If You Want To Get More Customers, Heres 10 Powerful Stories To Improve Your Ads

Remember, as a child lying in bed and listening to stories. Remember how engaged you were. Remember how you never got bored of them and always wanted to learn more.

Well, there's a good reason why... and here's how what you learnt as a young child could help you attract, and keep more customers...

Metaphors and stories have proven to be a powerful way of influencing other people. They are also extremely interesting to your potential customer, and connect with a deeper part of the human psyche.

Here's 10 of the most powerful types of sales stories you can incorporate into your ads and sales letters?

1. Introductory Stories: These are stories about who you are, why you're writing to them, and how you have assisted other people and/or businesses.

This is a perfect way to connect with your target audience and generate rapport. Reveal something personal about yourself within the story? and establish credibility and trust.

2. Stories Which Overcome Fears: Everyone has fears of some type. Identify the greatest fears and concerns your customer has. And then show how other people? just like them? who had the same concerns? overcame them, and discovered there was nothing to worry about.

If you're selling a health product, the client may be concerned it will not work for them. Tell the story of somebody else who felt the same and where they are now. Perhaps incorporate this structure within one of your testimonials.

This is a classic "Feel? Felt? Found" approach. I understand how you feel. My previous customer used to feel the same way. His experience now is?

3. Ego-Enhancing Stories: This type of story shows how people respect and look up to people who use your services, or own your product.

For example, if you were selling a Mercedes Benz? you could talk about a guy who bought one recently and how his colleagues, family and friends were so impressed.

4. Attention Grabbing Stories: These are used to get people to focus on you, your products and how you can benefit them. They explain why your customer should sit up and listen to you? right now.

Here's an example from a sales letter from a company called "The Supper Club?"

"How can I get in on this deal?"

The question was posed by a Daily Reckoning reader who was referring to a deal I mentioned. Unfortunately, it wasn't a stock. It was a private deal. And it was too late to get in anyway.

But it's why I'm writing you today.

5. Product Information Stories: Don't just list the features & benefits of your product or service. Tell a story which integrates this information.

6. Improved Productivity Stories: Outline exactly how your services and/or products have assisted companies to increase their profits, become more efficient, increase output and reduce down time.

Tell a before and after story of one of your customers. You'll never guess how much (other customers) business has changed since they started working with us?

7. Family Togetherness Stories: This type of story demonstrates how your product or services has caused families to come together.

8. Money Stories: The idea here is to show people how your product or service will save or make money for your customers.

For example, if you're a mortgage broker, give a case study of a past customer? and how much money they have saved through swapping over to you.

If you're a PR company, give an example of how you helped one company get out of a rut

If you're an accountant, reflect on how you helped a specific customer save thousands of dollars on tax last year? because you're up to date on all the tax changes.

9. Security Stories: This is a prime example of how you would go about selling an insurance policy. Tell a story about how your products have allowed your customers to sleep safely, and with peace of mind.

This could be used in the insurance industry, alarms, people selling trusts, pest and termite controllers, safe cars like Volvos? or any industry where people buy to feel more secure.

At the same time, it could be used for anybody who helps people to make more money? or ensures reliability. For instance, a marketing company could explain how safe one of their clients feels about their business with all the extra income being generated.

10. Closing Stories: Stories can be used here to close the sale and sum up all the benefits you have to offer.

What stories could you use to promote your business?

All the best,

Scott Bywater
Copywriting That SELLS
Level 12 / 418a Elizabeth Street
Surry Hills, NSW, Australia
1300 88 21 91 / + 61 2 9282 6445

Visit my web site for your complimentary copy of my ebook (valued at $29.95) and free subscription to my ezine "Copywriting Selling Secrets" where you'll discover how to write ads and sales letters that sell. And one's which put money in your pocket over and over and over again.

Here's the address: http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au

Don't muck around. Go there now. You'll be glad you did!

P.S. These stories can also be used extremely effectively through any type of communication: sales, customer service, etc, and not just sales letters.

In The News:


Mobile Marketing Consumer Response is Heavily Influenced by ...
MarketWatch - 5 hours ago
NEW YORK, Sep 05, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- While most consumers' initial reactions to marketing and advertising messages on their mobile phone can often be ...
What Are The Opportunities For Subscriber Growth Across The ... MarketWatch
Enterprise Mobility Forecasts: Highlights MarketWatch
all 66 news articles

Direct Traffic Media

Spending Gap Between Search and Display Advertising Widens
Wired News - 22 hours ago
By Meghan Keane September 04, 2008 | 3:07:36 PMCategories: Advertising Online advertising spending may be growing at an annual rate of 20 percent but the ...
Gap Widens in Online Advertising Wall Street Journal
Verizon and Yahoo extend portal deal CNET News
Search And Display Spending Diverge In Bad Economy Search Engine Land
Motley Fool - ZDNet.com.auall 64 news articles

MediaPost Publications

Obama, McCain have contrasting styles in Web advertising
Los Angeles Times, CA - 11 hours ago
By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer It's been hard to avoid Barack Obama's distinctive red, white and blue "O" logo on display ads as you ...
Obama Expands Lead on McCain in Online Advertising Battle in June ... MarketWatch
Study says Obama beating McCain in online advertising Direct Traffic Media
Obama online advertising trumps McCain by 75:1 in June TG Daily
WebProNews - PC Magazineall 24 news articles

Prescription Drug Advertising Subject of New FDA Web Site for ...
MarketWatch - 2 hours ago
The site, "Be Smart About Prescription Drug Advertising," is hosted by the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and was developed by the FDA in ...

UK Personal Lending 2008 - Nationwide Saw The Biggest Drop In ...
MarketWatch - 2 hours ago
Nationwide saw the biggest drop in advertising expenditure with just GBP287,232 spent in 2007, compared to GBP3.2m in 2006. - Gain access to the latest ...

Calgary Herald

Crucial Movie Plot Points Too Risque for British Advertising Standards
Jossip, NY - 3 hours ago
Advertising regulations exist to keep the consumer safe. This is why tobacco companies can't advertise near churches or schools, why hardcore sex is not ...
Latest James Bond flick criticised for glorifying armed violence Oneindia
jolie disarmed Toronto Star
Bond poster under fire from anti-gun campaigners Utalkmarketing
Boxwish - AHNall 201 news articles

Curbing advertising will cut obesity
The Australian, Australia - 3 hours ago
Restrictions on junk food advertising to children are a bit like that. The Australian Communications and Media Authority, in its draft report on children's ...
Weasel words on junk food ads Brisbane Times
all 2 news articles

Back up the truck for good advertising
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - 3 hours ago
So I searched a little pile of trade magazines to find a few shining examples of good advertising in the category. After a couple of hours I had found none. ...

SpongeTech(R) Delivery Systems, Inc. to Air Promotional ...
PR Newswire (press release), NY - 4 hours ago
SpongeTech(R) To Begin Test Promotional Advertising Campaign on NESN TV over This Weekend NEW YORK, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SpongeTech(R) Delivery ...

Travelocity’s Roaming Gnome will vie for induction into Madison ...
Carolina Newswire (press release), NC - 7 hours ago
Since 2004 the Roaming Gnome, creation of Travelocity’s advertising agency McKinney, has traveled the world as the online travel leader’s “spokesgnome,” ...
BUSINESS BRIEFS Durham Herald Sun
all 2 news articles
advertising - Google News


Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Internet Advertising: How To Use The Golden Rule To Enrich Yourself.

What is the golden rule of internet advertising?Give, so you... Read More

Why Would Anyone Want Your Business Card?

Do you remember how proud you were the first time... Read More

How To Write Eye-Grabbing Headlines That Catapult Your Prospects Into Your Ads

If you're interested in improving the selling results of your... Read More

Indoor LED Displays

To promote the audience, staff, customers and other people the... Read More

Predictions for 2010

2005 puts us at the mid-point of the first decade... Read More

Testing Headlines

A correspondent to AdBriefing, my monthly newsletter, has posed a... Read More

CD Business Cards- Why Use Them?

CD Business cards are the electronic version of the now... Read More

Five Characteristics of Highly Successful Advertising

Have you ever spent a small fortune on advertising that... Read More

Information Gathering & Delivery May Never Be The Same!

Give Us The Bottom Line!If you are like most people,... Read More

The Key To Marketing New Ideas!

Imagine tossing a pebble into a crystal clear pond on... Read More

Magnetic Business Cards: Make Your Marketing Message Stick

What is it about magnets that draw people to leave... Read More

How to Use the 3 Most Common Direct Marketing Measurements to Increase Your Profits!

John Wanamaker, a 19th century entrepreneur, once famously made the... Read More

Advertising, Public Relations, Newsletters, and Newsletters for Your Small Business

If you own a small business you should consider ways... Read More

Outdoor Sign

Many business organizations that needs to disseminate late-breaking information to... Read More

How You Can Create Advertising That Sells

A well-planned and properly executed marketing program should include a... Read More

Media Savvy - How To Lead, Persuade And Influence

The ability to lead, persuade and influence are integral skills... Read More

Turn Your Ad Copy into a Goldmine!

Today, more than ever, it is crucial that your ad... Read More

Unlock The Power Of Online Groups

Yahoo Groups: I see countless marketers on shoestring budges turn... Read More

Ads Dont Sell - People Do !

More about advertising by BIG Mike McDanielAdvertising is not a... Read More

For All Those People Who Struggle With Benefits and Features

For Everyone Who Has Ever Struggled Sorting Out Benefits From... Read More

Direct Mail Catalogs & Brochures: Write Captions That Sell

Many prospects skim through catalogs and brochures, glancing at the... Read More

Custom T-shirts -- Put Your Company Logo on Cotton!

An effective way to gain company recognition is to order... Read More

Attention-Grabbing Fixes that Make Your Yellow Page Ad Leap Off the Page

Stand Out in Ways that Matter to Directory Users A... Read More

Make the Right Advertising Decisions

Advertising is a powerful and somewhat frustrating marketing tool. It... Read More

Advertising Agency In Boston: Tips and Tricks

The big news on Wall Street last year was the... Read More