Creative Workshop October 12-13

Creative WorkshopOctober 12-13

Herschell Gordon Lewis

A couple of preliminary

points…

Part One:

Wordshave

octane.

There are many options

open to the genuine “creative” individual.

Uh-oh!

The writeralways

has a stronger wayto begin

a sales argumentthan the neutral phrase

“There is…”or

“There are….”

If Michelangelo were painting today…

Historically,where are

we?

Fourthgenerationmusings…

In a recent catalog:

And 10 years from now…?

Trends for the second half of the second decade of the 21st

century:1.Increasing informality2.Increasingly emphatic

persuasion3.Inclusion of validation4.Promise of fast action

A universal reaction:

“I want it NOW.”

Primitive but a good “pitch” because it builds around

immediacy:

In sync with the

medium and

21st centur

y trends

Click brings

up this…still in sync

with the medium and 21st century trends

Interesting study.

Note who issued it.

When you see this color screen, it’s for aQuick hands-on.

Please participate. What happens here

stays here.

Sorry, you won’t hear them during this

diatribe:• Paradigm• Proactive• Win-win• Game plan• 24/7• Fast track• Customer-

centric

• At the end of the day

• Core competency• Think outside the

box• Knowledge-based• On the same

page

Specifics outpull generalizations.

Remember that if you’re asked to write a sample piece of copy.

(You will be, in two minutes.)

Take a look at the two most

famous advertisements

of all time … both are direct

response:

Written in 1926…still much imitated today:•They grinned when the waiter spoke to me in French•They laughed when I told them how I beat stress•They laughed when I said I’d lose weightHundreds of others

Could you match this famous ad that ran for 45 years?

Let’s look at the

power of one minor

word:

If These Mistakeshad been This Mistake

the power would have beena fraction of what it was.

Why?

Why would anyone bother reading

beyond thenonspecific headlines?

You can write better

wording than that.

“There are many

reasons America’s leading

companies choose our

Direct Response

solutions” is student-level

copy.Rewrite to

add strength.

Why is this email less effectivethan it might be?

An absolute rule of force-

communication:One specific

example brings more response

than ten generalizations.

Avoid these words in force-communication

messages:• quality• service• value• needs (as noun)

• “Remember,”

• What’s more

• Your partner in…

• When it comes to…

Please, please:Never again write

“blah” phrases such as…

• Act now.• See your Toyota dealer today.

• Southwest Airlines means business.

Impact increases with apparent warmth.

Example: start withBye now.

Move up slightly toSee you soon.

Even what appears to be an insignificant

change to a question increases impact.

ConvertSee you soon.

toSee you soon?

Personalization adds an emotional overtone:See you soon.

becomesI hope we’ll get together again

soon.

Combining personalization with a question forces a

reaction:I hope we’ll get together again

soon.doesn’t begin to compete in

potency againstWill we get together

again soon?

Inclusion reduces the possibility of rejection.

Example – replacingI’d like us to get together again

soon.with

We’ll get together again soon.

(Would this as a question be stronger? or weaker?)

Can you relate those simple

examples to an analysis of your salesmanship in direct response

copy?

Would you have

wasted the expense

and opportunity to reach commercia

l customers

as this bank did?

Quick hands-on:Write a headline to

replace…Commitment.It’s all in our

approach.

You know why we should NEVER slide

through word-choices without considering

whether even slightly different wording might have greater fractional

impact:RESPONSE.

What is the differencebetween

3and

three?

What is a more emotional word or

phrase than:• commence• utilize• omit• receive• we would like

to• large• you incur no

risk• circular• donate

• purchase• fortunate• requested• I write

concerning• we shall• error• perhaps• however• humorous

What is the difference between:

• autumn and fall• at last and

finally• sexy and

sensual• nude and

naked• made and

manufactured• manufactured

by and built by

• right now and at once

• reply and respond

• insincere and not sincere

• eager and anxious

• audience and viewers

• died and passed away

Note the difference in thrust, impact, and (vital

for us) selling power:“One in five Americans will experience identity

theft.”versus

“One in five people will be hit with identity theft.”

Shift to active voice and watch as muscle

skyrockets:“One in five Americans will be hit with identity

theft.”versus

“Identity theft will smash into the lives of one in

five Americans.”


lifetime guarantee

andguaranteed for twenty years

?


guaranteed for twenty years

andguaranteed for

20 years?

Spelling out a word adds dignity, formality, and importance. It

also may add distance between writer and reader. So choose based on the circumstance:

Mt. Olympus Mount Olympus

Ft. Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale

St. Jude Saint JudeDr. Smith Doctor SmithMr. Brown Mister BrownNo. 1 Number one

Match words to thespecific demographic

you’re wooing:

inexpensive

cheap

YOU are in command of the reaction to your

words:Incorrect

Wrong


words:“The senator declined to

comment.”“The senator declined to

answer.”


words:“The senator declined to

answer.”“The senator refused to

answer.”


words:“The thing is…”

“Get this.”


words:“For the experienced

tourist.”“For the sophisticated

traveler.”


words:“We killed the competition.”

“We destroyed the competition.”


words:“We killed the competition.”

“We murdered the competition.”


words:“It doesn’t work.”

“It just ain’t working.”


words:“She’s a vice-president

of the agency.”“She’s vice-president of

the agency.”


words:“Can you help us?”“Will you help us?”

Do you recognize the huge difference between

“Can you” and “Will you”?


words:“If you order now, you’ll

get…”“Order now and you’ll

get…”


words:“You pay much less.”

“Others pay much more.”


words:Trousers

Pants


words:Tighten your tummy.Get rid of that gut.


words:“We’ll even pay the

shipping costs.”“We’ll pay the shipping

costs.”


words:“We’ll pay the shipping

costs.”“Free shipping.”


words:“They’ll keep your feet

toasty warm.”“They’ll keep your toes

toasty warm.”


words:“He kissed her on the

lips.”“He kissed her on the

mouth.”


words:“Attention, seniors: We are conducting a clinical

trial for…”“Attention, seniors: A

research organization is conducting a clinical

trial for…”


words:“We lost the game.”“We blew the game.”

Quick hands-on:Suggest a more

dynamic replacement for:

“A reply from you would be

appreciated.”


words:“A reply from you would

be appreciated.”“We really do want your

reaction.”


words:“The workshop will be

presented in your area.”“The workshop is in

your own town.”


words:“In the event of your

death...”“If you should die....”


words:“Just $24.95 per

month.”“Just $24.95 a month.”


words:“As the owner of a small

business, you...”“Is yours a family-owned

business? Then...”


words:“Is there a problem with...?”

“Do you have a problem with...?”


words:$250,000

A quarter of a million dollars


words:Illegal immigrant

Undocumented alien

Word use:Replace… with…must have toamong one ofutilize useperhaps maybebuy acquirepurchase ownspendallocatereceive get

YOUR hand is on the trigger.

Don’t fire blanks.

An easy and obvious litmus test for

both envelope copy and e-mail subject line:Does it grab

and is itrelevant?

Relevance is as easy as this:

Amateurish, not good grammar… but suggests personal and easy

reading

The enclosur

e… What

are the pros and cons of

this approac

h?

What image

does this offer

conjure up?

Positive or

negative?

Aimed at not-for-profit

groups. What would

you have, as a

clearer message?

Punctuation makes a huge difference:

• Money to invest• or…• Money to invest?

Quick hands-on:Suggest a more

salesworthy replacement for:

“You can complete your Application

Formin less than one

minute.”

Did you replace the word “Application” to

read… “You can complete

your Acceptance Form

in less than one minute”?

Now, make it a tad more convivial by

replacing one other word.


words:“You can complete your

Acceptance Formin less than one

minute.”

“You can complete your Acceptance Form

in less than a minute.”

BUT NEVER DRAW A COSMIC CONCLUSION.

In many situationsyou may prefer “one” to

“a”because

“one” is definiteand

“a” is indefinite.

Superiority of the definite over the

indefinite:

•“The gem in each earring is a full carat.”• “The gem in each earring is one full carat.”

The “Emotion over Intellect” Rule:

When emotion and intellect come into

conflict, emotion always wins.

The significance of this rule:An emotion-based sales argument will outsell an

intellect-based sales argument.

The three bases of success in direct response writing

1.Verisimilitude2.Clarity3.Benefit

Quick hands-on:How would you add

verisimilitude to this email?

Which of these

brought the most response

?

Benefit inforce-communication:

not, "What will it do?"

but, "What will it do for

me?"

If you take nothing else away from this

workshop, remember this:

Imperativeoutpulls

declarative.

Phony pitch (car came

with 5-year warranty) …

but cold imperative tone makes it credible to some.

What is wrong with this

email?

The Law of Tenses:

Present tense outsells future tense because

the present is now, and your prospect wants

benefits now.

Present tense is more relevant than either future tense or past

tense. Use past tense to establish a historical

base. Use present tense to establish

position.

"If you think that..." is a more potent opening

than "If you thought that..." because

present tense implies an immediate change of current attitude; past tense suggests

that whatever follows will be a revision of

history.

Tying future to present tells the reader:

"This will be for all eternity."

Compare the meanings of these two approaches:

This is the seventh notification we've sent you. It's the last

one.or...

This is the seventh notification we've sent you. It will be the

last one.

Emotion outsells Intellect...

Benefits are more emotional than

features...So benefits outsell

features.

Whenis superior to Iffor suggesting

something will happen.If

is superior to Whenfor suggesting

something will not happen.

The Generic Determination Rule:

The generic determines reaction more than the numbers.

More LessHalf a quart One pintHalf a kilo 500 gramsOne hour 60 minutesOne day 24 hoursOne month 30 daysOne mile 5,280 feetHalf a pound 8 ounces

Hands-on practice:Rewrite this statement

for greater power:We’ll ship your order the next day, and it’s

guaranteed for 30 days.

The Chronology Rule:When chronology is within

the experiential background of the message recipient, number of years is a more powerful selling weapon

than dates.So in the year 2013:

"A history of success since 2003" is weaker than...

"A solid 10-year history of success." Why?

Information optimizing:

Directing or changing the reader’s or

viewer’s or listener’s perception without changing the facts.

Information optimizing…

When should you useasterisks

(*)in selling copy?


When should you useasterisks

(*)in selling copy?

Never.

“The Asterisk Exception”:

A reader automatically anticipates a negative result from an asterisk

in either heading or text.

If you are announcing a positive, DO NOT use

an asterisk.

The five types of comparatives:

• We’re better than they are.

• Unlike so-called competitors who…

• We’re the greatest.• We were marvelous before, and now we’re even better.

• Intended to sell for x-amount … yours for y-amount.

Hands-on practice:Write a comparative

claim other than “We’re better than they are” for the organization you

represent.


Parity Advertising:The statement seems to

imply superiority but actually only claims parity... "No bank

pays higher interest"; Nobody sells for less"; "We'll

meet any discount price."

Hands-on practice:Write a “Parity”

statement for the organization you

represent.


Opening a question with a positive statement directs

the answer:“This is what you want, isn’t

it?”is more likely to generate a

positive reaction than“Is this what you want?”


The“Restoration/Preservation”

Rule:When promoting

personal improvement products,

restoration outpulls preservation.

Why?

The three components of successful force-

communication:1.Basic psychology2.Vocabulary suppression3.Salesmanship equivalent

to that of a vacuum cleaner salesman in a department store

Two ads, same advertiser.Which has both clarity and

impact?

One of these pulled more than twice the response of the other. Which one? Why?

Is this the

optimal way to contact

cold lists via

email?(Mice-type is below

here. On original,

you would scroll

down to see)

About Macromark:Macromark, Inc. is a leading, highly reputable and progressive acquisition, retention and monetization media company. Relying

on its experienced sales organization, aggressive marketing efforts and cutting edge IT support, Macromark will acquire new customers for you at the lowest possible cost and will maximize the revenue potential of your

most valuable asset, your customer file. The company also provides key e-commerce, print media, insert media and database marketing services. Today, Macromark is recognized as one of the industry's fastest-growing

direct marketing companies with over 300 consumer and business-to-business clients, in the US, Canada and Internationally.

Please go to this link to see all of this company's Business Announcements-or-

go to this link to add this company to your rolodex!

Brought to you by MacArthur Services - Business AnnouncementsMacArthur Services, 693 Cherry Avenue, Lake Forest IL, 60045 (847) 457-3122,

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This legend is in mice-type below the Gift

Card references:• About Macromark:Macromark, Inc. is a leading, highly reputable

and progressive acquisition, retention and monetization media company. Relying on its experienced sales organization, aggressive marketing efforts and cutting edge IT support, Macromark will acquire new customers for you at the lowest possible cost and will maximize the revenue potential of your most valuable asset, your customer file. The company also provides key e-commerce, print media, insert media and database marketing services. Today, Macromark is recognized as one of the industry's fastest-growing direct marketing companies with over 300 consumer and business-to-business clients, in the US, Canada and Internationally.

Peculiar follow-up. Would you enter

information?

Standard email offer.Click and…

This appears.But within two seconds…

This blocks out the image.Your opinion: More response, or less?

Part Two:

The Great Laws and

the overriding Commandmen

t

The First Great Law:

Reach and influence,at the lowest possible cost,

the most peoplewho can and should

respond.

They need a course

in merge-purge. They

are my carrier.

Mailing to a business prospect

Does this “reach”? Or turn off?

What makes the wording of

this ad superior as

a commercial message?Disturbing specifics

The Second Great Law:

In this Age of Skepticism,cleverness

for the sake of cleverness

may well be a liability,rather than an asset.

Playing with a play on words can result in a considerably lower response than a clear offer.

When copy is

“straight” and

photo is “cute”

the mismatc

h damages impact.

Clever?Full-page

ad in a marketin

gmagazine

. What does this advertise

r do?Are you

inspired?

The Third Great Law:

E2 = 0

The Fourth Great Law:

Tell your target-individual

what to do.

TELL YOURTARGET-

INDIVIDUALWHAT

TODO.

Suggest a

graphic, a

headline and a first

sentence that clarify what this

company does

Suggest agraphic, a headline and a first sentence

that clarify

what this company

does

Suggest agraphic, a headline and a first sentence

that might

convince a

marketer to contact

you.

Suggest a

graphic, a

headline and a first

sentence that

clarify what this company

does

Full-page ad in a direct

response magazine.Question: What does

this company

do?

Finding out isn’t

easy. This

appears on a

jump-page in

their website

:

If you were the

marketing director,

what would you

have in your ad in

a trade magazine?

If you were the

marketing director,

what would

have been your key selling

argument in this

trade ad?

REPEAT: You know this,from your personal lifeand as a professional

communicator:Imperative

outpullsdeclarative.

Be the voiceof authority.

(Careful!Don’t let

imperativeslide into

arrogance.)

Opinion on imperious tone?

Note key “grabber” words such as RISK and

VIOLATION and WE MUST RECEIVE

Clever – name and address apparently are on a sticker but actually are surprinted

Attention spans are short.BEWARE

ofThe Bore/Snore

Effect.

Does your illustration motivate, or is it just pretty? BORE/SNORE.

Do you deal in specifics or just generalities?

BORE/SNORE.

Are you a professor, not a dynamic salesperson?

BORE/SNORE.

Are you hung up in your sense of dignity? BORE/SNORE.

Do you ramble on endlessly, slow to get to the point? BORE/SNORE.

Do you put them quietlyto sleep? BORE/SNORE.

(SIPA just merged with Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) (Huh?)

Replace BORE/SNORE with the Dale

Carnegie/Sally Field Declaration: “You

likeme.”

The Clarity Commandment:

When you choose words and phrases for

force-communication,clarity is paramount.

Don’t let any other component of the

communications mix interfere with it.

Word sequenceand spacingaffect clarity.DON’T EVER

violateThe Clarity

Commandment.An example…

The email on the left pulled 84% better. Why? Greater

clarity.

Attention spans are short, and

quick negative

reactions are common.

Would you want four

people looking down

at you?

Can you see how these – 4 pages apart in the same catalog – violate

the Clarity Commandment?

What would you have done to add clarity, without eliminating either

product?

What is the

point…and themeaning

… of the

brackets in the

headline?

OK, I’ll buy.

Uhhh…What

are you selling?

When you

promise “How to…”

quickly explain “How to”..or

risk confusion

.

The answer is “pretty

straight-forward”

?Not if the thrust is

“We” instead

of “You.”

You say, “Let’s talk

simple.” Well, OK, but what are we talking about? Clarify, please.

Word sequence can have a profound effect

on clarity• Half roasted chicken• Roasted half chicken• Roasted chicken half• Roast chicken half• Half a roast chicken• (and hyphens may

help clarify:Chicken-half,

roasted)

Nobody likes the

post office…but this

is a superior

ad.What

makes it superior?

Cleverness without clarity violates both the Second

Great Law and the Clarity

Command.

(They sellemail

personalizing… tracking … and spam

filter control)

• Rewrite for clarity and

response.

What makes

thisan

effective

message?

Clever wording that adds

clarity is the height of copy

skill.

A tip:For clarity,

When listing two parallel items, and one has a

qualifier, list the one without the qualifier first. Example:

helps you diet and quit smoking ...

NOThelps you quit smoking

and diet

Anexpiration datealmost always

improves response.

Tip: “Midnight Saturday, October 12”

will outpull“Saturday, October

12.”

“Learn” and “Earn” are two seemingly

harmless words that suggest a ghastly four-

letter word:

W-O-R-K.Can you suggest

alternatives?

The five great motivators:

•Fear•Exclusivity•Greed•Guilt•Need for approval

“Soft” motivators:

Convenienceand

Pleasure

Motivator forfund raisers,

extremist organization:

Anger

Note the potent trigger-word.

Possibleadditional motivators

as the 21st centuryevolves:

EnvyStatus

(Does status differfrom exclusivity?)

Hands-on practice:For a product with

which you’re associated, create the headline for a space ad using one of the Five

Great Motivators.Then create a second

headline using another of those Motivators.

The Consistency Command:

Components of an advertisement, a mailing,

or an email message should reinforce and

validate one another, or reader/viewer/listener

response to all components

will be reduced.

The Rule ofNegative Subtlety:

The effectiveness of a direct response message whose

purpose is to sell something

decreases in direct ratio

to an increase in subtlety.

First Sub-rule ofNegative Subtlety:

A sales argument loses impact in direct ratio

to an increase in subtlety.

A nasty developmentin the

“R-rated”non-culture of

communication:“In your face”advertising

Getting attention

is not parallel to

getting favorable attention.

If you’re a purchasing agent, aren’t you uncomfortable

dealing with this company?

Sophomoric?

This adran inVanityFair.

This adran in

CustomerInteractio

nSolutions.

What are the pros and cons

of this approach

to attention-getting?

My sentiments exactly.

The two-page ad in entirety. Your opinion?

Hands-on practice:Suggest a

new picture

and rewrite

the headline to give it strength

and clarity.

The“Shock Diminution”

Rule:Shock diminishes

in exact ratioto repetition.

The web has reborn a venerable marketing approach: “per-

inquiry”

Absolute rules for p.i. marketing:

• Offer is for product, not service• Response goes to medium or list

source• Offer must be easy to

understand• Fulfillment is from medium or

list source• All involved parties share names• Remittance from recipient to

offerer is fast and accurate

Part Three:

Let’s attack the hot media of the

day…Web and mobile

Don’t assume your mobile target has the same mind-set and attention-span

asthe same

individual sitting at his/her computer.

Is mobile the medium of the immediate future?

BIG benefits:•Highly targeted.•Can reach targets anywhere they are.•Results are measurable.•Can be interactive.

If targeting and interactivity are

absolute, why doesn’t the medium achieve

dominance?

Why use mobile? Because you can…-- Send timely offers right to the user’s mobile device, provided the mobile user is an opt-in subscriber.-- Create segments by demographic and purchase data.-- Deploy graphic mobile coupons that can be redeemed at a store.-- Use sometimes effective QR codes to link to events and promotions.-- Integrate with databases that are used by email, direct marketing, and other methods.

Why question the use of mobile? Because it doesn’t…-- Reach a high percentage of potential responders. -- Get a message out no matter where or when the prospect may be ready to receive. -- Have the flexibility of other media.-- Cover anywhere near the totality of your selling message.-- As yet compete on a cost-per-positive-contact basis with email, direct marketing, and other methods.

Mobile is initiating

a new supply-

industry.

Consider and discuss:Are social media

competitivein the world of e-

commerce?What are the “yea”

possibilities?What are the “nay”

possibilities?

If this surprises you, you aren’t in the marketplace.

If you plan to use Facebook or MySpace

or Twitter as a marketing tool…

please, please, please:Test.

(Best test: as both vendor and as potential

consumer.)

The email marketplace of 2013/2014 is far

more brutal than it was even a few years ago.

Why?• Invasion of “new media”• Abuse by so many emailers• Wild competitive growth• Wild competitive claims

Two advisories from an “Expert,” in Inc.:1. “Unless you are having some sort of outrageous sale that people just can’t resist, descriptive, transaction oriented subject lines don't usually perform very well. What does perform well? Creative, catchy, eye-catching subject lines. So feel free to be creative, witty, and funny.”2. “All of your emails should have a primary call to action, which is above the fold and very ob-vious. However, don't have the email end there. Some customers want to scroll to learn more or see other content. So give them what they want. Add a row of ‘best sellers,’ new products, testimonials, or other useful information.”Opinions about these advisories?

Each bid costs a dollar. Misleading offers such as this damage the

credibility of email as a medium.

A few subject lines that may work but are of questionable ethics:

•After Friday, forget our deal.•Someone is using your photo here.•Your new LG washer/dryer is here.• Re: Possibility?•Do you really want to cancel?•Sorry, I’m going to have to cancel•Can’t win them all. I give up.•Junk mail? Hell, no. [or, Heck, no.]•Thought I was dead? You’re wrong.•Two more days and the deal is off.•It’s PayPal, not Western Union.

How would you make these subject lines more

powerful?•Carlos walked away from 29K in debt•AHS the right choice in home warranties - Free Quote!•Fidelity Life Association's Rapid Decision Term Life•Here are more reasons to SHOP WITH US!•Take home essential style with GQ and Details

Weak subject line may prevent recipient from ever seeing the motivational headline:

Simple psychology:Offer

“click here”options

repeatedly.(It parallels the

“trial close”of a conventional

sales pitch.)

Can you offer “Click here” too often? Probably not.

Can you sell directly from anemail message? Absolutely.

Email has becomethe home of

quarter-truths, and non-truths.Worst offenders:Those who use

the word“FREE”as bait.

Which of these pulled better?

10% off. Free shipping.

What is the differencein pulling power

between

includedand

free?

This magazine “includes

”extras

that had to strain

the writer’s mental

resources. We’ll look

closer.

How would you have worded some of these

“Benefits”?

Remember the rule,

Imperative outpulls

declarative?

This b-to-b email

ignores that rule

and invites “Click. I’m

outta here.”

Now you do it:Write a dynamic subject line and

first line of text for that email.

Suggest an effective subject line

Are newsletterseffective use of

email?(Many catalog emailers

use thenewsletter format as

“stay-in-touch”communication.)

A newsletteris a porous

emailbandage,

considerablyless exciting thana one-to-one offer.

Why?Because…

Building respect

for the senderis not parallelto responding

to an offer.

Newsletteradvantages:• Mild customer

loyalty• Frequency has

logic• Many

variations (jokes, surveys)

Newsletterdisadvantages:

• Weak selling weapon

• Selling is subordinated

• Boredom factor

If you decide to use a newsletter to build

your list or to be the “carrier” for your sales

message, YOU MUSTbe certain that the first item is exciting for the

recipient.

Is the first item in your newsletter

an advertising message?

Uh-oh.

Is the first item in your “Joke of the Day”

the joke itselfand not

an advertising message?

Uh-oh.

A key point:Each format dictates a

psychology.different

DON’T send a message

that’s a totaldownload, with

no upfront motivators.

Why?

Because12 to 18 million

people(used to be30 million)

will see thison their screen:

Did you know…•Adding the recipient’s name to the “Subject” line usually increases response.•There is no point in sending “teaser” email.

Which is better? This one?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_Subj:Boost Sales! Date: 2:43:47 AM Pacific Daylight Time

From: [email protected]: [email protected] from the Internet (Details)

Let's face it. It's the 4th quarter. The holidays are just around the corner. Now is the time to gear up for the busiest and most profitable time of the year! We all need to:

* boost sales* increase profits* expand our markets* max our budgets (use it or lose it!)* watch the bottom line

The BOTTOM LINE: dollar for dollar, pound for pound, there's nothing more powerful and effective than targeted email advertising (proof of this in an independent study - see link below!)

mailto:[email protected]


aolmsg://01518cb0/inethdr/1

Or this, same day’s email: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__

Subj:Please call me Date: 2:44:52 AM Pacific Daylight TimeFrom: [email protected]: [email protected] from the Internet (Details)

Here's some new info for you. Please call me right away.

Regards,Rich

Let's face it. It's the 4th quarter. The holidays are just around the corner. Now is the time to gear up for the busiest and most profitable time of the year! We all need to:

* boost sales* increase profits* expand our markets* max our budgets (use it or lose it!)* watch the bottom lineThe BOTTOM LINE: dollar for dollar, pound for pound, there's nothing more



aolmsg://01518a20/inethdr/1

An oddity worth testing:

Moving “click here”UP

in the textusually increases

response.

In actual tests…text outpulled a produced email

when the message wasURGENCY.

Produced message outpulled text

when the message wasARTISTRY.

An interesting test:Which of these subject

lines pulled best?John, here is the

information you have been waiting for.

or…Here is the information you

have been waiting for, John.

No one could have anticipated the

difference. One brought 13% more response.

Which one?Here is the information you have been waiting

for, John.

Which of these pulled more response?

• You Can Save Up To 70%!

• You can save up to70%!

Use Initial Caps…and expect response to

drop.OF COURSE YOU KNOW

WHY.

Initial caps are a dead giveaway not

only that this is advertising, but

advertising from a distance.

Rapport? Forget it.

Which of these pulled more response?

• I’m going to save you 70%!

• I’m going to save you 70%.


• Information you should have about home improvement schemes

• Beware of home improvement schemes.

• Home improvement offer? Look out.

Repeat:An apparent

(and dangerous if it seems arrogant)

gauge of response –In a selling situation,

IMPERATIVEoutpulls

DECLARATIVE.

Forbusiness-to-business

email:Always test

TEXTagainst a

PRODUCED MESSAGE.


•Talk to me.•Do me a favor.

Don’t get diarrhea of the fingertips.

D o n’t g et d ia r r heao f t he fi nger t ip s .

==================================================

Subject: Alter significantly the denudation of Panglossian Corporate communications.

Dear Docent-Colleague,

A malefactoring challenge entrepreneurial enterprises face today is multiple-layer communication with a diverse and diffuse geographically dispersed staff. Indefatigablemeretriciousness can generate negativism from the most mundane pronouncement.

Employing Microsoft’s Digital Media, this retiform Division invites you to gain knowledge and understanding of the professional and nonprofessional benefits of streaming media technologies during complimentary attendance at a webcast:

To register, see website for details.This message is singularly intended for the corporate executive to whom it has been addressed. Additional invitations may be available upon request. Include corporate title, areas of authority, and e-mail address.

Provocative e-mail:

Click and get this:

A highly-effective ploy

An original (first) communication

suggesting a prior inquiry.

Do you consider it unethical?

A key question:What are you doing…

or including…to maximize

the capture ofonline addresses?(Easy hint: Give them a reason.)

Forget using email as a “branding” procedure:

Building respectfor the senderisn’t parallel to

generating responseto an offer.

A powerful rule offorce-communication:

Specifics outpullgeneralizations.

Emailis today’s

most significant example of this rule.

“Ad” copy versus specifics:Which will bring more

response?

So…Load your both your

subject line and your message with

rhetorical dynamite…

But don’t assume you can get away

with blather.

Who can resistthis flattering subject line?

Which of these would bring greater response?

• You’ll be interested in the hundreds of “Specials” on sale this week at greatly reduced prices.

or…• The Bushnell 650 telescope

you thought would cost $375 is yours right now (HURRY!) for $69. And that’s just the beginning.

The only difference is the box at upper left. You don’t have to be a

practicing psychologist to know which one outpulled the other.

ALWAYSsend yourself

a sample message.Otherwise,

you could havestupid resultssuch as this:

Dear $Firstname$,

I was just reviewing our client list when suddenly a vision flashed intomy minds eye!

I nearly dropped my cup of tea it was so powerful and concentrated. We understand you're going through some difficult times and want very badly to find or keep your true love.

We also know that you may be struggling financially and need MONEY desperately. Well, your time may soon come! However, I must warn you that to get what we most want in life we sometimes need to find courage and walk a hazardous path.

$Firstname$, at these times we need to walk through fire and take chances! Are you up to the challenge?

$Firstname$, Are you ready to take the risks you need to transform your life?

We must read your Tarot cards to clarify this intense vision! That's why I'm giving you a FREE Tarot reading! Call now!

Begin to take some chances for your dreams! $Firstname$, call toll-free 1-800-526-4317 immediately! In your future, $Firstname$, you may be confronted with a decision that could very well lead to wealth, health and happiness. You may be rich! One caller claims to have won money with her psychics' advice!You could you be next!

Love & hope,Miss Cleo

Did they pay for this list?

Why this marvelous medium is in disrepute:

Click on “unsubscribe and get this:

Did you know…• Tying your news to actual news

increases email response.• Asking a relevant question is

unusually potent in email.• Rules of letter-writing (short

paragraphs, spacing) apply.• Matching demographics to

message can be super-valuable.

Did you know…• If your offer is stated clearly

before scrolling down you will increase response.

• An ALL CAPS message does not pull as well as standard caps and lower case (avoid initial caps, please).

• “FREE!!! FREE!!! FREE!!!” is a transparent pitch. One “Free” has verisimilitude. And please: One punctuation mark is plenty.

• If you address your target by first name, be very sociable.

Provocative. OK, I’ll vote. Click:

No, I won’t. (Opinion, please:How should this have been done?)

OK for followers, but when

the recipient of

an email says,

“Huh?” the sender has damaged

the effectivene

ss of an otherwise

salesworthy proposition.

Whenever possible, test an action/deadline

subject line against a play on

words.

Email is the only medium in which the approach

“It’s important to meso it’s important to you”

is a valid marketing ploy…but only if properly used.

Why?Because email is the

ultimate one-to-one, arm-around-the-shoulder

medium. Rapport is the key to response and to fewer

opt-outs.

Soin an email message,

“I”is infinitely superior to“We.”

The reader doesn’t know who “I” might be … but is automatically less

negative

Viral marketingtends to work

whenthe message

recipientrecognizes

a “pass-along” benefit.

Note this opt-in technique. Email says:

The “click” brings up:

which in turn brings up:

And if you click through and don’t order:

Reason for annoyance:This is the come-on.

Enter information,click, and get this:

Endless string. Enter information,click, and get marketer-serving

coupons.

Consider psychological techniques for reducing the number ofopt-outs.

Second generation opt-out:

Did you know…Sending a direct mail

(“snail mail”) message to opt-outs will pull considerably better

than the same mailing to demographically parallel individuals?

(What is the significance of that

curious fact?)

Survey by “McPherson Associates”:

– Friday emails are the most opened.

– Friday volume is relatively low.– 14.3 percent of emails are sent on Friday versus 24.5

percent on Tuesday.– Sunday has low open rates, highest click-through rate. --

(Survey may or may not be valid for you.)

If you follow upemail

with telemarketing,call withintwo days

after sendingthe email.

(Best bet: Be ready tore-send,

on the spot.)

Consider and discuss:Are social media

competitivein the world of e-

commerce?What are the “yea”

possibilities?What are the “nay”

possibilities?

Discuss: What do emails such as

this suggest for the future?(Click, and…)

Why some marketers see little value in

Facebook

How rampant is fakery in compiling social media friends and

followers?

What is right and what is wrong

with this business-

to-business

email offer?

Results and conclusions of this type of survey are semi-

valid.

Recent study of message longevity:

Twitter: 2.8 hoursFacebook: 3.2 hoursYouTube: 7.4 hours

“In short, after three hours, links shared on the two major social

networks — Twitter and Facebook — are headed to obscurity.

YouTube links last a bit longer.”.

(Online column)Is any of this unique to Twitter, over

email?

Can you believe this?Points seriously made in a bylined article in a marketing publication:“To make Twitter work as part of your marketing plan, consider these five tips: ∙Identify your program goals before you start.∙Figure out an inbound strategy.∙Identify the tools you’ll need. ∙Commit resources. ∙Plan to integrate.”

Five more…Useful

?or

useless?

If you plan to use Facebook or MySpace

or Twitter as a marketing tool…

please, please, please:Test.

(Best test: as both vendor and as potential

consumer.)

From a recent

issue of Websit

e

What effect

does each additional

social medium have on

us as direct

marketers?

These are just the top

contenders. More social

media appear every month.

What does that indicate

for the future?

A new competitor every day:

What do growing dominanceand increasing competition

for attention indicateto the alert marketer?

Comment by senior writer,Daily Finance

How social media become standard media

Example of Expanded

Tweet:User can “open” a

tweet.Question: Will this

keep visitors from

clicking through to

the original?

Social media use personal to sell.

On which targets does Twitter have

a selling impact

?

Everybody has a gimmick

No surprise … it’s the usual “Complete sponsor offers”

According to BtoB Magazine:

“64 percent of marketers are allocating some

portion of their social media budget to paid advertising on social

sites this year.”(What else would be in a “social media budget”?)

“Social” are new media.

The rules are still forming. Always

analyze your results, and you’ll generate a constant flow of rules

you can use…profitably.

Part Four: Basic rulesfor Website marketing

Two factors override all others:

1.The Clarity Commandment.

2. Stop the surfer-visitor in his/her tracks.

The First Rule of Internet Copy

Copy length usually is not a factor. Substantial copy length, within a single copy block, is a negative factor.

(This suggests –“Want that? Do this.” NOT…“Do you want that? Then do this.”)

The Second Rule of Internet Copy

With every headline, every sentence, ask yourself:

If I were reading this instead of writing it, would my

interest-level stay high?

The Third Rule of Internet Copy

Don’t be afraid to sell.

The Fourth Rule of Internet Copy

Subject to the First Rule, copy length can expand in ratio to the amount of promise it makes.

The Fifth Rule of Internet Copy

•Announcements cannot compete with salesmanship.•Technical expertise cannot compete with salesmanship.•Gadgetry cannot compete with salesmanship.

Strong ways to assure yourself of

RE-visits:• Frequent changes of your offer• Bonuses for repeat visits and/or repeat orders• Sprightly text• Contests

Would you say this home page is too busy?

I would.

Clean layout. Want a deal on fleas?

Would you say this home page is too busy? I

wouldn’t.

The personal touch … too often missing from Websites.

But…

WARNING:Your first-time

visitorhas the attention-

spanof a gnat.

You can capitalize on this truism:

The Web is price-driven.

Why should a marketer offer

FREE SHIPPINGfor orders resulting

from email solicitation…

but not for the same item ordered from the

printed catalog?

You know the answer:

ALLcommercial

email is competitive with

all other commercial email.

In 2013,many

printed catalogs

either add free

shipping or face a drastic

reduction of volume.

Is thisemail or a Web page?

(The question

is the point: It could be either.)

“Bots” expose comparative prices:

Let’s take a closer look to see comparisons:

Costco’s price is just $39.99. But…

Note the shipping charge. (Others are

$6.99)

GOOD IDEAS:• Change your offer often. Daily

isn’t too often. (Why?)• Don’t use the company logo as

the key to the home page. (Why?)

• Immediately offer a terrific deal. (Why immediately?)

• No direct exit from a “deep” screen. (Why?)

POOR IDEAS:• Having someone lured by email

land on the home page instead of the offer that attracted him or her. (Why?)

• As an opener: “A message from our Chairman.” (Why?)

• Philosophy rather than a hard offer. (Why?)

• “Employee of the Month.” (Why – but how about “Customer of the Month”?)

The need for external media promotion

for your site increases in ratio to four factors:

1. Direct competition2. The total number of Web sites3. The volume of site advertising

in media4. Your valid claims of

uniqueness

Part Five:

Let’s use some of the rules of

force-communication

to write sales letters.

The purpose of the carrier envelope

(other than keeping its contents from spilling out onto the street):

TO GET ITSELF OPENED.

Saying too muchon the envelope

can damage response.

Which copy is most likely to get the

envelope opened?

Enclosed: Quick test.or…

Enclosed: Quick quiz.or…

Enclosed: Quick ballot.

Which copy is most likelyto get the envelope

opened?

Enclosed: Quick ballot.or…

Enclosed: Your quick ballot.

or…Your ballot is enclosed.

The extra “bump” boosts the probability of opening.

(Two things wrong here … what are they?)

Is this effective envelope copy?

Is this effectiveenvelope copy?

Opinion – effective? ineffective? Unsettling?

Even without knowing contents, we know this envelope copy isn’t

strong. What’s wrong with it?

Inside:typical

blah-blah slow-

moving, self-

important 6-page

letter (no “Report” as such)

Even this (buried in the six-page letter) would have been grist for envelope

copy:

Is this optimal envelope copy?

There goes verisimilitude:

Would envelope copy have helped or suppressed

response?

Here is the next mailing. Better chance of getting it

opened?

Wow! An offer I can’t refuse.

If your offerrequires explanation,

DO NOTspill your guts

on the envelope.

Your opinion of this envelope copy? (Another problem for

AAL)

What might you change to make this envelope

more likely to be opened?

Will the reverse side make opening more likely or less likely?

How would you have

started the

letter inside that

envelope?

Is thiseffectiveenvelope copy?

Which one pulled better?

Does a dual-language envelope help or suppress

response?

Is there a benefit to this type of envelope? If so, what is it?

Can’t miss.

Oops. Reverse side damages response.

Hands-on practice:Consider this typical circumstance: You're a premium cable channel. You plan to show 50 movies between now and Thanksgiving Day. You're sending a promotional mailing to cable subscribers, pointing out —1. Next Saturday your channel is free (so cable subscribers get a "sampler"). 2. If they sign up now, cable subscribers pay no connection fee.

What legend, if any, do you put on the envelope?

Which letter pulled better?

Some logicalrulesfor

effective letter-writing

(and much email):

Keep your first sentence

short.

No paragraphslonger than

seven lines.

Some can be one word.

Single spacethe letter.

Double spacebetween paragraphs.

In a letter longer than one page,

don’tend a paragraph at the

bottom of any page except the last.

(Why?)

Don’tsneak up

on the reader.

Fireyour biggest gun

first.(Imperative for email.)

Tired of “Dear Friend”?Try one of these:

• Good morning!• Hi.• Dear Colleague,• Dear Tennis Nut,• Dear Fellow Tennis Nut,• This will be a good day, [NAME]!• If you’re like I am, [NAME]…

(When should you useonly the first name?)

Tired of “Dear Friend”?Try one of these:

• Private memo to [NAME]• I’m writing in haste, [NAME],

because…• [NAME], did you ever imagine…• News bulletin for [NAME]:• [NAME], a small favor, please?

(When should you useonly the first name?)

How doesHi.

Differ fromHi!?

What is wrong with this first sentence?

Over one trillion dollars is spent by manufacturing companies each year on materials, equipment, and services.

Which of these letter openings pulled best?

What is wrong with this letter?

(Opinion)

“Johnson Boxes” are obsolete.

The 21st century replacement:The overline.

A 21st century addition: the overline.

Ahandwritten

overlinetends to outpull

atypesetoverline.

The first responsibility of the overline:

To grab and shake the reader's attention.

The second responsibility of the

overline:To make the reader

eager to continue reading.

You can see how this overline supplies both

responsibilities:

Readership tests tell us: The overline, when

present, is theMOST READ

part of the letter.(What is the next

MOST READpart of the letter?the postscript.)

The p.s. should reinforce one of the key

selling motivatorsor mention an extra

benefit ---one which doesn't

require explanation.

If you enclose two letters in your mailing,don't put a p.s. on both

of them.

Which p.s. pulled better?

P.S. I think you’ll agree that this is an exceptional opportunity, and I urge you to respond quickly if you intend to take advantage of it. I know you don’t want to miss out.

or…P.S. This exceptional opportunity expires at midnight Sunday,October 13. So call my toll-free number – 1-888-765-2437.I know you don’t want to miss out.

An absolute truism of force-communication:

Specificsoutpull

generalizations.

A logical test:The same letter, with and without marginal notes

If you includemarginal notes…

• Handwrite the marginal notes.• Match calligraphy of the

handwritten signature (and overline).

• Blue, if possible.• No more than five words.• One per page is plenty.

Maximum two.

Decide whether marginal note should be at left or at

right.

TheEmotion over Intellect

Rule(Remember it,

from yesterday?)can help you write

effective sales letters.

Repeating the“Emotion over Intellect”

Rule:When emotion and intellect come into conflict, emotion

always wins.(So an emotion-based sales

argument will outsell an intellect-based sales

argument.)

An emotional appeal will outpull an

intellectual appeal.Since exhortation is more emotional than either explanation or

validation, the letter is a more powerful selling

weapon than the brochure.

How would you make these sentences more

emotional?• I need your aid.• My story is at an end.• Can you donate $25?• We regret the error concerning

your account.• A reply from you would be

appreciated.• If you are dissatisfied, simply

return it.• Enclosed please find the pertinent

information.

What is the difference between…

• $100• $100.• $100.00• $100!• $100.00!• One hundred dollars• A hundred bucks

For offers with a highly “emotional” flavor, if

you include a response device which

emphasizes responding by mail you may actually damage

response.

Part Six:

A potpourriof useful

tips

The Consistency Command:Components of an

advertisement. a mailing, or an email message must reinforce and validate one

another, or reader/viewer/listener

response to all components

will be reduced.

The mailing sells variable data printing. But the mailer doesn’t use it.

The superiority of examples over statistics:

Statistics = cold-blooded, no involvement.Examples = warm-blooded, involvement.

First pass:If treated early, 75% of those children who have this deadly disease can be saved.Second pass:Innocent children die from this disease. With early treatment, three out of four will live.Third pass:This deadly disease is killing innocent children. With early treatment we can save three precious lives, of four we're now losing.

Fourth pass:We lost Jimmy today. His parents knew his precious days were numbered. But Mary, Karen, and Billy all will live. We were able to start their treatment early enough to save them.

Which text is most likely to generate response? Why?

Plural references say to the reader:

“You're one of the mob.”

Singular references say to the reader:

“Only you.”Which one will do a better selling job?

Use singular to suggest exclusivity:“You’ll save on anything you see in these pages.”Use a collective noun to suggest universality:“You’ll save on everything you see in these pages.”

The Celebrity Endorsement Rule:

In business-to-business copy, user endorsements are usually stronger than celebrity endorsements. In consumer copy, endorsement by a celebrity unrelated to the type of product or service you sell probably is a waste of money.

Benefit beyondcelebritycost?

No point here other than…I detest this creature.

If you have an IQ under 70,you can get a creative job at

Geico or its advertising agency.

Trigger-words for seniors:Discount

Buy directYoung

Have a problem with...Do you remember how [WHATEVER] used to

be?Have you considered?

For print, mail, or email to seniors:

1. No type smaller than 10-point.2. Response must be easy.3. Include a coupon with ample room to make entries, or an easy “Click here.”4. Suggest a discount or bargain.5. Appear to appeal to logic.6. Don't make a long story short.

Hands-on practice:Write a headline and first sentence for a

space ad selling “Joint Support Formula,” 100 capsules for $4.99, to

the general public.Then…

Write a headline and first sentence selling the same items in a

magazine circulated to seniors.

Aone-minute look

atself-mailers:

(Do they work?)

A must: “What you’ll lose

if you ignore this.”

Advantages:• Possible lower

postal rate• Lower printing

cost• In sync with

thin attention-spans

Disadvantages:

• Recipient immediately knows it’s advertising

• Comparatively impersonal

Front panel of self-mailer.Can you see the automatic

advantage over other media?

Positivesusually outpull

negatives.

So don’tstart your selling

argumentwith

“Don’t.”

The“Teaser-Waster” Rule:

Teaser mailings and space ads,which don't tell the reader

what the mailer has for sale,are less productive than mailings

which include facts on whichthe target-individual can

formulatea buying decision.

The Non-Importance Rule:

Calling something important, when your best prospects will know it isn’t important, will cost you response … because you have a more powerful way to convince.

What would you have done to imply urgency

here?

Want to guess what the GREAT NEWS is?

A“Yes/No” option

will increase response.BUT…

Smart marketers knowhow to word

the “No” option.

The Illustration Agreement Rule:

Illustration should agree with what we are selling, not with

headline copy.

Hucksterism: totally

out of date.

Gettingattention

isn’t parallel

to gettingpositive

attentionresulting

inpositive

prospect-action.

Suggest an

illustration that better

sells the concept.(And can you make the copy

more dynamic?)

WARNING:If you think

in cliché-termsyou absolutely and

positively will excretesecond-level

“creative” work.

Hopeless

cliché:The

smart copy team

blames the art

director.

Space ad aimed at nonprofit

s…

Rewrite heading to add

dynamics and

specifics.

All right, quick:

What are they

selling?

All right, quick:What’s this all about?

Quick: What are they selling?

Why isthisonedifferent?

The Active/Passive Rule:

Unless you specifically want to avoid reader involvement in your message, always write in the active voice.

Usetelemarketingto customerstwice a year.

Which customers?-- The tip of the

pyramid.-- (If staffing permits) 12-month dropoffs.

Call only____the tip____

ofthe pyramid.

Public perception

The “Avoid Five” Rule:In more formal copy, avoid

using multiples of five when suggesting time or cost of

distance – Replace

“about five minutes.”“Oh, figure spending ten

bucks.”with

“some 4-1/2 minutes.”“Anticipate a cost of about

eleven dollars.”

The reader interprets the

five/ten estimates as guesses, because

they are the common

approximation.But…

Those approximations can be valuable when

projecting a casual mood.

You’re the professional.You decide.

(Make your decision deliberately, based on

what mood you’re projecting and to whom.)

Don’t over-describe:

What is the difference between:

• New medical breakthrough

• Medical breakthrough

Choice of words:• From $30,250• Starting at $30,250

Choice of words:• You will be among the first to…

• You will be one of the first to…

Why isamong

a weakener?Psychologically, it automatically kills

exclusivity.

Do you see how the word “among” denies

exclusivity?

The wording on a TV spot for a product called

“FiberChoice”:Four grams of fiber

in each dose.Which word would you

have changed?And what word would you have used to replace it?


words:“You pay much less.”

“Others pay much more.”

Suggest an

illustration that better

sells the concept.(And can you make the copy

more dynamic?)

Stock photo

results in cliché

concept:Ugh.

“Content” parallelsbird-droppings?

Another stock photo. Your

choice – Tourette

Syndrome or St. Vitus’ Dance.Ugh.

Aside from font problems,

Genève needs a towel to

dry off its stock photo cliché.

Another stock photo. Your

choice – Praying?Hoping

for rain? Looking

for clarity in the ad?

Ugh.

Wouldyou

hire the “creative” team

that excreted

this?

Clichés are gender-neutral.

Clichés are

“high-fly”neutral.

Clichés are ethnically-neutral.

Age is not a factor when firing

blanks by using

non-relevant

stock photos.

Age is not a factor when firing

blanks by using non-

relevant stock

photos.

See why stock photos are a sign of

creative defects…or worse,

carelessness?Ugh.

Does this

make sense

toyou?

Does this

make sense toyou?

A dozen implicitly weak words and phrases:

• administration

• approximately• define• earn• facilitate• features

• formulate• indeed• needs (as

noun)• product• respond• work

A dozen words and phrases with power

• free• free gift• limited

time• right

now• surprise• hot

• first time offered• not sold in stores• good only until

[DATE]• Don’t miss out• I’ll look for your

order• Try it at our risk

Some“Quickies”

Sometimes cracks the apathy barrier:

Address side stays in character:

Letter stays in character, except:

The copywriter’s most professional tool …

Are you maximizing it? (Are you aware of it? If you are, are you aware

of how easy it is?)Word

expansion

A few examples of word expansion:

The original copy –

Save 10% weekdays.

Expanding the original copy –

Save 10% Monday-Friday.

A little more expansion –

Save 10% Monday through Friday.

And a bit more expansion –

Save 10% every day Monday through Friday.

Keep expanding until you’ve maximized.

Brain–power doesn’t cost anything.

Save 10% every single day Monday through

Friday.

We haven’t yet achieved nirvana. The

meistersinger word expander looks beyond

the obvious:Save a big 10% Monday.Save a big 10% Tuesday.

Save a big 10% Wednesday.

Save a big 10% Thursday.Save a big 10% Friday.COME IN AND SAVE!

NOTE:Does “10%” justify the

word “big”?A peripheral benefit of

word expansion:Repetition makes the

claim contagious.

While we’re on this point – “Save 10%”

is more dynamic than“10% off.”

• It’s a clear imperative.• It’s emotion-based rather than comprehension-based.

Another easy example of word expansion:

Original –

“Available in gray, suntan, blue, and

charcoal.”

Expanded, copy adds a minuscule injection of

power –

“Available in these most wanted colors – gray, suntan, blue,

and charcoal.”

With more word expansion, we add

another mini- injection of power –

“Available in every one of these most wanted colors – gray, suntan, blue, and charcoal.”

What is the word in all those examples that

saps out power?

Available

So:Search and destroy

thatpower-shrinking

word:

Available

How would you re-word this?

One more apparently trivial example ofword expansion:

Original –“Word expansion is the easiest and the most

logical way to add word-power.”

Adding one word expands impact just a

fraction… and fractions are what the

professional looks for and exploits –

“Word expansion is both the easiest and

the most logical way to add word-power.”

Careful, though:

Don’t over-expand.

Which of theseheadings pulled

better?

Vote. The actual test results…

Use of subhead pulled considerably better:

Why did the one on the left pull more than 20% better?

Opinion: 1. Question is involving.2. “15 minutes” is too long, a turnoff.

The longer subject line pulled considerably more response. (All other elements were identical.)

What elements are significant here, other than actual word-

length?

These were identical except for small legend at bottom right – “Tuition &

Openings” versus “Schedule a Tour.”

What is of interest to a prospect-parent? Probably because of the subject, “Tuition and Openings” far outpulled “Schedule a

Tour.”

A “clean” test – which one brought more response?

Start your free 30-day trialor

Start my free 30-day trial?

No contest:“My…”blew

“Your…”away.

The hidden key to rapport

is the ability to transmita vital element of force-

communication:

AWARENESS

Benefit inforce-communication:

not, "What will it do?"

but, "What will it do for

me?"

TELL YOURTARGET-

INDIVIDUALWHAT

TODO.

The benefit of

QUESTIONS

Quick and obvious tip:

Questions are automatically

reader-involving. And…a question automatically is less threatening and

more rapport-suggestive than a thunderbolt hurled from Mount

Olympus.

Note the difference:

This is you.Is this you?

(Note, too: The choice is NOT automatic.)

Note the difference:You won’t stand by and let it happen.Will you stand by and let it happen?

(Note, too: The choice is NOT automatic.)

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Questions??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

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Creative Workshop October 12-13

Entertainment & Humor

Transcript of Creative Workshop October 12-13