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Archive for the ‘Copywriting’ Category

It’s one thing to create great content; it is a totally different thing to create buzz or interaction. If you want to take your business to the next level and “really” drive traffic to your site you need to interact with your customers. Provoke discussion if you have to but make them interact. Once you unveil this super ninja technique its lights out, “bolt the door Katie” cause here comes the flood of traffic!

Seriously, you can really increase the interest level and engagement of your visitors or email list when you ask for their opinions or input and involve them in conversation. This conversation, or feedback, can even be used to guide, tweak, or even create your product or marketing.

It is amazing what people will tell you when you ask them their opinion. It just opens the door to many different areas of information sharing and gathering. Using this information in your marketing can make it seem like shooting fish in a barrel.

Many times we think of the time we take to interact as “wasted”. Nothing could be further from the truth! Interaction does three things, at minimum.

They are:

• Creates Trust
• Builds Credibility
• Makes Price Less Relevant

People trust people they know more about and talk with on a regular basis. The more you have a two way conversation rather than a one way conversation the better off you will be.

Credibility is something you earn and you can’t earn it unless you are engaged. Every email, video, letter, and ad builds your credibility so take it seriously.

Another benefit of interaction is you reduce the relevance of price. People are willing to pay more for a product if they know you and are comfortable with you.

Some of the interactive tools you can use are polls, blogs or a forum. These are the most common but use your imagination to create interactive tools. You can use a whole host of other ideas to get people to interact with you. The key takeaway, interaction creates trust and credibility which in turn boosts sales. People would much rather buy from someone they have talked with (or emailed) and trust than a complete stranger.

Have you ever wondered how difficult (or easy) if would be to write an ebook? If you are planning on selling a product then an ebook is the easiest way to get started. Let me show you how.

To create an ebook you should first have a topic. Topics should be focused as narrowly as possible so you can supply as much targeted information as possible. A good way to come up with a title for your topic is to  think of one word that would best describe the ebook and try to include it in your title. By narrowing your ebook subject benefit to one word you are creating a good keyword for when you start to promote it.

After you decide on a narrow topic you then want to create an outline to make writing easy. This step is very important because it lays out the framework for your ebook. Take some time on this to get all your pieces in place. It will make writing much easier if this is done correctly.

Lets say we want to write a 60 page ebook. First, you pick a topic, then come up with six broad subtopics. The more broad subtopics you come up with to longer your ebook will be so go over this section carefully. For illustration purposes lets use a 60 page ebook with 6 broad subtopics. Each of these broad subtopics will be about 10 pages of content so keep the subtopics broad as possible.

Next we want to go through each broad subtopic and create five ultra targeted subtopics. These ultra targeted subtopics will consist of one to two pages of ultra targeted information. The first paragraph or two can consist of an overview of the ultra targeted information then you really drill down into your subject matter. Get into the nuts an bolts of what it is you are teaching the reader. You should have no trouble coming up with a page and a half (remember, the first paragraph or two is an overview) of content when you “deep dive” into each of your ultra targeted subtopics.

And that is pretty much it. Give yourself a goal of writing about an ultra targeted subtopic each day. This will give you ine to two pages of content per day. Each week you will have completed a broad subtopic and in six weeks you will have your first ebook.

Of course, if you want to ramp it up a bit you can set a goal of writing about two ultra targeted subtopics per day and your ebook will be finished in three weeks instead of six. The important part is you now have a structure to writing your ebooks and this will make it easier to start and easier to finish.

Will this information help you start your first ebook? Please leave me a comment below.

Have you ever been entertained by a one sided conversation? Me either. So how do you think your readers feel when you are just barking out lifeless information?

One sided conversations are boring and so is text that does not encourage reader interaction. I have been as guilty as anyone, putting out information that does not ask for interaction.

That is until I saw this video blog post at Problogger.com. It really made me rethink the way I was posting information.

The old adage that you should have more ” you’s” and “yours” in your text than “me” and I’s” is absolutely true. Try it. After completing your next article go back and add up all the ‘you’s” and “I’s” and see which one wins. Reader engagement will improve your traffic and your income.

It is difficult to do, specially if you are telling a story, but the more you do it the more engaged your readers will become. Interactivity is the way successful companies become successful, by listening to their customers.

Are you going to give it a try? I am. Tell me what you think by leaving a comment below.

This is the best copywriting seminar I’ve seen and it is FREE! Thirteen (they must not be superstitious) of the most respected copywriters in the business give you their secrets to success.Check it out here.

Presenters include: John Carlton, Michel Fortin, Marlon Sanders, Harlan Kilstein, Brian Keith Voiles, Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero, Michael Morgan, Ray Edwards, Troy White, Peter Fogel, Brian McElroy, Kenneth Yu

Hope you enjoy it…I know I did!

Ok……in John’s defense, he called it “how to murder your business” so I figured I’d step it up appropriately for you all and get your attention in the process.

He does have a great point in his latest post though and that is “not having a plan” for 2010 will kill your business…guaranteed!

Most entrepreneurs wander from hope to hope into the new year wondering if they will hit “pay dirt” again …..or ever for that matter. If you are wandering aimlessly….stop right now…get a plan and follow it. Even if it is not completely thought through it will send you in the general direction that you want to go. You need to follow something or you will fall for everything.

The most successful people, let alone entrepreneurs, have a plan and follow it. Now lets be clear, they DO “course correct” along the way….but if you don’t have a compass to begin with…forget it!

So clear your mind and set your internet marketing compass to true north and access success like you have never imagined in the coming year…one step at a time.

Recommended Resource: John Carlton Blog