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In this issue:
Marketing Article: 5 Tips for Writing your Own Marketing Collateral
Marketing Article: Making A Hit With Your Marketing Campaign

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When writing your marketing collateral, whether it's print or online, the goal is to sell your service. Yes, I used the word "sell" - try not to flinch. Selling doesn't mean your copy needs to be overly aggressive and cheesy like a used car salesman. When I use the word "sell" here, all I'm saying is that there should be a strategy behind your writing approach. And that strategy should be to get your reader to see the value of your product in their life and to convince them to buy it.

Many entrepreneurs, when they write their own marketing collateral, think in terms of what THEY think their target consumer needs to know. They often end up describing the features of their business in depth, feeling that if they've covered them all they've done a thorough job of writing. And maybe they have covered all the points. But are those points really the ones a customer cares about most? Will the content convince a reader that the service provided by their company is the best one to choose? Copywriting is not only about what you are presenting someone. A tremendous part of it is about how you're presenting something. If you don't present the key information in a way that appeals to the reader, it's not going to do much more than take up space and fill in fancy graphics.

So I'm writing this article to steer you in the right direction and give you some starting points for writing your own business copy. Below are 5 basic copywriting tips you can use to write copy that sells (without being obnoxious!)

1. Appeal to your reader's needs.

You have to always write with your reader's needs in mind. Simply telling someone what you do or offer is not enough. What this boils down to is features and benefits. A feature is a description of something. A benefit answers the reader's question, "What's in it for me?" It tells the reader what a particular feature will do for them. Benefits are what you should always be emphasizing in your copy.

Now, for an example. Let's say you sell index cards (yeah, I know, scintillating.) On your brochure, when describing that your cards come in different colors, you could simply write, "Our cards come in many different colors." But it would be of much more value to your reader if you put this information in the form of a benefit, like so: "Our multi-colored cards allow you to color code your daily work items in order of priority." You can mention the feature, but you should make the benefit the main focus. In short, your writing should generally focus more on your clients' needs and how they are answered than it does on your product or service itself.

2. Lay out the problem - then offer a solution.

We tend to trust and feel more connected to those who understand our pain. To sell through words, you need to identify and appeal to your readers' pain. By pain I mean their problems and challenges. Once you do this, you then offer a solution.your service.

For instance, many people hire writers because they're insecure about their own writing ability. So if I'm writing a brochure or web page for my writing services, I might address this issue at the beginning. I might write something like, "Your company brochure is often the first impression you make on a potential client. So you want to be sure it accurately conveys your desired image, your specific services, and how these services will help your clients. But are you confident you can write copy that clearly addresses all of the above? Do you have a specific writing strategy? And even if you do, do you really have the time to write copy that meets your highest standards?" Then I would follow that up with how my service could help in these areas.

By laying out the problem in some detail, you're not only connecting with a reader who now feels understood and offering them a solution. You're also reminding them of how important it is to overcome their problem, which will make them appreciate the value of your service even more.

3. Speak directly to your reader.

Don't be afraid to use the word "you" in your copy. In fact, use it freely! Often people write to their readers in the third person. For instance, a web page might read, "Clients often feel like they're stuck and have no choices. This is because they simply don't see all their options." Instead write, "Often it may feel like you're stuck and have no choices. This is because you simply aren't seeing all your options."

The third person voice feels distant. Writing directly to the client is engaging. And our goal in copywriting is to engage. Using "you" creates a more personal relationship. And the closer a reader emotionally connects with what you have to say, the more likely they'll purchase your service. Also, when you're writing, it helps to imagine that you're writing to only one reader. This will make your writing come across more personal than if you imagine you're writing to many people at the same time.

4. Forget what you learned in school.

That's right - it's time to rebel. Academic writing is stiff and formal. Who's more fun to be around? A stuffy, arrogant sociology professor or a young, energetic student with a great sense of humor? To hook and maintain the interest of your reader, your writing has to take on a personality more like the latter. It has to be fun and entertaining. It should be down-to-earth. This means taking liberties with style and at times even breaking grammatical rules. Like starting sentences with prepositions. Using phrases for sentences. And talking like you'd talk to a friend - which often means using contractions like "you're" and "you'd."

The key is write like you talk. You don't want your reader "tripping" over grammatical formalities. That takes them out of the picture you're painting for them. Your writing voice should convey more than just words and information - it should have an individual personality. The warmer and more human your writing voice is, the more you will connect with your readers (and I think you know what that means by now.)

5. Write to yourself.

By this I mean you should put yourself in the shoes of your consumer and write what you would want to know about your service if you were that consumer. It's kind of like acting. You have to pretend you're a potential client of your own. Then you have to ask yourself some questions: Why would you need your service? If you were considering purchasing it, what would you want to know about it before you made your decision? What questions would you want answered on the company website or brochure? On the website, what information would you look for first - and where would you expect to find it? What would be your doubts or skepticisms about purchasing such a service and what information would counteract them? What would convince you that this company is the one you should go with over all the others?

By asking yourself to examine things from your reader's point of view - instead of from a business owner's point of view - you can learn how to present content that second guesses your client's questions and needs - which will definitely make them feel understood. And, of course, one step closer to becoming your client.

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Amy Sorkin is a freelance journalist and copywriter specializing in print advertising and marketing collateral. Her website (a good example of all the points above, by the way!) is http://www.amyswords.com.

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Considered a vital link in a show's promotional plan, direct marketing is vital only if it's done right. It's certainly not as simple as typing a letter, adding an address and stamp, and popping it in the mail. Direct marketing specialist Debbie Bermont, president of San Diego-based Source Communications, offers her golden rules for creating that vital, highly successful direct marketing campaign.

There are some key golden rules to making your direct mailings work effectively. That doesn't mean that you have to spend more money in order to succeed. Far from it. In fact, you could find yourself spending less -- or at least spending more strategically -- than you may be doing at present. Here's how:

Mail to Mr. Right
There's a simple but very clear distinction between junk mail and direct mail. Junk mail is mail that isn't wanted. Direct mail is something that goes to the right person and is wanted. One major key to the success of your direct mailing is to find the right people to mail to. If you are working on a follow-up show, then targeting the people who signed up last year would be a good place to start. If it's a new show or a new list, your first job is to start with a research phone call to find out who that right person is. Even if you're using last year's list, it is still worth a telephone call to check that your information is up to date. Don't ever rely on anyone passing your mailer on -- it just won't happen.

Boost Your Letter
Once you've found out who to send your letter to, your next step is to make sure that your letter works to its maximum effect. Write it as a one-on-one dialogue. Beware of using industry lingo that your prospect may not understand. Keep your paragraphs short and sweet -- no more than seven lines. Break up your letter into clearly defined subheads. And keep it to two pages in length.

Make All Your Copy Benefit-Oriented
List the benefits so they are easy to understand. And remember that a benefit is a lot different than a feature. Features do not have the clout that benefits do. For example, stating that "10,000 people attended our show last year" is merely a feature. Write it in the context of a benefit: "You can have the opportunity of making 10,000 qualified contacts in three days," and you'll start making the impact that you want.

Repeat your offer at least three times throughout your letter: in your headline, within the first two paragraphs, and again in your closing paragraph. You can also include it in a "p.s." Last, but not least, tell your prospects what the next step is and tell them to do it today. Also include details of where to go for more information. Your goal should be for the recipients to immediately respond to your letter in a positive way.

Make an Impact
Your mail piece must stick out from all the rest. Yours will not be the only piece of direct mail that lands on your prospects' desks today. The more you can do to catch their attention, peak their curiosity, and urge them to open the packet, the better.

One particularly effective way of doing this is to make your packet lumpy. For example, you can include Post-it notes or candy (but never candy that could melt!). Make it even more appealing by relating your insert to your offer or your message. For example, insert a bite-sized Pay Day candy bar along with the message, "Every day's a Pay Day when you exhibit at the ABC Show!" Another idea is to affix large plastic aspirin capsules to your mailer with the message "Don't let this be another headache for you!" Or include a card with a telephone ringing along with the note "Give us a call today!"

Whatever your insert, make your message clear, make it novel, make it fun, make it useful, and make it one that leaves a warm fuzzy feeling -- not confetti. All that does is leave a mess!

Too Good to Miss
Create an offer that can't be refused. This may be a limited time offer (the expiration should never be longer than 60 days), or an offer that sets you apart from your competition, such as a better location or a bigger booth size with early sign up. Whatever the offer, the incentive has to be sufficiently appealing to inspire immediate action.

Remember that there's no point in offering an outstanding incentive if no one knows about it. So in your direct mail piece, make this offer clear, easy to understand, easy to respond to, and relevant for your audience.

Easy Does It
Make it as simple as possible for your prospect to respond to you. The most effective option is a fax-back form with quick and easy response sections. Other possibilities are a toll-free telephone number, a postage-paid reply card, or a Web site. The Web site might not necessarily be your direct response tool, but it is certainly very effective as an additional interactive vehicle for obtaining more information about the show.

Follow up by Phone
Whatever you send out, make sure you follow it up with a telephone call to close the sale. You'll see single digit response rates quickly turn into double digits as a result. Whoever makes those phone calls must be professional, courteous, and well-informed of the details of the show and the benefits of exhibiting.

Printing Essentials
There are plenty of ways to save money, time, and mistakes when it comes to your direct mail bottom line -- and all without compromising quality or quantity. Here are a few ideas to consider:

Save money with a printer. Pick a printer that will work with you -- not necessarily the one that offers the lowest bid. If you don't, you could end up sacrificing both quality and money.

Get at least three estimates from three different reputable printers.

Ask to see samples of their printing quality.

Remember that you can always negotiate a price (typically between 10 percent and 20 percent off of the price they first quote you).

For small print jobs buy your paper at a discount paper warehouse and avoid the printer's markup.

Always supply a very detailed purchase order that includes all the details that could be problems: price quoted, ink colors, paper specs, space requirements, quantity, etc.

Make sure that you see a final proof before the job is printed. When possible, supply the printer with a sample of your final art as a guideline.

Mailing Tips
Not only does a little know-how help with your printing procedures, but in your mailing too.

If you want to save dollars, use third-class or bulk rate. You can save more than 70 percent of your postage cost if you can afford the slight time delay that bulk rate demands. Deliverability of bulk rate mail is between three and 10 days, but depending on the city, it can be just as fast as first-class.

Make up a sample package in the early stages of your preparation and take it down to your post office to check that it will go through the mail system without any problems. You don't want to find this out after you have printed 30,000 pieces!

Consider using a mail house to handle and sort your volume work. It can save an enormous amount of your time for a relatively low fee.

Concerned about the image of mailing bulk rate?

You can buy third-class stamps, which make a much better impact than a metered bulk rate mark.

What's the key to your direct mail?

It's the synergistic effect of multiple hits -- whether that's by mail, telephone, e-mail, broadcast fax, or an inexpensive postcard reminder -- which will ultimately make the impact and make the sale.

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Written by Susan Friedmann, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional), The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author, "Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies," works with exhibitors, show organizers and meeting planners to create more valuable results from their events nationally and internationally. Website: www.thetradeshowcoach.com