Joe Schriefer, Jack Forde, Evaldo Albuquerque, David L. Deutsch...the list goes on.

 

But I know not everyone is as fortunate as me.

 

For a lot of people, their business owner is their copy chief. Or they have a freelance copywriter who writes their copy.

 

And that’s awesome!

 

The key to making promotions last is always brainstorming and testing new copy.

 

Creating a successful re-lead for a health offer can extend a promotion's life an extra year.

 

Can you imagine?! You change a few pages of copy and...BAM...you’re bringing in as many if not MORE orders and revenue than before.

 

That’s every copywriter and marketer's dream!

 

I always recommend going to the original copywriter first to request new copy. But, I know sometimes that’s not always feasible.

 

The business owner / copy chief could be slammed growing the business in other ways. Or your freelance copywriter’s contract is up. Or your in-house copywriter has already moved onto their next big idea.

 

So how do you get to this point on your own?

 

The following tips will not only help you become a better marketer, but they will also allow you to test faster and more efficiently than waiting around for a brand spankin’ new promotion that may or may not convert.

Brainstorm 10-20 different headline ideas with intriguing image combinations. These should be completely new angles, not iterations from previous top performing headlines. I like to start with topic angles and emotions like greed, fear, politics, and curiosity to start.

 

Start testing these headlines in a low budget, cold traffic campaign you can control (like display and native).

 

Accept that you’ll be spending money to gather CTR and CR data. You’ll be analyzing whether the headlines and images are being clicked on. You'll also want to make sure there isn't a disconnect between the CTR of the new idea and the CR of the promotion.

 

Example:

Our tech guru, George Gilder, was President Ronald Reagan’s most quoted living author. We found a video clip of him and George on YouTube and created the following headline: Ronald Reagan’s Secret Weapon (Could Make Anybody Rich).

Expand upon your new headline idea by adding a few sentences to create an insert/sponsorship for email.

 

You can strengthen your copy with ideas like: measuring the size/speed of a claim, dramatize the claim as a result, state the claim as a paradox, or tie authority or scarcity to the claim.

 

Pick the best performing image/headline combo to test internally in email. If your list is too small for statistical significance you can also move onto testing the insert/sponsorship in a cold traffic email placement.

 

If you are testing externally, choose a list where you have a good relationship with the list manager. This way, you can negotiate a make good if the insert/sponsorship flops. 

Example: We took the headline in step #1 and expanded upon the idea by adding that one of Reagan's heroes has "stunning new prediction." 

If CTR’s begin to waver here, you may need to go back and tighten up the copy. If CR’s are slightly below average (I’ll address that in a second) or are better than average you’re on your way!

 

The next step is to turn the best inserts/sponsorships into dedicated email copy.

 

Feel free to continue to include the image and also add at least one or two more CTA’s.

 

You can keep the insert/sponsorship as is...this is a great idea if you have lists that respond well to short copy!

 

Or, you can continue to build upon the new idea. You can do this by homing in on your customer’s desires, the role they want to play in life, and their belief system.

 

Test this dedicated copy in low risk placements...like with CPA partners that are OK testing unproven copy. Just to hedge your bet!

Example: We turned the insert/sponsorship in step #2 into a dedicated by adding that George has been to the White House multiple times. We also expanded on the prediction we teased in the insert/sponsorship.

Maybe you were with me up until step #2 or #3, but CR’s have started to dwindle.

 

I would recommend adding eyebrow copy (headline copy) to the top of the landing page. This should help boost conversion rate so readers aren’t confused when you’re introducing a new idea.

Example: We updated the headline on the landing page to, "Get Ready For The $16.8 Trillion "Reboot" Predicted By The Economist Trusted By Ronald Reagan"

You may need help from a copywriter at this point. But that’s okay. Because you can hit them up with CTR and CR’s from your previously tested idea! They’ll be much more open and likely to write copy for an already proven idea.

 

Work with a copywriter (or you can do this yourself) to edit the first few pages of the promotion to better introduce your new idea.

 

You can do this by utilizing Eugene Schwartz’s method for Breakthrough Copy:

Intensify - Compare to your competition, show how easy it is to get the benefits, put a claim into action

Identify - The desire of your prospect to define himself to the world around him.

Gradualize - Lead your prospect logically and comfortably through a gradual success of more and more facts

Redefine - Solutions for the drawbacks of your product

Mechanize - Verbally prove that your product does what you claim

Concentrate - Destroy alternate ways for your prospect to satisfy his desire

Camouflage - Make your product believable

Test new re-lead with best performing copy. You can see our finished product for George Gilder’s Internet Reboot here.

Rinse, wash, and repeat!