Life Say Articles » mind

Follow Your MAP to Greater Writing Productivity

BlogPostman — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 20:00:00 +0000

When you hear the word “outline,” do you give a little shudder? You’re not alone. For so many of us, the outline evokes painful memories of five-paragraph essays, clumsy thesis statements, and prayers for snow days. Outlines tend to make writers, especially younger ones, feel confined and boxed in, forced to quell their creativity for the sake of structure. It’s time to let those middle school nightmares go. An outline can be so much more than where Roman numerals go to die. In fact, when you learn the right approach, an outline can actually make you a better writer. I know it sounds hard to believe, but keep reading and I’ll explain what I mean. MAP it out Effective writing has structure, no matter what kind of writing you’re doing. An outline is just a way of making that structure visible. A well-crafted outline makes you a more productive writer when it’s time to put pen to page. It’s also the foundation of your MAP. Sorry for the caps … I’m not yelling. It’s actually an acronym that stands for: Medium Audience Purpose Most forms of media writing (and yes, a blog post counts) can be boiled down to these three basic elements. The scope and nature of a writing project can change, sometimes dramatically, if one of those elements shifts. Say, for example, you want to create a news release about your company’s latest innovation. The way you present and organize information for that project will be different than if you were going to write an article for a respected industry publication instead — even if you’re writing about the same innovation. In that case, two elements — audience and purpose — shift. That means the entire article has to change its focus. With a workable outline, you can make that change much more easily. A fluid outline is crucial to knowing where you are on the MAP. Writers who work from a rock-solid outline tend to save time and energy by avoiding the hassles of heavy edits and rewrites. That foundation also makes it easier to change when one of the elements that make up your MAP changes. Here are a few ways to help improve the process: 1. Start with a brainstorm It’s difficult, if not downright impossible, to simply sit down and write that speech or company memo from start to finish. It can also prove hazardous to those who cherish coherent and logical writing. Don’t come in cold and expect to start pounding out paragraphs effortlessly. In this regard, not much has changed since that persuasive essay you had to write in high school on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . Embrace the “pre-outline outline” methods that favor ideas over organization. Brainstorming, mind mapping, or free-associating words and phrases on your given topic can help you think of innovative new ways to approach your material. From that freeform mish-mash of ideas, you can start to refine and craft your outline. 2. Develop a core message This is the calm after the brain storm. Forming a central message or concept is key to a successful piece of writing. This message and its tentacles will weave throughout the piece, carrying readers through all corners on a wave of cohesion and comprehension. If you can’t boil down your writing project to a single sentence, you probably need to sit down and think about it some more. This is the central nervous system of your outline. Everything is built to support and strengthen this concept. Scour those pre-outline outlines and cull all the information you can find that helps flesh out and develop your core message. Every new concept, every thread within the body of your writing project needs to come back to this idea. A writer who asks or expects readers to connect the dots themselves isn’t writing effectively. 3. Refer to your MAP Once it’s finally time to use your outline to start writing, be sure to refer to your MAP. What’s the medium ? Is this a blog post or an article or a business communication? And how should your style change to accommodate that? Who’s the audience ? Who, specifically, are you talking to? What specific language do they use? Do they want a formal or an informal approach? Would they consider some kinds of writing to be completely inappropriate? Mentally fix a single member of your audience in your mind and write as though you were speaking directly to her. What’s your purpose ? Are you trying to persuade your reader to take a new point of view? Are you asking her to invest time or money or energy in a project? Do you have a call to action ? Make sure you know what the point of your writing is. You’ll need to remember to drive that purpose home in several places, but particularly at the end. If your audience doesn’t know the purpose of the writing, it’s going to be difficult for them to do what you want them to do — even if they like what you have to say. 4. Give yourself some deadlines Build staggered deadlines into your outline. Tweak them as needed, but don’t let yourself wander around your writing project without specific deadlines. This is a simple productivity tool that can help you balance all the projects on your to-do list. The degree of flexibility may shift considerably if you’re writing a book as opposed to a time-sensitive document like a speech or report. Most writers work better with deadlines, and these built-in markers can help shepherd you through a more efficient writing process. About the Author: Chris Birk is director of content and communications for VA Mortgage Center.com, the nation’s number one dedicated VA lender, and Growth Partner, a unique firm that provides angel investment and online marketing expertise to emerging companies. He blogs at Write Short Live Long .

Read the rest here:
Follow Your MAP to Greater Writing Productivity

7 Ways the iPad Can Bring Back Your Writing Mojo

BlogPostman — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:28:00 +0000

The iPad is here. And it’s here to stay. There is a sea change going on within the mobile computing industry. And despite the cool, slick look of these devices, it’s not the hardware that makes them useful. It’s the applications (apps). Apps are little engines of innovation driving the current (and future) trends in computing, publishing, print, and media. There are apps for everything you can imagine. In fact, the latest count shows there are more than 250,000. But did you know that there are even apps that can help you get your mojo back if you need some writing inspiration? Before you read on, note that there are some great non-mobile device tips here on Copyblogger for getting inspired to write . Ready to get your mojo back? Great, let’s hit the apps. 1. Web Roulette To find some writing inspiration, take a spin on Web Roulette. This app has a number of categories (humor, blogs, technology, bizarre, comics, entertainment, art/photos, opinion, Wikipedia), which pull up random sites as you “spin” the wheel. When you sit down with this app, it’s best to have a little bit of time and a way to capture your ideas as you explore. The blogs category is an obvious place to start, but consider sources like opinions and art/photos . Web Roulette gets you out of your usual reading ruts. You can check out Web Roulette here . 2. 23,000 Great Quotes HD The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d rather not. ~ Mark Twain Ever read some really good quotes to give you some writing inspiration ? It works. You probably won’t be tempted to read all 23,000 in one sitting (unless you’re on deadline, of course), but you can spend a few minutes reading others’ words of wisdom with this app and see how quickly your mojo starts to creep back. This app is more than just a bunch of quotes thrown on a page. It is organized into more than 20 categories, with quotes from 7,000 authors, and you don’t need an internet connection to enjoy it. Check out 23,000 Great Quotes here . 3. Popplet Sometimes a good brainstorming session is really all you need to do to get a little inspiration flowing. With the iPad, you have a ton of options, but one of the best options is a good app for some non-restrictive idea generation. Popplet is a brainstorming app that is both serious and fun. Go find a place away from distractions. Then use Popplet to visually organize your thoughts and ideas. Typical uses are for task lists, brainstorming, concept planning, and free-form idea generation. It is full of great features but the point here is to explore and spend some time using your iPad to think outside of the box for inspiration. You can check out Popplet here . 4. iThoughts HD Mindmapping is a powerful way to visually organize your thoughts, ideas, and information. It is also a great way to overcome a mojo slump and get some inspiration back. Mindmapping is different from brainstorming. With a brainstorming session you typically write ideas and thoughts without worrying about structure or form. With mindmapping, you get a little more organized and structured. Mindmaps start with a seed concept and then branch out from there. They can be used for all sorts of things from task lists to idea generation. This particular iPad app is one of the better mindmapping tools. It supports a wide range of features including varying shapes, colors, relationships, text styles, and the ability to use an external monitor. To get the most out of mindmapping, though, don’t worry too much about the structure of the sample mindmaps. Just feel free to create your own structure. After all, it’s your mind. Check out iThoughtsHD here . 5. MovieVault Sometimes getting your mojo back means you need to take a break from the tools and simply escape into someone else’s world. Your iPad can help here too. MovieVault is an iPad app that connects you to an entire library of classic movies. For the single price of the app ($4.99) you get to watch as many classic movies as you want to. I reviewed MovieVault a few weeks ago and was amazed at the fact that I could stream these movies so quickly and easily (even over a 3G connection). But how does this help you get inspired to write? Believe it or not, escaping with a great story helps you think of your own stories. It puts you in story mode. It lets your brain take a break from your current loss of mojo and it gets your creative mind going again. It’s like adding spark to a spark plug. You can check out MovieVault here . 6. Let’s Create Pottery HD From the title, you might be imagining your iPad spinning around with a lump of clay. Not quite. But this app is pretty darn close without the mess. Truly an engaging experience, you can clear your mind and experience something unique. Getting back your inspiration can sometimes happen when you are willing to let go of whatever it is you are stuck on and take a different path for awhile. As it turns out, your iPad can take you down that other path. Let’s Create Pottery makes use of the iPad’s touch and motion sensors as it gives you a virtual lump of spinning clay in hi-res graphics and lets you create a pottery piece just as if you were sitting at a real wheel. Then you get to glaze, save it, and share it with others if you choose. Now I don’t know about you, but anytime you can use your hands and mind to create, it has this additive effect on your mojo. Check out Let’s Create Pottery HD here . 7. Zinio Did you know that there are hundreds of traditional print magazines that have gone digital? And your iPad can be a great way to experience them. Grab the free Zinio app and gain access to an entire newsstand of digital content from mainstream to independent print and media publications. The Zinio app is free but most of the magazines you will have to pay for before downloading. There are a few samples, however, so you see what you are getting before you buy any. Don’t just read magazines in your topic — take the opportunity to explore some new subjects, new areas of interest, and new approaches you haven’t seen before. Mojo loves novelty! Check out Zinio here . There you have it, seven effective ways to get your writing mojo back using the iPad. It’s great that you can do all this on one single device. But remember, as Jon Morrow points out in his getting inspired to write article, sometimes it’s smart to put everything down, including your iPad, and get out in the fresh air. About the Author: Shane uses his Tablet Computer Geeks blog to deliver the latest and best iPad information , including accessory reviews, app reviews, and industry updates. Follow him on twitter at tc_geeks .

Original post:
7 Ways the iPad Can Bring Back Your Writing Mojo

20 Warning Signs That Your Content Sucks

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:23:03 +0000

Admit it … you’ve wondered. You’re writing and writing and writing, and a few people say they like it, but you’re just not getting results. Traffic is coming in at a trickle, links are hard to come by, and your comments section is about as lively as a nightclub at breakfast. And you can’t help wondering … Do you just need to be patient, waiting for your traffic to snowball? Or could it be possible that, really, your content sucks , and everyone is just being nice so as not to hurt your delicate artistic feelings? The hard truth: there’s no way to know for sure For one, we’re talking about quality, which is subjective by definition. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure, and all that jazz. It’s also a matter of scale. This isn’t American Idol, where you have 30 million people voting, transforming a singer into a superstar through the power of public consensus. If you’re a beginning blogger, you might have fewer than 100 regular readers, and 20 of them are your friends and family. And let’s face it; your mother is going to like everything you do, no matter how bad it is. That’s her job. So who are you supposed to listen to? Well … nobody, and everybody, all the same time. The maddening thing about creating anything is no one can tell you how to do it, and yet everyone’s opinion can teach you something. There aren’t any rules, no, but there are warnings. If your content sucks, you’ll see dozens, maybe hundreds of telltale signs, hinting that something is wrong. I’ve collected 20 of the most common here. Take a look through them, and see if any describe you: 1. You think your content is “good enough” If you had to rate your content on a scale of 1 to 10, what would you give it? A 6? A 7? That’s what most bloggers say. But here’s the problem: you can’t really grade content on a scale. You’re either blowing people’s minds or putting them to sleep, and there’s nothing in between. Put another way, content graded as a 6 or 7 gets the same reaction as a 1. It’s a waste of time to publish it. 2. Your posts read like journal entries Not too long ago, most people used their blog as a sort of online journal, where people took a few minutes every day to write down their thoughts. But blogs have evolved beyond that. Now they’re more like online magazines, with highly polished content. If your posts look more like “Dear Diary” than a magazine you would see at the newsstand, you’ve probably got a problem. 3. You’re not getting many (or any) comments Comments are one of the best ways to measure reader engagement. If you have a few hundred subscribers, and yet none of them are commenting, then it might be because they find your content unworthy of their attention. Translation: it sucks. 4. Your visitors stay less than two minutes, on average Install Google Analytics, and look at the average amount of time visitors are staying on your website. For most traffic sources, anything less than two minutes is bad. If you are at less than one minute, then your content is repelling people. You can do better. 5. You spend less than an hour on each post Yes, it’s possible to write a great blog post in 15 minutes, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that it doesn’t happen very often. Most of the popular bloggers I know spend anywhere from 2 to 10 hours on each blog post they write. If you’re not, you should be. 6. You’ve never received fan mail If your content is good, people will go out of their way to tell you how good it is. We’re not just talking about nice little tweets; we’re talking about five page e-mails where they tell you their life story and thank God for your existence. No, you won’t get much of it when you’re a beginner, but you will get some . If you haven’t, then your content isn’t as good as it should be. 7. You’ve never received hate mail The opposite is also true. If your content is good, you’ll always have a small but vocal group of people who think you’re wrong, rude, or inconsiderate. They are the righteous majority for moral authority, and nothing you can say will appease them. So don’t try. Their mockery and screams of outrage are merely signs that you’re headed in the right direction. 8. You focus on SEO before you get your first link Whenever a newbie starts asking me about SEO before they’ve even written a post, I always know they’re doomed. There is no better way to write horrible, crappy content than to deliberately stuff it with keywords in an attempt to boost your search engine rankings, when what you really need is for people to link to you in the first place. If this is you, immediately throw salt over your shoulder, turn around three times, and spit. Then forget everything you think you know about SEO. Study smart SEO instead. (But pay attention to the next item.) 9. You believe SEO is the secret to building a popular blog First, let me set the record straight. I am a big fan of SEO. I’m just not a fan of the pedestal many beginners put it on. SEO can’t, by itself, make a popular blog. First, you need remarkable content , and then you optimize it for search engines. Skip the remarkable part, and all the optimization in the world won’t help you. 10. You’re saving your best ideas for later Are you planning to do an e-book or course, and you’re holding back all of your best ideas, waiting for your blog to get popular before you publish them and make gobs of money? If so, stop. To riff on Warren Buffett, waiting until your blog is popular to publish your best ideas is like waiting until you’re old to have sex. Get your good stuff published today. 11. Your blog is about … well … everything One of the quickest way is to frustrate your readers is to write about everything that’s on your mind. Here’s why: people don’t come to your blog to find out what you think. They come to your blog for solutions to their problems. The moment you stop talking about them is the moment they stop reading. 12. You don’t know the benefit Pop quiz: one year from now, how will your reader’s life be better? What specific, measurable results will you have helped them obtain? We are not talking about “Having a greater sense of fulfillment and prosperity.” We’re talking about “They’ve lost 20 pounds” or “They’ve brought in five high-quality new clients.” If you can’t put your content in these terms, you’re setting yourself up to fail. 13. You think you deserve more traffic than you’re getting Do you feel annoyed that no one appreciates the value of the knowledge that you’re giving away for free ? I know I used to, and it took several years of struggling to realize no one is entitled to attention . You have to earn it, day in and day out. No exceptions. 14. You have a science, engineering, or technology background I know, it sounds horribly prejudiced. But here’s the deal: scientists, engineers, and other types of technologists are trained to be objective, passive, and detached — all three of which will destroy you as a blogger. No, you’re not doomed if you have a background in one of these disciplines. But it is a handicap, and you need to be aware of it. 15. You’ve never read a book on copywriting Writing a blog post without studying copywriting is like hunting for buried treasure without a map. You might be able to do it, but you’ll have to get astoundingly lucky. If you haven’t studied copywriting , you should. Like right now . 16. You have no idea what keeps your readers up at night Great writing is about intimacy, and nothing is more intimate than knowing what keeps your readers up at night. Find out what makes them afraid, find out what makes them excited, find out what’s going through their mind at 2 a.m. Then use it in your blog posts. You’ll be communicating with them on such a deep, emotional level that it will be impossible for them to ignore you. 17. You write less than 1,000 words per day Of all the warning signs, this is probably the biggest. If you’re not writing at least 1,000 words per day, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for you to write anything but mediocre content. Try writing at least 1000 words every day for 30 days, and see what an impact it has on your writing. You’ll be astounded. 18. You read less than 10 hours per week Besides writing a lot, you also need to read a lot. It exposes you to different writing styles to learn from; it gives you new stories and metaphors; it keeps you abreast of what’s going on in your field. In my opinion, 10 hours a week is a bare minimum. If you really want to be good, think more in the range of 20-40 hours a week. 19. You’ve never talked to a reader on the phone or in person A one-hour conversation with one of your most ardent readers will teach you more about how to communicate with your audience than anything else you can do. If you’re not doing it at least once every month or two, there’s a good chance you’re falling out of touch. 20. You’ve been blogging for less than six months Okay, we’re at the end, so I’ll go ahead and admit it: not everything is your fault. If you’ve been blogging for less than six months, there’s almost nothing you can do; your content is going to suck to some degree. Keep your chin up, expect to be ignored, and just keep going. You’ll get good soon. The bottom line I’d love to tell you that producing great content is easy. I’d love to tell you that there are shortcuts. I’d love to tell you can do it with your brain on auto pilot. But I won’t, because we’re being honest here, right? Producing great content is work. No, it’s not building a pyramid or putting a man on the moon or curing cancer, but it does take time, energy, and dedication. If you’re sitting here, right now, worrying about whether your content sucks or not, that’s actually a good sign. If you’re worrying about it at 2 in the morning, that’s even better. Achieving greatness in blogging is the same as anything else. You have to work your butt off. If you’re willing to do that, then there will always be a place for you on the web. You’ll always be in demand. You’ll always be able to stand out. It’s tough, yes, but it’s worth it. So, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and get started. About the Author: Jon Morrow is Associate Editor of Copyblogger. Get more from him on twitter .

See the rest here:
20 Warning Signs That Your Content Sucks

How to Make More Sales With the Help of ELO

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:14:45 +0000

Launches have been on my mind a lot lately. Not just because of Jeff Walker and his PLF3 release, but because I have been on a crazy launch kick myself with several back to back. I have learned a fair bit about what to do and what doesn’t work so well, especially in the area of email promotions. My main discovery, though, I gleaned from my Shy Networking launch. This launch was a pared-down affair, because of all the other launches taking place all over the world at the same time. I didn’t want to have a showdown with the entire Third Tribe! Funny thing was, out of the blue I discovered the concept of ELO — and that we all need a little more of it in our email marketing. Just add ELO You’ll probably have guessed I do not mean the sweet, sweet musical stylings of the popular 1970’s pop and rock combo Electric Light Orchestra. So what kind of ELO am I talking about? E: Emotion & Empathy If you want your subscribers to connect with you and your offers then you are going to have to demonstrate empathy. Use emotional triggers to evoke feeling, as well as appealing to logic and reason. Between the lines of your communication, through story and metaphor, you need to convey that you are a person just like them, almost like secret messages talking directly to your reader’s subconscious. You don’t need to fabricate a history to fit into some loss and redemption story or a Wild West hero-type template. Draw on your own anecdotes and messages to show your audience that you understand what they’re going through, because you’ve been in their same situation. L: List Leverage You’ve probably heard that your prospects might need to hear about your offer many times before taking action. This seemingly conflicts with the equally oft-touted advice to avoid bombarding your audience with stuff they do not care for . How do you keep communicating when so many people want to reduce email load? The answer is to segment your audience into lists. Ask people to raise their hands if they are interested in a particular kind of product or service, and put them onto a list where they can find out more about that thing and nothing else . You can easily launch two products at the same time without overwhelming either list, because each list will only be receiving the emails that promote the product in which they’ve expressed interest. Another way you can leverage lists is to get your offerings in front of lists belonging to partners and contacts that exactly match your most ideal prospects. Offer valuable content to their subscribers that is tuned to their interests. You’ll get a great response rate and you won’t burn out your own subscriber base. O: Objections The best launches are a conversation rather than a broadcast. Check your assumptions, and listen out for problems as you go through the launch. Ask for feedback constantly so your list will feel encouraged to tell you about problems or resistance. Make sure you communicate clearly to address those objections and fix any points of resistance. You might find out that there are problems you don’t really want to fix. You like using clever wording in your email marketing because you think it makes you one sweet talkin’ woman with a distinctive voice . But you might just be causing confusion and convincing your list that your product really isn’t right for them. Listen carefully to objections and fix them before they derail your launch. Works like strange magic ELO might not put you on your way to setting a new world record. But by implementing these elements, you will gain many more sales and a deeper connection to your subscribers. Give it a try and watch the magic happen. And the next time you’re planning a launch, ask yourself if you need to add more ELO. About the Author: Chris Garrett is a professional blogger and the founder of Shy Networking , a program designed to help introverts connect to anyone with ease and confidence. He blogs at chrisg.com .

Original post:
How to Make More Sales With the Help of ELO

Is F.E.A.R. Holding You Back?

Fri, 28 May 2010 13:41:34 +0000

I’ve written in the past about the nasty effects of fear – how it can lead to procrastination , creative blocks , and unremarkable content . It’s our sense of fear that derails success more often than actual failed attempts at success. Looking deeper into the topic, however, I’ve discovered that often it’s not actual fear we’re dealing with. It’s something much more ridiculous. It’s not fear that holds you back. It’s F.E.A.R. Fear is a Good Thing Fear is an emotional response to an actual threat, and it’s a fundamental survival mechanism that’s served us well throughout human history. When you’re in immediate danger, fear tells you to get yourself to someplace safer. Once our ancestors saw a few friends and relatives devoured by lions, fearing lions became a smart move. Nowadays we react in a similarly legitimate fashion when faced with an AK-47, a car veering toward us, or a film starring Jessica Simpson. Fear is also a true emotional response when we’re about to lose someone or something that’s important to us. So it’s not just about our personal safety – we can fear the loss of a loved one to illness, or our home to foreclosure due to unemployment. Here’s the problem. The sensation people experience in the face of taking action to achieve their dreams – business, personal, spiritual, whatever – is usually not true fear. It’s F.E.A.R. What is F.E.A.R? F.E.A.R. is an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real . There’s no true threat of immediate physical danger, no threat of a loss of someone or something dear to us, actually nothing there at all. F.E.A.R. is an illusion. Something we fabricate in our own minds and pretend is real. It’s a fairy tale we tell ourselves that keeps us from doing what we really want. False evidence appearing real . The common label for F.E.A.R is anxiety, a less fundamental emotion that arises purely from our own thoughts, not external reality. And 50 years of cognitive psychology research demonstrates that while we can’t always control how we feel, we do have the power to choose how we think and act . How to Conquer F.E.A.R. “Anxiety is nothing but repeatedly re-experiencing failure in advance. What a waste.” ~Seth Godin Are past failures real evidence that justifies fear of future failure? Nope, because unless you keep doing the exact same thing over and over and expecting different results (one definition of insanity), you have no real evidence that your next approach will fail. Past failures generate false evidence appearing real . To the contrary, it’s likely you learned things from your past failures that instead provide evidence that your odds are now better than ever. The worst-case scenario, of course, involves those who’ve never failed, because they’ve never tried. These people have zero real evidence of anything, and are living in the purest imaginary prison of the mind. Guess what? Healthy, well-adjusted people take risks, without all this deep dread over specific outcomes. The journey is what you’ll relish, and it just might take you somewhere better than you initially hoped. No matter what, each journey teaches you what you need to know to take the next one. So, the formula for conquering F.E.A.R. is simple: Try + Learn + Adapt + Try = Success Or who knows . . . it might just be: Try = Success One thing’s for certain, though . . . you won’t have any real evidence of anything until you do that try thing. And guess what? Since we’re not publishing on Monday due to Memorial Day, we’ve got another article for you today. This next one gives you specific advice on how to get writing done even when you’re feeling the F.E.A.R. Stay tuned . . . . About the Author : Brian Clark is founder of Copyblogger and wants you to know that Thesis + Scribe = SEO Made Simple. Get more from Brian on Twitter .

Visit link:
Is F.E.A.R. Holding You Back?

10 New Ideas for Getting Inspired to Write

BlogPostman — Thu, 13 May 2010 13:45:48 +0000

Years ago, I had a golden retriever named Louie who loved pillaging trash cans. I tried yelling at him whenever he stuck his nose in the can. I tried different models of trash cans with hard-to-open lids. I tried putting the trash can inside a cabinet. But it didn’t matter. Louie was a trash can fiend, and he wouldn’t be denied. It got to be such a problem that I eventually called a dog trainer friend for advice. She told me to put mousetraps in the trash cans. After she reassured me that her method wasn’t going to harm Louie, I put a mousetrap in every trash can in the house. Then I forgot about it. I was working in my office when I heard a SNAP in the other room, followed by the sounds of scampering toenails. Seconds later, Louie came slinking into my office, his tail between his legs, and a betrayed look on his face. He never touched a trash can again. The point of the story? A few weeks ago, I gave you 10 of my best tips for getting inspired to write . They’re good ideas, ones that have worked for me in the past, and I think they’ll help you. But sometimes 10 isn’t enough. Sometimes, you have an unruly muse who, like my golden retriever, refuses to be good, and you have no other choice but to call a knowledgeable friend and ask for more ideas. Fortunately, I have another 10 ideas ready and waiting. One of these might just be the mousetrap that finally gets your muse to behave. 1. Browse concept photos Ever browsed through a stock photography site like iStockphoto, looking for the perfect picture, but you just couldn’t find anything that . . . you know . . . grabbed you? Well, try doing the opposite. Look at concept photos before you write the post, and then let the photo inspire you. On iStock, you can type “concept” or “[your subject] concept” into the search box, and it’ll give you a selection of photos that represent different ideas. This is exactly how I came up with the idea for my The Courage to Be Wrong post. 2. Write a letter to your internal editor I got this one from one of my college professors, and it sounds really weird, but here’s the idea. As writers, we all have a voice inside our head telling us our work sucks. Normally, it’s just a nuisance, but sometimes the voice is so loud that it overpowers your creative flow, making it impossible for you to write. In those cases, here’s what to do: instead of trying to ignore it, confront it. Write a letter to your internal editor and tell him (or her) how irritated you are, how he’s ruining your career, and to shut the hell up. Really let him have it. Oftentimes, it’ll shock the little bastard into silence, and you can get back to work. 3. Use a pattern interrupt I once met a painter who said that, whenever he is feeling bored with his art, he pulls out a peacock feather, sticks it in his pants like a tail, and goes back to work. It’s so strange, so wrong , that it always gives him a fresh perspective on the painting. Before you go looking for feathers though, let me tell you the secret: it’s a principle from neurolinguistic programming called a pattern interrupt. Whenever a thought process isn’t working for you, one of the best ways to get unstuck is to do something really strange. Throw water in your face, scream at the top of your lungs, dance around naked. People might think you’re crazy, but hey, you’re a writer. You’re supposed to be crazy. 4. Take a hit of caffeine I know, it’s bad for you. Over the long run, it also robs you of more energy than it gives you. But if you’re propping your eyes open with toothpicks, and you have to get a post done or else, I’m the last person to condemn you for needing a little pick me up. All of my best posts here at Copyblogger were conceived under the influence of Mountain Dew, and I’m convinced it’s eloquence in a bottle. If you need it, I say drink it. Caffeine may be bad, but it’s far, far better than your best ideas dying inside of you because you couldn’t stay awake in your chair. Just my opinion. 5. Get off your butt Whenever you’re feeling stuck, the worst thing you can do is sit at the computer and try to grind it out. You’re far, far better off getting up and walking around. Movement creates a sense of energy, and it can help you get your creative wheels turning when you just can’t figure out how you want to approach a post. Personally, I find pacing in circles to be the most helpful because it requires no conscious thought, and I can concentrate on the problem at hand. Taking a walk can also work, especially if it’s a path you know well. 6. Unlock your unconscious mind The longer I write, the more I realize it’s largely an unconscious process. You could be taking a shower, washing the dishes, sleeping — regardless of what it is, your mind is ticking away in the background, figuring out what to say and how to say it. Sometimes though, our minds are so cluttered that we can’t hear our intuition, and when that happens, writing is a struggle. The only way I know to solve it is to sit still and meditate, deliberately quieting your mind and doing your best to listen instead of think. Many times, a fully developed idea will just pop into your head, and you’ll know exactly what to write and why. 7. Browse the archives The next time you’re struggling for post ideas, try browsing through your blog archives for a few minutes, rereading old posts. If you’re anything like me, you’ll always have a different perspective now than you did then, and the old posts will bug you because they are a little outdated. You’ll see points you should have made, metaphors you should’ve used, nuances you should have noticed. All of which make great fodder for follow-up posts. 8. Lecture an idiot Sometimes, the best way to get inspired is to write a good, old-fashioned rant. In your mind, conjure an image of someone who said, did, or believes something idiotic, and then start writing what you would like to say to them. Sure, it’ll be angry and condescending. Sure, you’ll probably go a little too far. Sure, you’ll need to edit it before publishing it to the world. But who cares? Writing great prose has a lot less to do with mechanics than it does with figuring out how to get your blood boiling and then having the courage to put your passion into words. If writing a rant helps you do that, go for it. 9. Let other artists charge you up Creativity is contagious. Whenever you feel like your batteries are drained, find another artist doing their thing and just watch them for a while. If they’re good, something about it will charge you up, and you’ll want to get to work. Personally, I like to watch reruns of Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance . The show has nothing to do with writing, but the dedication of the dancers, the beauty of the choreography, and the emotion of the moment are so inspiring that I can’t help wanting to emulate it in my work. For you, it may be something else. Whatever it is, find it, and set aside the time to let it inspire you. 10. Look within Let’s get down to the real answer, shall we? If you’re really serious about writing, if you want to make a career out of it, if you want to be so good that people talk about and remember you, then the secret to inspiration isn’t getting inspired. It’s being inspired. It’s about loving what you do. It’s about loving who you are. It’s about loving your life . I’ve never heard of anyone who worked a boring job, came home to a boring family, watched three hours of boring television, and then proceeded to write something of spellbinding greatness. It just doesn’t happen. Here’s why: your writing is an extension of who you are . If your life is a soul-sucking heap of mediocrity, then your writing will be a soul-sucking heap of mediocrity. Similarly, if your life is an adventure that brings you such joy you want to weep, then that joy will seep into your words, and anyone who reads them will begin to smile. The difference between a legendary writer and a merely good one isn’t mechanics. It’s intensity. Train yourself to find that intensity, and you’ll never lack for inspiration again. About the Author: Jon Morrow is Associate Editor of Copyblogger. Get more from Jon on twitter .

Read the rest here:
10 New Ideas for Getting Inspired to Write

The Two Vital Attributes of Quality Content

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:29:45 +0000

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful” ~William Morris, poet and designer Imagine the household you would have if you got rid of every item that was neither useful or beautiful. Gone would be the plastic doodad with no known purpose, the ugly frame your great-aunt gave you, the Special Free Offer© you never opened, the collection of someday-useful peanut butter jars . . . Every room would be so much more pleasant to be in, and every tool so much easier to find. What if you applied the same rule to the content you wrote? Every email, sales letter, blog post, and comment you wrote would have to be useful or beautiful. Or both. Does that sound a little . . . scary? Most copywriters are fine with this, in principle. (Remember the first law of content marketing ? Every piece of cookie content should reward the audience for reading: by solving a problem they have, or by entertaining them. Sounds pretty similar, doesn’t it?) The main problem people have with this advice is they don’t trust their own judgment. They’re unsure if what they’re writing is useful or beautiful. And of course, some people are certain their writing would make James Joyce weep and Dale Carnegie gnash his teeth, while their readers are wondering what this pretentious and useless fluff piece is all about. Are you unsure? Never fear! Here are some guidelines to help. How do I know if my content is useful? 1. Write content that suits your audience Your content must match your audience’s level of understanding . Experts won’t consider entry-level content useful and beginners won’t get much use out of advanced discussions. Your audience must have the required resources — time, energy, money, potato chips — to use the content. Telling new parents about a relaxation technique that requires eight hours a night of uninterrupted sleep? Not useful. Your content must relate to something your audience cares about . I’ll never find content on how to dress in corporate style useful, because I don’t care about dressing in that way. 2. Write specific content Generalisations aren’t useful. Vague: Scooters need oil on a regular basis. Specific and useful: Refill your scooter’s oil tank to the indicator line with two-stroke motorcycle oil every third time you refill the petrol tank. 3. Write actionable content Useful content creates action . If your readers don’t do something as a result of reading your content (change their mind, buy something, tear up their desk calendar, dance a boogaloo, write a better headline , pick a fight, talk to their children, set a goal, start a collaborative experience ), then the content wasn’t useful. Your content must encourage, advise, mentor, support, bully, or dare your audience into acting. And you must, must, must include a call to action in every piece of content you write. How do I know if my content is beautiful? This is the point where people get uncomfortable. Don’t worry! You don’t have to produce sonnets to write beautifully. Experiences that provide pleasure or meaning are beautiful. Johnny B. Truant writes posts that are beautiful, although he’ll likely laugh in your face and pour jam down your pants if you say so. They’re beautiful because they’re funny and vigorous and meaningful. If you’re not Johnny, here are some tips. (If you are Johnny, hi Johnny!) 1. Write meaningful content If you write your content with emotion , it’s more meaningful. Ever read a “Thank you for subscribing” email with sincere gratitude in it? (I read one that was so beautiful I saved it. Really.) If your feelings don’t match the anticipated emotion it’s even more effective: an angry product review, an excited tax letter, a sympathetic auto-responder . . . Be vulnerable . Instead of writing about the mistakes some people have made, write about the mistakes you made. And what they meant to you. Write about the bigger implications . Fixing a dripping tap is ordinary. Learning to perform house maintenance as a sign of your new independence is meaningful. Real benefits are meaningful. Creating more wealth, more connection, more options, and more purpose are some of our most meaningful activities. 2. Write pleasurable content Write to inspire emotion in your readers: make them smile. Make them cry. Make them wistful. And make sure they know they’re not alone in feeling that way. If you know your audience well, you can write mass communication that feels personal , where every reader thinks you’re psychic because you’re writing Just For Them. Everyone enjoys the pleasure of feeling understood. Use the tools in your linguistic toolbox to make the writing entertaining : play with alliteration, hyperbole, rhythm, flights of fancy, metaphor, perspective, storytelling . . . whatever feels natural and unforced to you. It’s hard to beat the pleasure of seeing your name in print. Praise your readers in public, hold them up as an example, thank them, or mention them as an inspiration . . . and do it by name. Do you want to take it even further? Think of a piece of content that’s critical to your success, like your sales letter. What if you applied the same rules to every paragraph of that content? What if you judged every word ? If you wrote your sales letter and removed every word that wasn’t useful or beautiful: You couldn’t use weasel words like “actually” or “amazingly” or “absolutely.” You’d have to use evocative, beautiful words and images. The writing would be muscular, short and punchy (Like Hemingway would write it). You’d become a thoughtful student of copywriting , so you knew how to make each word as useful as possible to create the result you want. It would kick ass! Do you think you could improve the usefulness and beauty of your content? Tell us how you plan to do it in the comments! About the Author: Catherine is wicked passionate about helping people to start and grow an awesome website: she’s even published a manifesto about it. When she’s not adding five-minute missions to BeAwesomeOnline.com , she can invariably be found on Twitter .

Read this article:
The Two Vital Attributes of Quality Content

Johnny’s Copyblogger Wrap-Up: Week of April 19, 2010

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 14:29:24 +0000

If you read Copyblogger and dream of striking out on your own, you need to know that independent business isn’t always good. Bad things do happen. For instance, I’m writing this in a bookstore cafe. Two tables down from me, there’s a guy with his headphones on belting out “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon. (You’re an old person in the blogosphere if you know who Carly Simon is. Hint: She’s kind of like the Jonas Brothers, except she’s female and not like them in any way whatsoever.) See, people think that being an entrepreneur means freedom and independence, but nobody stops to consider the perils of the Singing Cafe Guy. So be careful what you learn around these parts, or you could end up where I am. Now don your earplugs and take cover, because here’s what happened this week on Copyblogger: Monday: 4 Things an Ethical Internet Marketer Can Learn from Spammers In this post about things that non-spammers can learn from spammy tactics, Daniel Scocco missed at least one technique that successful spammers use to make sales: innuendo mixed with crime reports. I once got a spam email for some “adult services” that ended with this disturbing signoff: Mwah XOXO always :”‘~diana~’”:. Police: Man hunted in family slayings kills self I didn’t join up (despite promises that “i setup a private entry for you with my contact info for tonight”), but I did write about it on my blog. That has to count for something. Any post that has to start with a disclaimer is a good one in my book, and Daniel’s does. We’re not spammers… okay, fine. But if we can think like spammers just a little bit, we can probably improve our conversion even if we’re not selling Viagra. Mwah XOXO always :”‘~johnny~’”:. Read the full post here . Tuesday: The 8 Habits of Highly Effective Bloggers So it wasn’t yet 11am on Tuesday when Stephen Covey called me all angry and yelling about Annabel Candy’s post title on Copyblogger, and how he wanted remuneration for use of his “X Habits of Highly Effective Ys” format. So I told him, “Stephen, I’m not in charge of Copyblogger. And plus, it’s fair use. And plus, how did you get my phone number?” That’s when the giant talking Lambchop puppet appeared and I realized I was dreaming, and then woke up in a bin of dead fish once again. Now that Covey is contained (oh yes – we’ve dealt with him), you definitely need to check out this post so that you can learn how to be Highly Effective. Annabel lists eight things that successful bloggers have in common… so that you can cut to the chase instead of getting lost in the minutia of what they do differently. Read the full post here . Wednesday: Copywriting 3.0: How to Bounce the Fat Kid off the See-Saw My job in writing this wrapup is to give you just enough of a tease about each post so that you’ll want to click through and read the whole thing. I can hint at interesting content, promise free tacos, or (my favorite) use “the WTF technique” — writing something that makes you say, “WTF? Better go check that out.” Well, I kind of don’t have to say anything on this one, because Erika Napoletano has written the ultimate “WTF” headline. It suffices to say that playground obesity and dismounting antics do, in fact, have a lot to do with copywriting. And it also suffices to say that Erika has five hot tips for how to unseat overweight children with linguistic jiu-jitsu. Let’s face it. With that headline, there’s no way you’re not going to read the full post . Thursday: Online Business Disaster: Where to Go When the Volcano Blows Leave it to Sonia Simone to find a way to reference both Jimmy Buffett and an Icelandic volcano (the one named when a cat ran across a keyboard) in a post about online business. But for real — where are you going to go when the metaphorical volcano in your business blows? What are you going to do when something really crappy happens, like a big client disappearing, a server crashing, or Journey reuniting for a comeback tour? Do you have contingencies? Do you have enough hairspray? Sonia has ideas for surviving eruptions in style. I need to implement some of them for myself, actually. Read the full post here . Friday: How to Get Free When You’re Feeling Stuck and Scared I relate so strongly to this post by Julie Roads that I’m not even going to make a joke about it. I spent two years scared out of my mind, and the problem is you can’t see the forest for the trees. My dad says, “You can’t see out of panic when you’re down inside of it.” So yeah, no matter what’s going wrong (particularly if it’s in your biz), you could probably use some coping skills. And that’s where this post comes in, so read it. Okay, maybe one joke. Q: What’s brown and sticky? A: A stick. Now go on and learn about frightened little birds . About the Author: Johnny B. Truant is one of the creators of “ Question the Rules : The nonconformist’s punk rock, DIY, nuts-and-bolts guide to creating the business and life you really want, starting with what you already have” — an awesome new course which will launch this coming Wednesday, April 28th.

See the original post:
Johnny’s Copyblogger Wrap-Up: Week of April 19, 2010

5 Warning Signs You Might be a Blogcrastinator

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:55:10 +0000

blogcrastination (bl?g- kras - tuh -ney-sh uh n) — the deferment of writing a blog post to a later time; often a mechanism for coping with anxiety. If you’ve been a blogger for long, you know how ugly blogcrastination can be. It disrupts your goals, stifles your spirit, and makes you second guess your decisions. It can take you from writing a post every day to letting days, weeks, or even months go by without writing. It can even make you question whether you’re really cut out for blogging. I know because I’ve been there, and the good news is that there is a way through it. But first, you’ll need to accept that you are a blogcrastinator (this can be difficult and requires strength of character) and begin to develop an awareness of its telltale signs. See if you can recognize them in yourself: 1. You keep postponing If this is you, you sound a bit like Shakespeare’s Macbeth: “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow . . .” The thing is, you honestly do intend to get writing. This afternoon or tomorrow morning or this weekend . . . Just not right now. First, you have to finish six loads of laundry, choose the décor for your new home office, and get to inbox zero. After that, blogging is definitely at the top of your priority list. Or so you keep telling yourself. Treatment Plan : Give yourself a series of very short time slots in which to write, interspersed with other activities. Do not make a big deal of this. Convince yourself it’s not in the least important, and you can do it in small chunks. Remember, you’re just jotting down a few sentences here and there. (Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.) 2. You push so hard it hurts Your method of writing is to power on through, pounding your brain against the paragraphs over and over until you’re done with the piece, no matter what. In fact, you probably don’t call yourself a blogcrastinator at all, because you do finish posts . . . when you can bring yourself to sit down and write. The problem is, writing is so painful that you can’t bring yourself to do it very often. Treatment Plan : The prescription for this is simple: take a break for a few minutes! Pay attention to how you feel, and when the writing starts to feel like dragging a boulder uphill, stop. Preferably do something physical, like taking a brisk walk or putting away the dishes, anything to get out of your mind and into your body. This will let your creative faculties relax and breathe. If you make this approach a habit, you may be surprised at how darn enjoyable writing can be. 3. You are easily distracted This symptom wears two cunning disguises. The first lets you distract yourself with other ways of “working on” your blog, such as checking your site stats, tweaking your theme, spending four hours in Flickr Creative Commons looking for a killer post image , or (the most insidious distraction of all) doing research for your posts. The second disguise appears when things other than your blog or website or home life distract you. Because God only knows what will happen if you don’t get that roof reshingled today . Treatment Plan : You’re probably seeing blog posts as something you “have to” write. Try reframing them as an “I want to” or, even better, an “I get to.” Think about it. How many pursuits require such low overhead and so little equipment (hmm, computer, brain, and fingers — and the fingers are optional), and let you share so much with the entire world? Pretty cool when you stop to consider it. 4. You’re constantly generating ideas for posts Blogcrastination of this type can be a result of either fear or fun. If it’s the former, you’re perpetually jotting down ideas for future posts because this allows you to avoid the scary process of actually writing any. If the latter, you simply get off on brainstorming — it’s play to you. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get those posts written. Treatment Plan : Use your idea-generating ability to outline your next blog post as if it was a series of mini-posts. Pick a topic from your list of ideas, and then jot down bullet points or subheads for what it needs to include. Eventually you’ll have the skeleton of the post, and all you’ll need to do is go through and insert some connecting words and phrases. 5. You’re a chatter, not a writer You put the “social” in media. In your world, “twit” is not an insult and is always followed by “-er,” and you like nothing more than posting in forums and commenting on other people’s blogs. After all, it’s the way to make friends and organically grow your own following, right? And you truly do get a lot from the conversation. In fact, sometimes you think you do your best writing in those other places. Sadly, sometimes it’s your only writing. Treatment Plan : Turn those detailed comments, forum posts, and twitter conversation into blog posts. Use the same energy, building off the ideas of others; just funnel it into your blog instead. That way, you’re still getting to talk, and you’re building your blog at the same time. Now, was that so bad? Remember, blogcrastination can be overcome, and the pain it causes can be a thing of the past. The first step is to rediscover how much you can enjoy writing. We are all here with you. Okay, everyone, time for a group hug . About the Author: Michelle Russell publishes the blog Practice Makes Imperfect , where she blogcrastinates regularly, as well as spending plenty of quality time on Twitter . With superninja Wendy Cholbi, she also helps brand-new bloggers get their WordPress blogs up and running.

Go here to read the rest:
5 Warning Signs You Might be a Blogcrastinator

Six Questions to Ask for Powerful Testimonials

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:47:38 +0000

This is the second and final installment of The Secret Life of Testimonials . Most of us ask for testimonials. And if we follow up and pester our customers enough, we get testimonials. There’s only one problem. Our testimonials have no power. Testimonials are stories. And stories have power and grace, flow and rhythm. Look around you and you’ll see none of that in most testimonials. Limp testimonials are a fact of life, because clients don’t know how to give testimonials. But more importantly, because we don’t have a clue about how to ask for testimonials. As I mentioned last week, the way to ask for testimonials is to use six key questions. The six questions you need to ask to get a powerful testimonial are: What was the obstacle that would have prevented you from buying this product? What did you find as a result of buying this product? What specific feature did you like most about this product? What would be three other benefits about this product? Would you recommend this product? If so, why? Is there anything you’d like to add? Some folks may use slightly different terms for #1, like “What was your main concern about buying this product?” You can slightly amend this question, but don’t stray too much away from it, because it’s critical to bringing out the objection and the reason why this customer (and others) may have been hesitating to buy. A more detailed explanation of each of the six questions: 1) What was the obstacle in your mind that would have prevented you from buying this product? We ask this question because the customer always has a perception of an obstacle. No matter how ready the customer is to buy, there’s always a hitch. The hitch could be money, or time, or availability, or relevance — or a whole bunch of issues. When you ask this question, it brings out those issues. And it does something more. It gives you an insight into issues you may not have considered, because the client is now reaching into their memory to see what could have been the deal-breaker. There’s always an obstacle, and it’s often something you may not have thought of. So when the customer brings up this obstacle, it presents an angle that’s unique, personal, and dramatic. 2) What did you find as a result of buying this product? This question is important, because it defuses that obstacle. When a client answers this question, they talk about why the purchase was worth it, despite the obvious obstacles. 3) What specific feature did you like most about this product? Now you’re digging deeper. If you ask the customer to focus on the entire product, the answer gets “waffly.” That’s why you want to focus on a single feature or benefit that the customer liked most. This brings out that one feature in explicit richness and detail. 4) What would be three other benefits of this product? Having already got one big feature, you can now go a little wide and see what else the customer found useful. You can substitute the number “three” with “two.” You could even remove the number completely. But the number does make it easier for your customer to address the question. It lets her focus on a limited number of things and give you the ones that were most useful to her. 5) Would you recommend this product? If so, why? You may not think this is an important question, but psychologically it’s very important. When a customer recommends something, there’s more than your product at stake. The customer’s integrity is at stake too. Unless the customer feels strongly about the product, they won’t be keen to recommend it. And when they do recommend it, they’re saying to prospective buyers: “Hey, I recommend it, and here are the reasons!” 6) Is there anything you’d like to add? By this point, the customer has often said all she has to say. But there’s never any harm in asking this question. The questions before this one tend to “warm up” the customer, and sometimes you get the most amazing parting statements that you could never have imagined. Using testimonials to find and address objections This detailed method of constructing testimonials brings us to a very interesting observation: the testimonial is the flip side of the objection. Notice the first question we asked the customer? What was the obstacle in your mind that would have prevented you from buying this product? That “obstacle” the customer is talking about is really their biggest objection. So what does this tell us about how we should plan our testimonials? We should plan our testimonials to directly defuse each objection Let’s say you’re keen to sell a trip to the wildlife on the Galápagos Islands. Obviously, the trip is an exciting idea for travelers seeking to explore the wildlife on the islands. But even thrill seekers will most certainly have their objections. So if you did your homework and interviewed the potential customer you’d get objections such as: It’s too expensive It’s too far to travel There are no comfortable accommodations Now let’s assume these are the three main objections What are the testimonials going to say? I thought it was too expensive, but (here’s what I found) I thought it was too far to travel, but (here’s what I found) I thought we’d have to rough it out, but (here’s what I found) Each testimonial is a mirror image of the objection Sure you have already addressed objections earlier in your sales copy, but this defusing is now being done by the customer, who is a third party. And you know what that means, right? A third party is always far more believable to your prospective customers. And because each testimonial is specifically linked to an objection, it systematically reduces the risk not once, but twice. But how do you go about controlling the angle of the testimonial? You may want the customer to talk about expense, or distance travelled, or relevance. But the customer may want to talk about her fear of seasickness, or dangerous animals. So how do you control the angle? You don’t. You’re in the business of helping to construct the testimonial. This means you’re asking questions that give the testimonial structure. You don’t need to control the situation. But that doesn’t mean you can’t influence things. Here’s how you go about attempting to get the angle you desire. Start with the key objections you need to address Call up the customer. Ask the customer if expense, or distance, or comfort was one of their big issues. If they say yes, continue down that track, and they’ll give you the specifics of why expense or distance or comfortable accommodation was an issue. But if they disagree, and come up with a completely different issue, for example they say, “I thought the bad weather was going to be a dampener,” then hey, keep following that customer’s train of thought. Because that train of thought is now revealing an objection you hadn’t considered. And it may be a valid objection that just hasn’t come to your attention yet. However, you may decide that the stray objection isn’t worth pursuing. And that you can’t use the objection and corresponding testimonial. Well, no problem. If you decide you can’t use the testimonial, you can always call other clients to get the angle you’re looking for. Sooner rather than later, you’re going to get the exact objections, and the exact testimonials, that help to defuse those key objections. Which means that the testimonial isn’t something we just throw into our marketing. It means the testimonial is doing some real grunt-work in overcoming objections. The factor that makes the testimonial so much more powerful is that it’s doing so from a “third party” perspective, and doing it in a way that you as the seller could never do. You could never bring out the detailed specifics that a client brings out You could never paint the imagery and the emotion. And even if you could, it would sound like a whole lot of puffery. But when the client comes up with all that detail and emotion, the testimonial becomes rich, complex, and yet believable. And that’s the main job of the testimonial. Please try the six questions out for yourself! And let us know how you do with them in the comments. By the way, if you missed the first post on testimonials, you can find it here: The Secret Life of Testimonials About the Author: Sean D’Souza offers a free report on ‘Why Headlines Fail’ when you subscribe to his Psychotactics Newsletter . Be sure to check out his blog , too. An editorial P.S. Hi all, this is Sonia , intruding on Sean’s post for a moment if I may. When Sean sent me this pair of posts, he was also kind enough to include a review copy of his new product, The Secret Life of Testimonials . This pair of posts in and of themselves will get you remarkable testimonials. So the first thing I’d like to suggest is that you contact some happy customers today and use the techniques he’s taught you to boost the power of your testimonials. I think you’re going to be impressed with the results. But if you want to make your testimonials even more effective, I can wholeheartedly recommend The Secret Life of Testimonials . That’s an affiliate link, so if you decide to invest in his program, we’ll earn a few dollars. But I’m quite confident that you’ll make much more than that by putting Sean’s teaching into place. It’s really unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and I’m not easily impressed. Testimonials are both one of the most important pieces of your marketing message and one of the biggest stumbling blocks for many of us. Having a well-thought-out system can make all the difference for you. I hope you’ll at least go check out the details for yourself .

See the rest here:
Six Questions to Ask for Powerful Testimonials