A client I worked for recently showed me a landing page his company used to sell a high-end product. The first 3 pages talked almost exclusively about the creator of the product. It was nearly impossible to read without wondering, “why does this matter?“

Sure, there’s value in establishing your credibility and giving reasons why a prospect or customer should listen to what you have to say. But the first wall you have to climb is grabbing the attention of that prospect. You can only accomplish that by appealing to how what you’re saying will benefit him.

Focusing on himself is what got Satan booted from heaven…

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If you’re working hard and doing a lot, but it feels unfocused, like it’s not adding, then this is for you.

I have invited my friend Dov Gordon to join us for a one-time free teleclass on “How to Build A Step-by-Step Selling System that Brings You All the Customers You Want” on Tuesday July 12th.

Please register here to reserve your spot:
http://dovgordon.net/donnie

In this highly practical teleclass you’ll learn:

● The only five steps you need to create a simple marketing and selling system that brings you a steady, consistent, predictable flow of first-rate customers. When you know these five steps, you’ll always know what to do next to get more leads and convert them into paying customers.

● Why lead generation has been so hard – and how to make it simple, predictable and consistent. “This is one of those simple insights that I ‘knew’ for many years but thought I could ignore. When I finally “GOT IT” my business turned around within three weeks.” – Dov Gordon

● How to elegantly control and direct the conversation so you are the one leading the sales process at every step. So many deals are lost because your prospect ends up leading. Why? Usually because your own selling process isn’t clear enough TO YOU, so you lose control. Or because it’s based on the typical sales funnel rather than on timeless psychological truths.

● Prospects almost always ask for the price before THEY are ready to hear it! And if you answer, you’ll lose the sale. You’ll learn how to recognize if your prospect is indeed ready for a proposal. And if it is premature, you’ll learn how to turn it around so they end up wanting to buy from you regardless of your price. This idea alone will be make participation more than worth your time.

● The “turn the tables on yourself” technique for making yourself irresistible to your ideal customers.

Or a biz professional or entrepreneur with writing aspirations?

I’m looking for writers with strong voices and instructive experience to join my team. Specifically, I’m in search of individuals that have a desire to share insight, information and narratives from the business arena at my Upstart website.

I’m also looking for editors for our 6 core categories.

Upstart looks at business, management and leadership through the perspective and needs of the 20- to 40-year old professionals. We seek to present highly-targeted information, trends and opportunities that assist emerging leaders in moving to the next level.

Can you add to the discussion? Give me a holler (upstart@donnie-bryant.com) and we’ll talk about putting your words in front of hundreds of thousands of eyes.

It’s a great way to gain exposure, build credibilty, and establish yourself as an authority in your field.

Twenty-five pages of the most practical advice you may have ever read. Gain massive success in business and life by learning from the inimitable showman.

The book is free. You don’t even have to opt-in.

To your success!

I’m moving my blog to my own domain. You’ll be able to visit at www.donnie-bryant.com/blog.php.

Each of the posts has to be moved individually so the process might take a couple of days. I will be removing almost all of the posts from WordPress, so as not to cannibalize or bifurcate my traffic flow between my site and WP.

At the moment, it’s not quite as snazzy as WordPress, but it is all mine. I’m still excited. Whether or not you’re a subscriber, I’d love for you to visit my blog at its new location.

I certainly encourage you to subscribe over there. If you’ve enjoyed reading my ramblings, I promise more of the same.

Telling the truth, letting you in on some crazy insights, and learning lessons to improve our businesses and our lives. Together.

Again, that’s www.donnie-bryant.com/blog.php.

It’s been fun, but it’s time to move on.

Thanks for the memories, WordPress.

Diamond Website Conversion is offering a Summer Conversion Special! For only $499, you get:

•  two 45-minute conference calls with experts in web conversion
• creative recommendations to increase your conversion rate
• “no questions asked”  money-back guarantee

 What would your sales look like if you closed 10, 20, or 30% more of your site’s visitors?

You can’t go wrong!

Carl and Marty Diamond are people you’ll love to meet. You can visit their site at Diamond Website Conversion or give them a call at 888-320-4996.

There are now 5 ways listed. Take a look at the post, “5 Ways Text Messaging Skyrockets Your Writing Ability“ here.

These benefits come as a bit of a surprise. Everyone is talking about how technology is making us dumber, and text/instant messaging is causing a major decline in language ability all around the world. Spelling, grammar, and even comprehension are faltering.

I submit to you that anyone that learns these lessons will be able to extract communication value even from sending Twitter updates to their buddies.

I guess you’ll be the judge of that, right? Read the post and let me know what you think.

I wanted to drop a quick note to let you know about a new article that I posted on my website.

It’s entitled “Unlocking the Power of Press Releases.”  I explore whether or not the majority of press releases that hit the media outlets are doing all that they have the potential to do. I also discuss 10 important guidelines that will help the writer make the biggest possible impact.

The missing element in over 90% of the press releases that I’ve ever read is salesmanship.  Why is this so?  The press release is one of very few times that organizations have to get their stories and news out to the public in a way that is viewed almost entirely as editorial (as opposed to looking like advertising).

There’s no reason to pass up opportunities to put your best foot forward in a compelling way.  Let readers know what’s going on with your company in a way that makes them want to buy! Or at least find out more…

You can find the article here.  I hope that you find it instructive and helpful.

But Sean D’Souza is not “normal.”

For the next 4 weeks, he’s giving away PsychoTactics Brain Alchemy Masterclass, which sells for $2500, for FREE.

Here’s a peek at what you’ll get:

1) The Spider’s Secret. How to get customers to call you instead of you chasing them.
2) How to get your fee paid 100% in advance every time.
3) How to create a huge demand for your product or service. This secret is over 10,000 years old and works every single time. And most businesses don’t use it.
4) Why your website, business card and your advertising can turn out to be a total waste of resources and effort. How the eye sees things and what causes customers to buy.
5) The secrets of being able to sell the same product or service at up to 400% higher prices.
6) How to create a sequential system that will bring business even if you don’t have a single new customer.
7) The Three Prong system. This tool will change the way you look at your business forever. Ignore at your risk.
How we got over US$40,000 worth of products complimentary this year alone…and how you can do it too.
9) Piggybacking: You’ll laugh and cry when you see how simple it is to piggyback on the success of others. The more the others succeed, the more you succeed. And all at zero cost to you.
10) The Secrets of Conversion. How to engage and make your customer never want to leave you, and instead, continuously buy from you.
11) What no book or training course will teach you about structure and pre-marketing. And how to create less work for yourself.
12) The concept of how to create products when you have no time whatsoever.

All he asks in return is that you 1) opt-in and 2) give honest feedback within 8 weeks, after you’ve had the chance to review the material.

Again, this incredible offer is only going to be available for the next 4 weeks.   So head on over to the PsychoTactics site right away.

Now, I’m a little too macho to admit that I was doing anything other than spending quality time with my wife, but I wanted to write a quick post to relay some marketing insights I picked up from a cursory, no-note taking viewing of a great romantic comedy.  It’s a couple years old, but if you haven’t seen it, you should give it a shot.  (P.S. The protagonist, Hitch, tells his love interest’s boss that he is a marketing consultant that dabbles in advertising and brand management.)

Here’s 7 quick lessons we can take from the movie:

1)  Hitch was an expert on human (specifically female) psychology and behavior.  He knew why people acted certain ways, and  what actions/words would elicit specific responses from other people.  In marketing, we need to become experts on aspects of  psychology to maximize the impact of our work.

2)  Hitch studied each specific target.  When a guy wanted to get with a particular woman, Hitch found out as much information as possible in order to help his client make a special connection.

3)  Hitch tells the woman that one of his clients was courting, “It’s not my job to deceive.  I create opportunities.“  unfortunately, some businesses use deception in their marketing efforts.  This is one of the reasons that people are naturally resistant to advertising (there are lots of reasons).  Joel Bauer defines a salesperson as anyone who can convey to someone else the need to step into an opportunty.  Marketing should present to an audience an opportunity to meet their needs, satisfy their desires, assuage their fears - to improve their lives.  But do not deceive your potential customers.

4)  Hitch also said that he helped women “get out of their own way” so that good guys could have a chance.  If you have a valuable product, your marketing is part of the key to help people get out of their own way.  If buying from you will really have a positive impact on your customer’s life, shame on you for not overcoming their objections and their hesitation to step into a wonderful opportunity.

5)  Hitch’s business is all about helping people get something they really want.  The foundation of his practice is one of the greatest needs that all people have: finding true love.  There is also great demand for this. Your marketing should sell what people desperately want, and the bigger the demand for a product, the better your chances for success.

6)  Hitch refused to work with a client that planned to use his services with the wrong intentions (Hitch helps people find love; the potential client wanted help getting the girl in bed with him).  Lesson: you don’t have to work with people who are going to misuse or abuse your product, service, or you.  This is especially true for people in my field, like copywriters, consultants, and other independent contractors and freelancers.  You can pick and choose which projects you want to work on. Don’t waste your time with clients or projects that will drive you crazy.

7)  Get a really sharp, memorable business card.  Did see Hitch’s?  All black, heavy cardstock.  Very eye-catching, even though the camera didn’t focus on it.  Business cards are part of your marketing, too.

Do you see how there are lessons to be learned everywhere you look?  Even in mushy chick-flicks!