What Lesson Can Today’s Business Owners Learn From a 10-Year-Old?

Last week, for the second year in a row, I had the opportunity to visit Barrows Elementary School in Reading, Massachusetts and speak to three classes of fifth grade students about writing, Boston history, careers and goals. The school uses my book, One April in Boston, as part of its Social Studies curriculum. The book, a work of historical fiction, teaches the value of goal setting and the power of a child’s imagination.

At the beginning of my talk, I shared copies of the first book I had ever written at age 10. It certainly gave the students a good laugh but also provided proof for a theory I relayed to them: Who we become can develop from interests we have, goals we set, and action we take at an early age.

As a young child, I was determined to be a writer and create things that I could share with others. I followed through on this commitment by writing and publishing a book, an audio book, and developing a marketing career that utilizes strategic thinking and strong writing skills to create effective advertising campaigns for my clients.

I asked the children if any of them could picture the type of job they wanted to have when they were older. In an instant, nearly every hand in the room went up. One by one, I heard every response you could imagine: author; accountant; lawyer; doctor; nurse; veterinarian; medical researcher who finds a cure for cancer; architect; professional baseball player; jet pilot and on and on. These kids knew exactly what they wanted to be. I posed a question that could help them get there by asking, “What can you do now to make that dream come true in the future?”

We had a discussion about the steps they could take, just like the main character does in my story, to bring them closer to their goals. The children welcomed the advice and understood that it’s never too early to start taking action.

So where’s the remarkable insight in all this that can help you as a business owner?

Children, like successful entrepreneurs, truly believe that anything is possible. They focus on their goals and not on the obstacles in their path no matter how daunting they may be. Kids are open to new ideas and grow with the aid and support of outstanding teachers. Winning entrepreneurs know this lesson well. They are goal oriented and surround themselves with people who have skills and abilities they do not possess. All for the specific purpose of helping them reach their objectives.

The long list of remarkable people who have used this approach includes Thomas Edison, Walt Disney and Henry Ford. Edison surrounded himself with men of great talent who helped bring his ideas to life. Disney’s team of imagineers did the same and Henry Ford sought the perspective of others and made learning a lifelong commitment.

It’s interesting to note that when Thomas Edison, the most prolific inventor of all time, was asked what he considered to be the greatest invention in the world, his answer was “the mind of a child.” That’s an invention today's business owners should make use of every chance they get.

For assistance with marketing strategy, direct response copywriting and innovative design that can help you reach your goals contact Ben Edwards today at 617-670-1888, ext 1.

How User Friendly is Your Website?

What helps people, helps business. – Leo Burnett

A business website can be a valuable and effective marketing tool if it presents your sales content in a manner that helps the viewer find what they are seeking quickly and easily.

Why is this so important?

Individuals read far differently online than they do in print. According to web usability consultant and author Steve Krug, people spend very little time reading web pages, instead they scan them. This occurs for various reasons, all of which are addressed in Chapter 2 of his book Don’t Make Me Think – A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability.

I believe that if you don’t optimize your website experience for scanners, you’ll frustrate potential customers and lose sales.

Here is an example of a page that has been written and created with the needs of a typical website reader in mind. It is easy for the viewer to see the services offered and identify the benefits. Paragraphs are short and sub heads, emboldened type and bullet points make the text scannable. Clearly defined links (in standard link blue) make it obvious what’s clickable and offer easy access to additional information.

Take a fresh look at your web content with this perspective in mind. If needed, use some of the techniques outlined above to make your website a more user friendly marketing tool.

For assistance writing direct response and website copy that gets results, contact Ben Edwards today at 617-670-1888, ext 1.

Marketing with Postcards

Postcards have become a popular direct mail format for lead generation. They can be mailed less expensively than a letter in a first-class envelope and don’t require opening or unfolding. With the aid of strong copy and design, postcards can have instant impact.

We’ve written and designed postcards for a variety of clients and have used the same convenient printing source, Modern Postcard, with great success. You can use this source to save money and get your postcards printed quickly.

The Modern Postcard website gives you everything you need including:

• Products and pricing
• Postal regulations
• Mailing services
• List services

Our most recent postcard project was for C and G Engineering LLC, a firm founded by two former engineers from Polaroid. That particular postcard promoted their latest invention Sound Stripes, a digital recording device that adds high quality audio messages to any scrapbook or school yearbook. The postcard was 6” x 8.5” and printed 4/1 (full color on one side and black ink on the back) at Modern Postcard.

Our postcard copy and design has the same look and feel as the Sound Stripes website (another recent project) and drives prospects to that site to order the product by mail or locate a retail store close by that carries it. Sound Stripes is using this postcard for targeted direct marketing and also as a booth handout at regional and national trade shows for scrapbooking enthusiasts.

Why Direct Response Beats Image Advertising

Imagine investing your hard earned money with the assistance of a financial advisor who couldn’t promise any measurable ROI and wouldn’t be held accountable for his advice.

Now picture yourself gladly paying him a commission for his services and continuing to do so for an extended period of time with the hope that his advice might eventually pay off.

Would you ever do this?

I hope not.

But many companies utilize this approach when it comes to promoting their businesses by investing in general or “image” advertising. Image advertising influences the reader, makes them feel better about a product or service and creates brand awareness. Some agencies steer clients in this direction because image ad campaigns are normally lengthy and guarantee them consistent media placement commissions that average 15%. They inform clients that image campaigns take an extended period to work and that they must have patience.

While you’re being patient and taking all the risk, they’re still getting a healthy commission check each month.

You deserve a better approach.
It’s called direct response advertising.

What makes direct response so effective?

A direct response message doesn’t merely influence the reader or build awareness, instead it entices, promises things they desire and gives them a compelling reason to act now and take your most desired action. This could be to phone you, return a BRC, visit your website and download a free report or anything else you desire. In all instances, it is a response you can actually measure.

With such results, your agency or marketing firm can be held accountable for the success or failure of the advertising. Agencies aren’t big fans of the short term accountability inherent in direct response. If the results aren’t good, they risk losing the account and missing out on media commissions that would have been guaranteed with a longer general advertising campaign.

If the ad or direct mail package is getting acceptable results, with direct response advertising you can begin to implement testing strategies and change one element at a time in an effort to increase the response rate even further. This method will increase your ROI and save you money because you won’t have to run the ad as often or mail as many pieces to get the return you need.

One last bit of advice when selecting a firm to help you with your advertising. A good marketing firm isn’t afraid to be held accountable. They have confidence in their ability and utilize direct response methods and testing strategies that are proven to work.

For assistance writing direct response copy that gets results, contact Ben Edwards today at 617-670-1888, ext 1.