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“What are
you prepared to risk to optimise your chances of internet success?”
Everybody's got something to lose with any
risk they ever take. Equally, everybody who is prepared to risk
something stands to gain so much. Life's a gamble and there's little
that's predictable or certain. That's what makes it so exciting!
So why do so many internet entrepreneurs risk so little and seem
to be so satisfied with such scant rewards? Especially when you
consider that there is a mountain of opportunity out there. And
it is there, all over the world, sitting right at the end of your
fingertips.
Want some of it? Of course you do - who wouldn't?
So why are you still doing what everybody else seems to want to
do? You're risking nothing simply by copying others. Whether it's
their copy, layout, graphic styling, headlining, offers and even
typeface - it's very likely that by following others, you're just
buying into their mistakes.
Why not do what those powerful ads command and: "challenge
everything"?
Headlines
Whoever said it was a good idea to pan people over the head with
"Secret this", "Discover that", "Unlock,
unleash, un-whatever"! I got bored just writing that, let alone
trying to read any of it. Scorn, derision and spades of scepticism
are not the results you're after!
And 36 point, 36 word headlines? Whose idea was that? On many websites
I visit, you get half the headline, in your face, in an unreadable
type size all spouting pretty much the same unhinged hyperbole.
Say goodbye - there goes your client, off to find somewhere sane
and inviting!
Take a risk. Pare the headline down to 6-10 words that challenge
the reader, wrap your arm round their shoulder and invite them into
the body copy. They're banging on your door. Now bring them in for
the sale!
Layout
Look out, there's a good layout about! Trouble is, you've got to
trawl through some awful rubbish to find it! So many layouts that
I see are so confusing! Offers here, offers there, bonus here, bonus
there, affiliate offers, early bird offers, totally unconnected
adverts - it's a visual explosion of bewildering befuddlement!
Why do it? "Everyone else seems to do it!" Every year,
Bill Gates and lots of other hugely successful entrepreneurs give
away billions of dollars to charity, ... and I don't see everyone
else doing that, do you?
Take a risk. Break the mould. Do it, differently, but just make
sure you do it brilliantly well. By that I mean do it cleverly and
simply. Walk the reader through your store. Show them everything.
Tantalise, intrigue, excite, entice and lead them gently and persuasively
to doing just what you want them to do - buy, subscribe, enlist,
enrol - it's your call, but it's their choice and, remember, it's
also their money.
Offers
A wise old gentleman once told me that you should never give away
your product or service - and don't discount it either! He was a
marketing guru, worth millions and I guess he never gave anything
away, except that he gave me a chance to become a copywriter for
his company. For that, I've been grateful ever since.
But apart from the quality of your list of customers (absolutely
vital), the offer you make is the single most important element
you have to play with.
Take a risk. Use it to your advantage. There are truckloads of books
out there about successful internet entrepreneurs who pitched a
brave offer to their eager audience. They gave something away, for
free, and yes - it was the crown jewels!
Why? Well, they knew that once a customer bought into the buying
cycle, they would be hooked ... and ready for more, usually at a
much higher price - provided that the product delivered all of the
promise it had made.
Net effect? The customer got a smashing freebie, told their friends,
blogged it and viral methods substantially increased the entrepreneur's
customer list ... with people who were hungry, eager and waiting
for the offer. Instead of sticking out for just one sale that may
or may not come, the entrepreneur took a big risk and not only doubled,
trebled or even quadrupled their earnings - their profits soared
through the roof and put their businesses on a stellar footing with
virtually an iron grip on the future.
"Challenge everything"
Risk requires that you "challenge everything". Do it differently
and you begin to make the world work the way you want it to and
the bottom line read the way that you think it should.
It isn't difficult and we all remember the story of the Pied Piper.
All the children disappeared, except the one that was different.
I don't know how that good old story ended, but the child that was
left probably grew up to become a hugely successful online entrepreneur
... and made himself a couple of fortunes!
With every best wish
John Beavis
Words that matter, from ideas that
count.
PS: If you want to
make your words sing and dance, sign up now to receive my 10 hot
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