Issue 109 of the Excess Voice Newsletter for Copywriters

For information on my coaching service for freelancers copywriters, visit:

Excess Voice Newsletter
June 2006, Issue # 109

In this issue:

>> Intro: Is new better?
>> Review: News from the forum...
>> Article: Is your web site old and out of touch?
>> Experiments: The power of urgency on offer pages
>> Survey: Have you ever had a mentor?

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Greetings,

In this issue we have an update on what’s happening with my new forum, another survey question and an article on how older web sites should watch out for new competitors which are taking advantage of the latest technologies, services and communities.

I’m interested in your thoughts about the article.

On the one hand, I feel that the arrival of new technologies, services and online communities will rarely impact a site’s underlying business model. In other words, if your basic value proposition in poor, then all the new technologies in the world will never save you.

However, I also think that newer sites can take advantage of what’s “new” and add a value that older sites don’t offer.

Read the article and let me know what you think.

Until next time,

Nick

Nick Usborne

>> Feedback: mailto:nick@excessvoice.com

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REVIEW: News from the forum...

As many of you know, I launched the AskNickUsborne.com forum about ten days ago. I can’t pretend to have hundreds of subscribers yet, but we do have a good number. Best of all, we have been getting some great questions.

For me, the most rewarding questions and threads are those that lead to forum members being able to immediately make improvements to their sites, emails, newsletters or blogs.

Is it worth actually paying to take part in the forum? Our subscribers seem to think so. Mark Terpstra, who chose the quarterly subscription option, wrote "This thread alone has been worth the $40 I spent for a 3-month subscription. I'll keep an eye on other threads and will probably start another in the future."

You can read all the threads, and post your own questions, during your 24-hour free trial period.

To start your trial, all you need do is register...and then you’ll have full access.

After 24 hours you can decide whether being involved in the forum is worth $14.95 a month, or $39.94 a quarter.

Find out more here:
http://www.asknickusborne.com/

Or register directly here:
http://www.asknickusborne.com/register.php

>> Previous Reviews

::: At ExcessVoice.com :::

#1. Secrets of Writing for the Business to Business Market

There are 8 million business-to-business companies out there. And they all need good sales copy. The opportunity in B2B copywriting is huge, and this 350+ page course tells you everything you need to know about getting your own slice of the market.

Read my review: http://www.excessvoice.com/business-to-business.htm

#2. Michael Masterson's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting

This is the only copywriting course I wholeheartedly recommend to any copywriter who wants to write copy that drives results.

Read my review: http://www.excessvoice.com/michael-masterson.htm

::: At Freelance Writing Success :::

#1. Become an Instant Guru, by Bob Bly

There are two pillars to becoming a high-earning freelancer. First, you need to learn your craft. Second, you need to know how to promote yourself and build the brand of YOU.

Read my review: http://www.freelancewritingsuccess.com/instant-guru.php

#2. Start your own Resume Writing Business

This is the perfect money-maker for any writer who can put aside a little time occasionally. There is a huge demand for quality resumes. This course gives you the tools (including software) to start and build a real business writing resumes.

Read my review: http://www.freelancewritingsuccess.com/resume.php

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ARTICLE: Is your web site old and out of touch?

A great many changes are taking place online right now. This is particularly true when you are trying to reach and sell to potential customers who are up-to-date with new technologies and ways of using the web.

I’m thinking of the people who download podcasts to their iPods.

And about people who tag and share at del.icio.us, digg.com and other social networking sites.

And about the people who share video clips at YouTube.com.

There is a profound shift taking place in how many people like to use the web.

Meanwhile, too many online marketers are still scratching their heads and wondering whether they can muster the courage to launch a blog.

>> And what tools and services are you using right now that you didn’t use last year?

Do you have a lens at Squidoo?

Have you created a Swicki at Eurekster?

Have you considered a mashup site, where you combine services from two different places in one site – in the way that www.MotorMapUSA.com is a mashup of Google Maps and eBay auto listings?

The point here is not that every company should use every new tool and service that comes along (although some of them are great) – but you SHOULD be aware of them.

Why? Because there are always new companies and web sites entering your market. And they have an advantage because they can build their model and their technologies based on a whole new set of tools and services that weren’t around when you got started.

They can also appeal to new audiences simply because they are out there, in new spaces and communities that weren’t online when you launched.

>> What can you do?

Keep in touch with what’s happening now. Don’t have sleepy chats about blogs. Look at what’s new today.

Then think carefully about some of those services.

Could you benefit from using one or more of them? (And my list above is far from exhaustive.)

Could your competitors start using some of them?

And how much damage could a new company in your market do if it used some of these new services to compete with what you provide...but with more value?

>> Concluding thoughts...

It is true that some sites can succeed without the need to address any significant changes in technology or communities online.

Craigslist.com, the seventh most frequently visited site on the web, does just fine with a site that is pretty much all text.

New technologies and communities may have nothing to offer your business.

But do an assessment, look at what your new competitors are doing and make decisions based on current knowledge.

** If you found value in the article, please forward this newsletter to colleagues and friends who might be interested.

>> Feedback: mailto:nick@excessvoice.com

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MARKETING EXPERIMENTS: The power of urgency on offer pages

Teleconference call, no charge:
Wednesday, July 5th, 4:00PM EDT

Time-limited offers have always worked well in direct mail. But do they work as well online? We'll be sharing recent test results on this topic in our next teleconference call.

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SURVEY: Have you ever had a mentor?

There are a variety of coaches and mentor programs available to copywriters. Have you ever had a coach or mentor?

[ ] Yes
[ ] No

Comments: ....

Want to earn 6 Figures as a Freelance Copywriter?

Read my review of Michael Masterson's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting