Fly on the E-Commerce Cyberwall

The Good Guys of Internet Marketing -- Clayton Makepeace
There's a good reason I didn't list Clayton in my "Good Guys of Internet Marketing" list four years ago. I didn't know the guy existed back then. Clayton is a multi-million dollar copywriting master -- one of the best around.

I wasn't into copywriting all that much back then, so I didn't pay much attention to copywriting experts. As my awareness grew, however, about how important good copywriting is to selling, I kept hearing one name over and over again when I talked to colleagues about copywriting.

They'd tell me, "If you want to learn copywriting, you've got to read Clayton Makepeace's daily blog! He gives away so much great information for free every day."

Their advice was 100% accurate. Like I said about Jim Edwards the other day, the tips and strategies he gives away for free is better than what was in almost any copywriting course I've paid for.

The minute the email arrives that alerts me that his next blog post is up, I go to Clayton Makepeace's "The Total Package" copywriting blog to read it. If you want to improve your copywriting, I suggest you do the same.

You can get all you need to get you started in copywriting from his free info. And you can get a master class in copywriting from any of his paid courses that bring his best tips and strategies together in a well-structured format where each lesson builds directly on the last.

The following two paid products are especially helpful for those who want to learn to write more profitable copy in a hurry: Double Your Profits in 12 Months or Less and Steal These Secrets!

Granted, those two aren't free. They will, however, give you the structured learning that will get you writing more persuasive copy a lot faster.

If you're interested in improving your copywriting (and increasing your sales in the process), I think that the best person to check out is Clayton Makepeace. And just about every marketer I've ever talked to about copywriting agrees.

Start with his free blog. You'll learn a lot from that. Then move on to his more structured training. You won't regret it.
Jeff

Labels: Clayton Makepeace, copywriting, Good guys of Internet marketing

What's in It for Your Customers?
You've heard the old saying, "What's in it for me?"

It's the key question you need to answer for your customers in all of your website copy.

You need to clearly define what's in it for them if you want to them to buy from you.

I found a great example of how to focus your benefits on your audience with a company that sells the exact same product to customers who have a wide variety of needs. Check the following landing pages of their site and you'll see what I mean about focusing the same benefits and features on audiences that have completely different needs.

Here are some landing pages for the product targeted toward specific audiences

• For sellers of infoproducts
• For owners of brick-and-mortar stores who want an online presence
• For auction sellers

Notice how different the copy is on each page? Same product, but everything on each page is focused on what will appeal most to that audience. Each appeal is unique.

Look at your own website copy. Where can you focus it more clearly on what's in it for your customers?

Jeff

Labels: copywriting

Are You an Internet Marketer Who Hates Marketing?
I can't get out of my head a rant I read yesterday by Clayton Makepeace. Clayton is one of the world's best copywriters and he has an awesome online newsletter in which he gives away a wealth of copywriting and marketing information every day.

Well yesterday he googled himself to see what others were saying about him. As usual, there was a lot of high praise. But one blogger's comments stuck in his craw.

Now, as I said, Clayton gives away tons of free advice every day. This blogger, though, was incensed that, a couple of times a month, Clayton also sends his list an email offering a special discount on one of his products.

"How dare this charlatan ask people to pay money for his expertise. He should share everything he's learned over 20+ years of hard experience absolutely free." Her rant was somewhat along those lines. And Clayton was disgusted.

But one thing he said in his reply rant really stuck in my mind. He said that a lot of Internet marketers really hate marketing. And he's absolutely right.

I even see signs of it in myself.

I've experienced lots of times where I've been hesitant to promote what I have to offer because I didn't want to "dirty myself" by coming across as trying to "persuade" people into buying.

I've experienced lots of times where I've looked at marketing strategies as forms of manipulation.

I've experienced lots of times where I've tried to market by doing nothing more than vaguely hinting that I had something of value available and hoping that people would batter down my doors demanding the chance to buy it.

Maybe you've had the same feelings.

So why do people who look down marketing try to do it for a living?

For the money.

It appeals to that get-rich-quick mentality with a promise of "tricks" that will enable us to shovel in truckloads of money for little effort. It promises that if only we hit on the "secret formula" for successful persuasion, the world's coffers will open up and spill out on us all the money we could ever desire.

And so we dabble in marketing, trying to discover the "tricks" and "secret formulas" while we inwardly suppress a disgust for the whole idea of manipulation that another part of us associates with marketing.

That doesn't have to be, though. Clayton brings up a great point when he quotes marketer Bob King: "Marketing is the art and science of bringing value to consumers’ lives at a price that is insignificant relative to that value."

If we're marketing junk just to make a buck, if we're trying to trick people into buying stuff that isn't worth what they're paying for it, we have every reason to feel ashamed of our "marketing" efforts. That's because we're not really doing marketing. We're scamming people.

But if we are truly bringing people solutions that have far more value to them than we're asking in return, we're not doing anything disagreeable at all. We're providing a great service.

Now don't think I'm advocating that the solution to our love-hate relationship with marketing is that we give away things of great value for next to nothing. Marketing should be neither coercive nor sacrificial.

The solution is to understand intimately the needs of those whom we seek to market to and provide a solution that truly is of value to them. The moment we can do that is the moment that "marketing" turns from distasteful manipulation to an eager exchange of value for value.

Get to know what your customers desire and provide it for them. Do that and you'll never need to worry ever again about how to "coerce" them into buying.
Jeff


P.S. Clayton's newsletter is one I faithfully read every day. I encourage you to check it out. Just click here and enter your name and email address in the banner at the top of the page and you'll get not only his free newsletter, but also four useful ebooks on ways to improve your advertising.

Labels: Clayton Makepeace, copywriting, marketing

Thanks, Clayton!
This is a Christmas present for Clayton. But it's also a Christmas present for you.

Don't worry. I'm not saying that as hype for some overpriced Internet marketing product. You won't pay a cent for what I'm talking about.

See, I subscribe to Clayton Makepeace's newsletter. Excellent newsletter. Each day a new article about improving your copywriting, increasing your sales, running your business more effectively. All sorts of good stuff like that.

Yesterday, Clayton's newsletter started out with him saying that he was going to solve my problem of what to give him for Christmas.

"Whoa!" I thought. "What business does he have expecting a gift from me?"

Then he went on. "Just tell people who could benefit from the articles in this newsletter about it. Email your friends, mention it in your blogs and newsletters, talk it up on forums. Is it out of line to ask you tell people about something you enjoy?"

I have to admit, it isn't.

But then he went on to say, "You realize, I'm giving you a lesson in marketing, too, by doing this, don't you? I know not all of you will talk up this newsletter. That's OK. But the few of you who do will bring in new subscribers. Even if only five percent of you say anything about this newsletter, it will result in people finding it that otherwise wouldn't, because you probably wouldn't think to tell them except for the fact that I asked you to.

"Now, what would happen if you applied that same strategy to your business? What if you asked your customers, your subscribers, the people you work with just to invite people they know to check you out. It wouldn't cost you a thing to ask, and who knows how many new people would get to know your business?"

I've got to admit that he's right. So thanks, Clayton, for your good advice -- not only in yesterday's newsletter, but also in all your other articles throughout each week. Check out Clayton Makepeace's The Total Package newsletter and see if the common sense insights that Clayton and his staff give about copywriting, sales, and business are helpful. (You can sign up in the banner near the top of the page and get four excellent reports as well as the newsletter.)

Oh, and while you're at it, I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to think of who you know who would benefit from my blog. Take a moment to let them know. Say what you think of this blog in
forums you visit. If you think what you get from this blog is worthwhile, help others discover it.

It won't hurt you. And it will be a great gift not only for the you know who would enjoy this blog, but also for me. Thanks!
Jeff

Labels: Clayton Makepeace, copywriting, marketing

Another Hot Offer and a Hypnotic Writing Monkey
Not long after I finished putting together my Hot Offer selections for the week, I got an email from copywriting genius Joe Vitale. Rather than redo my selections, I decided to add this as an addendum.

He's offering a $197 product for free today. Sound good? It's something he's held off the market since last summer. Sound even better? It's something I've personally found invaluable in copywriting.

But even better, you can learn a lot about copywriting just by reading the email he wrote. So, with his permission, I've reprinted it here.

He both describes and gives examples of the techinques that have made him one of the best copywriters around. And in doing so he shows just how easy it can be to write powerful copy.

Here it is:

"A monkey could swipe my material and write a cash-pulling sales letter, email, blog... or any marketing message.

"The only condition is the monkey needs to be able to read.

"I'll prove it to you.

"Right now I have no idea how to write this article called: "How to Easily Use My Hypnotic Marketing Material to Get Gloriously Rich."

"So, in this case, I'M the monkey.

"Now follow my path....

"I grab my material and flip through it -- which is what I'm doing right now -- and I spot a phrase...

"You don't realize it, but in the next few minutes you're going to learn..."

"I add to that phrase something my monkey mind gives me, "...how to get people to do your bidding by using this amazing collection of hypnotic marketing materials."

"I now have this: "You don't realize it, but in the next few minutes you're going to learn how to get people to do your bidding by using this amazing collection of hypnotic marketing materials."

"There, I just wrote a good line. Any monkey could do it, as long as said monkey can type.

"If you're like me, you'll probably want another example.

"Stop!

"Did you notice that "If you're like me..." is one of the hypnotic lines from my material?

"It is.

"It's in the Hypnotic Writing Swipe File.

"My monkey mind found it and used it.

"And "Stop!" is from there, too.

"I saw it and tossed it into the above paragraph.

"Made you look, didn't it?

"Here's a fact for you: Any man, woman, child or monkey can flip through these pages and find words, phrases, and complete sentences to help them lead and control the minds of their readers.

"Hey! Did you catch what I did? The phrase "Here's a fact for you..." is also from the Hypnotic Writing Swipe File. It's a way to assume logic without having any.

"It works.

"And did you notice that "Hey!" grabbed your mind?

"It, too, is from this collection. It's a powerful yet simple tool for practically yelling out your reader's name in a crowded room.

"It GRABS attention.

"Are you beginning to see how you can use this material?

"Think about making use of this collection of hypnotic material and you'll begin to feel real power.

"And did you notice that "Think about making use of..." is yet another golden nugget from swiped from the Hypnotic material?

"Yes, a monkey with typing and reading skills just might be able to write a good letter, email, blog, or any kind of marketing piece with this amazing collection of tried and true hypnotic words and phrases.

"But more importantly, since YOU are smarter than any monkey, by the time you finish reading this material you will be able to take these words and phrases and weave them into hypnotic letters, emails, blogs, and ads that get people to act on your commands and suggestions.

"Stop! Note "by the time you finish reading..."

"is ALSO from this priceless bag of tricks!

"Can you see why I'm so excited!

"As you study every word of this material you will become amazed at how easy it will be for you to start writing your own hypnotic marketing messages.

"(I can't resist. "As you study every word of this book you will become..." is also swiped from there too. This is becoming way too easy.)

"But let me confess something:

"(Yes. "Let me confess..." is a hypnotic phrase.)

"The Hypnotic Writing Swipe File has been off the market for over 12 months now. (as have all of my hypnotic marketing ebooks, courses, classes, and home study courses) But before we talk about a way you can still get your hands on this material, consider this:

"("But before..." is from the swipe file too)

"The further you read into this collection, the more you will realize why professional copywriters and marketers always have "swipe files."

"They use them for inspiration. In this case, I've already done ALL the leg work for you.

"("The further you read into this..." is, you guessed it, from the Hypnotic Swipe File.)

"Remember when you were in high school, and you cheated to get a passing grade? Admit it. You did, at least once. Well, this collection is your cheat-cheat.

"("Remember when you were in high school..." is swiped from my material too. Do you see how easy it is to write with this collection at hand?

"It's so easy I feel silly accepting money for writing material like this for clients. But not THAT silly.)

"Have you noticed yet that I began with no idea of how to write this article and now, with the help of the Hypnotic Writing Swipe File collection, I have written a very interesting and maybe even hypnotic piece here?

"("Have you noticed yet that..." is from this fantastic swipe file, too.)

"So here you are. You're holding dynamite. Do you light it and throw it in a field to watch the dirt blow up, or do you light it and throw it where you know lay hidden gold?

"FACT: The choice is yours. Use this material wisely.

"("FACT" is swiped, too.)

"As this email concludes, you are about to learn the startling news that just today I released a limited edition 8th Anniversary Edition of my 3-Step "Hypnotic Marketing Formula"... And I'm announcing the HUGE news that everyone who invests in it today will also get the same Hypnotic Writing Swipe File I used to write this email. (which has sold for $197 in the past) You don't pay $197.

"You don't pay anything for this powerful Hypnotic Swipe File.

"It's your free - today only, when you get in on the 8th Anniversary celebration of my proprietary 3-Step Hypnotic Marketing Formula.

"Of course, you'll want to get in on this today before it's gone:

http://www.OneStopWebSupport.com/hypnoticmarketing

Go for it.
Dr. Joe Vitale

PS.
"You are still
reading this, aren't you?

"You really don't need any more proof that this works, do you?

"Consider this...

"My objective was to make you read this entire email. Thus far, you've read 99% of this 1,030 word word message, right? In writing this email, I simply planted a few hypnotic phrases, suggestions, and copy connectors that I swiped right from the Hypnotic Writing Swipe File.

"When was the last time you read 55 paragraphs of something that you never intended on reading?

"That you did exactly what I suggested is indisputable proof that these hypnotic writing methods truly deliver on the goods!

"Wouldn't you like to start using these easy and powerful methods for yourself, starting now?

"There are only a limited number of these special edition packages of the 8th Anniversary Edtion of Hypnotic Marketing today at:
http://www.OneStopWebSupport.com/hypnoticmarketing

Undoubtably you picked up some good tips on copywriting just from his letter. Maybe an appetizer like this is enough for you.

Then again, maybe it's not.

Remember, his whole swipe file is free for the taking when you get his surprisingly inexpensive Hypnotic Marketing Formula -- but not for long.

So if you want his swipe file helping you to write compelling copy like he did -- and don't forget, he created this letter simply by putting together phrases from his swipe file -- you'll want to go now, before his supply runs out:
http://www.OneStopWebSupport.com/hypnoticmarketing
Jeff

Labels: copywriting

Turning Your Negatives Into a Positive
What do you do if your business is saddled with something that puts you at disadvantage in comparison to your competition?

Turn it into an advantage, of course!

I saw a great example of this in a TV commercial last night. Let me pass it along to you as a lesson in effective copywriting that you can apply to your business.

A popular allergy medicine had just been taken off the shelves and put behind pharmacy counters. It wasn't because anything was wrong with the medicine itself. It simply contains an ingredient that could be extracted to manufacture illegal drugs.

Suddenly, this medicine was at a severe disadvantage to those drugs that remained within easy reach of the general public.

So what did the company do? They made the fact that the medicine had been restricted the key selling point of the commercial.

The commercial showed one happy allergy sufferer after another thanking the maker of this drug for keeping the restricted ingredient in the medicine. And in doing so, they backhandedly accused this company's competitors of making their medicines less effective so they could stay on the shelves.

It was a classic example of framing a disadvantage as a considerable advantage. Not only did the commercial portray the medicine as far more effective than its competitors, but it also trained potential customers to obtain it by asking their pharmacist for it by name.

And it portrayed the manufacturer of this medicine as a company that was genuinely concerned about the well-being of its customers instead of as one that looked out only for how it could make the most sales.

Take a look at your own products. What disadvantages do they have when compared to your competitors? Then think creatively. Figure out how you can turn your disadvantages into advantages like this medicine did.
Jeff


P.S. Copywriting is perhaps the most important skill to build as an entrepreneur. Nothing can boost your sales as powerfully as well-written copy.

If you want to take steps to improve your copywriting skills, click here and sign up for Clayton Makepeace's free newsletter. You'll get four free reports for signing up.

You'll get a lot more than just that, though. You'll get frequent copywriting tips from the copywriter who is considered by many to be the best in the business.

Frankly, I think you'll be amazed at the tips this guy gives away for free in his newsletter.

Labels: Clayton Makepeace, copywriting

The Power of Personality
I was on the road yesterday.

It was a familiar road through the heart of Minnesota apple-growing country.

Many big barns along the route have been converted into comfortable and trendy seasonal farmer's markets. I spotted all the familiar signs along the way.

But there's only one of them that I have a real urge to stop at someday. And yesterday I realized why.

While all the other markets nail a big CLOSED sign over their signs as soon as the growing season ends, this one does something different.

They use their main sign to communicate with their customers. Each time I travel that route, I see something different on their sign. This time it said, "We're just finishing our pruning for the next summer."

And I realized the effect that small effort to communicate has on me. I've always wanted to drop in on that store during the season. I believe it's because I feel like I know that place.

Each time I pass, I learn a little bit more about what goes into running an apple orchard. Each time I feel like I'm getting to know the people behind it. Each time I sense the passion those people have for their orchard. And I feel like I'd enjoy their market. Just from the way they use their sign.

People are hungry for communication. Your potential customers are hungry for communication. Give them a sense of the passion you want to share with them and you'll get their attention.

Because that sense of passion and that willingness to simply communicate is so rarely seen.
Jeff

Labels: building relationships, copywriting, marketing