Week 4 EOC - Chapter 7 The Magical Power of Headlines

"Advertising experts' estimate that between 75 percent and 90 percent of any advertising's effectiveness comes from the headline...With a good headline, you stand a fighting chance of having anything from minimal to overwhelming success.

But without a good headline, your chances of success are next to zero...

A headline is the first set of words that your prospect sees on any piece of copy you write. It's just like the headlines you see in a newspaper...While these headlines would work well to sell newspapers and get readers interested in reading the news stories that follow, only...a headline that has a characteristic that could make it work just as well for an ad as for a news story. It's this: The headline conveys a benefit...of a product..., and this not only creates interest in the product, it also creates a desire for that product, if, that is, you're the kind of person who likes that product.

In short, a headline not only needs to capture attention and keep you prospects reading, it also needs to set the tone for what the prospects are about to read and to create a mood in the prospect that will begin to make them receptive to taking the action you will eventually invite them to take in your sales copy.

That action might be to buy what you are selling, It could be just to request more information. Or, it might be to request an application form, which would lead to the next step of the sales process.

Whatever action it is you desire your prospect to take, your headline has an important job to do: Prepare the prospect emotionally for the invitation you are soon about to make. (Success Secrets of the Online Marketing Superstars, Mitch Meyerson, pg76-77)

Headlines are important because they are the initial attention-grabbers. Getting attention, of course, is the first step in completing the sale. This opener focuses readers' attention on the rest of your sales message, whatever form that message takes -- ad, brochure, catalog, package or statement insert, flyer, mailer, or web site. Headlines can also help you pinpoint the audience.

It's important to make the headline as strong and powerful as possible, because FIVE times as many people read the headline and never get to the rest of an add.

It's important to focus on what is in the mind of your customer, understanding what they need helps to write a headline that focuses on your understanding and identifying with that need.

You have know your product and be able to convey the value of that product to your customer and this has to be done by writing a headline that catches their eye because it relates to something they are wanting or dealing with. Then they will stop, scan or actually read the rest of your copy.

Using the five basic human needs/motivators;
1.) Physiological - basic needs including hunger, shelter, clothing,
2.) Safety - physical, emotional, and financial,
3.) Social - need for love, companionship and acceptance,
4.) Self Esteem - achievement, recognition, respect, and attention, and
5.) Self Actualization - Need to reach one's full potential.
Can help you to appeal to your reader's emotions, needs, wants and desires.

Week 4 EOC - Chaper 6 The Seduction of The Online Surfer

"Never sell a wine before its time.

You have exactly five seconds to make your intentions know in the first screenful of your Web site--because that's all most online surfers will give you.
That's why your Web site's first screenful (or the first eyeful) is the prime real estate of your Web site that you must use to set the stage for the seduction. What you put in it makes or breaks the sales success of your Web site."

"The only objective of your headline is to get your prospect to read the opening sentence. The only objective of your opening sentence is to get your prospect to read the second sentence. The only objective of your second sentence is to get your prospect to read the third sentence--and so on and so forth until the prospect pulls out their credit card and buys what you're selling. When the sale is consummated, the seduction is complete. But if you let go at any step, the sales process comes to a screeching halt. (Success Secrets of the Online Marketing Superstars, Mitch Meyerson, pg59-60)

So many times I have gone to a Web site only to quickly click away from it because of its appearance. I do agree that a person makes up their mind in five seconds or less if they are going to spend time at a site because of what they receive visually.

Human beings are visual creatures that are easily bored and lazy. A person is not going spend a lot of time trying to figure it out, so a message has to be conveyed quickly and clearly. You have to capture your visitor's attention so that they recall your site to visit again and again. The use of headlines to pull your prospective customer in will get your visitor curious to spend more time at your site.

A Web site represents your company's image; hence your every approach should be professional and lucid. You only have one chance to capture your visitor or they will never return again.

Week 4 EOC - Powerful Headlines

Helping People Help People To Suceed; Making The Difference

I Dare You To Take The First Step; Call Me Today, Let's Take Your Vision and Bring It To Life

Do You Have What It Takes To Reach The World? With My Help You Can.

Are You Tired Of Working For Somebody Else? Together We Can Bring Life to Your Vision!

Time Can Be Running Out; Make Your Dream A Reality Today!

Week 3 EOC - Chapter 5 - Writing Web Copy That Sells

"People think of price and value on a scale. On one side is value and on the other is price. Load up the value side of the scale.

You want the side holding "the value" to be down so far that the price is really no issue. The way you build that up is comparing what I call apples to oranges or return on investment." (Success Secrets of the Online Marketing Superstars, Mitch Meyerson, pg50)

An important aspect of writing web copy that sells is to make what you have to offer look valuable. Not just your product, but everything that you stand for. You have to forging an emotional connection with prospective and established customers alike by defining who you are and what you sell. You have to know your target market and be able to cater to your target market's specific needs.

Web copy requires a distinct and consistent voice that expresses the value of the relationship you are seeking, accompanied by assurance. What value is there in everyone knowing who you are if they do not know what you stand for and what you can do for them? The more reasons you give people to choose your brand, the less price becomes a factor in their purchasing decision. Then ""the value" side of the scale will be down so far that the price is really no issue."

By clearly stating how a prospective customer’s world will be made easier, more lucrative, healthier, happier and so on, by having a relationship with you will continually reinforce your message not just on your website, but also in print materials, advertising, trade show presentations, press releases and so on. One should never forget that words, like design, are the foundation of communication. They help us express, understand and learn. They are invaluable to influencing your visitors’ decision-making process and loyalty. (Smashing Magazine, How To Improve Your Branding With Your Content)

Week 3 EOC - Chapter 4 - Building Your Online Brand

"Customer loyalty is really built on branding and on building relationship, and those two go together.

You have to build this bond with your customers and prospects. You have to build a relationship with them, but at the same time, part of building that relationship is maintaining a consistent them, identity, and message. That's really what branding is about.

Branding is about communicating a message." (Success Secrets of the Online Marketing Superstars, Mitch Meyerson, pg32)

Many people believe a brand only consists of a few elements – some colors, some fonts, a logo, a slogan and maybe some music added in too all wrapped up in a Logo. In reality, it is much more complicated than that. You might say that a brand is a "corporate" that is shaped by the perceptions of the audience. On that note, it should also be stated that a designer cannot “make” a brand – only the audience can do this. A designer only forms the foundation of the brand.

The fundamental idea and core concept behind having a ‘corporate image’ is that everything a company does, everything it owns and everything it produces should reflect the values and aims of the business as a whole. It is the consistency of this core idea that makes up the company, driving it, showing what it stands for, what it believes in and why they exist. It is not purely some colors, some typefaces, a logo and a slogan.

These other elements only identify a "brand" or "corporate image. Identity design is based around the visual devices used within a company, usually assembled within a set of guidelines. These guidelines that make up an identity usually administer how the identity is applied throughout a variety of mediums, using approved color palettes, fonts, layouts, measurements and so forth. These guidelines ensure that the identity of the company is kept coherent, which in turn, allows the brand as a whole, to be recognizable.

The logo is the corporate identity and brand all wrapped up into one identifiable mark. This mark is the avatar and symbol of the business as a whole. A logo is for identification.

A logo identifies a company or product via the use of a mark, flag, symbol or signature. A logo does not sell the company directly nor rarely does it describe a business. Logos derive their meaning from the quality of the thing it symbolizes, not the other way around – logos are there to identity, not to explain. What a logo means is more important than what it looks like. It is also important to note that only after a logo becomes familiar, does it function the way it is intended to do. (Branding, Identity & Logo Design Explained , Just Creative Design Blog)

Week 3 - YouTube

Week 2 EOC - Chapter 3 - Guerrilla Marketing Online and Offline

"Will industry or local newspaper write about your site? The answer is of course they will, if you make it fascinating enough for their readers. That's your job. Promotion will lure them to your site, but its killer content that will encourage return trips. Killer content means information that gets people to respond emotionally. The best way to do this is to write articles on their greatest problems and struggles and then offer laser-focused solutions to these problems. Another powerful way to engage readers is to offer specific and current statistics on issues that resonate with them. When they can see themselves in your words, they will keep reading and come back for more. (Success Secrets of the Online Marketing Superstars, Mitch Meyerson, pg24)

As I read this statement I see, "killer content", "information that gets people to respond emotionally", " write articles on their greatest problems and struggles" and" to offer specific and current statistics on issues that resonate with them ". How else can you meet these requirements than to know your target market? What they are experiencing today, their problems and struggles that they are encountering in their lives and their jobs. In order to be successful in meeting these things you have to do your homework.

You have to do a "target market strategy, the activities of selecting and describing one or more target markets and developing and maintaining a marketing mix that will produce mutually satisfying exchanges with target markets." (MKTG, Lamb Hair Mc Daniel, pg24) By uncovering the "psychological factors: perception, motivation, learning, and beliefs and attitudes" of you target market, the factors that "consumers use to interact with their world. These factors are what consumers use to interact with their world. They are the tools consumers use to recognize their feelings, gather and analyze information, formulate thoughts and opinions, and take action... Psychological influences can be affected by a person's environment because they are applied on specific occasions. "(MKTG, Lamb Hair Mc Daniel, pg76) I see this as the only way to be able to talk and to be heard is by knowing the people you are talking to. This is the only way to be able to develop a relationship with people, to get to know what they want and need, and to get them to want what you have to offer.

Week 2 EOC - Chapter 2 - Creating Multiple Streams of Income on the Internet

"Fail Fast For Free- I've often said that on the Internet you can fail fast for free. And if you can fail fast for free, that means you get to fail, fail, and fail at no cost. You can't do that in the real world. And the cost is so inexpensive. Your cost on the Internet is not technically zero but it's close to zero. You can keep failing and failing until you figure out how to succeed. There's just no better place to do it. It's the best.

You have to be much, much more careful in the real world. I call it the real world and the online world. In the real world if you aren't really, really careful, you end up losing all your money on your marketing." (Success Secret of the Online Marketing Superstars, by Mitch Meyerson, pg. 13)

How freeing is that I ask you. To be able to fail and try again and again without causing any permanent damage. I think a lot of times I do not try to do something because of the fear of failing. The what ifs are always haunting. Meyerson says that the number one reason businesses fail is because people run out of money because they are doing marketing that doesn't work. Well here you can try and if it doesn't work you can try a different approach with little affect to your financial situation. Once you find what does work, then if you were inclined to do so, you could invest in different media.

Because you have the luxury of failing, you can experiment; you can find what people really want. What they care about. Then you can give them what they want and in such you become unique and gain an advantage over your competitors.

Because the fear of failing is gone, you can take your mistakes, learn from them, grow and move on to bigger and better things.

Week 1 EOC - Chapter 1 - The Million Dollar Mindset

“There are some common characteristics shared between people who have mastered the art of asking.

• They know what they want. They are clear about their vision purpose, and goals.
• They believe that what they’re asking for is very possible.
• They are passionate about what they are requesting.
• They act even when they’re afraid or feel fear.
• They learn from experience so that they become better “askers: every time they ask.
• They are persistent. If at first they don’t receive, they ask, ask, ask until they do.

…I’ve told people thousands of times that they’ve just got to ask for what they want. The problem with that is they don’t know what they want!” (Success Secrets of the Online Marketing Superstars, Mitch Meyerson, pgs. 2 & 4)

Reading this I thought, how often I did not get something because I was afraid to ask. Or I did not know what I want. Or I thought about a million things I wanted only to start and change my mind. And it was all in my mind. Never had I made a real commitment or wrote anything down. I believe that writing it down on paper is the first step of making a commitment, setting goals. Writing it down is the start of making your vision a reality.

I think that sometimes I feel that it has already been done or I get intimidated by those who I think have more talent than me. Meyerson’s advice on page 9 says, “If you’re starting out, don’t be intimidated by the people who have already made a big impact. Start where you’re at.” If you do not start where you are at you will never start at all.