Browsing Category: "marketing"
Stop sleepwalking through your copywriting
content, effective communication, marketing, web copy October 15th, 2009
While doing some research for an upcoming content project, I did a little poking around the About Us sections of some Fortune 100 companies.
Would you be surprised to learn that some of the biggest companies in the world use nondescript and innocuous language to describe themselves? I wouldn’t. It’s a comfortable place for many companies (and their copywriters) to be.
Phrases like “serving you in over 100 countries around the world,” “making great products for generations,” “dedicated to supporting,” and “our commitment to providing” say nothing of worth to your target audience. Worse, that kind of language does zip, zilch, nada to differentiate you from your competitors. Besides, who even talks like that in the real world?
Seth Godin says in marketing, if something makes you nervous, it’s probably a good idea. I say in copywriting, if you could write your Company Overview or About Us page in your sleep, rest assured that your audience will snooze, too, when they read it. If they read it.
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Break the rules (sometimes)
content, effective communication, marketing, web copy, writing September 21st, 2009
While I’m a proponent of proper punctuation and a serious stickler about spelling, I also know that conversational copy is a much more compelling read.
If you’ve been stuck in the world of long, complex sentences, it’s time for a change. And, conversely, if you’ve been writing like you’re texting your BFF instead of talking with your customers, throw in an actual sentence now and then.
The combination of varying sentence lengths and types will mimic real-life dialogue, making your copy not only more fun to read but also worth the time it takes to read it.
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The sure-fire way to get your audience to pay attention
effective communication, marketing, web copy, writing September 15th, 2009
Religion and politics.
They’re said to be the two topics to avoid when talking to others, especially people you don’t know very well.
Why?
Because those topics tend to evoke very strong, highly emotional responses.
Bad for parties and peace rallies, good for getting a conversation going.
Now, I’m not saying that you should include religion and politics on your web site, in your signature speech or throughout your marcom materials (unless that’s your business or life’s work).
No, the takeaway for communicators, writers, creative professionals and entrepreneurs like you is this:
Understand your audience’s emotional triggers so you can position yourself/your business to connect with them on an experiential level.
And that can make the difference in whether they choose you or your competitor.
So, how do you do it?
First, stop making assumptions about your audience. Get to know them on a real and personal level. Spend time with them. Ask open-ended questions and not only listen to what they say, but watch what they do.
Second, become real to them through storytelling. Some years ago I sat in on a United Way presentation at the company I worked for. It was a mandatory meeting and I had already made up my mind that I was not going to be coerced into donating any money. But during the presentation, the speaker invited a lovely young woman up to the podium. She shared a remarkable and heartfelt story of her traumatic brain injury and subsequent recovery thanks to the help of a United Way Agency.
It was impossible not to connect with her, feel her pain, understand her gratitude, and support her cause – all because she shared her story in a real and compelling way.
While your story may not be as dramatic, it can be every bit as personal. Stop limiting yourself to the all-business, all-facts copy that others default to.
Third, and finally, choose your words carefully. Pick words and create phrases that evoke feelings, while creating enthusiasm, energy, urgency or understanding. Use more descriptive, though not uncommon, words. For example, instead of saying “no maintenance,” try using the words “worry free” instead. See how the first choice is more factual while the second is more emotional?
By getting at — and responding to — your audience’s underlying values, needs, beliefs, feelings and experiences, you can help shape the way they feel about you/your business.
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A simple technique to bond with customers and create loyalty
marketing, writing August 19th, 2009
My guest blogger Marcia Yudkin shares a simple way to turn the old, reliable postcard into a customer loyalty-building campaign. Of course, once you realize how powerful this little card can be, contact me for help in creating your campaign.
Postcard Marketing Model #4: Bond With Customers
by Marcia Yudkin
Imagine the difference between a company whose customers have so-so feelings about it and one whose customers wouldn’t dream of buying from anyone else. That’s a tremendous gap that can be narrowed with just a little expense and effort, using an inexpensive, often overlooked tool – the postcard.
By sending simple yet strategically chosen postcards to people who have already bought from you, you can turn an iffy, indifferent buyer into a sticky, delighted one.
Here are five ways to use postcards to create a bond with customers and thereby encourage them to become strongly loyal, to refer friends and colleagues to you and to send interesting opportunities your way because they care about your success.
1. Thanks. Set up an ongoing thank-you postcard campaign that sends a card to each new customer the week or month after they first bought something from you. If it’s feasible to have a handwritten signature, that’s best. You may choose to include a limited-time special offer, such as 20% off their next purchase or a free gift if they stop in the shop again before a certain date, but even if you don’t do that, a warmly worded thank-you card makes a significant impact.
2. News. Remember when it was common for financial services companies and other professionals to send a monthly or quarterly newsletter to clients? This stay-in-touch technique reinforces your expertise and helps the customer remember you when they need your services again. Printing one newsletter item on a postcard rather than sending a four-page, folded-twice newsletter is much more cost-effective and much handier for the customer to save by the phone or post it on a bulletin board or refrigerator. Make sure there’s a human element in the postcard content, with the word “you” liberally sprinkled around it.
3. Come-back offers. Don’t let your buyers feel faceless and interchangeable. Send periodic postcards with an appealing discount or bonus and a friendly message. I doubt very much your competitors are doing this. I travel a lot, and only once in my life have I received a “come back and see us” postcard from a hotel or inn where I stayed. In fact, I still remember who sent it, even though it was years ago: The Jailhouse Inn in Newport, Rhode Island. Design the postcard so it tells an inviting story about a customer who’s bought from you again and again or an anecdote about someone on your team who went above and beyond for a customer.
4. Birthdays or anniversaries. Do you have or could you get your customers’ birthdays? Some businesses wow their clients and create a closer bond with them by sending a postcard for a free haircut, massage, house plant or dessert in honor of their birthday. You could do the same for a milestone that was specific to the recipient, such as their child’s first summer or winter, or halfway through their fiscal year.
5. “Wish you were here” cards. Don’t you like it when friends and family members send you funny or gorgeous postcards when they’re on vacation? Think up convincing and appealing reasons for you to send postcards to new clients when you travel. For example, if you’re attending a conference or trade show in New Orleans, you could show a photo of the French Quarter with a chatty message about how you’re collecting ideas and inspiration at the XYZ national show that you’ll be sharing with anyone who sets up an appointment for June. This way, you come across as active, interesting, thoughtful and constantly reaching out to customers. Which of these ideas are you excited to implement?
Get started on your next postcard campaign today!
Veteran postcard marketer, consultant and author Marcia Yudkin teaches the strategic, logistical, design and copywriting secrets of successful postcard marketing. Discover the top ten ways – some of them simple and inexpensive – to generate results using postcards in her report at: http://tinyurl.com/n2cpgl.