The Only 3 Bits of Copy Worth Agonizing Over

Issue #2348

• WEALTHY: Stocks that can provide stable returns during tough times (Rick Pendergraft)
• HEALTHY: A safe way to get your chocolate fix (Kelley Herring)
• WISE: Eugene Delacroix on perfection

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

• 3 "hot spots" in your sales copy that REALLY matter (Bob Bly)
• ETR in your purse or your pocket (Michael Masterson)
• Get to know your website users a lot better (Rick Maggio)
• It’s Fun to Know… why inhaling helium gives you a squeaky voice
• Add "potboiler" to your vocabulary

== Highly Recommended ==

Bring Paradise Into Your Living Room (And Profits Too!)

It’s too bad you couldn’t make it to our Profits in Paradise conference, but the good news is that we’ve gotten it all down on professionally-recorded DVDs. When you bring these recordings into your home, you’ll be in the company of a very special group of experts.

First, they are all at the very top of their respective fields… whether it’s real estate, internet business-building, or under-the-radar financial and investing techniques. And second, they’ve all made a lot of money using the exact strategies they are going to teach you in their presentations.

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• Howie Jacobson will reveal the secrets behind Google Ad Words - the fastest and easiest way to make money online…

• Jeff Adams will show you how to set up automated websites that do all the heavy lifting for you, while all you do is make offers and cash checks …

• Buck Rizvi and Brock Felt will show you how to tap into a multi-billion dollar market to create a business you can sell for millions … or pass on to your children…

• And much MUCH more.

When you learn these secrets you’ll be well positioned to take your financial future into your own hands. 

Are you ready to see your wealth-building potential soar?

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When Sin May Be a Good Thing

By Rick Pendergraft

Yes, the economy is in the toilet. Fortunately for you, there are a few easy ways to "recession-proof" your portfolio. For instance, you can invest in so-called "sin" stocks. These include alcohol stocks, tobacco stocks, gambling stocks, etc.

The reason is simple: When times get tough, people still smoke, drink alcohol, and gamble. And some take up smoking, drinking, gambling, etc., as a way to cope. So investing in those stocks can provide stable returns, even under difficult economic conditions.

You still need to be prudent in your investing, and picking industry-leading "sin" companies is a good start. Some investors may exclude these types of investments from a moral standpoint, and that is understandable. But if you’re willing to bet on others’ bad habits, these stocks can give your portfolio diversity.

Two of my favorites are U.S. Tobacco (UST) and Anheuser Busch (BUD). Both are strong companies with strong brand loyalty that can see them through a bleak economy.

[Ed. Note: Rick Pendergraft is a professional trader and market analyst. In Rick’s new investment service, he gives easy-to-follow, step-by-step advice that you can use to create consistent, automated income. Learn more about how he can help you produce explosive gains - no matter which way the market is trading - by clicking here.]

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"The artist who aims at perfection in everything achieves it in nothing."

Eugene Delacroix 

The Only 3 Bits of Copy Worth Agonizing Over

By Bob Bly

One of the most labor-intensive, time-consuming marketing tasks is copywriting. Not necessarily writing the copy… but agonizing over what has been written.

As a copywriter, I do this all the time. I fret to an insane degree over every sentence, reading the copy over and over again, questioning whether the wording could be stronger.

It literally keeps me up at night.

Marketers do the same thing. They mark change after change on a nearly finished promotion, agonizing over whether the copy says exactly the right thing, in exactly the right way.

The irony, of course, is that, in most situations, all this agonizing is for naught.

I don’t mean to say that copy is unimportant. But most of the time, whether you go with "version A" or "version B" wouldn’t make one iota of difference in your response rate.

So I DO think you should agonize over your copy… but only a small fraction of it.

Specifically, here are three "hot spots" where what you say - and how you say it - really, really matters:

1. The first hot spot is determined by its position in the promotion.

In a standard, #10 direct-mail package, critical copy is the teaser on the outer envelope and the headline and lead of the sales letter. In a magalog, it’s the copy on the front cover… the inside front cover… the headline and lead on page 3… and the back cover.

These sections are worth stressing over, because different wording can result in dramatic increases or decreases in your response rates.

2. The second hot spot is where you describe the central message, theme, or idea of your selling proposition.

For instance, do you position your newsletter’s recommendations on energy stocks as a way for your reader to hedge his portfolio against a bear market triggered by rising oil prices? Or do you talk about how he can profit from the "next big thing" in energy investing - which, according to your editor, is that crude oil will reach $200 a barrel by the end of the decade?

The "big idea" of your promotion - and the way you express it - really matters.

3. The third hot spot is where you describe the offer.

Offering a "free information kit," for instance, usually generates more leads than the vaguer "send for more information." The idea of a "kit" is somehow more tangible and sounds more valuable.

On the order form, changing even one word in the copy can mean the difference between a winner and a disaster - for instance, "$100 a year" vs. "$500 a year" or "10-day money-back guarantee" vs. "90-day money-back guarantee."

It is worth your time to continue to polish and fine-tune these three critical areas… until you feel confident that what you’ve got can work.

You could spend the same amount of time agonizing over everything else in your mailer. But since most of it won’t make much difference either way in the response and sales generated… well, why bother?

[Ed. Note: Bob Bly is a freelance copywriter and the author of more than 70 books. Together with Michael Masterson, Bob has put together a comprehensive program that reveals insider secrets of direct marketing. Keep in mind that you can use direct marketing to help you grow any business - whether it’s a brick-and-mortar store or an online company. Learn the details here.

Sign up for Bob’s free monthly e-zine, Direct Response Letter, and get more than $100 in free bonuses.]

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== Highly Recommended ==

Give Yourself a Nice Pay Raise - And A Three Day Weekend, Every Weekend

By the end of this week, you can give yourself a pay raise. How does an extra $20/hr sound… and schedule a few days of vacation while you’re at it!

After a month or two, how about another raise… to $2,000 a week.

It’s happening everywhere. Ordinary people — including folks who never finished school — starting their own businesses… and making side incomes in the neighborhood of $40,000… $60,000… even $100,000 or more a year.

They’re living the American Dream. Now it’s time for you to start living it too. Read on…

- Charlie Byrne

ETR Insider Report: Early to Rise on the Move

By Michael Masterson

We all have days where we feel wiped out, unmotivated, or just plain frustrated. On those days in particular, wouldn’t it be nice to get a little kick in the pants? Something to change your perspective, lift your spirits, or jumpstart your creative engine? Well that’s what we try to do every day here at ETR. We try to provide you with some useful advice or new way of thinking that can help you get through your day.

Of course, you’re not always at your inbox reading ETR. (Nor should you be.) So we’ve come up with a new way to keep the valuable advice coming your way, no matter where you are.

My friends at TxtVox have created a way for us to send ETR golden nuggets straight to your cellphone twice a week. The best part is, it’s completely free.

We’ll be at your shoulder, coaching you and motivating you - possibly at the exact moment you need it most.

You know - sometimes you’re waiting in line thinking about all the hundreds of things you have to do, worrying about an issue that’s bothering you… and someone says one little thing that gives you a new perspective on the problem you’re dealing with. That’s what we hope this special service will do.

It costs you nothing. You can join in about 30 seconds. And there’s no obligation - you can cancel at any time.

This just might be that little extra push that helps you get through your week. Learn all about it here.

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Free Online Tools to Make Your Life Easier, Part 1: Web Analytics

By Rick Maggio

So you finally got around to starting your website or blog, and you’re on your way to Web stardom. Hopefully, you’ve included some great content that your visitors will find valuable and want to keep coming back for. If you’re smart, you’ve also tried to include content that will attract new visitors. Now, how do you measure the results of all your hard work?

Answer: with Web analytics software. Web analytics software allows you to view information about your website visitors and the way they use your website. With Web analytics, you can find out:

• How many visitors your website gets
• How people find your website
• Which of your online marketing efforts has been the most effective
• Which visitors signed up for your newsletter or bought something
• Which pages on your website get the most traffic
• Where your visitors are located
• What your visitors use your search box for

And much, much more.

Once you have all this data, you can use it to create new content, come up with new product ideas, refocus your marketing campaign, and target new customers. The more you know about who is (and isn’t) using your site and how they are using it, the better you can communicate with them. And more communication is your ticket to more sales.

Most of the Web analytics solutions available today will provide you with similar types of information about your visitors and website usage. Some purveyors are Google, Omniture, and Coremetrics. At ETR, we use Google Analytics (google.com/analytics) because it’s powerful, easy, and free.

You don’t have to download a thing. (You go online to get your stats.) And setup can take less than 10 minutes if you’re fairly comfortable with managing your website. If you’re not, your webmaster can help you with an install in no time at all (and it will be worth it!).

Once you’ve completed setup, you’ll be able to go online and get up-to-date statistics about your website anytime. Additionally, you can save time by setting up reports that are automatically e-mailed to you as often as you’d like. Here’s what a sample report from one of our sites.

Regardless of the Web analytics solution you choose, get something going today. Tracking website usage is critical to measuring results, understanding your website visitors, and growing your business.

[Ed. Note: Rick Maggio is ETR’s newest Search Engine Marketing Specialist. The Internet is full of useful tools that can save you time… and make you money. But sometimes they can seem more complicated than they are. Setting up an Internet business doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. Learn more about how easy it can be here.]

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Your Sweet Tooth May Increase Your Risk for Colon Cancer

By Kelley Herring

The next time you get a chocolate craving, forgo the candy bar (or energy bar). Reach for a low-sugar, protein-rich chocolate smoothie instead. You’ll balance your blood sugar, and may help reduce your risk of colon cancer as well.

In the Women’s Health Study, researchers found that a high glycemic load significantly increased the risk of colon cancer in women. That’s because foods that spike blood sugar and insulin levels contribute to an environment in your body that feeds tumor growth.

When you need a quick chocolate fix, try this: Mix 1 scoop Health FX Whey Advanced (an all-natural whey protein with no added sugar or artificial ingredients) with 1 tablespoon organic cocoa, 1/3 cup berries, and 1 1/2 cups water. Whirl in a blender and satisfy your sweet tooth… safely.

[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring is the founder and CEO of Healing Gourmet (www.healinggourmet.com), and is editor-in-chief of the Healing Gourmet book series. Learn more about how simple lifestyle choices can improve your health by reading ETR’s free natural health e-letter.]

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It’s Fun to Know: Why Inhaling Helium Gives You a Squeaky Voice

Helium is one-seventh as dense as the air we breathe. When you inhale the gas and then exhale, the helium escaping from your lungs causes your vocal cords to vibrate much faster than normal. The result is a high-pitched, squeaky voice.

(Source: Wired)

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== Highly Recommended ==

What If There Was A Way To Legally Beat A Traffic Ticket?

“When Attorneys Get Speeding Or Traffic Tickets, This Is What They Do… No Points, No Increased Premiums & Definitely No Stupid Driving School. These Tricks Work Like Magic.”

If you’re like me then the simple sight of a police car in your rear-view mirror is enough to send shivers down your spine, but…

When the lights start flashing…

There Goes That Safe Driver Discount… Right? Not anymore…

Click here to read more.

Word to the Wise: Potboiler

A "potboiler" (POT-boy-lur) is an inferior literary work, produced quickly for the purpose of making money. The word is derived from the expression "boil the pot," meaning "provide one’s livelihood."

Example (as used by Stephen Kinzer in The New York Times): "If reading and travel are two of life’s most rewarding experiences, to combine them is heavenly. I don’t mean sitting on a beach reading the latest potboiler, a fine form of relaxation but not exactly mind-expanding."

Copyright ETR, LLC, 2008