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Doubling Down on an Investment – Rule #2

Doubling Down on an Investment – Rule #2

This is the second in a series devoted to the concept of psychological triggers in human behavior that lead to predictable outcomes – with a high likelihood of converting prospects to ‘yes.’

Try them when writing your own Words That Sell.

Today’s trigger is “Doubling Down”

Humans have a nearly obsessive desire to be (and to appear) consistent with what they have already done. Once we make a choice, we feel an internal pressure to justify our decision – and sometimes spend more money.

For instance, say you send a sales letter to a few prospects with a link to your website where they can buy your product. Some buy.

What you can then do is immediately send out a follow-up letter to everybody who invested offering an additional related service. The behavioral trigger kicks in. The commitment generates its own support. Some of the people who committed to your original product invest in the upsell. Some don’t. But you probably will make more money.

Previous Persuasion Pillar
1. Take and Give

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Get a free estimate on your copywriting project
No obligation, of course.

Converting Readers to ‘Yes’ – Rule #1

Converting Readers to ‘Yes’ – Rule #1

In the last issue of Jigsaw, I introduced you to the concept of psychological triggers in human behavior that lead to predictable outcomes – remember my Mama Turkey example?

There are what we call the 6 Pillars of Persuasion (behavioral triggers) that bring people to ‘yes’ – a huge benefit when trying to convert prospects to try your product.

I use them in my copywriting business all the time and the results are startling.

Over the next 6 weeks, I am going to be sharing them with you.

The first trigger is “Take and Give.”

When we take something offered to us by somebody, most people feel obliged to give something back. A holiday card elicits a return greeting. Somebody opens an outside door, we open the inside door. A dinner invitation precipitates a return invite.

How does this help when you are writing your own “Words That Sell?”

One of the best ways to kick the “Take and Give” law into action is through free samples.

If you’re selling your new book, offer a free sample. If you want to help people understand your services, offer a free webinar. They take something and when you do a follow-up call, a large number will feel obligated to talk.

Now here’s where it gets interesting. This rule only works if you are asking for “fair exchange.” A couple of paragraphs usually won’t sell a complete book. A webinar won’t sell a $2,000 program. But it will get people feeling obligated enough to take the next step and listen to what you have to say.

Why not schedule a 15-minute CLAIREty CALL with me?
Get a free estimate on your copywriting project
No obligation, of course.

Turkey Triggers

Turkey Triggers

Why can some people sell anything, and others fail? Why, if sales copy is written one way, it converts – and another, it dies?

The answer to both questions is – TRIGGERS.

There are psychological triggers of human behavior – that, in most cases, result in predictable outcomes.

Here’s an example:

Mother Turkey

Turns out turkeys are very good mothers. They tend, warm, clean, and huddle their young beneath them.

But there is something odd about their method. Virtually all of this mothering is triggered by one thing: the “cheep-cheep” sound of young turkey chicks.

Smell, touch, or appearance play minor roles. If a chick makes the “cheep-cheep” noise, its mother will care for it. If not, the mother will ignore or sometimes kill it.

The Important Point is – Humans Have Parallel Trigger Points

Important to marketers, those trigger points can lead to increased purchases.

For instance, you might be surprised to learn that higher pricing can be more tempting than a discounted price.

Why?

Because a higher price triggers an expectation of higher quality. Buyers who want a better quality item will often go for the higher price because they think they are getting a better product – even when the two items are virtually the same.

While your inclination might be to highlight low prices … discounts … and close-out sales, consider if your customer is more interested in quality than in price. If so, you may want to add a higher-priced premium item to your list of services.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sending you more information on Trigger Techniques that you can use in your marketing.

In the meantime …

When you’re looking to take the sales performance of your landing pages … emails … sales letters … ads … websites … videos … content marketing … and other online and offline promotions to the next level …

Why not schedule a 15-minute CLAIREty CALL with me?
Get a free estimate on your copywriting project
No obligation, of course.

An Insanely Easy Way to Increase Open Rates

An Insanely Easy Way to Increase Open Rates

Re-send to people who don’t open. Create two subject lines, and alternative lead sentences. Send your email to your entire list on Day 1. Then, on Day 2, send the exact same email with the alternative subject line and lead to everybody who did not open your email. I’ve increased my open rates by as much as 50%!

I Love Writing Subject Lines

I Love Writing Subject Lines

If your subject line doesn’t hit the right note, the majority of your recipients won’t open your email. If they don’t open your email, they don’t take action.

It’s a ton of pressure and can easily give you writer’s block.

As a writer, I’ve worked hard on creating subject lines that get opened. And, in case, you don’t love writing subject lines as much as I do, I’ve compiled 6 tips for writing effective email subject lines.

Write your subject line as a …

  1. Question: Did you know that you could lose weight without ever exercising?
  2. How To: How to Lose Weight Without Ever Exercising
  3. List: Top 10 Ways to Lose Weight Without Ever Exercising
  4. Pique Readers’ Curiosity: 5 Lies We Were Taught in Kindergarten About Weight Loss
  5. Magical Future: People Who Read My Newsletter Lose an Average of 5 Pounds a Month Without Exercising
  6. Fear, embarrassment: My Weight Gain Had My Kids Embarrassed to be Seen with Me

Headlines should be provocative, interesting, pull readers in, and correlate with the rest of the story.  

Why the Worst Day of the Week is the Best Email Send Day

Why the Worst Day of the Week is the Best Email Send Day

What day of the week do you dread? If you said Tuesday, you’re not alone.

Surveys show that Tuesdays bring with them the highest amount of professional and emotional stress.

It seems that weekend pleasure helps us coast through Monday, and reality sets in on Tuesday.

Even so, Tuesdays may be the best time to send eMails. Over 17% of all emails are sent on Tuesdays, making it the most popular day of the week to send. And, with an average open rate of 18%, they have the highest opens compared to all weekday sendings.

Saturday actually has a slightly higher overall open rate, but taking into account the amount of personal eMails sent on Saturdays and the low volume of overall sends, Tuesday remains the winner.

Does this mean you should do all your eMail marketing on Tuesday?

No.  But you do have to determine the right time for yourself.  Send times are one of the biggest things you HAVE to test to get right.

Try an A / B test. Send to half your list on Tuesday, and the other half on the day that you get the highest open rates. Then test a weekend sending.

Use your data to make the call.

The One Sentence Everybody Reads

The One Sentence Everybody Reads

Do you know why most professional copywriters always add P.S. to the bottom of their sales letters?

Historically (back in the day when letters were handwritten), the P.S. was used when writers remembered there was something they wanted to say, and didn’t want to re-write the entire letter.

Logically, we don’t need to worry about that anymore – if an edit is needed, the computer does it for us.

But advertising is not about logic. It’s about persuasion. And since people tend to glance at the end of a letter even before reading the body copy – the P.S. is seen as one of the most frequently read – and remembered – portions of any written sales message.  

So What Should the P.S. Contain?

There are two basic approaches to writing copy for the P.S. – both of which are good:

  1. A recap or summary of the most important and compelling argument in the letter
  2. Something new, not mentioned before, that you want to highlight, like money-back guarantee … offer ends this weekend, etc.

And here are a couple of techniques you might want to try for even more punch.

  • Keep the P.S. to a maximum of 2 or 3 lines
  • Use a cursive font, à la a handwritten note
  • Use multiple post scripts (P.S., P.P.S., etc.)
  • Instead of P.S., sometimes use NOTE or BY THE WAY or ONE LAST THING

I Needed Closure

I Needed Closure

Psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik was the one to discover that people remembered incomplete tasks better than completed ones, and that human beings have a great need for closure – in other words not knowing what comes next can keep us awake at night!

This is known as The Zeigarnik Effect

Here is How Zeigarnik Works in Action
Most of us are familiar with cliff hangers or serial storylines. Each episode ends with unfinished business, so that people will return to find out what happens next. (I just saw the new Star Wars movie and, clearly, there are more Star Wars to come. And I’ll probably buy a ticket.)

Zeigarnik as a Powerful Sales Writing Strategy
Based upon the psychological principle that readers can’t stand to be left in mid-sentence, here are some things you can do to grab – and keep – readers’ attention.

  • In a multi-page document, end each page mid-sentence and continue on the next page. This at least gets readers to turn the page.
  • Put a teaser at the top of your letter; e.g., “A little later on, I’m going to tell you about …” Then circle back toward the end by saying, “You remember I promised you I was going to tell you about …. Well, here it is.”
  • Start a story in an email, and interrupt it mid-sentence with a link to your website to continue the story.
  • Use teasers in subject lines. Two of my most-opened subject lines are:
    • Man Did I Get Grief for Making that Mistake
    • I Almost Missed Out
      Readers couldn’t bear unfulfilled curiosity
  • On the back of a business card, include a riddle like: “Do you know the one simple thing you can do to legitimately double visits to your website? To find out go to http://theanswer.com” – which, of course, in some way relates to your value proposition, and includes a way for readers to work with you.

Here’s to a New Year

Here’s to a New Year

… and another chance for us to get it right. – Oprah Winfrey

If there is one thing that Oprah Winfrey has, it’s passion.

As a professional copywriter, I understand how important passion is when telling a product story in such a way that it touches hearts and emotions, as well as pocketbooks. If somehow or other I miss the impact of key benefits, how can I expect readers to get excited?

I Don’t. So Here’s What I Do.

I spend time talking to people who work for the company, and people who are already customers. I hear their stories about how (the product I’m writing about) has made their lives easier, better, perhaps more fulfilled. And I find myself getting excited. And I want to share their stories. And I do – through email, blog, website, or sales letters. And that passion is infectious and gets readers interested and willing, at least, to learn more.

Here is the point I want to make. You may not be a professional copywriter, but you are probably, in some way, trying to sell a product. Get excited! If you feel you might have become a little stale, then talk to your customers or employees. Let them inspire you.

Then tell your story with strength, humor, grace, and most of all passion.

If you don’t – who will?

Can You Keep A Secret?

Can You Keep A Secret?

I have a secret … one that I have found really grabs readers’ attention. And I’m going to let you in on it –

Try writing your next case study as a “Hero’s Journey”.

Most case studies are dry, boring, and seem to be nothing but a compilation of bullet points.

Try bringing your case study to life by telling it as the story of a Hero’s Journey (your customer) from peril to triumph (of course, with your help).

Stories add credibility; they make you more memorable; they demonstrate the benefits of your product or service in a way that bullet points never do.

Hero’s Journey is a structure invented by Joseph Campbell. It actually consists of 12 steps, but for purposes of creating powerful case studies, 6 steps are just fine. The 6 bolded steps are in Campbell’s own words.

  1. The Ordinary World. This is where the hero (your customer) exists, oblivious of the adventure to come. Describe the situation.
  2. Call to Adventure. The story begins when the hero’s world is turned upside down. Maybe new competition comes into the marketplace, or a system that has always worked somehow fails. Whatever it is, disruption occurs and your customer needs a solution. Describe the problem and the stress that it is causing your client and the people around him.
  3. Refusal of the Call. Although the hero knows he must accept the quest, he has concerns, doubts, and may refuse the call, which only exacerbates the situation. In fact, he may try to shy away from the problem, continue to use existing processes, and fail. Show the consequences of not solving the problem, and how the hero learns that he must take action
  4. Meeting the Mentor. At the crucial turning point, where the Hero desperately needs guidance, he meets a mentor (your company) who gives him something he needs. Whatever you have offered, it gives the hero the courage to cross the threshold.
  5. Reward (Seizing the Sword). With your help, the hero now emerges from battle in a stronger position ready to meet more challenges.
  6. The Road Back. Now the hero can return home with prize in hand and share the story of success with his boss, team, and/or shareholders.

Follow the Hero’s Journey template when crafting case studies and move prospects to BUY NOW.