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Putting "Cool, Compelling Content" In Your Newsletter [Part 2] Cliff Ennico www.creators.com You can't sell anything to anybody unless you first get their attention with the "three C's" -- "cool, compelling content". If your marketing literature, newsletter or Website lacks the "three C's", you might as well be sending out spam e-mail for all the good it will do. Let's take the three C's in reverse order. "Content" - it isn't enough anymore to say "here's what I've got to sell; it's really great!" Your newsletter or Website must have something on it that will inform people or explain something, like the "Cleaning News" article about dust mites in last week's column. Right now you are standing on dust mites: there may even be some in your hair or clothing. Bet you didn't know that, huh? What is more, your "content" must be freely available, especially if you are selling on the Web, because people expect information on the Internet to be free. If you go to my Website at cliffennico.com, you will see links on my home page to a number of articles I've written over the years answering the "most frequently asked questions my small business clients ask". Not sure what type of legal entity to set up for your small business? You can download, absolutely free, my five page "Demystifying the Business Organization" outline: sit down with this thing tonight over a cup of strong coffee (okay, maybe a VSOP brandy) and you will come away knowing as much about LLCs and corporations as most attorneys do. People in America these days are highly educated (or think they are), they do NOT want to be condescended to, and they are extremely afraid of being "taken" because they didn't know enough when they entered the marketplace. They appreciate it when you take the time - without charge or obligation -- to give them the information they need to make an intelligent choice. Putting free information on your Website or newsletter is a great way to tell them "hey, you can trust me - I know how confusing this stuff is, and I care very much that you make the right decision about buying X." "Compelling" - in today's fast paced marketing environment, you only have a couple of seconds to grab your customer by the throat and get his attention. Look at the Website of most attorneys, and what will you see? A photo, a biography, and maybe a list of articles the attorney has written for prestigious law journals (the latter obviously to impress you with the size of the lawyer's brain). Forgive me, but isn't this information pretty useless when you're thinking about hiring an attorney? Do you really care what your attorney looks like, as long as she is competent and can get the job done for you? The four things you want to know when you hire an attorney are: is the attorney experienced? has she ever done before the work I need done? can I communicate with this person? how much will it cost me? If I don't find the answers (or at least some clues) on your Website, I'm looking for another attorney! Especially if you are selling services, you have to know what your customers are looking for, and make sure they see it (and nothing else) on your Website. Finally, your sales spiel has to be "cool". People don't want to be lectured anymore - they had enough of that in school. They want to be entertained, amused, stimulated, even aroused by your advertising. The best marketing you can get on the Web is to have people e-mailing each other saying "hey, check out this guy's Website! This guy's a lawyer, but he's really down to earth and even has a sense of humor!" Tell me you're not going to look at my Website after reading that . . . Think back to your childhood, and try to remember some of the ads you saw on TV. I guarantee all the ones that will come to mind were fun, entertaining or inspirational in some way. My entire philosophy of life comes from an early 1970s commercial for Schlitz beer: "You only go around once in life, so you gotta grab all the Gusto you can!" (Remember that one, my Baby Boomer brethren? You probably haven't thought about Schlitz beer in decades, but you haven't forgotten the slogan, have you?) Giving your market the three C's - "cool, compelling content" - won't guarantee that your business will succeed. It will, however, dramatically improve your odds of getting your market's attention, and that can only be a good thing. Because if you can't keep 'em awake, you can't sell 'em anything. Cliff Ennico ( cennico@legalcareer.com ) is a syndicated columnist, author and host of the PBS television series 'Money Hunt'. His latest book is 'Small Business Survival Guide' (Adams Media, $12.95). This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state. To find out more about Cliff Ennico and other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit our Web page at www.creators.com . COPYRIGHT 2006 CLIFFORD R. ENNICO. DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.