Do you know of any business that is built and run purely on word-of-mouth marketing? Or any that regard ‘referrals’ as their prime business source?
There aren’t many.
Yet with today’s emphasis on taking more notice of what your friends and peers say, rather than the marketing message companies put out, it is something every business owner should seriously consider.
And that’s what an Australian Dentist, described in Martin Russell’s blog post, has done extremely successfully.
Now imagine the power of harnessing this outstanding and innovative service approach with the power of peer marketing on the internet – the possibilities are breath-taking!
How can you adopt these ideas in your business? Got thoughts you’d like to share? Pop them in a comment for others to see and, maybe, benefit from.
~ Carol Bentley
technorati tags: referral-marketing word-of-mouth networking
May I ask a favour?
Following the adage ‘Actions speak louder than words’ I’ve taken up Rich Shefren’s challenge to produce a 66 seconds video, whilst saying something worthwhile about his powerfully informative report The Attention Age Doctrine 2.
And it was a real challenge – especially as my normal mode of communication is long, explanatory and valuable information-packed letters, adverts or articles!! 
But it was done – and within the designated time-scale. So here’s the favour I’m asking…
I need your support
Will you gift me 10 minutes of your valuable time to visit this video site, play the clip and then vote?
The clip is only 66 seconds long and voting is done through Digg and Sphinn (there are instructions on how to vote). So, I think it may take you about 10 minutes. You have to play the clip for your vote to count.
Then – and this is where the power of what the report talks about comes into action – please ask your friends and business colleagues if they would do the same.
Now why should you or they bother, except as a favour to me and you? Because they too can download the free report I’m describing in the clip and gain valuable marketing insights. Plus – there are some brilliant prizes for voters to gain too.
Why do I want to get a good result? Because it will show the power of peer recommendation, which is something we all need to embrace more in business, and I can share the experience with you and explore how it fits with copywriting. And I’d quite like to walk away with the accolade of getting a hit!
Thank you for your support and for ‘spreading the word’. I’ll let you know how it progresses in future postings on this blog.
~ Carol Bentley
Having a good headline is not enough. It has to be a compelling ‘grab-them-by-the-throat’ attention holding headline if you are going to get the undivided attention of your prospect.
Let’s face it – whether we are talking letter, advert or presentation headlines – your reader is unlikely to be concentrating absolutely 100% on what he (or she) is reading – unless it strikes a resounding chord with him. Unless you get him to say “How the heck did you know that?” when you ask the question that’s been bugging him for ages. Or “This solution is so what I want – it’s almost uncanny!” then your chances of keeping his interest may slip away.
It’s a challenge we all have no matter what our line of business or how we go about our marketing.
Is there an easy way to come up with the most effective headline? Not really – there are techniques; there are attention words that help to make your headline stand out; but it still takes practice, experience and skill to find the one that pulls no punches, hits the mark dead on and delivers the best measurable results.
Having said that, let me give you a few pointers to get you started…
Get Your Creative Juices Flowing
One of the biggest mistakes I see people making is writing one or two headlines and thinking “That’s it!”
It rarely is.
When you start crafting your headlines you are only just getting warmed up – your creative performance is still in first gear. As you write more – allowing each headline to act as a catalyst for the next – they begin to flow, like sliding into the higher gears in a performance car.
That’s why I encourage people to write as many headlines as possible before deciding which ones to test. Personally I aim to write at least 100, if not more.
Study Successful Headlines
Find successful headlines. How can you recognise a successful headline? Look for these attributes:
- It’s a headline for a direct response advert or sales letter. You can tell if it’s a direct response marketing campaign because there is a reference code. You are asked to quote it or it is printed on the response form or in the advert.
- You see the same headline frequently. If it is used in a direct response campaign, which means it is measurable and is being monitored, it is unlikely to be continually used if it isn’t proving to be successful.
Study the headline.
Is it specific? (Being specific makes your headline more believable)
Does it contain the promise of a result or benefit that appeals? (People are only interested in results; ‘What’s In It For Me?’)
Does it intrigue without being obscure? (Curiosity can hold your reader’s attention provided your first paragraph is strong).
What is it appealing to; envy; greed; pride or status; generosity; well-being or health; peace of mind or something else? (You need to know what appeals to your target market – and you may have to test different appeals to see which is the stronger motivator).
Is it short or long? (Your headline should be long enough to put your message across).
Is it using any of the attention words that magnetically draw your eye and catch your attention? (See the list of words following the headline examples below).
Example Headlines
How many of these common gardening mistakes are causing you to work harder than you really have to?
Introducing the plain paper copier that’s so low in price you can’t afford not to own it
Here are 9 reasons why you should claim your ‘The Dangers of Handling Asbestos’ report today
Now You Can Get a Business Loan – Even if Your Bank Has Turned You Down
Who Else Wants To Lose 10lbs In 28 Days?
Your Investment in Pinesuites Development Could Be Worth Up To £12,960 per Year in Income
Five Familiar Skin Troubles – Which Do You Want to Overcome?
Vinegar… Nature’s Secret Weapon
I’ve shown the attention words used in these headlines in bold.
Attention Words
Using specifics, identifying a benefit or result your reader can expect or a problem they have that you can solve makes your headline more attractive. Include one or more attention words increases the attraction because certain words are proven to draw the eye – just like a magnet.
Here’s 15 you can use:
You / Your
Amazing
These
Proof
How / How to
Here’s
Find Out
Announcing
Breakthrough
Free
Who Else?
Last Chance
Advice
Easy
Secret
The Secret of How To Make Writing 30 Headlines Easy
When I said to aim at writing 100 headlines to give you the best chance of finding the winner, did you think “No Way!” or something similar? It seems like an insurmountable task – doesn’t it?
Try this:
Grab a pen and paper
Look at the first word/phrase in the list above
Write a descriptive headline about your product or service; the result you can deliver or the problem you can solve, using that word. Follow the headline advice I’ve given you earlier in this post.
Now write a second one, using the same attention word.
Move onto the second word and do the same again; two sentences using the attention word.
Continue down the list – by the time you’ve used each word you have 30 headlines. They won’t all be fantastic – some may even be ridiculous, but the point is your creative juices are starting to flow and…
You’ve written almost 1 third of 100 headlines.
Think you could repeat the exercise another 2 times? Do it and you’ve written 90 headlines! Not bad going eh?
Now you’ve got your headlines start working on your letter or advert. And remember the advice I gave you on 7 November in the post Here’s 8 elements for a powerful sales letter (did you notice the attention words and specifics in that post headline?)
~Carol Bentley
P.S. You’ll get an opportunity to put some of this advice I’ve been sharing into effect tomorrow. Keep a look out for the post entitled How persuasive are you?
technorati tags: headlines sales letters copywriting
This year one of the most enjoyable projects I’ve worked on is a website for healthier chocolates. Yes – you read that right healthier chocolates.
It was a new product launch from a client who manufactures gorgeous Belgian chocolates in Surrey.
I have to admit writing copy for most of his products is exquisite torture for me… why?
Because I’m diabetic, but I love the taste of chocolate. And unfortunately the two don’t really go together.
But the thing is, you cannot write passionately about something you have no experience of, that’s why you are really the best person to write about your product or service.
But this new chocolate is different. It’s an innovative antioxidant-rich chocolate. The cocoa beans go through a new fermenting process that keeps a higher level of antioxidants than the standard method, which means the chocolate retains 80% instead of losing 70% of the natural antioxidants found in cocoa beans.
And the better news for me… during my research I discovered the scientific research had been carried out to check how antioxidants affect diabetics. And it seems they are good for preventing the development of diabetes type 2 and can even help with blood sugar levels for diabetics. And that’s in addition to all the other benefits of having your daily quota of antioxidants.
Now I indulge in my two small pieces of chocolate every day (they are just the size of an after-dinner chocolate you’d get at a restaurant). What’s more I’ve noticed I have a lot more energy and clarity of thought (no bad thing for a copywriter) without upsetting my blood sugar levels.
So you can see why I enjoyed writing the copy and managing this website project for my client
Discover more about the health benefits of antioxidants and these delicious Belgian chocolates at www.delvaux-acticoa.com
~ Carol Bentley
technorati tags: healthy chocolate antioxidants webcopy
Are schools and/or colleges in your target market? If so here’s some interesting news for you. But first let me tell you how I got to know about this…
For many years I’ve been on the mailing list for Hamilton House, who specialise in supplying mailing lists for companies selling into the education sector; schools and colleges.
A letter arrived to let me know that English schools have a sudden abundance of spending money available between now and March 2008. Why? Well it’s an interesting story…
In the past some schools have put money from their annual budget into a contingency fund (as anyone with an ounce of common sense would do!) But in 2006 the government moved to force schools to use up all their funding rather than allow this type of forethought.
Many schools didn’t manage to spend all their accumulated funds by April 5 2007; they still had funds from that year and the previous years.
In summer of 2007 the Dept for Children, Schools & Families announced that 95% of the money not spent in previous years had to be returned - even if it had since been used. For example if the school had kept back £1000 from their 2005/6 budget and then spent it in May 2007 they still had to pay back £950! This meant schools had to raid their 2007/8 budgets to pay back this money they had accrued and then used. This extra strain on their budget meant many schools stopped spending on anything apart from salaries.
A petition on the Number 10 website demanded that the policy be revoked. The government capitulated and reversed its policy. They told the schools they would get all their saved money back – BUT the refunded money must be used by April 2008. There will not be another reprieve.
Which means between now and 5 April 2008 an extra
£1 billion has to be spent on goods and services for the school
So, if your market includes schools, now is the time to nurture your relationships and help them make the right decisions for the school, children and parents.
If you want to check how Hamilton House can help you (no benefit to me if you do so) then pop over to www.educationmarketing.org.uk
~ Carol Bentley
technorati tags: education market business mailing lists
Is your business card just for handing out at business meetings, because everyone else does so? Or is it a real marketing tool for you?
Provided you’ve got the design and content right (see my previous post ‘Your Hidden Marketing Tool’) it can be one of the hardest working marketing weapons in your arsenal.
But only if you use it properly to position yourself.
And that’s where the quality of the card you use counts. It speaks volumes about you and your business.
Quality Speaks Volumes
Start-up business people know they need business cards. But often they go for false economy by using the cheapest methods possible to get their cards organised. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you have to spend a fortune on your business cards. What I am saying is the card should look like a quality card – no matter where you got it from.
Self-Print Cards
The entrepreneur, sole-trader and individual professional sometimes print their own business cards using the many ‘business card’ products available and an inkjet printer. Be careful…
These cards are often flimsy in order to feed through the printer and consequently give the impression of ‘a business with no experience or history’.
Handing these out, at business meetings in particular, can send out the wrong, damaging message. On top of that, inkjet printing smudges and runs if it gets wet – giving a less than favourable impression to the people you want to engage with.
On-line Printed Cards
There are many websites offering free business cards. A selection of designs is available and you can add whatever details you want. The cards are often a good quality weight and feel good to hand out.
There’s just one thing that spoils these for you…
If you are only paying postage the company supplying the cards has to have some means of recompense. And they have… YOU are doing their marketing for them.
They print their website URL on the back of your cards, so every time you hand one out you are advertising their website and, by default, you are also implying you don’t consider your business cards important enough to pay for them.
If you don’t take your business cards seriously – why should anyone else?
By all means use these sites; they can be very cost effective. But, as a minimum, pay the small amount they ask to remove THEIR website details off the back of YOUR cards.
Of course if you’ve read my previous post : ‘Your Hidden Marketing Tool’ you know what should really be on the back of your card, don’t you?
Does Your Card Pass The Tactile Test
Test it for yourself: Close your eyes, and feel your business card. Does it honestly give the impression of quality, professionalism, trustworthiness and integrity?
If it doesn’t, you just might be throwing future sales away when new business contacts get the wrong impression about you.
~ Carol Bentley
technorati tags: marketing copywriting business resources
Although my posts are made on weekdays only I know that some people like to catch up on blogs over the weekend – including quite a few of my visitors judging by the traffic stats.
So I just wanted you to know that the website may be down for a while on Sunday 9th December whilst an upgrade is installed and tested. One of the problems I’ve been having is being able to show the comments you make against my posts – I’m hoping this upgrade will resolve the problem.
If you cannot reach the blog on Sunday please accept my apologies. We should be back to normal – well better than normal fingers crossed on Monday.
Thanks for your understanding and patience.
~ Carol Bentley
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