15 06, 2015

How to Get a Great Testimonial (Part 3)

2016-12-11T16:09:19-08:00

You’ve overcome the obstacles of remembering to ask, or being afraid to ask, for testimonials. You’ve worked out the best methods for asking to get succinct and wonderful reviews from your clients. Now what?

It’s time to choose one or more methods to obtain them. The first obstacle to overcome is that those great reviews are still stuck in your customers’ heads. How do you get them onto your own site(s) so that they’re useful to […]

How to Get a Great Testimonial (Part 3)2016-12-11T16:09:19-08:00
27 05, 2015

How to Get a Great Testimonial (Part 1)

2016-12-11T16:09:19-08:00

Ever since Amazon seamlessly melded products with their consumer reviews, B2B and B2C businesses have been working to incorporate reviews and testimonials into their on- and off-line communications. It’s understandable since rave reviews go a long way towards shortening the typical sales cycle and converting at a higher rate. (“If “Frustrated Jane” love this service, then the likelihood I will too just went up considerably.”)

“I Forget to Ask for Testimonials”

Here’s a short list of obstacles […]

How to Get a Great Testimonial (Part 1)2016-12-11T16:09:19-08:00
4 01, 2012

Are You Waiting for the Marketing Genie?

2012-01-04T22:19:41-08:00

Marketing Genie Lamp

Have you seen those Progressive Insurance commercials? You know…The ones with the pushy gal with the headband and funky voice?

In the commercial, folks go into an insurance ‘retail’ store to choose auto or home policies off the shelf. It looks just like how we used to buy software. (Remember when we used to buy software off the shelf?) Big colorful cardboard box, shrinkwrapping, fancy packaging – in […]

Are You Waiting for the Marketing Genie?2012-01-04T22:19:41-08:00
21 09, 2011

Why Going Negative Can Boost Your Sales

2011-10-13T02:45:31-07:00

Money Down the Drain
Shhhhhhh! Don’t tell! I was wrong!

For years I was taught never to use a negative in writing copy about a product’s or service’s benefits. Writing that last sentence alone made my head spin. Words like don’t, never, not, negative, nothing and wrong were banished from my copywriting vocabulary.

What’s so bad about these words? (See? Bad is one of those negative words too!)

The Effects of Bad Words

Let’s […]

Why Going Negative Can Boost Your Sales2011-10-13T02:45:31-07:00
7 09, 2011

Can a Hershey’s Bar Close a Sale?

2011-10-13T02:59:45-07:00

Hershey's Bar and Clock

A Tale of (Almost) Two Closes

The scene: Jean smiles, shaking Bob’s hand across the desk, and finishes with, “I know you’re going to be very happy with what we can do for your company.” And Bob responds, “I’m really looking forward to working with you and your team.”

Jean is clearly delighted as she walks out into the crisp, morning air at 9:45 a.m. that Wednesday morning from Bob’s […]

Can a Hershey’s Bar Close a Sale?2011-10-13T02:59:45-07:00
3 08, 2011

Can You Predict the Sale?

2011-10-13T03:30:36-07:00

Karnak the Magnificent - Johnny Carson
Karnak the Magnificent says… “She will buy!”

(Applause! Applause!)

Karnak had impressive powers of prediction. (Never mind the scripting and the Teleprompter! Humor me for a minute and go along with it.)

Can you predict who will buy your product or services? Like Karnak?

New research shows that if you simply ask a prospect if they will buy something, and the person says, “Yes,” it increases the […]

Can You Predict the Sale?2011-10-13T03:30:36-07:00
20 05, 2011

How Many Impressions Does It Take?

2011-10-23T23:18:32-07:00

Tootsie Roll Pop Owl
Do you remember the owl in the Tootsie Roll Pop commercials?

The gimmick was “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop?”

He made an impression on me (although I never bought nor consumed these candies). They imbued him with smarts with his mortar board wardrobe and ability to count (all the way to 3 licks)!

What probably made the greatest […]

How Many Impressions Does It Take?2011-10-23T23:18:32-07:00
12 05, 2011

Why You Should Change Your Marketing (from time to time)

2011-10-23T23:29:15-07:00
“Why doesn’t this ____________print ad [ or website, billboard, commercial, direct mail postcard, sales pitch, etc.] work anymore?”

While the answer to this loaded question is complex, the underlying basics that govern the answer are pretty straightforward: We’re a rather change-able species!

  1. We like new. We like to be trendy! Ad visuals and messages get stale.
  2. As we learn, old messages and buying triggers just don’t do the trick anymore.
  3. We assume new things should be better than old […]
Why You Should Change Your Marketing (from time to time)2011-10-23T23:29:15-07:00
2 03, 2011

What Does a Great Customer Cost?

2011-10-24T01:22:13-07:00

Part 2 in a series about The Customer

3 Women Made of Money
When we last left this drama (known as your business) our heroine was in peril: Was she worth a little or a lot to you to acquire? (And I use the female gender since statistically they make more buying decisions. I won’t, however, get into the nuances between B2C and B2B buyer statistics. We’ll save that for another […]

What Does a Great Customer Cost?2011-10-24T01:22:13-07:00
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