Copywriting Archives | Page 3 of 42

A new SEO strategy that can turn your website into a customer magnet

March 11, 2017 by Jim Connolly

I’m going to share an idea with you today, which will help you get far better results from your website. It’s a subtle change, yet it can have a massive positive impact on your sales.

The SEO challenge

There has always been a problem with search engine optimization (SEO). It’s to do with that word: optimization. According to The Oxford English Dictionary, optimize comes from the Latin optimus, which means best.

The challenge comes when you want your site to be best for search engines AND best for people. When you want your site to put search engines first, and simultaneously put people first.

By default, most small business websites focus on making their SEO as powerful at attracting search traffic as possible. They then have a common problem. Sure, people will visit their site from search engines, but they attract way, way too few sales or client enquiries.

This happens because you have to optimize differently for search engines, than you do for people. So people arrive on these sites and leave just as fast as they came. Here’s just one important example of how optimizing content for search can ruin your sales results:

Search engines value over-long content. The more words the better.
People value brevity. The fewer words the better. They want you to get to the point. People are busy and if they can’t quickly find what they need… you lose them.

Why am I sharing this?

I spoke with 2 business owners last week. They are in different industries, yet they have the exact same problem. They can’t convert web traffic into sales. They needed to know why.

In both cases, their websites were search engine optimized and the reading experience was poor. Long, rambling pages and constant repetition of keywords and key phrases, to keep Google happy. They were attracting traffic, but dangerously few sales.

In each instance, I recommended a subtle shift in their SEO strategy.

Keep the search engines happy, but optimize for people

There’s a balance you can strike, which works beautifully.

Make your website search engine friendly, but optimize your content for people.

Make sure your website uses good, clean code. And use alt tags, title tags and meta tags, etc, correctly. Install a powerful SEO plugin, so you can present an SEO friendly version of your site to search engines. I use and recommend Yoast’s SEO Plugin for WordPress.

But make your site a people first experience.

Write with your prospective customer at the front of your mind. Give them what they need. Use words that will convert them from readers into customers.

There’s another huge benefit to this approach

When you get the balance right, not only will you attract traffic from search engines, and convert more of that traffic into sales… you’ll also find more people share your website with their friends.

Why?

Because you put them first.

You wrote with them in mind.

And when people find a website that truly talks to them and their needs, it forms a connection. The kind of connection that inspires trust. Only when people trust you, will they buy from you or recommend you.

1 Word you absolutely must remove from your marketing

March 10, 2017 by Jim Connolly

What is the main reason someone should buy from you or hire you?

That is a question that many small businesses struggle with. And it hurts their marketing. It means they are unable to provide their prospective clients with a clear, compelling reason to buy from them, rather than a competitor.

The thing about solutions

This is why we see the word solutions used in amateur marketing all the time, to describe what a business does.

Note – If you’ve already, clearly stated the value you bring, it’s okay to use the word. I’m talking about when business owners use solutions instead of being specific.

For example:

HR solutions.
Email marketing solutions.
Cost effective solutions.
Training solutions.
Or “we offer a range of solutions”, etc.

They’re telling us nothing.

Their message is weak. There’s no reason for us to contact them. So their marketing is largely ignored. And it loses them a fortune.

I don’t want that to happen to your business, my friend. So here’s a far more effective approach.

The alternative is to get specific

Determine the core value you bring to a prospective client. Then, communicate it with impact and brevity.

For example, instead of saying you, “offer a range of email marketing solutions”, get specific. Tell them, “We can help you increase sales and boost your profits, with professional, proven email marketing.”

Back in the 1980’s, business owners were advised to develop an elevator pitch. The idea was to create a compelling 5 or 10 second business introduction. Commerce today, online and offline, is like a series of elevator pitch-type interactions. Your prospective clients are busy. Really busy. They’re being bombarded with emails, calls, social network updates, text messages… it’s relentless.

They don’t have time for long or vague marketing messages. They want answers. Fast! That’s why a specific, brief and well-crafted message has never been more important or more effective.

So get specific.

Look for the core reason why a prospective client should hire you, rather than a competitor. Then, communicate that reason in a compelling way. It’s far more powerful than claiming to offer a non-specific “solution” and a rambling list of benefits.

The marketing power of curiosity

March 7, 2017 by Jim Connolly

You’re going to love this!

Today, I’m going to share the single most important thing you need to know, if you want to attract regular sales leads and business enquiries.

To begin, I need to ask you a question:

Why do prospective clients call you, email you or ask you questions?

It’s because they’re curious!

They need to know something and their curiosity motivates them to get in touch. So, you get a sales lead or business enquiry. This creates a dialogue between you and them. And a chance to convert them into a new client or customer.

Ineffective marketing tries to explain everything. To answer every possible question. To eliminate as much curiosity as possible. And as a direct result, it attracts very few sales leads.
Effective marketing provides just enough information. Enough information to inform the prospect and ignite their curiosity. And as a direct result, it regularly attracts high quality sales leads.

Think about it. Every enquiry you have ever had or will ever receive, is because the other person needs to know something. So, if you want your marketing to attract more sales enquiries, it needs to create more curiosity and answer fewer questions.

3 Proven ways to attract massively more customers

March 4, 2017 by Jim Connolly

If you want to attract far more sales leads or client enquiries than ever before, today’s message is for you.

I’m going to share the 3 main reasons why sales leads dry up. More importantly, I’m going to give you some ideas, tips and recommendations on how to put things right.

So, let’s get March 2017 off to a flying start.

How to open the floodgates

When sales or client enquiries slow down, there’s always a reason. This is good news. Because once you identify the reason and put things right, the sales and enquiries come flooding in.

Since starting my marketing business in 1995, I have seen the same 3 causes of this problem repeated over and over again. Here they are, along with some ideas on how to open the floodgates!

1. The marketing message you’re using isn’t good enough

In which case, you need to create a more motivating message. You need to start by making sure your service is as valuable as possible. Then communicate that value to your marketplace with crystal clarity.

Tip: I want to help you avoid a common mistake here. Spend some time reviewing the guarantees, promises and range of services offered by your competitors.

Why?

Because without knowing what you are competing against, you don’t know how compelling your guarantees, promises and range of services are to a prospective client.

It’s possible that competitors have copied your U.S.P. Or perhaps something that was rare or unique when you first offered it, is now commonplace.

It’s also possible that competitors have “upped their game” and you need to improve your service accordingly, to regain a competitive advantage.

You need to know. Then you can adjust and stand out from the crowd again.

Tip: A cornerstone of successful marketing, is to have expertly written, motivating copy. It’s not enough to offer an outstanding service, if you’re failing to get that message across powerfully. You need marketing messages, which inspires people to buy from you or compels them to hire you.

Relax. You don’t have to do a thing with this one. I can do it all for you.

2. The message is fine, but you’re not reaching enough new prospective customers with it

In which case, you need to find a more effective way to reach them. The best advice I can give you when it comes to reaching your prospective clients is this: Be where their attention is.

What do they read?
Where do they go?
Who do they listen to?
What do they watch?
Whose tribe are they members of?

Find out. Then look for opportunities to reach out and connect with them.

For instance, I built the initial readership of Jim’s Marketing Blog from a newsletter I’d started back in 1998. However, after switching to blogging in 2008, I got my NEW readers from outreach on Twitter. Back then, Twitter had a massive and active community of small business owners – the exact market for my services.

I connected with small business owners on Twitter, then placed useful information on my blog, which I shared on Twitter. It worked. By being where their attention was (Twitter), I was able to build a large blog readership, which has generated regular client enquiries ever since.

Important: Today, Twitter is far less effective as an outreach tool. You’ll get much better results from a Facebook Page, Instagram or Linkedin.

I share lots of tips and ideas, which don’t appear on my blog, over on my Facebook Page. Join me!

Then there’s frequency.

Frequency is extremely important, if you want to reach a growing number of new, prospective customers. You need to make sure you’re getting your message out there often enough.

For example, if you publish blog posts or newsletters, make sure you’re publishing them regularly. If you want to get more leads from your blog, start publishing useful posts at least a couple of times a week. If you use newsletters to reach prospective clients, publish something useful every 10 to 14 days.

Don’t expect an infrequently updated blog or occasional newsletter to be a frequent driver of new sales or client enquiries. Regular contact with your marketplace allows you to be “front of mind”. This is marketing-speak for being the first person or provider they think of.

That’s exactly where you need to be.

Here’s more information on how to be where their attention is.

3. Your clients, former clients and contacts are not sending you enough referrals

In which case, you need to find out why. The answer is almost always connected to the customer experience you provide. Allow me to explain.

A remarkable customer experience gives people a story worth sharing. It gets them talking about you.

Here’s the good news: It’s never been easier for people to recommend you. Plus, their reach has never been larger. There are currently almost 2 billion people on Facebook alone. These people are actively looking for interesting stories (or experiences) to share with their friends.

Our job as business owners, is to provide those share-worthy experiences. They already have the sharing tools. What they need from us is the story! Need help?

Moving forward

If you improve in those 3 key areas, it will transform your business. It has to.

The key is to get moving.

To take action.

So please, don’t just find these ideas interesting. Use them.

Don’t let greedy amateurs get you down

February 22, 2017 by Jim Connolly

Martin (not his real name) emailed me with a great question. I promised to answer it here, as it’s a marketing problem that a lot of people struggle with.

He wanted to know why only a tiny fraction of his newsletter subscribers ever hire him. Martin’s an experienced, professional copywriter. It’s important to point out that I looked at Martin’s newsletter and it’s superb. His range of services look compelling too.

He explained: “They grab all my free advice Jim, but lack the decency to even say thanks for the hours I put in. I’m just about ready to quit.”

Martin wanted to know if I have the same problem and how I deal with it. Here’s my answer. I hope you find it useful.

This is exactly as it should be

First things first. This happens to everyone who uses content marketing. And the more successful you become, the more visible the issue becomes. I know the writers behind some of the world’s most successful newsletters and blogs. In every case, it’s only a tiny minority of their readers who hire them, buy from them or thank them.

And that’s EXACTLY as it should be.

Most people who read this message have zero intention of ever hiring me. A tiny percentage will even bother to thank me for the free information I provide to them. The vast majority just grab it. They have no interest in the thousands of dollars I spend every year, to get the “free” advice out there. No thought is given to the fact I help their business. They just take.

And that’s EXACTLY as it should be.

Why? Because it’s what they’re supposed to do! Remember, these people are not the prospective clients I write for.

No.

These are the amateurs. The freebie crowd. Those who lack the entrepreneurial sense to invest in expert help. So they’re attracted to “free stuff” like moths to a flame. (read this)

You can’t use content marketing and not expect to attract them. You can’t ask people to subscribe to a free newsletter (or free anything) and not be inundated with freebie hunters. To think otherwise is naive.

Expect the freebie crowd to arrive. BUT never write for them. I don’t write for the freebie crowd. Neither should Martin. And neither should you.

I write for people who take their business seriously.
I write for people who are commercially intelligent enough to invest in their businesses.
I write for people who have respect for themselves and for others.

To put it another way, I write for professionals. Professionals are the people who show appreciation for your work. They’re the people who hire you. They totally get it.

Where it gets tricky is this: Professionals are ALSO attracted by free stuff. That’s why content marketing is extremely effective, when used correctly.

Content marketing and intent

The key difference between the 2 types of people who consume your content can be summed up in one word. Intent.

When a professional consumes your content, they do so with an open mind to hiring you or buying from you. If they see enough value, they’ll get in touch or make a purchase. These amazing people contact me throughout the day, every day. Sometimes to ask about hiring me. Sometimes to say thanks. Sometimes to tell me how my ideas have helped them overcome a problem.
When an amateur consumes your content, they don’t have that same intent. The amateur sees the free stuff as the end result. It’s the much mentioned entitlement mindset. That’s why they never bother to thank Martin, me or any other content marketer. They believe they’re entitled to it.

Once you understand the intent behind the 2 groups of people who consume your content, everything makes sense. It also frees your mind to focus on generously contributing to the marketplace.

4 Powerful words that attract clients like a magnet!

February 20, 2017 by Jim Connolly

I have an idea to share with you today, which is one of the most powerful I have covered on Jim’s Marketing Blog. If you want to attract more clients, I’m sure you’ll find it extremely useful.

When I speak with a prospective client, I have a 4 word phrase that always captures their attention.

It’s simply this: “Bring me your problems”.

Bring me your problems

The moment a small business owner hears those words, I can almost feel the stress leave their body. Many have wrestled with their business development problems for years. Now, they finally have the help they need, from a renowned marketing expert.

They’re no longer guessing. They’re no longer alone. They’re free again, to really enjoy their business and to look ahead with total confidence.

Note: That same 4 word phrase is also exceptionally powerful, when used within a marketing message.

What this means for you and your business

If you’re a service provider, you are a professional problem solver. This is true regardless of the kind of services you offer. With that in mind, I have a question for you.

Do you clearly ask your clients (and prospective clients) to bring you their problems? If those 4 words do not appear in your marketing, you’re missing an amazing opportunity.

It’s hard to overstate how powerful those 4 words are and how attractive they are. Why? Because it’s what everyone wants to hear.

No one wants to struggle with a problem. However, when was the last time someone explicitly asked you to bring them your problems? When was the last time a piece of marketing grabbed your attention, not by trying to sell you something, but by asking you to bring them your problems? It almost never happens in business, yet everyone wants to hear it.

And that’s why those 4 words have such a massive, immediate, positive impact.

Tip: If you found this useful, you can get my latest ideas delivered direct to your inbox, for free, right here.