Conversation is the Key

The business period between 12/25 and 1/1 is odd. Unlike other times of the year. There is often a post Christmas lull that hangs around 'til the first day of the new year.

During that decidedly different week last year, I added a silly post on LinkedIn.

The post wasn't much, just a quick poke at the ad industry's award culture. But the comments turned it into a fun conversation ... people playing along with the joke and enjoying some light banter. Little to do with business. Everything to do with connection.

Which is a good reminder that social media is about connection and interaction.

Here's the post with a few examples of the150 or so comments, followed by a link to full the post if you want to see all the back and forth.

I am humbled to have won, for the second year in a row, 
the R. Scott Frothingham Award for Copywriting Excellence 
that is presented annually to a copywriter named R. Scott Frothingham.

I encourage you to comment on social media posts and build relationships beyond your typical social/business/academic circle. It's a fun way to meet people, learn things, build your brand, and expand your area of influence. 

You can check out the post and conversation (around 150 comments) at:
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6750046779770724353/ 

UPDATE #1

I won the award again in 2021. Here's the post with some more tongue-in-cheek recognition from the LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/scottfrothingham_honored-and-humbled-to-win-again-the-award-activity-6885225328063610880-d0X4

UPDATE #2

Go figure, I won the award again in 2022. Here's the post with some more tongue-in-cheek recognition from the LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/scottfrothingham_award-copywriting-writing-activity-7016472759085977600-x8cW

UPDATE #3

Amazingly, I won the award again in 2023. Here's the post with some more tongue-in-cheek recognition from the LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/scottfrothingham_awards-awardwinning-awards2023-activity-7142496121288814592-IvqQ

 

Zero Risk

 

Your customer is considering purchasing your product or service.

Two factors that weigh heavily on their decision are:

1. The degree they believe that your offer will solve their problem (and they will be better off for having made the purchase).
   
   
2. The level of risk (monetary, ease of use, level of satisfaction, likelihood of getting a result, etc.) associated with buying your product/service.

Factor one is addressed in your sales and marketing outreach and depends on how well you have articulated your message and established your differentiation from other products/services (your unique selling proposition).

Factor two depends on the strength of your guarantee. Often your prospect is afraid of making a bad decision, and that fear can kill a sale. If you can eliminate any risk in purchasing your offer, conversion will be more likely.

Guarantee

A well-written and credible guarantee can help make it easy for the prospect to say, “Yes.”
Here’s a guarantee that I have used successfully:

RISK FREE GUARANTEE

To make your decision easy, I'm going to make your purchase 100% risk free.

I'll give you 60 days to try everything out.

If you aren't satisfied, I'll buy it back from you, no questions asked.

Because we have so many 5-star reviews I know you'll never need the refund, but it's there, just in case.

That way, you have ZERO RISK.

GRAB THIS DFEAL TODAY

 

Risk Reversal

Stronger than “satisfaction guaranteed,” risk reversal means that if the product or service doesn't work out for the customer, they have nothing to lose … BUT ... you, as the seller, do have something to lose.

If the conversion rate is not satisfactory and competitors are offering a similar guarantee, consider testing risk reversal with a Better Than Money Back Guarantee.

A better than money back guarantee adds additional credibility by giving the prospect the opportunity to get more than just their money back. This is easy when you have an offer that includes bonuses beyond the primary product/service. For example, return the blender for a full refund and keep the recipe book bonus.

Testing

Test what level of guarantee works best for your offering. Maybe it’s a 30-day trial period. Maybe it’s 60-days. Or even 365 days.

Interestingly, in the tests I have run 365 days consistently outperforms both 1 year (yes, I know it’s the same thing) and lifetime guarantees.

Also test a standard guarantee vs a risk reversal guarantee.

 
The Last Word

Eliminating risk makes it easier for a prospect to make a buying decision in your favor. Obviously, you should have faith in your offer, because if it doesn’t work, your returns can kill profitability.

It Can Be Art

I was watching a video on a glassblowing competition.

One competitor looked at another competitor’s submission and said, “I made a sculpture, he made art.”

I feel that way sometimes when I read copy written by other writers. “What I wrote today is good, they made art.”

When you read outstanding copy, what is it that makes it so much better than other copy?

For me, the first thing I notice is rhythm and flow … how I comfortably, almost effortlessly, move from point A to point B, enjoying the ride and interested to see where I’m being taken.

With outstanding copy, I find myself getting involved in the actual message, not the delivery. It makes me forget to look at it from my copywriter mindset where I analyze each component, think about why the writer decided to include it, and agree or disagree.

10 Things I’ve Learned About Advice

Many years ago, my dad taught me that sincerely asking for advice is a sign of intelligence.

Since then, I’ve learned a few other important things about advice:

1. “Can I pick your brain?” is an irritatingly generic way to ask for advice.

2. Don't assume everyone's best advice is your best advice.

3. Staying silent is more effective than providing unsolicited advice.

4. Don’t assume that someone offering you advice is doing so just for your sake.

5. Understand that when you ask for advice, the person you’re asking is expecting you to follow it.

6. Don’t ask for advice simply to gain validation.

7. Make sure the person you seek out for advice has an appropriate level of expertise on the subject.

8. Don’t ask too many people for advice.

9. Be specific about the kind of advice you need.

10. Don’t make the decision for someone. Give them the tools to make their own decision.