By Merrill Clark:
Web and Direct Response Copywriter
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Are you a sales rep, or maybe a small franchise owner, selling insurance, power, payroll processing, credit card processing, or any other product or service?
Do you regularly pounding the pavement scrounging for your own leads, hoping to talk with the “right” person?
And more often than not, do you hear: “Sorry… the person you Continue reading
Why do we use words, anyway?
Simply put… Because the right words quickly and effectively communicate your thoughts, emotions, and feelings to other people.
For my purposes here, I’ll break down writing styles into 3 main groups: Literary (novels or fiction books), editorial writing, and persuasive writing.
Today’s topic is what I call persuasive writing, and why successful people use Continue reading
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So… lets start with my definition of a web landing page.
And depending on who you talk to, it can have several meanings.
To put it simply, a landing page is a laser-focused Continue reading
Hell yeah, you do!
I don’t know of a single business owner who doesn’t want to generate more leads and sales from their marketing.
So here’s one simple (and often overlooked) technique that you should use on every ad, sales letter, web page, email, and brochure you use.
Let me repeat it. Use this technique on EVERY marketing-related material your company produces – even your business card!
Or don’t use it – at your own peril… Up to you.
This mistake is one I see all the time, (actually… it’s something I don’t see), and it blows my mind because Continue reading
Are you in charge of writing your own sales copy for ads, postcards, direct mail, websites, blog posts, or even e-mails…
Then you owe it to yourself to read this short checklist before you start, and again after you finish to make sure you’ve included everything.
Why?
Because I consider these points crucial in getting the best results possible in ANY advertising or marketing materials. Ignore them at your own risk.
They’re listed in order of what I consider the most important, and use as many of them as space allows.
One consideration that comes into play is how much space you have to work with.
For example if you’re writing a space ad, space is limited. In that case, the two most important things to include are your headline, and a great call to action.
Here’s a little self-promotion… but if you’d like a great, inexpensive (but super-valuable) resource to help you write strong online web or email copy, visit http://marketyourbusinessonlinebook.com/ for my book titled “How Your Small Local Business Can Get More Customers on the Internet”.
And of course, if you’d rather hire a professional sales copywriter to write your website, brochure, or direct mail for you, just give me a call for a free analysis!
Leave me a comment below…
If you need help with website design, writing SEO optimized web copy, email marketing, or other online marketing strategies, I can help!
To your marketing success!
Merrill Clark
Website and Marketing Copywriter
Join my discussion by leaving a comment below…
Is your website generating good sales leads for your business?
If it’s not, you may have unwittingly sabotaged it.
Note** This article is based on the assumption that you WANT to get leads from your website that will get your cash register ringing…
Frankly, there are a bazillion things that can prevent your web site from attracting and persuading customers, but I’m going to give you 6 common ones.
And the good thing… most of them can be fixed without breaking the bank.
So here we go!
A powerful, eye-popping headline that quickly shows readers how you can help them is arguably the most important part of your web page. If it doesn’t get your reader’s attention and compel them to continue reading, then you’ve lost them.
The words you use in your web copy can be so complicated, even a college graduate doesn’t understand what you do. Have you ever read (or more accurately – try to read) something that’s so technical that you just give up?
It happens all the time, so include simple words and phrases that your average reader can quickly grasp.
Your website is about your reader, not you or your company. Obviously you want them to know what you do, but it’s important to make your web copy talk directly to them, and how dealing with you will benefit them.
Use the words “you” and “your” more often than you use “I” or “we”.
Make it as easy to read as you can. Headlines should be bigger than the body copy, and keep paragraphs short. It’s easier to read 3 or 4 lines per paragraph than one long paragraph that goes on forever. Simply reformatting it can increase the number of people who actually read it by 200-300%.
People like to know they are making a good choice and that you are the BEST. Detailed comments and testimonials from happy clients are a simple way to let your prospective customers know how good you are.
Too many web pages don’t tell the reader what to do next. Use a call to action on every web page. At the very least, put one at the end of the page, and maybe even sprinkle a couple throughout the copy.
It could be as simple as “Call Joe at 123-456-7890 for a free estimate”, or “Sign up for our email list and get a 10% off coupon”. Lead your reader to the next step.
Do you make any of these mistakes?
Leave me a comment below…
If you need help with website design, writing SEO optimized web copy, email marketing, or other online marketing strategies, I can help!
To your marketing success!
Merrill Clark
Website and Marketing Copywriter
Join my discussion by leaving a comment below…
If you’ve been paying attention over the years, then you know that all of your marketing materials must include an offer.
But not any old offer – you need an irresistible offer!
A kick-ass offer that will get readers to get off their duffs and call you for an appointment, or buy your widget, or whatever you want them to do.
Why? Because the strength of your offer will often determine if your campaign or promotion will make money or be a complete failure.
What I’m saying is… include great offers in everything your prospects see from you.
Actually… everything related to marketing!
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In theory, it’s easy. Just like the scene from the GodFather…
Simply “make them an offer they can’t refuse”.
An offer that’s so good, they’d have to be a complete idiot to let it pass by.
Here are a couple of ideas to get you thinking…
But first… you need to know your target market, what they want, and what will get them excited.
You could offer a discount off normal price…
50% off… or 2 for 1… Restaurants use this one a lot. There are a couple of downsides to this however. First, you may be attracting the people looking only for deals, which may not necessarily be who you’re looking for.
Second, offering discounts often diminishes the value of your product or service, and some people may think your discount is too good to be true. So use this one wisely.
You can add extra value to your product or service…
Personally, this is the one that my clients get the best results with.
Add some bonuses or incentives that people will want and value. For example, a shop that sells digital cameras could offer a camera at $150 full price, but also include a carry case, a memory card, and a book about taking the perfect digital photo for a limited time only.
The retail value of these items could be $100, but the store’s cost is only $30. To the customer, it’s like getting $100 worth of stuff for free.
So instead of discounting the camera, they add a ton of value and get full price. And the customer thinks they got a great deal – which they did.
Now there are lots of ways to add perceived value, only limited by your imagination.
So keep thinking for your business… what can add value to your customers?
I’d love to hear your comments below…
If you need help with website design, writing SEO optimized web copy, email marketing, or other online marketing strategies, I can help!
To your marketing success!
Merrill Clark
Website and Marketing Copywriter
Join my discussion by leaving a comment below…
Who says your web copy can’t be fun and professional, too?
Yawn…. so sleepy… uh oh… snoring… zzzzzzzzzzzz…..
Oh no… your web copy has bored this reader to tears…
And that’s usually bad… very bad…
But I’m sure it’s not your website. Your website looks and sounds very professional.
And that might be okay for you, but what about your reader?
Is it okay for them? Or do they fall asleep – or worse – leave your site completely because the copy is so dry, they quickly get bored?
So here’s my web marketing newsflash of the week:
Real people with real feelings and real personalities don’t want to read dry, boring, stuffy copy.
For example… Here’s a website that uses personality in their web copy better than many. Check it out at www.theskinnytowel.com.
In addition to finding a solution to their problems, they’re more likely to keep reading if your copy has some personality and reasons to respond?
Think about it… you have a personality (just like your reader), so why not show some of it in your copy.
Engage their emotions. People react to personality.
You see, even the executive managers and purchasing agents have lives and feelings. Your sales copy has to appeal to those feelings so they will read and react to your offers.
If it doesn’t, well… in the trash it will go!
I can hear you saying now… “In my business, it has to sound dry and professional”.
I don’t believe it for a second, no matter what profession you’re in. There’s absolutely no reason your website can’t look and sound professional, and still let your personality shine through. It’s a balance.
Though it may not be easy for you, it can be done… and it will almost always be more effective…
Think… “hire a copywriter”…
I’d love to hear your comments below…
If you need help with website design, writing SEO optimized web copy, email marketing, or other online marketing strategies, I can help!
To your marketing success!
Merrill Clark
Website and Marketing Copywriter
Join my discussion by leaving a comment below…
It’s a fact that e-mail marketing and follow-up is a powerful and effective tool to generate leads and sales…
Seriously… There are no postage and printing costs to worry about, so the total cost of sending a promotional e-mail is next to nothing. You just need a list of names and e-mail addresses, plus some kick-ass e-mail copy.
So why aren’t more businesses getting results?
It’s like this… no matter how many e-mails you send out, the first thing that must happen, and one of the keys to a successful e-mail campaign is getting the recipient to open the darned e-mail.
The percentage of readers who open your e-mail is called the open rate, and the percentage can be pretty dang low.
Okay, so how do we boost the open rates?
The best way to increase the open rates of your e-mails is to use a powerful subject line – one that makes them want to open it and see what’s inside.
But unfortunately, that’s where many e-mailers stumble.
You see, most e-mail subject lines are boring, uninformative, or full of words that shoot it right on down to the junk or spam folder, where you’ll probably never even see it. (In reality, sometimes good subject lines go there, too)
And guess what? If your email isn’t seen, it sure as heck will never be read.
Here’s an inexpensive resource that will show you the secrets to killer e-mail marketing systems, e-mail copy, and online marketing.
Here are some different tips anyone can use to create a subject line that will get your e-mails opened more often:
Your subject line has the same purpose as a headline – you need to get your reader’s attention and interest so they will open your email.
And then you need to test, test, test. Then you will know what headlines work the best in any given situation.
How does your e-mail marketing stand up? Let me know.
And if you need help setting up your e-mail marketing system, or writing emails that get results, contact me
If you need help with website design, writing SEO optimized web copy, email marketing, or other online marketing strategies, I can help!
To your marketing success!
Merrill Clark
Website and Marketing Copywriter
Join my discussion by leaving a comment below…
Today… you’re gonna get a short and sweet – but extremely valuable – website lesson…
First… you must understand that when you do a Google search, they try to display results they think are most relevant.
So let’s look at a real example of a printing company’s web copy to show you what I mean.
“The evolution of integrated digital printing as a service industry to the public domain has never existed on this level. Although the technology has been available for some time, machines like the DReAM machine have only been used for in-house production printing…”
First… when Google looks at the page, they can’t tell what the company does (what does integrated digital printing really mean, and who is going to search for that specific phrase?)
Most people don’t care about or read meaningless, corporate style, vague language (except for the person who wrote it).
Second… I’m guessing their visitors won’t understand what this company does, either. (if they show up at all 
on the search results)
So… what does this company really do?
They print brochures, and postcards, and direct mail for small and large businesses.
What will most people likely search for?
Brochure printers, business cards printing, etc.
My point is this:
Make sure your web copy isn’t a bunch of garbeldy gook, corporate style, fluffy, nonsensible words that sound impressive, but tell the reader absolutely nothing about what you do and how you can help them.
Write clear, concise, and descriptive words that include the language your target readers will be looking for.
Only then will you get a chance to get that new client. Nobody wants to be confused, ever!
If you need help converting your product or service, no matter how technical it is, into simple language that a 5th grader can understand, give me a call today.
How does your web copy measure up?
Let me know, just send me your comments below.
If you need help with website design, writing SEO optimized web copy, email marketing, or other online marketing strategies, I can help!
To your marketing success!
Merrill Clark
Website and Marketing Copywriter
Join my discussion by leaving a comment below…
5 ways to get more clients from your home page
