What Is Copy and Why Is It Important To My Marketing?

This may seem like a very basic question. However, it's one that needs to be asked and answered. Why? Because a lot of business owners don't "get" the value of good copy. 

You may be asking "What is this copy you talk about?" In the simplest form, words. Just like the ones you're reading now. But not just any old words. Words that explain what your business, product or service can do for a prospect. 

More importantly, words that sell. Words that will motivate someone to give you money in exchange for value. And words are a key part of every ad or marketing campaign a business runs. 

The right words will sell and the wrong ones won't. It's really that simple (but not easy) to write a winning sales letter or message. 

Words are part of radio and TV commercials and newspaper ads. They're on pay-per-click ads, landing pages and sales letters. And they're part of brochures, follow-up e-mails and every other marketing message. Bottom line - words are part of all your marketing efforts. 

The right words are critical in direct-response marketing, which is what every business owner should use. Direct-response marketing asks the customer to take a certain action. It can be to opt-in to an e-mail list, sign up to watch a video or buy a product. 

A business owner will know exactly which ads work to make a sale. Why? Because you can track to the penny how many prospects buy from each ad. 

This is why most ad agencies don't like this type of marketing. They want you to pay for their ads over a period of time and ignore the results. That's because most of the time these ads don't make many sales.  

Their ads may win awards for being clever or creative. But when it comes to making sales, these ads almost always fall short. 

Most agencies rely on image or "branding" type marketing. This relies on expensive ads with few words that don't really sell. It's a popular myth based on the theory of "brand awareness." 

I use the word theory because I haven't seen it work well in the real world.  It says if you put your company name out there often enough, folks will eventually buy from you. 

This kind of marketing can make some sales in the short run. For example, if you have a stopped-up toilet and hear an ad for a plumber on the radio. 

Here's the problem with this theory. If you can't directly track an ad to a sale, you don't know if it works. What's the ultimate goal of a business? Make enough sales to at least cover your costs. And better yet, make a profit. 

This ties back to my original point. Why the right words are critical to business success.

I know this may sound really basic. But I see a lot of business owners who don't seem to get this simple concept. 

If your marketing hasn't worked well, you might be using the wrong words. You could make an offer your market doesn't want. Or you could make your offer to the wrong people. If you want to sell T-bone steaks, you wouldn't target a group of Boulder vegans. 

A savvy copywriter and marketing pro can look at all three to find the weak link(s). 

I'll admit this is a little self-serving. That's because I am a copywriter. I tell you this because it's critical to your business success. 

More than a few companies do OK without good marketing. Will they continue to do OK in the future with a so-so economy? With a few exceptions, I doubt it. 

The economy won't get any better anytime soon. Especially with state-run health care. 

There are so many "wildcards" that affect the economy today - both here and around the world - that I don't know when it will get back to 'normal' or even decent. 

In the future, good business and marketing basics will be more important than ever. That includes good copy, offers and strategy. 

Don't believe that good marketing makes a difference? Listen to this Tony Robbins interview of Jay Abraham:

http://bit.ly/1cJxeed

Jay is a well-known marketing legend. His advice produced $9.4 billion in sales for his clients. 

Listen to the audio more than once and take plenty of notes to mine the marketing "gold." 

What's the best measure of your marketing? Not how many leads or how much "brand awareness" you have. It's how well you convert those leads into sales, which lead to dollars in your bank account. 

This should be your main goal when you make any marketing decision. Not to just 'get your name out there' or 'boost brand awareness.'

If it don't make the cash register ring, it doesn't mean a thing. 

That's the best reason why good copy is critical to your business success. 

Another Stupid Ad Agency Trick

Opened an e-mail from a local ad agency today, which bragged about their latest contribution to the business and marketing world - the "Brand Audit," conducted to determine this gullible new client's "brand equity."

I can't make this nonsense up, here's the link and main "benefits" of this announcement:

http://www.figadvertising.com/blog/2011/03/barnacle-bookkeeping-to-use-fi/

Customer Response Research

Consumer response research is central to the brand exploratory. It is concentrated on understanding the preferences, attitudes, and behaviors of consumers in Barnacle Bookkeeping’s niche, and it aims to understand the effects and comparative success of past and potential marketing campaigns.

Brand Inventory

Brand Inventory assesses various marketing mix inputs (strategies, programs and tactics; including brand elements, product attributes, communication programs, pricing, distribution, etc.), and delineates how individually and collectively they execute the brand strategy.

Brand Exploratory

Brand Exploratory seeks confirmation that the target market actually thinks and feels about the brand as intended; to confirm if indeed that target has absorbed brand knowledge and is responding positively to the brand and its associated marketing.

What's missing in this worthless diatribe of "brand-speak"? Whether their marketing efforts have actually made a SALE for said client.

The only metric any business should be concerned with is the results a marketing campaign or advertisement produced - measured in sales or dollars. That's why I'm a direct-response copywriter, who focuses on results for my clients. Agencies who sell and talk about absolute nonsense like this, is why I don't put much stock in the value of "brand-building" for a small-to-medium-sized business.

Here's a recent example of a formerly big company who met its untimely demise, because its management didn't pay attention to marketing fundamentals.

Remember McClain Finlon, who used to be one of Denver's biggest ad agencies? They had sales of $210 million per year in the mid-2000s, and Qwest was their biggest client - responsible for about 1/3 of their annual revenues. Qwest had a failing business model, so like any good corporation, they blamed their marketing for their poor business results. Qwest switched to an ad agency out of Cleveland, which didn't improve their sales... that's why Qwest merged with Century-Tel last April.

Eventually, McClain Finlon was sold to a new owner, went into bankruptcy... and out of business altogether by 2009.

I talked with folks at this agency in 2007, and they wanted copywriters to do short, cute, and clever ads for their clients. Didn't sound like they really cared that much about results - just so it looked "creative."

I tell you this story because it's a real-life example of what happens when you get away from good marketing fundamentals. Don't focus on being cute or clever, focus on what the value is for your client... get their attention... build trust and the relationship, which should eventually lead to a sale. That's what good, effective marketing is all about.

Especially in today's economic conditions - and for the foreseeable future - smart companies will demand that you prove the results of your advertising and marketing campaigns. If it doesn't produce sufficient sales, scrap it and try something else.

If you're considering an agency or marketing firm who spouts this kind of nonsense - and doesn't tie what they do to increasing your sales or revenues - get the heck out of there, and find a company or professional who does.

Remembering the People Most Important to Us

I hope everyone had a nice and relaxing Memorial Day weekend, and spent it with friends and family. I also hope you took time to reflect on what this holiday is really all about: Remembering those who served our country in the military.

It's also a good time to reflect on the most important people in your business: Your customers and prospects. More specifically, how often do you keep in contact with them; and are you selling them enough of the products and services they need?

This is probably the biggest reason why people don't buy multiple times (or even once) from a business or website owner - they weren't contacted very often (or not at all) after the initial contact. This is one of the biggest mistakes in marketing strategy that a business owner can make: Not following up with a customer or prospect.

The average American sees and hears 2,000 to 3,000 marketing messages a day. It's difficult (if not impossible) for your single marketing message to get through and resonate with a prospect. It'll take time for someone to get familiar with you, your business and how you can solve their biggest problem(s).

That's why you need to have a series of follow-up e-mails or postcards ready to go after you make an initial contact with a prospect through direct mail, pay-per-click ads, or other marketing channel. And if you aren't keeping in contact with your customers, another company is.

Along with the series of follow-up messages, you need to have an overall marketing strategy (also known as a marketing funnel) that you move customers through to make an initial purchase, then more frequent (and hopefully higher-priced) purchases. Dan Kennedy is a big advocate of the marketing funnel, and I am too.

Remember to stay in touch with your customers and prospects - it's the most profitable thing a business or website owner can do.