If you’re like most online marketers, small business owners, bloggers or other website owners, then you’re always looking for ways to increase your conversions and sales. After all, it’s just smart business to make the most of your traffic. If you can boost your ROI, then you’ll be putting more money in your pocket at the end of every day.
Now here’s the thing…
You don’t do one grand gesture in order to increase your conversions and sales. Instead, you take a series of small steps. And collectively, these small steps add up to BIG results.
What sort of steps should you take? Below you’ll find five surefire ways to boost your conversions and sales.
And the best part?
You can implement every single one of these ideas using one simple website feature: attention bars. More on that in just a few moments. But first, take a look at these ideas…
#1. Present an exit offer.
A lot of marketers figure if a visitor is leaving their site, then that visitor wasn’t really targeted or interested. And that assumption is a big mistake.
Here’s why…
Just because a visitor is leaving doesn’t mean they’re saying “no” to everything. They’ve just said “no” to whatever they’ve seen so far. And if you dangle the right offer in front of them, you might just get an enthusiastic “YES!”
Let’s suppose someone is looking at your $97 software offer. They’re interested, but maybe it’s not in their budget just yet.
So, what happens?
When they leave your sales page, they’re gone for good. They probably won’t be back. And yet, this is a qualified prospect who is interested in what you’re selling. They just haven’t seen the right offer yet.
Here’s what you do: when they leave your sales page, make them an offer they can’t refuse. For example:
• Give them a free trial. • Give them a low-cost trial. • Offer a “lite” version of the software at a reduced price. • Give them a discount coupon for the full version of the software.
Now what does your prospect say? “YES!” And you just saved a sale and created a customer!
Next…
#2. Get visitors on your list.
This is pretty basic, but it’s a strategy that plenty of marketers still overlook. Simply put, you need to work hard to get as many of your visitors on your mailing list as possible. That way, you can follow up with them via email over time to close the sale.
Remember, a person leaving your site isn’t saying, “no.” They might be saying, “not yet,” or “maybe.” And when you get them on your mailing list, you can turn that “maybe” into a definite yes.
Next idea…
#3. Offer an exciting bonus.
If you’re an affiliate, then it’s no secret you’re competing against hundreds or even thousands of other affiliates who are all selling the exact same thing.
Think about that for a moment.
Saying, “Hey, buy this thing through this link” isn’t going to be enough to pocket those commissions. To meet that goal, you need to do two things:
1.Develop a good reputation in the niche. Obviously, this isn’t something you do in a short amount of time. This is an ongoing task that requires you to promote good products, do so in an honest way, and really help your audience.
2.Add value to every offer. In other words, offer prospects a bonus if they purchase a product through your affiliate link.
This second one is really effective, and it’s something you can start doing immediately. Simply offer a related, valuable bonus that’s in high-demand, and you’ll see your conversion rates get a huge boost. And for obvious reasons – people like to get the most bang for their buck, so they’re going to use the affiliate link that gives them more value for their money.
Next…
#4. Upsell your customers.
You’ve got a prospect sitting on your order form with their credit card in hand. Prospects don’t get much hotter than this. He’s in the buying mood. And that’s why now is the very best time to suggest that he add something to his order. In other words, offer an upsell or cross-sell of a product that will enhance the use and/or enjoyment of the main product.
For example, let’s suppose you have someone who’s ordering a meal-planning app from you for the purposes of losing weight. Offer an accompanying diet guide or low-calorie cookbook as a cross-sell, and you’re sure to boost your average per-transaction price.
Here’s another idea for boosting conversions and sales…
#5. Display a countdown timer.
Sometimes your prospects are interested in your offer. But for whatever reason, they put off the actual purchase. They bookmark your page and tell themselves they’ll come back to it later.
You can guess what happens, right?
Yep, “later” never comes. The person loses interest in your product once the excitement of the sales pitch wears off. Or life gets in the way, and they totally forget about your offer.
What’s the solution to saving these sales?
You need to stir up a sense of urgency. You need to make people feel like they need to purchase RIGHT NOW… or risk missing out. Yes, you need to create a little fear.
You know what creates just the right amount of order-boosting fear? A limited time offer. And to make it even more powerful, you can match this offer with a countdown timer that’s visually ticking down the hours, minutes and seconds left before the offer expires. It’s a powerful way to boost the sense of urgency – and your sales!
Now here’s the best part about all of these ideas…
You can implement every single one of these ideas using an attention bar. Specifically:
1.Put an offer in an attention bar that appears when the visitor is intending to leave your site.
2.Display your opt-in offer using a well-placed attention bar (preferably one that appears after a delay).
3.Insert your affiliate bonus offer in an attention bar, and then overlay this attention bar directly on the sales page. (Yes, that’s completely possible when using iFrame technology.)
4.Place your upsell offer in an attention bar on the order form to really call attention to it.
5.Put a countdown timer in an attention bar that displays on a sales page, or even on some other page of your site to advertise a flash sale or other special offer.
In short, using attention bars is a GREAT way to boost your conversion and sales. Because not only can you use these attention bars in the five ways described above, but you can put them to work for you in countless other ways as well. You can use them to:
• Reiterate a big benefit. • Insert a powerful testimonial. • Place videos or images in them to draw attention. • Use countdown timers to create urgency on any sort of offer. • Persuade prospects to join your list. • Announce new products, sales or news. • Direct prospects to related offers. • Encourage people to request more information.
Simply put, attention bars work like crazy because they’re eye-catching without being eye sores!
But for a lot of marketers, this strategy poses a problem…
Namely, the average marketer or small business owner simply has no idea how to create one of these bars. They don’t have the coding know-how. And even those who know a bit about coding don’t know how to create professional-looking bars that appear at specific times.
Now here’s the good news…
You can start creating your own conversion-boosting attention bars in as few as two minutes – no coding knowledge or skills required!
This is a point-and-click easy way to create beautiful, powerful, and high-converting attention bars. And these bars are fully customizable with a click of your mouse, including:
• Insert conversion-boosting countdown timers.
• Decide when, how and where your attention bars will appear on your page.
• Get the ability to overlay your attention bars on other peoples’ websites, such as your affiliate link.
• Change the colors, font, size and more with a click of your mouse.
• Change your attention bar on the fly in your dashboard, and it instantly updates across your sites.
And so much more. Conversion Gorilla makes it easy for anyone to boost conversions and sales using cutting-edge attention bar technology.
Ready to see it in action for yourself? Check out the demo here:
A lot of folks have a dream of becoming wealthy. They imagine themselves finally feeling financially secure. They imagine what it will feel like to never have to worry about money again. And yes, they imagine a few perks, such as fun vacations and nights out on the town. A lot of these same folks equate “being wealthy” with making money. Or they equate being wealthy with having a big house and a nice car.
But here’s the thing…
Just making a lot of money won’t make you wealthy. And if the bank owns your car and your house – no matter how big and fancy they are – then you aren’t wealthy.
You are just another person in debt, living beyond your means. Being truly wealthy means you accumulate money. It means you grow your money. It means you own your assets (rather than having bank-owned assets with huge payments that leave you struggling every month).
If you want to be THAT kind of wealthy, then take a look at these three keys to wealth. They may be simple, but don’t overlook them because of their simplicity…
Key #1: Making Money So this is perhaps the most obvious key. In order to start building that savings account, you need to make money. This might be from a job. It might be from a business. It might even be from some combination of a job and business. But the point is, you need to have a regular source of income coming in. And, most importantly, this regular source of income needs to be more than you need for your basic living expenses.
Which brings us to the second key…
Key #2: Saving Money A lot of folks who start bringing in money act like that money is burning a hole in their pocket. They just have to spend it. And sometimes they end up nickel and diming themselves to death. For example, a twice-a-day Starbucks coffee and muffin habit can easily end up a couple thousand dollars per year. Going for a “night out on the town” four or five times a month is another way to slide a lot of money out of your bank account fast.
Or how about some of those bills that you pay without really thinking about, like your cable bill? A lot of people pay well over $100 for hundreds of channels they don’t watch.
Those are the types of bills you can easily scale back on without feeling like you’re making a huge sacrifice. Which brings us to the next point…
Just how much do you have to sacrifice, anyway?
The answer to that depends on how wealthy you want to become, how much you’re currently saving, and how much money you’re currently spending.
But here’s some good news: it’s about balance. You see, you don’t need to eat cheap 10 cent Top Ramen soup packets for every meal. You don’t need to sell your car and start taking the bus. You don’t need to go live in a box on the street just to save money on the mortgage or the rent.
After all, the future isn’t guaranteed. So it’s not going to do you a whole lot of good if you sacrifice all your life just to die with a few million dollars in the bank. So what you need to do is get smart about your financial future. And the way to do that is by establishing some goals. First and foremost, you need to sock away some money for emergencies.
Typically, this means putting about six month’s worth of living expenses into an easily accessible savings account. That way if you lose your job, if your business tanks, if you get sick, or if your other regular source of income dries up, you’ll still be okay.
You’ll have a six-month cushion. Secondly, you probably have some short-term savings goal. For example maybe you want to sock away a few thousand dollars for a vacation next year.
Or perhaps you have another major purchase coming up, such as some house maintenance or remodeling, a wedding, or some other activity.
In all cases, you need to determine exactly how much money you need, and the date by which you need it. Then you can figure out how much money you’ll need to save each month in order to obtain your goal. So what about retirement and other long-term savings goals? Well, you do need to save money each and every month for your retirement.
However, you don’t want to just put all this money into a savings account. Instead, what you want to do is invest it to grow it. Which brings us to the third key…
Key #3: Investing Money The final key to wealth is to put your money to work for you. And that means you need to invest it. Now, the good news is that there are a lot of different ways to invest your money, so you’re sure to find a balance that suits your needs. Here are some of the more popular ways:
• Stocks.
• Bonds.
• Mutual funds.
• Investing directly in business (your own business or someone else’s business).
• Artwork, antiques, precious metals.
• Real estate. There are two keys to choosing the right investment for you.
First, you need to assess your own risk tolerance, and then choose investments that best match your risk tolerance. Your risk tolerance depends on factors such as how many years you have to save for a particular goal, as well as how comfortable you are with certain types of investments.
General rule of thumb: investments that come with the potential for a high reward also come with a high amount of risks. And likewise, low-reward investments tend to be less risky.
For example, young people who are saving for retirement may opt for a portfolio with riskier stocks, simply because they have decades to recover if one of their risky stocks suffers.
On the other hand, someone who is near retirement age will put their money into much safer investments. Naturally, neither group should put all their money into one type of investment, which brings us to the next point…
Secondly, you need to diversify. Diversifying is a natural way to spread out the risk. You can diversify by putting money into a variety of investments, such as stocks, real estate, business investments and so on.
You can also diversify within each specific type of investment. For example, if you’re investing in stocks, then invest in a mix of companies across different industries, some of which are well-established. Conclusion
So there you have it, the three simple keys to growing your money:
• Make money.
• Save money.
• Grow your money.
Now while these keys seem simple on paper, putting them into practice is a bit trickier.
Most people struggle. They have problems bringing in enough extra money to save. Then once they do bring in extra money, they tend to spend it rather than save it. A lot of folks never even give a proper thought to investing. Since you’ve read this far,
I know you’re different. You want to learn more about making money, saving money, and investing money. You want financial security. You want the peace of mind that comes with growing a big nest egg in your bank account.
The good news is you can take a giant step towards your goals starting right now.
All you have to do is join the Wealth Upgrade Club today to discover what the world’s best investors know about making, saving and investing money. Join them right now by clicking here: wealthupgradeclub.com – and do it now, because today is the best time to start planning for the future!
Special permission to republish this article was granted by Promote Labs Inc. & wealthupgradeclub.com
And yes, they imagine a few perks, such as fun vacations and nights out on the town. A lot of these same folks equate “being wealthy” with making money. Or they equate being wealthy with having a big house and a nice car. But here’s the thing…
Just making a lot of money won’t make you wealthy. And if the bank owns your car and your house – no matter how big and fancy they are – then you aren’t wealthy.
You are just another person in debt, living beyond your means. Being truly wealthy means you accumulate money.
It means you grow your money. It means you own your assets (rather than having bank-owned assets with huge payments that leave you struggling every month).
If you want to be THAT kind of wealthy, then take a look at these three keys to wealth. They may be simple, but don’t overlook them because of their simplicity…
Key #1: Making Money So this is perhaps the most obvious key. In order to start building that savings account, you need to make money. This might be from a job. It might be from a business.
It might even be from some combination of a job and business. But the point is, you need to have a regular source of income coming in. And, most importantly, this regular source of income needs to be more than you need for your basic living expenses.
Which brings us to the second key…
Key #2: Saving Money A lot of folks who start bringing in money act like that money is burning a hole in their pocket. They just have to spend it. And sometimes they end up nickel and diming themselves to death.
For example, a twice-a-day Starbucks coffee and muffin habit can easily end up a couple thousand dollars per year. Going for a “night out on the town” four or five times a month is another way to slide a lot of money out of your bank account fast.
Or how about some of those bills that you pay without really thinking about, like your cable bill? A lot of people pay well over $100 for hundreds of channels they don’t watch.
Those are the types of bills you can easily scale back on without feeling like you’re making a huge sacrifice. Which brings us to the next point…
Just how much do you have to sacrifice, anyway?
The answer to that depends on how wealthy you want to become, how much you’re currently saving, and how much money you’re currently spending.
But here’s some good news: it’s about balance. You see, you don’t need to eat cheap 10 cent Top Ramen soup packets for every meal.
You don’t need to sell your car and start taking the bus. You don’t need to go live in a box on the street just to save money on the mortgage or the rent. After all, the future isn’t guaranteed.
So it’s not going to do you a whole lot of good if you sacrifice all your life just to die with a few million dollars in the bank.
So what you need to do is get smart about your financial future. And the way to do that is by establishing some goals. First and foremost, you need to sock away some money for emergencies.
Typically, this means putting about six month’s worth of living expenses into an easily accessible savings account. That way if you lose your job, if your business tanks, if you get sick, or if your other regular source of income dries up, you’ll still be okay.
You’ll have a six-month cushion. Secondly, you probably have some short-term savings goal. For example maybe you want to sock away a few thousand dollars for a vacation next year.
Or perhaps you have another major purchase coming up, such as some house maintenance or remodeling, a wedding, or some other activity.
In all cases, you need to determine exactly how much money you need, and the date by which you need it. Then you can figure out how much money you’ll need to save each month in order to obtain your goal. So what about retirement and other long-term savings goals?
Well, you do need to save money each and every month for your retirement. However, you don’t want to just put all this money into a savings account. Instead, what you want to do is invest it to grow it.
Which brings us to the third key…
Key #3: Investing Money The final key to wealth is to put your money to work for you. And that means you need to invest it. Now, the good news is that there are a lot of different ways to invest your money, so you’re sure to find a balance that suits your needs.
Here are some of the more popular ways:
• Stocks.
• Bonds.
• Mutual funds.
• Investing directly in business (your own business or someone else’s business).
• Artwork, antiques, precious metals.
• Real estate. There are two keys to choosing the right investment for you.
First, you need to assess your own risk tolerance, and then choose investments that best match your risk tolerance.
Your risk tolerance depends on factors such as how many years you have to save for a particular goal, as well as how comfortable you are with certain types of investments.
General rule of thumb: investments that come with the potential for a high reward also come with a high amount of risks. And likewise, low-reward investments tend to be less risky. For example, young people who are saving for retirement may opt for a portfolio with riskier stocks, simply because they have decades to recover
if one of their risky stocks suffers. On the other hand, someone who is near retirement age will put their money into much safer investments.
Naturally, neither group should put all their money into one type of investment, which brings us to the next point…
Secondly, you need to diversify. Diversifying is a natural way to spread out the risk. You can diversify by putting money into a variety of investments, such as stocks, real estate, business investments and so on.
You can also diversify within each specific type of investment.
For example, if you’re investing in stocks, then invest in a mix of companies across different industries, some of which are well-established.
Conclusion So there you have it, the three simple keys to growing your money:
• Make money.
• Save money.
• Grow your money.
Now while these keys seem simple on paper, putting them into practice is a bit trickier. Most people struggle. They have problems bringing in enough extra money to save. Then once they do bring in extra money, they tend to spend it rather than save it.
A lot of folks never even give a proper thought to investing. Since you’ve read this far, I know you’re different.
You want to learn more about making money, saving money, and investing money. You want financial security. You want the peace of mind that comes with growing a big nest egg in your bank account.
The good news is you can take a giant step towards your goals starting right now. All you have to do is join the Wealth Upgrade Club today to discover what the world’s best investors know about making, saving and investing money.
Join them right now by clicking here: wealthupgradeclub.com – and do it now, because today is the best time to start planning for the future!
Special permission to republish this article was granted by Promote Labs Inc. & wealthupgradeclub.com
When you have a thought that you need to start an ad campaign or are thinking about where to start this simple post will offer an excellent place to begin.
Isaac Rudansky provides an excellent explanation of how placing a pixel will help with your ad campaign and remarketing efforts.
Placing a pixel on the website that you want to get traffic is the first step.
The simple place to get a pixel is from facebook.
Facebook gives an excellent explanation on how to place a pixel on your website here:
facebook.com/business/help/952192354843755
Now if you want to explore other ad networks I have listed a few resources to consider
For an html installation of a pixel you normally want to place your pixels in the header. Some networks prefer the code to be in the footer. For the wordpress user this plugin will make the install easily.
Install the Google Remarketing Plugin and add your code:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/google-remarketing/
Just remember that the main purpose of retargeting is to decrease your ad spend and increase your response rates. Fortunately there are a number of other videos that go into the details of how this system works. Feel free to watch another video by Jimmy Kim who provides an excellent explanation of the mechanics of retargeting https://youtu.be/JH-QNcmhnyo
Our team is happy to provide access and manage ads through our networks as well as any ad exchange that you are interested in using.
I have been doing online marketing for over ten years. While I like to think I am the best my biggest challenges are usually setting up simple integrations like creating an optin form.
I have researched every different type of way to get leads and in just about every situation the best place to collect leads ends up finding new ways to get people to share an email with you.
Now while this sounds easy it actually can be difficult if you have a form or no reason for someone to put an email in a box on your website.
While I won’t talk about how to send effective emails I will give you a tip if you are just getting started and need an autoresponder mailchimp is usually the first place to get started. While setting up your account may require a few steps it’s really easy until you verify your email address. The video below has the missing step to get your account started.
When you get ready to add the email optin for your website, there are a number of great integrations available, but you can add the html in most cases to get started.
Recently I came across a video that describes the six universal Principles of Persuasion. Because effective persuasion is a vital component for an ad campaign or marketing campaign please watch the video and consider the six principles of persuasion that are discussed in this video.
If you would like to read the transcript of the video I included it below.
0:12
Researchers have been studying the factors that influence us to say yes
0:17
to the request of others for over 60 years.
0:20
And there can be no doubt that there’s a science to how we are persuaded.
0:25
And a lot of the science is surprising.
0:28
When making a decision
0:29
it’d be nice to think that people consider all the available information
0:33
in order to guide their thinking.
0:35
But the reality is very often different.
0:38
In the increasingly overloaded lives we lead, more than ever
0:43
we need shortcuts or rules of thumb to guide our decision-making.
0:47
My own research has identified just six of these shortcuts.
0:51
As universals that guide human behavior,
0:55
they are:
0:57
Reciprocity,
0:58
Scarcity,
0:59
Authority,
1:01
Consistency,
1:02
Liking,
1:03
and Consensus.
1:04
Understanding these shortcuts and employing them in an ethical manner,
1:09
can significantly increase the chances that someone will be persuaded by your request.
1:16
Let’s take a closer look at each in turn.
1:20
So the first universal principle of influence is Reciprocity.
1:24
Simply put, people are obliged to give back to others the form of behavior,
1:28
gift, or service that they have received first.
1:31
If a friend invites you to their party,
1:33
there’s an obligation for you to invite them to a future party you are hosting.
1:37
If a colleague does you a favor then you owe that colleague a favor.
1:41
And in the context of a social obligation
1:44
people are more likely to say yes to those that they owe.
1:49
One of the best demonstrations of the principle of reciprocation
1:52
comes from a series of studies conducted in restaurants.
1:55
So the last time you visit a restaurant,
1:57
there’s a good chance that the waiter or waitress will have given you a gift.
2:01
Probably about the same time that they bring your bill.
2:04
A liqueur perhaps or a fortune cookie or perhaps a simple mint.
2:09
So here’s the question.
2:10
Does the giving of a mint have any influence over how much tip you’re going to leave them?
2:15
Most people will say no.
2:17
But that mint can make a surprising difference.
2:20
In the study, giving diners a single mint at the end of their meal,
2:24
typically increased tips by around 3%.
2:27
Interestingly if the gift is doubled and two mints are provided, tips don’t double.
2:33
They quadruple, a 14% increase in tips.
2:38
But perhaps most interestingly of all, is the fact that if the waiter provides one mint,
2:42
starts to walk away from the table, but pauses, turns back
2:46
and says, “For you nice people, here’s an extra mint,” tips go through the roof.
2:51
A 23% increase influenced not by what was given, but how it was given.
2:58
So the key to using the principle of reciprocation is to be the first to give
3:02
and to ensure that what you give is personalized and unexpected.
3:06
The second universal principle of persuasion is Scarcity.
3:10
Simply put, people want more of those things they can have less of.
3:14
When British Airways announced in 2003
3:17
that they would no longer be operating the twice daily London-New York Concorde flight
3:22
because it had become uneconomical to run, sales the very next day took off.
3:30
Notice that nothing had changed about the Concorde itself.
3:34
It certainly didn’t fly any faster, the service didn’t suddenly get better, and the airfare didn’t drop.
3:41
It had simply become a scarce resource.
3:44
And as a result, people wanted it more.
3:47
So when it comes to effectively persuading others using the scarcity principle, the science is clear.
3:53
It’s not enough simply to tell people about the benefits they’ll gain
3:57
if they choose your products and services.
4:00
You’ll also need to point out what is unique about your proposition
4:04
and what they stand to lose
4:07
if they fail to consider your proposal.
4:10
Our third principle of influence is the principle of authority.
4:14
The idea that people follow the lead of credible knowledgeable experts.
4:19
Physiotherapists for example are able to persuade more of their patients
4:22
to comply with recommended exercise programs
4:25
if they display their medical diplomas on the walls of their consulting rooms.
4:30
People are more likely to give change for a parking meter to a complete stranger
4:34
if that requester wears a uniform rather than casual clothes.
4:39
What the science is telling us is that it is important to signal to others
4:43
what makes you a credible knowledgeable authority before you make your influence attempt.
4:50
Of course this can present problems.
4:52
You can hardly go around telling potential customers how brilliant you are.
4:56
But you can certainly arrange for someone to do it for you.
4:59
And surprisingly the science tells us that it doesn’t seem to matter if the person who introduces you
5:05
is not only connected to you but also likely to prosper from the introduction themselves.
5:11
One group of real estate agents were able to increase both the number of property appraisals
5:15
and the number of subsequent contracts that they wrote
5:19
by arranging for reception staff who answered customer enquiries
5:23
to first mention their colleagues’ credentials and expertise.
5:27
So, customers interested in letting a property were told “Lettings?
5:32
Let me connect you with Sandra who has over 15 years’ experience letting properties in this area.”
5:37
Customers who wanted more information about selling properties were told
5:40
“Speak to Peter, our head of sales. He has over 20 years’ experience selling properties.
5:45
I’ll put you through now.”
5:47
The impact of this expert introduction led to a 20% rise in the number of appointments
5:53
and a 15% increase in the number of signed contracts.
5:56
Not bad for a small change in form from persuasion science
6:00
that was both ethical and costless to implement.
6:04
The next principle is Consistency.
6:07
People like to be consistent with the things they have previously said or done.
6:12
Consistency is activated by looking for and asking for small initial commitments that can be made.
6:20
In one famous set of studies researchers found rather unsurprisingly,
6:24
that very few people would be willing to erect an unsightly wooden board
6:29
on their front lawn to support a Drive Safely campaign in their neighborhood.
6:35
However in a similar neighborhood close by,
6:38
four times as many homeowners indicated that they would be willing to erect this unsightly billboard.
6:45
Why?
6:46
Because ten days previously, they had agreed to place a small postcard
6:52
in the front window of their home that signaled their support for a Drive Safely campaign.
6:59
That small card was the initial commitment that led to a 400% increase
7:05
in a much bigger but still consistent change.
7:09
So when seeking to influence using the consistency principle,
7:14
the detective of influence looks for voluntary, active and public commitments
7:20
and ideally gets those commitments in writing.
7:23
For example, one recent study reduced missed appointments at health centers by 18%
7:31
simply by asking the patients, rather than the staff
7:35
to write down appointment details on the future appointment card.
7:40
The fifth principle is the principle of Liking.
7:43
People prefer to say yes to those that they like.
7:46
But what causes one person to like another?
7:49
Persuasion science tells us that there are three important factors.
7:54
We like people who are similar to us,
7:56
we like people who pay us compliments
7:58
and we like people who cooperate with us towards mutual goals.
8:03
As more and more of the interactions that we are having take place online
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it might be worth asking whether these factors can be employed effectively
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in let’s say online negotiations.
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In a series of negotiation studies carried out between MBA students at two well-known business schools,
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some groups were told, “Time is money. Get straight down to business.”
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In this group around 55% were able to come to an agreement.
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A second group however, were told,
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“Before you begin negotiating, exchange some personal information with each other.
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Identify a similarity you share in common
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then begin negotiating.”
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In this group 90% of them were able to come to successful and agreeable outcomes
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that were typically worth 18% more to both parties.
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So to harness this powerful principle of liking,
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be sure to look for areas of similarity that you share with others
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and genuine compliments you can give before you get down to business.
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The final principle is Consensus.
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Especially when they are uncertain,
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people will look to the actions and behaviors of others to determine their own.
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You may have noticed that hotels often place a small card in bathrooms
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that attempt to persuade guests to reuse their towels and linen.
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Most do this by drawing a guest’s attention
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to the benefits that reuse can have on environmental protection.
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It turns out that this is a pretty effective strategy leading to around 35% compliance.
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But could there be an even more effective way?
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Well it turns out that about 75% of people who check into a hotel for four nights or longer
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will reuse their towels at some point during their stay.
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So what would happen if we took a lesson from the principle of consensus
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and simply included that information on the cards
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and said that 75% of our guests reuse their towels at some time during their stay.
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So please do so as well.
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It turns out that when we do this, towel reuse rises by 26%.
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Now imagine the next time you stay in a hotel you saw one of these signs.
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You picked it up and you read the following message:
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Seventy-five percent of people who have stayed in this room
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have reused their towel.
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What would you think?
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Well here’s what you might think.
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“I hope they’re not the same towels.”
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And like most people you’d probably think that
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this sign will have no influence on your behavior whatsoever.
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But it turns out that changing just a few words on a sign
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to honestly point out what comparable previous guests have done
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was the single most effective message leading to a 33% increase in reuse.
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So the science is telling us that rather than relying on our own ability to persuade others
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we can point to what many others are already doing especially many similar others.
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So there we have it.
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Six scientifically validated principles of persuasion that provide for small practical,
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often costless changes that can lead to big differences in your ability
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to influence and persuade others in an entirely ethical way.
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They are the secrets from the science of persuasion.
Whether you have an email marketing campaign set up or are just thinking about the possibility of starting an email marketing campaign it is important to keep in mind that email marketing is not always the perfect fit. Some of these reasons email marketing may not work for you is because of an absence of interest on behalf of your target audience, failure to effectively execute your email marketing strategy, or poor planning for your strategy.
Think about why your email marketing campaigns may be failing. Is it a content issue? Is it a deliverability issue? Or just a time issue? Before investing time, energy, and effort into your next email marketing campaign, spend more time understanding your audience. If your target audience is hard to reach and seems unresponsive to your efforts it probably isn’t because they don’t have an interest in you or your product or service, nor is it because people don’t use email or the internet. A lack of interest usually will come from your content, consistency, delivery, or your offer. Before giving up, consider these factors or hire someone to help.
Another element of email marketing which can trigger your marketing project to fail is the inability to effectively get your message read or to get a response. Implementing a successful email campaign takes effort and patience to see it through. Newsletters are a traditional method to get your email marketing campaign started however if your newsletters lack purpose, content, or a call to action, your readers are not likely to invest in your product or services. In each part of your email campaign, make sure the information you offer to your list is useful, interesting, and engaging. This information is more likely to keep the interest of the readers, and increase open rates, as well as response rates.
Lack of preparation will cause an email project to fail as well. If your goal is to send out a few emails and get a big response hoping to generate buzz and sales for you in your products and services think again. Consistency, content, and purpose will contribute to improving your campaign, and that will come from more than just a handful of messages, or the same message sent over and over again.
Whether you are already involved in an email marketing project or are simply considering the possibility of introducing a new email campaign to your business it is important to remember that email response rates are usually low. Not because your messaging is bad, or your offer is weak. Your email may go straight to the spam folder. Your headline may be confusing. There may be a hundred other more important emails that come through that you are competing with. Just remember that when your email marketing campaign is not working for you there is one concept to consider before giving up. You need to ask yourself “are you marketing to you?” Would this information be something that you could share with a friend or family member if it were sent to you? When you believe this concept you will find that your open rates and response will increase, regardless of the competition or technical challenges
Now if you have more money than time and creating a newsletter or emails is too much consider using a professional to create an email campaign that will work for your business.
