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In business, sooner or later you will be faced with presenting a pitch.

For some people, that isn’t a problem. But for many, they would rather poke their eyes out with a red hot poker than face a potential new client.

As soon as the date is arranged they go into panic mode – hundreds of ‘what ifs’ pour into their head followed by sleepless nights and the inability to eat without feeling nauseous.

So what can be done to help you prepare for the pitch?

Preparation is the key

If you were hoping for a magic formula or a pill to take your anxiety away, then I’m going to disappoint you.

The only way to be confident is to prepare.

1. The phone call

During the phone call with the potential client, try and find out as much detail as possible about what they’re looking for. As a copywriter, I would ask what the project was, who was their target audience, what will the review process be, what format would it take etc.

But don’t just ask questions about the project, also ask:

•    Who will be at the meeting?
•    Where will it be held?
•    Is there any car parking at the site?
•    Are they meeting with any other copywriters (it’s always good to know if you’re up against any competition)?

Basically, at the end of that call you want to know as much information as possible about the project and the client.

2. A day or two before the meeting

Next is the research.

Take a look at their website. What sort of marketing are they doing? What is the style of their communication?

See what information you can find out about the people you’ll be meeting – not in a creepy stalker kind of way, but take a look at their previous experience.

Work out what you want to ask them – a great way to start your meeting is by asking an open question to get them talking. This will not only unearth a wealth of information for you, it will also give you chance to catch your breath and ease yourself into the meeting.

3. Before you set off

Check to make sure you either know where you’re going, or that your SatNav is charged up and working.

Have the name and phone number of the person you’re meeting in your phone so, should you get held up, you can ring and let them know.

Leave yourself plenty of time so you arrive calm and collected and make sure you have pens, paper etc.

Most importantly, before you leave, tell yourself you are the right person for this project. You are the writer they need.

4. The meeting

Once you’ve arrived (suited and booted), be calm, polite and confident.

Offer a firm handshake (but not one that will leave them with a crushed feeling), make small talk and then get to down to your first open question and let them tell you everything you need to know to show them you’re the right person for them.

5. Close

Often, you’ll meet with someone who is unable to make a decision there and then because it has to go to the board.

But if that’s not the case, close the sale there and then. If you leave them pondering you could be walking away from the money.

Once they say yes and agree to your payment terms, tell them exactly how you will proceed and what they can except to happen – and make sure you stick to it.

6. Yippee!

Congratulations – you got the contract and kept your nerves at bay.

Reflect on how you presented yourself and your business and remember the success for future meetings.

Finally, grab yourself a large glass of champagne – you deserve it.

Client meetings and pitches don’t have to be scary. A few nerves are good for you, but not to the point your stomach is in knots. Preparation is the key – granted, you can’t win them all, but being ready for anything will help your confidence grow.

If you follow me on Twitter you may already have seen this information. But if you’ve not seen it grab a pen, you’ll want to make a note of what is about to follow.

Websites you should know about

The first website is http://gethuman.com/numbers/uk.

This one is fab for those of you who’ve experienced the frustration of trying to get through to a real person on a customer service line.

The site lists short cuts to a human voice for a number of UK companies. It will save a lot of time and frustration.

The second site is www.saynoto0870.com. Many companies use 0870, 0500 etc premium rate numbers which we pay through the nose for. This site allows you to search for the geographical equivalent number saving you £££££s!

So there you go – my handy hints for the day

When it comes to putting a piece of copy together many people end up staring at a blank screen not really knowing where to start.

They may pour hours into creating a suitable headline, but then come to a grinding halt.

Just think back to your school days. Remember those English lessons spent in a cramped class room? What did your teacher tell you were the 3 most important elements of a story?

• The beginning
• The middle
• The end

Well, producing a piece of sales writing is exactly the same.

Tie the body of your copy to your headline

If your headline led with a benefit, get that in your copy first:

Headline: “Miracle Clean gets all stains out first time – guaranteed!”

Copy: “Fed up with washing and re-washing clothes because those stubborn stains won’t come out? Well now’s the time to take action…”

A bit of a corny example, but you get the idea.

Start at the beginning

The beginning of your copy should state a problem that needs to be solved (just like in the above example). This shows your reader exactly what you are talking about and gives purpose to your writing.

The other way of starting is with something pleasurable and desirable – especially if you are selling a product that will make the user more attractive, wealthier etc.

Now for the filling

So you have a strong headline, a great beginning that has drawn your reader in – now you just need a convincing middle.

This is where you introduce the product/service you are offering which will overcome the problem faced by your reader or provide them with the benefit you have talked about (i.e. when your headline was about a product that would give pleasure – making you look more youthful, making you wealthier etc.)

So if we look at the washing powder example again it would go something like:

“Now you can remove all stains first time with Miracle Clean. Second washes and cupboards of extra products will become a thing of the past. Now all you need is one product for ultra clean laundry every time.”

The end of the road

The ending of your copy is where you bring your reader into the story.

Also known as the call to action it is probably one of the most important aspects of any piece of copywriting. It should be commanding – tell your reader exactly what they have to do:

“Get your free sample of Miracle Clean now by calling xxxxxxxxx”

So there you go – copywriting is just like story telling. By following the traditional story format you will be able to create compelling copy.

Sally Ormond, Freelance Copywriter – Briar Copywriting

I was reading an article the other day about the fashion industry.

Every day we are subjected to images of super skinny models showing off the latest designer offerings. The clothes just hang off their emaciated bodies as they strut their stuff up and down the catwalk.

Most of them look as though they’d snap if they turned too quickly or stumbled off one of their ridiculously high heeled shoes.

But what’s more attractive? Half-starved models with gaunt, over-made up faces or the 1920s vision of beautiful women with rounded hips, thighs and bellies?

When today’s models turn sideways they disappear; there are no curves or substance to them.

So what has all this got to do with a copywriting and marketing blog?

Well, think of your website as a catwalk model. If it is lean and malnourished of words and content, Google won’t see it. But if it is well fed with keyword rich content that is relevant and interesting, Google will not only see it, it will hold it aloft for all to see.

A substantial website with generous amounts of copywriting is the best way to get your company noticed. Of course, if you fill it with inconsequential nonsense that is of no use to man nor beast, it will just be taking up space.

Your website copywriting should be relevant to your businesses. When writing the copy think sales, think relevance, think about your reader.

If you are writing your own copy, ensure you write it for your reader and not for you. If you are getting a copywriter to write the content for you, make sure you provide a brief that really gets across your product, its benefits and details of your target audience.

Content is one of the key factors for great organic search results – basically the more relevant content you have on your site the better.

Times are changing.

Most of us would be hard pushed to recall an economic climate worse than the one we are saddled with at the moment. But something else is happening; something else is emerging.

As the owner of an online business for the past 18 months, I have been overwhelmed by the number of people out there who have helped me. I don’t mean great service providers or anything like that. What I am talking about are ordinary business men and women who have selflessly helped me out, shown me the ropes and given their expertise for nothing, or at the very least as part of a barter deal.

Therefore I was intrigued to read this report from www.trendwatching.com

‘Has it ever been important for corporations to ditch the greed and embrace generosity? It’s something that countless individuals have already started doing, of course: giving is the new taking, and sharing is the new giving. And yes, we do realize that this month’s Trend Briefing is massive, but in this business climate, can you really afford not to spend some time figuring out how to get a little closer to your customers?

GENERATION G

Sometimes big events and ongoing trends clash in a beautiful way, only to converge soon after. Consider the following:

GENERATION G | “Captures the growing importance of ‘generosity’ as a leading societal and business mindset. As consumers are disgusted with greed and its current dire consequences for the economy—and while that same upheaval has them longing more than ever for institutions that care—the need for more generosity beautifully coincides with the ongoing (and pre-recession) emergence of an online-fueled culture of individuals who share, give, engage, create and collaborate in large numbers.

In fact, for many, sharing a passion and receiving recognition have replaced ‘taking’ as the new status symbol. Businesses should follow this societal/behavioral shift, however much it may oppose their decades-old devotion to me, myself and I.”

See: trendwatching.com’s February 2009 Trend Briefing covering GENERATION G for the full story.

Long may this spirit of generosity continue.