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In this issue:
Marketing Article: 5 Tips for Writing your Own Marketing Collateral
Marketing Article: Secrets of Top Sellers

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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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Are you satisfied with your sales results? Or has January's optimism faded as forecasted sales fell short of expectations and new opportunities failed to materialize?

The major downturn in the economy this year has affected sellers everywhere. Good prospects delay purchasing until orders pick up or their stock value increases. Competition has never been tougher. Customers are demanding more at the same time their loyalty is plummeting - and all they talk about is price, price, price. It's no wonder sales are down.

Yet a few reps are still having a stellar year. But you know as well as I do, that their territories and customers are different from yours. The economy isn't hitting them as hard. They can offer better pricing. Or maybe ... maybe ...

Maybe ... they're doing something you aren't. Something so subtle, you would have a hard time detecting it. Something you might dismiss as irrelevant or trivial if you knew about it. Something so easy, you could be doing it tomorrow. Something so powerful, your life would be changed forever.

This "something" is the basis of their sales success. Do you know what it is? If you knew, would you be willing to do it?

New Way of Thinking Top sellers assume personal responsibility for their future, believing they can impact it - a simple decision with far-reaching consequences. They regularly encounter the same challenges you do, but refuse to blame the economy, competitors, marketing, pricing, or even customers for lackluster sales results. These are simply obstacles that must be overcome. Here's what you can do to be like these elite sales professionals:

1. Be Personally Accountable

When faced with difficult situations, top sellers approach it differently from their less successful counterparts. A key indicator of this difference is found in the questions they ask during hard times.

Sellers who avoid accountability ask questions such as: When will management do something about our service problems? Why is our quota still the same when it's obvious the economy is down? When will marketing get their act together? Why can't our prospects understand that our products are a better long-term value? When will they offer us some good training? Who came up with that ridiculous promotion? When will customers stop being so demanding?

Perhaps you've even voiced questions like this at some point in your career. These why, who and when questions ensure blame is deflected towards others - it's someone else's responsibility to make things better.

If you talk to top sellers, you'll find they ask very different questions: How can I meet my numbers despite the difficult market conditions? What can I do to help customers understand why our products are a better long-term value? What new skills do I need to learn to be more successful? What can I do to help marketing realize I need different tools to sell more? How can I use my customer's demands to solidify our relationship?

Notice how top sellers' questions start with "How can I" or "What can I?" They assume personal accountability for the outcome. By asking these same questions, you can stimulate many ideas to keep you in control of your destiny.

2. Say I Will, Not I'll Try

This may sound too easy, but it's a key step. In these turbulent times, what you've always done to be successful may not work as well. Acknowledge this and make an "I will" commitment to change. Not I'll try, but I will - there's a big difference.

For example, have you ever said you'll try to lose weight? Did you? Losing weight means doing things that make you uncomfortable - like watching what and how much you eat, and exercising on a regular basis. If you're like most people, you lost some weight initially but after awhile returned to your old habits and the pounds came back on.

The same thing happens in selling. Many sales professionals know new ways of selling are needed. They try new strategies or tactics they've heard worked for others. The first time they try these new behaviors, they're miserably uncomfortable and feel like a novice again. When immediate results aren't forthcoming, they quickly revert to their comfort zone convinced the new techniques don't work - at least for their customers.

The top salesperson says, "I will figure out how to succeed in today's crazy market." When trying new behaviors, elite sellers feel the same discomfort but accept it as a natural consequence of learning. They keep practicing till they've mastered the new skill. If the desired results still don't come, these top sellers continue searching for knowledge and skills that lead them to success.

Do you see the difference? Top sellers don't say, "I'll try." They know change is difficult, takes time and is an on-going process. Their "I will" commitment keeps them going even when times are tough.

3. Take Action

Last, but certainly not least, top sellers don't just come up with a bunch of ideas. They act on them. If they feel their selling skills need to be enhanced, they sign up for workshops. If the company won't pay, they use their own funds. If customers don't value their products, they try different approaches until they find one that works. If a customer's service problems affect future sales, they do what it takes to resolve them. If better sales tools are needed, they work with marketing to develop them.

If top sellers are stymied by a sales situation, they get help from a variety of resources. They brainstorm with colleagues. They seek their boss's advice. They call internal or external consultants who might have valuable insights. They enlist corporate leaders to make high-level sales calls. They explore new ways of working with business partners.

Do you do that when the going gets tough? Or do you talk at length with fellow sales reps, lamenting the dire economic conditions, competitive pressures and miserable state of affairs in your company?

Everyone gets down occasionally and blows off steam. But top sellers don't wallow in self pity. Very soon they ask "How can I" or "What can I" questions to stimulate options and move themselves to action. Meanwhile, their less successful counterparts are still on the phone playing the "Ain't it Awful" game.

Get Started Now An easy way to get started on this process is to analyze a sale you've recently lost. Ask yourself: What could I have done differently to increase my likelihood of success?

Dissect your sale in detail, looking at every stage of the sales cycle to identify where mistakes may have been made, steps omitted, the process rushed or important information overlooked. Think about what else you could have done or how you could have handled things differently. You don't have to do this alone; your colleagues can provide valuable insight based on their unique perspective.

Write down all your thoughts, ideas or suggestions on paper. Then analyze the list, separating symptoms from root causes. Try to determine where changes in tactics or strategy could have impacted sales success. Again, get input from others.

Finally, commit to growing from this valuable learning experience and take action. Perhaps you need to strengthen your presentation skills - get a book, watch a peer, or role play with your manager. Perhaps you need a better grasp of customer needs - write down questions to ask for tomorrow's sales call. Perhaps you need to call on higher level decision makers - do it now on an in-process sale. Whatever you learn in this process is an incredible opportunity for personal development.

The Reflection in the Mirror Being brutally honest with yourself can be painful, but top sellers willingly do it on a regular basis. To be like them, you need to take a good hard look in the mirror too.

During tough times, do you ask "How can I" and "What can I" questions or do you point fingers to assign blame? Do you say "I will" and commit to change or do you say "I'll try"? Do you take action or wait for somebody else to do something?

No one can make you do things differently; the decision to change is yours alone. However, to be a top seller, you must commit to personal accountability for your success and act on it.

There aren't any shortcuts or quick fixes. It's a life-long process of growth and development. But if you make this commitment, you will be a top seller - maybe not overnight, but over time and consistently. Results are guaranteed.

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Jill Konrath, President of Selling to Big Companies and Leapfrog-Strategies Inc., helps sellers create value, differentiation and demand in competitive markets. For info on speaking, training or consulting services, please call 651-429-1922 or email us at jill@sellingtobigcompanies.com.