This five-step program explains how to develop a good marketing piece in easy-to-understand language for beginning marketers. You can apply these five steps not only to simple fliers or e-mail proposals, but you can also use them for brochures, web-site landing pages, sales letters or advertisements--any marketing effort created to urge someone to take a specific action.
Ride the Storm: Navigating Through Unstable Periods / Katerina Rudko (Belka G...
Marketing 101: Tips for the Novice
1. HOW TO MAKE YOUR
MARKETING
POP!
Tips for improving
emails, brochures,
web content and
more.
Presented by Gina
Kellogg, CEO, Hott
Cornflakes Communications
2. Sell it, baby!
The point of a marketing message is to get the
reader to take some action: renew
membership, buy a product, enroll in a
class, attend an event, etc.
A good marketing message tells the reader
HOW to take that action.
But before you can get
him to take that action,
you must ENTICE him
with your writing.
3. 5 Steps to Great
Marketing
Creating a good marketing
message isn’t hard.
You can do it in five steps:
1. Create an enticing
headline.
2. Write with simple
language.
3. Keep writing focused.
4. Write with efficiency.
5. End with a “call to
action.”
4. 1. Create an Enticing
Headline.
You typically have only 3 seconds to grab
readers’ attention and make them want to
keep reading. You do that through your
headline.
It’s a CRITICAL
part of your
message.
Try different types of
headlines, such as …
5. Choose a Headline Type
The How-To Headline: “How to find new customers”
The Question Headline: “Are you worried about your future
because of the recession?”
The Command Headline: “Learn how to define and understand the
basics of marketing and communications”
The Direct Headline: “Free instruction
manual on setting up a scaffold”
The Indirect Headline: “Choosing
appropriate flowers for your sweetheart”
The News Headline: “The exclusive story
on corruption among NYC window washers”
The List Headline: “10 Reasons to attend
the SIA Convention”
The Testimonial Headline: “Hydrotech was
a great help to prove our commitment to the
environment.”
6. 2. Write With Simple
Language
No buzzwords/jargon. Speak plainly about
your product or service. If some technical
vocab is necessary, use it sparingly.
Get to the point. Even sophisticated readers
will become impatient if your message doesn’t
get to the point quickly and efficiently.
Keep sentences short and precise.
7. 3. Keep Writing Focused
Understand your target
audience. That’s the first step to
keeping your writing focused.
Think your audience is obvious?
Maybe not. Try writing down the
key demographics: Average
age, sex, education
level, responsibility level, income
level, etc. That person is the one
you will tailor your message to.
To get them to respond to your
offer, you must understand
them, their needs and their
wants.
8. Other tips to keep writing focused:
Present one idea per paragraph. Don’t
overwhelm the reader with too much
information at once.
Entice the reader. Gently steer him by
offering one point at a time.
9. 4. Write With Efficiency.
Deliver maximum
impact with minimum
words. To do so: Have a
plan (an outline) before
you begin writing.
Don’t dilute your
message with
extraneous words.
Eliminate words or
sentences that don’t
directly explain or add
value to your message.
Doing so will make your
message more powerful
and compelling.
10. In other words:
KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid
State what you are offering.
Identify the problem it will solve.
Describe benefits (rather than features).
List the price.
11. 5. End with a “call to
action.”
Good marketing copy demands readers to act
and tells them how.
The call to
action is
probably the
most vital
single
component of
your entire
message.
12. Your call to action should:
Clearly identify the next
step the reader will take
to learn more or move
closer to the sale.
Use strong, active
language that is tight and
focused—not wishy-
washy, long-winded, or
vague.
13. “Hurry! Call Now!”
Communicate a sense of
urgency. Your call to action
should tell readers what you
want them to do right now.
Don’t say, “Click Here.” It
gives them the option to come
back later (if ever). “Buy Now”
or “Add to Cart” are stronger
and will get more immediate
action.
Remember: People tend to be
reactive rather than proactive.
They will respond only if you
tell them what to do.
