I used to think copywriting was good for selling consumers stuff like penny stock newsletters, rare gold coins, and for causes that preserve fish habitats.
But I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Good copywriting is not just for direct mail marketers. It can work wonders for more “traditional” businesses that sell products and services to other businesses.
Think about a typical meeting between a salesman and a prospective client. Most salespeople are good talkers. So they’ll use quick wit and a silver tongue to press on and win the sale.
But that’s like herding an ornery bull up a steep hill. It’s exhausting work.
Well-orchestrated and persuasive B2B marketing pieces change the situation. Imagine if you showed up to a meeting to sell fax software to a manufacturing business.
Unlike all the other sales pitches the prospect has suffered through—imagine how much better and more effective your presentation will be—when you come prepared with a slew of good marketing materials.
After settling in the conference room, you don’t hand out crumpled business cards… you break out a big box stuffed with convincing marketing pieces like:
- A White Paper touting your fax software’s easy to use features.
- Case studies from your customers in the manufacturing industry.
- Special report on “How to Save Money by Junking Your Fax Machines”
- Scripted PowerPoint presentation with benefits the prospect gets when they buy.
- Copies of the PowerPoint presentation on DVD.
- Data sheet listing money to be saved on time, electricity, paper, and toner.
- Booklet with testimonials from happy customers.
- Reprinted feature article from an industry magazine or trade journal.
- “Best of” back issues of your printed monthly newsletter.
Would your prospect be impressed? No… she’d be blown away with so much valuable material.
You’d stand out from all the dog and pony shows put on by your competitors.
Without working on a single ad or lead generation promotion, a package like this could help you close many more sales.
And notice the package is filled with educational content. It backs up all the benefits you claim with proof. It soft sells without any hype.
Plus, you won’t be taking the prospect’s time and energy. You’ll be giving her valuable info.
Better yet, it bestows expert status for you and your business. That’s a great position to be in because people trust experts.
With a package like that you can get even more miles out of it. Simply drop in a sales letter and it becomes a full blown sales package you send by mail.
But here’s the clincher: all these marketing pieces need effective copywriting.
Not having convincing copy that resonates with your prospect will cost you in failed marketing promotions and sales.
An ad piece using a picture of a donkey’s derriere with a cliche about how choosing Brand X won’t make you an ass is not effective. Would you say that to a prospective customer or clients face? Then your marketing pieces shouldn’t either.
If you can’t or won’t learn to write effective copy, then hire a freelance copywriter who specializes in writing business-to-business marketing pieces.
This article was originally published by Ryan Healy
Author: Jimmy Sansi is a copywriter that specializes in business-to-business copy. To claim your free B2B marketing special report on “7 Proven Methods to Launch Your Sales and Marketing” click here now.
Published: April 29, 2014
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