4 Simple Steps to Great Marketing

Posted on May 21, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

The AIDA marketing model is a simple four-step marketing strategy has been around since Claude Hopkins, nearly a century ago.

It’s got more identities than Batman.

Some call it A-I-D-A (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action). Others say it’s the 4 Ps (Promise, Picture, Proof, Push).

Old-fashioned? Maybe. But even at a century old, it still works.

Here’s how.

Attention or promise

The first step is the big idea. It’s the headline. The one that has to make anyone who sees or hears it stop and look. Here’s where you tell readers what you can do for them, and why they want it. The box, the book, the solution to the problem that’s got your prospects staying up late at night. Use the headline to engage their emotions, stir their curiosity, or ignite their greed. The headline has to do most of the work, so make it a good one.

Interest or picture

Now we’re telling people more about what they’ll get. This section builds on the headline to paint a mental picture. We’re getting into more details about results. We’re telling readers how much better they’ll feel. The money they’ll earn. The peace of mind they’ll have because their cars will run better. Showing them the instantly recognizable logo that will make the competition look shabby and cheap.

Desire or proof

Show your readers why they want your product. Go into more details about what it does, the problems they will solve, the information they’ll get, and how it will improve their lives or their businesses. Give them proof that it works. Include your own results, or even better, testimonials from other people. Cite statistics showing why your solution is better than the alternatives or showing the increase in sales, loss of weight, etc. users have experienced.

If you have a guarantee, include it here. This proves you stand behind your products and services and increases your credibility and trustworthiness. It also reduces the risk of buying.

Action or push

Last (but never least) the call to action. This is where you tell people to go do something. Explain how to get the product and exactly what steps they have to go through. Describe what will happen next (emails they will receive, waiting time, and so on. If it’s a limited offer, say so here (it adds urgency).

Get More Sales by Offering a Refund

Posted on May 20, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Image by 1stlogodesign

Ever see a big guarantee on a web site?

You’re happy, or your money back.

Risk-free trial. Try it for 30 days, if you’re not happy, we’ll refund your money.

Here’s one from Bob Bly:

“Best of all, Cheap Car Tips and Tricks comes with our iron-clad money-back guarantee. If you are not 100% satisfied with the guide, just let us know within 90 days for a full and prompt refund.That way, you risk nothing. So what are you waiting for? To order Cheap Car Tips and Tricks, just click below now.”

Here’s mine:

The backwards and forwards guarantee

“I’m stealing this idea from Megan Elizabeth Morris, who stole it from Naomi Dunford (who stole it from Mark Silver at Heart of Business). Here’s how it works. Buy the checklist. If you decide you don’t find it useful, I’ll refund your money. All you have to do is ask— and forward the website review checklist to someone you think can use it. Let me know why, and I’ll improve it for the next version or suggest other people or resources that may help.”

How a money back guarantee increases sales

Is a guarantee required? No. However, it’s a good thing to do. Why? Because it shows you have faith in your product. And, it reassures people that if they have a problem, you’ll stand behind what you do.

This is called risk reversal. It transfers the risk of buying from the purchaser to the seller. This doesn’t just make you look good; it will get you more sales because it makes you look more reliable and trustworthy.

A creative guarantee is even better. It stands out in the reader’s mind.

Longer guarantees are better than short ones. So is a guarantee that lets you keep the bonus “all about widgets podcast,” even if you return the widget buying CD that you ordered.

Try it. I guarantee you’ll like it. 😉

How Online Marketing Tracking Gets You More Sales

Posted on May 13, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Image: stellablu

John Wanamker once said, “Half my advertising is wasted, I just don’t know which half.”

Actually, there is a way to tell where your sales are coming from.

Set up online marketing tracking systems on your site

If you don’t have Google Analytics installed on your site, go do it now. You set up a Google account, add some code to your site, and you’re good to go. This will tell you where your clicks and visits are coming from. And here’s a Google Analytics tutorial with tips on what to look for.

Track marketing campaign clicks and ads

If you run a print ad, use a unique URL (such as www.mysite.com/logo). Keep this fairly short and easy to remember. The harder it is to type, the less likely it is that people will do it.

Do the same for a direct mail or postcard marketing campaign. Add a unique URL or a keycode (a series of numbers or letters, like LOGO1, for the first logo offer mailing) that identifies which mailing it is or which list you used. You can also add tracking links to your ebooks.

Update 2016: Google now lets you track clicks by adding a bit of extra code to your analytics tracking information. That means it’s easier to see every click on every link, without having to mark each one individually. More details are here.

Offer a bonus

Add an incentive to go to the landing page. Offer an additional discount or bonus for using the code. Put a box to your home page that says, see us in ______ magazine? Enter your code here. The code would be the unique URL name, which sends them to the landing page.

Welcome new visitors

If you’re driving visitors from another web site, welcome visitors from XYZ blog. right on top. For banners, or AdWords campaigns, send people to a landing page set up for that particular campaign.

Google can track all of this, as well as the conversions (sales/sign-ups) for each one. Once you know where your sales are coming from, you can shift more time (and money) to what works. Then, do a happy dance, cause you know more than John Wanamaker ever could.

Got any other ideas or tips for tracking? Anything I missed? Share in the comments.

Is Your Offer Any Good?

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Image thanks to cosmickitty

There’s a lot of misunderstanding about “marketing offers.” When many people hear the word, they think it means a sale or a promotion of some kind, such as “two for one” or “30% off.”

Both are offers, but here’s the confusing part, an offer doesn’t have to be a sale. It’s just whatever you’re giving in return for something else.

A free book in return for an email address is an offer. So is a mens dress shirt for $30.

What’s an offer?

It’s a combination of:

how many are included
the price
any personalization (like monogramming)
payment terms (all at once, in installments)
any bonuses (free cufflinks, or free monogramming)
a guarantee
a deadline to respond
number available (if limited)
shipping charges
future obligations (the shirt-a-month club, or must buy three more shirts in six months)

(thanks to Dean Rieck for this comprehensive list)

Free starter kit

For instance, yesterday I passed a truck that had a web site address along the top, with an offer of a free starter kit. Further down, it said, “dry cleaning services.”

Without knowing anything more about the company, I can’t tell if this is a good offer or a bad one. And, who is the kit for? Are they trying to reach would-be owners of dry cleaning stores (with a starter package to set up shop)? Or consumers with dirty clothes?

What are the terms?

If they’re offering dry cleaning services to consumers, why do I need a starter kit? What’s in it? Why would I want one? Don’t I just bring in my clothes? Or, do they pick up and deliver, and offer a starter set of forms or labels of some kind? It didn’t say.

An offer is no good, particularly one on the side of a truck, if its terms are unclear, the audience is fuzzy, and the benefits are unknown.

What’s your offer? Have you tested it? Tried 20% off versus $10 discount? Is everything spelled out clearly? Go take look. I’ll wait. Come back later and let me know what you found.

Or, ask a question. I’ll answer it. Free. How’s that for an offer?

What Do You Really Sell?

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Jodi Kaplan

Image thanks to: gravityx9

What are you selling your clients? Holes? or drills?

You may think this is an odd question. Hardware? This is a marketing blog, why in the world is she talking about home improvement projects? What’s gotten into Jodi today? Has she forgotten to drink her morning tea?

Nope. I had the tea (Russian Caravan).

The reason for the hole is there’s an old marketing saying which says, “sell the hole, not the drill.” In other words, the solution, not the means of getting it.

What you really sell

“Why, I’m in the design business!” Or, “I’m a writer, I sell words.”

Well, you are. But, you’re also in the solution business. A writer isn’t really selling words. Nobody buys a vowel in everyday life. What writers are really selling is products, or magazines, or web site visits. A graphic designer is selling visual and emotional appeal (which helps sell more products).

What people really buy

Is a dentist selling teeth whitening? Not really. White teeth don’t work better than yellow teeth. But they do look better. What the dentist is actually doing is selling patients on the idea that they’ll feel better and attract more positive attention from men/women if they have nicer looking teeth. It’s not health they’re selling, it’s sex appeal.

A tour company that specializes in trips to the South Pole isn’t selling a vacation. They’re selling a rugged adventure that appeals to people who want unusual experiences.

Likewise, teachers aren’t selling education or memorizing facts and dates. If she’s a good teacher, she’s selling problem-solving, leadership, and the ability to think for yourself.

When you talk to potential clients or customers what do you tell them? What’s the problem you solve? Do you think this is important? Or, do I need another cup of tea?