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"Once Upon a Time..."
Using Stories in Advertising
by Kath Blackwell
Every new webmaster asks the question, "how do you successfully market adult Web sites?"
Human beings are born suckers for a good story. We use stories all the time to illustrate concepts, express our feelings, to teach lessons to our children and to better understand complex thoughts or ideas. For most of us, finding a character with which we can identify helps to bring the message home better than just merely stating the facts. It is because of this instinctive human quality that advertising methods that draw the potential customer in through illustrations, stories and real-life testimonials- work so well.
We can all think of the late-night infomercials that catch the attention of the insomniac viewers. They target the lifestyle of the average after midnight viewer - generally overweight, oversexed and overly impressionable- with pop-culture television. Those late-night ads do well overall, not just because they are cheaper to air during off-peak hours, but because the type of viewers who respond well to them are still up watching television at that time. Draw them into your story, feed them the propaganda about the product or service, and they will respond by making the purchase.
WRITING YOUR STORY AD
Creating a successful marketing story can sound like a difficult task, but once you are able to understand all of the methods and purpose behind this approach, it really is very simple.
A successful story should contain five very basic elements:
1 - Characters that are likeable, average and appealing to the target audience.
2 - A story that persuades by either validating something that the consumer already wants, or by changing the consumer's mind about something, and convincing them that they need the product or service.
3 - A "real life" experience or example, that makes the character and the character's situation seem more real.
4 - Solid examples throughout the story illustrating how the product or service has changed and improved the character's life in some way; or examples of how "bad" the character's life was without the product or service.
5 - A moral to the story or a "happy ending" with the product or service as the focal point of that positive ending.
Depending upon the product or service you are selling, you will want to target your audience. Use terms, buzz words and situations that your consumers will understand and with which they will identify. For example, if you are selling a higher priced site, you most likely will not appeal to your surfers by using lower-class methods or stories. A story about a poor man who couldn't afford a membership to your site, but then discovered that he could get a special trial membership wouldn't appeal to your high-end surfers - and would most likely end up in cancelled memberships once your trial membership was over. However, a story about a man who had everything but still wanted something more, discovered all of the wonders and features that your site can offer at a reasonable rate of $29.95 per month, with membership breaks for 6-month or annual-rate members would work.
There are three different points of view that can be used when writing story-based advertising. One is that of the "personal testimony." Write it as if the situation happened to you personally - perhaps even "signing" the testimonial giving a fake name, city and state. This is often referred to as the "true confessions" approach, where the narrator confesses a problem, secret problem, or thought to the reader. You can also use the personal approach as a personal invitation. We've all seen the, "hi, my name is _____. Come see me and my friends get naked in our dorm room!" type ads. Believe it or not - they actually work to some degree. Story ads however, expand upon this simple use of storytelling to create more than just a simple beckoning quote. They use the art of personal touch to pull the reader into the situation or scenario to persuade them not just to click to see "me and my friends get naked," but to want to buy the product or service as a whole.
The second is that of the third-party story. Telling what happened as a third party observer of a situation or scenario can be a good way to get your point across - and give you a little bit more creative license and freedom than direct quotes and experiences can offer. This can be one of the easiest ways to write story advertising, but because this approach isn't as personalized as the first or the last examples, it isn't always the most successful way.
The final approach is that of the "friend story." Telling about something that happened to a close friend really catches the reader's attention because it's as if you are giving them information that was perhaps given to you in confidence. People are attracted to personal stories, secret indulgences and other typically not-for-public-knowledge situations. They like knowing what goes on behind closed doors and use that knowledge to validate their own feelings or consumer impulses. By hearing that Joe Blow had the same interests or hang-ups as they do, the consumer will feel more comfortable about making the same purchases as Joe Blow did, just because of that self-identification within that particular character.
MAKING THE SALE THROUGH THE STORY AD
Now that you have your idea, your basic methods of story ad writing - and have an understanding of how to "voice" your story ad, let's talk about making that sale. Selling the product through the story is more than just telling the consumer what you are selling, stating the price and providing a sign-up link. You need to persuade the potential customer that he/she needs what you are selling and that they should whip out that credit card right here and now. No they don't NEED to wait for payday - they should use that credit line and purchase it now because they NEED it.
The art of persuasion - and it really IS an art - is more than just telling someone that they need something. It's about overcoming objections before they are raised. It's countering any negative reactions and smoothing them out so that the transaction is ultimately completed. Think about what your surfers might object to, when considering that purchase, and find creative ways to counteract those negative feelings.
When you get right down to it, most Internet purchases are totally impulse based. Surfers click, click, click their way through the 'Net, impulsively moving from site to site, gallery to gallery, picture to picture and then banner to banner. They point, click and choose, based upon their initial reactions to something on that page. Find out what that something is that makes them click in the first place, and use it in your final push to make the sale. Capitalize on their wants, needs and first-reaction desires, and half the battle is won.
The next objection that generally comes up is that of payment and/or price. Making sure that you are marketing to many different levels of income is a very important part of this process. Having choices of payment - like credit card, online check services, Pay Pal 'type' programs and/or dialer services - can definitely enhance your chances of conversion.
Offering choices of membership billing can also improve sign-ups. Giving a weekly trial, monthly membership and multi-month discount will ensure that a wide variety of surfers' needs are being met. Painting a text picture of a happy customer who was able to purchase your product or service on his terms is a great "happy ending" to your story ad. Use it cautiously and wisely, without pushing or pressuring, and you will find your sign-ups and recurring ratios increase.
EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF STORY ADS
Using the same product - dubbed PRODUCT X - this section will illustrate examples of the different types of story ads that can be written to target your specific audience, product and program. The example used is a tangible product, but these examples and methods can be used to sell memberships to sites, monthly services and downloadable programs just as easily. You can modify any of these examples to match what you are selling.
This first example is that of the personal testimony. Make sure to watch your grammar carefully, and ensure that the story ad continues in first person "story telling" fashion throughout.
"My wife and I have been having problems in our marriage lately. Sexual problems. We both work long hours at tedious jobs and when we come home in the evenings, neither one of us is really sexually aroused. After being married only a few short years, both of us had resigned ourselves to having sex once a week and only on the weekends.
"That was, of cours,e until I found PRODUCT X on the Internet. They had formulas for both men and women that not only increased our sex drives but gave us better, hotter sex as well! My wife had five orgasms the first night we tried PRODUCT X and I stayed hard for hours! The sex was so good - it was even better than when we first got together.
"The best part is that I was able to order it online from the privacy of my own home. PRODUCT X, ships in a plain brown package, with no embarrassing return addresses or company names. That's very important to both my wife and I. I could use my credit card or an online check for payment - they even had a subscription service available, so that we would never run out of PRODUCT X when we needed it the most.
"Now my wife and I have sex four or five times weekly, even after a hard day at work. Our marriage has improved and - did I say our sex life has, too? I owe it all to PRODUCT X. It has truly changed our lives."
Bill Princeton
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA
The second example is that of the third-party observer. Someone totally unrelated to the characters involved in the story that can offer a "birds eye view" into how the product or service was beneficial to the customer.
"Bob and his wife Tracy have been having problems with their marriage lately. Both work long hours at tedious jobs and by the time they come home at the end of the day, neither is really sexually aroused. They tried sex videos, erotic books - even went to visit a marriage counselor. After being married only a few short years, they had both just given up, and settled for having sex once a week, and only on the weekends.
"Then Bob and Tracy found PRODUCT X on the Internet. PRODUCT X has formulas for both men and women that not only increase your sex drive but can improve your overall sex life as well! After just one use, Bob and Tracy's marriage was back on track and they began enjoying sex several times each week.
"PRODUCT X can be ordered online from the privacy of your own home, and is shipped in a plain brown package with no embarrassing return addresses or company names. Privacy is very important to Bob and Tracy - and it should be to you, as well. You can use your credit card or an online check for payment - they even have a subscription service available, so that you'll never run out of PRODUCT X when you need it the most.
"Your life can change too - just like Bob's and Tracy's - with the help of PRODUCT X. Check it out today, and find out why PRODUCT X is responsible for improving the sex lives of thousands of customers every week!"
The final example is that of the "friend story" - the testimonial of the friend who gives you his/her insider thoughts on how well the product or service worked for a friend. Make sure to write this type of story ad as though you truly know the characters that are being spoken of - and write it in real words to make it seem more "real" to the reader.
"My best friend Bob and his wife Tracy were having problems with their marriage. You know - sex problems. Bob said that Tracy was never interested in sex anymore and that sometimes he was even too tired from work to get in the mood. They tried watching videos, saw a doctor - nothing could get Tracy turned on. Bob was freaking out and thought his marriage was over.
"One day Bob found an ad on the Internet for a product called PRODUCT X. PRODUCT X has formulas for both men and women that not only increase your sex drive but can improve your sex life as well! Bob told me that right away after the first day they got PRODUCT X Tracy had five orgasms and that he stayed hard for hours! They were having better sex than they'd had in years!
"The cool thing is that Bob ordered PRODUCT X online from the privacy of his own home, and it was shipped in a plain brown package with no embarrassing return addresses or company names. Bob liked it so much and said it was so easy to order and use that I ordered myself a bottle of PRODUCT X. It really was easy! You can use your credit card or an online check for payment - they even have a subscription service available so that you'll never run out of PRODUCT X when you need it the most.
"If PRODUCT X could save my buddy Bob's marriage and give him the best sex he's had in years, then it's definitely going to work wonders for me!"
WHERE AND HOW TO USE STORY ADS
Finding the best placement and usage methods for these story ads can also be a tricky task. A lot of story ads end up as spam - deleted without being read in half a heartbeat by most who receive them. If you put a lot of work into your story ad and really flesh it out, giving your readers something to identify with and become interested in, you don't want to waste it as spam.
Some story lines are used right on the tours - just broken down into paragraphs to go with the photos, picture ads and other sales tools. This method seems to work well. I've read some excellent usage of story ads from the point-of-view of the photographer, especially on amateur sites. You've seen the "my girlfriend's pics" approach, but some of these sites really get involved. True confessions from an adult photographer - talking about how fussy the models are, how many models they've known intimately during and after shoots, how they picked up the models in the first place - all of that information can be a story-ad turn-on to your surfers. Think about the niche you are selling, what makes it attractive to your surfers, and expand on it. Create a realistic fantasy story that will pull them in and sell them on your site or product.
Another excellent use of story ads that I've seen has been in newsletters or opt-in mailers. Notice I say "opt-in" mailers - not spam mailings. The reason these story ads work better in opt-in mailers is because you've already gained your readers' trust. They've signed up to receive this mailing ON THEIR OWN and by their own CHOICE - not just selected off some purchased list of names and addresses. They will be more receptive to your story ad and will believe it more than just some spam in the mail. You could even make your story ad be a "true confession" column not unlike the personal stories written to Playboy and other men's magazines. Be creative! Make your characters believable with interests, worries, concerns and problems that your surfers can identify with. Then create a happy ending with your product or program as the hero. By the time we get to "happily ever after," your surfers should be sold.
If not...you can always flip them into console hell and make them pay for not enjoying your creative writing experience. As an adult webmaster, you always have lots of options and opportunities. Go that extra mile to get that extra sale. I'm sure you'll agree that a little creative writing can go a long way toward increasing your overall conversions. And then you'll truly be "happily ever after," as you make your way to cash that big check!
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