Two Sides Of Marketing - Understand the Difference Or Waste Time And Money

Whenever I do marketing workshops, I always ask folks to “tell me something about your marketing”.  Here’s a sample of the responses I get.

·         “We do radio spots on WXYZ”

·         “I send postcards to 5000 homes in my area

·         “We place brochures at the Chamber of Commerce”

·         “I go to lots of networking events”

·         “We do pay-per-click and e-mail campaigns”

Here’s the problem.  All of these are TACTICS.  Almost nobody thought to tell me about their STRATEGY!  And there is a difference.

TACTICAL Marketing Is The Delivery System For Your Message

TACTICAL Marketing is HOW & WHERE you market.  Websites, Brochures, TV, Radio, Direct Mail, Online, E-Mail, Social Media, Radio, Signage, Trade Shows, Telemarketing, Groupon, even Networking.

It‘s also WHEN you market. Seasons, Holidays, Events (like Back-To-School, Annual or Semi Annual “Sales”, etc.)

STRATEGIC Marketing IS Your Unique Message

Strategic Marketing is WHAT you say…

·         Your Story

·         Your Brand

·         Reasons to Buy from You (Benefits)

Create Your Strategy First

Create as compelling a message as possible before you go to the trouble and expense of delivering it.  Without a consistent, compelling message, your marketing tactics will notwork.

I love sharing marketing tips, insights and secrets.  Interested in learning more valuable stuff that could help improve your marketing life?  Go to  marketing consultant arizona

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The Mousetrap Claptrap

“Build A Better Mousetrap And The World Will Beat A Path
To Your Door.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Now, old RW was a super-wonderful intellect, essayist and poet, but in this case, he was just wrong, wrong, wrong! 

What if you invent a world-changing technology and keep it a secret?  Or put up a great website and don’t do any SEO?  Or write a brilliant book but never contact a publisher?  Why would the world beat a path to the door of someone they don’t know exists to obtain something they’ve never even heard of?  It’s a ridiculous proposition!

Marketing Was Invented To Tell Your Story

It informs people what’s new and wonderful, what’s tried and true, and all about the products and services that can improve their lives, their businesses and their minds.  When the caveman who invented the wheel told his friend, “Look what I did!”…that was marketing,

Take The World By Storm

SHOUT!  Don’t whisper.  And make sure someone hears you.

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What Professional Copywriters Do At Least A Dozen Times For Each Piece That Non-Pros Hardly Ever Do At All!

I was a new copywriter trainee.  I had confidence I hadn’t earned and talent I had yet to develop.  But I was exceptionally lucky to have mentors/bosses who demanded a lot of me from my first day on the job.  And gave a lot in return.

The Best 10-Second Lesson I Ever Got

I wrote my first one-pager and submitted it with high hopes.   My boss asked, “Did you read this?”

“I wrote it” I replied. “Of course I read it”.

“Out loud?”

“Why?”

“Because copywriting is more than just words; it should have a rhythm, a flow, a tempo.  And you can only hear that when you read it aloud – as if you were recording it.  Then you will understand what the reader hears in his head and you’ll know when you’ve done your job right.”

Everything You Write Out Loud…

…at least a dozen times.  I’ve been doing it for over 30 years.  It works. Try it.

Want Another Tip?

I love sharing marketing tips, insights and secrets.  Interested in learning more valuable stuff that could help improve your marketing life?  Contact me, the marketing consultant in Arizona for valuable tips.

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Copywriter’s Secret: The AIDA Code

No matter how or where you’re marketing your business, to be effective your message must contain Four Essential Elements copywriters have known about forever!  We call it the AIDA Code – Attention, Interest, Desire and Action.

Attention

There’s a ton of clutter out there so you really do need to grab people’s attention quickly – in about 3 to 5 seconds.  Or else they’re off to another page, another website, or simply tune you out. Grab their attention with your first words and images –the headline!

Interest

To get attention is one thing, to keep it is another.  The copywriter accomplishes this with sub-headlines or an interesting first paragraph.  The goal is to interest the reader or listenerso they want to learn more. 

 

Desire

Next, use benefits to channel interest into desire!  Change their life!  Show them how they can begreat looking, healthy, financially secure, admired or even envied, thanks to your product.

Action

Finally you need to turn that interest and desire into action!! Because that’s what marketing is all about.  Tell them what to do next.  Make it as clear and easy as possible…and convert more readers into customers.

I love sharing marketing tips, insights and secrets.  Interested in learning more valuable stuff that could help improve your marketing life?  Go to  http://www.moneywordsmarketing.com/alans-blog/.

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The Copywriter’sThree C’s Of Effective Communication

You won’t succeed in marketing if your message can’t be easily read and understood.  Follow the example of the great communicators and craft your messages using these three C’s of Effective Communication.

Why Do People Communicate?

Simply put, it’s to convey their thoughts to others and achieve a certain result.  So why do so many make a hash of it all?  Perhaps because no one ever told them how easy it is to do it correctly.

Have you read the writings of Thomas Jefferson?  Listened to speeches by FDR, Churchill and Reagan?  Have you heard Jack Welch or Lee Iacocca speak? 

They are confident, direct and easy to understand. They don’t lead you through a hazy maze and challenge you to find the meaning.  The same is true when you read great copywriters like David Ogilvy, Rosser Reeves and Bill Bernbach.

All of these master communicators have one thing in common.  They follow the rule of the Three C’s Of Effective Communication.

Clear Ÿ Concise Ÿ Conversational

Clear – Use simple, familiar words whose meanings are universally understood.  This leaves little room for misinterpretation.  President William Taft said “Don’t write so that you can be understood; write so that you can’t be misunderstood.”

Too many people speak or write to impress others.  They use ten-dollar words and obscure jargon.  Don’t do that.  It negates the entire reason for communicating – to be heard and move people to action.  Even Einstein tells us, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

Concise – Use short words and simple sentences.  Convey one concept at a time.  Tell your whole story but do it in as few words as possible.  Thomas Jefferson said “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” I agree.

Conversational – I like to think of copywriting as talking to a friend over my kitchen table.  It has to flow like a good conversation.  Sometimes, strict rules of grammar have to be bent. Churchill was once admonished for ending a sentence with a preposition.  “Madam” he replied, “that is a sin up with which I shall not put.”  Message received, Sir Winston.

When marketing you need to tell your customers about the benefits of doing business with you.  Good marketing communications – based on the Three C’s – can be the difference between just getting by and being a roaring success.

Many business owners need help in crafting their marketing, advertising, online web copywriting and content, press releases and the like.  I encourage you to find a good brand strategy consultant or professional copywriting service who can take what’s in your heart and your head and put it in a way that will let you reach your goal of educating your prospects, allowing them to concludethey should do business with you.

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“Why Your Website Doesn’t Produce” …and how to fix it

Almost every business knows that a website is their most important marketing tool. It is the place people go when they are considering doing business with you. Your website should be as attention grabbing, well written, informative, and motivational as you can possibly make it.

Here’s the problem. More than seven out of ten websites fall woefully short of these goals. They talk about themselves, not the needs of their customers. They miss – often spectacularly – one or more of the Four Key Elements of successful website marketing. It’s almost like the idea of “getting a website up” is more important than “getting a website right”!

The Four Key Elements Of A Great Website

1. The First Few Seconds:  Grab and keep the readers’ attention

This includes the use of HEADLINES and IMAGES.

Very few small business sites contain an interesting headline on every page – a headline that, in two seconds flat, makes the reader to want to learn more (thus read further and stay on the site longer). Here’s a quick fact to remember: Headlines are read 5 times more than body copy.

Remember:  the requirements of online web copywriting for headlines and images are very similar to writing for print.

·         Images should be relevant to your product or service. An irrelevant image will create questions, doubt and resentment in the minds of your reader.

·         Caption your photos whenever possible.  (People read captions before they read the copy.)

·         Keep content clear, concise and conversational.

2. What’s In It For Me?: Communicate significant benefits

It’s not enough to list all the things you do; you must attach a desired customer BENEFIT to each feature (e.g. With our innovative, non-abrasive technology your car won’t get micro-scratches during the washing process).

3. Educate Your Reader: Help them make an informed buying decision

Tell them the most critical things they should know before doing business in your industry.  (e.g. “Non-filtered water can be hard on your car’s finish over time. Only 18% of car washes join us in filtering and recycling our water.”)

4. Grease The Skids:  Make it easy to do business with you

·         Include OFFERS for “Now Buyers” ($4 Off our Gold level service) and “Future Buyers” (download our Free “Guide To Maintaining Your Car’s Finish”).

·         Also include RISK REDUCERS like “All washes come with a 48 hour Rain Check” or “100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!”

Be Customer-Centered, Not Self-Centered

Way too many websites are what I call “How Great We Art” ego trips.  Once you wrap your mind around the importance of making your website Customer-Centered rather than Company-Centered and include the four key elements, you’re on your way to developing a killer website and increasing sales.

Do It Yourself? – Or Get Professional Help?

        The decision whether to write your own website copy, leave it to the web designer or engage a professional copywriter service is a major one.

·         Are you a professional copywriter?  If not, why would you choose to spend your time on something others could do better and quicker?

·         Web designers know technology and, perhaps, graphic art.  They are not copywriters.  I hire web designers in my business and other web designers have hired me to write copy for them.

·         A professional copywriter and brand strategy consultant can be the best marketing investment you ever make.

Your website is your most important marketing tool.  Make sure it’s well written and carefully designed and you will reap the benefits.

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