By now, dear reader, one factor should be crystal
clear to you.
Without a strong, powerful, interesting, attention
getting, curiosity provoking headline you just don’t
have a viable selling proposition.
Without leading with a killer headline, your direct
appeal for a sale simply will not work no matter
how good the body copy is.
That’s why I’ve created a variety of headline types
for my own use. And if you’ve been paying
attention, for yours as well.
Today I’m going to cover a variation of what I
covered in the last Success Margin. I call this:
How To/Guaranteed
Here are some examples of this technique in action:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
How to Overcome Stage Fright in
One Hour – 100% Guaranteed!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
How to Write Your Own Book in Two
Weeks or Less – 100% Guaranteed!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
How to Safely Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days
Or You Get Your Money Back!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
How to Instantly Triple Sales in Your
Business By Using Just 8 Magic Words -
Guaranteed!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
How to Write Subheads That Are So
Powerful Many Prospects Will Order
Without Reading a Single Word of the
Body Copy – Guaranteed!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The formula for the How To/Guaranteed excellent
headline technique is:
How to (get the ultimate benefit) quickly and
easily – 100% Guaranteed.
Try this headline approach and see for yourself
how effective it is. I’ll bet I hear about lots
of subscriber success stories using this headline
system.
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 Apr 15th, 2010. Comment. 
Numerous Success Margin subscribers are sweating
out today’s recessionary times.
Or what is perceived as tough times.
Remember this. In marketing, whether the economy
is good or bad, perception is reality.
I’ve lived through at least three recessions. And you
must adjust your marketing communications during
tough times.
I can’t think of a single product or service that
couldn’t be repositioned in such a way as to boost
sales for as long as the recession continues.
One good strategy is to help your customers use
your products to cope with the economy.
Adjusting my strategies has always caused me to
make far more profit in recession than in so-called
“good times.”
In the Ted Nicholas mentoring member newsletter,
as well as here in The Success Margin, I’m getting
lots of questions to which I’m providing unique,
invaluable marketing and copy approaches.
I just responded to a vitamin marketer who is a
member of my mentoring program. I believe my
suggested strategy and new copy suggestions will
win the day for him!
However, as with all copy, you must treat every
headline and copy as a test. This includes the
ones I may brainstorm on these pages.
One subscriber to The Success Margin writes:
“I’m a real estate developer and builder. Sales
are off by more than 50% in the last 6 months.
If you were me what would you do to revitalize
sales?”
Here, T.T., is my answer:
Tough times require creative solutions. Here is
a unique strategy. I would have an architect
design a duplex home project. I’d build a scale
model I could use to sell off plan. I’d start
advertising as follows:
“Live Rent Free”
(Headline)
Announcing the only real estate investment
that makes sense today!
(Subhead)
The rest of the copy would amplify these points.
Plus, I’d include how people always need housing,
no matter the economy. I’d then include:
“You could rent out both sides of the duplex. Or
live in one and rent out the other,” etc.
What positive sales arguments are you making for
your products during these recessionary times? The
right answer could maximize your success.
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, marketing by on Mar 22nd, 2010. Comment.
How d’you like the sound of this?
I read it and wept.
“At a 5% royalty, my income from a single ad often exceeds $1,000,000. How long does a winning piece of copy take me to write? Less than two weeks.”
The man who wrote it is Ted Nicholas, who may be the highest-paid copywriter in America right now.
One or two others lay claim to that crown – Clayton Makepeace for instance – but who’s arguing when it comes to that kind of money?
Now contrast it with what I heard in the last week from two highly competent English writers I know.
“20 years ago I was getting £2,500 for a mail pack. Now I’d be dancing in the street if I got that.”
“People are moaning at paying more than £1,000 for a mail-pack.”
Well, as more than one person has observed, if you pay peanuts, what you end up with is monkeys.
But having delivered myself of that bit of waggery, let me make a serious point.
Virtuous circle versus vicious circle
Ted Nicholas makes big money because he gives people what they want – results.
They are so keen to get them that they pay royalties – a common practice in the U.S. So he can afford to spend two weeks on a mailing.**
It’s a virtuous circle. If you have enough time, you’re more likely to create a winner – and the more winners you create the more people pay, the more time and money you get – and so on.
But some people in this country do get fancy money for creative work. One agency less than half a mile from my offices was charging £15,000 for mailing packs two years ago – and if you see their gorgeous offices, you know they need the money.
What might surprise you is that their work was so disastrous that even their big client’s board noticed it eventually – - and fired the marketing director.
How do people like this get away with it? I’ll tell you.
Because strangely enough, results are not what some people want. I don’t just mean those impressed by smart offices or who like a lot of entertaining.
It’s more complicated than that.
One marketing man with a huge company told my partner Marta that good results meant their budgets were cut. And you may recall my story about the marketing director whose love of brand values far exceeded any trivial concerns about response.
But here is the start of a vicious circle. People are chosen for reasons other than results. Then those on high decide, quite reasonably, direct marketing doesn’t work … and next time it’s harder to get the budgets.
If you want results, give people the time and money to deliver them.
Let me end with three pieces of news for you – but let me guess which you will decide is good and which is bad.
1. This series of 51 is now coming to an end. (Sighs of relief all round).
2. So many people have said they like these ideas – and quite a few have said they want me to carry on – that I will. (Mixed feelings all round).
3. Many of you find it hard to keep up with them all, so I’m just going to do two a week. (More sighs of relief – especially from me).
Please tell me if you have any topics you’d like covering, and I’ll try.
** Here’s another reason why I sometimes cry into my beer.
For over two years the control mailing and door-drop for our biggest client, who sends them out by the million have been ours.
They keep testing them against other people’s efforts; nobody has ever beaten us. Their second best producer is also ours; and it looks like their third best will be, too.
If only we were on a royalty!
That is what I call a return on investment – but you won’t get it for £1,000 – or £2,500, for that matter.
Best,
Drayton
P.S. This is number 45 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.
The Drayton Bird Blog – please do not visit if you are easily offended.
Filed under Drayton Bird, Uncategorized, copywriting by on Mar 11th, 2010. Comment.
A dear friend of my family, Andonis Getsos, was a
huge influence in my life.
Mr. Getsos gave me some invaluable advice.
I’ll share it with you in a moment. Allow me to tell
you a brief story.
I was a teenager when I became very close with
Andonis Getsos.
A good friend of my parents, for some reason he
took a great interest in me. We spent quite a lot of
time together. He asked me to call him Uncle Tony.
He was an outstanding amateur wrestler in his
youth. I also love wrestling. He used to enjoy
wrestling on the beach with me.
We talked a lot. Uncle Tony was easy for me to
communicate with. I felt he understood me better
than anyone. He was a terrific active listener. A
quality all too rare in most people.
Uncle Tony was a multi-millionaire in the fur
business in New York City.
But before he achieved his remarkable success, he
had many setbacks, as do most entrepreneurs. But
unlike others who give up, he kept trying after he
experienced three business failures.
One day, Uncle Tony asked me what exactly I
wanted to do with my life. I was 16 years old. I
answered this way.
“I want to start and build my own successful
business. But I know there are no guarantees. I
may or may not be successful as you first time
around. So, it’s very important for me to possess
fantastic survival skills. Then I’ll be able to start
over if I have to.
“Of course, I also know my father is not in any
position to help me start over if I were to
experience a business failure. Nor do I want to
expect anyone else to help me.
“In fact, Uncle Tony, I want to be so good at
something that even if I were to wash up on Miami
Beach naked without contacts and without a penny
to my name, I’d still become a millionaire like you
in 5 years or less. To become expert in the most
important wealth-building skill would make me feel
financially secure.
“I’m willing to apply myself and learn whatever it
takes. What’s best for me? Accounting? Manage-
ment? Law? Sales? Finance? What? I really could
use some guidance.
“Is this an impossible dream? What is your advice
for me?”
Uncle Tony smiled and said, “Ted, it’s not
impossible at all. The solution is quite simple.
There is just one skill you need to develop to
accomplish your goals. All the other areas you
mentioned are costs to any business. And you can
easily hire talented people for these functions.
“You must become really good at what few ever
master–sales and marketing! It’s the only business
skill that brings in cash flow and funds all other
departments and talents the business may require.
That’s why it’s appropriately the highest paid
skill.
“But there is one big catch. You must learn to
ignore the many critics you will inevitably come
across. You need to learn how to think and act
independently.
“Most people never begin to understand or relate
to what it takes to become wealthy.
“What you need to discover is how to successfully
market your product or service. You can become
fabulously rich, have a lot of fun, and have a great
life along the way.”
This was the best advice I ever got.
Uncle Tony went on to say, “But I must warn you.
Don’t be surprised by lots of negative comments
and unsolicited advice.
“Many people, including your friends and family,
will try to discourage you from becoming a great
salesman and marketer. So will your teachers and
professors. Foolishly, most view sales and
marketing as a low-class career.
“They will instead encourage you to get a ‘good
education’ and later a ‘good job.’
“But while a paycheck-to-paycheck existence, even
as an executive or professional, may suit some
people, it doesn’t sound like what’s best for you.
And, in my opinion, is not nearly as satisfying as
having your own successful business either.
“And what would surprise the average Joe, it’s not
tougher to be a successful entrepreneur. In fact, you
will not have to be politically correct with so many
people, including incompetent bosses. And,
contrary to commonly held views, entrepreneurship
may be an even easier route than what a successful
executive or professional must take.
“Even books, movies, and plays are extremely
unflattering to sales people and business owners.
For example, the famous ‘Death of a Salesman’
written by Arthur Miller. The lead role is depicted
as an unhappy, money grubbing, dishonest person
without morals. Such a view of nearly all
salespeople and entrepreneurs is completely
erroneous.
“While there are some crooks in the business
world, they are the exception.
“You can’t succeed in a business in a big way for
long unless you are persuading many people to
voluntarily trade with you.
“Listen to those who criticize. Understand their
views, but pay them no heed.
“While they may or may not mean well, here is the
point. Their advice is meaningless. Don’t be
influenced by anyone else except highly successful
entrepreneurs.
“Instead of being a villain, the entrepreneur is
really the unsung hero of any society. For it is the
entrepreneur owners of small businesses, not big
business, who create over 75% of all new jobs.
And, of course, the majority of the wealth.
“In fact, 99% of all the world’s self-made
millionaires and billionaires are entrepreneurs.
And they all started with a small business.”
Uncle Tony was a very wise man. By age 18, I
became an independent salesman with Kirby
Vacuum Cleaner Company. I was fortunate to be
trained by an outstanding sales manager.
Within a few weeks, as a young kid I was earning
more in a week than most top executives earn in a
month. (The best sales and marketing training in
the world may well be door-to-door sales.)
At age 21, I began a business of my own -
Peterson’s House of Fudge. I was a millionaire at
age 23. The business grew to 31 successful stores
of my own in six U.S. states.
Later I wrote my first book and began my
information publishing empire including books,
home study courses, and seminars, etc.
I won’t go into all the details here as I’ve
written about it elsewhere.
This early sales and marketing training was a
great foundation for my direct marketing
activities. It enabled me to eventually
successfully market all of my own products and
those of clients around the world. I’ve achieved
sales exceeding 4.9 billion dollars in 49
industries. And the revenues continue to increase
each day.
I became what I advise anyone who seeks to
become a wealthy and successful entrepreneur -
an effective salesman and communicator. The key
skill is to be able to position products effectively.
Then to express persuasive ideas either personally,
one on one, or in writing, online and offline. And
also from the public speaking platform.
Uncle Tony’s recommendation given me as a young
teenager was by far the best advice I ever got from
anyone. Because it’s a universal truth in this
changing world, it’s just as valid today as it was
then. And you can rest assured it will continue to
be 50 or 100 years from now.
Professional sales and later direct marketing
taught me the fundamentals. I continue to employ
and refine these skills today.
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 Motivational, Ted Nicholas, marketing by on Mar 4th, 2010. Comment.
How responsible is the headline for the success of any piece of copy?
At least 90%!
I have proven over and over again the indispensible role a headline plays. How? By testing every style headline I could possibly create.
I’ve also invested over $100,000,000 of my own money on refining copy strategies along the way. Besides headlines, these include sub-headlines, opening sentences, closing sentences, the all-important P.S., and the offer.
But headlines are in a special category of their own. The fact is, without a strong headline, the copy simply will not work.
I have run numerous split tests, testing one headline against another. And it’s so important, presently I continue to run comparative headline tests.
Powerful headlines are, in fact, a big reason why I’ve sold over 6 Billion Dollars worth of products and services online and offline.
The fact is, I never “roll out” with an offer without several headline tests. Reason? With exactly the same body copy, the winning headline alone can pull 8 to 15 times compared to the losing headline.
But, in spite of all the evidence and proof demonstrating the crucial importance of a powerful headline, most completely miss the mark.
The majority of headlines are woefully inadequate. And, most surprising, many are written by experienced marketers and copywriters.
Like shortcuts? This article is about a real shortcut to creating perhaps the most powerful headline you could prepare.
I call it “the fill-in-the-blank method.”
I believe if you apply the simple steps which follow, you will increase your sales many fold.
There are 11 major headline types which I’ve identified. Each type, properly implemented, is extremely potent.
They are:
1. How to (Blank)
2. Secrets of (Blank)
3. Stacked Benefits
4. Problem/Solution
5. How to/Guaranteed
6. Get Benefit Fast, Regardless…
7. Solve a Problem…
8. Visualize it…
9. Ways To/Reasons Why
10. Problem Solver…
11. If…Then
Today I’m focusing on Problem/Solution. This method surprisingly is seldom used. But as you’ll see, it is extremely effective.
Here are several examples of a Problem/Solution headline:
*****
No More Butterflies! No More Fear! Learn the Tricks Pros Use to Speak with Ease to Any Size Audience!
*****
No More Wet Beds! An Amazing Technique from Europe for Training Your Child in Just One Week! Try it Risk Free – a 98.7% Success Rate!
*****
No More Bad Hair Days! Here’s a Proven Way to Maintain the Perfect Look Any Day of the Week!
*****
No More Lost Sales! Here is an Automatic System for an Effective and Timely Follow-Up
with Every Prospect!
*****
No More Job Worries! Here is a Proven Guaranteed No-Risk System to Earn Big Money in Your Spare Time Beginning Without Capital!
*****
No More Confusion About Vitamins! Here is a Proven Doctor Approved System that Provides an Individualized Program Just for You!
*****
Tired of Small or Sagging Breasts? Finally, a Natural Remedy for Stimulating and Tightening the Bust – Guaranteed!
*****
Are you beginning to get the idea?
The strategy behind the Problem/Solution technique is this.
No more (major pain or anxiety.) Here’s a quick and easy (remarkably simple, little-known etc.) way to (achieve the ultimate benefit.)
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 Jan 31st, 2010. Comment.
