Every time the commercial comes on, I find that I’m never really listening to the words and content. I’m just waiting for the “shocked face” moment so that I can laugh. One day, I wondered “What in the world is that commercial really talking about?”

One of the most important copywriting skills you’ll ever learn is how to write effective and engaging headlines. When you think about it, this is critical because if the headline doesn’t grab the attention of your ideal client, the rest of that great copy you wrote won’t even get read.

Many make the mistake of trying to be cute, clever, or funny in their headlines. Sure it brings attention to the headline, but more often than not, these don’t sell. People will remember the headline, but may not remember the value proposition. (Just like my example with the e-trade baby commercial.)

The best headlines appeal to your potential clients’ self-interest.

Point out the most important benefit and state it in a clear, bold and concise way. In order to know what the most important benefit is, you have to know who you’re speaking to. Knowing who your ideal client is can make or break your headline. Learn everything you can about them.

What motivates them?

What do they value?

What do they want to be, do, have and/or experience?

Avoid technical jargon. Write in a very simple and clear manner.

Some think that using large words and technical jargon will give them the appearance of being educated, well informed and reliable. Instead, this will most likely cause your reader to move on. No one wants to have to open a dictionary to understand what you are trying to say. Remember the 3 C’s: clear, concise and compelling. Also, make your sales copy conversational. Your reader will be more interested if they feel as if you are talking to them, not at them.

One of the reasons why tracking web analytics is so important to filling your group program online is because it will help you determine whether you need more high-quality traffic to your web page or whether you need a more enticing and compelling offer. Until you do this, you don’t know whether you have a traffic issue or a conversion issue.

Let’s say your sales page is converting 5% of its visitors, but you’re still not meeting your revenue goals. If you’ve been keeping up with the average sales page conversion rates in your industry, you’ll know that this is pretty darn good. So, it’s not the page. You’re just not getting enough traffic to it.

If, on the other hand, your page is converting at 0.25%, then it probably could use a couple of changes to increase its effectiveness. This leads me to the next reason why tracking web analytics is critical. It will help you determine whether your changes to the web page actually worked.

If your opt-in or sales page is not converting as high as you think it should, one of the first things I teach my clients to change is the headline. Not too long ago, I worked with a coach whose opt-in rate for her squeeze page was very low. I’ve been doing this for a while now and it shocked even me. It was just that low. All we changed was the headline and her opt-in rate more than tripled.

After any tweaks to your web pages, always check the web analytics to see how your conversion rate has been affected.

If it increases, GREAT! If it goes the other way, hurry up and reverse those changes.

Tracking web analytics in the launch of your group program will also help you determine exactly what you need to do to hit your sales and revenue goals. If you’re expecting a sales page conversion rate of 3%, either because that’s the industry standard or that’s how your pages have performed in the past, then you know exactly how much traffic you need to send to that page.

For example, let’s say you want 15 people to enroll in your group training program. And, your sales page converts at 3%. Then, you need approximately 500 unique visitors (15/0.03 = 500) to your sales page. (Time to reach out to those potential joint venture and affiliate partners)

Are you currently tracking web analytics for your website? Why or why not?

Your potential joint venture partners should:

1.    Have a great reputation and similar values.

You know this already. You do not want to associate yourself with those who are just not doing the right thing. Always do business with the utmost integrity. Take the time to really get to know your potential partner first. Build a relationship with them just as you would a potential client. Just because you haven’t seen or heard anything negative about this person, doesn’t mean they care about quality and integrity as much as you do.

2.    Be well-connected and have influence.

It took me a little too long to figure this one out. If I have 200 people on my list and you have 150 on yours, we’re probably not going to get the exposure and visibility that we’re hoping for without a lot of extra work and effort. For me, it took getting out of my comfort zone and reaching out to those who were much farther along in their business and had achieved greater success. The key here is to realize you have a lot more to bring to the table than you think.

3.    Be invested in and committed to the partnership.

Some people would say I was a nerd in high school. I remember quite a few instances where I could have sworn it was a team project, but somehow I ended up doing all of the work. Yeah, not fun. It may be that you do most of the work. There’s nothing wrong with that if you both agree to it ahead of time: your time and effort in return for access to their list, maybe. What you don’t want is to work with someone who is clearly not concerned with creating a win-win situation and is only after what’s best for them.

What are some of the things you look for when choosing a joint venture partner?

And, you know deep down inside that they have the money, don’t you?

People say “I don’t have the money” because:

1. they really don’t have the money (this is less likely to be the case if you’ve clearly identified your target market and know that they are able to invest in your services).

2. they don’t see the value in what you offer (this is most likely the case and what we’re going to cover in this post today).

In your sales copy, ensure you focus on benefits, results and outcomes.

In working with my clients to convert and enroll more clients online, typically the first thing they want to give me when I ask for the benefits of their program is the number of coaching sessions, the length of each session, the process and step-by-step system they take their clients through, etc.

Always remember that features tell, benefits sell. Your prospect doesn’t care how many coaching sessions you’re going to provide. That’s not what they’re paying you for. They’re investing in the transformation and ultimate benefits that are going to occur as a result of coaching with you. It could take one, two or six sessions with you. I don’t care. My question is can you help me achieve the results that I desire?

As you talk about and list the benefits in your sales copy, start with the most compelling and important ones first.

It also helps to put the price into perspective. For example, say something like “For what it would cost to take a family of four out for a nice dinner, you can discover the secrets to attract all the ideal, high-paying clients you can handle for years to come.”

I’ll take it!

Also, clearly state how easy it will be to get a return on their investment.

For example, “Get just one new client and you will have recouped your investment.”

Don’t be fooled into thinking your prospective customers don’t have the money. We find a way to get what we really want, am I right? Make sure you clearly communicate the value you offer and how you can help them obtain their innermost desires.

But, how many times have you heard “I don’t think you’re qualified”?

I’m willing to bet you haven’t heard that more than a couple of times, if ever at all. Most people won’t tell you they don’t think you’re qualified to produce the results you say you can produce. They will most likely just throw out the money objection because that’s the easiest excuse to use. In that case, it’s not a reflection on you and your skills and capabilities. So, there’s no hard feelings, right?
Even though they’re not saying they don’t believe you’re credible, that’s what they’re thinking.

I’d like to give you three ways to effectively address this objection on your sales pages.

1. Tell your personal story of how you overcame the exact same problem you’re going to help them solve.

Facts tell, stories sell. Your prospects want to know that you are human and have faced the same difficulties and challenges that they have. They want to personally connect with your inspiring story.

Why do you do what you do?

Why is it so important to you to help them?

Be vulnerable and transparent. This is not the time to act all high and mighty like you’ve always had the answer.

2. List your relevant credentials, rewards and recognition.

Do this sparingly. It’s easy to go overboard here. Then, it just sounds like you’re bragging. Remember, it’s not about you. Your prospects are always asking themselves “What’s in it for me?”

So, while half the page doesn’t have to be full of accolades, from a credibility standpoint, it does help to mention a few key points about what you’ve achieved. If I seek marketing services from you, to know that you’ve been in the industry for 10+ years and have been recognized as a leader would boost my confidence in your abilities.

3. Use third-party proof and testimonials.

Of the three, this is the most effective way to handle this objection. As marketers, people expect us to say great things about ourselves and what we can do. And honestly, they may or may not believe you when you say it. But, to hear others ranting and raving about the results you’ve helped them to achieve changes the game. Now they’re thinking “If they can help them do it, they can help me do it.”

So, be sure that your sales page is full of results-oriented testimonials that specifically state the transformation that occurred. Testimonials of this nature are worth a lot more than you think.

“Why would I sell something I haven’t created?”, they ask.

Good question…

Selling your program or product before you create it saves you time, money and effort.

For example, if you’re using the preview call model to launch your coaching group, I recommend promoting the call first to see who’s interested before you create the group program in its entirety. If few people sign up for the call, then you know you’ve got to do some more market research and tweaking to ensure you are in tune with the pain points of your audience.

In my upcoming FREE teleseminar  “5 Simple Ways to Inspire Your Ideal Coaching Clients to Say ‘YES!’ and Immediately Enroll in Your Programs and Services”, we are going to talk more about getting at the pain of your ideal client. I will give you a few simple exercises you can use to ensure you are always writing sales copy that connects with and motivates your ideal client to take action. Click here to learn more.

As it relates to putting the cart before the horse, let’s say you want to launch a home study program. Don’t disappear for months creating all of this great content and then re-appear and say “Here it is! Now buy it!” Consider creating a teleseminar or webinar series to bring awareness to your new program. See how much interest it generates and get feedback from your ideal clients first.

It may be that your new program is completely off the mark and you don’t know your ideal clients as well as you think you do. It could be the content is perfect and is exactly what they need; however, the messaging needs a little work. Perhaps your audience doesn’t see the value because the benefits are not clear. You won’t know this unless you test the market first.

What are some ways that you test the market before you expend tremendous amounts of time, money and energy creating something you’re not sure that anyone wants?

Are you certain you’re giving your audience what they truly want? Have you worked out all the potential snags in your program before going public?

Before you dive in and aimlessly launch your program, it’s best to do your homework, first. Otherwise, you may fall into the trap of launching prematurely.

Do the research, so you know what your audience wants.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is coaches launching their group programs without truly understanding what their audience wants.

Get feedback from a trusted source. It may seem simple, but when we’re so close to our service, we may not recognize what others notice as gaps. Involve others who you respect and who are involved in your industry. Get their feedback on your program so you’re sure your program is hitting that sweet spot for your audience.

Prospective clients aren’t going to spend money on what they need. They are going to put their dollars on what they want. People buy from a place of pain, so give your audience what they want according to what their emotions are based on. They will realize once they’ve made the purchase that the bonus you’re giving them is what they actually need.

Use social media to your advantage. OK, lurking online seems kind of creepy, right? Well, sometimes it’s necessary in order to get the answers you’re looking for in order to please your audience. Jump on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and observe the conversations of people who are in your target market. Why just observe? People are more candid and transparent in their daily conversations, than if approached with a survey or if asked to participate in a focus group.

Test, test and test! Pilot your program before going public.

If you remove the bugs from your program before launching it, you’ll sail into it with confidence while positioning yourself as professional with your audience.

Test the technical details of your program. Again, you know your service so well, that perhaps you’ve overlooked certain technical details in setting up your program. You may want to ask the same person who offered you feedback on your program material to go through the technical, step-by-step process you created. This allows you to make the necessary tweaks that could otherwise cause you to lose sales if not set up clearly and properly.

Features versus benefits – emotionally connect with your audience. People want answers to their problems. They want to buy what will solve their issues and they want to know that you have that answer. Prior to your program launch, enlist your trusted source to test the clarity of your marketing message. This ensures that you’re reaching out to your audience by tapping into their emotions, rather than focusing first on the features of your program.

Taking the time and essential steps to prepare for a program launch is crucial in order to convert prospects to clients. What are some other ways you prepare for your online coaching program launches?

Mary, John and Shaniqua all have different backgrounds and experiences. They have different desires, needs and pain points. They also have different motivations. What appeals to one may not appeal to the others. As your ideal client is reading your sales copy, they must think to themselves “Yes! She knows exactly what I’m going through. She understands my problem.”

So when we talk about positioning our audience for maximum sales page conversion, we must first know our audience. Focus in one single person. Then, immediately let that person know that you are talking to them.

On our sales pages, we use a pre-headline to position the audience. This is the headline right above the main headline on your page and is typically in a much smaller font and different color than the main headline. Below are some examples of pre-headlines my clients and I have used in recent campaigns:

“Attention small business owners, entrepreneurs and online marketers who want to know once and for all how to attract clients and make more money using social media”

“A message to business, life and health coaches who desire to effortlessly get more coaching clients online”

“Attention business, life and health coaches who want to write profit-generating copy that wins the hearts and minds of your ideal clients”

Immediately, your ideal client knows that you’re speaking to them and what they can expect to learn, discover and/or obtain if they keep reading. And to maximize sales conversions, every single piece of copy you write thereafter should affirm that they are in the right place.

These positioning headlines should also be frequently used in your social media marketing, along with a link to your squeeze or sales page. The more visitors that come to your page that are not qualified and do not match the profile of your ideal client, the lower your conversion rate will sink. Be clear about whom you serve and explicitly call out to them to get their attention.

How are you going to get the word out about your new program, product or service and create a hungry market of prospects who are anxious to buy?

A very popular and effective strategy to use these days is to invite your prospects to a free teleseminar or preview call. This is typically facilitated using a bridge or conference line and lasts for 60 to 90 minutes.  During this call, you deliver high-value content related to your new program, product or service that entices your prospects to want to learn more. You then make a strong call-to-action for those interested in digging deeper to invest or register for your program.

This strategy works great for many reasons. Not only are you giving your potential customers a taste of what they will get once they invest, but you are also giving them an opportunity to experience you. There’s an opportunity for them to connect with you personally and emotionally. This is very important when asking those who know very little about you to invest in your products and services.

In addition to teleseminars, you may decide to use the following to create buzz online:

• Special reports
• Audio trainings
• Video trainings
• Challenges/contests
• Webinars
• Q&A calls
• Expert interviews
• Surveys

For each event or activity you choose to employ, give yourself at least 7 to 10 days to promote it online. You may want to allow a little more time if you are working with joint venture partners, strategic alliances and/or affiliate marketers to spread the word. This extra time will be used to coordinate and make sure your launch partners have everything they need to successfully promote your program.

What other ways can you create buzz and bring awareness to your services online?

Affiliate marketing, also known as performance marketing, is a method by which you monetarily reward and incentivize others for spreading the word about your programs and services. In essence, you (the merchant) pay the person sending you referrals (the affiliate). In some models, you pay an affiliate for clicks and/or leads. Through my 5-step lucrative launch blueprint for coaches, I teach my clients to create a model in which you pay the affiliate only if an actual sale is made.

With affiliate marketing, you pay only if a sale is generated by the affiliate.

Imagine what having 10, 20, 50 or even 100+ affiliates can do for your business. Your own self-motivated sales force sending you new coaching clients on a regular basis. And, you don’t have to pay them out of your pocket until after they’ve put something in there first.

You might be asking yourself how do you keep track of referrals coming from so many different affiliates?

There are several affiliate program service providers and shopping cart services (i.e. e-junkie.com, 1ShoppingCart, Premium Web Cart, etc.) that provide the tools needed to do this very easily. Each affiliate that signs up for your program is assigned a unique link. They may then share this link in emails to their list and on social media. Wherever they like. As prospects click the affiliate’s link that leads them to your website, the affiliate management software tracks this. If the prospect then makes a purchase within a certain number of days, the software calculates the commission the affiliate made so that you can pay them.

Merchants typically pay their affiliates between 25% to 35% commission on each sale. Could be more or less. I recommend including other bonuses and prizes in your program to distinguish yourself and make your program really attractive. Not sure what will motivate your potential affiliates to spread the word? Just ask them.

Use surveys and informational interviews to determine what will motivate your affiliates to share your programs and services.

While it does take some effort and time to establish an effective affiliate marketing program, the return on investment in the long run significantly outweighs the upfront investment. Make sure that you at least consider this strategy and how it can greatly increase your income.