How a Single Sentence Can Drive More Response to Your Marketing

by Tom Trush

It’s among the most frustrating challenges in business... Persuading prospects who know they should take you up on your offer—but don’t follow through for some reason.

Maybe it’s a money situation ... a lack of information ... a trust issue ... or possibly they’re just frustrated with part of your sales process ... Whatever the case, adding one piece of social proof to your marketing can help fix this problem.

Now, I’m not talking about something as common as a testimonial, case study or review. What I’m sharing with you today targets a far deeper desire. In fact, it hits at the heart of three fundamental human motivations (as detailed by Steve J. Martin in The Small BIG: Small Changes That Spark Big Influence):

1. To make accurate decisions as efficiently as possible

2. To affiliate with and gain the approval of others

3. To see oneself in a positive light

You see, our brains are wired to follow the crowd. So, mimicking the actions of others is often seen as a shortcut to good decisions and acceptance (see motivations #1 and #2).

As such, it’s critical that you explain in your marketing how many others similar to your target audience already took action on your offer. Of course, you must be honest. Please don’t fabricate numbers to create fake appeal. Doing so only leads to lost credibility.

One example Martin shares in his book comes from Britain’s Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs, the agency tasked with collecting the country’s taxes. Martin and his team were brought in to help reduce the number of late payers.

Previously, most efforts focused on repeated threats of fines and legal action. Martin and his team, though, tapped persuasive science by simply adding one sentence to the agency’s standard letter. It told recipients of the large number of citizens who paid their taxes on time.

This single line led to collecting 86% of the outstanding debt. For comparison, in the previous year, just 57% of the outstanding debt was collected. One sentence that explained what most others are doing literally brought in

billions in overdue revenue. Incredible, isn’t it?

You may have seen a similar concept carry over to hotel towel use. After all, how many times do you see signs suggesting you do the environment a favor and reuse your towel?

Well, researchers Dan and Chip Heath from Stanford University discovered a way to get more people to take this action. The change in behavior only required (again) a single sentence. In their study, they increased towel reuse by 26% with a sign that said: Most guests at the hotel reuse their towels at least once during their stay.

Notice again how this sentence tells what many others are doing.

So, think about it ...

How can you incorporate the actions of others into your offers? n

Tom Trush is a Phoenix, Ariz.-based direct-response copywriter who helps entrepreneurs and executives craft lead-generating marketing materials. Pick up his latest book, “Escape the Expected: The Secret Psychology of Selling to Today’s Skeptical Consumers,” for free (just cover shipping) at www.writewaysolutions.com/blog/free-book-offer.

by Trey Ryder

Have you ever gone hiking on what you thought was a flat, easy trail only to suddenly find yourself stepping over rocks, ducking to avoid tree limbs, and pushing aside underbrush and thorns?

You face the same obstacles when you try to deliver your marketing message. For years, your prospect has believed stories that aren’t true, bought into silly myths and listened as friends told tall tales with exaggerated facts. Then you come along with a message about how you can help your prospect. Here’s the problem: His mind is so full of misinformation that you have almost no chance of getting through his mental underbrush and thorns.

• If your prospect has the misconception that he doesn’t have a problem, then he won’t likely take action to correct it.

• If your prospect has the misconception that his problem isn’t big enough to worry about, then he won’t likely seek a solution.

• If your prospect has the misconception that his problem will correct itself over time, then he will probably ignore it.

• If your prospect has the misconception that his problem cannot be solved, then he won’t keep his eyes open for a way out.

• If your prospect has the misconception that any solution is worse than his problem, then he will discount suggestions from people who offer answers.

• If your prospect has the misconception that your services cost more than he can afford, then he won’t likely call you.

Look at it this way: If you can say to yourself, “My prospects have a lot of misconceptions about (your subject). If they had correct information, many more people would hire me,” then you have the opportunity and the need to set the record straight.

You do this by writing a message that identifies and corrects misconceptions.

You may have seen the article I offer called “13 Marketing Misconceptions That Cost Lawyers a Fortune.” The title is attractive (if you have an interest in lawyer marketing) because it identifies incorrect information and adds that the result of bad information can prove costly. Further, because it mentions lawyers, it identifies my target audience. This increases response from attorneys and screens out others who think this information won’t apply to them.

I suggest that you compile a list of misconceptions that you know prospects have that keep them from solving their problem or hiring you. Your list should include misconceptions about all of the following:

• Your field of law.

• Your prospect’s problem.

• Your recommended solution(s).

• Your services.

Make sure you identify as many as you can because all it takes is one misconception and your prospect won’t call you. Then, after you create your list, write your handout like this:

• Identify the misconception.

• State in absolute terms that it’s not correct.

• Describe in clear language what is correct and what you recommend.

For example, here’s one misconception from my “13 Marketing Misconceptions That Cost Lawyers a Fortune”:

Misconception #8: You should mail your newsletter to clients and prospects quarterly. Not even close! In today’s over-advertised society, you’re fortunate indeed if you can create an impression in your prospect’s mind. If you hope to make your impression stick, you should send your newsletter at least monthly. The more often you mail to prospects on your mailing list, the more new business you will likely attract. The frequency with which you deliver your newsletter is much more important than its size.

Make sure the title you choose will seize your prospects’ attention. Then offer your new educational handout so you attract inquiries from the target prospects you want to reach.

When you clear up common misconceptions, your credibility increases and you attract prospects who, without this information, might never have understood their problem and the solutions you can provide. n

Trey Ryder specializes in Education-Based Marketing for Lawyers. He designs dignified marketing programs for lawyers and law firms in the United States, Canada and other English-speaking countries. Trey works from his offices in Payson, Arizona and Juneau, Alaska. To read more of Trey’s articles, visit the Lawyer Marketing Advisor at www.treyryder.com.

Monty A. McIntyre, Esq. Mediator, Arbitrator & Referee ADR Services, Inc.

To schedule, contact Christopher Schuster: (619) 231-1323 or christopher@adrservices.com

Organized, succinct summaries of EVERY new published California civil and family law case, published every month for $24.99 a month. Subscribe at californiacasesummaries.mykajabi.com

Let us “do the time” to get your project right! • Writing for the layperson • Putting together a presentation • Developing a marketing strategy • Sprucing up your website • Designing an ad, booklet, flyer or brochure • Establishing a better logo, mission statement or tagline