3 Classes of Buyers…and How to Formulate Your Copy to Sell to Each

By:  Renae E. Gregoire
The Write Idea
www.ineedcopy.com
©2003

Has anyone else out there “had it” with those long, schmoozy sales letters where the writer sounds like he’s about to pee his pants bout to pee his pants because he’s so EXCITED about his offer?

You know what I mean…one of those letters that drags on forever…WITH LOTS OF CAPS and underlined words…and with…

§       Series

§       After

§       Series

§       Of

§       Bullet

§       Points…

…making you sludge through to find out what you really want to know:

WHAT WILL I GET WHEN I BUY THIS FROM YOU?

Here’s an example, taken right off the web:

And here’s where the letter actually starts!  274 words later!

Ok, my goal is *NOT* to knock the writers of these sales letters.  You know why?  Because they’re well written.  And…because they actually SELL.  

<Click here to read this article in its entirety.>

If there's a book on marketing out there, chances are good that I've read it.  In this column, you'll find out which books to buy--and which to avoid.  If you know of a great book that's helped you get more customers for less money, please let me know.  I'll share your review with all our readers.

October's Reading List

The "I Hate Selling" Book:  Business-Building Advice for Consultants, Attorneys, Accountants, Engineers, Architects and Other Professionals
By:  Allan S. Boress
Morris Publishing, 1995

An easy read filled with examples.  Author is a CPA, so expect CPA examples, but advice is relevant to anyone selling professional services.  From the Contents:

• The Three Biggest Mistakes Professional Service Providers Make--And the Easy Way to Avoid These Costly Blunders

• The "I Hate Selling" Professional's Black Bag of Presentation Tools

• Rx for Sure-Fire Closes--Just What the Professional Ordered

Looking for a few good web resources?  Here are two I've found recently:

http://www.templatemonster.com  Visit Template Monster for fully-built website templates, many quite nice.  The Write Idea's new website was built from a template.  It's a very affordable way to get your start on the web.

http://www.istockphoto.com  Ever find yourself looking for stock photos to use in your print materials or website?  Check out istockphoto.  You'll get high-quality images at a very low price!

If you're a small business owner, time is your most precious commodity.  Not only do you have to wear many hats:  marketing, administrative, sales, accounting and project management, you've also got to save time to actually perform the job you've been hired for.

Well Tampa Bay business owners can now get some relief from When Accuracy Counts, a virtual business solutions center founded and operated by Julie Lupis-Bolanger, CPA.  

Julie helps business owners do things they need to do but don't have time for:  accounting, word processing, research, data entry.  Just tell her what you need done, and she'll be right on it.

So if you haven't entered one keystroke into your accounting program since March...need someone to help you get your direct mail campaign off the ground or review that important proposal, get in touch with Julie.  And as her business name implies, she differentiates herself based on her commitment to ACCURACY.

Phone:  727-798-0907

Email:  jlupis@earthlink.net

Did you realize that search engines like Google not only rank your site based on keywords, but also based on how many external sites link to yours?  With that in mind, I've developed a "links" page where I'll post a link to your professional website in exchange for a similar link to my site on yours.

If you'd like to increase your page ranking, click here to see where you'll be listed, and then email me or give me a call at 727-302-0232 to talk about exchanging links.

Is it Its or It's?

How do you know when to put an apostrophe in the word "its"?  

It's easy!  The only time you use an apostrophe in the word "its" is when you mean IT IS.

No exceptions.

Give the dog its bath now.  Since you don't mean to say Give the dog it is bath now, no apostrophe.

It's going to be a hot day.  Since you DO mean to say, IT IS going to be a hot day, yes, apostrophe.

Quiz:  See, I told you its (or it's) easy!       Answer: it's--I told you it is easy!  

I think you'll like this new column.  Each issue, I'm going to turn the spotlight on current ads:  the good, the bad and the ugly.  We'll tear them apart to learn from their mistakes, or bow on our knees and follow their examples.  

If you've seen any good examples of Good or Bad ads, please forward them for inclusion in an upcoming edition!  

This image comes from the September, 2003 edition of Inc. Magazine.  It's not a full page ad, but I'll bet it still cost a pretty penny.

Now imagine you're the busy CEO of an Inc. 500 company.  You're flipping through your latest issue of Inc., but your mind is really elsewhere.  You're wondering how much your business is worth.  If maybe you should get ready to move on to your next fortune-producing business idea.

Tell me, do you really think the headline below is going to capture you're attention?

It says:  DEDICATED.

<Click here to read this article in its entirety, and to see the ad!)

Ok, so what is The Write Idea?

The Write Idea is a freelance writing and marketing firm that helps businesses enhance their image and increase their profits by creating clear, concise and professionally persuasive promotional materials.

Who's Renae Gregoire?

That's me.  Owner and President of The Write Idea, serving clients in the Tampa Bay area, and around the world.

I've got questions.  How do I contact you?

Easy.  Call me at (727) 302-0232.  I'm available Monday through Friday, from around 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., EST.  (Well, I'm here later than that but if you call after hours you might hear my kids in the background!)  If you get my machine, that means I'm out with a client or stretching my legs.  Leave me a message and I'll call you back as soon as I can.

Or, email me at service@ineedcopy.com.  To learn more about how The Write Idea can enhance your image--and your profits--visit me online at www.ineedcopy.com.  You can email me from there, too.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Copyright 2003 The Write Idea

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