Ok copywriters, here's a fun activity:

I just composed my latest email to my traders, blasting it out now as we speak.

I carefully used several triggers from Cialdini's "Influence" book in it, with the goal of boosting survey responses and sales conversions significantly.

How many can *you* identify? All in fun... let's see what ya all come up with. It's great being able to spend 2-3 hours on an email and make thousands in return... very cool stuff.


enjoy,

Ken

CIALDINI "INFLUENCE" QUIZ: What Elements Can YOU Spot Hard At Work In This Professionally-Crafted Email, sent out to over 7,000 active traders??

p.s. I changed the actual urls to generic (URL) since they're not relevant to this discussion....

===================
Daytrading University: As seen in CBS Marketwatch,
theStreet.com, Active Trader Magazine, the Online
Trading Expo, eSignal "Trading with the Masters"
and more...

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
ChartSCANS Active Traders' Newsletter
July 5th, 2006 -- Issue 273

VIDEO CHARTS of the WEEK: Watch a sizzling-hot 15 minute
full video trading lesson as my gift, featuring these
volatile stocks: HANS, ATHR, and TZOO (plus alerts for
tomorrow's opening bell!)

Take a quick survey, (and get the video download link!)
right here:

http://(URL)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Dear Trader,

I hope you all had a peaceful holiday weekend. Did you
see how the NASDAQ meltdown continued this morning on
the open? A swiftly screeching 27+ point drop early in
the session. Booyah *this*! And it gets even better...

Now let me share a couple of tips on how I'm looking
at trade entries in 3 volatile stocks. I even reveal
specific (papertrading) entry triggers for HANS, ATHR
and TZOO for Tomorrow's market, today... and it's
yours as my gift.

But I'm gonna ask for your help, and fill out a quick
60-second survey. The VIDEO link is at the Bottom of
the survey page. I recorded it today (hollywood quality!)
for you, in the hopes that you'll reciprocate by filling
in 6 quick questions, telling me what you need from
trading alerts...

Why? Because we're expanding the ChartSCANS service
even further this month, and I want to make sure we're
on the right track, to deliver exactly what you're looking
for.

Here's the survey + your video download link:

http://(URL)

What you'll see is 6 survey questions (including a funny
one to do with Austin Powers and YOUR "Trading Mojo"....
- yeah baby!)... You're gonna love it.

And what you'll also prize, is the full 15-minute video
trading lesson I recorded today. The download link
is at the bottom of the survey -- I'm providing it on
the "honor system", and hope that the good karma you
get from answering the "Quick 6" questions, will pay
off bigtime for you in what's revealed in that video.

Oh and by the way, it's 32 megs, .wmv crystal-clear format,
so grab it now (I think the survey still says 11 megs, I
added new content to the video, it should say 32 megs,
because I just expanded the video; it's power-packed with
precision trading tips you've gotta see to believe).

This is one video that *every active trader* should get
their hot little hands on right now - so bop on over to
the page at:

http://(URL)

and download the video - the link is there at the bottom.

And fill out the quick survey first, because I need to
know what you're looking for, from the chartscans.com
type swing and intraday trading alerts memberships.

Enjoy, and learn how it's done.


See you at the top,

Ken Calhoun, President
DaytradingUniversity.com
888-414-5055


----------------------------------------
Copyright 2000-2006 Daytrading University.
All rights reserved. Disclaimer: All alerts are
for learning/educational purposes only and
are not to be construed as an offer to buy
nor sell equities. You are receiving this
email as part of our opt-in list. Reply with
"remove" to unsubscribe. You hereby agree
to all terms in www.daytradingu.com/disclaim.htm
by reading these materials. This is not to be
construed as investment advice; make no
trading decisions based on this data.
There is a very high degree of risk involved
in any type of trading. Mail address:
PO Box 63405 Colorado Springs, CO 80920
888-414-5055 Our privacy statement can
be found at www.daytradingu.com/privacy.htm
Your email is kept 100% private.

Best wishes for successful trading!
-----------------------------------------

P.S. If you haven't yet secured your own
7-DVD "Traders' Secrets" system, there's less
than 95 of 'em left at the current price...
See the video previews now, at:

http://www.url.com

Best wishes!

reciprocity (although it's kind of backwards - you're supposed to make the gift BEFORE you ask for something)

commitment and consistency (I guess - make them "commit" by taking the survey (small effort), then sell them stuff (consistency))

Not "kind of backwards" Francis. . .it is backwards. If you've read and comprehended the book (as you have done) you'd know it's backwards. Therefore "reciprocity" as written in "Influence" could not be one of the "hooks" used by Ken.

ok then, it's backwards. very backwards.

the second one is far fetched too, because c&c goes beyond a simple email.

And a salesletter is "by default" stuffed with tons of "influence triggers" (like authority or social proof) so it's not really spectacular.

but in case there are other "triggers" I've missed, I'd like to know where they are. They're not very obvious to me.

Well, you used "commitment" by asking them to "fill out a quick
60-second survey"
and you used "Receiprocation" by giving them the free gift in exchange.
JayKay does have a point about giving the gift first.
What you should do is send them straight to the free stuff, and on the download page have a headline saying "Could I ask you to help me out by filling in this quick little survery blah blah" . Most will fill too guilty no to fill out your survey after taking your gift. But who says you need to use "Receiprocation", bribing people works just aswell

You were pretty likeable so there is another.

The "*every active trader*" part would be Social Proof

The "Daytrading University: As seen in.." part and you use of "Ken Calhoun, President" would be the Authority.

Lastly you used "Scarcity" in you PS.

How did I go?
Matt

great reply, Fuseo! thx all..

agree re reciprocity trigger is often used well by offering something first, asking for a return favor second ... but for surveys and for my niche, I've found that it's best to integrate the content delivered for free with the pitch/request at the same time, in the same page ...also it elevates the survey in perceived importance to have it done first, and then the download at the bottom of the page... also ensures they have to scroll thru the survey, which will likely catch attn thx to the way the questions are asked etc.. with jokes/highlights etc... boosting response.

so far I've gotten 84 responses, which is phenomenal for these types of surveys, from a 6K list, within the first 18 hours.


ken

You also used the "because" frame.

John