The Irrelevant Versus The Meaningful.

By Hans | August 11, 2008

One of the biggest challenges in persuasion is being able to explain elaborate concepts in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

Examples you’ve experienced might be:  Explaining an “adult world” concept, such as money to a young child.  Or, a tech guy explaining computer problems to somebody who barely knows how to send email.

Folks just want a white or black picture… when the world is full of grey.

The result is most persuaders make these common deadly mistakes:

1.  Go off on tangents.  There’s a phrase in copywriting called, “Clearing the throat copy.”  This term describe the copy before the writer gets in the groove. 

You see it over and over again where the opening copy is written out of the writer’s own perspective… and it takes a while before the good stuff the reader cares about comes.

Each sentence should offer valuable insight.  Not doing so is like trying to explain multiple complex concepts at once!  It makes it nearly impossible to understand your original idea.

2.  Lecture others without listening to their concerns first.   It’s impossible to explain a concept if you have no idea of what your listeners can relate to.  This is why you should know concerns, desires, passions, and every detail about them.

This is why the research phase to your copywriting is so vital.  You must know what to say that’s going to trigger the right feelings.

Listening, while reassuring the speaker of the validity of his/her perspective is the most powerful way to research and get-in tune with your prospects.

3.  Demand of the listener, “You must absolutely take action” without giving a compelling reason of why it’s in the listeners’ best interest to do so.   

To persuade, you must give reasons of what’s in it for the prospect to take action.  This is opposed bullying where you just saying you’re right without reasons. 

For example, a hard-sell salesman once was trying to get me to sign-up for a credit card.  He kept repeating after I declined, “Am I missing something here?  This is a great offer.”  A genuine explanation of why it was a great offer was not given.

The bottom-line is that when you’re completely in-tune with who you’re speaking to, you know exactly what to say.  Your words become meaningful rather than irrelevant and far-off.

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How To Transform Average Copy Into A Polished Gem With Editing.

By Hans | July 28, 2008

If you want to transform your average copy into pro quality, it’s often just matter of editing.

You see, good editing has little to do with spelling and perfect grammar.  Far more important is focusing on creating the right meaning.

Here are 5 editing techniques you can spend time on to boost response:

1.  Avoid long sentences.   Short sentences are easy to digest.  Long ones make you stumble.  They also create confusion.  Short ones quickly get your point across.  

2.  Use picture language.  Look for sentences where you can add verbs describing an action.  Examples are, “Smash,” “Crush,” and “Explode.”  Avoid low imagery verbs, such as “Grow,” “Went,” and “Opened.”

3. Take out words implying work.  Replace them with words implying your product is responsible for results.  For example, you would not say, “Save time by applying the product.”  You would say, “The product saves you time.”  In this example, the word “Applying” indicates effort.

4.  Eliminate unnecessary words.  Most people ramble when explaining concepts.  They go off on tangents.  And words that do not add meaning to a sentence are used.   You should make sure every word does a job.

5.  Review to make sure the copy resonates with the target audience.  Everything should make sense.  Your questions and assertions should ring true.  Your audience should nod their heads along in agreement as they read. 

With all of this said, your copy does not have be perfect to close sales.  But, every difference you can make improves your conversion rate — which, ultimately ends up determining your success.

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An Unlikely Internet Marketer

By Hans | July 17, 2008

Today I had a meeting with a local church about how they can use the internet.  

If you’ve been in internet marketing long, then you know the amazing potential it has to transform any organization.  And, at the same time, you’re probably aware how it’s often dismissed.

Folks just want an attractive website to feed their egos.  End of story.

With this common mindset in mind, I set about to open eyes.  And show them how the internet can be used to take a small organization… and skyrocket their reach.

What’s more, it doesn’t require a lot of additional money, time, or effort. 

To do this, I began by explaining the internet offers 3 main benefits:

 1.  Saves you time by automating tasks an employee or volunteer used to do.

2.  Cultivates a more loyal community with strengthened relationships (which also happens to result in more revenue).

3.  Attracts new members by allowing you to connect with them and communicate an effective welcome message.

Next, I moved on with an example.  I found a church of the same denomination that was doing a lot of things right.

This turned out to be very effective because the Reverend knew the other church.  Right away, a connection was made: “If these folks just like us are doing it, so can we.”

Then, step-by-step I showed how this other church was:

*  Using live video over at UStream.tv.  Every Sunday, the service was streamed live.  If folks fail to show-up, they can still see the broadcast.

*  Collecting names and email addresses to follow-up with. 

I gave the example of how you can set-up a sequential follow-up email system to follow-up with new members, educate about church principles, and promote new events.

“Just send-out an email and you can instantly have 25 people sign-up.”

*  Promoting weddings and other revenue generating services. 

*  Posting sermons on YouTube and how you can cultivate a following as an authority.  Your reach can go way beyond those who show-up in church.

* Using a blog so their pages can be easily indexed and ranked in the search engines.

*  Staying in touch with the community through podcasts.  All you need is a microphone, http://Audacity.Sourceforge.net, and a computer.

Plus, I shared other techniques, including:

*  Setting up a community on http://www.Meetup.com.  There happens to be a lot of existing groups that teach the same message as the church.

* Signing-up for PayPal.com and adding donation buttons along side videos, in newsletters, and on the website.

*  How you can get top rankings on Google.com with Google AdWords in only 5 minutes and starting with $5.

After explaining all of this, there was excitement.  However, they were still focused mainly on creating the right design.

This, of course, is important.  But, out of all the things I talked about, it is not the highest priority.

So, to reframe the situation I said, “Many people think that having an attractive website is very important.  However, far more important is the usability of the site… and, most important of all, is the meaning you create.

For instance, let’s say you add images of events at the church.  The meaning of these pictures is it tells the first time visitor that this is a place where he or she is welcome.  This is the right place for him or her.

After all, everybody has different opinions on what the most attractive design is.”

After I said this, it turned out that they had indeed been arguing about what is the most attractive design.  I then pointed out that they can use Google Analytics to see who is right — find-out which design keeps visitors on the site the longest.

They were receptive to this idea. 

Overall, the main takeaway from this experience is you can transform foreign concepts to your customers into ones they can relate to by finding common points of reference.

Some examples are: 

  1. Getting a kid to eat vegetables by pointing out that Pop-eye does it to get strong.
  2. Selling your traffic generation software by comparing it to a ”print-money on-demand ATM machine.”  
  3. Explaining your alternative health treatment by showing how people just like your prospect had success.
  4. Offer your money generation system by telling your rags-to-riches story.  You were where the customer was and now you’ve got to where they want to be through the information in your system.
  5. Promoting a restaurant by saying it’s homemade food full of love and care just like you mom used to make.

When you give your prospect a clear image he or she can relate to, it becomes no-brainer to listen to what you have to say.

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Marketing and Copywriting Secrets For Alternative Health Businesses.

By Hans | July 10, 2008

If you have an alternative health business, then you’re well aware of the problems plaguing western/traditional medicine.

Underlying causes of problems are being shoved to the side. Drugs with sometimes dangerous side-effects are pushed as the only reasonable solution.  Much unneeded suffering takes place.

For these reasons, the alternative health market is rapidly growing.  People’s awareness of holistic health is changing.

However, there is a major problem holding back many alternative health practitioners, coaches, and information product creators.

Open-up any local alternative health magazine and you see what I mean.

Business cards are the only ads you see. 

Name, contact information, and, if you’re lucky, a short slogan is given.

Persuasion is absent.

Problems, concerns, and desires are unaddressed.

Here’s what can be done instead:

The bottom line is you can rapidly grow you alternative health business by focusing on your prospects.  Understand where they’re coming from and express how you can change their lives.

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Keys To Selling Software Products

By Hans | July 4, 2008

Most people’s first instinct to tap into a market is to create e-book, audio, or video products.

However, few people realize that software can be far easier and more profitable to sell.

What’s more, the barriers to creating top-selling software can be minimal.  Come-up with an idea and find a coder to get rolling.  It’s not uncommon for a software that generates tens of thousands of dollars to be whipped-up in hours and for a few hundred bucks (I’ve heard two stories of this happening for under $100).

Simply put, if you’re not always thinking about software ideas to create for your market, here’s why you should:

For instance, with many information product businesses, 5% of your customers are going to be your top customers.  But, if more of them are actively using your products, this number is likely to go-up (Equaling countless thousands of dollars to your bank account).

Simply put, software is an often overlooked information product you should consider creating. 

Of course, there is a downside.  You often have increased customer support questions.  However, you can overcome this issue with the help of good programmers, testing, and technical FAQ instructions.  Simple software limits this issue as well.

Once you have created your software products, there are a few keys to selling them.  These include:

The key difference between selling software versus other information products is that they provide instant rewards for the customer.  The customer has to do relatively little to get some type of immediate gratification.

This is a major strength you can use to skyrocket your software sales. 

A key mistake software sellers make is to not spell-out what the tool does for the customer and how this changes his or her life.  Sure, your copy is often going to be geared toward a technical minded crowd.  But, they are just like everyone else.  They need to know what exactly your tool means to them.

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The Power of Qualification.

By Hans | July 2, 2008

You may have heard the quote attributed to Bill Cosby, ”I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone.”

When it comes to writing copy, many traditional advertisers often try to appeal to everybody who might buy the product.  For instance, the target market of an ad might be for men 18-29 years old (a diverse group full of countless millions of people).

Direct-Response marketers do the opposite.  The copy is designed to only appeal to those who are likely to buy.  The target market is a tight, well-defined group.

Those who do not fit in the group are either addressed in a separate ad or not at all.

The reason for this is that if you’re trying to appeal to large audiences, your copy is weakened.  You can not speak directly to the interests, desires, and problems your target market has.

Instead, of talking to just one person, you’re talking to multiple.  No one gets personal attention.  On the other hand, writing for just one type of person allows you to tailor your sales message to meet his or her needs.

For example, let’s say you were buying a car.  A salesperson may try to sell you by saying, “Many folks like to buy this car because of its great fuel mileage.”

Another salesperson takes another approach.  He notices that you have bumper stickers from all of the places you traveled and learns that you enjoy outdoor sports.  He then tries to sell the same car by saying, “Despite having abundant leg room, lots of storage space, and being able to easily handle your outdoor sporting equipment, the car still gets great fuel mileage to save you money on long trips.”

The difference between the two is the second one is about you.  Not everyone else.

It tells you specifically what’s in it for you when you own the car.  The first one gives a benefit, but it may not be very important to you.

In sales copy, narrowing the group you’re talking to can be very effective and explode your response rates. 

You can do this by qualifying your readers (telling them that your sales message is or is not for them).

Often you will want to do this right away in your headline, prehead, subhead, or intro copy.

For instance, one of the most commonly swiped phrases is, “If you want to lose 10 pounds in a week from now (or whatever your benefit is), then this will be the most important letter you will ever read.  Here’s why:”

Notice how if you do not want the benefit described in the formula, then you instantly know that this product is not for you.  Otherwise, you are told it is vital to your future.  The target audience in the example above is not everybody who wants to lose weight, but only those who want to lose it for an upcoming event.

Other examples include:

*  “Attention:  Small Business Owners, Discover…”  You simply say directly who the copy is for.  If you’re selling a product for golfers, you might say, “Attention: Golfers…”

*  “If you have 5 minutes a day, then you can lose 5 pounds of fat in less than 7 days from now.”  This qualification here, having “5 minutes a day,” is something everybody can say yes to.  For products where the market has failed a lot with other systems, this type of qualification can be very powerful.

* ”Dear Golfer,”  If you don’t have the readers name, then you can let him or her still know it is for him or her by getting as specific as possible in your greeting.

Essentially, all you’re doing is picturing who you’re selling to (and, at the same time, you’re aware of who you’re not).  Then, you tell him or her why your product or service is for him or her.

When you give a benefit and its one your reader cares deeply about, then you are using the power of qualification.

The bottom line is you should not try to appeal to everybody.  If there are two different groups who are in need of your product, create two different ads.

For instance, you may sell a course on internet marketing.  It works for those looking to start a new business from scratch and offline businesses who are looking to start using the internet to generate new business.

These two groups have completely different concerns.  Thus, you need to speak to them in two different ways.

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Questions In Salescopy.

By Hans | June 15, 2008

When folks write their first ad, a common technique is to begin by asking a lot of questions.  For instance, in a weight loss ad, folks might start with the headline, “Who else wants to lose 10 pounds fast?” and then proceed to ask questions in the intro copy, such as “Are you fed-up and tired of being overweight?”

Questions can be powerful.  They cause your reader to answer.  This interaction then brings them into the salescopy. 

However, a common mistake is to ask questions where your reader answers the wrong way.  Remember, salescopy is like you were talking with your prospect one-on-one.

When you ask, “Are you fed-up with being overweight?” up front, this is a lot like going up to an acquaintance or stranger and asking this question.  If you don’t have the relationship with your reader, the reaction to this question won’t be what you want.

It may be interpreted as offensive (if you have the relationship, it may be different).

What’s more, many questions that are often asked have much worse answers than this one.  The worst kind of question is when the answer is a big fat “No!”  For example, “Are you jealous of others who are skinny and in great shape?” 

There is a very good chance many of your prospects won’t agree with this statement.  They may not think of themselves as jealous.

Instead, you want your target audience to agree with you.  The goal of a question is to show you are on the same side as your prospect.  Empathize with them.  Show them you understand what they’re going through.

When you do this, your prospects see you as someone they can trust.  You become an expert who should be listen to.

Here are some guidelines when choosing questions:

*  The response of your target market should be overwhelming agreement with your sentiment.  Ask yourself, “Is my target market going to nod their head in agreement?”

* You can use them to qualify your readers.  You should only care about the response to the question from your target audience.  If those who are never going to buy disagree, this is good.  It tells them that this product is not for them. 

*  You can use questions as transitions and keep your readers glued to your copy.  Some connector questions include, “Why is this the case?,” “What’s the bottom line?,” “What’s next?,” and so on.

Simply put, questions can be tricky and require you to be in-tune with your target audience.  When in doubt, use statements, instead of questions.  For instance, “Do you want to lose weight?” can be transformed into “If you want to lose weight…”

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Creativity Versus The Proven and Tested

By Hans | June 5, 2008

For most folks, advertising is all about “creativity.”  A successful ad is one that is clever, original, and entertaining.

This is one way to approach your advertising. 

However, it’s not the only way.  There’s an easier alternative offering a much higher chance of success: Instead of focusing on creativity, you can focus on using what’s proven and tested to work.

In other words, why attempt to reinvent the wheel… when you can base your ads on what’s been shown to work in the past time and time again?

For instance, if you’ve ever looked at infomerical, they are all largely the same.  They follow the same format, often use the same phrases, and all promise instant, easy, and substantial results.

Why do they do this?  Don’t they want to stand-out and be unique?

The answer is because human nature does not change.  While mindset’s differ from person to person and market to market, the same core motivators drive everyone. 

Saving time, energy, and gaining abundance in all areas of life appeals to everybody.  Offering this value is certain to drive your customers’ desire.

So, here’s what this means to you:  Emulating core ingredients of successful ads of the past combined with your own testing is a surefire recipe for success.

Forget about trying to impress with creativity… and focus on serving needs and desires shown to exist.

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How To Uncover What Your Prospects Want By Reading Magazine Covers.

By Hans | June 2, 2008

If you’re a marketer, then the bookstore is one of the most valuable resources at your disposal.  Pick-up a book or magazine and you can discover exactly what to include in your information products and salescopy in minutes.

In the video below, I reveal my process to using magazines to write copy and research markets.


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Get A Free Website Critique To Boost Your Sales!

By Hans | May 28, 2008

If you have an existing website and you’re wondering how you can boost your conversion rates, then here’s a win-win proposal:

For the next 5 people or until the end of May 31st (whichever comes first), you can get a free website critique ($297.00 Value).

Inside I give you feedback on what you should be testing, major problems slashing response, and key components you can add to boost your response. Plus, I also let you know what you’re doing that is working so you don’t accidently change it and can focus on it more.

All you have to do is send me an e-mail at:  Hans (AT) CopyThatDeliversResults.com with a description of your target customer, a link to your website, and a description of where your traffic is coming from.

With this said, there are 2 easy qualifications for this offer:

1.  You agree to let me republish the critique with a link back to your website (which gives you free exposure).  Most likely this will go inside a viral e-report.

2.  You’re a follower of me on http://twitter.com/.  If you’re not already a member, it’s free to join.  Just head over to Twitter.com, sign-up for a new account, visit my page at: http://twitter.com/HansKleinCopy and click “Follow.”

And that’s it!  Go-ahead and send your email now.  It’s on a first-come, first-serve basis.  I’ll then let you know if you’ve been selected for a critique within 24 hours. 

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