The most important thing that nobody talks about...?

Rick Duris recently hit it out of the park with these two threads.

http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...g-twitter.html

http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...pywriting.html

Looks like Rick deleted his post of keyword research. Damn shame, I had that one bookmarked.

Awesome, thanks!

Any other advice out there?

Does anyone hire any sort of outsourced research as well? Stats etc?

I have used market research firms before, and they are quite useful, but very expensive. I find that the best way to understand your target market is to go where they hang out, and be a fly on the wall. For instance, when I write for the mom market, I compile a list of blogs where my type of mom (e.g., Latino moms, or breadwinner moms or moms with autistic kids, etc.) is inclined to go and let loose, and I read through the posts and the comments. You'd be amazed how candid and effusive a person is when there is anonymity. You also begin to see a pattern which you can then use to write a compelling piece that hits it out of the park. Good luck.

Also:Kristalytics |Underground

These guys exhibitioned this service on stage at Carlton's last Action Seminar.

The audience was pretty blown away at the amount of info they could gather on a person (or niche) - basically instantly.

It was actually a little terrifying.

With local tradespeople, your best research will be interviews with the owner, his or her staff, and their customers. Often the owner has certain beliefs about the business while the staff and clients have a completely different take.

As an outsider you'll quickly see common themes emerge in the conversations. Inside those comments are the real reasons people patronize that business, and the reasons they don't. From there you can craft the USP. Every marketing, copy, and operational decision moving forward flows from that USP.

Dexx,

End your search, now!

Glenn Livingston @
Hyper Responsive Marketing Secrets

not an affiliate link.

Lately, the only thing I've been interested in is what people will respond to and how they're already responding to what's out there.

Like in this video...

Day #5: Niche Market Research for Optimal Reader Response | VQ Success Mastermind Community

I talk what I do for article writing research for the products I sell in the weight loss niche, the men's dating niche and the investing niche. I don't care what keywords are getting the most traffic and rankings.

I'm interested in responses.

No point in research that gets lots of rankings and eyeballs on your site, but doesn't solicit responses and make connections with people.

Create thing about the internet is we can "spy" on what people are responding to, how they're responding to it and use THEIR words in our copy. People are more easily persuaded by ideas they arrived at on their own than they are but ideas we try and sell to them.

It's a classic appeal their their need for validation.

Application of the Law of Validation | 21 Immutable Laws of Persuasion

Interesting thing is when you look at what people are liking, tweeting, sharing and Google +1'ing, you get a more honest answer about what they'll respond to than you'll get by asking them.

This is a copywriting research checklist that will help you save time:
1. DESCRIPTION. What is the product or service you want to sell? 2. PURPOSE. What does the product do? What’s the “big idea” behind it?
3. FEATURES. What do you know about it? Facts, statistics, specifications?
4. BENEFITS. What will it do for people? Does it solve a problem, save money, save time, make a task easier?
5. UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION. What is it about this product that is really different, new, better, unique?
6. COMPETITION. Can you describe similar products?
7. POSITIONING. How does this product fit into the market relative to competitors?
8. YOUR COMPANY. Does the company have a special history, unique owner, awards?
9. PRICE. How much does it cost?
10. SAMPLE. Can you look at it or try it for yourself?
11. PROSPECT. Male or female? Income level? Family situation? Lifestyle and general description? In business, what is his/her title/responsibility? Biggest concerns, fears, attitudes? How will he/she use your product to get ahead or to keep from falling behind? For consumers, what main interest/desire/action does it appeal to?
12. SECONDARY PROSPECTS. Who else might want this product?
13. OBJECTIONS. Why would someone NOT want this product?
14. TESTIMONIALS & ENDORSEMENTS. Letters from happy users? Media coverage? Celebrity endorsements?
15. COMPLAINTS. Letters from unhappy customers? Phone calls?
16. ASSIGNMENT. Print ad? Direct mail? E-mail? Brochure? Insert? Broadcast spot? Complete campaign?
17. OBJECTIVE. Inquiries or leads? Direct sales? Traffic building? List building?
18. OFFER. Free trial? Introductory price? Premium? Time limit? Free information?
19. CALL TO ACTION. How will you ask for the order?
20. BUDGET. How much can be spent on this promotion?
21. SCHEDULE. When does this need to be done?
22. LISTS/MEDIA. What have you used in the past? What worked and what didn’t? What statistics do you have?
23. SAMPLES OF PAST PROMOTIONS. Winners and losers?
24. TESTS. Will you test lists, offers, price, creative, etc.?
25. REQUIRED COPY POINTS. What information or legal copy must be included?
26. TABOOS. What can never be said or promised?
27. RESTRICTIONS. Are there parameters you must work within?
28. METHOD OF PAYMENT. Check? Credit card? Purchase order? Bill me later? Installments?
29. METHOD OF ORDERING. Mail? Phone? Fax? Online?
30. GUARANTEE. What are the exact terms of the guarantee?
31. OTHER. What else is important? Research and background material? Demographic studies? Focus group reports? Creative briefs?
32. BACKGROUND READING / PEOPLE TO TALK TO.