| |
| |
|
Marketing Information |
|
|
|
Take The Test: Does Your Marketing Copy Sell?
Your marketing materials must grab your prospect's attention long enough to convince them to investigate further. Assuming you get past this hurdle, your piece's message must next convince the reader to call or buy. To make the copy in your marketing materials pull its weight?and then some, take this simple test: pretend you're a potential buyer who knows nothing about your product or service, then answer the following questions: 1. Do your headlines entice you to read the fine print? In other words, do your headlines use problem or benefit-oriented headlines? If your headlines don't grab your attention, they won't grab a prospect's attention. In today's fast-paced world, headlines make all the difference. Think about how you read a newspaper. Many readers first search the major headlines, then decide where to start reading the fine print. The same thing applies to your marketing materials; some readers peruse only the headlines to understand the message and rarely read the rest of the copy. Others read the headlines mainly to decide whether or not they even want to read the rest of the piece. To entice your prospects to keep reading, make sure your headlines state a problem or a benefit that clearly speaks to that particular audience. 2. Do you immediately explain your headlines in the copy that follows? Once the reader is willing to read the finer print below the headline, make sure you provide the solution or an enticing explanation of that headline immediately in the copy that follows. Readers will quit reading after less than a paragraph if they feel the headline just set them up and didn't explain itself promptly. 3. Does the copy clearly speak to your potential buyer? First, you need to know everything about your reader. What are their demographics or characteristics? If you sell to consumers, keep in mind their age, level of education, interests, etc. For instance, copy about music that appeals to teenagers should read completely different than copy used to sell retirement homes to an age 55+ audience. If you sell to businesses, determine the role your prospect plays in his company, identify his education and experience, and find out what matters most to him in using your services and products. Then, make sure your copy speaks loud and clear to that reader. 4. Is your audience knowledgeable about what you offer? Do you need to educate them about your products and services? Your materials need to make the reader feel smart by using language that clearly speaks to them. In other words, don't use jargon, slang or highly technical language (unless your audience truly knows the meaning of those technical terms). Examine every word in your marketing materials, and create explanations for terms that require advanced knowledge. Better yet, try your copy on someone who is not familiar with your product, and see what words and phrases they stumble over. Then find ways to make that language more understandable. 5. Does your copy use action verbs instead of "to be" verbs? One of the simplest, yet most powerful ways to liven up your marketing copy is to change "to be" verbs into action verbs. Replace verbs such as is, are, was, were, has, and have with in-the-present action words. Besides making your copy more colorful and interesting, action verbs get your reader excited about what you offer. A great book that covers this topic is "Business Writing That Counts!" by Dr. Julie Miller (available at Amazon.com). 6. Is it clear your company has the expertise and qualifications? Unless you have top market share, great visibility, and name awareness in your industry, you still need to convince prospects your company is trustworthy and experienced. Achieve this with relevant information on your company's background, testimonials from satisfied clients, certifications, important awards, and even awards you were nominated for, but didn't win. Also mention any professional organizations you belong to, continuing education seminars and training you and your staff take, and any boards or non-profit organizations you participate in. 7. Where's your contact info? Your company's contact information needs to be on every side of your marketing materials and easily found. If you can't find your company's contact information within 2-3 seconds of looking, it needs to be better positioned. 8. What step do you want the reader to take BEFORE they walk away from your marketing materials? Whether you want the prospect to immediately make a purchase, call, send an email, fill out a form and mail it in, call for a free consultation, or join your newsletter list, use language that clearly tells the reader the next step they need to take. Consider offering a freebie or an incentive to make that next step more enticing. One last thought: once you've tested your marketing materials, make adjustments to the copy. But, don't stop there - instead, test that piece on people you trust to give you honest feedback. Tighten up the piece some more, then get ready to watch your marketing materials convince prospects you really do have the solution to their problem! Nancy J. Wagner of Cut to the Chase Marketing is a speaker, writer, and marketing strategist who helps small businesses increase their sales with effective marketing materials and websites. Download her free 9-step marketing plan at http://www.CutToTheChaseMarketing.com
MORE RESOURCES: Warning: set_time_limit() [function.set-time-limit]: Cannot set time limit in safe mode in /srv/www/vhosts/testmagazine.com/httpdocs/inc/rss.inc on line 8
Marketing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Your Headlines Are Key To Your Success Or Failure. Do You Know What To Write? Most professional copywriters would say that headlinesaccount for 80% percent of more of the effectiveness of anad or sales letter.After all, it's the headline that gets your reader to stopand read further into your sales copy. Marketing For Just Cause Cause marketing is a relationship between a for-profit and a nonprofit that brings in money and resources for the nonprofit, while providing credibility and goodwill for the business.According to the IEG Sponsorship Report, this category grew to $733 million in the US in 2001. The Anatomy of Hype On a copywriting board I frequent, someone expressedbafflement that several respected marketers criticized thetone of a sales page he wrote. "Why did they apologize to their subscribers while linking to my pitch? This approachsells," he said. Loan Officer Marketing - How Branding Shapes Your Prospects Perceptions Social scientists have proven that people experience what they come to expect. It's like the first time you watched your favorite movie. Business Marketing Strategies For many small business managers, finding the time and commitment to develop business marketing strategies is difficult. There are so many other obligations vying for our attention it is tempting to push formal strategy development to the back burner. Read Your Markets Mind - 3 Great Market Research Resources Starting a new online business, developing a new product,launching a new marketing campaign, buying advertisingcan all depend on how well you are able to research yourmarket.All business is based on demand. Marketing the Government for Profit Steps and tips on marketing your business to the government.Fact: Federal, state and local governments buy over $450 billion combined in goods and services each year. How to Set Up & Organize Your Customer Mailing List For Optimum Results Your list of customers who have previously bought from you isyour most important asset. These are the customers who willprovide you with return business, which is more profitable thanthe first sale. Are You a Marketing Octopus, or a Marketing Worm? One of the greatest challenges to effectively marketing a business is determining which marketing method is best for your business.Most people look at what their competitors are doing to market their businesses and then simply imitate that, whether good or bad. Promotional Magnets: Promotion that Sticks Some people are happy with just a business card. For others it's not enough to be glanced at once and packed away. My Marketing Budget Is Small - How Can I Make The Most Of It? Regardless how small or large your budget is, there are a number of ways you can make it go farther. One way is to capitalize on the seasonality of your business. The Advantage to Buying Promotional Products Online Buying your promotional products and corporate apparel online provides five major advantages: a greater selection, better pricing, convenience, customer service, and faster ordering time.Manufacturers often display their entire line of products on the internet, providing you with a greater selection of products. Powerful Direct Marketing Numbers Direct Marketing works!Why? It works because it's personal. It carries a message, answers questions and gets orders. Freebie Seekers? Turn Them Into Clients and Referrers - or Turn them Far, Far Away Many service business owners these days are"giving away" their business services - and thenwonder why people aren't hiring them in droves. Inthe name of "marketing," business owners areproviding way too much information for free. The Seven Vital Steps You Must Know To Ensure Direct Mail Success 1. Your Most Valuable AssetA mailing list of valued customers is the single most important asset you have. How to Convey Trustworthiness in Direct Mail Marketing Sales Letter A person or business that might buy from you is called a prospect. But they might just as accurately be called a skeptic. When Business Cards Arent Enough: Unusual, Unexpected, and Uncommon Networking Tips There comes a time in every small businessperson's life when common networking practices like handing out business cards, attending various meetings and schmoozing with potential clients only goes so far. Eventually, the same old techniques get overused to the point that they become insufficient. Marketing Copy - Brand Identity Guru Tips on writing great copy for your marketing efforts.It's just four steps that I call the Writing Path1. Effective Lead Generation How to Gain your Prospective Clients' Attention and Generate the Leads You Need to Make Your Business a SuccessIf you've ever tried to get a child who is engrossed in their favorite video to do another task you know you must first get their attention. Often the best way to do this is to use their name so they realize you are speaking directly to them. Fundraising Letter Envelopes: How To Make Them Irresistible Readers spend only a few seconds deciding the fate of your direct mail fundraising appeals. Either they open them on the spot, set them aside for later, or chuck them in the waste paper basket.
|
|
home | site map SEO Request | Wing Chun | Home Business Help | Klick Marketing Resources | Recommendation for Internet Business |
© 2006 GetWebMarketing.com - All Rights reserved. - GetWeb Media Webdesign Muenchen |
