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How I Start Out My Consults...

by shawnlebrun
4 replies
I'm curious... how do copywriters here start their "consult" or "pitch" when talking with prospective clients?

Do you have a set system? do you wing it?

One thing that might help the newer writers here is... try starting your pitch/ consult out with focusing on the prospect's problems.

In other words... after the initial pleasantries... I'll jump right into ....

"So, tell me about the problems you're facing in your business right now"

Or "what's the biggest sales problem facing you right now?"

This at least gets the discussion focused right away on how you can help.

Because when you're actively listening and understand their problems and concerns... you can position yourself as the one who can tackle and solve those problems.

So, I'll ask about their main problems... and then just listen.

He or she will usually tell me all I need in order to turn around, position myself as being able to solve those problems... and close the sale.

When I first started copywriting... I'd jump right into "here's why I'm the best, here's why I can help you, blah blah blah... and would talk almost the entire time.

Big mistake.

These days, I'm listening about 80% to 90% of the time... i want to know their problems, concerns, objectives, etc...

Then, I present my services as a solution to those problems... and I'm specific. I get into specifics as to what I'd do to help solve those problems.

So, if you're just starting out in this field... your job is to get the other person talking about their problems and concerns.

It's not your job to talk the entire time about you... it's to get he or she to tell you what the problems are, what the objectives are, and what the long-term goals are.

Then, show them how you can solve these, specifically.

does anyone else here start their consult/pitch in a similar manner?
#consults #start
  • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
    Originally Posted by shawnlebrun View Post

    Does anyone else here start their consult/pitch in a similar manner?
    Professionals. eg Doctors, Lawyers, Architects, Accountants, Engineers.

    In fact it is only sales people who don't seem to know what everyone else knows.

    Even Customer Service reps know to ask what the problem is and listen before answering.

    Dan
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  • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
    What most people call consultations on this forum
    are things they are not getting paid for.

    I get pre-paid for them.

    A few lead to ad writing for them.

    Within the consultation, I give the client the space to voice
    his/her problem/problems.

    I'll encourage him to explain more about it.

    And can go several layers deeper.

    When a person confides in you as they normally do in
    this situation, you have overcome the biggest hurdle today...

    and that is trust.

    This is their first time they have verbally said
    what's been going wrong.

    And by the mere fact of giving voice to their feelings,
    they have it out in the open and can see it in a new light.

    Notice this is the discovery phase.

    Not the solution exploration.

    This next stage happens when the conversation on the problems
    has run out of momentum.

    I explain where we are going to go over 3 steps needed in marketing.

    1 The who

    2 Where do we find them

    3 What we say to them

    And this becomes the breakthrough for them.

    Recently I did this with a guy who came to me for assistance with his ads.

    This occasion there was no pre-paid consultation fee.

    We went through this same process and had a massive weight lifted off his back.

    Wanted to pay me for this process I took him through.

    So I let him.

    It seems when you are comfortable in your skin through your knowledge
    and bills taken care of, you can relax and not jumping in with a solution and a pitch.

    And you don't need to because you've already got paid for talking with them.

    Best,
    Ewen
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  • Profile picture of the author Josh Rueff
    Originally Posted by shawnlebrun View Post

    does anyone else here start their consult/pitch in a similar manner?
    Hi Shawn,

    Great insight!

    Here's a quick question:

    Do you think it's possible for new copywriters with minimal experience to use your 80%-90% listening technique? I think they need to place a substantial portion of their attention on proving their ability, by using their technique in the pitch itself.

    I hire very rarely, but when I do, that's the first thing I look for - proof of ability in the pitch copy.

    I appreciate your approach btw - I think I go about it in a similar manner. For me, the most effective thing is to research the crap out of the prospect, and not just the business, website, etc.

    I get personal with it, that is, I social media stalk like nobody's business. I'm not saying this works for everybody, but when you show that you made the effort to learn everything there is to know about them, I think it shows initiative, the ability to research, and most importantly, turns a cold prospect into a warm one.

    Obviously that can get creepy. I'm not talking about commenting on what they were wearing last Friday - I mean a more subtle interjection of personal details that mean something, and may even be more effective in their subconscious mind than their conscious.

    Another thing I'd throw in there is that I despise templates. I'd rather spend an hour or two constructing one well-crafted pitch than mass blasting a million and one half-a**ed pitches.

    Good stuff!
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  • Profile picture of the author Quality Copywriter
    I try to focus on what they want to achieve.

    A suprising amount of people I talk have no real outcome in mind, even at the senior level.

    Then I reverse engineer it back, looking at what they need to sell to get the return they are after.

    I look at their positioning, if they have a list, if the market needs this, the sales funnels etc. The lists they will ahve access to...

    then I say, if I can get you that $$$ result...What will you give me?

    It's only worth going ahead if the copy is going to pay for itself many times over.
    Signature
    "Peter Brennan is the real deal, In the first 12 hours we did $80k...and over $125k in the first week...if you want to be successful online, outsource your copywriting to Peter"
    Adam Linkenauger

    For 12 ways to sell more stuff to more people today...go to...www.peterbrennan.net
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