Great Ideas 2010 Presentation Sheri Jacobs

Making Your Voice Heard: How to Write Marke5ng Copy that Sells

Presented by Sheri Jacobs, CAE

President + Chief Strategist Avenue M Group, LLC

ASAE & The Center Great Ideas Conference 2010

March 8, 2010

Name something you’ve recently bought that you

really love.

Why do you love it?

I love my camera!

What do I love about my camera?

• Fits in my pocket.

• I can take great pictures from anywhere.

• It is so easy to use; I actually appear in pictures from family vacaPons.

Lumix Panasonic with mega OIS image stabilizer.

Another approach…Nikon D40

Nikon: Real people, real words. •  Benefit: Simple to use.

•  Proof: Large sample audience (200 residents).

•  Technology: Nikon used a microsite called Picturetown.

•  People: Seven stories of people’s lives and experiences with examples.

Outcome/Results •  Nikon became the brand most likely to purchase.

•  Changed percepPon from 'for professionals only' to 'easy to use' cameras 'for everyone.’

• Web site engaged visitors with 9.5 million pictures viewed.

•  Increased market share by 30%.

They read what interests them and sometimes

that happens to be an ad.

People don’t read ads.

It’s easy to market when this is your product.

That’s great. But I’m selling membership, conferences or advocacy!

Your challenges…

• Being heard. Gefng my message read.

• Numerous audiences – creaPng a segmentaPon strategy

• Reaching new audience segments • What else?

What do you hope to learn

today?

MarkePng is about 3 things…

1.  Unique value to the audience.

2.  IdenPfying the most trusted sources/channels.

3.  The right words to connect with customers.

• Who you are selling to.

• What you are selling.

•  Your compePPon.

•  The best channels to reach your customers.

• What moPvates your customers.

To sell anything you must know everything you can about…

It all starts with understanding your

prospects and what you are offering.

Do you know? •  How prospects find you?

•  Why do they join, register or purchase?

•  What other organizaPons they belong to?

•  What they need based on their size, locaPon, business or other factors?

•  What is keeping them up at night?

Don’t know…ask!

www.wordle.net

4 out of 5 Online Adults Now Par5cipate in a Social Network

Source: 2009 Razorfish Brand Experience Report

How omen do you parPcipate in the following acPviPes?

More than once a month

Less than once a month

Not at all

I visit social networking sites (Facebook or LinkedIn)

I update my pro!le on social networking sites

I read customer reviews on Amazon

I post reviews on Amazon

I read blogs

I post comments on blogs

I use Twitter

I follow others on Twitter

I use a wiki to research a topic

I watch videos on YouTube

I visit the Association Web site

✔✔

✔

✔ !✔ !

✔ !✔✔

✔✔ !

✔

How much do you trust informaPon from the following sources?

1 = Low Trust 2 = Some Trust 3 = High Trust

Information posted on a listserv

Email from a friend

Email from an association

Online article from the association’s publication

Online advertisement, banner

Information on a blog

Information found on Wiki

Reviews posted by someone you know

Reviews posted by an unknown source

Information on Facebook

Information on an Association Web site

✔✔

✔ !✔ !

✔ !✔ !✔ !✔ !

✔✔ !

✔ !

Very AcPve, Low Trust

Not AcPve, Low Trust

Very AcPve, High Trust

Not AcPve, High Trust

High Response Rates, Increase ROI

•  AssociaPon Web site •  Online forums •  Email from a friend •  Wiki

•  Blogs •  Banner Ads

•  Twioer •  Program/Product Reviews

How well do you know what you are trying to sell?

Asset Audit, Benefit Analysis + MarkePng Brief

How well do you know your

compePPon?

How do you compare? What do prospects see when they look at other organizaPons?

• MarkePng and promoPons

•  Product line •  Brand strength and recogniPon •  Strengths and weaknesses (resources, staff size)

20 Ways to Improve Response

Rates

Know the triggers

95% of the reasons a prospect buys involve a subconscious decision!

Source: Triggers by Joe Sugarman

1. Proof of Value

Should I spend $1000 for a laptop?

Price: $3,848.00 Ouch!

Price: $989.00 Yes!

Proof of Value All the features I need in

a laptop.

$3,848+ vs. $989

1. Proof of value

Show two pricing opPons, one being considerably more expensive. • Premium membership and regular membership

• Your organizaPon vs. compePtor • Regular fee vs. special offer fee

2. Tone

What is the nature of what you are selling? Is it Serious? Fun? Luxurious? Inexpensive? •  Free, freebies •  Exclusive, InvitaPon only •  PresPgious •  Serious

3. EmoPon

What emoPonal needs will your product solve? •  Staying afloat during the recession

•  SorPng through an avalanche of informaPon

•  Budget constraints – no money to travel and aoend conferences

4. Address objecPons

If cost is an issue, talk about it. •  Membership is less than $2/day •  Offer freebies to offset the cost to aoend a

meePng

If lack of Pme is a concern… •  Tell how aoendees can stay connected at the

conference

MarkePngProfs Conference What you get with the cost of registraPon: 1.  Free copy of B2B Marke)ng in 2009: Trends in

Strategies and Spending 2.  A free Premium Plus membership for Basic and

Non-‐members. 3.  Free one-‐to-‐one expert advice 4.  Free ongoing private (exclusive) networking with

fellow aoendees on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twioer.

5.  Free meals throughout the enPre conference

5. Involvement & Ownership

A good involvement device in direct response adverPsing has doubled and even tripled response rates.

“Write down 3 issues you want to address when you come back from the the Great Ideas Conference.

6. Storytelling

A good story should capture a person’s aoenPon, relate the product or service to the sales

message, and help you bond with the prospect.

Actual Copy

WSAE holds eight 1/2 day educaPonal programs each year presenPng some of the best naPonal and state speakers

discussing cufng edge soluPons to the challenges faced by associaPon

execuPves.

Another way to say it:

WSAE offers educaPonal programs “that are worth gefng up at 5:00 am and driving halfway across the state to aoend.”

7. Authority and Credibility

8. Logic In today’s economy, people need to jusPfy the purchase – membership, aoendance, adverPsing, sponsorships.

Remember two main points about logic as a trigger: (1) You buy on emoPon and jusPfy the purchase

with logic (2) View logic as the answer to the unspoken

objecPon, “Why should I buy this thing?”

EmoPon: BMW. The UlPmate Driving Machine!

Logic: UlPmate efficiency. Well equipped. No-‐cost maintenance. No-‐cost BMW Assist Safety Plan.

9. SaPsfacPon Guarantee UncondiPonal, no-‐hassle, money back guarantee

Membership: We will refund your money if you are not saPsfied -‐ up unPl the very last day of your membership

MeePngs: We will refund your money and let you keep the course materials if you are not completely saPsfied.

What type of guarantee could you offer?

10. Sense of Urgency

•  Introductory price/offer

•  Limited quanPty – only the first 20 people who register will receive a free white paper

•  Pricing based on number of seats sold

•  First 10 seats sell for $49

•  Second 10 sell seats for $99

•  Third 10 seats sell for $149

11. Exclusivity

•  Create a sense of exclusivity by sefng limitaPons on who can buy, join or register.

•  Offer other exclusive products to prospects have parPcipated, joined or aoended a session.

12. KISS – Keep it Stupid and Simple

Make it so easy to register, join or buy that all the customer needs to do is click or sign on the dooed line.

Unless you are going for exclusivity!

13. Be Specific

“Top rated educaPonal program”

or

“95% of past aoendees of the Great Ideas Conference rate this meePng as one of the most important moves in advancing their

career.”

14. Create a Must-‐Read Headline

The enPre purpose of the headline/subject line is to get the

prospect to read the next line.

To build a fan base, pick a fight

15. Use the words “How to”

Old Headlines (Actual Ptles) •  CopywriPng 101 •  TacPcs for Avoiding RehospitalizaPons •  ExcepPonal Customer Service Builds Business

Revised Headlines •  How to Write MarkePng Copy That Sells •  How to Avoid Losing PaPents to Other Hospitals •  How to Grow Your Business and Keep Clients happy Amer the Sale

16. Use a number in your copy

The numbers 5 and 0 feel manufactured. When you use a number such as 6, 7 or 9 it feels more real.

11 Steps to a Successful Virtual Conference or

10 Steps to a Successful Virtual Conference

17. Cut your copy in half!

Use short simple sentences. Avoid complex jargon.

Provided that -‐ -‐ If In order to -‐ -‐ To The majority of -‐ -‐ Most Accordingly -‐ -‐ So Facilitate -‐ -‐ Help Frequently -‐ -‐ Omen Commence -‐ -‐ Start Nonetheless -‐ -‐ But

18. Use Curiosity to Get Them Interested Program: Physicians and health care reform

50% of Physicians Report Health Care Reform Worsened CondiPons for their PracPce

In this session, you will understand the key implicaPons of health reform legislaPon impacPng OEM physicians. The session will cover health and producPvity strategies, how to market your services, and the key condiPons that are driving up cost.

19. Be AuthenPc.

Show your personality.

Don’t filter their comments. Aoribute comments to their owners.

20. Avoid Clichés

Clichés are trite and overused expressions. They will make your markePng invisible!

wordle.net

MarkePng with Direct Mail.

6 Ways to Get People to Act Now

1)  End your price with a 7 or a 9.

There is a psychological price point – a dues amount that ends with a dollar amount of a “7” or “9.” For example, an acquisiPon price of $139 will typically generate more revenue and members than a price of $150.

2) Leave out the brochure!

• Change the process from a “sales effort” to a personal communicaPon

• Test with a brochure and without


3) End your copy with a quesPon people will always say yes to.

•  Do you need to stay up-‐to-‐date on xyz? •  Are you looking for ways to cut costs yet

sPll deliver great service?


4) Design the brochure so that it can easily be skimmed. Use graphics instead of words.

When asked how young professionals (YP) first learned about their association, 76% of survey respondents selected colleagues and 56% selected employers. A significant percentage of young professionals also become aware of the association through the organization’s website (70%) and through their academic environment (66%).

How do young professionals first learn about your associa5on?

Colleague 76%

Website 70%


5) Offer installments to lower the perceived price.

If your members are resistant to paying $599 to aoend your educaPonal conference, try offering it for three installments of $199


6) Keep your envelope blank

An envelope with no wriPng has to be opened to see what’s inside.


MarkePng in the age of Web 2.0.

6 Ways to Ensure They Open Your Email

1)  Use the “from” line to brand your email.

2)  Send it on a Tuesday or Thursday. 3)  Focus on what is seen in the preview pane.

4)  Make sure your email is readable when the pictures aren’t downloaded.

5)  Use bullets and keep your copy short. No long paragraphs.

6)  Test one variable at a Pme such as day, offer, copy.

One final thought…

If we mixed up your

marketing collateral

with another

association would

anyone notice?

Q & A Do you sPll have quesPons? Contact me.

Sheri Jacobs, CAE, President + Chief Strategist Avenue M Group, LLC

[email protected] T. 847.849.3396

Great Ideas 2010 Presentation Sheri Jacobs

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Transcript of Great Ideas 2010 Presentation Sheri Jacobs