Marketing Success

15 Steps to Getting Your Press Release Read

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:12:00 GMT

15 Steps to Getting Your Press Release Read

Yes, there really is a science to press release writing!

I know, I know. It’s hard to believe. After all, you’re giving news outlets an opportunity for a great story right? They should be grateful, not picky.

But the truth is you aren’t the only one supplying fodder for their mill. So are hundreds, maybe thousands, of other people. So if you want yours to get the attention it deserves, you’ve got to speak the reporter’s language and follow the proper protocol.

In many ways, the proper etiquette for writing and submitting a press release is no different than the proper etiquette for fine dining or hosting a party. There are pretty clear “do’s” and “don’ts” and violating them can do more harm than good to your cause.

Where’s my proof? Years of experience writing press releases and RECEIVING them (as a former newspaper reporter).

What are those “do’s” and “don’ts?” Well, here are just a few.

1. Make sure the information is newsworthy, i.e. is something you would actually read about in a newspaper.

2. Make certain your story meets AT LEAST two of these 7 news values or, ideally, all of them.

· Timeliness – events that are immediate, recent

· Impact – events that are likely to affect many people

· Prominence – events involving well-known people or institutions

· Proximity – events geographically or emotionally close to the audience

· Conflict – events that reflect clashes between people, institutions or ideas

· The Unusual – events that deviate sharply from the expected

· Currency – events and situations being talked about right now

3. Find out which SPECIFIC reporter you should be contacting with your story idea. Call the paper, the TV station, the radio stations. Ask around. Read who writes all the best articles for the section you want to appear in or who does the broadcasts for your type of piece. Whatever you do, DO NOT send the release “To Whom It May Concern” because under that guise, it won’t concern anyone.

4. Structure your release like an inverted pyramid, with the most important information at the tope and the least important at the bottom. Reporters get hundreds if not thousands of press releases a day. They don’t have time to wind their way through 500 to 1000 words to get to the punch line—and more importantly, they won’t.

5. Make sure your headlines only include the facts. Don’t make promises or claims you can’t back up with hard data and don’t sensationalize. Headlines can be long, but they must be newsy not salesy.

6. Make sure the first 30 words of your release are effective and have impact. Remember you’re trying to make your story stand out among features like the local teenage hero, hard-hitting news about a fire that spread through a block of town homes, business stories like the guy who started what is now a $500 million company in his garage, and coverage on local politics.

7. Ask yourself, "How are people going to relate to this and will they be able to connect?" In other words, is anyone else really interested or is it just you?

8. Avoid hype and unsubstantiated claims - journalists get "pitched" everyday so stick to the facts. Even if you think most news coverage today isn’t nearly as objective, factual or relevant as it should be, the fact is reporters pride themselves on living up to these attributes (whether they actually do or not.) So you can’t submit something that doesn’t fit that mold and expect it to get printed.

And because it is impossible to overstate this point, let me say it another way…whatever you do, DO NOT USE the same style, tactics or strategies you use in your sales copy. Regardless of whether they’re right or wrong reporters read sales copy as “bullsh*t” so just don’t go there.

9. Be specific- don't rely on generalities to attract journalists' interest. Give concrete, detailed information with numbers, facts, quotes and figures explaining why the product or announcement is important. Remember the reporter has to justify covering your piece not only to him/herself but to his/her editor and to the readers. Give them the ammunition they need to justify covering your story.

10. Provide as much Contact information as possible: Individual to Contact, address, phone, fax, email, Web site address.

11. Make it as easy as possible for media representatives to do their jobs. Reporters LIVE on deadline. Make their jobs easy by doing as much of the fact gathering as possible and making yourself, or the appropriate contact person, as available as possible.

In fact, a good exercise is to look through your local paper or listen to the TV or radio and pick out a story that is most like the one you want the news outlet to cover on you. Then figure out what you have to do to provide just as much, if not more, information like that which was featured in the story you’re modeling. If it was good enough to make it onto page B-1 or on prime time, yours can be too—if you do the right modeling.

12. Do not annoy the reporters and editors by repeatedly sending your release out. If they feel pestered, that is often good enough reason not to cover your idea at all. Sending one follow-up reminder is enough.

13. Cultivate relationships with reporters. Choose the ones that are in the best position to help you and help them. I’m not talking bribes, but I am talking about:

· Giving them a heads up on great stories that have nothing to do with you,

· Reminding them that you’re willing to be an expert consultant for future articles, and

· Connecting them with the powerful people and resources they need to do their jobs well

The power of reciprocity is a formidable thing.

14. Follow the accepted format for submitting press releases. See the accompanying example for a model you can follow.

15. Include a short glossary of definitions at the very bottom if you’re using technical or trade terms whose meaning might not be immediately obvious to the reporter.

With these 15 tips to creating an effective press release fast, you’ll be well on your way to the coverage you deserve!

Until next time…taste the inspiration,

Lina Penalosa

The Write Solution

Phn: 757-271-6782

Fax: 757-299-8355

lina@thewritesolutionllc.com

www.copyofchampions.com

P.S. Receive your Copywriter’s Playbook Program absolutely free for 2 months by sending an e-mail to lina@thewritesolutionllc.com with the words Free Playbook in the subject line. When you do, you’ll receive a confirmation e-mail and:

ü Two months’ issues of the Copywriter’s Playbook 4-page newsletter including tips on:

o The 3 P’s of copywriting

o My personal 13-point checklist for writing EVERY piece of copy

o The Zeigarnik Effect in copywriting

o 23 ways to strengthen your headlines

o The Cliffhanger technique

ü Two LIVE 60-minute group coaching calls plus MP3 recordings with Copy Champ Lina Penalosa, where you can ask any and every copywriting question you can think of including the less obvious ones like:

o My opinion on the marketing copy you e-mail me

o Insights into the future of e-mail marketing

o New tactics and techniques for Internet marketing

o Core differences between marketing to male and female audiences

o 9 ways to strengthen desire

ü Two 60-minute Life Coach Interviews and MP3 recordings with select guest experts who will share their secrets on:

o How to find and create your unique definition of success

o How to manifest your dreams

o How to balance your emotional, mental, physical and spiritual energy to create the career, relationships and wealth you want.

o How to be more effective and less stressed

o Effective time management techniques that will save your sanity and your money

Just like every professional football, basketball, hockey and other sports team relies on a sacred playbook to record, rehearse and execute winning plays, so too can you.

Discover the tested and proven tactics, strategies, resources and coaching you need to become the champion I know you can be.

P.P.S. What others are saying about Lina Penalosa and The Write Solution…

“I’ve used Lina on several occasions to create my own revenue-producing sales letters and couldn’t be happier. She takes care of all the grunt-work, works quickly, produces fantastic copy that sells my products and requires very little from me in the process. I can’t begin to imagine how much time and money her services have saved me!”

--Lee Milteer, International Business Coach and Speaker

“If you want someone who gets the Dan Kennedy-style of copywriting and creating long sales letter, Lina is the writer you want. She does more than take care of the interviewing, testimonial gathering, layout, color scheme, photo placement and of course the writing. She’ll save you a small fortune…not to mention your sanity. Her prices are more than reasonable and when I add up the cost of doing it myself---well, let’s just say I’ve saved thousands of dollars on each project!”

--Stephen Oliver, Martial Arts Marketing Expert and Owner of Mile High Karate Schools Denver, Colorado

“Lina is one of the best creative talents I've worked with. She has a no-nonsense attitude and never makes excuses. She just gets the work done and quickly. There’s no hand-holding or baby-sitting required. I ask for something. I pay for it. I get it. Her approach is thoughtful and organized and once I’ve assigned something to her, I can forget about it and move on to the next item on my to-do list.”

--Ernesto Fernandez, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

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Do You Repel Women...With Your Copywriting?

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:34:00 GMT

Do You Repel Women…With Your Copy?

Hint: If you’re writing to women the same way you write to men, the answer is YES!

You see, there’s a reason why books like “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus,” “He Said, She Said,” and “Sperm Are from Men, Eggs Are from Women: The Real Reason Men And Women Are Different” hold such universal appeal across all age groups, cultures and genders.

Why? Because they speak to the inherent biological, psychological and emotional differences between men and women—despite what certain feministas claim.

So What Makes Male And Female Consumers So Different And How Does That Affect Your Marketing Results?

Let’s start by discussing just a few of the most basic differences between men and women. Then we’ll see how these characteristics account for radically different purchasing behavior.

Me vs. We

Man’s Motto: “It’s every man for himself.”

Woman’s Motto: “All for one and one for all.”

What does this mean? Simply that a man’s mental scripts often read like, “I can do it myself. I’ll make my own way. I don’t need advice. I don’t expect people to help me. I mind my own business and so should the other guy.”

A woman, however, tends to have these scripts running through her head, “How can I contribute? How can I increase our bond? How can I achieve greater life balance? How will my decision affect the people around me? How can we succeed together?”

Now, I’m not saying one is right and the other wrong. In fact both are critical for a balancing of the proverbial scales. But what accounts for the difference? A difference in core values. Whereas men tend to place a high degree of value on independence, freedom, autonomy, and self-sufficiency, women place a higher degree of value on people, connections, community and camaraderie. That doesn’t mean each sex ONLY values those things, just that given a choice that’s where they’re priorities generally lie.

And before you get up in arms about how you as an individual are different or your mother, father, brother, sister, wife, uncle, etc. is different, let me just say the thing about generalities is they’re GENERALLY true.

Masters vs. Students

As Marti Barletta says in her book, “Marketing to Women: How to Increase Your Share of the World’s Largest Market,” men prefer to see themselves as masters of a situation, while women are more likely to see themselves as students.

This is why men are less likely to ask for directions, less likely to request assistance at the office, and less likely to admit they don’t know something. Why? Because in the male culture, it makes a man look weak, less-than and inferior to admit these things in the face of other men who are bound and determined to seek out and jump on any opportunity to prove THEIR superiority. It’s not malicious. It’s not bad. It just is.

Women, however, see themselves as students. They share, they discuss, they encourage, and they relate to one another. This is what their hard wiring is programmed to do just as men are programmed to rib their buddies and engage in comical displays of what I affectionately call “peacocking.”

Prioritize vs. Maximize

Let’s say you gave a man and a women each a list of 10 things to do. A man’s inclination is to prioritize the list and accomplish that which he feel is most important first, then work his way down to the least important last.

And generally speaking, if a man accomplishes 3 or 4 of the most important things, but doesn’t get to the rest, he’s still happy. Why? Because he accomplished what was most important.

Women on the other hand are maximizers. Instead of ranking their lists according to importance, they rank their lists according to how many things they can check off before the allotted time is up. For example, if a woman goes to the grocery store, she’ll often ask her husband, “Is there anything you need while I’m out?” A man, however, rarely dares to ask such a question. And if he does it’s usually because he’s been reprimanded for NOT doing it in the past.

Why the difference? For a woman, adding more tasks that she knows need to be done anyway makes the trip worthwhile. It justifies making the effort. It also appeals to her multi-tasking nature. Women call it being efficient. Men call it being complicated.

What’s The Moral Of This Marketing Story?

If you want women to pay attention to your message, you’ve got to write in a language they understand. Women don’t respond to single-focus ads and marketing based on competition, financial power, or one-upmanship.

Instead women respond to messages that reveal how a product or service will meet MULTIPLE needs, provides the PERFECT solution and incorporates values like teamwork, community, charitable contribution, family financial security, life balance and so on.

A woman doesn’t care how much horsepower a car has. She cares about crash-test safety and what that means to her children.

She doesn’t want to thumb her nose at the next door neighbor or her friends by making them jealous of her newest toy. She wants to be the glue that brings friends together by sharing her new toy.

She doesn’t want to shop at Target because it’s the cheapest place to buy laundry detergent. She wants to shop at Target because they donate 5% of their income to worthy causes and support environmental protection.

Winning with women means speaking to HER values, HER thoughts, HER feelings and HER needs. After all, with 80% of the country’s purchasing power in women’s hands…can you really afford not to?

Also check out: “Marketing to Women: How to Increase Your Share of the World’s Largest Market” by Marti Barletta for more insight and marketing examples.

Until next time…taste the inspiration,

Lina Penalosa

The Write Solution

Phn: 757-377-1244

Fax: 757-299-8355

lina@thewritesolutionllc.com

www.copyofchampions.com

P.S. Receive the Copywriter’s Playbook Program absolutely free for 3 months by going to www.mycopywritingplaybook.com. When you do, you’ll receive:

ü Three months’ issues of the Copywriter’s Playbook 4-page newsletter including tips on:

o How to improve your copywriting with Lina’s 17-point checklist

o How to get higher paying clients

o How to close deals faster

o How to write solid letters of agreement

o How to network like a pro and where

o How to make direct mail work for you and more

ü Three LIVE 60-minute group coaching calls plus MP3 recordings with Copy Champ Lina Penalosa, where you can ask any and every copywriting question you can think of including the less obvious ones like:

o How she lands high-profile clients

o What her secrets to a sound contract are

o What telltale signals she looks for to avoid problem clients

o How she balances a demanding personal life (training for the 2008 Olympic Trials) with a busy professional life and

o How all of this applies to you.

ü Three 60-minute Life Coach Interviews and MP3 recordings with select guest experts who will share their secrets on:

o How to find and create your unique definition of success

o How to manifest your dreams

o How to balance your emotional, mental, physical and spiritual energy to create the career, relationships and wealth you want.

o How to be more effective and less stressed, and more.

Just like every professional football, basketball, hockey and other sports team relies on a sacred playbook to record, rehearse and execute winning plays, so too can you.

Discover the tested and proven tactics, strategies, resources and coaching you need to become the champion I know you can be.

P.P.S. What others are saying about Lina Penalosa and The Write Solution…

--Lee Milteer, International Business Coach and Speaker

--Stephen Oliver, Martial Arts Marketing Expert and Owner of Mile High Karate Schools Denver, Colorado

--Ernesto Fernandez, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Subscribe to Marketing Success via email by entering your email address below:

8 Steps to Effective E-mail Marketing: What To Do When The Rules Change

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:22:00 GMT

Copy of Champions Success Tips

Word count: 1143

Approx. reading time: 5 minutes

Today’s tip:

8 Steps to Effective E-mail Marketing: What To Do When The Rules Change

I’m not ashamed to admit it. This month’s headline is neither clever nor sexy, but it does get the job done. And that’s what this month’s article is all about—fast, effective e-mail marketing.

It’s a well-worn topic, but one that bears repeating…especially since the rules have changed. Yes, at long last, those tried and true e-mail techniques are going the way of 286 IBM computers. To the electronic bone yard.

Don’t worry though. New ones, or at least new variations of the old ones, are popping up faster than Apple can unroll new commercials trashing PCs. (I absolutely LOVE those by the way…even if I do use a PC ;) If you haven’t seen them, just go to http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/)

BUT NOT UNTIL YOU FINISH THIS ARTICLE!!

Now, in the interest of good time-management, I’ll get right to the point…

8 Steps To Effective E-mail Marketing

Step #1 What NOT to do when creating a compelling subject line:

a) If you aren’t friends or at least on friendly terms with your prospect or client DON’T start faking it now. (Def. Friendly Terms. 1. You’ve actually met, talked to or even exchanged multiple e-mails with the person of a somewhat personal nature)

More specifically? If you aren’t friends, don’t write subject lines like, “Dinner’s on me…” or “See you tonight…” or “Just to say hi…” if you know darn good and well that isn’t true for EVERY person you’re e-mailing.

Why? Because it’s misleading. And the second your prospects realize they’ve been duped, you’ll be dumped.

Now that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use a friendly tone, inject your personality, or share a bit about yourself where it’s appropriate, I’m just saying keep it congruent with the relationship you actually have.

Summary** Trickery and deception may work the first time or two, but once they recognize the pattern it’s “game over.” Don’t piss off your prospects by trying to force a false sense of connection or interest in them. It ruins your credibility.

b) Avoid cryptic subject heads. Why? Because when the average person receives more than 100 e-mails a day, sheer curiosity just ain’t going to cut it.

It’s got to be more than catchy and curious. It’s got to be relevant. So get rid of subject lines like, “A pretty-pretty fly” or “Over 5,000 copies sold” or “Order it now!” (Yes, all of the examples I am sharing with you today really did show up in my inbox.)

Instead, choose subject lines that catch the reader’s interest, but also tell them what the heck your e-mail is about. Take some of the articles I’ve written for you over the last few months. When I sent them out to my mailing list, I used the headlines as subject lines. For example, “What Does Lingerie Have In Common With Great Headlines?” had a 51% open rate, and “A 60-Second Guide To ‘Speed-Dating’ Copy” had a 46% open rate.

Summary** Sexy, unusual subject lines only work when they are tied to something RELEVENT to the reader and RELEVENT to the e-mail’s subject material! (Notice the emphasis on “RELEVENT.”)

c) Don’t promise the moon if you’re only going to deliver a moon rock. First of all, HUGE promises sound unbelievable and therefore delete-able. Of course huge promises CAN be real and CAN sell well, just not from the subject head of an e-mail.

Summary** In a dis-information age where you can never be sure you’re getting the WHOLE truth, it’s far more refreshing and believable to have someone promise a small but significant improvement in your life than a mind-blowing, totally unrealistic one. In a desert of deceit we are desperate for a trickle of integrity.

Step #2 Test before you personalize the subject line.

In fact, go to your inbox now and count up the number of unsolicited e-mails that contain your first name. Hmmmm…makes me think personalizing the subject line might not be the golden rule it once was.

Summary** Test. Test. Test all variables in your e-mail marketing.

Step #3 Craft the first sentence carefully.

If the subject head is most important, the first sentence is second-most important.

It’s also the perfect opportunity to reinforce your bond with the audience by sharing a sentence or two (no more) about your life. Give them just enough to break the ice, just enough to catch a glimpse of the real you. Doing so might seem like you’re wasting your prospect’s time, but if you keep it brief they’ll love you for it.

Summary** Bond with brevity. Keep the personal info SHORT.

Step #4 Stay on point.

When in doubt follow the journalist’s inverted pyramid philosophy. The most important stuff, the foundation of your whole piece, goes at the top. The least important goes at the bottom.

Above all else, do NOT put a lengthy reminder at the top explaining that your e-mail is not unsolicited or that the reader opted in to it.

Summary** Anything else wastes valuable real estate and valuable time.

Step #5 Stick to one topic.

E-mail readers have shorter attention spans than a 4-year-old with the remote control so don’t make your job more difficult by trying to get them to process multiple pieces of unrelated information.

Make it simple. Make it easy. Make it fast.

If you ask that 4-year-old to take his shoes to his room, he’ll do it. If you ask him to take his shoes to his room, brush his teeth and pick out a bed-time story, he’ll only remember the bed-time story.

Summary** Don’t litter your e-mail with a smorgasbord of subjects. Pick one and stick to it. Just because your reader likes you doesn’t mean they’ll put up with your crap.

Step #6 Give value.

Don’t constantly try to hit your list up for purchases and DON’T tease them with superficial copy. The e-mail itself should have real, practical, usable information the reader is interested in, not just a bunch of empty fluff that only delivers the goods once they buy.

Summary** Sometimes you’ve gotta give a little to get a little.

Step #7 Include a benefit.

Don’t get all salesy and start promising the world or smothering your reader with all the great features of your product or service. Instead, demonstrate the actual benefits.

Summary** Demonstrate your product or service with a free trial or something similar that will save your prospect time, money or both.

Step #8 Deliver a call to action.

Once you’ve written your supremely compelling and inspiring e-mail, don’t drop the ball by failing to deliver a call to action. And don’t ruin it with false deadlines, shameless hype or any number of other sleazy tactics.

Summary** NEVER assume your prospects know what they should do next and ALWAYS make it as easy as possible for them to take the desired action.

That’s it! Your 8 steps to Effective E-mail Marketing!

Until next time…taste the inspiration,

Lina Penalosa

The Write Solution

Phn: 757-377-1244

Fax: 757-299-8355

lina@thewritesolutionllc.com

www.thewritesolutionllc.com

P.S. Receive the Copywriter’s Playbook Program absolutely free for 3 months by sending an e-mail to lina@thewritesolutionllc.com. Just put the words, “Free Playbook” in the subject line and you’ll receive:

ü Three months’ issues of the Copywriter’s Playbook 4-page newsletter including tips on:

o How to improve your copywriting with Lina’s 17-point checklist

o How to get higher paying clients

o How to close deals faster

o How to write solid letters of agreement

o How to network like a pro and where

o How to make direct mail work for you and more

o How she lands high-profile clients

o What her secrets to a sound contract are

o What telltale signals she looks for to avoid problem clients

o How she balances a demanding personal life (training for the 2008 Olympic Trials) with a busy professional life and

o How all of this applies to you.

ü Three 60-minute Life Coach Interviews and MP3 recordings with select guest experts who will share their secrets on:

o How to find and create your unique definition of success

o How to manifest your dreams

o How to balance your emotional, mental, physical and spiritual energy to create the career, relationships and wealth you want.

o How to be more effective and less stressed, and more.

Just like every professional football, basketball, hockey and other sports team relies on a sacred playbook to record, rehearse and execute winning plays, so too can you.

Discover the tested and proven tactics, strategies, resources and coaching you need to become the champion I know you can be.

P.P.S. What others are saying about Lina Penalosa and The Write Solution…

--Lee Milteer, International Business Coach and Speaker

--Stephen Oliver, Martial Arts Marketing Expert and Owner of Mile High Karate Schools Denver, Colorado

--Ernesto Fernandez, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Subscribe to Marketing Success via email by entering your email address below:

Lina's Little Black Book Bares All...

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:31:00 GMT

Lina’s Little Black Book Bares All:

Who To Woo For Your Next Business Liaison

If you’re exhausted trying to be the Wonder Woman or He-Man of your business…

If you’re fed up working harder and want to start working smarter…

If you want solid, reputable, dependable business allies you can count on…

Then you’ll want to save my little black book, someplace safe RIGHT NOW.

Why? Because I’ve giving you more than 75 of my most treasured secrets to success. That’s right, over 75 treasured contacts, every one of which I’ve either used or researched extensively.

So whether you’re looking for a fulfillment house for your next product, legal protection for your information marketing business, personal and life coaching, fresh direct mail ideas and techniques, Internet marketing advice, publishing contacts, operations and sales support, hands-free marketing tools, publicity or any number of other business resources, I’ve got answers. 75+ to be exact!

And I’ve laid them out for you in an easy-to-navigate list below.

So the next time you catch yourself pretending to be a superhero, i.e. trying to do it all on your own, open up this document and unleash your REAL superpower—DELEGATION!

Administrative Assistance

www.teamdoubleclick.com

Team Double-Click provides professional virtual office assistants and professional real estate virtual assistants for small and home-based businesses. They are a virtual staffing agency, working with thousands of professional virtual office assistants world-wide.

Business/Personal Coaches

www.milteer.com

Lee Milteer is a Performance Coach, Author and Professional Speaker. She is the founder of the Millionaire Mindset Coaching Program and the Profit and Productivity Coaching Program for Business Owners and Entrepreneurs. Lee also works with Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer with Gold Peak Performers Coaching Group for Entrepreneurs and Business Owners.

www.themarketingmentors.com

Get new marketing ideas, tips and how-to articles; develop a new marketing strategy for your small biz or professional practice; learn how to take maximum advantage or your networking efforts; develop a web site that generates leads and educates prospects & clients how you can help them; define a small niche market and develop marketing approach to quickly penetrate it for maximum profits, and more.

www.coachcare.com

Mark Fulton is a leadership coach, business writer and professional speaker with more than 30 years of professional experience in education, broadcasting, management, marketing and business ownership. His career as a communicator includes work as a print journalist, public speaker, marketing and training director, television reporter, radio news director and talk show host.

Direct Mail/Information Marketing Resources

Fulfillment

www.usps.com/netpost

NetPost Print & Mail Service offers a convenient way for customers to create and send postcards and letters from a home or office computer at affordable rates. Use this feature to create and mail business newsletters, greeting cards, flyers, postcards and more.

www.SpeakerFulfillmentServices.com

For outsourcing duplication and fulfillment. No job too small.

www.kunaki.com

Duplication services for audio and video. For $1.60 per CD, you get manufacturing and assembly, full color CD printing, jewel case, full color 2-panel insert, full color tray card, cellophane wrapping, UPC bar code, and 24-Hour rush.

For $1.60 per DVD, you get manufacturing and assembly, full color DVD printing, DVD case, full color 1-panel insert, full color DVD case cover, cellophane wrapping, UPC bar code, and 24-Hour rush.

www.ImpactProducts.com

Supplies

www.orientaltrading.com

For great direct mail marketing props and ideas.

www.uline.com

Shipping supplies

Coaching/Ideas

www.iamwah.org

The Information Marketer’s Association provides marketing support and product idea generation for information marketers.

www.the-dma.org

The Direct Marketing Association is a global trade association of business and nonprofit organizations using and supporting direct marketing tools and techniques.

List Manager/Profiler

www.melissadata.com

Melissa Data provides a variety of easy-to-use, cost-effective data quality solutions to help you boost response rates, increase revenue, streamline CRM, data quality management and direct mail operations. Their products include data cleansing and list services, mailing software and address management tools, and high quality sales leads and mailing lists.

Internet Marketing

Web Designer

www.thomascg.com

Website design and hosting.

Shopping Cart Systems

www.WebMarketingMagic.com

Complete shopping cart

www.ClickBank.com

A handy place to set up shop until you get a shopping cart, particularly when selling e-books or audio file downloads.

Google Adwords and Pay-Per-Click Advice

www.askhowie.com

Howie Jacobson is the author of Adwords for Dummies

www.mymarketingcoach.com

Terry Dean provides Internet coaching that works. Instead of teaching theory, he’ll show you the tips, tricks and tactics that work for him and his clients every day. His print newsletter costs $19.95 per month.

Related sites for Internet advertising are www.wordtracker.com and www.overture.com for keyword research and optimization.

Creating an E-zine

www.AlexandriaBrown.com

Sign up for her weekly e-zine with tips, tricks and tools for making more money on the Internet. She also offers several coaching programs and useful products for improving your Internet marketing.

Creating Webinars

www.gotowebinar.com

Get a free one-month trial or pay $79 per month for a year contract or $99 per month without one. You can present an unlimited number of webinars. Attendee limit per webinar is 1,000.

Legal Assistance

www.DaveFrees.com

Marketing Law Firm In A Box is a complete package with just about everything you need to protect your information products and services including legal templates, sample legal documents, privacy policies, disclaimers, copyright notices, business and compliance checklists, forms, marketing tools and exclusive hours of interviews with niche-specific marketing attorneys.

Marketing Tools

Marketing Technology

www.AutomatedMarketingSolutions.com

Put your marketing on autopilot once and for all with voice broadcasting, toll-free recorded messages, specialized websites and more.

Creating Teleseminars

www.InstantTeleseminar.com

Rick Raddatz offers a turnkey solution from conception to implementation for anyone considering, or already doing, teleseminars. His easy-to-use software performs all the necessary functions plus gives you helpful tips on how to increase your sign-ups, increase your show-ups and close more sales. Their service also comes with pre-written promotional copy and 16 notification templates to send to your list.

www.teleseminarpower.com

Michael Cage has one of the most widely recognized systems for producing successful, profitable teleseminars.

Education

www.ducttapemarketing.com
Duct Tape Marketing is a 304-page hardcover book a foreword by Michael Gerber, author of the E-Myth and afterword by Guy Kawasaki, author of the Art of the Start. It is a small business marketing program that treats marketing as an integrated system. At the core of the system is a series of steps and strategies, in various stages, that any business, regardless of size, can use to produce stunning returns from a consistent marketing effort.

Online Article Submission and Locator

www.SubmitYourArticle.com

www.ArticleMarketer.com

Article marketing allows you to build a powerful linking strategy ensuring your site receives qualified, pre-sold traffic interested in signing up for your newsletter, downloading your e-book, buying your products, etc. You can start with a free account to test the waters. They also offer article writing services for you, if you don’t want to write your own.

www.myarticletraffic.com

www.ezinearticles.com

Submit or find articles on hundreds of topics from this site.

www.directoryofezines.com

Directory for finding the right e-zines to advertise in and submit your articles to.

www.freesticky.com

www.ideamarketers.com

www.findsticky.com

Viral Marketing Tools

www.trafficswarm.com

TrafficSwarm is an automated viral marketing tool specializing in generating real-time targeted traffic and serves over 300,000 members.

Blogging

www.blogger.com

Allows you to set up, post to and manage as many blogs as you can handle at no charge. Blogger will also translate your blog into multiple languages. Blogs are also a good way to advertise your products and your affiliate links.

www.wordpress.com

Set up and manage your blog.

www.Technorati.com
Currently tracks 90.9 million blogs and over 250 million pieces of tagged social media. Technorati searches, surfaces, and organizes blogs and other forms of independent, user-generated content (photos, videos, voting, etc.) increasingly referred to as “citizen media.” You can use this tool to conduct research on your competition, find out what hot topics your niche is interested in, and more.

www.blogtalk.com

For information on anything you could possibly want to know about. Research topics, check out your competition, start your own blog, do comparison shopping, etc.

Royalty-Free Music Sources

www.beatsuite.com Music tracks, loops, and sounds for multimedia and broadcast.
www.digitaljuice.com
www.music2hues.com
www.musicbakery.com
www.productiontrax.com
www.smartsound.com
www.sounddogs.com Lots of sound effects and some music.
www.stock20.com Great source. Selections only $7.00 each.
www.studiocutz.com

Publicity

www.ProfNet.com

An online community of nearly 14,000 professional communicators, ProfNet was created in 1992 to connect reporters easily and quickly with expert sources at no charge.

www.PRLeads.com

Have reports contact you.

www.prwebdirect.com

Send online press releases

www.blogtalkradio.com

Host your own free radio show. They provide a phone line for you to host and a phone line for guests and audience members to call in on. They make money on the advertising.

www.gcast.com

Free podcasting service. Other paid and non-paid podcasting services can be found at:

www.podcastpickle.com

www.podango.com

www.podomatic.com

www.talksoe.com/podcast Record or upload live interactive podcasts with free hosting. Up to 250 people can talk and chat while thousands listen in. You can earn money hosting a podcast and referring new hosts.

www.radioprguy.com

Best radio show database and program available.

www.tvprguys.com

Best report featuring the top 240 national news, talk, and magazine TV shows.

Publishing

www.bookmarket.com

Sign up to receive John Kremmer’s weekly newsletter offering a Book Marketing Tip of the Week and visit his website for recommended publishers, production, publishing and marketing resources, plus 7 free reports and more. John Kremer is a recognized publishing expert and consults in the areas of book marketing, book sales, book promotion, publicity, direct marketing, pricing, book titles, book covers, book marketing plans, book proposals, rights sales, and general planning for book publishers of all sizes as well as for individual authors. While most of John’s consulting is done over the phone, he also provides on-site consulting services. He has helped authors like Deepak Chopra, Marc Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield.

www.danpoynter.com

This site has hundreds of pages of information and free documents plus books (both theirs and those from other publishers), reports, disks and tapes.

www.lighteningsource.com

Print on demand resource

www.alphaadvertising.com

Cover design resource. Also try www.killercovers.com.

www.isbn.org

Acquiring ISBN numbers

www.lulu.com

Spiral bound manual publishing

Blogs For Authors And The Media

www.blogcritics.com

www.blogpost.com

www.huffingtonpost.com

Sales and Systems Support

www.mullinsmediagroup.com

The phone sales doctor, Chris Mullins, specializes in mystery audit calls, call monitoring, inbound/outbound performance analysis, scripting and more for your phone sales staff.

Speakers

www.FredGleeck.com

Fred Gleeck is an information marketer. He creates, markets and sells books, ebooks, audios, videos, seminars and software to a variety of niche markets. Fred is both a mentor to other information marketers and a sought after internet/marketing consultant.

Other resources:

www.rentacoder.com

Software development

www.theterrydean.com

Free resource report of 112 resources

So who’s in your little black book?

Until next time,

Lina Penalosa

The Write Solution

Phn: 757-377-1244

Fax: 757-299-8355

lina@thewritesolutionllc.com

www.thewritesolutionllc.com

P.S. To join Lina’s Marketing Masters monthly coaching program absolutely FREE for 3 months send an e-mail to lina@thewritesolutionllc.com with the subject line “free newsletter.” When you do, you’ll begin receiving:

ü Digital and hard copies of her information packed 4-page newsletter including incredible marketing and copywriting tips,

ü The chance to win a free critique worth $750

ü One group personal development call each month with coaching greats like Fred Gleeck, Laura Cardone, and others

ü A CD of the phone call

ü Transcripts of the phone call

ü And a live 60-minute group coaching session each month.

P.P.S. What others are saying about Lina Penalosa and The Write Solution…

--Lee Milteer, International Business Coach and Speaker

--Stephen Oliver, Martial Arts Marketing Expert and Owner of Mile High Karate Schools Denver, Colorado

--Ernesto Fernandez, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

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How To Play With An 800 Pound Gorilla�And Not Get Hurt: 5 Things You Should Know About Keeping Your Website Out of Google Hell

Thu, 31 May 2007 20:29:00 GMT

How To Play With An 800 Pound Gorilla…And Not Get Hurt: 5 Things You Should Know About Keeping Your Website Out of Google Hell

If your website depends on search engine rankings in any way for lead generation or sales, keep reading. If not, stop reading now.

Notice I didn’t say anything about actually being interested in search engine rankings; I just said “If your website depends on it…” Why? Because whether you’re personally interested in this topic or not, it’s an important one that could affect your online success.

Of course, knowing you probably aren’t a super geek (neither am I) I’ll keep these tips short, simple and to the point. Here we go…

Why do I call Google an “800 Pound Gorilla?”

Because it is the king of the online jungle. And like all great beasts, deserves a certain amount of respect—if for no other reason that its ability to intentionally or inadvertently squish those who tread carelessly on its figurative toes.

What is Google Hell?

The place where “low quality” web pages, by Google’s assessment, go to wither and die. When a page lands in Google Hell, you are officially off your prospects radar because the page(s) no longer appear in standard search engine results.

I’m not faulting Google of course. In fact, they have good reason for creating this “supplemental index” also known as Google Hell. Namely for use as a “holding pen” for pages Google decides are of low quality or were designed to gain artificially high search results. (You know, the ones that find a loophole in Google’s algorithms and manage to dupe you into clicking on them when they offer no relevant information whatsoever?) The supplemental index puts a stop to that, but on occassion it does throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Why should you give a whit about Google Hell?

Because getting in is easy. Getting out, however, is another matter altogether. Originally created to lighten Google’s workload when scanning and searching the web’s billions of pages, as well as to protect innocent web users like you and me from scam artists, Google Hell is a double-edged sword. Meaning, that while it makes your search experience better, your site’s pages can end up there without you even knowing what you’ve done to deserve it.

And once they’re locked in Google Hell, it can take up to a year for Google to rescan and release them...as happened with Paul Sanar of Skyfacet.com (who lost over $500,000 in sales in 3 months) and Amit Jhalani of MySolitaire.com (who lost over $250,000 in sales over 6 months) according to a recent Forbes article by Andy Greenberg.

Why is it so easy to mistakenly land in Google Hell?

Because Google’s a little bit like David trying to tackle Goliath. After all, we’re talking about one entity responsible for “reading” and “re-reading” an endless number of web pages then ranking and re-ranking them every few seconds. It’s not unlike trying to sort the entire Earth’s population by height from shortest to tallest every few minutes. A daunting feat to be sure.

And while this is going on, you have spammers and other scammers trying to dupe the system…further justifying its existence.

How do you stay out of Google Hell?

Unfortunately, there aren’t any clear-cut rules. If there were, the spammers and scammers would be able to easily circumvent them, but there are a few things you can do to minimize your risk like:

Do NOT create duplicate versions of your content on your site or other sites.
Do NOT exchange links with unrelated sites. For example, if you are a chiropractor, thinking carefully before exchanging links with a seemingly unrelated business like an auto repair mechanic.
Do NOT exchange TOO many links with other websites, even if they are relevant. It’s more important to have outgoing links than incoming ones.
If you do a website overhaul, don’t immediately chuck your old domain name. New domain names are more vulnerable than old ones.
To find out if any of your pages are in Google Hell, also known as the “supplemental index,” just enter the address listed below into your Google search engine. Be sure to replace the words “yoursite” with the name of your website. www.yoursite.com *** -view
If you find several of your pages are in Google Hell and you want to get them out, Matt Cutt, Google’s main spokesperson, recommends hiring a reputable search engine specialist to assist in raising the ranking for those pages.

Until next time…taste the inspiration,

Lina Penalosa

The Write Solution

Phn: 757-377-1244

Fax: 757-299-8355

lina@thewritesolutionllc.com

www.thewritesolutionllc.com

P.S. To sign up for “Copy Champ,” a FREE bi-weekly e-zine for business owners who want simple, easy-to-follow tips for creating marketing copy using the Gary Halbert, Dan Kennedy copywriting formula, please go to www.thewritesolutionllc.com and sign up on the home page.

P.P.S. What others are saying about Lina Penalosa and The Write Solution…

--Lee Milteer, International Business Coach and Speaker

--Stephen Oliver, Martial Arts Marketing Expert and Owner of Mile High Karate Schools Denver, Colorado

--Ernesto Fernandez, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Subscribe to Marketing Success via email by entering your email address below:

A 3-Minute Cheat Sheet To The Secret Language Your Prospects Are Speaking

Tue, 15 May 2007 20:32:00 GMT

A 3-Minute Cheat Sheet To The Secret Language Your Prospects Are Speaking

Ever had a conversation with someone you just KNEW was from another planet?

You know what I mean. The kind of conversation where you just can’t find ANY common ground? The kind that has you praying for an earthquake, lightening strike or unexpected monsoon to justify a quick escape?

If so, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re perfectly normal!

So what gives? Why the struggle? The short answer is you’re literally speaking 2 different languages.

The long answer is key factors and attributes of your personality make it difficult for you to connect and build rapport with someone who is not motivated, inspired and hardwired the way you are.

So what does this have to do with copywriting? Lots. You see, if you aren’t using the words and phrases that resonate with your prospects’ personalities, you aren’t communicating. And if you aren’t communicating, you aren’t selling.

So how do you fix it? By:

Identifying your personality
Identifying your prospect’s personality
Learning and using the trigger words, phrases, mediums, analogies, metaphors and so on that will resonate MOST with your target audience

Step #1: Identifying Your Personality

Below is a fun personality test you can finish in less than 5 minutes. Start by reading each of the four words in the first line then put a check mark next to the one that sounds most like you. Repeat this for each line. There may be two or even three that sound like you, but choose the one that best describes you. When you finish, add up the total for each column and whichever you score highest on is your dominant personality. Your second highest score indicates your secondary personality.

Take a moment to complete it now and you’ll quickly discover some of the best-kept secrets to effective marketing!

Popular Yellow Powerful Red Perfect Blue Peaceful White

__Animated __Adventurous __Analytical __Adaptable

__Persistent __Playful __Persuasive __Peaceful

__Submissive __Self-sacrificing __Sociable __Strong-willed

__Considerate __Controlled __Competitive __Convincing

__Refreshing __Respectful __Reserved __Resourceful

__Satisfied __Sensitive __Self-reliant __Spirited

__Planner __Patient __Positive __Promoter

__Sure __Spontaneous __Scheduled __Shy

__Orderly __Obliging __Outspoken __Optimistic

__Friendly __Faithful __Funny __Forceful

__Daring __Delightful __Diplomatic __Detailed

__Cheerful __Consistent __Cultured __Confident

__Idealistic __Independent __Inoffensive __Inspiring

__Demonstrative __Decisive __Dry Humor __Deep

__Mediator __Musical __Mover __Mixes easily

__Thoughtful __Tenacious __Talker __Tolerant

__Listener __Loyal __Leader __Lively

__Contented __Chief __Chartmaker __Cute

__Perfectionist __Permissive __Productive __Popular

__Bouncy __Bold __Behaved __Balanced

__Brassy __Bossy __Bashful __Blank

__Undisciplined __Unsympathetic __Unenthusiastic __Unforgiving

__Reluctant __Resentful __Resistant __Repetitious

__Fussy __Fearful __Forgetful __Frank

__Impatient __Insecure __Indecisive __Interrupts

__Unpopular __Uninvolved __Unpredictable __Unaffectionate

__Headstrong __Haphazard __Hard to please __Hesitant

__Plain __Pessimistic __Proud __Permissive

__Angered easily __Aimless __Argumentative __Alienated

__Naive __Negative attitude __Nervy __Nonchalant

__Worrier __Withdrawn __Workaholic __Wants Credit

__Too Sensitive __Tactless __Timid __Talkative

__Doubtful __Disorganized __Domineering __Depressed

__Inconsistent __Introvert __Intolerant __Indifferent

__Messy __Moody __Mumbles __Manipulative

__Slow __Stubborn __Show-off __Skeptical

__Loner __Lord over others __Lazy __Loud

__Sluggish __Suspicious __Short-tempered __Scatterbrained

__Revengeful __Restless __Reluctant __Rash

__Compromising __Critical __Crafty __Changeable

__________ __________ ___________ ___________

All finished? Great! Let’s dive right in. Listed below are brief descriptions of the four basic personality types. Locate yours and take 30 seconds to read through it.

Yellow

Yellows are typically high-energy, chatty personalities with bright eyes and loud voices. They need to be the life of the party, want to have fun, and are always looking for the next adventure. They thrive on community and social contact. Popular and well-liked, they rarely ruffle others’ feathers intentionally but can sometimes be overwhelming with their need for attention, approval, affection and acceptance.

They are optimistic, have great senses of humor and love to tell stories. They are natural persuaders, motivators and entertainers. On the downside they are often disorganized, struggle to follow-through and often appear lackadaisical and naïve. Typical reactions to stress include disappearing, going shopping, blaming others, and making up excuses.

Yellows are typically PTA leaders, volunteers, entertainers and fundraisers.

Red

Reds live goal-oriented lives. They are the doers of the world and thrive on action. They are well-organized, outgoing, loyal, hard-workers. They tend to be unemotional in their decision-making, have a compulsive need for change, are confident, independent and good at delegating. Reds have a natural feel for being in charge and solid instincts about what will and won’t work in any given situation.

On the downside they can sometimes be bossy, domineering, controlling and impatient. They typically react to stress by becoming more controlling, working harder and jettisoning anything that does not serve their higher purpose.

Reds typically include executives, military leaders, entrepreneurs and politicians.

Blue

Blues are thoughtful, analytical, serious, purposeful people. They are also often creative, artistic, philosophical and poetic. The phrase “still waters run deep” comes to mind with this group. They are very sensitive to others, conscientious, appreciate beauty, have high standards and are idealistic.

On the downside they can be perfectionists, get depressed easily, focus too much on details, are suspicious of others and take themselves too seriously. They tend to react to stress by withdrawing, getting lost in a book, giving up or recounting problems over and over.

Blues typically include inspectors, analysts, counselors and artists.

White

Whites are quiet, low-key, don’t rock the boat kind of people. They are patient, well-balanced, consistent, have a dry sense of humor, avoid conflict, are good under pressure, easygoing and have many friends. They are sympathetic and kind, keep their emotions hidden and could be called the “all purpose person.”

On the downside they can be lazy, unmotivated, expect others to handle their problems, lack decisiveness and can be extremely stubborn. They tend to react to stress by hiding from it, watching TV, eating or just tuning out.

Whites typically include doctors, mediators, psychologists and dentists.

**Now, for those of you who are wondering…

No, this is not a complete description of each personality and the trigger words and phrases that appeal most to them (you’ll have to buy my “Copy Coach In A Box” kit for that).

Yes, it’s perfectly normal to see characteristics of yourself in 2 categories and a small smattering in the others. While we are all individuals and cannot be completely classified as one thing or another, you will notice that you PRIMARILY fit into one category and exhibit secondary traits of another.

So how does knowing your personality-type help? Because knowing how you communicate with others gives you a clue as to whom you will have the most success selling.

Step #2: Identifying Your Prospect’s Personality (by the way, this works on your spouse too ;))

Now it’s time to pin the tail on your prospects. Think of one or two prospects to start then expand your vision to the whole lot. Which of the above personalities best fits?

During this exercise, you may even find that your product or service naturally appeals to one personality type over another. For example the detail-oriented, conscientious, by-the-book Blue is more likely to buy and use dietary supplements than the fun-loving, foot-loose and fancy-free Yellow.

On the other hand pitching a designer handbag to the society conscious Yellow is way more effective than selling it to the down-to-earth, practical and pragmatic Red.

Does this mean certain products and services can ONLY be sold to certain personalities? Sometimes yes, but mostly the answer is no. The trick is simply figuring out which personality you want to sell to, then creating copy that clearly targets that audience using key words, phrases, analogies, benefits and pains that resonate most with that personality.

Step #3: Resonating With Your Audience

So how do you put this to work in your copy? I’ve listed 2 examples below. See if you can guess which personality-type is being targeted before you read the answer.

Example 1:

“Did you know 43% of all children don’t get enough Calcium in their diets? And that this deficit is responsible for 64% of all broken bones, 53% of reported cases of poor concentration in school and 24% of premature aging? Are you doing all you should be doing for your child?”

Who do you think we’re targeting? Blues! How can you tell? Well for one we have specific numbers and detailed information, which this audience loves. We also play on their sense of social and personal responsibility. Remember Blues are “deep” people and very sensitive to the needs of others. What’s more they have a powerful need to be right, which means doing the “right” things for their children.

Example 2:

“When you cruise up to the premier social event of the year in your sleek new red convertible, you’re sure to be the envy of all your friends. Don’t let bad credit keep you from living the life you deserve, call 800-888-8888 today to learn how you can get back to the fun, adventurous lifestyle you were born to live!”

Who’s the audience? Yellows! How can you tell? Well, we know Yellows are very motivated by what others think of them, they are social butterflies, image is extremely important to them and they often believe having fun is their birthright! Every word in this small excerpt was chosen to specifically highlight those characteristics. And while it may sound perfectly ridiculous argument to a Blue or Red, it sounds just divine to a Yellow!

There you have it, a down and dirty overview of The Secret Language Your Prospects Are Speaking. As I said before, this truly is a thumbnail sketch of the components and elements that go into targeting and writing to specific personality types. For complete access, go to www.copycoachinabox.com.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for next month’s article on How To Keep Your Website Out of Google Hell.

Start a fire with your copy,

Lina Penalosa

The Write Solution

Phn: 757-377-1244

Fax: 757-299-8355

lina@thewritesolutionllc.com

www.thewritesolutionllc.com

P.S. To get your “Copy Coach in a Box” system, including more in-depth money-making tips on Identifying and Marketing To Your Prospects’ Personalities, The 3 P’s of Great Copywriting, Persuasion Tactics That Produce Profits, A Complete Ready-to-Go Sales Letter Formula, a Book of Power Words That Sell, a 3-Hour Audio Recording, and more, simply go to www.copycoachinabox.com.

P.P.S. What others are saying about Lina Penalosa and The Write Solution…

--Lee Milteer, International Business Coach and Speaker

--Stephen Oliver, Martial Arts Marketing Expert and Owner of Mile High Karate Schools Denver, Colorado

--Ernesto Fernandez, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Subscribe to Marketing Success via email by entering your email address below:

A 60-Second Guide to the Secret of "Speed-Dating" Copy

Tue, 01 May 2007 14:29:00 GMT

A 60-Second Guide to the Secret of

“Speed-Dating” Copy

If you’re wondering what the heck speed-dating could possibly have in common with writing copy—let me explain.

First, what is speed-dating? It’s a type of matchmaking where people meet potential romantic partners through a series of brief one-on-one encounters at a single event.

Second, what does it have in common with copy that sells? Well, let’s think about it. Speed-dating’s core purpose is to create as many opportunities for matches as fast as possible, right?

Great copy is no different. Its purpose is to create as many opportunities for a sale as possible. Now that doesn’t mean your copy has to be short, but it does mean it should make the most of every chance to persuade, entice, cajole, charm and ultimately sell your prospect on what you have to offer—just as you would when speed-dating.

How do you do that? By choosing the most powerful, persuasive words available to you.

And since this is a “60-Second Guide,” I won’t go into the psychology behind my list of 100 Power Words That Sell or even list the whole thing here…but I will give you a tasty helping to snack on before you write your next marketing piece.

Power Words That Sell

Announcing	Exclusive	Introducing	Reduced	This
Approved	Expert	Lifetime	Refundable	Timely
Bargain	Facts	Limited	Reliable	Truth
Benefit From	Find	Look	Results	Unconditional
Better	Free	Lowest	Revealing	Unlock
Bonus	Get	Money	Reveals	Unusual
Boost	Gift	New	Safely	Urgent
Breakthrough	Greatest	Now	Safety	Use
Challenge	Guaranteed	Only	Sale	Valuable
Complete	Have	Own	Save	Want
Confidential	Here	Plus	Scarce	Wanted
Critical	Highest	Power	Secret	Warning
Crucial	How	Profit From	Secure	Wealth
Delivered	Hurry	Profitable	Security	Which
Direct	Immediately	Profits	Selected	Who
Discount	Important	Protect	Solution	Why
Discover	Improved	Proven	Stop	Win
Earn	Increase	Quality	Successful	Yes
Easily	Instantly	Quick	Surprising	You
Easy	Interesting	Rare	Tested	Your

There you have it, your own list of 100 Power Words That Sell.

Start a fire with your copy,

Lina Penalosa

The Write Solution

Phn: 757-377-1244

Fax: 757-299-8355

lina@thewritesolutionllc.com

www.thewritesolutionllc.com

P.P.S. What others are saying about Lina Penalosa and The Write Solution…

--Lee Milteer, International Business Coach and Speaker

--Stephen Oliver, Martial Arts Marketing Expert and Owner of Mile High Karate Schools Denver, Colorado

--Ernesto Fernandez, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Subscribe to Marketing Success via email by entering your email address below:

How To Attract More Ideal Clients Online

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:10:00 GMT

Hello again,

Last week I sent you an e-mail about a great event worth attending in New York on May 29^th and 30^th. You can get more information at www.publishingseminar.com.

This week I have a terrific F*REE resource for you from my good friend Laura Cardone, author of Motivation at Work: Transform Your Business in 6 Extraordinary Steps. (Open the attached document or go to www.profitswithpurpose.com or www.motivationatwork.com for more details.)

She’s a whiz when it comes to best-practice marketing and business strategies. And lucky for us, she’s put together a 6+ page guide to all her favorite tools, resources, etc. for generating more online traffic, writing press releases, discovering where to find super affiliates, sources for offshore outsourcing and so much more.

If your business has a presence on the Internet, you simply must take a peek at the incredible guide attached to this e-mail.

Let me know what you think!

Lina Penalosa

The Write Solution

Phn: 757-377-1244

Fax: 757-299-8355

lina@thewritesolutionllc.com

www.thewritesolutionllc.com

Subscribe to Marketing Success via email by entering your email address below:

A seminar worth attending...

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 21:00:00 GMT

Opportunity Alert!

If you want to, or already are, publishing books or other information products, you’ll want to consider attending this conference in New York City from May 29-30^th.

I’ve included a quick synopsis below, but you can get more details and register at www.publishingseminar.com.

Purpose: To share the newest, most innovative techniques for marketing yourself and your info products…not just the old stuff you already know about. This includes tips for promoting books on Amazon, positioning yourself as an expert in your field so news outlets will solicit your opinions, how to create promotional materials, ideas for low-cost promotions that work, etc.

Special Guests: Fred Gleeck, Bob Bly, John Kremer and Terry Dean

Location: Skyline Hotel, 725 10^th Avenue, New York, NY

Date: May 29-30

Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day

I am attending and will be staying a couple blocks down the road at the Washington Jefferson hotel. To get the same hotel discount I’m receiving, go to: http://book.hotelsanddeals.com/v5/redir.aspx?type=property&pid=43995&siteid=8000

And for those who may be wondering, I do NOT receive any sort of commission or compensation if you decide to go. Just wanted to keep you in the loop on events worth attending.

If you decide to attend, you can register at www.publishingseminar.com.

I hope you’re having a terrific week!

Lina

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3 Steps To Increasing Sales Overnight With...

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 11:55:00 GMT

*Due to a server error, many members did not receive the last article posted. Please read below the signature line or click on the attachment for the article on "What Lingerie Has In Common With Great Headlines."

3 Steps To Increasing Sales Overnight With

The Persuasive Power Of Personality

Six weeks ago I received a phone call from an information marketer at his wit’s end. He’d invested several thousand dollars in custom copy for his services but it wasn’t getting the job done. It wasn’t closing sales or even generating viable leads.

He’d poured over every word, every principle, every tactic he knew of for writing great copy and the usual suspects were all present and accounted for.

The headline, subheads, pain, benefits, anchor tags, specificity, simplicity, NLP phrases, bonuses, guarantees, you name it, it was all there. Intrigued, I asked what he was hoping I could do.

“Anything!” he said. “Just make it WORK!”

So, bleeding heart that I am, and despite being on deadline for four other projects, I told him to send the material over. I’d work a little later that evening and see if I could diagnose the problem. Two minutes later, his copy was in my inbox.

That evening, curled up with my two kitties and The Singing Bowls of Shangri-la playing in the background, I delved in. Less than 10 minutes into reading the material out loud and one cat-nap later (3 if you count my cats dozing off too) I’d diagnosed the problem—it was the antidote to insomnia!

It was “skeleton writing”—technically superior, foundationally strong, but completely and utterly devoid of any life, personality or charisma. John Caples describes this bugaboo best in his book, “Tested Advertising Methods.”

“Everybody knows that you can tame a wild horse and make the animal useful. But it is impossible to put life into a dead horse. The same is true of advertising copy.”

Long story short, after much massaging, tweaking and substantial rewriting, we managed to breathe life into the new copy.

So how do you avoid the time, energy and monetary expense of such an easy mistake? By keeping these 3 steps in mind when you write:

Get Jazzed
Write to a specific person
Be conversational

Step 1

Before you so much as think about picking up a pen or tapping on that keyboard, the first step is getting your head straight. That means getting pumped, psyched and exhilarated by what you’re going to write. How?

I usually start with an affirmation that goes something like this,

“Everything I write turns to gold. Even now, unstoppable creative juices are coursing through my veins, compelling me to write copy that thrills and excites my client while closing loads more sales. And so it is.”

I repeat it several times out loud with enthusiasm and energy in my voice. I FEEL what I want the readers to FEEL when they read my copy. I focus on that feeling, I become that feeling and then I write.

Try it. You’ll be surprised how easily it comes to you and how your copy begins to take on a story-like quality your readers just can’t resist!

Step 2

Always, always, always write to a specific, singular person you can envision in your mind. How do you do that? By starting with the basics.

First write down everything you can think of to describe this person:

Age

Height

Weight

Eye and hair color

Hobbies

Income

Family dynamics

Profession

Type of house

Buying habits

Sports

Favorite vacation spot

You get the idea. Make this person as real as possible in your mind then write your copy as though you’re writing a letter, postcard, whatever to him or her. You can even use the same person for every product or service you have.

Now, before you balk, let me say I know how counterintuitive this is. You’re thinking, “But all my clients aren’t the same! Not a single one of them has all those characteristics in common!”

Doesn’t matter. You see when you write to a specific person, your copy automatically sounds more personal, congenial and approachable. It AUTOMATICALLY becomes more readable and engaging. And that’s what you want, right? It doesn’t matter who you envision because it isn’t that person who shows up in the copy, it’s you. Your personality, your attitude, your presence as it would be if you were talking to a real live person. Got it?

Step 3

Be conversational. Once you get the first two steps down, this is a piece of cake. Just pretend you’re talking to a buddy, friend or relative when you write.

Quick and Easy Tips for Getting Conversational

ü Use everyday language

ü Use simple words and sentence structure

ü Write in second person

ü Don’t go on and on about how fantastic you are

ü Don’t stress about proper grammar

There you have it, The Persuasive Power Of Personality 3 Steps To Increasing Sales Overnight.

1. Get Jazzed

2. Write to a specific person

3 . Be conversational

Stay tuned for next month’s article on Why Website Writing Breaks The Rules.

To your success,

Lina Penalosa

The Write Solution

Phn: 757-377-1244

Fax: 757-299-8355

lina@thewritesolutionllc.com

www.thewritesolutionllc.com

P.S. To sign up for “Copy Champ,” a FREE bi-weekly e-zine for business owners who want simple, easy-to-follow tips for creating marketing copy using the Gary Halbert, Dan Kennedy copywriting formula, please send an e-mail to: lina@thewritesolutionllc.com or leave a message at 757-377-1244.

What Does Lingerie Have In Common With Great Headlines?

Everything.

Still don’t see it? Let me connect the dots for you.

Imagine walking through your local mall. You’re on a mission and come Hades or high water you’re gonna accomplish it……..when through no conscious decision of your own, your head snaps to the right, your swift stride slams into a slow-motion vortex and your eyeballs stare, riveted to the scantily clad mannequins in Victoria Secret’s window.

Laugh if you like, but you know it’s true. There isn’t a man or woman alive who DOESN’T look twice at slinky slips and risqué lingerie when so strategically staged.

So what do great headlines have in common with lingerie? Three things.

They get your attention.
They stop you in your tracks.
They make you want to know more.

That’s the theoretical explanation. Here’s the practical one broken down by “Rules,” “Key Words,” “Examples,” and “Formulas”…

Headline Rules

Immediately, succinctly and clearly answer the only question prospects care about, “What’s in it for me?”
If you have news, such as a new product or new way to use an old product, play it up BIG in your headline.
Avoid curiosity-based headlines. Curiosity is great when used with either option listed above, but it can’t get the job done all by its little lonesome.
Try to communicate that your solution is a quicker or easier way to get what the prospect wants.
Your headline is a hook, not a fishing rod. Don’t ask it to do more than its job.

Key Words

At last Free You Gift

Finally How Sex Instantly

New Why Money Get

Now Who else… Guaranteed Surprising

Announcing Which Easy Yes

Introducing Wanted Save Discover

Examples

What Do School Teachers And Sumo Wrestlers Have In Common?

7 Ways To Sell Your House Faster And For More Money

Who Ever Heard Of 17,000 Blooms From A Single Plant?

The Truth About Homeowner’s Insurance

What Every Woman Should Know About Bargain Shopping

How To Skyrocket Your Website Traffic

How A Bald-Headed Barber Saved My Hair!

Who Else Wants A Whiter Wash—With No Hard Work?

Which Of These Car Buying Mistakes Will You Make?

The Top 13 Mistakes Self Publishing Authors Make.

To The Woman Who Will Settle For Nothing Less Than The Presidency Of Her Firm.

How To Prevent Online Identity Theft

All Skydiving Instructors Are Not Created Equal

If Indiana Jones Were An Economist, He’d Be Steven D. Levitt.

The Hidden Fortune In Your Worthless Tech Stocks

Formulas

1. What Do _(your product or service)__ And __(unexpected comparison)__ Have In Common?

2. Who Ever Heard Of __(unexpected something)_ From A __(your product or service)_?

3. The Truth (“solve a problem” or “get a result”).

4. What Every __(your audience)__ Should Know About __(your product or service)_.

5. How To Skyrocket Your __(benefit)__.

6. Which Of These _(area of concern)_ Mistakes Will You Make?

7. The Top __(X #)_ Mistakes _(your audience)_ Make.

8. To The _(your audience)_ Who Will Settle For Nothing Less Than The __(benefit)__.

9. How To Prevent __(pain)__.

10. All __(subject of article) Are Not Created Equal

11. If _______, then _______.

12. The Hidden Fortune In Your __(unusual place)__.

There you have it. A down and dirty synopsis of:

ü What a headline should do

ü What words will have the greatest impact in your headlines

ü What a great headline looks like

ü Easy formulas for creating your own profit producing headlines

Stay tuned for next month’s article on The Power of Personality.

To your success,

Lina Penalosa

The Write Solution

Phn: 757-377-1244

Fax: 757-299-8355

lina@thewritesolutionllc.com

www.thewritesolutionllc.com

P.S. To sign up for “Copy Champ,” a FREE bi-weekly e-zine for business owners who want simple, easy-to-follow tips for creating marketing copy using the Gary Halbert, Dan Kennedy copywriting formula, please send an e-mail to: lina@thewritesolutionllc.com or leave a message at 757-377-1244.

P.P.S. What others are saying about Lina Penalosa and The Write Solution…

--Lee Milteer, International Business Coach and Speaker

--Stephen Oliver, Martial Arts Marketing Expert and Owner of Mile High Karate Schools Denver, Colorado

--Ernesto Fernandez, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Subscribe to Marketing Success via email by entering your email address below:

Marketing Success Message

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 13:31:00 GMT

What Does Lingerie Have In Common With Great Headlines?

Everything.

Still don’t see it? Let me connect the dots for you.

Laugh if you like, but you know it’s true. There isn’t a man or woman alive who DOESN’T look twice at slinky slips and risqué lingerie when so strategically staged.

So what do great headlines have in common with lingerie? Three things.

They get your attention.
They stop you in your tracks.
They make you want to know more.

That’s the theoretical explanation. Here’s the practical one broken down by “Rules,” “Key Words,” “Examples,” and “Formulas”…

Headline Rules

Immediately, succinctly and clearly answer the only question prospects care about, “What’s in it for me?”
If you have news, such as a new product or new way to use an old product, play it up BIG in your headline.
Avoid curiosity-based headlines. Curiosity is great when used with either option listed above, but it can’t get the job done all by its little lonesome.
Try to communicate that your solution is a quicker or easier way to get what the prospect wants.
Your headline is a hook, not a fishing rod. Don’t ask it to do more than its job.

Key Words

At last Free You Gift

Finally How Sex Instantly

New Why Money Get

Now Who else… Guaranteed Surprising

Announcing Which Easy Yes

Introducing Wanted Save Discover

Examples

What Do School Teachers And Sumo Wrestlers Have In Common?

7 Ways To Sell Your House Faster And For More Money

Who Ever Heard Of 17,000 Blooms From A Single Plant?

The Truth About Homeowner’s Insurance

What Every Woman Should Know About Bargain Shopping

How To Skyrocket Your Website Traffic

How A Bald-Headed Barber Saved My Hair!

Who Else Wants A Whiter Wash—With No Hard Work?

Which Of These Car Buying Mistakes Will You Make?

The Top 13 Mistakes Self Publishing Authors Make.

To The Woman Who Will Settle For Nothing Less Than The Presidency Of Her Firm.

How To Prevent Online Identity Theft

All Skydiving Instructors Are Not Created Equal

If Indiana Jones Were An Economist, He’d Be Steven D. Levitt.

The Hidden Fortune In Your Worthless Tech Stocks

Formulas

1. What Do _(your product or service)__ And __(unexpected comparison)__ Have In Common?

2. Who Ever Heard Of __(unexpected something)_ From A __(your product or service)_?

3. The Truth (“solve a problem” or “get a result”).

4. What Every __(your audience)__ Should Know About __(your product or service)_.

5. How To Skyrocket Your __(benefit)__.

6. Which Of These _(area of concern)_ Mistakes Will You Make?

7. The Top __(X #)_ Mistakes _(your audience)_ Make.

8. To The _(your audience)_ Who Will Settle For Nothing Less Than The __(benefit)__.

9. How To Prevent __(pain)__.

10. All __(subject of article) Are Not Created Equal

11. If _______, then _______.

12. The Hidden Fortune In Your __(unusual place)__.

There you have it. A down and dirty synopsis of:

ü What a headline should do

ü What words will have the greatest impact in your headlines

ü What a great headline looks like

ü Easy formulas for creating your own profit producing headlines

Stay tuned for next month’s article on The Power of Personality.

To your success,

Lina Penalosa

The Write Solution

Phn: 757-377-1244

Fax: 757-299-8355

lina@thewritesolutionllc.com

www.thewritesolutionllc.com

P.S. To sign up for “Copy Champ,” a FREE bi-weekly e-zine for business owners who want simple, easy-to-follow tips for creating marketing copy using the Gary Halbert, Dan Kennedy copywriting formula, please send an e-mail to: lina@thewritesolutionllc.com or leave a message at 757-377-1244.

P.P.S. What others are saying about Lina Penalosa and The Write Solution…

--Lee Milteer, International Business Coach and Speaker

--Stephen Oliver, Martial Arts Marketing Expert and Owner of Mile High Karate Schools Denver, Colorado

--Ernesto Fernandez, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Subscribe to Marketing Success via email by entering your email address below: