Finding Your Clients Business Problem Leads to Better Copy

WHAT'S THEIR PROBLEM?

How do you begin a dialogue with a prospect, be it in person, on your website or in print?

You talk about your client's business problem.

What IS your client's business problem?

Answering this question is the hardest part of marketing. What we all do instead, is focus on our solution, i.e. "what we do."

"We sell network management software."

"We are a business-oriented law firm."

"We trade commodities."

Worse still, we continue talking about ourselves: how many employees we have, how many years we have been in business, where our head office is.

Let's think again. Are you worried about the vulnerability of your IT systems today? Do you dread losing your information assets? Aha, our network management software has worked wonders for clients just like you.

Are you thinking of expanding your business? Do you know how to find an experienced team that knows your industry backwards and can deliver. Are you looking for a team that has done this kind of transaction for many years. A team with the best experience and knowledge of your industry in the country? We don't just deliver wordy legal contracts, we deliver cost-effective business solutions.

Do your clients want specialty products delivered in exactly the way your clients want to receive them, sometimes in custom format? We don't just trade commodities, we deliver service and quality every time, in just the way you want it.

Every good piece of marketing collateral starts by setting out the business problem. Because reading this, your client will say, "finally, someone who understands what I am struggling with." This is your "hook." The hook requires empathy. Later you will apply logic. i.e. why your service is the ideal fit for his problem.

How often do you put yourself in your clients' shoes and wonder what she struggles with? I've seen how hard this is with every client I have ever worked with (save one, he just needed a writer to set out his thoughts on paper.)

I have also seen how transformative it is to do this exercise. When you really understand what your clients' problem is, you also understand the nuances of your solution. Doing this work becomes an exercise in strategy. It helps you answer what you are about in the marketplace.

It positions you. "Positioning," means defining exactly who your ideal client is, what they really want and what you are really really good at. Position yourself correctly and you knock your competitors out of the game.

How important is it to begin your dialogue with your client's business problem. It is crucial. Good writing (and good talking) is good thinking.

Do you have a robust marketing plan to execute against? How clear and persuasive is your website, brochure copy or direct mail? Call Neroli Lacey NOW to win more business TODAY.

About The Author

I'm Neroli Lacey of Beyond Communications Inc. in Minneapolis, MN. I've been helping executives transform their businesses and their lives with outstanding marketing materials since 1995. VISA, 3M and Perot Systems are some of my bigger clients. I have worked with clients in Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Austin, Minneapolis, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin and Delhi. I used to be one of the top journalists in Britain writing for The Times, The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Guardian, The Evening Standard, New Statesman, Vogue and Tatler.

Before newspapers I was an investment banker. I grew up in London, England, studying Latin with Greek at Bristol University.

Please visit my website: www.beyondcommunications.com

Or contact me at: neroli@beyondcommunications.com

612-215-3826

---

Google News Updated : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:07:30 GMT McCain, Obama battle over economy, leadership - AFP Telegraph.co.uk McCain, Obama battle over economy, leadership AFP - 51 minutes ago COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (AFP) - Economic issues dominated the campaign trail Saturday as presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain battled over who could best lead the nation in troubled times. Reuters Politics Summary Washington Post Barack Obama, John McCain say they hate meddlers ... but both ... Los Angeles Times Intellectual Conservative - WGN - Financial Times all 650 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:15:37 GMT Journals week in review: news from One Microsoft Way - Ars Technica Washington Post Journals week in review: news from One Microsoft Way Ars Technica - 1 hour ago By Emil Protalinski | Published: September 06, 2008 - 01:15PM CT First Gates-Seinfeld ad leaves us scratching our heads. The first Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates ad has arrived. Seinfeld ads only part of Microsoft push United Press International Windows Vista: The OS About Nothing InformationWeek New York Times - Slashdot - Apple Insider - CRN all 499 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:27:03 GMT 'Wrestler' brings Venice fest to its feet - Hollywood Reporter Hollywood Reporter 'Wrestler' brings Venice fest to its feet Hollywood Reporter - 52 minutes ago By Eric J. Lyman VENICE -- "The Wrestler" was the toast of the Lido on the Venice Film Festival's penultimate day, with star Mickey Rourke's interpretation of an aging wrestler struggling to come to terms with the end of his career creating a buzz that ... 'The Wrestler' wins Venice Film Fest top award The Associated Press Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler. TIME Bloomberg - Reuters - Monsters and Critics.com - Los Angeles Times all 327 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:14:35 GMT Buckeyes survive Ohio's threat, 26-14 - The Associated Press The Associated Press Buckeyes survive Ohio's threat, 26-14 The Associated Press - 35 minutes ago COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Beanie Wells didn't play. The Ohio Bobcats sure did. Lightly regarded even in the Mid-American Conference, Ohio put a scare into No. Ohio State Football: OSU 26, OU 14 The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg ESPN USA Today - Columbus Dispatch - Chillicothe Gazette - SBR Forum all 172 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:31:47 GMT Boeing Machinists Take To Picket Line After Talks Collapse - CNNMoney.com Washington Post Boeing Machinists Take To Picket Line After Talks Collapse CNNMoney.com - 1 hour ago NEW YORK (AFP)-- Boeing machinists took to the picket line on Saturday as they launched a strike that has halted production and could cost the US aerospace giant more than $100 million per day. Low strike pay could limit length of Boeing work stoppage BloggingStocks Boeing machinists walk off the job MarketWatch Wall Street Journal - New York Times - AHN - Reuters all 2,440 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:46:08 GMT "Bangkok" a skillful action excursion - Reuters E! Online "Bangkok" a skillful action excursion Reuters - 15 hours ago By Stephen Farber LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Everything is relative in the realm of hyperviolent movies, and compared to this summer's other assassination thriller, "Wanted," "Bangkok Dangerous" is a model of restraint and moral rectitude. 'Dangerous' prosperous at box office Variety An Assassin Arrives to Turn Off the Lights New York Times Boston Herald - Boston Globe - Roanoke Times - Buffalo News all 251 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:41:52 GMT Obama, McCain to Honor Victims of 9/11 Together - Voice of America ABC News Obama, McCain to Honor Victims of 9/11 Together Voice of America - 1 hour ago By VOA News US presidential candidates Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain have agreed to appear together on September 11, the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Conventions, Anything but Dull, Are a TV Hit New York Times Comment by John S. Baick Professor of History, Western New England College Newsday - CNN - Argus Press - Bloomberg all 4,236 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:01:14 GMT RSS feeds More Web Site Traffic

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

How To Write An Effective Ad

A letter or postcard allows you to "talk" one-on-one to... Read More

Segmenting Your Target Audience Through Your Copywriting

Ask any copywriter what the first commandment of copywriting is... Read More

Killer Ad Copy

Not everyone is a writer. Good copy writing is a... Read More

Power Words And Phrases

I like to use power phrases when writing sales material.... Read More

How Your $2-an-Article Ghostwriter is Like a Cheap Pair of Pants

Web marketers: have you figured out that article marketing is... Read More

Headline Writing Can Lead To Fortunes: Here Are The Basics Of Writing Headlines

Headlines attract attention. Headlines generate interest. The time spent writing... Read More

Pulling Sales with Your Ad Copy

One of the best marketing tools available to your internet... Read More

Touching the Prospect?s Emotions in Your Sales Letter

Your prospect has emotions? and you MUST touch these emotions... Read More

Why Copywriting Is The Secret To Your Online Success

Over the last decade, the number of companies selling their... Read More

Calls-To-Action: Making Them Fit Makes All the Difference

It was going so well, so what happened? Many copywriters... Read More

Advice for Copywriters: How to Win the Freelance Bidding War

Are you a freelance copywriter working from home? If so,... Read More

Discover Your Creativity

You have a choice. Do you want to be constructive... Read More

Lapsed Donors: How to Write a Fundraising Letter That Wins Them Back

Your definition may differ, but I define a lapsed donor... Read More

How You Can Become A Freelance Business Plan Writer

As with any business, becoming a freelance business plan writer... Read More

Killer Business Headline Templates - So How Do You Write Killer Headlines in Minutes? You Cheat!

According to Branding and Advertising legend, David Ogilvy: 5 times... Read More

Its Time To Start That Swipe File

Just as great fiction is an art, so is great... Read More

What A Ghostwriter Needs To Do To Earn Top Dollar

The huge demand for writers online is really for ghostwriters.... Read More

The Second Most Important Element of Your Ad... after the Headline

Hi {FIRSTNAME Friend},Next time you're flicking through your local newspaper,... Read More

Headlines That Pull, Persuade and Propel!

When writing direct response copy, there are a few things... Read More

Cleaning Up Your Copy

When you are beginning to write, you gather as much... Read More

Tech-writers: A Necessary Evil

New to tech-writing, or thinking about starting? The key to... Read More

Is Your Content Provider Selling You Ripped Content?

Ripped content: well the term itself is self explanatory. Content... Read More

Are You Losing Customers Because of Typos?

Overlooking simple steps such as proofreading and grammar can affect... Read More

A Copywriting Lesson from Dr. Seuss

Looking for inspiration for your next marketing communication? Try the... Read More

Are You Asking the Right Questions in Your Copy?

It's a common approach to writing copy. You begin by... Read More