| Sometime in the past year, a copywriting client | | | | However, because I'm on the inside, I know that |
| said to me something like, "Sorry, I seem to have | | | | a good chunk of email newsletter subscribers |
| lost your email... I get over 200 a day!" At the | | | | quickly become dead leads, and that the majority |
| immediate moment he said it, I was struck with | | | | of emails are Not Urgent and Not Important. |
| one of those copywriter ah-ha moments. And I | | | | Nevertheless, who's thinking about dead leads |
| said to myself (silently, of course): | | | | when they're being dazzled by five figures worth |
| Numerical evidence works as a highly effective | | | | of pure profit potential? Not your customers, |
| copywriting tool. Not to mention, figures and | | | | that's for sure. And even if dead leads are |
| statistics "stretch" the effect you're trying to | | | | surreptitiously clouding the accuracy of the |
| achieve. How? Simply by stating a number (implied | | | | currently stated numerical data, the truth remains |
| as a fact), and then leaving out the second half of | | | | that 16,000 subscribers is still a LOT more than |
| the story, so that your audience is left with their | | | | 200! So if you've got the numbers to back your |
| jaw on the floor at the shock of the sheer | | | | claims - by all means, use them. |
| volume, and forgets to ask the obvious next | | | | Another example: |
| question in the conversation. Which in this case is: | | | | "We cater to more than 500 clients in the NYC |
| "So how many of those emails were actually | | | | metro area alone." |
| work related items that you need to attend to | | | | (But how many of those 500 clients have you |
| right now?" | | | | served in the past week? Month? Year? How |
| (This trick of using numbers in a sneaky way, is | | | | many were one-shot Charlies, never to return |
| something that EVERYONE does in everyday | | | | again? Few will ever ask such questions, but if |
| conversation- you don't even have to be a | | | | they do, be honest with them. Most though, will |
| copywriter to be guilty as charged of such an | | | | become dazed by the high number and quickly |
| offense). | | | | move on to the real question - how can you help |
| So, back to my story. Stating the total amount | | | | THEM?) |
| of emails as my client did above, gives the | | | | Now for the practical advice segment of this |
| impression that he is busy, sought-after, and | | | | article: |
| important. | | | | No small business owner should have over 200 |
| (But for all we know, 199 of those emails could | | | | emails coming in to their primary business email |
| be spam!) | | | | address per day. If that's the case, some things |
| Doesn't matter though, right? Nobody thinks | | | | need changin'. Here's what to do: |
| about spam when you spout at them that you're | | | | 1. Open "portable" email accounts with Hotmail, |
| a very busy individual with over 200 emails to | | | | Yahoo or Gmail. Designate one for your ezine |
| read in a day. | | | | subscriptions, one for your memberships (for |
| I'm grossly exaggerating for effect of course. | | | | example, if you register for article marketing or |
| Many professionals are indundated with more than | | | | networking), one for your blog comment logins, |
| their fair share of emails, many of them from | | | | and of course a handful for Craigslist advertising |
| legitimate prospects and not spammers. My client | | | | purposes. |
| was likely as busy as he claimed to be. However, | | | | 2. Get a virtual assistant to help lighten your |
| the statement got me in a marketing mindset. | | | | workload. I know of a great one by the name of |
| Not only is numerical evidence a great way to | | | | Lori Davis of She will unravel the mess that is |
| enhance your everyday conversation with clients, | | | | your email inbox and get down to critical business! |
| but it's a must-use in your copywriting materials - | | | | So - what have we learned today? |
| articles, web copy, sales letters, press releases, | | | | 1. People are impressed by high numbers, so you |
| brochures, and pretty much anything else you use | | | | want to use them in your marketing when |
| to target your key customer. | | | | appropriate. |
| Ezine publishers frequently add numerical evidence | | | | 2. It's a lot easier to focus on the messages that |
| to their remarks as a way to command bragging | | | | really matter when you stop using your business |
| rights for their own success. "This ezine is | | | | email address as a catch-all. |
| currently being received by over 19,000 | | | | Stay tuned for more free tips from Dina at |
| subscribers!" Again, quite an intimidating number. I | | | | Copywriting and Marketing. |
| feel a bit dwarfed by it, how about you? | | | | Copyright 2006 All rights reserved. |