I’m Not a Professional Speaker, I Can’t Host a Teleseminar!

Oh but you can host a teleseminar even if you’ve never spoken in public before, and you should! I know you might be nervous when you host your first one and that’s OK. Be afraid and do it anyway.

I remember when I hosted my first teleseminar. The topic was ‘Don’t Waste Your Money on a VA’. In all honesty, I didn’t earn a penny from that call. What I did earn, however, was experience. Experience I went on to host many more. In the future I hosted teleseminars that made me hundreds of dollars at a time and teleseminars that got me an average of 50-200 new email subscribers per.

Just Trying Hosting One – You CAN Do It!

I want to just encourage you today to just try it. If you’re still reading then there’s a reason and it’s something you deep down really want to do. Hosting teleseminars can be very reward for yourself personally and your business bottom line.

If it helps, you can think of talking to just ONE person instead of a whole line full of people. Teleseminars are a GREAT way to get started if you are interested in public speaking as you don’t have to look anyone in the face and get caught with stage fright.

When I first started speaking offline I really wasn’t all that nervous, I credit that to the dozens of online events I hosted before I ever stepped on the stage.

One of my most favorite parts of hosting teleseminars and other events is the thank-yous and compliments I get after delivering information that only I can give to people who are ready to hear it.

Think of it this way: There are people out there waiting to receive a message only YOU can deliver. If you don’t get out there and share it then you are depriving them of your great services!

How To Get Over Your Teleseminar Hosting Fears

Here are some practical ways to get going:

    Interview Someone: Instead of putting all the attention and demands on yourself why not bring in an expert to interview. This can benefit your customers or potential customers. In the end you can even recommend their products or services for affiliate commissions if they have that setup.



    Get Interviewed: If you want to keep the focus on your business then why not have someone interview you? Write up a bunch of questions and get a friend or colleague to read them for you. Easy Peasy!



    Take Questions: Maybe you have no idea what to talk about. How about taking questions from your customers or clients to answer on the call? Or, invite them to ask them during the call.

Those ideas should get you started!

I’ve taught many people to host their own teleseminars and worked with many clients. You CAN get over the fear and provide great events your potential customers will LOVE.

If you need help with the technical details to setting up your teleseminar then you’ll love the new product I’ve just released.

Check it out here: Teleseminar Hosting

Please let me know if you get your teleseminar up and running, I’d love to sign up!

A Wireless USB Stick that Expands your Mobile Phone’s Storage

What do you do when your mobile phone has limited storage and there’s no option to add an external SD card? How do you carry all your videos and documents where there’s not an iota of space left on the device? Yes, you do have cloud-based services like Dropbox or Google Drive that add virtually unlimited storage to your phone but you’ve to be connected to the Internet to access your files.

This week I’ve been testing a wireless USB stick from Sandisk that adds storage to your phones and tablets much like a regular USB drive. To get started, you plug the USB device into your laptop or desktop computer and let it charge for about an hour or two. You can also transfer the files to the stick from the computer through Windows Explorer or Finder on Mac.

Once the device is charged, you tap the little power button on the stick to turn it on. Now install the Sandisk Connect app on your mobile phone, go to WiFi settings on your phone and connect to the Wi-Fi hotspot created by the USB stick. That’s it.

Wireless USB Stick
The content of the USB drive can now be accessed from your mobile phone. You can stream audio and video files stored on the stick, you can browse photos, open PDF files and other documents in associated mobile apps and you can easily transfer files between the phone and the wireless drive. It is much like plugging a USB stick into your mobile phone but without the wires.

The Wi-Fi network has no security by default but you do have an option to add a password to prevent other nearby devices from connecting to the USB stick.

Unlike using cloud storage, Sandisk’s Connect USB stick requires no Internet connection (it will create a hotspot that your mobile device will connect to) and multiple devices can connect to the same USB drive over Wi-Fi. So if you are carrying an iPad and an Android phone, not only can the two devices connect to the stick simultaneously but it can be used as a temporary medium to transfer files between the iOS and Android device.

The USB stick itself is solidly built with a transparent protective casing though it is obviously heavier and looks bigger than regular USB sticks. The Sandisk mobile app does have some issues but none of them are a deal breaker. In my testing, the iPad app frequently crashed especially when reading big PDF files. The Android app would not allow me to browse the web using cellular connection while the phone was connected to USB drive over Wifi.

Sandisk Connect (Amazon, Flipkart) is compatible with both Android and iOS devices and is available in various capacities from 16GB to 128GB. If you are running out of storage space on your mobile phone and upgrading is not an option, the Connect stick is probably the easiest way to expand your phone’s existing storage.

Best High Speed Broadband Plans in India – Charges & Speed

In a web of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in India, it seems like difficult for a common man who wishes to opt for an Internet Plan as many of the users are confused about the availability of the options. So to make things simpler, we have listed down all the Internet options available across major cities so that you can choose the plan which suits your pocket. Please note that the plans which we will be talking about are the Broadband plans and are wired plans which can be converted into Wi Fi. When we say High Speed Internet, its well above 10MBPS, you can now head over to the various options which can be found below, Hyderabad:
While there are many high Speed Internet options available in Hyderabad, the best one in terms of Service availability and cost is “Beam Fiber” of which we have listed the tariff options below,
Beam Fiber:

Unlimited Data Plans (w.e.f. Nov 17, 2012)
Plan	Speed	Monthly	Half-Yearly	Yearly
B-Max 1110	15 Mbps	1110.00	6110.00	11100.00
B-Max 1660	20 Mbps	1660.00	9130.00	16600.00
B-Max 2770	25 Mbps	2770.00	15240.00	27700.00

Bengaluru:
Users from Bengaluru too can now enjoy the magic of High Speed Internet with the help of Beam Fiber’s parent company which is named as ACT. We have tabulated below a detailed tariff chart which will help you get hold with the fastest internet.
ACT:

Plan Name	Speed	Price	FUP	Speed after FUP
ACT Privilege	15 Mbps	999	40 GB	512 Kbps
ACT Abundant	15 Mbps	1099	50 GB	512 Kbps
ACT Indulge	25 Mbps	1349	60 GB	512 Kbps
ACT Extravagant	25 Mbps	1999	100 GB	512 Kbps
ACT Force	25 Mbps	2749	200 GB	2 Mbps

Chennai:
Chennai users can too now benefit from High Speed Internet at an affordable price, all thanks to YOU Broadband services for coming out with an affordable tariff plans.
YOU Broadband:

Speed : 12MBPS
Validity	1 Mth #	3 Mth	6 Mth	12 Mth
Data Usage	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Speed (12 Mbps )	Upto 25 GB	Upto 80 GB	Upto 175 GB	Upto 375 GB
Plan Charges	1212/-	3639/-	7280/-	14560/-
After free data usage, you can still download @ 1 Mbps # Installation Charges extra Rs. 770 for new connection

Mumbai:
YOU Telecom:

Speed : 12MBPS
Validity	1 Mth #	3 Mth	6 Mth	12 Mth
Data Usage	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Speed (12 Mbps )	Upto 25 GB	Upto 80 GB	Upto 175 GB	Upto 375 GB
Plan Charges	1212/-	3639/-	7280/-	14560/-
After free data usage, you can still download @ 1 Mbps # Installation Charges extra Rs. 770 for new connection

Five Networks:

BROADBAND PLANS
Name & SPEED	Pack Value (Incl.Tax @ 12.36% & Local Maintenance Charges)
	30 Day	Super Saver Pack
		90 Day	180 Day	365 Day
DOWNLOAD Upto 10 Mbps / UPLOAD Upto 1Mbps
Name & SPEED	Rs.	Rs.	Rs.	Rs.
UT 10 Mbps	2000	N/A	11999	23999

As of now we have added only select ISPs but as in when we come across with affordable high speed plans in your city we will keep you posted with the same in this article. Just in case if you find any, then do let us know in the comments section below as we will add the same.

What Lands End Can Teach You about Writing to Your Target Audience

Have you shopped with Lands End lately?  If so, you may have noticed that the women’s pants sold on their site come in Fit 1 (modern), Fit 2 (original) and Fit 3 (traditional).  But have you paid attention to the way they target the ladies who probably wear these pants?  It’s a prime example of creating personas and writing specifically to them.

So you’ll understand, let me explain what’s different about the 3 fits.  Fit 1 sits much lower on the waist and has slightly fitted legs (think 20s and 30s mostly).  Fit 2 sits just below the waist and has legs that are a bit more relaxed (probably built to attract late-30s to mid-50s).  Fit 3 sits at your waist, often has elastic in the waistband, and has relaxed legs (aiming for mid-50s on up).

Here’s one snippet of copy for a pair of shorts with a Fit 3 (traditional) waist:

    Finding the right shorts can be a tricky proposition. So many are too short — or not as comfortable as you’d like. These are summery, yet modest. A back-elastic waist adds comfort. And they’re easy-care, too!

Notice the language is well-suited to senior citizens (generally those 55 and up).  It talks about shorts being “too short,” the comfort, having modest styling, elastic waist and easy care. All things someone in this particular age group might appreciate.

Let’s look at a pair of shorts that, at first glance, appear to have almost the same styling as the ones above.  See how the copy changes for this item with a Fit 2 (original) waist?

    Shorts with a little something extra — a distinctive buckle detail at the waist. Stretch twill makes them easy as can be, and they have a modest-yet-flattering Bermuda length.

Now, instead of just moderate length and comfortableness we’re talking about distinctive buckles and “modest-yet-flattering” length.

Then there’s Fit 1 (modern).

    Here’s the Weekend Chino fabric you love, given an extra measure of style with button details and cuffed legs. For girls who like short shorts, they’re just about perfect.

Obviously targeted to a younger set, this copy talks about an “extra measure of style,” details, girls (not women) and “short shorts.”  Not something that would likely appeal to a grandmother.

The next time you’re faced with creating copy for products or services, think about the different individuals who will be using them.  When you write specifically to each segment of your target audience, they feel a greater connection with you and are more likely to buy.

Virtual Assistants: What is PLR and How Can it Help you to Get More Clients?

Here’s a question that I received today. I thought it was such a valuable question that I wanted to share my response.

Dear Nicole,

I hear you talking about PLR articles, but I’m a Virtual Assistant, not an Internet Marketer. I need clients, not content.

Why should I care?

Dear Virtual Assistant:

Thanks so much for giving me the opportunity to respond to your great question.

PLR content can actually help you to get more clients. And, I’ll explain how.

As someone who hires and works with a lot of Virtual Assistants in my business, I’ll tell you that I hire oftentimes based upon the knowledge that person shows just as much as what they “say” they can do.

For instance, let’s compare two Virtual Assistants (hypothetically – these aren’t real people).

Susie and Tessa.

I go to Susie’s website and she’s got three pages – including contact, services, and pricing. I look around a little and discover that Susie specializes in videos and multimedia. I think “hmmm… interesting” and then leave.

Next, I find Tessa’s website. She’s got the same pages on her website as Susie – contact, services, and pricing. It looks to me as if she also specializes in videos and multimedia. That’s not what I’m looking for, so I’m about to leave when I notice that she has a blog. On her blog, she’s got articles about how I can use video in my business and how to also use video to get more traffic and make more money. I’m interested. She obviously knows her stuff. I contact her to find out how she can help me to get more traffic with my existing videos – and to brainstorm more videos that I can incorporate into my business on an ongoing basis.

Tessa got my business. Susie did not.

Why? Because Tessa did some things right.

    She showed her knowledge.
    She demonstrated that she understands marketing by having a blog.
    She made me think about my business.
    She seemed like a person who I’d like to work with.

How does this apply to PLR content? Easy.

Susie could have had my business if she had purchased some great quality PLR content and published it on her blog. Of course, as always, I would recommend that Susie use the content as a starting point only and then add her own ideas and examples into it to make it uniquely hers. But, the important thing is that she could have had an active blog offering great value to potential new customers that showcased her talent and made people desperate to hire her.

And, she could have done it for under $20.

Would you like to boost your blog content, impress potential new clients, and become the recognized expert in your niche? Check out this great PLR site to get started. Be sure to sign up for the notification list so you don’t miss a thing!

Nicole Dean is the owner of  www.EasyPLR.com – where you’ll find high-quality PLR articles sold in very limited  quantities.  The PLR articles at EasyPLR are professionally written and  professionally edited — top quality at an affordable price.

Opening Sentences That Close the Sale

It’s one of the best pieces of copywriting advice I’ve ever been given. “As often as possible, start your paragraphs with sentences that hook readers and drive them deeper into the copy.” Why? Because – after the headline – the first sentence in any paragraph is what gets read most often. After that point, customers usually skip to the next section unless they feel compelled to keep reading. That means your job, as the copywriter, is to entice them into each segment, so they will consume as much of your copy as possible. Take your cue from Reader’s Digest. They crank out – issue after issue – exceptional opening lines for their articles that engage then hook readers. What happens next? The reader is pulled into the story full force. Here are some examples.

    It was a horrific display of irreverence.

    By the way she dressed, you would have never guessed she was only 14.

    As he reached into the box, something inside it moved.

See? Those sentences boost your curiosity. They make you wonder what happens next. They cause you to visualize a scene that might be taking place. You can do the same thing from a marketing perspective when you write your copy.

For instance, rather than starting the copy for an email to Australian hotels like this:

    You may be aware of www._______.com – we are an Australian-owned and managed online hotel booking service.

Really capture their attention with an opening sentence that is specific to them like this:

    Now you have the opportunity to affordably position your hotel in front of approximately 6,000 travellers every day that are looking for accommodations exclusively in Australia.

For an Australian hotel that depends on the Internet to generate reservations, that sentence gives them many reasons to keep reading.

Here are some other before-and-after examples of opening sentences.

==============

BEFORE: Hello and welcome to our website. If you are looking for [enter product name here], you are at the right site. (In this case, the example is from a wedding photographer’s site.)

AFTER: We don’t take pictures. We capture precious memories that you can enjoy for a lifetime.

==============

BEFORE: Our site has been online since 2000, and this marks our 6th year online providing designer-inspired sunglasses.

AFTER: How do you get the latest designer-inspired looks without paying outrageous prices?

==============

BEFORE: Our cruise website offers unbeatable rates and a diverse array of travel services guaranteed to satisfy even the most discriminating vacationer.

AFTER: Just imagine yourself on the white sand beaches of Honolulu, hiking through the balmy rainforests of Belize or whisking down a powdery, snow-covered mountain in Aspen… all at up to 50% off!

==============

BEFORE: Thank you for shopping for your corporate gifts at _________.com. We hope your shopping experience is delightful.

AFTER: When you truly impress your clients with distinctive corporate gifts, they remember you longer, feel a closer relationship and are more likely to reward you with increased sales.

==============

See the difference? The “before” sentences are dull, average and unflattering. The “after” sentences are intriguing, imaginative and enticing.

Don’t stop after you create inviting headlines. Keep the momentum going by writing intriguing opening sentences, too. When you do, you’ll help convert more site visitors into paying customers.

One Size Does Not Fit All when It Comes to Writing Copy

I shake my head every time I read one of these blanket statements. I’m amazed at how so many people still think that one size of copy still fits everyone. It’s just not true.

Here’s an example. A while back, I read, “Prospects hate being bombarded by text-heavy pages, especially on a home/landing page.” This is coming from Internet Marketing Report in relation to business-to-business (B2B) websites. I’m sorry, but I completely disagree.

Just because a website is B2B does not automatically mean every single one of its visitors will “hate being bombarded by text-heavy pages.” The product or service itself, how familiar the product or service is to the market, the target customer’s preferred communication style and a dozen other factors contribute to the decision about whether or not long copy or short should be used.

On the other hand, we have direct-mail experts who’ve taken their style of copywriting (sales letters) online. And, just like the ultra-short copy suggested by the Internet Marketing Report article, long copy has its audience.

If you ask direct marketers, they’ll swear that the long, scrolling, often hype-filled sales letters are the end-all, be-all of copywriting. Again, nothing could be further from the truth. The same reasoning applies to those who say you must use a sales letter as opposed to those demanding short copy.

DISC Helps Us Understand

You may have heard of the DISC model that categorizes people into four primary groups (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance). There are others as well, including Myers-Briggs. No matter how you group people, the point is that everyone is not the same.

So then, how can one style of copy possibly fit everyone? It doesn’t. There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer. Whether you’re B2B or B2C, you have to know your target audience and communicate with them in the way that they will be most receptive.

For instance, people high in Steadiness traits on the DISC model prefer longer copy. What’s more, those high in Steadiness make up over 40% of the population of the U.S. Those high in Compliance crave details. They, too, would want longer copy. Dominance types want the bottom line first and possibly details later if they deem them necessary. And Influence? Those high in Influence move at the speed of light and make decisions on a whim. They aren’t much into details either.

Combine with these four styles the additional factors that being male or female add and you’ve really got your hands full. Want to get extremely precise? Toss in some persona/profile elements that deal with lifestyle, convictions and more. It’s enough to make your head spin at times.

Use Your Judgment

Before you buy into a blanket statement about consumers – whether it pertains to writing copy, setting prices or anything else – use your judgment. Does what’s being suggested really make sense for everybody? Is it possible that all people across the entire globe respond in the same way? No.

We all communicate differently. We shop differently. We make decisions based on different criteria. We respond to different stimuli. If there’s one common denominator, it is that we’re all different.

3 Top Mistakes When Buying and Using PLR Articles

Using PLR articles for your content needs is a huge time-saver and can really help you grow your niche quickly. It can help you become the expert, build your brand, gain exposure, sell affiliate products and sell your own products.

But to get the most out of PLR, you’ve got to think it through and have a strategy. Here are 3 of the most common mistakes I see people making:

#3  No clear purpose for the PLR.

Why did you purchase the PLR? You might have picked it up to use in the near future and that’s fine as long as you do plan to use it. Set a goal, like you’ll start using it right after your current project is completed.

What do you want it to do for you? Every piece should have a purpose and it’s good to know before you use it. Maybe you want to put it on your blog to help pre-sell an affiliate product. Or perhaps you want to incorporate the whole pack as an email ecourse to get optin subscribers. Any content you use should have a call to action or purpose.

#2  Buying and not using the PLR at all.

We’re all guilty of this at times. When you pick up a new batch of quality PLR, think of them as little diamonds in the rough, just waiting for you to polish them up and put them on display. Suddenly your $1/page PLR articles are looking pretty good! Otherwise, they’re just rocks taking up space.

#1  Using it “as is”.

Don’t be that girl who’s wearing the same dress as 2 other girls at the same party. How does that make you feel? Like a copycat. Does it impress anyone? Nope.

Change your PLR, make it better, make it unique. Many people don’t change their PLR articles because they either don’t know how or think it’s going to take too long. If that’s how you feel, I think you should pick up How To Rewrite PLR.   This resource shows you different ways to rewrite, giving you lots of examples, and how to add value. It even goes over how to rewrite and add value and personality to PLR reports.

If you’re making any of these 3 common mistakes with PLR, it’s not too late to change it up. Decide what you’re going to do with them, learn how to rewrite them quickly with How To Rewrite PLR , and put them to work!

Visit How To Rewrite PLR now to find out how you, too, can make the most of your PLR articles by rewriting them. They can’t help you much if they just sit there on your hard drive or you throw them up on your blog “as is”.

PLR – Pros and Cons

If you’ve been around Internet marketing a bit, you know PLR stands for private label rights. That usually means you can buy these articles for a song and call them your own. I’d like to take that a little further for you and list out some of the pros and cons of private label rights, plus give you some help with the cons. :)

Pros

Using PLR articles is a quick way to add content to your niche site(s). No more time-consuming research.

You don’t have to write articles from scratch, which is a big plus if you’re not confident of your writing skills.

These articles are A LOT cheaper than hiring a ghostwriter and you don’t have to be at the mercy of the ghostwriter’s busy schedule. You can grab these articles immediately.

There are so many ways you can use PLR, and not just as content on your site. Create an ecourse, offer as a report to collect email addresses, use for your newsletter or paid niche membership site, create a PowerPoint presentation around, record as a podcast and much more.

Cons

You don’t know where to find PLR.

I can certainly recommend my favorite writers if you’d like, and you can also check at the Warrior Forum and see who people are talking about. The question comes up quite often and other marketers give their feedback.

You’ve gotten some poorly-written PLR in the past and you don’t want to make that mistake again.

I’d recommend you stay away from anything that says 100,000 free articles (or even 900 free articles) because they have a bad reputation for being, well, crap. Again it comes down to buying from reputable writers. Get on their lists so you can be notified when they’ve written fresh new PLR.

Other people have the same PLR articles you do.

It’s tue you’ll get the maximum benefit out of using PLR articles if you rewrite them. If you feel you need a little help with how to rewrite quickly, easily, and with confidence, then consider this wonderful resource – How To Rewrite PLR. This guide will take you by the hand and show you different ways to rewrite your articles and covers all the bases to make them work for you.

There really are way more pros than cons to using PLR, and the cons can be fixed. So go get yourself some quality PLR and get busy wringing every bit of success from them.

Visit How To Rewrite PLR to find out how you too, can make the most of your PLR by rewriting them and putting them to work for you.

Make Additional Income by Performing Keyword Research

Whether you’re a virtual assistant, copywriter, web design pro or search engine optimizer, keyword research is a useful and necessary service you can add to your lineup.  Anyone with a website or blog who aims to rank high in the search engines can benefit from professional-quality keyword research.

Why Would Others Pay You to Perform Keyword Research?

Because, as a trained professional, you will gather and evaluate data and make confident decisions. You won’t be an amateur who doesn’t understand the finer points of this craft and guesses at which terms are best to use where.

The issue lies in the fact that most people *think* they know how to conduct keyword research.  Either that or they believe it solely depends on search counts.  But because they haven’t been trained and they don’t stay on top of the latest developments, they aren’t aware of the little things that can make a huge difference.

For instance, did you know that Wordtracker presents annual search counts?  Most people believe they deliver daily counts.  They did, years ago, but their website states (in several places) that the search totals displayed on their site are for a 365-day period.  Just imagine if you incorrectly think you’re comparing daily Wordtracker results with monthly Google results?  You’re research is going to be seriously flawed.

An Ongoing Source of Revenue

Conducting keyword research is not a one-time event.  New products and services are coming out all the time.  New ways to describe things are constantly developing. For instance, “search engine copywriting” has gotten several new names over the past few years.  You now hear it called “SEO content writing” or “keyword optimization writing” among other things.

If search engine writers wanted to attract traffic from every possible source, they would need to continually research new keywords to optimize their website pages for.  The same is true for every other industry.  Here’s another example.

There are major differences sometimes in what keywords a company uses and which ones customers use.  A client of mine manufacturers those big inflatable advertising balloons that are shaped like soda bottles or giant products.  The company called these “cold-air inflatables” or other industry-related terms.  Their customers, however, used phrases like “giant advertising balloons” and so forth.

As you can see, there are numerous reasons your clients would need repeated keyword research, meaning you have an ongoing source of revenue IF you learn to do it right.

Is Keyword Research That Hard to Do?

Not when you know how   The problem is, most people don’t take the time or spend the money to get professional training.  If you aren’t shown the right way to conduct keyword research, you will almost certainly hang a hard left turn that takes you down the wrong path.  If your research doesn’t produce results for your clients, you’ve wasted your time as well as your clients’ time and money.

Here’s what I recommend.  It’s a keyword research guide I wrote called “Demystifying Keyword Research.” No, don’t worry… it’s not a $100+ complicated ebook that will take you 6 months to read.  In fact, it’s not for sale at all.  But I will GIVE you a FREE copy.

Included in this guide is everything you need to know to conduct professional-level keyword research, choose the best search terms for various web pages and more.  It’s a mere 25 pages long, but don’t worry: I didn’t skimp on any of the information you need to know.  I just took out all the fluff and boiled down the good stuff into an easy-to-understand, quick-read format.

How do you get your free copy of “Demystifying Keyword Research?”  Simply click to this page now http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keywordreport.html and start creating a new and profitable source of income for your business.

Is it Time for a Copywriting Face Lift?

I just had to laugh! During a recent conversation about how often you should change your copy, I had one person tell me “Well, if there were any good copywriters out there, they’d be able to write it once, and it would work forever!” Oh really? Actually, nothing could be further from the truth.

It is extremely rare for advertising copy to last for extended periods of time. Changing your copy is a given, the reason being that people and events change. Since we, as copywriters, are reaching our customers on an emotional level, we have to stay in tune with what’s going on in their lives and their worlds. Let’s look at an example.

Say you rent mailing lists. Your primary benefit might be that you have the largest lists available offering a minimum of 100,000 names per category. Things are going great, and you’re renting lists like wildfire. But then – right in the middle of your success – the postal service increases rates substantially.

All of a sudden, your rentals begin to drop dramatically. Here you are screaming about the largest lists available anywhere, and your customer is thinking about how much his postage expense is going to skyrocket.

The businesses you rent lists to are now very concerned. What *used* to be your biggest benefit is now your biggest deterrent. Your customers no longer want to rent lists that have a minimum of 100,000 names. Instead, they’d love to be able to rent much smaller lists – in the 5,000 to 10,000 quantity range. Yep! You guessed it. It’s time to change your copy, USP and all!

Any number of aspects can cause a change in focus for your target customer, and therefore a need to rewrite your copy. Here are some of the more common ones for businesses:

    New tax laws
    New mandatory expenses (such as a postage increase)
    Starting a new business
    Closing a business
    Stock price increase
    Stock price decrease

Business to consumer sales can be affected, too. Personal circumstances that change every day include:

    Buying a new home
    Retiring
    Getting married
    Getting divorced
    Having a baby
    Receiving a tax refund
    Receiving an inheritance

What do I recommend? Twice a year, take a good, long look at your copy. What has changed in your marketplace? What laws, regulations, or events have been implemented or have taken place? Will these things have an impact on your customers? How will you respond to them?

Take that information and compare it to what your current copy says. Is your message clear? Are there benefits you need to update or change? Is your copy still making the most positive impact on your potential customers that it can?

If not, don’t hesitate to make changes. After all, your copy is your key to new customers and repeat customers. And, as I said in the beginning, hardly any copy will last forever. Eventually, everybody is due for a copy facelift.

Want a quick and easy way to learn web & SEO copywriting? Get Karon’s self-paced Step-by-Step Copywriting Course.  Lessons, examples and answers walk you through every aspect of writing expert-level copy for your site. Get details, watch videos & more at http://www.CopywritingCourse.com.

How Poor Usability Can Kill Your Copy and Conversions

It’s funny how we, as website owners, don’t always think like our visitors. A course of action that might seem perfectly obvious to us may stop our visitors right in the middle of their buying process. Take, for instance, e-commerce–type copy. Do you realize that what happens after your customers read your copy could make or break your sale? I’m not talking about shopping cart abandonment. I’m talking about good communication that keeps the buying cycle moving forward. Let me give you a real-world example.

One website offered custom-designed gift bags. The photos on their site were gorgeous. The copy seemed self-explanatory until I got to the request for quote page. There I found a form that asked questions I wasn’t expecting. I was supposed to explain my preference of fabric color, the type of handle I wanted and a description of any accessories that should be added to the bag. I had no idea how to answer.

Because the copy stated that each gift bag was custom designed, I assumed I’d be given options to choose from. Instead, as it turned out, I was responsible for knowing precisely what I wanted and also for describing it in detail in writing on the request for quote form. It set me back a little.

Since most people aren’t very comfortable with writing, I can easily see how a page like this would immediately stop visitors and send them packing. I could place the most compelling copy ever written on the sales page for these bags – copy that would have visitors primed and ready to whip out their credit cards. But after clicking to a request for quote page like the one described above, most would likely not order.

Would that be the fault of the copywriting? No. Yet most site owners would assume the text wasn’t doing its job. Low conversions, in this case, would be an error in the sales process.

Web Page Copy Doesn’t Involve Just One Page

Unless you’re talking about a specific landing page that is created for the sole purpose of receiving clicks from a targeted PPC ad campaign, there are very few instances where the copy on one web page won’t be affected by the pages around it.

Visitors click in and out of pages and back and forth throughout your site. They can also enter your site from literally hundreds of different links around the Net. For this and other reasons, you have to consider where they might come from and where they’ll be headed.

How to Test

One of the best ways to make sure your site flows as it should is to ask several outsiders to take a tour. Have them start at one of the many beginning points (a search engine listing, a link to you from another site, your home page, etc.) and click through just as a customer would. Ask them to make notes about what they didn’t understand as they go along so you’ll know where to tweak your copy.

You may even choose to give them specific tasks to complete while they are there. For example, ask them to read the copy and then explain the benefits of a new product or service you’ve added, or ask them to tell you the process for registering for the members-only area of your site.

Another good idea is to draw a flowchart of your website. Seeing all the pages on paper can oftentimes give you a better understanding of how the copy on each page might affect all the others surrounding it. Once you take a look at the big picture and get some feedback, use that information to shore up the weak copy on your site.

When you take time to see things from your visitors’ perspective and then implement adjustments accordingly, you’ll begin to notice increases in conversions. And that makes all the work worth your while.

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Are You Asking the Right Questions in Your Copy?

It’s a common approach to writing copy.  You begin by asking questions.  Why?  To evoke thoughts in your readers’ minds, to stir up emotions, and to get customers thinking in the way you want them to think.  But have you ever thought about how you phrase your questions?  Are you doing it in a way that will have the greatest impact on your readers or are you just throwing questions on a page?

Behaviorally speaking, not everybody responds in the same way to the same questions.  Those with different communications styles will relate in a variety of ways depending on how you phrase your sentence.

Using the DISC Behavioral Profile, let me explain what I mean and show you how you can start asking the right questions in the right way to suit your customers.

D = Dominance

Those who fall in the Dominance category of the DISC profile are described as: in control, powerful, confident, visionaries, and risk takers.  These people can be managers, CEOs, high-ranking military personnel, entrepreneurs, and the like.

Those who are considered high in Dominance want to stick to business. They expect the facts to be presented logically.  They want presentations to be clear, specific, and to the point.

This group of people will respond better to specific “what” questions.  For example, let’s say we’re developing a headline for an ultra-fast printer.  You wouldn’t want to write a headline that asks, “How Do You Cure a Need for Speed?”  That question is vague; it’s not specific, and it begins with the word “how.”

CEOs, upper management, and others in this category aren’t the least bit interested in “how” you do anything.  They are visionaries.  They look at the big picture, not the little details.  Details are somebody else’s job!

Instead, try rewriting that headline to include the word “what” and to be specific, like this: “What Cures a Need for Speed?”

You can see a similar relation in other behavioral styles (I, S, and C) and the types of questions people in each prefer.

I = Influence

Those high in Influence are generally found in the sales field or other fields that require a lot of people/social interaction.  They move fast and want to focus on people-oriented tasks.  They love to give their opinions and to be asked for their thoughts on a matter.  They love to be the center of attention.

This group responds well to “feeling” questions. Not just about themselves, but also about others.  For example: “Remember the excitement you felt when _____?” or “How would your child feel if _____?”

S = Steadiness

Those in the Steadiness group want to be seen as people – not a number.  They appreciate logic, a touch of personal interaction, and they are detail-oriented.  They are generally slow decision-makers and are not wild about taking unqualified risks.  Those who fall into the Steadiness category make up 40% of the general population and come from all walks of life.

People high in steadiness would be likely to respond better to questions beginning with “how.”  Possibilities include “How many times have you wished ____?” or “How often do you ____?”  They also respond well to questions that make them think, like “Is your copy getting results?”  They’ll likely want to know what you can do about it if the answer is “no.”

C = Compliance

When describing someone who falls into the Compliance category, these phrases come to mind: critical thinker, prepared, quality-oriented, incredibly detailed, specific, and slow decision-maker.  You’ll generally find these types working as engineers, bankers, accountants, scientists, and the like.

Those high in Compliance will respond best to questions including statistics and questions that force them to look at all sides of an issue/problem.  For example, “68% of All Drivers Pay Too Much for Auto Insurance. Are You?”  Another idea is “Widget or Thingee… Which Makes the Most Sense?”

Phrasing your questions in a way that allows your target customers to relate only makes sense.  When you hit a nerve – people will respond.  Asking the right questions… in the right way… within your copy will get you one step closer to closing the sale.

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Does Your Website Need an Overhaul? Self-Quiz.

How long has it been since you sat at the computer with excitement and enthusiasm and put up your first website? A day? A week? A year? A decade?

No matter when you created it you likely missed a few things in your rush to get online. Don’t worry! We all do it. It’s similar to the ‘cobbler’s children have no shoes’ sort of deal where you never spend as much time and care on your own stuff as you do on your clients.

Well I’m here to tell you to take the time to create a good pair of shoes (err…website)!

What you need to do is look at your website objectively, like you’re a new visitor who’s never been there before. Scroll around and see what you see. Or better yet, ask your kid or your mom or your neighbour to take a look at your site and watch what they do when they get there, where they go and what questions they ask you (this works best if they’ve never been there before).

You can also take this self-quiz to see how many of the website basics you’ve got down and what you need to work on:

1. When someone comes to your website and scans your header is it clear to them what your site is about?

2. Would your tagline make total sense to a stranger on the street?

3. Are you collecting leads from your website?

4. Does every page have a purpose?

5. Is it clear what you are offering on your site? (selling a service, a product or offering free information?)

6. Are you getting found in the search engines through ‘keywords’ that your marketing is typing in?

7. Do you have an about and a contact page?

8. Are you linking to your most important social media profiles? (twitter, facebook, youtube)

9. Are you using graphics to enhance your site’s image (versus bad images that take away from your image)?

10. Can someone find out how to contact you in 10 seconds or less?

11. Is your website font easy to read and large enough for your target market?

12. Is your branding consistent?

13. Can people find what they are looking for? (You got them there, now can they get to their goal easily?)

14. Do your links stand out? (Typical linking rules are blue font, bold and underlined)

15. Is your style and colors consistent?

16. Is your content well-written and easy to understand? (No extra info – straight to the point)

17. Is your content easy to read? (Use of headlines, sub-headlines, bullets, bolding, etc)

Honestly answer all these questions and you’ll probably have a little bit of work to do.

Did you get them all right? Really? Then way to go! (…and maybe you should come partner with me! lol)

If you’re like most people and you have some work to do I’d like to offer you some help. My WordPress website design course is meant for people just like you who have a new or existing website and are ready to really unleash the power of what a website can do. To do that I offer a program that runs all year long, has been attended by over 100 people and has a track record of taking the newest of newbies and turning them into website designers.

Are You Making These 3 Deadly Website Copywriting Mistakes?

It’s a common question.  “What copywriting mistakes should I avoid?”  There are many, but the 3 I chose might surprise you.  Why?  Because while these can potentially cause the greatest amount of damage they are not ones most copywriters talk about.

Why?  Because these aren’t the “sexy” copywriting mistakes.  They aren’t the quick-fix aspects. They require thinking and judgment and… … work!  However, they are the ones that – when implemented correctly – can drastically boost the performance of your copy and content whether that be a blog post, article, web page, email or other forms of text.

Copywriting Mistake #1 – Writing Without a Plan

Regardless of what you write, you’ll get better results if you perform due diligence with a little prior planning.  In fact, if you go through the planning phase of copywriting, chances are the copy will all but write itself.  How so?

Because research allows you the opportunity to get to know your target customer, organize your thoughts, outline features, benefits and end results, get your creative juices flowing, and much more. It also allows you to overcome what might otherwise become copywriting mistakes.

Take this article, for instance.  When I started, I didn’t just lay fingers to keyboard and begin rambling on.  I thought about the topic I’d like to approach.  I looked into keyphrases that might be a good fit. (For this piece, I chose “copywriting mistakes” and “copywriting mistake.”)

Then, I gave some thought about what – specifically – I’d like to accomplish in the article.  What, precisely, did I want to communicate to you?  Those became the “3 copywriting mistakes” mentioned in the headline as well as the outline for my writing.

All that was left to do was fill in the blanks.

The same applies to writing website copy.  When you follow a process for outlining features, benefits and end results, researching keywords, and creating a skeleton of what the page should accomplish, it all falls into place much easier.

Copywriting Mistake #2 – Writing About Your Company/Product Instead of To Your Site Visitor

One of my biggest pet peeves – and one of the most common copywriting mistakes I see – is ignoring your site visitors.  Indulge me for a minute as I climb on my soapbox.

If someone walked into your office, shook your hand and asked how you could help them, you would not immediately begin to rattle off everything you believed to be a strong point about your product or company.  No.  What would you do?  You’d start getting to know the customer.

You would ask questions.  You would find out what their problems/challenges are.  You’d get details on specifically what they want to do/accomplish and then you would address their exact issues.

Instead of “we do this and we do that and our company… let us help… we, we, us, us, our, our, our…blah, blah, blah” you would speak to the customer who is seated in front of you.  Instead of “we-ing all over yourself,” you’d say something like this:

“Mr. Smith, you can get to where you want to go. It’s not as hard as you think.  You can improve the image others have of your company and help reinforce your brand with a system that offers 3 important advantages.  First, you’ll find that ____________________________….”  You get the idea.

Does that mean you can never use “us” or “we” or “our?”  Certainly not!  But keep it to a minimum.  I’d venture to guess you should you those words less than 10% of the time.  After all, it’s not about you… it’s about the ones who have the money:  your customers.

Copywriting Mistake #3 – Thinking Copywriting Only Happens on Your Web Page

If you plan to write search engine optimized copy, you’ll have to understand that your copy actually begins in the search engine results pages (SERPs).  The title tag and the META description tag create a little advertisement for you in Yahoo!, Google, Bing and the other engines.

Let’s say a surfer types in “black cowboy boots” (for example).  The very first exposure that customer has to your web page is what they find in the SERPs. Which of these tag sets grabs your attention?

    Black Cowboy Boots – Black Cowboy Boots

    Black cowboy boots are manufactured by all of the major cowboy boot makers. This most popular boot comes in various styles depending on your needs.

    

    Black Cowboy Boots – Free Shipping and Return Shipping

    Buy cowboy boots with a price guarantee and top rated customer service. You can compare multiple … Dan Post Boots Eel Cowboy – Black (Men’s) $249.95 …

    

    Western Spurs, Tshirts, Western Wear, Art, Posters

    Black Cowboy Boot with Spurs keychains · Black Cowboy Boot with Spurs Key Chain by White_Wedding. praying cowboy pet clothing · praying cowboy dog shirt …

I don’t know about you, but I’d be clicking that free shipping one with the price guarantee!

You have to write your title tag and META description tag as an advertisement. Tell the surfer why they should click to your page as opposed to the other 10,000 in the SERPs. What’s in it for them if they click to you?

So, now you know.  And now that you know, you can avoid making the 3 most deadly copywriting mistakes small business owners make.

Want to learn to write web and SEO copy the right way?  Karon’s Step-by-Step Copywriting Course walks you through.  Get details about this home-study course today at http://www.CopywritingCourse.com.