I know Paul Hancox.

Paul is a fanatical tester. He’s also an excellent copywriter.

But what you may not know is that Paul is also the creator of the very first split-testing software I’ve ever used. We’re talking, um, circa 1999, I believe. It was called “Sales Page Master Pro.” (Paul has a new version out now.)

Well, another copywriter, Paul Myers, recommended this new “report” written by Paul Hancox. I snatched it up in a heartbeat. I did because the simple title piqued my curiosity. In it you discover how to raise the conversion rate of any piece of online copy you write.

Not to 2% or 3%. Not even to 5%.

It shows you how to boost your conversion rate…

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When a sales page is not performing up to your expectations, the worst thing you can do is nothing.

In most circumstances, there are steps you can take to alter the copy to improve your results immediately. By taking action and making changes, you can strengthen your copy quickly and improve your sales conversions.

The key to this process is testing to boost your outcome.

However, when most people start testing their sales copy, they immediately think of something they can add or tweak. Or they’re confused as to what to test, particularly what to test first.

I’ve found that the best and most efficient element to test is to actually first remove the things that are stopping people from ordering. In other words…

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One of my coaching students recently asked me whether it’s better to offer a free trial or a $1 limited time trial as an incentive to sign up for a paid newsletter subscription.

The answer involves the vital role of tracking and testing throughout your entire sales funnel.

Generally speaking, a free trial is likely to convert more visitors initially, but the $1 trial may be the better choice over the long term. Such generalizations have little place in business. The only way to determine the right answer for your business is to track and test the process from beginning to end.

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The other day I was asked, “How do I motivate a potential joint venture partner to bite? When you have a great idea and you’ve located the perfect partner, how do you motivate them to do business with you?”

In my last post, I talked about the power of a USP and how to define one. Being unique, or having an interesting twist or hook, will definitely up your chances of getting noticed.

But regardless of how you approach your prospective partner, whether it’s through an email, fax, or phone call, or by snail mail or FedEx, it is important to craft the offer in a manner that shows the benefits to your joint-venture partner.

However, there are a few extra tricks to motivate a potential partner.

Here are some of them…

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Even though we decided to postpone the multimedia copywriting seminar in southern California due to the fires there, my friend, copywriter David Garfinkel, asked me about it:

“(One of my coaching students) asked if you will share detailed test results like what to say vs. what not to say, what to wear in video, and other nitty-gritty like that, at your seminar when you reschedule it. Those would be excellent points to cover for a serious direct marketer. Anything you’d like me to tell him?”

Valid question. So here’s the answer I gave him, along with a few tips…

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I feel kinda bad.

Julie Isaac, who commented on a previous blog post in which I said I was preparing for my upcoming Web 2.0 copywriting workshop, was upset with me. And for good reason, too. Here’s what she said:

This is the first time, since you announced it in May, that I’ve seen you write about your Web 2.0 Copywriting workshop. Are you still planning it for the weekend of November 10th? I’ve been holding that weekend open since I heard your plans, but finally gave up, figuring you must have postponed it. Just last week, I signed up for something else that weekend. Please tell me I’m not going to miss your workshop!!!

Sorry to dissapoint you, Julie. But yes, the seminar is indeed that weekend.

The salesletter is not up yet, but if this seminar interests you, you can certainly go there now and join the notification list. That way, you will be notified as soon as the web page is up so you can register…

Click here for the Web 2.0 Copywriting workshop.

(You gotta see what Dan O’Day has in store for you… He shared it with me last night on the phone, and it blew me away! You’re going to love this event. Plus, with Google Audio Ads coming out, his stuff is very timely.)

Writing copy seems to bring out the perfectionist in everyone. It doesn’t seem to matter if you’re writing a short letter, long letter, emails, or anything else. Before you publish your copy for the whole world to see, you want to make sure every word is perfect.

Such careful attention is a good thing. Making a sale is a fragile process. Sometimes a single word can make or break your promotion.

Let me give you a real example.

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