A Sneak Peak at the Jalopy Cheat Sheet – Marketing Tips and Tricks
Tips and tricks do not good marketing make.
However, they do help.
And caring is sharing.
Here’s a Sneak Peak at the Jalopy Marketing Cheat Sheet.
(Yes, I am rather proud of that title!)
Marketing / Branding
- Make your brand obvious and consistent everywhere and in every communication you have.
- This includes all other online tools and accounts. If your Twitter page looks totally different to your website then people will be confused. And confused people don’t buy.
- What do your customers hate? Tell everyone how much your business is so not about all that stuff.
- Benefits are more sellable than features.
- Get your customers email address by offering them a free thing as a bribe.
- Email is best for promoting your stuff. Not your blog.
- Offer gift certificates. People like that stuff.
- Don’t let people forget about you or your promotion, especially if it’s a long time coming
- Look out for companies that do marketing well. And copy what they’re doing.
- Look out for companies that do marketing badly. Do the opposite of what they’re doing.
- Have a good story.
- Know your customers. Know where they hang out and what they’re worried about. Meet them there and talk directly to them in your marketing.
- Ask for referrals all the time.
- Under promise, over deliver.
- If something isn’t working, stop doing it. Even (especially) if you’ve put a lot of work into doing it.
- Spend your time and effort convincing the people who aren’t sure about you. There’s no need to try hard to convince those who are already convinced.
- Tell your customers “It’s not your fault.”
- The big four questions your customer asks during the sales process (Source: Mark Joyner)
- What are you trying to sell me?
- How much?
- Why should I believe you?
- What’s in it for me?
- The 16 human desires (source: Kevin Hogan)
- Eating
- Sex
- Desire to compete or seek vengeance
- Nesting instinct
- Connection with others
- Curiosity
- Tranquility
- Desire to Save
- Power
- Status
- Independence
- Acceptance
- Principled Loyalty
- Get your readers’ attention. This is the most important thing.
- Make all your communication easy to read.
- Short paragraphs
- Big headers
- Nice clear text
- Repeat yourself a lot. People forget stuff. And they don’t read it in the first place.
- Be specific. Use numbers and statistics a lot.
- Be concise. Write less. Bite sized pieces.
- Ask questions. People’s brains are pre-programmed to answer them in their heads.
- Best converting headlines:
- - How to…
- - 7 ways to…
- - Who else wants…
- - Discover how a…
- Negative subject lines are nearly always best
- 365 day guarantee increases conversion AND reduces return rate
- Highlight guarantee in a separate box on your website. Be flashy if you like.
- Instructional follow-up emails and/or video messages reduce return rate (most people return because they haven’t used the product, not because they don’t like it)
Website
- Highest converting landing page layout is (source: 10conversionsecrets.com):
- Top left: headline + image
- Bullets left hand side
- Optin Right side
- Social proof, testimoninials, media appearances etc on right hand side
- Text and pictures at the bottom, below the fold if necessary.
- Don’t waste space
- Optin should always be above the fold
- Optin box should be as flashy and obvious as possible.
- Putting audio of your offer increases conversion significantly. (Yeah, I know. Ugh. It does work though. People are weird.)
- Use animation.
- Video explaining site security increases conversion
- Put logos on website next to your Buy Now button to help customer trust that you’re not a fraud
- verisign
- 128 bit encryption
- BBB
- hackersafe.com, truste.com etc.
- Changing your scroll bar to colour red increases the chance your customer will read below the fold (Source: John Reese)
- Rusty, burgundy color headline dramatically increases conversions (Source: Ryan Deiss)
- Second to this is light blue
- 20pt Tahoma font with quotation marks converts best
- Google dislikes the word testimonials. Call them Customer Feedback, or similar. (Source: Ryan Deiss)
- Put the best testimonial in the P.S.
- Put all testimonials in a yellow johnson box for the best conversion rates
- Oversized buy buttons are the way forward. Make it very clear what you want your customer to do next!
- Orange border with blue text “Add To Cart” converts best (Source: Perry Belcher)
Cool, eh?
Love JJ.
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Comment by Las Vegas Boomer Dating Expert
19 November 2009
Hi JJ,
great cheat sheet for marketing from JalopyLand.
I especially like the consistency reminder. My colors are consistent and I use the same photo right now at all of my online presence points. I do that to show the “hand of the artist” because I want people to be able to see me as a real person, not a too faux overly polished corporate thing. for now at least.
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Single Boomer Dating Expert
Comment by Lynn Lane
19 November 2009
JJ,
What a great cheat sheet, full of some great information that can be used NOW!
Thank you for the lesson today
Lynn Lane
Success Strategies For Life
Lynn Lane´s last blog ..Create Your Greatness
Comment by Lisa McLellan
20 November 2009
These are great tips; I’m going to print them out! But I thought johnson boxes should be light blue. I’ll take your word for it! This is a fantastic post!
Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services – Babysitter in your area
Comment by John Ho
20 November 2009
JJ,
Another great post from JJ!
YOu never top me wonder in awe about your quality blog!
Thks for the info on this “how to” hot tips cheat sheet!
John Ho
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion
Comment by Don Shepherd
21 November 2009
Yes JJ i am paying attention. excellent tips. i’m printing them off also. good note about not using the word testimonial. i read that the word is a turn off to consumers.
Don Shepherd
Central Oregon Expert
Don Shepherd´s last blog ..Comment on Mule Deer and Motorcycles by Vegas Boomer Dating Expert
Comment by Keri Eaganfi
22 November 2009
Thanks for the tips JJ! I had a quick scroll through and could see where I could pick up the game straight away (without having to sort through all the source info first).
Keri Eagan
Alternative Healing *Insight
Comment by Martin
23 November 2009
What a great checklist.
I’m all for cheat sheets – stealing other peoples ideas (with attribution) and using them makes good sense!
I’m definitely behind the game with some of them e.g. I need a “Buy” button before I can make it over-sized! In fact I need something to sell first!!
Martin Wright
Impact, Poise, Presenting
Comment by Philip Graves
24 November 2009
Great tips; you really cut to the important stuff when it comes to marketing.
Philip
Consumer Behaviour Expert
[The Consumer Behaviour Research Resource]
Comment by JJ Jalopy
25 November 2009
Thanks for your comments all! If you implement just one of these tips then you’l do well…
Comment by Steve Chambers
27 November 2009
What a wonderful cheat sheet. First off, I love cheat sheets for everything. This one is so good that I printed it out and stuck it to my bulletin board.
Steve Chambers
Comment by Lisa McLellan
1 December 2009
Oh yes, I did see this fantastic cheat sheet already! Keep up the awesome work JJ – you know you’re a rock star! LOL
Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Services – Babysitter in your area
Comment by Lisa McLellan
13 December 2009
Just checking in Coach JJ. Happy holidays!
Lisa McLellan, Child Care Expert
Babysitting Services, Babysitting Tips, Babysitters, Nannies
Comment by Jose Escalante
16 December 2009
Amazing I’ve never seen so much marketing information in one single blog. Excellent work!
Jose Escalante
Business Marketing Small
Comment by Las Vegas Dating Expert
23 February 2010
Hi JJ,
wondering how the move went and when you will next update your small business blog.
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Dating Expert and Online Dating Coach