- Bob Martel
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- Bob Martel |
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Direct Marketing | Database Marketing | Copywriting | ||
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Issue #11 In this issue:
1. The Power of Psychology & Persuasion Since it's just you and me here, I want to share a little secret that most marketers keep carefully hidden under their kimono. Promise not to tell anyone, okay? Do you believe that you need to be a good influencer to succeed in business? I'm not talking about becoming a master manipulator - there are enough hucksters already out there. I am talking, however, about influencing outcomes and learning how to ethically cause people to comply with your wishes. You can influence a customer to be loyal to your brand. You can fight the post-purchase blues when a customer has made a large commitment (so they will keep the product or service), and you can demonstrate value and justify higher fees/prices for what you deliver. You can influence the value they place on a purchase decision. There are several things you must master: the law of reciprocity, the laws of scarcity, contract, consistency and commitment. I'll not teach them all to you here in this e-zine but I'll give you an example: My 11 year old son always outsells the rest of the extended family when we have our annual Spring yard sale. (come by for a lesson this year!) One year he had a box of 72 "glow in the dark soccer balls" that a client left with me. He sold every one of them for $15 each. Here's how: he placed a sign on the table "Suggested retail $24.95, in stores and catalogs for $19.95, buy any other item and receive a $5 coupon toward a soccer ball today only, includes a free cup of coffee or lemonade. Only 17 soccer balls left! Limit 3 at this price!" You get the idea. Becoming a powerful marketer requires that you study the power of 'influence'. Now, go learn a little about NLP so that you don't fall prey to its power. (go to Yahoo and search 'NLP'). Become a student of influence, if for no other reason so that you do not blindly follow the compliance wishes of other influencers! Go to Amazon.com and order Robert Cialdini's Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. The best $15.00 investment you will ever make...other than a glow in the dark soccer ball! 2. How To Differentiate Yourself in A Crowded Market: Developing Your USP and Elevator Pitch in the next 45 minutes. Can you relate to this? Do you know how many people struggle to clearly articulate the true value of what they do and for whom, and can't seem to describe their value in easy to understand "kitchen table" language? In less than an hour I was able to teach 34 seasoned consultants how to concisely state their "elevator speech" so that everyone else in the room clearly understood what they did, for whom, and what the ultimately benefits were as a result of hiring them. I've also been successful teaching sales people how to do the same for their company. Here's the secret formula. Take out a yellow pad.... now. I'll wait here.... Ready? Write these four sentences, with room in between: Do you know how...(problem) What we do is...(solution) As a result, our clients...(underlying benefits) And the real value is... Once you get the hang of it you will have a powerful new message. If you'd like extra guidance on this, you may want to attend a future workshop, or purchase our new audiocassette. Send mail mailto:bobmartel@jmbmarketing.com if you are interested. If you missed our December seminar at Henderson House in Weston, MA you'll be pleased with this news. In 2002, I will be offering a handful of very powerful marketing seminars designed to help you grow your business to whatever level you choose. The schedule is still in development but the following seminars will be offered soon, to be held at Henderson House in Weston, at a location in Central Mass, and also in Conshohocken, PA (honestly): How to Generate All of the Business You Can Handle! How To Finally Write A Sales Letter That Sells! Direct Marketing Magic: How To Improve Response and Sales Overnight! Why Should Anyone Do Business With You: How To Finally Develop A Clear And Powerful Marketing Message That Sets You Apart! Mind Mapping: Applying Your Brain Power Using Mind Manager 2000 If you are ready this... I suppose the headline did, indeed, get your attention! It's true. You can catapult yourself past your competition with good copywriting. The right words in your sales letter, sales pitch, web, ad, or postcard can multiply your response. It all starts with a good headline. Better Sex, More Often is certainly an eye catcher. In fact that headline is in use today. A good headline will telegraph value quickly, will "find" a target market with ease, and will make all the difference in response to your marketing efforts. In direct marketing circles, nothing is tested more often than a headline. You may see a company promote a seminar with two different titles, to test response. A radio advertiser may test headlines in smaller markets before rolling out a national campaign. You may see a cosmetic company test a headline: FREE premium with purchase. Whether you are an independent consultant, a service provider, a manufacturer or a retailer, you need to incorporate powerful headlines into your marketing to realize any true leverage. Insider secrets revealed! Where do you get good headline ideas, aside from reading the best marketing books? For starters, read Parade Magazine in Sunday's paper, Redbook, Cosmo, Reader's Digest, and The National Enquirer. (I'm told you should read the old Playboys for the outstanding ad copy, too!) Pick up Robert Collier's Letter Book (out of print, but I may be able arrange a copy for you from the guy who bougth the rights). Study David Ogilvy, John Caples and the other legends. Here are a few headlines you may have seen: "Golf Ball Flies Too Far - May Obsolete many Golf Courses" "Do You Make Any Of These Mistakes In English?" "FREE Report- Find Out What Your Yellow Page Rep Hopes You Never Learn" "FREE Gift With Purchase" "They Laughed When I sat Down To Play The Piano..." "Are You Finally Ready For Truly Stellar Media Duplication Service?" "Who Else Wants To Look Younger and Feel More Beautiful?" "Who Else Wants Better Sex, More Often?" Writing good headlines are just the beginning, but they are essential. That's all for now... almost! Happy New Year! 
Bob Martel Footnote: Some of the best ad copy comes from the advertisements in the early part of the 20th century. If you like to study nostalgic advertising, you'll love these web sites. Enjoy. You may even get some nice copy ideas for yourself! http://advertising.utexas.edu/world/index.html http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/eaa/ http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/ http://americanhistory.si.edu/archives/d-7.htm PS: There is a new Web site that will be of interest to you: www.consumerprivacyguide.org, features articles about on-line privacy, how to use privacy tools, and information regarding steps to protect your privacy. PPS: Even I listen to my clients occasionally! At the request of a few clients I am now offering phone consulting services and coaching to those who need guidance and focus. If this is of interest, let me know. I can only handle a few additional clients this way. I've been able to provide remote services to small business owners, sales and marketing people and consultants across the country, and they have all urged me to offer this service. If you are coachable and the idea makes sense to you, I can provide you with a program that will keep you on target for 2002. |
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JMB Marketing Group |
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