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"Stop talking about yourself." It's shocking, but that's some of the best advice Amy can give you. Stop listing your features/credentials/comparisons and start talking about your client and what interests him or her. Amy gives this advice to everyone, whether a sole proprietorship or a large company. In the marketing world, people speak of "the drill." People don't shop for a drill because they want a drill, the argument goes. They shop because they want a hole. Let's take it further, though. It's not a hole. What they want is to see the delight in their child's eyes as she plays with the dollhouse her grandfather handcrafted for her. Sure, you can market a drill--with the bits and the battery and all the necessary stuff. But connect with a customer's heart and mind, and you've won their loyalty. This goes for more than just drills and dollhouses--no matter what product or service you sell, Amy can identify your audience's persona and what it wants, and then determine how best to speak to it.
Elevator Pitches, Slogans, & Taglines
What's the difference? Good question. An elevator pitch is a 20-30-second statement that answers the inevitable "What do you do?" with something specific and memorable. A slogan is somewhat like an elevator pitch, serving as a mini mission statement: "Get Amy Lemley provides professional marketing copywriting, web content development, ghostwriting, and editing to agencies, organizations, academics, and authors." A tagline makes a catchier, simpler statement that hints at but may not delineate all the offerings: "Get Amy Lemley: When Words Matter." Amy's proprietary process leaves you knowing who you are and what to say about yourself.
Brochures, One-Pagers, Sales Letters, etc.
Attractive, compelling print materials mailed or left behind after a presentation or distributed at a promotional event remain an impressive way to catch the attention of your sales prospects. They are a useful way to register in attendees' minds at trade shows and other events. Sales letters are always a critical piece--whether for cold contacts or follow-up. Much of the time, though, brochures, one-pagers, and sales letters are now digital--attached to accompany e-mailed sales letters and other correspondence. But how many times have other companies' materials come your way only for you to trash them as soon as they've arrived? Don't let that happen to you. Amy can help you develop brochures, one-pagers, and sales letters your prospects and customers will want to open and read.
White Papers & Case Studies
Want to enrich the impression you make on your clients? Consider producing a white paper or case study. White papers are akin to formal research papers, documenting facts about your industry or a particular product or service you offer. White papers show what you know rather than telling the reader you know it. In fact, the most effective white papers scarcely mention you at all, except as the author/publisher.
Case studies are by their very nature more personal and feature you or your company by name (or in first person): They can be formal or informal in tone. Case studies are your time to shine, presenting a problem, solution, rationale, and result in way readers can quickly relate to. They can include interviews with happy clients, statistics, illustrations--whatever can tell the success story in a memorable way.
Both white papers and case studies make excellent "leave-behinds" or enclosures with sales correspondence. They are also suitable as e-mail attachments, great for "just touching base and thought this would interest you." They can be repurposed as e-newsletter copy, gated content, or part of your website (see Web Content Writing). Amy can help you get the most for your effort, building a library of materials for use in many different media, print and electronic.