11 March 2013 By Leave a Comment

Here’s An Easy Way To Create A Customer Avatar For Your Business

AvatarsHands up who wants to:

  • Massively increase their conversion rates
  • Attract more of their “best” customers
  • Create advertising that actually works by generating an impressive return on your investment?

If so read on because I’m about to reveal a highly effective, yet easy to use marketing tool that could seriously revolutionise how you approach your marketing.

It’s time to create a customer avatar for your business

A customer avatar is simply a detailed profile of your target customer. Once you’ve got one you can use it to do things like:

  1. Market to and own a niche where you become “the one to go to”
  2. Hone your marketing message so it appeals to a specific someone as opposed to a generic everyone.
  3. Increase conversion rates because you’ll be able to say the sorts of things that will encourage your target customer to take action
  4. Attract more of the right customer because the “wrong” people won’t be attracted by your message
  5. Avoid spending money on marketing that just doesn’t work

It’s relatively easy to create a customer avatar. It simply involves completing a template of detailed information to profile your best customer. And if you read on, you’ll discover a link at the end of this post where you can download the template I use with my own customers. What’s more it’s free :-)

But I don’t need an avatar because my business appeals to everyone…

Wrong!

Let me tell you that unless you genuinely are a mass market business, this simply isn’t true.  And here’s the evidence. You see, if you take a closer look at your customer base, you’ll discover there’s a core of people who:

  • Spend more
  • Give you repeat business
  • Upgrade to your premium products / services
  • Generate a large percentage of your profit (and don’t barter with you on price)
  • Give you great feedback
  • Are great to work with
  • AND best of all, they refer you to their friends, say nice things about you on social media and help market your business via word of mouth.

What’s more, if you look even closer, these people will often have common demographics, values and motivational drivers.

Then compare this with other customers on your books who only buy once, are more demanding and make you feel uncomfortable or unsettled. I bet you’ll find these people don’t share the same profile as your core group!

So whilst your business could theoretically serve anyone, which group would you most like to work with on a consistent basis?

Focus ALL your attention on attracting the right people

With a detailed customer avatar in your business toolbox you’ll be in the minority. That’s because most business owners will not make the effort. And as a result you get to work a brilliant competitive advantage.

That’s because instead of creating advertising that is forgettable, generic and blends in with what everyone else is saying, you can tightly tailor your message to your ideal customer. For example:

  • Creatively use the language your customers use
  • Closely address their buying objections
  • Design the sort of offer you know your avatar will respond to
  • Filter out the sort of person you’d rather not work with etc.

In addition, instead of guessing the most effective marketing media, or simply using the format that everyone else is trying, you can choose the method you know your target customers are most likely to look at.

And as a result you’ll increase your conversion rate, attract more of the right customer AND avoid burning money on advertising that simply doesn’t work.

Cool right :-)

Then download your FREE customer avatar template now :-)

Please don’t miss this opportunity to seriously improve your business marketing. Instead download your free template now and use it to work on your customer avatar. Just click here.

Then once finished, give your avatar a name. Even better find an image that best represents the person you’ve described. Next pin your avatar up somewhere prominent in your working space as a constant reminder of who’s the right who for you.

Then every time you:

  • Write a blog post
  • Work on some new copy
  • Develop a new product or service etc.

Make the effort to get into the shoes of this person and visualise their perspective. What do they need to know? What could they struggle to understand? What objections might they have? etc.

And the result? The chances of your words hitting home will increase…

And what impact could that have on your bottom line?

Now that’s something to think about…

P.S: Download your free template NOW. Just click here. It’s free :-)

Filed Under: Copywriting Tips, How to Write Better
4 March 2013 By 4 Comments

Warning: Are These 14 Essential Ingredients Missing From Your Marketing?

Stand out from the crowdAs a copywriter I see a lot of really poor marketing.

I define this as marketing that:

  • Fails to attract attention
  • Doesn’t inspire customers to take action
  • Is boring and forgettable
  • Is “industry generic” (meaning in the absense of your name and logo it could apply to just about any of your competitors)

And the worse bit is it means ambitious business owners like you are losing out on sales.

But it doesn’t have to be this way…

You see good marketing will help stand out in your niche, attract more customers and multiply your income.

And it can be achieved if you combine time and creativity with these 14 proven techniques.

So read on and discover your copywriting checklist…

And don’t miss the link to a FREE downloadable version at the bottom :-)

1.  Communicate your USP

  • Why should customers pick you over all the competition?
  • What makes you “the one to go to” in your niche?
  • What can people get from you that they can’t get from ANYONE else?

Figure this out, weave it into your marketing message and suddenly you’ve got a Unique Selling Point that can encourage customers to make you their first choice.

2. Write headlines that attract attention

Without question your headline is the most important aspect of ANY marketing material.

Want proof? Then consider this…

Approximately 8 out of 10 people will read your headline whilst only 2 out of 10 people will read the rest of your message.

This statistic has SIGNIFICANT implications for where you focus your creative efforts.

You see, if your headline fails to inspire your reader to keep reading, the rest of your message is a complete and utter waste – it will go unnoticed.

In comparison, write a captivating headline that hooks your reader in with something that interests them, and you have a good chance of setting them up on a slippery slope through your pitch.

The lesson here is simple. You MUST spend the time needed to nail your headline. So please don’t settle for the first idea that springs to mind.

3.  Place the emphasis on YOU

Next check the emphasis of your copy.

I see far too much advertising where the business presents the message from THEIR perspective by using phrases such as “we do this” and “we think that“…

This approach is a BIG mistake.

You see, your potential customers are just not that interested in you.

All they want to know is What’s In It For Me?  

And the quickest way to achieve that is by using copious amounts of the most powerful word in advertising… YOU.

(N.B: The best ratio is around 3:1 – that’s three you’s for every we).

4. Sell the benefits

I bet you can explain the features of your product or service to a customer really easily.

In addition, I wouldn’t be surprised if you chose to explain those features in your advertising. A lot of micro businesses owners do.

However features fail to hit on the emotional buttons that you need to press if you want to close a sale.

Instead you need the emphasis to be placed on BENEFITS.

This means explaining what difference a customer will experience in their life if they invest in what you have to offer? 

Is it more time, more wealth, more intelligence, more power, more control etc…

You need to know because that is what you’re really selling.

And that’s the message you need to convey in your advertising. Do it and you’ll get more people buying. I guarantee it :-)

5. Include an offer…

As you know we are bombarded with information everywhere we look.

In addition to this you need to overcome people’s natural instinct to do nothing.

Offers are the best way to push someone to ACT NOW. So in addition to getting potential customers excited by how they could benefit from your business, ramp up your persuasive stakes by presenting an incentive that encourages them to buy | call | sign up etc. then and there.

But please avoid the boring, predictable 10% off! Instead try an added value package that doesn’t end up costing you money.

6.  With a fixed deadline

Boost your response rates by putting a fixed offer on your deadline. That means take action by x time on x date.

Avoid the temptations to use deadlines that never end because they train customers to expect your stuff to always be on special.

In addition, don’t be tempted to extend your deadline because you’ll simply undermine the integrity of your offer (and annoy the people who have already brought!).

7. Use a call to action to increase response rates

What do you want people to do after reading your message?

Perhaps you want them to:

  • Buy online
  • Call your office
  • Sign-up to your newsletter list
  • Complete a form etc.

Never leave a reader guessing. Always be clear and specific and outline EXACTLY what you want a reader to do once they have absorbed your marketing message.

If you don’t include a clear call to action, the likelihood of your readers doing nothing increases significantly (and the cost effectiveness of your advertising will diminish).

N.B: Don’t forget to include your contact details (and don’t laugh – I’ve seen it done!)

8. Testimonials add credibility

Seriously nothing is more powerful than a 3rd party telling potential prospects just how great you and your business is – especially if the testimonial has been written by someone who is your target customer.

So become an active testimonial collector. Don’t wait for the testimonials to come to you, instead actively ask for them as part of your customer pipeline process. And then weave them into your leaflets, press ads, website, sales letters, even blogs…

You’ll be amazed at the impact they can make.

9. Bullets & lists make for easy reading

However great your copywriting, it’s rare for a reader will give your sales message the same kind of attention that they will when reading a good book.

Which means you need to make it as easy as possible for your message to be absorbed.

Bullets and lists are great for this because they break up a big block of text and make it much easier on the eye.

In addition, don’t be afraid of short paragraphs and short sentences.

You’ll find these proven copywriting techniques all help to pull your reader effortlessly through your copy.

10. Long route & short cuts

Most people won’t read your sales message carefully from beginning to end.

Instead they are more likely to skim and skip their way through, landing on words and phrases that particularly stand out to them.

As such you need to ensure your message is communicated in multiple ways.

The whole piece of marketing should capture everything you want to say. But in addition to that, your subheads and emphasised words and phrases should enable a skim reader to grasp the essence of your message.

(This blog is a good example. You can read the subheads for a simple checklist, whilst the short descriptions underneath explain each one for detail and clarity).

11. Guarantees remove the risk

Guarantees are brilliant because they take away the risk from your reader and instead put the risk onto YOU.

As such, it helps to build trust, can boost your integrity and make it easier for potential customers to respond.

This article contains some really powerful examples of cracking guarantees.

And if you’re interested in mine, well I won’t stop writing until you’re happy. Simple. 

12. Photos & cartoons add visual interest

For sure your words are critical.

But images and cartoons can really help attract attention and draw people in.

And this works even better if you integrate captions. After all, captions are the second most read element of your message after the headline. So don’t miss this opportunity to make an impact.

13. Write for somebody, not everybody

If you try to appeal to everybody who could possibly be interested in your business, you’ll end up appealing to nobody.

The quickest way to raving customers and making more money is to know who your ideal customer is and then write your message so it’s specifically targeted at them.  This means:

  • Getting involved with the conversations that are already happening around their kitchen table
  • Using your customers’ “jargon” and language
  • Solving the key problems your customer faces etc.

Make this person the focus of your marketing message, and you’ll have a much better chance of success.

14. P.S:  Don’t forget the P.S!

The P.S. at the bottom of your sales letter is often overlooked.

In fact, surprisingly it’s one of the most well-read parts of your advertising. So use it well – or lose out on sales.

Get your marketing checklist… It’s FREE!

Copywriting theory is relatively easy to grasp.

After all, I expect most of what I’ve written in this post makes perfect sense.

The problem is, when it comes down to writing your message, you forget or get confused by all the different elements you need to include. That’s the hard bit.

So to help I’ve created a really simple A4 checklist which you can pin up on your desk to remind you of the elements you should include when creating your next marketing piece.

It’s easy to get a copy. To download the checklist simply click here.

P.S: Please leave any questions in the comments below :-)

Filed Under: Copywriting Tips, How to Write Better
27 February 2013 By 2 Comments

Ten Tricks To Make Creativity A Cornerstone Of Your Micro Business

How much time do you spend being creative in your micro business?

Creativity is about manifesting something new and bringing ideas and concepts from your imagination into a tangible form.

As a copywriter, being creative is my job. And that means I spend a lot of time in my zone.

But is it enough?

As a micro business owner there are always a million things to do. And that means it can be difficult to find dedicated creative time. However if you do, it could help you outsmart the competition. That’s because:

1.  It’s inspiring

Creativity is exciting. It gives you a buzz and can inspire both yourself and your customers. Just look at the legacy of Apple’s Steve Job.

2.  It’s innovating

If you create and develop something new, just watch how innovation gives your business momentum. You’ll push boundaries and make new things possible.

3.  It’s outsmarting

Use creativity to tap new markets, reach new customers, and keep existing buyers wanting more. Stay creative, spot the new ideas and you’ll be the business out front.

Convinced? Here are ten tricks to wake up your creativity

1.  Find your “zone”

You’ll be at your most creative when ideas free flow and ooze naturally. So take the time to discover what takes you to that place. Often it will be when you stop trying.

2.  Stay inspired

It’s a good way to find your zone. Read, ask questions, speak to customers, spend time in nature or listen to music. Find what gets your ideas flowing. And once you know what it is, commit to spending quality time hanging out there.

3.  Keep a notepad

I take my Moleskine everywhere. A notebook is a great tool to jot down random thoughts and fleeting glances. What’s more it will quickly develop into a valuable resource. It ensures you don’t waste time trying to remember and gives you a head start when brainstorming.

4.  Schedule creative time

Whilst it’s true creativity is a natural process, it does require some good old-fashioned elbow grease. So commit at least an hour each week (more if you can) and put it in your diary so you don’t forget.

5.  Don’t try to hard

OK this contradicts the last point but too much effort can stifle creativity. So if it’s not working, move on and try something else. If creating feels difficult, your critical head may be in the way and a cracking idea could be stifled. So when this happens…

6.  Sleep on it

Or take a walk. Discover what works to take you away from the moment. In your absence your subconscious will be hard at work. Then when you take a new look, you’ll be surprised at what shifted.

7.  Have fun

You’ve got to enjoy being creative. So stock up on stationery, use different colour pens, doodle, scribble, write on stickies and make your creative workspace fun. Let your expression be free and wait for those little gems to come running.

8.  Watch who you tell

New ideas need nurturing so protect your creativity with encouragement. It is useful to cast a critical eye, but avoid the drainers who knock your confidence and suck embryonic ideas into the void.

9.  Trust yourself

To be creative you must get out of your own way. So be observant with your thoughts and dispel those “well that’s a rubbish idea” comments. For sure some ideas will be a non-starter, but you never know which fleeting notion could be the one to transform your business.

10.  Finally watch how you speak to yourself

Call yourself creative, believe in your ideas, and ask how you could make an idea happen. Whatever you do don’t focus on the reasons why something won’t work.

So there you have it. Three reasons to be creative in business and some powerful tools to make it happen.

Over to you

But what have I missed? What gets you into the zone of creative explosion! And most importantly how have you used creativity to grow your micro business?

Please leave a comment and let me know.

Filed Under: How to Write Better
14 November 2012 By 4 Comments

4 Simple Techniques To Overcome Writer’s Block In Your Micro Business

How scary is that blank piece of paper?

You know you’ve got to get the words out whether it’s for a leaflet, your website or your blog. But somehow they just won’t flow.

And it means you get less done while your writing problem takes up time and space in your brain.

It’s a common problem.

I’ve spoken with a number of clients this week and they each told me they struggle to know what to write.

I think the problem is that words are pretty personal.

Your customers will make judgements about you and your business based on what you publish and that puts you on the line.

In addition, a positive response to your sales message is really important because that’s how you generate interest and grow a healthy business.

So unless you work with a professional copywriter, you need to find strategies to help you overcome these setbacks.

Here are four that always work for me.

1. Plan the night before

I make it a habit to plan my work the day before.

Time is my most valuable asset. And that means anything that helps me get more done in less time is worth my while.

Let’s say you need to write a blog post in the morning. Schedule that task into your diary for the following day so it becomes a commitment.

But don’t leave it at that.

If you try to write the post “cold”, it will take you longer. Instead write down the working title along with a rough outline for the content. Let’s say you’re going to write a top 10 tips post, work out what those tips are the night before. The key is to get clear on the key points you need to make.

And here’s what happens…

In the morning, instead of looking at a blank computer screen, you’ll already have an idea of what you want to write. This allows you to get into the zone quicker. In addition, you will have allowed your subconscious mind to process your ideas the night before. As such you’ll find your words will flow significantly easier and more complex ideas will also emerge.

This works for any type of business writing whether it’s your web copy, a leaflet or a sales letter.

Try it :-)

2. Don’t question what you write

When you first start writing, your message can be disjointed, awkward and very raw.

In addition, you have all that self-doubt running through your mind. “This is rubbish”. “I can’t write”. “I need to use better words that this”. “I don’t know what to say”.

The secret is to not let these thoughts stop you.

Instead, plough on through the clutter and just get anything down on the paper / computer screen.

Do that and you’ll allow the magic to happen.

You see, as to start to write, you’ll find your ideas start to crystallise. New thoughts will naturally evolve and your work will become stronger.

By just letting go and writing anything, you loosen the blockage.

Then you can go back and edit (that’s the bit I like best).

Read through what you’ve written and you’ll:

  • Identify where different points need to be re-ordered
  • Spot the waffle which can be cut completely
  • Find places where your message is too complicated
  • Spot typos and grammatical errors which you can correct
  • Think of additional points you need to include to make your message stronger
  • Re-work the headline so it attracts attention
  • Find sections which can be presented as bullets and lists instead of a paragraph etc.

And here’s the thing. It’s far easier to edit something down than beef it up later. So let those words flow!

3. Mindmap, list and brainstorm

You don’t have to write a perfect piece at the first attempt.

It can happen, but it’s rare.

So ease up on your expectations!

You don’t even need to start writing full paragraphs.

Instead do what you can to get the ideas out of your head and onto paper.

Doodle. Write key words. Use a mind map to identify how different points link. Figure out what works for you. I like post-it’s, different coloured pens and quality paper. My mad notes then germinate into the seed of something special.

And the reason for that is I allow plenty of thinking space.

I know, 500 words doesn’t seem a lot. But the difference between a really strong message and a weak one is the amount of thought that goes into it.

In fact, a significant part of my job as a copywriter is taken up as thinking time.

It’s what allows the right ideas to evolve.

4. Just write

I saved the best tip til last :-)

I promise you once you start you’ll find it easier to get going.

So write anything.

For sure you may not use a lot of what you write, BUT amongst all the clutter and confusion you will come across the little gems that can transform your marketing copy.

In fact, exploring and playing with words, ideas and concepts is one way of getting really good at solving your tough marketing problems.

What do you think?

Do you experience writer’s block? Do you get stopped advertising your business because you don’t know what to say? Do you find your critical mind prevents you from getting your words out? Tell me what happens for you in the comments below.

And if you want more tips to help you write better, join my mailing list – it’s free :-)

Filed Under: How to Write Better
20 October 2012 By 6 Comments

Is Your Small Business Website Letting You Down?

As a small business owner your website is your most valuable marketing tool.

It’s your base station. Your online home and the first place potential clients will visit to check you out.

But what does your website say about you and your business?

Does it actively coax potential customers to pick up the phone, or does it turn them off?

Is it winning you business or damaging your reputation?

Is it working as hard as you or is it letting you down?

Let’s find out…

1.  A living, breathing workhorse

Gone are the days when you could put up a website and tick it off as a “done job“.

If you have a static website that never gets updated, it’s time to rev it up a gear. Blog. Add a video. Amend your homepage. Write a FAQ page. Revise your meta descriptions. Review your About page.

Identify opportunities to keep your website fresh for readers and relevant for Google. Your business will benefit from your time and attention.

2.  Be congruent

Your outlook on business has probably changed since you first launched your website.

You learn new stuff. Get more experience. Understand customer drivers. Receive useful feedback. Identify new products. Change your offer.

Check your website’s message is in harmony with the impression you currently want to give customers. If it doesn’t. Change it.

3.  Showcase your personality

Your individuality is one of your biggest advantages as a business owner.

More often than not, people will want to do business with you because of you. So don’t be tempted to hide away behind your logo or your company name.

Instead set out to ensure visitors to your site get to know you.

Pin your picture in a prominent position on your website.

Give people an idea of what you’d be like to work with.

Build that likeability factor.

If people get a good feeling about you, they’ll give you a call.

4.  Grow your list

Permission marketing is one of the most cost effective tactics for touching base with customers. And you can use your website to collect the personal details you need to make it possible.

First time visitors are probably not ready to buy. But they may be interested in more information. If you can convince a potential customer to join your list, you can invest time nurtuting that relationship.

Firstly you need to offer a valuable free incentive to convince people to sign up.

And then you need a strategy to communicate with your list.

Explore an Autoresponder. Simply prepare a series of emails and send them out to a subscriber in a prescribed sequence. You determine the trigger and then over time new subscribers receive the exact same message as the people that have gone before them. It’s a great way to stay in touch, build your relationship and turn readers into buyers.

Blatant pitch alert: And if you want to see an autoresponder in action, simply sign up for my list :-) .

5.  Add value to your audience

I don’t know about you but I don’t want to be sold at.

In fact, I find blatant attempts to sell a total turn off.

But I am interested in hearing from people who enter into the conversations I’m already having. And I’m very interested in people  who offer a solution to my problems, or enable me to learn about the stuff that benefits me and my business.

You can use your website in a similar way.

For sure you need to talk about your products and services, but you can also provide a valuable resource of information to help people who are looking to fix the sorts of problems you solve. I’m talking about helping as a route to selling.

  • Write blog posts that solve common problems your target audience face.
  • Create a valuable free download in a similar vein.
  • Provide tips and ideas and give this away for free.
It won’t harm your business, and it won’t lose you customers. In fact, this type of content marketing can help you find and keep customers because:
  • You’ve demonstrated you know your stuff.
  • You’ve proven you can help. And…
  • When someone needs help, who do you think they’ll call?
You…

6. Make it easy to choose you

Customers should arrive at your site and be absolutely clear why they should work with you.

  • Tell them what makes you unique.
  • Make it clear why they should pick you over your competition.
  • Then tell your visitor exactly what you want them to do next with a clear call to action.

7. Get your words right

The web is noisy.

There are stacks of websites competing for the attention of your target customer. So how will you ensure you get them to stick around you?

The secret is in your words.

  • Write to persuade.
  • Talk your customer’s language.
  • Focus on benefits (not features).
  • Focus on your customer (not you).
  • Give people a clear reason to call (or sign up).
  • And be different.
You work too hard to be let down by your website. So have a look through it today and see what needs fixing. And if you have any questions, pop them in the comments below. I’d love to help :)

 

Filed Under: How to Write Better
18 September 2012 By 1 Comment

Why Helping Is The Quickest Route To Selling

This week, I’ve been thinking how business owners influence their customer perception and turn people off by saying the wrong things in their marketing.

Don’t focus on features

A common mistake is to focus on features. The problem with this approach is your offer then becomes a commodity which is easily comparable to competitors. This makes price the differentiator – and if you compete on price, someone can ALWAYS undercut you.

So if you’re trying to work out more effective ways to find and keep customers, keep reading because there is a more powerful approach…

You have to see yourself as being in the business of helping and solving problems for your customers. 

Which means when marketing don’t try to convince people to buy, instead concentrate on showing:

  1. Exactly how you help.
  2. What problems you can solve.

If you do this, your conversations with customers will completely change, because instead of focusing on cost, you position yourself as a very useful problem solver.

Now this might  sound obvious, but here’s what I discovered.
A lot of business owners don’t take this approach when promoting their business. Instead they might:
  • Focus on features (we’ve already mentioned that one).
  • Get inhibited and worry about what people might think (and so undersell).
  • Fear rejection, dumb down their efforts to persuade and therefore make what they thought was going to happen happen!
  • Get tied up and negotiate everything around price.
  • Make inaccurate assumptions about whether a prospect is suitable.

The trouble is, each of these approaches can cost you a customer.

Change your mindset

You have to move beyond the features of your business and instead hone in on the positive outcome a customer will experience if they buy from you (if there isn’t, I’d question whether your product is any good :-) .

Your job is to identify this benefit.

And then talk about it in your marketing and your face to face interactions

If you do this, you’ll shift the focus of your advertising into something that’s useful, not “sleazy” or pushy.

For example.

  • Instead of selling custom-made conservatory blinds - you allow a customer to use their beautiful (expensive) conservatory in the peak of the summer by keeping it cool enough to sit in
  • Instead of selling coaching – you empower an individual to work through the beliefs that hold them back and set them up to achieve what they thought was impossible. As a result they get more out of their life.
  • Instead of selling handmade jewellery - you help a woman create a totally unique look. She may attract attention, or get admired for her look or her great taste in jewellery. How could that make her feel?
  • Instead of selling a business support service like a Virtual Assistant - you save a busy business owner time and a headache by taking away the admin work they hate and allowing them to focus on the tasks only they can do.
Spot the difference?

Use content marketing to show how you help

Through content marketing you provide free relevant, useful information for your ideal customer will consume.

Through this information you position yourself as an authority, and stay in your customers mind. Then when they are ready to buy, they’re more likely to come to you.

It’s a slow burn process. After all it takes time to build up trust and the “like-ability: factor. But here’s the thing, you also give your customers the space to make a decision in their own time.

Here are four proven tactics for you to explore:

  1. Write a regular blog. Use it to share information that solves your customers’ problems.
  2. Include a case study in your next leaflet campaign showing how you helped a typical client (tip: choose the type of client that your business serves best).
  3. Create a series of videos that provides answers to your customer’s most pressing problem.
  4. Offer a free initial consultation where you offer advice.

Final thought

If you run your own business you have to be a salesperson.

But what do you perceive selling to be?

If you see it as a sleazy affair, you’re going to really struggle to find and keep customers. But if you see it as informing customers of a product / service that can genuinely help or solve that really annoying problem, you are suddenly doing something valuable.

You’ve also got to genuinely believe you can help. Because if you don’t, how can you expect your customers to?

I love Mark Cuban’s definition. In his book “How To Win At The Sport Of Business” he says the best salesperson is the one who:

  1. The customer trusts and never has to question.
  2. Knows that with every cold call made, he is closer to helping someone.
  3. Takes immense satisfaction from the satisfaction that the customer gets.

Isn’t it time you approached your own business in this way?

How does your business help? What problems are you solving? How have you tweaked your marketing to get this message across? Please tell me in the comments and let’s share some success stories.

Need some help with your content marketing?

Filed Under: Content marketing, How to Write Better
12 September 2012 By 6 Comments

Do You Make These Four Mistakes With Your Business Website?

As a small business your advertising budget is probably limited.

After all, you don’t want to be spending money on “stuff” that you’re not confident will deliver results.

And so if you’re relying on your website to attract attention, convert visitors and grow your reputation, it’s got to be good :-)

Does your website help you or hinder you?

As a copywriter who specialises in working with small businesses, I’ve noticed there are common mistakes micro business owners make with their website.

And these mistakes are costly because they turn customers off, fail to do justice to your business and potentially harm your reputation.

So what are they and how do you fix them?

Let’s find out…

1.  Uninspiring headlines

Let’s start with a startling statistic.

Around 8 out of 10 people will read your headline. But only 2 out of 10 people will read the rest of your message. 

So whilst a boring, predictable headline might get read (well scanned at least), if it doesn’t grab your target audience the rest of your words will go unnoticed. And let’s face it, it’s in the main body of your content where the real persuasion takes place.

Here’s the truth.

If your headline is poor, your target customers will never find out how you can help them – because they will never read on to discover what you offer.

Here are some clues to help you identify a poor headline.

  • It’s vague
  • It’s predictable
  • It fails to capture curiosity
  • It doesn’t stimulate desire

In fact, the most common poor headline I come across is this…

Welcome to “business name”

If you have this as the headline on your home page, please change it now!

Instead rev up your headlines and empower them to grab your customers attention and persuade them to take notice.

Here are five approaches with examples that work.

    1. Promise your big benefit. 
      • MailChimp promise “Easy Email Newsletters“. I want some of that!
      • SpinLessPlates offers to “Save time, grow your business & get more customers using small business software”. Sounds good to me :-)
    2. Pose a provocative question.
      • Arrive at Jon Morrow’s Guest Blogging Course and you’re met with this question –  ”Is this the secret to a popular blog?” You’ve just got to find out more haven’t you?
    3. Be descriptive and simple.
      • Coombe Mill Farm does this beautifully with “Family Friendly Farm Holidays”.
    4. Make an impressive claim (if it’s true!)
      • StudioPress do this really well and assert they are – “The industry standard for premium WordPress themes“.
    5. Tap into the “how-to” instinct.

Ready to fix? Review your headlines and rev them up using one of the five templates outlined above.

2. Forget to ask for the sale

Hot on the heels of boring headlines is the absence of a call to action.

If you don’t have a call to action on each page of your website, your conversion rates will take a serious hit.

It’s OK to be “bossy” and give a clear instruction of what you want your audience to do after reading your content. Actually, if you tell them exactly what to do next, you actually improve their experience of your website because you make it easy for them.

Effective call’s to action are always clear, specific and simple.

You can make it even easier with a big button!

And be straight…

  • Buy now.
  • Download your free report today.
  • Get the video (big arrow pointing to sign up box!)
  • Enter your email address here.
  • Read more

Etc. Etc… You get the picture.

Ready to fix? Don’t leave it to chance. Instead take control of your conversion. review each page of your website. Check it has a single call to action and hone the wording so it’s clear, specific and simple.

3. Focus on the wrong person

The next mistake is the ratio of you : we in your copy.

If you say “we” more than “you”, your customers will be turned off.

Customers are not that interested in what you think.

In fact, when they first land on your website they have just one question in mind…

“What’s In It For Me?”

If you fail to answer that question, you’re in trouble because your customer will zone out.  

A “we we” website sounds something like this…

“We manufacture and design the best blue widgets. We take pride in our manufacturing process and we believe our widgets are the highest quality in the market. That’s because we invest in our staff with an in-house training programme. Our widget selection is one of the best on the market and our widgets are versatile. We have over 50 years experience in making widgets and are known all over the world for them. Thanks for visiting our website”.

Boring hey?

The problem with a website writen from the business perspective is it does not tap into what the target customer is looking for.

You have less than a second to make a first impression.

If a visitor doesn’t think you are relevant for the problem they are trying to solve, they’re off.

Ready to fix? Look at your business through the eyes of a customer. What are they looking for? What do they want to read? How can you help them? Forget about what you think is important. Instead hone in on what matters to your customer.

And get the ratio right – make sure you add in copious amounts of the most powerful word in persuasive writing – YOU :-)

4.  Talk about the features

Here’s another really common mistake.

In your sales pitch are you focusing on the features of your product?

Let’s say you are selling loft ladders.

It’s tempting to focus on the features of the service. Things like what the ladder is made of, the fact it’s telescopic, how many rungs it has etc. But here’s the thing. Although this stuff is important, it doesn’t elicit any desire or excitement. And that’s because it doesn’t focus on the outcome.

So think again. What is the outcome of having a loft ladder?

It’s more about gaining safe access to all the lovely storage space that is currently going wasted in your loft. That’s the hook.

The lesson here is to make sure you’re focused on the right things.

Ready to fix? What outcome does your business offer to customers? Often this is very different from the features of your product or service. Work out what your customer’s life will be like if they use your business, and then focus on promoting that in your website.

What do you think?

What mistakes do you spot on websites? What elements of your website do you need to work on? What questions do you have? Let me know in the comments…

P.S: And if you’d like a hand to figure out what’s not working on your website check out my new website critique service. My 7 step action plan will help you identify the “mistakes” you are making and provide you with detailed actions you can take to ensure your website is fit for purpose.

 

Filed Under: How to Write Better, Why hire a copywriter
29 August 2012 By 2 Comments

Why Your Business Needs A Word Strategy Now

The concept of a business word strategy is very simple.

But it’s more than words…

It’s about saying the right things, in the right place to the right audience.

Or put another way, saying the right words, in the right marketing medium to your target market.

However, this simple definition disguises the hard work involved in putting one together.  And so you may have avoided doing one and instead taken an ad hoc approach and left it to chance. The problem with this approach is it’s a risk. You could get your message wrong, fail to appeal to your target customer or get ignored.

So yes, a word strategy is pretty important, and it’s worth the hard work if you want to:

  • Get understood
  • Build your reputation
  • Find more customers
  • Make more sales
  • Grow your business

Yet many business owners fail to pay sufficient attention to this valuable activity. In fact, they often see words as, well just words and neglect the strategic thinking that underpins saying the right thing.

If you want results, an audience and healthy sales you need a word strategy.

How to create a word strategy

There are three stages to creating a word strategy for your business:

  1. Right words
  2. Right place
  3. Right audience
Let’s look at each of those in turn…

1.  Write the right words…

First you need to know what your customer wants to read. And to find that out you need to do your research.

Aim to understand the keywords and phrases a target customer uses to find your products and describe their problems. You see, if you use their language, not only will you increase the likelihood of getting found on Google, you’ll also build rapport with the very people you want to be talking to.

Here are some practical strategies I use to discover the words my customers are using:

  • Ask :-) If you’ve signed up to my email list you would have been asked to let me know what your major challenges and issues are.  The reason for asking that is to ensure I can target my blog post writing so it tackles the things people want to read about. BUT in addition, this feedback also tells me precisely how readers are phrasing the problems they have. Information like that is gold dust.
  • Keyword research: SEO is not just about getting the attention of Google to boost your organic rankings, it’s also about using the words and phrases customers use to find your products and services. I use Copyblogger’s Scribe software, but there are loads of free keyword tools out there. Google’s is a great place to start.
  • Blog comments: As well as providing social proof, blog comments offer a further valuable insight into the heads of your target audience.
Once you’ve discovered what will interest your target customer you need to go about crafting the right message. And to do that you need to use persuasive writing techniques (copywriting).
Good persuasive writing has the following features:
  1. A headline that stands out and grabs the attention of your target customer
  2. Easy to read text with scannable subheads, short sentences and key points emphasised
  3. Focuses on the benefits of your product / service
  4. Uses YOU more than WE
  5. Evokes emotion and desire and persuades your reader to do / feel something
  6. Has a clear, specific and compelling call to action

2.  In the right place…

Next you need to combine the right message with the right medium. And that involves choosing the most appropriate method for your message given:

  • What you want to say
  • How the reader will benefit
  • What action you want them to take

There are so many options for getting your message out there that it can be overwhelming and difficult to know what’s the right choice.

However the right place is usually decided by what you want to achieve. Here are just some examples:

  • Grow your reputation as an expert is your niche: Content marketing is really effective for this. Consider things like blogging, guest blogging, article writing, answering forum questions etc. In short, seek out opportunities where you can demonstrate what you know.
  • Attracting traffic to your website: Strategies like PPC,  guest posting, quality blogging and social media networking can help.
  • Selling a product / service: Sales letters, dedicated landing page and an autoresponder series work well for this goal.
  • Building your email list: Add an email opt in form to your website, then incentivise subscriptions with a free expert product.

The opportunities are endless and your creativity (and time) are your only limitations.

3. To the right audience…

Finally the big key.

You may have the best message and have combined it with the perfect medium, but if you put your words in front of the wrong people you’ve completely wasted your time and effort.

So how do you find the right audience?

The first thing you must do is know who your ideal customer is. Some businesses make the mistake of believing their target audience is everyone. Unless you’re a multi-national, mass market producer of something likes crisps or snacks this is almost never true. Instead you need to acknowledge your niche and get really clear and specific on who you best appeal to.

This takes some time and effort, but it’s well worth it. If you want some structure to help you identify your target customer, read this post.

Ready to start working on your word strategy?

I’ll explain more in future posts. But in the meantime, if you’d like to talk things over with a wordie, drop me an email to georgina@gemwriting.co.uk or leave your questions in the comments below.

And if you’d like to work together on your word strategy, check out my new consultancy and critique services.

Filed Under: Content marketing, How to Write Better, Micro Business Tools
6 August 2012 By 9 Comments

What Mo Farah’s 10k Victory Can Teach You About Smarter Business Writing

Where were you on “Super Saturday“?

As Mo Farah crossed the finish line to achieve that historic 10k gold medal, I was leaping around my lounge, in an adrenaline fuelled frenzy of joy and elation!

And with the emergence of this new breed of role models, it seems the summer’s Games are set to achieve Seb Coe’s ambition to “inspire the next generation“.

But if you’re more likely to face a race to get your next sales letter out on time, how can exploring the performance of a world class endurance runner help you?

Let me explain…

1.  Set your goal

Mo Farah’s performance in the 10k was simply stunning.

But to achieve that gold medal goal, Mo needed a strategy. From his intensive training regime, special diet, mental preparation and practice races, Mo needed to ensure he had the experience and capacity to deliver big when it mattered.

And the same applies to your business writing.

Whether your goal is to sell more products, grow your authority or build your audience, you need a tactical strategy to make it happen.

The tactics you use will depend on your business objectives but could include:

  • Blogging to direct traffic to your website
  • Social media to forge relationships
  • Face to face networking to meet new customers
  • Sales literature to explain your offer etc…

2.  Craft your plan

World class endurance runners don’t just show up at the start line and hope for the best.

Instead they have a clear plan for achieving their goal. In Mo’s case, his American coach Alberto Salazar said the plan was:

“To win it in the last 100 metres“.

And that’s precisely what Mo did. Throughout the race he maintained a strong position, but wasn’t aggressively pushing for the lead. Instead he held out and stuck to his race tactics which saw him “kick” at precisely the right moment. As a result he delivered a mesmerising sprint to the finish that saw him accelerate past and overcome his competition.

And so with your writing.

Start with a goal.

Next construct your plan.

  • Draft up a rough outline of key points.
  • Write your subheads to signpost your reader and form the backbone of your message.

Write!

  • Get a strong start. You’ll need a compelling headline to capture the attention and imagination of your audience because what you say will determine who follows you into the rest of your “race”.
  • Don’t get sidetracked. Avoid waffle, stay focused and take the shortest route to get your message across.
  • Keep your reader’s orientated. Runner’s use the lap count down and the last lap bell. Reader’s use your subheads, bolds, italics and other emphasis tactics.
  • Aim to leave an impression with your audience that lingers after your reader has finished.

3.  Practice, practice, practice

“What you put into it is what you get out” –  Mo Farah. 

In the lead up to the race Mo worked hard. Exceptionally hard. In fact he was running 120 miles week in, week out. It’s that kind of aggressive commitment to a goal that makes world class success possible.

And you need to do that with your writing.

Writing is a skill that gets better with practice. And yes it is hard work! So be prepared for those days when the words don’t flow and your writing sucks! And if it helps, although the A-list bloggers make it look easy, their inspiring, challenging and thought provoking articles are the result of hard slog, practice and persistence.

So if you want to write well you need to practice. Practice makes you better.

With practice you’ll gain confidence, develop a better technique and achieve more impressive results.

In fact, the more you write, the more material you’ll be able to reflect back on. In truth, I cringe at some of the stuff I wrote early on in my career, but its that history, dedication and ability to reflect that’s made me better.

4.  Deliver a polished performance when it matters most

Despite the pressure and expectations of a nation, Mo delivered.

In fact, like all of the elite athletes we’ve seen at this summer’s games, you could say he made it look relatively easy!

Mo ran 10000m in just 26 min 46.57 secs and tactically it was a brilliant race.

So don’t be fooled.

That perfect advert, compelling sales letter or thought-provoking article posted by your competitor was unlikely to have been rushed out. Instead it’s the result of a huge amount of behind the scenes work.

The lesson here is whenever you publish anything, make sure it’s your best. And don’t try to short-cut the outcome. Don’t skimp on your planning and preparation. Do that and your published work will suffer.

You can make mistakes behind the scenes, but proofread and edit your work carefully to ensure your reader’s get the polished end product.

5.  Develop the confidence to know you can do it

To excel at sport you’ve got to develop an unshakable mental belief as well as the physical strength, stamina and endurance.

Athletes often use visualisation.

Athletes see themselves running a perfect race and this fuels their confidence and belief that they’ll be able to do it in reality.

First you’ve got to believe in your product / service, and then you’ve got to believe in your writing. If your message is incongruent, your target customer will find you out and your credibility will suffer.

6.  Get a second opinion

Top athletes don’t train alone. They hire a coach.

In Mo’s case he moved his family to Oregon to train with Alberto Salazar.

Salazar helped Mo improve his race. For example they used shorter-distance races to work on his “kick”. This tactic allowed Mo dominate the closing lap and deliver a mesmerising sprint finish.

Consider getting expert help for your writing.

Often you can be too close to your business to see what’s holding you back. A writing coach (formal or informal) or a copywriter will offer fresh eyes and a different perspective and help you identify what’s working and what needs tweaking. Your bottom line (and influence) will benefit.

7.  Harness your personality

We’re in love with Mo and the nation has backed him (and the rest of Team GB) with overwhelming intensity.

And so to in your business. People buy from people they know, like and trust so use your writing to help you achieve that.

If you run a very small business you need to take account of your likeability factor. So let your personality shine as it could be one of your unique selling points.

8.  Engage your audience

80k people packed the Olympic Stadium on “Super Saturday” and countless more were watching at home. The audience were fully engaged and as the laps notched up we were on the edge of our seats!

When writing for your business, you must keep your audience close to your heart. You too need to keep them engaged and interested

Mo was quick to acknowledge the role that the crowd played in his victory and in doing so made the win about us and not just about him. As such we felt close to that gold medal and our interest levels exploded.

When writing hone in on what’s in it for your audience.

  • What are they going to get out of reading what you have to say?
  • How will they benefit from acting upon what you want them to do?
  • Why should they buy, download, visit, click, phone, email etc.

If you haven’t got a compelling case, your audience will tune out and turn off.

And don’t dismiss long copy.

It’s true the 10k doesn’t give the instant gratification you get with the 100m sprint. Instead of just under 10 seconds we needed to wait nearly half an hour for Mo’s victory. However that was fine because we were entertained.

The lesson here is well written long copy does work. So don’t dismiss its use in your business.

9.  Tell a story

Tell a good story and you’ll captivate your audience and get customers talking about your business.

Take Mo.

In the lead up to the Games he became the first contestant to beat The Cube.

Then he became the first UK runner to win the 10k Olympic crown.

Next he let us share his moment with his family. It was fascinating watching his young daughter and heavily pregnant wife join him on the track to celebrate his achievement.

Think about how can you weave stories into your business writing?

Consider testimonials, tales of customers benefitting from your products and services, analogies and anecdotes to make your point. Emotions to generate a response that goes deeper than a superficial read. As is the power of words to make an impact, anything is possible…

10.  Stay hungry

An Olympic gold may be the pinnacle of an athletic career, but top athletes don’t get complacent. Of course they celebrate, but before long they’ll be reflecting on what went well and where they can improve for next race.

They’ll want to break records and sprint faster, jump higher, run further…

You too need to reflect on your performance.

How can you be your best?

How can you improve your writing? Do you need to work on your headlines, focus on your storytelling or improve your call to action?

Get complacent and the competition will outsmart you.

Instead stay focused on improving, and you just might achieve the equivalent gold medal for your business.

Filed Under: How to Write Better
16 July 2012 By 3 Comments

The Real Truth About Copywriting And Why It’s A Critical Skill For Your Micro Business

Sell you benefits NOT your features!

When working with a new micro business this is one of the first pieces of advice I give.

You see, in order to sell, inform, influence or persuade, you have to make it crystal clear how what you are about to say will add value to your target reader.

Achieve this, and you’ll open the channels of communication and encourage your audience to start thinking how your product or service may be worth a closer look. Fail, and your reader will turn off and tune out.

Enter copywriting…

So just what does a copywriter do?

Now bear with me, this isn’t a sales pitch!

You see, if you write your own advertising or marketing, understanding exactly what a copywriter does will improve your approach and help you write better.

Let me explain…

Yes copywriting is all about writing words. But that definition is just too simplistic. You see it’s not just about writing words.

It’s about writing the right words.

And here’s a further distinction. It’s not just about the ability to write good English.

In fact, a number of tools and techniques you learnt at school can actually undermine your ability to write to persuade. And if you strip away everything else, that is precisely what good copywriting is all about.

Copywriting is a skilled form of writing that uses words to persuade the reader to take some form of action.

So what are the right words?

OK now we’re starting to get into the real nitty gritty of what a copywriter does and how this skill can add real value to your business.

We’ve established it’s about writing the right words…

And here’s where the complexity starts. Because to find those, your first have to work through a process.  This involves:

  • Choosing the right angle to present your sales message.
  • Uncovering the right approach so your target customer reads your advert, editorial, blog, sales letter, website etc. and feels you’re speaking directly to them.
  • Finding the right initial hook to entice your reader to take a closer look.

And so that 500 word sales letter may not look that long. BUT the length disguises the amount of thinking time, idea generation and research that goes into making it hit the spot and sell.

And here is where the skill of copywriting will add some serious value to your business.

I work with a lot of micro businesses who are looking to improve the message their customers read. I enjoy working with a variety of clients, but I always like to talk with the business owner and talk in depth about what the business does.

Here’s an example.

Stop smoking…

I recently spent some time advising a hypnotherapist about the right angle to use to sell her stop smoking services. Whilst hypnotherapy may be an effective technique, to communicate that message we needed to get the approach right.

First we talked about how the hypnotherapy works. We discussed some of the reasons it may be preferable to other cessation methods. Next we identified the type of people who would most likely benefit. We pinned them down to people who had tried other methods but failed, but were committed to quitting and wanted to find a method that could really work.

Next we focused on some of the phrases and words that would work, and some of the approaches we could use to get her flyer noticed and acted upon.

You see it’s not just about telling someone what you’ve got to sell and inviting them to buy. Instead it’s about working up a concept that positions your business as the solution to their problem (or creating desire) and then telling them what they need to hear to respond and action.

So in reality copywriting is a process of discovery. Of asking the right questions and finding the right content. Of getting the right structure and the ordering of the words. Of embedding the right call to action and using the right tone, language and phrases. It’s not just about the words that end up on the paper.

It’s about the thought process that goes on behind the scenes. Because that’s where the real magic happens.

What’s the lesson?

If you need to write something for your business don’t break it down into a word count. All this does is chip away at what’s really involved with the job.

Instead factor in the time you’ll need to build that winning concept.

Always start a copywriting job with some thinking space. I grab a really sharp pencil or a fine nibbed biro and have a scribble. I often use mind-maps to jot down top level thoughts and then let my mind laterally take me to new ideas or make new connections. Other times I’ll make a list of key points or probing questions to see what that uncovers.

Then I’ll question what I’ve written. I’ll look at it from different angles and always take a look from the target customer’s perspective and get a feel for how they will respond. This helps me work out what’s a winner and what won’t work.

So you see successful copywriting it’s not just about writing

You also have to be able to understand people. In fact the more experience of different jobs, lifestyles, individuals etc, the more ideas you’ll have to draw upon. And so you have to be a good listener. You have to be able to ask the right questions that cut through the noise and hone  in on that little gem that could transform your message.

So next time you need to write some copy for your business, check your approach.

Do you automatically grab the keyboard, bash out a few words and consider it done?

Or do you take the time to plan, create and craft your approach.

The first will get your message out there – but the danger is it may not be the right one. At best it might get read, but worse it may damage your reputation or your product.

Or do you allow the time to find the right angle, look through your customers eyes and edit ruthlessly. If the idea of doing that fills you with a cold sweat, or if you simply do not have the time or passion to fall in love with your words. Do your business a favour and hire a copywriter!

Now tell me about your writing experiences. How do you write copy for your business? What works for you? What do you struggle with? Please share and tell me in the comments.

Filed Under: How to Write Better, Why hire a copywriter
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