But now the vacation’s over. So I’m going to dust off the microphone… … … done… and start posting again.

First some housekeeping.

Ben Prater’s back. Ben exploded on to the “Internet Marketing” world as a complete ‘newbie’ back in 2001. He created an ebook called “Software Secrets Exposed” and managed to get just about every ‘guru’ to promote it. I even interviewed him about it: http://www.ebizknowitall.com/itscallednetworking.pdf

At the time he did this, I had just graduated from high school and was trying to make as much money as possible online so that I wouldn’t have to go to college. So I saw what Ben did, and instead of being jealous, decided he was my rival!

As it turns out, I took a different route and am a copywriter. But I didn’t have to go to college!

In any case, Ben just sent out a couple of emails to his past list letting people know he’s back. I’m not sure in what form yet, but I’ll be sure to let you know as he moves forward.

Ryan Healy has a BIG offer for copywriters that he’ll be releasing soon. Since I’ve been away I haven’t been able to check it out. But I’ll be sure to do so soon and let you know when it’s available.

And third, I’m going to be releasing my WYSIWYG Killer soon. I got so fed up with writing sales letters in dreamweaver or frontpage or whatever other crummy software is out there, that I created a text based application for writing copy.

All you do is type, then hit generate, and out pops a nice HTML-formatted sales letter.

This software will probably be free or close to it.

In this post he demonstrates a headline that would be solid… had it not been used over and over again.

It demonstrates why headlines must be UNIQUE in order to get attention. I highly recommend checking the post out.

Here’s a hint. It will make my job much easier. And if you’re writing your own copy, including it will make your letter more successful.

The answer: providing me proof that your product/service works.

In order to convince the reader your product is fantastic, I’ve got to show them that what you’re selling actually works.

That’s why people who sell “make money” products include screenshots of Paypal accounts and scanned checks.

That’s why people who sell “weight loss” products show before and after photos.

That’s why eHarmony commercials show happy couples together, who usually got married after using the service.

Many people who write their own copy will make claims about their product… but will stop short of proving those claims. Don’t do it!

You may know your product works, but you have to pass that knowledge on.

So here’s your homework. Go through your copy and find every claim you make. Then consider it a challenge to immediately show proof for that claim.

More than you might think. I discovered this while trying to write a sales letter course 7 years ago…

…a good sales letter can play out a lot like a movie. So I decided to make a course that parallels a sales letter with the movie “Tombstone.”

“Tombstone” wasn’t unique in any way that made it perfect for my course, I just wanted to watch it while “working.” In reality, anything with a plot can mirror a good sales letter. Let’s take a look.

This is your standard plot line, and it is also the plot line for the movie Tombstone. So how does a plot line correlate to a sales letter? Let’s do it.

The Movie Poster = The Headline.

To make the movie analogy stand up, I have to start with the movie poster. You know, the thing with the awesome graphic and a tagline like, “Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…”

The movie poster is kind of like your headline. It’s got to reel people in and get them interested in watching the movie (or reading the letter).

The Exposition = Qualifying

In most plots the first thing you have to do is set the stage. You need to let people in on some introductory information so that they know what they’re in store for.

This is kind of like qualifying the audience in copywriting.

That’s why you’ll often see people write something like “Attention Expecting Mothers!” at the beginning of a sales letter for… expecting mothers.

Or “To Men Who Want To Work Less And Earn More.”

These qualifying statements lay down the foundation for the rest of the letter. You now know what the rest of the letter (or movie) will be about.

The Initial Event = The “Problem” and Zeigarnik

Most people know to set up a “problem” at the beginning of your sales copy. But, as I often advise people, you don’t always want to share the solution yet. Especially if you need to provide more information for the reader to appreciate the solution.

So a good strategy is to get the reader all riled up about a problem… and then stop. This creates the initial event that alludes to what the conclusion will be.

An example problem might be… “I needed to find a way to save money on gas or else I’d be on the streets!”

As the writer, you may already know what the answer to the above problem is. It’s probably your product. But you don’t want to tell them that yet. So let’s calm things down (like in the plot line) and use an awesome copy tactic.

The Zeigarnik effect. This is where you start to tell a story, stop in the middle and discuss something else, then come back to finish the story. The idea is to get people to keep reading what’s “in the middle” by making them feel a need to hear the rest of the story.

So let’s add that to the example… “I needed to find a way to save money on gas or else I’d be on the streets! … But first let me tell you why we’re in this mess in the first place…”

See? You’ve foreshadowed that your product is the solution to a problem, and you’re keeping them reading by leaving a problem unresolved.

Rising Action = Make Your Case: Benefits/Proof

Most of the sales letter takes place in the “Rising Action” sales letter of a plot. You can start with the non-exciting stuff, like why someone might need your product.

And then keep piling on the benefits… making your product sound better and better and better. (Making sure to back up any claims with proof.)

During this section, you may still not have even mentioned that you’re selling anything. But may in fact be describing what benefits a good solution might have.

The Climax = The Amazing Offer

By the time your reader hits the climax, they need to know what your product is and that it’s fantastic… that it solves the problem foreshadowed in the initial event.

And since we want your movie (sales letter) to be 4 stars, we need to offer your product in a 4 star way. You can do this by building/demonstrating it’s value, price comparisons, special gifts, guarantees and the like.

Whatever you do, just try to make sure it leaves a smile on their face like any good movie would.

The Resolution = The Close

This is where all the loose ends of the movie are tied up. Same with your copy.

You need to tell people how to order. Then you need to tell them to actually ORDER, not just sit there.

And then maybe remind them of what they’ve seen: the problem, the benefits of your solution, the awesome end-result your product provides and the like.

Complete that plot line and you’ll have a pleasant sales letter.

And to finish this post in appropriate fashion…

Roll The Credits = Post Your Copyright (Stephen Dean, 2008)

I know, I know, I almost feel bad not going with a Mac like many of you advised. My plan is to have this little laptop as my work computer and buy a superMac to play with. It’d be my first Mac and I could then compare for myself.

I also committed another sin and went with Vista. I kinda feel bad for this one too. Jim Sansi warned me that Vista had major problems and was a resource hog.

But two things made me feel comfortable going ahead with Vista.

1) I was able to get 3gb of RAM. Word on the street is that anything less than 2gb of RAM is terrible for Vista. 3gb made me feel comfortable.

And 2) I don’t plan on using much software other than Firefox or iTunes on this PC… I just won’t need that much power.

In any case, I love this thing. It feels great to have a new PC.

It was also cool to see how far technology has come. I was able to CHOOSE to buy a low-end laptop because it’s still more powerful than I need. That’s cool!

So far I’ve been busy getting rid of the adware that comes installed with a new PC. I found this page really helpful at Yahoo! answers.

I plan on using as little software on my hard drive as possible. After a while, I’ll probably make some videos showing how I’m able to keep this baby clean.

For now, rock on, and thanks to everyone who took part in the broken-down-pc 24 hour special.

I found him because I have a new fascination with wine and he happens to host the most passionate wine show on the web.

He puts an extra emphasis on interacting with his “community” through every social marketing outlet there is on the web. He even just signed up for the newest trend, Plurk, (which looks better than Twitter in my opinion).

I value community too. But I also value free time. Isn’t that why most people start an Internet business? That DOESN’T mean I don’t want to interact with my community. I just want to do it in a more efficient way.

I have plenty of blog friends and blog readers who I consider friends in a real sense… even though most of our communication is through our blogs.

I also noticed while reading James Brausch’s blog over the past 2 years or so… that I know him just as well as many of my friends. Even though I’ve never met him or had a conversation with him.

And while James is somewhat notorious for not communicating through email… he did invite any one reading his blog to come visit him in Costa Rica… and to take a cruise with him. His critics should take that in to account.

So you don’t have to constantly be available by email or a social networking tool to build a relationship with your customers, fans, or friends.

I admire what Gary’s doing a lot. But I think his life would be a whole lot easier, and just as rewarding, if he moved towards a “4 Hour Work Week” approach.

That said, I don’t expect Gary to listen to a word I said. And probably rightly so.

His business pulls in 50 million a year.

Coinciding with the death of my laptop, I’ve decided to make an extra effort to make all of my business files accessible from the web. And preferably in more than one place.

This way if my laptop suddenly shuts down on me, is stolen, or some other tragedy… not much time will be lost.

Some people put this type of planning off because it will “never happen to them.” Well, I know I’m not the only one who has lost plenty of cash because of system failure.

And having a “mobile” system will help me to be more independent and more free.

Here are some of the most recent changes.

1) The email address associated with my domain now forwards all mail to my GMail account. I’ve had all mail routed through this account to take advantage of Google’s spam filters in the past… but now that I’ve started using Web Mail exclusively I’ve decided to trust Google more than my web host’s shared server.

I may have all mail sent to this email address also forwarded to another free account on Yahoo or MSN to keep backups.

2) If you’ve followed me on Twitter you know that I’m fed up with WYSIWYG editors like Dreamweaver and NVU. They make me curse loud enough for the neighbors to hear and I need to make sure I don’t get any more notes put on my door.

I’ve created my own text-based editor that allows me to type my sales letter at the speed of thought… and then hit “Generate” to create a web-ready HTML document. Talk about simple.

It’s set up to keep a draft on hand from every saving point to be quickly recalled if needed.

Also, the editor runs on one of my websites so I can work on copy from any computer in the world, at any time. And each saving point is saved to the web-host for easy recall if I need to go back… but it’s also emailed to another free address for instant back up.

This means I’ll be able to get rid of my “First Back Up” service that’s really been annoying me anyway.

3) I’ve started drifting away from applications that need to be saved to my computer. The text-based editor is an example. But I’m also using Google’s calendar to manage my schedule… basecampHQ to manage my projects… and more.

In all, it makes my business very mobile and not tied to just one laptop that could die at any moment (the new one will be here shortly).

Hope these tips will help your business.

This is an interesting question. I’d have to look at your copy to give you a certain answer.

My multivariate testing service includes $600 worth of software (Muvar 2008 and Testivar 2008). You get the physical copies of both, and I can install them on your site. I create the Template, design the tests, watch your results, and add new tests to continually increase your conversion.

This service is $1000 for the first month (which includes the $600 worth of software) and $500 per month after that.

A sales letter rewrite typically starts at around $2000. I ask you questions about your copy to discover what the bottlenecks might be that are preventing sales, and then rewrite the letter with a new strategy in place.

So what’s the difference?

In many ways, multivariate testing IS a rewrite. It’s a continual rewrite. In fact, I rewrite many parts of your copy month after month to continually increase response.

The initial investment is lower than a rewrite. It’s sort of like paying for my copywriting service in monthly installments.

For this reason, I highly recommend the multivariate testing service over hiring me for a rewrite. You can sign up for the testing service here: http://stephensblog.com/testing/

The exception would be if your copy needs a serious revamp first. But even then, I’d recommend the testing service once I was finished with the new draft.

Just some food for thought.

I’ve mentored her as she’s become a copywriter. Well, sometimes she tries to tell me, the TEACHER, that I’m wrong!

This particular argument required Michel Fortin to step in and break it up. Here’s my question to Michel and his response…

My Question:

My sister and I have been arguing about benefits in your QUEST formula.

She tends to put many general benefits in the stimulate section right before the transition section. The formula calls for more benefits in the stimulate section, but I feel like they should be more specific, so I tell her to change them. An example would be…

For say a “make money” product, she would put “leave your corporate job!” in the stimulate section. I guess I can see that works. But I might put something like that earlier (almost like a qualifier) and be more specific in the stimulate section, like “start receiving $100.00 checks in the mail!”.

Hopefully I described it well, what’s your take?

Michel’s Response:

The answer is… it depends. It depends on the market, the product, and the chosen “hook” (the platform upon which your story will be built).

In fact, this also goes hand in hand with my OATH Formula.

For instance, if your market is, say, “Apathetic” if not “Oblivious,” then you need to educate them on the problem first before you sell them. You need to qualify them a lot more, too. You might even need to drive the fear factor a lot earlier, too, to get them to fully appreciate not only the problem but also the gravity of the problem—what Dan Kennedy calls “Problem-Agitate-Solve.”

Let’s say your hook is about making money to live the life of your dreams. Your entire story is about the benefits of quitting your day job. And your market is unaware of the consequences of staying in that job (they’re apathetic). Then the benefit “leave your corporate job” (followed by reasons why) is a core benefit. In this case, I would use it much earlier in the QUEST formula.

Why? Because leaving your job is a core benefit that’s intrinsic to the “understand” section because it ties the main story to your market, and the specific situation your market is in that your solution solves. If you pontificate on the wonders of financial freedom as the main thrust in your argument, then “leaving your day job” is a frontend benefit. And it needs to be driven home much earlier.

But if it’s a lateral benefit, that is, a by-the-way benefit (or backend benefit), then it can be used further down, in the stimulate section. Because then you want to pile on the benefits. If the benefit like “leave your day job” is more like the part of many benefits of buying the product, then it’s a backend benefit. And it can and should be used in the stimulate section to cover all the bases, pile on the benefits, build more value before the close, and so on.

In fact, using it at the end like this makes it less of a benefit and more of a rational “reason why.” Remember, people buy on emotions first and then justify their decisions with logic. And giving them actual, logical justifications later on in your copy is not only good practice, but also giving them ammunition they can use and even own to justify their decisions to themselves—and to others around them.

So “leave your day job” is not so much a benefit as it is a logical “reason why.” (That said, it can be used anywhere in the copy, and I don’t want you to think that following my formula means that the structure is written in stone. Sometimes, it can be used earlier on if it’s appropriate and conducive to the proper flow of the letter.)

Anyway, here’s an example. Let’s say you sell a stock trading product, and your main hook is that there are massive market shifts going on right now that, if the customer doesn’t take action today, can be missed.

The ability to make money with the stock market (and leave your job) is a side benefit—or a more generic, overall benefit, since pretty much all stock trading type infoproducts promise the same thing).

And since making money leads to, among many other things, quitting your day job, then it becomes a backend benefit rather than a frontend one.

That said, however, if your product’s main hook is its ability to make a lot more money than any other program out there, for example, then it’s a frontend benefit, and would probably be better earlier on.

I’ve got to wonder if Best Buy is trying to do that with these videos made from their security cameras. Can these be real?

Of course, this video geared towards college students and packed with sexual innuendo makes no secret of it’s product placement…