This month, I was the guest copywriting expert for the Agora Financial Copy Call. Each call focuses on breaking down a promotion or features a copywriting technique. I brought the list of what they must believe, and you can see it below.
I learned this strategy from Dan Kennedy. He taught it as a copywriting trick to create a sales letter that outperforms what a client is currently using. You start by creating a list of what the customer must believe to buy your client’s product. Next, you break apart their current sales letter to identify the beliefs that are currently included. Then, you write sales copy to communicate the beliefs that were left out, if any. Finally, you put the sales letter back together and test it.
I use this strategy to create Member On Ramp™ sequences. These are the series of emails, welcome packages, and videos you send your newest members to get them up to speed within your membership. Most membership marketers make the mistake of telling about their product, giving them a bunch of step-by-step instructions, or delivering a ton of content. Rather than talking about what you deliver, focus on what your members must believe to become your long-term members. This is what your Member On Ramp™ is all about.
For instance, if you publish a newsletter that reveals investment information, here’s a quick list of what your members must believe to buy and renew their subscription membership in your publication:
12 Beliefs to Buy Financial Product
- It is possible to beat the markets.
- Earning a higher rate of return than the market is a good thing to do.
- Other investors regularly beat markets.
- It is possible for ME to beat the market.
- If I try, it’s highly likely that I’ll succeed.
- The other times I’ve lost money or earned poor returns are not my fault.
- I have enough education, experience, and time to be successful at this.
- Market conditions are perfect for this opportunity TODAY.
- Today is the right time for ME to start.
- This is the right opportunity for my investment goals.
- I’ll be a hero to my family and the envy of my friends when I succeed with this.
- This is more interesting and exciting than all the other media I have access to.
This may not make a lot of sense if you aren’t in a financial product business, which is highly likely. I present it as an example to pose this question to you: What must your members believe to become your long-term members?
This is what your Member On Ramp™ must focus on. For instance, financial publishers must teach their customers it is possible to outperform the ups and downs of the market and show examples. These financial publishers must go up against an entire world of information that says the opposite. They must prove it is true or the customer will quit the subscription and put their money in an index fund instead.
There is also a long list of competing ideas that prevent your members from engaging in your membership subscription. The difference between the new members that reach the Retention Point™ and those who drift away forever are the beliefs they hold about the world and your role within it.
How you welcome your new members determines whether or not you’ll succeed through the Credit Card Moment of Truth to reach the Retention Point™. Your Member On Ramp™ must focus as much time and effort on teaching your new members what to believe as it teaches what you deliver. How does your Member On Ramp™ compare?
