Let’s get some attention… shall we?

A good headline is what’s going to get the attention of your prospect.

So, what does that look like?

Well, anywhere else in this world it’s usually a wreck… train wreck… car wreck… you name it.  If there are blood and guts (or the chance for it) spewed across the road you’ll probably get 80.1% to 90.99% of the attention of people going by.

I think they call them “rubber neckers”.

So, you want a “rubber necker” to at least stop and look.  We don’t want them to leave, like normal “rubber neckers”, we want them to stay.  But, I’ll get to what comes next later.  First you’ve got to get them to stop and look.

How do you do that?

It’s got to be something that hits an emotional button.  Or it’s got to be something the prospect desires deep down.  Make that big claim your prospect wants (as long as you know you can deliver).  But, be careful because you don’t want to sound all hypey and stuff.

The second part of the wreck that you need to add to your headline is believability (You shouldn’t claim you’re going to show someone how to hit a 700 Yard drive or lose 150 lbs in 3 weeks unless it’s absolutely possible and proven and even then it’s got to be believable).  Yes, it must be believable and it’s up to you to prove that it’s true.

Maybe you’re wondering… how do I put proof in my headline?  Headlines are usually pretty short.

Well, if you’re selling something related to health, being a doctor will give you some credibility.  If you’re selling something sports related, being an athlete that’s accomplished what you claim for your product will build proof.

Don’t get me wrong.  There is a difference between proof and credibility but an ounce of credibility, especially in your headline, will go a long way.

Another thing you can do to bring the believability is when you’re using numbers.  Be specific.  Use “9.99” instead of “10”.  Use 85.33% instead of 85%.  By using specific numbers it gives your claims a hint more believability even if the round number is correct for its purpose (just don’t make stuff up just to be specific).

If you want to get some great headline ideas, check out Mens Health Magazine or TMZ.  Obviously both are very different but you’ll find that the headlines they use for their stories are eye catching and have elements that should be modeled.

When you’re ready to hire someone who understands persuasive online copywriting and ready to go the extra mile for your sales letter then you can visit the link and fill out the form or give me, Jay, a call at 336-775-6606.   I look forward to working with you.

If you have ever experienced a door-to-door vacuum sales person you know that they intrude into your life uninvited.   You hear the knock at your door.  And BAM there they are pushing their way in to clean your carpet.  They’re uninvited but in the end, somehow, you’re the proud owner of a new $1,500 vacuum cleaner that sucks the paint right off the wall.

Persuasive online copywriting is very similar.  In most cases we’re trying to get the attention of passerby’s.  We’re the uninvited vacuum cleaner sales person.  We’re doing our best to attract someone who is in the buying mood but we can’t guarantee that.

So the first thing we’ve got to do is get the attention of each person seeing your message.  This attention grabber will be your headline or something like it.  You want it to reach out and grab your “guest” by the eyeballs and get them reading your ad copy.

Almost immediately after you get their attention you’ve got to show the benefit and advantage of your product or service.  You’ve got to show that it solves their problems.  If you can’t demonstrate that you understand their problem and you can solve it better than the next seller then you’ve gotten nowhere.  You essentially have to put yourself in the shoes of your prospect and experience what they experience.  Then tell them it’s ok because you have a solution.

Now comes the fun part of persuasive online copywriting.  Now you have to PROVE IT.  Without proof to show your product or service can do what you claim it can do…. well, you’ve just wasted money on a fly-by.  Proof is a critical element to persuasive copy.  Without you don’t stand a chance in hell of making sale.  With it and the world is your oyster.

Now that you’ve gotten their attention, shown them you understand and can solve their problem, and prove it… you’ve got to ask for the sale.

So many people forget this key part of the puzzle.  If you’ve got them reading and you’ve got them engaged.  You’ve got to ask for the sale.  People in general need to be led to the next step.  It can be as simple as “turn to the next page” or “click the next button”.  You’ve got to ask them to take action.  If you don’t you’re losing a ton of people.

Those few steps are what it takes to create persuasive online copywriting.

If you’re in need of a copywriter who understands these concepts, feel free to give me a call (Jay Simcic) at 336-775-6606 or visit http://www.ProfitConvergenceInc.com/copywriting-services and fill out the simple form.

Next time I’ll dig deeper into how to get attention.

In short the answer is yes.

If you have a large list that you’re going to be communicating with often then it make sense to hire an email copywriter who can work in a little persuasion here and there.

You may be thinking, why in the world would I spend $1,000 to $1,500 on a copywriter to write 10 emails when I can do it myself. 

The reason is a copywriter specializes in delivering messages with subtle hints of persuasive language. 

An email copywriter knows how to get people to take action.

Besides, if you’re in business don’t you think its more important to outsource work you don’t specialize in than to spend your time working on something your not totally into?

I’m not saying you can’t write great emails, I’m just saying, that if you calculate your hourly wage would you rather spend that time writing out emails or working on your business that would earn you the best ROI?

When you’re running a business you have to consider where you’re needed most.  You can’t wear every hat, although many of us do, it’s just not effective. 

Next time you’re looking at creating an autoresponder sequence for your list and you need the emails to be persuasive and effective, consider using an email copywriter for the job.

Till next time.

Jay Simcic
Profit Convergence, Inc.

P.S.  When you’re ready to use an effective and reasonable email copywriter, give me a call 336-775-6606.  I’ll be glad to talk to you about your project.

I love Dan Kennedy style marketing.  It makes so much sense.  His books have been suggested reading by several people I know in the industry and I believe they’re dead on. 

So, I was reading Dan Kennedy’s book – The Ultimate Marketing Plan – and there is a section in there about picking the right targets. 

In this section of the book he talks about the importance of aiming your weaponry at the right target.  If you were to take his thoughts to the battle field you would realize if you’re aiming at the wrong people, you’ll lose the battle.

The same thing is true with marketing and copywriting.  You see, if you want to communicate a message you better be sending it to the right people, otherwise you’re probably wasting time, money, and resources.

In the example, Dan Kennedy talks about a carpet cleaner who was sending his direct mail packages to a zip code that had run own neighborhoods and apartment complexes.  These, in his opinion, did not meet the criteria of this man’s target market.

With that being said when they re-targeted his letter to the appropriate list of people his conversion rate went from .25% to 2.5%.  That’s a huge jump in conversions.

So the bottom line… keep it tightly aimed.   What Dan Kennedy was trying to convey is to target your marketing as tight as you can possibly get it to improve your overall conversion.  Not everyone wants or needs to hear your message.  Laser target it and you’ll be more successful. 

If you’re shooting in the wrong direction you’ll end up losing.

Till next time…

Jay Simcic
Profit Convergence, Inc.

P.S.  Many times people are looking for Dan Kennedy style marketing for reasonable prices.  If that’s the case for you, go ahead and give me a call at 336-775-6606.

P.P.S.  Here’s the link to his book – The Ultimate Marketing Plan – if you’re interested in picking it up.

I wanted to share a little story about my mentor…

I believe that we all need coaching from an expert. One of my coaches is none other than Harlan Kilstein. And that’s what I want to talk about briefly.

It was one afternoon during a short coaching session I was having with him. We were going over a sales letter I wrote for a client. I was struggling with a good risk reversal for this particular product and he pointed a few things out to me.

He was trying to push me so that I would think about what I was doing. This was one of those episodes when you don’t want to argue with the killer Rabbi. He wasn’t in a bad mood and wanted to make a point to me. He knows his stuff and this particular time I just had to argue.

I was pushing back so hard I think his face broke…

It was like a master samurai in a battle for his life. He said nothing … looked at me with a “death glare” and paralyzed me from the mouth down. The glare was so powerful I thought I felt the earth move. I think he mentally slapped me on the back of my head.

He stopped me in my tracks and explained why my risk reversal was weak and how I could beef it up. The importance of a powerful risk reversal in your copy should never be overlooked.

And I’ll always remember this session with Harlan because of the “Glare”. He anchored me with the information I needed to enhance a successful letter.

If you’ve ever talked to or experienced Harlan Kilstein you know he’s a straight shooter, outstanding copywriter, and really funny guy. If you’re a copywriter and ever have a chance to join his mentoring group I say go for it. You’ll gain nothing but valuable copywriting and marketing advice from a master.

Anyway, that’s not why I wrote this. If you ever want to hire a professional for advice or to get a little help I say go for it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

That’s one of the reasons I’ve put up this blog. I want to help you out with your marketing and copywriting.

Feel free to send me comments about any topic you might want me to cover.

Till next time…

Jay Simcic
Profit Convergence, Inc.

P.S. If you’re not a copywriter and need a sales letter but can’t afford the good Rabbi’s fees, give me a call 336-775-6606.

Have you ever taken a look at the ads in your local paper for houses?

They suck!

They pretty much look the same, say the same, and none of them stand out. When everything looks alike and everyone’s trying to sell the same thing you’ve got to stand out if you want to make the sale.

That’s exactly why I think Real Estate Agents should use the expertise of a copywriter in their real estate marketing. That’s what we do, we create cash sucking ads for business owners.

If you’re a real estate agent you should be thinking of yourself as a business owner. It’s your business to do everything you can to be profitable.

I mean, think about it…

A real estate agent is good at showing and selling houses. You’re a master at what you do. But what you’re not is a direct response marketer or copywriter.

Think about the impact to your profits if you had a great copywriter and marketer writing your materials. You’re running a business and all businesses outsource certain tasks. It might be accountants, sales people, marketers, etc… so you should consider doing the same.

I would bet that you would see great successes, more sales, and happier clients because of it.

You see… when you stand out from the crowd with valuable interesting descriptions that pull the emotion and desire from the home buyer you’re more likely to get the sale. Especially since you’ve primed them in print before you ever meet them face to face.

Once you get them face to face you’ll be ready to knock their socks off.

Just think about when you’re selling a house to someone face to face. You’re not selling hunk of bricks, wood, and paint. No, you are selling them the dream, the desires, and emotions they long for in the home they’ll be staying in for a long while.

Consider the leverage you would gain over your competitors when you stand out from everyone else in your local paper. Think about how envious they’ll be wondering how you’re doing this magic.
So if you’re a real estate agent that wants to succeed in today’s market and make a difference to your bank account, you should consider talking to a copywriter or direct response marketer that can help you out.

Till next time…

Jay Simcic

PS:  Give me a call and we can talk about your real estate goals at 336-775-6606.