Holding out for a hero

Confession Time!

My ears would turn bright pink if anyone ever got a hold of my ipod. Alongside the classical Vivaldi or the instrumental Brule, are hard rock (Morphine, Drowning Pool, etc).  But that’s not what would make me cringe.

Allow me to explain..

Y’know how when you’re working out there are certain songs which get your legs pumping a bit harder than usual? It becomes much easier to just get your body moving.

As much as I hate to admit it, one of my favorites is Bonnie Raitt’s “Holding Out For A Hero”. Yes, it’s from the 80’s but dang…it gets my heart rate going!

So let’s talk about this little guilty pleasure of mine and how it relates to my business.

Many people dream of a hero – perhaps not the “knight on a white horse” sort of thing – but rather someone who keeps our best interests at heart. Someone who makes us feel safe and secure. If you don’t see that one particular “hero” in your life, don’t get discouraged!

Your hero may not be an individual. Your “hero” just might be the TEAM of people around you. As a whole, they could be your “collective hero”.

I fully believe that we’re surrounded by people who have skill-sets we need for success. They hold our missing pieces – those parts that may not be in our personal arsenals.

For example, I get a tension headache when I consider learning anything technical…even before I pick up a book or instructional manual. It’s just that painful. But when I look around, I see there are people who are amazingly adept at technical tasks (thanks Charly!). These are my heroes.

Note: I’d willingly fall down onto my knees and worship them for loading and fixing the bugs in a set of Auto Responders.

I fully utilize their talents and skills to further my projects, and they’re always ready and willing to give me an assist. And I would do the same for them. 

Consider this…How many tech people do you know who can create a well-balanced sales letter or whip out high-response emails?  Perhaps not too many! Those people need us copywriters….in a big, bad way.

So do me a favor – take the next 5 minutes to conduct an inventory of your personal skills:

Does it include:

-          Proficiency in copywriting or marketing

-          Connecting with others

-          Passion for a certain topic or cause?

Come up with at least 10.

Now, look around to see “who” is surrounding you? What parts do they hold that you might be missing? Is it technical, organizational, or perhaps even are excellent speakers?

Make a list of these people – and their skills which complement yours. They are your personal heroes!

I bet that if you’ve done the above, a clear picture is starting to form.

We all have our assets, and yet we need to rely on others for theirs. No one is completely proficient in every single area…or would want to be.

Get used to farming out some of your work. Barter for it, if necessary.

Just don’t let what you can’t do get in the way of what you can do!

To your success,

-          CB

P.S. If you want to send me a list of snarky or trite songs found on your mp3 player, just email me! cb@copybunny.com   I’d love to see what you’re listening to!

Jesse James, Tiger Woods and Response Rates

I’ve wasted time thinking about these celebrities. Wondering why it is that – even when it appears they have everything – they still seek external validation of their worth. Both of them were literally at the top of their game, so it’s not a desperate cry for market share.

These men opted to engage in situations outside the relationship which they purport to value the most (their marriages). Now they’re struggling to regain the “paradise lost”

Paradise is the ability to know you’re in it before you’re cast out of it.

Ah well….this is yet another confirmation that God/Spirit/Divine Being has a sense of humor. One of the smallest parts of a man’s anatomy is the part that gets him in the biggest trouble.

But let’s get to copywriting, shall we?

There are several obvious camps (or styles) in the copywriting arena. Bear in mind that the following are non-scientific and purely of my own classfication system:

I’ll even sell you Grandma! – This is the over-the-top, hard-hitting type of stuff. Easily distinguishable by the number of times they push the fear/panic buttons in the copy. Not to mention that you feel like you’re getting yelled at.

This is still around and seen regularly in certain markets such as weight loss or fitness. The emotional hot buttons of insecurity, low self-esteem, as well as “tired of being a loser” strike a note of desperation in this market.  

But other niches are shunning this style of copy, opting instead for something more heartful (we can only hope that this is an indication of how society is progressing as a whole).

“Chick-a-boom, chick-a-maw-wow” – Greasy. Think of 70’s porn, thick mustaches and hairy chests. It ain’t pretty, but there’s still an active target market for it.  (you know I’m talking copy, right?) This copy overemphasizes the benefits while downplaying the pimples and stinky armpits.  If taken at face value, there’s not much in terms of real-life.

This type of copy tries to sway the reader into thinking they’ve found an easy cure for everything from hemorrhoids to the neighbor’s barking dog.  

Pick Me-Me-Me! – There’s a lot to be said on allowing the reader to unearth “aha moments” for themselves. One of the copywriters I worked with had an ingrained habit of inserting herself into the copy. As in…
 “I interviewed Frank and his team about Product XYZ, and here’s what they had to say.”

This creates a distance between Product XYZ and the reader. Instead, they’re forced to notice the use of first-person vernacular in the sales letter. Think of it as an uninvited guest at a small, intimate dinner party…determined to do all the talking.

The copywriter then went on to report what “they told her”. She was inadvertently trying to be the star of the story, thus effectively stealing the thunder of the product and its developer.

At times, narrative can work but not throughout the entire letter. Using varying degrees of copy elements  keeps it interesting.

Allow me to say, this next one is worst of all…

Clueless – This is when the reader has NO IDEA that something’s being sold! The offer sneaks up on them before jumping out of nowhere and yelling SURPRISE!!!

The response rate drops dramatically when you’re too shy/embarrassed/hesitant to let the reader know what’s up. Soooo many beginner copywriters say, “I’m just not comfortable with selling.” Here’s what I tell them…

When writing copy, always give it at least 20% more selling verbiage than you’re comfortable with. Then, go back and read the letter. What typically happens is that while we’re immersed in the writing, we become more sensitive to this aspect. But viewed from a potential buyer’s perspective (remember that they haven’t pored over this for weeks), it tends to be more diluted than the writer might think.

So get over your own inhibitions and just put it out there!!!

Never ever should you NEGLECT TO MENTION that there is a solution which can be purchased!!!

I realize the above categories are less-than-scientific, but hey…you’re in my world now! Hope you’re enjoying the ride.

Hoppily,

CB