18 Point Checklist To Improve Your Conversions
Ahhhh, the promise of a guaranteed winner.

Wouldn't it be nice to know with 100% certainty that your
marketing would bring you maximum return every time you ran
it?

While there is no guaranteed formula that ensures 100%
success in your marketing efforts, there ARE simple steps
you should follow.

Here is a simplified template you can use to evaluate your
ads, sales letters, emails and web pages. This will at
least tell you the areas you can improve on – from there -
the testing of the right message to the right market will
tell you everything else you need to know.

Rank each of the following on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being
weak in this area – 10 being the strongest possible)

* Headline * (Does your headline work to compel readership?
Does it share a startling fact or claim? Does it intrigue
you to read further? Is it newsworthy?)

* Headline Design * (Reading it out loud, does it flow? Are
the line breaks in the right places?)

* Promise/Curiosity * (strong or weak? If you WERE your
ideal buyer - which you usually aren't – would the promise
force you to read every word of your ad? Would it make you
get up off the couch to find your reading glasses to make
sure you don't miss anything? Would you give up watching
your favorite tv show to read the ad?)

* Subhead * (Does it follow logically from the headline?
Does it further the intrigue to continue reading? Do you
use subheads throughout the body copy as well?)

* Opening Paragraph * (Does it suck you in to read the
first line? The second? Would it make for a good
one-on-one sales script when standing toe to toe with a
prospect?)

* Offer * (Is it crystal clear what you are offering? Does
it tell them what's in it for them to invest their time
reading your ad or letter?)

* Advantages * (Do you offer strong benefits? Are there a
large number of them? Are they creative and not obvious to
the majority?)

* Positive, believable language * (Does it read
enthusiastically? Is it believable and not promising
something that no sane person who believe? Positive
language?)

* Your egometer * (Count the mention of `I' versus `You' –
if there are more `I's than `You's then rework it. You
should aim for 95% mention of `You')

* Readability * (Do you use short, simple words and
sentences? Are they easy to read? Could a grade 5 student
read your ad without stumbling? Have you used the
Readability score in Microsoft word to determine what grade
level you have written to? Aim for grade 6 or 7 readability
level)

* Structure * (Is it pleasing to the eye? Lots of subheads
used throughout the text to break it up?)

* Personalized * (Could it easily pass for a personal
letter from you to them? Would they believe it is a
personal letter? Or does it look like the typical cold
commercial ads you see everywhere?)

* Complimentary grabbers * (Do you use photos with
captions? Bizarre and unusual graphics or cartoons? Screen
shots? Sidebars with testimonials or short stories?)

* Proof * (Do you show ample amounts of proof that you
deliver? Use testimonials with strong benefits they
received from using your product or service? Use their
full name with no initials?)

* Close * (Do you ask for the order? Do you give them
compelling reasons why they need to order now? Do you
compare the difference you will make in their life if they
DO order – compared to if they DON'T order and their life
stays the same as it was before?)

* PS * (Is your PS strong enough to compel them to read
further if they scanned straight to the PS? Does it
summarize the main offer and/or announce a surprising new
bonus? Could the PS be used as the text in a small display
or classified ad?)

* Line length * (Doe you keep the number of lines per
paragraph under 7? Or do your paragraphs read like a
textbook? Keep them short. Do you mix in one line – even
one word paragraphs?)

Your total score can be a maximum of 180 points. This is a
guideline to show you simple things you may have missed –
or that could be improved upon before testing your
marketing materials. The higher the number, the more
likely the ad will work.

That said, there is no fail-proof formula to an
advertisement or sales page – it is completely up to your
testing.

If they buy from your offer (assuming you are targeting the
right people) – then you now have a control piece you can
test against and try and improve. If they don't buy from
it – back to the drawing board to find out why.

Hope this helps.


About the Author:

Troy White, The Marketing Results Mentor and Expert
Copywriter helps clients achieve HUGE growth surges in
their business in very short periods of time. If you're an
entrepreneur in need of quick cash flow surges – here is
the quick-hit solution to put money in your bank…. The Wild
West Wealth Summit! Make sure you visit
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