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Excess Voice Newsletter
June 2007, Issue # 133
In this issue:
>> Intro: Online Portfolios
>> Review: The 6 Elements of a content-rich, money-making e-newsletter
>> Article: Risk reversal doesn’t mean you can write aggressively.
>> Survey: How Do You Get New Clients?
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Greetings,
In the last issue I asked whether or not you had your portfolio of work online.
It seems most of us don’t. And yes, it’s true, I don’t have my own portfolio online either. But I should, and I’ll be correcting that soon.
This week’s article looks at the issue of using the “risk-reversal” tactic on sales pages.
And the review is for another of my own short reports – this one on e-newsletters.
Finally, as always, please take a moment to respond to this issue’s survey.
Until next time,
Nick
Nick Usborne
>> Feedback: mailto:nick@excessvoice.com
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REVIEW: The 6 Elements of a content-rich, money-making e-newsletter
As many of you know, I’m a big fan of quality e-newsletters. Of all online channels, I think e-newsletters give you the best opportunity to hold the interest and attention of your readers year after year.
This 16-page report covers what I consider to be the key elements when creating and publishing an enduring e-newsletter.
Mostly I focus on the delivery of relevant, helpful and timely content. But I also talk about making money with e-newsletters.
First comes the quality content. Then the attention and trust. And finally you can offer relevant “money links”.
If you purchase the report, I would be very interested to hear your comments.
Learn more and buy this report here:
https://freeiq.com/the6elements
You can find all my Conversion Rate Checklist Reports here:
http://www.conversioninsights.com/conversion-rate-checklists.html
Previous Reviews:
#1. 7 Ways To Optimize the Performance of Your Home Page
This 16-page Conversion Rate Checklist Report covers 7 points to address when writing an effective home page. If you apply all 7 points you should see a significant lift in conversions from your home page to your second level and sales pages. These are the points I use myself when writing and optimizing home pages for my clients.
Learn more and buy...
https://freeiq.com/7waystooptimize
#2. The Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey, Volume 2
This is the second volume of this survey, fully up to date, and with a lot more information on what to charge for 40 different types of freelance copywriting work, how to find new assignments, and more.
Read my review...
http://www.excessvoice.com/copywriting-fees-survey.htm
#3. 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
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ARTICLE: Risk reversal doesn’t mean you can write aggressively.
Here are two of the things you need to do with an effective sales page online:
- You need to write a strong sales message
- And you need to minimize the perception of risk
In other words, you need to write compelling sales copy, while at the same time keeping anxiety levels at a minimum.
As an example, you might write a very compelling sales page about a piece of $97 software. Towards the end of your sale message you could offer a 30-day guarantee.
The sales message gets the reader within half an inch of making the purchase...and the guarantee then helps them cover that last half inch.
“Yes, I want this software. And if I don’t like it I have 30 days in which I can get my money back.”
This is a simple case of risk-reversal. You’ll see it in play in almost every direct mail sales letter or online offer page.
>> Here’s how it SHOULD work...
A while back I was taking a look at Camtasia Studio. It’s a great piece of software that enables you to record what’s on your screen in video, edit it and then upload it.
I read through the information pages and sales page.
Then I hesitated half an inch from the shopping cart. Why? Because it’s not inexpensive. It costs about $300.
They had done all they could to sell me the software. Now they just had to reverse the risk and remove my anxiety about paying that much.
And they do that with an offer of a 30-day free trial. They don’t ask for my address, or a credit card number. There is no small print saying “You will be billed at the end of 30 days if you don’t cancel.”
They simply enabled me to try the software free for 30 days, with no strings attached.
Perfect.
That is the perfect balance of sales plus risk reversal.
>> Now for how you SHOULDN’T do it...
Risk reversal is intended to remove the perfectly natural anxiety people feel about making a purchase. Particularly if one has never purchased from that vendor before.
However, it is not a magic bullet that allows you to load up your sales copy with messages that actually increase anxiety levels.
So don’t pack your copy with unsupported claims, exaggerations and superlatives.
In other words, don’t write as if you are selling a used car or a set of Ginsu knives.
When you do that, your sales message itself is creating anxiety.
And in some cases, the risk reversal device itself can cause anxiety.
In the case of Camtasia, they could have asked for a ton of personal information, including my credit card number. And they could have billed my credit card if I didn’t cancel before 30 days.
If they had done that, the offer itself would have created anxiety. Simply because, in common with millions of other people, I know that I tend to forget about canceling the order.
>> Concluding thoughts...
Your risk reversal message is there to counterbalance a perfectly natural anxiety people feel about buying online.
It is not intended to balance outrageous claims in the sales message itself.
To use an imperfect analogy, just because you are wearing a seat belt doesn’t mean you can start driving like a maniac.
The seat belt is there to reverse the risk of injury in the normal course of driving.
It won’t help much if you dramatically increase the risk of having a major crash by driving aggressively.
It’s the same with writing a good sales page.
A final point...
If you find that to close sales you have to write very aggressive copy and have to use a “negative option” risk reversal device (we’ll bill you if you don’t cancel), you probably have a problem with your product or service.
The Camtasia copy was not aggressive at all, and their risk-reversal device was totally risk-free.
They can take that approach because their product is truly excellent, and they know it.
** If you would prefer to read this article on the web, or would like to forward the url to a colleague or friend, you'll find it here:
http://www.excessvoice.com/article133.htm
>> Feedback: mailto:nick@excessvoice.com
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SURVEY: How Do You Get New Clients?
The freelancers and moonlighters among us all have to do some prospecting for new assignments and clients. How do you ask for work?
[ ] By phone
[ ] Direct mail
[ ] Speaking
[ ] Web site
[ ] Weblog
[ ] Email and/or newsletters
[ ] Networking
Other...
Comments:
(NOTE: Any comments and your name may be published in the next issue, or on the Excess Voice web site.)
Cut and paste your replies to me at mailto:nick@excessvoice.com
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NICK USBORNE'S SERVICES:
Yes, I do more than write articles and publish newsletters.
Ask me to write for your site, emails and newsletters.
http://www.nickusborne.com/copywriting.htm
Ask me to optimize your key offer pages...
http://www.nickusborne.com/consulting.htm
Check out my online marketing advice in audio and other downloadable media.
http://www.conversioninsights.com
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