The challenge today in marketing is getting someone's attention and then keeping it. If you don't do both of these simultaneously, then your message never gets across. So, how do we do that?
Compelling Headline
First you need a compelling headline - something that makes people stop and look. It should be at least marginally related to what you are talking about, but if you can make it a little off-the-wall, then your readership will rise a bit. Michael Katz of Blue Penguin Newsletter service does a lovely job of this in his emails. He always has a catchy and somewhat bizarre title that makes me stop and go "wha?" I just have to read it to find out what he means. Be careful with this one though - it's easy to drift over from compelling into just silly and few people go out of their way to read something silly when they're stressed and busy.
What makes a headline compelling? It has to either have that "what is that!" quality or it has to have an emotional impact. What can create an emotional impact? Well, that depends on your target audience. For instance, if you're target stock brokers, then a 200 point drop in the Dow Industrial Average would have a definitively emotional impact. If your target is artists, then the Dow is unlikely to be the appropriate hot button. Sadly, fear is the easiest way to have an emotional impact. For instant appeal, reference something that people would decidedly NOT want to happen and tell them how to avoid it.
One of the most effective ads I ever ran was one based on the Miranda Law. I ran it when Buyer Agency was brand new and many agents weren't offering it yet. It read "Buyers - You Have The Right To Remain Silent". The ad went on to explain, using Miranda Language, that buyers had a right to their own agent and if they didn't get one that both agents would be working for the seller. I got a TON of calls off of that ad. Thanks are due to the guy in Arizona that I stole the ad from (with his permission) - I learned about it in my ABR course that year. But the headline and the ad were emotionally compelling because they were triggererd from another source that holds its own emotional charge.
Telling a Good Story
The next part of this formula is the story - the actual ad copy itself. You've got their attention with the sizzling headline, now it's time to give them the steak. Taking any product or service and putting it into the form of a story, particularly a true story, is a great way to draw people in. They don't want to read dull facts. They don't want to read bullet points with all the features (or even the benefits these days). They want an example of how it worked for a real person. Don't believe me? Look at any weight loss ad on the planet. It's always a "real life story" with the pictures to match.
So if you can't think of good marketing copy for your next ad, why not go out and interview a client instead? Get their permission and then use their story as your ad. Include their picture too if you can - preferably smiling with you at their side. A good visual is worth its weight in gold. The headline should be a quote from them like "Without Sally We Would Have Lost Thousands!"
Writing Counts
When you're dealing with a story, how you tell it does make a difference. So be honest with yourself. If writing is not your thing, then hire a copywriter. This is what they do for a living. Let them do it and then you can spend your time out selling more - that's what you do for a living.
Kelle Sparta is the author of The Consultative Real Estate Agent - Building Relationships that Create Loyal Clients, Get More Referrals, and Increase Your Sales, as well as being a speaker and trainer specializing in the real estate industry. Kelle is the founder of Sparta Success Systems, a real estate training company that provides tools, products, and training to empower agents and brokers to create lives and businesses they can love. For more information, visit her website at http://www.spartasuccess.com/. © 2007, Kelle Sparta.
