Copywriting Watch Blog

Gitomer Missing Out?

Interesting referral to this blog from a Google search for Gitomer Red Bits, where Copywriting Watch is listed at # 2 and # 3, right behind a .pdf file from Jeffrey Gitomer's site. I recently posted about Mr. Gitomer's Amazon Blog.

I wondered what a search would bring up for "gitomer blog" - here's what I found:

Okay, Gitomer's Amazon blog (which hasn't been updated since January 31st and doesn't offer a feed) shows up at the top...but look at all the blogs below. And I don't think I should be that high on this search. Blogging improves your find-ability.

So here's 2.5 reasons that Gitomer should blog:

1.0  If your audience is searching for you, will they find you?
2.0  Remember Principle #4: It's all about value, It's all about relationships, it's not all about price.
2.5  Two good sales blogs you'll want to read and subscribe to are Landing the Deal and Top Lead Generators, both by Dan Tudor.

If you're hungry for Gitomer and want to get fed, bizjournals offers feeds of all of Gitomer's articles (but the Des Moines Business Record does not).

Earlier this month, John Jantsch at Duct Tape Marketing shared a few of his favorite sales blogs.

Technorati Tags: Sales Blogs, Gitomer, Red Bits, bizjournals, Google

Hersheys Returns to Original Advertising Ways

The Hershey Company is returning to its roots in advertising habits with the Take 5 bar - consumer generated buzz.

While AdJab may think Hershey doesn't understand "buzz marketing" these days, the company was one of the leaders of word-of-mouth advertising. According to Milton Hershey, "Give them quality and that’s the best kind of advertising in the world."

According to ChipTin.com, although Hershey had forms of advertising and marketing, such as the Tin Can campaign, they didn't start purchasing ads nationally until 1970s. The relied on word-of-mouth.

You can read more about the Hershey history of advertising in this excerpt (pdf) from The Advertising Age Encyclopedia of Advertising.

What's your favorite Hershey candy? For me? I'm glad that guy got peanut butter in his chocolate.

Technorati Tags: Hersheys, Take 5, Buzz Marketing, AdJab

Gitomer Should Git a Real Blog

Actually, Jeffrey Gitomer has one at Amazon, though it's a "blog" by title only. There's no feed. It's hard to find on a search engine. But so is his new book.

While Gitomer should Git a real blog, you should Git his new work, Little Red Book of Sales Answers, a companion to his previous Little Red Book of Sales. Jeff's "blog" says they hit the shelves on March 15th. I got mine today by going to the local bookstore.

Dan Tudor recently shared a Good Tip from Gitomer. I agree. Subscribe to the free caffiene that Git serves up.

Technorati Tags: Gitomer, Amazon, Sales

4 Steps To Better Online Sales

Dan Tudor at Landing the Deal points to a survey by Experience, Inc., a career service for students and alumni.

Most telling stat: "52% of respondents said they have purchased a product or service based on an online advertisement."

Ealier this year, DoubleClick's Touchpoints III (pdf) found that 10% of respondents find a product/service for the first time through online searching.

Thinking back to last year's DoubleClick survey (pdf), that showed that 54% of respondents do research online up to two weeks in advance of purchase.

1. Be Findable.
2. Present Your Offer.
3. Make Purchase Easy.
4. Promote in Advance.

An example? I've changed the button for the Iowa Business Blog Workshop. The workshop is already findable. The previous button just had "Click to Register" and I didn't have the offer for David Lorenzo's book up.

Be Findable. Present the Offer. Make Purchase Easy. Promote in Advance.

Related: Alert Box - The Slow Tail:Time Lag Between Visiting and Buying

Technorati Tags: Online Sales, Iowa, Blog Workshop, Career Intensity

Arrested Development

Whenever I go into a Franklin Covey store, I'm quickly drawn to the book section - not a big selection, but a good one.

While shopping there recently, I asked the "clerk" what he was reading. "I don't have time to read," he said curtly.

Well, that blew any chance of my buying a book there. After all, I'm as busy as the next person, right? I don't even have make time to watch TV.

I asked him if he knew the seventh of the "7 Habits." He didn't. Sharpen the Saw. Guess which book I recommended.

What are you reading?

Technorati Tags: Franklin Covey, 7 Habits, Reading, Sharpen the Saw, Time Management

I Now Pronounce You: Sales and Marketing

Mark True shares a story how he was able to bridge the gap between marketing and sales. End result? A sales guy telling a marketing guy he's a fantastic genius.

Mark's tale of romance works because the marketing and sales teams:

• saw things from a each others perspective.
• worked together to bring home the Bacon.
• did their own thing, but respected each others thing.

Oh, the pain of seeing piles of brochures being thrown away. I've seen it as a writer and a retailer. I hope this gap doesn't exist in your company. If it does, Your Marketing Sucks (emphasis on Myth # 5).

Maybe in some ways, Sales and Marketing should be like Husband and Wife. Different, but working as one.

Technorati Tags: Sales, Marketing

Flickr photo by: lisabatty

Who's First to Friendly?

What's the problem with customer service - and sometimes customers themselves? It's HASPO vs. ASPOBO

There was a bit of discussion that followed the theme of my CompUSA vs. Best Buy post.

• Jay Visaria says it's part of the reason he shops online. But just part.
• The Consumerist asks If Friendly Retail is a Lost Cause?
• Mark True asks for your experiences of brand disconnect.
• Mike Wagner coins a phrase about this kind of thing: "Zombie Alert"
• Olivier Blanchard says it starts when the customer walks in the door.

Some of the commenters on The Consumerist assume that the customers are obnoxious, which they sometimes are. I agree that customers can drive the attitude up or down in the transaction. But from beginning to end, it's the leader's responsibility.

Yes, we're all in this together - but the rub is this: As a customer, I pay for service and products - somewhere. And I'm loyal to those who do it right most often.

R.O.I. Begins With Relationships

I count myself fortunate to have met Renee' LePera, Sales Manager at the Courtyard by Marriott in Clive, Iowa.

Each month, our Business Blogging events are held at the Courtyard. Renee' and her team are always quick to please and quicker to engage. They have become a big part of my team. Among their strongest abilities are their Reliability and Flexibility. in my search for a venue for the events, I received many offers - some with more perks, some with less cost. But Renee's story sealed the deal.

I asked if I could have someone cater the event (I was thinking Panera), but Renee' let me know that she had kitchen facilities available even though they no longer operate a restaurant on site. She almost lost me until she told me what happened to the restaurant staff when they shut it down - each and every member of the staff was offered another position at the hotel...and each of them stayed with the team.

The hotel's commitment to its staff - and the loyalty that followed the change - told me what I needed to hear. Renee' knows how to cultivate loyal, long-term relationships. And now I know first-hand.

Relationships - That's the "R" in R.O.I.

Sprint's Card & Customer Service Connects

Last week I found myself without a Plan C. It ended up being a successful learning experience (isn't everything?)

While making a presentation, I couldn't connect to the only available wireless network and nobody in the office had the key-code. I had everything on my computer preplanned, including bookmarks and website examples. Couldn't get to them, so we winged it. It could have been embarrassing, but the audience was understanding (and I don't get embarrassed) - but I was sure it wouldn't happen again.

Ten minutes after the gaffe, I was at the local Sprint store talking with my new friend Mike Norris. I told him my challenge. He had the solution with Sprint's EVDO Connection Card and a great offer. No longer would I find myself without a connection.

But this is only part three of my revitalized love affair with Sprint (I've been a customer going on seven years & five states).

My first two tries to activate the card using phone support was a disappointment. I wondered if the complaints I heard (here and here) were repeating themselves. Hold, transfer, disconnect, hold, transfer, hold - enough! I would try again first thing in the morning. Next day - systems down, call back afternoon. One more shot before I returned the card - then came Cory to the rescue.

"Hi, I'm a Salesman"

Go ahead. Admit it. Don't think so? Have you ever...

• Had a job interview?
• Asked your parents to borrow the car?
• Went out on a date or got married?
• Asked for a loan?
• Realized that this list can go on and on

Doctors, Teachers, Police Officers, Parents, Preachers, even pet owners (you'd have laughed at me trying to "sell" my dog that it was time to come in this morning). We're all in sales.

Here's an acronym I've used for years in every role of life - S.O.F.T. or Serve Others First Timelessly.

For me, this means even when I'm in the role of the customer, I try to find ways to serve the one behind the counter or behind me in line - always.

Case in point - This morning at Panera, the tension was thick. Something started off the day wrong for the crew and customers were getting infected. As I was leaving, I shared how much the friendly service and fresh baked goodies were appreciated. The folks in line were in for a treat. All smiled. Tension left the building.

Maybe they thought I was weird - but, hey - they probably weren't going to invite me for Christmas dinner anyway.

Acknowledge the salesmanship within you and go be contagious SOFT-ly.

I used the generic term "salesman" for the sake of brevity. If you ask me, women do better in sales because they have the "Serve Others First Timelessly" down pat. I apologize to any hupersons that thought I being politically impolite.

Don't Over-Promise

There's a discussion going on over at Signal vs. Noise about project estimates:

Painters say 5 days, it takes 8. Designers say 2 weeks, it takes 4. Programmers say 3 months, it takes 5. Government says it will take $X and it takes $XX.

I'm sure many of us have experienced this - maybe from both sides of the plate. I've been the victim, and I'll never put my customer in that position (see What's Plan C).

In copywriting, the practice of "four p's" -- or Picture, Promise, Proof, and Push -- is a winning formula. But in the zeal of getting the sale (the Push) , oft times people are big on Promise and small on Practice. And if that happens with your company - there goes your Proof (testimonials).

If closing the sale means over-promising, don't close the sale -- yet. If you truly believe that your solution is the best fit for the customer's needs, find ways that will allow the customer to benefit. Sometimes, 80% is launchable (less?) and both buyer and seller should look at those options.

To over-promise and under-deliver is a selfish sales tactic that will cost you in the long run.

gada.be - Great Research Tool

Rajeesh Setty alerts us to this great new tool: gada.be. It's self-described as a metasearch service for those in need of immediate, impartial results.

You can read the "how's" and "why's" on their about page.

What I find so useful is the ability to search on the fly in the browser address bar. Here's an example that I tried. If I've got an appointment with Panera Bread, all I need to do is put this in the browser: http://panera.bread.gada.be and "Panera Bread" is the term that gada.be searches RSS feeds. The period between "panera" and "bread" makes it a search term. Use a dash to search for results with either "panera" or "bread" or both.

If I wanted to search for a web designer in Des Moines, I would (and did) type this into my browser: http://web.design-des.moines.gada.be - and as Chris Pirillo says, "Easy peasy!"

Could this be a great research tool for sales, marketing, writing, or even just playing around? Gada Be!

Service What You Sell

If you can't sustain it, don't explain it.

While looking for houses today, our real estate agent told my wife how she would love to get her husband opening her car door the way I do for Cindy. We've had many people compliment Cindy for "training" me right. What they don't know, is that it's been this way for 18 years (17 in marriage). When we were courting, it was a bit of a chore. Not the action, but getting to the door before Cindy opened it.

A few years back, a friend of ours saw Cindy driving the car and his jaw dropped. "Didn't think I knew how to drive, huh?" Cindy asked. "I didn't know you knew how to open the door," was his comeback.

Once when we were leaving a restaurant after a family get-together, my brother just about plowed into my wife from behind. When she got to the door, she stopped and waited. Didn't even put her hand on the door. Who trained who, I ask.

Cindy has certain expectations based on my presentation and offer (when we were dating). Now it's my job to service the sale. After we got married, if I had stopped opening doors, I'd have been guilty of lying, don't you think? I do (and I'd bet Cindy would agree).

In business, it's the same way. If you say you can do something - whether in conversation or copywriting (or better yet, conversational copywriting), you better make sure it's sustainable or you come across as a liar. Best intentions followed by multiple apologies won't work for long.

Here's one situation that really has me wondering. Last month, I began working on building a business relationship with a local tech firm. I didn't think we'd do business together, but maybe we could point our clients to each other We weren't providing the same service, but we have a similar client base. One of the things that impressed me was when the owner said, "I believe words should be followed by actions. Don't just tell me you can or will do - just do it." I was sold.

A few days later, I ante'd up first by sending him a project/prospect that was way over my capabilities. I asked if he'd be willing to give the guy a call. He assured me he would. That was three weeks ago. The prospect emailed me yesterday, asking if I had put his project in front of anyone. What happened? The guy never called the prospect. So much for actions over words.

I'm an optimist, so I prefer to think this tech firm just got busy. But still, in business...in any endeavor...a key ability is sustainability

Brochures - Handed Out or Thrown Out?

Alisa Gilhooley's piece on brochures is on the money. She focuses on the disconnect between marketing and sales when it comes to sales literature.

When I was in the self-storage industry, pharmaceutical reps threw away pounds of brochures and other collateral. I once asked a Pfizer rep why he threw away brochures by the boxful. His answer was that he didn't use them because they didn't help sell the product. The relationships were key (and the tchotchkies were nice), but the brochures sitting in a doctor's office would curl up the humidity - to the point where office managers would turn them down.

Granted, part of the problem must stem from a lack of communication between marketing and sales, but it goes much deeper than that. The river of information must also flow from doctor's office to patient - the end user of the product.

Your brochures may be winning awards for design and copywriting, but are they being handed to the customer or filed in Department 13? How do you find out what your customer wants? ESP?