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When I lived in Seattle, football wasn’t a big deal. Sure, a few folks were loyal followers, but you could ignore the whole scene. Occasionally we’d see a headline about a big win. Matt Hasselback was known for his generosity to the community; he’d come to Seattle Storm WNBA games and throw t-shirts.

Fast forward to Philadelphia. Here the city buses flash encouragement: “Go Eagles!” People hang signs in their windows. Even people who don’t know the difference between a down and a disaster will be able to tell you how the Eagles are doing.

So I keep coming back to my favorite metaphor of Internet marketing. If you’re pressed for time and want to create a compelling online presence, you need to bring a team together – or you can hire someone who will create the team for you.

But who should be on the team? And what positions should they play?

Often business owners expect the web designer to win the whole online marketing game single-handedly with color, design, traffic and navigation. The truth is, if your website were a football game, the content would be the quarterback and the design would be your offensive line.

On the football field the quarterback calls plays and makes sure the ball gets down the field to score points. The job of the offensive line is to make sure the quarterback gets through, unharmed, without interference.

On your website, your designer’s job is to make it easy for visitors to read your copy. Just as good linemen protect their quarterback, your web designer makes sure your graphics support your message and your site is easy to read. Your copywriter calls the plays:

How do you identify your niche so you know how to reach them easily (and motivate then to take action on your offer)? Which pages get featured on the main menu bar? What metaphors and stories will frame your content?

Once these critical decisions have been made, your web designer can implement the technical and visual components of your site. Some copywriters will even guide your designer and manage the entire project, just as a football quarterback is the coach on the field.

If you’d seriously like to get answers to these questions, let’s start with a 90-Minute No Risk Consultation.

Related article: Which Comes First: Copy or Design? Answers From 12 Experts.

And if you want to learn how to make WordPress websites yourself — even if you’re not a techie — my friend Christina Hills has a free webinar for you to attend. I took her course years ago and have been learning from her ever since.

Someone asked a famous marketing guru (clearly a celebrity archetype), “What’s your secret of success?”

Her story was, “I invited my women friends over to my apartment in the city. At the time I was into a form of wellness coaching. From those meetings came group coaching.”

She could have added, “And then…my empire!”

I heard that story just after I‘d moved to a new city, where I shared a home with two very furry cats and one very furry dog.

A business meeting of prospective clients — mostly strangers — would be drowned out by itching, sneezing, and cries of “No! Don’t do that!!”

Anyway, my clients were (and are) busy business owners who prefer to do business remotely. Even when we’re in the same city, we get on a Zoom call, with no interruptions and cameras off.

The real takeaway from any “Here’s what I did” story isn’t the method, but rather the notion of having a system.

You pretty much have to come up with your own system, by trial and error.

When I first got started online, I kept hearing about a coaching consultant who advocated:

“Hold breakfast meetings in your home with local opinion leaders.”

That’s a really bad idea if you can’t cook, your kitchen is small, and your toaster tends to set off the fire alarm.

Another consultant suggests finding a market that’s desperate for solutions and writing ebooks for them.

The REAL story is that each of these business owners started with a credible, juicy offer that truly appealed to their target market.

(1) Make the strongest promise you can credibly offer.

One business owner built an empire around an ebook with the title, “How I added $50K to my revenue in six weeks with one free report.”

What succeeded wasn’t the ebook. It was the promise. An ebook titled “How I built an empire of basket-weaving” wouldn’t cut it.

(2) Use one method that fits your personality, style, location, and clients.

Here’s where your intuition and experience come together.

If you’re gifted at building relationships in person, create a system to meet regularly with potential clients and referral partners. One designer baked chocolate chip cookies and shared the during a holiday season.

If you’re an outstanding speaker, use podcasts and guest talks. (They’re not always easy to get, but you can make that a goal.)

If you want to use a particular channel, such as a podcast or social media connection, spend time learning the tricks of the trade. Become a master of that medium.

(3) When you hear a story from a successful business person, listen between the lines.

What was the promise they made? How did their method fit their target audience? What are they not telling you?

One business owner talked about starting a healing practice with no website. She hinted about using her mindset to attract clients.

The story she didn’t tell was, “My fiance had a very successful online business with over 5000 on his email list. He sent out a broadcast recommending me as a resource to help people’s businesses. I filled my practice from that one message, and then went on to build a website and use other promotional strategies.”

Most of all, listen for ways the business owners used their intuition. Ultimately you have to make choices about marketing. No one else can do that for you.

Most of us (including me) wait way too long to realize it’s time for a website makeover. You may recognize the warning signs like the ones I had:

— No longer excited about sharing my logo and website with the world.
— Clients said, “That website just isn’t you.”
— Doing a lot more than copywriting, yet all my materials said, “copywriting” (where was the reference to storytelling?)

Why do we wait so long?

(1) We have an investment in the past.

Economists refer to “sunk costs” when they talk about investments we’ve made that won’t do much to help in the future. For instance, suppose you have invested heavily in the typewriter industry when the world changes and your products are replaced by computers.

You could say, “But I’ve put so much effort into learning about typewriters!” Or you could look forward to a brighter future and say, ‘OK, time to move on.”

 (2) We aren’t sure where to start.

Do you call a web designer? A copywriter? Hire a coach?

Here’s an article that presents the views of 17 experts – including designers and marketing coaches. They all say, “Start with the copy or you could break the website.”

(3) We know what we don’t want…but not what we do want. 

That’s a straightforward problem for a website copywriter!  Once we get your story, we can draft your website quickly…and usually get it right the first time. 

Recently I worked with a client who was feeling frustrated. She was getting lost in themes and platforms, let alone headlines and copy. At a friend’s urging she booked a consultation with me, openly nervous about how much we could do.

Just a few weeks later she was happily reviewing a draft, …feeling deeply relieved and happily optimistic about her new future.

If you’d like to get started, check out the Strategic Intensive. Enjoy a new website and use your time more enjoyably (and more profitably).

Recently I was talking to a marketing pro – someone I really admire. We were talking about how different financial services stand out, based on their websites.

I emailed over some links to three websites that seemed to be telling three different stories. “They’re doing something right,” I said.

To my surprise, this consultant shrugged me off. “I looked at those websites,” he replied. “They’re not doing anything new. They’ve got very broad giveaways and they’re saying the same old stuff. They’re probably just marketing hard.”

Really?  I could see strong, obvious differences across the three websites.

True, all were business consultants. But each communicated through the container of a different story archetype. 

Website A introduced the consultant who developed a unique approach to help clients differentiate themselves. A fits the Innovator archetype: he has a unique program that is not available anywhere else.

Website B was a down-home, “girl next door” type who focused on authenticity; she’s one of the few women who hadn’t been styled for the photo shoot, unless she found a stylist who’s into jeans and sweaters.  She fits the Role Model archetype: her message is, “I’m just like you. If I can do it, you can too.”

Website C was an edgy urbanite who wore Armani suits and promoted himself with a sharply written manifesto. He fits the Celebrity archetype: his message is, “I’ve made it big! I’m out there in a big way and I’ve earned enough for a lavish lifestyle. My success gives me the credentials to advise you.”

Each website promised to help other business owners make money and get more clients. Each had fairly straightforward lead magnets.

But each presented a different story as well as a different target market and value proposition. They weren’t sharing fluffy differences based on color scheme or some arbitrary quality. Each would give you a different experience if you hired them. Few prospects would throw up their hands and say, “They’re all good! I’ll choose the cheapest.”

“Ignoring the story behind the website is like being red-green colorblind.” 

My colleague isn’t stupid. In fact, he’s one of the smartest consultants out there. He instinctively understands how to reach his own prospects.

He’s not a copywriter. He doesn’t review websites with the question, “How will potential clients read this website? What will they notice in this sales letter? How will they react? How do they connect emotionally with this business owner?”

I was so surprised I did a reality check. I asked another copywriter  – a recognizable name – to look them over.  She, too, saw differences as clear as red and green on a stoplight.

Many business owners – including experienced coaches – have some form of copy blindness. They are puzzled when their own materials don’t bring results or when their own clients keep working hard without seeing progress. They sometimes push even harder, which makes things worse: it’s like planting seeds in the wrong soil and then going all out with water and fertilizer.

Can you learn to distinguish one marketing archetype from another, just by reading websites?

Absolutely. Here are 3 things you can do starting now to develop a consistent brand: 

(1) Become aware of other websites in your field, especially those that offer similar services. What is the client backstory the website is targeting?

A client’s backstory has 3 parts. Does the website seem to be addressing all three? Check out my free ebook on Nailing Your Client’s Motivation.

(2) What is the website owner’s story archetype?

Does the website seem to be saying, “I’m just like you. If I did it, you can too.”

Or does the website seem to be saying, “I have the knowledge. If you apply what I teach, you’ll be successful.”

Or is the website offering something unique – available only from this marketer?

(3) Can you summarize the website story in a couple of sentences?

For example:

He took two years to get his first business going, then realized most people made the whole thing more complicated than it had to be. He developed training courses that simplified every step of entrepreneurship.

She got tired of hearing from clients whose webmasters disappeared to Tahiti, taking their passwords and esoteric code with them…but not before charging thousands of dollars for websites that didn’t make a dime. She created her own program to transform ordinary business owners into web developers, without forcing them to become techies.

This lawyer’s client was on the verge of being deported, yet he was entitled to remain in the US legally. The lawyer was so passionate he traveled to three states to attend a hearing and get the client released.

These stories lay the foundation for the website’s home page, about page, and services page, even when they’re not repeated on each page. They’re the foundation for creating content for landing pages, blog posts, and ebooks too. 

If you’d like to work with me on developing your own message, let’s start here with the Strategic Intensive. My clients say they came away with a stronger message and a clearer game plan for creating their content.

As part of your online strategy to boost lead generation, get more clients in your target market, and increase your own credibility and authenticity, offer a compelling “lead magnet:” a giveaway that motivates targeted prospects to sign up. Here are 5 ideas for giveaways you can use to generate more leads:

1 – “Quick and Easy” tips – Take 3 to 5 of your blog posts that relate to your core service and condense them into a special report. If you don’t have blog posts that seem to fit, think of questions you answer via forums.

A sequential “how to” list would be called “steps,” which may be viewed as more helpful in some markets.

2 – Checklists – Clients like checklists because they get involved, instead of reading passively. Think of the way you would review or analyze a client problem; for instance, when I review a website, I check for certain components each time.

A variation might be a checklist of how to hire someone in your industry, such as, “How to hire a financial planner,” or, “How to hire an immigration lawyer.”

3 – Exercises – When the value of your service is hard to communicate, give samples. For instance, a life coach might create 5 exercises that enhance joy in your life. It’s important to keep these exercises simple and easy to follow. If you offer 5 exercises, explain exactly when to do them, such as waking up and going to bed plus 3 meals.

4 – Resources – If you offer a service that builds on products people already have, you can suggest the best resources to buy. For example, if you’re a marketing coach specializing in video production, you could put together a list of best places to buy a microphone, software, and public domain music. A lot of people waste money and time with these choices and they’ll be happy to get help. You’ll still be needed to put it all together!

5 – Templates – Everybody wants to save time! Templates not only help your readers save time, but also give them guidance for setting up their own materials without wondering, “Is this what I should be doing?”

If you haven’t looked at your lead-generating program in a while, try some of these ideas to see what happens. I’m betting you’ll get more sign-ups and better quality leads. 

Learn more from Cindy Bidar’s Email Marketing Success course.

Find the missing pieces of your marketing in the Strategic Intensive program. 

Sometimes the punch line is weak.

But sometimes there’s nothing wrong with the punch line. It’s the set-up that’s missing. You have no context to appreciate the joke. (“Oh, I forgot to say, we were doing it at Wal-Mart…”)

Once I was invited to promote a new product. The call to action – the punch line – was great. The marketer made several promises, such as “the most amazing piece of software for [this application] you’ve ever seen.” They even promised it would “change online business forever.”

I’d love to promote this software because the marketers are solid and deliver good products.  But I’m not sure just what I’m supposed to be promoting. It’s software, but is it a WordPress plugin or a cloud application? What do you need to make it work?

The marketers have figured out the punch line – the benefits – but they haven’t set up the scene. It’s a very common mistake, even among veterans.

Think how many times you’ve read promises to take your life, business and/or relationship to the next level (whatever that means). Think about how often you’re encouraged to explain your business in terms of benefits but not identify your title.

So you promise, “My program will reduce stress. Guaranteed.”

Today especially people want to peek behind the curtain and see what makes the service work. They don’t need to walk through the whole process but they’d like to know (before they pay) if they’ll be doing yoga head stands, inhaling soothing aromas, or calling a coach every week.

If you’d like some help describing your own services, let’s set up a consultation. Click here to learn more about the 90-minute risk-free consultation. Or click here to ask about the best way we might work together to help your business grow.

Want to learn more about how to gain credibility with your audience when you make a promise — even when the promise seems too good to be true. Free training, recorded live. Click here to join. 

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Finding exactly the right words to use is the key to getting people to open your e-mails, to click on and share your links. 

One of the best ways to get people to open more of your communications over time is to keep testing and improving your headlines.

…  This is one area where the numbers can make a huge difference for you. According to Perry Marshall, very small improvements early on in your funnel lead to BIG improvements where it matters – at the top of your funnel where people are buying high-end programs.  It works like this…. if your conversion rate between your free optin and entry level report is 20% but you can raise it to 25% by improving the open rate on the first e-mail – that gives you 25 people eligible for the next level. If the conversion rate between your entry and mid level product is also 20% – that those extra 5 people turn into an extra sale for you.

Making small improvements is a matter of an often tedious testing and tracking process.  But, hours of effort become worth it when you get that extra client in your high end coaching program.

Because it is text based and fast moving, Twitter is an ideal place to quickly test your headlines.  You have access to a large sample and you don’t have to wait forever for feedback.

Here is how to test your headlines on Twitter in three easy steps.

1. Create two headlines that you think will work will for your article or blog post.

2. Tweet both of these headlines out about an hour apart.  It helps to do them in the same part of the day.  i.e. both in the morning or in the afternoon. Because 9am is more similar to 10am than noon is to 1pm.

3. Use your data to see which performed better.  To do this step, you need a social analytics program.  Some of the programs that work well for this are GroSocial (this is what we use at Decisive Minds) or HootSuite.  You can also create a [link shortener] for each headline and track that way.

4. Take the headline that worked better,  come up with a new version and keep testing.

As I always say, rinse and repeat.  Consistency is the key here.  The first few times you play with this, you might only see a very small difference.  Keep working and keep improving and you’ll keep seeing larger differences.  And remember, these improvements create a snowball effect.  Even the smallest changes at the very beginning make a huge difference later.

So, my challenge to you is to test some headlines on Twitter and make some improvements. 

Many clients tell me website development is such a nightmare they can’t bring themselves to do a makeover. I just did a makeover for a client and I’ll be sharing some tips to make yours fast and easy in a free teleseminar (recording available!). Click here for info and sign-up..

 If you wanted to make your own, you could use The Package – Adobe Photoshop. It’s never been cheap and the learning curve was steep.  You could hire a designer to make one image or graphic at a time. An of course your herder required a web designer (often a temperamental type who charged a lot and disappeared on ski vacations when your site went down).

Today we have so many options. Almost anyone can work with images.

On the other hand, we also need images more. We’re more visual and graphically oriented. Just about every blog post, presentation slide, and ebook requires illustration. My first ebooks didn’t have a single image and they sold very well. Not today!   

Here are 3 tips for creating and using images in your online marketing:

1 – Your website needs a professionally designed graphic header.

But if you call a designer and say, “Make me a header,” you might be surprised … and not always in a good way. You’ll get far better results when you give your designer a clear idea of what you want before you place your order. You can do this in two ways:

— Go to Fiverr.com and order a handful of WordPress headers; usually your $5 will get you a few variations from each designer. You’ll have a pretty clear idea of what you don’t want. You might be able to use your design “as is,” but that’s rare. Usually you’ll need some revision and probably a professional designer who charges more than five bucks.  

– Play with a graphics package and sketch out your own design. The professional will sharpen it up and make it look, well, professional. This solution works for my clients (I can often do the draft) and for me too.

2 – Logos  can backfire. 

Recently I worked with a client who chose a logo when she started her business about seven years ago. She’s totally identified with that logo. Unfortunately, the logo’s clarity disappears in smaller sizes and the color doesn’t go with anything except maybe lime green or pale pink.  Trying to incorporate this logo into a bright graphic header has challenge more than one designer.

Many profitable, high-profile online businesses don’t have logos at all. If you choose one, test with different backgrounds, colors and sizes. That’s not hard to do with a basic graphics package.

3 – Your widgets will “pop” when you create a graphic message to announce an event, webinar or program.

An announcement “New webinar” can disappear but a colorful file will fit nicely into your widget, with big bold type and bright, tasteful colors.

If you’d like to get started right away, you can take advantage of this special offer from Nicole on the Net – a cool graphics package priced less than three cappuccinos.

The special ends tomorrow (although the regular price is still pretty much of a no-brainer).
Sticky Social Media, from Nicole Dean. She’s been around awhile and she’s one of the Internet’s good people.

It’s a good implementation product with several videos showing how to use tools to create and customize graphics, using free and paid packages. You’ll also get a handy collection of graphics that usually cost a lot more than the whole package, plus bonuses.   

Get the special before tomorrow Wednesday, October 9th: Click here:  http://coachglue.com/products/aff/go?r=3024&i=37