Internet Direct Marketing Tip of the Day

Repeating yourself in long form copy or even reiterating a copy point made in the headline once again in the body copy often helps to reinforce a selling proposition in the reader’s mind. Online, it is extremely important to reinforce copy from a statement made in email again on the landing page. This helps the reader confirm that he or she has clicked to the right place.

Many copywriters think this technique insults the reader’s intelligence. When done wrong, or overdone, it can. But more often is the case the reader feels reassured or reminded of a key point you’re trying to establish. LC

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When an SEO expert has an Alexa rating of 2 billion with no in-bound links, when an email marketing “expert” has never managed or owned his own newsletter, when a blogging “expert” hasn’t blogged for months, this is not good. I don’t buy that worn out explanation, “You know the cobblers children go without shoes.” This Internet medium is a “show me” medium. This is a Net marketer’s time to strut his/her stuff and walk the walk. Let’s face it, people who buy Internet marketing services are no dopes. If your site stinks and has tumbleweed rolling through it because of neglect, it’s going to be obvious. The Internet makes much of B2B marketing transparent. Prospects can easily see by looking at your online wares if you’re really real, or a poseur. I recently visited the site of one self-proclaimed Internet/direct marketer. Amazingly, there was not one call to action on that person’s site. In this day and age, if you only talk the talk, your website will shout that fact quite loudly.

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Email is a “fast-read” medium. Everyone is trying to get their inbox down to a manageable level. That’s what you’re up against – that anxiety of having too much email. Your subject header needs to use “Power Words” and they need to be front-loaded so they are seen first. Don’t put them at the end of your subject header. They may never be seen.

By “Power Words”, I don’t mean hyperbole. I mean words that are on the minds of your prospects… words that they keep an eye out for. Those are “Power Words”. Identify them, use them and pay them off handsomely in the body of your email. LC

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There is research out there that suggests people like to feel they’ve performed their due diligence by digging deeper into search results. They feel they’ve done their homework when they dig deeper. Whether you are employing organic SEO (Search Engine Optimization) or PPC (Pay-Per-Click) campaigns, see if you don’t get more qualified leads when you’re a few ticks down from the top. LC

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More often than not, words like “fabulous” and “amazing” have little or no meaning. Why? Because if the copywriter had real facts to work with, he/she would have used them instead. Having said that, there’s nothing wrong with appealing to a reader’s emotions, even in B2B copy.

If you appeal to a reader’s emotions, try using illustrative words that resonate with your audience. Just don’t expect them to believe you when you tell them your product or service is revolutionary. That’s what I call “says you” copy. Use “Missouri” copy, i.e. “show me” copy instead. LC

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So much sales and ad copy is overblown, chest-thumping hype that means less than nothing to the reader. The reader is interested in one thing only, and that is the reader’s own self-interest.

So don’t talk features, talk benefits and what’s in it for the reader. Marketing guru Robin Woods says each reader is a radio station with the call letters WIFM, which stands for “What’s In It For Me?” He’s 100% correct. Your copy has to pay off WIFM, otherwise they’ll tune you out and your response rate will be awful – so figure out the phrase that pays. LC

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Remember, many people are on the Internet to learn how to do something. So a subject line with the words “how to” in it, aimed at the right audience, can really resonate. But do keep it short and sweet. LC

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It isn’t a good idea to use humor in your direct response copy, unless you’re selling DVDs of Seinfeld, maybe. There’s plenty of humor in branding copy. But that’s meant to entertain while direct copy is meant to sell… and selling is serious business.

Maybe that’s because asking people to part with their money is no laughing matter. Most DM copywriters look at humor as a diversion away from the serious business at hand. On the other hand, if you’ve used humor and have gotten good results, tell me about it. Nothing trumps DM rules like experience. LC

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That’s right. Email yourself any offer you plan on sending out via email. Do this while you’re still in concept stage to “try it on for size,” so to speak. Does the subject line grab you? How about the landing page? Do you get a nice confirming feeling that you’ve landed on the right page? No? Start over, and keep emailing yourself until you like what you see. Then, and only then, go into the production cycle. LC

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