations!

After all, now is an exciting time to play the marketing game because dropping big bucks on major media – just to get your message in front of eyeballs — is no longer necessary.

However, a major problem exists.

With so many tools, resources and shiny objects competing for attention, many business owners tell me they’re paralyzed by indecision. Information overload has left them wondering where to begin.

If you’re in this situation, keep reading. You’ll soon see several ideas for an easy marketing makeover. But before we begin, please understand …

If the content on your website and educational handouts is outdated (maybe even approaching antique status), start re-writing now. Failing to keep your content fresh is like covering up a grubby garage sale sofa with a slipcover and several sprays of Fabreze.

You can only disguise old information for so long.

As explained two weeks ago in my “Bad news from Google” audio recording, high-quality content is the foundation for effective marketing.

Content drives action. Without a steady stream of relevant content, your target audience has little reason to initiate contact with you … tell others about your stuff … or return for new insight.

Okay, now on to the marketing makeover ideas …

• Put your expertise on paper. Your prospects crave your knowledge. So don’t let your wisdom just sit inside in your head. Share what you know in written form so you’re perceived as a go-to authority in your industry.

• Re-activate people from your past. Now is the ideal time to contact clients who haven’t done business with you in a long time. If you haven’t maintained contact, they probably just forgot about you. So send them a letter with an irresistible, risk-free offer or a request for referrals.

• Monitor the media. Find reporters covering topics within your industry. Then contact them and offer your help as a source. Also, if you haven’t already, register for Help A Reporter Out (it’s free) so you’re notified when media members need a quote from someone in your industry. And don’t hesitate to send out press releases.

• Review your print ads. The truth is most print ads fail. Here’s why: http://www.writewaysolutions.com/blog/793/why-so-many-print-ads-fail/

• Audit your website. This 15-point checklist will help you through the process: http://www.writewaysolutions.com/blog/901/boost-your-marketing-message-with-this-15-point-website-content-checklist/

• Write an article (or many) addressing your prospects’ needs. Repurposing makes even a single article valuable. For example, you can submit the article to an industry publication, distribute it online, reformat it for a press release, offer it as a guest post on a blog, send it to your e-mail/snail mail lists, use it as a video script, post it on your website/blog, expand it for a special report, add it to an autoresponder, use it as a flyer, or leave it behind when you meet prospects.

• Engage your audience. When you survey the prospects and clients on your lists, you find out exactly what they want – and then you can deliver it. Also, encourage them to ask you questions. That way you’re seen as a helpful resource.

• Collaborate with others in your industry. Seek out and develop relationships with professionals who target an audience similar to yours. You can then share content, cross-promote to lists, record and distribute joint interviews, test ideas, exchange links, and hold each other accountable.

• Keep your marketing consistent. Taking a single stab at any random marketing activity will only leave you frustrated, especially if you don’t see instant results. Understand consistency is critical to marketing success. You’ll experience exponential benefits when you market on a regular basis – not just when you’re desperate for clients.

Please feel free to share this information with the people in your network.

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Get Sandi Krakowski’s Mind-Reading Secrets … for FREE

 

When you understand your prospects’ mindset and apply this knowledge to your marketing materials, you gain an instant advantage over your competitors.

After all, few will ever put forth the effort needed to gather this knowledge — much less apply it.

In past posts, I wrote about several tools you can use to tap into prospects’ thoughts and address their most pressing problems. But what I showed you are just a sample of the resources available.

In fact, I discovered several new tools after reading Sandi Krakowski’s book, Read Their Mind: How to Hear What the Marketplace Wants and Build a Huge Business. I first heard about Sandi, a copywriter and online marketing expert, last year on Twitter.

Since then, I’ve joined a few of her lists, followed her work on Facebook and applied several of her ideas to my marketing efforts. So when she launched her first book last month, I eagerly pulled out my credit card and reserved a copy.

Fortunately for you, Sandi now made her best-seller available for FREE. Download it immediately at http://www.arealchange.com/blog/read-mind-book-tour. (You can also order a hard copy.)

I finished reading the book in two days. Chapter 20, in particular, triggered a flurry of new list-building ideas.

Since I applied the first idea last Thursday, I’ve added new subscribers. But the bonus is the surge in website traffic …

Visitors from this new strategy average 13.35 page views. They also spend more than 9 minutes on my site.

Get Sandi’s book today.

By the way, Sandi is the best I’ve seen on social media. If you don’t download her book (and why wouldn’t you — it’s free?), at least follow Sandi on Facebook. You’ll get a great education on how to post, interact and promote just by watching her wall.

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Which is More Important When Marketing — Your Message or Your Audience?

If you had to pick between delivering a powerful marketing message to a large audience of people or selecting a small group of prospects to receive a poor marketing message, which would you choose?

My answer might surprise you …

I’ll take the small group of prospects and poor marketing message almost every time.

After all, when put in front of the wrong audience, even the most persuasive marketing messages get ignored. Of course, this fact goes against advice you often hear from sales trainers.

Many say you should play the “numbers game.” Get in front of more people and you’ll get more sales.

Sure, there’s some truth to this claim. But marketing to people who haven’t expressed interest in what you offer drains resources.

Remember, you can’t create desire where none exists — you can only deepen a desire that’s already present. Trying to convince people they need your product/service will only leave you frustrated and your wallet thinner.

Buying an ad in your local newspaper or magazine because you want your message in front of thousands of eyeballs doesn’t guarantee marketing success.

Neither does posting a banner on a highly trafficked website … mailing to large lists of nearby homes or businesses … growing a huge following on social media … securing a full-page spread in the Yellow Pages … or even buying a commercial spot during the Super Bowl.

The list could go on.

Before you roll out a major campaign, make sure the marketing medium you use reaches an audience that already expressed desire for your offer. You’ll be in even better shape if those same people already purchased a similar product/service.

Let me explain …

Imagine you’re a Chicago ticket broker with access to seats for pretty much any sporting event.

This season happens to be the year my beloved Chicago Cubs break the curse and play in the World Series. We’ve now reached Game 7 and my loveable losers are hosting the final game at Wrigley Field.

As a life-long Cubs fan, I try every trick possible to get two tickets to the game — but I’m unsuccessful. However, I decide to fly to Chicago, show up at the ballpark and take my chances at snagging a pair of seats.

You (being the smart marketer you are) realize many fans share my situation. So you also show up at Wrigley Field to sell tickets.

Within seconds of stepping out your car, you see me holding a flimsy cardboard sign expressing my desire to get inside the ballpark. So you walk over and show me two tickets.

Do you think a powerful marketing message is necessary to persuade me to buy your seats?

No way!

Even if you don’t mutter a word, will I still want your tickets?

Of course!

Now imagine you have those same Cubs tickets, but this time you show up 1,751 miles away at Sun Devil Stadium. The Arizona State Sun Devils are hosting the University of Arizona Wildcats, arguably the biggest football game of the year in Arizona.

Nearly 74,000 people are expected. So you set up outside the stadium entrance and begin promoting your Cubs tickets.

Even though hoards of sports fans are expected to file past you, is it likely you’ll get buyers?

Probably not.

But what if you have an incredibly persuasive marketing message? After all, Sun Devil Stadium’s capacity is nearly twice that of Wrigley Field. So you can reach about 33,000 more fans, many who probably enjoy baseball, too.

Obviously, even with the larger audience, the likelihood of a sale is slim.

Make sense?

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