Archive for November, 2009
5 Fabulous Ideas for Writing Fabulous Sales Letters
November 30th, 2009 | 
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Sales letters are a very effective way to get your message out. Whether you are sending out a direct letter or using email as your distribution strategy, to make your sales letter fabulous, you need to get your creative juices flowing and write something powerful that people will want to read. You must be compelling, conversational, and creative. Here are five tried and true methods for writing fabulous sales letters. Give them a try and watch your results soar.
1. The Big Question
The big question sets the stage for an answer. In your headline or in your opening paragraph, you should open up with a big and (sometimes) provocative question that gets the reader thinking and searching for those same answers. This will compel the reader to continue on in search of the answer. For example, “Have you ever wondered if there was something more to life? If I told you I had a program guaranteed to show you how to reach your goals, would you be interested?” Basic psychology tells us that when you ask a question, people will immediately try to find the answer. This creates an immediate connection with your reader and leads them to your answer – your product or service.
2. Storytelling
One of the best sales secrets out there is storytelling. When writing your sales letters, try to lead with a story that your reader can relate to. For example, when I started my business, I had no idea how to attract new clients. I was not a marketing person and wanted nothing to do with it, but I knew it was a critical element to my business. Then I purchased “Marketing 101” and instantly, my fears disappeared. I gained instant peace of mind, attracted new clients and watched my profits soar. The goal is to write a story that the readers want to hear- one that relates to their situation and creates empathy.
3. Free Offer
People love certain words and free is one of them. Offer your readers something free right up front and they will feel compelled to continue reading out of obligation. Although your offer is free, it is understood that you are offering it in exchange for them reading your letter. For example, on my own website, “Would you like a free 5 part miniseries on entrepreneurism? Then just go to www.kelliedandrea.com.”
4. Personal Testimonial
Another good technique is to connect right away with a personal testimonial from somebody your reader knows. For example, your friend James recommended we contact you because he thought our product would be helpful to you to reach your goals. If you operate a referral program, this is extremely easy. Just be sure to capture the names and the connections and once the reader sees the name of someone they know, the letter makes a strong personal connection.
5. Problem Identifier
Fear is a powerful emotion and the advertising industry has been using this as a powerful marketing tool for years. By creating a sales message that produces a fear in your readers, they will be more compelled to continue reading in hopes of finding a solution to that fear. For example, “Did you know that home values have dropped by 72%? Where is your security?” If you are in the financial services business, this may be an effective way to create fear and motivate your reader to purchase your products.
The overall objective to a sales letter is to “hook” your reader to take action. You have less than 3 seconds to grab their attention and less than 30 seconds after that for them to decide whether they will read, skim or dispose of your letter. You must take every action possible in order to keep your readers interested and these 5 methods are excellent was to do so.
©Kellie D’Andrea & Associates
Posted in Business Tips, Kellie D'Andrea, Meet The Readers, Sales | 
Tags: business, ideas, letters, Sales, sales letters | 
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Get a Professional Headshot!
If you are building a business and your business involves you interacting with the public, get a professional headshot. Not one that your cousin Vinny took at the last wedding you attended. No matter what business you are in, a professional picture can help your customers resonate with you plus with social media being so prevalent (Facebook, Linked In, Twitter) you want to make sure you are sending the right message. Not happy with your skin tone, your weight or the whiteness of your teeth – no problem, have them fixed. If your photographer doesn’t handle it, go to www.fotofix.com and for a few bucks, they can fix it for you!
Kellie’s Top Ten Free Marketing Tools
Who doesn’t love the word FREE and in today’s economy, free is a very good deal. Through in some truly great products and resources
and you have the ingredients for marketing bliss. If you’re on a budget (or just really smart), you’ll love my picks for great marketing tools that cost absolutely nothing:
What it is: Email marketing and mailing list system and it is free for up to 500 subscribers. As the Ezine Mentor, I believe that email marketing is the best way to manage your list, stay in touch and review results.
2. http://www.surveymonkey.com/
What it is: Online survey tool that is customizable so you can create online surveys to query your customers, prospects or simply to gather market intelligence from your niche. Free up to 100 survey participants.
What it is: Electronic distribution of files is critical in business and here you can instantly convert documents into PDFs.
What it is: Create your own Blog. Having a voice on the web, via a blog, is a great marketing tool to express your thoughts, build a community and share your expertise.
5. http://www.freeconferencecall.com/
What it is: Free conference (bridge) line to host a conference call, a teleclass or seminar. Free up to 100 on the line and you are provided a dedicated phone number to easily set up a conference call whenever you need to.
6. http://www.google.com/analytics/
What it is: Free alert system. See what other websites and bloggers are saying about you and your products not to mention setting up an alert to see what your competition is up to. Remember it’s about keeping the edge.
7. http://www.ezinearticles.com/
What it is: Article directory where you can post your articles for free. Article marketing is one of the fastest ways to build your brand, establish your expertise and build back links to your website or blog. Not to mention a great place for content should you need additional content.
What it is: Voice over IP (or VOIP). VoIP turns your computer into a phone and allows you to set up for instant messaging, video chatting, and member-to-member calling including international.
What it is: Put up your own website or blog for FREE! Weebly is a Website builder and host and simple to use with drop and drag functionality. You can upgrade for additional services for a minimum fee, but you cannot beat FREE to get started right away.
10. http://www.kelliedandrea.com
What it is: 5 part mini course on becoming an empowered entrepreneur. Learn about the 5 stages a business goes thru and the right mindset an entrepreneur must have to be a success. Plus you will get FREE marketing tips each week from The Marketing Edge Newsletter distributed weekly.
“Integrity: The Most Misunderstood Word!”
The word “integrity” is the most overused and misunderstood word in business. Many claim to have the upmost highest level of integrity when it comes to serving their customers, respecting their service partners and treatment of their employees but very few really know what the word means. By definition, integrity means “a steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code” so the question that comes to mind is whose moral or ethical code? Yours? Your parents? Society? Your religion? Your friends? The list could go on and on.
Having integrity is doing what you believe to be true and moral based upon the ethical code you have chosen to adopt in your life. All of the experiences you have had and all of the influences you have met, how you were raised and the religion you follow are all part of the composition of your ethical code. Integrity is the developed by making the right choices that support your ethical code consistently and without waiver. Integrity is something you have even when others are not looking.
Many successful people are successful because they have integrity. It is through integrity that you develop trusting relationships. And it is because of trusting relationships that good business is formed. Integrity is one of the easiest qualities to detect, or to detect the lack of in people you meet. Once you become familiar with a person’s actions and the choices they make, you will begin to anticipate their integrity level. When you act with integrity on a consistent basis, your actions become more predictable and your behaviors can be anticipated by others.
Integrity is one of the most sought after qualities by customers, business partners and employers so what can you do to ensure your actions are communicating a high level of integrity?
1. Know Your Beliefs
Understand what makes you tick. What beliefs do you hold as true and as right? Before you can act with integrity, you must first understand your limits and your beliefs and the actions that you would take when those beliefs are challenged.
2. Be Consistent to Your Beliefs
Integrity is about consistency and holding true to you not matter what the risk. It is about creating predictable behavior that not only you but others will begin to rely upon and depend. Don’t waiver in your actions and hold true to your beliefs each and every time.
3. Don’t Lie or Exaggerate
Integrity is about creating trust and lying is always associated with lack of integrity, even if you feel the lie is justified. When you are honest and true, your integrity will shine and draw others to you.
4. Stay True to Your Values
Sometimes we are easily influenced by others and our beliefs are challenged. We often find ourselves on the edge with a choice to go right or go left. To have integrity means to stay true to your values and your beliefs.
In order to succeed, you must not only have drive and ambition, but you must also act with integrity at all times. In the words of President Eisenhower “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionable integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army on in an office”.
Posted in Branding, Business Tips, Kellie D'Andrea, Lifestyle, Loyalty, Self Publish, Starting Your Business |
Tags: business, Loyalty, success, values |
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BLAST Tip: Get a Professional Photograph
One of the easiest lessons I can teach you about positioning is the importance of a professional head shot. Too often, I see business owners who are on social media sites or using photos for press releases, articles or seminars and they use a photo their spouse took at the wedding they just attended and I want to cringe.
If you are building a business and your business involves you interacting with the public, get a professional head shot. Not one that your cousin Vinny took at the last wedding you attended. No matter what business you are in, a professional picture can help your customers resonate with you plus with social media being so prevalent (Facebook, Linked In, Twitter) you want to make sure you are sending the right message. Not happy with your skin tone, your weight or the whiteness of your teeth – no problem, have them fixed.
If your photographer doesn’t handle it, go to www.fotofix.com and for a few bucks, they can fix it for you!
Kellie D'Andrea is CEO of Kellie D'Andrea & Associates, LLC., a company devoted to empowering motivated entrepreneurs to reach their goals and to build a business that yields results by providing them the tools for success.
