Local Search Connects Business with Consumers

Archive for the ‘Marketing Your Small Business Online’ Category

Google has been testing a new search interface that locks the top navigation bar, search box, and Google’s vertical search options (images, video, news, etc.) in a fixed position. This change means you would no longer have to scroll to the top of the SERP to enter a new search query and makes it easier to switch to Google News, Google Images, or one of Google’s other left-side options.

The magnifying glass is moved further to the right rather than appearing directly next to the website’s name. Additionally, you have to hover over the magnifying glass icon to activate the preview. Currently, clicking on any of the text in a search result will load the preview. Also, the website link, URL, “cached” and “similar” links appear above the Instant Preview, which isn’t the case now.

We all learned how to write in school, but in advertising, there are some simple techniques that experienced writers use to convey messages with greater impact and brevity.  Without being too tutorial, you’ll find these 9 tips quite handy when writing your next sales letter, brochure or web page.

Avoid the wimpy verbs—is and be.
These “do-little” verbs only occupy space and state that something exists.  So don’t write “There is one simple omission that can transform a sentence from boring to brilliant.”  Do write “One simple omission can transform a sentence from boring to brilliant.” Similarly, avoid “We will be running the new program from our Dallas office.”  Instead, opt for “We will run the new program from our Dallas office.”

Place the longest item at the end of a series.
Start with the simple and work toward the complex.  It’s less confusing and makes a more memorable ending to the sentence.  If you have a series like “He was always later that Joan, loud and boring.”  Opt for “He was loud, boring and always later that Joan.”

Specifics are more convincing.
Unless you must for legal reasons, don’t use words like many, several, approximately, nearly and other such mushy weasel modifiers. Specifics tell your audience that you know what your product can do based on tests, research, results, etc.

Modify thy neighbor.
Neighboring clause, that is.  Make sure your modifiers apply directly to the pertinent clause in question. Do this and you’ll avoid such gaffes as “I collided with a stationary truck coming the other way.  (The truck wasn’t coming the other way, it was stationary.)  Better to tell the judge “I was coming the other way and collided with a stationary truck.” (You’ll still pay the penalty for running into a truck, but at least you’ll come across as sober.)

Use single verbs to avoid doublespeak.
Single verbs can often do the work of two similar verbs.  Instead of “The computer was operating and running smoothly,” go for “The computer was running smoothly.”  Or, instead of “He was empty and ran out of gas,” go for the more direct “He ran out of gas.”

Vary sentence length.
A string of sentences all the same length can be boring.  Start with a short sentence or at least a medium-length one, then go long, short, medium or any combination thereof.  Imagine a person talking in sentences that are all the same length.  Robotic.

Are your sentences like the Energizer Bunny?
They go on and on. Just because you’re conveying legal or complex technical information, doesn’t mean you have to use serpentine sentences that never seem to end. Instead of saying “Laser beams, which have many properties that distinguish them from ordinary light, result from the emission of energy from atoms in the form of electromagnetic waves.” Break up and re-phrase to “Laser beams have many properties that distinguish them from ordinary light. They are produced when atoms emit energy in the form of electromagnetic waves.”

Go short and sweet.
Why use a 4- to 5-word phrase when a 1- to 2-word version will do nicely—with no loss in meaning?  Statements like “in view of the fact that” can be easily reduced to “since” or “because.” Word economy is particularly important, especially when you’re paying for premium ad space in a major publication.

Don’t overstate the obvious.
Redundancy is good for space travel, but not for clear writing.  Phrases like “anticipate in advance,” “totally finished,” or “vital essentials” will drive your readers crazy and communicate very little. The same goes for stringing two or more synonyms together like “thoughts and ideas” or “actions and behavior.”  It makes readers wonder if you really meant to say two different things or just wanted to reinforce one word with a needless synonym.

So the next time you’re struggling with that sales letter, mailer or web page, follow these simple rules. They’ll help you communicate your message more clearly and with greater selling power. Remember, there are 26 letters in the English alphabet.  Use them wisely.

I am about to share with you 8 quick ideas and suggestions to dramatically help you improve your copywriting skills as you get going.

You can use these tips when it comes to creating offers, E-mails and sales letters that grab people’s attention.

So without further ado, here they are!

Number one:
Always write your sales letter with the individual in mind.

Whenever you’re writing a sales letter or an E-mail, you want to write that E-mail or sales letter as though you were talking to one person.

Number two:
Pull them in with the first line.

You’ve got to create interest with the reader, the very first line that they read.

Number three:
Use bullets.

People like to scan, they like to quickly read things as fast as they can, and using bullets makes that whole process a heck of a lot easier. So use them.

Number four:
Just let it flow.

When you’re starting to write a letter, it is very difficult to just start from top to bottom and write everything. When it comes to writing it and actually putting everything down in order, I want you to just write as it’s coming out. You’re going to have moments when inspiration hits you and your pen is going to go like crazy or your fingers are going to go like crazy on the computer keyboard, and I want you to just let it flow.

Number five:
Write like you speak.

I briefly touched on this in one of the earlier points. But it’s much easier for you to envision that you’re communicating with one individual as though you’re having a conversation with that person, because when that person reads your sales letter or your E-mail, they’re going to feel like you’re talking right to them, and that’s exactly what you want.

Number six:
Make your communication easy to read.

What I mean by that is use short paragraphs. Use pictures. I want you to bold certain things. I want you to highlight important areas.

Number seven:
I want you to stress the benefits and not the features.

I want you to put yourself in the shoes of the person reading your communication piece
The number one question that they’re going to be asking is: What’s in it for me? You have to address those things, and you’ve got to stress the benefits of your particular communication piece that you’re trying to use.

Number eight:
I want you to keep the reader interested.

How do you do that? On a sales letter there are a ton of ways that you can keep the reader interested, and I’m going to give you a few of them right now.
-     You can use graphs.
-     You can use pictures.
-     You can use audio.
-     You can use video.
-     Another one that people love to see are testimonials.
-     Another one that you can always use is giving examples of proof.
-     Do you have checks?
-     Do you have screen shots of people registering for certain things?

Whatever you’re trying to sell or promote, I want you to give proof that it works or that it would provide benefit to the person that is reading it – screen shots, pictures, testimonials – these are all great things of proof.

So there you have it… 8 quick tips to improve your copywriting skills. This is not the be all and end all of copywriting techniques but they will definitely help you jump over some of the hurdles that are standing in your way!

The U.S. Constitution is clear about the issue of privacy. In fact, the Fourth Amendment states, in part, “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated…”

With that in mind, it’s safe to say it’s more than just a little disturbing to know that, in certain circumstances, police can search your cell phone and computer(s), even if you don’t want them to and even if they don’t yet have a warrant to do so.

Many small business owners say they would be pumping money into this stagnant economy if they could only get a loan.

“Smaller businesses don’t have the same access to capital as these larger companies,” said finance professor John Paglia of Pepperdine University.

Paglia recently released the Summer 2011 Pepperdine Private Capital Markets Project, that showed nearly 95% of 1,221 privately held businesses want to put more money into their businesses.

A survey this year by PNC Bank showed that more than half of women business owners are funding their businesses with their credit cards. Only 27% got a loan from a financial institution, according to the survey.

The lending environment is a black cloud hanging over small business, said University of Central Florida economist Sean Snaith. Blame the evaporation of home equity in the housing crash, he said.

“That had been, especially in Florida, a relatively inexpensive source to fund small business,” Snaith said of home equity. “That source of funding was eradicated as well during the housing crisis.”

Until banks begin to open up funding for local small business it will be very hard to turn this economy around even though many local small business owners are optimistic and want to grow their business.

A great domain name is the core of every online business, blog, website & ecommerce site. A domain name is like the title of a book, describing to visitors what they will find inside. Choosing the right domain is vital. It can tell people anything from what a business mission is to where the business is located.

=> Step #1 – WHO DO YOU THINK YOU`RE TALKING TO?

Before you sit down to write your email sales letter, you`ve got to determine exactly who your audience is. This is a master key to getting results from email marketing.

Ask yourself these questions:

- What do your prospects/customers want?
- What frustrates your prospects/customers most?
- Who else is selling something similar to you?
- Why should your prospects/customers believe you?
- Why should prospects/customers respond to you instead of someone else?
- What kind of appeals will your target market respond to?

=> Step #2 – A GREAT SUBJECT IS YOUR OBJECT

Before an email can generate results, recipients need to open it. But what can you do to spark their interest and get their interest “motor” revved up?

Your SUBJECT LINE is the key.

There are four types of email formulas you can use as a guide in crafting your email. Each has a different PSYCHOLOGICAL APPEAL that works like magic on consumers. Here are some examples:

- State a powerful benefit – “Empowerism Satisfies Your Need for Leads”

- Pique curiosity – “Empowerism Has Uncovered the Secrets of Success”

- Write your subject line with a news angle – “Empowerism Launches RSVP For Those Who Want to Double Their Money Fast!”

- Offer Immediate Gratification – “With Empowerism RSVP, you can start the money wheels turning before the sun goes down tonight”

Here`s an important “homework assignment”: Write at least 25 SUBJECT LINES before you decide on which one to use. Take the best two and test them against each other in your marketing campaign. (Save the “losers” to use for other purposes or spruce up later.)

=> Step #3 – WHAT`S IN IT FOR THEM?

Sit down and write every conceivable benefit your product has. Don`t know the difference between features and benefits? Features describe the product; benefits describe the results of using the product. Features appeal to logic…logic justifies emotion…emotion drives sales (see below).

Here`s a rule of thumb for benefits: ask yourself “What can my product or service do for my customer?” Then begin to write your letter telling your reader WHAT`S IN IT FOR THEM. Tell them how much better life will be for them after they buy from you. Tell them how much better they`ll feel. Tell them how their peers will respect them more.

=> Step #4 – AN EMOTIONAL APPEAL

When promoting anything to anybody, you must remember that buying decisions are based upon emotion and later backed up by logic. Before you write a single word, determine what emotional hot buttons you need to push to “jumpstart” your prospect.

Selling health supplements? Go for the “fear of illness” button with “A Natural Way to Save Your Eyesight.” Selling political bumper stickers? Hit the “anger” button with: “Let the President Know What You Think of His Policies.” Other buttons include: curiosity, greed, ego, vanity, hope, and/or fear of scarcity or security.

=> Step #5 – A NAME YOU CAN TRUST

To convince people to buy your product or service, you must make them believe that your offer is credible and that you (or your product) will deliver as promised.

How do you do that? Here are three ways you can build credibility with the readers of your sales letter:

- Provide testimonials.
- Include endorsement letters from authority figures in your industry
- Make your offer and promises sincere and believable.

=> Step #6 – A GUARANTEE

Nowadays, trying to sell without some type of guarantee is a losing proposition. You`ve got to have one. And the stronger your guarantee, the better your response will be. And, believe it or not, although most people will NOT ask for a refund, they`ll trust your offer knowing that you stand behind it.

You can offer a 24-hour, 30-day, 60-day, 90-day, or even a full-year. And here`s an interesting fact: The longer the time period, the fewer returns you`ll have! It`s human nature to procrastinate, so the more time someone thinks they have to get a refund, the more they`ll put it off or forget about the refund altogether.

=> Step #7 – DON`T FORGET TO ASK

It happens all the time. Someone makes a fantastic sales presentation, and then doesn`t close the deal because he/she didn`t clearly ask for the order or made the process confusing rather than simple.

- From the Research Department: Statistics show that you need to ask for the order at least three times to close substantial sales. (Some studies put the number at 7!)

If you can, offer several ways for your prospects to order — consumers love choice. It tells them, “You`re talking directly to me and meeting my unique needs.” If you only offer one way to order, make it crystal clear how AND how easy it is. Describe it in detail and ask for the order. Then ask again.

=> Step #8 – THE EYES HAVE IT

It`s a well-known fact: Large blocks of copy are intimidating and will often send people running for the hills or at least the Delete button.

The solution? Break up paragraphs into two to four sentences. Use several subheadings throughout the email letter. And use asterisks, dashes, and ellipses (…) to give your copy more rhythm. Bullet points are excellent eye-catchers – use them whenever appropriate.

Many local businesses cannot afford to an internet marketing staff to handle Online Marketing. However, these same companies discover that they cannot afford to ignore the internet marketing activities due to business trends in this new emerging marketplace.

If you are not on the 1st page of search results on Google, Yahoo & Bing, you are basically invisible to potential customers searching for your products & services…and that means lost business.

The Google Pros of Skunkworks Solutions provide a cost-effective way for local businesses to achieve superior SEO results at a minimum cost. The Google Pros of Skunkworks Solutions offer trials for $99 that guarantee 1st page results in the Google search results which accounts for 87% of online search traffic.

Visit Biz2Lz.org for more information on Local Marketing so your business can rank at the top of the Google Search Results today.

Local Marketing

Nothing can turn strong copy into a 97-pound weakling faster than a flawed review process. The result is severely handicapped marketing efforts and, alas, fewer sales.

How can you avoid this dire marketing situation?

By having a smart and consistent review process that preserves the selling power of your marketing communications. Following are 7 essential tips for reviewing and approving copy.

1. Review the copy from the customers’ perspective.

On the first pass, read the copy (all of it) without your red pen in hand or editing hat on. That’s how your customers or audience will read it. Now, what do you think? Does the concept work? Did the headline grab your attention? How was the tone? Does the copy flow? If you begin by editing the first sentence or sweating the details, you will do your clients or customers a disservice.

2. Don’t get hung up on grammar and usage.

If you think the copywriter broke a writing rule, 9 times out of 10 there was an excellent reason. Copywriters are sales people in print, so if we take liberty with the English language, it’s for effect. Plus, be aware that copywriters (and proofreaders) review and correct the copy before you see it. For example, I consider spelling, grammar, style issues, trademark usage, and more to ensure the quality control of every piece of copy I write.

3. Avoid copy by committee.

There’s that old joke that says if you want to kill an idea or project, start a committee. Copy by committee is no different. Conflicting and misguided comments put the copywriter and creative team in the awkward position of trying to please everyone except who matters most — the intended audience. One way around this is to circulate informational copies to people who would like to see the copy. They can make comments without being part of the formal approval process.

4. Minimize the rounds.

Provide complete feedback on the first round, forwarding all your comments, suggestions, and changes to the copywriter. That way the copywriter can consider everything when he or she rewrites the copy and you can shorten the review cycle. Copy is typically stronger when it’s created in three or fewer rounds.

5. Provide specific comments.

When you provide specific comments, the chances of succeeding on the rewrite improve dramatically. For example, instead of saying, “This isn’t strong enough,” say, “The tone needs to be more authoritative” or “These are additional benefits the copy should cover.” Often times putting your comments in writing will help you be more specific than if you just provide them orally.

6. Let the copywriter rewrite the copy.

Instead of trying to “write” the changes yourself to be incorporated, tell the copywriter your concerns and let him or her address them. The copy will benefit when the copywriter does the rewriting.

7. Judge the copy based upon your objectives.

In the end, the copy was written with particular objectives in mind: to build your brand, generate leads or sales, inform about your company, products, or services, and so on. Make sure the copy is technically accurate and factually correct. Then critique the copy based upon what you want it to accomplish, not on the number of superlatives, your competitor’s latest ad campaign, or how it compares to your previous brochure.

Call PullMoney2 for help with your copy so you can rank in to top keywords for your industry.

I remember the first time a client offered me a case study writing assignment.

I was petrified.

It was early in my freelance writing career and I didn’t even know what one looked like. I had a lot of questions. “What the heck is a case study?” “How long is it?” “What is the format?” “How much do I charge?”

I didn’t have a clue.

Of course, these days, I know more. A lot more. In fact, I write dozens of case studies for clients each year.

Case studies now rank high on my list of the most fascinating — and lucrative — projects I handle. (I’m sure glad that my client offered me the job all those years ago!)

If you’re unfamiliar with case studies, don’t worry. They’re really quite simple. A case study is just a fancy name for a success story – the tale of a happy customer and his or her experience using a product or service.

Lately, I’ve noticed that more and more companies need case studies written, yet have difficulties finding writers who can do the job.

That spells OPPORTUNITY for you and me.

And it gets better. Consider the following:

1. Case studies are not difficult to write.

They are similar in style and format to a newsletter article. So if you can write one of those, you can write a case study.

2. Case studies are relatively short

Usually about 400-800 words in length. Once you’ve gained a little experience, you’ll be able to knock one off in less than a day.

3. The formats are standardized

Unlike ads and direct mail, you won’t get stressed out by having to come up with a dazzling new concept or killer headline. The basic structure of a case study is remarkably simple. All that’s required of you is to get the facts and write a good piece.

4. Case study writers are in demand

More companies are scrambling to get case studies written today than ever before. I can’t give you an exact figure but, in my opinion, the demand for case study writers has increased significantly over the past couple of years.

5. There is little competition

I’m not sure why, but few copywriters go after this market. Some may not know it exists. Others may mistakenly think that case studies are dull or technical. Not true! Case study writing is storytelling. It’s fun.

6. Case studies pay well

Surprisingly well. Now you won’t get the superstar rates paid to big-league direct mail copywriters. But most clients do pay handsomely for case study writing. Earning $100 per hour is not an unreasonable expectation for an experienced writer. I know many who earn a lot more.

Right now the case study market is booming. Why not jump in and get your share of these fascinating and lucrative writing gigs?