Now, more than ever, it’s vital for businesses – small, medium or large – to maintain top-of-mind awareness. While Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn are exploding as online tools for building relationships, they lack one very important component – a “live,” personal connection.

While I’ve written about face-to-face networking before, I feel it’s worth stressing its importance again. As Frank Agin, founder & president of AmSpirit Business Connections said, “LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool (as is the telephone and e-mail). It is not, however, a replacement for networking.”

“Networking is as human a trait as there is. Every human networks – no matter the region, culture, or religion. It is what we do. Humans have been networking since the beginning of our time on this planet,” he continued.

There’s great strength in shaking hands and exchanging information in person. Not only do you have the opportunity to meet like-minded professionals, but you get to engage with them through a meaningful live conversation. As you meet new people with interesting stories, take time to get to know them and begin building a relationship.

“While it is true that not everyone has the potential to be your new employer, next great client or star employee, it is also true that everyone knows someone that could,” continued Agin. “For that reason, every contact has opportunity . . . You need to make it a habit to have eye contact with, smile at and say hello to everyone you encounter.”

Networking is a critical & powerful tool to include in your marketing toolbox. Can you do it? Can you step away from your computer and get out? I know you can. Go ahead. Walk away from your desk and meet fellow professionals in your industry or in the community at large.

What does it take to be a good networker?

1. Decide where and when to network.
2. The willingness to take time out of your day to attend a meeting.
3. A smile, warm handshake and a friendly attitude. Reach out to people.
4. A sincere interest in others. Don’t forget to listen.

Believe it or not, even though where I live (i.e. the island of Kauai) is small, there are many opportunities to network. Just a few that hold meetings or events are the Kauai Chamber of Commerce, Kauai North Shore Business Council, Rotary Clubs (there are 6 on Kauai), or Zonta International (there are 2 clubs). And, there are more. Drop me an e-mail at debra@writedirection.com if you’d like a list of some others on Kauai. Check around your community and I’m sure you’ll find even more opportunities. Go to meetup.com and see how many more meetings are taking place that you may never have even known about. “Meet up” groups are growing in popularity and popping up everywhere. Why? Because people like to meet one another face-to-face.

So, don’t be shy. Pick one or two groups that interest you and give them a “test drive.”

Then, when you find a group(s) or association(s) you like, GET INVOLVED. Many people join organizations, sit back and wait for business to come their way. However, customers don’t necessarily walk into your door just because you’ve become a member of their local chapter of the “ABC Association.”

A valuable way to network, while contributing to your community, is to volunteer. Serve on a committee (i.e. public relations, entertainment, programming, event planning, etc.) or request a seat on the Board of Directors. When you get involved you not only, create a common bond with others, but you give them the opportunity to:

• Find out who you are on a personal level.
• Learn more about your business (as you learn about theirs).
• Discover your capabilities.

Each time you connect with others you’re presented with a chance to share your expertise – without a sales pitch – and you’ll find that your network of contacts increases over time. The next time the phone rings (or you receive an e-mail inquiry), it may be from someone you met while networking. Or maybe you’ve never met that person, but someone you did meet referred him/her to you as the result of face-to-face conversations you’ve had.

Networking is just one ingredient in the marketing recipe for success. Take advantage of it, reach out to people, and have a good time while you’re at it.

What are you doing to network in your community (business or professional)?

If you’d like to network with me, feel free to give me a call at (808) 826 1846 or drop me an e-mail. I look forward to hearing from you & to meeting you in the future.

As a savvy marketer you know that it’s important to understand who you’re talking to before you hire a copywriter and ask them to write your next brochure, Web site or blog post. However, it’s also important to know more than demographics . . . even more than lifestyle information.

Do you know your target market’s state of awareness about your product or service? What is their present state of knowledge about it and the satisfaction that it performs?

Just like a promotion that speaks to single women 45-55 years of age most likely won’t catch the attention of a teenage girls, a headline that works to a market in one stage of awareness will not work to a market in another stage of awareness. With the help of my mentor, the late Eugene Schwartz, here are various awareness levels from his book Breakthrough Advertising:

1. Fully Aware (the easiest market to address) – they know about your product – what it does – and know that they want it. They just haven’t gotten around to buying it yet.

2. Not Completely Aware – they know about your product but aren’t completely aware of everything it does, or not convinced of how well it does it, or haven’t yet been told how much better it does it now. This, according to Mr. Schwartz, is “the great bulk of all advertising.” Some examples of here include: “Joy – the costliest perfume in the world” or “At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in a Rolls Royce is the electric clock.”

3. Less aware – they either know or recognize immediately that they want what the product does; but don’t yet know that there is a product – your product – that will do it for them.

4. Completely unaware (most difficult market) – they are either not aware of their desire or need – or they won’t honestly admit it to themselves without being lead into it by your ad – or the need is their own secret that just can’t be verbalized yet.

How aware are you when it comes to understanding how aware your prospects are? Give this some thought as you’re putting together your marketing plan. Then, when you’re ready to sit down with your creative team, you’ll be equipped with the information you need to pass on to get a great job done.

Need assistance in writing attention-getting content for your next brochure, blog post or Web site?  Head to The Write Direction. Feel free to give me a call or e-mail me for your complimentary quote today.

At the beginning of the year, I was featured as the guest speaker on a national tele-seminar hosted by CA-based Pollock Marketing Group. I was invited on the show to discuss how writing marketing copy contributes to lead generation for one’s business.

The phone call was 1-hour in length. Below you’ll find a summary of the main points to help you understand the value of good copywriting when creating marketing materials for your business.

——————————————

As a consumer, you know what attracts you to an ad or a Web site, catches your attention and sells you on a product or service. However, as a marketer, you may never have developed this into a formula that works for you in promoting your product.

Once you have defined your product, distinguished your target audience and identified your strongest selling benefit, you have the core concept to begin developing your marketing materials – from a brochure or catalog to a direct mail piece or Web site. So, what’s next?

Sing the opera “AIDA.” Well, you don’t have to know the opera, just remember the melodic acronym. One of the most popular formulas for creating direct response content, AIDA goes like this: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.

Get Your Audience’s Attention

Your goal is to catch the audience’s attention long enough for them to want to stop and read everything you have to say. How do you stop them? Here are just a few pointers to get you started:

1. Let your headline focus on the single strongest selling benefit (also known as the USP – unique selling proposition) you can offer your reader.
2. Appeal to one of the 4 great motivators: fear, greed, guilt or exclusivity.
3. Use celebrities.
4. Tie into a current event, for instance, the Olympics.
5. Promise something magnificent, but do not lie. Don’t make a promise you can’t keep – you’ll lose credibility and your customers.

Stimulate Your Audience’s Interest

1. Use short, simple sentences to start out with. Clarity is extremely important.
2. Write to people, not at them. Write as if your reader was sitting across the table from you.
3. Be mysterious; hint at some hidden benefit (i.e. the Marlboro man ads sell cigarettes, but they also promote the image of being virile & masculine).
4. If you can, offer something for free. Free is one of the most powerful words in the marketing vocabulary.

Create Desire to Buy Your Product/Service

It’s not enough to say that you can satisfy your readers’ needs; you have to prove you can. To do this:

1. Use testimonials. People who have used your product and praise it in their own words lend credibility to your product.
2. Show how easy your product is to use or how fast it works.
3. Cite the evidence of any studies, taste tests or research you’ve conducted (i.e. Crest – “4 out of 5 dentists recommend…”).
4. Let people know if the supply is limited, it’s only available online or via the mail (i.e. you won’t find it in a retail store), and it comes with a money-back guarantee.

Present a Call to Action

The last step should always be a call to action. What do you want your readers to do? Should they send for more information . . . call you . . . e-mail you?  Tell them.

1. If your product is sold by mail, ask your prospects/customers to fill out the order form & return it.
2. If your product is sold online, provide a hyperlink to the order form, ask viewers to complete the form and hit the “send” or “submit” button.
3. If you have a toll-free number, say so and highlight it in larger, bold type.
4. If possible, give people an incentive for responding now. Provide a deadline when your offer will expire.
5. Always make it easy for your audience to take action. Include your company name, address, phone number, Web address and e-mail.

It isn’t important that you know how to carry a tune. Just keep this musical acronym in mind next time you’re planning to create a marketing promotion. If you’re the writer, you’ll find AIDA helps you before you sit down at your keyboard. If you’re working with an independent copywriter, you’ll be better prepared to relay the necessary information that person needs to know to do the best possible job for you.

When you’re looking for additional writing & marketing tips, I offer several How-To e-Reports available online at the How-To Catalog (including a more detailed version explaining AIDA). Or, if you’re struggling to find the right words to communicate your passion and get prospects to respond, head in The Write Direction and contact me today. I’d be happy to help you.

The saying goes something like this, “Dogs are a man’s best friend.” Well, as you may have discovered with each commercial you watch on TV, dogs are also a marketer’s best friend!

In 2005, the pet industry was a $35.9 billion business, up from $34.4 billion in 2004 and a meager $21 billion a decade ago, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. An estimated 4.2 million American households have horses, 37.7 million have cats, and 43.5 million have dogs.

These fabulous 4-legged friends have become more than animals – they are treasured members of our families. Therefore, it’s not surprising, given consumers’ affection for them, that they’re often seen splashed across the ads in magazines, newspapers, online and on TV.

The World of Dogs’ Web site explained the phenomena this way, “The growing number of ads featuring dogs are designed to use their appeal to increase the favorable attitude toward the product or service featured. Such ads use the power of association to cast the featured product in a more favorable light, much in the way an advertiser might use a celebrity endorsement to draw on the power of that celebrity.”

Turn on your TV and you’re bound to see dogs and/or cats in many commercials that have nothing to do with dog food or other pet products. They have to do with lifestyle and targeting a product/service to an appropriate audience who relates to that.

Given the popularity of dogs and other pets – over 50 million households owning dogs alone according to The World of Dogs – it is no wonder that the media has responded with programming about dogs. And the advertising industry has increasingly not only mounted big ad campaigns for products and services for dog owners, but has featured dogs in ads for products.

It’s a way of helping to characterize the target market and create a warm, receptive consumer audience, because of the appeal of dogs.

Sahalie, a camp & cabin supplies catalog and Web site, responded to their shoppers’ needs by featuring dogs in many product photos. “From surveys, we know that a large percentage of our customers have dogs,” says Creative Director Rich Lorimor. “We use other animals once in a while, but people don’t respond as much. Dogs hit the widest array of pet lovers.”

So, consider surveying your customers to see if they are pet lovers. Then, perhaps man’s best friend can bring you the “fetching” results you’ve been hoping to retrieve with your marketing efforts. Give it some thought when developing your marketing plan.

Need help with your marketing content? Then give me a call or drop me a line. Let me know how I can help you.

When working on my quarterly newsletter earlier in the year, I got to thinking about all the “talk” around social media. It’s the latest rage to be tweeted on Twitter, have a Facebook friend, or get LinkedIn. While online social networking continues to grow in popularity, and worthwhile for many reasons, I say it’s still important to remember the good old tradition of offline social networking.

Yes, that’s right – meeting people face-to-face, in person! Before the Internet age, many business people relied on getting out of the office to professional meetings to network, greet fellow colleagues and build relationships.

Building relationships – that’s what it’s all about. And today, more than ever before, it’s important to “meet & greet,” shake hands and have a personal conversation with clients and prospects – not just one that’s typed in an e-mail.

In an article published in Pacific Business News last year, a Waikiki entrepreneur was quoted as saying “…hundreds of professionals [are] making time for midweek business networking events in Hawaii, a scene that has taken off in the last six months.”

“People are starting to realize, especially in this economy, that you have to get out, put your face out there, build your credibility so you can not only grow your own business, but help others with new contacts.”

In my marketing seminars and articles I’ve written, I’ve long touted the benefits of networking. And, I don’t just mean attending events, but getting involved with the various organizations that are available in your community.

In their book, Marketing Your Consulting and Professional Services, authors Dick Connor and Jeffrey Davidson maintain that if you, “Visit any metro area and attend a local meeting of the Red Cross, International Rotary. . . or other civic, professional, or charitable groups, undoubtedly, you will meet many of the area’s most successful professionals.  Successful professionals know that giving of their time freely is an excellent way to be of service to the community and to help build the firm.”

And, in their book, Marketing Your Service Business, Jean Withers and Carol Vipperman explained, “Joining just two organizations of people who might be prospective clients can provide referrals and new business.”

So, if you’re online typing away on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or whatever your social media of choice, good for you. However, don’t forget to put yourself OUT THERE in the public among potential prospects who might just appreciate meeting you in person, having the opportunity to shake your hand and laugh together out loud instead of “LOL” online.

There are MANY organizations available that hold networking events and/or need your involvement on a committee or council. Here on Kaua`i it’s surprising how many networking options are available, such as:

• Kauai Chamber of Commerce
• One of six Rotary clubs
• Zonta Club of Hanalei and Zonta Club of Kauai
• Kauai North Shore Business Council
• Kapaa Business Association
• Lihue Business Association
• Women in Business Roundtable

In the Boulder/Denver metro area, where I started The Write Direction, there were numerous choices that included:

• Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce
• Boulder Chamber of Commerce
• Business and Professional Women (BPW)
• Several Rotary clubs
• ToastMasters
• Leads Clubs
• And many more.

Check out your community. In addition to your local Chamber of Commerce and non-profit organizations you may have numerous trade associations – from real estate organizations to advertising and/or marketing associations.

See what’s available to you and go meet some new faces – up close and personal. And, while you’re at it, HAVE FUN!

As the article in Pacific Business News put it, it’s “More fun, productive than cold-calling.”

Source: Chiem, L. “As business slows, networking accelerates.” Pacific Business News, 3/13/2009

When times get tough, as they are today, many companies begin cutting back. Sometimes they let employees go and stop there. Other times, they eliminate their marketing. “A bad move,” said communications pro Stacy Cornay. “The public has to be reminded about who you are and what you’re selling . . . Instead of cutting back on marketing, be more aggressive.”

Public relations professional John Shors wrote, “When companies cease touting themselves via the media, opportunities are created for their competitors to step into the spotlight . . .”

Staying in front of your customers and prospects is vital — even in a recession.

I started my business in 1989, when times were also tough. The reason I went out on my own was because people were getting laid off at all the agencies I approached. I was caught in the Colorado recession and repeatedly heard, “Sorry, we’re not hiring. We’re laying people off right now, but if you start a business as a freelancer, we’ll retain your services.”

So I took this as a “sign from above” — it was my opportunity to grab the bull by the horns and start my own business. The Write Direction was born on January 1, 1989.

Despite lean economic times, I was able to break ground . . . make an impact . . . find clients . . . establish a successful business. It happened because of a concerted effort to market myself and keep marketing.

Don’t give up the ship. You can do the same without breaking the bank. Pick up the phone, write a trade article, fax the press about an accomplishment, send out an e-mail, etc.

During uncertain times, when people are not spending, marketers should consider investing further in their marketing instead of waiting for a change in market conditions. This tactic is supported by the following findings revealed by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) – reported in a commissioned study “Advertising in a Recession” by Bernard Ryan Jr.

1. The Buchen Advertising study tracked sales after the 1949, 54, 58 and 61 recessions. It found that sales & profits dropped off at companies that cut back on advertising. And, the findings also revealed that sales lagged after the recession for those companies that cut back during the recession.

2. The 1970 and 1979 studies by ABP/Meldrum & Fewsmith substantiated the Buchen study. It reported that higher sales and net income were achieved by those companies that maintained their advertising than those that cut it altogether.

3. Following the 1981-82 recession, McGraw-Hill Research’s Laboratory of Advertising Performance reported that “business-to-business firms that maintained or increased their advertising expenditures during the 1981-82 recession averaged significantly higher sales growth both during the recession and for the following 3 years than those which eliminated or decreased advertising.

“It might even be tempting to “ride it out” – to do nothing until things turn around. This passive approach yields passive results. Nothing will happen while you’re waiting and when things do turn around, the business will go to the people who’ve been doing something all along. The people who will get the lion’s share of the business – both now and in the future – are the ones who work to build relationships,” said Michael Beck, ClientMonkey.com

Yes, it’s frightening to dip into your budget to keep on spending when the economy is slow, but to stay ahead of your competition, it should be a priority for your company. And, it can be done, without spending $2 million dollars for a Super Bowl commercial

What’s Your Marketing Plan of Attack?

When you’re on a shoestring budget, there are several creative effective ways to market yourself effectively. Here are just four ways to help you get started. These are part of a plan that I follow and offer to small businesses when presenting my marketing seminars to them.

1. Send out an e-mail. One of e-mail’s competitive advantages is its “….ability to help you protect your most valuable asset in a down economy: loyal customers” said John Rizzi, President & CEO, e-Dialog

E-mail has reached almost universal penetration, with 97% of consumers and 94% of marketers using the channel (Study published by Forrester Research,” Email Marketing Comes of Age.”).

Contact those people you have a relationship with or who have opted-in to your e-mail list. It doesn’t have to be a sales pitch – probably better if it’s not. Just provide some helpful information that is relevant to them such as a monthly or quarterly newsletter. You’ll find many marketers on Facebook & Twitter tout the benefits of newsletters as a marketing tool. Read my post about tips for writing great newsletters to your customers and prospects

2. Join professional organizations. However, don’t just pay your membership dues and walk away. Many people join organizations, sit back and wait for business to come their way. Clients don’t automatically knock on your door just because you’ve become a member of the local Chamber of Commerce.

I found when I volunteered to serve on a committee (i.e. public relations, entertainment, programming, event planning, etc.) or sat on the Board of Directors that fellow colleagues discovered more about who I was, what my business was about and what my capabilities were. Then, many times, they referred me to others just based on their knowledge of me, not necessarily because they had worked with me on a writing project. This is a great opportunity to increase your network of contacts while being given the chance to share your expertise.

3. Offer to speak in public. “The best way to market yourself is to give yourself to the market. Expose yourself to your prospects,” wrote marketing professional Jeffrey Gitomer.

Call your local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, business associations, etc. Many of these groups hold monthly membership meetings where a professional comes in and speaks on a specific topic of interest. When I lived in Boulder, CO I presented at what the Chamber of Commerce called “Brown Bags,” speaking on topics such as: “AIDA: A Formula for Successful Copywriting,” “Surefire Steps for Writing Effective Print Promotions,” and more. I presented a workshop about marketing in turbulent times to the Kauai North Shore Business Council and later, was asked to present tips from this article to the Rotary Club of Kauai.

Sharing what you know increases your credibility regarding your area of expertise. And, appearing at meetings like these puts you among a circle of business people who may eventually need your services.

3a. Invite clients, colleagues and prospects to your speaking engagement. Here’s a great opportunity to build client relationships and encourage enhanced relationships with prospects without using a hard-sell approach.

By hearing you speak, they get the chance to learn more about you without feeling the pressure of a sales pitch. While you’re sharing your professional knowledge in a relaxed, non-threatening environment – without the fear of losing a sale – they’re observing your expertise, confidence and poise.

4. Write articles for business or trade publications. This helps increase your exposure, getting your name out to a broader audience while conveying your knowledge about a specific subject. Not to mention, it enhances your professional reputation. Many publications will also include your photo and phone number so that readers may contact you. Then, after your article has been published, send copies to your clients, colleagues & prospects!

Maintain a Presence in the Marketplace

The list of cost-effective ways to market your self goes on. From sending out press releases to local and trade publications to teaching a class or workshop about your area of expertise.

Just don’t let people forget who you are . . . where you are . . . how you can be reached. Do what you can to maintain a presence. Stay in touch with your customers, be it via phone, “snail,” or e-mail. Ask them what they want and need during this time. And remember, if potential customers are out there looking for your product or service and your name is visible, when your competition’s is not, your marketing efforts will invite them to call you.

Newsletters – whether in print or online – are a great way to stay in touch with your customers & prospects while building long-term relationships with them.  A good promotional newsletter offers valuable, worthwhile information to its readers.

They are not as aggressive at selling as other forms of marketing. Yes, they may promote your business, but they’re not hard core sales tools. I, for one, make it a point to pack my newsletters with information my readers can use and keep any “sales pitch” low key (or none at all).

Consider the words of consultant Herman Holtz.  In his book, Great Promo Pieces, he wrote, “Of course, your newsletter is promotional literature.  You created it to help market your company’s products or services, and the content is therefore necessarily advertising, even if low key or soft sell.  At the same time, since you characterize and publish it as a newsletter, it cannot be 100 percent unabashed advertising matter.  That would immediately destroy its usefulness.  You must publish some material that is worthy of appearance in a newsletter and is definitely slanted to the reader’s probable direct interest. . . .It cannot be a pure sales letter, brochure or advertising circular.”

If you’ve never used a newsletter and are considering starting one now, here are two valuable pointers for ensuring the content you write is clear, concise and easy to read.  After all, you want to catch your audience’s attention, not put them to sleep.

#1. Think carefully about the stories you’re going to share. Remember, you’re talking to customers and prospects.  Keep their needs and interests in mind at all times. They want new information that helps them on a daily basis. So, consider providing them with:

• Product information/application stories–any success stories about an old or new product. Simply tell your readers about other people’s positive experiences with that product.
• Company information–stories that acknowledge your achievements lend credibility to your business.  Customers/prospects read about how others respect you and therefore, begin to look at you as an expert in your field.
• People stories–people like reading about people especially if it’s someone who they know personally (like their sales or customer service representative).
• Related interest stories–is there something happening in current events that relates to your business (i.e. the economy, sustainability, solar energy, recycling, etc.)?
• “How to” features–10 steps to better health, 14 guidelines to turn one dollar into a thousand, 4 ways to get great results from a writer, etc.

When choosing a story keep your schedule and deadlines in mind.  Remember that it takes time to research a story, interview people, write the story, take photos if needed, etc.  It’s important to leave enough time for each step to be completed efficiently, not rushed.

#2. Write as if you’re having a conversation. The difference between conversation and writing is that during a conversation we give the other person time to understand what we’ve said.  We pause between sentences, repeat ourselves and space our ideas apart. The secret of writing is to leave space–create these pauses.  Using some steps outlined by Rudolf Flesch in The Art of Plain Talk, this means:

• Write short sentences.  Two short sentences are easier to read than one long one.
• BE PERSONAL. USE “YOU.” Let your readers know you’re talking directly to them. “You” is one of the most powerful words in the marketing lexicon.
• Whenever possible, talk about people–tests show that we enjoy, and are better readers when, reading about other people more than about anything else.
• Use active verb forms that have life in them (i.e. dance, sing, add, run, etc.) and make your sentences ‘move.’
• Punctuation makes reading easier–it gets pauses down on paper & stresses important points. Use hyphens, dashes, and ellipses to achieve this effect.

“Give the reader helpful advice, or service,” says ad man David Ogilvy. “It hooks about 75% more readers than copy which deals entirely with the product.”

Whether you already publish a newsletter or you’re putting one together for the first time, keep these helpful writing hints in mind.  With these creative building blocks you’ll be better prepared to start developing the newsletter that best meets your company’s needs.

You open a brochure or go to a Web site and it doesn’t take long before you decide that this isn’t the product or service for you. What comes across isn’t how you benefit from the product, but how wonderful the company is that is selling it.

In a national conference call I presented in January, one of the points the moderator & I discussed was how many companies think it’s important to “strut their stuff” and tell their prospects just how wonderful their company is. However, what many companies don’t realize before they start to write a marketing piece is this – it’s vital that you write to your customer, not at them.

As one of my respected colleagues Herschell Gordon Lewis wrote, “When you write a letter that says, ‘Only you. . . ,’ you’ve told the recipient that to you he isn’t a unit, an anonymous number in a computer, a faceless organism . . . . You also project an attitude of friendliness.”

The reader – your customer or prospect – comes first!  Incorporate a friendly, conversational tone as if your prospect were sitting right there, across the table from you. After all, what they want to know first & foremost is “what’s in it for me?” What are the benefits they receive by doing business with you or buying your product?

Yes, your customers want to know that you’re a viable, credible company. However, when they link to that Home page on your Web site or turn to the first panel of your brochure only to read “we do this. . .” and “we do that . . .,” chances are that it won’t take long before they click off of your Web site or put that brochure down (i.e. into the circular file).

You must keep in mind that “you” is one of the strongest words in a marketer’s vocabulary. When I review a marketing piece and I repeatedly see “we” and “the client,” or “our customers,” it’s time for a rewrite.  For instance, read this paragraph…

We-Centered Content: “John Doe Enterprises offers quality service to all our customers. We provide affordable and effective online marketing solutions. With 30 years of experience, we know how to get the job done.”

The previous “we-centered content” doesn’t mention “you” even once. Therefore, are you likely to keep reading when you’re not addressed personally, but referred to as “the customer” or “client?”  Now, read this paragraph . . .

You-Centered Content: “Attention-to-detail and a plan customized to meet your needs are what you can expect from John Doe Enterprises. Count on marketing solutions that not only meet your budget, they deliver profitable results.”

As you can see, the “you-centered content” never mentions “we,” it focuses on the prospect, not the company selling it. It speaks to the needs of the person who makes the final purchasing decision.

It seems like a day doesn’t go by that we’re not all making some kind of purchasing decision. Whether it’s a purchase for your home, business, family, health, etc., think about what appeals to you when you’re making those decisions to buy. What do you look for when you’re reading about a new product/service you’re considering? Chances are, if the content speaks to you personally – addresses your wants and/or needs – you’ll pay closer attention to it than competitive materials that do not.

Whether you’re a well-known company that’s been around for years or a “new guy/gal on the block,” establishing credibility for your company is vital.

This is what I tell my clients and seminar participants.

First, every potential customer wants to know the benefits of doing business with you (i.e. “what’s in it for me?”). Then, once their interest has been piqued and they’re seriously considering your product or service, they want to know that your company is a viable business, one they can count on.

How do you prove you’re worthy? How do you let others know that your product really does what you say it does or that your company is reputable in its field?

The method I put high on my list is known as the testimonial approach. I strongly believe in the power of praise that comes from your customers and satisfied clients — past and present. As ad man David Ogilvy said: “If you include a testimonial in your copy, you make it more credible. Readers find the endorsements of fellow consumers more persuasive than the puffery of anonymous copywriters.”

Direct response authority Joan Throckmorton agreed that testimonials are “a powerful tool.”  She suggested that you, “Give it (the testimonial approach) your serious consideration when you have a product or service that requires the kind of credibility that only customers can provide.”

“For example,” she continued, “Products that claim to improve health or fitness or personal appearance, products that promise to increase income, give the prospect new or improved skills — any products or services with intangible benefits (promises that can’t be proved by product examination or demonstration and therefore create skepticism on the part of your prospects).”

Testimonial guidelines

When it comes to using the words of others, there are some important points to remember. I suggest that you:

1. Get permission from the person you’re quoting before you use their comments in any way, shape or form.

2. Don’t use testimonials without names, if you can at all help it. They lack credibility. You can use a person’s:
a) Full name along with a city and state and/or company name.
b) First initial and full last name with city, state and/or company name.
c) First and last initials with city, state and/or a company name.
d) A person’s title, again with a city, state and/or company name.

3. Use specific testimonials. “In testimonials & specifics out pull puffery,” wrote author, Herschell Gordon Lewis. For instance, a quote that says, “Debra is great!” doesn’t tell my readers much about why they should use my services.

However, one that reads, “Debra quickly absorbed all facets of the mail campaign and turned around copy that was 100 percent on target” lends much more credibility to me and my ability as a copywriter.

4. A word about celebrity testimonials. If you can afford to have a well-known celebrity back your product/ service, be sure that it makes sense for him/her to endorse you.

For example, Martina Navratilova is a good choice for endorsing tennis rackets or apparel not for motor oil. Let Mario Andretti do that.

David Ogilvy agreed that “Testimonials increase credibility — and sales. But don’t use testimonials by celebrities, unless they’re recognized authorities, like Arnold Palmer on golf clubs.”

“If you have a great product or service, you have an almost inexhaustible source of great copy practically free — written by your own customers,” explained veteran writer Bob Stone. “They will come up with selling phrases straight from the heart that no copywriter, no matter how brilliant, would ever think of. They will write with a depth of conviction that the best copywriters will find hard to equal.”

Gathering testimonials?

Now you may be reading this and thinking, “How do I enhance my credibility when I don’t have any testimonials on file? What do I do now?” Don’t worry. There are a couple of simple ways to approach this and fill your files with praise.

1. Have people approached you and given you unsolicited verbal testimonials? If so, ask for their permission to use what they said.

2. Many times my clients or seminar attendees e-mail me with praise. I immediately respond and ask for their permission to use their comments in the future. I’ve never had any of them say “no” to my request.

3. Ask people for their input. There’s nothing wrong with doing this. Put together a short letter asking your clients for their feedback. If you like, drop me an e-mail, and I’ll send you a copy of the letter I use when I’m requesting testimonials from my clients.

“Setting up a methodical testimonial-soliciting program, you can increase tenfold your effective use of testimonials,” said Stone.

So, when you’re looking for ways to market yourself and wondering just what you’ll do next, turn to your customers. Give them the chance to praise your good graces. And don’t be afraid to ask them for “constructive criticism” as well — it will help you provide better service in the future.

Remember, if you’d like a copy of the testimonial request letter that I use with my clients, you may either send me an e-mail with “Testimonial letter request” in the subject line OR go to the “Contact Us” page, complete and submit the form on the left and write “Testimonial letter request” in the “Project Summary” box. Upon receiving your request, I’ll send you a copy of the letter.