Killer Conversion Strategies

Killer Strategy #1 - Small Commitments

Elicit a "yes" to something small and build to a big sale
You know the expression "Pennies make dollars." It means that small things can turn into big things. This is exactly what happens when your sales message asks a prospect to make a series of small, easy commitments.

One yes can lead to another and then another and then another…until before the consumer realizes what's happened, he/she has said YES! to your product or service.

People often find it easier to agree to small details than to say "Yes" to a large commitment. Capitalize on this tendency by leading your potential customer through a series of small, painless "yes" steps before closing in for the "kill" -- your ultimate sale.

Instead of asking a customer to commit to a purchase, you ask them a peripheral question that's designed to get the "Yes" ball rolling. Then you build on that yes with more yeses until you've got a commitment to buy. This is sometimes called the Incremental Close

Let's say you're a Widget Air Conditioner Salesperson. Here are

• "Are you trying to beat the summer heat?"
• "Would you like to have an air conditioner delivered immediately?"
• "Would you be interested in an air conditioner that comes with free installation?"

Every time a consumer says "yes" to a benefit that the salesperson is describing, he/she begins to build a mental picture of already having the product and begins to experience the positive emotions of owning the product.

Yes, In Theory
Another way to get commitment is with an "If I would, would you…" situation.

With this tactic, the prospect is only asked to make a theoretical "yes" to your offer, so it's very, very easy to agree. As with the Incremental Close, every "yes"

is another link in the chain…another small "push" towards the finish line up ahead and the checkered flag that says, "Sold!"

Killer Conversion Strategy #2 - Repetition

Once is NOT Enough

If a prospect doesn't respond to your offer, do you say to yourself, "What's the point of following up? If they didn't buy immediately, they're obviously not interested or they're not really serious. Those types are just a waste of our time!"

What are you thinking!!! There are a variety of reasons why prospects don't buy from you initially and only one may be that they're not interested in what you have to offer.

• They may not be ready…yet.
• They may need more information.
• They may still be researching other vendors.
• They have to save the money to make the purchase

Maybe they're just plain worn out from being "pitched".

Thanks to the folks that developed "captive audience advertising," you'll see sales messages on gas pumps, at the airport, online at the supermarket and…in public restrooms! That means there's almost no time during the day when a consumer isn't being sold something by someone.

In fact, according to some studies, the average consumer sees 3,000 marketing messages every day.

So what can you do? Is it possible for your message to compete with all that
'noise'? Yes! The best way to get a consumer to tune out the competition is to turn up the volume of your offer.

And the way to do that is with frequency and a series of messages….that arrive at strategically timed intervals.

Why "strategically timed"? There's a fine line that separates frequent contact from annoying overkill. Sometimes on latenight TV, an advertiser will buy time and drop in the same 15-second spot at every commercial break during the program. By the 9th time you've heard the pitchman say, "Do you want to earn a million dollars?" you're screaming "No" back at the screen and ready to take a vow of poverty.

Make sure that you vary your contact methods and your message so that you come down on the right side of the line.

Food for Thought: The Power of Nine
Statistically, you'll need to contact and then follow up with prospects nine times before they buy from you.

Killer Conversion Strategy #3 - Honesty

Get real to make a deal

In order for your sales message to be heard, you need to establish trust and "disarm" a consumer's built-in skepticism about advertising and marketing claims.

That skepticism…cynicism in many consumers…can completely derail your ability to make the sale, so it's your job to overcome it.

The best way to accomplish your goal is with good, old-fashioned honesty.

Once you've established that you're speaking honestly with them, they're likely to give the rest of your message a bit more attention than usual…and be a little more open to it.

The Do's and Don'ts of Honesty

Honesty is a way to make a sale and an important way to build your reputation, and you'll sew what you reap if you try to cheat people. If you pull the wool over a consumer's eyes, don't think for a minute that he/she won't spread the word -- the negative word -- about you and your business.

Being honest doesn't mean revealing secrets about your product's flaws or focusing on shortcomings in your service. It DOES mean toning down the overthe- top language of sales

"With Widget walking shoes, you could go from New York to Boston and never need to sit down."

and conveying the benefits your product has to offer in more believable terms.

"Widget walking shoes provide support and long-lasting comfort so you won't have to rest your feet as often."

When you speak honestly, you sound less like a high-pressure sales "machine" and more like a real person…and wouldn't you rather buy from a person? Well, your customer would, too!


Food for Thought: Speak the Truth

By admitting honestly that your product is not the perfect solution for everyone, you increase the chances that the prospect will listen to why your product is perfect for THEM.

This theory is frequently used in the promotion of weight-loss products:

"Our diet supplement is too powerful and too expensive for someone with just a few pounds to lose" says to someone who's extremely obese, "We mean YOU."

Bonus #2 - How to Market with Postcards

Admit it. When you sift through your day's mail, what’s the first thing you do?

Even before you start sorting your mail and dumping it into the round file, you look at your postcards.

Why? Because they're easy to see.

The postcard immediately gets your undivided attention, at least for several moments. Most of the time, that’s more than regular direct mail gets.

As humans, we are naturally curious. If the graphic or headline grabs you, you'll want to read everything it has to say, so flipping over a postcard to see what’s on the other side is a natural thing to do.

For ROI (return on investment), postcards have by far the highest return

Postcards don’t require your prospect to open an envelope, unfold a letter and read a long page of writing to decide if the message is interesting or relevant.

Perhaps the greatest single benefit of the postcard format is its ability to get the maximum number of people to actually read your offer.

Postcard prospecting is economical and effective. The humble little postcard is the ultimate cost-saving weapon because of its ability to cut through the marketing clutter and preserve your bottom line when compared to other marketing vehicles.

Anatomy of a Postcard

The Billboard Side

The billboard side of your postcard is the attention-getting side. It is the side that usually displays the graphic. On the billboard side it’s important to have an attention-grabbing headline that says, “Read me!”

• Billboard Side Headline
- Limit your text to 6 or 7 high-impact words

• Billboard Transition
– Include a short transition phrase on the billboard side -- especially one with a series of dots -- entices the reader to turn the postcard over to get the rest of the message. For example:

The secret to a life of easy income is…
After a long hard day, wouldn't you like to…
Falling asleep has been easier now that …

The Face Side

The face side of a postcard is the side where the postage stamp is affixed. It is considered the “front” of the postcard by the postal service. This is also your prime selling space.

• Face Headline
–Your face headline may either continue your billboard headline or stand by itself. When your prospects turn to the face of the postcard, they should be impacted with information that supports the main benefit offered.

• Face Graphic
– If you billboard side has just words then you may consider putting a graphic on the face side. Remember, the idea with a postcard is to associate an image with an idea. Your graphic should reinforce your billboard message.

Graphics

Use the same guidelines for using graphics that you would in any advertisement:

• Use photographs instead of illustrations.
People trust pictures more than drawings.

• Show a picture of your target audience.
When targeting women, use photos of women. When targeting men, use men in your photos

• Action pictures are very effective.
If your product a hot tub, show people frolicking in one.

• Show the benefit.
If your mattress provides superior rest, show a person sleeping peacefully

• Show a before-and-after story.
This is often used with weight loss

• Leaving white space allows your reader’s eyes to rest, which makes reading the text a pleasant experience. Try leaving extra space around your headline, using wider margins around the edges of the message and between columns.

Body Copy

Your body copy is used to describe your offer and its benefits. You don’t get much real estate on the face of your postcard so every line is critical. Make sure that every word is attention-getting or provocative.

Call-To-Action / Closing

A postcard doesn't make the sale. It motivates the consumer to take the next step on the sales journey, and that's to contact you. Examples of calls-to-action include:

“Phone our toll-free number now! xxx-xxx-xxxx”

“Go to http://www.InfoDog.com now for your free report!”

“Come to our store before Friday and enter to win…"

Special Symbols

Some postcards may contain attention-drawing bulleted or checkmark-ed lists to point out benefits. Other postcards include sidebars -- small boxes or colored areas that highlight a special bonus or important information.
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The Step-by-Step Guide to Postcard Success

The next time you pick up a postcard, be aware of the process the marketer is trying to make your go through as you review it.

• An interesting graphic catches your eye

• The graphic then leads your eye to the transition copy.

• The transition copy compels you to look at the face side of the postcard.

• The face side carries headline copy so compelling that you immediately move along to the body copy.

• The