Here’s a time tested cleaning tip for you.
If you really want to get something clean mix a little beach in your water bucket and BAM. . . whites are whiter, brighter and presto it’s like new again!
I discovered years ago the best (and simplest) way to clean the siding on my house was to get a pump sprayer and use a mixture of 50% bleach and 50% water. Just pump up the sprayer and apply. Let sit for a few minutes and hose off.
It works like magic. You can see all of the dirt, grime and mold disappear.
I also discovered that if you get this magic mixture on your hands it tingles and sucks the natural oil out quickly!
Later in the day after the bleaching party was over I started thinking about some of my recent marketing activities.
I dug into a couple of recent promos to see exactly how things were stacking up. Being a good direct response practitioner, I test every aspect of my copy. The promos were bringing in a good response and making decent sales but there was just something that was bugging me.
Maybe certain words were weak and washing out the effectiveness. Maybe I was bleaching my marketing efforts and didn’t realize it.
A little bleach is OK—just don’t overdo it. Your copy should be clean and concise, free of clutter words. It should also be tell a complete story in an interesting way. Your copy should speak directly to your prospect.
Sometimes you are just too close to the project to do it justice.
So here’s what I did. For starters I reviewed all of the sales data. That told me immediately which version of the ad was the control. As you know the control is the ad or promotion that produces the highest and best results possible. The control generally brings in the most bacon or gets the most prospects raising their hands and saying, “I’m interested in what you got, but tell me more.”
Next I read the control ad out loud. You’ll be absolutely amazed at how effective this little step can be. Even better get someone else to read your ad out loud. The mistakes will roll off the tongue and slap you in the face! Oh, it can get ugly.
Don’t be fooled that any control can’t be beat cuz it can. I’ve seen lighting strike more than once. So keep an open mind and always be testing. Pit your ad against each other. Test, test and keep testing for the best.
Are you over bleaching your marketing promotions? If so, use this short checklist to help dilute some of the bleach:
1. Keep records of your advertising results. You’ll soon know what works and what doesn’t work. This in and of itself can be a humbling experience.
2. Read your copy aloud or get someone else to read it aloud. Work out all of the rough areas. Get rid of weak, ineffective words that do not add sales value. Remember the sole purpose of your ad is to sell not entertain or be artsy or cute. It is very simply salesmanship in print (or whatever medium you choose).
3. Test all aspects of your ad copy. If you are not sure what exactly to test, start by testing different headlines. Then test different subheads and bullet copy. Then test different offers. Then test different prices. You get the jest, don’t you?
4. Play “beat the control.” It’s fun and can be very, very profitable. The key is to winning the game is to constantly strive for improvement. And the only way to know is to test. But here’s a warning: don’t stop running an ad that’s paying. I promise, you’ll get tired of it before your readers will. So keep in running if it’s producing favorable results.
So there you go . . . a nifty little way to keep your marketing clean without taking out the color. Let me know if I can help you in any way.
Peace,
Emette E. Massey