| v> | | | | The purpose of a lead generating ad or message is |
| | | | to generate a large number of inquiries. You're not |
| I received two postcards in the mail yesterday. One | | | | selling your product or service (yet). You're selling the |
| was cluttered with so much small text I had difficulty | | | | reader on the action of replying to your ad. The |
| trying to read it. I gave up and trashed it. | | | | most effective message I've found for generating |
| The second postcard had a total of 48 words on it | | | | the maximum number of replies includes only 3 things. |
| including a website address listed on the bottom of | | | | 1. State the biggest benefit offered by your product |
| the card. The card announced a new book on one of | | | | or service. |
| my favorite business topics. Part of one chapter was | | | | 2. Include a compelling reason for readers to request |
| available to read free at the website listed on the | | | | more information NOW. |
| card. I did... then ordered the book. | | | | 3. Provide a quick and easy way to respond. |
| The person who sent that second postcard was | | | | Keep your message brief. Most short ads I develop |
| using the classic 2 step selling process: | | | | produce more replies than longer versions of the |
| Step 1. Generate leads - in this case traffic to her | | | | same ad. For example, one of the most responsive |
| website. | | | | ads I ever developed has only 14 words. The version |
| Step 2. Provide the requested information - in this | | | | used on the Internet read: |
| case provided online at the website. | | | | Discover How To Build ANY Small Business FAST! |
| This two step process is proving to be just as | | | | Offer ends soon. Free information. The off-line |
| effective online (Internet marketing) as it has been | | | | version of this ad also included a phone number and |
| for many years in traditional marketing. | | | | postal address so prospects had 3 ways to request |
| WHY USE 2 STEPS? | | | | more information. I used it for classified ads in |
| It's easier to generate leads than to sell products or | | | | magazines and printed it on postcards and mailed |
| services. You don't have to persuade anybody to | | | | them to targeted lists. Every version of the ad |
| spend money. Therefore you can use simple and | | | | produced a large number of replies. |
| inexpensive methods of advertising to generate | | | | Many prospects responded out of curiosity. That was |
| leads. You can also build a list of prospects who don't | | | | OK. I knew they were part of my targeted market |
| buy now and use it for future follow up. | | | | and had a compelling need for what I was offering. I |
| TIP: Always try to get the contact information from | | | | controlled that by circulating the ad where it would |
| your prospects so you can communicate with them | | | | be seen only by prospects in my targeted market. |
| again in the future. Implement an automatic follow up | | | | Follow this model the next time you develop a lead |
| procedure to periodically contact previous prospects | | | | generating ad or message. Place your ad where lots |
| who didn't buy. (This one procedure alone can | | | | of prospects in your targeted market will see it. The |
| increase your number of new customers by 50% or | | | | number of leads it generates from seriously |
| more.) | | | | interested prospects will surprise you. |
| KEEP IT SIMPLE | | | | |