In the late '80s, an infomercial was shot for a product that everybody *should* have: a video designed to help parents talk to their teenagers about drugs. It was such an appealing project that everyone wanted to help with it. It was hosted by Nancy Reagan; it was nothing less than a beautifully-produced, inspiring infomercial about making America a better place for kids.
They bought the airtime and ran the show. Guess how many orders they got?
Dan Kennedy, who helped write the script, reports:
Zero.
Nobody wanted to buy a video about talking to their kids about drugs. Nancy Reagan couldn't convince 'em, Hollywood couldn't convince them, and a team of professional copywriters couldn't convince 'em.
Why?
Because it was prevention, not cure. It was too easy to think, "I'm going to mention this to the next-door neighbors, because THEIR son is waaaay out of control. My kids would never take drugs."
It's hard to sell virtue and goodness in and of itself. That's why there are so many novels about murder, mayhem, lust, betrayal and hell, and so few about goodness, hope, utopia and heaven. I'm not degrading the goodness of prevention. But if you want to sell it, it's much easier to sell it as part of a cure than trying to convince someone who's never had the problem in the first place.
I like carpet-cleaning expert Joe Polish's view of this. He insists that however hard you trumpet the fact that you can kill carpet mites and take toxins and allergens out of your house, the real reason that Suzy Jones calls a carpet cleaner is that she's got company coming and she doesn't want her friends to see the spot where Uncle Ned puked.
So Suzy's going to have the carpet cleaned before the party, not after. After would actually be prevention. Before is cure.
Original Source: Perry Marshall
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Friday, October 14, 2005
Simple Changes That Explode Your Response Rate
By Alli Ross StickyArticle.com
A recent study by Nielsen/NetRatings reported that Amazon.com converts 12.8% of its visitors into sales. Now, why does Amazon have such high conversion rates while the majority of sites on the internet are only obtaining about a 1% conversion rate? It's simple. Amazon invests lots of time and effort into improving their conversion rate. They know that small changes to a web site can make huge impacts to your bottom line. Below are some simple changes that can make a dramatic difference in your own profits.
Headline
A change in your headline alone can produce a 1,900% increase in your income. This is one of the most crucial parts of your sales page and can pull in 80% of the orders if done correctly. Your headline should concentrate on the biggest benefit of your product. In addition, it should create enough curiosity to compel the reader into the sales copy.
One of the most powerful words in sales copy is the word "you". This is also true for headlines. Using the word "you" or "your" in your headline and sales copy transfers ownership and makes your writing much more personal.
Color of Your Background
The color of your background is a very simple change that can raise your sales by up to 30%. The most effective color is dark blue, but grey, black, and white also work pretty well. All aspects of your sales letter must be tested because different market segments respond differently.
Audio Marketing
Adding audio to your order page could catapult your sales by 437%. Audio makes your message much more personal and adds to your credibility. People also like to associate a face with a voice. Place a small picture above your recording and see how this affects your sales conversions.
Pop-Ups
Pop-ups are a powerful tool for collecting the email addresses of potential customers. It is also a good way to catch your visitors by the tail before they leave your site. You don't want any of your web site visitors to go to waste. So, before they leave, grab them with a pop-up. With a pop up you can introduce them to your other products, subscribe them to your newsletter, or find out why they didn't buy your product. It is crucial to know exactly what your visitors are looking for. When you know what your targeted visitors want, you can target your marketing and catapult your conversion rates.
Font Colors
Colors play a big part in online marketing. You can crank up your conversion rate by using red font for your heading and subheadings. Yellow highlighting can also rev up your response rates. Make sure that your copy is fast and fun. Use yellow highlighting, underlining, and bolding for things that you want to emphasize. All readers on the internet are scanners. Your sales letter will not be read word for word. Because of this, you must make sure that your most important points stand out.
Number and Text of Your Order Buttons
Long sales letters have proven to be the best for online sales letters because they limit a visitor's navigation choices, they are focused on one product, and they provide potential customers with every bit of information they could want about a product. However, if you only have one order button at the very end of your sales page, you are probably losing out on a number of sales. The key is to place multiple button links that direct the user to the order page. Place a red border around your order buttons to increase your conversion rates, but remember to keep testing. You never know when you might hit upon something that doubles your profits.
Another important factor influencing click-through rate is what text you use for your order buttons. Some of the most effective text that have been used on the internet are below.
Click here to order
Click here to grab your copy of _____________
There are so many sites that still do not include a call to action. You must clearly explain to your visitors what you want them to do. Marketers have proven that you will increase your sales by at least 80% simply by asking for the order.
Newsletters / Autoresponders
Unfortunately, not everyone that comes to your site will be ready to buy. Actually, this is usually 90% or more of the visitors that arrive at your site. However, to be successful, you must be able to stay in contact with potential customers. In order to do this you must capture their email address by offering a newsletter or autoresponder. You can do this through a pop-up or subscription form. Some of the best places for a subscription form include the top-left hand of your sales page and the very bottom of your sales copy.
Limited Choices Limit your visitors to a single choice. Your sales page should have one main goal: to sell one, individual product. You may have a secondary purpose of subscribing visitors to your newsletter, but this is not the main point of the page. The more choices you give people to surf around your site, the more confused they become and many will often just click away to somewhere else. By focusing your potential customers, you can crank up your conversion rates.
Web Site Copy
* Strong testimonials can increase your sales by a phenomenal 250%. Gaining credibility is crucial on the internet where there are no sales reps on hand to talk to personally. When your visitors see that other people have risked doing business with you and have been pleased with the results, you gain trust that cannot be bought. However, when lost, it is nearly impossible to gain back.
For a testimonial to be effective, it must contain the following elements:
* A good testimonial is descriptive! Avoid using one and two word testimonials. People will be much more influenced by longer testimonials that contain solid numbers and facts about the benefits they experienced.
* List the customer's full name, business name, and URL.
* Do NOT edit your testimonials. This is an unethical practice. However, correcting the spelling would be acceptable.
So, how do you go about collecting these powerful testimonials? There are a couple of options. You may ask current customers for testimonials. Many times, you may have many very happy customers who just never really thought about sending in a testimonial. They are very likely to be responsive if you approach them and explain to them how both of you stand to benefit.
Another option is to give a couple of your products away for free in exchange for a testimonial. This has proven to be very effective in some cases. Nevertheless, be sure to incorporate testimonials into your overall marketing plan. Research has shown that they work best when placed right below the headline.
A strong guarantee helps alleviate any anxiety the customer may be feeling about ordering from you. Your guarantee shows that you have confidence in what you are selling.
Did you know that the longer your guarantee is for, the fewer returns you will receive? This is a simple solution that will increase your bottom line and reduce the headache of filing returns. So go ahead and give your customers a one year guarantee. If you want to gain their trust even further and lower your return rate, give them a lifetime guarantee. Remember, your first-time customer is often worth much more than just their initial purchase. Your current customers are the most valuable sources of repeat sales. Always keep this in mind when marketing to a lifetime customer.
No matter what you are selling online, you can increase your conversion rates by using pictures of your products. This is especially true for ebooks.
People are visual. A three-dimensional picture of your product can:
* Increase your pageviews by 300%
* Increase actions (clickthroughs, downloads, responses, signups, subscriptions, telephone calls, emails, and sales!) by 200%.
* Increase time spent at your site by 50%. Any time people stay longer at your site, your chances of making the sale are higher.
Another important feature of a good sales page are bonuses. A bonus that is related to your product increases the perceived value of your offering. People are always looking to get more bang for their buck. A bonus can be one of your best source for closing the sale.
By making the bonus a "limited time offer", you create a sense of urgency. Anticipation is one of the most powerful tools in online marketing. When used appropriately, it can drastically increase your response rate.
You are now coming near the end of your sales letter. Add some personalization with a handwritten P.S. Some online marketers even use a P.S.S. and a P.S.S.S. Test a combination to see what works best for you.
Now it's your turn to put these strategies to the test. If you decide not to, you will lose out on thousands of dollars. Think about it....
You make a few changes to your headline: 1,900% increase in income.
You use dark blue or black for your background: bump your sales by 30%.
You add audio to your order page: Your sales shoot up by 437%.
You ask for the order and place multiple links to your order page: boost your sales by 319%.
In that short list you've already multiplied your profits by over 2,500%
I challenge you to test and track to make it even better.
About The Author
Alli Ross is the marketing chick at StickyArticle.com, where you can submit your
articles for free exposure.
A recent study by Nielsen/NetRatings reported that Amazon.com converts 12.8% of its visitors into sales. Now, why does Amazon have such high conversion rates while the majority of sites on the internet are only obtaining about a 1% conversion rate? It's simple. Amazon invests lots of time and effort into improving their conversion rate. They know that small changes to a web site can make huge impacts to your bottom line. Below are some simple changes that can make a dramatic difference in your own profits.
Headline
A change in your headline alone can produce a 1,900% increase in your income. This is one of the most crucial parts of your sales page and can pull in 80% of the orders if done correctly. Your headline should concentrate on the biggest benefit of your product. In addition, it should create enough curiosity to compel the reader into the sales copy.
One of the most powerful words in sales copy is the word "you". This is also true for headlines. Using the word "you" or "your" in your headline and sales copy transfers ownership and makes your writing much more personal.
Color of Your Background
The color of your background is a very simple change that can raise your sales by up to 30%. The most effective color is dark blue, but grey, black, and white also work pretty well. All aspects of your sales letter must be tested because different market segments respond differently.
Audio Marketing
Adding audio to your order page could catapult your sales by 437%. Audio makes your message much more personal and adds to your credibility. People also like to associate a face with a voice. Place a small picture above your recording and see how this affects your sales conversions.
Pop-Ups
Pop-ups are a powerful tool for collecting the email addresses of potential customers. It is also a good way to catch your visitors by the tail before they leave your site. You don't want any of your web site visitors to go to waste. So, before they leave, grab them with a pop-up. With a pop up you can introduce them to your other products, subscribe them to your newsletter, or find out why they didn't buy your product. It is crucial to know exactly what your visitors are looking for. When you know what your targeted visitors want, you can target your marketing and catapult your conversion rates.
Font Colors
Colors play a big part in online marketing. You can crank up your conversion rate by using red font for your heading and subheadings. Yellow highlighting can also rev up your response rates. Make sure that your copy is fast and fun. Use yellow highlighting, underlining, and bolding for things that you want to emphasize. All readers on the internet are scanners. Your sales letter will not be read word for word. Because of this, you must make sure that your most important points stand out.
Number and Text of Your Order Buttons
Long sales letters have proven to be the best for online sales letters because they limit a visitor's navigation choices, they are focused on one product, and they provide potential customers with every bit of information they could want about a product. However, if you only have one order button at the very end of your sales page, you are probably losing out on a number of sales. The key is to place multiple button links that direct the user to the order page. Place a red border around your order buttons to increase your conversion rates, but remember to keep testing. You never know when you might hit upon something that doubles your profits.
Another important factor influencing click-through rate is what text you use for your order buttons. Some of the most effective text that have been used on the internet are below.
Click here to order
Click here to grab your copy of _____________
There are so many sites that still do not include a call to action. You must clearly explain to your visitors what you want them to do. Marketers have proven that you will increase your sales by at least 80% simply by asking for the order.
Newsletters / Autoresponders
Unfortunately, not everyone that comes to your site will be ready to buy. Actually, this is usually 90% or more of the visitors that arrive at your site. However, to be successful, you must be able to stay in contact with potential customers. In order to do this you must capture their email address by offering a newsletter or autoresponder. You can do this through a pop-up or subscription form. Some of the best places for a subscription form include the top-left hand of your sales page and the very bottom of your sales copy.
Limited Choices Limit your visitors to a single choice. Your sales page should have one main goal: to sell one, individual product. You may have a secondary purpose of subscribing visitors to your newsletter, but this is not the main point of the page. The more choices you give people to surf around your site, the more confused they become and many will often just click away to somewhere else. By focusing your potential customers, you can crank up your conversion rates.
Web Site Copy
* Strong testimonials can increase your sales by a phenomenal 250%. Gaining credibility is crucial on the internet where there are no sales reps on hand to talk to personally. When your visitors see that other people have risked doing business with you and have been pleased with the results, you gain trust that cannot be bought. However, when lost, it is nearly impossible to gain back.
For a testimonial to be effective, it must contain the following elements:
* A good testimonial is descriptive! Avoid using one and two word testimonials. People will be much more influenced by longer testimonials that contain solid numbers and facts about the benefits they experienced.
* List the customer's full name, business name, and URL.
* Do NOT edit your testimonials. This is an unethical practice. However, correcting the spelling would be acceptable.
So, how do you go about collecting these powerful testimonials? There are a couple of options. You may ask current customers for testimonials. Many times, you may have many very happy customers who just never really thought about sending in a testimonial. They are very likely to be responsive if you approach them and explain to them how both of you stand to benefit.
Another option is to give a couple of your products away for free in exchange for a testimonial. This has proven to be very effective in some cases. Nevertheless, be sure to incorporate testimonials into your overall marketing plan. Research has shown that they work best when placed right below the headline.
A strong guarantee helps alleviate any anxiety the customer may be feeling about ordering from you. Your guarantee shows that you have confidence in what you are selling.
No matter what you are selling online, you can increase your conversion rates by using pictures of your products. This is especially true for ebooks.
People are visual. A three-dimensional picture of your product can:
* Increase your pageviews by 300%
* Increase actions (clickthroughs, downloads, responses, signups, subscriptions, telephone calls, emails, and sales!) by 200%.
* Increase time spent at your site by 50%. Any time people stay longer at your site, your chances of making the sale are higher.
Another important feature of a good sales page are bonuses. A bonus that is related to your product increases the perceived value of your offering. People are always looking to get more bang for their buck. A bonus can be one of your best source for closing the sale.
By making the bonus a "limited time offer", you create a sense of urgency. Anticipation is one of the most powerful tools in online marketing. When used appropriately, it can drastically increase your response rate.
You are now coming near the end of your sales letter. Add some personalization with a handwritten P.S. Some online marketers even use a P.S.S. and a P.S.S.S. Test a combination to see what works best for you.
Now it's your turn to put these strategies to the test. If you decide not to, you will lose out on thousands of dollars. Think about it....
You make a few changes to your headline: 1,900% increase in income.
You use dark blue or black for your background: bump your sales by 30%.
You add audio to your order page: Your sales shoot up by 437%.
You ask for the order and place multiple links to your order page: boost your sales by 319%.
In that short list you've already multiplied your profits by over 2,500%
I challenge you to test and track to make it even better.
About The Author
Alli Ross is the marketing chick at StickyArticle.com, where you can submit your
articles for free exposure.
Monday, October 03, 2005
Chasing the Search Engines' Algorithms... Should You or Shouldn't You?
By Robin Nobles
It's a common occurrence. SEOs often spend countless hours trying to 'break" a search engine's algorithm.
"If I could just crack Google's algo, my pages would soar to the top of the rankings!"
Let's look at some flaws in this way of thinking.
1. Picture the Google engineers and tech folks turning the algo dial as soon as you "think" you have "cracked" the algo. Your rankings may fall, and you would have to figure out what's working with the engine right now. In other words, your rankings may never be long term.
2. Instead of spending all of this time trying to impress a search engine with a perfect page, why not impress your true target audience... your customers. Has Google, MSN, or Yahoo! Search ever bought anything from you? They're not your target audience. Your customers are your target audience. Write your pages and content for them.
3. When you expend so much of your energy chasing algorithms, you often focus on only a few elements that influence ranking those elements that are working right now and that you hope will give your pages the best chance for success. It is said that Google has over 100 ranking elements that influence ranking and relevancy. Some are more important than others. But focusing on just one or two "main" elements and discounting the rest can prove disastrous to a Web site.
A different approach . . .
Wouldn't you rather achieve top rankings and keep them there, and have those rankings equate to sales and money in your back pocket?
After all, isn't it ultimately the sales you're after, as opposed to just the rankings? If those rankings don't equate to traffic that equates to sales, you lose, any way you look at it.
Five Basic Steps for Achieving Top Rankings without Chasing Algorithms
1. Forget about the search engines. Yes, you heard me correctly. The search engines aren't and never will be your "ideal target audience." They don't buy your goods and services. They're not who you should be trying to please with your Web pages and site. Instead, write your Web page content for your target audience.
2. Don't ever forget the basics. No matter what's happening in the algorithms, continue using your main keyword phrase prominently in your title tag, META description and keyword tags, link text, body, heading tags, and so forth. That way, when the algo dial is turned, you won't have to make changes to all of your pages. You'll always be ready.
3. Focus your keyword-containing tags and body text on one keyword phrase only. Each page should be focused on one keyword phrase, and each page should have its own unique tags.
4. Write well-crafted content for your Web pages, and add new content on a regular basis. If content is king, context is queen. Focus on your keyword phrase, synonyms and related words, and surrounding text. Use a program like ThemeMaster if you need help determining those supporting words.
5. Remember that both on-page and off-page factors are important. Don't sacrifice one for the other. On-page factors are your tags, body text, prominence, relevance, etc. Off-page factors are link popularity (quality and number of your inbound links) and link reputation (what those inbound links "say" about your Web page when they link to you).
What about search engine research? Isn't it important?
It's crucial.
Let me give you an example. At the beginning of this year, pages began falling out of Google's index. The forums were alive with speculation and what to do about it.
Through research, we determined this was a compliancy issue. By having compliant code, the search engine spiders are more easily able to spider the content.
The solution? Make sure you use a DOCTYPE tag and an ISO Character Set Statement at the top of every Web page.
For example:
Research helps to make sure you remain on top of what's happening in the search engine industry. It's what sets you apart from other SEOs. You make your decisions based on research and facts, versus speculation and theory.
In Conclusion...
"Take it from someone who has been in this business for nine years and studies the algorithms closely - don't chase the algorithms. You say that you have a #2 ranking for a certain keyword phrase that alone is bringing your site 550 visitors per day? Great. In the time that you have spent gaining that ranking, I have written 285 pages of unique content, obtained 821 links, etc., and collectively I am getting over 1,300 visitors per day," says Jerry West of WebMarketingNow.
In other words, by focusing on more than just chasing algorithms, you have the potential of having a much more successful Web site.
About The Author
Robin Nobles conducts live SEO workshops in locations across North America. She also teaches online SEO training and offers the Workshop Resource Center, a networking community for SEOs. Localized SEO training is being offered through the Search Engine Academy.
It's a common occurrence. SEOs often spend countless hours trying to 'break" a search engine's algorithm.
"If I could just crack Google's algo, my pages would soar to the top of the rankings!"
Let's look at some flaws in this way of thinking.
2. Instead of spending all of this time trying to impress a search engine with a perfect page, why not impress your true target audience... your customers. Has Google, MSN, or Yahoo! Search ever bought anything from you? They're not your target audience. Your customers are your target audience. Write your pages and content for them.
3. When you expend so much of your energy chasing algorithms, you often focus on only a few elements that influence ranking those elements that are working right now and that you hope will give your pages the best chance for success. It is said that Google has over 100 ranking elements that influence ranking and relevancy. Some are more important than others. But focusing on just one or two "main" elements and discounting the rest can prove disastrous to a Web site.
A different approach . . .
Wouldn't you rather achieve top rankings and keep them there, and have those rankings equate to sales and money in your back pocket?
After all, isn't it ultimately the sales you're after, as opposed to just the rankings? If those rankings don't equate to traffic that equates to sales, you lose, any way you look at it.
Five Basic Steps for Achieving Top Rankings without Chasing Algorithms
2. Don't ever forget the basics. No matter what's happening in the algorithms, continue using your main keyword phrase prominently in your title tag, META description and keyword tags, link text, body, heading tags, and so forth. That way, when the algo dial is turned, you won't have to make changes to all of your pages. You'll always be ready.
3. Focus your keyword-containing tags and body text on one keyword phrase only. Each page should be focused on one keyword phrase, and each page should have its own unique tags.
4. Write well-crafted content for your Web pages, and add new content on a regular basis. If content is king, context is queen. Focus on your keyword phrase, synonyms and related words, and surrounding text. Use a program like ThemeMaster if you need help determining those supporting words.
5. Remember that both on-page and off-page factors are important. Don't sacrifice one for the other. On-page factors are your tags, body text, prominence, relevance, etc. Off-page factors are link popularity (quality and number of your inbound links) and link reputation (what those inbound links "say" about your Web page when they link to you).
What about search engine research? Isn't it important?
It's crucial.
Let me give you an example. At the beginning of this year, pages began falling out of Google's index. The forums were alive with speculation and what to do about it.
Through research, we determined this was a compliancy issue. By having compliant code, the search engine spiders are more easily able to spider the content.
The solution? Make sure you use a DOCTYPE tag and an ISO Character Set Statement at the top of every Web page.
For example:
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.1 Transitional//EN">
<META HTTP-EQUIV=content-type CONTENT="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1">
In Conclusion...
"Take it from someone who has been in this business for nine years and studies the algorithms closely - don't chase the algorithms. You say that you have a #2 ranking for a certain keyword phrase that alone is bringing your site 550 visitors per day? Great. In the time that you have spent gaining that ranking, I have written 285 pages of unique content, obtained 821 links, etc., and collectively I am getting over 1,300 visitors per day," says Jerry West of WebMarketingNow.
In other words, by focusing on more than just chasing algorithms, you have the potential of having a much more successful Web site.
About The Author
Robin Nobles conducts live SEO workshops in locations across North America. She also teaches online SEO training and offers the Workshop Resource Center, a networking community for SEOs. Localized SEO training is being offered through the Search Engine Academy.
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Create a Web Epidemic in 3 Easy Steps
By Mark Joyner
Simple effective plans executed with enthusiasm lead to great success.
And here's a simple and effective plan that gives me and my clients fantastic results every time I use it.
Step 1. Create a Linear Path
Have you ever put two bones in front of a dog? What does it do?
Well, if you've done this before you'll know that the dog goes crazy. He sniffs back and forth between the two bones in utter confusion.
If you give a dog one bone what does he do?
He plays with it and then he buries it.
Humans are just like dogs.
If you give them too many bones to play with, they won't play with any of them.
If your website has too many options, your surfers may click on a few things, but each click will lack commitment. Why? Well, my theory is that your surfer is wondering in the back of his mind what those other clicks are all about. So, he's in a hurry to get back to your main page and find out.
So, he clicks on a few links and then he leaves.
Get rid of it all. Strip each of your pages down to one thing and one thing only.
Create a linear path to the result you want.
I know ? you're about to say, "But what if my visitor doesn't want that 'one thing?'"
Well, you have to ask yourself - would you rather have some people do one thing, or all of them do nothing?
Test this out for yourself. Time and time again I have seen singularly focused linear web pages "out-pull" hodge-podge-links-going-everywhere sites on the order of 100 to 1.
What is that "one thing" your visitors should do? Well, it could be ...
"Purchase my product," or ...
"Sign up for my newsletter," or ...
(If you want to turn your site into an epidemic) it could be...
"Sign up for a free or trial or bonus product"
Step 2. Use Turbo-Charged Tell-a-Friend
It's fairly common for people to have a "tell a friend" script on their sites, but most are going about it the wrong way.
Turbo-Charging your tell-a-friend action is simple. First, you create a linear path to it. You make it the raison d'etre for the page. Give them some great information and then ask them to tell friends.
Next, change the way you're asking people to tell friends. Don't just put it there on your site as a mild suggestion. Create a compelling reason for them to do so.
It could be a reward of some sort of freebie, or ...
It could be access to a private members-only area, or ...
It could be nothing at all.
Huh? Ponder this for a while ...
Harvard social psychologist Ellen Langer once conducted an experiment where she asked her students to cut in line at a copy machine.
First she compared the following two approaches:
Case A: "Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?"
Case B: "Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I'm in a rush."
It should surprise no one that 60% of those asked in Case A said "yes" and 94% of those in Case B said yes.
In Case B, we have a more compelling reason. Case A is not very convincing at all.
Here's where it gets interesting ...
Case C: "Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make some copies."
A shocking 93% of those asked in Case C said "yes."
" ... because I have to make some copies" is not a very compelling argument, but notice the response.
The conclusion here was that simply using the word "because" induced those asked to comply.
Try using this same approach on your Tell-a-Friend förm and see what happens.
A worthy test might be:
"Tell a friend about this website because it's Tuesday."
Or ...
"Tell a friend about this website because they will thank you for it."
Step 3. Embody Buzzworthiness
Is that a word? My spellchecker and dictionary both say "no." Please allow me to enter it into our lexicon.
I think it's a useful word to describe the most important factor of all in viral marketing.
Why do people buzz about a website?
In some cases people tell friends about websites because they will get paid to do so. Affiliate programs, MLMs, etc. all bribe people to tell others their message. The problem is that people can smell a bribed disingenuous referral a mile away. This is why you rarely see mega-buzz success based on bribery.
Sometimes companies will offer other incentives like freebies, etc. to incentivize referrals and again the result is much the same.
The greatest viral marketing successes employed no such heavy-handed tactics. They were just buzzworthy.
Take Napster for example. Napster is one of the most downloaded pieces of software in the world (millions upon millions of downloads) and they never bribed anyone to tell others. They were just ... Well, buzzworthy.
Here's another example. How long do you think it took the average citizen of Planet Earth to find out about the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center?
I would venture to say that within the first 24 hours anyone living in an industrialized nation knew of this event.
Why did people tell others about that?
It, too, was buzzworthy.
The nature of buzzworthiness is an elusive thing, but you get the idea ... Below are some hints:
Be very cool.
Be very new.
Be very newsworthy.
Be very important.
Be very useful ...
Just be very.
The more very you are, the more buzz you will get, and that will serve as the trump card that will beat any other hand in the viral marketing deck.
About The Author
Mark Joyner is a Number One best-selling author, one of the first online marketing pioneers, and has sold millions of dollars in products and services over the Internet on a zero dollar ad budget.
Simple effective plans executed with enthusiasm lead to great success.
And here's a simple and effective plan that gives me and my clients fantastic results every time I use it.
Step 1. Create a Linear Path
Have you ever put two bones in front of a dog? What does it do?
Well, if you've done this before you'll know that the dog goes crazy. He sniffs back and forth between the two bones in utter confusion.
If you give a dog one bone what does he do?
He plays with it and then he buries it.
Humans are just like dogs.
If you give them too many bones to play with, they won't play with any of them.
If your website has too many options, your surfers may click on a few things, but each click will lack commitment. Why? Well, my theory is that your surfer is wondering in the back of his mind what those other clicks are all about. So, he's in a hurry to get back to your main page and find out.
So, he clicks on a few links and then he leaves.
Get rid of it all. Strip each of your pages down to one thing and one thing only.
Create a linear path to the result you want.
I know ? you're about to say, "But what if my visitor doesn't want that 'one thing?'"
Well, you have to ask yourself - would you rather have some people do one thing, or all of them do nothing?
Test this out for yourself. Time and time again I have seen singularly focused linear web pages "out-pull" hodge-podge-links-going-everywhere sites on the order of 100 to 1.
What is that "one thing" your visitors should do? Well, it could be ...
"Purchase my product," or ...
"Sign up for my newsletter," or ...
(If you want to turn your site into an epidemic) it could be...
"Sign up for a free or trial or bonus product"
Step 2. Use Turbo-Charged Tell-a-Friend
It's fairly common for people to have a "tell a friend" script on their sites, but most are going about it the wrong way.
Turbo-Charging your tell-a-friend action is simple. First, you create a linear path to it. You make it the raison d'etre for the page. Give them some great information and then ask them to tell friends.
Next, change the way you're asking people to tell friends. Don't just put it there on your site as a mild suggestion. Create a compelling reason for them to do so.
It could be a reward of some sort of freebie, or ...
It could be access to a private members-only area, or ...
It could be nothing at all.
Huh? Ponder this for a while ...
Harvard social psychologist Ellen Langer once conducted an experiment where she asked her students to cut in line at a copy machine.
First she compared the following two approaches:
Case A: "Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?"
Case B: "Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I'm in a rush."
It should surprise no one that 60% of those asked in Case A said "yes" and 94% of those in Case B said yes.
In Case B, we have a more compelling reason. Case A is not very convincing at all.
Here's where it gets interesting ...
Case C: "Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make some copies."
A shocking 93% of those asked in Case C said "yes."
" ... because I have to make some copies" is not a very compelling argument, but notice the response.
The conclusion here was that simply using the word "because" induced those asked to comply.
Try using this same approach on your Tell-a-Friend förm and see what happens.
A worthy test might be:
"Tell a friend about this website because it's Tuesday."
Or ...
"Tell a friend about this website because they will thank you for it."
Step 3. Embody Buzzworthiness
Is that a word? My spellchecker and dictionary both say "no." Please allow me to enter it into our lexicon.
I think it's a useful word to describe the most important factor of all in viral marketing.
Why do people buzz about a website?
In some cases people tell friends about websites because they will get paid to do so. Affiliate programs, MLMs, etc. all bribe people to tell others their message. The problem is that people can smell a bribed disingenuous referral a mile away. This is why you rarely see mega-buzz success based on bribery.
Sometimes companies will offer other incentives like freebies, etc. to incentivize referrals and again the result is much the same.
The greatest viral marketing successes employed no such heavy-handed tactics. They were just buzzworthy.
Take Napster for example. Napster is one of the most downloaded pieces of software in the world (millions upon millions of downloads) and they never bribed anyone to tell others. They were just ... Well, buzzworthy.
Here's another example. How long do you think it took the average citizen of Planet Earth to find out about the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center?
I would venture to say that within the first 24 hours anyone living in an industrialized nation knew of this event.
Why did people tell others about that?
It, too, was buzzworthy.
The nature of buzzworthiness is an elusive thing, but you get the idea ... Below are some hints:
Be very cool.
Be very new.
Be very newsworthy.
Be very important.
Be very useful ...
Just be very.
The more very you are, the more buzz you will get, and that will serve as the trump card that will beat any other hand in the viral marketing deck.
About The Author
Mark Joyner is a Number One best-selling author, one of the first online marketing pioneers, and has sold millions of dollars in products and services over the Internet on a zero dollar ad budget.
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