Marketer’s Mind Memo – Issue #35

Or is it?

Maybe not.

Apparently, it's not uncommon for newlyweds to display a faux cake during the reception. 

This is an option offered by many cake designers. And, at just $150 or so, provides a significant savings.

The faux cake is displayed during the reception. Then, after it's taken in the back, a sheet cake is cut up and served to guests. And nobody is the wiser. 

I had no idea this was done. But, it doesn't surprise me.

Why? Because in most businesses there are small, unseen aspects which make it work. Often, things which outsiders don't see and don't know.

For example, most people don't realize how informercial companies make their money. It's not from the core offer being presented on the infomercial. It's from the upsells which take place on the phone when someone calls in to place their order. 

This is why it's a mistake to assume you understand what makes a particular business work just from what you see on the outside.

Often, the outside doesn't give the full picture. So, if you model only what you see on the outside, you're likely missing the critical and unseen inside components. 

Remember, not everything is at it seems.

With that, let's get to this week's goodies...

MY FAVS THIS WEEK

• What Is A Good Marketing ROI?
  
  While I didn't find anything new or exceptionally insightful shared in this article, it's worth reading if you're interested in hearing one expert's take on a "good" marketing ROI. 
  
  
• Digital Smart Notes Series
  
  I shared one part of this series in a prior Memo. Here, you'll find the entire series which covers an A-Z approach to taking, organizing, and using notes for learning and content creation. 
  
  
• VIDEO: Copywriters Roundtable: An Interview with Mark Ford
  
  A great conversation between my two friends John Forde and Mark Ford, both amazing copywriters. Combined, these guys have probably educated more full-time copywriters than any other duo. 
  
  You'll want a notepad and pen handy; they share lots of gems throughout this 40-minute discussion. 

ODDITY FROM MY LIBRARY

This, obviously, is not a marketing or business book or my typical recommendation.

It's the true story of an American hedge fund manager in Russia, and the wild experience he has with the government's corruption.

It's a fantastic read. Especially for marketers. 

Why?

Because Red Notice is a great example of how to tell a true story with interesting characters and detail and authentic dialogue and suspense and more. 

Fact is, when done right, storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have as marketers. 

The problem is... most marketers don't know how to tell a believable and captivating story.

One way to improve your storytelling skill is to read good books about storytelling. Another is to read (or listen to) good stories.

Red Notice... is one of those good stories.

WHAT I'M TELLIN' MY TEAM

This week on our internal Team Marketing Training...

I critiqued one of the direct mail pieces the team sent out for my upcoming Unique Mechanism Workshop. A postcard. 

Most of the time, one-page teaser "sales letters" and postcards like this have one objective -- to drive recipients to a web page. 

One of the most effective ways to do this is by leveraging curiosity. Specifically, curiosity along with a compelling promise. 

Doing this properly requires keeping the mechanism behind the promise blind. Meaning: never sharing what the mechanism is. 

Keeping the mechanism blind is what creates the curiosity. Of course, revealing the mechanism is what kills the curiosity. 

Our aim is to use curiosity to create an itch; but, never scratch the itch within the teaser sales letter or postcard. 

The only way we want to give the prospect for scratching the itch is by visiting the web page.

This applies to lift-note emails (i.e. teaser promo emails) as well.  

TEAM TAKEAWAYS IN THREE BULLETS:

• We need to remember: We are not the prospect. The way we see things, the way we understand things, the way we would approach the problem is not necessarily how the prospect does. Everything we do, say, show, etc., must be based on the prospect and their perspective, awareness, etc.
  
  
• We should never assume a prospect's exposure to a strategy or tactic equals understanding of the strategy or tactic. Just because a prospect has heard an idea multiple times doesn't mean they don't want additional guidance, education, etc.
  
  
• If we're presenting claims within our marketing which can be swiped and used as is by another marketer, we're not being specific enough in our copy. Our claims should never be generic; they should be specific and measurable.

MY ADVICE

Inside the MFA Nation Facebook Group, a member posted a question about how to best use testimonials which share superb, almost unbelievable, results. 

Below is a comment shared in response, followed by another (not pictured here) about the value of endorsements over testimonials.

Below is my response to the above comment:

For clarity...

An endorsement is not the same as a testimonial or case study. It's not used for the same strategic purpose.

An endorsement doesn't provide proof or evidence to back-up performance claims.

Endorsements are for credibility and to build trust.

If you claim your product works within 48 hours, having an endorsement from a credible source doesn't prove that. Nor does having a credible spokesperson. Not unless the endorser comes with a rabid following, and that following is the core audience for the campaign.

To back-up claims presented about a product or service, testimonials or case studies are used. Because they offer proof, evidence. 

And proof and evidence are essential today within every marketing campaign. Because, without them, you don't have a marketing campaign; you just have a string of unsubstantiated claims.

And, a string of unsubstantiated claims rarely produces sky-high sales conversions.

***
NOTE: If you're not in the MFA Nation Facebook Group with us yet, you're missing out on the opportunity to have me answer your questions. Not too mention, some killer content and live streams only shared inside the Group.

Go here and join us inside the MFA Nation Group (it's FREE!). 

ROCKSTAR RESOURCE

There's one marketing strategy which has made me more money over the past two decades than any other. 

I consider it the most valuable marketing method I have in my entire repertoire. And that is not at all hyperbole. 

I'm teaching the whole strategy, from A-Z, during a one-day Workshop this Thursday, March 25th. 

You can register and pay nothing today. And pay only after you've attended the whole workshop and learned everything.

Needless to say, outside of E5 Coaching, this is the most valuable resource I've shared in these weekly Memos. 

PIC OF THE WEEK

This is a pic of Damian Lanfranchi, our COO, and Anthony Sullivan, the infomercial king. 

Anthony was a guest at one of our recent TOP ONE Mastermind™ Experiences. I believe I talked, in a past issue, about some of what Anthony shared while with us.

After his time at TOP ONE, Anthony spoke with Damian about a potential project for us to collaborate on. And then invited Damian to spend some time with him in his studio.

Needless to say, Damian had a blast learning more about how Anthony and his team create such effective informercials. 

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