We'd be excited, too! Unfortunately, they're pretty busy people, and some of them are no longer with us. And it's hard to get a medium on such short notice.
So we're here to offer the next best thing: their words of wisdom, explained in terms of your email marketing.
These men are the towering giants of the marketing field, but giants don't have frighten us. Instead, they can be something to look up to.
And sometimes, they can reach down with their advice and lend us a hand so we're just a little closer to the top.
"Never "create" - know the product to the core and combine the details in new ways."
Eugene Schwartz, legendary for selling over $1 billion with his writing
Writing marketing messages gets easier the better you know your product. Whether you're selling a book or protein powder, "hold the product until it surrenders its strength to you," says Schwartz.
Then every time you feature it in an email, you'll have something new to rave about. Some people may not "click" with a product at first, but pitch it from a new angle, and they'll have to have it.
"The product itself should be its own best salesman."
Claude Hopkins, "the granddaddy of hard sell copywriting"
If your product is good, it will sell itself better than any ad you could write. You just have to get samples out there.
But samples cost money, so Hopkins advised giving them only to people who take effort to demonstrate interest. And that's what people do when they sign up for your email marketing.
So if you're selling something you can break into samples, offer them to your list. Link to a page where they can fill out their mailing info. And make sure to ask for feedback!
(List too big? Send the offer only to your most loyal readers - segment by date added to target those who've been around the longest.)
"Don't send a letter to do a man's job."
Gary Halbert, no-holds-barred cult marketing expert
Your newsletter isn't enough. You need to send yourself. You need to show up as vividly as a salesperson standing on the doorstep.
And when you get there, make your point. Your greeting, your "voice," the things you do to be polite and friendly are all important. But don't forget why you dropped by.
Whether you use a riveting picture or a strong call to action, make your point clearly and firmly.
"The appeal is the most important thing."
John Caples, the godfather of the advertising world
We fret over copy, we pull our hair out over design. But the huge conversions happen when you get to the heart of the matter: the appeal.
The appeal is the reason people purchase. It's the idea they're seeking. It's the words they wrap that idea in.
Caples gave the example of life insurance. It can mean peace of mind, prestigious schools for the children, estate planning, retirement savings, or the breadwinner casting a safety net. The question is, which one resonates with your audience?
"And it's not something you can guess at, or infer from your own prejudices," Caples said. To find it? "You've got to test."
"Your idea has to be more stunning then the approach you use to get my attention."
Joe Vitale, marketing's "Mr. Fire"
It's easy to get attention. Just give people something for free - a gift, a discount, whatever you'd like to offer as an incentive to subscribe.
But it's far more important that the emails that follow (and the products you're selling) are just as gripping.
We'll never tell you to skimp on your marketing your newsletter. But we do recommend spending time developing that newsletter until it's worth the attention. Then, get creative trying to attract that attention.
"Sound him or her out before you start selling anything."
Gary Bencivenga, "magic bullet"-style sales coach
You can't sell to someone without knowing who that someone is. So you'll need to spend some time analyzing your customers. In practical steps, you can discover your "who" on three levels:
- the general public. What's going on "out there"? Read the news, watch the latest blockbuster, visit the top web sites. What are people dreaming about?
- your niche. Join forums, skim message boards, research your competitors. What are people looking for?
- the opinions and preferences of your actual subscribers: surveys, ratings, profile info from sign up
This may sound like a hassle, until you realize you're hearing the beat of popular culture, able to target your messages with laser precision.
"Try and fail, but don't fail to to try."
These lessons demand hard work. The forming of new habits. The changing of a mindset. In return, they'll change the way you market and the way your market responds.
What do you say? Are you up for the challenge?
Original: Inbox Ideas
No comments:
Post a Comment