Archive for Selling
Most copywriters and marketers would agree that if you could read your prospect’s mind, you could be a lot more successful writing copy for – and selling stuff to – those prospects.
Because you’d know their world.
You’d understand their pain.
You’d know their deepest fears, and you’d understand their highest aspirations.
So how do you do that? Here are 7 practical tips. They sound simple, but when you actually use them their impact can be profound.
- Learn everything you can about your prospect. If you’re in direct marketing, it’s easy: just look at their data cards. When you have demographics, you can infer a lot about the “average” person who represents the group. If you don’t have that kind of data… guess. It’s a lot more accurate than what most marketers do (which is: they don’t bother with any of this stuff).
- Imagine yourself living your prospect’s typical day. Go through it step by step – from rising out of bed in the morning to getting back into the sack at night. Use all five of your senses: what do you see, hear, feel, taste, touch and smell? Make notes.
- Think about their biggest fear – the one that wakes them up at 3 in the morning in a cold sweat.
- Think about their highest aspiration – what do they dream of? Not the little dreams (the ones we all tell our buddies), but the big dream in their “secret heart” (the dream that they don’t dare tell anyone).
- Go where they live. Find a neighborhood that is like your prospect’s and walk through it (driving doesn’t work – looking at it through a window is just more TV… nice to look at but not REAL). Talk to people.
- Read what they read. Read their magazines, newspapers, blogs and Twitter.
- Watch what they watch. Watch the TV shows your prospects watch. Especially the ones that don’t interest you.
If you do this, you’ll develop the apparent ability to read your prospect’s mind.
And you’ll sell more.
But something funny about this is: you’ll also most likely care more. And that’s far more important than any selling technique.
The world’s a funny place, ain’t it?
Many people want to know the “magic formula” is for writing web site and ad copy that sells.
If you’re one of those folks who would like to know that formula, I have some disappointing news: there isn’t one.
“But Ray,” I hear you say, “Haven’t you yourself taught several different copywriting ‘formulas’?”
Yes.
But.
They are not “magic” and they don’t work universally.
What a formula can do is give you a basic structure on which to hang your “argument” (your logic for why someone should buy your stuff); what the formula cannot do is somehow magically compel people to buy something they don’t really want or need.
What a formula can’t do is teach you the fears and aspirations of your readers, so that your persuasion power comes from the point of intersection between your audience’s needs/desires and your product’s features/benefits.
Only you, as an empathetic writer, can do that.
Just when I thought I’d seen it all…
I came across a website today for something called “Laughter Yoga”.
My first question was, “What the heck is ‘laughter yoga’?”
Turns out it’s exactly what it sounds like.
People get together in a Yoga-class type setting, and they LAUGH.
There’s even a “Laughter Yoga Home Study” set, which is a bunch of DVDs that will set you back $195.
I kid you not.
Now after a little Google research I found out that doctors and patients say that this weird kind of yoga relieves stress and anxiety and could even strengthen the immune system.
It seems kinda like a stretch to me, but a lot of people swear by it and are willing to pay their hard-earned money for it.
Just Google “laughter yoga” and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
So what can we learn from this?
It’s just this: making money is simple if you remember that all people really want is to FEEL BETTER.
I mean, c’mon.
If people will pay $195 to earn how to do “laughter yoga”, doesn’t that say a lot about what people really want?
How about diet books?
We all know (don’t we?) that most people who buy diet books (or “get out of debt” books, or “get a better relationship” books, etc.) don’t every really lose weight (or get out of debt, or get a better relationship, etc.).
So why do they buy those books?
TO FEEL BETTER.
The book makes them feel better about themselves. It makes them feel like they COULD go on the diet, or the budget, or whatever.
Now, I think your product or service should provide real value. So that if your customer actually USED the product they would get the result.
But you should also think about making certain that your product itself provides a way to feel better.
And for darn sure, you’re marketing and sales material should absolutely make the prospects feel more positive, more focused and more hopeful.
While I don’t think any of us should be selling “false hope”, I definitely feel we should be selling “hope”.
Because hope makes people feel better, and that is ultimately what most human beings want.
Just to feel better.
That’s what I think – but what do you think? Is is good to sell “hope” to prospects… to make them feel better? Post your comments below…
(NOTE: This is an update of a previous post… enhanced with video. Please be sure and let me know what you think of this “multi-media” approach, okay? It’s quite a bit of work, and I’m happy to do it if you think it’s worthwhile.)
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Every piece of your website is a link in the sales chain.
Each link leads to the next, and at the end of the chain is the sale – and profits for you and your business.
Of course, as we all know, any chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
One way to get quick sales boost is: find the weak or broken links in your sales process and strengthen or repair them. And almost every website has at least a few week or broken links. I’m not just talking about hyperlinks, here… I’m talking about any crucial part of the sales process.
No website is perfect – no website is ever optimized fully. There’s always room for improvement. In most websites I look at for clients, there are some basic fixes that can pay off in a big way.
Here are three examples of things you might want to do on your own website:
- Fix Broken Links. The most obvious example is actual broken links. These are frustrating at best for your visitors, and for many it will kill the sale instantly (“if they can’t get their links fixed, what must their product be like?”).
- Remove Inconsistencies. In the world of direct mail, there’s a proven response boost when the message on the outside of the envelope matches the message on the headline of the letter inside; the reason this is so is, we are wired to respond positively to consistency. We like getting what we expect. Even seemingly small inconsistencies send a subconscious signal to your prospects that all is not right. Some specifics to look for: different typefaces or look & feel on your pages; lack of consistent layout from one section of your site to the next; jarring differences between your major sales pages (opt-in page, salesletter page, order page, thank you page). Get fanatical about consistency.
- Remove “Mind Stoppers”. Some things just cause us to “stop our mind” when reading a website. For example, strange or unnatural wording can cause us to stop in the flow of reading and ask “What? Huh?” Even though these “Mind Stoppers” may only cause a pause of 1 or 2 seconds, they interrupt the flow of your sales message. Avoid “Mind Stoppers” at all costs. The best way to find them: read your copy aloud, to another human being, in a natural tone and at an easy pace. Then have them read it aloud back to you. In each case, mark any section that causes you to pause or stumble. Re-write those sections and remove the “Mind Stoppers”.
When you forge stronger links in your “Sales Chain”, you’ll increase your sales results. And that means more profits for you and your small business.
Funny story.
Back in my radio days, one of the shows I was in charge of was a morning radio team.
And this particular morning team had a regular feature where a couple of psychotherapists woud come on each week.
When I say a “couple”, I mean it. They were actually a COUPLE, and they were both actually THERAPISTS (can you imagine the dinner table conversations?).
Anyhow, I knew this couple only as characters on this particular morning show. “Judith and Jim” was how I knew them. And I knew only their voices.
Fast forward a few years later.
I had left the radio business, and was at an Internet Marketing seminar.
During one of the presentations, I noticed this couple sitting near the front, and I noticed they were asking lots of questions. And their voices sounded familiar. And their names were… Judith and Jim.
We connected for the first time in person, and we’ve been friends ever since. (Okay, so it was “funny” as in “coincidence” and not funny as in “LOL”).
To continue my story…
Read more…
It astounds me.
At every seminar I attend, someone asks me this question: “Does anybody really make a living selling information online?”
I also hear this one: “You can’t make any money as a copywriter or marketer now that the economy has gone down the toilet.”
What a load of garbage! Aaarrrgh!
Here’s why…
Read more…
In the Internet Marketing world, a 10% conversion rate is often considered outstanding.
But is it?
Not really.
Online retailers do much better.
Check out Futurenow’s posting on “the top 10 converting websites for December 2008“.
Here are the top five:
1. ProFlowers 31.1%
2. LL Bean 25.7%
3. Amazon 23.7%
4. VitaCost 23.0%
5. Coldwater Creek 22.4%
Hmmm.
What do they know that you don’t? Something to think about.
If you’re not already getting at least 10% conversions, I suggest reading this site.
There is money hidden in your business. Money that you could be using. Money that, unless you do something about it, will slip through your fingers and vanish without a trace.
Where is this money – and how do you get it?
Most businesses have many hidden opportunities for discovering “windfall profits” – but I want to focus on just one of those opportunities in this article.
That “opportunity pocket” is: marketing and advertising.
In my experience, almost every business – whether it be retail, service, professional practice, or “business to business” in its nature – is unconsciously letting profits slip away.
Your biggest opportunity most likely lies hidden inside your underperforming sales copy (copy that isn’t selling as many units/contracts/ memberships as it potentially could be).
If you want to make more sales without spending a single dime in additional ad costs, this article might be the most important document you read this year…
Read more…
21 Ways to Get More Sales, Increase Profits and Reduce Expenses… All at the Same Time
I’ve had it with all the loser talk about the economy.
I know it’s bad.
I know people are losing money.
I have lost money, too – my retirement account is worth about two thirds what it was worth six months ago.
So I get it.
But it’s time for all of us to stop talking about it, and instead start doing something about it.
First Of All, I’m Not Suze Orman
I’m not going to pretend to advise you on what to do with your investments, or that kind of thing. There are plenty of experts who can help you with that. In fact, I recommend you listen to these audios by Tony Robbins for some guidance on your finances – and your attitude.
What I have to offer is of a different nature. Here’s my contribution…
I’m writing a series of blog posts (starting with this one) that are focused on one thing, and one thing only: helping small business owners thrive-not just survive, but thrive-in today’s economic environment.
I believe that is realistic and attainable for almost all small businesses – if they’re willing to do what it takes.
Are you?
We’ll see. Read more…
There is a myth in the marketing world that anyone can write good copy. When this myth is spoken, it’s usually followed by the advice that all one needs is a good swipe file (successful ads of the past that one can “borrow” from).
This myth has always struck me as false — or at least only partially true.
I believe that when it comes right down to it, you must have some writing talent. If you don’t, your copy will not be brilliant. It may not even be good. In most cases, it will just be bad.
I see plenty of evidence that the last is the most common result.
There is another myth that if one studies enough of the right manuals, or attends enough of the right seminars, one can learn to write well. Frankly, if you don’t have some native talent — a “knack”, if you will — I don’t think all the classes, courses, or seminars in the world can help you much.
Stephen King would agree with me, I suspect. In a recent article he penned for the Washington Post, King wrote: “The only things that can teach writing are reading, writing and the semi-domestication of one’s muse.”
So there it is, then.
My opinion is that not everyone can learn to be a great (or even good) writer. Everyone is born with a certain aptitude (or lack of it), and they’re pretty much stuck with that aptitude. They can take classes or be taught to make the most of it, but they are always limited to a certain range in the development of their craft.
What do you think?
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By Ray Edwards | January 12, 2010 
