Is Your Photo on Every Sales Letter?
Earlier this week I realized I had been doing something very stupid... leaving my photo OFF of my sales letter!
Seriously, you already go to the trouble of adding your photo to Facebook and MySpace...
Why Aren't You Doing the Same Thing on Your Sales Letter?
I noticed this when I attended my first internet marketing luncheon. It was just a warrior lunchtime get together in New Jersey (I flew down from California to New York City for the weekend just to attend).
Immediately I recognized Mike Ambrosio and said hello to him... because his photo is on all of his sales letters! I also recognized Mike Merz, and of course when Mike Filsaime showed up, he was surrounded by so many groupies, no one could go talk to him. (So many Mikes.)
So... I knew who three people were, but the other 50-ish people were total strangers.
At the Warrior Event in Austin this April: I recognized Willie Crawford (his picture is EVERYWHERE) and Dr. Ron Capps the NicheProf, Marlon Sanders and Jason Fladlien... but again, that was about it!
Even some of the speakers were people I'd heard of... I'd read their sites, responded to them in forums, but didn't recognize them.
For that reason, I went through all of my sales letters this week and added my kisser to them.
On some sales letters I was able to do an "align=right" and place it to the right of the text, but sometimes I just gave up, centered that image, and placed it below my signature line at the bottom of the page.
Can You Please Do the Same on Your Sales Letter?
I'm not saying adding your photo will get you recognized instantly at real-world seminars. At the very least it will remind your potential customers reading that sales letter, that you're a real person.
You don't have to be wearing a suit or a hawaiian shirt... any picture will do.
- If it's a family photo, crop the image so it only shows you -- that way your kids aren't appearing on your sales letter.
- If you look like crap, crop the image even more so it only shows your head.
- If you think you're ugly, resize the photo of you down to 100x100 pixels.
- If you don't even have a digital camera, find a friend with a camera phone.
You have every reason to post your photo on a sales letter. Stop procrastinating and just do it.
Please comment below and tell me when you finally realized you needed to have your photo on your sales letters.
If you don't have your photo on there yet, add your photo to your sales page and post the URL here for all of us to look at.
Filed in: Copywriting
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Robert,
Hey thanks for the reminder. I have my picture on my blog, forums and any social sites. I even added my pictures to my offline sales letters, and advertising.
I’m not sure why I didn’t add my picture to my sales letters online. I’m going back and add them now.
I know Keith… I have had my picture on those other sites for years and years… and I have been reading advice telling me to put my photo on my sales letters for YEARS as well. I’ve just never done it.
I’m sure many people will read this blog post and let me down by not adding their photo as well.
Good job. At the Warrior Event last month, I must have been given at LEAST fifty business cards.
Only two of them had photos — Don Schenk and Jeanette Cates.
Guess what… I still remember those two faces, I remember their web sites, what we spoke about, and what their web site URLs are. I can’t say the same for the other 48.
Hi Robert
Good one. I didn’t even have a head shot on my own blog ( aarondwyer.com ) let alone my sales letters.
I’ve fixed that now. I’ll have to change my blog theme at some point to suit it better, but for now at least I’m there.
Sales letters are more forgiving and you can put your mug shot anywhere. I have place mine at the bottom of my sales letters.
Thanks
Aaron
Your name associated with your picture is your logo.
It’s the best branding possible.
Thanks for the tip. My only concern is that, with a face as beautiful as mine, if I were to put it in the typical places (the header or left-justified in the first paragraph), my visitors might never read the sales letter! (Even though all the sales letters I write are absolutely trance-like in the compelling magnetism that they exude, like, all over the darned place!) (Help me!)
I imagine that I could put pictures of myself down at the P.S… or maybe I could offer them as a one-time-offer for a bonus!
Wow! Now that makes sense! Thanks Robert! I’ll do this right away!
Say “Hi” to your mom for me!
Eh, who says it has to be a “kisser”. :::big grin:::
Yep – I need to do the same Robert – you’re right – it gives identity. Also helps people to place that “kisser” with the name. My pic seems to be everywhere to me, but I rarely add it to sales pages. Mostly blog, forum avatars, etc. but my mug is also on my oldest site.
Best get busy, because it DOES help people know who you are. 😉
Thanks!
Michelle
I already do it Robert. In fact I have a huge mugshot in the header of every page on my website.
Now I’m not under any illusion that my gorgeous looks are going to create sales.. :-), it’s more the fact that your photo personalizes your offer, your site and most of all you. People know you exist, what you look like and can even look into your eyes if they wish.
Excellent advice Robert. You should always add a photo.
Cheers,
Ric
I’ve been adding photos to my various pages recently, and replaced an old photo with a much better looking one.
I used to get so many emails from faceless marketers, but it does make a difference when you can see their face – it’s much easier to remember who they are.
I have my photo on most of my things – sales letters, blogs, news letters etc., and I have had that for years, three or four, I think.
Why I got the idea? I cannot remember, but I think I figured that if people were to do any kind of business with me, they should at least have an idea about how I look, so that they would better remember me.
I’ve been recommending this for years, and my hairy face is on every sales page, blog, forum profile, Skype, my online TV show, you name it. You cannot run a truly successful business as a non-entity. People want to deal with people.
Oh seriously Kevin… I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sales letter from you WITHOUT your face on it. When you go to IM seminars you must get recognized heck of a lot.
I have always done and every sales letter I have written and/or published for my clients has their photo on it as well. It’s an important part of the relationship building process.
I am now starting to use video as well in some cases and for the same reason.
Great post, Robert!
Forgot to mention Robert.. I even have my mug shot on my Twitter page.. (RicRaftis)
Cheers,
I used to have my picture in a few places, but one of my customers told me they always put my one of my sites up on display as it kept the kids away from the PC 🙁
I can see how seeing my face may help people identify with me, and gain their trust more. I am going to have to give it a try.
Thanks
Douglas Titchmarsh
OK I started with http://cashinonline.info and placed my “kisser” in a widget on the sidebar.
Douglas Titchmarsh
Great post, Robert! Posting your picture everywhere really promotes relationship building.
I really like your tips on how to make it more palatable (cropping, resizing). Or you could just post a picture of your pet as I have seen some do. But then you would have to take the pet to IM meetings if you wanted to be recognized… LOL
Live joyfully!
Janis
Is Your Photo on Every Sales Letter? Excellent question and point Plank! For someone reason people lose the personal touch when they transition form social networks to sales page…
Many beginning entrepreneurs start online because they believe it’s a cheaper and easier way to make money. Yes cheaper… Easier no…
The main advantage offline businesses have over online is the “Face To Face”. There is nowhere to hide when a customer walks through the doors of your brick and mortar establishment. Without customer service and a personable presence the sales process becomes much more difficult.
Show your face as much as possible when it comes to anything you’re involved with online! Customers NEED that
Action Is The Key To Success… Are You In Motion?
TheoBaskind.com
P.S. Thanks for the typo correction on my blog post, that was real cool of way my marketing Ninja!
Robert,
now you need to split-test different mugs (informal, posed, jail-style mug…) and see which ones do a better job of converting…
So, Robert, how do I log-in to your site to put MY photo in my posts on THIS forum. I see a log in button, but no Register button so I can sign in as a new user and create a password.
Thanks,
David
David,
Register at gravatar.com and your picture will show up not just on this site, but on a LOT of other blogs where you leave comments using that same e-mail address.