What I am about to suggest to you is so basic I’m almost ashamed. But it’s utterly essential – and too often ignored.
What’s more, checking on it may do you more immediate good than all sorts of grander things like strategy and positioning.
Forgive me if you think it’s beneath you – but I hope it isn’t.
***
Here’s a question for you.
What’s the most powerful word in selling communications?
Would you say “free”?
I used to – but I suspect it’s not, really. I think it is “you” – and derivations, like “yours” and “your”.
Here’s why.
1. You are what you’re interested in most of all – sad but true.
2. The more time you use “you” words in your messages, the more they get read.
3. Conversely, the more you use “we” words – like us, our and ours – the less interested people are.
Marketing is like real life. In real life don’t you hate people who boast and talk about themselves? In real life don’t you prefer people who talk to you about your interests? Same in selling.
So, even if this sounds a bit basic, go through your messages – in whatever medium – and do a “me/you” count.
If the “you” words don’t outgun the “me” words two to one – change things.
I just looked at the welcome page of one leading marketer. In less than 150 words – there was not one “you” word”. But there were seventeen selfish “we” words, starting with that old friend “About us”.
“Drayton,” you may ask, “How can such trivia be important?”
Well, people often compare marketing to war – and use similar words, like “strategy”, “territory”, “conquest”, “attrition” and so on. So here’s some advice for you from a famous general.
Towards the end of his life, the Duke of Wellington was asked to what he owed his victories. “Attention to detail,” he replied.
Pay attention to this little detail. Count how many times your messages talk about your customers – and how much they’re about you. And get the balance right.
Best,
Drayton
P.S. This is number 11 of Drayton Bird’s 101 free helpful marketing ideas. You can sign up on the link below for the rest.
—————————————–
Website: www.draytonbird.com / www.eadim.com
Click here to get 101 free helpful marketing ideas. Marketers from all over the world think they’re a pot of gold.
Well for a change, here’s a genuine example.
Many of you have asked me to carry on with these ideas and not finish on the next one – so, as I said last week, I shall.
And I’d really like your advice, Ghulam – but first, here’s Jean Cocteau, who once began a speech by saying:
“I have said this many times before, but nobody listened, so I will say it again.”
Well, I thought that this was a good time to mention three of the things I’ve covered in this series – then give you my helpful idea No 50. First, let me tell you what the three most opened ideas were.
They were:
No 2, which offered a PDF of Claude Hopkins book Scientific Advertising.
No 1, which suggested you take 5 minutes a day to think up reasons to talk to your prospects and customers.
No 17, which offered creative work at half-price to the first five people who replied.
Did you notice that two of the three featured incentives, reinforcing the truth in the old phrase “What’s in it for me”? That’s especially interesting as the other was the very first, which I guess people would naturally open more keenly than later ones.
But the very first one was about something I consider so important that I’m going to repeat it. And it was about the need to do things rather than sit around thinking about them.
In that piece I told a true story of two firms we did some work for. After we wrote a mailing for one, they took 6 months to do nothing except have meetings. Who knows, maybe they’re still yacking away.
The other gets on with things. I’ve seen them get mailings out in under a week. They are the leaders in the field. The others, the slothful one, are big – but they won’t stay that way.
People waffle on about the “entrepreneur” society.
They idolise people like Richard Branson – with whom I had some contact, with a few lessons I’ll talk about in another piece.
But they don’t act like Richard Branson.
Most people prefer talking rather than doing. And the bigger the firm, the more they talk and the less they do.
I think this is because nobody can be fired for something that never happened. That’s why most businesses don’t improve. It’s also why most people are employees, not employers.
 |
If you do one significant thing better each year you have a fair chance of outdoing your competitors. If you do two, you almost certainly will. If you do three, you’ll wipe the floor with them. |
So here is a cartoon I use sometimes in seminars just to remind you of that fact.
I use the Three Blind Mice from the nursery rhyme to emphasise what I just said.
You don’t have to be a genius to beat the competition. You have to act.
I have no idea which three of the suggestions I’ve sent so far made the deepest impression on you. But please do me a favour. Take them and act on them.
And tomorrow…
PLEASE TAKE 3 MINUTES TO ADVISE ME
Many ideas have been suggested to me in the last ten weeks. I’d like to know which interest you. Tomorrow, I’ll ask what you think.
Thank you – I have had so many thank you messages and kind comments, I’ve been genuinely astonished. I appreciate every one of them.
Filed under Drayton Bird, advertising by on Apr 7th, 2010. Comment. 
I think of a headline as an ad for an ad. As a
marketer, you should too. And be aware of the
following truth.
“On average five times as many people read the
headlines as read the body copy. It follows that
unless your headline sells your product, you have
wasted 90 percent of your money.”
Who said this? The late David Ogilvy, world-
famous founder of the ad agency Ogilvy & Mather
and author of the best-seller “Confessions of an
Advertising Man.”
I call today’s headline shortcut Ways To/Reasons
Why.
Here are some headline examples which illustrate
this powerful and underused technique.
*******
Seven Reasons Why Information Publishing is
Today’s Best Business Opportunity
*******
11 Secrets I Wasn’t Taught in School That Have
Put Millions in My Bank Account
*******
Ten Ways to Survive and Prosper
During the Current Recession
*******
Six Ways to Beat the Coming Tax Increase
*******
13 Inside Secrets to Getting the Best Deal
On Your Next Automobile
Car Dealers Do Not Want You to Know
*******
101 Little-Known Ways to Add
Perceived Value to Your Home
So it Sells Fast For at Least
98.5 Percent of the Full Asking Price!
*******
17 Ways to Make More Money From Home
With Your Own Internet Business
*******
There are Three Good Reasons an Internet Offer
Succeeds… And You Already Know Two of Them–
The Third Reason May Be The Final Piece of the
Puzzle That Makes Your Next Offer Click
*******
The main reason this wonderful technique works so
well rests on a very simple principle that is a
powerful motivator for all of us.
Curiosity!
Think about your own experience as a consumer.
When you see an ad that lists a number of ways to
do something beneficial to you, can you resist
checking it out?
I cannot. I’m always intrigued. I want to know the
“ways.” Or “secrets.” Or “reasons.” And once into
the copy, if it’s good, I often order.
Do you relate to this?
My experience has proven to me most consumers
feel the same way.
The formula for the technique Ways To/Reasons
Why is very simple. Here it is:
(Specific number) ways to dramatize (the big
benefit)
I look forward to seeing your highly charged
headlines and, as always, hearing about your greater
success.
Since the headline shortcut series began, so many
Success Margin subscribers have sent in beautiful
headlines. I’m considering a contest for the best
ones.
Your correspondent,
Ted Nicholas
—————
“This article appears courtesy of THE SUCCESS
MARGIN, the Internet’s most valuable success and
marketing e-zine. For a complimentary
subscription, visit http://www.tednicholas.com/
Filed under Ted Nicholas, copywriting by on Mar 17th, 2010. Comment.
I read a lot. Books, newspapers, magazines. But
good, really powerful writing is a rare treat for
me. And I’m sure for you as well.
After reading a recent timely but boring and life-
less newspaper article, it suddenly hit me like a
ton of bricks!
The “voice” in which copy is written is crucially
important. Yet, I’ve never seen anyone discuss it.
And that includes me!
But, isn’t this true? As I gain new insights I
share them. And isn’t this part of the reason
you’re a subscriber?
I believe a big part of my success is due to
creating a “voice” that is unique to me. It
differentiates me. And I’ve found an interesting
and persuasive voice for numerous clients and
mentees.
But I never actually thought about actually
teaching anyone else how to do it. Today, dear
reader, that is about to change.
To be a powerful and effective communicator,
whether in print, on the platform, on TV or radio,
you need to communicate in your own special
voice.
You have a bigger challenge than it first appears.
You have to sound like you. Communicate just like
you. Be the authentic you. And no one else. But
like all great accomplishments, it’s easier said than
done.
Let me be crystal clear. I’m not talking about
faking it. Or making up some sort of phony voice.
I am talking about finding that voice already
within you. And simply letting it out.
I submit most people, instead of releasing it,
resist and fight against showing the world that
emotional inner voice. Rather, they try to be
“sophisticated,” whatever that means.
I believe a big reason for stilted writing which
is all too common is how the subject is taught in
school. You can please your English teacher and
get top grades. All you need to is display an
unemotional yet grammatically correct style.
The resultant writing is dull, lifeless, left-brain
copy no one (except your teacher) wants to read.
And even more important to the marketer, no one
will be influenced in any way to buy anything.
I’ve also discovered that nearly everyone has more
than one “voice” buried within them. Some have a
surprisingly large number of authentic voices.
These can be called upon, depending on the
purpose.
If and when you find your strongest, real,
authentic voice, your copy will vastly improve.
And I assure you, so will your sales results!
How would I further define your “voice”?
Nothing less than the sum total of your words,
expressions, personality and mannerisms that make
you–you.
Look around you carefully at all forms of writing
including sales copy. Wouldn’t you agree that most
writers’ work is sadly colorless and devoid of an
individual, unique voice?
Proper grammar (which can get you an A grade in
English) is not what makes copy interesting.
Readable. Persuasive. Compelling.
My job is to help you become a better writer of
sales copy. My goal is to help you get an A not in
English. But in marketing!
I’ve used several voices during my career. In my
first business, Peterson’s House of Fudge, my first
voice was as a gourmet chef. A confectionery and
ice cream maker with several patented recipes to
my name. At first I began speaking and writing the
way the chefs did who worked in my father’s
family restaurant/ice cream parlor business.
Later I started writing books. The first was “How
to Form Your Own Corporation Without a Lawyer
for Under $50.” I then got better and more
comfortable at letting out my second buried voice.
I released a voice that communicated how I felt.
Pro free market. Pro limited government. Anti-
lawyer. Anti-bureaucrat. Aspiring consumer hero.
Contrarian (I concluded that most people were dead
wrong about nearly everything. The truth was the
opposite of what I was taught in school and what
most people believed to be true).
All the copy written to sell my book, my first two
direct response businesses, and 56 books published
for other authors, utilized this new voice.
The first business widely using my contrarian tone
was Enterprise Publishing Company. The second
was The Company Corporation. This business, also
started in my basement, became the largest
incorporating company in the world.
This new contrarian voice from the depths of my
soul has indeed been very, very successful.
One of my major tasks is to actually create a unique
and valuable voice (in the authentic voice of the
client) for those with whom I consult and write
copy.
How do I find this new voice?
By intently listening to them. And understanding
what really makes them tick. And what keeps them
awake at night. I see this research as part of my
marketing challenge.
** Here are a few client examples **
– William Fischer, author of the book “How to
Fight Cancer and Win.” His inner voice–a caring,
outspoken researcher intent on seeking and
publishing the truth about alternative cancer
treatments as opposed to conventional approaches.
– The “Hugging Butcher.” His voice–a lovable
Minnesota butcher who the women customers in
particular love. Because of this tendency, I got him
to guarantee every customer a free hug. This simple
strategy turned his business, just two weeks away
from bankruptcy, into a roaring success. He is now
a retired former butcher.
– Dr. Reinhard Hittich came to my Bermuda
seminar in 1998. He is the founder of a fast-
growing direct response supplement company
headquartered in the Netherlands. His hidden
voice–a professional, caring nutritional
researcher fed up and angry with his former
employer, a pharmaceutical company which just
to make profits exploits the consumers with
harmful chemicals. His solution is natural vitamin
supplements as an alternative. The result of this
voice? This business has gone from a mid six-
figure turnover up to a high eight-figure enterprise
and one of the fastest growing direct response
companies in Europe.
Let’s look at a few more of the wonderful and
successful voices used by other well-known
entrepreneurs.
– Gary Halbert, my late friend and world-class
copywriter. His “voice” exemplified a profane,
crazy, lovable, irreverent person almost
irresistible to his particular audience. He had
this unique ability to communicate as though he
were in a locker room or bar having a few beers
with his best buddies. His words alone were able
to transport you right to that setting.
It’s important, of course, to realize every voice is
not for every audience. Many niche audiences
would undoubtedly be turned off by Gary, while
his fans loved him.
That’s why every entrepreneur has to seek and find
their own niche. And the voice you use helps you
do it very effectively. In fact, you usually can’t
do it at all without it.
– Bill Gore. This is another friend of mine who is
no longer with us. But his voice is. He actually
invented the revolutionary material now called
Gore-Tex. But DuPont, the parent company where
he worked, wasn’t interested in it. They couldn’t
see any future! So in his basement he started the
now iconic company, Gore-Tex in Wilmington,
Delaware, where I used to live. His “voice” always
used in his communications and advertising was a
caring, brilliant, informal, uncle-like figure. Today,
even after employing thousands with factories
around the world, the company has never given a
single employee a title, even to this day.
– Haband Pants. A mail order marketer. The
brilliant voice of this company used in their copy
is in the personal style of a father and his son.
They gossip. They complain about each other.
They bitch. They tell corny jokes. They even get
away with commenting about life all the while
they extol the virtues of their clothing.
Even the very largest corporations often assure
their advertising consistently reflects one
individual’s voice.
Most of the time the “voice” is the founder’s.
Years ago I had occasion to meet Sam Walton,
founder of Wal-Mart, in Washington, D.C. He was
the richest man in the U.S. at the time.
Mr. Walton was fascinating. He was a humble,
plainspoken man. He drove a 25-year-old pickup
truck and lived in a house he purchased 30 years
before for $24,000. He wore a $10 red and white
checked wool shirt. His advertising and also
employee communications were just like him.
Plain, simple, and direct. This style continues
today.
– Another good example of a strong, unique
“voice” responsible for a huge part of its
incredible success is the case of Perdue Chicken.
This 750 million dollar Delaware company was
founded by Frank Perdue. In his inimitable voice,
Frank produced radio and TV commercials
advertising his chicken. The U.S.P. he developed
and is still being used today is: “It takes a tough
man to grow a tender chicken.”
I recommend you find and develop a unique
“voice” in which to write copy and express
yourself. A good place to first start is to practice
writing some headlines and copy with that voice
within you that is undoubtedly yearning to be
released. Work on expressing yourself freely.
Emotionally. With abandon.
Try writing copy as though you were answering
this question. “If I had the guts to write about the
virtues of my product and my company without
worrying what anyone, especially my peers,
relatives and even my English teacher thought,
what would I say?”
Once you answer this question, I’d wager a lot of
money that your performance, response and success
level will vastly improve once you find and release
that magical inner voice within you and which is
unique in all the world.
I’d love to hear from you about your new “voice”
and what it has meant to you.
Your correspondent,
Ted Nicholas
—————
“This article appears courtesy of THE SUCCESS
MARGIN, the Internet’s most valuable success and
marketing e-zine. For a complimentary
subscription, visit http://www.tednicholas.com/
Filed under Ted Nicholas, copywriting by on Mar 6th, 2010. Comment.
Most entrepreneurs are optimistic. But not necessarily realistic. Not surprisingly, they expect success with every action they take. But, that is not how the business world works.
For example, when most entrepreneurs run a single advertisement in a magazine, newspaper, or on the Internet, or send out a mailing, they are often shocked and discouraged at getting poor, or even non-existent results.
This view, while understandable, is completely unrealistic. It is a result of an attitude based entirely on flawed assumptions.
I’m perhaps the highest paid copywriter in the world. But no one, including me, hits a home run with every sales message. I can tell you I’m thrilled when I bat 300% (3 out of 10) on new products and/or new advertising program. My high batting average earns fortunes for myself and my clients.
But, approached correctly, you can create great wealth for yourself with a far lower batting average.
Plus, I can’t count the numerous advertising campaigns I’ve created that at first achieved poor results. Then, after going back to the drawing board and creating a new headline, or new offer, or new copy, turned a flop around into a big success.
Other hugely successful people experience similar results. Recently I spoke at Mark Joyner’s conference in Los Angeles, ”Survival Strategies for Tough Times.”
One of my fellow speakers was Joe Sugarman. Joe is undoubtedly one of the most successful entrepreneurs in America. He is known as a world-class marketer and copywriter. He is best known for his BluBlocker sunglass infomercial that has run for years. And also for electronic products in his company, JS&A, heavily promoted in space ads and by catalog.
In his presentation, Joe commented as follows: “I’m thrilled if one out of ten of my ads work, because this one product and ad can earn me a fortune.”
In actuality, I’d be deliriously happy if just one out of twenty ads, mail pieces or Internet offers were a home run.
Please note the vast difference in attitude between myself, Joe and entrepreneurs who are looking for the quick, instant success.
Sugarman is the best example I know for a wealth-building attitude that underlies his incredible success. Providing you have quality products people want, over time the willingness to keep digging until you find something that is profitable never fails. It’s as close to automatic as you can get in the business world. And it will work for you too.
You simply work the percentages. You test small, and then test again until you get a product and offer that works. Then you roll out big.
Bottom line. Don’t be discouraged by a few flops. Expect them. Honor them, as they are necessary. When you flop, just say ”next.” Each time you are one step closer to success.
The reality is that with new product and copy launches, there is no such thing as failure. You always get results. Plus, each test brings you critically important marketing information regardless of results.
Your correspondent,
Ted Nicholas
—————
“This article appears courtesy of THE SUCCESS
MARGIN, the Internet’s most valuable success and
marketing e-zine. For a complimentary
subscription, visit http://www.tednicholas.com/
Filed under Self Improvement, Ted Nicholas, copywriting by on Feb 7th, 2010. Comment.
You may have the impression that my great hero is David Ogilvy, which is largely true.
I am not alone, either. A survey some years back discovered that more people had been influenced to go into advertising by reading or hearing David than anyone else.
But I have other heroes.
One is Murray Raphel, a brilliant, inspiring speaker – and a most excellent marketer. Here he is.
If you see any of his books, buy them. They’re all good, practical, down-to-earth stuff bereft of meaningless jargon.
This is hardly surprising because his family ran (and for all I know still runs) a retail business in New Jersey. That’s a bit like dm. You know the next day if something’s worked.
Murray once said something I have never forgotten, and I offer it to you as Helpful Idea 31: “Search the world and steal the best”.
I do this all the time. And I advocate it for two reasons.
1. I can never have enough ideas, but they are hard to come by. So I belong to the W.A. Mozart School of creativity. Mozart said, “I never tried to be the slightest bit original”.
2. Contrary to what many, maybe most imagine, what works in one country very often works in another.
So wherever I go I look out for ideas I can steal and transfer – particularly America, where customers have the most money and the most highly-paid people trying to take it off them.
I see many examples in all sorts of places. Some have been transferred; some haven’t. And I am just amazed at how poorly multi-nationals exploit this potential synergy.
One instructive case was a few years ago when I was running (or at least failing to screw up) the O & M direct Amex account. One of my main objectives was to move good ideas around the world.
We were selling an accident insurance policy with a pack that was doing O. K. in the U.K. (sounds like a song title, doesn’t it?) and they had another doing as well in the U.S. Both were typical long-copy sells.
Then I saw some copy in our Singapore agency. A client had the idea of just letting people have the policy for a month at no charge, then they could decide to keep it or stop it.
The mailing looked like crap – and pulled like crazy. (Moral: good ideas matter more than fancy execution).
We tried it in Hong Kong. It worked there. Then in Spain. It worked there too. Then in London – and so on.
 |
It was always hard work getting local markets to accept ideas from elsewhere because of the not-invented-here syndrome, but it made a lot more sense than starting from scratch. |
|
The golden rule to bear in mind was laid down by Confucius: “Men’s natures are alike; it is their habits that divide them.” |
|
If there is no cultural reason why something won’t work, try it. Don’t change it except where absolutely necessary. |
In fact we’re working right now on something from Germany that is working well. I won’t try to change a winner, believe me. Only of it doesn’t work will I try something else.
One idea I loved was in Peru, where I have run seminars several times. Useful things you might like to know about Peru are that one national dish is roast guinea-pig, and that they are probably the world’s greatest consumers of chicken.
Last time I was there, the most popular home delivery chicken firm had scooters with the back where they carried the delivery, adapted to have giant, colourful chicken heads on them. Brilliant!
Best,
Drayton
P.S. This is number 31 of Drayton Bird’s 101 free helpful marketing ideas. You can sign up on the link below for the rest.
—————————————–
Website: http://www.draytonbird.com / www.eadim.com
Click here to get 101 free helpful marketing ideas. Marketers from all over the world think they’re a pot of gold.
The Drayton Bird Blog – please do not visit if you are easily offended.
Filed under copywriting, marketing by on Jan 15th, 2010. 3 Comments.
