We got this in the mail – which is similar to what many other chains do, but they did it even better.

My husband got this in the mail, opened it, and it was full of coupons that were EXACTLY the products we buy. Not things they thought we *might* be interested in, but actually stuff we buy and things that go along with the stuff we buy regularly.

He grabbed it and ran it in to my office.

“Nik, look at this. I can just take this right to the store and it's like a shopping list for me.”

And that's exactly what he did, which is why I can't scan and show you the inside. It's completely empty.

What do you think?

• Do you think this would be effective or not?
• Would you have noticed this?
• Would you have used it?
• What would you do to make this piece more effective?

Relate it to your business… 

• Is your lead and customer followup extremely targeted or is it all over the place? For instance, I signed up to learn about natural pet care and what I really wanted was just tips about dogs, since that's what I have. But they've been sending me tips about everything from birds to ferrets to horses.. and I've stopped opening their emails.
• Are you offering very highly targeted opportunities for your peeps?

Recommended Resource:

Business Training: Sticky List Profits

We’ve all been told, “The Money is in the List” but often when we try to get that money from the list, we find that’s it’s just a bit more complicated than that. It would be nice if we could just put a sign-up box onto our website and the money could started rolling in. Of course, it doesn’t work that way.

I used to bust my butt and send out elaborate emails that took FOREVER to put together. And, I was too scared to actually SELL anything  which makes it pretty hard to make money.

If that sounds like you, our new training program “Sticky List Profits” can help you earn more with your email list, too.

Click Here to Learn More

Talk to me.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. Missed previous Marketing posts like this one? Here are a few more.

It's pretty freaking hilarious, and has gotten over  17 million views at the time of this post.

Viral is good, right? Well, yes and no. But we'll discuss that in a minute.  Before we do, if you haven't yet, enjoy the video.

After you've watched it, scroll down…

.

.

.

ok. Now let's talk.

I had watched this video and did not notice the company name at the end. Well, I did, but it went right out of my head and didn't mean anything to me.  Did you?

I'd just assumed it was an ad for one of the bigger feminine product companies and didn't even make the connection – until my 12 year old daughter was watching it with a friend and laughing.

They walked into my office and I said “Oh the moon party video. That was funny. What company did that video anyway?”

They both shrugged and said “I don't know.”

That's when I realized that i didn't know either.   That's not the best marketing. ESPECIALLY since I'm their target market – mom with pre-teen girl.

By the way, so you don't have to rewatch it, the end of the video says “Hello Flo, the gift before the gift”.

No URL, no explanation, no nothing. I don't get it.

What do you think?

• Effective or not?
• If not, what would you do to make this piece more effective?

Talk to me.

By the way, if you're interested in learning more about this company and aren't freaked out by talk of “Lady bits” then check out the scoop on https://helloflo.com – Oh wait. I guess they did get some marketing out of the video after all.

Warmly,

Nicole Dean

PS. Missed previous Marketing posts like this one? Here are a few more.

How to Get the Attention of your Target Audience
through Short Copy (when you have only a moment to do so). 

Because most social media posts are considered short copy and also because email marketing has never been more competitive to get the person to open your email, I wanted to ask her to share her smarts with you.

So, in the video (and transcript) below, she answers the following questions.

1. What do you mean exactly when you say “Short Copy?”
2. Why is it important to have short copy that works better?
3. What is one tip that people watching this can take immediately and walk away with.
4. Why does everyone watching this need your product?

You can check out her new course here:

Short Copy Success Secrets

If you prefer to read the interview, you can do that here:

Hi Nicole. It’s Karon Thackston. I got your email and I thought it would be way easier to answer the questions that you had about short copy. This way is whole lot more fun too, than just sending an email. I printed out all of your questions and want to take a few minutes to go over them. In your message you’re talking about the new Short Copy Success Secrets product that Christine Cobb and I developed.

What do you mean exactly when you say short copy?

Our definition of short copy is little tiny snippets of text that hold a lot of weight and power.

They don’t work by themselves. They are the first step in kicking off some important process.

Included in the short copy category would be

• headlines,
• blog post title,
• article titles,
• tweets or other types of social posts,
• bullet points within copy,
• email subject lines,
• PPC ads,
• Pinterest pins,
• and all sorts of different tiny little snippets of text.

These snippets aren’t very long but they are all important because of their place in the process. Short copy doesn’t work alone.

When you have a blog post, that title can literally make or break the success of the post. When people see the title that you’ve posted all around the net, they read it on your blog, or if you send out an email announcing that there is a new post on your blog the title is all they are going by. Nine times out of ten even if you include a snippet of text or a paragraph or two from the blog post that doesn’t get read. Your visitors or perspective visitors will read the title and that’s all they’re going to read.

The same goes for email subject lines. If you are sending out email campaigns your email subject line is make or break. That is what people will read and they’ll decide whether or not to open your email or trash it.

PPC ads are the same type of thing. You get this little tiny bit of text that can’t possibly sell on its own. Its goal is to drive traffic to a landing page that converts visitors into paying customers.

The same goes for everything else such as bullet points inside copy. Bullet points are extremely important because they are very scannable for one thing. Due to the difference in the formatting they immediately draw the eye to that one particular section. If you blow it in your bullet points people probably aren’t going to read too much further.

All of these different things are included in the short copy. Any tiny snippet of text that is responsible for driving visitors to a next step would be included in the short copy.

Why is it important to have short copy that works better?

In the many years that I’ve been writing business copy for all sorts of different clients through Marketing Words which is my copywriting services company, I have seen that you have to pay as much attention or more to the short copy that’s involved in any type of marketing campaign.

We talked about emails and the importance of the email subject line, and we talked about blog posts and PPC ads and how vital those are. If you are doing a social media campaign, especially if you are auto-posting you’re going to have to learn how to master the 140 characters or less post. If you post longer than something on Twitter and you’re also including Facebook or Linked in, writing your posts for those type of websites which are much longer is not going to come across well on Twitter. If you are doing multiple posts on multiple different social media sites you might as well just be writing at that 140 character mark, which is Twitter’s limit, so that it sounds right on all of them.

There are some tricks and techniques to getting a point across. You want to compel people to click on your post and engage them or build curiosity and make them wonder, “What in the world is that? Let me click on over there and see what that is.” There are lots of different ideas and strategies for being able to create social media posts that actually get some engagement. It’s wonderful if you are growing your following and you have 1000 or 10000 followers on Facebook or LinkedIn. However if you can’t get those people off the social media site and into whatever it is that you’re doing they don’t do you a whole lot of good.

Mastering how to write short copy for social media can really propel the rest of your marketing activities through the roof. You can then move people off Twitter and onto your list so you can communicate with them without limitations. You move them from LinkedIn over to your free offer or the start of some marketing funnel that can eventually lead them away from just being a connection on LinkedIn and being a paid client. All of these things are included in that.

What is one tip that people can take immediately and walk away with and use right now?

One thing that I like to do, especially with social media but it works well with any short copy is to leave out important information. This is sort of like real estate agents do. They are taught, when they are creating their home listings to leave out the price or location or how many bedrooms it has. They leave out a vital piece of information that someone would have to have in order to make a decision. The reason for that is because then people have to act. They have to email you, they have to contact you, they have to call you, or they have to do something to get the rest of the information. The same holds true when you’re writing short copy.

You can replace vital pieces of information with “this,” “these,” and “it.” When you do that, instead of saying something to the effect of, “Seven Marketing Strategies that Show you How to Make More Money” you can say, “These Seven Strategies Show you How to Make More Money.” These particular strategies mean that it’s specific to you and also it’s peaking curiosity because people don’t know what “these” seven strategies are. You haven’t named them yet.

You can do it with “it” as well. “It’s the one thing all Six Figure Money Makers have in Common.” What is it? That makes you want to click and find out what they are talking about. Leave out some vital information and don’t give it all away when you’re writing short copy. Instead substitute some of those words that I mentioned so that you can get people interested in what you are saying.

Why does everyone need this particular product?

It doesn’t really matter what industry you’re in. Everyone who has any play in marketing will write subject lines for email at one point or another. You’ll write headlines for your website copy. If you’re into online marketing chances are you have a website. Social media is a huge player right now. Everyone needs to know how to compel people to engage with those posts not just read them and shuffle off. We want them to share them and like them and comment on them and most importantly to click to whatever it is that you want them to click to.

All of this information that’s included in Short Copy Success Secrets goes into a lot of detail and walks you through step by step on how to use these strategies to improve all of short copy that you are writing. When you kick off your marketing process with a killer email subject line, an exceptional social post, or a blog post title that captures people’s attention and gets them to want to read the rest of it then everything flows through the rest of the process faster and smoother because you’ve captured attention right up front. You got noticed online, which is huge. Today there are email boxes that are flooded with email messages. There are thousands and thousands of them coming through every single day.

In social media you have newsfeeds on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Pinterest that are going by in real time. People don’t usually stop for an hour and say, “You know, I haven’t heard from Nicole Dean in awhile. Let me just click over to her Facebook page and see what’s been going on.” If you don’t get their attention right that minute they aren’t going to go backwards looking for you. You have to be right there and grab their eye right on the spot in order to get them interested in what you have to say.

I hope this helps Nicole. Let me know if you have any other questions. I’m always here to help. Hope you have a great day.

I hope you enjoyed this. Even if you don't plan on buying Karon's course, do click over and watch her video and read up on her sales page. You'll gain a new perspective on your Short Copy for sure.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. If you love Karon as much as I do, be sure to check out these other posts from my archives.

• Online Success Cast #29: Karon Thackston
• 3 Secrets for Writing Your Next Sales Page in Half the Time
• How to Find and Choose a Business Coach
• http://www.nicoleonthenet.com/15722/do-you-partner/

I love learning from her as she's a rock star in the Copywriting and SEO world and her clients get results from her work.

So, I'll hand this post over to the awesomely amazing Karon Thackston.

3 Secrets for Writing Your Next Sales Page in Half the Time

By Karon Thackston

“I just sit staring at the blank screen like a deer in the headlights.”

“I get confused about everything that has to be included.”

“I end up with a stack of notes and have no idea how to use them.”

These are just a few of the responses I got after asking the question, “What’s so hard about writing a sales page?”

In other words… it takes a long time because there are lots of pieces to the puzzle.

There are, however, several ways to reduce your writing time by as much as half. Let me share 3 of my favorite secrets with you here.

1. Shrink Your Target Audience

Who does your target audience consist of? WAIT! Before you answer with something like “Everybody who…” or “Anybody that…,” we need to think about this.

Trying to communicate with anybody and everybody is not only a beginner’s approach to copywriting, but it can also actually weaken your overall marketing. Why? Because the broader your audience, the harder it will be to speak to prospects on their level.

Copywriting is actually just written communication. In order for you to connect effectively with others (we’ll use me as an example), you have to know something about them and they have to have an interest in what you’re providing.

Let’s say you want to write copy about your new ebook or your coaching program (or whatever it might be) that is enticing to me. Exactly what is it about your offer that will most appeal to me? If you and I have met for the first time via this blog post, you wouldn’t have a clue about what I want/need/like/dislike. That means you’d also only have a snowball’s chance at converting me into a customer until you did a little research about me.

Once you take some time to figure out who I am, what I do and how to reach me, your copywriting message starts to morph into a more compelling message. If you try to do this with “anybody” and “everybody,” you will fragment your sales page so badly that it won’t make sense to a single person.

The narrower you are about your audience, the better you can get to know them and the more persuasive your copy will be.

So… rather than starting to define your target customers as “Anybody who…” or “Everybody that…,” begin your description with “Only those people who…” Now you can concentrate on writing just to the most qualified people who visit your site and save yourself a ton o’ time!

2. Let Your Customers Tell You What to Write

I can’t put enough emphasis on just how vital it is to use your customers’ preferred language when you write. Yes, yes… you have to be authentic to yourself, but you should be creating web pages FOR your customers, not exclusively ABOUT you/your product/your service. Remember the old saying “It’s all about them”?

Instead of wasting a lot of time trying to figure out just what words/concepts strike a chord with your customers, go straight to the source.

Read your testimonials and take notes. Better yet… read your competitions’ testimonials! These are comments directly from your clients/customers. What do you see? Their exact words. If they say they like something (and you find it repeated several times), make a note: that’s something to include in your copy.

Visit forums associated with your industry. What praises and rants do you see in the threads? Jot them down… these are your prospects’ exact words, so pay close attention.

What you’ll end up with is a handy little list of phrases that you can use in your copy. When visitors read these statements, they will make an instant and powerful impact because (say it with me) they are your audience’s exact words.

Just imagine how fast the writing process will go with this by your side.

3. Make the “P” Word a Priority

Nobody likes this word: planning. But I’ll truthfully tell you that, without taking the proper steps up front, you are all but bound to struggle when you get to the writing phase. The magic truly happens before you ever pen a single word.

Sexy it ain’t, but the results certainly are! If you organize all your information, plan the purpose of your page, map out exactly what happens where, then – when you actually begin to write – you’ll be amazed at how painless and foolproof the process becomes.

By applying these 3 strategies to your next sales page, you’ll discover a time-saving approach that will reduce your stress and get you done significantly faster.

Want more help with that vital planning stage?

Now you can pick up the exact same guides and worksheets Karon uses when she writes copy for her clients. Get all the details about her new Copywriting Cheat Sheets (and save 34%!) when you download your copy today.

Check it out here!

Of course, I can't be too serious in this post.

My husband saw the title and his guesses for the content were:

1. Write less words.
2. Write faster.
3. Outsource it.

Go figure. Even if you do it HIS way, the planning guides are a huge help.

Big hugs.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. I had Karon on my podcast awhile back. You can listen to or read her interview here: Karon Thackston Success Story.

We were walking in downtown Pensacola, and I saw this awesome sign outside of Meadows' Jewelers on Palafox Avenue.

It says “Free Head Exam” in big letters. It certainly got my attention.

If you read closely, you can see it says…

“We'd like to examine your head very closely. We look for certain ‘weak points' that can cause your diamond to pop out of your ring.”

It continues…  and the copy gets even better. I've underlined some words that stood out to me as being highly effective.

“The head of your ring is your diamond's security system. If it weakens or wears away… if your prongs corrode, become brittle or snap off… you can lose your diamond.

So let us take a close look at your ring. It's free. And it could very well save you the cost and heartbreak of having to replace a diamond that you cherish.”

Here's each word above that I underlined and why I liked it.

• “Wears away” – not saying your ring isn't high quality. Just that, over the years, all rings can become susceptible to wear and tear.
• “Close look” – implies that these weak points are not visible to your own eyes – so you should come in to let them use their special equipment.
• “Free” – nothing to lose.
• “Heartbreak” – this isn't just about a diamond. It's your wedding ring.
• “Cherish” – this drives home that your diamond is not replaceable.

What do you think?

• Effective or not?
• Would you have noticed this?
• What would you do to make this piece more effective?

Talk to me.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. Missed previous Marketing posts like this one? Here are a few more.

These posts, unlike Expert Briefs, are short, quick reads and are mainly photos of fun things that I've found.

I'm going to start with this advertisement that I saw while waiting for a bus in Ireland.

It certainly got my attention.

“Drop your Trousers” vs. “Drop off your clothes with us to be cleaned“.

Which grabs your attention more?

What do you think?

Does it make you suddenly want to get your clothes cleaned?

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. You can see past Marketing Monday moments here: Clever & Unique Marketing

This week, a similar phrase caught my eye on the back of a four-pack of Crest Complete.

The box says: “Fights cavities + whiter teeth in one tube.”

All I could think was “Why would you fight whiter teeth?”

It reminds me of all the promos I've seen this month to “Raise Money for Breast Cancer”. Uhhh… I may be weird, but I'd rather raise money to fight and eliminate it.

What do you think?

• Effective or not?
• Would you have noticed this?
• What would you do to make this piece more effective?

Talk to me.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

1. How to use humor in marketing.
2. Knowing your audience.
3. Showing the benefits of your product. (No wedgies!)

Warning – wedgie below.

Obviously my husband didn't not appreciate this marketing as much as I did. But I think I was more their target audience than he is. (Women's underwear — you think?)

What do you think?

• Effective or not?
• Would it make you buy?
• What would you do to make this piece more effective?
• Do you use humor in your marketing? Why or why not?

Talk to me.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

If you saw this graphic of a Toupee, would you buy it?

I didn't think so.

What if it were accompanied by this?

Too funny! Now, you actually have me thinking of men in my life who NEED this toupee. And, at only $6.95 — what a bargain!

Adios, Hair Club for Men. I'm getting the folically-challenged men in my life, the The Inconspicuous Toupee! <– click there if you're interested in buying one of these slick “Rico Suave” toupees for the balding man in your life.

I'll be back soon with some great marketing examples of taking a product that is mediocre to fabulous — with *great* copy!

Do you need to schnazz up your copy?

Do-it-Yourselfers check out –>  Copywriting Course for Beginners

Want to find a Copywriter? —> Shelancers for Hire

Interested in Copywriting as a Home Business? –> Moms Talk Biz has a copywriting course.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Nicole

How many of you got the email from Jimmy D. Brown today about his new PLRSO.com club that looked like this:

Well, the little “Sbj:” part before it wasn't supposed to be there, obviously.v

Guess who sent the mailing? ME! The “Sbj:” part was to show ME where the subject line was.

UG. So, I get it in my inbox and say “Sweet Niblets!” (as my daughter taught me from Hannah Montana). Then, I proceeded to cross my fingers that Jimmy wouldn't notice it. At least if he did, he KNOWS that I'm on cold meds. You can't say that I didn't warn him…

Thankfully, the boss is an awesome guy. (Not like I was *really* worried or anything.)

Whereas some people could have taken that as an opportunity to rip into me… he sends this:

LOL, you *are* a little under the weather.  The subject line says "Sbj"
and there is no "Dear First Name" in the opening. 
Or, were these by  design?   :-) 

After I bonked my head off my desk a few times, I counted my blessings that he is such a great friend.

THEN, I'm chatting with my girl, Arika, who manages my PLR site. I tell her that some of the customers are ordering our marketing reports expecting them to be more advanced than they are. (We don't cater to the experienced marketer crowd there.)

So, we decided to mark those packs with a note that they were written for the “beginner”.

I said “Arika, can you please handle that for me?”

She says “Sure.”

A few minutes later, she says “Check it out.”

I go to the site and started laughing until I cried when I saw this:

I immediately messaged Arika with the little laughing dude on Instant Messenger and she IM'd back “What?! Did I do something wrong?”

I was laughing so hard that I couldn't type. Tears were running down my face.

She said “What? What's wrong?”

Finally, I managed…

I can tell you're a mom. "Beginner level reader"
Dick and Jane!

See Jane.
See Jane Twitter.
Twitter, Jane, Twitter.

Then, she starts laughing. I meant Beginner Marketer, obviously.

I don't know. You guys think this one is better than Bear on a Bicycle or not?

Hope it gave you some smiles!
Nicole

PS. See another benefit of Outsourcing is … laughing your butt off!