This week’s Fifteen Minute Pitch Post is hardly cutting edge, but then, most of the things we do in marketing aren’t.

A large client – the Marketing Director of the industry’s biggest player — has always used a merchandise offer to build his e-mail list. A plausible approach – and one that’s stood the test of time – but I wondered if he couldn’t update his methods.

My suggestion? Test an information-based offer against his merchandise offer.

Call it a short e-book, or his market’s equivalent of a white paper, but I pitched an 8-12 page Acrobat file jammed with information his prospects would find useful.

Of course, this is hardly new to most marketers, but my research suggests no one in my client’s market has done it.

The pitch?

It included benefits like:

• Instant gratification (online fulfillment) for prospects

• No hard product fulfillment costs

• Ability to customize the e-book for specific markets/regions

• Ability to promote his brand in the e-book

• Higher response? (Information is often worth more than goodies)

(And probably a few others I’ve forgotten.)

The moral? Even successful marketers can run a few steps behind the leading edge. If your client is one of them, take the chance to add value to the relationship – and secure a little extra paying work for yourself.

Keep writing, Tom Chandler.

[tags]writer, copywriter, freelance copywriter, freelancer, marketing, new business, fifteen minute pitch post[/tags]

Next week, this could become the Thursday Fifteen Minute Pitch Post.

I write, I learn.

Today’s Pitch

Today’s pitch project is no mystery to online marketers, but a lot of medium sized businesses overlook this effective tactic.

It’s the Landing Page.

 Let’s say a prospect responds to a Google ad, or perhaps a banner ad you wrote for a client.

Landing pages allow you to carry on the dialog you started in the ad, and better market your offer.

It’s far more effective than simply shuffling prospects to the company Web site.

It’s a well-known tactic, but one overlooked by — I’m just going to say it — a surprising number of mid-sized company marketing departments (and a few large ones too).

The pitch itself? Easy. Consider something like:

“You’re investing your precious budget developing these leads — so don’t waste a single prospect. A landing page between our banner ads and the company Web site would allow us to continue the dialog we started with the prospect.”

“Plus, we can market the offer from a stronger position. Not only will we see a higher conversion rate, but we’ll gather prospect data in greater depth.”

Working on a response-generating project, but the client’s overlooking the landing page?

Don’t let ‘em. Add value to the relationship by helping to improve their bottom line.

Keep writing, Tom Chandler.

[tags]marketing, copywriting, fifteen minute pitch, landing page[/tags]

Remember, my Fifteen Minute Pitch Posts are designed to make you sit down and think about projects you could pitch to your current clients (probably the fastest way to grow your revenues).

This time, I stumbled across an idea so obvious, I couldn’t leave it alone.

It’s fast. Simple. And while nobody’s going to get rich, you will deliver additional value to your clients – and make a few extra bucks in the process.

How?

Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)

You just finished a new Web site for a client. Or wrote a case study. Or worked on collateral for a new product. Or… whatever. There’s something new out there from your client.

Are they marketing it via Google AdWords (or Yahoo or MSN)? Do they need new ads written? Or are they overlooking this media channel entirely?

You’d be surprised at how many small and medium sized companies are missing the PPC boat.

Which spells opportunity for you.

Writing PPC Ads

Writing a good PPC ad isn’t the easiest thing you’ll do. In fact, Google ads are so short, constructing one is more akin to writing a haiku than your typical ad.

(Titles are 25 characters, followed by two lines of 35 characters and a URL.)

Still, there’s plenty of information available: Google has oodles at their AdWords Help Center, and you’ll find similar help for Yahoo ads at their help site.

Of course, if you’ve never written PPC ads before, you’ve got some research ahead of you (most keyword related). But that’s beyond the scope of this fifteen minute post.

If you have written PPC ads, then why wait? Invest 15 minutes in an e-mail to a small handful of clients.

Tell them you can create a new lead pipeline for them (or improve the response rate of their current ads). Put together a standard “PPC Success Package” price.

And hit “send.”

[tags]ppc, google, adwords, yahoo, fifteen minute pitch post[/tags]

This is part of the week where I pitch a new project to an existing client – the fastest way for a freelance copywriter to grow revenues.

Earlier this week, a small business client said they planned to send a letter to a very select group of professionals, paving the way for a later phone call.

Nowadays – faced by a flood of direct mail – there’s no guarantee a letter will be opened. And given the small size of the mailing list, it didn’t seem like a good bet. Every name counted.

What did I pitch them instead of the letter? I said it was time to go lumpy.

Send Something They Have to Open

I suggested a “lumpy mailer” – something so intriguing that it has to be opened.

Some time ago I wrote a post about my own Chattering Teeth lumpy mailer. I suggested a similar course for this client.

Remember – this mailer was a lead for a phone call. So an immediate response wasn’t the goal. We wanted to be remembered, and generate a sense of fun around the brand.

When the phone call came, the caller would mention the lumpy mailer. Ice broken.

Best news? You know the person on the other end of the phone is smiling. There’s no better way to begin a sales call.

It already looks like the project is a go. I can’t wait.

Your Turn

There’s my Fifteen Minute Pitch Post. What are you pitching to an existing client?

[tags]copy, copywriting, marketing, writing, [/tags]

Sure, Fifteen Minute Fridays are supposed to work the other way.

I (and by extension, you) invest fifteen minutes thinking about projects I can pitch to an existing client, and then write the pitch e-mail.

It might just be the fastest way to grow your revenue stream; it’s much faster than finding and developing new clients. (Existing clients might be most copywriter’s biggest untapped resource.)

Today, I got an e-mail from a client pitching me.

It wouldn’t be fair to go into too much detail. But I can relate the broader concept: write short marketing/sales tips for inclusion into the company’s calendar/time planner publication, which is given to its sales force (quarterly).

Considering the project’s similarity to a series of short “how-to” blog entries, it feels like a slam dunk.

What’s your Fifteen Minute Friday pitch? How are you going to grow your revenues and help your clients succeed?

[tags]fifteen minute Friday pitch, copywriting, copywriter[/tags]

It’s the fastest way for a freelance writer to grow their revenues.

This week, I’m cheating a little.

I’ve already won approval to begin a new project for a new client – one I’ve been subtly chasing for a while.

The project? Researching blogs in two market categories.

I’m using online resources to locate the Top 20 blogs in two categories, and delivering that information (along with relevant e-mail addresses, etc) to the client.

Simple. And not a big project. But my first for a potentially good client.

And once I’ve done it, I can do it for other clients too.

If you’re a freelance copywriter, chances are you do a lot of online research.

Your clients would likely find those skills valuable – if only they knew you had them. Or were aware of the business benefits of online research (competitive or otherwise).

So take fifteen minutes. And think about pitching something new to your “old” clients.

In the interest of sharing, why not post your idea here? If even a half-dozen people post one idea every Friday, we’d all profit.

Keep writing, Tom Chandler.

[tags]copy, copywriter, freelance copywriter[/tags]

I’d find ideas during the week, make a note, and then invest fifteen minutes of my Friday pitching them to clients.

This week, I’m way ahead of the game.

Success! (Stories)

Almost every company with clients and a Web site should be publishing Customer Success Stories. Some call these case studies, but whatever the name, they’re powerful sales tools.

They detail the successful use of a client’s product or service by a customer, and provide “real world” credibility to any product or service.

A case study can take many forms, but the format I pitched to a relatively new client (I’m writing their Web site and developing a Messaging Platform) was short – more ad than white paper.

I also write long customer stories, but feel this punchy version works well on today’s Web sites. You can see a series of short customer stories (pdf) I wrote many years ago for a wonderful client (who was sadly acquired).

The Case Study Short Course

Want the short course in how to write hard-hitting, short-form case studies? First, you’ll probably interview the happy customer by phone. (Remember, you’re representing your client, so be professional.) Before you do so, take a few minutes to read these tips:

Get the Killer Quotes

Assess the particulars of the customer’s story, focus on the positives that align with your client’s key marketing points, and develop one or two strong customer quotes which address these key points. This often involves prompting less-glib clients for quotes that can later be “remodeled” for proper impact.

Find the Big Benefit or Dramatic Result

Is there a quantifiable numeric result to using this product? Are there any significant cost savings, huge productivity improvements, dramatic revenue increases?

I just wrote a case study where my client shaved product prep time from 15 minutes to two minutes – and that was on every part heading down the assembly line (a lot of parts). Quotes are good, but they’re even more powerful when backed by credible, quantifiable (and sometimes dramatic) results.

Get The Story

Is there a beginning, middle and end to this story? Does the future hold something positive? Readers love stories as opposed to dry recitations of the facts. Drama is good, and human drama is better.

The Closer – Get Confirmation

Re-confirm your key points, summing up the benefits to the client. This often plays out in the form of quotes from the happy customer who suggests his organization is looking to expand their use of your customer’s products. That’s a strong, strong confirmation.

Wnot invest 15 minutes and pitch a few case studies today? After all, it’s Fifteen Minute Friday…

[tags]customer story, fifteen minute friday, copy, copywriter, copywriting, pitch, business development[/tags]

And in a recent post, I vowed to do that every Friday. And to post the results here.

Welcome to the Underground’s first Fifteen Minute Friday.

Today’s idea?

It’s a little off my normal path (but that’s kind of the point). I work with a engineering/manufacturing client, usually writing brochure copy, trade articles and customer success stories.

This week I stumbled across this excellent, Dianna Huff-written post on Marketing Sherpa about syndicating white papers. And realized that my client – who plays in competitive, technical markets – could use the information.

I’ve written white papers in the past, but it’s not a core part of my business. But reading Michael Stelzner’s Writing White Papers blog certainly has provoked some thoughts.

Starting with the idea that adding a few of the lessons I’ve learned writing years of direct response could make for a more effective white paper.

Still, the point of this whole exercise is to try new things. And – more importantly – to make ourselves indispensable to our clients.

Write It Up.

So I’m writing an e-mail to my client. (It looks a lot like a short query letter, though – given my existing relationship with the client – it’s fairly informal.)

I’m emphasizing not only the marketing potential of white papers, but also the ability to amplify their reach by syndicating them.

Not exactly earth-shattering, but it’s potentially new work for a client who – because they know me – will give my e-mail serious consideration.

They Say No? That’s OK Too.

There’s an upside to rejection. Even if they say “no” to my idea, I’ve established myself as more of a marketing partner than Just Another Vendor.

So there it is. The Underground’s first Fifteen Minute Friday. Have you invested fifteen minutes this week? Care to share an idea in a comment?

[tags]copywriter, freelance copywriter, freelance copywriting, marketing, new business, fifteen minute friday, white paper[/tags]

To most, that means seeking out new clients. That’s valid. But it’s ten times more work than seeking out new projects from your existing clients.

Grow Your Existing Relationships.

A writer once told me the best investment any freelancer could make was spend fifteen minutes each week thinking about new projects he’d like to do for existing clients.

It was blatantly obvious. Wholly brilliant. And largely ignored by freelancers.

We’re always pursuing the next client – when we should be pursuing a better relationship with our existing clients.

What Do You Want to Write?

Adding value to the client relationship is the best way to grow revenues and keep clients.

One path is to offer them more than words. Demonstrate the simple fact that you bring something to the table beyond the ability to write what they ask for.

Invest 15 Minutes Every Week.

What can you do in 15 minutes?

Sit and think.

Think about the client who has a Web site, a viable service and a good customer base, yet no customer success stories. Or no media kit. Or maybe they can’t even get press releases out when something significant happens.

There are opportunities there. But not if you simply call and tell your contact they “need” to do customer stories.

Instead, spend a few minutes researching their competitors. Google a few statistics. And put it all down on a single sheet of paper (or e-mail).

Make a Business Case.

Remember, you’re not selling them a chance to send you a check.

You’re selling them a chance to improve their sales conversion efforts. Or speeding their business development cycle. Or even driving revenues to the bottom line.

Looking for project ideas?

• Customer Success Stories (many clients overlook these)
• White Papers
• Press Releases to local and trade media
• Blogs (see my Engagement Principles blog for ammunition)
• Sales Letter (for their brochure)
• e-newsletters (go turnkey with this, and you’ll be surprised how often they’ll say “yes”)

These are the tip of the iceberg. But they’re a start.

Pretty soon, you’ll recognize opportunities when you stumble across them on the Internet. And suggest them to an increasingly grateful client.

Fifteen minutes a week (maybe 20).

It’s the most effective way to grow your revenues. And cement your relationship with your clients.

Keep writing, Tom Chandler.

[tags]writer, copywriter, freelance copywriter, freelancer, marketing, new business[/tags]