Call to action in your writing

Call To Action

The call to action is probably one of the most crucial components of any piece of content. The first thing you must do is determine what is your most desired outcome that you wish for your customers/prospects to carry out.

Action

Different components of your business would usually require a different sort of desired outcome.

Blog – Comments
Facebook page – Likes
Landing page – opt ins
Emails – Click throughs
Sales pages – Purchases

These are the common types of results you would typically want.

So once you have determined that, your call to action must be worded or shaped to facilitate that kind of action.

For example:

For a blog setting, a good call to action would be –

“If you liked this post of have any ideas of your own, please comment down below!”

As silly as it may sound to literally tell a reader what to do, split test studies have shown this to be really effective. So the best way to achieve results fast is to model what others have been doing which works and eliminate things that don’t work

To give another example, if you wish for prospects to make a purchase, you might ask them to

“Snap up your copy before it runs out!”

Note that I’ve added a simple scarcity factor (one of the extra marketing nuggets often used) by claiming that it will run out if you don’t act now.

Adding scarcity factors or time sensitivity to your call to actions often result in high conversions, so don’t forget to include it in whatever you do! Finally, you must bear in mind that the success rate of the call to action is not solely the result of the words of use in the calling, but how you put together different components of your sales copy such as ESPs, handling objections and showing the benefits.

Copywriting basics

USP vs. ESP

We talked a lot about emotions in the previous chapter. Back in the days, many businesses use something called “Unique Selling Point” or “Unique Selling Propositions” to differentiate themselves from their competitors to rake in more sales.

Which One

While that is very important, in the online world, we have something additional called “Emotional Selling Point” – Which is the ability use tap into the emotions of your readers so that you can make them carry out your most desired action.

Here’s an example of an emotional selling point:

“I knew what it was like struggling as a new marketer, learning how to draw traffic to my website. Sometimes, I even had a slice of bread a day because I wasn’t making much money from my online business…”

This classic example relates the hardship faced by the marketer to the person reading the sales copy, who is probably facing the same problems he once faced.

Emotional selling points also deal a lot with powerful emotion stimulating words. For example, in the make money online niche you would use words like: “time and financial freedom, free from the shackles of 9-5, quit the rat face”. These terms are emotional terms related to the niche that people can easily relate to and connect with.

In short, if you wish to use ESPs effectively to market your business, ask yourself these two questions:

1) What niche are you in?

2) What kind of words/stories/situations that people in your niche can identify with?

Once you have determined the answer to these two questions, you can try and brainstorm as many ESPs as possible that you can use in your sales copies or marketing content.

Headline Essentials

If you’re working on copywriting then Headlines are key.

The headline is the most important part of any copy. If your headlines fail to grab the attention of your readers, it doesn’t matter how good your offer is or how good the rest of your copy is. You only have 5 seconds to make an impact on your readers before they move on, so make it count.

Here’s an example of a good headline:

The headline has to be eye-catching and bolded to immediately get your reader’s attention. The sub headline will reinforce the message of the headline.

In this case, the writer used font face “Impact” and red fonts to grab the reader’s attention. The black words in the header are to break the monotony of the headline. It’s also used to exemplify the important points (Free Of Charge).

Here’s an important thing to note: You should never use FULL caps for your headline. Only use it when necessary.

“IMAGINE WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE IF THIS WAS ON THE TOP OF YOUR WEBPAGE!!!”

It looks like someone screaming at you – Who would like that? Also, full caps looks spammy and nobody nor Google would like that.

Also, headlines has to use eye-catching words which can instantly excite the emotions. Have you ever seen magazines at a newsstand? The headlines usually sound catchy and uses words which excite curiosity and emotions with topics like sex, money and drama.

Ask yourself,

What niche are you in?

What words can you use to excite emotions and create drama in your niche?

Basics of Copywriting

So copywriting as a way of earning through your creative writing.

Copywriting is used in many places throughout your online business funnel. Here are some examples of common used places:

The Basics

Website content
Blog posts
Landing Pages
Email Marketing
Sales Pages

Remember, the ultimate goal of copywriting is to get your readers to perform your most desired outcome. E.g. making a purchase or signing up into your mailing list.

Therefore, it’s very important that you determine what your desired result is before you embark on your copywriting crusade. Clarity is power so it’s important to know what you are after so that when you write, things will go the direction you want it to go

Okay, let’s look at some basics. Bearing in mind that we want our readers to perform our most desired result, we also can’t be too forceful. Here’s rule number one:

Keep it casual

You want to be seen as a friendly person who is also an authority figure in your field and not like a blatant salesman. The latter will cause people to dislike you can treat you as spam.

The next thing you must know is that some rules are pretty illogical. But one thing that makes sense is this, good practices have been tested and proven (split-tested) by top online marketers for years, so rather than trying to re-invent the wheel, follow what works and reap the rewards!

However, I strongly encourage you do a little split testing of your own as well. Eliminate things that don’t work and duplicate or multiply things that do – that is the surefire way to success!

Next up, we’ll look into one of the most important components of a good copy – headlines.

More writing ideas

Copywriting

Have you heard of the term: “Copywriting”?

Wikipedia defined it as:

“Copywriting is the use of words and ideas to promote a person, business, opinion or idea. Although the word copy may be applied to any content intended for printing (as in the body of a newspaper article or book), the term copywriter is generally limited to promotional situations, regardless of the medium (as in advertisements for print, television, radio or other media).

The purpose of marketing copy, or promotional text, is to persuade the reader, listener or viewer to act—for example, to buy a product or subscribe to a certain viewpoint”.

In the online marketing world, copywriting is used extensively to promote blog readership, get opt-ins for list building and to monetize your prospects.

If you truly wish to be successful in your online business, you’ll have to learn the ropes of effective copywriting so that your readers will love you.

Thankfully, good copy writing practices is a learnable skill.

Introduction

The ability to turn words into gold is probably the most important aspect of any marketer. If you can do this, it does not matter where you are in the world, you can make money from anywhere, anytime just from your words.

This whole copywriting thing came later on. Back in the day, the best “copywriters” were the great businesspersons of the olden days who knew how to sell anything to anybody. While people possessed powerful weapons, their most powerful weapon was their pen (or tongue).

Today, modern entrepreneurs are making a killing using copywriting techniques in their businesses. Bear in mind, selling things online is a lot harder than selling things offline because you lack the sincerity of voice and body language.

However, if you know how to tap into the power of copywriting to excite the emotions of your customers, you’ll be laughing your way to the bank.

3 Visualizations for a Calmer, Happier You

Calm down. Seriously.

We all have things that leave us on edge. Sometimes it’s an event or a person (like a visit from your mother-in-law). Sometimes we’re more anxious due to more significant issues, leaving us unsure of our safety and well-being, like when a severe illness is going around. Whatever the case, anxiety is adept at derailing our lives and keeping us from accomplishing what we want and need to.

How do you handle this kind of nervous worrying? If you’re lucky, you eventually learn how to take it in stride. For some people, their coping skills aren’t healthy. For others, they flounder, trying to find their way. If you’re in these latter groups, consider this: Visualization is a proven skill shown to reduce anxiety and create a calmer and happier you. Let’s explore how.

Go Somewhere Else

Photo by Mateusz Sau0142aciak on Pexels.com

Feeling especially fearful? It’s time for a trip to feel someplace safe. For some, this might be the beach. Or perhaps you’d feel more at home by a mountain lake or city café sipping coffee. Wherever you feel the safest and most at home, you want to go there now in your mind. Start by sitting back and making yourself comfortable. Close your eyes and picture yourself in your favorite place. Add in every detail you can to make this experience as real as possible. Include all your senses in the background. Breathing deeply, holding yourself in this place until you feel calm and somewhat refreshed.

Unwind with some String

Feeling all tense and coiled up inside? This usually comes when you’re holding back too many emotions. Picture yourself carrying around all these knotted emotions tangled up with words you’ve wanted to say all day but couldn’t. Make all these feelings into an imaginary ball of yarn. Now sit back and take several calming breathes as you withdraw this ball of yarn and hold it in your hand. Do you feel the weight? Good. Now drop it on the floor, holding onto the end of the string so that the ball rolls away from you, unraveling as it goes. Watch all the strands of yarn unwind, disappearing as they do. Stay in the vision until the entire ball is unwound and gone, and you’re feeling lighter and more relaxed.

Shut it Out

Our thoughts can be noisy things. We hear so many voices in our heads, reminding of us deadlines, things to do, and people to see. Add to this the negative self-talk which creeps in occasionally and the half-heard phrases we’ve carried with us, which sound suspiciously like our parents, and you’ve got a lot of chatter and no peace. For this kind of problem, visualize yourself in a room with a big open window. Set all these voices outside the window. Now, take a deep breath and shut the window firmly. This is a nice thick double-paned glass. You can no longer hear the voices when the window is closed.

With visualizations like these, you tell your mind to calm. You take back control where you need it most and set your feet back on a better path. Remember, you’re in charge of what goes on in your head. Don’t let anxiety set the tone for you.

Locked down?

I am currently living in Baku, Azerbaijan – all part of my life plan to visit and live in different countries. It’s been a tough time. I landed here the day war broke out with neighbouring Armenia. It is a conflict which goes back a long way, and not one I want to discuss here.

So I arrived and the government set a curfew from 2100 to 0600 the next day – stay at home unless you have government permission for work reasons. This was on top of some corona virus restrictions. The war ended but curfew didn’t. The in December they went for another lockdown; we needed to send an SMS to get permission to leave home to go shopping etc for a maximum of three hours. So I was back to working online; and trust me, as a teacher of many decades experience I can say Teaching Online is much more difficult than classroom teaching. I hate it. Though I keep at it as I want to keep pushing my students to be their best.

Fortunately, we will be having restrictions removed soon. I haven’t actually taught one of my classes in school since mid March when I was still in Morocco.

I get stressed.

So I dug out this article from my PLR collection.

Let’s share it and calm down!!!

5 Ways to Become a Calmer Person

We hear a lot about how to be calm and why calmness is essential. But why?! What does “calm” really do for someone? If you’re feeling like being calm gets in the way of your motivation and achievement-focused mentality, you’re not alone.

A lot of people associate calmness with nonchalance, but in reality, it’s what helps you have a clear mind so that you can achieve all of your dreams and goals. You’ve got to start somewhere, so here are five ways to become a calmer person:

1. Go All In

Just like when you learn a new language, in order to become calmer, you need to immerse yourself in the headspace fully. That means the mind, body, and soul. Whether you decide to download a meditation app or start going to yoga classes, the important thing is that you commit to it.

2. Surround Yourself with Calm

Tapping into the immersion piece, another way to become calmer is to surround yourself with calming imagery. Maybe you’ll paint your walls a color that makes you happy and serene. Or perhaps you’ll add a fountain in your room for soothing background noise.

3. Take a Break When You Need One

The hustle is great, but sometimes you need a break. Breaks are good for the mind, especially when you’re usually working hard! Let your mind go through its unconscious thoughts so that its conscious self can get back to work when you wake up.

4. Let Conflict be Conflict

Sometimes, we get into conflict, and we take all the blame. Or we hand the blame over to someone else. Either way, engaging in conflict and letting it consume you is not the way to attain calmness for your mind. The next time you find yourself getting wrapped up in conflict, take a step back, and ask yourself what good it is doing for you. If it’s not doing any good — and most of the time, it’s not—step away and let the conflict be conflict.

5. Observe from Far Away

It’s one thing to choose not to engage in something, whether it be a conflict or a toxic relationship. It’s another thing to decide to observe from far away, detach and then let go. For some people, it takes years to nail down the art of observing and detaching. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you — go at your own pace, and you’ll see progress.

Happy Saturday

More ways to start feeling better

5 Things You Can Do Today to Start Using Affirmations in Your Life

Affirmations are a powerful way to help you reach your goals. They can build optimism and turn around a negative mindset. And they work most effectively if you repeat them until they become part of your self-talk.

But saying your affirmations to yourself in front of the mirror can get old fast. You need to find more creative ways of building your affirmation practice into your routine. Supercharge your motivation by injecting a little affirmation sauce into every aspect of your day.

Write Your Affirmations

Writing your affirmations makes them more tangible. Studies have shown that the physical act of writing enables your brain to remember better. Choose your favorite way of recording your own affirmations. Keep a journal; write post-it notes and leave them where they’re easy to see, on your fridge, bathroom mirror, and computer. Set reminders on your smartphone or tablet with the text of each affirmation at different times of the day.

Make Affirmation Themed Art

This might sound a little off the wall, but try making art themed around your affirmations. Use paint, collage, clay, or colored pencils, and let your Inner Child play with colors and shapes to interpret how your affirmations make you feel.

Turn Your Affirmations into Music

Take a familiar or favorite tune and sing your affirmations instead of the regular lyrics. If you’re musical, maybe you can write a song that uses your affirmations. Make a rap song about your affirmations and create a dance routine to go with it.

Vision Board Your Affirmations

Vision boards are powerful tools for setting out your goals. Affirmations can sometimes feel a little abstract. Using a vision board can help you come up with concrete images of what you want in your life. Look for photos that inspire you and make you feel good. You can make a physical vision board or use an internet platform like Pinterest.

Get inspired

Look around for motivational speakers and writers whose approach to life appeals to you. You can find plenty of motivational talks on the internet, on platforms like TED Talks and YouTube. Search for motivation from people you admire or those who have made their dreams come true while overcoming adversity.

It’s essential to find someone whose values and approach feel right for you. Don’t watch an influencer just because they’re popular. Check back with your affirmations to see if their themes ring true to you.

Be Happy – why not?

5 Things You Can Be Hopeful About Even When It Looks as if All is Lost

Everyone has times in their life when things look grim. They might even seem to be hopeless. The world can feel like a scary place, and you alone in the middle of it. But history has shown that even in the worst of times, people have chosen to be hopeful. If you’re finding it hard to believe that better times will come, here are five things you can hang on to.

Your Health

No matter what world of life crisis you’re going through, if you have your health, you’re wealthy. You might take it for granted, but being strong and healthy is probably your biggest asset.

Look after your body, eat well, stay fit, and be game-ready for the next opportunity.

The Sun will Rise Tomorrow

Even the worst day comes to an end, and you get a chance to do better tomorrow. Brooding over past failures is as pointless as worrying about the future. You can only deal with what is right in front of you.

Take your motto from Scarlett O’Hara and remember that tomorrow is another day.

You Are Full of Potential

Do you believe you can live your best life? Do you think you can be successful, famous, and happy? Or does it feel to you that success is only for the lucky few?

All humans are born full of potential. The only thing stopping you from meeting your potential is you. Change your mindset from self-doubt to self-confidence, and you can do whatever you set your mind to.

Learn to Look on the Bright Side

It’s highly unlikely that everything in your life will go wrong at once. So learn to hang onto the good things in your life and be grateful. No matter what situation you find yourself in, it could pretty much always be worse.

If you look for abundance, you will find it. Practice looking for things to be thankful for, starting with being alive right now. And remember, hard times come and hard times go. Better times are just around the corner.

Challenges Make You Stronger

If you’re down in the trough of a life crisis, remember that when you come out of the other end, you’ll be stronger and smarter than before. You will have learned things about yourself and what you’re capable of that would never have occurred to you before. And in spite of feeling crushed, you have triumphed, you made it!