Dan S. Kennedy's Blog, page 11

The Value Of Being An Extremist

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We’re going to talk about the process of extreme improvement of productivity. The first thing I would say about it is that we mostly talk about it as being a time management issue. But is this right?

About Ambition

People are less productive than they could be because:

Bad methodology – 10%

Insufficient motivation – 70%

Insufficient pressure – 20%

…but when discussing this, we go to “time management” and focus 90% of the discussion on 10% of the problem.

Truth be told, it’s mostly not a time management problem, it’s mostly an insufficient motivation problem. It’s mostly not sufficient drive, determination, and reason. My original mentor said the number one reason there aren’t more millionaires in America is because most people haven’t come up with enough reasons to do what’s necessary to be a millionaire. Same things are true with being productive.

Most people are just not sufficiently motivated to do everything that’s necessary to be super productive.

This is from Harvey Firestone’s 1926 autobiography titled Men in Rubber, which had a much different connotation in 1926 than it would now. Here’s a couple of things that are significant. The first story is: I was on the hunt day and night for men to buy our stock. It was no easy matter to sell stock in a company that had no assets except on a patent on which it was losing money. For years I never saw a man with money without turning over in my mind how I could transfer some of his money into our stock.

What he’s just described is specific ambition. That was Harvey Firestone every minute of every day. If extreme productivity is your ambition, that’s how you have to approach that too. You’re on the hunt night and day; you’re trying to control every single minute, every interruption, every person, every everything.

Second then, part of the game plan is self-awareness. Tyson used to have two people whose job was to follow him around all the time; walk behind him and say, “You’re the man Mike, you’re the man.” This goes a long way to explaining Tyson’s current financial position. What would be more useful is having someone walk around behind you all the time with a baseball bat and every time you were acting in a way grossly incongruent with your stated goals, just haul off and whack you.

We’re not going to do that as a practical matter, so we’ve got to do it to ourselves mentally. And we have to do it on a real-time basis, not a retrospective basis. The time to determine whether or not your behavior is congruent with your stated ambitions is not at the end of the week, not at the end of the month, not at the end of the calendar quarter, not in December—it’s real time minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. What you can’t measure you won’t be able to manage. We have to have measurement benchmarks of our productivity and of our congruent behavior.

Again, if you want an extreme result you’ve got to go to the extreme. You’ve got to be very aware of leverage, value, use of time. Like on the dress thing, today if you were going to meet with somebody who might be worth a million dollars to you, would you look like you are? No, no, of course not. You might run into the guy in the checkout line in Wal-Mart that’s going to be worth a million bucks to you and you can’t be looking like you’ve been working on your car, that doesn’t work.

The Value of Being An Extremist

You cannot have extreme productivity without taking extreme measures.
Those who most ardently advocate “tolerance” need your tolerance.
Extreme Productivity can bring with it Zero Tolerance for unproductive activity

The other awareness is what you are permitting to happen around you, with you, it’s getting in your way, and kill it. If you aren’t willing to defend your productivity violently, if necessary, what exactly are you willing to defend? Somebody is screwing up your productivity, how tolerant of that are you? First of all, how aware of it are you? Then, secondly, how tolerant are you of it? I will suggest to you that there is a direct correlation between high income and low tolerance for anything that is screwing up one’s productivity; something they are doing to themselves or something other people are doing to them.

Third, very specific decisions over how you are going to control these things. What you do, where you do it, if you do it, who you do it with, and how you do it. Most importantly here is “the who.”

I want to make it very clear the very first thing on your job list is to facilitate my maximum productivity at my best mental attitude so I can be productive. That’s your job. That’s who you want around you and there is no neutral, spouse, staff, friend, there ain’t no neutral, they’re either helping or they’re hurting.

When you talk about going home and getting to work and making things happen, there’s eight specific types of actions. One is immediate. That’s start. General Schwarzkopf, who I was on programs with for quite some time in his leadership talk, he always said it’s better to get started in the wrong direction than it is not to get started. Because we can fix the direction, we can’t fix the not starting. And he’s right about that. One of my premises is I’ve got four or five things as a result of my being here that I want to do. I know that the best odds of them ever getting done is if I start something having to do with them immediately, immediately. No matter how ill prepared you may be to follow through, start matters.

So Carville says the best time to plant an oak tree was 25 years ago, the second best time is now. That’s true of everything. The best time, if you can’t do it last week, which you couldn’t because you didn’t, so the next best time is now. There is enormous power to starting.

Second is visible. Puts you on the spot and conveys certain things to others so visible actions matter from two directions.

Third, renegade millionaire principle “simultaneous, not sequential” and you really ought to watch yourself on this. It’s hard not to slip back because you’ve been conditioned since birth that everything ought to be sequential: step one, step two, step three. A then B, and walk before you run, first grade, second grade, third grade, blue badge before you get red badge, etc. You’ve been conditioned since birth to do everything sequentially. There’s two problems with that. One, that’s not how high performers and rich people do anything. If you’re trying to get extreme results that’s not what they did; they run around and make all kinds of messes and start 500 things at the same time, that’s what they do. They live in perpetual controlled purposeful chaos, that’s how they live. Secondly, the problem with sequential behavior is that in many cases nobody ever completes the sequence. Financially here’s what everybody thinks, here’s how all poor people think about money; they think I’ve got to get a job, then I’ve got to get my basic stuff taken care of, I’ve got to buy a house, I’ve got to get some furniture, I’ve got to have some appliances, etc. If I’m making enough money to take care of rent, car payment, movies, beer, stuff I’ve got to do, my iPhone, my cable TV, which all of that adds up to 30 bucks here, 30 bucks there, before you know it you’re a trillion dollars in deficit. They’ve got to get all that taken care of—then if I’m making enough money, I’ll start saving some money. When I’ve saved up enough money to make it worthwhile, I’ll start worrying about investing the money. They never get there doing it that way. Never, never—in part because nobody ever has any money left over. Nobody ever has any time left over, either. And if you’ve got any lying around, time or money, that you have left over, that you’re not doing anything with, somebody will take it.

So simultaneous, not sequential. Massive, not dinky. You put a lot of stuff in motion all at the same time with urgency.

Everybody understands that they perform more under urgency. I’ve always been amused in pro football at the two-minute drill. These guys haven’t been able to move the ball for two hours past the fifty and all of a sudden, even with no possibility of winning the game, in the two-minute drill they come down and screw up the spread and I lose a thousand dollars. How come nobody plays the two-minute drill every two minutes?

Congruent– is your behavior congruent with your stated specific ambition? Synergistic, so we’re looking for leverage. How can we make the same piece of work do more than one thing? How can we make the same relationship do more than one thing? How many ways can you get productive benefit out of each act? Out of each conversation? Out of each relationship?

From here the next thing you’ll want to consider are the most common points that drain your productivity, and how to avoid them. But don’t worry I won’t leave it all down to you, come back here next week for the second part of this series on Extreme Productivity where I’ll talk you through drain points and how to avoid them!

Work Smarter, Not Harder ‒ Seven Positive Traits Found in Most Successful Consultants and Coaches

There are a number of things successful people do differently than the “mediocre majority”. If you learn to develop these good habits, you’ll get much more done during the day. Consequently, you’ll have more freedom and time to do the things you really like to do.

Here are seven positive traits I commonly see among the most productive consultants, coaches and entrepreneurs:

1. Start your day early. Those who get up early tend to be more proactive and naturally have a more productive mindset. These “early birds” also seem to be better at prioritizing their day. Some concentrate on first handling the simple chores and getting them out of the way first. Others jump all over what’s most important. Many of the most successful and famous people in business and history, like Ben Franklin, Donald Trump, Ernest Hemingway, Vince Lombardi and Andrew Carnegie made it a habit to get up and get going early.

2. Focus your mental energy, don’t multi-task. To maximize your brain power and fully focus your efforts, do one thing at a time. I know this may go against the gain when it comes to many time management gurus who preach the importance of multi-tasking and being able to juggle a number of things at one time. When you think about it, you are most productive getting one thing done at a time – correctly and accurately. In fact, when you multi-task you get a lot less done. Work on one assignment for a pre-determined set of time before moving on to the next challenge.

3. Be fearless when it comes to the great unknown. Productive, successful people find ways to keep moving and push ahead even when they are nervous or apprehensive about the final outcome. They do not make excuses when something doesn’t go right or adjustments are necessary. They find an alternative and forge ahead. They have the drive to push onward and the confidence to know that even if things don’t go as planned, there’s something to be learned from everything they experience.

4. Business really does mean business. Even if you may work for yourself, be sure to set business hours and stick to them. Flexibility is nice and it comes in handy if you have to pick up the kids at school or want to go watch your child’s soccer game. But you should always set boundaries and communicate them to your family members, friends and clients. And they need to understand and respect your business hours. This is important because you will have fewer distractions during the day you’ll be more productive during your specified work times.

5. Set aside time to “work” on your business. Try to leave a block or two open in your day. It will give you some time to explore new opportunities. Use those time blocks to catch up on industry trends or reports. You can also use it for self-education purposes. It’s a good time to take in the “big picture” and size up your company, your competition and prioritize strategic moves for the future. If you don’t leave these blocks of time open, your schedule can easily become overbooked. This will eliminate any time for forward planning, which will ultimately slow you down when it comes to developing and growing your business.

6. Delegate responsibility. Concentrate on the things you do best. Have staff members or outside resources do the things you don’t like to do, as well as the things that are not essential for you to do. Too many people who work for themselves try to do everything. This can be counter-productive and stunt the growth of your business. As your company grows, sooner or later you will come upon a breakthrough or revelation of sorts. You will realize that there’s a lot of stuff your staff or assistants should be doing that you do not need to do. Once you learn to delegate and pass on the responsibility to someone else, it frees you up to work on the things that really matter.

7. Make a concerted effort to streamline your time. Take a look at your operations and figure out what is sucking up too much of your time. Then put a plan in place to eliminate these time wasters. For example, try not to constantly be checking your email unless you’re expecting an urgent message. Set aside a specific time during the day to read and reply. This eliminates a distraction and helps you focus on what you’re currently doing. Part of securing more time while making more money has to do with working smarter, not harder, and approaching things a little bit differently. If you try to work these seven habits into your daily business routine you will be more productive. This will in turn free you up to do more in less time. And you will then be creating the independence you were looking for when you first opened up your own business.

If you want to significantly hike your income look into my Consulting & Coaching Boot Camp. These recordings unveil the secret strategies necessary to charging high fees with no resistance from clients. Order this weekend only and you’ll also receive two free bonuses: Secrets to Creating, Pitching, and Closing High-Priced Exclusive Products with Frank Kern and Dr. Tom Orent’s “How to Design, Market, and Sell High-Ticket Coaching Programs”. These presentations have a total value of $994. But they’re yours FREE when you take advantage of this weekend’s web deal.

 

Why ‘Shiny Object Syndrome’ Is Stunting The Growth Of Your Business… And The 7 Things You Can Do To Stop It

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We all love new things, that’s a fact of human nature.

As a business owner, reading this blog, you’ve probably been blessed with an entrepreneurial streak, giving you creativity, vision and passion.

All good right?

But as entrepreneurs, that also means we’re prone to become attracted to the new, the ‘cutting edge’ and yes, occasionally it means we’re touched by ‘Shiny Object Syndrome’…

If you’re not already familiar with this affliction, symptoms include…

Distraction from important tasks
Failing to finish projects you start, in favour of some new fad
Jumping on the new and latest trends without thinking whether they fit into your over-arching strategy
Decrease in profits, lack of cohesion and less overall growth

Sound familiar?

With the flexibility of the internet, and the sheer amount of information available, events, and self-proclaimed ‘experts’ telling you what to do, sadly it’s an affliction that’s spreading now more than ever…

But here at GKIC we want to help stop the spread and get right back down to basics, because only when you secure the foundations of your business, can it really grow.

We’ve been in the business a LONG time now, and it’s safe to say, we’ve seen a few marketing fads come and go. Some of them we’ve given a try, but it’s rare we’ve seen sustainable results from the latest craze, enough to grow our business in the long-run.

You need to get your fundamentals absolutely right. As the foundations of marketing are unbeatable.

That’s not to say you can’t try new strategies or develop new campaigns in your business!

However, before you do spend time and money testing them out, make sure you follow our 7-step plan:

The 7 Easy Ways To Stop ‘Shiny Object Syndrome’ Taking Control In Your Business…

1) Refer Back to Your Goals

Before you even think about putting a new campaign together, you need to make sure that it is working towards your over-arching goals.

Our guess is, that somewhere, maybe at the start of the year or this quarter, you’ve sat down with a few other members in your core team and you wrote down a list of priorities.

Maybe they were annual priorities that you planned to stick to, specific targets or figures that you wanted to hit, or simply goals you had in mind for where you wanted to be by the end of the year.

Look back at these plans, and if your new idea doesn’t cohesively fit and work towards the same end goal, then now’s the time to shelve it.

2) Make Sure You’re Creating Sustainable Assets

Simple and proven fundamentals are more important than the latest graphics or social media gimmick, we promise you! Your business needs to be built on sustainability and that includes your campaign strategy too.

Make sure you’re able to realistically run this campaign in a year’s time. After all, you’re not just aiming for a flash in the pan, one-hit-wonder.

3) Consider the Impact on Your Other Projects

If you start planning this new campaign, will your other pipe-line projects suffer as a result?

Starting new project after new project, but never fully implementing or finishing them is often a trap many savvy business owners find themselves in.

If you’re going to start something ‘new and shiny’ make sure it’s not at the expense of a well thought out and valuable project.

4) Don’t Rely Too Heavily on What Your Competitors Are Doing

While it might be tempting to jump on the band-wagon alongside your closest competitors, chances are, they don’t know what they’re doing.

“Don’t focus on the competition, they’ll never give you money.” – Jeff Bezos

Just because they are catching on to ‘the next big thing’, you don’t know whether it’s working for them and you have no real idea what results they’re actually getting.

5) Does it Fit Your Avatar?

The primary question you need to ask yourself when you’re making any decision in your business, is ‘how will this affect my target customer?’

You need to be super-certain that the shiny new object is something they truly want and will benefit from. If it’s not ideally suited to your market, then it’s not going to be a long-term success.

6) Only Use Proven, Tried and Tested Campaigns Guaranteed to Grow Your Business

To make sure you’re using strategies and techniques that really work EVERY TIME, you need to know that they’ve given other business owners fantastic results in the past.

Easier said than done right?

That’s why we’ve put together: ‘The 12 Growth Hacks Your Business Needs Right Now’ Checklist

It’s the best way to make sure you’re using the most profitable tactics to grow your business, as well as planning sustainable campaigns that will work in any business, in any situation.

Simply click here to grab your copy of the Checklist for FREE today:

I want to grow my business

These 12 vital points form the foundations of a great marketing strategy. They aren’t based on fads and they have worked for years in countless different environments.

So if you’re feeling giddy at the thought of your next ‘shiny object’, stop.

Ignore the latest craze your competitors are desperate to try; get back to basics and focus your energy on the strategies that are going to grow your business and move it forward.

Click the link here and you can access ‘The 12 Growth Hacks Your Business Needs Right Now’ Checklist:

I want my free checklist!

Three Tools I Use To Protect The Only Asset That Can’t Ever Be Replaced

Customers: replaceable. Money: replaceable. The ONLY thing you can’t replace is the minute you just used.

It’s gone. Gone forever. You cannot ever get it back. It can’t be replenished or replaced.

Time should be a top priority. How are you spending yours? Are you spending it the way you want? Are you getting everything done and able to enjoy doing the things you love to do?

It is not uncommon for a client or GKIC member to express awe at all that I get done in a day. They envy that I can finish so much work and still be at the racetrack by four in the afternoon. They marvel that I am not interrupted during the day. Not even once.

They often say things such as, “I wish I could do that.”

The truth is they can and you can too. You can extinguish interruptions and have absolute control over your time so you can accomplish and do everything you want.

I don’t mess around when it comes to time. And my practices have helped me and my clients how to get a lot more done in a lot less time. Which has meant making more money in less time and, most importantly, having more time to enjoy it.

You need good tools to be productive and spend your time wisely. While this isn’t my entire list, here are a few productivity tips and tools I find useful:

Time Saving Tools: Some people think I’m anti-technology, a Luddite. Actually I’m not. But I’m only interested in tools and technology that genuinely save time with nominal side effects.

For example, the PC qualifies, but each application and use of it has to be judged separately.

The FAX qualifies. It’s my preferred form of communication because while it’s fast, it’s not so easy and instant that it encourages thoughtless communication.

In comparison, the side effects of unrestricted access through cell phones and email creates a lot of pressure and expectation for an instant response. You may be reached at inappropriate times and/or places with no advance notice. This means no time to think which causes hurried responses. It can cause you to agree to things you shouldn’t and wouldn’t if you gave the matter appropriate thought.

Instant, anytime access is not the same as productive and is certainly not the most effective.

The biggest “fly in the ointment” of all the communications technology is the terrible levels of stress it has caused by dramatically accelerating the speed at which everybody can make demands and expect responses from everybody else. When considering time-saving technology, it’s very important to refuse to be stampeded or pressured by this.

Psychological Triggers. Mindset, behaviors, and attitudes are critical when it comes to time management and goals.

You need visual and environmental devices to remind your subconscious of what it’s supposed to be doing to motivate and keep it interested and engaged. Or it can easily be distracted away from what you are supposed to be doing.

For instance, the subconscious mind works in pictures, so if you can create your target in visual terms, you get much better, faster results.

A plan. The orderly organization of work conserves both mental and physical energy, so “working a plan” is important.

I notice that many people in corporate environments go into their offices every day and “react” to each person and thing brought to them—this is no way to be productive.

There’s an old rule: a minute of planning is worth an hour of work. (Tweet this!) That has validity. On the other hand, planning can be carried too far; excess planning is paralyzing. I tend to plan my day the evening before.

For long range planning, at the risk of stating the obvious, I believe it’s smart to have a truthful and accurate view. I develop a complete list of known and potential obstacles between day one and the goal achievement and then develop strategies to counter them. Always plan for the best, but think through and try to safeguard against the worst so you don’t end up in a mess, stalled because you didn’t plan for it.

You must be diligent about your time. Over the past 40 years in business, I’ve created my own system for getting things done. Things that work in the entrepreneurial world. If you’d like to discover more about how I get more done in an hour than most people get done in a day…and how you can too, then click here now for a more detailed explanation.

And if you’d like to know about the mindset, behaviors, and attitudes I deem important to time management and life in general, then click here.

Building a Long Term Relationship with Your Client Newsletter

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In this week’s article we’ll be talking about how you can use newsletters to stay top of mind with your prospects and clients and build a lifelong relationship with them.

A Client Newsletter is one of your most important marketing tools for getting an avalanche of referrals and repeat business. Key points to consider:

The most expensive part of marketing is generating the lead and getting the client. Staying in touch with them costs literally pennies in comparison.
Studies show that the #1 reason clients jump from one business to another is lack of communication.
You’ve generated leads and you have their email address and physical addresses – now you must start leveraging this very valuable asset.
It is a marketing sin to not stay in contact with your existing customers and prospects. By sending out a monthly, printed newsletter, you have a surefire way to stay in touch with your customers and prospects, without trying to sell them something.

The Email Newsletter

As we mentioned in last week’s article, get in the habit of regularly sending quality content to your list. And along with that, you need to make the case that they should reward you for this content by referring people to you and by taking advantage of the products/services you offer.

You do this by sending a monthly email newsletter (weekly would be best, but doing it monthly is great to begin with.) Always use a compelling subject line to get people to open the email. We’ll be talking a lot about subject lines in a bit.

The email newsletter (like the print version) should include fun content, articles, recipes, a horoscope, etc. along with some custom content about your customers and you. Again, you want to keep your email newsletter personal, just like you’re talking to someone one-on-one. Use the word “you” a lot, just as you would when sitting across the table.

Here’s what the opening section of the January issue of our example email newsletter looks like:

Email Newsletter Contents

You should always use a consistent format and table of contents. This is a good thing as it gives your newsletter more of a polished, professional feel.

Okay, let’s go past “Funny Business” [Jokes/Humor] and the monthly article and on to the next section you’ll configure:

We suggested the email newsletter as a way to get your message out to your clients and prospects in an extremely cost-effective way.

There are definitely benefits for using this format. But make sure you strongly consider sending out a customized PRINT newsletter as well.

Your PRINT Client Newsletter

So you might be asking, “If I have an email newsletter, why go with a print version?”

The answer: you will get higher readership rates with a print newsletter – emails get ignored and deleted at a very high percentage. Plus, sending out a PRINT newsletter has higher perceived value than your email newsletter.

And don’t skimp by doing this quarterly. Send it monthly.

You are going to mail this newsletter on a monthly basis to all members of your list; to your clients, to all leads, and to prominent members of your community who are circles of influence.

Your newsletter should be fun and entertaining. You do not want the newsletter to be completely about the service you’re providing. In fact, only a very small section should be devoted to your business and articles related to your business. Only part of the newsletter should be devoted to promoting your business. The rest of the newsletter should be fun and enjoyable for your client to read, so they look forward to getting your newsletter.

Your newsletter should reflect your personality. It should look like it’s coming from you. It should sound like it’s coming from you. You do not, under any circumstances, and this is critical, want to make your newsletter look like a mass marketed, slickly-produced newsletter. If it looks too slick, it’s not effective. You want the newsletter to look like you’ve written it yourself.

If you have a community that has a lot of unique vocabulary words, such as “Planet Dan,” you might want to consider an “evergreen” newsletter for your first issue that explains what is unique about your community. GKIC does this with the “No BS Marketing Letter.” Every new member receives the same “evergreen” version as the first issue and it explains the features of every issue.

Here’s what the opening section of the January issue of our PRINT newsletter looks like:

Key Elements of this Page:

Header with your picture and contact information.
Article that’s about something of GENERAL interest – this should NOT be about your business or your industry.
Graphic indicating the month of the newsletter – if you want to get fancy, you could include year, issue #, etc. But this is okay.
Motivational quotes are always popular.
Cartoon for fun… you want your newsletter to be FUN!

Key Elements of this Page:

Subhead that tells you the section name “More Fun Than Should be Humanly Possible” – this lets the reader know, this is definitely a fun newsletter.
Trivia / Other Puzzle – make sure to give the answers!
Crossword Puzzle – make sure to give the answers!
Fun Cartoon here…. OR… You could replace with a banner ad / coupon / whatever to promote your product or service.

Key Elements of this Page:

Subhead that tells you the section name “This News Is All About You”
Sections for “New Clients,” “Referrals,” “Client of the Month,” and “Community Life.”
Horoscope for the month. (If you want to switch it out, you could use the “OTHER FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS” section from the Email Newsletter here.)

Key Elements of this Page:

Subhead that tells you the section name “The Back Page…”
Section for “The Lighter Side” which is jokes, goofy quotes, whatever.
Section for a short article / bit of information.
Graphic relating to the month / season – what you could replace this with again is some kind of ad for an offer, a coupon, etc.

Why Newsletters Are So Valuable…

They Create Community

First of all, they create a forum that enables you to change people from prospects/customers to members belonging to a community. Sending a newsletter is a great way to have somebody feel as though they belong to a community.

They’re Not Seen as Advertising

Every day when you get a big pile of mail, you start dividing that into different categories. And the big category that you do in your mind is there’s the advertising category – stuff that goes in the round file. Well, newsletters are not perceived as advertising; they’re perceived as publishing – which they have value and you’re going to read that!

They Establish Your Credibility

Newsletters are perceived as a publication – basically, if you write a publication you must be an expert. And somebody would much rather do business with an expert than a salesperson. In addition to that you’ll pay an expert more than you’d pay a salesperson.

They Provide Social Proof

You could highlight customer successes in there. You can show referrals. And you can include testimonials which make it easier to sell to new customers and current customers.

They Get Passed Along

When you send somebody an advertisement they get the ad and they read it. If they get a newsletter that’s positioned as educational and fun, now they’re going to save it and possibly pass it along to somebody else.

They Build Your Brand and Establish Your Positioning

Finally, by sending people your newsletter it gives you the opportunity to build your brand and establish your positioning as THE go-to-person in your industry.

What Disney V.I.P. Treatment Can Teach You About Email Marketing

As a fan of Disney, I think one of the greatest services they offer is a VIP guided tour.

This allows you to do things such as skip to the front of the line, get led in through secret back doors, and basically do more in one day (and in great style) than most may ever imagine.

It’s a premium service so as you can imagine, there are people who say the price is exorbitant. These are the same people who complain about having to wait in long lines at Disney and only having time to go on 4 rides during the entire day.

Maybe if they considered that you can, for example, go on 12 rides in the time it takes others to go on one ride, they would see the value. Maybe they’d realize in the end, with a guide you can do in one day what it takes the average person multiple days, even a week, to do.

I see this in business all the time. People look for the easiest, fastest, or cheapest route without considering the whole picture.

Email marketing is a prime example.

Many businesses think, because it’s so inexpensive to use, they don’t need to put as much thought, time, or planning into it as they do with direct mail campaigns.

Then these same people complain about their poor open rates, declining click-throughs, and deflated results.

If you want better results, you have to consider the WHOLE picture. And you have to invest in making your emails better.

For instance, one disadvantage of email is that there is a lot more emails flooding your customers’ inboxes every day. Way more obviously than there are pieces of mail being delivered to their regular mail box.

That means a lot more competition for eyeballs.

So you don’t want to be sloppy about what you are sending.

Rather than firing off an email in ten minutes and blasting it out to your entire list without much thought or consideration, take the time to establish a plan with conversion goals so you know exactly what you want your audience to do before you ever write your email.

And make sure you’ve included the core elements needed in each email you send.

Consistency is also a factor. Whereas you can do a campaign in the mail at random times, once you start sending emails, you should deliver them consistently week in, week out without exception.

If you send email in a hit or miss, random fashion, and go missing from their inbox, people will forget about you in a heartbeat—even if you return to a regular, predictable schedule at a later date.

This doesn’t mean you can’t send emails at other times apart from your schedule. If you take care of the readers on your email list by sending valuable, relevant emails at regular intervals, they will pay attention at other times too.

There are many strategies you can combine with your email marketing to improve your results and increase your profits too—in many cases, well beyond the standard ROI you see quoted in studies.

In fact, rarely do I consult with a client where there aren’t untapped opportunities within their email strategy. Ways to combine email with other media to get higher response.

Strategies to use with their opt-ins that can separate the looky-loos from hyper-active buyers, increase their profits, improve click-throughs, or even create more loyal customers, clients, or patients.

Split test your subject lines, layout, email length, time sent, call to action, and so on and then examine your results to see what is working and what isn’t.

There is no free pass to the front of the line. If you want your emails to be the first thing your customers want to open, you have to invest in making them worthy.

 

NOTE: GKIC is offering Magnetic Email Marketing as a very special offer with a fantastic bonus for a limited time.  If you want to discover how to effectively use email to sell more to your list and increase the lifetime value of every person on your list, click here now. 

Persistence Pays – A Foolproof 7 Step Email Follow Up Sequence

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Now’s the time to start your 7-Step email follow up sequence… Because systematic persistence produces success.

What you’ll discover in this article is a systematic series of messages, each designed to build upon the previous ones… leading eventually to the inescapable conclusion that it’s time to sign on the dotted line.

This article contains references to the articles we have posted in the last few weeks titled:

A Step By Step Guide To Taking Your Offline Leads Online
Sales Letter Secrets Part 1
Sales Letter Secrets Part 2

EMAIL #1: Confirm Their Request

As soon as someone fills out and submits the form to get the shock-and-awe package sent to them, you want to let them know that you’re taking immediate action. So you’ll need a “confirmation email” to go out automatically.

This email should accomplish the following:

Give them immediate feedback that their request has been successfully completed and registered.
Congratulate them on the wisdom of making the decision to request your Lead Gen Magnet.
Set expectations as to when the package they requested will arrive.
Provide contact info (recommend using an email address) if they have any questions.
Reinforce and get them excited about what they’ll be receiving.

Here’s a template for Email #1. You should be able to pull the copy for the benefits/etc from the Lead Generation Postcard / Landing Page we’ve talked you through in the last few weeks of articles.

SUBJECT: Congratulations! Watch Your Mailbox for the Info Requested. Dear [FIRSTNAME]

More than likely, you get hit on all sides from people wanting your attention, so I appreciate you taking the time to read this email. My purpose is simple: I wanted to take a second to thank you for requesting [INSERT LGM TITLE]:

In this valuable FREE Audio and Report you will discover:

[Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[Mini Transformation / Benefit]

And so much more! It was a very smart move on your part to take action on getting this valuable information.

We’re working behind the scenes right now to get everything packaged up and out the door. You should see it arrive on your doorstep in [Set a Timeframe… typically 8-10 Business Days]. Make sure as soon as it arrives you go through everything – you don’t want to let any dust gather!

If you have any questions, please contact me at NAME@EMAILADDRESS.COM. Congratulations again…. and keep your eyes peeled for your package! Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME & TITLE]

Email #2: Make Sure They Examine the LGM; Present Your Offer

The second email in the series should be sent out AFTER you’ve mailed the package and you think it’s arrived at their address – depending on how you ship / their location /etc. this could vary, so you’ll have to figure that out on your own. Optimally, this email should go out no more than a couple days after it’s arrived.

This email should accomplish the following:

Reinforce the need to go through the ENTIRE package if they haven’t done so already.
Congratulate them again on being really smart for asking for the info.
Lay out the benefits / transformations that happen by reading it.
Introduce your primary OFFER for your product or service – as described in detail in your sales letter.
State the benefits /transformations associated with your product / service offer.
Push urgency to accept the offer – scarcity, time limit, whatever. A 2-week deadline is good to start with.
Call to Action on the offer (e.g., do this to buy now!)

As mentioned earlier, the source for the information you’re putting into this email will come from content you’ve already created – specifically the sales letter you wrote last week.

NOTE: The following emails in the series should be sent out to ONLY those who HAVEN’T yet taken you up on your offer. Once someone buys, you take them out of the follow-up sequence.

SUBJECT: You’ve Got The Info – Now Discover More About [TOPIC OF LGM]

Dear [FIRSTNAME]

I know something very important about you.

Because you took that step to request [INSERT LGM TITLE], I know that you’re serious about [TOPIC OF LGM] – otherwise you’d have been just like so many others who just sat on the sidelines and did nothing. You took action and not only requested this valuable information, you’ve already gone through it! (Now if you haven’t YET gone through it, don’t delay… it’s super important!)

And, in [LGM TITLE], you discovered:

[Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[Mini Transformation / Benefit]

However, you may be thinking that even though this is great, you’re just too [OBJECTION – e.g., Busy, Tired, Overworked, Whatever] to take action on everything revealed.

That’s why [YOUR NAME/COMPANY] created a way for you to quickly and easily get [Big Benefit] that’s GUARANTEED to [Insert Outcome They Want] without [Insert Annoying Problem]!

Imagine – which of these powerful elements could you use to get [Big Benefit]?

[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]

And a whole lot more as well!

It’s all laid out in detail in the information provided. Plus, because we’re so serious about helping you experience [STATE THE SOLUTION YOU PROVIDE] that were going to make available for a limited time [#] FREE Bonuses Worth [$] if you take action right NOW!

FREE Bonus Gift #1: [Explain bonus and give value]
FREE Bonus Gift #2: [Explain bonus and give value]
FREE Bonus Gift #3: [Explain bonus and give value]

But, we’re not done – we’re so confident that you’ll be absolutely delighted, that we’re including a total [STATE YOUR GUARANTEE] – removing ALL risk to you!

You may be asking why we’re doing this – well, it’s because we want to reward people who take FAST Action – and you’ve already proven you’re in that category by requesting this valuable information kit. That’s why we know you’re serious about solving [CORE PROBLEM] and getting [KEY BENEFIT].

However, you need to act now due to [INSERT SOME KIND OF SCARCITY/DEADLINE REASON]… and then we need to return to standard prices.

Again – we’re assuming all the risk. Act now before it’s too late by [CALL TO ACTION DETAILS –WEBSITE, CALL, FAX, FILL OUT FORM, etc.] Don’t miss out and do it today!

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME & TITLE]

P.S. If you haven’t checked ALL the information provided, make sure to do that first!

EMAIL #3 – Re-State Your Offer / Stress Your Credibility

Email #3 should go out about 3 days after Email #2 – AND / OR about 10 days before the deadline for the offer expires. (Again, in terms of timing, you don’t want an EXTENDED deadline period – 2 weeks is just about right).

This email should accomplish the following:

Confirm that by now they’ve consumed the LGM.
Describe why YOU can be trusted to deliver on your promises.
Restate the clear, massive value of your offer.

Again, look in your sales letter for the source content to reuse and leverage here.

SUBJECT: The Best Way to Overcome [PROBLEM]

Dear [FIRSTNAME]

So you’ve almost certainly gone through all the information in the [LGM TITLE] we recently sent you. My guess is that you probably feel like it’s a great start – and would like to discover even MORE!

Well – I have some very good news – here at [INSERT COMPANY NAME] we’re 100% focused on solving [DESCRIBE KEY PROBLEM PROSPECT FACES] by [STATE THE BIG PROMISE YOU MAKE WITH YOUR PRODUCT/SERVICE]… and we make that happen by:

[FEATURE / BENEFIT FROM OFFER]
[FEATURE / BENEFIT FROM OFFER]
[FEATURE / BENEFIT FROM OFFER]

And much more. How can you be sure this works? Don’t just take my word for it, here’s what [SATISFIED CUSTOMER NAME] had to say:

[INSERT TESTIMONIAL DIRECTLY RELATED TO YOUR OFFER]

Imagine how much it would be worth to YOU to experience the same thing? Well you can. But you need to hurry…

Because in just [X DAYS] our incredible offer disappears – make sure now to [CALL TO ACTION DETAILS –WEBSITE, CALL, FAX, FILL OUT FORM, etc.]

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME & TITLE]

Email #4 – Introduce Some New Wrinkle

Email #4 should go out a couple days AFTER Email #3… about 8 days or so before the deadline for your offer expires.

This email should accomplish the following:

Restate your offer again
Add another wrinkle – a new bonus, discount, whatever – just add one more reason to act NOW!

You’ll notice that this email is VERY similar to Email #2 – that’s because it contains the core sales message you need to get across and… frankly… you may need to literally “beat them over the head’ with the same message to get it to sink in.

SUBJECT: Revealed: The Solution to [CORE PROBLEM]

Dear [FIRSTNAME]

How time flies… it’s already been [X DAYS/WEEKS] since you asked for and received a copy of [LGM TITLE]… and in it, you discovered:

[Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[Mini Transformation / Benefit]

However, you may be thinking that even though this is great, you’re just too [OBJECTION – e.g., Busy, Tired, Overworked, Whatever] to take action on everything revealed in [LGM TITLE].

That’s why [YOUR NAME /COMPANY] created a way for you to quickly and easily get [Big Benefit] that’s GUARANTEED to [Insert Outcome They Want] without [Insert Annoying Problem]!

Imagine – which of these powerful elements could you use to get [Big Benefit]?

[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]

And a whole lot more as well!

It’s all laid out in detail in the information provided. Plus, because we’re so serious about helping you [STATE THE SOLUTION YOU PROVIDE] that were going to make available these [#] FREE Bonuses Worth[$] if you take action right NOW!

FREE Bonus Gift #1: [Explain bonus and give value]
FREE Bonus Gift #2: [Explain bonus and give value]
FREE Bonus Gift #3: [Explain bonus and give value]

But, we’re not done – we’re so confident that you’ll be absolutely delighted, that we’re including a total [STATE YOUR GUARANTEE] – removing ALL risk to you!

And we’re prepared to sweeten the deal even further – if you ACT NOW before the deadline, we’ll toss in absolutely FREE [INSERT ONE MORE BONUS]… which has a real value of [$X]!

We’re doing this because we want to reward people who take FAST Action – and you’ve already proven you’re in that category by requesting this valuable information kit. That’s why we know you’re serious about solving [CORE PROBLEM] and getting [KEY BENEFIT].

However, you need to act now as time is running out – there’s only [X DAYS LEFT]! Again – we’re assuming all the risk. Act now before it’s too late by [CALL TO ACTION DETAILS –WEBSITE, CALL, FAX, FILL OUT FORM, etc.] Don’t miss out and do it today!

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME & TITLE]

Email #5 – Remind Them Time’s A-Wasting…

Email #5 goes out exactly ONE Week before the deadline expires. This email should accomplish the following:

Restate your offer in a nutshell
Push the urgency to act NOW!

SUBJECT: The Time To Act is NOW

Dear [FIRSTNAME]

Last week I sent you the details on how you can quickly and easily get [BIG BENEFIT] that’s GUARANTEED to [Insert OUTCOME They Want] without [Insert Annoying PROBLEM]! We discussed how you could experience:

[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]

And a whole lot more as well!

It was all described in detail in the information provided. And we’re so serious about helping you [STATE THE SOLUTION YOU PROVIDE] that were going to make available these [#] FREE Bonuses Worth[$] if you take action right NOW!

FREE Bonus Gift #1: [Explain bonus and give value]
FREE Bonus Gift #2: [Explain bonus and give value]
FREE Bonus Gift #3: [Explain bonus and give value]
PLUS a special FAST ACTION Bonus: [Explain bonus and give value]

Everything is backed by our [STATE YOUR GUARANTEE] – removing ALL risk to you!

Talk about an incredible deal! But, one week has passed and we can only make this opportunity available for one more week – tops! So, don’t miss your chance to take advantage of this offer. Act now before it’s too late by [CALL TO ACTION DETAILS –WEBSITE, CALL, FAX, FILL OUT FORM, etc.]

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME & TITLE]

EMAIL #6 – The End is Near

Email #6 goes out TWO (2) Days before the deadline expires. This email should accomplish the following:

Restate your offer
State clearly: Two Days Left!
Push the urgency to act NOW!

SUBJECT: [WARNING] Deadline Approaching, Don’t Miss Out! Dear [FIRSTNAME]

Just about two weeks ago I sent a package and some emails laying out an INCREDIBLE offer for [OFFER / PRODUCT NAME]… and frankly, I’m mystified because I haven’t seen your order yet. That’s why I decided to take a minute to write and remind you that this offer expires in just TWO Days!

You’re busy, I’m sure, so other stuff probably came up first. But now’s the time to act – so you can quickly and easily get [BIG BENEFIT] that’s GUARANTEED to [Insert OUTCOME They Want] without [Insert Annoying PROBLEM] – which will enable to you to FINALLY experience:

[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]
[FROM SALES LETTER – Mini Transformation / Benefit]

And a whole lot more – with everything described in detail in the information provided. Plus, we’re so focused on helping you [STATE THE SOLUTION YOU PROVIDE] that were going to make available [#] FREE Bonuses Worth[$] if you take action right NOW!

And of course, everything is backed by our [STATE YOUR GUARANTEE] – removing ALL risk to you!

Don’t risk missing out on this incredible deal, which disappears in just two days. Act now before it’s too late by [CALL TO ACTION DETAILS –WEBSITE, CALL, FAX, FILL OUT FORM, etc.] I promise you’ll be glad you did.

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME & TITLE]

Email #7 – Today’s Your Last Chance

Email #7 goes out on the day the deadline expires. This email should accomplish the following:

Restate your offer
State clearly: One Day Left!
Push the urgency to act NOW!

SUBJECT: [OFFICIAL NOTICE] Last Day, Offer Withdrawn Dear [FIRSTNAME]

By now you’ve gone through the [LGM TITLE] and all the information… so you know all about the incredible offer we’re making – which will enable you to easily get [BIG BENEFIT] that’s GUARANTEED to [Insert OUTCOME They Want] without [Insert Annoying PROBLEM]

But did you know that TODAY is the LAST DAY it’s available?

We very much take pride in our ability to provide you with top notch value and service – so much so that we back up our words with our [INSERT GUARANTEE].

That’s exactly why we want you to take advantage of this deal before it’s too late. It’s truly incredible, which is why we can’t make it last forever – today is the last day we can offer such a great deal with such amazing bonuses.

So right now [CALL TO ACTION DETAILS –WEBSITE, CALL, FAX, FILL OUT FORM, etc.] And start experiencing [OUTCOME They Want] today!

Sincerely,

[YOUR NAME & TITLE]

But What If They Don’t Buy? (E-zine Basics)

The preceding sequence will absolutely generate serious business for you. But it’s not 100% infallible – there will be folks for one reason or another that simply won’t take that step and click the ORDER button.

Do NOT give up on them. Instead, use email to build a strong relationship with them over time. Get in the habit of regularly sending quality content to your list. And along with that, you need to make the case that they should reward you for this content by spending some money on your goods and services.

Basic Secrets

Always use a compelling subject line to get people to open the email. We’ll be talking a lot about subject lines in a bit.
Keep your emails personal, just like you’re talking to someone one-on-one. Use the word “you” a lot in your email, just as you would when sitting across the table.
Make your emails text only – don’t use HTML formatting. Text works great.
55-65 hard break then hit carriage return. Longer text strings won’t wrap neatly.
Come up with a unique signature all your own. Dan’s used to be, “Kick butt, make mucho dee-nero!” because it fit his personality. Come up with something that fits yours.
Don’t forget the all-important P.S. – here’s where you make your sales pitch for the product or service. It’s the P.S. where you make your money.
E-mail at least twice a week and better yet daily.
After you build up a good quantity of emails – probably a couple hundred or so – you can start recycling them. You can either re-use them exactly as is, or … even better… make a few changes and edits and send them out once again. That way they’ll seem fresh even to those who read them the first time.
Always look for other ways to reuse emails. You can use them as blog posts. You can submit them as articles to article directories. You can even send them out on postcards as direct mail!

More Secrets… Make It Personal

Always remember… in all your emails, the primary product that you are selling is YOU! By coming across as a real person as well as an expert, you are letting your customers in on your life. Over time, they will actually become your fans.
Watch Regis and learn… he begins every show with a little story about what’s going on in his life right then. He doesn’t brag about something, instead he reveals little insights that prove he’s just a regular guy like everyone else.
Talk about your hobbies, the things you do in your off hours. If you’re a golfer, tell a story about your last venture on the links. If you fix up old cars, give folks a peek under the hood of your latest project.
Bonehead moves that you’ve made recently can be great fodder for emails… and they can provide an anchor for an important lesson to share. Self-deprecating humor is the best… don’t poke fun at others, poke fun at yourself.
Reveal a bit about your family life, the stuff you do together, special celebrations like birthdays, graduation, etc.

Congratulations!

If you’ve put this plan in to action you’ve already taken a step forward for your business. I’m sure you’ll see excellent results. Make sure to come back next week to the GKIC blog when we’ll be taking a deep dive in to Newsletter creation.

Pricing ‒ It’s More Flexible Than You Think

Most small business owners operate in the dark when it comes to price.

They guess at and ballpark what they should be charging. When it comes to research, that usually means taking a look at what the competition is asking and try to slightly undercut them. Cost analysis? That’s usually a panic move that results in reduced prices, which leads to smaller profit margins and jeopardizing the future.

It’s time to shed some light on the mysterious and elusive topic of pricing. Here are a few things you should know:

Competing on price can be hazardous to the future of your business. If you aren’t the cheapest, it makes no sense to be “one of the cheapest”. Because those who shop price only are all going to go to the cheapest. Which leaves you out in the cold.

If you are in a commodity business, you must reinvent yourself. Find something besides price to be competitive. Maybe your service is second to none. Or your delivery or follow-up time can’t be matched by the competition. Find something besides price that you can use to leverage your business.

Not long ago a client asked me to create an ad. The client is a consultant in the restaurant industry. And the ad was for one of his students. The student owns a gourmet pizza take-out and delivery shop. It’s located in a small city where they compete with over 100 other pizzerias. And they are the highest priced of them all. They offer no special deals or two-for-ones. They doubled their sales and their profits last year. Here’s the key word that differentiates them from all the other pizzerias in town: gourmet.

Don’t worry about so called “industry norms”. Most business owners take a look at what their competitors are charging. They make note of the high price, the low price, and end up setting their prices somewhere in the middle. As unscientific as it may sound, this is the way most businesses establish their prices.

Most selling occurs in a vacuum. If your selling process doesn’t, you need to change your marketing approach so that it does occur in a vacuum before an actual sale happens.

There is “price”, and then there’s “presentation of price”. This means structuring what you sell, how you package it, how you market it and to what audience, how you deliver it differently than the competition. These small, subtle differences allow you to set a higher price, because a direct comparison to lower prices can’t be made. Why? You’ve built in value-added benefits and features to your product and service – something the competition doesn’t offer.

Avoid running your business on fear. Most business owners needlessly underprice their products or services. They then try to overcompensate by raising prices – often too little, too late. They also make the mistake of ignoring opportunities to sell premium priced versions mostly out of fear.

The price your customers, clients or patients pay is a result of the target market selected, perceived value, the value proposition presented, salesmanship, credibility, celebrity status, brand and buying experience. These are just a few of the factors that play into the buying decision.

The buying decision has very little to do with objectively measured intrinsic value. If that were the case, diamonds would not cost any more than glass or coal. You can control and manipulate all the non-intrinsic factors. So you should approach price courageously and creatively.

A great way to build up your pricing courage is to do a little research and find out what else your clientele spends money on – and how much they spend. Also take a look at what the really affluent spend on a variety of goods and services. Items like an $800 putter for golfers or a home entertainment system that costs many thousands of dollars are common among those who can afford it.

NOTE:  Powerful Price Positioning is our current web deal offer. It reveals seven tested and proven strategies you can use to charge more than ever without experiencing any kind of price resistance. It’s loaded with plenty of tips and valuable nuggets you can use to bump up your prices and start earning the kind of money you deserve. Order yours by midnight this Wednesday and you’ll also receive a special bonus

Sales Letter Secrets Part 2

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NB: This article is a continuation of last week’s, which you can find here.

Why Just “Writing Copy” Isn’t Good Enough.

If you pick up most copywriting and marketing books, they’ll teach you how to do the basics. They’ll show you how to write a headline, close a sale, and insert “hypnotic commands” in your copy. They might even include templates you can “swipe and deploy” for your own business so their products are as “cut and paste” for you as possible.

But what very few copywriting and marketing courses do is teach you how to do the nitty-gritty leg work necessary to create a great promotion. It’s that research (which we’ve done for you) that will put YOU and YOUR offer at the top of the food chain!

So… you’ve gotten this far. You’ve done the heavy lifting. Now it’s time to fill in that template from last week with the nuts and bolts of your offer.

Write Your First Draft!

As we’ve said before, your goal is to write like you talk and write your first draft as quickly as possible. Turn off that editor in your head. Just write…. Go on… we’ll wait….

[TIME PASSES]

Okay. Now that you’ve got a solid draft complete, let’s go over some common mistakes to look out for as you review your copy…

Big Mistake #1: Not Telling People Why They Should Do Business With YOU Over Someone Else

But one of big mistakes we see in a LOT of submissions (e.g., through Copy Confidential and other materials sent our way) is there’s no unique selling proposition.

One classic example of a unique selling proposition is FedEx. The founder Fred Smith wanted to emulate the banking industry’s method of clearing checks overnight. So what he did was create a hub-and-spoke system in Memphis that allowed him to ship packages overnight-while UPS and the post office were shipping everything in 3-5 days. Overnight shipping was great, but FedEx had to sell it. That’s when he came up with the slogan, “When it absolutely, positively has to get there overnight”, that ran in every single advertisement. As a result, FedEx quickly gained market dominance by promising the unique selling proposition of overnight delivery.

Another example is Domino’s Pizza. Tom Monaghan turned a small pizza joint in Michigan into the 2nd largest pizza chain in the world with the unique selling proposition, “Fresh Hot Pizza To Your Door In 30 Minutes, Or It’s Free!” They stopped this slogan when pizza delivery drivers were getting into car accidents, but it enabled them to gain a huge market share in the hyper-competitive pizza business.

These are just a couple examples of unique selling propositions that have worked for big companies in the past. So how do you determine your unique selling proposition? Is there something about your product or service that makes it faster, more varied, slower, cheaper, easier to work with, prettier, and more highly recommended? Perhaps you can have a killer guarantee? Another way to distinguish your product is to narrow your focus to a single niche.

Even though we didn’t go big into USPs earlier, way back when we had you define your offer in detail, we asked you to identify that “One Big Promise” you could make…. Remember?

Well, that “One Big Promise” is essentially the core of your USP. Make a note of that and then when you rewrite your letter, make sure that you’ve featured that promise prominently in your copy.

Big Mistake #2: Not Telling A Compelling Story That’ll Effortlessly Sell Your Product Or Service!

We have a section in the template where you tell your story. Now the best stories are the ones that are true so you can tell every single detail with vividness. It immediately wakes up the reader and gets them to pay serious attention.

You see, everybody loves a great story. They have the ability to get the inattentive person to perk up and pay attention. And they are an extremely powerful selling tool.

So as you go through your sales letter, think of ways to use stories in your marketing. Not just yours though, you could also use one of your clients, patients, or customers.

The best stories are “rags to riches” type stories that depict the solving of a problem. Stories will boost the selling power of your copy, and complement the direct statements that you’ll make in your copy that could easily be dismissed by your prospects.

Big Mistake #3: Not Having A “Hook” That Grabs Your Prospect By The Lapels And FORCES Them To Read Your Ad!

It’s not enough to have a unique selling proposition. You need to create a “hook” that’s going to grab people by the lapels and force them to read your ad!

Typically, you would put that “Hook” front and center on the first page of your sales letter as its main headline.

Probably the greatest hook in the history of copywriting and marketing was penned by John Carlton. This is the headline he wrote for an otherwise “ho-hum” product: a video that shows people how to hit longer drives:

“Amazing Secret Discovered By One-Legged Golfer Adds 50 Yards To Your Drive, Eliminates Hooks And Slices… And Can Slash Up To 10 Strokes From Your Game Almost Overnight!”

Think about it:

If you were a golfer and flipping through Golf magazine and saw this headline, you wouldn’t be able to resist stopping what you’re doing to keep reading! And that’s exactly what happened for 8 straight years before the ad was retired from Golf Magazine…as all ads do “burn out” after a period of time.

The unique selling proposition was the “triple coil swing” that teaches golfers how to hit longer, straighter drives. But the “hook” that got people to read the ad was the “one-legged golfer” headline and story!

So how do you find the hook for your product or service?

The best hooks defy convention. And to choose the perfect “hook” for your ad you have to really know your target market and the “sophistication” of your audience—or how many ads they’ve seen in your market before they’ve seen yours.

Besides thinking about the unique selling proposition, finding the “hook” that’s going to glue people’s eyeballs to your ad is going to be the hardest thing you’ll ever do in your ad. But once you get that perfect “hook” you can use that in all your advertising campaigns…and the ad literally will write itself!

Finding the “hook” will take some detective work. John Carlton found the “one-legged golfer” hook when interviewing the product creator of this golf tape. He said he discovered this particular swing technique while watching a one-legged golfer hobble up to the tee box—thinking he was going to fall over. But he ended up hitting the ball 250 yards straight down the fairway!

Since Carlton had his “detective hat” on, he used this story as the “hook” to the ad!

Another thing: the hook has to have a sensational “you’ve gotta’ be kidding me!” factor—meaning if you read the headline you think to yourself, “You’ve Gotta’ Be Kidding Me!” That’s how you’re going to get people’s attention over your competition in your marketplace—and attract more clients, customers, and patients than you’ve ever thought possible!

Very often the “hook” of a product or service is right underneath your nose. The creator of the one- legged golfer tape didn’t know the selling power of the one-legged golfer story—yet he intellectually knew the story. But he just thought it was a mere afterthought.

So you can do 2 things 1) what excites and intrigues you about your product and what you do, and 2) ask your customers what excites and intrigues them about the product. Make a list of these and then test them if possible.

So think about your product or service right now. What makes it exciting to your prospects? What would cause them to read about your product and service and think to themselves, “You’ve gotta’ be kidding me!” That could be the perfect hook to your ad!

Big Mistake #4: Not Providing A Preponderance Of Proof That Your Product Or Service Is The “Go-To” Solution For Your Prospect!

This is one of the biggest errors we see in copy. There are claims abound about how a certain product/service is going to help them lose weight, get more clients, get back together with their ex, etc. But they forget one fact about their target audience:

Your Prospect Doesn’t Want To Believe You!

Listen: nobody wakes up in the morning and thinks to themselves, “Hey, I want to read some ads today!” Most of the time when they see your ad they see it as an interruption in their day…and they are, more than likely, going to be inherently skeptical.

Let me illustrate this: Think back to a time you bought something and felt like you’ve gotten ripped off. It could have been a product you purchased from Wal-Mart…or a book you read that you only read the first 10 pages… or a movie you walked out 30 minutes into it because it sucked. How did that make you feel? You probably felt like you got a little “screwed over” didn’t you?

Well guess what? Everybody has gotten “screwed over” after buying something. Everybody has been ripped off. So they’re not going to automatically believe your claims as gospel just because you say so. And that’s why you need plenty of proof in your promotions – such as testimonials, case studies, and demonstrations. Let’s talk about each:

1) Testimonials are usually rave reviews about your product or service from satisfied customers. It’s infinitely more powerful to have people brag about how great you are than it is to brag about yourself! The more specific and “results-based” the testimonial, the better.

2) Case Studies are usually longer testimonials that tell a story. This is another element of social proof you should be using in your promotions.

3) Demonstrations. This is extremely powerful. When writing copy, you’re usually selling something people cannot pick up and touch. So the more demonstrations you can put in your copy, the better!

The perfect example of a demonstration is the Oreck Excel vacuum cleaner. They demonstrate that you can actually pick up a bowling ball with their vacuum cleaner—the suction is that good!

Of course, is there any scenario where it’s necessary to pick up an actual bowling ball with a vacuum? Heck no! But that’s not the point—the point is to demonstrate the suction power of the vacuum and to get the prospect to imagine if the vacuum is strong enough to pick up a bowling ball, then it’ll pick up anything!

So by adding testimonials, demonstrations, and case studies to your promotion, you’ll be able to convince your skeptical prospect that your product DOES fulfill on its promises.

Big Mistake #5: Not Backing Up Statements And Claims With Facts!

Now I’m going to talk about a concept most copywriters and marketers don’t employ. But before I do that, read these 2 statements and see which is the most believable to you:

“More and more people are searching for local services through their smartphones.”

Or…

“According to the Wall Street Journal, 86.2% of cellphone users searched for local products and services online.”

Did you choose #2? If so, it was probably because there was a reputable source behind the claim…and an actual specific statistic backing it up as well.

Whenever making a claim or statement that’s critical for your prospects to “get” before they buy your product, you must always back it up with statistics. You’d be surprised at how some copywriters make claim after claim…statement after statement…without any statistics or facts to back them up.

This is critical when trying to get your prospect to “believe” certain things before they buy from you. For example, if I were selling prospects on the importance of research in copy, I would trot out quote after quote from many of the copywriting greats such as Gary Halbert, John Carlton, John Caples, Eugene Schwartz, Claude Hopkins, and Gary Bencivenga to “back me up” that research is critical when it comes to copywriting.

If my prospects were to see these other well-known copywriting greats talk about the importance of research in copy, they are more likely to believe it than if I just said it myself.

Here’s a dirty little secret most marketers don’t know. If it’s published somewhere online or offline, you can quote it…as long as you quote the source! So if you’re selling a coral calcium supplement and you can find a peer-reviewed study that talks about coral calcium curing cancer, then you can use it in your copy as ‘borrowed proof” for your promotion (of course, coral calcium has never been proven by peer-reviewed studies to actually work).

Sources that the public immediately recognizes as reputable sources (Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, Journal of the American Medical Association, etc.) are important here…but don’t ignore more esoteric sources—especially if it’s a niche publication.

Also be specific as possible in your claim. Saying 86.2% is more powerful than 86%…assuming the stat is true.

So before you write a word of copy, go through and find statistics to back up any statement your prospects have to believe before they purchase your product. Thankfully, hours in the library are not necessary since the Internet can serve as your ultimate research tool!

Big Mistake #6: Not Telling Your Prospect How Your Product/Service Is Going To Change Their Life!

People aren’t going to buy your product because it’s 10 CDs, 362 pages, you’ve been in business since 1974, or you played for the Washington Redskins. They only want what the product is going to DO SOMETHING for them. And this is where most copy falls short!

Think about it – most of your target audience lives extremely boring lives. They go to jobs they hate and don’t meet any interesting people. So your pitch has to be the most exciting thing they’ve read all day. That’s why you need to paint a picture in your prospect’s mind what your product or service is going to do for them. And that means digging into the DEEPER benefits than most of your competition…and most copywriters will delve into!

One little trick to use is the “So What?” test. For every line of copy, try to think about why your target audience would care about this… which will uncover the deeper benefits that could motivate your target audience to take action. In the business world, very often the motivation of business owners isn’t just to “make more profits”. It could be to show up the friend or family member who kept telling them they couldn’t “do it” when it comes to building a business. Or to show up a competitor they’ve been chasing for years—or to get an “unfair advantage” of some sort.

Let’s test out the “So what” test real quick. Here’s a “surface benefit” of getting more leads to a business…making more profits…and now let’s ask:

So what?

So you can make more money with your business

So what?

So you can feel less worried and stressed.

So what?

So you can have more certainty and control in your business.

So what?

So you can get more freedom and independence.

So what?

So you can spend more time with your family.

So what?

So you can leave a legacy for your kids and grandkids, etc.

See how this works? We went further than just “making money” when it comes to selling to the business owner. I mean, people just don’t want “money”…they only want what the money is going to DO for them. And the “So What” test is one way to delve at the deeper benefits of your product or service you can start using right now.

Big Mistake #7: Not Determining What You’re Up Against In Your Marketplace!

Products and services are not sold in a vacuum. Your product and service is not the only choice your clients, customers, or patients have. Yet most businesses write copy as if they’re the only “players” in that market.

As you do your rewrite, take a look at your competition and look for some kind of a “crack in the armor” to exploit for your promotion. Look at their websites, sales materials, Pay-Per-Click ads, etc.

Another good source of this is direct mail. If you sign up for mailing lists and actually buy some of your competitor’s products, you can get on their mailing list and start getting their promotions. If you see the same promotion over and over again, then that’s probably their control piece—or their best converting mailer.

Also look at comparables in the marketplace – that is, other companies that sell to your market but aren’t in direct competition.

This is something you should not only do for your copy, but also for your business in general. This will allow you to position your copy better so you’re the “go-to” person in your market!

Sales Letter Secrets Part 1…

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This is truly where “rubber-meets-road” – the creation of your sales letter. It may not be THE most critical component in your Lead Generation System, but it certainly is ONE of the most critical – for a very simple reason:

It’s Where You Ask for the Sale!

Now this is often where a lot of business owners freeze up or freak out – “I’m not a writer!” they proclaim, “I barely even passed English!”

If you resonate with that, relax, I have even more good news:

With the system we’ve created for you here, you don’t have to be a GREAT writer to create copy that sells…. All you need to do is be able to put down the core elements of your offer in the sequence we provide.

Basically, you just have to fill in the blanks to a proven Sales Letter Template. Then go through it again, review and edit out the rough edges, and “voila!” You have a sales letter you can use.

We’ve worked hard to make this as easy as humanly possible.

This week, we’ll focus on plugging in text for the Headlines, SubHeads, and Bullets. The benefit of focusing on these elements of the sales letter is that they establish the foundation of your pitch… someone should be able to read JUST the headlines, subheads, and bullets and pretty much get the full picture as to why they should buy what you’re selling.
Next week’s article will walk you through cranking out the entire rough draft of the letter.

It’s truly a plug and play process.

And when you finish, even if you don’t consider yourself a “copywriter,” you’ll have in hand a perfectly good Sales Letter that in all likelihood stands head and shoulders above ANYTHING any of your competitors have ever produced.

A Fill-in-the-Blanks Formula for ALL Your Sales Letters

As you go through the step by step process over the next two sessions in creating your sales letter, there’s a basic foundational concept here that you need to grasp:

A sales letter is nothing more than a sales pitch in print.

Don’t lose sight of that reality. Because what you’re doing is putting together a sales pitch much the same as you would to be delivered to someone in person, across the table, one-on-one.

And that’s exactly how we’ve designed this tutorial article for you – it’s a carefully crafted FORMULA laid out sequentially to gradually build the strongest case possible for your product/service.

What this means is that you can use this exact same structure over and again with other sales letters… and other types of pitches you make as well.

Okay let’s get started.

Below is an excellent template for writing a pre-head:

Attention [insert target audience]: Stop Putting Up With [Annoying Task or Problem] Forever!!!

What you want to do right off the bat is grab the attention of your target customer by a) identifying exactly who they are and b) affirming you feel their pain by promising to solve a major problem they have. That’s the goal.

Now for the main headline:

“Discover How You Can Quickly And Easily Get [Big Benefit] Guaranteed To [Insert Outcome They Want] Without [Insert Annoying Problem]!”

This headline should make a BIG promise to solve the major problem identified in the prehead – stating clearly the huge benefit for making that happen. Write out at least three (3) different variations on this formula for your sales letter.

Moving on, here’s the a great template for a SubHead:

After Experiencing [Insert Problem] I Decided To Do Something About It!!!

This subhead introduces the section where you tell your story… you want to establish some kind of affinity with your prospect, either by being one of them and experiencing the exact same pain OR by perhaps seeing the problem affect others you care about… whatever, you want to let them know you understand what they’re going through and that’s why you created your solution.

On to the next Subhead:

Why Not Make The Ability To [Solve Problem] Available To Everyone!!!

This section describes your process of understanding the problem, working through various solutions, and finally finding the key – and then making the decision to make it available on a broader basis.

Then a very special Subhead – one that NAMES your Product:

[Name Of Product]

You want your product/widget to have a KILLER name… something easily recognizable as packed with huge benefits for the customer. We spend serious time on Product names – you should do likewise.

Now the letter should get into some of the specifics as to how you’ll fulfill on the promises you’ve made.

Which Of These Powerful Elements Could You Use To [Insert Benefit]?

Fill the CORE Benefit your Customers desire… which will lead to a list of features/benefits your solution provides that make that end result possible.

Now, identify some of the key features & benefits of your product/widget that directly relate to addressing the CORE Benefit your customers want. Use bullet points.

On to another Subhead – where you should finally reveal the investment required.

Okay, So What’s The Cost For [insert problem they’ll be eliminating] Forever!!

The problem you state here should be one that provokes ongoing, serious pain of some kind.

Now let’s talk about the bonuses you’re offering.

[#] FREE Bonuses Worth[$] If You Take Action Right NOW!

The keys here are to 1) pile on all kinds of extra value above and beyond what the customer would expect and b) install a sense of urgency… because if you delay, you’ll lose out on all of this! Make sure to plug in a realistic value in Worth[$] – what you enter here should be credible.

After that, list all the bonuses individually, state why they’re so valuable to the customer, and then give an associated dollar value to each.

FREE Bonus Gift #1: [Explain bonus and give value] FREE Bonus Gift #2: [Explain bonus and give value] FREE Bonus Gift #3: [Explain bonus and give value]

But I Know You’re Skeptical About [Insert Big Benefit]… Which Is Why We’re Taking ALL The Risk!

Here’s the section where you address skepticism by taking away all risk with your awesome guarantee.

In this subhead, insert a MAJOR Benefit to the customer that results from having that BIG PROBLEM solved… and then assure them there’s absolutely nothing to fear. For example, “But I Know You’re Skeptical About Having Every Carpet In Your Home Cleaned for Practically Pennies on the Dollar AND In Just 45 Minutes… Which Is Why We’re Taking ALL The Risk!”

The final subhead just recaps that this decision should now be a no-brainer.

You Really Can’t Afford NOT To Invest In [Product]!

Just plug in your product name one more time and you’ve got the basic flow of your sales letter done. Congratulations!

Next week we’ll be back on the GKIC blog to talk to you about how to complete this sales letter, so make sure you come back…