Katie Yeakle – Secrets of Writing HIGH-PERFORMANCE Business-to-Business Copy

Katie Yeakle – Secrets of Writing HIGH-PERFORMANCE Business-to-Business Copy

**More information:

Get Katie Yeakle – Secrets of Writing HIGH-PERFORMANCE Business-to-Business Copy at Salaedu.com

Description

Dear Reader,

If you’re just starting out as a copywriter, there’s a fun little 2-minute quiz you should take right now.

It’s coming up in just a minute.

It’ll immediately eliminate any confusion when it comes to what “niche” of the copywriting world you should pursue.

And that’s important…

Because if you find yourself in a niche that doesn’t “fit” your strengths, your interests or your personality…

You’re not as likely to be as successful as you could be — as quickly as you could be.
Everyone’s Unique

Because it’s no secret…

Everyone has different strengths…

Everyone’s personalities are unique.

Some people love to be in the limelight — the star of the show… while others prefer the peaceful comfort of a more “anonymous” life.

Some crave attention and recognition while others prefer to be without it.

Some are born to be “shoot-for-the-moon” risk-takers… while others much prefer the safe route and the security it brings.

It’s the same for copywriters…

Some of us live to come up with the next “all-or-nothing breakthrough idea”… put it out there… pace the floor waiting for the results to come in… and then revel in the excitement and attention (and cash) a successful promotion can bring.

And if it bombs?

Well, by nature, these folks are usually quick to put it behind them and try again.

Other copywriters aren’t this way at all…

They love the writer’s life, the freedom that comes with it, and (of course) that nice six-figure income…

But they’re not crazy about the pressure to “sell, sell, sell”…

They’re not chomping at the bit to write that next “control-busting breakthrough” time after time…

No…

These copywriters prefer a quieter, gentler kind of success…
Who Needs The Pressure?

The kind of copywriting career where the pressure to write the next “million-dollar sales letter” doesn’t exist…

Where your reputation as a copywriter isn’t solely based on how much money your last promotion brought in the door…

Where you can easily make $100K per year, year after year… even in a tough economy.

Some call these folks the “journeymen” of the copywriting world: competent, professional, reliable… and very well paid for their services.

Where do the vast majority of these ‘types’ of copywriters work?

In perhaps the most overlooked, misunderstood, and consistently lucrative sector of the copywriting market.

I’m talking about the “Business-to-Business” market.

Now, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of Business-to-Business, sometimes called “B2B.” (It is, after all, one of the biggest opportunities out there for copywriters.)

But, do you really know what writing for that market entails… or how enormous the opportunity is?

Do you know why it pays so well — even though there’s no pressure to “sell, sell, sell”?

And, most importantly — do you know whether it’s for you or not?
Try This Little “Quiz”

Let’s take a minute to find out right now, with our quick little quiz I told you about.

Here are five simple questions with three possible answers each.

Depending on which answers you choose, together we’ll get a pretty good idea right from the get-go if B2B copywriting is for you.

Here we go…
Given a choice, I prefer:

The challenge of long copy — sinking my teeth into 12, 16, and 20-page sales letters and video scripts.
Taking on smaller projects that pay me well… quick little ads, letters, and other writing projects I can finish up in a day or two at the most.
Really putting my selling skills to the test… challenging myself to come up with new and innovative “big ideas” every time I write a package.

Which best describes you?

I’m a bit of a renegade. I love to take chances, go out on a limb, and try new things. I’m not afraid to have a package fail.
I like to “keep it between the lines.” Show me what’s been proven to work and I’ll deliver, on time every time.
I’m easily bored, which is why I prefer to jump from one client to another rather than have a few steady reliable ones.

How would you describe your writing style (or the kind of writing style you’d like to have)?

Warm, personal, conversational, authoritative, backed up with solid research.
Somewhere in the middle.

You’ve been given a choice between three projects. Each pays $3,000. Which one do you take?

A direct-mail package to sell an investment conference — roughly 12 pages of copy where you need to detail who the speakers are, why they’re qualified, what they’ll be talking about, and why any serious investor should go.
A series of four, single-page letters encouraging your prospect to request some free information on a product he or she uses every day.
An 8 to 12-page research-heavy health promotion promoting the benefits of a natural supplement aimed at reducing daily stress.

As far as income goes, here’s where I stand:

I’m in this to make a lot of money… between $300K and $500K a year — and I’ll write as many letters in a month as I need to.
I’d be happy with $150K to $200K, so long as it means I can make my own hours and not have to work full 8-hour days every day.
50K is good for me. I’m just looking for some extra money on top of my current job.

Curious about what your answers mean?

Here’s what I can tell you…
Where You Should Be

If you answered mostly “A” — you certainly can become a B2B writer if you choose to, but it sounds to me like you’re better suited to long copy projects… more aggressive selling… and the potential for big, big, cash. There’s a longer learning curve, and the stakes are greater, but maybe you want to consider writing for the financial or health industry.

If you answered mostly “C” — you’re still B2B material — but it sounds like you might want to explore the consumer products route… supplements, credit card offers, household items, and so on.

But, if you answered mostly “B” — congratulations! Looks like you’ve found your niche! Because what your answers are telling me:

You want to earn a solid six-figure income…
You love working from home, at your own pace, no bosses, no time card, no commute…
You’re professional, reliable, and deadline-oriented…
You don’t need or crave a lot of glory or attention…
You like quick, short projects that pay well…
You prefer a few good reliable clients, rather than constantly marketing yourself for new ones…
Like a lot of copywriters — you don’t love long copy. You’re not crazy about spending weeks on a single project, crafting 12 to (sometimes) 60-pages of copy.
Half-a-million a year would be nice — but “high 100K” is just fine for you. So long as it means you can take an afternoon with the kids a day or two a week… get in a round of golf now and again… and vacation anytime the mood hits you or a good “last-minute” deal comes along.

If you agree that this describes you, then let me give you an overview of the B2B market — and what it takes to be a successful writer in this fast-growing and lucrative niche:

The kind of projects you could be writing…
Why there’s so much demand for writers here…
How to become an expert in B2B very quickly…
Which “specialties” you should master first (and why)…
Where and who your customers are…
And, how to land your first client just as soon as you’re ready.

Let’s get started by answering the obvious question:
Just What Is B2B Marketing Anyway?

Simply put, Business-to-Business refers to companies that sell things to other companies.

For example, you buy a toaster from your local Walmart store. Maybe you saw an ad for the toaster… you liked what you read… the price was good… so you hopped in the car and went to the store or bought it online.

That’s a “Business-to-Consumer” sale…

But, there were perhaps a dozen “Business-to-Business” transactions that went on before that toaster could ever make it to the store shelf.

There was the metal fabrication company that supplied the machine to the toaster maker that enabled it to stamp out and shape the material used to make the product…

The printing machine company that sold the pad print product that enabled the company to print its name on the finished toaster…

The paper company that made the box the toaster came in…

The artist who designed the art for the packaging…

And, chances are, there was a consulting firm who convinced the toaster company that they could help them get their toasters into Walmart stores nationwide in the first place.

All these are “Business-to-Business” companies.

And there are more than 8 million of them in dozens of industries just in North America alone — all of which need to reach prospective customers by advertising their products and services using copywriters like you.

But B2B advertising is a little different than traditional advertising…

This prospect doesn’t need to be sold “emotionally” like when you’re selling to consumers…

And you don’t need the kind of “big ideas” that drive a lot of copywriting success… or clever headlines to capture their attention.

Why? Because businesses know they need what you’re selling. It’s just a matter of getting them educated about your product or service… showing why yours is better than the competition from a cost and performance standpoint.

Often, you don’t even have to do that much…

One of the most common tasks for a Business-to-Business copywriter is to generate a “lead.” In other words — get the company to agree to simply learn more about your product!

Don’t get me wrong, though…

It’s not that there’s no selling going on here.

There is.

It’s just much more subtle. In fact, in just a moment’s time, I’ll show you some of the ways businesses market to other businesses — and share with you one of the most powerful secrets for getting results in any form of B2B marketing. (You’ll have this secret within minutes — and once you have it, you’ll be well on your way… more knowledgeable than half the B2B copywriters working today!)

But, before I get to all that, here’s a fascinating fact… one that no copywriter thinking about the B2B market should ignore.
The B2B Market is HUGE!

Because you don’t hear about or see much of the selling that goes on in the B2B market, it’s easy to imagine it being much smaller than the B2C market.

But it’s not…

According to Statista, B2C e-commerce sales worldwide reached $2.36 trillion in 2018.

That’s an impressive number, for sure…

But nowhere close to the $9.6 trillion in revenues generated by more than 200,000 B2B companies per year. according to Forrester Research…

And that’s just in the United States alone!

And it makes total sense.

Purchasing a B2C product is one transaction — the one you made when you went to the store or online to buy that toaster, for example…

But remember all the B2B transactions that went into making that toaster — and all the materials, equipment, and expertise that allow the manufacturer to make and wholesale thousands of toasters at an efficient cost!

We’re talking anywhere from a dozen to perhaps hundreds of B2B “transactions” — just on one product!

And here’s the even better news.

More and more B2B companies are using copywriters to facilitate those sales…

Through small but effective lead-generation emails, ads, content marketing, social media, and Google Ads.

Some B2B companies produce little three-minute video scripts that a purchasing manager can watch quickly on his computer or smartphone…

Sometimes a product will call for a white paper — which is a six-to-12-page research report on the B2B product or component you’re selling (and likely one of the “biggest” projects you’ll ever see as a B2B writer)…

Case studies — which are essentially little problem-solution “customer testimonial stories” — are another popular B2B marketing technique…

B2B companies often send their clients and prospective clients informational emails and newsletters that they pay copywriters like you to write…

In fact, there are over a dozen different marketing tools B2B companies can use.

And they all have one thing in common:

No hard selling.

Just one professional communicating the benefits about their products and/or services to another professional.

And because there are so many ways B2B companies can reach their customers — as a copywriter, you can generate a very comfortable six-figure income with just three of four active clients!

Add it all up and what does it mean?

It means a huge opportunity for B2B marketers like you…

Writers who know the B2B market…

Who understand the nuanced persuasive writing techniques that work for that market…

And who can write the ads, emails, content, website copy, white papers, case studies, video scripts that virtually every B2B company needs.
Your “Step-by-Step” Program

That’s why I’m excited to introduce to you AWAI’s Secrets of Writing HIGH-PERFORMANCE Business-to-Business Copy…

A program created by our friend and Master B2B Copywriter Steve Slaunwhite that’s become the industry standard for new B2B copywriters starting out.

Not only will Secrets of Writing HIGH-PERFORMANCE Business-to-Business Copy teach you everything you need to know about the B2B market…

It will teach you “step-by-step” how to write all the B2B marketing elements any client will ever ask you to write.

And you couldn’t be learning these skills from a better teacher than Steve.

If you don’t know him already… Steve is a bona fide and respected superstar in the world of B2B marketing.

He’s been writing big-league B2B copy for more than 20 years…

His clients are some of the biggest in the B2B world: UPS, Hewlett-Packard, Sprint, Symantec, Mitsubishi, and Forbes, to name a few…

He’s written books, been featured in Writer’s Digest, The Wall Street Journal, Canada’s Globe and Mail, The Daily News, Direct Marketing, Forbes, Small Business Trends, and more… .

He’s won industry awards, including the prestigious ACE Award for Direct Mail Copywriting and AWAI’s Copywriter of the Year…

Clients he writes and consults for love him:

Michael Hughes, The Networking Coach, said Steve’s advice helped him “triple his sales.”

Rich Gaasenbeek of IXACT called him “One of the best B2B Copywriters in North America.”

Mark Organ, CEO of Influitive said Steve was “instrumental” in creating their direct marketing copy.

Terry Jarvis of UPS said their marketing success “could not have been possible” without Steve’s consulting and writing.

That’s why when we wanted to create the quintessential program for AWAI members interested in breaking into the B2B niche — we went straight to Steve.

And, what an amazing job he did.
EVERYTHING You’ll Ever Need to Become a B2B Expert

Secrets of Writing HIGH-PERFORMANCE Business-to-Business Copy is a full immersion into the B2B world.

It shows you how the Business-to-Business market works… how the buying decision is made… what motivates and drives the decision-making process.

It shows you different emotions that can impact the buying decision and how to appeal to them in your copy.

As a quick example…

You may think greed and vanity don’t play a role in the B2B buying decision like they do when selling to consumers. Truth is, they do — but in a different way.

Remember, your B2B prospect may be a purchasing manager who wants to impress his superiors. His reputation may be affected — either positively or negatively — by any given purchase. So, if the product you’re selling can save the company time and money, a good Business-to-Business writer will find a subtle way to let his prospect know that this purchase will reflect well on them — and show them why.

And that’s just one of the “subtleties” of writing powerful B2B copy revealed in Steve comprehensive program.
Some of the Secrets You’ll Discover

You’ll learn:

The 4 “key influencing factors” of every B2B buying decision and how to use them to super-charge your copy…
The “Twin Pillars” of B2B persuasion and how to inject them into every piece of copy you write…
The 9 most common projects you’ll take on (and how to be a master in each of them)…
The unique needs of the B2B buyer — and why it’s crucial you understand “the CNI factor”…
Why it’s crucial you understand every B2B buyer’s “split personality”…
Steve’s “5-point strategy” for quickly understanding any B2B product you’ll be asked to market…
8 tips for explaining a product’s technically complex features clearly, concisely, and accurately…
The B2B headline that virtually never fails…
Where and how to source build the ultimate B2B Swipe File…
60 of the most powerful B2B headline words…
The “3-C’s” of B2B ad copy (all you need to create short, crisp, killer copy)…
8 short “lead types” that work very well in B2B copy…
Two “copy killers” you want to avoid…
The two secrets to ultra-persuasive B2B copy…
11 powerful techniques for making your client’s product or service stand out in a crowd…
When you should (and shouldn’t) use pictures, graphs, charts, diagrams, and testimonials in a B2B ad…
14 ways to build instant and unshakeable credibility for your client…
The secret of the “motivating sequence”: 5 things every B2B ad, email, or brochure MUST do…
5 strategies for master the “B2B style” (Rule #1 — lose the hype!)…
7 things you, as a professional B2B writer, need to do to prepare for every B2B project…
Steve’s exclusive “Copywriting Information Worksheet” for every project you take on…
9 knock-out strategies for writing perfect lead generators (the heart and soul of the B2B trade!)…
How to become a millionaire specializing enormously popular “white paper reports”…
6 letter and email templates you can copy…
8 research tips, techniques, and shortcuts…

The program spells out everything you need to succeed at every step of the B2B process — from working with your client for the first time… to understanding the B2B selling process… to knowing what course of action you recommend your B2B client take to get the job done.

Each of the 16 learning modules is conveniently organized into three elements:

The “How-To” Guts — crisp, concise, detailed information on how to craft any B2B sales approach proven to work
A short and powerful “Exercise” you can do, meant to drill the information deep into your mind
The B2B Writer’s Toolkit — tips, tricks, techniques, and shortcuts you can use… things you absolutely need to know to be a great B2B writer, including: 28 ideas for writing a powerful B2B headline… 7 strategies for writing an effective B2B offer… What to say if the client says “I hate your copy”… and the best way to know and research your target audience

Plus, there are “Bonus” articles along the way that help drive home points made in the chapter — or illustrate an alternative way of getting the job done.

And, you can listen to each chapter of the program via an audio feed, which you can listen to on your computer, or download to your iPod, iPhone, or MP3 player, and listen while you’re driving.

Bottom line: Secrets of Writing HIGH-PERFORMANCE Business-to-Business Copy is everything you need to launch a successful career as a B2B copywriter.

Now…

You took our little quiz.

And I’m guessing you wouldn’t still be reading if you weren’t at least a little bit interest in the B2B niche.

So let’s take a moment to drill down a little deeper — into what your day as a B2B copywriter might look like:

The kind of copy you’ll write…

How you’ll prepare for an assignment…

And the fun part — how much you’ll get paid!
How B2B Copy Is Different — and Why that Makes It Easier for You

As we’ve said…

The two things that draw many copywriters to the B2B market are short copy and the variety of projects you can take on.

You may be wondering — if long copy’s proven to work with consumers, why wouldn’t it work in the B2B market?

The answer’s pretty simple.

With consumer direct-response, you have to do “everything”: take your prospect from little or no interest in your product — to a level of interest where he’s willing to write a check or pull out his credit card — on the spot.

You have to grab his interest, gain his trust, make a strong promise, prove you can deliver by giving him lots of proof and benefits, make a strong offer, and “close” the sale.

This “emotional transformation” can take a lot of carefully crafted copy…

The B2B sales process is a little different.

It’s typically not a purely emotional buying decision. It’s one based on logic, need, and budget. And in many cases, your client (your reader) already knows he or she needs what you’re offering.

Your biggest challenge is convincing your product or solution is the best one he or she can choose.

And that’s what Steve’s Secrets of Writing HIGH-PERFORMANCE Business-to-Business Copy explains so brilliantly!

You’ll learn the tone and tempo your copy needs to have…

Words and phrases you should and shouldn’t use…

The “language” professional B2B buyers speak…

ALL possible steps to the selling process…

And because the B2B sale so often is a “multi-project” proposition — just a single client can be a very lucrative proposition for you as a professional B2B copywriter.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about.
How a B2B Campaign Works

Let’s say your client just developed a new device that allows you to print logos, names, instructions, etc., on any surface shape or type.

It’s a device thousands of manufacturers use every day — and your client’s version of the machine takes up less room, is cheaper to run, and can handle twice the work.

And, he’s come to you to help market it.

What do you do?

What kind of projects could you expect to write?

The first thing you do is what any copywriter selling anything would do:

You study the product inside and out.

You learn what makes this printer so much better than the competition’s. And you make a list of features with corresponding benefits, as many as you can come up with.

Now, if this were a consumer product, you’d take your list, organize the benefits in order of importance, and write a personal letter explaining why the prospect needs this product — and how his life will be transformed once he uses it.

But, because you’re selling to a business — an “entity,” if you will, that’s essentially void of emotion… and where there’s a “chain of command” when it comes to buying decisions — you’re going to need marketing pieces that address each stage of the sales process.
The Many Short, Billable Projects You’ll Master

For instance — to generate buzz, excitement, and awareness of the product you might want to write a series of space ads suitable for trade papers and industry websites…

You’ll need press releases for distribution to industry media…

You’ll need to update the company’s web pages with information about the new product.

Like most B2B assignments, these are all projects you can complete in a day or two…

Next, you’ll need to generate leads for the company’s sales force.
For that, you’ll be asked to create ads, email, and direct-mail campaigns inviting prospects to get free information on the product — white papers and case studies which provide even more detailed information… and can be offered as a special report lead generator, mailed, or “left behind” by the salesperson…

You can help the sales force land appointments by crafting telephone scripts, sample letters, and emails — even a two-or three-minute video script that describes the products advantages and benefits.

Once again — very simple single-day projects you can bill handsomely for.

And, remember, once you’ve done a few of these projects for one client, just use the same format for other clients! (Then watch your speed, productivity, and income soar!)

There’s more you can do…

Interested prospects are going to need to be educated on the new printing device — so there are all kinds of opportunities to write in-depth product brochures, sell sheets, web copy, and online videos (in addition to the white paper reports and case studies I mentioned)…

You’ll want to talk to your client about the importance of keeping the prospect “warm” throughout the buying decision. Here’s a great chance for you to offer to write newsletters, special emails, and postcards.

Literally dozens of projects you can take on.

And as a professional B2B Copywriter, your job is very simple:

Let the client know what he needs to do to effectively promote a product by knowing what goes into a successful B2B campaign…
Deliver the copy.

Here’s what your invoice might look like for just some of the work described above:
John Smith Inc. Copywriter

25 Your Street
Your Town, State, USA
284-555-1556
For creative services rendered:
11/3
3 Ad copy and layout suggestions
Same basic ad concept and message. Three different sizes.
(¼,½, full page)
$1,500
11/6
1 Press Release
$500
–
Lead Generators
$1,500
11/9
Email (series of 5)
$2,500
–
Direct mail (envelope, lift, mailer)
$2,500
11/17
Web copy for sales pages
$1,500
11/22
Email Newsletter (Copy and editing. One short personal message. One 500-word article. One short blurb about a new product or offer.)
$1,250
Total Fee:
$8,750
Please Make Check Payable to John Smith Inc.
Thank You!

And remember — the projects you billed for on this invoice involved maybe a week or so of writing and research combined.

And, there are a lot of elements you’ve yet to do.

You may be asked to write a white paper report (potential $5,000 fee), a series of case studies (potential $1,500 fee for each one), a video script (potential $1,200 fee)…

That’s another potential $7,000 to $10,000 in billable copy.

And remember — that’s just one company… one product!

Most companies are marketing several products simultaneously to different clients…

In addition, many companies need someone to keep up monthly newsletters or e-letters aimed at clients…

They need help maintaining their websites…

Companies are always looking for new leads… new ways to market themselves… and a better way to position their products.

So if you’re their go-to B2B copywriter — you could be looking at $60,000 to $80,000 in fees for three campaigns a year and some “miscellaneous” work…

Which is why three or four clients is all any seasoned B2B copywriter will ever need!

That could be you…

But, first you need to learn the ropes…
Business-to-Business — From Soup to Nuts…

And that’s where AWAI’s Secrets of Writing HIGH-PERFORMANCE Busines