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 |
8/06/2008
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 |
7/29/2008
Is Your Marketing Copy Transparent?
I just came across a quote that I haven’t seen or heard in a while. It was said by the late copywriter, Gene Schwartz, who is remembered and regarded very highly in the writing community:  “You want the person to look through the copy like they’re looking through the glass in a showcase.” I wanted to share this with you because I believe quotes like this one keep me on target. They remind me of how effective marketing copy should be written. When writing for an ad, press release, brochure or even a website; we are not writing to sell our copy, we are writing to sell a product or service. We want our readers to see through the copy, as they would a showcase window, and envision the product or service working for them. The best way to achieve this is by keeping copy simple and to the point. Labels: ad copy, copywriting, creative writing, marketing, potential customers |
7/25/2008
The Almighty VERB
| I know….YAWN! Since when is the topic of verbs considered exciting? While it may not be exciting, verbs are key to your marketing success. REALLY! Action, action, we want action. Active beats passive – every single time. Always, always, always choose words – especially verbs – that are active, visual and powerful. Your writing will be far more vibrant and convincing if you use active rather than passive verbs and the active voice over the passive voice. Passive verbs tend to be wordy, unnatural and, frankly, downright dull. Consider these two sentences: Passive: The book proposal was given to the publisher by Lisa. Active: Lisa presented her book proposal to the publisher. Or these: Passive: The cake was eaten by the boys. Active: The boys devoured the cake. What is…isn’t. I once had a client who forbade me from using any form of the verb “to be.” This means I couldn’t use is, are, am, were, etc. At first I thought he was out of his mind, but you know what? The end product was all the more strong, forceful and effective. The verbs were impactful and had more meaning than those dreaded-but-necessary “to be” verbs. creative writing business writing small business marketing writing Labels: business writing, creative writing, marketing, small business marketing |
7/22/2008
What Summer Slowdown?
 It’s inevitable. Every year, around February or March, people start anticipating a business “summer slowdown.” They’re the same folks who talk about a “slow December” starting sometime in mid-October. Then they put off doing anything of substance until mid-January because, they reason, things are dead for a good few weeks from start of the slow December. You can certainly talk a slowdown or a slow period or a lull in business into being, but why would you want to? Just like those who refuse to operate under the shadow of a recession (or whatever word they put on it), I, too, am not interested in focusing on all the potential slowdowns and lulls that can come my way. (Not to downplay high gas prices, unemployment records and everything else that is making times tough for people.) BUT….to me, marketing, and success in general, is about focusing on what you want and on where you want to be – not on all of the potentially not-so-great things that can (and, yes, do) happen. I’m not saying you, or I or anyone else is immune to significant trends or to anything else that affects the masses. But why base your life (or your business) on a fear-based approach? Why not expect the best? I do…and I get it, too – no matter what the season. productivity in business marketing business advice Labels: business, business advice, marketing, productivity in business |
7/07/2008
Is there a secret to online marketing?
 The answer is no. If you are looking for a secret or a “get it done quick” plan to a successful on-line marketing campaign, you won’t find one. Online marketing is marketing, and like all effective and successful marketing campaigns they have to be clearly defined and well thought out. Although online marketing can be less expensive and launched a bit quicker than a print campaign, it still requires the same time and efforts to be effective. A few factors to consider that are essential to every marketing campaign: 1. Relationship building and letting customers know you. Whether it is online or in print, customers need to know about your product or service. Make sure your descriptions are informative; to the point and that there is a sufficient amount of copy that answers the questions your potential customer might ask. Don't leave them wondering. 2. Offer value to your customer. You don’t have to be the least expensive, but you do have to offer the most value for their money. This needs to incorporated and translated into your marketing copy. 3. Use incentives in your marketing. Customers love to receive coupons, discounts and free gifts. Let them know what they will get. 4. Keep in touch. A successful marketing campaign has to have follow-up with past clients. It is always easier to get return business from happy customers than finding a new one. Not to mention the referrals that could come by reminding past clients how great of a product or service you have. Labels: Internet Marketing, low-budget marketing, marketing, online marketing, small business marketing |
6/27/2008
How to get your hands on a dose of marketing perspective?
 Here are my commandments on how to keep your eye on the big picture even as you are so focused on your own slice of the business world: » Read, read, read. When it comes to your market, your industry and what you know, there is no such thing as too much information, too much knowledge. » Know thy audience and know thy competitors. “Nuff said. » Don’t be 24/7/365. Take time, schedule it if you need to, to focus on something not related to your business. » Keep it humble. Don’t assume, talk to others, ask questions and always be prepared to change your mind and your plan. » Be real. You’re important and what you do is important but there’s a whole world of important people and businesses and causes out there. Labels: information marketing, marketing, marketing research, small business marketing |
6/23/2008
Got Marketing Perspective?
 You know when you’re so focused on something that you may lose sight of what it really is or of how important it really is (or isn’t) in the grand scheme of the world? I got a great dose of perspective the other day. My 8-year-old daughter has an e-mail address. Her e-mail is included on this subscriber list. Recently, she received an e-mail with tips on blogs and blog writing. She sent me back an e-mail that read like this: So….I guess BLOGS are IMPORTANT????? That gave me a good laugh. It reminded me that while what I do is important, and, I like to think, helps others succeed, sell more, realize their dreams and learn something new as much as possible, the truth is, most of us aren’t finding the cure to cancer. We take ourselves seriously, as we should, but it’s just too seriously at times. Taking a step back and drinking a big mug of perspective will make you much better and much more successful at what you do. So….remember….and this is very important: blogs are very IMPORTANT!!! Labels: blog, blog content, blog ghostwriting, blogging, marketing, online marketing, small business marketing |
6/09/2008
Content, The Key To A Successful Marketing Strategy (Part 2 of 2)
| In the last post, we talked about how a successful marketing strategy is centered on content. Determining exactly what content to focus on is 100% dependent upon your target audience. A few questions to ask yourself before mobilizing your next marketing plan,
 Once you have answered these questions and determined exactly what content to focus on, you then want to deliver a call to action for your ideal client. Explicitly call them to action so that they are not left wondering what they should do next. Keep their attention focused on you and how to proceed, so that they don’t feel they need to look any further in the direction of your competition. Labels: information marketing, marketing, seo copywriting, web content |
6/05/2008
Content, The Key To A Successful Marketing Strategy (Part 1 of 2)
 It is likely safe to assume that everyone understands the true purpose of marketing.
What everyone does not understand however, is that a successful marketing strategy has very little to do with hype or flashy design. The most successful strategies concentrate on feeding much-needed content to prospective clients, a process that truly brands you as the “go-to” expert in your field. By keeping the focus on your ideal clients and their problems, you will be successful in holding their attention. As long as problem solving for your clients remains the center of your content and information marketing strategy, you'll go far. Labels: information marketing, marketing, online marketing, web content |
5/13/2008
Web Presence – Do You Have It? (Part 2 of 2)
| In the last entry, we focused on things (like prospective customers) you could potentially lose by not having web presence. Now let’s focus on the things you WILL GAIN by having a good well planned web presence. • Your website and web presence can be the center of your marketing strategies. Using the same branding as your site, you can create and send e-newsletters, blog about industry specific topics, take part in editorial sites, social networking sites and lead generators. Most of this could all be done for FREE! • Let people learn about your company. If you are a small business and personally manage your customer interaction, tell your prospective customers that on your site. People love working with small businesses, so be what you are and tell people all about it for FREE on your site. Well planned web presence can catapult your business and allow you the opportunity to reach a broader target market. Put your finely tuned business sense and people skills to work in this virtual environment and see where it can take you and your business. Labels: Internet Marketing, marketing, small business marketing |
4/29/2008
How does your marketing taste?
Regardless of the forum you use for marketing, there are four essential ingredients to make sure you have a tasty message! 1. Customers want to know who you are and what you are all about. The easiest and least expensive way to make this happen is via the Internet. Right now, potential consumers everywhere are on-line looking for your service and the more they know about you, the more likely they are to hire you. 2. Offer a value-packed product. When a consumer has multiple experts to choose from for a particular service, they will go with the professional that offers the most value, not necessarily the one that is the least expensive. It is important to know the difference! 3. Incentives are important. Once you have provided great service to customers, it is likely they will return, but incentives are key when trying to attract new customers. Offering free promotional products of value or discount coupons can make the difference. 4. Don’t let past customers forget you. Use a post-sale marketing campaign to stay in front of past customers so they remember your great work the next time they are in the market for your service. Labels: Internet Marketing, marketing, small business marketing |
4/15/2008
Are You Choosing the Right Marketing Vehicle?
| You have a limited budget and can’t do everything you want to do marketing-wise. Sound familiar? How do you know what marketing vehicle to choose? How do you know whether you should be writing a brochure, a webpage or something else? Take some time to figure out the following:  What is the purpose of this marketing effort? Is it for a one-time event or product? Is it a general corporate or business piece that is meant to last for a long time?How will it be distributed? If it is not something you need to deliver in person (like a sales sheet at a trade show), then online/web may be your best bet. If it needs to be mailed, that’s something you need to determine as well. Will it be “evergreen” or revised often? A web page or other online format is far easier (and less expensive) to update than is a print piece. Who is your audience? Does it get all of its information online? Is this an in-person sales type of relationship? You need to know how your target market best accesses and digests its information. Labels: low-budget marketing, marketing, marketing research |
4/12/2008
Marketing is an imperfect science at best.
 I get calls, e-mails and face-to-face questions about all aspects of marketing all the time. The most common one may be this: “What is the best way to market my business? [Blank] or [blank]? The blanks represent a certain kind of marketing vehicle. So someone will ask if I think postcards are better than an e-newsletter, or a press release gets more mileage than a print ad. There is no one answer to this question. A local drycleaning business has a different market, and therefore different marketing needs, than an online gift company. Anyone, and I mean ANYONE, who views marketing as a one-size-fits-all kind of thing has it all wrong. And I promise you their results will speak for themselves. No matter what expert you hire, no matter what kind of expert you may be on your own, this is a very subjective thing. For sure, there is much we can do to ensure we’re going in the right direction toward our sales goals, but at the end of the day, marketing is not neat and it’s not a science. Labels: making mistakes, marketing, online marketing |
4/09/2008
More Than CopyWriters
When we last left off two weeks ago, I was explaining how, for me, my business/professional (as well as personal) goals have, inevitably, changed and evolved over time. Whereas in the early days of Get It In Writing I did my best to work with all businesses and all budgets, I have become more specific and niche-oriented over the years.  So it’s not a change of what we do, but a shift in how we present what we do. Our best client is a fast-growing small business or entrepreneurial company with a significant Internet presence (or looking to build a significant presence). They know that the best way to grow and build their businesses is through the use of content and information (more on information marketing in a future issue) as the backbone of their efforts. They are in this for the long-term, have ongoing content and marketing goals and needs and they understand and have the kind of budget necessary to get the job done. Over time, we have been more than copywriters and copywriting providers to clients – we have become their marketing consultants, their marketing planners and their project managers. So much so that, I have come to realize, we are more of a full-service marketing company than most of the marketing companies I have seen in the marketplace! For clients looking for one-time projects, I now have a wonderful copywriting-only company I work with and would be happy to refer you to directly. The way I see it, everyone wins: my company is free to say we do what we really are already doing. Other copywriting companies enjoy more work and added referrals. And, best of all, our clients experience first-hand the power of ongoing information-based marketing with a partner in it with them for the long haul. Labels: marketing, writing for the web |
1/23/2008
What's up for the new year?
| Print vs. online marketing A one-time shot to your clients through a piece of paper may not lead to more business. I always tell my clients that when they are in doubt, choose online marketing over print marketing because online is instant, changeable, less expensive and has a wider reach. In-person vs. online networking More and more, online networking and communications with potential clients, colleagues, alliances and vendors will prove to be more efficient, effective and long-lasting in terms of results than its in-person networking and communications cousins. (I know some of you may disagree with this.) Content is still king Ultimately, your message and words will make -- or break -- your sale. Be clear on what you are selling and to whom. Also be clear that your message is solutions- and benefits-oriented (and accurate, too!). Labels: marketing, networking, online marketing, online networking |
1/17/2008
New Year and New Marketing
| You know the saying about the best laid plans of mice and men? Well, that about sums up the last two weeks of 2007 for me. Those of you who know me personally know that when I am not focused on building my business and sharing what I know with all of you, I am also a mom of two with all of the craziness (and fun) that that entails. My husband had planned to travel with our two kids over the winter break and I had all sorts of plans to stay back at home and tackle all of the "exciting" things in my life in glorious solitude (closets, overflowing drawers, unruly mounds of paperwork -- can you relate?). Somewhere within that week of "me time," I also planned to schedule all of my days and set my vision for 2008. I also expected to somehow start meditating, create and stick to a blogging and press release schedule and, of course, to exercise daily during my week off. As it turned out, my dear grandmother died on December 21st, so my husband and kids had to cancel the trip, I spent the week out of state with my family in Maryland and no closets were cleaned nor were 2008 visions set in stone. I didn't have a Plan B and even if I had, I wouldn't have had the time or even the presence of mind to implement it. So I must admit that I started 2008 feeling behind the 8-ball and without 2007 being neatly wrapped up and packed away. After feeling some stress about this, I finally realized that this was actually exactly the way my 2008 was meant to start. Instead of planning and then assuming everything will always go according to plan, I was reminded that dealing with all of the unpredictability that business and life throw my way is the real lesson here. Planning is important and necessary. Sticking to the plan is also important and necessary. But forging on, changing and re-adapting to the plan when circumstances change is ultimately the most important part of the process. So as January settles in, my closets and drawers are still a disaster. My 2007 paperwork remains unfiled and disorganized. My plans are yet to be properly set for the year. But my vision is unwavering and my confidence in my ability to "switch gears" at less than a moment's notice has been tested and has passed with flying colors. Wishing you a year of achievement, success and the ability to live and enjoy life in each moment. Labels: business building, marketing |
11/11/2007
What gift is underneath your wrapping paper?
| I have a client who came to me to rewrite his existing website. This is always a tough one because often it is more difficult and less effective to re-write something that wasn't so great in the first place (although people often, mistakenly, think this is an easier job just because something is already written) than it is to start from scratch...but that's another story. This client, whose new site is still in the works (it is also being re-designed in addition to the reworked and rewritten copy) recently recounted something his colleague told him: "Ed," my client's friend said, "You are a great gift that no one can see because of your improper packaging. No one sees you beyond the packaging." My client is a world-renowned speaker, trainer and all-around inspiring and impressive guy. But what this third person was saying was very true and very telling. It's not enough to be great at what you do. You need to look, sound and read (your words) the part as well. The existing website did not even come close to doing its job for this caliber of a guy. You may think your site or your brochure or your message is less important than what you actually do and deliver, but you know what? You'd be mistaken. The image, the impression, the credibility are as important IF NOT MORE IMPORTANT than the actual goods and services delivered. It may not be fair, but it's the truth. So how professional, clear, attractive and impressive is YOUR wrapping? Labels: marketing, small business marketing |
6/26/2007
Big-Time Marketing On A Small-Time Budget
| We're often asked how to market big on a small budget. If for whatever reason, from an iffy economy or less-than-stellar results in the past , your every dollar needs to work harder, not to worry. There are creative ways to stretch your marketing budget to reach a wider audience at lower cost, and they are right at your fingertips.
Labels: brochures, low-budget marketing, marketing, referrals, small business |
5/22/2007
SEO Copywriting Blog - Marketing Disasters
1. Sars Drink (Unfortunate Turned Fortunate)  Believe it or not, sales of the soft drink Sars have increased since the publicity over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus hit the headlines, The East & Bays Courier news paper reported Wednesday. The caramel-flavored drink, produced by Australian company Golden Circle, has the same name as the acronym for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. New Zealand manager of Golden Circle, Brian Winter, said sales of the drink labeled Sars had increased over the last month. The report said that dairy owners have also noticed an increase in sales of the drink. Panmure Mini Mart owner Bashar Ahmed sold out of the drink a couple of days ago and said there has been an increase in sales over the last few months. The Westminster Dairy in St Heliers has also noticed the drink's popularity. "People laugh at it. Many people point it out. Jokingly they ask: 'Is this a medicine for SARS or protection against SARS?'," one dairy owner said. Mr. Winter said that the company was not thinking about changing the name of the drink and was unlikely to do so if current sales trends continue. -source 2. Ayds Diet Candy
Ayds was an appetite-suppressant candy which enjoyed strong sales in the 1970s and early 1980s. It was available in chocolate, chocolate mint, butterscotch or caramel flavors, and later a peanut butter flavor was introduced. The original packaging used the phrase "Ayds Reducing Plan vitamin and mineral Candy"; a later version used the phrase "appetite suppressant candy." The active ingredient in the candy as reported by the New York Times was phenylpropanolamine, presumably to reduce the sense of taste to reduce eating However, public awareness of the disease AIDS beginning around mid-1981 caused problems for the brand due to the similarity of names. Initially sales were not affected, but by 1988 the chairman of Dep Corporation announced that the company was seeking a new name because sales had dropped as much as 50 percent due to publicity about the disease. The product's name was changed to Diet Ayds (Aydslim in Britain), but eventually it was withdrawn from the market. -Wikipedia This is an interesting contrast to the SARS example. The SARS drink was lucky in that it was not negatively affected by its association with a deadly disease. Ayds Diet Candy, however, was not so lucky. Perhaps it was their unfortunate ill-fitting taglines that helped do them in. Accidental/Unintentional Disasters 1. Ask.com Ask.com has launched a new campaign centering on its "Algorithm." They are promoting it as the best in the industry. Most in the industry (as well as most web users) would agree this claim is completely unfounded and blatantly wrong. Google is commonly-held as the search engine with the most relevant results and thus with the most advanced algorithm. Making matters even worse, Ask.com has been using cryptic (and easily misinterpreted) billboards with the phrasing "The Algorithm Killed Jeeves." When I first saw this billboard, I immediately thought it might have been an ad from Google, promoting its algorithm's superiority over Ask.com, whose market share has been steadily declining. It was very surprising when I found out this was actually an ad for Ask.com, claiming search superiority. It would be interesting to do a comparison on how many incremental searches the Ask.com "Algorithm" billboard campaign drove to Google, Yahoo and Ask. I think most people saw the signs, were confused, and went home to do a search on Google. (this is what I did) By driving incremental searches on Google, did Ask help Google push up their unique reach and market share for April? Of course, I'm ignoring the longer term branding value of a campaign like this but the short-term effects are interesting.
2. GE Miners Campaign GE's "Model Miners" commercial was launched amid a good deal of controversy. One comment in the New York Times pointed out that the video's message crossed sex with a pro-labor miners’ song that is distinctly Marxist: "You load 16 tons and whaddya get? / Another day older and deeper in debt. / Saint Peter doncha call me 'cause I can’t go / I owe my soul to the company store." And a critic in the online magazine Slate noted that coal miners still die of black lung disease, making it hard to consider coal "beautiful," as the ad's narrator says. GE’s intent was to present the company "in a clever, often humorous way," I'd say they missed the mark with this one.
Bad Translation Disasters 1. Pocari Sweat The reference to the bodily fluid resulting from perspiration in the name of the beverage tends to have a certain off-putting or humorous connotation for native English speakers. However, the name was chosen by the manufacturers originally for the purpose of marketing the product as a sports drink in Japan, where people generally do not mentally translate names appearing in English and are therefore not bothered by the connotation. It was largely derived from the notion of what it is intended to supply to the drinker: all of the nutrients and electrolytes lost when sweating. (The first part of the name, Pocari, means "like a cloud floating in the sky" or "a situation in which a cloud is floating in the sky" in Japanese, and has a connotation of lightness, buoyancy, and ease.) "Sweat" was apparently intended to suggest diligence and its fruits - the idea intending to connote to the user that Pocari Sweat works to make one feel fresh and relaxed. However, some Japanese apparently drop "sweat" from the name in common usage. -Wikipedia
2. Osram Lights A lighting system company from Munich, Osram's name translates poorly into Polish. "Srac" is the infinitive form of the Polish verb "to sh*t." "Osram" is future tense, perfective, first person singular: "I will sh*t on you completely."
3. Electrolux While a company may be able to escape messing up a literal translation, it must always contend with slang. Scandinavian vacuum manufacturer Electrolux met this slang issue when it ran these ads in the United States:
Labels: marketing |
