Permalink Reply by JG on December 3, 2007 at 2:47am
The following is an ad I am contemplating placing online and possibly in print, as well. Constructive critique welcome! Thanks ****************************************
Friend,
Are you just aching to "leave behind" some pounds or an unwanted habit?
Why didn't I just say "lose" them? Stop.. and allow yourself to think about this a moment or two.. Being a "loser" implies that you won't (or can't) succeed at something, or want to "keep" whatever burden, unconsciously, that you truly, conciously desire to put aside or leave behind since it is now unneccessary, unwanted heavy baggage you have to carry around. Let's face it - who wants to be known as or thought of as a "loser"? Do *you*?
Likewise, who wants to "give up" anything, tobacco included? Once again, this implies being (or having been) a failure, having to sacrifice something desirable. Wouldn't you rather gain new-found pride in your appearance, experiencing and feeling that wonderful peace of mind in knowing that you are doing something to improve your health and quality of life?
So, if you wish empower yourself to *eliminate* a destructive habit, *leave behind* a few pounds, or *conquer* an unreasonable, self-limiting fear or potentially damaging behavior for the holiday season (or the upcoming new year), I am certified, locally trained, and here to help you achieve that desire.
Thank you, and may your personal successes be unlimited!
{Name / professional "title"},
Hypnosis Professional,
{telephone # &/or http://[website]}
Some fundamental copywriting concepts are missing:
1. There is no HEADLINE. The Headline is approximately 80% of the reason any ad gets noticed and read.
2. Don't open with a question unless you are sure they will answer with a YES. If in their mind, any other answer comes up such as 'maybe', 'I don't know', 'not really, or the worst 'NO!' you've lost them. They'll be gone faster than tax money in a pork spending bill.
3. Focus on one thing only in a given ad. This is one of the most common mistakes in advertising and marketing. Either have this be for weight loss, stop smoking, or what ever other habit you want to target. This does two important things
a. You can put it in the headline and ATTRACT prospects with that particular problem
b. You can POSITION yourself as the expert on that problem.
Example Headlines seen in recent ads in San Francisco Chronicle Newspaper
Enjoy Life Without Knee or Hip Pain
Buried in Credit Card Debt?
Settle IRS Back Taxes for LESS Than What You Owe
Trouble Urinating?
Don't Run Out Of Money During Retirement
Has Your Loved One Lost Their Mobility?
Notice how each of things is very targeted and will ATTRACT only prospects who have that problem. There is no doubt what the ad is about.
Also the headline contains a promise of a solution to the problem. They know they have a problem, what they want is a solution.
4. Call to action - You have to tell them what to do next.
Examples:
Order online at www.xyz.com
Call toll free 1-888-123-4567
5. Irresistable Offer - If they have a problem and you have the solution, they will want to know more at a minimum or if they are hot to buy, be ready to sign up now. Give them an offer. Make it one they won't want to refuse. DO NOT do this by discounting your prices. Instead offer bonuses.
Example: The Holiday Season Stop Smoking Now Program, 4 payments of $150.00. Limited time bonus offer from now till December 24th includes:
* Free Stress Buster session ($150 value)
* Free Audio Recordings of All Your Sessions in CD or MP3 ($100 Value)
* Free New Years Resolution Re-Inforcer Session to lock in your New Years resolutions ($150 Value)
* Two 'Emergency Craving' Phone Calls ($50 Value each)
6. Limited Time To Act - If you don't get people to take action now, they will forget and never do anything. We get an bombarded with ads daily, and most of us have crazy busy lives. You have to have a deadline, or limited number available to get the to ACT NOW or you might as well not bother to spend money on an ad.
For an example of an ad that uses these ideas, see this video on my website. I did a quick analysis of an ad that has been running for months in the San Francisco Chronicle that any hypnotist can model. The fact that it has been running for months, means it's working.
Permalink Reply by JG on December 4, 2007 at 12:20pm
<------- How about this?------->
Why burn your money?
What could you do with an extra $500-1,500 (or MORE)? Cigarettes in many part of the US now cost more than $4 a pack. Tobacco companies love smokers.. they spend BILLION$ of dollars to create new customers and keep existing ones. Yep, its BIG money, and their executives are rewarded handsomely, millions of dollars per year in wages and stock options per fatcat executive. Guess where it comes from? That's right, you! Everytime you light up, you put more of your hard-earned money in their pockets. What if you could take fantastic dream vacations, even have a brand new car, WITHOUT ONE PENNY MORE than you're spending now? Or, perhaps you'd rather have that nice 'nestegg' for retirement or investment purposes. If you're tired of watching these guys taking YOUR VACATIONS, YOUR CARS, YOUR MONEY, STOP BURNING YOUR MONEY NOW..click here!
Establishing business credibility - in the marketing sense...
How does one do that? Especially when one is starting up and may be even working out of one's home?
Go to the basics: Business cards, business phone line, Yellow Pages ad (you get one if you have a business line, even if it's just a line of type with your business name and phone number on it in most areas), a brochure and a web page.
Lee, are you KIDDING?! - you scream... how can I afford all of that?
Well, let's start from scratch. You are starting a BUSINESS! You will need a budget and some money to RUN the business until it becomes self-supporting. A business phone line can be very economical, depending on what company you go with. SHOP AROUND and ASK about things like Yellow Pages listings when you talk to them - ASK about free web page services, too, as many of these companies also offer internet service, which you WILL need... welcome to the 21st Century, the digital age! My business line, with unlimited calling in the USA runs me about $60/month and comes with a Yellow Pages 2-line ad.
Business cards - if you are not a designer, and many of us are not, PLEASE have someone design one FOR you! First impressions count and your business card, very often, is the first thing someone sees and the impression that it leaves is the impression that they will carry about YOU! Don't clutter it with all of the things you do, either. If you want to list your services, perhaps a list of them on the BACK of the card, as bullet points, might be a better idea...
If you can afford to have your photo on the card and you have a GOOD one (not one done in the photo booth at the carnival last summer, or at Sears Family Portraits, please!), use it, by all means. People relate to other people. Otherwise, a logo works well, too and establishes a corporate identity!
The card should have several important things - YOUR NAME, how to contact you, your business name and, if you prefer, your BUSINESS address (no sense in giving out your home address in these days of identity theft!). Make sure that it is READABLE and that any graphics on the card do not obscure the PRINT! Business cards are meant to be READ, not to be admired as works of art ... and is that some writing on there or what...?
Web site. These days, web sites are taking the lace of brochures more and more. A business that does not have a web page, increasingly is lacking in credibility in the eyes of the public. Again, if you are not a designer, FIND ONE!
Web pages should be EASY TO READ, should LOAD FAST and be EASY TO NAVIGATE. Do NOT load a massive amount of printed information on your web page. A web page should make the reader WANT TO CALL YOU. Entice them. Use graphics that do not obscure the printed words is the rule here as well. Contact information for your service should be on EVERY page - at least a contact phone number and an email button, of nothing else. A copyright (on the State level, if nothing else), is a good idea as well and can run as little as $10 in many states. Check with your state authorities.
Brochures. Use good quality paper. Nothing says "cheap" like a flimsy brochure. Think about all of those mailbox-stuffer menu pieces that you get on thin paper... from the carry-out and delivery restaurants... then think about the brochure you got from your bank about their mortgage program. Keep the language simple, entice the reader to call you, use headlines and bullet points to highlight your message and use graphics that illustrate your points. Contact information should be easy to find and clearly printed.
A phone message system. If you do not have an anwering machine on your business phone, or voice mail - GET IT! Nothing says "unprofessional" like an unanswered phone. Make your message short, clear and professional. "You have reached the offices of......... We are sorry that we are not able to take your call at this time. At the tone, please leave your message, including your name and your return phone number TWICE, and we will return your call. Thank you for calling the offices of _________. Have a wonderful day." is an example script.
Return all calls promptly and professionally as well, of course.
I hope this helps. Comments and expansion ideas from the pros are always welcome, of course!
Chaz just finished editing a CD for me that I will use as a marketing tool for our Hypnosis training. Scott did the introductions to the different tracks. We are going to put it up on my new and improved web site the first of the year. It will be a free download called Hypnosis Works!
It features an introduction to hypnosis, a hypnotic induction and discussion of the induction. Be sure to tune in to www.infinityinst.com after January 1st!
In addition we will be sending this to everyone who requests a Course Catalog from Infinity Institute - our state licensed hypnosis 120-hour training program.
It's not obvious from your post if you plan to get contact information in exchange for your 'download'. And It's also not clear if you are using this to get more clients or more students for your training.
It's great to use a tool like this in your marketing, but you should give it in exchange for contact information so you can follow up and develop a relationship with the person.
One of the most valuable assets a business can have is a 'list'. In fact there should be at least 2 lists
1. Clients/customers
2. Interested prospects
And for each list there should be multiple 'touches' through out the year. At least 12. This can be done with a simple monthly newsletter.
For newly added prospects, a touch at least once a week.
By touch I mean any of the following: postcard, letter, greeting card, email, phone call, CD, DVD, special report, newsletter, etc.
These should be personalized when possible.
It all starts with an exchange... you give them a CD, they give you contact information. Then the process of building a relationship and trust through education begins, and will lead to a much higher conversion rate for your business.
GOOD ADVICE - THANKS. This was a new idea for me and I will talk to the web master to make sure they get the info after they send for information [Course catalog].
We have a newsletter that goes out to those who subscribe to our E-announcements. Please see it at We send Post cards to Course Catalog inquiries twice a year as we run our series of courses twice a year and have found that some persons come after two or three years of reminders and the by-monthly newsletter Subconsciously Speaking. It works.
Whilst there are many things you can do as far as ads are concerned or any form of marketing, i.e layout, headlines, call to action etc. The most important advice I can give you is little and often. Also every time you do some new piece of marketing. "Code" it or have an easy way for you to quantify its success.
Hi Guys, great topic,,,, I had 3000 postcards made up and went and hand delivered them through the letter boxes and have had a great response from them as i feel people who would not of thought or been bothered came to me, a alot of my new clients have said to me " i didnt know i could get my problem sorted out from hypnotherapy" or i would not have thought of using hypnosis, and also a lot of people go through life with there problems and they all know they have them, but when they pick your postcard of the matt it triggers them to get help, plus i have found a lot of clients still coming to me 5 months after i posted them, so people do put them in the draw for latter. cheers Dale