Poor Man’s SEO: How I Got on Google’s First Page

** This post originally appeared here: http://www.awaionline.com/2009/06/poor-mans-seo-how-i-got-on-googles-first-page/

It was an accident.

The accident got me five calls. Of which, three prospects hired me. The gross fee for the three projects was over $4,000.

The first time it happened, I was a total newbie. I was a new freelance copywriter with no book of business, no in-house mailing list, no testimonials, and no decent samples to share.

I had no idea what the prospect was yammering about on the phone. He was on the East Coast, I was in California and he kept saying he found me online …

… I was thinking, “How?“

I didn’t tell him, but at that time, I didn’t own a website. In fact, I didn’t have a website, landing page, squeeze page, not even a free blog.

So How Did It Happen?

How did I end up on Google’s first page without a website or any online property?

Around AWAI and the Wealthy Web Writer they like to say Ready, Fire, Aim. In my case, it was Fire, Fire, Cross My Fingers.

As I polished up my SEO, PPC, keyword, web writing, and online marketing skills I was able to reverse engineer this mistake.

And by the way, if you do have a website, blog, squeeze page, landing page, or other online property – this works even better because it can be automated to run on it’s own.

“Find A Thirsty Crowd And Sell Them Water”

I advertised and marketed my services without online tools. I wrote long-form ads. I used direct and descriptive headlines. And the only way an interested client could reach me was by email or by calling a NON-toll-free phone number. Those five calls were all long distance!

I didn’t know it at the time, but I was actually optimizing the ads for organic search. The long-form nature of the ads gave prospects a lot of information they wanted. And writing emotionally driven copy persuaded the client to send me an email and even call long distance.

The Best Part: Top Ranking Within a Month!

There was no-out-of-pocket-expense for this promotion. The ads were posted on FREE online classified ad websites: such as Kijiji, Oodle, Backpages, and Craigslist.

These sites have a ton of traffic and high page ranking. If I posted an ad well, it could turn up in an organic search within a month! Not the typical 6 months or longer that many SEO firms advise.

Plus, You Get Two Bites at the Apple

Poor Man’s SEO shouldn’t replace any other SEO strategies. However, it can easily be added to your bag of marketing tricks.

For instance, if your online client was selling a service such as … hmmm … Canine Weight Loss Expert, you could be hired to write online ads and place them on FREE classified ad websites.

This way, the best prospects, those concerned about Fifi’s belly and heavy breathing, could find your client’s service in the classifieds, and also possibly by running an organic search for Fat Dog Help. It’s like being in two places at once.

It’s Simple and Practical

Use this with clients who are moving online for the first time and who need to make sales, now.

Think about it: Who knows why your neighbor is searching Google, Yahoo, or MSN? He could be looking to buy something, helping his daughter on a school project, or goofing off.

SEO, developing content, and disseminating content is work and takes time. There’re no guarantees because no one really knows how search engines are programmed. It’s top secret. And Google, Yahoo, and MSN can, and do, change the software parameters often.

But … buyers search classifieds.

So, use this to give yourself a jump-start on a new copywriting practice even without a fleshed out web presence or to add an extra twist to your online marketing efforts (buyers search classifieds).

Here’s What You Do …

• Write ads that inform and persuade
• Encourage a result: “Click this link, call this phone number”
• Place your ad in the appropriate category so prospects can find you. A Canine Weight Loss Expert ad might be placed under the Family, Home, or Pet services category
• Use a direct phone number or email address so that highly motivated prospects reach out to you, now
• Combine your website, blog, squeeze page, landing page, or other online property to automate the process
• Encourage interested, but NOT highly motivated, prospects to join your mailing list
• Follow-up with your mailing list

What under-the-radar, street-smart marketing tricks have you discovered? Share it in the comment section below.

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Read more from the AWAI’s (American Writers & Artists, Inc) Wealthy Web Writers letters:

Add Social Media To Your Marketing Toolbox

Social Media Marketing: Proven or Unproven Method?

What a PR agency can teach you about writing blogs

What a PR Agency Can Teach You About Writing Blogs

This post originally appeared here:  http://www.awaionline.com/2009/05/what-a-pr-agency-can-teach-you-about-writing-blogs/

Most clients get into a bind when they set up their blog. It’s an insidious problem. Clients start a new blog full of enthusiasm. They write, create content, and post like crazy. Then, it quickly loses steam. The enthusiasm fades away …

This problem isn’t unique to blogs, of course. Excitement-turned-stale happens to newsletters, comic books, syndicated columns … and even hit TV shows.

This is great news for you. You write for the web and can take the stress away from your online client and keep her blogging goals attainable. But –

How Do You Avoid Falling Into The Same Lost-Steam-And-Stale Trap?

In other words, how do you keep yourself fresh to write a consistent blog that interests the reader, keeps him coming back for more, and attract organic search? Especially, if you’re an independent freelance web writer or a solo online entrepreneur?

Many winters ago I worked at a PR agency in Boston. As a PR peon I wasn’t allowed to write press releases or pitch clients. One of my menial duties was to sit on the phone and deliver a one-sentence script:

“Hi … could you fax me your media calendar … “

What’s A Media Calendar And What’s It Got To Do With Modern Day Blogs?

Glad you asked.

Most magazines, trade journals, TV talk shows, talk radio, and even newspapers know what they’re going to discuss — ahead of time. Some know a year in advance. And they list it on a calendar for all to see: The Media Calendar.

For instance, I’m writing this article in May. I’ll bet you $50 dollars Martha Stewart Living magazine knows what stories they’ll have in their October, November, and December issues. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have some of the holiday stories (Halloween, Thanksgiving, maybe even Christmas) completed now.

I bet you another $50 Oprah knows today, in May, who her special guests will be in the Fall season when her talk show returns from the summer hiatus.

Create A Media Calendar For Your Or Your Client’s Blog

Run your blog like a magazine. This way you know ahead of time what you’re going to write about. It will give you structure and reduce your headaches.

At the PR agency we had a shoe designer as a client. Our job was to get them as much ink in the press as possible. With the media calendar from a fashion magazine or footwear trade journal, for instance, we knew that the publications planned a special summer issue.

With that information the agency worked hard at pitching the editors, in February, about a possible “Chic Summer Sandals” story for their June issue.

Using A Calendar And Planning What You’re Going To Blog About Allows Your Subconscious To Do A Lot Of Work For You

If you’re new to blogging use the change in seasons and holiday events to start stimulating your subconscious.

List them out and brainstorm ideas on how to weave these events with your product or service, no matter how silly it appears. Then leave it alone and do something else and let your subconscious fill-in the gaps.

As an example, if you sell marketing or online copywriting services you could use the upcoming 4th of July as a story starter. It may feel like a stretch, but your subconscious will help you, even while you sleep.

Here’s what my subconscious came up with … “Even back in the seventeen-hundreds Americans were using Web 2.0 and online social networking fundamentals to create viral-marketing-like results. It was so effective that the viral effect grew to a fever pitch and led to America’s independence from Britain.”

Often, You’ll End Up With Too Much Information

Once your subconscious is on a roll you’ll probably end up with too many ideas to pack into one article. That’s great!

Break it up into an ongoing series. It works for TV, like the hit show “24″. They take a one-hour story and stretch into 24 one-hour episodes. Genius!

The Calendar Is A Guide And Is As Flexible As You Want It To Be

A News Flash often interrupts “regularly scheduled” programming on TV, radio, magazines, and newspapers.

What’s great about the blog format is that the production schedule is short — maybe even instant. You can take advantage of any Late Breaking News and plug it in mid-stream and keep your blog fresh and in the micro-moment.

Heck, you could have done a “What The Swine Flu Can Teach You About Viral Marketing” and been a hero to all your customers and prospective clients.

When Your Blog Becomes Successful

You’ll have a media calendar already established. You can share it with new bloggers you hire, use it as a point of reference for guest contributors, and use it as your basic blueprint on how you’re going to manage your Blog Empire. Check out this little blog co-founded by Arianna Huffington that turned into an online juggernaut.

What suggestions do you have for keeping a blog production rolling full steam ahead? Tell me about it in the comment section below.

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Read more from the AWAI’s (American Writers & Artists, Inc) Wealthy Web Writers letters:

Add Social Media To Your Marketing Toolbox

Social Media Marketing: Proven or Unproven Method?

Poor Man’s SEO: How I got on Google’s first page

Happy 4th of July

Freedom and Independence
Come With Great Responsibility

If you’ve never read the declaration, you should. As a marketing
copywriter I appreciate its simple, yet powerful language. You can
read it here:

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm

I’m thinking of starting an annual family tradition. Reading the
Declaration of Independence out loud and remembering that each one
of the signers volunteered to put a target on their head when they
signed it.

Freedom and Independence comes with great responsibility.

You can look through the profiles of each of the signers here:

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/index.htm

And if you’re feeling especially independent, read through the
original ten amendments of the Bill of Rights. The first thought
that came to my mind was, who’s idea was it to complicate things?

http://www.ushistory.org/documents/amendments.htm

Happy 4th of July

Social Media Marketing: Proven or Unproven Method?

** This post originally appeared here http://www.awaionline.com/2009/05/social-media-marketing-proven-or-unproven-method/

In the last edition I mentioned that marketing through social media is a very new approach. No one really knows whether it’s an effective marketing method, yet.

Let me clarify.

Social media doesn’t have a framework that can be applied, by various businesses, to generate predictable results.

For instance, TV infomercials are darn expensive to produce. I heard that it could cost $200,000 to get an infomercial to the audience testing stage – before buying airtime!

Yet, there is a method used in that medium that generates huge profits. Blogs, had a lack of respect just a few years ago. But the pioneers cracked the code and today there’s a methodology that business can employ to make a blog a practical marketing tool.

I’m not implying that everyone who uses a proven marketing method experiences instant success. Nor am I implying that everyone executes the same method in the exact same manner.

I do mean to say that a proven marketing method, or marketing media, is one that has a body of successful case studies, which is often repeated by dissimilar businesses.

In other words – it just works. And you’d be considered a prudent businessperson to consider it and invest in it.

Social Media Doesn’t Have a Body of Success Yet, But …

On a practical matter, you may want to stake your claim with social media because you have a pioneering spirit and don’t mind a bloody nose to crack the code for the rest of us. Or, perhaps, you realize that social media is the trend and clients are prepared to pay you to manage their online social media ambitions … today.

Who Am I To Stop You?

If anything, I’d like to help you. Below is a checklist that’ll help you establish a good social media marketing foundation – for yourself or your web copywriting clients. It’ll save you time and give you direction and hopefully keep you from wandering aimlessly through cyberspace.

• Have a Website ready. Members of social media sites are nosy. Give them your website and invite them into your world. Many will check it out. Use your online copywriting skills to engage them, ask them to opt-in to your list, and possibly convert them into paying customers on the spot.

• Have a Blog ready. Share your blog posts with your social media connections. It gives you another reason to invite them to your world, plus your connections will share it with others and expand your reach.

• Search Keywords Within The Social Site. Websites like Twitter and Facebook allow you to search for other people using a keyword. This function helps you sift through the millions of registered users and better target your market within the site.For example, if you or your client sells outdoor paving stones, try outdoor paving stones as your first keyword search. Anyone who mentions that phrase in a post, or has it on his profile may come up as a search result and would be someone you’d want to connect with.

• Invite Your In-house List To Join You. Today, the gross number of connections you have on a social media site lends credibility. Yes, size matters. So, if you can bulk up your numbers, do it. It may convince other potential contacts, and strangers, to connect with you, too.Besides, you can bet that many people on your in-house list are already registered on the better-known social media sites like MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter. Facebook alone, reports 200 Million members. That’s more than the total population of Japan – 127 Million!

• Join Groups Within That Site. Similar to using a keyword search to better target individuals, you can join groups to better target through affinity.There are two ways to go about it. One, choose a group where you can network with your peers. Two, choose groups where your best clients hang out.As an example, if you sell outdoor paving stones you can join the Professional Paving Stone Distributors Group and/or join the Home Gardening Group.

• Create Your Own Group. Start your own group within the site and make it related to your business. This takes a bit more time, but …If you sell outdoor paving stones, why not start a Do-It-Yourself Landscaping group. This would put you on top of the pyramid and give you more recognition, exposure, and credibility. Plus, it can become a niche P.R. machine.

• Play Around With Posting/Comment Ratios. That is to say, questions, posts, and comments that are helpful, fun, or interesting equal 80% of your posts. Versus straight pitches (that lead to your squeeze page, sales page, website, or personal blog) which equal 20% of your posts.The importance to understand here is that too much pitching tends to turn people off (as can happen in ezine/auto-responder promotions).On the other side of the spectrum, though, if you’re too cute and fluffy with all your posts and comments – you’re not doing your job.You’ll have to test it and find a happy medium.

• Play around with this idea too. Reveal a slightly different persona on each social media site. Each site has it’s own personality. Linkedin is more professional. Twitter is much more informal. Would you behave and speak about the same things in a boardroom meeting as you would at a backyard BBQ?

This list is not the final word on social media marketing, that’s still being written. As a web copywriter, I hope you can see the income opportunities available just to help a client reach a basic social media foundation: a Website, a blog, starting and building a new group …

I believe, and I think you do too, that it’s dumb to argue the theoretical merits of marketing with social media. It works! It doesn’t work! So What!

Let others bicker, while you rake up all the online marketing and copywriting cash.

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Read more from the AWAI’s (American Writers & Artists, Inc) Wealthy Web Writers letters:

Add Social Media To Your Marketing Toolbox

What a PR agency can teach you about writing blogs

Poor Man’s SEO: How I got on Google’s first page

Add Social Media to Your Marketing Toolbox

** This post originally appeared here http://www.awaionline.com/2009/05/add-social-media-to-your-marketing-toolbox/

Old Man Guru says: Using Social Media sites like MySpace or Twitter to market your business is as dumb as image advertising.

Che Guevara Yogi Guru says: Social Media is revolutionary!

Full Disclosure: I use social media, but think it’s the online equivalent of the office water cooler. A place where too many people idle their time away. I also feel that arguing the merits of social media in marketing is moronic. I’ll explain in a moment.

First, let me tell you that I’ve been conducting personal research on the effectiveness of social media in building a business, increasing sales, and actual ROI on money – or time – invested …

I asked a simple, “How’s it working for you?” Out of my 2,000 friends, spread across the World Wide Galaxy, only two people gave me a useful response. Hmm … the research is ongoing.

To be fair, I had twelve total responses. Except for the two mentioned above, the others were pitches to buy something, or to take a look at a squeeze page for help.

I’m Not Ready To Give Up On The Virtual Water Cooler, Yet

Despite explosive growth and hundreds of millions of registered users (Facebook alone, reports 200 Million members) I believe social media is still a baby and may prove to be revolutionary, in the future.

Why Is It Moronic To Argue Social Media’s Merits?

For two reasons:

Reason #1 You’re going to add social media (if you already haven’t done so) to your marketing bag of tricks, no matter what others say …

You — like Christopher Columbus and Marco Polo — are a pioneer and don’t mind getting beat up to clear a path for the rest of us

God bless you …

I remember, not too long ago, that blogs (ahem, web logs) didn’t get any respect. But the blog pioneers spent hundreds of thousands of man-hours and millions of dollars, plus pure grit, and discovered how to bend the blog to their will and make it work.

Today, online copywriters and marketers have them to thank for creating effective blogging benchmarks. For instance …

• Post often
• Use keywords in the copy
• Write a good title
• Write in your personal voice
• and many more …

Social media isn’t there yet. But, you may be the pioneer that climbs this mountain — Because It’s There.

Everyone will thank you for showing the rest of us how to make boatloads of cash for online clients and web-based businesses — in a predictable and methodical manner.

Reason #2 You wanna get paid to manage social media campaigns for clients

Halleluiah!

It doesn’t matter what any of the guru’s think — the engraved truth is that social media is the trend! The trend is your friend so, go with the flow …

Social media, the posting, responding, engaging, research, and pitching eats up time and requires solid online copywriting to execute. Clients need a hand and are willing to hire a web copywriter to do the handiwork.

And just in case you’re a social media hater … Would you turn down a bus bench or billboard ad because it goes against your online-direct-response-marketing-dogma? No you wouldn’t!

You’d charge well for your expertise and time. Do the best job you can. Make a new client. AND THEN consult the client on the Jedi ways of online direct response marketing.

Wealthy Web Writing Guru says: Allow others to argue social media marketing merits — while you mint your own coin.

But what if you’re new to social media? No problem. In my next edition I’m going to give you a checklist that’ll help you establish a good social media foundation. It’ll save you time and give you direction to achieve your, or your clients, social media goals.

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Read more from the AWAI’s (American Writers & Artists, Inc) Wealthy Web Writers letters:

Social Media Marketing: Proven or Unproven Method?

What a PR agency can teach you about writing blogs

Poor Man’s SEO: How I got on Google’s first page

Short Copywriting Sells Very Ordinary Products

Part 4 of 4:

Strong Copywriting Improves Your Response Rate And Your Chances For a Sale

Making a sale using a short format, or in a small amount of space, or in a few words is hard. The challenge of limited space, and also limited time, appears in many areas of marketing: post cards, classified ads, PPC ads, packaging, catalog copy, emails, radio ads, and more.

If you find yourself in this situation remember to know your market and know what their hot buttons are. Let’s take a look at an example I found in a store recently.

Have you ever been frustrated by teaching a kid to ride a bike?

I saw this metal pole that attaches to a kid’s bike (without training wheels) and helps you help your kid learn to ride a bike.

“How lame”, I thought. “I’m not going to spend $29.99 on a pole.” I didn’t use one to learn to ride a bike. So I’m prepared to run behind my kid’s bike like my parents did…

But then I read the package copy…

Name: Balance Buddy

Package Copy: Fully adjustable

A step above bicycle training wheels

Make one of your child’s most memorable experiences the best it can be!

Fun! Easy!

Quote: “My child learned to ride in less than 15 MINUTES!” – Actual customer testimonial

Graphic/picture:  A smiling mom holding the balance buddy (metal pole) behind a smiling kid on bike. Both are happy and enjoying themselves.

Package copy: Stop the hassle and frustration…

START ENJOYING

Graphic: “check mark” Parent approved

Graphic: “check mark” Toughness tested – strength tested to 300lb rider weight

Package copy: NO MORE BACK PAIN

Damn, I was sold.

No more back pain? No hassle? No frustration? Learn in 15 minutes? I want to buy one for every niece, nephew, neighbor’s kid, and schoolmate too.

This is a strong example of copywriting and knowing your market’s hot buttons. It’s also a great example to remember to Never waste an opportunity to communicate your value and benefits no matter how limited your space or time to do it in.

Want more short copy ideas?

Short copy creates exclusivity

Short copy sells complex products

Short copy can be strategic

Feel free to share your own examples in the comment area below.

Social Media: Twitter and a Blog Helps Local Business On Wheels

This is a great story on how social media is helping this local Los Angeles business, virtually.

A truck that changes location every hour in Los Angeles. A blog and Twitter account updated from New York. Mexican tacos filled with Korean BBQ. And hundreds of hungry customers who wait an hour to order… Take a listen.

Click the link (fast forward past the intro music to get to the report):

How Social Media: Twitter And A Blog Is Helping a (Korean) Taco Truck Business

Strategic Copywriting Boosts Marketing and Value

Part 3 of 4:

Can copywriting improve every aspect of your marketing, promotions, public relations, and advertising?

Yes. Especially if it’s used strategically.

You should take each and every opportunity to communicate with your market and advance your objectives — more sales, goodwill, expert status, confirming your value, staying top of mind, reminding your market you’re open for business, highlighting the fact your company is relevant.

Professional copy is the basic tool (weapon) that allows you to achieve these goals.

Here’s something interesting I found from a company that, by almost any measure, monopolizes it’s category in terms of “brain-share”: McDonald’s.

They spend billions of dollars in mass-media advertising. It looks like they also realize how valuable copywriting, on it’s own, and without the bells and whistles of TV production, radio jingles, or even fancy internet technology can further their marketing and business objectives.

On the Big Mac container (box) it is written:

1) “100% Beef”. Are they positioning that they use quality ingredients? Are they trying to infer they are a health conscious company? (compare if it said 80% Beef or 10% beef).

2) “What Makes Your Big Mac So Unique?

Maybe it’s how the double layer of sear-sizzled 100% pure beef mingles with the sauce and melty cheese, the snap of onion and the tart crunch of pickle. Or, maybe it’s just that it’s tall.”

That’s a lot of extra copy for such a small space. What it tells me is that even though they’re #1, and Big Mac is as American as apple pie, they’re working very hard to keep their position.

On the French Fry container it is written:

1) “Why are our fries the gold standard? Because only a select number of potato varieties make the cut.”

At first blush, this may seem like a simple thing (and it is). It may not seem important (perhaps not to you). When you read the copy, you may not be very impressed (that’s besides the point).

The Key: McDonald’s (a multi-billion dollar, global corporation) is working hard to stay relevant in the market place, dominate brain-share,  confirm their value, generate goodwill, and increase sales.

The good news: It is simple for you to start doing now. It is so simple in fact, your competitors turn their noses up and ignore it’s power. Let them be so dumb and suffer from their mistake.

McDonald’s realizes copywriting can in fact improve every aspect of their marketing, promotions, public relations, and advertising. And now, you do too.

Want more copywriting ideas?

Short copy creates exclusivity

Short copy sells complex products

Short copy sells ordinary products

How Short Copy Can Create Exclusitivity For Your Product Or Service

Part 2 of 3:

Use Copywriting To Create Exclusivity: A Quick Lesson

Each product and service can benefit from some level of exclusivity. Even if you deal in a commodity, you can create an exclusive or premium option of your product or service.

A Powerful Example From A Toy

Toys entertain. But they don’t save lives, they’re not intended to make life or business easier, and they can’t help a person or business earn or save more money.

Your product or service, on the other hand, probably does some of the above and is therefore more valuable than a simple toy.

Take back these examples and mix them into your own marketing.

• The most collectible doll in the world ™

“Collectible” is a good word. Something that is collectible implies exclusivity. This happens to be their trade marked tag line so they really want the corner on exclusivity.

• The cheapest doll I found here was $85. A few cost around $125.

Premium price implies premium product or service.

• Presenting the XYZ collector Gold Label Collection

“Gold Label” naming something makes it specific. Specificity can give the object weight. If it carries weight, it feels more real and believable. Which makes it easier for the customer to justify the purchase.

Also “gold” is seen as exclusive to many people because its rare and valuable. They used the word “collection” which implies collectible.

• Shown only at Toys R Us in this gilded armoire!

Powerful sentence. “Shown only” implies limited which implies exclusive.

“Gilded” – it’s gold which many desire and is rare. They want this gold effect to rub off on the dolls.

“Armoire” more specific words. They could have said case, glass case, or shelf. “Armoire” drips exclusivity compared to a plain old shelf.

• Produced in quantities less than 25, 000

“Less than” – rare and limited implies exclusive.

“25,000″ being specific again. What’s more believable? Limited supply or less than 25, 000 (for entire world)?

What doll is being sold here? Barbie of course.

Are you looking for more quick ideas for a current project check out:

Short copy sells complex products

Short copy sells ordinary products

Short copy can be strategic

Feel free to share your own examples in the comment area below.

How Short Laser Focused Copy Can Sell Complex Products

Part 1 of 4:

Space Age (Star Wars) Copywriting and Marketing

You’re in business. And in order to survive you must sell. Sell your products, sell your services, and sell your time.

Here’s a great tool to use when you’re pinched for time. It’ll help jog your memory when you’re putting together a promotion, it’s fun, and you can work off a few calories too!

As a copywriter I have a personal collection of winning sales letters, ads, email marketing, post cards, special reports, websites, etc, etc. In the business this is called a “swipe file”.

It’s important to me because it gets my marketing juices flowing and can give me current data of the marketplace.

A swipe file can take years to accumulate and organize. And each day mine gets bigger. In essence what I do with my file is go shopping.

I’ve found that shopping (or window shopping at the very least) is one of the best ways to better my selling.

I took the kids to the toy store the other day…

And I saw it. A very complex product being sold with minimal copy…

“Official replica of Yoda’s lightsaber from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones”

This one toy had many great marketing secrets that I apply in current promotions. And you can too.

• Official replica of Yoda’s lightsaber from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones: “Official” is a great word to use to make this toy more than a toy.

• $120 price tag:$120 makes this toy more exclusive and raises it’s perceived value

• Glowing bright green blade ignites with realistic power-up and power-down light effects: Active words are emotional and motivating. “Bright”, “ignites”, “power”. “Realistic” is a great word used to raise the value of this toy because there is no such thing as lightsaber, right?

• Authentic lightsaber sound effects digitally recorded from the movie: “Authentic” adds more value to the toy. “Digitally recorded”: Question – for the same money what would you rather own, a cassette tape or CD? How about  a VHS tape or a DVD? High tech (aka digitally recorded) almost always raises the perceived value of a product.

• Features four motion sensor-controlled sound effects: power-up, idle hum, clash, and power-down: Specifics (”Four”) are easier for the brain to process and therefore more believable. If your product or service is more believable your prospect will be more motivated to buy it. Strong words “control”, “power”, “clash”, “idle hum” – you can almost hear that one.

• Durable metal hilt looks and feels like a real lightsaber: This is not a toy, it’s a “real lightsaber”! And the “Durable metal hilt” means it’s built with quality in mind

• Sturdy blade is permanently attached to the hilt: “Sturdy”, “permanent” means more and more quality

• Includes specifically designed base to display your lightsaber: Always remember to include a bonus with your offer. And it doesn’t hurt to play to your prospect’s ego…. “Display” and show off your authentic lightsaber to all your friends when they come over for dinner…

In your next promotion remember to be specific, use active words, and take your product or service up a level by increasing it’s perceived value. If you’re too busy or don’t have the skill to do this on your own you can always outsource.

What great examples of marketing copy have you found while window shopping? Here are a few more you can look at…

Short copy creates exclusivity

Short copy can be strategic

Short copy sells ordinary products