Affiliate Marketing For Newbies

Most marketers  fail to use what I call “upwords.” It’s an acronym that means…

“Universal Picture Words Or Relatable, Descriptive Sentences.”

Upwords are words that paint vivid pictures in the mind, or expressions that describe an idea to which the mind of your reader (or prospect) can quickly and easily relate to.

The mind hates confusion.

It will naturally translate words or phrases into something it can refer back to, something it already knows, often rapidly and unconsciously, in order to understand what it is told.

For instance, if I told you to think of a garbage can, you’re not going to think of the word “garbage can” or the letters “G,” “A,” “R,” “B,” “A,” “G,” “E,” etc. If I asked you to think of a garbage can your mind will automatically visualize some sort of garbage can.

The Mind remembers pictures not words.

Microsoft and MacIntosh dominate the marketplace in operating systems because, rather than typing some elaborate command for your computer to execute, you can simply use your mouse, point to an icon that represents the command or program, and click.

Icons represent commands, which, when clicked on, are translated into programs (i.e., codes or computer languages) that the computer can understand and execute.

In many ways, the mind works very much like a computer does.

People who know little about computers will likely have a difficult time understanding the various written commands, scripts, and codes that the computer needs to process. Although, most of us can easily identify the icons that symbolize them.

Actually, the brain instantly translates the information it receives into something it can easily understand and act upon — something it already knows and can easily refer to.

Rest assured, there is always a translation process going on.

As we write our copy for our audiences, we must be aware of that. We must be aware of how our readers will “decode” the message we are trying to communicate — hopefully, they will decode it in the way we intended when we “encoded” it in the first place.

The challenge facing most marketers is to ensure that their copy is encoded in the right way — so that it communicates effectively to its audience, especially when getting that message and its benefits across is at the heart of making profitable sales.

So, we must put ourselves in our reader’s shoes.

It is imperative that we  communicate using words, phrases, and a language that the vast majority of people in your target market can easily understand and relate.

So, the more you use upwords in your copy, the more your reader will not only be able to visualize and grasp the message you’re trying to convey, but also appreciate that message at a deeper, more intimate, and more visceral level.

Upwords are words and phrases that help messages to be easily read, understood and interpreted by the majority of the people to whom the message is targeted, like with the use of mental imagery, examples, analogies, metaphors, picture words, etc.

That way, their brains have something they can remember, picture, refer back to, and relate with.

Many tend to communicate in a language that only a few understand. If you’re a programmer selling your services to business owners, and your copy is laced with technical jargon that only geeks will understand, you will obviously do very poorly.

Speak their language!

This is a step beyond using simple industry buzz­words and niche-related jargon your audience is used to and comfortable with. You should also mold your message in a way that it can be easily understood by your target market.

If your market consists of artists, use art examples. If it’s comprised of managers, use business analogies. If it’s made up of fishing aficionados, use fishing metaphors. If you are speaking to rose gardeners you could say:

“Your clients are like fresh roses; they need to be handled efficiently. But if handled improperly, they can prick and hurt your business, or simply wilt away.”

There are many more ways of apply­ing upwords to your sales copy. Here are some brief examples of how to mold your message in order to communicate more effectively…

1) Repetitious Words

As the adage goes, “Repetition is the parent of learning.”

Repetition aids comprehension and increases retention, especially of complex or critical ideas. But the objective is not to repeat the same words over and over. It’s to use different examples to illustrate your point and drive the idea home.

So, substitute certain words with synonyms and add new pieces of information each time the idea is repeated. Here’s an example to show you. In order to drive the idea that privacy policies on a website help to increase sales, it can be repeated with:

* “Privacy policies promote purchases,”
* “Privacy statements increase sales,”
* “Confidentiality is a key to online success,”
* “Posting a privacy policy is profitable,” etc.

2) Emotional Words

Words are not messages in themselves. They are symbols. They are chosen in order to symbolize the message we intend to say and hopefully get others to understand.

Different words mean different things to different people. As such, they can be interpreted differently. While several words can be used to communicate a single message, your choice of words is the most important decision you will ever make.

Words can actually alter the impact of your message. For example:

* Instead of “cost,” say “investment,”
* Instead of beautiful “teeth,” say beautiful “smiles,”
* Instead of “skinny,” say “slim” or “slender,”
* Instead of “products” or “services,” say “solutions,”
* Instead of “cost-effective,” say “return on investment,”
* And instead of “house,” say “home.”

3) Positive Words

“Avoid using negative words — say what it is, instead of what it is not.

Our brains need a goal in order to function.

For example, if I told you to not think of a white roses, you will have hard time since your brain needs a goal. It will naturally picture what it is supposed to avoid. The mind needs a reference point and will tend to think about what it is being suggested.

On the other hand, if I asked you to think of a pink roses instead of a white one, you will think of a pink rose. (And you won’t think of a white one!) I gave your mind a goal rather than taking one away from it. I replaced it, in other words.

By stating what something is not can be counterproductive since it is still directing the mind, albeit in the opposite way. If I told you most dental work is painless, you’ll still focus on “pain” in the word “painless,” even though painless has a positive meaning.

Here are some examples of using positive words:

* Instead of saying “inexpensive,” say “economical,”
* Instead of “this proceure is virtually painless,” say “there’s little discomfort,”
* And instead of “this software is error free,” say “consistent” or “stable.”

Also, one of the most negative words we use is the word “but.”

“Buts” can turn any message, which in essence may be positive, into a negative. Plus, a statement followed by the word “but” can subtly communicate that what was said up to that point was a lie or unimportant, and what follows is the truth or the real message.

We are all different. We all come from different backgrounds. We each have a unique education, experience, and environment. They all condition our thinking.

So use analogies, metaphors, and imagery in your copy that will make your message easier to grasp by the majority of your market and you will experience a new level of effectiveness in your copy.

Then go out and Communicate!