This is the last of the questions that were submitted for ‘public consumption’ and it is an interesting one because, in some respects, the answer may seem to contradict the advice I give many business owners. It was sent in by Ian Brodie from Lighthouse Business Consulting :
One area I’m really interested in is whether you think that in sales, “what works” changes over time.
I’m certainly finding that in my field (person to person selling for large, complex sales) what worked yesterday isn’t working so well today. People have got so used to approaches that used to be novel (e.g. talking about the financial benefits of a product rather than its features) that they tend to blank them out (rather like the “banner blindness” Jakob Nielsen talks about in the web world).
When everyone from photocopier salesmen to high end strategy consultants is using the “would you like to hear about an approach that could save you 10% of your costs” technique it becomes devalued.
Similarly, both Michael Fortin and James Brausch have written about the ‘death of the long sales letter’. My belief is that this definitely happens. Even the best techniques – once used by everyone – lose their power. Not that they become bad – just that they become the baseline that you must do even to play the game – but you need to do more to win the business. Your thoughts?
My first thought was “Yes” if you do the same thing constantly or do exactly the same as everybody else then your prospect does become immune and getting a response becomes that much harder. Having said that, I still believe, and experience hasn’t changed that belief, it is important to make sure your target market is fully aware of every nuance of what you can do for them; whether that is in the form of a service or supplying a product. And sometimes you have to ask them what they want to know.
For example if you are in constant contact with your prospects and customers, informing and advising, interacting with comments and discussions – perhaps via a newsletter or web-based blog like this – then you may find that you don’t need to use extremely long letters or jaded selling techniques every time you make a new offer.
This is because you have already educated your prospect who has come to know you and what you supply; he has a relationship with you and, possibly, already trusts your judgement and advice. So when you put a new offer into the market place all you have to do is clearly explain what it is and how it impacts on your prospect’s life or business. You don’t have to do quite so much ‘selling’.
So I think the ‘death of the long letter’ is subjective; if it is an approach to a cold audience; to people who don’t already know you or have any knowledge of what you can do for them then the long, explanatory, informative-rich and value delivering (i.e. giving valuable free advice that is useful to the reader even if they don’t do any business with you) letter still has its place.
If your target prospect is much warmer and already has a relationship with you then just making the new product or service available with a brief explanation of what it does for him may be enough. It is – like any other marketing approach – one that should be tested as my good friend realised when I posed the question to him. He is a great believer in the effect of the long letter; purely because he has experienced the remarkable results this marketing has generated for him over the last 3 to 4 years. However, he has also found he needs to take a different direction occasionally as his reply indicates…
“I’ve found a mixed approach does best. Whatever anyone says, there are people out there that will never sit down and read a 16 page letter and there are people who want to know every last detail before they make a decision. [Carol: Often you can't be sure which type of person your reader is, which is why the structure of your letter is so vital as I explained in my post The long and short of it ] Plus, of course, they get used to a big bulging letter coming to them every month and know it’s from us – think well I don’t need a… – so they probably don’t even open it.
The smallest full offer letter I’ve ever done was 4 pages, the longest 16 pages. I even rotate who the letters are from now to try and keep it fresh.
What I haven’t tried (which I will now because you’ve just given me the idea – so thanks!) is the same offer going out twice (maybe one week after another) one really shortened down in a short letter and one in a more explanatory long letter.”
As I’ve said previously there is no definitive answer to what works or doesn’t work in marketing. There are theories; there are proven activities generating results in certain industries or professions but when it comes to the crunch the only action that works for you is the one that gets the sales. And you’ll only discover that by listening to what your customers and prospects have to say and testing different approaches on your own target market.
~ Carol Bentley
P.S. Incidentally, it is interesting that you mentioned James Brausch. He frequently uses his blog to explain how his programs work and the benefits both he and others have reaped from using them, before sending you to his ‘short sales page’. I’d be intrigued to know how many of his sales are purely from people who have found his sales letter page without any of the preamble on his blog, I’d be surprised if the proportion was significant.
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technorati tags: long sales letters copywritingJames Brausch
This question came in from Chris Ingham asking how to take control…
Do you have any info regarding Getting Things Done software? Might it be that you’re already using such software yourself?
I’m interested in the different perspectives analysis (entering potential task information into a database, which can be filtered and viewed by perspective, at the click of a button. e.g.
- Context – listing tasks by nature, such as email, call, meeting or shopping, etc.
- Project – listing of current projects.
- Next Action – next action to be taken on each project.
- Waiting For – highlighting tasks waiting for an external event to occur before action can be taken.
- Urgent Now – literally can’t be put off.
- Some Day Maybe – squirrelling away possible tasks
A programme designed for work-life management and not just work. For business owners where the lines between work and life are often blurred ……. like mine!
There are so many different solutions available; some software based, others non-technical and others that are a mix of the two.
My system is a mix and is a process I’ve developed over the years that suits my way of working (part of it is to do with having a brilliantly efficient PA! 
)
You might like to investigate www.simpleology.com which started off as a very effective off-line system created by Mark Joyner and now has some software tools to go with it. It is a free programme and can be very effective if it suits your working style.
Apart from that I’m not really able to recommend a software solution as such – it’s not my area of expertise.
Your Thoughts?
What advice would you offer Chris? Have you found an effective system you would recommend? Or are there solutions offered that you do not rate – for whatever reason?
Share your experience using the comments link below – I’m sure Chris will not be the only one who values your opinion.
~ Carol Bentley
technorati tags: simpleology time management business resources Mark Joyner
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Sometimes stopping a subscription is the right thing to do. If the information offered is not useful to you, or it doesn’t supply valuable insights to what you need to know then making that decision should be your choice – and your choice alone.
Which is why you have complete control over the notification emails from this blog website. In every email notice you receive there is an unsubscribe option. If you use it you get a chance to say why you are leaving the group, which is good feedback for me as the host.
One gentleman did that when he dropped out last Friday. His reason? “Too many emails”
I wasn’t sure if he meant he was generally getting too many emails or if he was specifically referring to the emails about this blog.
Either way I totally understand how he feels and I’m sure you do too! Does cancelling his subscription mean he will miss out on the future posts? Maybe, but not necessarily.
Keeping in the loop without emails
So what do you do if you want to know about the posts made so you can choose what to read, but you don’t want the daily email?
You can use the RSS feed in the bottom right panel. If you are not familiar with RSS feeds you can read about them here. It can feed each new post through to your desktop without sending emails.
Disadvantages of Subscribing
In the early days of this blog I was undecided about how frequently I should post; daily, couple of times a week, weekly or even monthly. Although my subscriber numbers at that point were quite low – were you one of them? – I asked those readers what they would like to see. The feedback I had was very positive and the content of most of the messages was similar to Gail’s comment:
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong in blogging every day as long as the content is useful and informative to the readers! With your blog, every post so far has had something worthwhile in it!”
(Gail is still a subscriber, thanks for sticking with me Gail 
)
So I went with the majority opinion and I’ve continued the daily blog since – of course that means you get a daily email. Actually it’s only sent out on weekdays, I take the weekend off However, I appreciate for some it may be too much with all the other emails bombarding their inbox.
Disadvantages of RSS Only
On the surface there may not seem to be any real disadvantage to using an RSS feed to get your notifications. You can still see when a new post goes up and choose whether or not to read it.
Where you do lose out with an RSS feed is accessing any private posts I make. Why? Because these are password protected. And the password is only released to the email subscribers.
“So what? Will I really miss anything by not being able to read the private posts?” you might be thinking.
Well, actually, yes!
I’ve only used the private post once so far when I shared a birthday gift. But there are more in the pipeline. They will include more valuable information, sometimes in the form of a free report or audio or video and the only way you can get it is with the password supplied in the post notification email.
What do you do?
It’s a dilemma isn’t it?
If you don’t subscribe you don’t get the extra goodies I gift from time to time.
If you do subscribe you get a daily email when a post is published.
The good news is – it’s purely your choice. And it’s instantaneous – subscribe and you are immediately ‘in the loop’. Unsubscribe and you never get another email about posts on this blog again.
I hope you choose to stay subscribed, but I fully understand and respect your decision if you decide to use the RSS feed instead.
~ Carol Bentley
technorati tags: copywriting blog RSS feeds
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Today’s blog is a bit shorter and sweet – bet you’re glad about that
How many times have you heard someone say ‘people who take action find the rewards’ or something along the same vein? Well, it is a truism isn’t it? And this post gives you a chance to take a quick and simple action that delivers a valuable (in my opinion) free gift.
You’ve heard me mention my good friend Ed Rivis on occasion. And you’ve seen my comments about the advantage of being a published author. Well Ed is about to join the ranks of being a published author. He has taken his popular ebook, expanded and updated the topics and is about to launch his book; The Ultimate Web Marketing Strategy into the ‘real world’.
And to celebrate he’s gifting the unabridged PDF version of the book to everyone who is subscribed to his blog page BEFORE 1st Feb. So you see, a simple quick action and you get this informative book for free. Read more about the book on his blog
Is it worth taking action for?
Well -actually – YES!
Ed is my go-to guru when I want to check anything about Internet Marketing. Whenever I get web marketing advice from someone else I go check it with Ed before taking any action.
Ed helped me get this blog set up – so you can thank (or curse) him for everything you’ve read on here because without his help it would not have been published. And his blog is full of good marketing insights – and not just to do with the web.
But you need to act quickly to be sure of getting a free copy, in fact why don’t you do it now? Pop over to www.edrivis.com and subscribe whilst you think of it.
~ Carol Bentley
P.S. Ed has agreed to be interviewed about his journey along the road of being an author – which will give interesting insights if you’re thinking of positioning yourself as an expert in this effective way.
Do you export your goods or services? Do you have to communicate with people from different cultural backgrounds?
John Walmsley does and he asked:
“I have a great deal of overseas clients and worry about how I word my emails and newsletters in case I offend. Is there a rule for different Countries or should I just assume they relate to the Scottish wit.”
First I’d like to say that I think it’s great that you’ve thought about this John because many business people don’t.
You see it is very easy to think everyone we speak or write to understands what we actually mean and we understand them perfectly. But do we? And are the actions we take seen as disrespectful? There are distinct cultural differences – there are even subtle differences between regions in the same country!
You build a strong relationship by knowing and respecting those differences. By conducting your business in an acceptable manner.
But how can you be sure of what you should – or should not – be doing or saying, without asking them? You want to come over as professional, as understanding your prospect or customer. If you don’t know their traditions and follow them you could come over as inexperienced or, in a worse case scenario, crass.
Now I do not know all the international differences… but I ‘know a lady who does!‘
If you are dealing with overseas – or about to – check the free articles (over 26) on Deborah Swallow’s website and consider buying her book Communicating Across Cultures, which is on her products page.
The first article link opens a global map which you can click on to get information for different regions.
And John, two articles you might find particularly useful are:
- International Email Etiquette
Her insights help you to avoid mistakes that could kill your customer relationships.
~ Carol Bentley
technorati tags: international business cross cultural communication copywriting
In Friday’s post I shared my thoughts on when to go for outsourcing and some points to consider when appointing someone to do work for you. One aspect I didn’t cover is clearly described in a post I found on someone else’s blog. And it is very relevant to a business person who is trying to develop a ‘work on not in your business’ culture.
The whole point is to make sure you don’t undertake tasks that are not worth your valuable time. Hill Robertson gives a good example in his post ‘You Must Spend Your Money and Time Wisely’
~ Carol Bentley
Outsourcing can free up time, expand your resources and gain expertise within your business. It can also create an absolute nightmare if you choose the wrong person or company or don’t clearly state your expectations.
And John Holder’s winning question raised that subject specifically about copywriting.
This was his question:
Many small businesses are started by someone technically good at what they do, but not that hot on running a business. When are they better off writing “DIY” copy, and when should they outsource with an expert? As a rider to that, how should they (in your opinion) select a copy writer to work with?
Let me split this into 3 elements:
- Business owner; Technically Good
- Do your own copywriting or outsource?
- How to select the ideal copywriter
Technically Good
A business owner, or entrepreneur, usually starts his(or her) business because he is passionate about what he provides – whether that is a service or product. Because of that passion he has a wealth of knowledge, experience, expertise and skill in his chosen field.
Ask a question and he can tell you everything you need to know about it; what to look for; why you should avoid this or that; different approaches; different uses etc.
Consider for a moment; your business… do you regard yourself as having a wealth of expert knowledge? Could you answer almost any question put to you about it? Are you immersed, heart and soul, in your business?
It’s that in-depth understanding and vibrancy that shows through when you talk about your business – and it can shine through in your sales letters when you write about it.
Bottom line: YOU know more about your business and how it helps other people or companies than any copywriter simply because it IS your baby.
When DIY Writing is Sometimes Best..
Because you know so much more about your business ideally you should write your own sales letters and marketing material. You know every nuance, all the tips and insights that an outsider can never know. You know how to make your product or service deliver outstanding results for your customers and clients (you do, don’t you?)
But there is one trap you have to be careful to avoid and that’s becoming the ‘business bore’.
You know what I mean, I’m sure you’ve met someone like that – you ask what he does and wham! you’ve opened the floodgates to all about his business; what he does; what he wants; how his product or service works – every little detail all told from his point of view… he will blah! blah! blah!
Yes – you do need to get your message across and you need to show your enthusiasm for what you can do for people. But be subtle about it. Describe it from your customer’s point of view. Never forget the two questions your listener /reader is probably asking; “What’s in it for me?” and “So what?” Keep that in mind when you write your letters (as I describe in my book) and you’ll write compelling letters.
Having said that, for some people writing really is very difficult. They do not have a natural inclination to write – and that’s probably particularly true for someone who is very skilled manually or technically.
For example my husband is mental about his business (sorry! I should have said passionate ) but to me it seems ‘mental’ because he loves history, specifically military history and in his business he buys and sells military collectibles (www.tigercollectibles.co.uk). Personally I can’t see the attraction, but by the same token he feels the same about the fact I love to sit and write. He finds it very difficult to get his thoughts down onto paper.
Now it is a skill he could learn – as anyone can – if he felt the need or inclination. He doesn’t (you can guess why ).
But although it is a skill that can be learnt not everyone is inclined to make that effort.
If you find it painful to express yourself in writing; if it takes you hours of blood, sweat and tears to write a sales letter and then you decide (or someone tells you) it’s never going to get the results you want then perhaps you need to consider the alternative.
Because those hours you’re wasting trying to get a reasonable effort together could probably be better spent driving your business forward in other ways.
But, before you make that decision do make sure you understand the process because then you are better equipped to recognise good writing and choose the right person to work with.
How to Select the Ideal Copywriter – 9 Points to Consider
Some of the suggestions I’m going to make here apply to any service you outsource – not just copywriting.
- Decide what you want to achieve. Do you want…
- A powerful sales letter?
- A company brochure?
- Press releases?
- Feature articles?
- Reports or ‘white-papers’?
- Copy for a website?
- An email marketing campaign?
- Advertising copy?
- A staff handbook?
- A procedures manual?
- A technical guide?
Many of these writing activities need different skills and approaches. When you’ve decided what you want produced you can look for someone who has experience in that particular discipline.
- Is he/she professional? By that I mean does he take the trouble to ask questions about your business, your goals and, if you are looking for a sales letter, does he ask about your offer and what other marketing you’ve already done and the response you got. Look for a copywriter who asks you to complete a project questionnaire.
- And talking of professionalism, does he supply a contract and terms of business so you know exactly what to expect and what he is agreeing to do for you?
- Does he have a good reputation? Do you know his work? Have you heard good things about the material he has produced for other businesses? Does his style match yours?
- How does he charge? By the hour; by the page or number of words; or does he charge a retainer? Be careful. Writing is creative work. It takes time to craft the documents you want, especially if it is a sales letter or marketing piece. Charges by the hour can mount up and storm past your budget before you realise it.
And be cautious about restricting the number of pages or words you want someone to write – unless it is a requirement for the project, for example when writing an article for a publication that has to be a specific length.
Many professional copywriters quote a price for the project, which can make budgeting easier for you. Dependent upon the work you are asking for you may be able to negotiate a lower fee with a commission on results achieved. Beware – if the fees are very low, ask yourself why?
- Is he easy to work with? Some copywriters can be very autocratic. They can be opinionated and refuse to collaborate properly with clients. They regard requests for changes to what they’ve produced to be a personal insult to their talent.
You want someone you can talk to; someone who matches your enthusiasm for your product or service; someone who is genuinely interested in what you provide and what you want to achieve; someone who listens and takes on board your ideas. And you want a copywriter who is willing to explain why he has taken a particular approach and why he thinks it will work for you.
- Does he do his own research? Obviously you need to provide as much material, information, insights and supporting documentation as you can. But the mark of a true professional is the copywriter who goes that extra mile by doing his own research to enhance what you’ve supplied.
- Is he reliable? Does he meet deadlines, deliver on time? There’s no point having a good copywriter if he constantly misses deadlines. That’s particularly important when you are sending out offers with a specific offer period or geared to anniversaries or seasons.
Take your time when choosing someone to provide an outsource service; whether that service is copywriting or any other. Ask the questions and make sure you are happy with the answers before making any commitments.
~ Carol Bentley
P.S. I have a couple more questions to share with you: Death of the Long Letter (from Ian Brodie) and Cultural Communication Differences (John Walmsley). Look out for these in next week’s posts.
technorati tags: outsourcing copywriters copywriting
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