Get It In Writing

Copywriting Keys to Conquering the Social Media Kingdom

2009-03-11T11:18:00.002-04:00

You know where you want to take your business. And you also know that Social Media, when used correctly and efficiently, is one of the best ways to get there. But it’s possible that you – and your business – are missing is the #1 most important tool in your marketing and social media plan.

And that tool is COPYWRITING. (By the way, you don’t have to be a copywriter to write good copy. But you do have to write good copy to succeed in the social media realm.)

Which is why I have teamed up with Craig Cannings, a well-known Social Media Marketing Trainer and founder of the VAClassroom, to offer an online training program especially for you, an online business professional.

It is a live interactive, five-week training program where you will learn a specific and easy-to-follow system to launch and profit from your very own "Content Creation and Distribution Machine!"

The training begins on March 17th so you still have time to sign up at CopywritingKingdom.com. (But don’t wait too long, as the seats are selling fast and as I write this post there are only 29 remaining open).

Technorati Tags: copywriting social media, Craig Cannings, VAClassroom, copywriting is king, web content, Allison Nazarian

Session 7 with Paulette Ensign, Do It Yourself Marketing Teleseminar Series Wrap-Up

2009-02-20T11:37:00.000-05:00

Session 7: Paulette Ensign, How to Promote Your Business with Tips Booklets, Expand Your Product Line and Customer Base

1. Paulette has sold millions of her tips booklet w/o ever spending 1 penny on advertising WOW!

2. Your tips booklet should fit into a #10 envelope

3. Keep graphics to a minimum & they should be functional in your tips booklet

4. She has created ONE tips booklet & created an entire biz out of it

5. All tips should start w/ a positive action verb

6. Too many people under-value their expertise

7. Want to write a book but haven't yet done so? Start by writing a booklet

8. A booklet = less $ and less brain damage than a book (LOL]

9. A tips booklet can lead to a full book- it will def raise interest in you as expert

10. Sold 50K booklets just by allowing magazines to excerpt info. WOW.

11. Look beyond just selling single copies to users when you have a tips booklet

(All notes taken from my Twitter feed @AllisonNazarian and tagged with #DIY09)

Learn more about Paulette Ensign at www.TipsBooklets.com.

Session 6 with Sydni Craig-Hart, Do It Yourself Marketing Teleseminar Series Wrap-Up

2009-02-19T08:42:00.001-05:00

Session 6: Sydni Craig-Hart, Four Simple Steps to Information Products That Make You Money

Your target market has more than one problem -- has many problems

Use lower prices products as lead generators

Use PostItNotes to document your system - becomes Table of Contents and chapters of your product

Look at yourself not w/professional title but as a PROBLEM SOLVER

Step 1 for creating info product that sells: identify market

Information products trump the 'trading dollars for services' model

An information product is a packaged learning system

(All notes taken from my Twitter feed @AllisonNazarian and tagged with #DIY09)

Learn more about Sydni Craig-Hart at www.EAtoVA.com and www.CraigHartConsulting.com

Session 5 with Denise Wakeman, Do It Yourself Marketing Teleseminar Series Wrap-Up

2009-02-17T08:38:00.007-05:00

Session 5: Denise Wakeman, Boost Your Biz with a Blog: It's Not an Option Anymore! How to Build a Professional Blog that Turns Prospects into Clients...

Blogging: Just DO It

State your opinion, be bold, if people don't agree that's OK

Controversy helps make a blog compelling

Only 15% blog readers subscribe using RSS- include email update option

Make it clear who blog is for, create header w/name, tagline, market

You have to have your name on the blog & make it easy to find!

Linking is the currency of the blogosphere

CODA: Content Outreach Design Action

Your blog is the one place you control-- its yours

M,W,F - write your blog posts, T,TH comment on others

When you are participating in the conversation, people begin to notice you

Commenting on other blogs means participating in the conversation

Know read the other blogs and bloggers in your field

Is purpose of your blog to generate leads? Demonstrate expertise, Get clear

A blog is a place to demonstrate expertise, build trust, create fans

If you don't have a business online, you don't have a business

Most blogs aren't clear how reader can actually hire you or do business with you

Use pronouns 'I' and 'You' in blog posts -- talk to one person only

Don't post to your blog consistently? You're not going to get the traffic you want

A blog is not a journal -- it is a business marketing tool

If you can write an email, you can be a blogger

Blog can be so inexpensive -- if not free -- to set up

(All notes taken from my Twitter feed @AllisonNazarian and tagged with #DIY09)

Learn more about Denise Wakeman at http://www.buildabetterblog.com/.

Don't miss out on this amazing teleseminar.

It has just started and we still have many marketing experts (and possibly a couple of bonus sessions) to hear from.

Sign up now and listen live with full access to all 20 downloads and potential bonuses. It is being offered for the low-price of $97 and will only be available at this level until March 12th when the series comes to a close.

Once series ends and downloads released, the completed package of downloads will be much higher. So don't delay, sign up here.

Technorati Tags: online marketing, internet marketing, denise wakeman, business blog, blogging, blog squad, blog instruction

Session 4 with Kathryn Hendershot-Hurd , Do-It-Yourself Marketing Teleseminar Series Wrap-Up.

2009-02-14T00:00:00.003-05:00

Session 4: Kathryn Hendershot-Hurd, Woo Clients and Customers and Win Big on the Web with Blogs

The eye reacts differently to content on a screen than on a print page

Easier to post what's going on inside your head than to post what's going on in your customer's head- but don't!

Content for content's sake won't build your business

Your personal stuff belongs on your personal blog, not on biz blog

Create composite customers, know who they are, where they live, what they need

Blog mindset = zen = channeling your customer

GDP = Goals Desires Problems = reasons people buy

Achieve a goal, satisfy a desire or solve a problem -- that's why people are buying

Don't use your business blog as a form of your personal therapy

Your content should show & remind people why they should do business with you

Marketing takes 8 touches to make connection -- that's why RSS so valuable

The more content you have, the more opportunity you have [AMEN!]

Even if you post 1 new blog entry each week, you have 52 new pieces of content at year-end

Get a blogging schedule and stick to it

No 'magic sauce' in blogs -- just easy, instant, real content

So much easier to create a blog post than anything else content- and web-related

Web about communication and content is the way you communicate

Content still is the way to winning big on the Web

As easy to change the look of your blog as it is to change the outfit UR wearing

Still many small biz owners who aren't clear on what a blog is

(All notes taken from my Twitter feed @AllisonNazarian and tagged with #DIY09)

Learn more about Kathryn Hendershot-Hurd at VirtualImpax.com. Receive $100 off her DIY Blog Set-Up at www.KeysToWebsiteSuccess.com with the code DIY. (She personally guarantees this product.)

Session 3 with Kathleen Gage, Do-It-Yourself Marketing Teleseminar Series Wrap-Up.

2009-02-12T10:54:00.000-05:00

Session 3: Kathleen Gage, Teleseminars for Money: Surefire Strategies to Explode Your Revenues and Market Position

People will hire us if we have a solution to their problem

We assume people know the services we offer - it's our job to communicate this to our market

Have to have right marketing copy, plan, follow-up, equipment for your teleseminar success

People struggle w/marketing because they don't know who their market is

Think teleseminars are a get-rich-quick thing? NOT!

Reputation is SO important on the Internet

On the Internet, research all claims, check people who tell you they are experts

Look beyond the obvious when putting on teleseminars

Even if you totally mess up, rework it from there

Even if you have a failure on your hands, you can learn & implement from your (existing) plan

Be flexible, be positive, be open, don't believe the negative hype

One of the most important systems is what is between your ears!

(All notes taken from my Twitter feed @AllisonNazarian and tagged with #DIY09)

Learn more about Kathleen Gage here.

Technorati Tags: kathleen gage, online marketing, teleseminars for money, teleseminars, internet marketing training

Session 2 with MaryPat Kavanaugh, Do-It-Yourself Marketing Teleseminar Series Wrap-Up.

2009-02-10T14:30:00.003-05:00

Session 2: MaryPat Kavanaugh, The Queen of Connections

Social Media -- each site has its own game, like a playground w/different rules

Re-purpose same content into: Audio, video & transcript -- appeals to all types of learners

Share, share and share and it will come back to you

Create good profile to attract good people

When you are attracting the right people in social media/networking, you are repelling the wrong people

If you're not clear about what you're doing/looking for, social media will be a distraction

Your target JV partners are your Target Peers, not your Target Market

Be very clear about the type of people you want to connect with

Facebook = Your own internal search engine - you can connect w/anyone you want to connect with

Facebook best place to start to build your business

Blogs #1, YouTube close 2nd as social networking platforms per Google/Alexa

KLT Factor: We do business with those we Know Like & Trust

Social networking allows us to build relationships at warp speed

Community: As humans, we want to feel part of something

Social media: connections + information

Web 2.0 is the conversational component of the Internet

Win-win-win -- for you, for me and for our collective audience

Common denominator in success = relationships

Learn more about MaryPat Kavanaugh at here.

Don't miss out on this amazing teleseminar.

It has just started and we still have 19 marketing experts (and possibly a couple of bonus sessions) to go.

Sign up now and listen live with full access to all 20 downloads and potential bonuses. It is being offered for the low-price of $97 and will only be available at this level until March 12th when the series comes to a close.

Once series ends and downloads released, the completed package of downloads will be much higher. So don't delay, sign up here.

Session 1 With Dave Evans, Do It Yourself Marketing Teleseminar Series Wrap-Up.

2009-02-10T10:38:00.003-05:00

Session 1: Dave Evans, Author of Social Media Marketing An Hour A Day

Amazing example of integration of social media into marketing is The Brooklyn Musuem

Listening is for everyone, we can all be better listeners

Make sure social media is OK in your industry -- regulatory issues matter!

When starting social media program, look @ biz objectives & audience. Sounds obvious, but many overlook this

When starting social media program, determine if you can handle someone who doesn't like you

Look at all social media measurement platforms/techniques & find what makes sense for you

Your gut as a marketer is hugely powerful

Social media is "really really measurable"

In terms of metrics, Social Media IS very measurable,

Game changer for social media = Consideration Phase

To start in social media: Just start by listening

Social media is more realistic, viewing our attention as limited resource

Tradional media = interruptions, Social media = conversation, Do they work together?

Social media +marketing: mutually exclusive? No

Better term: Social Media-based Marketing

Is there a key to getting social media right? Yes: Disclosure & Transparency

Coming out of the purchase funnel is an actual experience that drives a conversation

Learn more about Dave Evans at http://www.ReadThis.com

The pressing question you have about online marketing

2009-02-05T09:13:00.000-05:00

If you could ask a top Internet Marketing expert any question, what would it be?

Personally I want to know how to incorporate online video marketing into my current marketing plan. And that is why I have enlisted the assistance of Jay Estis. Jay is an online video master who has aided countless businesses in enhancing their brand and increasing their visibility with internet video marketing.

How did I do it? I invited him to be a part of the upcoming 2009 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Teleseminar Series that I am hosting. (It begins on Monday, February 9th.) And he not only agreed, but has put together an AMAZING 60-minute session to teach you how to get started in video marketing or improve on our current skill set.

But it doesn't just stop there. If you have questions about Joint Ventures, Willie Crawford, a true master, will be there. Teleseminars, Kathleen Gage, one of the Internet's top marketing successes, will be there too. The list goes on and on.

It doesn't matter if your online marketing questions are about social media, newsletters, blogging or just business branding in general, it will all be covered in this seminar. We have 20 online marketing masters ready to share their expertise with you. That is 20 live broadcasts where you can ask questions.

And the best part, if you can't make the actual live broadcast, you can submit your quetions beforehand and then return to our webinar site later for an immediate download. So regardless of your schedule you won't miss out any of this valuable training.

So don't delay, the seminar starts Monday and space in the webinar room is limited, http://www.getitinwriting.biz/marketing-seminar.html.

Technorati Tags: Kathleen Gage, Dave Evans, Craig Cannings, Willie Crawford, Aaron Kahlow, Denise Wakeman, MaryPat Kavanaugh, Suzanne Evans, Jay Estis, Paulette Ensign, Sydni Craig-Hart, Linda Claire Puig, Peter Wailes, Shel Horowitz, Kathryn Hendershot, Margie Fisher, Jack Bastide, Scott Stratten, Wendy Y. Bailey, Kevin Houchin

Are your online marketing efforts producing results?

2009-02-03T08:21:00.001-05:00

If not, then it is time to face the fact that much of what you've learned about marketing on the Internet is dead wrong.

Yes, it's true. But you can change all that by signing up for the 2009 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Series featuring these TOP ONLINE MARKETING EXPERTS: Kathleen Gage, Dave Evans, Craig Cannings, Willie Crawford, Aaron Kahlow,Denise Wakeman, MaryPat Kavanaugh, Scott Stratten, Kevin Houchin, Wendy Y. Bailey, Jack Bastide, Paulette Ensign, Suzanne Evans, Margie Fisher, Jay Estis, Kathryn Hendershot, Linda Claire Puig, Peter Wailes, Shel Horowitz and Sydni Craig Hart.

How will they help you?

They are not only fully aware of the facts below, but they know how to capitalize marketing efforts based upon these facts and can teach you how to do the same.

1) There are over 150 million users on Facebook. The majority of Facebook users check the site and their profiles multiple times each day, often at first thing in the morning. The fastest growing demographics are in the 30 and over group, and many of these use their profiles, pages and groups to promote businesses, products, services and events.

2) YouTube is the third – THE THIRD! – most visited site on the Internet, after Yahoo! and Google. And according to YouTube, every minute, 10 hours of video is uploaded to the site. Online video is a massive part of the future of marketing and of business.

3) Twitter is a world and marketing tool all its own. Millions of people send out and receive all of their news and information via 140-character tweets. And nothing else!

4) Public Relations (PR), when done right, is FREE ADVERTISING for you and your business. It’s as credible and effective as anything else out there, especially when coupled with all of the online and social media tools at your fingertips – you just need the right guidance and you’ll be off and running.

5) Your website and your blog are still “Ground Zero” for all marketing, sales, advertising and even P.R. efforts. No website or blog/website? No business!

6) And guess what? No matter how Web 2.0 or 3.0 things get out there, you still need to know and practice the basics: Good marketing planning, the right image, a way to get your word out and a product or service that SELLS.

So here’s the deal:

The experts are ready. The tools are sharpened. And the all-in-one program that’s eluded you until now is in place and ready for you to grab. It begins on February 9th and runs through March 12th and each of the 20 experts will be featured in a one-hour interview every Monday through Thursday at Noon EST during this five week period.

An awesome lineup of 20 Internet Marketing “All-Stars” whose combined expertise is more powerful, more targeted and more potentially explosive for your business than any one or two courses or programs you might be able to take on your own is standing by, ready to pass on what they know will work for YOUR BUSINESS and, YES, YOUR BOTTOM LINE.

And it is all Risk Free – YES RISK FREE – I am giving you my personal guarantee that if you don’t get at least one money-making ‘Aha!’ nugget from every session, I will refund your money for the remaining sessions, no questions asked. All you have to do is show up! (Actually, you don’t even need to show up because you will also have immediate access to audio files from each and every session – yours to keep and listen to forever.)

So don’t delay as space is limited, sign up here.

Technorati Tags: Kathleen Gage, Dave Evans, Craig Cannings, Willie Crawford, Aaron Kahlow, Denise Wakeman, MaryPat Kavanaugh, Suzanne Evans, Jay Estis, Paulette Ensign, Sydni Craig-Hart, Linda Claire Puig, Peter Wailes, Shel Horowitz, Kathryn Hendershot, Margie Fisher, Jack Bastide, Scott Stratten, Wendy Y. Bailey, Kevin Houchin

Develop an Email Marketing Campaign that Works

2009-01-30T00:25:00.002-05:00

Consistently marketing your product or service is one way to increase profits. Email marketing campaigns are among the easiest and most effective ways for online businesses to promote their product or service. When you operate an online business, the emails you send take on special importance.

Consider your audience

Before you write one word of your email marketing message, you need to understand your target audience's frame of mind. This will help you establish a rapport that allows them to trust you and like you enough to buy what you are selling.

Use an autoresponder for email delivery

Finding a good autoresponder to deliver your emails is essential. It can wind up saving you a lot of time. Autoresponders have many functions which include:
• Answering emails
• Sending follow up messages
• Processing subscribe and unsubscribe requests

Don't forget about your email signature

The signature at the end of your email tells an important story of who you are, what you do and provides information about the products or services you provide. It acts a lot like an online business card, and is a powerful marketing tool that helps you promote your website, blog, products and services each time you send an email. The information that you should include on your electronic signature are:
• Your name
• Your Title
• Company name
• Contact information (phone number, email, etc.)
• Website Link

You can also include a links for products that are free or for sale like a special report or ebook. You can also include information about special rates and discounts.

Technorati Tags: email marketing, onlne marketing, internet marketing, Allison Nazarian

How to Inject Emotion into Your Copywriting

2009-01-27T00:32:00.000-05:00

Emotion is a very important element of copywriting. If your words don't appeal to your audience's emotion, you won't be able to sell a thing. People make purchases based on emotion even though they justify what they buy with logic.

How emotion sells
There are several ways you can inject emotion into your copywriting. Paint a picture for your readers showing them what it would be like to experience your product or service. If your business offers debt consolidation services, you could write some thing like, "Imagine what it would be like to have all of your bills paid and have excellent credit." Injecting emotion into your copywriting accomplishes three important things:
• It connects your reader to your product or service on an emotional level
• It is an "assumptive sell;" meaning you should write your copy assuming the sale has already been made
• It lets the reader take ownership of your product or service believing that they will have an excellent experience all because of their purchase

Technorati Tags: emotion in copy, copywriting, marketing copy, Allison Nazarian

Want a chance to win a FREE Business Makeover?

2009-01-22T09:36:00.002-05:00

Then you will want to meet my friend and colleague, Suzanne Evans.

Suzanne has agreed to do a LIVE business makeover call on January 22nd where YOU can apply to get a 2009 Business Makeover on the spot! She will be choosing two businesses to focus on, and believe me, if you are not chosen, YOU will want to be on the call anyway. She will offer a Q&A session and will be giving tips for every business owner!

If you want to take part, there are two things you need to do:

1) Register for the call here- even if you can't be there...she will send you the recording!

2) Apply to be one of two businesses chosen for the makeover. She is reviewing them on a first come basis, so take a few moments and do it now. Successful people take action!

Good Luck!

Technorati Tags: Suzanne Evans, Business Makeover, business planning, Allison Nazarian, Business Improvements, Helpingpreneur

Tips for writing optimized press releases, part 2

2009-01-16T14:27:00.004-05:00

Optimized press releases can quickly help you achieve impressive search engine visibility for the keywords you choose. Once you have figured out your search engine optimization priorities, it's time to put together your release.

The technical parts of your optimized press release will include:
• Title
• Summary
• Body
• About the company
• Press contact

Your optimized press release title

You want to accomplish two very important things when writing your title: It should be irresistibly clickable and it should include your keyword/phrase. If for some reason you can't do both, at least make sure your keyword/phrase is part of the title.

Optimize your summary

Your summary consists of about two to three sentences that give readers an overview of the press release. It's important to optimize your summary because many times the summary text shows up on the search engine results page.

Optimize the body of the press release

The body is the meat of the press release written in a journalistic writing style. Always write in third-person, and keep the tone of your press release objective. Optimize the body of your text by using the keyword/phrase so that it fits naturally in the text. Avoid keyword stuffing at all costs or the search engines will consider the press release spam.

Wrapping it up

Write a few sentences for the "about the company" section and include the company name, contact person's name and all forms of contact, including links to your website and/or product or service for the "press contact" section. It’s a good idea to distribute a press release about once a month to get the best results.

Technorati Tags: optimized press release, press release writing, press release content, business writing process, Allison Nazarian

Tips for writing optimized press releases, part 1

2009-01-14T14:05:00.003-05:00

An optimized press release is an invaluable promotional tool for a business today. Optimized press releases use targeted keywords (see my recent post for tips on generating keywords) and hyperlinks to increase traffic to your website, get you higher ranking in search engines and get better exposure.

Before you start writing

When you are writing an optimized press release, ask yourself these questions first:

• How does this release work with my company's current search optimization and search marketing strategies?

• What are the top five keyword/phrases used for my company website and will they work in my press release?

• Are there any other keywords that would work with this press release?

• Are there certain pages on my website that I want to drive traffic to with my press release?

• Can I enhance my press release with rich media content like images, videos, podcasts, etc.?

Answering these important questions will help you get your search engine optimization priorities in order to develop an effective optimized press release.

Technorati Tags: optimized press release, press release writing, press release content, business writing process, Allison Nazarian

How to use embedded commands in your copywriting

2009-01-11T13:46:00.002-05:00

Web copywriting is expected to get your readers to respond to your call to action. Whether you want them to call your business, subscribe to your newsletter or buy your product or service, you need to find a way to generate a response. Using embedded commands in your copywriting can help. You can casually write a sentence that motivates your readers to take the action you want by using some very effective psychological tactics.

Using presuppositions

When you use presuppositions in your copywriting, you ask certain question that make your reader's brain feel compelled to answer. You might ask a question like, "What will you do with the extra $500 you'll save using X service?" This type of question causes your brain to start searching for answers.

You can also use presuppositions in statements starting with "obviously," "clearly," or "naturally." For example: "Clearly you can save time and money by investing in Product X." These trigger words make it easier for your readers to accept your message without resistance.

Reframing

Reframing is another powerful way to use embedded commands. Reframing alters another's perception of something by offering another way to look at it. Infomercials are an excellent example of this. When the time comes to learn the price of a product, they share what it would "normally" cost saying something like, "You won't pay 100 dollars or even fifty dollars. Instead you will only pay 25 dollars for Product X." Reframing is a good tool to help you justify the price of your product or service.

Keyword researching tips

2009-01-06T22:13:00.003-05:00

Keyword research and selection is an important part of SEO copywriting. While keywords/phrases shouldn't be so important that you miss out on writing copy that interests and engages your readers, optimizing your copy using thorough keyword research does have its benefits.

1) Find a keyword selection tool

A keyword selection tool will help you find the best keyword selections for a specific word or phrase. Enter a word or phrase in the search engine and it will bring up several of the most popular keyword/phrase results to choose from. Overture, Word Tracker and Keyword Discovery are popular keyword tracking tools.

2) Go for low competition in your keyword research

When you are launching a website you are in competition with thousands of other websites that are already established. Keyword research can help. When using a search engine tool, choose appropriate keywords with the lowest competition level. These keywords/phrases will help you get higher search engine rankings faster.

3) Narrowing down your keyword choices

After researching keywords, you might end up with hundreds of possibilities. You'll need to narrow down your choices to the ones that can provide the fastest search engine results and return on investment. Again, these will be the keywords with the lowest competition levels with the highest searched phrases.

Technorati Tags: SEO, seo copywriting, writing for the web, Allison Nazarian, web copy, search engine marketing, keyword research

How to develop optimized copy that engages your readers

2009-01-04T21:38:00.001-05:00

Do you want to get your target audience's attention?

Then you've got to give them the information they're looking for and get it ranked well on the web so that they can find it.

You can have the best copy in the world, but if it isn’t indexed by the search engines, your readers won’t find it. Providing readers with optimized web copy that engages them with valuable content will keep them coming back for more.

Just keep a few important points in mind when writing:

1) Research keywords and keyword phrases to optimize your copy

It pays to research keywords first to find out which ones get the best results in search engines. Use them in the title, the first sentence or sub-headline and at the end of your copy for best results.

2) Don’t stuff your copy full of keywords

Many writers overdo adding keyword to their copy thinking it will get them a higher position in the search engines results. But search engines label overstuffed content as spam. You can best optimize your copy by sprinkling just a few keywords throughout.

3) Provide value

Don't make your copywriting all about selling your product or service. Give your readers benefits and important information that matters to them whether they decide to purchase from you or not.

Technorati Tags: Allison Nazarian, writing for the web, keyword research, optimized web content, seo writing

An easy checklist for determining whether a marketing vehicle is suitable for your campaign

2008-12-24T13:56:00.002-05:00

 Exposure. Look at what kind of exposure you are looking for and how a particular vehicle can get you that exposure. For instance, a website or a blog is open, accessible and available to anyone, anywhere, any time, 24/7/365.

 Suitability. Is this means of marketing actually suitable to your target market’s needs and habits? And for that matter, is it suitable for the image and message you are aiming for?

 Variety. Variety is the spice of life, and often of marketing too. You can’t put all of your eggs in one marketing vehicle’s basket. You need to spread the wealth, so to speak, and get the message out in a number of ways. So don’t spend all your time on one web page or one blog entry, always look at the big picture and use all of the suitable outlets you can.

 Flexibility. How well can you manage, change, update and work with this vehicle? Can you post content yourself or are you at the mercy or someone or something else?

 Credibility. Free always sounds nice and many of us jump at something that seems like a good deal. But it may be a tacky or unprofessional or inconsequential site or service, so be careful not to waste your time and your resources.

You have a certain message and image that you are looking to get out at all times. Be consistent about that – don’t compromise just because you think you have found a good deal.

Blog Writing Basics (Part 2 of 2)

2008-12-22T22:16:00.002-05:00

Blogging can really promote your business.

But before you worry too much about promoting your products or services, you should first focus your blog writing on bringing value to your readers. That means making an effort to share valuable information your readers can use whether they choose to make a purchase from you or not.

Add value: solve a problem
A blog is the perfect platform to establish yourself as an authority in your industry. If your business is landscaping and lawn care and you write a blog post titled "How to Get a Perfect Yard with Acme Weed Killer," you are clearly putting your needs before your readers’.

Put more effort into establishing trust and becoming the go to person in your industry. Your readers would respond much better to a post titled, "10 Tips for Getting Rid of Weeds for Good." This title sounds like it would have information any homeowner would be interested in learning.

Become an expert
Customers may not care much about Acme Weed Killer and what it claims to do, but they do care about their own yards and would welcome helpful lawn care tips. That adds value to the information you're providing through your blog writing.

Focus your blog writing on bringing value to your readers instead of promoting your business and what you're selling. You will build a community of loyal followers who will do business with you based on your expert advice and the information you share.

Want 16 hours of marketing training for $6/hr?

2008-12-17T11:49:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the 2009 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Telseminar Series.

Beginning in January, once every month of 2009 (as well as once a quarter as a special bonus) I will be interviewing some of the world’s top experts on the latest tips, tools and trends of marketing, sales, P.R., advertising and social media, all with one goal: To give you high quality, actionable information that will put money in your pocket .

Here’s how it works: The monthly interviews will be held the last Thursday of each month at 12 PM EST. A special bonus interview will also take place one more time every quarter (4 total over the year).

The experts: Kathleen Gage, Dave Evans, Craig Cannings, Willie Crawford, Aaron Kahlow, Denise Wakeman from the Blog Squad, MaryPat Kavanaugh, Suzanne Evans, Jay Estis, Paulette Ensign, Sydni Craig-Hart, Linda Claire Puig, Peter Wailes, Shel Horowitz, Kathryn Hendershot and Margie Fisher

This is 16 total hours of pure gold for only $97! And what’s more, all calls will be recorded and made available to you at no additional charge. So you can listen live whenever and wherever you please throughout the course of the year.

And on top of this incredibly low price,

You will get my personal guarantee: If you don’t get at least one money-making ‘Aha!’ nugget from every session, I will refund your money for the remaining sessions, NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

But don’t delay, sign up here, because on January 15th the price will go up to $147.

Over the course of these 16 sessions, you will learn:
How to go beyond any ambivalence you have about marketing and sell, sell, sell the right way
How do manage a “DIY” (Do-It-Yourself) P.R. campaign that increases visibility and builds credibility
How, where and why to create marketing videos that work
The difference between just building a list and building a list that can’t get enough of you and your business
How to create an information product that sells
Why and how to implement a newsletter strategy into your marketing mix
How to attract new clients and increase your “buzz” the right way – with blogs
How to build or join a Joint Venture campaign that puts money in your pockets
How to create an online viral marketing campaign to outpace any competitor
The best way to create a social media campaign and image that reflects your brand and sells your products and services
And SO much more!

But don’t delay,sign up here, because on January 15th the price will go up to $147.

Technorati Tags: Kathleen Gage, Dave Evans, Craig Cannings, Willie Crawford, Aaron Kahlow, Denise Wakeman, MaryPat Kavanaugh, Suzanne Evans, Jay Estis, Paulette Ensign, Sydni Craig-Hart, Linda Claire Puig, Peter Wailes, Shel Horowitz, Kathryn Hendershot, Margie Fisher

Blog Writing Basics (Part 1 of 2)

2008-12-15T14:05:00.000-05:00

Blog writing is a great way for businesses to connect with their customer base and promote their business.

You can establish yourself as an expert in your particular industry and build a loyal community of readers that will request your advice and provide feedback about your business and the products/services your provide.

Successful blog writing requires a basic understanding of writing for the web and engaging your readers:

• Write less
Add as much information as possible using the least amount of words. Strive for writing around 150-250 words.

Less than this doesn't give you room to say much and more than this can result in an easily forgotten, long-winded post.

Remember that most people scan the information presented online instead of reading all the details. Keeping your posts short and to the point makes the information you share easy to digest.

• Use catchy headlines and sub-headlines
The Headlines and sub headlines in blog writing are what grab a reader's attention and make them want to read more. They also make it easy for readers to scan your post for information that stands out.

The titles of the headlines and sub headlines give readers an idea of what the content that follows contains. They can go back to read the paragraph in its entirety to get more information.

• Use bullet points
Bullet points are great for listing important information. They make your content easy to read and scan. They can also help highlight important information that might otherwise be hidden in a paragraph.

• Maintain consistency
Write your blog posts in a consistent tone and style. If you are writing in third person, remain in third person throughout your post.

• Optimize keywords
Learn basic SEO techniques by infusing your posts with popular keywords so that it gets picked up by the search engines.

Don't go overboard and overstuff your post with a keyword phrase. The search engines will consider it spam and your blog writing will sound awkward. Keep the tone of your writing natural and conversational, as if you were talking to a friend.

Understanding the Difference between Features and Benefits

2008-12-10T08:52:00.002-05:00

Distinguishing the difference between features and benefits can be a challenge for many business owners and do-it-yourself copywriters and marketers.

But understanding the differences could drastically increase your sales. The features describes your product or service, while the benefits describes how the product or service can help your customers solve a problem.

Why people make purchases
When people are deciding to make a purchase, they need more than technical knowledge about a product's specs. People buy things based on emotion, and then they rationalize the purchase with logic. This is the reason listing the features of a product or service is useless unless you can also get your customers to see a benefit they can appreciate.

What's in it for me?
If you sell cars, a feature of your cars might be the aerodynamic, lightweight design. A benefit is that customers will save on gas – a big benefit in today's economy.

No matter what you are selling, customers want to know "what's-in-it-for-me?" Always make sure to back up the features of your product or service with clear benefits so they can clearly see why they should make the purchase.

marketing copy, marketing research, Allison Nazarian, marketing

Writing a Call to Action that Gets Results

2008-12-08T07:54:00.002-05:00

When you are writing marketing material, the right call to action can make all the difference.

No matter what you are selling, your call to action should be as specific as possible and written for your audience. Your goal is to motivate them to buy what you're selling.

Know what you want them to do
You have to know what you want your customers to do to get the results you expect. Do you want them to download a free report? Buy something? Visit your website? Make sure that your intentions are clear.

Make your call to action visible
Don't bury your call to action somewhere in the middle of a densely written paragraph where it could be missed.

Whether you state it in the beginning, the middle or at the end of your copy, make sure that it can clearly be seen. Make sure it stands apart from other copy by using white space, attention grabbing sub headlines or a bulleted list.

•Make sure the call to action is clear
Don't leave your readers guessing about what you're asking them to do. Make your message very simple and actionable.

•Make it compelling
Show your readers how your product or service benefits them upfront. Let them know why they shouldn't refuse your offer.

•Create a sense of urgency
Give readers a time period to respond to your offer. Experts say setting a deadline increases your response.

•Repeat the call to action if you direct readers to a website
This is very important if you want your customers to buy or sign up for something. Repeating your call to action reminds them of what you want them to do.

Technorati Tags:marketing copy, process of business writing, call to action, internet marketing, allison nazarian

Use Bullet Points for Readable Copy

2008-12-06T07:45:00.002-05:00

Bullet points are an important technique often used in strong copywriting -- they help increase readability and add impact.

Bullet points are typically used to draw attention to important information within headlines and sub headlines. Instead of presenting the information in long, dense paragraphs that make it hard to pick out important facts, bullet points are often short phrases used to list features so that they stand out.

Your bullet point strategy
Bullet points are not only easy to scan, they can also encourage scanning readers to go back and read the details of your copy if something in the bulleted list catches their attention.

Make sure the information in your bulleted lists is interesting and provide your reader with useful information. Think of them as mini headlines.

Here are a few tips for using bullet points in your copy:

• Use bullet points to show readers a list of clear promise or benefit.
• Avoid bullet clutter: Don't try to turn your bullet point list into an outline with lots of sub-titles and sub-bullets. The purpose of bullet points is to provide clear, easy to read information that is easy to understand – not confusing.
• Stay relevant. The information listed in your bullet points should be related.

Be strategic when using bullet points. They encourage people to continue reading your content if used wisely, but can backfire if you use weak information.

Technorati Tags: copywriting, process of business writing, web copy, web content, Allison Nazarian