Wesley Day Advertising

• The Perfect E-mail Closing
• Make Your Landing Pages Attractive
• Consider-purchase Buying Process
• How to Create a Viral Ad
• When to Catch Facebook Customers

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THE PERFECT E-MAIL CLOSING

You wouldn't think of ending a business letter without a "Sincerely" or similar closing. But what about your e-mails?

Here are some common closings and what they might imply:

• "Cheers"
  Worldly, or at least British. Conveys respect while still showing approachability. Trendy.
• "Regards," "Best regards," "Kind regards," etc.
  While popular compromises of professionalism and friendliness, some perceive them as terse and stilted.
• "Best" or "Best wishes"
  Innocuous, but may not mesh well with your e-mail message. Most people, however, won't digest this – it's generally perceived as both neutral and positive at the same time.
• "Thanks" or "Thank you"
  Some think it sounds patronizing – "just do what I'm asking."
• "Take care" and other ways to say "Goodbye"
  Generally safe, but probably too casual for most business situations.
• Call to action
  "Waiting for your reply," and other content-appropriate closings are pragmatic and often effective, if somewhat impersonal.
• Nothing or just your initials
  Do you even need a closing? After all, an e-mail is a memo with your name right above the message. Text messaging has made this popular. It could show that you're on the run, quick to reply no matter where you are, or that you're always off doing something somewhere.

In the end, the best advice is to just type whatever comes out naturally – think too hard about it and you'll probably sound insincere. If you don't say "cheers" in real life, don't do it in your e-mail just because some newsletter article said it was a good idea. The last thing you want people to think is, "Wow, he/she is totally different in person." Return to top.

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MAKE YOUR LANDING PAGES ATTRACTIVE

Think of your landing pages as your front door. Are your visitors going to want to come in – or turn away?

Here are some common problems:

1. Peeling paint
   Keep your page looking current, attractive, and trustworthy – you will be judged by it.
2. Lawn ornaments
   Remove animations, graphics, and anything else that could compete with your call to action – this includes generic photos.
3. Hidden doorknob
   Don't expect visitors to hunt for it. Make what to do next very simple and obvious.
4. Too many doorknobs
   Present too many options and visitors will leave in frustration. Guide your visitors to the right choice.
5. Unanswered knocks
   Repeat the keywords, text, or message that led visitors to your page. Then deliver what you promised.
6. High threshold
   Only ask for absolutely necessary information. You can always gather more later on. Return to top.

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CONSIDERED-PURCHASE BUYING PROCESS

Unlike with impulse purchases, considered-purchase marketers must address the prospect's needs at each step of the process.

Typically these include:
1. Unawareness
2. Awareness
3. Interest
4. Comprehension
5. Preference
6. Purchase

Breaking down the "Purchase" step, most buyers will go through the following progression:

1. Do I need it?
   Actually the question is more like: Is there any compelling reason for me to change what I'm doing? Your goal at this point is to convince the prospect that change is not only desirable, it's necessary.
2. What are the risks?
   Consider the sale from your prospects" perspective. You must convince them that your product is a safe, strong investment for their company AND will make them look good personally. Focus on ROI and speak in terms of long-term value. If your prospects need to get approvals, it's up to you to help them make a solid argument to the final decision makers.
3. Is it complicated?
   Streamline your purchasing process. Simplify and combine your documents so that they don't have to sign lots of paperwork. Request only the bare minimum of information – after they agree to do business you will have plenty of time to get the rest. Return to top.

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HOW TO CREATE A VIRAL AD

Every couple of years an ad comes along that goes viral and delivers an impact like nothing else. Old Spice's man on a horse, Where's the Beef, and Budweiser's Whazzup are examples.

To create an ad that gets people talking and sharing, remember these basics:

• Say something worth repeating
• It's not about you
• It's about the sharer's emotions
• Make the sharer look good
• Respect the sharer's friendships
• Make it easy to share
• Never pay Return to top.

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WHEN TO CATCH FACEBOOK CUSTOMERS

For years, marketers have failed to determine the best time to send e-mails. But Facebook is a whole new ballgame – results are directly related to how many minutes users spend on sites and what objects they interact with.

The most consistently busy time is Wednesday at 3 p.m., according to new research of 1.6 million posts, 7.56 million comments, and 1,500 brand streams. Weekdays at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. were also very popular usage times. Return to top. Return to top.