Copywriting | Solo Mompreneur

Get a Leading Edge and Use a Free Tool to Analyze Your Headlines Before You Publish

I’ve been bumping into a lot of blog posts and articles lately that are talking about crafting compelling headlines.

How to write a headline that sizzles is always a hot topic!

Raise your hand if you’re someone who’s tired of ending up with typical, usual, customary (cookie-cutter) blog post titles?

Keep your hand raised if you’d like to have a leading edge and tap into the “Emotional Marketing Value” of your headline text.

I’m seeing a lot of hands waving in the air!

I discovered a totally free headline analyzer tool that will take the guesswork out of knowing if you’re headlines have emotional appeal to your target market.

Now that’s something pretty spiffy to know, isn’t it?

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I tested five different headlines for today’s post. The one I chose was given an EMV (emotional marketing value) score of 43.75%.

Not sure what that means?

Most professional copywriters’ headlines will have 30%-40% EMV Words in their headlines, while the most gifted copywriters will have 50%-75% EMV words in headlines.

Can you see the value of using this free headline analyzer tool?

Go give it a whirl and have some fun – plus give yourself a leading edge and start crafting emotionally-charged headlines!

5 Simple Ways to Open Your Blog Post With a Bang (customerthink.com)
Use a “Breath” Test to Determine Proper Length for Headlines (searchengineguide.com)

Filed Under: Blogging, Copywriting, Improving writing skills Tagged With: Blog, Business, Copywriting, Headline, Marketing and Advertising

How To Reach Desperate Buyers

By Melanie Kissell 36 Comments

Before becoming an online marketer, the word, “Desperate”, would leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

It reminded me of moments in my life when I was …

Desperate for clear skin!

Or …

Desperate for money!

Or …

Desperate for a date to the prom!

(Never did get that date, by the way)

Now that I have some years of online marketing experience under my belt and a clear understanding of what it takes to be successful, “Desperate” has taken on a new meaning and stands in a much more positive and flattering light.

What it really means is “highly anxious”. People with throbbing problems, pressing issues, and insane drives (impulse buyers) are who you should target.

Marketing information to people who live with these types of problems is easy because the problem is clear, obvious, bothersome, and quite possibly embarrassing to the person who has the problem.

As long as you’re selling information to help people solve a desperate problem, they’re going to buy it.

If it seems like nobody wants to wait for results anymore, it’s because nobody wants to wait for results anymore.

When you’re trying to sell how-to information, you’ve got to jump through a bunch of fiery hoops.

How to plant tulip bulbs, how to polish your car, or how to craft your own Christmas ornaments, etc., aren’t “pressing” issues.

No one lays awake at night or paces the floor wondering or worrying about how to do any of these kinds of things.

Would you like to come up with a topic to write about (in most cases, in less than an hour) and learn how to reach desperate buyers?

Ordinary to us can be extraordinary to someone else who desperately needs the information.

Give Me Desperate Buyers Only was recommended to me by a well-respected professional copywriter I met about four years ago and this 174-page, power-packed e-book has earned my highest recommendation.

This is one e-book that won’t be forgotten or tossed aside!

Filed Under: Brand yourself online, Copywriting, Making money on the internet, Online Marketing, Small business owners Tagged With: Affiliate marketing, Blogging, Copywriting, Creating infoproducts, Give me desperate buyers only, Internet business success, Reach desperate buyers, Writing e-books that sell

Sheila Atwood & Kathryn Griffiths: Special Premier “Internet Sisters” Post

By Melanie Kissell 20 Comments

Partner Up and Double Your Assets

Is it possible to double your online assets when you partner up?

GUEST POST by Kathy Griffiths and Sheila Atwood

Yes and yes! I have been lucky enough to partner up with by sister, Kathryn Griffiths. Although there are times when it seems like the blind is leading the blind, this partnership really has doubled my assets.

We partnered up back in 2007. Feeling much like Laurel and Hardy, we jumped into the car and attended the Salt Lake City Geek Club for the first time. The goal was to find some WordPress geeks to help us get our sites on line. Well, it worked and the rest is, as they say, “history”. (By the way… we can now attend the meetings and can actually contribute to what’s going on.)

My Partner Up Assets

Time: Having a partner has increased my time. I have someone that can learn one thing while I learn another.
Skills: Kathy has computer skills I do not need to learn. For example, she is an expert in Photoshop. Need a graphic…got a graphic.
Editing: Two sets of eyes are better than one. Kathy will edit my blog, reports, and sales pages. Let me tell you, I need an editor. I can’t see my own mistakes.
Copywriting: When it comes to needing a magic headline or the perfect piece of text, I can rely on Kathy. She has copywriting ideas I would never even think of.
Comments: There is always somebody to comment on my sites. All I have to do is ask.
Backlinks: We have a system of backlinking to each others sites. This works well on both our main sites and on our niche sites.
Encouragement: When the going gets tough (and it often does) I get encouragement. I get support. Kathy helps me to stay on track and push through those times that I just want give up.

“It is the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter.” ~Marlene Dietrich

Sheila

——————————————

My Partner Up Assets

It’s been a great business asset to partner up with my sister, Sheila Atwood, and the journey has been fun. There have been a lot of laughs between the two of us as we’ve made our way through the maze of Internet marketing.

Balance: I once heard it said… “In a partnership, you can’t afford to be crazy at the same time.” It’s nice to have someone bring me back to reality when I’ve had some “woo woo” idea that’s not practical. We sort out different strategies until we find out what really works.
Information: Sheila has been a great source of information. She’s always searching the web for the most current and helpful information that she can pass on to her readers. I benefit from that research first.
Tech. Issues: I’m amazed how tech savvy we both have become and how much we can figure out when we put out heads together. It’s saved a ton of money not having to call a web master at every turn. However, we both know when to cry “Uncle” and get more advanced help when needed.
Immediate Communication: I love the fact I have immediate access to someone. When I’m excited about something I’ve just learned or when I run up against a problem … I can pick up the phone and get instant feed back. We visit several times a day. I can also count on finding several Twitter DM messages a week pointing me to helpful information.
Encouragement: It’s easy to get discouraged when everything gets overwhelming. Sheila helps me sort out priorities so I can get back on track again. And that relates to family matters as well as business.
Joint Venture: I have access to a joint venture partner I trust. We’ve had several ideas in the past, but I think we’ll have a winner when our new project is completed. It’s fun to work on an idea together.
Support: I think the best thing about the “partner up” concept is that I get full support. I know I can always count on a comment on my blog and having my “Tweets” passed on to her list.
Mastermind: We are a mastermind group of two. It cuts quickly to the chase. There’s no lag time in getting correction or encouragement.

Thanks Sheila… my partner in crime.

Till Later,
Kathyn Griffiths

P.S. If you want to double your assets, I suggest you find someone you can partner up with. It sure makes business more productive, doubles assets … and best of all ….it’s more fun.

You will find these partners busy writing their own blog at:

Kathryn Griffiths – OnlineMarkeingAndPromotionBasics.com

Sheila Atwood – Newbie Lifeline.com

Thank you for an exceptionally special treat! You’ve created a hallmark moment on my blog, I love you both, and your guest post is filled with tremendous value.

Filed Under: Blogging, Joint Ventures Tagged With: Blogging, Copywriting, Joint Venture Partners, Kathryn Griffiths, partner up, partnership, Sheila Atwood

So You want to be a Freelance Writer

By Melanie Kissell 8 Comments

Guest post by Lisbeth Tanz

One of the things I hear most frequently from new freelance writers is that they didn’texpect it to be so hard.

If they had asked me, I could have told them that doing this work isn’t the easiest way to earn a living, at least not initially.

No new business is easy – but when you consider that all you need to start a writing business is a computer, Internet connection, telephone, fax (maybe) and writing talent, it seems like a slam dunk.

However, starting a writing business takes more than just good writing skills. It takes business savvy (or the willingness to develop it), the ability and desire to work hard to get established and an understanding that money won’t start flowing immediately (unless you’re really, really fortunate).

Here are 10 things to consider before you declare yourself in business as a writer:

Identify the things you know a lot about and would enjoy writing about.
Determine how much time per day you will be able to pursue your writing business dream.
Determine the market(s) you want to pursue. Do you want to write for magazines? Newspapers? Web content providers? Your own content? Do you want to create your own products? Do you want to be an affiliate marketer? (You’d be surprised at how much writing is necessary when you promote the products of others effectively.) NOTE: Each of these markets is different and you may not be able to find work for some of them on the job boards.
Analyze (don’t just look at) the top job boards: guru.com, elance.com and odesk.com. There are others, but these three are probably the biggest. I could write a post or three on just this topic. You’ll want to look for what the most successful bidders are doing and emulate them.
Take a stroll over to Craigslist to see what freelance gigs might be posted there. Sometimes I find hidden gems on my local Craigslist.
Now that you’ve done some research, you’re better prepared to write down three goals you would like to achieve with your writing business in the next three months, six months and 12 months. Setting goals helps you stay focused.
You’ll also want to calculate how much money you must earn to make this venture worthwhile. You can learn how in this post I wrote about calculating your freelance writing rates .
If you don’t have any writing examples, create some! You won’t need many, but you will need to create a few that can demonstrate your writing ability.
Consider where and when you’ll do your writing. If you have three kids under three, this could be a challenge. But people manage extreme or difficult situations and still make time for writing, so get creative with your planning.
If your skills aren’t up to snuff, search for mentors, websites and books that can help you improve your skills.

There are many other things to consider, but these should get you started. You might have noticed that I didn’t talk about coming up with a business name, creating a logo, making business cards, etc. That’s because you will best serve yourself by considering these 10 points before you jump headfirst into a writing business.

Many thanks to Melanie for giving me the opportunity to guest post on Solo Mompreneur!

Lisbeth Tanz is a freelance copywriter and editor. Her business, The Hired Pen, was started on a wing and a prayer in 2004 (before she understood the 10 points above). Since then she’s written and edited for a wide variety of business clients, but focuses primarily on alternative health and wellness, home improvement and pets/animal companion writing. She’s continually amazed at all there is to learn about writing and business and enjoys sharing her newfound knowledge with new and experienced writers at www.savvyfreelancewriters.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn .

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Filed Under: Authors, Business Plan, Copywriting, Following Your Passion, Freelance writing, Improving writing skills, Making money on the internet, Online Marketing, Service Business Owners Tagged With: Copywriting, Freelance writing, Marketing your services online

Oh For The Love Of God! It’s Just A Blog Post.

By Melanie Kissell 23 Comments

Prefer to listen to this post?

There’s a little parrot that sits on my shoulder that criticizes me ALL the time.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m neurotic. I’m a perfectionist. So what? There’s got to be at least ONE other person like me on the planet!

I take my writing (blogging) seriously. Is there something wrong with that? I know I’m not writing a novel, an essay, or a resume. Oh, darn, there goes that pesky parrot sounding off again …

“Maybe you’re just not cut out for this blogging thing.”

Wrong. You’re dead wringer wrong. I AM cut out for this blogging thing.

I just happen to think that proofreading, editing, and re-writing makes for a better blog post. I might add that proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling count in my book, too.

So is THAT a sin?!

Uh-Oh. I really wish I hadn’t asked that question. Too late. Here comes an unwelcomed remark from that blinking bird …

“Oh for the love of God! It’s just a blog post.”

I’ve been listening to this parrot forever and when I sit down to start blogging, I’d like to shove an old dirty sock in its mouth!

Oh, brother. I knew it. I could feel it coming. As always, the parrot’s got to have the last word …

“You can’t be serious. You’re not going to publish THAT, are you?”

Do you have a parrot sitting on your shoulder? An inner critic? Or am I the only one?

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Filed Under: Blogging, Improving writing skills, Infopreneurs, Storytelling Tagged With: Blogging, Copywriting, Online Success, Write a book

Because Bobbye, Martha, and Heather Asked

By Melanie Kissell 15 Comments

Nothing spells disaster faster than not having the right tools to market your business – especially if you are trying to market on a shoestring budget.

This is a sequel to a recent post on the Solo Mompreneur blog entitled, “What’s Your Business Building Cast Iron Skillet?”

I’m writing this because Bobbye, Martha, and Heather asked. These are three exceptionally talented bloggers and small business owners I met through joining a 30-day blogging challenge. (Be sure to click their names and check out their amazing talents!)

These three lovely ladies asked me to share the tools I use to market my business – my “Cast Iron Skillets”.

So here’s what I use to cook up some tasty marketing messages and spread the word about my business:

Free Headline Analyzer: I love this tool and consider it a must-have. It measures the “emotional marketing value” of your words. It’s great for crafting blog post titles, landing page & sales page bullet points, and article headlines. And it’s fun to use!

Social Oomph: This is the best time-saving tool in my arsenal. I use it to preschedule Twitter updates – a day or two or three in advance! So when I am away from my computer or working on other projects, my Tweets will automatically show up in my Twitter stream at specified times throughout the day.

Ping.fm: With one click of my mouse, I can send out a post/message to ALL of my networks at once! I’m currently subscribed to 15 different networks. It’s another time-saver and a real convenience.

Survey Monkey: I really like this free easy-to-navigate platform for creating surveys and polls. Google Docs are also a great choice.

Audio Acrobat: I have lots of fun recording Audio Notes here to send out to my list, publish in my ezine, or post on social networking sites. They have some really cool templates, too.

My Marketing Cornerstone: This is a series of OUTSTANDING webinars and accompanying workbooks created by my mentor and colleague, Jessica Swanson. I return to this information again and again!! This $97 bootcamp took me from ZERO success to targeted subscribers and sales!

To search for other bloggers in my niche and to keep up-to-date on what people in my niche are talking about, I use:

1) Icerocket

2) Blogpulse

3) Technorati

So there you have it – My business building Cast Iron Skillets!

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Filed Under: Aritcle Marketing, Blogging, Build an online empire, Internet Marketing Tools, Small business owners Tagged With: Article Marketing, Blogging, Copywriting, Free marketing tools, Internet business success, Marketing your services online, Podcasting, Shoestring Marketing, Twitter

Fabulous Follow Friday Friends

By Melanie Kissell 5 Comments

I’m a big Twitter advocate and enthusiast.

So many of my followers are the most fascinating and most wonderful people you could ever want to meet!

Today I am excited and proud to introduce you to some extremely talented and amazing bloggers!

My Follow Friday Shout Outs for this week are:

@HetherBestel ~ Heather can help you move from mad dash to organized serenity. Just call her “The Queen of Calm”! She’s the author of “More ME Time” –> The busy woman’s 3-step plan to reclaim your life and find joy every day.

Words that describe Heather: Creative and Compassionate (and generous beyond belief!)

@MarthaGiffen ~ Martha’s got the “Lingo List” –> The free list of internet marketing definitions to help you get started and to guide you through the MAZE of online marketing. She takes the guess-work out!

Words that describe Martha: Witty, Warm, and Wonderful (and very responsive!)

@MarciaHoeck ~ Marcia can show you how to turn your existing staff into a successful team that makes your business more $profitable$. She won her husband’s heart by juggling and in the fourth grade she was the Hula Hoop Queen!

Words that describe Marcia: Polished and Poised (with a tremendous sense of humor!)

@BobbyMiddendor ~ Bobbye’s expertise is copywriting –> She’s the keeper of words that bring heart to your marketing and soul to your business! Bobbye shows Conscious Creators how to craft copy for the web.

Words that describe Bobbye: Soulful and Sensational (and intellectual, to boot!)

Following any or all of these fabulous friends will definitely enrich your life and your business!

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Filed Under: Blogging, Building relationships online, Following Your Passion, Online Marketing, Service Business Owners, Small business owners, Social Networking Tagged With: Blogging, Copywriting, Follow Friday, Marketing your services online, Online Success, Twitter

Do You Post Follow Friday Recommendations On Twitter?

By Melanie Kissell 6 Comments

Another Friday will be rolling around soon and Twitter enthusiasts everywhere will be joining the popular weekly event as an opportunity to recommend their favorite followers to others.

Some people choose to post at #followfriday and some prefer the shorter version, #FF. If you’re brand new to #’s (hashtags), visit http://hashtags.org or do a search for hashtags on Twitter to learn more.

Follow Friday recommendations are oftentimes referred to as “kudos”, “mentions”, “reco’s”, and “shout outs”.

Here are my Four Best Tips for getting desired results using Follow Friday recommendations:

1) Don’t just “clump” a pile of names (Twitter ID’s) together in the same post. It’s the standard approach I see all the time and it won’t work to get your favorite followers the attention they deserve. No one wants to take the time to rifle through name after name in order to check out each person’s profile.

2) Don’t create posts like: “Follow so-and-so” or “Follow my friend, so-and-so, he’s great.” Does that really make you want to check the person out? No, I didn’t think so. You may think your Twitter friend is great, but why should I?

3) Give each of your recommended followers their own chunk of the spotlight. Praise each one individually to share their talents, skills, expertise, and personality! For example:

Be sure to follow @shoestringgal to tap into the most Powerful Free Marketing Platforms! #followfriday

Look to @MarthaGiffen for inspiration and expert online marketing start-up tips. High-spirited & fun! #FF

Check out @HeatherBestel – the “Queen of Calm”. She’s an expert on helping you find more ME time! #FF

4) And my all time favorite tip is to place your Follow Friday recommendations in a BLOG POST. A blogging platform is the perfect venue to make your Twitter followers shine! You can include a bio, a short story about each person, or a list of products or services they promote. You might also want to share how you met and why you decided to follow these folks. Posting your Follow Friday shout outs on your blog gives you total creative freedom and flexibility!

Would you like to follow me on Twitter?

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Filed Under: Blogging, Building relationships online, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking, Storytelling Tagged With: Blogging, Connie Ragen Green, Copywriting, Free marketing tools, Jessica Swanson, Social Media, Twitter

I’m Rubber. You’re Glue.

By Melanie Kissell 2 Comments

Do you remember that old saying from your younger years?

When I was in elementary school, we used to say, “I’m rubber. You’re glue. Whatever bounces off me sticks to you.”

Your version may be a little different, but the meaning still holds true.

As I march along through this 30-day blogging challenge I entered, I’m noticing something interesting taking place. Everyone is learning from everyone else. What a concept, huh?

Every member of this challenge has a unique writing style and a unique message to convey. No two bloggers or blogs are alike. So many amazing individuals and possibilities for enrichment!

So how does this rubber/glue theory come into play?

As members of this event get better acquainted, we are …

Bouncing ideas off one another
Becoming better storytellers
Establishing joint ventures
Gathering new business building tips and resources
Offering encouragement and support
Sharing talents and expertise
Honing copywriting skills
Creating friendships
Planning future get-togethers
And having tons of fun!

The benefits and rewards of joining this blogging challenge will “stick” with me forever.

The 30-day blogging challenge is sponsored by Connie Ragen Green. If you’ve never had the joy of participating in the challenge, here’s a GREAT place to start and learn more about Connie: “5 Pronged Approach to Online Writing Success”.

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Filed Under: Authors, Blogging, Building relationships online, Following Your Passion, Infopreneurs, Joint Ventures, Online Marketing, Service Business Owners, Small business owners, Storytelling Tagged With: Article Marketing, Blogging, Connie Ragen Green, Copywriting, Free marketing tools, Internet business success, Online Success

7 Tricks For Creating Powerful Ad-Copy

By Melanie Kissell Leave a Comment

Post by Jessica Swanson, The Shoestring Marketer

As a small business owner, at one time or another, you will need to create a compelling ad. It doesn’t matter if your ad is a sales brochure, email announcement or a newspaper ad, ultimately, your ad-copy must grab your prospect’s attention, produce a desired emotional response that urges them to take action.

Here Are 7 Key Points To Keep In Mind, When Writing Ad-Copy:

1. Choose Your Words Carefully

There are over 175,000 words in the English language and, if used wisely, have the power to sway people’s thinking, change their perspective and even motivate them to take action.

Selecting your words thoughtfully and with precision will create an enormous difference in the quality and performance of your ads.

- Words that create a feeling of safety: peace, relaxed, serene, secure, warm

- Words that create a sense of control: confidence, mastery, balance, self-assured, composure

- Words that create excitement: edgy, exhilarating, explosive, juicy, sensational