“Live” from the MeritDirect Co-op

1. PromoWriting _________________________
   SHIRA LINDEN • 203 371-0654 • www.promowriting.com
   
   
   Tips and Tactics you can apply immediately
   
   1. The #1 offer in B2B = Information. Case studies, articles, white papers, brochures, videos or books. Also, a 10 Tips document that solves customer problems, with a subtle mention of how your company can help works.
   
   2. Triggered Emails are working
   
   3. Email prospecting is not working
   
   4. According to Amy Africa, Internet Guru, red is the best color for a button. It inspires confidence. Top performing colors are yellow, red and black. Use yellow sparingly.
   
   ► Most people stop reading after 1-2 lines of Email
   
   ► Click Here Now works better than Click Here
   
   ► Problem solution navigation is the best way to navigate
   
   ► 40% of your business should be repeat visitors
   
   ► Buy Now performs better than Add to Cart
   
   ► Only 30% of people scroll. Put all key information above the fold
   
   ► A user should stay 40 seconds on the entry page. Your bounce rate should be 5%
   
   ► Three column sites work best. Place your Signup Box on the left.
   
   ► 80% of orders occur within 12 minutes. The more they stay, the more they pay. Speed them through the checkout.
   
   ► For those who abandon carts, send 7 – 10 follow-up Emails and get 15% to convert within 5 days
   
   ► Short videos (less than 4 minutes) work
   
   
   
   For copy that gets results or a copy checkup, contact Shira at 203 371-0654, via email at shira@promowriting.com, her blog Turbocharged Sell Copy http://promowriting.blogspot.com, or her website www.promowriting.com

Direct Mail - Rules to Live By

PromoWriting _________________________
SHIRA LINDEN • 203 371-0654 • www.promowriting.com


“Live” from the CM Show, Chicago X2
(Excerpts from my session at CM)


1. Role of each component in DM package.
Envelope – get itself opened – so don’t reveal your offer on the envelope. Consumers sort mail over the trash. Tickle their curiosity or promise a benefit. A strong OE helps you avoid the round file.

Order Form – perhaps the most important piece – restate key benefits and make it crystal clear how to order

Bochures tell, letters sell. Letter is the key component, next to the order form. Emotional sell.

Lift note – motivate the prospect from another point of view, a different signer

2. Response Basics – Help consumers instantly understand the benefits you are promoting. An irresistible offer they can’t refuse, made loud & clear: free, urgent, limited time offer, just for you. Come out w/strong offer or sneak into the bill pile w/a Bill-like OE (voucher) or blind OE. Save big, save now, premium/freemium, call to action, sweeps.

3. Follow Aida formula –

Grab attention – use a headline or subhead to attract your target market. You can also accomplish this with pictures & captions.


Arouse interest – Tell the prospect how your pub will improve his life. (Gold Dig) State the main benefit up front, loud & clear. Reinforce w/testimonials. Answer wiifm.

Stimulate desire – entice the prospect to want something prospect may not have thought about before by triggering their emotions, e.g. exclusivity. Create an irresistible offer incorporating fear of loss – limited time, bonus for immediate order e.g. fast 50, special price – give them a reason to buy now. Add an ironclad no-risk guarantee.

Motivate prospect to action, bec. Desire w/o action = no sale. Ask for the sale. Tell the reader exactly what you want them to do & make it easy to buy NOW. This works bec. This formula works bec. it smoothly and seamlessly moves the prospect to ordering

4. 9. DM tactics that work –

► Fire your biggest guns first with a great lead.

► Teasing & tantalizing the reader, hitting their hot buttons on issues that keep him up at night

► Use bullets, dashes, numbers, underlines. Use 6-7 lines per paragraph & lots of white space

► Try handwritten messages in the margins, Johnson box, callouts and underlines that break up the copy.

► Many won’t read the whole letter so underline the main points so they get the gist at a glance from the lead, underlines & P.S.

► Testimonials and guarantees work – they add credibility.

► Use the P.S. to restate the offer, repeat the guarantee or reply-by date