Join other astute and successful business owners...
 Carol Bentley - working with UK business owners to come out of this recession stronger |
Engage Your Own Direct Response Copywriting Professional...
...to give your sales letters the profit-generating edge your business needs to survive and thrive
Mon 11:18 PM
Dear Business Results Seeker,
You know how crucial the words in your sales letter, advert or on your web
page are to your business success. And you've decided to get expert help - a
copywriter - rather than chance sending out a mediocre letter that could do more
damage than good.
But it can't be 'any old copywriter '...
It's one time when the old adage 'you get what you pay for' is really apt
because a great number of copywriters have not mastered the skill and techniques
of direct response copywriting.
Those that have - and get impressive results - charge a premium for their
services and expertise.
Unfortunately...
There Is Only A Small Elite Group
In The UK
Who Have The Skill To
Write These Compellingly
Persuasive Direct Response Sales
Letters
But that's the level of expertise you need to get a measurable response to
your marketing message. And in a moment I'll tell you how you can tap-into-that
pool of expertise even if you're on a tight budget.
First, let me explain why this is such a rare copywriting talent...
...this is a skill that comes from specialist training, practical experience
and in-depth knowledge; the expertise only someone who has crafted direct
response sales letters or adverts and delivered results can bring to your
letters.
Which means your challenge is to find the one person who...
- Has the in-depth practical experience of direct response marketing that
no amount of reading gives you
- Has written results delivering direct response letters and
adverts
- Can craft your sales message to hit your prospect's hot button and
stimulate his impulse to buy
- Can give you crucial response-lifting tips when it comes to creating
your marketing campaign
- Can help you keep your costs down with insider tips when preparing your mailing campaign
Ideally you need someone who has a wealth of experience in different business
disciplines and who is able to interpret that experience into an effective
writing approach for you and your business.
"We got a 262% increase in response to our first
mailing, resulting in £24,101 worth of bookings, which included 30 new companies
attending our courses. This was an impressive result for us. Since then we've
enjoyed a further boost of 203.9% and added another 111 new customers to our database!
Managing Director, TFP Online
Ltd
How to Select Your Ideal Copywriter - 9 Points to Consider
Check the person you choose to write your sales-generating letter is the professional you want and can deliver the material you need - this is the minimum you should consider...
- Before looking for your copywriter, decide what you want to achieve. Do you want...
- A powerful sales letter?
- A company brochure?
- A press release?
- Feature articles?
- Reports or 'white-papers'?
- Promotional tips booklet /guide?
- Copy for a website?
- An email marketing campaign?
- Advertising copy?
- A staff handbook?
- A procedures manual?
- A technical guide?
Many of these writing activities need different skills and approaches. When you've decided what you want produced you can look for someone who has experience in that particular discipline.
For example if you want a sales / marketing letter look for a professional who has experience in direct response copywriting. (This is a specialised skill that many copywriters do not have).
- Is he/she professional? By that I
mean does he take the trouble to ask questions about your business, your goals
and, if you are looking for a sales letter, does he ask about your offer and
what other marketing you've already done and the response you got?
Look for a copywriter who asks you to complete a fact-gathering questionnaire.
- And talking of professionalism, does he
supply a contract and terms of business so you know exactly what to
expect and what he is agreeing to do for you?
- Does he have a good reputation? Do you know his work? Have you heard good things about the material he has produced for other businesses? Does his style match yours?
- How does he charge? By the hour;
by the page or number of words; or does he charge a retainer?
Be careful.
Writing is creative work.
It takes time to craft the documents you want, especially if it is a sales letter or marketing piece. Charges by the hour can mount up and storm past your budget before you realise it.
And be cautious about restricting the number of pages or words you want someone to write - unless it is a requirement for the project - for example when writing an article for a publication that has to be a specific length.
That would be like putting a gag on your best sales person after they've just got started.
- Is the copywriter you've chosen
prepared to quote a price for the project, to make budgeting
easier for you? Dependent upon the work you are asking for you may be able to
negotiate a lower fee with a commission on results achieved.
Beware - if the fees are very low, ask yourself why?
- Is he easy to work with? You want
someone you can talk to; someone who matches your enthusiasm for your product
or service; someone who is genuinely interested in what you provide and what
you want to achieve; someone who listens and takes on board your ideas.
And you want a copywriter who is willing to explain why he has taken a particular approach and why he thinks it will work for you.
- Does he do his own research? Obviously you need to provide as much material, information, insights and supporting documentation as you can. But the mark of a true professional is the copywriter who goes that extra mile by doing his own research to enhance what you've supplied.
- Is he reliable? Does he meet deadlines, deliver on time? There's no point having a good copywriter if he constantly misses deadlines. That's particularly important when you are sending out offers with a specific offer period or geared to anniversaries or seasons.
Why Choose Carol Bentley?
So - do I match these criteria? You expect me to nod my head, don't you? And
yes, I am nodding.
But allow me to elaborate further... not to
be arrogant or boastful... just to reassure you of my credentials. After many
years studying and as a result of years of practical writing experience in many
business areas - specialising specifically in B2B direct response copywriting
since the 90s I...
- Am an acknowledged specialist in writing direct response sales letters and
adverts that deliver results (see my book 'I Want to Buy Your
Product... Have You Sent Me a Letter Yet?')
- Am an acknowledged expert in direct response marketing tactics in the UK
(see my book Beat The
Recession: Proven Marketing Tactics)
- Am an experienced business owner - I've run my own company for just over
17 years now and held positions in top Management in SME businesses prior to
that
- Have worked - and interacted - with a wide variety of business disciplines
from service to professional to manufacturing to retailing
- Have communicated with all levels of business people; from sole-traders to
corporate executives
- And I have coached and acted as marketing and personal mentor to many business people, having been trained to instructor level by one of the most highly rated communication and personal development training organisations in the world; Dale Carnegie.
This wealth of wisdom and knowledge delivers greater depth to the writing I
produce for clients, people like you.
The only real question to ask yourself is this:
Wouldn't you rather have someone who has 'been there; done that; got the
T-shirt' and, even better, has the proven ability to put that valuable
experience and knowledge into play for you?
It's a no-brainer, isn't it?
My Approach To Copywriting...
So how does this work? If this is your first experience of engaging a professional copywriter then you'd like to know how it goes, wouldn't you? Here's the 12-step sequence I follow when writing your mailing campaign.
- Check & schedule - I establish with you exactly what
you want; a lead-generating or sales-generating letter? I check if there are
any timelines you want to match; do you have a specific deadline to meet?
I make sure your deadline is viable for what you are asking me to craft for you.
- Advice - In a private one-to-one telephone consultation I
offer advice on your mailing campaign based on my previous experience with
other businesses.
- Research - I study the material you supply. I read
your completed questionnaire, examine your previous material and check the
results previously achieved.
- Ask questions - I clarify any points you've made in your
questionnaire that I may be unsure of; talk to you about the approach you'd
like to take in your letter.
- More research - I look at what your competitors are
doing, not just your direct competitors - your indirect competitors as well. I
look for more information on your product / service; checking your websites
and other websites. If your product or service is technical I study the
technical material and any research papers.
- Offer mindmap - I create a mindmap of what I've learnt,
what your offer is, the benefits (as well as the features) and any other
crucial facts that could spark an idea for the approach to your
market.
- Headlines mindmap - now I start a mindmap of headlines;
this is where my extensive knowledge comes into play because I write a minimum
of 100 headlines, often more. I do this because experience has shown that
frequently the real headline gems appear in the last few that come to
mind.
- Select - the next step is to select the headline(s) that
connects best with the offer and your defined target audience.
- Brew - this is part of the creative process. All this
studying, research, mindmapping and headline writing is brewing the body of
your sales letter in my mind ready for the...
- First draft - I write the first draft of your sales
letter, based on my scientific copywriting formula. Then I put it aside to
'rest'. And I continue to let the ideas; the persuasive words; the compelling
arguments percolate through.
If I decide the first draft is not a good enough base to work from, I'll write another, and another, until I'm happy with the main content. Then I...
- Fine-tune - I go through the draft to fine tune what I've
written before sending it over to you for your input / approval.
- Further tweaking - if needed, happens after you and I
have discussed the draft to make sure you are happy with the letter content
and understand the approach I'm taking.
That's the letter done - then I start on the order / enquiry form - and that is an art in itself because if done wrong it can decimate response... which is why I have 31-check points I compare the finished form against before allowing it to see the light of day. And if there is a lift letter or promotional tips guide or booklet to be written, well...
As you can see, this all takes an inordinate amount of time and expertise to
complete - it is not a job you want rushed because your livelihood could depend
upon the success - or failure - of that letter.
And you've probably also realised expertise like this does not come cheap.
Chances are - if you haven't used professional copywriting services before -
you aren't familiar with the level of fees you are expected to pay for a top
quality writer and it may be outside your budget - yet that's exactly what you
need to boost your sales results, isn't it?
You see an extensive project like the one I've described above is at the top
of my fee structure, starting from £1,900+VAT. (Don't go yet - I have
an array of alternatives that may offer a viable solution for you, so just bear
with me a moment longer).
Of course for an investment like that you have to be confident you'll get
results.
The sad fact is no-one can guarantee results.
Experience stacks the odds in our favour because of knowing what has worked
before. But only your target audience can say if a particular campaign is
successful - by buying or enquiring.
That's why testing is so crucial, and why you should never send an untested
letter to the whole of your list if it is a large database. You could risk
losing a lot of your hard earned cash if you do.
Having said that, my professional input boosts the likelihood of your letter pulling in the sales. So let me explain the other options I offer that can help you...
A Delectable Buffet of
Profit-Generating
Copywriting Services
Now - I've described my top-of-the range private client service, Premier
Profit Letter, above - but as I said not every business is able to afford
that investment just yet.
Which is why I decided to create a menu... a delectable buffet of copywriting
options for you to choose from. Some of the alternatives to the Premier Profit
Letter don't require so much intensive commitment from me and offer you a more
budget-friendly solution.
And here they are:
Premier Profit Letter - from £1,900+VAT
This is the top-of-the-range service described above. You are given a quoted project price before I accept the commission. This fee does not include any graphical design work, but I do provide a mailmerge ready Word document for you to use in your mailing campaign.
"Just about anyone can write copy, however very few people can write good copy!
I first approached Carol with what was a very difficult task with an even harder deadline to meet. I had spoken with several other copywriters but only Carol had the understanding and expertise to fulfil my copy requirements. This she did superbly.
Since then Carol has gone on to prove both her understanding of my business and her copywriting skilss at every turn. I wish everyone was so reliable and easy to work with as Carol and her team."
(My client requested confidentiality, original testimonial
in client's own handwriting is available for inspection).
Optimised Web Landing Page Package - from £1,557+VAT
A full sales letter text for a single-page website (equivalent to a maximum 4
A4 printed pages of formatted text) along with order / response acknowledgement
page text, download page text (for digitally delivered products), up-sale page
for added value sales and up to 3 follow-up sequence emails.
The web page is optimised using the keywords you supply. This means the
keywords are placed strategically within the copy to encourage search engines to
show your webpage when that search term is used.
Copy is supplied in text format ready for your web designer to put into your
webpage. I also liaise with your web designer offering suggestions, based
on my experience, for text layout and formatting.
Web Landing Page Package - from £1,027+VAT
This is similar to the Optimised Web Landing Page except that no account is
taken of keywords. If you are driving visitors to your web landing page through
offline advertising, online advertising, offline mailing campaigns and
e-marketing then the search engine positioning is not so important and this is
the better option for you.
"Carol, you have written an outstanding copy for golf-mind.com
Also thank you very much for all the help, advice and coaching that you have provided in addition"
www.golf-mind.com
Rewrite Existing Sales Letter - £527+VAT
If you have an existing sales letter you have written and used, which is not
generating the response you hoped for, you can have it rewritten.
I apply my scientific direct response copywriting formula to your existing
text; vitalise your headline and hone your content into an action-compelling
missive your reader can't resist.
I also craft another 5 eye-drawing headlines for you to test with your
letter; often just changing the headline can catapult your letter from a
mediocre, poor performance into a high-octane, sales boosting letter.
"At every step Carol has kept me informed of the progress as well as encouraging me to contribute my ideas to the project.
She has not only rewritten a letter that was not working, but provided numerous other pieces of advice to aid in the marketing of my product. I hope, and am confident, that my sales will now at least double."
Quickie Letter/Web Page (2 Formatted Pages) - £527+VAT
If you really HATE the thought of writing your own sales letter, perhaps it
is like 'pulling teeth' as far as you're concerned, but you CANNOT afford the
Premier Profit Letter or either of the Web
Landing Page Packages, then this is a more affordable option.
You get a shorter sales letter, based on the research material you supply and
your completed questionnaire, crafted to my scientific copywriting formula.
Obviously I don't spend as much time researching at this level... and I don't
write as many headlines before selecting one for your letter. But I do let you
have at least another 5 for testing.
You also get a copy of my Response Form Checklist (match these 31
questions in your form design). This is the exact same checklist I use to create
the response-pulling order / enquiry forms for my private clients. Use this to
develop your hugely responsive offline order / enquiry form to go with your
letter.
Bentley Sales Letter Makeover - from £427+VAT
If you already know about direct response copywriting; you've studied the
'how-to' books, maybe attended a seminar and have written sales letters but
haven't quite got the magic magnetic sales attracting touch, then this could be
the ideal solution for you.
You send your sales letter (or advert) to me for a review. I cast my professional eye
over your text and record a critique on an MP3 file telling you how to electrify your
headline... sharpen your copy... and I give you insider tips on how to turn your
letter or advert into an irresistible sales magnet.
What's more I explain specifically why these techniques work. Effectively you
get personal coaching and mentoring to help you develop your copywriting skill.
"The appeal went very well, raising over £170,000! Thank you very much for your help with it. I have used many of the techniques that Carol taught me in other fundraising letters I have written too."
The Children's Society
After revising your letter (or advert), following my expert advice, you can resubmit it
(within 30 days) for another fine-tune review. Again I record my advice.
The 2nd review can happen before you put your letter or advert out to test or
between test mailings, where you want to tweak your copy for better
results.
"Carol immediately put me at ease with producing a sales letter, something I don't find easy, providing a questionnaire and hints and tips that make you consider what you are about to write.
Always helpful and considerate, but at the same time honest and not frightened to speak the truth, Carol's review came quickly, despite me delaying sending in the letter in the first place, and using techniques where I learnt rather than just receiving an amended document.
The final letter is a vast improvement over the original, which is due to Carol's experience and insight."
Tips Guide / Booklet - from £457+VAT
A tips guide / booklet or report... sometimes known as a whitepaper - is an
extremely effective way of generating warm leads for your business.
When someone asks for a copy of your guide they are effectively raising their
hand to say "Yes, I'm interested in what you have to offer."
A guide is also a great handout at business meetings... it is less likely to be
discarded after the meeting because of the valuable tips and information it
contains.
The content is developed from the material you supply. The actual price is
dependent upon the length and style of the booklet.
"Carol has over delivered yet again!
The ebook looks great. I am looking forward to getting a high response with it in my marketing, Why? Because that's what you can expect from Carol Bentley's great work."
Take a look at the eBook
www.marcusdsilva.com
Something You Should Know...
It doesn't matter how persuasive your letter is; how jaw-droppingly good your
offer is I can promise you it will generate a disappointingly dismal response if
you send it to the wrong people.
As I said previously, having a specifically targeted audience is crucial to
the success of any marketing activity.
What a well-written letter does is up-the-odds of ethically persuading your
prospects to snap up your offer.
Your Satisfaction Guarantee
So, as I said earlier no-one can guarantee results for your sales letter
because they don't know the quality of the contacts on your database or list-
anyone who says they can is misleading you.
Added to that... when your letter goes out you don't know what is happening
in your prospect's life - it may be a bad time for him or your offer could
arrive with perfect timing, you just don't know.
Having the right offer, targeting a specific audience that is known to have
an interest in what you deliver and - of course - sending a highly compelling
and persuasive letter does stack the odds in your favour.
But, if
you are at all familiar with my book or articles or my copywriting blog, you
know I advocate making it extremely easy for your prospect to decide to go for
your offer by taking away as much of the buying risk as possible.
So really, you expect some sort of guarantee from me, don't you?
And so you should!
My Promise To You...
If you follow my advice and send your letter to a quality, targeted list and the service you choose does not generate at least enough sales to cover your investment with me, then I will rewrite the letter (or do a Bentley Makeover of your new sales letter) completely free of charge.And I will apply the same professional attention to the rewrite (or further
review) as I did to the original work.
I can't say fairer than that, can I?
OK, Decision Time...
Choose which option suits your requirements and budget best...
|
|
Project Type |
Price (+VAT at current rate) |
| 1 |
Full Mailing Campaign |
TBA - from £1,900 |
| 2 |
Optimised Web Landing Page |
TBA - from £1,557 |
| 3 |
Web Landing Page |
TBA - from £1,027 |
| 4 |
Rewrite |
£527 |
| 5 |
Quickie 2 Page Letter/ Web Page |
£527 |
| 6 |
Bentley Makeover |
from £427 |
| 7 |
Tips Guide / Booklet |
TBA - from £457 |
And send your enquiry using the form below... asking makes no commitment
on either side but the sooner you engage my services, the sooner you reap the
benefits of increased sales.
(I have to ask you to type in the
graphic you see at the bottom to avoid spammers / hackers and so I can be sure
I'm getting messages from real people, thanks for understanding)
Over the years as I've got busier I've had to increase my fees, so don't delay... lock in these rates - simply start your no obligation conversation with me now.
Kind regards 
Carol Bentley
P.S. If you're going to survive
- and thrive - through this recession then astute, targeted, direct response
marketing is the wise business choice to make.
However, not having a professionally written sales letter could decimate
your chances of success.
Take advantage of all the insider techniques, tricks of the trade, proven
marketing tactics and my extensive copywriting experience to gain the edge over
your competitors. Read how in this letter.
P.P.S Budget tight? Opt for the
budget-conscious Quickie Letter or Bentley Sales Letter
Makeover to start generating your sales now. Scroll back up to see what
each of these packages deliver.