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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. 

Starting a new series – Website Mistakes! Here’s Mistake #1: “It works in a restaurant, but not for websites!” See the video below.

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..

Thinking of making a video … with yourself as the star? There may be a better and MUCH easier way! Watch this video to discover the most effective video formats.

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Introduction:

Today’s Guest Post was written by Melanie Yost. Melanie uses a vivid metaphor to demonstrate a critical idea.

My favorite professor in Graduate School had a simple but profound approach to working with people.  His theory was that people were either wrapped too tight or wrapped too loose.  He believed that if they were wrapped too tight, his job was to help loosen them up and if they were wrapped too loose, his job was to help tighten them up.  This theory resonated with me and I have incorporated it into my helping style.

The goal is not so much about changing people as it is about helping them find balance.  This is as true in business as it is in life.  Being out of balance in one direction or another creates frustration and stuck places in your business.   Let’s see if you can identify which one describes you.

People who are wrapped too loose are often highly creative and prefer their time to be unstructured.  They are comfortable with letting the process unfold and not needing to know the next step.  They like to keep their options open and are really good at going with the flow and being spontaneous.  They are powerful visionaries who are capable of seeing the big picture and using their imagination to create an amazing vision of what they want their life and their business to be.  Unfortunately, they have difficulty moving forward and manifesting this vision because they struggle with staying focused, setting priorities, making a plan, coming to a decision, following through, getting organized, setting boundaries and saying “no”.

People who are wrapped too tight are often high achievers.  Once they understand what options are available, they are comfortable making a decision, creating a plan and taking action.  They are comfortable with schedules, structure, practical solutions and concrete results. They tend to be analytical in their approach to business and life, basing their goals on what they know and what they think they can achieve.  When things don’t go according to plan, they can become stuck and frustrated because they have difficulty relaxing, tuning into their inner wisdom, being spontaneous, going with the flow, letting the process unfold, using their imagination, thinking outside of the box, feeling out of control and giving themselves a break.

Soooo . . . . which one sounds like you?  If you say “both” it’s probably because you have done a lot of work to achieve balance.  Which one is your inherent nature?  I am naturally wrapped too tight and have spent the last 20 years learning how to loosen up so that I can trust in to my internal wisdom, use my imagination, think outside the box, get comfortable with mystery, quite my mind, give myself a break and have balance in my life.

Once you know which way you are wrapped and what your challenges are, you can find the mentors, solutions and accountability to get you unstuck and using your energy in positive and productive ways in your business.     Very few coaches and mentors work well with both dispositions.  I have come to the realization that my brilliance is working with the wrapped too tight people.  I know when to push and hold them accountable and when to give them permission to give themselves a break.  I know how to help them access their inner wisdom, over come their fears and teach them how to integrate complex spiritual concepts into their business in a way that satisfies their analytical minds.

I also encourage you to look at your clients and notice if most of them are wrapped too tight or too loose.  Which category do you attract?  Which one do you most enjoy working with?   Does the focus of your work help people tighten up or loosen up?  This awareness will help you clarify your target market, position your products and services to address pains and problems and refine your marketing message.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this article.