How To Generate Leads From Your Advertising More Leads = More Sales!
1. Make Sure Your Copy Is Read By Developing A PowerfulHeadline.
I received a call the other day from a consultant, whose specialtyis improving the performance of corporate websites. He told mehe had been advertising his services in two magazines and thatthe results had been disappointing to say the least. He wanted toknow how to generate leads, “more of them”, from his advertising.
My first question seemed to make him uncomfortable. I asked himif there is a market for his services. After a moment,he regained his composure and began to assure me there was a veryviable market for his services. If this is the case, then whywas he having trouble selling his services? He seemed to be advertisingin the right places. After several more questions, I think I discoveredthe reason his ads weren’t working. I think it is the mainreason why so many ads don’t work well.
Most ads simply do not give the reader a reason to read further,and they turn off the reader because the copy is all about the advertiserand not about the reader.
The web consultant’s ad began with his very attractive three-colourcorporate logo and the headline “Web Improvement Consulting,”followed by a description of his experience and why he was so goodat what he does.
StreetSmart Marketers avoid the two fundamental mistakes madehere: assuming their readers understand the need, and notoffering their readers any reason to read on.
The prominence of our consultant’s three-colour logoadded nothing except cost, as he is a new unknown brand. If youmust have your logo on your advertising, place it towards the bottom,along with your contact information. StreetSmart Marketers knowthe reader is not interested in who you are until she is interestedin your offer.
I then asked the consultant, “If owners of websites have beensurviving quite happily without your services, what would makea website owner read this ad?”
He told me he could show almost every website ownerhow to generate more traffic by understanding a few key principlesand making simple changes to the site to reflect these principles.
He knew that! But his prospects don’t even know they have a problem,so why would they seek his help?
I suggested a different headline, that would encourage the readerto at least read the next sentence. ” How Four CommonMistakes Can Make Your Website Up To 45% Less Effective AsA Lead Generator.”
Readers may not know if they need a web consultant, but they wouldalmost certainly be interested in finding out if something they aredoing is sabotaging their efforts to produce business. Thus, I alsosuggested a sub-heading describing an under-performing website,so readers could relate to what he had to tell them.
I believe, having read the headline, there is a greater chancereaders would read the sub-head that followed.
Simply changing a headline has been shown on many occasions todouble, triple or in rare instances improve response ratesby as much as 21 times. The role of the headline and each subsequentsentence is simply to get the reader to read the next sentence.
Effective advertising is like a soap opera: each sentence shouldleave you wanting more, so you read the next sentence to see whathappens! The content of our consultant’s ad was less-than-inspiringconsultant jargon that most business people would not relateto, so it is unlikely that anyone even read the whole ad let alonegenerate leads.
StreetSmart Marketers know how to write effective advertisingand therefore know how to generate leads. You not only needa great headline; you also need to understand the underlying needs,fears, desires and wants of your target market, and includethe information in your copy. If you do that, you will grab theirattention and draw them through your advertising until they reachyour call to action.
2. Marketing and Selling Go Hand-In-Hand
From time to time when I find something that may be of interestto my readers, I like to include them.
I contend that most businesses are both poor marketers andpoor sellers. All of us need to sell better. It is something youcan continuously improve, but something you never entirelymaster. This is a brief tip from Kelley Robertson thatwill be helpful if you want to be a better salesperson.
The Critical Skill
The ability, the desire, and the patience to listen are necessaryif you want to achieve greatness in sales. Unfortunately, most salespeopletend to talk more than they listen. Here are three strategies thatcan help you improve your listening skills in both face-to-facemeetings and when speaking to people on the telephone.
1. Plan. Prepare a list of questions to ask your prospective customer.Make a commitment to yourself that you will uncover the answer toeach question during your meeting.
2. Think. Before you speak in a sales meeting ask yourself if whatyou are going to say will add value to the conversation. If theonly thing you are going to talk about is your product or service,resist the temptation to speak.
3. Limit distractions. It is very easy to be distracted by noise,people walking by, telephones, etc. Focus your full attention onthe person you are talking to.
Action step: During the coming week, concentration speaking less than you listen, particularly when meeting with clients, customers or new prospects.