Leverage Points Marketing

The Ultimate Remedy To "Image" Advertising

2008-08-12T22:48:00.000-07:00

I just ran across this hilarious viral video from a web design company. It's obvious they don't approve of certain direct-response marketing design elements...

But who cares?

The video is hilarious!

And they're (mostly) spot-on. Check it out:

www.MakeMyLogoBiggerCream.com

Using Language To Reframe & Communicate Value

2008-08-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

My girlfriend is an Eyebrow Artist. We actually decided to call her that to help differentiate her from other makeup artists, which are a dime a dozen.

She’s very knowledgeable on how to design eyebrows to bring out a woman’s natural beauty.

She’s essentially offering the same service that most salons offer for about $8... except you get the benefit of working with an expert who knows what she’s doing.

So how can we communicate the added value and justify a price point that makes it worth Alba’s while?

Well... most salons call it “eyebrow shaping.” Alba is giving an “Eyebrow Makeover.”

The difference?

Alba is getting $55 for an “Eyebrow Makeover,” and was recently advised to raise her price.

Just two little words. BIG difference in perceived value. In fact, we carefully named all of her services. Take a look: www.TheEyebrowArtist.com

Here’s another example...

A number of years ago, Clayton Makepeace helped make Weiss research one of the top investment newsletters in the nation.

Except he never referred to it as an “investment newsletter” in the promotions he wrote for them. He called it an “Investment Advisory Service.”

Subtle difference in wording... BIG difference in perceived value.

If you call your product or service the same thing everyone else calls it, you’ll easily be relegated to commodity status.

But if you simply choose better words that communicate more value, you’ll “reframe” the perception of what it is being offered... and hence it’s relative value.

I’m not just a copywriter. I’m a “Salesman In Print.”

This ability to reframe by simply choosing the right words is one component of Covert Written Persuasion™.

The Copywriting Process

2008-08-06T13:45:00.000-07:00

Maybe you’ve never thought much about it before, but there’s a heck of a lot that goes on behind the scenes when a copywriter puts pen to paper.

There’s a system to putting together a successful sales letter... and when you understand the system, you’re able to produce winning promotions a heck of a lot faster and easier.

Still... there are no shortcuts without sacrificing results. You’ll see what I mean in a moment.

Here’s the system I use when I write a sales letter...

1. Try to understand the typical prospect (the target market). What are his needs? Why does he need the product? What’s keeping him awake at night? What are his core motivations for buying this product? What emotions will drive him to make a purchase? This is a critical step that many overlook.

2. Research the product, competing products, and their promotions (if possible). Then look for the unique selling proposition that sets this product apart. This is also easily overlooked.

3. Create a positioning strategy to create a perception of immense value. For example, there’s a difference in perceived value between calling it “eyebrow shaping” versus an “eyebrow makeover” or between an “info kit” and an “urgent investor bulletin.” Use language that communicates value.

4. Create a strategy for getting immediate attention and interest. Come up with a theme, headline, and lead that engages the reader and makes it difficult to stop reading.

5. Create the structural framework of the promotion--the architecture of persuasion. Outline everything that needs to be included in the letter in order to make the sale. (Benefits, credibility, objection-handling, urgency, etc.)

6. Add the appropriate research, notes and ideas into each section of the outline.

7. Create a first rough draft, then polish it into a complete draft.

8. Continue relentlessly polishing and perfecting the letter. Check for flow, clarity, readability, momentum, etc.

9. Polish the layout (design) to make the letter as inviting to read as possible.

That's my 9-step process in a nutshell. A lot of work, huh?

It actually goes much deeper than this, particularly in creating the structural outline. (See my How-To Guide.)

The thing is, copy is a critical LEVERAGE POINT in your business. Shouldn’t a lot of thought go behind it?

A Biz-Op Ad Critique

2008-07-22T02:14:00.000-07:00

I decided to flip through some biz-op magazines at Barnes & Noble this weekend. Not because I'm interested in any business opportunities. (My business keeps me plenty busy, so please no MLM pitches!)

But because I'm fascinated with that market. I talked about hype in my last post. And the biz-op market is full of it.

But the great thing about this market is that there is a very high level of awareness of direct response marketing. Which is right up my alley.

I chose an ad in 'Small Business Opportunities' to critique on this blog. In fact, I'll be doing this from time to time in the future, so be sure and stay tuned.

This ad certainly isn't the worst of the ads I saw. In fact, it was one of the better ones... both in terms of scaled-down hype. And in terms of using proven principles of direct response.

But there are certainly many things that can be improved to maximize its response rate.

Take a look...

A HUGE Online Marketing Mistake

2008-07-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

You ever see those hyped-up internet sales pages smothered in yellow highlighting with a forest of exclamation marks?

It seems that in many markets (weight loss, biz-op, network marketing, info products, etc.), marketers will work themselves into a frenzy trying to out-hype the competition.

Terry Dean calls this “hypercopyitis.” Ben Settle calls it “frothing at the mouth copywriting.”

I simply call it “empty hype.” Maybe that’s not as colorful as Terry or Ben, but that’s what it is.

And it’s a HUGE mistake.

The key to out-doing your competition isn’t to out-hype them. It’s to out-flank them.

It’s to find the unique elements about your product that make it better... or simply different.

It could be something as simple as a great story. Perhaps your story... or the story of a happy customer... or the incredible story of how you developed the product... anything that will set your product apart.

Consider this headline from the late Gary Halbert, the legendary “Prince of Print...”

Atlanta Housewife Investigated And
Almost Arrested For Losing 73 Pounds

Wow, what a headline! And what a story! Don’t you just HAVE to read on to find out more?

And there’s not one ounce of hype. No string of exclamation points. No bold, unproven claim like “Lose 70 Pounds In 60 Days!!!!!!”

Gary Halbert knew how to uncover the story that provided the “hook” to get readers involved. That’s half the battle.

The bottom line: engage your prospects. Don’t treat them like blithering idiots. Differentiate.... don’t hype.

4 Critical Steps To Direct Mail Success

2008-06-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

I must be the world's worst blogger. I freely admit it. It's been 4 months since my last post!

But I think it will be worth the wait. Because I'm about to reveal to you the key secret to making your direct mail campaign work like gangbusters. Most businesses fall short in one or more of these areas.

But not you... Not after today!

Here the 4 critical steps to direct mail success...

Step One: Choose Your Target

Pick a target and know your target well. The list is absolutely critical. If you're selling ice, your list shouldn't contain a list of Eskimos. Try a list of desert sheiks instead! And find out what motivates them. What are their beliefs, feelings, and desires? You'll need to know this because in step two, you'll give them their hearts desires...

Step Two: Create An Irresistible Offer

In other words, give them what they want! And make it a good, enticing offer. Like free (and very relevant) information. Or a free trial. Or a huge discount or bonuses just for trying you out. Make an offer he can't refuse! But make only ONE offer. Don't try to sell your whole product or service line in one letter. That's just a really dumb mistake that anyone with 2 cents should be able to avoid!

Step Three: Pick A Format

99.9% of all direct mail winds up in the trash because it looks exactly like what it is: junk mail. To get past the clutter, you need a different tactic. Try a letter that looks personal, such as a plain white envelope with a simple return address, hand-addressed, and a real, live first-class stamp.

Or send a "lumpy" envelope. Or a brown, oversize envelope. Or a package. Or send it priority mail. Anything to get past the clutter and get attention.

Step Four: Create A Magnetic Message

This is where it pays to hire a professional direct response copywriter. But here's a quick tip: focus on benefits, and not just features.

People ultimately buy benefits. Benefits evoke an emotional connection. No one connects emotionally with features, unless they can connect it with a benefit.

This post, for example, is about 475 words long, and is in five parts. Do you really care about that? Or do you care about the benefit of what this post will bring you? Namely, better success with direct mail... and ultimately, more money... and ultimately, the ability to have something that money can bring you, like a new vacation or time with your family or that new car you've been drooling over!

See my point? Focus on the benefits and you'll have better chances of success.

To learn more about how to craft a powerful, persuasive message, I invite you to download my FREE How-To Guide available here: www.EngineeringPersuasion.com.

Until next time...

Joshua "Aaron" Stanley
Direct Response Copywriter - Persuasion Engineer - "Salesman in Print"

A HUGE Small Business Marketing Mistake

2008-02-02T09:36:00.001-08:00

One of the biggest mistakes small business owners make is not having a cohesive and consistent marketing system. Instead, everything is ad hoc. Very tactical. A little of this...a little of that. "Let's try this today. Well, that didn't work, let's try something else tomorrow."

By cohesive, I mean...

Every marketing piece should be designed to feed the sales funnel. (Turn readers/watchers/listeners into leads/inquiries/visitors.)
Every marketing piece should communicate the same central message. (Your USP, unless it's a purely lead-generation piece--in which case it should sell the benefits of your lead-generation device, be it a white paper, special report, video, etc.)
Each marketing piece should "pre-sell" the company, product, or service.
Every piece should work in tandem with all the other pieces, so they all reinforce each other. (Website reinforces and expounds on print ads. E-mail campaign reinforces the core story, Etc.)
Marketing should be consistent with the sales message. In other words, the sales side should be a logical extension of the external marketing.
Marketing should be consistently delivered...that is, it should be a regular system that acts like clockwork, producing the same results every time.

Your marketing system should be written down and documented. It should be designed from the ground up to be consistent and cohesive. In other words, each piece of your marketing matrix should be like a team-member, reinforcing all the other pieces.

Beyond the Unique Selling Proposition

2008-01-28T14:25:00.000-08:00

I've discussed before the importance of the USP. Probably 90% or more of all businesses can't articulate their 'unique selling proposition.'

So just doing this step will put you leagues ahead of your competitors. But today, I'm going to go beyond the USP.

Let's call it a "graduate level" marketing strategy.

Here's the problem with ONLY having a USP, and going no further in your strategic focus...

At any given time, only about 3% of your total eligible buyers are buying right now. So you're fighting with your competitors for that 3%. A USP will help you greatly here.

But what about the other 97%? Since they're not buying right now, then a USP won't sell them, will it? What difference does it make if you sell the best widgets, if they're not looking for widgets right now?

This is where we get into what Chet Holmes calls the "Ultimate Strategic Position." It's an advanced form of the USP that helps you get "in" with the other 97% of the market, and secure them as customers or clients before your competitors even have a chance!

At this level, you're not peddling any products or services...you're offering information. You're building relationships. And along the way, you're positioning yourself as the only viable alternative.

Sounds pretty awesome, right?

I'm sure you'll want to read all about it. So check out Chet Holme's book "The Ultimate Sales Machine." I can't recommend it enough. It's at Amazon for less than $17. (That's not an affiliate link, by the way. Just giving you a head's up, which I know you'll appreciate.)

The Commoditization-Differentiation Continuum

2008-01-06T22:41:00.000-08:00

Commoditization is when products or services are so similar to each other that price becomes the overriding concern.

Differentiation is when a product or service is so radically different from all of the alternatives that price is no longer a concern.

You can look at these two points as opposite ends of a continuum. Where does your business lie on this continuum?

If you’ve been commoditized…

• Your prospects and customers price-shop you all the time.
• You find yourself competing on price alone and losing out to low-balling competitors.
• Your customers are always haggling with you to lower your prices.
• Your customers or prospects simply don’t see or understand your added value (if any).

If you’ve differentiated…

• You have no real competition because you’re strategically positioned as being unique.
• You customers don’t complain so much about price…and even if they do, they still pay it.
• You can get away with charging more than your “competitors.”
• You’re positioned as the only viable alternative.

The solution to commoditization is differentiation. Commoditizers can only fight a tactical battle. Differentiators fight a strategic one.

I'll be going into more detail on this very subject in a special report I'm finishing up called "How To Surge Ahead of Your Competitors And Leave Them Eating Your Dust!"

Sign up for the "Strategic & Tactical Report" on the right and you'll get this report for free.

Marketing Strategy Vs. Tactics

2008-01-04T15:12:00.000-08:00

The tactician says...

"I need to get more leads."
"Sales is a numbers game, people!"
"Let's buy the biggest ad in the yellow pages so people will call us instead of our competitors."
"Let's put an ad on Craig's List."
"We need to cut our prices to stay competitive."
"What's the latest marketing technique?"
"What's the cheapest way to get leads?"

The strategist asks...

"How can I differentiate myself from my competition so people will choose me instead of my competition...even if my prices are higher?"
"How can I increase my lead-to-sale conversion rate?"
"How can I increase the value of each customer/client so I don't have to chase down new leads all the time?"
"How can I get people to chase me instead of the other way around?"
"How can I make sure that my customers/clients stay with me for as long as possible?"
"How can I afford to outspend my competitors on acquiring new customers/clients?"

No wonder it's the strategist who always wins!

The Power of Up-Sells and Cross-Sells

2008-01-03T17:21:00.001-08:00

Dan Kennedy is one of my two biggest marketing mentors. The other is Jay Abraham. Both are geniuses.

To say I learned a hell of a lot from Dan Kennedy is an understatement. And I continue to learn from him...and be reminded of things I learned already.

It helps to be reminded. It's too easy to forget or let things sink to the back of your mind.

So let me remind you of the power of the up-sell. Dan Kennedy wrote about it his blog today.

You probably already know about it. You know that every time you go to McDonald's they ask you, "Would you like fries with that?" or "Would you like to supersize that today?"

Not every customer will take you up on your up-sell or cross-sell offers. But what if only 15-20% actually do? What kind of impact do you think that would have on your bottom line? Wouldn't that be worth implementing a regular system...asking every client at closing to purchase more, or try other products/services?

They're already in buying mode. They've already made the decision to give you their money. It's not that big of a leap for them to buy more. The leap was in making the decision in the first place!

27 Ways To Make 2008 The Best Year Ever In Terms of Sales

2008-01-02T20:32:00.000-08:00

I just finished up a special report, which I'm offering for free to anyone who signs up for my weekly e-newsletter, "The Strategic & Tactical Report."

I like that military terminology. Business and marketing can be very much like warfare. You're competing with an enemy to gain territory (a.k.a. "market share"). You've got to be concerned with both strategy and tactics.

The best tactics are pretty much worthless against superior strategy. But superior strategy also needs superior tactics in order to be more effective.

So the newsletter will deal with both in very down-to-earth, plain-English kind of way.

So what about the special report?

I call it "27 'Jedi-Master' Sales Secrets To Boost Your Conversion Rate Into Hyperdrive!"

Can you tell I'm a Star Wars fan?

Anyway, here's some of what you'll discover in this special report...

What to do when you're faced with hoards of competitors chasing after the same dollars you are.
An essential business strategy that will get customers chasing you...and not the other way around.
How to target your market when you offer a broad range of services.
How to be the first person your prospect thinks of when they need your product or service.
How to make your offering sound like a bargain...even if you charge more than your competitors!
One business strategy that your competitors may be too scared to implement...but for those with nerve, it can mean a TON more sales!
"Covert" psychological tactics that get your prospects charged up and ready to say "Yes!"
Six ways to bolster your claims and prove your case so that credibility is not even an issue.
The top five most essential strategies for sales success.

Now...if after reading all that, you aren't willing to give up your name and email address, then go read another blog, for God's sake!

Sayonara...and Happy Hunting!

You're In The MARKETING Business...

2007-12-28T10:05:00.000-08:00

Whatever you sell...product or service...B2B or B2C...whether you're in manufacturing, or retail, or distributing, or reselling....you're in the marketing business.

Marketing is the engine on which your business runs. Without a good marketing plan that will consistently deliver customers to you and keep them coming back, your business is worthless. You need customers to make your business worth something.

When you switch your thinking to realize you're really in the marketing business, that's when breakthroughs can happen.

That's when your entire organization becomes focused around obtaining and keeping customers. That's when you realize that good customer service is good marketing and great customer service is great marketing.

It's when you realize that every customer interaction, even delivering an invoice, is a marketing opportunity. (See Seth's post on this.)

It's when you realize that industry conventions ("that's the way things are done in this industry") are made to be broken, as long as it serves the customer.

It's when you realize that you need solid marketing systems in place to increase the number of inquiries, optimize your conversion rate, and maximize your total customer value.

It's when you realize that you need to do an excellent job of communicating all the benefits of doing business with you to prospective customers.

Dan Kennedy defines marketing like this: "Delivering the right message to the right people in the right way, using the right media." I would add "such that you obtain and keep them as a customer or client for the longest possible duration of time." (And I know Dan Kennedy would agree with that!)

Makes you look at your business a little differently, doesn't it?

The 12-Letter Word That Guarantees Success

2007-12-27T13:37:00.000-08:00

After my post yesterday, Doug D'Anna, legendary direct response copywriter, posted this over at Clayton Makepeace's Total Package.

He writes specifically about keeping the relationship in mind when writing copy for your marketing materials...but the relationship is central to your business success. If you always keep in mind that your business is about relationships...and that your most valuable asset is your relationship with all your customers and prospects (or distributors or joint venture partners)...and that philosophy permeates every aspect of your business...then you, too, can have a success like Zappos.com.

"The 12-Letter Word That Guarantees Success," "Your Most Valuable Business Asset"...whatever you call it, it all comes down to RELATIONSHIP.

Your Most Important and Valuable Business Asset

2007-12-26T14:31:00.000-08:00

It's ironic that your most valuable asset as a business owner is not even reflected on your balance sheet. That should give you a clue as to what it isn't...

It's not your building, or your capital equipment, for example. It's not your liquid assets...it's not even your "brand."

So what is it?

Many marketers would say your most valuable asset is your customer list. But that's not entirely accurate...

It's your RELATIONSHIP with all the customers or clients in your list. That's where the real value is. It's where the future value is for your company. It's your livelihood.

You could have millions of dollars worth of hard assets, but without relationships with people who will buy what you're selling, they're pretty much worthless to you.

So what does that tell you about how you should treat your customers? Smart companies will not only come to the conclusion that good customer service is good marketing (like Zappos.com), but will understand the importance of maintaining the relationship through frequent and relevant contact.

After all...don't you have to communicate to have a relationship?

With that in mind, think of all the customers you haven't heard from in a while. Maybe it's time to send them a letter or make a phone call. Don't let that relationship just wither and die!

(BTW, the image is an ancient Mesopotamian balance sheet from a state-run farm on display at the Louvre. It's almost 4,000 years old.)

How To Grow Without Advertising: A Case Study

2007-12-21T14:00:00.001-08:00

I've never ordered anything from Zappos.com, but I keep hearing about what a great company it is. They don't do any advertising...but let's look at their growth pattern:

1999: Startup...almost zero sales
2000: $1.6 Million in sales
2001: $8.6 Million (800% growth in one year!)
2002: $32 Million (400% growth from previous year!)
2003: $70 Million (200% growth)
2004: $184 Million (250%)
2005: $370 Million (200%)
2006: $597 Million (160%)
2007: $800 Million (135%)

Phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal. All without advertising.

How did they do it?

Obviously, there are many factors contributing to this kind of spectacular success. But one reason is they understand the three ways to grow a business...

1. Get more customers
2. Increase the average transaction value.
3. Increase the frequency of purchase.

Step 1: Get More Customers

Zappos depends almost entirely on word of mouth / viral / referral marketing. All pretty much the same thing, but your company needs to be worthy of being referred to someone else. And that's where Zappos excels. Their slogan is "We're a service company that happens to sell."

Take a look at this customer testimonial.

They realize they're not in the commodity shoe business, but in the business of servicing customers. They have a well-articulated unique selling proposition. See Why Shop at Zappos.com.

Step 2: Increase the average transaction value.

Zappos doesn't have the lowest prices because they don't compete on price. They compete on service. And NO ONE does better.

I haven't purchased from them, but if they're smart (and they must be) they'll offer cross-sells and up-sells at the close of the transaction.

Step 3: Increase the frequency of purchase.

I know the CEO, Tony Hsieh, understands this because of a quote in Direct Magazine. Here's what he says...

"Our business is based on repeat customers and word of mouth..."

Did you get that? Repeat Customers. The formula for long-term success.

If you're chasing after new customers all the time, and ignoring or not communicating with the ones you have, you'll never enjoy long-term success, and you'll never experience phenomenal growth.

How can you improve each of these areas in your business?

Differentiate or DIE (Mwahahahaha.....)

2007-12-20T16:45:00.000-08:00

Jack Trout wrote a classic book on marketing called "Differentiate or Die." I haven't read it yet, but the title is a lesson in and of itself. (You might want to check out "Positioning," by Jack Trout with Al Ries, which I have read and is fascinating.)

Creating a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is a strategic move. It's taking a look at the competition and finding a void that no one is filling...then claiming that void as your very own.

It's classic chess-level thinking. And to continue the theme of my last post, it's the most fundamental and most important aspect of your marketing system.

So how can you differentiate yourself without competing on price?

Well...price is certainly one way to do it. Some companies can be successful by positioning themselves as the price leader. Think of Walmart. Or the local mattress store that always boasts "We'll match anyone's advertised price or your mattress is FREEEEEEEE!" (BTW, that statement doesn't really make sense if you think about it. I mean, what are they going to say, "Sorry...we can't match that price. I guess we'll have to give you a free mattress!")

Anyway, moving on...

But price is only ONE way to differentiate and is not the best option for most small businesses. In fact, competing on price alone is a sure path to bankruptcy.

Consider instead, other ways to differentiate. Here are some ideas...

Speed of Delivery. (Think Domino's or FedEx.)
Speed of Service. (Like a one-hour response time for IT support, for example.)
Quality of Product. (Be VERY specific about WHY your product is better.)
Outstanding Customer Service. (Like Zappos.com...but again be specific about WHY your service is better.)
Expertise. Does your company have unique knowledge, expertise, or experience?
Customer Experience. (Starbucks, Cold Stone, any high-end establishment)
Specialization. Do you specialize in a particular industry, product, application, or niche?
Unique Process. Do you break industry norms? Think of CarMax: "The way car buying should be."
Unique Guarantee. Remember Craftsman tools' lifetime guarantee? That was the only brand my Dad would buy.
Location (or number of locations). Could work for retail businesses, but leaves you vulnerable if a competitor moves in next door.
Accessibility. Do you have accommodating hours, like a 24-hour call center?

It's important to remember that the best USP is one that can't be duplicated very easily. If your USP causes everyone else to change in response, then you'll have to come up with a different USP.

Think of Domino's. They built the franchise based on the "30 minutes or less" guarantee during a time when no one else was doing it. And they were phenomenally successful because of it. Now, however, everyone offers fast pizza. It's not unique anymore. The challenge for Domino's, then, is to come up with a fresh USP.

The Big Reason WHY

2007-12-18T23:17:00.000-08:00

Can you answer the question "Why should I do business with you versus any and all of the alternatives that are available to me (including doing nothing)?"

For most businesses that's a tough question to answer without spewing out vague generalities like "quality service," "dependability you can trust," and "customer service is our priority."

How many times have you heard those kinds of marketing dribble before? Everyone says those kinds of things...so consequently they mean NOTHING.

If you want to give REAL reason why someone should choose your company over the competition, you need a Unique Selling Proposition that gives a specific and compelling "reason why."

Notice first that it must be "unique." In other words it must be something no one else in your industry is doing. Secondly, it must be a "selling proposition." In other words, it must be something unique that the marketplace actually wants and is willing to spend money for.

There are many ways to differentiate your business. We'll take a look at some of them in the next post.

Stay tuned...

Aaron Stanley
Leverage Points Marketing

Stupid Marketing Phrases

2007-12-17T13:41:00.001-08:00

I've been writing about copy lately because most business copy SUCKS...and it's always fun to point out others' shortcomings. I just can't help myself.

I ran across this sentence today....

"Our experience and dedication to excellence is hard to match as we strive to best align our business strategies with your business objectives" [sic on the lack of a period]

Can someone translate that for me? I got lost at "hard to match."

Here's a great one:

"We specialize in everything from..."

This is just funny. How can you specialize in everything? Yet Google tells me there are 43,500 businesses that do just that! Incredible.

I wish I could specialize in everything. It would help me get around this particular problem I've had for years...it's just that I know a little about a whole lot of things and a whole lot of nothing!

Who Needs Needs?

2007-12-17T13:16:00.000-08:00

Herschel Gordon Lewis is a legendary copywriter and direct marketer. Every month, he publishes an editorial in Direct Magazine. Recently, he addressed one of the most ridiculous, but ubiquitous phrases in marketing copy: "...for all your [insert word] needs."

I love his title: "Who Needs Needs?" It's a fun read. Check it out.

This phrase has rubbed me the wrong way for years. I hate it!

Honestly, why do people feel this phrase is necessary? Let's take an example. Let's say you own a printing business and you're tempted to use "For all your printing needs!" on all your literature.

Is that really true? Do you sell printers, too? Do you offer screen printing? What about imprinting? Do you stock every kind of paper known to man so I can print it myself? What about replacement cartridges for my printer? Do you print photos? Do you really handle every kind of printing need known to mankind?

I'm guessing not. And even if you did, wouldn't that be an awful unique selling proposition? How do you convince someone to do business with you if you "specialize" in everything?

My advice: nix the "needs." People have specific needs, not general "needs." (See Lewis's article.)

A Chest Beating Exercise

2007-12-15T11:30:00.000-08:00

It's maddening how certain phrases are so ubiquitous in marketing copy...yet they mean absolutely nothing. Do any of these ring a bell?

"...is the leader in..."

Why, exactly, are you a leader? Can you spell it out? (If so, you'll gain much more credibility.)

"...offers only the highest quality..."

How so? What, exactly, do you mean by that? Everyone says that, so what makes you any different? (If you can be specific, you'll gain credibility and memorability.)

"...state of the art..."

How is "state of the art" beneficial? What do you mean by that, anyway?

In short...be SPECIFIC and avoid generalities in your copy. Your website, brochures, etc. are not about "chest beating," they're about communicating a specific message to your target prospect.

Good URL...Bad URL

2007-12-12T23:05:00.000-08:00

To inaugurate my blog, I figured I would post "the rules" of printing URLs. I've had my own thoughts on this for quite a while, but Aaron Goldman, who blogs exclusively about it at "Good URL Bad URL," has written up a terrific "manual of style" concerning URLs in print. Here it is in his own words...(And be sure to check out his blog for some good fun!)

Do's

CapitalizeTheFirstLetterOfEachWord.
UseDifferentColorsOrBoldToHelpEachWordStandOut.
Whenever possible, use YourBrandName.com.
If .com is not available, use YourBrandName.net.
If .com and .net are taken, find a new brand name. Seriously.
Use YourSlogan.com when running an integrated media campaign.
Use subdomains when driving people deeper than your homepage - e.g. Product.YourBrandName.com.

Don'ts

Don't include www. We know to go to the World Wide Web to find you.
Don't include http://. If your audience isn't web savvy enough to know where to type the URL, you shouldn't have a website.
don'tusealllowercase (canyoureallytellwhereonewordendsandthenextbegins?)
DITTOFORALLUPPERCASE
No-hyphens/or slashes.
Don't use acronyms, abbreviations, or numbers unless your brand is widely known as such.
Don't bury your URL at the bottom of a billboard. I'm the only nerd driving around with a 4x zoom lens to find URLs.