Posts by Will Newman
Why You Need to Ignore This Word
There’s one thing most working copywriters agree on. We don’t like hearing “no” from clients or potential clients. We’d just rather not hear it. But, when we hear it, we don’t let that powerful two-letter word stop us. And, it shouldn’t stop you, either. When you’re confronted with the word in almost any aspect of…
Read More5 Gateways Into Your Promotion
Most marketers look at a promotion with straight-line logic. They assume all prospects come into it through the headline. And they’re wrong. In fact, a well-planned, well-written promotion has five distinct ways to get prospects involved. These “gateways” are spread throughout the promotion. Each one is specifically designed to catch the interest of a different…
Read MoreWant to Beat the Competition? Take Your Customer Out for a Drink
The secret of success as a copywriter or direct marketer? Make the sale. Plain and simple. Make the sale. And what’s the best way to do that? “Know” your potential customer – your prospect. After all, if you don’t know who you’re selling to, how can you know what to promise him? Or which core…
Read MoreProductivity Tip: 2 Free Online Calendars
If you do not have a computer-based calendar program (like Outlook, Entourage, or iCal) to manage your time, Google and Yahoo have free full-feature online calendars to fill that void.
Read MoreThe Power of Because to Seal the Deal
“He liked to observe emotions; they were like red lanterns along the dark unknown of another’s personality, marking vulnerable points.” – Ayn Rand You’ll never convince your prospect to buy your product, subscribe to your newsletter, contribute to your cause, or vote for your candidate by using logic. Your prospect buys because you have hit…
Read MoreDeveloping the “Expert’s Edge”
It doesn’t matter whether you’re selling by direct mail, the Internet, or face-to-face, your prospects (prospective customers) will fall into one of four groups. 1. First are prospects who know a lot about your product’s niche (like alternative health or consumer electronics). They fancy themselves to be experts. Using alternative health as an example, these…
Read MoreGive Your Customer One More Reason to Buy
Has this ever happened when you were thinking about making a purchase through direct mail? You’re on the verge of buying, but you aren’t quite convinced. You need something to give you that final push to spend your money. What’s holding you back? Maybe you’re concerned that the product isn’t exactly what you want. Or…
Read MoreScheduling for Your Success with Gene Schwartz’s Help
“Anger is the only thing to put off till tomorrow.” – Slovakian proverb Michael Masterson is without a doubt the goal-setting master. And he has covered this very important aspect of business success many times in ETR. But I recently had two experiences that made me want to write about goal setting from my perspective…
Read MoreTell Your Customer What’s In It For Him
We’ve all been there. You walk into Big Box Electronics. Some young pup starts talking to you about the big-screen TVs you’re eyeing. He mentions scan rate. HD-grade 1280 x 720 pixel resolution. Lines per inch. You stand there and nod, furrow your brow at appropriate places, and do your best not to look stupid.…
Read MoreSometimes Blue Jeans Make a Better Impression
You walk into an electronics store to upgrade your stereo, but – like me – you don’t know diddly about electronics. There are two salesmen. One wears an Armani knock-off suit and, from what you hear him telling other customers, he seems eager to carry you into his techie world of woofers, tweeters, and high-pass…
Read MoreWhen “Not Giving A Damn” Can Be Extremely Profitable
One of the main lessons that AWAI, ETR, and other experts on direct marketing drive home is the importance of really knowing your potential customer or client (what we call “the prospect”) – almost like a close friend. Why? Because you can’t hope to be a top-flight copywriter or marketer unless you know your prospect…
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