Writing

I get asked all the time, "Lorrie, how can I make my copy more persuasive?" Well frankly it helps if you can speak your prospect’s language. But writing persuasively is more involved than just saying the right words. You need to say them in the right order?and in a way that lowers resistance to new information and is acceptable to his or her mind. One discipline that translates nicely to writing persuasive copy is NLP or Neuro Linguistic Programming.

NLP isn’t a replacement for good copywriting. It’s a turbo boost. Meeting a person on his or her own level by using familiar words puts YOU in control of the communication almost immediately.

Have you ever been moved to buy a pair of sexy shoes instead of the sensible, comfy shoes you really needed? But when you got home you didn’t know how you got over the resistance of spending the money? See, people understand the RESULT of making a purchasing decision, but are often unaware of the internal recipe that gets them there. We all know we tend to buy based on emotion over logic. In fact, most buying decisions are largely emotional.

WHO’S RIGHT ANYWAY?

When you want to choose a name for your newsletter, you should come up with as many newsletter name ideas as you can think of. Because the more ideas you get, the easier it will be for you to choose a good name.

You may want to brainstorm, get inspired by other people’s newsletter names, or even learn from offline magazine names. You can also ask your friends, colleagues, family members, online forums, or anyone who might give you good ideas.

You should collect all these ideas in a list and then start choosing the best ones. Of course my personal experience shows me that doing it in reverse is much easier and more effective. I mean, instead of choosing the best ones, cross out the less good titles.

Do it until you have 5 names on your list. Then put your list aside and don’t think about it for a day or two. Let your mind rest for a while. Then come back to your list and pick up the best one.

Your newsletter name should be simple and attractive. It should describe what your newsletter is about. It should also motivate people to subscribe. Depending on the topic of your newsletter, you may choose a serious or funny name.

How To Select a Great Topic For Your Book or Ebook Part 2 of 5
 by: Aaron Morganstern

There are groups of people who are willing to buy nonfiction ebooks: hobbyists. At any given time, these people are looking for ways to spend their money on their hobbies. Their passion is your financial gain. What avid hobbyists want will always make great ebook material. Note that I did not say what hobbyists need. You may have certain opinions on what exactly certain people should need or should read. But those are not necessarily good topics for immediate ebook profit. Those topics may be areas for you to dabble in at your leisure. However, if you want to make money at this, find out what niche groups want, and hit those groups with your ebook.

Find hobbyists and niche groups by searching the web for “popular hobbies,” “enthusiasts,” or “what America is buying.” Or, you can search specifically for forums and discussion groups for hobbyists. In the forums, people talk with each other to share ideas with one another. Often, they will exchange testimonials for equipment, upcoming events, and books.

When I show some people my advertisements, I sometimes get the feedback: "I’d never read that. There’s too much writing. It needs to be simpler, and cleaner."

But when the ads run? they invariably work.

Here’s why?

Imagine you were stranded on a desert island? and the man upstairs came down to speak with you. And said?

Due to unforeseen circumstances there’s no way you will ever get off this island. However, I’ll give you everything you need to survive. Beautiful, tasty, natural foods? plenty of water? great weather?

But there’s one catch. You will be the only human alive on this island, apart from a partner you may choose from these 500 letters.

Now imagine when you opened up the letters what would you be looking for. Remember, this is the only person you’re going to be spending the rest of your life with.

Would you be happy with something like: Hi, I’m Susan. I’ve got black hair, brown eyes, and I like to party. I’m lots of fun, and people say I’m pretty.

How To Select a Great Topic For Your Book or Ebook Part 3 of 5
 by: Aaron Morganstern

There is almost no limit whatsoever on the marketability of how-to books. Everyone wants an instruction manual, advice, and encouragement that they can do anything they read a how-to book for. Anything you know how to do, anything you’ve ever wanted to learn, or anything that’s teachable at all, can become a how-to ebook.

How-to books for hobbyists are a good way to go, and this overlaps with the discussion above. A hobby how-to ebook could be anything from how to build a home from hay bales to how to play Texas Hold ‘Em to how to understand Shakespeare. One book publisher knows how hungry we are for how-to information, and has created a whole series of “Dummies” books around the market. Further, there are other similar book series’, and all of them are doing quite well! “The Everything” series, “Idiot’s Guide” series and others are all cashing in on the how-to phenomenon.

You could cash in by creating ebooks on any or all subjects covered in any of those series’. Go to www.dummies.com, and check out their list of titles. Pick one you like, and move full speed ahead!

How To Select a Great Topic For Your Book or Ebook Part 4 of 5
 by: Aaron Morganstern

For part four of this discussion, we’ll be taking a look at some specific topics you may wish to explore…

Looking young

Perhaps sixteen year old girls don’t want to look younger, but from that point on, and for most of the population in Western society, looking young is a common desire. Everybody wants to find the fountain of youth, whether it be in a pill bottle, a special diet, surgery, or an ebook.

An ebook about staying or appearing young in the face of growing old will have a solid future. Here are some title ideas, and I’m sure you can come up with a truckload more.

- “Drop ten years and ten pounds in ten days”

- “How to look 28 forever”

- “100 ways to look younger”

- “Grocery store products that will help you look younger”

- “Look 30 again without surgery”

- “How to live to be 100″

Have ever wished that there were a formula for crafting your expertise into a Top Ten article that will showcase your knowledge, cement your credibility and promote your products and services?

1. Find a problem to solve. Think back to conversations you’ve had with clients, potential clients, colleagues, family, friends and strangers. What are the common problems and challenges that people in your target market face? If you don’t have a target market, get one!

2. Brainstorm many ideas. Get pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and rattle off as many ideas as you can think of that will solve that problem. Don’t judge, filter or edit at this point, simply capture everything that comes to mind. When you think you’re done, write for ten more minutes. Then, walk around for two minutes, come back and write some more.

3. Select the best. Ideally, let some time pass after you’ve brainstormed, so you can look at your list with fresh eyes. Now filter through all of your ideas and choose your favourite ten points.

How To Select a Great Topic For Your Book or Ebook Part 5 of 5
 by: Aaron Morganstern

These are fiery hot topics that are sure to be on the rise. You can pull any one of these to use for your first ebook. Then come back and pull another topic for your next ebook.

Using the latest electronics. We are a society obsessed with having the latest and greatest technology. Do an ebook on iPods, email/camera cell phones, wireless Internet, digital TV, or any combination of these items.

Home improvement. There’s so much of a craze in this area that do-it-yourself (DIY) stores are on every corner of major cities. If you haven’t been to a Home Depot or Lowe’s lately, then you are one of the few. Sure, apartment dwellers and young students aren’t in this market, but people with homes and money to afford them are in this market. In fact, some cable TV services offer entire channels dedicated to home improvement.

People tend to read your ads and sales letters in 2 different ways:

1. Word For Word

2. Skim through it and see if anything catches their eye

Which is the exact reason why you should incorporate at least 2 sub-headlines per page.

You see, many people will skim through your ad or sales letter because they may be short on time. But if something catches their eye, it will hook them back into your pitch.

So how do you generate sub-headlines?

Can you remember my suggestion in an earlier issue to write 30-50 headlines? Well, of course as a result of this, you can only choose 1 headline.

However, you’ll find you have created a bundle of other ones you can use as sub-headlines.

Nothing will help you understand this like an example. So let me give you one:

Recently, I created a sales letter for one of my clients.

Here’s the opening line (before the headline): Discover the fortune that lies hidden in your salary?

Here’s the headline: "Here’s A Quick And Easy Way To Get Started On YOUR Road To Real Estate Riches?"