Copywrite your way to Success

Direct Marketing Site to Check Out...

2006-01-12T16:27:00.000+10:30

I have found a great site for anyone interested in marketing and direct response over at Bob Serlings 'Direct Marketing Insider' http://www.directmarketinginsider.com/index.html

I highly reccomend signing up to his newsletter it is packed full of top information - You would pay for some of this stuff but he does it free....

Past Issues Include-:

How to Create Powerful Headlines — In Just 10 Minutes http://www.directmarketinginsider.com/issue1.html

Changing the Way You Change Your Customer's Mind
http://www.directmarketinginsider.com/issue9.html

I get nothing from this I am reccomending it because I think it is great stuff that subscribers of this BLOG would like to know about - So do yourself a favour and go to http://www.directmarketinginsider.com/index.html

Perhaps leave a comment with your views in the comments section for us all to enjoy.

Be Your Best - Laura

Positioning for Profit

2006-01-10T14:00:00.000+10:30

Positioning is the best plan that any business can implement.

Positioning is putting yourself in the right place in the eyes of your market. You get your market to know you as an expert that can be trusted. You get looked on as a reliable resource for information.

Positioning is easy to do. Just give free information of interest to your market. Your market is the people who would be likely to buy the services or products you offer.

Let's say your market is people who like to fish. What they buy are reels, poles, lure...things they need to fish with. You could tell them the Best Ways To Fish For Salmon, Bass, Trout...The Fine Art Of Fly-Tying...How To Cast For The Best Catch...How To Find The Best Fishing Spots...Cleaning And Cooking Fish In A Snap. If you sell reels, poles, lure, etc. - then such reports will attract readership from your target market - the people most likely to buy from you.

Chances are if those readers found something useful in your report, then they would be interested in reading more. Give it to them - have them sign up on your list.

That is how positioning works, and the reward is great. Having a list built up of targeted, loyal, and responsive prospects is the very best thing a business can have.

Not only can you tell them how to catch more fish with the least possible effort, but also how your products can help them to do it even more so. Since you are an expert, it's only natural that you would have the greatest tools and tackle.

There is a special thing about having a list, so treat it special. Consider it for what it will be - the marketing life-blood of your business.

Most businesses, if they keep lists, just have lists of customers who bought from them, and yet do not even send them as much as a Thank You Note or Christmas Card.

The people on your list will have a more connected relationship with you. You are not just a seller to them, and they are not just a customer to you. They will look forward to contact from an expert giving out the latest fishing tips and you will be ready for any questions they might bring you. Your answer will most likely be of interest with your whole list, so share it with all of them.

The more you can make the people feel privileged to be on your list the better. You can give your list exclusive deals, free offers, deep discounts, holiday specials, even the chance to sign-up for a paid subscription service where they get the meanest down and dirty underground secrets of fishing success where the fish don't stand a chance in Neptune.

This works for any marketing niche you happen to be in, not just fish. Positioning is the very best way to 'fish' for prospects in your market. Lure them with the knowledge and service you provide, and soon you have your own stocked pond full of hungry fish that you can catch over and over again.

It pays to know as much about your market as you can. Communicate with your market about the ups and downs, advantages and disadvantages, progress and problems associated with it. Do what they do, read what they read, know their likes and dislikes, search and study resources.

Above all, look for answers and innovations. Then find a way to use them in your marketing and advertising. People will always be interested in new and better things and are drawn to those who have them.

This will not only help in positioning yourself as an expert, but also in finding ways to position your products or service as having unique benefits. You do this by finding unsolved needs and thinking up solutions. Being the first at something also affirms you as an expert par excellence.

If you do these things, you and your business will be positioned. You will have the MARKETING EDGE.

Be Your Best - Laura

Improve Sales

2005-11-24T13:47:00.000+10:30

This BLOG talks a lot about developing the material and the words used to help you sell more...

Let us take a little side step from there for this post and actually look at 5 general ways to make your sales go up.

1.Use testimonials anywhere and everywhere. They will give your business credibility and you'll gain peoples trust. It's important to include the person's full name and location/business with the testimonial.

2.When sales are low and you want to get a quick flow of cashinjected into your business develop a campaign with a deadline to order. Tell people if they order by X date they will get a discount or free bonuses. This will create a sense of urgency so they don'tput off buying. The tip is though it has to be a valuable perceived incentive if you use bonuses. A great way to do this is through cross promotion, get a bonus from an alliance or partner so you both benefit, you from the urgent offer and them from the exposure to your customer base. In doing this your free bonus to your customer soon becomes free or very low cost to your business.

3.Divide your price over a period of time to make it sound less. Offer a payment plan or show the per day price.For example my consulting company D.Y.B Strategies (www.dybstrategies.com) runs business development sessions that will transform your business for "Only $2.60 per day!" that is less than a cup of coffee. Use this tactic in your marketing campaigns a powerful price headline is perfect for grabbing your target audience attention.

4.When using direct marketing use more than one P.S. in your adcopy. It is one of the most read parts of any ad, so why not use two or three of them instead of one.

5.Educate yourself with new strategies to increase your sales. You could take classes, subscribe to e-zines and magazines, read books or e-books, get coaching and of course keep reading this BLOG ;-)

That is it for today.

Be Your Best!

Laura

PS - Welcome and a sincere Thank you to all new subscribers who have signed up to this BLOG recently I appreciate you letting me into your Inbox and allowing me to share some of your precious time, I hope you enjoy.

Why do your customers buy?

2005-11-11T16:40:00.000+10:30

We talk a lot about copy and how to create marketing materials but lets take step back and learn about why people buy?

Do you know why your clients buy? Seems like a pretty simple question, right? Not really, when you dig deeper under the surface. How you answer is critical to the success of your business.

To begin, understand one simple fact: prospects and clients buy for their reasons, not yours. They could care less about your company and your mission statement or the long list of product features you so skillfully articulate.

They only care about the outcome your offer provides them. They want the benefit, the impact, the improvement, the comfort, or the security it will deliver. Most small business marketing fails to address these crucial client needs directly. Instead, they focus on the greatness of their product or service and miss what is important.

Small business marketers are often their own worst enemies. Frequently, they are not communicating on the buyer's level of motivation. They are too busy figuring out how to "sell" the product than finding out the reasons the client "buys".

The problem comes down to the marketing strategy that is employed. Are you pushing your product or are you pulling the client through the marketing process?

There is a very important distinction here. Since buyers only care about their needs and take action for their personal reasons, why should they pay attention to why you think your product is so great?

When you push your products, you are essentially telling the client that they should buy from you because of your reasons. With this egocentric approach you often run into a stone wall of objections and delays. Pushing the product forces them out of their comfort zone and places unnecessary pressure on their decision making process. A relentless assault of closing techniques pushes them away from a purchasing decision on their terms.

Pulling a buyer through the purchasing process is much more effective. When you pull you are leading them to the purchase like leading a horse to water. You gently guide them through your features and benefits and come to a decision on their terms. If they resist you have not educated them enough with information to motivate them or you haven't addressed their objections sufficiently.

The buyer will only make a decision when they are comfortably satisfied your offer has met all of their purchasing criteria. As a seller, you must pull them through the process and always let them stay within the limits of their comfort zone. It's by staying within these boundaries that trust is established and a long term relationship is built with the client.

Also remember that the purchasing process is completely rooted in the perceptions of the buyer. They have ultimate control over the process, not you. Your job as a marketer is to develop all your communications to make them comfortable and lead them to the best outcome...purchasing your product or service.

Always be aware of which method you are using - push or pull - and adopt it to the buyer's personal reasons for purchasing and you will enjoy continuous success.

Be Your Best!

Laura
Marketing Freak

Marketing Swipe File

2005-11-06T14:59:00.000+10:30

Use and build a swipe file to carve your way to the top of the marketing tree...

Direct marketing's a tough way to make a living but if you can master certain skills it can be extremely lucrative. It takes on many different forms, some of which are easily translatable to the web.

Although the term may bring to mind door to door salesmen pushing their wares to housewives in robes and curlers, it also has roots in print ads such as classifieds and space ads and direct mail.

The internet has created a massive opportunity for the skilled direct marketer to thrive without doing the customary legwork and engaging in personal contact with their prospects, basically expanding on the concept of direct mail.

So what skills do you need to hone in order to succeed at direct marketing? The top priority of anyone interested in making money on the internet should be their copywriting skills. This is simply putting your sales message into words. Since the face to face encounter has been eliminated you need to be able to convey your pitch through the words on the pages that your prospects are reading.

A great way to polish your copywriting skills, even if you've never written a single word of ad copy before, is to create a swipe file. This is just a file of already successful ad campaigns. Swipe files are incredibly useful tools. Every major player in direct marketing keeps a swipe file and for good reason. Everybody gets stuck for words and ideas at some point. When this happens it's good to have an example of past successes to go to and freshen your creative juices and get the words flowing again.

What should your file consist of? You should gather any material that has spurred you to action, whether its purpose was to get you to buy something or just leave your name and email address. Copy the good stuff and study it. Realise what was in the ad that made you act on the offer. Look for layout designs (bulleted lists are a big direct marketing tactic), action words, headlines and sub heads. You'll notice certain words popping up along with questions and statements that are all fairly alike but are tailored to specific products and services. That's the key to a good swipe file.

Gather a wide array of different styles and mold the message to your particular target audience. Study the material and write out many different versions of the same ad. Practice your art and perfect it.

A word of caution though... Never copy an ad word for word. That's plagiarism and it's illegal. Use your swipe file as an aid only, to sharpen your copywriting skills and make you better at direct marketing.

Be Your Best!

Laura
Marketing Freak
Business Development Consultant and Professional Copywriter, Laura will make your businesses goals go from dreams to reality!
Owner and Principal Consultant of D.Y.B Strategies
Visit us http://www.dybstrategies.com/

This could be your answer...

2005-10-27T14:10:00.000+09:30

Need content for your BLOG?

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Be Your Best!
Laura
Marketing Freak
Business Development Consultant and Professional Copywriter, Laura will make your businesses goals go from dreams to reality!
Owner and Principal Consultant
D.Y.B Strategies Visit us www.dybstrategies.com

P.S. Now YOU can have access to your own "private team" of hundreds of freelance and "ghost" writers, who are creating exclusive articles and informationproducts *around the clock* for YOUR benefit!Information marketing is a multi-BILLION dollar market. And there's no *easier* OR more affordable way to claim YOUR share than as a member of "IGR!"

http://www.infogoround.com/cgi-bin/click.cgi\?id=lbrookesmith

7 Email Subject Lines that Get Opened

2005-10-27T10:49:00.000+09:30

What is the point of having great content in your emails with the most powerful, awe inspiring offer ever created if no one ever opens them.

Like anything your headline is critical and in email marketing the subject line is your headline so here are 7 that you can use and adapt for your campaigns.....

- Here is something I think your going to love

- A personal Message from

- I couldn't sleep at night if you missed this

- Special VIP Sneak Peek for you

- Can you help me?

- Free gift with every referral

- Check this out and let me know what you think

Well there it is I will post more in this series during ensuing weeks.

If you have any you like post them in the comments section so we can all learn from them.

Until Next Time - Be Your Best!

Laura
Marketing Freak
Business Development Consultant and Professional Copywriter, Laura will make your businesses goals go from dreams to reality!
Owner and Principal Consultant
D.Y.B Strategies
Visit us www.dybstrategies.com

10 Ways To Get Your Ads Or Messages Noticed

2005-10-14T09:14:00.000+09:30

Do you post to message boards, e-mail discussion lists, classified ads sites, FFA sites or newsgroups?

People will usually read the subject line before they read your ad or message, so it's important they get noticed. Below are ten simple, but powerful tips to get your ads or messages noticed.

1. Use extra white space creatively in your subject line. You can add extra blank spaces between your words or letters.

2. Combine capital letters with lower case letters. Use all capital letters in every other word or use a capital letter between every other lower case letter.

3. Add text symbols in your subject line. You could use them between words and letters. Start and end your subject with a text symbol. ( *, $, >,{,] )

4. Begin your subject line with the word "STOP!". People have been trained their whole life to stop what they are doing when they see that word.

5. Ask people a question in your subject line. We all went to school and were repetitively branded to answer questions.

6. Use the word "FREE" in your subject line. Your offer should be attractive to your target audience. It could be free information, software, trials, etc...

7. Begin your subject line with an "online smile :)". People use smiles offline to gain people's attention and to win their trust, why not use them online too.

8. Don't use unbelievable claims in your subject line. People have or know some who has been ripped off and trained themselves to ignore those claims. (The internet has been the worse for this, we have all seen them get rich quick sitting in your PJ's doing nothing and you will earn $$$)

9. Don't use all capital letters in your subject line. It is hard to read, looks unprofessional, and on the internet it's considered a symbol for shouting.

10. Test different subject lines to see which ones draws the most traffic to your web site. Also, read the FAQ before posting a message or ad anywhere.

So there they are try some out and see what happens.

Until Next Time - Be Your Best!

Laura
Marketing Freak
Business Development Consultant and Professional Copywriter, Laura will make your businesses goals go from dreams to reality!

Increase Your Average Sale

2005-10-02T11:51:00.000+09:30

Here is a quick tip an oldy but a goody as they say.

Give customers a discount on their total order to increase sales.

You could give them a discount for ordering over a set dollar or product amount.

For example, say, "Buy over $39 worth of products and get a 20% discount on your order!"
Another example, "Get a 15% discount if you order 3 or more products!"

Bundling gives you a higher average sale so either look at it as an ongoing strategy or a tactic used on your traditionally quiet days or to boost some short term cash flow objectives.

Be Your Best!

Laura

Please visit us at http://www.dybstrategies.com OR if you like what you see subscribe to our update list in the top right hand corner - Thanks for reading

To Be or Not To Be - That is the Question, What is the Answer?

2005-09-28T11:21:00.000+09:30

A cheeky title to start this post about what makes a great sales letter...

So what can make a great letter?

A little personality and interest and what will help do this?

Quotes!

Incorporating famous, relevant or interesting quotes can really bring spark and personality to your writing.

I have recently created a campaign for my business D.Y.B Strategies with the ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ theme and used examples and quotes from the movies, the people who have read it and that I tested it on have loved the concept thus far (Will update you to its success when launched in the next week or so)

What are some of my favourite quotes?

“Real knowledge is to know the extent of ones ignorance” Confucius

“I can not teach anyone anything, I can only make them think” Socrates

“Drive thy business or it will drive thee” Benjamin Franklin

I could keep going and going but I will stop there.

The main purpose for this post though was to send you to a free download page where you can access a thousand quotes right on your desktop to use and incorporate into your marketing materials so check it out today http://www.menesk.com/

Want to keep this post and conversation going, then post your favourite quotes in our comments section.

Be Your Best!

Laura

Review

2005-09-22T11:01:00.000+09:30

This is a little off the beaten track for the Copywriting to Success BLOG but I wanted to post about a great resource I recently discovered.

A comment from a fellow Blogger Rachel Gawith asked for reprint permission to one of our posts which I happily granted (for anyone else who wants to reprint please leave me a comment on relevant post and I will arrange) to use in her weekly e-zine.

I thought with Rachel using our article I would mosy by the site and subscribe to the e-zine, in short WOW this e-zine has a unique concept to win cash and prizes just by reading it and an active subscriber base of 678 with the content quality and e-zine differentiation I would say this number will grow.

The content has reviews, tips and a chance for subscriber participation to promote their own opportunities, along with really clever advertising structure for advertisers.

If you want information on advertising at what I would classsify as very reasonable rates visit the advertising page direct http://www.freedailycash.com/advertising.html

To subscribe to the e-zine where by the way as an even bigger incentive you get membership to 'The Ultimate Four' with a $26 per month value then go right now to http://www.freedailycash.com/

Enjoy

Laura
Marketing Freak
Corporate Page
http://www.dybstrategies.com
Build Your Wealth and Increase your Success
http://buildyourwealth.successuniversity.com

3 Tips to Close your Advertising

2005-09-14T10:57:00.000+09:30

Here are three tips to keep in mind when closing your direct mail pieces, a strong close can make or break your success.

Tip One
Use a "P.S." at the end of your ad copy. This is where you either want to repeat a strong benefit or use a strong close, like a free bonus. For example, "P.S. You can get (product), worth over ($), for the low price of ($)!" Another example, "P.S. I can not guarantee the (No.) bonuses will be here tomorrow!"

Tip Two
You could end your ad copy with a discounted price. Just list your regular price and then offer a discounted price off the order ‘right now’. You could also offer a rebate that takes effect instantly. For example, you could say, "Instead of paying $99, you could order now and get an instant rebate of $20 - you only pay $79!"

Tip Three
You could end your ad copy with a free sample or trial of your product. If your ad didn't attract them to buy, maybe a free sample or trial would. If you were selling an e-book, you could give them a free sample at the end of your ad copy. For example, you could say, "If you're still not sure about ordering, download a FREE sample chapter!"

Use these tips and enjoy.

Until Next Time - Be Your Best!

Laura
Marketing Freak
D.Y.B Strategies
http://www.dybstrategies.com
Want help to create the life you want visit
http://buildyourwealth.successuniversity.com

Ten High Impact Words

2005-09-10T22:05:00.000+09:30

Below is a list of 10 High Impact Words to use when selling your products/services I have used the word ad for the sake of the article but it is really for any ads, direct mail pieces, email signatures etc… that you can think of they are words to use in all marketing material.

1. Use the word "fast" in your ad. People want fast results, fast delivery, fast ordering, etc. Nowadays, we usually value our time more than our money.

2. Use the word "guaranteed" in your ad. People want to be assured they are not risking their hard earned money buying your product.

3. Use the word "limited" in your ad. People want to own or receive things that are exclusive or rare because they are considered to be more valuable.

4. Use the word "easy/simple" in your ad. People want easy ordering, easy instructions, easy to use, easy payments, etc…

5. Use the word "testimonial" in your ad. People want to see believable proof before they buy your product/service. It should be reputable and specific proof.

6. Use the word "discount/sale" in your ad. People want to find bargains. They could be rebates, one time sales, percentage offers; get one free offers, etc…

7. Use the word "free" in your ad. People want free incentives before they do business with you. They could be free books, accessories, services, etc…

8. Use the word "you/your" in your ad. People want to know that you are talking them. This'll make them feel important and attract them to read the whole ad.

9. Use the word "important" in your ad. People do not want to miss important information that could affect their life. People will stop and take notice.

10. Use the word "new" in your ad. People want new products or services that will improve their life like new information, tastes, technology, results, etc…

If any one is looking for advertisements, direct mail pieces or web content to be professionally written D.Y.B Strategies can create it for you. We take the hassle out of writing your own material, save you time and create more money for you with higher response rates. If this would be of interest contact me laura@dybstrategies.com

By the way if you liked this article and wat to be updated with the freshest content subscribe to our feed

Be your best!

Laura
Marketing Freak
D.Y.B Strategies
http://www.dybstrategies.com
Want help to create the life you want visit http://buildyourwealth.successuniversity.com

Subscribe to our Feed

2005-09-10T11:48:00.000+09:30

Want to know when the latest freshest profit pulling content has been added to the 'Copywrite your way to Success' BLOG.

You now can subscribe to our feed by clicking on this link

Those who win the game of business are those who stay at the forefront and learn new ideas, new techniques and new knowledge.

What better way to win than a subscription to us, one idea can change your advertising which can change your business.

My favourite saying is 'Life Happens in a Moment' so don't miss another moment of our great content.

BLOG STATS as of September 10th
- Created July 31st 2005
- 18 Posts
- 14 links to other useful Websites

The moneys in the words

2005-09-04T13:03:00.000+09:30

I have been doing copywriting as part of my service range at D.Y.B Strategies (http://www.dybstrategies.com/) since its creation in early 2004; I have recently decided to focus heavily on this area and decided to take ‘Michael Masterson’s Six Figure Copywriting Course’.

Copywriting as we discuss in this BLOG supports the sales and marketing process by using words to create a need, want or desire for our products and services.

Some say direct marketing and copywriting no longer works? Is this true or is it just not done properly. Perhaps the power of this medium is simply misunderstood.

Am I simply wasting my time on an art form lost to the world?

I think not.

If we look at why it works this is best demonstrated by examples of a book I am reading as part of my studies that is compiled full of the 50 best direct marketing letters ever written (American Writers and Artists Institute Hall of Fame) and these letters alone have generated billions and billions in revenues and success for the companies who commissioned the pieces to be developed.

The letters vary from pieces done in the early stages of the 20th Century era through to gems of the era that is the 21st Century.

Did you know that one letter used by The Wall Street Journal was responsible for over $1 billion in sales alone?

Awful looking websites pull in dozens upon dozens of sales over some of their slick counterparts simply because the marketing message and sales pitch is strong and convincing.

I will actually post some websites in future entries that I think have some powerful copy so you can review them for yourself.

Sales Success is due to powerful Copywriting.

Is copywriting a natural ability that some have the mystical power whilst others simply do not? I would say not.

It is because I believe there is nothing mystical about it (Although I did admittedly have some natural ability) I chose to do a course because I believe strongly in the power of education and learning (not necessarily in a university/college hall setting) but from people who have made the mistakes and paved the way previously so your development and growth prospects come up to speed a lot quicker than attempting to do it by yourself. I have however also learnt a lot from doing it myself and spending countless hours reading web site after website, book after book and most importantly writing and testing works out in my own business and then my clients businesses.

The fact is powerful copy does work, mediocre copy can work a little not a lot and dreadful copy simply will not work. That is not to say there are not hits and misses and things such as targeting the right people etc… that can improve your chances or hurt them.

If you do not have the time or inclination to put into learning all the skills necessary to produce great copy I recommend that you make an investment of a skilled writer to craft your direct mail pieces, brochures, websites etc… for you because when you have something that works it is gold.

If you feel you can not really afford this investment then take my advice and use the information freely available on the web (such as this BLOG and there are links to other great websites that will help you) to do self learning. Just looking at things that make you want to buy or not buy, the words or phrases that stand out can all help you refine and improve your own efforts.

If you would like us to help you in your efforts email me laura@dybstrategies.com with your project requirements of new pieces or if you want us to perform a review on your current material and suggest improvements it is all a service we can offer.

Start today and believe in the power!

Business Development Knowledge Pool

2005-09-04T12:03:00.000+09:30

One thing we know in business is each function supports each other to build a foundation for our success.

A majority of my business is made up of Copywriting projects and I love this side of it but I also do marketing and strategic business consulting. As such I see businesses wanting to focus on one area that they are are good at and leave the rest of the functions up to others to take care of or potentially they ignore what they don't know. This is equivellant of business and professional demise.

So whether you are a business entrepreneur technically competent at your business functions, if you are a entrepreneur who comes in and buys up to grow and sell or you focus on small home based business opportunities, the one thing we all need to know is how everything works together and be armed with knowledge this is your power.

The internet has made researching and learning so much quicker than years gone by but you have to weed through a lot of junk to get to what you need. That is why I created the Business Development Group over at http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/drivingyourbusiness/?yguid=216792079 so you can access great tips, books and information on the entire business development function I suggest if you have not had a look over it you visit soon. A little nugget of information may unlock a goldmine in your business.

The other side of business knowledge is learning and modeling success, perhaps if you are ready to further explore how to better build your business and life you may want check out http://buildyourwealth.successuniversity.com

Remember if it is worth doing it is worth doing properly.

See you on the success side!!

Laura Brooke-Smith
Marketing Freak
Visit our homepage http://www.dybstrategies.com

Check out this free tutorial on Copywriting

2005-08-30T10:15:00.000+09:30

Just a quick post today if you are interested in learning more about Copywriting I suggesst heading over to check out Joe Robsons free tutorial.

Visit www.adcopywriting.com and get started, the more you read, the more you learn and the more you practice the better skilled you will become at marketing and increasing those all important sales dollars.

Have Fun.

Effective Copy for PR Success

2005-08-28T17:06:00.000+09:30

Does the thought of trying to get publicity for your business seem like something that you can't do yourself, and would have to hire a professional for? Do you think that writing a press release is totally outside your ability to do? Does the thought of talking to the media about your business make your mouth go dry and your stomach clench? If so, take heart, because you're about to learn how you can take care of your own publicity, simply and easily.

Getting publicity for your business can seem like an impossible task -- something that only happens for "big" companies that can afford to hire publicists.

The reality is getting free publicity for your business isn't that difficult. Welcome to "Media Training 101 -- The Secrets of Writing a Good Press Release". By the time you finish reading this article, you'll not only understand the basics, you'll know what goes into the process, and what you have to do to get started writing your own press release.

First of all, let's go over some basic terminology you need to be familiar with.

Press Release: A statement with useful and relevant information that is written for distribution to the media.

Hook: The information or larger story that you can use to attach your press release to. Using the right "hook" in the right way can help you to get more publicity for your business.

Spin: Telling your story your way.

The good news about learning to write a Press Release is that there is an established format that you need to follow. And once you've learned the basics, writing a press release is a kind of "cookie cutter" process. Here are some basic ideas to keep in mind:

Make your news "newsworthy". A press release is not a sales advertisement. A good press release answers all of the "W" questions (who, what, where, when and why), and sometimes "how." Your purpose in writing it is twofold: to provide the media with useful and relevant information about your organization, product, service or event and to get your name out to your target market.

Begin with a strong headline. Your headline and first paragraph need to grab the reader’s attention. Without being flowery or overly dramatic, you have only the first few seconds to grab your reader’s attention and get them to read your story, and decide if it’s worth running. So don’t blow it by being vague or weak. The rest of your press release can give them the nitty-gritty details.

Tailor your story to your Primary audience – the media. Your secondary audience is your target market, but if the media doesn't decide that your story is newsworthy and runs it, your potential customers will never know about it!

Pay attention to your writing. Sometimes, especially in rural areas and online, the media will run your press release in their publications with little or no modification, so make sure you’ve used your spelling and grammar check before sending it, and keep to the facts. Most of the time, journalists will use your press release as a stepping off place for a larger feature story, especially if you can show larger relevance to other current events. Always develop your story as you want to have it told – put YOUR spin on it. Even if your story is not reprinted verbatim, always remember what YOUR purpose is in writing it – to provide exposure for you, and to help brand you as an expert in your field.

Not everything is news. Just because you are excited that you made your first big sale, or started a new product line, or wrote your first article, doesn’t necessarily mean that the press are going to think you have a newsworthy story. From the time you start your first draft, keep your audience in mind. Who will find your story interesting? Why are they going to find it interesting? How is it relevant to something else that’s going on right now?

Identify a problem, and show how you’re solving it. Use real life examples about how your company or organisation solved or is solving a problem. Give examples of how your service or product fulfils needs or satisfies desires. What benefits can be expected? Use real life examples to powerfully communicate the benefits of using your product or service.

Stick to the facts. Always. Tell. The. Truth. Avoid fluff, embellishments and exaggerations. It is part of a journalist’s job to be sceptical. If you want to use publicity effectively, then you're not looking for a one night stand. You want to gain the trust of the media, establish your credibility, and build an on-going relationship with your local media, so that you become a resource for them within your industry.

Find your “hook”. Try to make your press release timely. Keep informed about what’s going on in your community, in your state, region, the country or the world. Is there a local, regional or national news story that somehow ties in to your industry or your business? If you can hook your press release to current events or social issues, you increase your chances of having it picked up. If not, then make sure your story is relevant to the needs, wants or problems of your community or target audience.

Use an active, not passive, voice. Use strong verbs that will bring your press release to life. If there is controversy, describe it. There is an old adage in the news business: “If it cries it flies, and if it bleeds, it leads.” (Not very nice, but it’s often true.) So, while you may not be crying or bleeding, make what you’re writing about stand out. Use active verbs. Write “partnered” rather than "entered into a partnership" or “engaged” rather than “interested”, etc. Writing in this manner will help guarantee that your press release will be read.

Use only enough words to tell your story. Avoid using unnecessary adjectives, flowery language, or redundant expressions such as "added bonus" or "first time ever". Paint a strong, vivid picture in the minds of your audience by making each word count.

Use jargon sparingly. There are times that some jargon is required if your goal is to optimize your news release for online search engines, but whenever possible, speak plainly, using everyday language. Avoid words like "capacity planning techniques" and "extrapolate”.

Avoid hype. The exclamation point (!) is your enemy. You will destroy your credibility by using hype. If you must use an exclamation point, use one. Never do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get Permission. Most people and companies are very protective about their reputations. Be sure that you have written permission before including information or quotes from employees or affiliates of other companies or organizations. If there is a hint of a dispute in this area, chances are your press release will be tossed aside, and never used. And you will lose your credibility.

If you follow those simple rules, you'll be able to put together a newsworthy story that will help you achieve your goals of getting the word out about your business.

We will look more into PR with future posts.

Until next time.

Laura Brooke-Smith
Marketing Freak
Learn more about me and my business at www.dybstrategies.com
Earn and Learn visit http://buildyourwealth.successuniversity.com

Get started writing today

2005-08-24T10:37:00.000+09:30

"You don't have to get it right. You just have to get it going." -- Mike Litman

The quote above has to be the most important idea for many a business person. It's the antidote to the dread perfectionitis disease that paralyzes you.

Perfectionitis is born of a perfectly reasonable impulse: to produce a quality product.

But it is the "impossible standard" aspect of it that makes it dysfunctional. It is the kind of impulse that makes a parent say "No one's good enough for my Billy" (or Susie). And because getting it perfect is nearly impossible, making public your effort is well nigh impossible.

One of Dan Kennedy's lessons is that half of winning is just showing up! So he and Litman are on the same page.

To have a newsletter and not write to your subscribers is to not show up!

What are the problems with not showing up?

- No one remembers you. Harsh but true. Oh, you may be a memory in passing, but people have their own lives. You are a blip on most people's screens. The only way to become a bigger blip is to show up.

- You miss opportunities to announce and to sell. Does this really need any elaboration? Didn't think so. :)

- You miss opportunities to BUILD on previous opportunities, and so forth.

- You miss chances to establish yourself as an expert in your chosen field.

Besides the inverse of the above, what ADVANTAGES arise from just showing up and communicating to your list?

- You become more comfortable in communicating.

- You build momentum, so that coming up with ideas to communicate is easier.

- You have opportunities to answer the question, "What have you done for me lately."

- You have a store of information which you can archive and then refer your subscribers. For example, you can write, "As I mentioned two weeks ago at http://buildyourwealth.successuniversity.com , you can enhance your personal development andcommunication skills by..." And on the archive page, you can advertise. :)

Yes, the tragedies of not showing up are tremendous. Perfectionism can literally KILL your business! And the benefits of "just showing up" are equally huge.

Moreover, they can cascade and reinforce each other.

So how can you move yourself to "just show up?"

1 - Use Litman's comment at the top of this article to remind yourself that perfectionism is NOT a good pole star.

2 - Write short pieces. You don't have to write Moby Dick. Short pieces that deliver real information that they can use is what people mainly want.

3 - Give yourself a schedule. And stick to it.

4 - Ask for feedback on what you write. You may find that people like it, even though it's not "perfect." And if they criticize, you'll have information on how to improve.

Do these things and perfectionitis will be a thing of the past, for you will more consistently show up.

Heres to you and your sucess - Just Do It

Laura
Marketing Freak
Visit
www.dybstrategies.com for more information on us
http://buildyourwealth.successuniversity.com to find out how to create a better life for yourself

10 Sure Fire things to help Create Profit Pulling copy

2005-08-22T22:09:00.000+09:30

Ever find that some ads just don’t quite get the pull as well as others? Maybe some flounder while others even failed miserably. And you just seem to have a little difficulty figuring out what works and what doesn’t.

Well, start counting. Here are some pointers on what makes good ad copy work.

1. Compelling Headline – Look around. What grabs your attention in today’s newspaper or the internet articles you read? Use buzzwords or whatever it takes. Reach out and grab your targeted market.

2. Sub-Structure –Readers today have tired eyes. The Internet and email keep growing and cranking out more and more each day. So make your copy appealing. Chop up your copy by using sub-headings and bullet points. Don’t make people read endlessly to find major points.

3. Contact – People want to communicate and not just toss money away. Offer a phone number with a human on the other end. Skip the automated menus and elevator music. You don’t like it; your clients don’t either. You are busy; so are they. Tune into THEIR needs.

4. Order Options –Buyers want choices. So give them some. Set up ordering via as many ways as possible; email links, toll-free phone and fax number, online and postal forms. One size doesn’t fit all here.

5. Free-something – People want free samples, trials, bonuses or anything.

6. Price – Don’t shy away from sharing price – at least a range. Don’t irritate readers and make them search. How much? Make it clear.

7. More info – Offer a place for people to learn more. Make they reply email address a domain name with information, maybe a free e-book or report with photos, testimonials, etc. In other words, don’t have readers reply to a free email service like Hotmail or Yahoo.

8. Ad Errors – Test your ad BEFORE it goes out. Do your links work that you mention? Does the phone number work? What does the voicemail recording say on the phone? Does your email address work that you’ve included? Make sure to check details and look for spelling and grammar errors.

9. Legibility – Can you read it? Is there so much content that your ad is too tiny to read? Make sure you see a proof beforehand. Then print it out and look it over.

10. Font – Don’t get fancy & use scripts that people can’t read. Keep it simple! In summary, before you head to the press with your next ad copy, count and see how many good points you’ve covered.

Put your copy to work and make it a return on your investment, not a write off.

Why Copywriting Is The Secret To Your Online Success by Laurence James

2005-08-22T08:47:00.000+09:30

Over the last decade, the number of companies selling their products and services on the Web or sharing information online with their target market has exploded.

It's no longer frowned upon to conduct your business on the Web, and huge numbers of people are making a healthy living doing just that. Others, however, are not. For every great website out there that grabs its customer's attention and holds it, there are hundreds more bad ones that don't. Despite their best efforts, many businesses are losing money daily due to the poor performance of their company website.

Contrary to popular myth, what constitutes a great website is not just fantastic design, but also the quality of the online copy that accompanies it. If you pay equal attention to both sides of this equation, you'll end up with an amazing site that drives traffic where you need it most, bringing excellent sales or driving great interest as a result. But if you ignore the necessity of simple, effective and clear-cut Web copy, evidence has shown your site will suffer as a consequence.

In a 2002 Stanford University "Web Credibility" survey of over 4,500 Web users in Europe and the US, findings are unequivocal. Whilst recognising the benefits of good design, the report also states:"

Our data suggests that integrity of content has considerable impact on how people evaluate the credibility of a website. Study participants gave some of their lowest scores on credibility to sites that fail to separate advertising from editorial content, run too many ads on a page, or display ads through pop-up windows.

At the same time, users gave strong marks to site content that identified its sources and provided its authors' credentials."

Along with effective design and navigation, the report concludes that:"As for writing style, (websites should) be clear, direct, and sincere."

(Source: Stanford-Makovsky Web Credibility Study 2002).

So you have to ask yourself, is the writing on your website ‘clear, direct and sincere’? If not, then you could be losing sales. Nobody wants a lame duck website that leaves its visitors confused or disinterested, or worse still, a site that makes inflated and unrealistic claims. What people want to find on your site is a credible and well thought out approach to their requirements, they want answers to the questions that drew them to your website in the first place – because it’s then that they are more likely to make a purchase. Hitting just the right tone to do this is the job of a really good copywriter, and the time and money you take to get this right with a professional writer will ultimately be reflected in increased business for you and your company.

About the Author
Laurence James is Copywriting Director of The Copy Box ®? – Professional Copywriting & Content - www.thecopybox.com. He holds a BA Honours Degree in English and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism. Laurence has been writing commercially in a variety of different markets for over seven years, and works with companies of all sizes, including marketing and advertising agencies.

Factual Copy is more Effective Guaranteed

2005-08-16T14:49:00.000+09:30

It is a quick tip day today and it looks at believability in marketing messages.

When developing your marketing material and/or advertising copy never assume people believe the information you claim.

You need to back-up all your claims with indisputable evidence factual copy wins every time over airy fairy claims.

For example, you could include-:
Testimonials
Expert Endorsements
Third party tests or studies
Strong guarantees
A list of customers, pictures of customers, etc…

Doing this builds your credibility and trust with potential customers.

Testimonials to build better Ad Copy

2005-08-13T16:26:00.000+09:30

Anyone who knows me or has done business with me in the past know that one of my all time favourite marketing tools to have in your toolbox is the use of testimonials.

Testimonials build credibility, instil trust, remove an element of risk to your buyers as other people are happy and help you close more sales.

As a marketing consultant and copywriter testimonials are gold for me because each job needs happy clients to give us more business and once I had a few jobs under my belt and some solid testimonials things really took a different direction at D.Y.B Strategies.

However it does not matter whether you sell consulting services, shoes, food or have a physical product VS a digitally delivered product, everyone can benefit from them.

I have outlined below how you can make your testimonials even better and more believable-:
1. PICTURES Ask people if they would e-mail a picture with their testimonial. If they don't have one scanned you could have them send their picture by mail and you could scan it. This technique will give your testimonials more credibility.

2. PROFILES Ask people to include a profile of themselves with their testimonial. You could just have them answer some questions like business, occupation, hobbies, favourite quote etc… This will make your testimonials more entertaining to read and give a more humanside.

3. HAND WRITTEN LETTERS Ask for people to take the time to hand write a testimonial or thankyou to your business. This technique is far more impressive to people because it shows someone in the digital age has taken the time to actually write something. You can take photocopies of the hand written letter to include with your marketing material and also scan it then upload to a website.

4. E-MAIL MESSAGES When you get e-mail testimonials, publish the entire e-mail message instead of just the contents. It will be more believable because it will include the date, time, subject, who it's from and who it's to.

5. CONTACT INFORMATION When you get testimonials from people, ask them if you could includetheir contact information under the testimonial. This will allow potential customers to ask your current customers questions about your product or service before they buy. Usually, they will trust them more than you.

So next time you ask for a testimonial keep these tips in mind. Also some people will offer testimonials with out any prompting whilst others may not know you need or want them so a gentle reminder and ask is completely OK in business. If people have told you they are happy it is not that big a step to ask for something written down to use in your marketing efforts.

An interesting concept

2005-08-08T16:21:00.000+09:30

I was reading an article a while back and the theory struck me as so simple but so overlooked.

Now I like to think I am up with things and I certainly spend a lot of time researching and broadly reading as much as I possibly can on business development, sales, marketing and copywriting side of things with small businesses and entrepeneurship thrown in for good measure.

The theory that I have only seen written about once was Yes or Yes.

The basis for the theory is that as marketers, slaes people and business owners we give people one of two options usually Yes I want what you are offering OR No I do not want what you are offering.

If you rebundle your products and services into creating a choice for your customers response rates are bound to increase as people are not closing their minds to your message because they have to think about which option they will say Yes to.

The article research showed that when faced with 2 options the more expensive of the options was taken up because people could compare the benefits and value of the 2. In this case your copy and presentations become ever more critical.

I have been testing this myself recently and the early results are tending to lean towards the initial research, and I love seeling the higher price option because it means more profit.

So I challenge you to think about what you are selling now and how that can be broken down into 2 Yes or Yes options.

If you would like a review of you marketing material or new copy written for your new offering please contact us laura@dybstrategies.com to arrange a quote.

By the way if you want to learn more about business development visit our Yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/drivingyourbusiness

Laura
Marketing Freak
D.Y.B Strategies
'Driving Your Business'
http://www.dybstrategies.com

Marketing Copy Mistakes (Part Two)

2005-08-07T12:59:00.000+09:30

In a recent post I told you about 20 marketing copy mistakes people commonly make.

In Part Two I give you another 20 and also a bonus 2 for good measure.

Learn from them and use it as a checklist against your own marketing material.

1. No bullets
2. Ad copy in all CAPS
3. To few ordering options
4. No visual aids
5. No comparison to competition
6. No reminding and reinforcing of benefits or deadlines
7. No information about your business
8. No appealing adjectives
9. No appealing phrases
10. Text to large
11. Text to small
12. No emotional appeal
13. Paragraphs to large
14. No story telling
15. No underlining or bolding of keywords
16. Ad copy to short
17. Ad copy to long
18. No facts or case studies
19. Hard to understand jargon
20. No free bonuses
21. Price to low VS consumer expectations (They think if it is to good to be true it probably is)
22. Price to high VS consumer expectations (You have not sold the benefits well enough during your copy for them to believe it is worth the price)

Until next time keep marketing!

Laura
Marketing Freak
D.Y.B Strategies
'Driving Your Business'
http://www.dybstrategies.com/