Direct Response Copywriter Critiques Google's Direct Response Package for Places

Google has regularly sent me a card with $100 of free Google AdWords spend. I like it because it's DIRECT MAIL and proof that even the most advanced and famous companies recognize the power of a marketing tactic that started, according to legend, in the 13th Century.

OK--let's take a look at the package.

This box arrived by UPS...yes...Google uses direct mail.

The goal here is to get business owners to use Google Places. I won't go into why but Google is really motivated to boost its Places product. Here's an article I found.

Basically, Google wants four outcomes...

1. Finally put Yellow Pages under and get that money
2. Get people to spend more time on Google, and not Facebook...especially when it comes to business pages
3. Mine the local advertising market even more...
4. Become your website

There was a lot to like about this direct mail piece...unless you are Yellow Pages.

Delivery. By UPS...you had to sign for it. Superb. Expensive...but impossible to ignore. Plus it came in a box the size of a small turkey. Again. How can you ignore that?

Benefit headline on the brochure. There are over 40,000 businesses in Charlotte...get noticed on Google. Not very grabby...

Overall, I thought the body copy was a bit confusing. Google Places is a mystery to most business owners (as is all of SEO and AdWords) so I would have made it easier to understand.

All graphic designers note: Google uses black type on a white background. Apple uses black type on a white background. Both companies measure response and make a lot of money.

Offer...$100 in FREE Google ads. But what sort of ad?...thankfully there's a number to call. In fact, the CTA is to call.

In a brochure within the folder, Google offers all sorts of "stuff" to get you to promote Google places...pens...fortune cookies...toothpicks...yes--toothpicks.

Interesting headline..."You're already doing a great job. Make sure you get noticed." Hmmmm.

Rookie direct response copywriting mistake: asking a question the reader might not know the answer to...ARE YOU EASY TO FIND ONLINE?

In a time when companies rarely send large-scale big budget direct mail packages, this one was epic...although confusing.

One final thought...it's cool that companies can add photos, videos, etc. to their Google Places page but I think it's a huge mistake to rely on user generated content, which is notoriously easy to rig. In fact, this line of copy reveals all..."Encourage customers to rate and review your business."

I would have made this piece more educational.

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I'm a direct response copywriter and my site is here.

Copywriter Motivators--What Makes People Pay Attention? Part 6...Solutions

All the motivators I've written about in this series are related to solving a problem...including exclusivity, which solves the perceived problem of being just like everyone else.

Writing down the problem the product solves is my first step when I write copy. If a product or sales page tries to solve too many problems at once, it's going to fail. I wrote a landing page that's getting a 25.2% opt in rate for a special report. The report and the page target a very specific psychographic and the report offers a solution to a very specific problem...makes writing copy easy.

Andrew Wood writes in one of his books that people buy for emotional reasons backed by logic. He's right and that's closely related to buying to solve a problem.

I strive to get people emotional about their problem...then provide a solution that's logical. And that takes me back to the first motivator in this series, FEAR...

It's the last in my series about copy motivators and I hope you found it useful. Next series: getting passion and fun into copy and content.

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I'm a direct response copywriter based in Charlotte North Carolina USA. My website is here.

Copywriter Motivators--What Makes People Pay Attention? Part 5...Exclusivity

The velvet rope. The golf club that doesn't have that great a course but is only open to a few golfers. The bar/disco that's only for movie stars but has annoying and ornery bartenders. EXCLUSIVITY often trumps quality...but makes people buy.

Exclusivity is a bit motivator. I developed a strong and deep database in a certain zip code and I'm about to sell the database. My big selling point will be exclusivity...I'm only selling this to ONE upscale restaurant in the area and ONE vet in the area...and ONE taxidermist. Either you get this database or your arch rival gets it. Who is it going to be? You or the person you hate the most?

I've been to THE Augusta National Golf Club during practice rounds for The Masters and it's good but I've been to better golf courses. But Augusta has this aura due to its exclusivity. Whatever. It's bonkers exclusive so everyone thinks it's great because only a few people can be members. So what?

Everyone from car manufacturers to plate marketers can use exclusivity.

• There will only be 100 Bentleys made in this model


• We will only offer 200 of these Elvis plates.


• Only a very few serious collectors will have access to these Engelbert Humperdinck tour photos; Mr. Humperdinck has only signed 50 photos and will never sign anything again.

Serious direct marketers understand the exclusivity motivator and use it--it can be extremely powerful.

The product does not have to be that brilliant or that superb. For example...on the rare occasions when I've been "on the list" I've entered the nightclub and looked around and gone..."it's a bar." Or sometimes I've gone to an exclusive golf course and looked around and gone...it's nice but it's nothing special.

But people will pay for exclusivity. The psychology: I'm better than you.

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I'm an (extremely exclusive and highly sought after) direct response copywriter based in Charlotte, North Carolina USA. My website is here.

Copywriter Motivators--What Makes People Pay Attention? Part 4...EASE

Making life easy for clients and customers can be hard. But it's a superb way to attract clients and customers. Why? Because people LOVE ease. And will pay a premium for ease.

"I'm going to make your life easier." "I'm going to save you a lot of time." "You'll be more comfortable." Ease can be the solution to a pressing problem.

No more sitting in traffic jams.

Or it can be sheer luxury.

Drink champagne then sleep in a real bed as you cross the Pacific...far removed from the smelly hordes and ornery flight attendants in economy class.

It's always tempting to stress money and fear when copywriting. But ease can be a huge motivator.

When you play golf at Rolling Lakes, our friendly caddies will do everything a PGA Tour caddie does...many of them have caddied on the PGA Tour. And our hand-selected cart "attendants" will bring you a favorite beverage at any time...just text them at...

Make the guarantee easy.

Simply return your Top 10 Sunbathing Spots in Alaska DVDs within 30 days of purchase and we'll refund your investment. No questions asked.

People have always paid extra for ease...or to use a longer word...convenience. Simplicity. Luxury.

Ease is closely related to exclusivity. Ease can be exclusivity with a purpose.

Even if greed and fear are the main motivators, big doses of ease in direct response copy always helps.

Infomercials are often superb at stressing ease.

The amazingly powerful G9 makes cleaning your bath simple and FAST. Even if you're a total slob.

We make dealing with the government to get your halitosis supplies as simple as buying a cup of coffee.

Infomercials are often superb with testimonials...again stressing ease.

"These orange golf balls have made it so much easier to find my ball in the rough or woods."

Copywriter Bob Bly sent me an email with this gem...

"In your sales and marketing efforts, if you can show the customer how you can save him time or serve him faster, your sales will skyrocket."

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I'm a direct response copywriter based in Charlotte North Carolina USA. My website is here.

Copywriter Motivators--What Makes People Pay Attention? Part 3...GREED

Save money or make money. Make more. Save more. Earn more.

I recently received some feedback from a fellow direct response copywriter who was critiquing some of my work. At one point, his note was...TELL THEM ABOUT THE MOOLAH, BABY! It's all about THE MOOLAH!

Even with the motivator in the last blog, FEAR, fear of losing money or retiring without any is a big motivator. Tapping into the greed motivator is easy but it's most effective when the numbers are specific.

Readers may be greedy but they're not stupid. I quite often see claims that are too good to be true. The reader will ignore these claims UNLESS there's proof. Actual numbers from stock performance can work. Testimonials. Still...numbers that make sense, make sense. Readers click away from numbers that seem outlandish.

Greed can be a good way to position a solution to a problem. For example, you're not making enough with your investments...so...subscribe to my newsletter and I will make your stock advisor look like a dolt.

I think massive and constant discounting is a sign the company hasn't got its USP and value proposition in order. The beauty of greed, from my standpoint, is that greedy people will pay a good price for a product or service that will help them satiate their greed. Greed begets greed.

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I'm a direct response copywriter based in Charlotte North Carolina USA. My website is here.