Headline Courtesy 101
Never talk to somebody with your headline in a way you wouldn’t talk to them in a bar after work.
Don’t “explode” their results, “skyrocket” their sales, or “revolutionize” their world. Get real, talk like a human being, and build trust. Gimmicks and hype might get you somewhere, but in the end you’ll fall short of your ultimate goals.
Qwest Field – home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks – often brags about having the league’s loudest fans (so loud they recently created a seismic tremor), but they sure don’t treat them right!
Check out the video below, which shows that a large beer and a small beer at Qwest Field are actually the same size!
Update: Qwest responds: We weren’t ripping off fans who bought large beers, we were giving extra to fans who ordered small beers.
Blogosphere Roundup
Sorry I totally blew it by not writing another post this week. What can I say – it was that kinda week! Anyways, here are a few marketing related articles that caught my eye this week. Enjoy!
Carline Anglade-Cole – Sizzling Hot Copy – Written By Y.O.U!
“Trigger words are extremely powerful – so powerful they can scare the heck out of your client’s legal department. Some of these words may make some clients queasy. But that’s ok…
…Not just better vision – but EAGLE EYES!
…Not fast – but BREAKNECK SPEED … or PUSH-BUTTON HEALING!
…Not depression – but BANISH THE BLUES!
…Not good for your mind – but BRAIN BOOSTING!
…Not great – but PHENOMENAL … AMAZING … and WOW!
…Not unique – but THE ONLY KNOWN CURE or … LITTLE KNOWN REMEDY …”
Sean D’Souza – You Are Not Your Consumer
“You may, for instance, like the colour of your website.Your customers may hate it.
You may personally detest long copy.
Your customer may want to read the complete details.
You may personally want whatever you want. Your customer will tell you that you should be listening and giving the customer what they want…
…the biggest mistake most business owners make, is they fall in love with their products and services. And ignore what the customer is saying to them.”
Ray Edwards – How To Annoy Your Customers
Just click the link. It’s a short post and it comes with a podcast. NICE!
Blogosphere Roundup
Here are a few of the best copywriting and marketing articles I’ve read in the past seven days:
Sean D’Souza – Is Your Headline Good or Bad? Give it the Breath Test
“When your headline can’t be easily said aloud in a single breath, your message gets garbled.”
Roger Dooley – What Color Makes The Most Green?
“Could wearing a particular color influence the results obtained by a salesperson? If that salesperson is selling to a buyer of the opposite gender, the answer may be, ‘Yes!’…
…The magic color? Red.”
Do you think this also applies to online sales? I think so…
KISSmetrics – How do colors affect purchases?
“For retailers, shopping is the art of persuasion. Though there are many factors that influence how and what consumers buy. However, a great deal is decided by visual cues, the strongest and most persuasive being color. When marketing new products it is crucial to consider that consumers place visual appearance and color above other factors such as sound, smell and texture. To learn more about color psychology and how it influences purchases, see our latest infographic.”
Jay Steinfeld – Make Eye Contact With Customers — Even When You’re Not Face-to-Face
“What makes eye contact so powerfully effective when communicating? Think of what you might infer when someone doesn’t look you in the eye: Maybe he doesn’t care much about what you’re saying or he is afraid to face the truth. Is he hiding something?
A customer of mine last week not only reminded me how important eye contact is, but how you can make it even when you’re not face-to-face with your customer. That’ right — ‘eye contact’ is possible even when you and your customer are separated by a phone line or a computer…”
