When I “quit my job” back in January I suddenly found myself in a “weird” and pretty cool situation . . .
Namely, I had a lot more people trying to hire me to write copy, do launches and do interpretive dance (OK, maybe not that part) than I had time or desire to take on . . .
In order to simplify my life, I set up a series of rules and criteria for new clients. If a potential gig didn’t fulfill these criteria, I’d pass on it.
If it did, I’d at least consider taking on the job.
I call this my “Client Crucible” . . . it’s drastically simplified my life and (even if you aren’t
at the “I’ve got more work than I want” stage yet) I think it can do the same for you . . .
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After your headline (or subject line for an email)
the P.S. is the second most-read part of your
sales letter.
In fact, studies have shown that readers will
often read the headline, skim their way down
your sales letter to the P.S., read that and then
climb back up to the top to figure out if they want
to read more.
P.S. are primo selling real estate, so it always shocks
me how many marketers let this “Green Zone” of
goodness go to waste.
Here are 5 ways you can use Post Scripts in emails,
sales letters and even on video pages (I do this a lot)
to up your conversions and bond better with your readers.
1. Restate Your Guarantee -
P.S. Remember, with my 90 day, you can have
my first born child guarantee
you’ve got nothing to lose.
2. Use it as a second headline -
P.S. Here’s my big
promise to you: Give me one hour a day for just 7 short
days and I’ll cure you of your second head for GOOD. Guaranteed.”
3. Give your best testimonial -
P.S. Check out this great story from Bob: “Wow is all I can
say. I didn’t think your amazing finger extenders could make my fingers
longer, but they really do! I gained 3 inches on my left pinkie alone!”
4. Drive them back to the letter by referencing a previous section -
P.S. Still wondering what happened to John and Mary? I’m happy to
say that the test results came back negative and they’re living very happily
together to this day.
(Twisting the curiosity knife there.)
5. Tell A Cautionary Tale -
P.S. Whatever you do, don’t be like THIS GUY . . .
A few weeks ago I was sitting on a bench in the park
when I saw a guy trying to feed pigeons with BREAD.
As a the foremost expert on pigeon feeding in the nation, I
knew what was going to happen next.
Unfortunately I didn’t act fast enough and could only stare
in horror as he was pecked to death by angry pigeons.
If only he’d taken advantage of my offer to give him
3 whole pounds of non-breaded pigeon feed for free . .
(ETC.)
6. BONUS (For email only): Create a completely divergent thought.
I do this a lot in launch emails where you need to get a
LOT of content across in just one email.
The cool thing about P.S.’s is that they don’t really need to have ANYTHING
to do with the rest of your message, so you can go off on a total tangent and
have it work.
So . . .
P.S. OK, quick note. A lot of folks have been asking when
we’re going to open our “Potato Gun Mastermind.” So here’s the
deal . . .
Got it?
Good.
P.S. This message has no P.S. Which is ironic.
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"We is so Smart. SMRT."
You ever hear of the “Dunning-Kruger effect?”
I hadn’t either until I got an email from my buddy Ben last week pointing me towards this article . . .
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2010/2893602.htm
(You’ll have to hit the “show transcript” button to
read it.)
The short version of Dunning Kruger is that “dumb” or uninformed people tend to hold drastically inflated opinions of how “right” they are about something . . .
(“2+2 = 5 and I will FIGHT YOU TO DEATH if you disagree with me!”
While “smart” or more educated people tend to hold drastically DEFLATED
opinions of what they know.
(“I know enough to know I don’t know anything.”)
From the article . . .
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Any excuse for Machio . . .
Another quick copywriting tip for you today.
This one is called the “Crossroads Close” . . . and is based off a technique I learned studying the letters of the great Clayton Makepeace.
Here’s how it works:
By the time a prospects gets to the end of your letter (or your sales video or launch sequence) they should have a lot of tension built up in their chest.
Basically, they should be going through hell trying to decide if they should TAKE ACTION or RUN FOR THE HILLS . . .
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OK, this is one of the simplest and most elegant marketing lessons I’ve stumbled upon in a while.
I was hanging out in NYC last week when my buddy David Zenreich told me about the “I Wish” method of headline creation. (Dave got it from somebody else, but neither of us could remember where.)
It goes like this:
When you’re trying to gen up a headline for a letter or a video, simply write out what your prospect “wishes” would happen . . .
So if you’re selling a weight loss product to women you would write . . .
“I wish I could go to sleep tonight fat and wake up slim and healthy, finally able to slip into my skinny jeans.”
Then you just chop off the “I Wish” part and voila! Instant headline:
Astonishing medical breakthrough reveals how you can . . .
“Go To Sleep Fat And Wake Up Slim And Healthy . . . Finally Able To Slip Into Your Skinny Jeans.”
It’s a such a simple idea (and such an easy way to teach folks how to write BENEFIT oriented bullets and headlines) I’m shocked I’ve never heard of it before.
So whoever came up with this idea . . . good job!
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