THE CAT’S MEOW for Writers and Readers

THE CAT’S MEOW

FOR WRITERS & READERS

Issue 10, Vol. 05

© September 10, 2005

“THE CAT’S MEOW FOR WRITERS & READERS”

Newsletter/Ezine: ISSN: 2237-65

Published by Rosanne Catalano, (a/k/a R.C.Kayla)

Editor-in-Chief and Writer/Author

For Her Official Author Web Site – http://www.rosannecatalano.net

Editor and Proofreader: Nancy Peckford,

Technical Writer/Author, Web Designer and Assistant,

Nancy’s Web Site – http://webwriterworx.tripod.com

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IN THIS EDITION:

SEPTEMBER 10, 2005

1. Rosanne Catalano—

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S CORNER

2. Nancy Peckford—

EDITOR’S CORNER

FEATURED POET

3. Heidi L. Metzger –

COFFEE HOUSE 4 POETS & WRITERS

FEATURE ARTICLE

4. Dr. Pamela Rochford—

“Having a Healthy Pregnancy”

5. Jamieson Gordons—

“Basic Cooking Needs”

6. Mark Rosenberger, CSP—

“If You Don’t Focus, Innovate and Evolve, You Die”

7. Charlie Cook—

“More Sales with Less Selling”

8. Chuck Daniel—

“7 Big Ticket Copywriting Secrets I Learned from Ted Nicholas”

9. Michele Schermerhorn—

“Beware: Marketing Sinkholes Ahead!”

10. Jim F. Green—

“Why It Pays to Listen Even When You Think They’re Nuts”

11.Cathi Stevenson—

“Color and Book Covers – What You Should Know if You’re Self-Publishing”

12. Janet Ilacqua—

“Jump-starting Your Home Business”

13. Gary Hendricks—

“How to Buy a Digital Camera”

14. Hermel Geliden—

“Understanding the World of Music”

15. Ron Swerdfiger—

“Separation Anxiety in Dogs”

16. Vicky Coppia—

“Weddings”

17. Rikz Vortamin –

“Vitamins – Friend or Foe?”

18. Weltar Trotte—

“The World Awaits”

19. Roger Bent—

“Dealing with Teenage Acne”

20. Kredet Sleiht—

“Getting Out of Credit Card Debt”

21. Sifera Dometico—

“Baseball – The National Sport of America”

22. Dr. Tony Fiore –

“4 Steps to Teaching Your Family to Treat You Better”

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S CORNER:

by Rosanne Catalano – www.rosannecatalano.net

Happy Labor Day Everyone!

Thoughts and prayers go out to all who were devastated by hurricane Katrina…

Also please let’s have a moment of silence for the victims of the tragic day of September 11, 2001 as its 4^th anniversary nears….

If you would like to help the people and pets affected by hurricane Katrina, please contribute or donate money to the reputable non-profit charitable organizations listed below (of course you don’t have to donate to ALL of the organizations listed; only the ones you feel comfortable giving to -- my husband and I have contributed to The American Red Cross and the ASPCA, and we know you can give too):

* AMERICAN RED CROSS, THE - (providing disaster services and relief - website: www.redcross.org),

* HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES, THE (HSUS) - (rescuing animals and assisting their caregivers in the disaster areas – website: www.hsus.org),

* AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS (ASPCA) - (providing direct support to help rebuild facilities and relocate animals – website: www.aspca.org),

* NOAH’S WISH - (helping to keep animals alive in the face of the storm’s devastation – website: www.noahswish.org),

* NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE OF AMERICA - (providing temporary shelter for pets – website: www.nsal.org),

* CHARITY HOSPITAL IN NEW ORLEANS - (providing medical care to residents of Louisiana – website: www.helplinedatabase.com/hospital-us/louisiana-neworleans.html),

* UNITED WAY – (providing emergency relief and recovery assistance – website: www.uw.org),

* PETsMART CHARITIES - (providing relief for the animals impacted by hurricanes – website: www.petsmart.com/charities/index.shtml),

* INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS. – (providing medical relief needs to people affected by hurricane Katrina – website: www.imcworldwide.org)

* UNITED ANIMAL NATIONS - (providing emergency animal sheltering and disaster relief services – website: www.uan.org),

* AMERICA’S SECOND HARVEST - (providing food to victims – website: www.secondharvest.org),

* CRAIGSLIST- (New Orleans Lost & Found – website: digg.com/technology/craigslist_New_Orleans_Lost_and_Found[NP1] /),

* SALVATION ARMY - (local, regional, and national disaster relief programs – website: www.salarmy.org),

* MERCY CORPS – (assisting families affected by the hurricane - website: www.mercycorps.org)

* FEMA Disaster Assistance (National Flood Insurance Program) – (website: www.fema.gov/)

* CONVOY OF HOPE - (providing disaster relief and building supply lines – website: www.convoyofhope.org/),

* CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICES – HURRICANE KATRINA VOLUNTEER SUPPORT FUND - (meeting the immediate emergency disaster-caused needs of hurricane victims – website: www.nationalservice.org/),

* SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL - (assisting victims of hurricane Katrina – website: www.stvincentdepaul.net),

* FEED THE CHILDREN - (sending emergency food, water and other relief supplies – website: www.feedthechildren.org),

* HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL, INC. - (helping to rebuild the lives of the victims house by house – website: www.habitat.org),

* HEARTS WITH HANDS - (activating response teams to assist in the Gulf Coast and locally – website: www.heartswithhands.org),

* SAMARITAN’S PURSE - (helping victims of natural disasters – website: www.samaritanspurse.org/),

* WATER MISSIONS INTERNATIONAL - (helping with the affected area’s water purification needs – website: www.watermissions.org/),

* WORLD VISION - (shipping food and survival kits to the area – website: www.wvi.org/).

Every contribution will help… $10.00, $20.00, $40.00 or even $50.00 goes a long way; whatever you can reasonably afford; no amount is too small to help.

Now I know this may sound “trivial” in the face of what the people in the states affected by hurricane Katrina are going through, but it is a simple fact of life that with the advent of September brings those who are bustling to stores for those wonderful back-to-school sales, the kids, and possibly us, going back to school, adults putting their noses to the grindstone (so to speak)— no more goofing off on occasion and getting to sleep real late knowing it’s slow at the office during the summer months, and the cooler weather arriving… after such a hot and humid summer, I for one am very glad the summer is winding down! But, oh my, how fast it went – seems like just yesterday that it was the “start” of summer…

Last month I told you all about the rejection letters I received before my hubby and I flew to Florida for my stepdad’s funeral – Well for every rejection letter there are “acceptance letters” that keep us writers writing… Received one recently from an editor that they are using one of my short stories for a column in their magazine. Being “published” makes up for the heartbreaking rejection letters I, and all writers, receive on occasion! Will let you all know when the magazine goes to press with my short story published in it.

Without further ado, I’m giving the floor over to my wonderful contributing authors who have lots of helpful and some fun information to impart to you.

Please do enjoy reading this month’s issue, and see you all next month!

Published and written by Rosanne Catalano,

(a/k/a R.C.Kayla)

Chief Editor, and writer/author -

http://www.rosannecatalano.net

“The Cat’s Meow for Writers & Readers” ezine

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EDITOR’S CORNER:

by Nancy Peckford – webwriterworx.tripod.com

Will return in December 2005…

Technical writer/author, web designer and assistant

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COFFEE HOUSE 4 POETS & WRITERS:

(Every Month Highlighting Artistic Talent)

FEATURED POET THIS MONTH:

HEIDI LYNN (“DIZZY”) METZGER

They are Mine

Written on 6-13-05 by Heidi L. Metzger

They want me to let go

Let go of some things that are mine

But they aren't things

They are my children

I can’t just let go and move on

They are my firsts

They were the one’s who showed me I could be a mom

I could be a better person

I could stand up for someone besides myself

I gave my kids what they needed.

A better life

When I knew help was needed

Those BOYS are mine

And always will be

I love you, Mikey and Jason

June 18, 2003

Written on 5-24-05 by Heidi L. Metzger

Going thru this hell

Going thru this is not what I wanted

I want them home

I want to go back in time

All’s I did was tell the truth

I wanted help

For all three of us

Not tearing us apart

For almost two years

What is a family for them?

Jason doesn’t know

Does Mikey even remember?

Will I even know how to be a “mom” again?

Will they know that I am their mom when they move home?

I want them home

I miss them

This is not fair

It has been too long

Almost two years

© April 24, 2005 by Heidi L. Metzger

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AUTHOR BIO:

Heidi Lynn (“Dizzy”) Metzger is a poet and her school’s newsletter editor. Stay tuned for more of Dizzy’s emotion-packed poetry… Please send all emails to getting_dizzy@yahoo.com... Thank you!

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FEATURE ARTICLE:

“HAVING A HEALTHY PREGNANCY”

Written by Dr. Pamela Rochford – www.simpregnancy.com

You are having a baby and it is the thrill of a lifetime. While most pregnancies in America have a successful outcome, a woman still needs to be careful of her health while she is pregnant.

Women who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant in the near future should take steps to guard their health to ensure a good pregnancy outcome.

1. Get a medical checkup. Ask your doctor about any conditions, such as diabetes or a hypoactive thyroid, you may currently have or exhibit symptoms for. He or she can provide advice about how to manage these when you become pregnant. You also may need to gain or lose a few pounds, stop smoking (even temporarily), control drinking or drug use, or make other lifestyle modifications in order to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

2. Eat healthy foods. Your doctor will suggest a menu plan that is right for you or you can follow the guidelines from an organization like the American Heart Association. Make sure to eat enough food to take in enough calories to support you and your baby. Your doctor will probably recommend vitamin and iron supplements so you don’t become anemic.

3. Continue to exercise but change your exercise routine based on your doctor’s orders or the advice of an exercise specialist. Unless you are confined to bed by your doctor, you will benefit from simple walking for 30 minutes each day. Exercise is good for you and your baby and moderate exercise keeps your body in good shape for labor and delivery.

4. Take rest breaks. You might want to get a little nap each day or go to bed earlier at night. In the first trimester, women often feel sleepy, and in the third, they become fatigued. Arrange your schedule so you can get some extra rest during these times or whenever you feel tired.

5. Stay connected. Bond with your mate. See your friends. Get together with family. Do whatever it takes to maintain or enhance your social life. Pregnancy is a wonderful time to cultivate new friendships or build on existing ones. You may feel happier, or sometimes moodier, then ever before, so share this exciting time with others.

Having a baby is the greatest miracle of all life. Do what you can to savor this process and its impact on your lifestyle. With the help of doctor and friends, your little one will be born to a healthy, happy mother who has enjoyed each month of her pregnancy.

AUTHOR BIO:

Dr. Pamela Rochford owns and runs S I M Pregnancy. For all your pregnancy questions and answers visit: http://www.simpregnancy.com.

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“BASIC COOKING NEEDS”

Written by Jamieson Gordons – www.reelcooking.com

Cooking for yourself rather than eating out is an excellent way to save money, lose weight and better control your diet. Whether you live alone or with your family, cooking can be economical and fun. With a little practice, you can start making restaurant-quality dishes right in the comfort of your own kitchen. All you need is the right tools and a few good recipes, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a chef in your own right.

When you’re first starting out, you’ll need a few basic pots and pans. To adequately equip your kitchen, you’ll need a good medium-sized frying pan for making eggs, pancakes and the like. You’ll also want a good saucepan for boiling water and vegetables. A large pasta pot is also a must for the basic kitchen. For baking, every chef should have a variety of cookie sheets and some square and rectangular pans for bread, cookies and biscuits.

If you want to make cakes, you’ll also want to purchase two round cake pans for the layers. You can obtain inexpensive pots and pans at most department stores, or if you’ve got a bit more expendable cash, you can purchase restaurant quality supplies at specialty kitchenware stores.

After your kitchen is read for cooking, you’ll have to take a trip to the grocery store. There are certain basic products you should always have on hand, like cooking oils, butter, sugar, flour, milk and certain spices. If you cook a lot, you will use these every day. You can purchase freezable ingredients in bulk, as this is typically more economical.

Buy meats and frozen vegetables in bulk, and you’ll always be ready for any new recipe that comes your way. Fresh foods, like fruits and vegetables, are not readily storable and should be purchased only when you’re ready to use them.

AUTHOR BIO:

Jamieson Gordons is the webmaster of ReelCooking.com, an expert site for your Cooking needs. For questions or comments about this article, visit us at: http://www.reelcooking.com.

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“Holding on to the old way of doing business might cause you to become extinct. Continuous focus, innovation and evolution are needed to maintain a competitive advantage,” says Mark Rosenberger, CSP. Please read more of what Mark Rosenberger has to say about competing and succeeding in today’s marketplace…

“IF YOU DON’T FOCUS, INNOVATE AND EVOLVE, YOU DIE”

Written by Mark Rosenberger, CSP

After 128 years of business, a household word, Montgomery Wards, Inc., closed their doors forever and filed bankruptcy.

With 258 stores and 28,000 employees in 30 states, Wards fell victim to competition from service-driven retailers like Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Circuit City. Wards claimed a “poor retail environment” for the failure. Interestingly, Wal-Mart and Home Depot didn’t shut down. (Editorial sarcasm).

Wards is a perfect example of a company that thought it was in the retail business and missed the fact they’re in the service business.

Perhaps they rested on their laurels. After all, 128 years in business is rather noteworthy in today’s ever evolving economy. And clearly, neither size nor name recognition saved this organization from distinction.

The 28,000 employees will soon be looking for work. Why? Because the organization missed the mark. They remained retailers when the competition had evolved to a more personal, service oriented approach. And I’m willing to bet that most of the employees are “stunned,” “surprised,” “confused.” They thought the old way of doing business was just “fine.”

Perhaps this can be a wake-up call for every business. What exactly does your business do? The quick answer is generally, “we make, manufacture, service the best darn ‘Gismos’ in the universe”.

The focus is on the “stuff.” The focus needs to be on the outcome.

Sure you might “make, manufacture, service the best darn Gismos in the universe” but if the end result isn’t happy, satisfied customers who enthusiastically spend more of their money with you while telling friends, family and associates, you’re destined for short term success, at best.

Remember, Wards was in the “retail business.” Now their inventory is being liquidated at 40% to 50% savings.

A further wake-up call might be on the horizon. If the U.S. economy moves toward a slow down, customers are going to be harder to find and still harder to keep. Following years of rapid growth, stunning sales with record profits, most organizations have felt little need to focus on customer retention, customer satisfaction, keeping customers, customer loyalty, customer service, customers for life or any of the current “service” mantras.

In fact, talk to just about any executive and they’ll tell you their organization is “committed” to customer loyalty. Give them a few more minutes and they’re likely to brag about the level of service their organization is currently providing. And just look at the numbers- they must be doing something right.

But just wait. The companies that spent the time to build and grow a powerful workforce with a focus on excellence and service will be light years ahead of the game as competition increases.

In other words – “Good times can camouflage poor performance.”

So what’s this mean to you and me?

First, FOCUS, Re-Focus and continue to RE-Focus. What is your company in business to do? What role does your department play in the process? How can each player move performance to the next level? Keep answering and re-answering these core questions.

Second, EVALUATE, Re-Evaluate and continue to RE-Evaluate. Take a hard look at the service offered by your company, your department, your team from the customers’ eyes. Be on the lookout for opportunities to take performance to the next level.

Evaluate opportunities to enhance performance internally with your important Trapeze Buddies – the people you count on most often to complete a task, function or provide you with information so you can get your job done.

And never assume that “no news is good news.” Your customers are talking – it just might not be to you.

Third, INNOVATE, Re-Innovate and continue RE-Innovating. Buggy whips sold well in their day but if you’re in the buggy whip business today, you’re short on customers.

Innovation is essential for continued, long-term growth. Look for innovation opportunities in the following areas: 1. Enhancing your core product or service; 2. Saving customers time or money; 3. Reducing customer’s headaches and hassles; 4. Helping your customers gain a competitive advantage.

The rules of the game keep changing but one universal truth is this: the job of every business is to attract and keep satisfied customers. Period.

AUTHOR BIO:

Mark Rosenberger, CSP, helps companies transform employee performance, productivity and sanity. He is a sought after speaker, performance strategist and author of six books. Do you count on certain people to make your life work? Discover how to be caught more and dropped less, plus achieve more than you ever thought possible – download the FREE Trapeze Buddy eBook at http://www.NoSplatZone.com.

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Charlie Cook tells you how to learn to increase sales just by focusing on helping your prospects get what they want…

“MORE SALES LESS SELLING”

Written by Charlie Cook – www.marketingforsuccess.com

Have you ever passed by a bakery display case without feeling the urge to buy at least one cookie, dessert or cinnamon bun? Have you ever taken a child into a candy store and not had them ask to buy at least one of their favorite sweets?

The smell of fresh baked goods and the memory of the taste of a candy bar make us want to buy more. The owners of bakeries and candy stores don’t have to spend a lot of time extolling the merits of their goods or the length of time they’ve been in business; they can concentrate on helping us satisfy our appetites.

Wouldn’t you like to be in a similar situation with your marketing? How would you like to have prospects who were so eager to buy that you didn’t have to sell, but could focus instead on taking more orders?

If you are like most small business owners you’d like to increase your sales, but don’t enjoy selling. You don’t want to be seen as a pushy person, whether it is on the phone, in person, or in your marketing materials. The problem is that you don’t sell baked goods or candy – instead you may sell accounting, design, engineering, or informational products and services.

What can you do to increase your sales and spend less time selling?

Stop Selling

Stop worrying about closing the sale. Focus instead on understanding what your prospect wants, and open the door to a mutually profitable relationship. When a prospect thinks that all you care about is getting their money, they’ll view the relationship negatively and this can easily kill the sale.

Start Helping

Once a prospect is at your web site or on the phone with you, they’ve demonstrated an interest in finding a solution to one of their problems or concerns. Take the next step and demonstrate your interest in them. Use your conversation or your site to ask them questions that will identify what they want to accomplish and how you can help them.

Help them clarify the problem they are trying to solve. Even our prosperous bakery owner has questions to ask. Is the hungry customer looking for bread for lunch, or a dessert for a celebration? How many people are they feeding? Once you have all the details, you confirm it by repeating the information back to them. “You are planning a party for five couples and want a chocolate cake with mocha frosting. Is that right?”

When your customer says yes, you’ve got your order. You just used a series of questions to get your prospect to tell you what they wanted. You didn’t have to sell anything: they sold themselves. You helped them get what they wanted. Isn’t that what you’d prefer to be doing?

Obviously, the questions you use to “sell” are going to be unique to the products and services you provide. Remember that when people come to you, they are hungry for a solution. The questions you ask can help them define exactly what they need and, more importantly, what they want. Then you can take their order.

Does this approach apply to selling less tangible and less immediately satisfying services and products?

Imagine you’re a financial advisor and you’re having an initial conversation with a prospect. You could launch into an explanation of your services and the seven ways you help clients grow assets using a strategic mix of stocks, bonds, currency and commodities. If you did this you’d be likely to miss connecting with them. Or you could ask them a couple of questions to identify what they want.

Most people have a common set of concerns related to managing their assets. Use these to formulate your questions. Ask them:

- Do they have an investment strategy?

- What is it?

- What have the results been over the last five years?

- How risky or safe do they feel their strategy is?

- Are they happy with the investment return of their portfolio?

- Do they want to know how to get better returns without additional risk?

You could use a similar set of questions to ask them about their taxes, investments, and whether their individual financial strategies complement or conflict with each other.

Whether you sell cakes and cookies or services and informational products, you can use questions to move your prospects to become clients and customers.

Ask the right questions and you’ll establish your credibility while you help your prospects clarify what they need and help them determine the value of your products and services. Focus on helping instead of selling and your prospects will thank you by increasing your sales.

AUTHOR BIO:

The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals, small business owners and marketing professionals attract more clients and be more successful. Sign up to receive the FREE Marketing Plan eBook, “7 Steps to Get More Clients and Grow Your Business” at: http://www.marketingforsuccess.com.

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“7 BIG TICKET COPYWRITING SECRETS I LEARNED FROM TED NICHOLAS”

Written by Chuck Daniel – www.LikeMagicMarketing.com

I recently sponsored and attended Joel Christopher and Ted Nicholas’s Double Birthday Bash and Interactive Marketing Summit in beautiful San Antonio, Texas.

There was a fantastic lineup of speakers including John Assaraf, Joe Vitale, Brad Fallon, George McKenzie, Shawn Casey, Alan Bechtold, Tom “Big Al” Schreiter, Keith Voiles, Rosalind Gardner, and Sydney Johnson.

And, of course, both Joel Christopher and Ted Nicholas presented as well.

Don’t know who Ted Nicholas is?

Ted is a living legend in the offline direct marketing world. He’s considered the “King of Print”, the “Copywriter’s Copywriter”, the “Entrepreneur’s Entrepreneur” and the “Godfather of Direct Marketing.”

He’s known as the “4 Billion Dollar Man” because that’s how much of his own products he’s sold using offline marketing methods.

Ted’s business card says: “I help people turn words into money.”

Anyway, it should be clear that Ted knows a lot about marketing and especially copywriting.

Copywriting is simply selling with words. When someone reads the “copy” or words of an advertisement or sales letter and is compelled to respond to the offer, then you know your copy is effective.

I wanted to pass on some copywriting secrets I learned from Ted while I was at the Double Birthday Bash. These secrets are taken directly from my notes so any errors or omissions are mine.

Secret #1: Write the copy BEFORE the product is created!

Ted Nicholas says the smart marketer writes the copy BEFORE the product is created.

Say, for example, you have a product idea. You should write the copy that sells the benefits of the product even before you create the product.

There are two great reasons for doing that.

The first reason is that you get a much clearer idea of the focus of the product from a customer perspective because you will be focusing on the benefits to the customer in the copy.

Remember, people buy products that help solve their problems or give them information that they need to solve a problem. By focusing on the benefits to the customer, you can ensure that your product is really targeted towards providing those benefits.

The second reason to write the copy first is to do market validation. In other words, even if you’ve done some market research that indicates there is a huge market, you can perform one final test using the copy you write first.

Even if people order your product you can tell them that it is not ready but that they will be the first to be notified when it is ready.

If no one tries to order the product THEN don’t spend any more time on it! This is the smart way to determine if a product is worth creating before wasting time creating it! Especially for a Big Ticket product.

Also, if a ton of people order the product based on the copy then it is a huge motivating factor to create a product that meets the expectations in the copy!

Secret #2: Headlines – The Most Important Item to Focus on

When Writing Copy

When Ted Nicholas writes copy for a product, he has to look at the research, the features, the claims and the benefits of the product – all before he creates the copy for that product.

The first thing Ted writes are the potential headlines for the products.

Ted writes the headlines FIRST!

Before any copy.

Without the headline you are DEAD!

Because if the headline does not draw your reader’s attention and intrigue them enough to read further, then they WON’T buy your product!

It does not matter if you have the most killer Big Ticket product in the world, if people stop reading after the headline you have no chance to make the sale.

Spend 50% to 80% of your time on your headline and make sure that there are no more than 3 ideas covered by the headline. Any more than 3 ideas is too confusing to readers. And confusion causes readers to stop reading, something you definitely don’t want.

One final tip on headlines: Studies show that 27% more people will read a headline that has quotation marks around it because it indicates that someone important said it. And, of course, someone important did say it – you did :-).

Secret #3: Headline Generation Process

As mentioned in Secret #2, when Ted Nicholas writes copy for a product, he has to look at the research, the features, the claims and the benefits of the product.

As he goes through this process, he lists all the benefits of the product on 3x5 cards. He lists one benefit per card and uses as many cards as required to list all the benefits.

Once Ted has all the benefits down on the cards, he reorganizes the benefits in order of highest impact.

The strongest or best benefits are used in the main headline for the sales copy.

Many of the other benefits become sub headlines for the copy. Any others that are left over are often used as bullets in the body copy.

So this process is extremely useful not only for creating headlines but making sure that all the benefits are covered somewhere in the body of the copy itself.

With Big Ticket items and their higher price tags, it is crucial to make sure all the benefits are covered. The more benefits you can point out in the copy, the more you move your reader away from their natural skepticism towards the value that your product can offer!

Secret #4: Copy Flow is Key

Ted Nicholas brought up a quote that many of the top copywriters agree on:

“Copy can never be too long. Only too boring.”

What this means is that you must engage your reader and keep them engaged throughout the copy of your sales letter or advertisement.

If your potential customer loses interest at any point and stops reading or puts your copy down, there is a good chance that they will never come back and finish reading.

Your Big Ticket copy needs to cover all the benefits and possible objections that your potential customer might have. That means its going to require a lot of copy to cover everything. So you must ensure that your copy flows and that they keep reading.

Here’s what Ted had to say about the flow of copy and what makes good copy:

· Keep your paragraphs short and only cover 1 idea per paragraph.

· The best way to test the flow of your copy is to read it out loud. If it doesn’t flow naturally when you read it out loud then chances are it doesn’t flow. Change the copy until it does.

· Have a student in Grade 7 or 8 read the copy. If any of the copy is hard for them to read then you need to rewrite your copy. You want the copy to be easy to understand.

· Great writing is about rewriting. It makes it clearer and simpler, removing unnecessary words and loaded with emotion. That is when the writing is truly great.

Secret #5: Buying is Emotional

Almost all purchasing decisions are emotion driven. When we buy something, we buy it because of how we think it will make us feel or because we think it will solve a problem for us and make us feel better.

We may come up with all sorts of other rational reasons why we should make or made the purchase, but the core reason is always an emotional one.

The last bullet in Secret #4 says that great writing is clear, simple and loaded with emotion. It appeals to our emotions.

So, when you write or read a good sales letter, you need to look at the copy and ask:

What is the emotional feeling you get when you read the sales letter?

Is it Hot?

Exciting?

Important, but boring?

Or just plain boring?

Any parts of your copy that are in the “Important but Boring” or “Just Plain Boring” categories you need to rewrite or get rid of those sections.

Why?

Because those sections are the ones where your potential customer could choose to stop reading.

You never want them to stop reading!

Ted Nicholas also said:

“If you can’t cry, you can’t write copy!”

It takes great strength to admit your feelings.

It’s also vitally important that you can relate on an emotional level to the situation of your potential customers. The more you can emotionally experience where they are coming from the better copy you can write.

Secret #6: Trust

When people know you, trust you and love you they will buy from you forever.

If you ever betray that trust, you will lose your customer forever.

In copywriting, never try to trick your potential customer with misleading copy and then switch topics.

They can detect that, will feel deceived and will not read your copy any further. You have lost the sale.

So when you sell someone a first product, make sure you astonish them with the first product because you want to win their hearts and minds!

This is especially true of Big Ticket products.

Secret #7: Avoid These Common Copy Mistakes in Your Sales Letters

Here is a list of the most common mistakes you must AVOID in your sales letter or advertisement:

· No headline – You must have a headline. It is what catches your reader’s attention and makes them want to read your copy.

· Few subheads – People tend to read in two ways. They either read your whole letter or they scan it. If they scan it, you want to have lots of sub headings to catch their eye and interest and make them read at least those sections.

· No guarantee – Always include a money back guarantee with your offer. The longer the guarantee period the more credible your offer.

· No P.S. – Always use a P.S. on every letter you write. If people scan a letter they will usually read the P.S. if nothing else. The P.S. should re-emphasize the strongest benefits and restate your offer.

· No Signature – Always sign your letter. It’s more personal.

· No free bonuses – Free is one of the most powerful words in the human language. Providing free bonuses enhances the already great value of your product offering. In some cases, the right bonuses might convince someone to buy your product just to get the bonuses!

· Logo on the letterhead – Your logo is about you, not about your customer. It’s just one more distraction from your sales message. If you must include a logo, put it at the bottom of the letter.

· No close – Make sure you give specific instructions on what you want your potential customer to do. If you don’t tell them to buy your product and exactly how to do it, then they won’t.

And that’s it for 7 Big Ticket Copywriting Secrets I learned from Ted Nicholas. I hope this helps you improve your own copy.

Or, if you need help with your copy, at least hire someone who knows and follows these secrets. It will be worth the money you pay them to get more sales with great copy.

AUTHOR BIO:

Chuck Daniel is a former Microsoft software designer and program manager who spent more than a decade happily working on Email and CRM. Admittedly a seminar, workshop and information addict, Chuck left Microsoft to pursue his interests in personal development, internet, direct and information marketing and to promote and work for charitable causes.

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“BEWARE: MARKETING SINKHOLES AHEAD!”

Written by Michele Schermerhorn

Life provides your business with enough opportunities for failure. Don’t help it along by creating sinkholes to consume your limited financial resources. There are seven key mistakes most businesses make in the game of marketing. Learn to avoid them!

Marketing Sinkhole #1: Indiscriminate Lust

Many companies want as many customers as they can handle (and then some). Because of this indiscriminate lust for volumes of customers, they treat everyone alike in their marketing efforts. Much like a randy stud will hit on every female at the bar, your marketing comes off just as “special” to your prospective customers. If you won’t take the time to decide who can really benefit from using your product or services, why should they take the time with you?

Successful marketing efforts start with identifying the specific customer who will benefit the most from your product or service. Then all your efforts should be directed at learning more about her, rather than creating the second sinkhole of marketing.

Marketing Sinkhole #2: Veiled Contempt for Customers

The most powerful marketing tool you have available is to truly understand your customer’s unique needs and problems. Every customer segment will have different concerns and problems you need to address in your marketing efforts. When you don’t even attempt to understand them, you are demonstrating contempt for them. You have to earn the right to be a supplier to your customer.

Your customers don’t really buy your specific products and services. They are actually buying solutions to their problems. So, provide them with enough information to make informed buying decisions. Use articles, presentations and case studies to educate them about what you do, how it works for them and why it’s the best solution to their problems. Don’t be arrogant enough to think you know better than your customers.

Marketing Sinkhole #3: Arrogance

There is a very thin line between confidence and arrogance (I have crossed it many times so I know of what I speak). You and your company are not the “end all” and “be all” of the universe. You need customers! They are (or should be) the “end all” and “be all” of your business.

Because you need customers, don’t treat them like they are stupid! Your marketing should never talk down to them. Your ads should never be insulting to them. Isn’t this apparent? You would think so. However, many companies violate these principles every day. They use hand puppets or animated germs to advertise their product.

Building off of the information you have learned about your customer, speak to them in their language. If they are 13 years old, talk to them as a 13 year old. If they are college educated, talk to them as if they have earned their degree. This will start you on your way to standing out from the crowd of competitors your customers have available to them today.

Marketing Sinkhole #4: One of The Crowd

You may have spent all of high school trying to be part of a crowd, now it’s time to break old habits! As a business, you need to stand out from your competition to be noticed and make sales. You need to be one in a million, not just one of the millions. In Marketing, this concept is referred to as your “Unique Selling Proposition,” or USP. Your USP must tell customers “what’s so special about you?” It needs to answer the question “why should I do business with you?”

How do you develop your “Unique Selling Proposition?” What makes you different from others offering a similar product or service? Don’t know? Better find out fast! The more competitive your industry, the more important it is to emphasize even the smallest differences. Are you better than others in addressing a specific issue? Is your product unique in some way? Do you guarantee your work?

Better stand out from the crowd or expect a lot of red ink on the bottom-line. Wasting time and money on your marketing efforts is not a goal to aspire to.

Marketing Sinkhole #5: Wasting Marketing Time & Money

Which of your marketing efforts being employed right now result in the most new business? Don’t know, do you? Have you ever measured? Without measuring the success (increased sales) of each marketing effort, you are wasting time on ineffective methods. You are also neglecting the highest yield activities.

As an example, most professionals believe that networking is the best way to get new business. Let’s see. Add up the amount of time you spent networking last month and attach a dollar value on it based on your fees. Then, add the actual price you paid to attend those events.

When you have a total, divide this total amount by the number of new customers your networking produced. Are you happy with your results? Maybe not!

Now, do this exercise for all your marketing efforts. Marketing does take effort. Never forget that!

Marketing Sinkhole #6: Build It and They Will Come Marketing Vision

By virtue of the fact that you have a business (and maybe a website) doesn’t mean you get any customers. Tough fact! That’s life!

Too many people naively enter business thinking that the world will beat a path to their door. Sorry! You have to work, and work hard, for every customer you’ll ever get and keep.

Marketing is about promoting yourself and your business in a way that motivates customers to buy from you, return again to purchase, and refer others to you.

Marketing Sinkhole #7: Not Asking for Referrals

One of your biggest costs of running a business is the cost of acquiring new customers. So, how can you take that investment you already made on existing customers and get the maximum return? Referrals! But you have to ask!

One of the biggest mistakes made by most small business owners or salespeople is not asking happy customers for a referral to someone they know who would benefit by the same product or service. It is far easier to call a prospective client and say: “Mike Eastman asked me to call you,” than to make a cold call! You will buy yourself an extra minute or two in that sales connection to promote yourself and a customer solution. If you have trouble getting the referral, at the very least, ask if you can use them as a customer testimonial in your marketing efforts.

Many online businesses have other mechanisms to encourage referrals from happy customers by providing “refer a friend” links on their websites. Others also offer monetary return to the customer administered through an affiliate program. No matter how you do it, you need to use the happy customer to create more business. It is easier and cheaper than the alternatives!

Conclusion