Please critique (+ vote on) my headlines -- Thanks!...

Well, ways to find out are look at how people react to you. If you are getting the feeling that you're being misunderstood, then maybe brush up on your basic manners and behavior and monitor yourself to see if you might be making any blunders.

[Ankesh]

Originally Posted by -TW

"polarizes" the reader -- something which, by definition, LOWERS response rate(s).

Actually - polarization increases the response rate.

A. Do you want to be mediocre for 100% of the population?

B. Or do you want 10% of the population to absolutely go gaga over you while letting the other 90% hate you?

B wins almost every time.

Thats why Fox News has become the biggest news cable channel out there.

Polarization decreases the population pool*. But increases the conversion and retention rates.

* Unless you are someone like Howard Stern. People who hate Howard Stern listen to him twice as long as people who love him

----

(Not sure where I was tsk-ing any headlines... I thought your #3 was pretty good actually.)

[GordonJ]

AND bada B OO M Glenn Beck becomes an overnight sensation...his old show had an audience, but, it was after he POLARIZED the people...and got the smaller numbers but the more ARDENT followers...then other's jumped on the band wagon.

I agree with you Ankesh re polarization. I might argue INTENT comes first and is paramount to knowing why you want to polarize.

IF Glenn does polarize people, then he does so for a reason. He is very good at what he does and his fans and followers and CUSTOMERS have done him well.

I "had" that tendency many moons ago, only it was Love/Hate, not much ambivalence toward me...you should read my hate mail...

not much these days, but back then...my "opinions" were lightning rods which attracted all sorts of thunder...HA!

Now I'm old and mellow, and without opinion, and UNIVERSALLY loved too.

Ah, the UNpolarized masses of affection...have driven me to the poor house. I was better off telling people to kiss my ****...HA!

Gordon

Originally Posted by Ankesh

Actually - polarization increases the response rate.

A. Do you want to be mediocre for 100% of the population?

B. Or do you want 10% of the population to absolutely go gaga over you while letting the other 90% hate you?

B wins almost every time.

Thats why Fox News has become the biggest news cable channel out there.

----

(Not sure where I was tsk-ing any headlines... I thought your #3 was pretty good actually.)

I'm not understanding your fine distinction.

A) Bad headline... causes fewer people to read further.

B) Sales letter not written in understandable English ("martian" -- requires de-crypting)... causes fewer people to read further.

Result (in both cases), decreased results.

-- TW

PS: The audience I want to reach are... 1) Busy + 2) Speak English. I need an effective headline to break through their busy-ness filter -- AND I need my letter to be written in understandable English (not requiring them to 'learn a new hobby' to read it). I need BOTH. To my way of thinking, a "Glenn style" letter would not give me both. Yes, yes -- how do I know if I haven't TRIED it. I'm just saying -- to me, they seem not to be written in ENGLISH (even)!! But maybe that's what "heroine or LSD or crack on paper" looks like [or whatever that catch phrase he used, is]

Originally Posted by Ankesh

Actually - polarization increases the response rate.

A. Do you want to be mediocre for 100% of the population?

B. Or do you want 10% of the population to absolutely go gaga over you while letting the other 90% hate you?

B wins almost every time.

Thats why Fox News has become the biggest news cable channel out there.

Polarization decreases the population pool*. But increases the conversion and retention rates.

* Unless you are someone like Howard Stern. People who hate Howard Stern listen to him twice as long as people who love him

----

(Not sure where I was tsk-ing any headlines... I thought your #3 was pretty good actually.)

[Ankesh]

Originally Posted by -TW

I'm not understanding your fine distinction.

A) Bad headline... causes fewer people to read further.

B) Sales letter not written in understandable English ("martian" -- requires de-crypting)... causes fewer people to read further.

Result (in both cases), decreased results.

-- TW

A) Bad headline = fewer readers. But not all of these fewer readers are the right audience for your offer.

B) Polarized headline / salesletter = fewer readers. But almost all of these fewer readers are the right audience. Only those who connect with you will read on. So response rates actually increase.

That is the difference.

----

I'm in no way advocating you to copy Glenn's style. Or to even polarize your audience (I'm not much of a polarizer myself). I was just trying to explain:

I see your ebay auction descriptions -- which force me to say, "HUH?!?!" or sometimes "Who in the WORLD is taking this seriously?!?!" -- Then I see dozens of bids, rising to tremendous amounts -- AND getting 100% RAVE REVIEWS -- thus forcing me to say, "DOUBLE HUH!?!? -- CAN'T BE -- but it *IS*!!"

[Glenn]

Dear TW,

Thanks for giving us more info.

I agree with Gordon. Forget the headlines.

I've consulted with several guys who sell advertising on Pizza Boxes.

The 1st Guy in New York - Basically bribed managers and gave kickbacks.
The owner never knew. You probly don't want to imitate him. (I tried to
help him use Legit ideas)

Guy #2 - Was part owner of a Georgia radio station. So he used unsold
space to pitch his Pizza Box Advertising. (Not a good fit for you, either)

Guy #3 - You might like, however. He's in Vermont.

A - He made a list of all the retail owners in a zip code.
B - Called on the phone to check the owner/manager was there. (Heh, heh -
he had a trick question that got him the TRUTH. Tricky to splain here.)
C - Walked in the door with a Pizza Box full of ADS - EXCEPT a Deli.

The pitch was - "Are YOU going to advertise here. Or are you going to let
one of your Deli owning competitors (He showed them the list) get all this
business? - 10,000 pizza boxes go out every week.

Try that.

Forget the Headlines.

Thanks,
Glenn Osborn

P.S. - TW - I appreciate your comments. My writing makes some LAUGH
while it puzzles others.

The ones who LAUGH (& profit) - buy everything I do. Those people are my
niche market.

P.P.S. - This is the guy who made 9 Grand in 5 days from an idea in my
book. A note he just sent me. "GREETINGS, Glenn!! I have been
experimenting with some ideas in "Ugly Copywriting" that I bought. You
have added some excitement to my life."

And my Ebay -writing for money- Hobby is FUN.

Another 365 day guaranteed - best seller on Ebay...(6 visible sales and a lot
more direct to me)

"Napoleon Hill GHOST MIND - Video Book"

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ht_8176wt_1167

Hi Glenn,

This post really hits home with me. Thanks for the information.

I am particularly interested in learning what "Guy #3" said on the phone when he called to check if the owner was in.

Would you be so kind as to email me the "trick" question that got him the truth. I would sure appreciate it.

All the Best,

Monty
theloanguy2004 at yahoo

P.S. I tried to PM you but I don't yet have the necessary 10 posts.

[Glenn]

Thanks Monte,

The "Trick Question" you asked about -- changes from situation to
situation.

Basically you ask a Question that FORCES them to hunt for the boss. Or
requires the Manager to come to the phone.


In this situation we "FORCED" them to give us their fax #.

Case Study -

A customer wanted to fax a sales letter to a series of Veterinarian Clinics
in Modesto, CA.

He called me to complain.

"Nobody will give me their fax #'s."

I told him to put me on the phone with ANYBODY who said "No."

Ring Ring...

"Hello, Robbers and Thieves Veterinarian Clinic Sophie speaking."

I said, "I Owe You MONEY. But I can't read the invoice You sent me for my
wife's FUZZ FACED Monster. Can You Give Me a Fax # so I can clear this up.
And PAY You?"

Sophie says, "Sure, here's the # sir. 000-000-0000

This is what I mean by a "trick question."

If it's a CEO you want to call cold - the "Trick Question" takes some Prep
time. Clients hire me to get them on the phone with CEO's or Affluent Biz
Owners in ONE Phone call. So I've had practice.

If it's a successful business owner, you do a little research Before you call.

Each situation is Unique.

But GREED Inducing "Trick Questions" are usually safe. The SIZE of the
phone BRIBE is all that changes. And knowing what they want. AND what
keeps them awake nights. Worrying.

EZ to spot in their Trade Journals.

Glenn

Thanks for the tips Glenn.

The most useful tip I can contribute when trying to get someone on the phone, is to ask the gatekeeper "is Mr. So-and-So there?" ... not may I speak to him.

"Is Mr Osborn there? " ... somehow an unusual question. I don't know exactly why this works, but it does.

Maybe by asking if the boss "is there" it catches them off guard and you do not get the run-around and it is easier then to ask to be connected.

So what ideas do you have for the 6-Degrees theory of getting anyone in the world on the phone?

What do you do if you don't know their name before hand?