Sales Come First

This article contains TWO very important statements. And if you get these two points then you’re in a great position to go and make some BIG money.

But if you ignore them then you’re doomed to be like every other business. The businesses that truly ‘get’ the power of what I’m saying here will live and breathe it, and implement it in every part of their business. It becomes the CORE of their business.

Now, they say that the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. If that’s true then surely the quickest way to a person’s wallet is through their hearts.

And that’s because people buy on emotion and justify it with logic.

OK, its worth repeating that because it is at the core of direct response marketing.

People buy on EMOTION, and justify their decision with LOGIC.

After all, why do people buy big houses when they can live in any old house?

Or buy a BMW when any old car will get them around.

And why do people use the same tradespeople time and time again (even when they cost more) when chances are, anyone will do the same job?

You see, to sell something to somebody you have to get inside their minds and their hearts. What annoys them? What are they afraid of? What do they secretly desire?

What is the conversation that’s constantly going through their head?

What keeps them lying awake at night?

What’s the problem they have that they want to be solved and, more importantly how will they FEEL when that problem has been solved?

Understanding your prospect is critical if you want to sell to them. In fact, that leads me to the second critical thing you NEED to remember.

You are not selling a product or service. You are selling the feelings associated with what your product or service will do for them.

Women don’t like being seen as a nobody. But your handbag will make them look important. How will they feel when they’ve got it? How do they feel now they don’t have it.

People want to be in safe hands when they build a house, or go to a medical specialist of any kind. How will they feel when they’ve got the right person? How do they feel now they dont have then?

Job seekers want an unfair edge over other candidates. How will they feel when they’ve got it? How do they feel now they dont have it?

What are the feelings your prospect really wants out of your product or service?

Spend time working this out. Ask them. Observe them. Hang around internet forums and read their magazines. Go where they go and eavesdrop on their conversations.

Get inside their heads and you’ll have heaps of content for your advertising.

Next week I want to tell you something you should be incorporating into your sales copy if you want people to stay glued to it.

Until then, all the best

Hugh Thyer

<Are you looking for a copywriter for your next project? Contact Hugh at www.salescomefirst.com to discuss your needs>

I’m writing this in the middle of the week, not when I usually write my articles.

And the reason for this is because I’m pissed off. I’m really irritated at the blinkered mentality of so many people who are getting into business and just DON’T understand what business they’re in!

Now I’m confident that YOU, my reader understands this, but sad to say that 90% of businesses out there DON’T understand this.

It doesnt matter whether you sell cars, service photocopiers, plan weddings, sell eBooks or sell real estate. You are NOT in those businesses.

You are in the RELATIONSHIP business. Developing and fostering long term relationships and trus with your clients. Getting them to see the value in what you have to offer. Getting them to trust you and believe in you. They are your flock. YOUR clients.

And the real kicker has been over the topic of emails lately. I keep coming up against a wall of objection whenever I dare mention sending anything via *gasp* the post! I hope you haven’t just falled off your chair at the mere mention of old fashioned paper. Yes. That’s right…PAPER and INK.

People keep telling me that emails are better. You can track email responses, people prefer to read emails, and they’re more cost effective.

And you know what? They’re right! But let me also say this. Even though they’re right, they are dangerous to your business.

1. You can track email responses. OK. So what. People are more likely to delete your emails than read them. What’s the use of a bunch of statistics showing me that people are opening them? What help is it if I know bugger all people are opening my emails. I want READERSHIP not statistics. I’d rather not have the hard numbers, than have raw numbers showing me I’m doing the wrong thing. Physical mail works, the best marketers in the world have PROVEN time and time again. People like Dan Kennedy and Pete Godfrey. And they know a little more on the topic than some guy who’s just opened his first business let me tell you.

2. People prefer to read emails. Yep, because they’re quick and easy to discard. Open it, scan it and discard it. Listen, I get a couple of monthly newsletters and when they hit my mailbox I rip them open and devour them there and then. Its because they’re full of great content and done correctly. And nothing helps foster a relationship than something in your hand. If its physical it has more value. After all, do you want a card from your mother for Christmas, or an email? Which is more personal? Which fosters the RELATIONSHIP more?

3. Emails are more cost effective. According to what criteria? Yes, you can email 200 people for, well, nothing. But would you rather send 200 emails for $0 which might bring in $100 to your business or spend $200 sending newsletters which bring in $1500 to your business? Sorry folks, response rates mean NOTHING. What counts is money. If you make more money doing somethng then that’s the strategy you use. You can take your response rates and I’ll take the money.

Bottom line is this. It costs more money to get new clients than to retain old ones. So you have to be prepared to spend a little money to keep your existing clients clinging to you.

Physical mail, whether its a newsletter or just a sales letter/promotion have a much higher perceived value. I know someone who built a million dollar accounting practice in 2 years, and his number ONE marketing strategy was the humble old monthly newsletter. And after he retired for a few years he did it all over again. His strategy? Yep, monthly newsletters.

His clients valued them and the information in them. They knew he knew his stuff, and saw him as the EXPERT. They enjoyed the personal touch. And he kept his retention rate at nearly 100% DESPITE continuing to double his prices.

So when you think about emailing people or sending them mail, if you’re a physical business working with REAL prospects in your country then do not make the mistake of going the cheap and nasty option and sending a (deletable) email. Send them something real instead. They’ll appreciate it, and will stay your client for life. Remember, you’re in the RELATIONSHIP business.

Now, just a couple of things…

One. I am not saying to ONLY send physical things to people. A combination of different marketing media including email, website, letters, newsletters, faxes, phone calls should be used to get your messages across. Emails have their place in business. Only that place isn’t for lead generation or regular newsletters.

Two. When I say lead generation as well, I mean making initial contact with prospects. If you are targeting people you can reach via the post then do it this way. Treated right, a client has a high lifetime value, so don’t be scared of spending some money. It will be repaid many times over.

Three. Technology isn’t everything. Don’t be sucked into thinking the world only responds to email. They don’t. And dont be sucked in to thinking that if you’re a technology company you’ll look stupid if you send something in the mail. You’re thinking about yourself if you do this, not your prospect.

OK. Next week we’ll be getting back on track again. Its a similar topic to this anyway, looking at online marketing and what business you’re really in.

I’ll go calm down now, and if you have any comments please post them. I’ve got my flame-proof suit on today so even if you agree or disagree I don’t mind.

And next week I’m going to show you how to wriggle your way inside the mind of your prospect. You can’t sell to ‘em if you don’t understand them so this will be a goodie!

All the best,

Hugh

<Are you looking for a copywriter for your next project? Contact Hugh at www.salescomefirst.com to discuss your needs>

First of all a bit of a warning.

Not long ago I wrote about the importance of educating yourself. And I mentioned books, CDs, DVDs as places you could learn about copywriting and marketing.

But one place I didn’t mention was online forums. And there’s a very good reason for it too.

You see, you never know WHO is giving the advice on these forums. OK, if you’re there long enough you get to know the people who know what they’re talking about and those who don’t. But for most people its difficult to know who the experts are.

Look. I’ve seen enough advice on these forums to be positively dangerous. I remember one thread where people were complimenting someone on their sales copy until someone (who actually knew what they were talking about) stepped in and set them all straight.

So unless you know who is giving you advice, its best ignored.

Now, this week I want to go through something that I’ve written about several times before. Its the opening of your sales letter or page.
That’s because the opening part of your sales copy is so damned important it cannot be left to chance. When I write, I probably spend about 50% of my time on the first page, or for online copy the first screen.

If you don’t grab their attention and get their interest straight away then its game over. The prospect’s gone and they ain’t coming back. All you’re left with is the sound of their money flying away into the distance.

Now, I’ve written about the importance of your headline recently so I wont cover that again. But what I want to cover is what happens straight after that.

As you know, your headline’s job is to get people to read the first line. And the job of the first line is to get them to read the first paragraph. And of course, the job of the first paragraph is to get them to read the rest.

So instead of giving you loads of theory on how to write openings, why dont I just give you some easy to copy openings you can use right away. After all, copywriting’s all about using proven principles and formulas and here’s a few you can use straight out of the box.

1. Use a grabber. I wont go into the grabbers themselves, because I wrote about it here:

http://salescomefirst.com/lumpy-mail/

But the way you open with a grabber is (using a poker chip as an example):

“As you can see I have attached a poker chip to the top of this letter.

Why have I done this?

Well, for two reasons actually. The first is to get your attention, and I think I’ve done that.

The second is because most people are taking a far bigger gamble on their health than they realise, so I wanted you to think about whether YOU’RE taking a big risk with yours.”

Another proven opening is the if…then opening. Here’s an example

“If you’re worried that your superannuation fund may not be enough for retirement then this may be the most important letter you’ll ever read. Here’s why…”

The third one I’m going to give you is the Wall Street Journal opening. I won’t reproduce it all here but the opening itself is:

“On a beautiful late spring afternoon, twenty-five years ago, two young men graduated from the same college. They were very much alike, these two young men. Both had been better than average students, both were personable and both–as young graduates are–were filled with ambitious dreams for the future.”

And it goes on from there by describing how one person is very successful and the other is not. The difference, of course, is that one used your product and the other didnt.

Now these three openings are as old as the hills, but guess what. They still work! I use these very regularly myself and I’m not the only one.

One of my aims of these posts is to teach you what works and what doesn’t so you dont have to waste time trying and falling over on your own. So this one is another gold nugget that should get you writing good copy heaps faster.

Next week I’m going to talk about the role of the internet in your business. Is it your business, and if its not, what IS your business?

All the best,

Hugh

<Are you looking for a copywriter for your next project? Contact Hugh at www.salescomefirst.com to discuss your needs>

…I’d be run out of town.

That’s because a good magician NEVER reveals their tricks. Well I’m opening up my bag of tricks here and I’ve found a couple of great tricks that you’ll just love.

Why? Because they’re easy to understand and even easier to implement. Plus they’re critical if you want to break down your prospect’s defences so they’ll let you in.

***BUT I HAVE TO WARN YOU FIRST***

Some people WILL be offended by this post. If you’ve got sensitive skin, you better stop reading now because I don’t want to wake up tomorrow to an inbox full of unsubscribers.

OK, since you’re still reading let’s begin. It’s called “Its Not Your Fault”. You see, as business owners, marketers, entrepreneurs we all take responsibility for our actions. We know our success AND failures are a direct result of our actions. In short, if we fail…it’s generally OUR fault! But you can’t tell your prospect that, can you.

Imagine how your diet prospect will feel when you tell them its THEIR fault they’re overweight, or never succeeded at a diet. May as well kiss that sale goodbye. You have to tell them its not their fault. That the diet industry is out to get them. That they want you to fail. Rightly or wrongly this is what they want to hear, and if you tell them this they’ll listen to you.

If you’re in the financial industry you have to tell them it’s not THEIR fault they’re poor. Its those barstads at the bank, or the people behind the stock market who stole all their money, or their financial planner who gave them bad advice. Tell them this and they’ll be looking at you for salvation.

So make sure you take the blame away from them. Even if it IS their fault, make sure you tell them its not. If you blame them for their problem then you’ve got no hope of bonding with them, and making the sale.

Second, the power of Frequently Asked Questions. The FAQ in your marketing is often a critical factor. Especially in a hard mailing. Its because people have objections to the sale, and the FAQ is where they can go to have those objections overcome. Its a popular piece of any mailing, so make sure you use it.

Remember, your FAQ is to solve objections. If your prospects ask the same questions over and over, they’re telling you why you haven’t got their money. So make sure you include a FAQ sheet in any offline promotion. And even if you don’t have the questions, just make the questions up based on what YOU think the biggest objections are.

For online promotions you can still have a FAQ section in your sales page. Only difference is its in your main page.

Here’s a couple of notes for FAQ pages.

1. List the questions you answer at the top. It makes it much easier for your prospect to find the question they’re after.

2. Put a call to action on each page. Whether you remind them on the footer of have it as some of the questions doesn’t matter. What matters is you remember that the FAQs are part of your sales process, so make sure they’re doing the job for you.

OK, its time to close up the trick bag again, and next week I’m going to show you two really great ways to open your sales letters.

All the best,

Hugh

<Are you looking for a copywriter for your next project? Contact Hugh at www.salescomefirst.com to discuss your needs>

Hi folks,

When I was young(er) I rowed. And the thing with rowing was how easy it looked from outside the boat. You watched the senior crews training and it all looked so effortless. Just put the oar in the water, pull back and do it again. In fact I wondered why the top crews even needed to train so much. They knew what they were doing.

And so when I first jumped into a boat to give it a go, I thought I’d pick it up easily. Let me tell you we had a boat full of kids doing all sorts of different things. Nobody was co-ordinated or in time, and the boat barely went straight. In fact, it barely went at all! Oars and arms and legs were all over the place.

You see, often things done really well look really easy. Actually, I’m convinced that the easier something looks the harder it is and the more work somebody had to put in. Like watching cricket or football, soccer or tennis. Those pros make it looks really easy. But how many hours do you think they spent in the cricket nets, or taking shots on goal or belting a tennis ball to different parts of a court. The better they are, the more time they spent and the easier they make it look.

And so I wanted to share with you how much work it takes to be a good copywriter. The best copywriters in the world produce sales copy that feels like they just dictated a conversation. All so eay. Anyone can do that! I remember the first time I tried to write sales copy. Man what an embarrassment. I sat down ready to write like Gary Halbert and nothing came out. I didnt know where to start. I wrote a sentence then deleted it. Another sentence then deleted it again. Couldn’t believe how hard it was.

So it was back to study for me. In my time I’ve read countless books, manuals, attended seminars, been part of coaching groups, downloaded audio and listened to them in the car, watched seminars on DVD – pen and paper in hand, read transcripts of coaching sessions, been coached. You name it, I’ve done it.

I spend easily $10,000 – $15,000 a year educating myself. Several mornings a week are put aside without exception to study my art. I watch seminars on DVD or read books or copy out sales letters by hand. And the benefits have been dramatic. You see, the reality is that every word or sentence written is carefully considered. Nothing happens by accident. And all that has to be learnt by hard work and study. As I study I implement the ideas and concepts.

The reason is simple, and let me jump back to sport for a second again. I am a runner, and I watch a lot of marathon runners training (too far for me personally!) The ones that fascinate me are the ones who run at the same pace day after day without ever changing it. What do you think happens? They run the same time for their marathon every time they go out there. They’re stuck at the one pace. The only way they can improve is to push their limits and boundaries. Run faster sometimes, or run further. Go over some hills. If they just push themselves beyond their one pace then new personal bests are just around the corner.

Its the same for people in business too. If I never learnt new things or tried new ideas I would have stayed at the same level. Even now I learn every day. Its the same for you too. You should become a student of direct response marketing in your own business. Learn what works and how the best in the business do it. Pay to sit at the foot of the master and be taught. Because everyone who has done this diligently has become successful. And the more money they spent on a quality education the more money came their way.

So take my advise and put time aside each week to learn this stuff. Buy some manuals and courses. Get a mentor. Experiment. Read, watch DVDs, listen to the experts.

One of my mentors is one of Australia’s top copywriters, and do you think he’s learnt everything he can? No way. He STILL reads for hours a week, attends seminars and has mentors of his own. Nobody should ever think they know enough to stop learning. Once you do that, you’re finished.  

Just be careful of two things.

1. The people you take advice from. For example, taking advise on internet forums is dangerous because you dont know who’s giving it, and

2. Borrowing training materials, getting a copy of materials others have paid for or getting your hands on material for nothing that you know you should have paid for. Maybe you understand why I say this. If you dont, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll explain it further…

Next week I’m going to introduce you to a couple more ‘copy clicks’. This is where I open up the copywriters toolbox and show you the tools we use to create winning promotions.

All the best,

Hugh

<Are you looking for a copywriter for your next project? Contact Hugh at www.salescomefirst.com to discuss your needs>