Online Marketing Is Your Friend

Published January 24, 2011

I recently had a spirited conversation with one of my clients about online marketing. She’s a coach and trainer, and her business model is high-touch and personal.

“I know my website isn’t selling,” she said. “But quite frankly, I don’t need it to.”

As a copywriter whose livelihood is helping coaches and service professionals write websites and emails that meet people where they are — and move them to where they want to be – things like that get me curious.

Who wouldn’t want to enroll more people in their programs and events, without more legwork, more calls, and … Read the rest >

Posted in how to sell, marketing

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Why is a Copywriter Talking About my Back-end?

Published January 17, 2011

Is your back-end making your revenue fat?

Your marketing plan this year may include teleseminars, group programs by phone or webinar, finally sending out an enewsletter on a regular schedule – or setting one up for the first time.

You intend to get back to blogging. You want to register people for your programs directly on your website. Maybe you’ve even got a launch – or four – in the year ahead.

As your friendly copywriter, I hear these goals from business owners, coaches, and service professionals all the time. And here’s what I always ask:

What’s your back-end look … Read the rest >

Posted in how to sell, marketing

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The Secret to Making Your Emails Less Used Car Salesman and More Truffle

Published January 10, 2011

Before I was a full-time copywriter, I used to live in the awesomely charming mountain town of Bozeman, Montana. And sometimes, on my walks home from work, I used to stop at the chocolate shop and buy one piece of exquisite handmade chocolate.

Ah, the “Nipple of Venus.” I remember it well!

Dark chocolate ganache inside with a kiss of amaretto, topped with a dip of white chocolate.

Sure, it was 2 bucks. But oh, how I savored it!

And this, my dears, is how I want you to approach every email you send.

Not like a 36-pack of Hershey … Read the rest >

Posted in how to write, marketing

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Get Your Website Selling Like IHOP on Sunday

Published January 3, 2011

The Troubleshooter’s Guide to Websites that Sell Like Hotcakes

Your website gets compliments all the time. Your friends and clients keep telling you they like it. It’s a pretty website. Maybe you even paid a fair chunk of change to a designer and a copywriter to get the website you’ve got.

And still, it’s not really bringing you business.

What gives?

When you’ve got a pretty website that’s not bringing your business, here are the usual suspects:

1) You don’t have a sales page. Selling online isn’t just adding a “buy now” button and waiting for results. You know all … Read the rest >

Posted in content, how to sell, marketing

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Righto. What’s In a Sales Page, Then?

Published December 23, 2010

Find Out What You Need On Your Sales Page

Give Your Sales and Program Numbers a 10%, 20% Even 30% Boost — Without Spinning Your Wheels

“As long as it takes to make close the deal.”

That’s how long your sales page needs to be. I’m in the middle of writing copy for a program that launches at the end of January, and when my clients got their first draft of the sales page, they nearly fell over.

“It’s so long!”

As long as it takes. And the tests bear this out – when it comes to selling, longer copy … Read the rest >

Posted in copywriting, how to sell, marketing

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No, Really. What's a Sales Page?

Published December 22, 2010

The Savvy Biz Owner’s Guide to 4 Kinds of Web Pages

Getting people to sign up for your programs, calls, and events using your website is like travel in a foreign country.

Even if you’re not fluent in the local language, it pays to know a few key phrases. (Keeps the locals with messing with you too much. Lets them know YOU know enough to be hip to their scams.)

Which is why every savvy business owner who’s using their website to sell their products and fill their practice needs to know the web page lingo.

The 4 key kinds … Read the rest >

Posted in how to sell, how to write, marketing

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3 Ways To Jump Start Your Neglected Mailing List

Published December 13, 2010

Has it been awhile since your mailing list has heard from you?

In this age of perpetual messaging, it’s tempting to convince ourselves that we don’t want to “clutter” the inboxes of our clients and contacts with yet another self-promoting email. And that by abstaining, we’re taking the high road.

But how much business do you think NOT SENDING an email will get you?

Which is why I say, go ahead, send emails to your mailing list. Just make sure those emails are welcome, entertaining, and useful.

As I talk with business owners across the country about their lists, this … Read the rest >

Posted in copywriting, marketing

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Letter to a DIY Copywriter

Published December 11, 2010

Dear Do-It-Yourself Copywriter,

Stella here. I’ve just got a few thoughts about writing copy that sells. As far as connecting with the “pain” of your ideal clients… it’s simpler than they make it sound. Three points here:

1. It’s all about making an emotional connection. This is where the pain/promise thing comes in. If you think of copy like an opera, act 1 is the agony, act 2 is the ideal, and act 3 is the call to action. (I don’t know how many acts are in operas, but you get the idea). Make a list of the 20 things … Read the rest >

Posted in copywriting

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Rice balls, stuttering, and filling your programs

Published December 8, 2010

Move over, sugarplums!

Are images of next year’s programs dancing in your head?

As the year winds down, many coaches, speakers, and service professionals are in full-swing planning mode for next year’s programming.

And no doubt your program is awesome – and you are fired up about how much it’s going to help people reach their goals.

There’s just one big catch to filling that great program up.

My dad first taught me about this. In my twenties, I did a lot of long distance cycling. One spring break, my friend CB and I decided to ship our bikes over … Read the rest >

Posted in copywriting, how to write

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Get your blog on in 2011

Published November 29, 2010

photo courtesy of tiffa130's flickr photostream.

Are you writing articles, blogs, and enewlsetters as often as you originally set out to?

It’s hard to find the time to sit and write. I totally get that. AND it’s also tough to come up with relevant and value-rich topics, week after week. Combine those two challenges, and the deck seems stacked against you.

But maybe it’s just time to shuffle the cards. Because when you’ve got value-rich, problem-solving, playful and uncommon content with your name on it, you’re one step closer to a cash register that sings.

Why? Because content is the spigot from which your expertise flows… Read the rest >

Posted in copywriting