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Copywriting for Services/Personalities vs Products

by JamesBaldwin
6 replies
Making my very first WF thread in the Copywriting forum feels like sticking my forearm into a tank full of (unusually eloquent) piranhas... however, I spent the evening reading through several copywriter's websites, and found them to be a very interesting study. Reading about Mark Pescetti (Reflection Marketing) and Mal (The Copy Nazi) got my brain ticking over.

I'm keen to hear from the horse's mouth on this topic - "How do you market your services vs marketing your products?" Do you approach your marketing of yourself (or other personalities) in the same way as that of a product, or are there notably different tactics that you employ? Conversely, are they the same?

Certainly some things are universal... the ever present "Benefits, Not Features" skill, for example. Employing this for a Bio is somewhat different than for a Product Description, though... or is it? One has a pre-existing personality and their own volition, one is an inert thing which can be given personality. Both must somehow attract desire - what's your take on the 'how'?

Do you sell yourself from the heart? On the fly? Do you list only the qualities you want people to see? How do you decide this? Do you imbue yourself with only one part of your Self?
#copywriting #products #services or personalities
  • Profile picture of the author Mark Pescetti
    I'm not sure I completely understand what you're asking, which is why I think you aren't getting the kind of responses you deserve...

    ...But to respond to the most clear part of your post: "How do you market your services vs marketing your products?"

    I'm personally a fan of putting the inventor/creator of a product front and center of the brand.

    It gives the business model a feeling of being REAL, rather than trying to contrive some sort of facade that might come across as disingenuous to potential buyers.

    One of the JV's I'm working on right now is a perfect example.

    This guy Todd created day trading software that eliminates the need for reading charts. It simply tells you to go long or short... (i.e. you click buy or sell, set your stop-loss and walk away.)

    He's a wealth of amazing information and I knew from the moment I first spoke to him that he needed to be the face of the product.

    Which is what we did...

    ...And it worked out bloody fantastically!

    It's really the same thing for services...

    ...Put the person or people who are performing the services front and center.

    Look at the advertising that Hertz is doing.

    They're spotlighting the fact that they're a family owned business because they know it makes their car rental services more appealing to regular people.

    Even copywriters who post on this site generally make sure their likeness is apparent all over their websites...

    ...Because even though you're hiring them for their services; who they are makes all the difference in the world.

    Otherwise, everyone would just go to the same dude (or women,) with the biggest name, who makes the most money for clients.

    Everyone else would just get the droppings of whatever is left.

    ....

    As for a bio...

    People forget that their ABOUT ME page is one of the most effective ways to connect with their customer or client base.

    Tell a story.

    Be original.

    Make yourself completely naked and vulnerable.

    UPDATE: By the way... Congrats on stepping out from the shadows. We need NEW blood and perspectives on this forum. Otherwise it just looks like the same people wanking...
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    • Profile picture of the author Ross Bowring
      Originally Posted by Reflection Marketing View Post

      We need NEW blood and perspectives on this forum. Otherwise it just looks like the same people wanking...
      That's how you see this forum?! I'm taken aback.

      --- Ross
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      • Profile picture of the author Mark Pescetti
        Originally Posted by Ross Bowring View Post

        That's how you see this forum?! I'm taken aback.

        --- Ross
        I kid, I kid!

        I love ya all...

        In fact, I kind of owe some people here money since I've converted some sales based off of ideas here...

        ...But alas...
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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    I understand your question and it is a perfectly legitimate
    question. I do an entire 45 minute video on this subject
    for my copywriting coaching students.

    But the essence of the answer is that there is a way to
    sell services that is different to selling a product. Some
    questions that your copy should answer are:

    1. What problems you solve for the client?
    2. What qualifies you to solve these problems.
    3. What has been your results in the past (PROOF, Credibility, portfolio)
    4. How can the prospect work with you?
    -How can they contact you? What can they expect from you?
    -What you expect from them?

    Don't try to sell everybody, so qualify your prospects.
    You may also need to justify your prices in the process
    because a copywriter's fees are not the same as an
    ebook price--or shouldn't be.

    As you get more clients and they indicate what attracted
    them to you then you can adjust your copy along the
    way. Don't be afraid to look at the copy for other
    copywriters site and learn a few lessons along the
    way.

    -Ray Edwards
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Pescetti
      Originally Posted by Raydal View Post

      I understand your question and it is a perfectly legitimate
      question. I do an entire 45 minute video on this subject
      for my copywriting coaching students.

      But the essence of the answer is that there is a way to
      sell services that is different to selling a product. Some
      questions that your copy should answer are:

      1. What problems you solve for the client?
      2. What qualifies you to solve these problems.
      3. What has been your results in the past (PROOF, Credibility, portfolio)
      4. How can the prospect work with you?
      -How can they contact you? What can they expect from you?
      -What you expect from them?

      Don't try to sell everybody, so qualify your prospects.
      You may also need to justify your prices in the process
      because a copywriter's fees are not the same as an
      ebook price--or shouldn't be.

      As you get more clients and they indicate what attracted
      them to you then you can adjust your copy along the
      way. Don't be afraid to look at the copy for other
      copywriters site and learn a few lessons along the
      way.

      -Ray Edwards
      Bullets 1 & 2 could just as easily be applied to virtually any product.

      Bullet 3 should be more along the lines of what perspectives, organic assets or unique life experiences make you different from other people in the market?

      In my humble opinion, when people set up their websites to sell their services take the time to focus on where their passions lie, how they can utilize their past experiences, why they're attracted to perform this work in the first place, etc., it comes through in the copy.

      I recently worked with a woman who is just starting up her nutritional consulting business and after 4 (or more) hours of consulting/interviewing her, we came up with a totally different business name & brand (than she started with.)

      Now we're speaking to the right audience (for her passions) with the exact tone required to really let them know they've discovered the answer to their prayers.

      When writing for services, too many entrepreneurs (especially on the individual or small biz level) try too hard to talk like everyone else.

      This is like shooting yourself in the foot before running a marathon!

      There's something absolutely amazing about YOU that nobody else commands.

      If you delve deep enough into your life experiences and emotional makeup, you'll discover exactly how to communicate what that is... and your prospects will LOVE you for it.

      ...And you'll make a ton more money because what you're offering is so incredibly authentic.

      Genuine people sell!

      There are too many cheesy, wannapreneurs pretending to sound like they know what they're talking about.

      Invest in revealing your organic assets...

      ...You know, the stuff you DIDN'T learn in school!!!

      Because if you take the time to do that...

      ...You'll run laps around the people who shot themselves in the foot!
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  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    Marketing an individual and marketing a product is a similar pitch. The bottom line with each is, what is the person or product going to do for the customer? That's it.

    From there, the particular hook or theme will come into play. Lots of people like to use stories to sell. Stories work well for pitching people and things. I like the "schumck finds a solution" formula. Schumck has a problem and seeks a solution for what seems like an eternity.

    Schumck is about to give up but just in the nick of time, the poor bozo finds the client's product or service and his life changes so much for the better he's making private videos with Paris Hilton a month later.

    It's the 'underdog' play. People love to see the underdog win because most relate to being the underdog. And this angle can work selling people or things.

    One thing you don't want to do is go on and one about yourself or an individual no matter how accomplished s/he is. Establish strong credibility up front and then immediately get to the WIIFM stuff.
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