8/28/2008
Always Be Prepared
 Do you ever have anxiety over the success of a business project, meeting or goal? Because you are human, I am guessing your answer is undoubtedly yes. And although I am much better today at managing this type of anxiety than in years past, I must admit that I still do have a few sleepless nights from time to time. Throughout the course of my career, what I found is that my anxiety level seems to be directly related to how well I prepared for the business initiative at hand, whatever it may be. When I haven’t fully prepared, I am never satisfied with the outcome or finished product, (even if it was successful), because I just can’t let go of that nagging feeling that it could have been better or that I could have left a better impression. What I also have found throughout my career is that when in business for yourself, on some level, you must always be prepared. That is not to say that extra preparation isn’t required (and expected) for special projects or new initiatives, but you should always be prepared to answer questions about your industry and specialty, especially if changes or advancements have recently taken place. If you want to be recognized as an industry expert, you must be prepared to speak to it on the spur of the moment. I know for me, most (if not all) of my business growth can be attributed to opportunities that arose as a result (direct or indirect) of being prepared - - no two ways about it. Labels: business advice, business writing, productivity in business |
8/25/2008
If You Are Claiming To Be #1, Make Sure That You Really Are #1.
 How many times have you looked for something and read a claim that it was #1? I see it all the time and often wonder how the company marketing the particular product or service, came to this conclusion. Do they really think that consumers are naïve enough to believe the claim just because it is written in an advertisement? Today, more so than ever, consumers are skeptical and want to know the truth. If someone or something is being labeled as #1, there better be some evidence to support it. Otherwise, the consumer will view it as another tired old claim and very likely be turned away. Kim T. Gordon recently had an article published on Entrepreneur.com, Word to the Wise, that describes this overused “word crime” as well as many others that should be avoided when writing marketing copy. A few highlights from the article of words used in claims that are so overused they are almost meaningless: • Solution. You better have one ready. • Amazing. How many are really amazing? • Quality. Is that relevant? Quality is an expectation not a benefit. business claims words over used in writing copywriting and marketing copywriting Labels: ad copy, Advertising, copywriting, Internet Marketing, marketing, small business marketing, writing ads |
8/19/2008
Feel their pain – then write it and sell it.
| We talk a lot about knowing your target market and feeling the pain its members feel. But how do you go about this practically? It’s not about what you have to advertise. That’s secondary. Your market is looking for a solution. You need to address those pain points and offer a solution. A quick glance Maslow’s Hierachy of Needs gives you an insight into pain points. * Food, shelter, clothing * Safety, security, comfort * Love (self, others, family) * Esteem, recognition, status * Independence, self realisation, accomplishment This is where it gets interesting because your pain points may change as your priorities change. And, what some people see as a “need” others may see as a luxury. Both “wants” and “needs” can be pain points. A good start for you is to use yourself as a reference point. What are your pain points? What would you pay money for? What need or want would it solve and how? Look at other marketing copy. What works? What doesn’t? Labels: freelance writer, marketing, sell |
8/16/2008
Is It Working For You?
| Do you ever decide to stick with something that’s not working because you can’t stomach moving on from it? It’s not easy (actually, it is downright difficult) to walk away from something, whether in business or even in your personal life, that is just not working. Sometimes we actually put MORE (effort, money, time) into it knowing full well that it is going nowhere fast. There are many reasons we do this, and I will leave the analysis to the psychoanalysts out there, but I can say that the best way to prosper, bloom and move on from the nonsense or the stagnation is to just do it (thank you, Nike). As the great saying goes, “feel the fear and do it anyway.” Because this is a blog about words and selling, I do encourage you take a look at what you are doing – an honest look! – and determine what is holding you back and what you can and should move on from. Are you putting money (or time or effort) into something that isn’t benefiting your business? It could be a monthly ad you are paying for because that’s what you’ve always done. It could be a regular service you pay for but just don’t need. Or, a tagline, campaign or product that just doesn’t fit, work or make sense. Whatever it is, let it go. Just like that. Labels: business tips, productivity in business, working with others |
8/13/2008
Still Time, The Summer Speaker Series
| Please join me! I will be speaking in the first annual Summer Speaker Series featuring an amazing line-up of speakers including James Roche, Christina Merkley, Sheri McConnell, Alexis Neely, Allana Pratt, Lou Bortone, Viki Viertel, Lynn Scheurell, Kathie Thomas, Debbie LaChusa, Wendy Weiss, Terri Z, Donna Gunter, Diana Ennen and so, so, so many more. Here’s the deal... Erin Blaskie is hosting the event and she’s featuring TWO speakers PER DAY for the entire month of August (not including weekends because really, who likes working weekends?) The best part is that this amazing series of speakers is priced VERY affordably. It’s going to be one of the hottest events of the summer and you’ve got an invitation from me! Simply click through this link and register today. You won’t be disappointed and I’ll be there to speak as well on August 20th at 2 PM EST (1PM CST, Noon MST, 11 AM PST). You can purchase a seat in one track, two tracks or get audio downloads included too (along with your live seat) so what are you waiting for! I’ve heard there is a cap of 200 people due to the bridge line and with the speakers involved, that won’t last long! Visit here and register now... ‘see’ you on the calls! Labels: copywriting, improv in small business, summer speaker series, teleseminar |
8/11/2008
You may be driving traffic away from your website
If you are a small business owner with a web presence, then trying to determine the most effective SEO (search engine optimization) techniques for your small business website is almost ALWAYS a top priority for you. Whether SEO is something you outsource or do for yourself, it is never easy to understand all the formulas and algorithms that the many search engines use to rank our web pages. One definite to consider, search engines like Google and Yahoo! are probably the best dictionaries in the world as the have their entire index of the web to use for a source of comparison and correction. This goes for grammar and proper writing format as well. What does this mean for you, the small business owner concerned about your SEO? It means that you can avoid driving traffic away from your website. Web pages with incorrect spelling, grammar issues, run on sentences and long drawn out paragraphs will not be ranked well. Search engines will not know what to do them as they won’t compare to the masses of web pages that are well written with correct spelling and grammar. Labels: seo, seo copywriting, small business, web copy, web traffic |
8/08/2008
What’s a tagline and does yours make the grade (and the sale)?
| A tagline may very well be the single most important ad you will write about your business. Taglines are simple, memorable, succinct phrases or slogans, usually no more than seven words, that are associated with your business. Taglines tell the world what your business does, what you promise, what you provide and how you are different. These few words shoulder quite a heavy responsibility. What do they and should they do?
Visually or graphically, your tagline is usually present with your logo and your business name. It should be used in all marketing materials, from your website to your printed material to your business card to your stationery. Labels: Billboards, business building, business writing, tagline, tagline for your business, web traffic, writing a tagline, writing for the web |
8/06/2008
Give Your Client A Reason to Buy Now, E-mail Marketing (Part 2 of 2)
One of the many benefits of e-mail marketing is the ability to put your product or service in front of a targeted group of prospects, hopefully prompting them to buy now as opposed to later (or "some day"). E-mail advertising is also less expensive and better for than environment when compared to paper advertising; it also increases your potential for web traffic by putting them just one click away. Another bonus, unlike a printed brochure or newsletter, is that with e-mails, you have the opportunity to edit, change and customize the copy even after the campaign has started. A few elements that should be given considerable thought prior to implementing your e-mail marketing campaign: 1) The subject line, it is the MOST important part of the message. It needs to be exciting and energetic, as well as specific and truthful. A dull or misleading subject line will land your marketing efforts in the virtual trash bin. 2) Images can tell a very meaningful story. Most of your potential clients are busy and likely will just skim the copy of your marketing material unless something catches their attention and compels them continue reading. An image is a great way to grab attention and increase the likelihood of your copy actually getting read. 3) It doesn’t matter how great your product or service is, or how well your marketing copy is written; customers will only buy from you if it is something they need. Since an e-mail campaign can be targeted, keep it that way so you are not flooding all your prospects with the same marketing regardless of their needs or wants. Labels: e-marketing, Internet Marketing, low-budget marketing, marketing |
8/05/2008
Give Your Client A Reason to Buy Now, E-mail Marketing (Part 1 of 2)
 Are you as addicted to e-mail as I am? I know I am not alone when I say one thing I feel lost without is access to my e-mail. Even if you don’t personally feel like an e-mail addict, you have to admit that a good portion of the population is constantly checking their e-mail. This is an important bit of information to consider, especially when planning your marketing strategy. E-mail can (and in many cases should) be one of the most powerful elements of your marketing. With e-mail you can link potential customers directly to your product or service offering, as well as your website. By incorporating an e-mail campaign into your marketing strategy, you can focus on a particular product or service and put it in front of a specific group of customers. You can alert them to a big sale or promotion, a new product release, or to an upcoming event; possibly prompting them to buy now instead of later. Labels: e-marketing, Internet Marketing, low-budget marketing, marketing |