Email Marketing Tips | Writing On The Web by Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad

Writing On The Web by Patsi Krakoff, The Blog Squad

Content Marketing Strategies for Smart Professionals

Archive for Email Marketing Tips – Page 4

Advertorials: Step 7- Provide Proof

By Patsi Krakoff

Tuesday, May 29th, 2007

When writing persuasive copy, you want to come across as trustworthy as possible. One way to this is to be transparent about the fact that readers have doubts. Many people have been burned by buying worthless ebooks with nothing but fluff.

What kind of proof can you present to show you are real and your services good? Case studies are an excellent way to present a customer experience. Testimonials should also be included, but be sure they are specific and use full names and quantifiable results.

How has the product or service you’d like readers to try had an impact on the lives of others? Can you get people to record their stories? Audio files are very powerful. Your clients can use a telephone recording service to report their experiences. Video is even more powerful.

Here is how I include a section on proof in our Blog Squad Mentor program advertorial:

Categories : Email Marketing Tips, Online Marketing, Writing Great Copy

Advertorials: Step 5- What’s Your Solution?

By Patsi Krakoff

Friday, May 25th, 2007

To review, here are the 4 steps to writing persuasive copy in the form of an advertorial so that you can be educating at the same time as promoting your business:

1. Grab attention with a list of 3 or 5 horrible mistakes people make
2. Positioning: Why should anyone read or listen to you?
3. Explain the problem
4. Explain why most solutions fail

All of these steps are written with the reader in mind, what’s in it for them, explaining problems from their point of view. You connect with readers by showing you know how they must feel frustrated or even angry when dealing with this issue. Now it’s time to introduce step 5: describe your specific solution.

You can list the features of your product or services. One way to do this is to use the ‘feature…so that…benefit’ phrase like this: "Our program offers you an inexpensive way to access learning materials so that you keep more of your hard earned money."

Or, "our private membership site allows you to learn on your time at your convenience, so that you don’t have to spend days away from home and work at an expensive workshop."

Keep in mind, that solutions that save people time and money are very appealing. People don’t really care about the features of your widget, your ebook, your program. You do, but they are still looking for what’s in it for them. So spell it out for them.

I’m continuing to use our Blog Squad Mentor Program as an example of how I apply these principles to real copy:

Categories : Email Marketing Tips, On Writing Better, Online Marketing, Writing Great Copy

Advertorials: Step 3 Explain the Problem

By Patsi Krakoff

Thursday, May 24th, 2007

I just wrote about steps 1 and 2 to crafting an advertorial that persuades readers to buy or register for your product or service over at Biz Tips Blog.

Just to review, those steps are:

1. Grab attention with a list of 3 or 5 horrible mistakes people make
2. Positioning: Why should anyone read or listen to you?
3. Explain the problem

Once you’ve got their attention, promised to deliver information that’s relevant, and shown that you know what their issues are, you are ready to explain the problem.

This means revealing the 3 or 5 items promised in your attention-grabbing title. In this sample case, it’s the 3 Worst Online Marketing Mistakes.

Here they are, as we propose to use them in our sample Blog Squad advertorial:

Categories : Email Marketing Tips, On Writing Better, Online Marketing, Writing Great Copy

Hey, Stupid! Can You Hear Me NOW?

By Patsi Krakoff

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007

Grab their attention. In fact, steal it. Get it away from everything else by rocking their boat. Heck, why not tip it over.

What words can you use in your email subject line or sales copy title that will do the job?

"Scandal!" Yes, that’s more appealing than ‘insider secrets’, which has been overused to bits. "Asshole?" Yes, if you’re a Stanford professor with a couple of best sellers already published.

The problem with using earth-shattering, ass-grabbing words like these is the credibility issue. Once you have someone’s attention – which you will when you use strong controversial words – you better deliver the goods.

Nothing worse than feeling ripped off when you take time to read something only to discover it’s a worthless piece of marketing hype.

Most experts agree that you’ve got to use strong words to get people’s attention. Here’s an idea:

Categories : Email Marketing Tips, Getting Read, On Writing Better, Online Marketing

Are You Promoting or Educating?

By Patsi Krakoff

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007

Adam Urbanski’s been teaching marketing for several years now and each time Denise and I are exposed to his wisdom, we come away with something new. This time, at his Attract Clients Like Crazy(tm) Boot Camp in Irvine last week, I learned more about writing advertorials. Adam calls this his Edumercial(tm) technique because it employs some of the powerful tips from late night infomercials.

If you are a service professional like a coach, consultant, speaker or author, you know the problem. It’s a little different than pitching a widget or a thing that solves a problem. You need to sell without seeming to sell – you need to educate and inform rather than promote.

Learning sales letter writing and copywriting skills might not be the answer. For higher end sales such as your consulting services, you need first and foremost to build relationship with readers. And to do that you need to educate and inform, even over-deliver content that is useful and relevant to your readers.

Categories : Email Marketing Tips, Getting Read, On Writing Better, Online Marketing, Writing Great Copy

How Not To Email Me – or Anyone Else If You Want Results

By Patsi Krakoff

Sunday, May 20th, 2007

We learn from other people’s mistakes, so here goes a prime example of what not to write in an email message if you want to get results.

First off, this person put Joan Stewart’s name in the subject line: "The Publicity Hound Sent Me". That’s a good way to get me to open up your email, but you better be sure it’s true or you’ll piss me off. In this case, if it were true, then the sender wouldn’t have written what she did…

"Dear Denise"… the email begins. Only I’m Patsi. To be fair, we both get email at that address, but still…

"I invite you to help create an international buzz this year for "XXX Days" in Northern California.

Categories : Email Marketing Tips, How to...Tips, On Writing Better

Serial Writing Formula: 1=5+2=7+1

By Patsi Krakoff

Tuesday, May 15th, 2007

I’m no math genius, nor do I even think remotely like that in analytical terms. But once in a while I stumble upon something that makes sense, saves time, and produces exponential results.

I’m talking about serial writing. You take one main concept, break it down into a list of 5 key elements, write an introductory overview, write a concluding summary, and here’s what you get:

7 stand-alone articles to post on your blog and to submit to article directories
1 longer article you can include on your website, ezine, and format into a PDF special report to sell or give away as a bonus.

1 idea = 5 points + intro + summary = 7 articles + 1 PDF report

Here’s why I like to do this:

Categories : Article Ideas, Email Marketing Tips, Managing Your Ezine & Blog Tasks, On Writing Better, Online Marketing

Compelling Offers & Converting Visitors to Clients

By Patsi Krakoff

Monday, May 7th, 2007

This is step 4 in our 6-step formula for getting clients and making money with your business online. This is the bridge between writing for your business and getting results. How well you write irresistible offers to your readers will persuade them to buy. But without a seamless sales process to reinforce your credibility as a business, the sale will fall through.

Step 4: Make a Compelling Offer and Convert Your Visitor to a Client

Some say it takes 7-12 contacts with a prospect before he/she is ready to buy. Others say it takes much more than that when the only contact you have with the prospect is through written words on a Web page.

Why? Because your words lack the credibility and trustworthiness of a human face or voice. You can understand the popularity of audio and video blogging for just that reason: people trust people they like and feel an affinity to. It’s hard to do that with words on a page.

This is why copywriters earn such large fees. They aren’t writing about ideas or features or even painting a rosy picture of whatever it is you’re selling. They are connecting on an emotional level with your prospects.

Categories : Email Marketing Tips, On Writing Better, Online Marketing

CoachEzines: About Writing Better Ezines, Blogs and Web Content

By Patsi Krakoff

Monday, May 7th, 2007

If you’ve landed here through StumbleUpon or some other way, I hope you’re looking for tips on writing better for your online business. I’m Patsi Krakoff and I write about online writing for ezines, business blogs and marketing on the Web.

Want to learn more about the best way to get your business found on the Web? Let me send you our free White Paper: The Great Internet Marketing Challenge: register here. You’ll learn a few things for sure, just sign up at www.onlinemarketingchallenge.com and we’ll send it to you immediately.

Be sure to subscribe using the Feedblitz sign up form in the upper left corner. You’ll get an email notice each time I write new stuff about writing online.

Categories : Email Marketing Tips, Managing Your Ezine & Blog Tasks, On Writing Better

Archive for Email Marketing Tips – Page 4

Advertorials: Step 7- Provide Proof

Advertorials: Step 5- What’s Your Solution?

Advertorials: Step 3 Explain the Problem

Hey, Stupid! Can You Hear Me NOW?

Are You Promoting or Educating?

How Not To Email Me – or Anyone Else If You Want Results

Serial Writing Formula: 1=5+2=7+1

Compelling Offers & Converting Visitors to Clients

CoachEzines: About Writing Better Ezines, Blogs and Web Content

Content for Coaches and Consultants

Serenity Virtual Assistant Services

Social Buzz Club