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

Sat 03:12 AM

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 must be a 'good 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 yet to master the difficult skills 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.

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 few copywriters have).

• Is s/he professional? By that I mean does s/he take the trouble to ask questions about your business, your goals and, if you are looking for a sales letter, does s/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 s/he supply a contract and terms of business so you know exactly what to expect and what s/he is agreeing to do for you?
  
  
• Does s/he have a good reputation? Do you know their work? Have you heard good things about the material s/he has produced for other businesses? Does their style match yours?

• How does s/he charge? By the hour; by the page or number of words; or does s/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 s/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 s/he has taken a particular approach and why they think it will work for you.

• Does s/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 their own research to enhance what you've supplied.

• Is s/he reliable? Does s/he meet deadlines, deliver on time? There's no point having a good copywriter if deadlines are constantly missed. 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... 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, both your direct competitors and 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 am unhappy with the first draft, 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, if I've been asked to supply a complete package, I start on the order / enquiry form - and that is an art in itself because if done wrong it can decimate response... that 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 in addition to the main sales letter, well...

As you can see, this all takes an inordinate amount of time and expertise to complete - it is a job that requires considerable care because your livelihood could depend upon the success - or failure - of that letter.  

And you've probably also realised by now that expertise like this comes at a premium.  

Chances are - if you haven't used professional copywriting services before - you are probably unaware of the level of fee 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 £2,400+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 require a less intensive commitment from me and offer you a more budget-friendly solution.  And here they are:

Premier Profit Letter - from £2,900+VAT

This is the top-of-the-range service described above for a 4-page sales letter and response form. Longer letters or projects requiring extensive research attract a higher fee. You are given a quoted project price before I accept your 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.

Optimised Web Landing Page Package - from £2,957+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 and download page text (for digitally delivered products). 

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 £1,927+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 less important and this is the better option for you.


Rewrite Existing Sales Letter - from £927+VAT

If you have an existing sales letter you have written and used and it is generating a lower response than you hoped for, you can have it rewritten. (The price quoted is for a letter up to 5 pages long; for longer letters please ask for a quote). 

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.

Quickie Letter/Web Page (2 Formatted Pages) - £627+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 spend less time researching at this level... and I write fewer 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. Plus I supply sample response forms you can refer to as a guide. Use the samples and checklist as a guide to developing your hugely responsive offline order / enquiry form to go with your letter.

Bentley Sales Letter Makeover - from £627+VAT (for a 4-page letter; ask for a quote for longer letters)

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 lack 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 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.

After revising your letter (or advert), following my expert advice, you can resubmit it for another review. Again I record my guidance. 
The 2nd review can happen before you put your letter or advert out to test or between test mailings, where you want to tweak the copy for better results.

Tips Guide / Booklet - from £557+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.

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 are unfamiliar with 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 it is unlikely you 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!

OK, Decision Time...

Choose which option suits your requirements and budget best...

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, they may have changed when you next visit - 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.

Promote Your Business Ltd, 104 Victoria Avenue, Swanage, Dorset BH19 1AS UK.
Tel: 01929 423411. Reg'd company #3035481
Email: carol@carolbentley.com  Website Privacy Policy and Terms of Use