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Will You Add? - Why Swearin' and Cussin' in a Sales Letter Can Make You Rich
PassionEntrepreneurship is about being truly and fully passionate about a product or service. It doesn't matter what your passion is, whether it's chocolate, IT, cleaning houses, dust balls, cats, video, matchmaking or information. If you have a genuine and heart felt passion that is half the battle in starting and seeing through a business. Go for it! Start now!PerseveranceWithout perseverance an entrepreneur will undoubtedly fail. I believe perseverance is the single most important trait an entrepreneur can possess. And if he/she lacks perseverance then they need someone to inspire / support them. Perseverance includes believing in yourself and rising above the financial challenges, competition, time constraints and dozens of other challenges. Without the support of my wife (who is a successful entrepreneur with two businesses) I
You can belly-up to the bar with him, kinda natural like. Buy him a drink – scotch or beer (you should already know what he likes before you invite him) and talk straight and easy with him, just like he’s an old bud of yours.
Don’t be a Fast-Talkin’ Stranger!
If your friend is a blue-collar worker, or a red neck good ol’ boy – you’re sure as shit gonna be throwin’ in some colorful language here and there in your “conversation” with him, because that’s the way they like to talk. And they like to hang and drink – and trust people – that talk the way they do.
Or, if you’re writing to a crusty old retiree, who’s been around the block a few times; who’s fielded sales pitches from the best of them since before you were born – are you going to wast
Make no mistake about it a life of complaints isn’t for the weak, it’s for the strong. It takes stamina to subject yourself to constant review of what’s failing in your life and continually imagine the scenarios you could have had if you’d only done something else. Tired enough to convert it? If so, read on. If not, hope to catch you next time.Naming the effect the problem has on you can help you see it with a perspective that distances it from being something wrong with you.TUMBLEWEED EFFECT One or two problems become bigger and spread as they roll along, forming other tumbleweeds. You know the cause, you had a plan and now it’s not going the way you expected. Rather than interpret one or two problems as occurring in isolation, you collapse your view so everything else appears messed up too. Plus the computer is down or you misplaced somethi
She doesn’t think I’m quite up to snuff yet.
“You can’t write that. That’s not even a sentence!” she complains, looking over my shoulder as I craft a salesletter for a client. “And sales letter is two words,” she snorts, as she reads further. “And thru is spelled t-h-r-o-u-g-h! And you’re not supposed to start a sentence with and!”
Oh, really! My wrath is soon delivered, fast and true, and my honor saved at the point of a verbal blade.
“Listen, little Miss Muffet,” I says. “My pitiful grammar is gonna pay for your college education – and medical school – provided I let you live! So just turn around and don’t let the door hit ya’ in the asterisk on your way out!”
It’s a Simple Question: Money or Good Grammar?
This is the real world, my friend – the marketing and sales world.
So you’re gonna have to ask yourself: do you want to sell your products or services and make buckets of money... or do you just want to look smart and make your English teacher proud?
Me, personally, I vote for the money – by making more money for my clients – and let Funk and Wagnalls turn in their graves.
Now, of course, if you’re looking to produce a brochure, a white paper, press release or any other editorial or journalistic type of copy, then yes. Spelling and grammar are important.
You don’t want to come across as an uneducated dolt – because not only will it reflect badly on you, it’ll also reflect poorly on your product and company, and hence your bottom line.
But... when you’re writing a salesletter (or even a sales letter)... there just ain’t no rules, mate!
Anything and everything goes – so long as it gets the job done: which is to get your prospect, cum letter-reader, to buy, subscribe or call, as the case may be.
Belly-Up to the Bar, My Friend, and I’ll Tell You a Story...
You see, the best sales letters, the most effective, the biggest money-pulling sales letters (even if they’re emails) are personal letters.
It doesn’t matter that you’re sending the letter to 500,000 rented names; you’re still “talking” to one person at a time.
And based on your in-depth market research you should know that this person enjoys a particular life-style, inhabits a specific socio-economic niche, and has particular deep-seated wants, needs and fears.
And you should also know that this person is human in the deepest sense of the word: filled with strong emotions and adamant beliefs, noble strengths and foolish foibles.
So wouldn’t you think that this individual might appreciate a little honest-to-God hand-holding, and some heart-felt, one-on-one communication and understanding, too?
Now then... you could, if you choose, talk over this person’s head with cold and stiff corporate-speak, blind-siding him with your education, diction and superiority – and yet leave him unimpressed, uninspired, and with his money still in his or her pocket.
Or...
You can belly-up to the bar with him, kinda natural like. Buy him a drink – scotch or beer (you should already know what he likes before you invite him) and talk straight and easy with him, just like he’s an old bud of yours.
Don’t be a Fast-Talkin’ Stranger!
If your friend is a blue-collar worker, or a red neck good ol’ boy – you’re sure as shit gonna be throwin’ in some colorful language here and there in your “conversation” with him, because that’s the way they like to talk. And they like to hang and drink – and trust people – that talk the way they do.
Or, if you’re writing to a crusty old retiree, who’s been around the block a few times; who’s fielded sales pitches from the best of them since before you were born – are you going to wast
You have probably been asked to serve on a committee or team. When possible it is important to choose those teams wisely. (There are times when your manager appoints you to a team and you are not given a choice.) Being a team player can give you visibility and credibility but if you choose the wrong team or work with a less than productive group you will lose the benefits. How do you decide which committee to serve on and then how do you make sure that team is very successful? Here are some ideas:1.Critical Path or Personal Passion – Be sure the goal of the team is directly connected to the bottom line of the firm or is a focus of your own personal passion. You will need to have energy around the mission of the team and you will want the organization to be supportive of the findings of the team.2. Appropriate work for a Team – Decide i
It’s a Simple Question: Money or Good Grammar?
This is the real world, my friend – the marketing and sales world.
So you’re gonna have to ask yourself: do you want to sell your products or services and make buckets of money... or do you just want to look smart and make your English teacher proud?
Me, personally, I vote for the money – by making more money for my clients – and let Funk and Wagnalls turn in their graves.
Now, of course, if you’re looking to produce a brochure, a white paper, press release or any other editorial or journalistic type of copy, then yes. Spelling and grammar are important.
You don’t want to come across as an uneducated dolt – because not only will it reflect badly on you, it’ll also reflect poorly on your product and company, and hence your bottom line.
But... when you’re writing a salesletter (or even a sales letter)... there just ain’t no rules, mate!
Anything and everything goes – so long as it gets the job done: which is to get your prospect, cum letter-reader, to buy, subscribe or call, as the case may be.
Belly-Up to the Bar, My Friend, and I’ll Tell You a Story...
You see, the best sales letters, the most effective, the biggest money-pulling sales letters (even if they’re emails) are personal letters.
It doesn’t matter that you’re sending the letter to 500,000 rented names; you’re still “talking” to one person at a time.
And based on your in-depth market research you should know that this person enjoys a particular life-style, inhabits a specific socio-economic niche, and has particular deep-seated wants, needs and fears.
And you should also know that this person is human in the deepest sense of the word: filled with strong emotions and adamant beliefs, noble strengths and foolish foibles.
So wouldn’t you think that this individual might appreciate a little honest-to-God hand-holding, and some heart-felt, one-on-one communication and understanding, too?
Now then... you could, if you choose, talk over this person’s head with cold and stiff corporate-speak, blind-siding him with your education, diction and superiority – and yet leave him unimpressed, uninspired, and with his money still in his or her pocket.
Or...
You can belly-up to the bar with him, kinda natural like. Buy him a drink – scotch or beer (you should already know what he likes before you invite him) and talk straight and easy with him, just like he’s an old bud of yours.
Don’t be a Fast-Talkin’ Stranger!
If your friend is a blue-collar worker, or a red neck good ol’ boy – you’re sure as shit gonna be throwin’ in some colorful language here and there in your “conversation” with him, because that’s the way they like to talk. And they like to hang and drink – and trust people – that talk the way they do.
Or, if you’re writing to a crusty old retiree, who’s been around the block a few times; who’s fielded sales pitches from the best of them since before you were born – are you going to wast
There are all types of people in this world. Everyone of us is unique in one way or another. We all look different, we have different hobbies, likes, dislikes, and most of all we have varied skills and learning abilities.Our uniqueness is what makes each of us special. The ability to make decisions and take responsibility for our actions is what really sets an entrepreneur apart from everybody else with a desire for a home based business.Making the decision to start your own home based business is just the beginning of a long, fun, exciting and sometimes frustrating journey. Are you ready?With the Internet being such a prolific venue for anyone desiring to have their own home based business, it's no wonder so many people have shelled out hundreds and thousands of dollars for their dream – a successful home based business – only to have that d
But... when you’re writing a salesletter (or even a sales letter)... there just ain’t no rules, mate!
Anything and everything goes – so long as it gets the job done: which is to get your prospect, cum letter-reader, to buy, subscribe or call, as the case may be.
Belly-Up to the Bar, My Friend, and I’ll Tell You a Story...
You see, the best sales letters, the most effective, the biggest money-pulling sales letters (even if they’re emails) are personal letters.
It doesn’t matter that you’re sending the letter to 500,000 rented names; you’re still “talking” to one person at a time.
And based on your in-depth market research you should know that this person enjoys a particular life-style, inhabits a specific socio-economic niche, and has particular deep-seated wants, needs and fears.
And you should also know that this person is human in the deepest sense of the word: filled with strong emotions and adamant beliefs, noble strengths and foolish foibles.
So wouldn’t you think that this individual might appreciate a little honest-to-God hand-holding, and some heart-felt, one-on-one communication and understanding, too?
Now then... you could, if you choose, talk over this person’s head with cold and stiff corporate-speak, blind-siding him with your education, diction and superiority – and yet leave him unimpressed, uninspired, and with his money still in his or her pocket.
Or...
You can belly-up to the bar with him, kinda natural like. Buy him a drink – scotch or beer (you should already know what he likes before you invite him) and talk straight and easy with him, just like he’s an old bud of yours.
Don’t be a Fast-Talkin’ Stranger!
If your friend is a blue-collar worker, or a red neck good ol’ boy – you’re sure as shit gonna be throwin’ in some colorful language here and there in your “conversation” with him, because that’s the way they like to talk. And they like to hang and drink – and trust people – that talk the way they do.
Or, if you’re writing to a crusty old retiree, who’s been around the block a few times; who’s fielded sales pitches from the best of them since before you were born – are you going to wast
12 Basic steps to get your business going.1-File a DBA in your county "Doing Business As" assumed name2-Use your DBA to open a business checking account, deposit the miinimum to start.3-Design a business card , and contact a local printer, start of with either 250-500 business cards.4-Call and tell everyone you know that you have started a cleaning service, and to please tell their friends and family also.5-Keep your business cards with you at all times, wherever you go whoever you meet tell them about your services.6-Develop a flyer, or simple brochure, and go from business to business or door to door telling potential customers about your services.7-Online list your cleaning service in as many free or paying directories as possible, yahoo local, google local info seek, etc you do not need a website to do this.
And you should also know that this person is human in the deepest sense of the word: filled with strong emotions and adamant beliefs, noble strengths and foolish foibles.
So wouldn’t you think that this individual might appreciate a little honest-to-God hand-holding, and some heart-felt, one-on-one communication and understanding, too?
Now then... you could, if you choose, talk over this person’s head with cold and stiff corporate-speak, blind-siding him with your education, diction and superiority – and yet leave him unimpressed, uninspired, and with his money still in his or her pocket.
Or...
You can belly-up to the bar with him, kinda natural like. Buy him a drink – scotch or beer (you should already know what he likes before you invite him) and talk straight and easy with him, just like he’s an old bud of yours.
Don’t be a Fast-Talkin’ Stranger!
If your friend is a blue-collar worker, or a red neck good ol’ boy – you’re sure as shit gonna be throwin’ in some colorful language here and there in your “conversation” with him, because that’s the way they like to talk. And they like to hang and drink – and trust people – that talk the way they do.
Or, if you’re writing to a crusty old retiree, who’s been around the block a few times; who’s fielded sales pitches from the best of them since before you were born – are you going to wast
When starting a business, you have to determine the method you are going to use for accounting and paying taxes. The two choices are the cash method and the accrual method.Cash MethodIf you are looking for simplicity, the cash method is probably your best accounting choice. Generally, income and deductions can be claimed when payment is actually received or made. This is best shown with an example.I open a small business and have to order business cards and stationary. I receive the products and pay the invoice on November 18, 2005. Under the cash method, I can deduct the cost on my 2005 tax return.Some businesses are restricted from using the cash method. C corporations may only use the cash method if they have less than $5 million in gross revenues for a particular year. Professional Service Corporations can use the cash method without
You can belly-up to the bar with him, kinda natural like. Buy him a drink – scotch or beer (you should already know what he likes before you invite him) and talk straight and easy with him, just like he’s an old bud of yours.
Don’t be a Fast-Talkin’ Stranger!
If your friend is a blue-collar worker, or a red neck good ol’ boy – you’re sure as shit gonna be throwin’ in some colorful language here and there in your “conversation” with him, because that’s the way they like to talk. And they like to hang and drink – and trust people – that talk the way they do.
Or, if you’re writing to a crusty old retiree, who’s been around the block a few times; who’s fielded sales pitches from the best of them since before you were born – are you going to waste your time, and his, trying to prove the superiority of your widget by snowing him with disrespectful, fast-talking, hype-filled sales prose, or technical mumbo-jumbo in perfect Queen’s English? (Now wasn’t that a beauty of a run-on sentence? But who cares if you got the point!)
Or, while nodding your head slowly and knowingly as you listen to his story, based on your in-depth research... are you going to show him thru colorful words that create vibrant images in his mind – thru words that comfortably compliment his core beliefs - how you can perfectly satisfy his specific wants or needs, or end, once and for all, his unbearable frustration, pain or anger? (Wow! Two humdingers in a row. Proust and Joyce, here I come!)
And if you can do that – do you think he’s gonna give a damn or even prefer that you write cannot instead of can’t, or does not instead of doesn’t? Will he even notice that you’ve begun a sentence with and, or hung a dangling participle out to dry at a sentence’s end?
The Point Is...
Your sales letter’s only job is to communicate in language that best gets thru to your prospect. And proper English and syntax be damned – if it gets in the way.
So if you’re writing a letter to a purchasing manager of a mid-size company, whose job is on the line every day, who’s under constant pressure from above and below, where one wrong big-dollar purchase can put his imminent retirement in the toilet... how are you going to talk to him?
Are you going to pay more attention to proper diction, correct punctuation, approved sentence structure, and arms-length formality?
Or are you going to get your message across by putting your arm around his shoulder, buddy-buddy like?
The answer will only be revealed when, based on your in-depth research, you discover what it’s truly like to live, work and communicate in the trenches – the mid-size corporate trenches – that have fed this man’s family, put his kids through college and paid for his wife’s recent cancer operation.
And only then, when you have heard his voice and understood his thoughts – only then will you know how to effectively, and thereby properly, phrase a letter to this person.
Walk the Walk, Talk the Talk
If your target market, whoever it may be, is impressed, moved, motivated and most of all – persuaded – by 10-cent words that might cause the average Joe to run to the dictionary, then by all means use them. If not, leave them out.
One of the best copywriters to ever write a sales letter said, your letter should be like a department store window. The customer should see through and beyond it, never once noticing it – seeing only what’s for sale, displayed in the most compelling light.
And the only way to do that is to write a letter in a way that the reader himself thinks and speaks when he is totally within himself, comfortable and at ease and open to suggestion.
Till the next time...
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