Loading the searchable article library…
Browse published articles attributed to Lisa Manyon, with full-archive search.
For many, email correspondence has improved business efficiency on many levels. Sending an email can save time and money as well as provide a virtual “paper trail” of information sent and received. While the internet and email can provide quick and easy access to information and ...
Not everyone reads long copy and that's why there are double readership paths. I'm guessing you already know this...but just in case, copy (the written part of any marketing material) is the secret to sales success. Have you ever noticed the formatting on long direct mail or web sales letters? Study the formatting and you'll see long copy is formatted so "scanners" can skim the page to get the message while analytical readers can dive in and absorb ALL the details.
I’m sure you’ve heard me discuss the importance of masterminds and investing in your business. This is the single most important aspect of professional growth. Exposure to new ideas, fresh ways of thinking and resources are vital to expansion of your mind and soul. Who do you mastermind with? Do you utilize your connections to the fullest? Are you expecting miracles when NOT doing your part? These are some questions I want you to REALLY ponder. Personally I do what I can to make the most of all my connections. Here are some tips to help you.
When was the last time you had a truly phenomenal customer service experience? When was the last time someone you know shared a story about wonderful customer service? Were you able to recall a truly positive experience without having to think too far back? If so, that’s great! I encourage ...
Copy (the written part of any marketing material) is the secret to sales success. So, is long copy or short copy more effective? The answer is both are effective when well written. Publishers Clearinghouse wouldn't send out long sales letters if they didn't work and coincidentally, newspapers wouldn't sell small space ads if no results were seen.
The core of your online presence is your website. Ensuring that your site is really working for you, meaning it engages, informs, develops relationships, flows well and promotes action, is vital to your online marketing success. Is your website a passive, pretty placeholder or worse yet ugly and useless? This question may seem harsh and at the same time it’s so important to really think of your website as a money engine for your business (you do have a website because you hope to get more business, right?). In order for that to happen, you must have several elements in place.
Do you think that business success is truly a choice? I believe that it is. Anyone who has ever started a business knows there is work involved. It takes a clear vision, strategic planning, marketing and more to be successful. The two traits of successful businesses that I see most often (regardless of the type of business) are consistency and communication. To truly choose success, you must incorporate both into your overall strategy.
Perhaps you’ve heard the saying it’s not what you know but who you know? I have a different twist on that. It’s not only what you know, it’s who you know and who you share your knowledge with. Connections are important. In my humble opinion, connections are what make the world go ’round. So, who are you connecting with? How are you connecting? Are you making the most of your connections in a mutually beneficial way? I know that seems like a barrage of questions, but I really want you to think about it.
“Silent mentors” are those people who have impacted your life in a positive way — often by writing a book, speaking truth, offering a freebie — like an audio or special report and generally being of service to make a difference in the world. I call them “Silent mentors” not because they are quiet but because their teachings or words have shaped lives in amazing ways and often they don’t know it. So, I’ve decided to share a list of some of my Silent Mentors here and share how they touched my life (either by simply being of service or by sharing their gifts and message in a BIG way).
By now you should know headlines are the most important part of copy. At least when it comes to drawing your readers in and keeping them interested. Here are four quick ways to craft compelling headlines; offer a solution, tell readers how to do it, ask a question or give a quantifiable ...
From time to time, I send little bursts of inspiration your way. These include short video clips from Simple Truths. I asked you to think about three questions last month and Roger Parker did just that. In fact, I was so impressed with his answers, I’m including them here. But first, here’s ...
twitter Revolution ~ How Social Media and Mobile Marketing is Changing the Way we Do Business and Market Online by Deborah Micek @CoachDeb & Warren Whitlock @Warre Whitlockn If you don't have tweeps, aren't familiar with the twitterverse or haven't started tweeting, it's time to get on board ...
As you know, I’m a relatively positive and optimistic person. I usually don’t let people get me fired up. After all, I’d rather channel good energy into doing the best possible job I can at whatever it is I happen to be doing. So, let me start by sharing a story. Please note, this story isn’t specific to one incident. It’s actually been fictionalized from a combination of experiences from me and my colleagues. (It’s so great to have like minded tribes who “get it!”).
Increase Your Search Engine Rankings Organically ~ The landscape of internet marketing is changing. It takes more than a brochure website (a site that merely tells what you do) to capture new customers. People expect more and they deserve more. It’s up to you to clearly educate potential customers and hand them the “what’s in it for me?” in a well packaged website with compelling copy. The fact still remains that utilizing the internet to your advantage can increase your profits.
Article Marketing is here to stay. In fact, it's one of the quickest ways to gain notoriety on the web, get picked up in various publications, increase eZine (electronic newsletter) subscriptions and boost the "I've heard about you somewhere" factor.
I’ve received quite a few inquiries from Manyon’s Musings subscribers, colleagues and potential clients lately. And all of the inquiries surround marketing momentum and the best ways to find and retain clients. Ordinarily I’d require an investment in Exploratory Consultation to answer the questions I received. After all, time is money. As luck would have it, and you’ve probably already noticed, I tend to over deliver and I have a soft spot for helping people. So, in the spirit of being of service I’m going to answer a few of the questions I’ve received, here.
What are you asking? One of the best pieces of advice I can offer when creating copy is to always include an offer, otherwise known as a call to action. What do you want your customers to do? Don't assume they'll come to your website or storefront just because you've told them you're there. Results driven advertising, marketing and promotions take more planning and effort than an "If I build it they will come" approach.
When writing marketing, advertising and promotional copy, there are specific formulas to increase response and effectiveness. Since your copy truly is the secret to sales success it's important to familiarize yourself with the formula even if you aren't writing long copy. Here's why: There is a psychological process that readers go through regardless of copy length and regardless of reading preference ie: analytical reader who dives into all the copy or scanner who glances at the key points and quickly makes a buying decisions.
Using Your Marketing Real Estate Wisely. Small spaces can pack a real punch. One of the smallest areas you have to work with is your business card. So, let's take a look at how to make the most of this little chunk of your marketing real estate. Wise use of both sides of the business card makes sense. Many people are still stuck in the standard, one side of the card method. This works if you only want to provide your contact information or you don't have anything else to offer your prospects. It's the bare bones approach.
Internet marketing and Google are almost synonymous. Well, maybe not quite. But, if you are not utilizing Google and Google alerts in your internet marketing mix you’re missing out. Google alerts aren’t actually an internet marketing tool but actually an internet marketing monitoring tool. Let’s face it, the World Wide Web is a big, huge fish bowl. With that being said, how can you possibly know who’s blogging who, especially you? (or posting any type of content or comments about you or your business online). The answer is Google alerts.
Like many people I know, New Year’s came and went for me without the creation of a New Year’s resolution list. Instead, I’ve decided to resolve to be a better person all around and to live by my guiding principles. It’s not as if I haven’t been doing this all along. But I figure it’s a lot ...
This may sound like a crazy question. At the same time I’ve met more than my fair share of people who don’t know the answer to this question. Honestly, it’s not given the respect it deserves most of the time. Do you know why you are in business (or why you want to start a business if you’re just hatching your idea)? When you started your business what was your main goal? Does your business even remotely resemble your initial vision? Have you achieved the quality of life you strive for?
It’s no secret that I strongly believe copy (the written part of any marketing material) is the secret to sales success. There are specific formulas that apply to all marketing efforts and they can roll over into publicity, too. At the same time there is a fine line between promotional copywriting and writing for press releases or news releases.
It’s one thing to know who you are speaking to and it’s another to actually get through to them. Here’s what I mean. Often, we become so impassioned by our work or what we have to offer, we forget to really focus on our ideal clients. This can spell disaster in your marketing, advertising and promotional materials because if it’s all about “you” you’re forgetting to show your clients “What’s in it for me”.
It's interesting to me how many people truly don't know who their clients are let alone how to reach them. I don't mean the clients you've already done bushiness with - chances are you've developed a relationship with them and know what makes them tick. What I mean is your ideal clients and customers. The ones you want to continually attract with the RIGHT marketing message-- focused messaging.
Often clients come to me because they truly want to get the recognition they deserve in the form of publicity both online and in the media. They’re looking for a starting point to get the word out so they have a general understanding of press releases and strategies. This is an important step in building your brand awareness and increasing credibility. At the same time there are often key foundational pieces missing. Pieces that need to be in place before you really start creating publicity buzz. And, I’m always upfront about that.
Over the past four years I've noticed that the word "tribe" has become increasingly popular. As I've met new, wonderful and unusual friends there has been a common thread regardless of differences in opinion, background, nationality, political persuasion and quirky personality traits, we all ...
The loss of loved ones is not a topic many people like to discuss. In general, society is uncomfortable with this loss. However, death has a very real impact on those who knew and loved the departed. Death impacts us all in specific and unique ways and each person deals with loss individually. ...
A marketing plan is vital to the success of your business. Without a plan, even the best intentions may never be realized. You must plan the work and then work the plan, or your goals will not be accomplished. They key is to not only have a plan but to implement that plan. Implementation is ...
Mindset has almost become a buzz word. What's interesting about this is the effect mindset has on our everyday lives is not a new concept. I'm one of the many who tried to read Napoleon Hill's Think & Grow Rich many years ago, at a time in my life when I wasn't receptive to the information. ...
This morning a full page ad consisting of only 9 words, one graphic, a logo and A LOT of white space, caught my eye. Apparently Mr. Whipple is no longer with us. On page 12D of USA Today (yes, I’m traveling and it’s the morning paper I found outside my door) a cleverly placed add, packs a ...
No matter what business you are in, you also have a second job…you are a marketer. That means you are responsible for letting others know about how you can help them. One of the best ways to get those opportunities to convert prospects into customers is by networking. Here are some simple ...
Frequently I am asked, “What do you do for a living?” My reply varies, yet usually starts with, “I work at an advertising agency.” There are few individuals who understand what that means, usually because they’re in the business, too. I’ve found that there seems to be a certain mystique about ...
Once you’ve determined that you’re ready to create a promotional or marketing piece and you’ve considered who you want to speak to and how you want to present your information, you’ve examined features and benefits, plus brainstormed headlines, you’ll want to take the process a step a further. ...
I recently posted an update on social media sites delightfully proclaiming… “Progress report: My Content Strategy for 2011 is completely mapped out. Now time to chunk it down into projects & get ready for the New Year” A response from one of my Facebook friends, Idara Bassey, (and I do consider her a friend — she’s someone I’d like to meet in “real life”, thoughtful, engaging and I truly enjoy our exchange) asked… “Forgive me if you already elaborated on this in an earlier post- what exactly is a Content Strategy and how does it differ for a goal or a mission statement?”
You’re probably familiar with the acronym WIIFM (what’s in it for me). As a business owner it’s one of the most important acronyms for you to be familiar with. Because, although you undoubtedly created your business out of passion, your business is about more than your passion, it’s about what makes your core audience tick.
As a small business owner you know the importance of marketing and investing in your businesses. This means attending workshops, trainings, conferences and maybe even entering business competitions or contests that can increase publicity. The intent is to further your business by networking with ...
To create the most compelling marketing and promotional pieces possible, you must first think from your customer’s perspective. Once you know what you want your promotional copy to do, who you want to talk to and how you need to say what you want to say to get results, it’s time to explore ...
Techniques to Help you Pla Throughout my career in the marketing, advertising, customer service and social service arenas, one thing sticks out foremost in my mind: the lack of advertising and marketing planning for businesses and non- profits alike. I cannot count the times that I have seen ...
It's time to get to the heart of copywriting. We've learned your copy (the written part of any marketing material) is the secret to sales success. In previous articles, I've demonstrated the importance of headlines, provided four ways to craft headlines and pointed out the need to clearly show ...
Something has been weighing on my mind for a while now. As I look back on the evolution of my business I’m amused by the naivety that I exhibited when starting my Internet business. And, I want to share my mistakes with you so you can learn, grow and blossom with much less B.S. (yep, I said it).
So, you've already determined your copy (the written part of any marketing material) is the secret to sales success. Now, let's take it a step further. Do you know what people read first - practically EVERYTIME they read your copy? It's your headline. Studies have shown that your headline is ...
People continually ask me how I’m able to accomplish all of the things that I do. Truthfully, I sometimes wonder that myself. But, ultimately, I know it’s because I’m a planner. To some extent we all multi-task and have numerous responsibilities that can, at times, seem overwhelming. The key is ...
Although storytelling and transparency are huge components of copywriting trends, it’s not enough to simply tell your story. You must have buy-in. Consumers must believe your story, resonate with you, and believe that others believe in you too before they decide to do business with you. That’s why social media and social proof are at the forefront of many successful marketing campaigns.
Take heed to headlines Your strongest benefit is your headline. Find the most compelling benefit and let it help you speak to your customers. What will your product or service do for your customers? Would you like to earn more money? The question above undoubtedly got your attention. That’s ...
Word choice can change the perception and value of your business communications. Each piece of correspondence, promotional, marketing and advertising material your company produces is an investment in your success. Are you investing wisely? Think about the words “old” and “experienced”. They ...
Copy is vital to your marketing success BUT if you’re missing this ONE component it can cause your copy to fall flat. Before you begin your copywriting project, you must know who your ideal client is. Gone are the days of being all things to everyone. If you are not really clear about who you’re talking to, your writing will reflect that and it won’t connect.
According to Gene Quinn, president & founder of IPWatchdog, Inc., the definition of a trade secret follows; A trade secret is any valuable business information that is not generally known and is subject to reasonable efforts to preserve confidentiality. Generally speaking, a trade secret will be protected from exploitation by those who either obtain access through improper means, those who obtain the information from one who they know or should have known gained access through improper means, or those who breach a promise to keep the information confidential.
Do you truly understand what your customers want from you? Are you delivering? n Understanding that copy is the secret to sales success is a great starting point. Knowing how to engage your readers with attention grabbing headlines is important and at the same time, it's not enough to really ...
It’s all about a good story. AND what makes a good story stick is TRUTH. Authenticity, true voice, and focused messaging come as a result of powerful storytelling. Storytelling is not a new technique but it’s being used in new ways. Consumers are now savvier than ever, and they want to know who they’re doing business with. The must know, like and trust you to invest their hard earned dollars.