I was listening to the radio when my ears perked up by some extra-pertinent information: how the business of publishing is changing – and how authors are making more money than ever using the internet.
There have traditionally been two ways to get your book in front of a mass audience: Continue reading “Make More Money by Self-Publishing Online”
Everyone uses Wikipedia – in fact, if I see a Wikipedia entry come up on a Google search, that’s usually the first link I click on.
Can Wikipedia be used for marketing purposes? The answer is certainly – though probably not in the way you think.
A Wikipedia entry on you or your business isn’t going to directly sell widgets or get you your next commissioned painting. However, what it will do is add credibility to your name or brand by putting it up on the web for everyone to see. But, like most things in life, there are a few drawbacks to using Wikipedia.
Pros:
Pro #1: It’s fact-based. Every entry in Wikipedia reads like a page out of the Encyclopedia Britannica. There aren’t any opinions, hype, or marketing ploys allowed on Wikipedia – although the users who post information may be motivated by an opinion they have. Because it’s fact-based, you’ve got an opportunity here to tell people exactly what you do and how you do it, to provide little-known company information and other things that might get lost in your marketing messages or buried in your company website.
Pro #2: It adds legitimacy to your name or brand. Because Wikipedia is a third-party, public website, information on your Wikipedia page may be more valuable to a potential customer than some of the information on your website. You’re accessing potentially millions and millions of users on their terms – no jingles, no T.V. commercials, no propaganda.
Pro #3: You can direct it … in a way. Rather than letting users start your Wikipedia page that may be riddled with errors or even meant to be a low-blow to your good name (see Con #2), why not start the page yourself – that way, you can direct the type of information that’s listed on your page. That’s one way to manage your reputation and point out information that may be little-known. Reference a news article. Link to your website. As long as you stay within the Wikipedia guidelines, you can shape the look and tone of your Wiki entry.
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Cons:
Con #1. Wikipedia isn’t reliable. Yes, it may seem reliable – and it’s certainly popular, often treated as The Bible for any obscure fact that no one could possibly know. I’m sure it’s settled many bets, and probably ended a few friendships. The information is based on user entries, and can be changed or modified by anyone who wants to. Not everything you see on Wikipedia is a proven fact, though it should be. Which leads me to my next point…
Con #2: Anyone can change your Wikipedia entry. That’s right, anyone: a miffed customer, disgruntled ex-employee, the brother-in-law that hates you, even one of your competitors. Anything on your Wikipedia page can have its validity challenged or be modified by anyone. This is good because it keeps some companies from hiding any past missteps – remember, Wikipedia is about public information, not PR. But beware that your Wikipedia page is vulnerable to anyone who disagrees with the information it contains.
Con #3: It needs constant patrol. Since you can’t control all of the information on your site, it’s important that your Wikipedia page doesn’t completely destroy your reputation. Be sure to check your entry regularly to see if it’s been changed – and how it’s been changed. Certainly allow users to contribute whatever they’ve got to your entry – this isn’t a time to let your controlling tendencies get to you. But in order to make sure that your good name isn’t being dragged through the mud by a customer, ex-employee, brother-in-law, etc., you’re going to have to monitor it and respond accordingly.
Remember, nothing on Wikipedia is set in stone. It’s constantly evolving and growing, with new additions and deletions from a collaboration of users. And that fluidity can end up helping or tarnishing your brand if left unchecked.
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Do you know the No. 1 reason good writers fail at writing as a profession? Bad customer service. Well, no, that’s not exactly accurate. A lot of writers have customer service skills. But, in the end, they’re only human. And the truth is, to be a great copywriter, you must be superhuman.
The good news is: Anyone can become superhuman. But it does take a lot of work, a lot of dedication, and an ability to swallow that all-too-human emotion: pride.
Here are my top three tips to developing paranormal powers and, along the way, establishing long-lasting, successful relationships with your clientele.
1. Set Expectations. Earn Paladin Status. On your first meeting, do not be afraid to meet your client in your brave white Dodge Charger, brandish your blazing pen, and slash through the fabrications to the simple truth. Seems basic. Yet, you’d be surprised how difficult this can be. The overzealous human copywriter will often want so badly to please a client that they’re likely to promise anything: Want that 100 page document proofed by tomorrow? Sure. Want a guarantee that you’ll be 100 percent satisfied with my work on the first draft? Absolutely. What? You want me to promise you a bestseller? Of course! Wrong.
As a superhuman copywriter, here’s what you say instead: Tell them when you can reasonably have it done – even if it means losing business if you can’t meet their deadline. Tell them that it’s likely that they will have edits on their copy the first time around. It’s normal. Tell them you will write a bestseller – but whether it becomes a bestseller, that’s not something you can promise. No one can.
2. Listen to What Your Client Actually Means. Become Telephathic. You have to remember that most of your clients are going to be of the human variety. And while you are working on your superhuman status, they are probably just going to stay human. So that means that you really need to learn how to listen. That’s your job. Remember. You are the communicator. That’s what they hired you for.
So, as a superhuman copywriter, you have to listen between the lines when your client is writing (or talking) to you. And in order to listen, you have to learn how to ask the right questions to get at the meat of the matter. As a copywriter, you can never ask too many questions (although you can ask stupid questions, but that’s another blog).
So here’s an example:
Human criticism = This paragraph is just not working for me.
Standard human copywriter answer = Why not?
Human response = Well, I just don’t like it. It’s just not good.
Human copywriter answer = Well, I want to make it right, but I’m just not sure I understand what you don’t like about it.
And round and round you go. In the end, the human copywriter leaves completely baffled as to what the client wants, and the client leaves frustrated.
So, here’s how you fix this:
Human criticism = This paragraph is just not working for me.
Superhuman copywriter answer = Ok, not a problem. Is it the information that isn’t working? Or are you not pleased with the way the paragraph sounds?
Then, the client either tells you that the info isn’t right, in which case you ask what specifically he would like included/excluded. Or, he’ll tell you that he doesn’t like the way it sounds, in which case, say:
“Ok, is there anything about the paragraph you would like me to keep?”
If they say no, don’t even try to figure out what’s wrong. Really. Most people just can’t tell you what it is about voice, tone, or flow that isn’t working. Just say…
“Ok, no problem, I’ll rewrite this a couple of different ways and send it back to you.”
Then rewrite it a couple of different ways and send it back. And what I mean by this is start with a blank sheet of paper and write a completely different paragraph. Don’t reference your original. Don’t pull any phrases from it. I don’t care if you loved the first one, and you don’t see what’s wrong with it. It doesn’t matter.
Just clear your head, think of a different angle, and go with it.
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3. Do Not Under Any Circumstances Become Defensive. Achieve Sainthood.
Here’s what I tell clients, “I only have one feeling, and you can’t hurt it.”
Here’s what I tell copywriters, “If it doesn’t hurt when a client doesn’t like it, you aren’t doing it right!”
Ok, so there’s a method behind this madness. Clients can’t feel like they are going to hurt your human feelings, because then you’ll never get the truth out of them; and if they aren’t happy – even if they are unhappy with a single word – you need to be the first to know. That’s the only way you’re going to have truly happy clients. Copywriters on the other hand have to love their work or else they aren’t giving it their all.
So, the only solution to this is that all good copywriters must become saints… and telepathists…and paladins.
Oh, yeah, and you have to be a great writer, too.
As any writer knows, getting that first draft down on paper is only half the battle. Whether you’re writing web copy, a sales email, or a journalistic article, chances are, you and your editing team will go through a few rounds of tweaking and fine-tuning before your work is really done. So, I’ve decided to do a little mini-series to share some of my favorite writing and editing tips.
One of the really cool things about writing is, it’s always a work in progress – there are always things you can do to make your writing clearer, or more powerful, or just more interesting. And, if you write every day, you’re constantly honing your craft. From major rewrites to itty-bitty changes in word choice or punctuation, there are about a million things you can do to change, improve, and streamline your work.
Here are three of my favorite ways to pack more punch into your prose: Continue reading “Killer Tips for Streamlining Your Copy, Part 1”
I’ve been working on a direct mail marketing letter and wanted to share a little pearl of wisdom with everyone: how and why the P.S. or postscripts line is so important.
Research shows that almost 80 percent of people will open a letter, scan the return address to see who sent it, then skip straight down to the postscript. (It’s so true too – try it yourself!)
So that means that your P.S. is both your first and last opportunity to get through to your reader – it’s the one line that’s going to get read the most thoroughly. So, what should you include in your postscript? I happen to have a few ideas in mind…
• DON’T include any new information in the postscript. The body of your letter should get straight to the point, including all benefits and features. If a piece of information isn’t in the letter, don’t include it in the postscript – that’s confusing to the reader, and just bad writing. One exception: you CAN introduce a good teaser – like a special offer – in your postscript to get people to act immediately.
• DON’T write a paragraph. Postscripts are short, so keep it down to a sentence or two.
• DO summarize your sales message, or drive it home. Remind the reader of what you’re offering – and make it punchy: give people a timeline, or create a sense of urgency with phrases like “Limited time offer” or “One week only.”
• DO repeat your key benefits, but briefly. Are you saving people money? Why should they give you their money? Any key benefits in the postscript should reinforce the message in the body of your letter.
• DO give contact information and encourage people to learn more about your product or service.
• DO have a call to action. Use action verbs that spur people to pick up the phone, buy your product, log on for more information, etc.
• DO make sure that you’re effectively targeting your audience in the postscript and providing relevant information.
• DO keep it personal and conversational. This should be done throughout the body of your sales letter, but especially in the postscript, since 4 out of 5 recipients will be reading it first. Save those five-dollar words for someone else.
Let’s look at a few good postscripts:
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Most professionals would agree that a sales letter isn’t complete without a postscript. Those two little letters carry a lot of weight, and can mean the difference between a new sale or your hard work down the drain. There are a million variations on writing good postscripts, just remember a few of the rules above: keep postscripts short, benefit-oriented, and compelling.
