outsourcing

Generate Leads – How to Write a Compelling Special Report with Ease by Bonita L. Richter

Writing a special report, or ―white paper, as it’s commonly called, is a fantastic strategy for creating leads for your business.
A simple ten to twenty page document that people can request from your website will create a strong desire for people wanting to do business with you. Writing a special report isn’t complicated. In fact, even if you don’t like writing, you can easily and quickly write a report by following these seven tips.

1. State the “Big Problem.”
You’ll get your reader’s attention if you jump right into what their ―point of pain or problem is they’re experiencing. Demonstrate through writing that you: Understand the core problem they’re facing Care they are having this problem Understand how frustrating having this problem is for them

2. What is the cost of this problem?
People respond faster to alleviating problems and pain, than they do to the potential for gain. So, it is imperative in your special report you specifically communicate what this problem is costing them. Perhaps it is they are losing out on money they could be using to fund a desired lifestyle, to live debt-free, pay for their children’s’ college education, etc. Quantify this cost, if you can!

3. Talk about the general solution.
First, start out by giving a ―big picture solution to solving the problem, such as hiring a coach to accelerate achievement of desired results, or implementing a solid, results-oriented marketing strategy.
Second, talk about how people have tried other solutions, have failed, and why. Examples of reasons why could be ―programs are too complicated to understand or are incomplete or ―includes too much technical jargon. Providing the solution in this format sets you up as THE solution to the problem!

4. State your specific solution.
Lay out your method or system to the reader. This section should be a minimum 50% of your entire special report, and is where you briefly communicate your process for solving the problem. Perhaps you have a seven-step marketing system, or a five-step method for attracting the perfect mate.
It is important in this section to tell your reader what you do—but, not how to do it! The ―how is what you want them to pay you for (solving the problem). However, give the reader some tips and strategies they can use to start solving their problem. This helps build a relationship, and their ―like and trust factor with you.

5. Prove your solution works.
Share the results of your solution by sharing case studies of actual clients you’ve worked with previously. A great formula to use to tell a case study is the P.A.R method – Problem, Action, and Result, and works like this:

1. State the Problem a client had before they worked with you
2. Show the Action your client took, and how the problem was solved.
3. Tell the Results the client experienced; quantify results, if you can.

6. State your credibility.
What are your credentials? What is your success story? How did you discover the system or methodology you use? You can include this information in a one-page biography to establish your authority and expertise on the subject.

7. Tell the reader what to do next.
By now, your reader should be aching to work with you, and excited to take the next step. Point the reader in the right direction, and clearly, specifically spell out a call to action. Give them an irresistible offer they can’t refuse, and a time limit for them to take advantage of the offer.
One final tip…make you special report conversational. As you are writing, think about a specific person you would be writing this to, like a friend or person you know. The purpose of your special report is to build a relationship between you, and your lead. This builds their ―know, trust, and like factor with you. Moving them closer to doing business with you!

Bonita L. Richter, MBA, teaches coaches, consultants, and solo professionals how to market their businesses to increase sales , income, and generate wealth. To download her popular and *FREE* Money and Marketing spreadsheet tools, and BONUS gifts visit Profit-Strategies.biz

Article source: http://www.roymogg.com/how-to-write-a-compelling-special-report/

Writing effective sales copy is a skill and is vital to any business. Luckily, you can learn this skill by reading about it and by using common sense. Most of what you will learn is common sense and will go a long way in increasing your sales. Of course, all elements of writing sales copy cannot be covered in one short article but I have touched on many of the basic rules and strategies to remember and the mistakes to avoid.

The ten basic mistakes to avoid

1. Not knowing and/or believing in your product. You need to know as much as possible about your product so this knowledge will come through in your sales copy. Also, if you do not believe in your product, this can also show through in your copy. Research your product, if you have to, and be prepared when writing your sales pitch.
2. No sub-headings. Most people will scan over the sales page to see if the product would be something of interest to them. You need sub-headings to emphasize the important points of your copy so as to capture the reader’s attention. A good sub-heading would be something like: “Discover the secret to healthy fast weight loss.” Keep your sub-headings as short as possible but make sure they pack a psychological punch!
3. Not stressing the benefits. People want and need to know what is in it for them. Use a bulleted list to stress the benefits of your product. Pretend you are the customer. What would you want to know about the product you are selling? Let the customer know how your product will solve their problems.
4. Not using testimonials. Testimonials will show the reader that real people have used the product and it has worked for them. Be sure to use credible testimonials that detail what the product has done for the customer. Use something like: I have more energy now than when I was in my 20’s, as opposed to something like: This product works great!
5. Not using a P.S. Adding a P.S. at the end of your sales letter can have as much effect as a beginning headline. It could add that extra punch the customer needs to make the decision. For example: P.S. Order now and receive a free 2 hour consultation on how to use our product.
6. Not learning how to write an effective headline. Take note of headlines that grab and keep your attention. Model your headlines after those. A headline has to contain power words that will trigger a response from the reader. For example: PainBGone gets Rid of Pain or Free Yourself from Pain and Live a Happier Life
7. Not using the right words. A simple change like using the word “discover” rather than “learn” can make a big difference in the “feel” of your sales copy. Rather than “Get the Job Done”, you should say “Achieve Your Goals”. Using the right words can get a psychological response that the customer cannot ignore. Here is a quick list of some effective power words: Discover, Secret, Proven, Invest (instead of buy), Innovative, Reveal, Success, Free, Save
8. Not making your copy believable. You’ve seen the ads that were so full of impossible promises and guarantees nobody could believe them. If the customer doubts the validity of the copy then your chances of a sale are next to nothing. Be straight-forward, honest and use simple everyday language. There is no need for using the language of a rocket scientist. If people can identify with what you are saying, they will be more apt to trust it.
9. No sense of urgency. Sometimes people will need a little push to get them to order. This is when you need to add phrases such as: Limited Time Offer, First 10 Customers Only, Order Today for Your Free Bonuses – Help get your customer in the “Buy Now” frame of mind.
10. Not proofreading your copy. Who would put any trust in an ad that reads like this: by now to get you’re free gift today. Limited time offer for all order. click the link below to order know.

Be sure to check all spelling and grammar before publishing your ad copy. You do not have to hire a professional to get good results from your ad copy but you do need to make sure you learn the basic strategies and mistakes when writing your sales page.

Article source: http://www.roymogg.com/writing-sales-copy/

Worrying times for local public sector outsourcing contracts.

Has the third bus arrived with the latest big outsourcing company to report troubles? Following the collapse of Carillion and the losses reported by Capita along comes the announcement of a massive drop in Interserves’ share price and the inevitable ongoing discussions about the viability of the outsourcing model – especially within the public sector.

These three companies share many similarities they are – (or were, in the case of Carillion) – companies spanning the continents and offering services in an array of diverse sectors. Capita for example a multinational business operating in Europe, Africa and Asia, with  a split in its services about fifty-fiftyhalf between the public and private sectors.

Business logic suggests the wide range of skills and experience offered by this kind of international, inter-sectoral organisation, can be a big plus to local government and other parts of the public sector. And most certainly the NHS could benefit from the know-how of senior personnel in business.

Should care be outsourced?

But such size and diversity can also be a weakness when an organisation becomes too big and geographically spread, it can become difficult to coordinate its service delivery potentially leading to confusion, duplication and waste.

Nevertheless, we should not overstate the problems of giant outsourcing companies. They have become part of the local government landscape and many councils depend on them. And most, close to 90%, of all local government contracts work and deliver positive benfites in cost and the delivery of services.

But taken together the recent spate of crisis stories suggests to local authorities and other parts of the public sector that to become too dependent on huge multinationals and to become at risk to uncontrollable market forces is something to be avoided. Public perception of outsourcing is poor and any short term crisis that impacts the delivey of public services receives due attention from the public and politicians alike.

The important lessons coming from the recent crisis are well known and researched. Large scale companies often will under-bid to gain the business, and there is evidence that these organisations continually grow by acquisition, or the under-bidding of contracts to gain turnover share rather than a more organic growth approach. They have to keep running to avoid the collapse. The way it was put to me on one of the bids I was involved with was ‘we bid low to get the contract then when we are in we can get the contract changed to our advantage.’ But sometimes it does not work out like that!

For the public sector contract and procurement managers the pressure to get costs down over-rides sensible decision making and evaluation of bids. They are too tactical in their decision making and think they are doing a good job by squeezing down the price and pushing all the risk onto the suppliers. Well that gets them no-where when the contract collapses! So there are two sides to these problems: aggressive selling by suppliers to get the business and force out competition, and poor procurement and contract management prectices within the public sector.

 

Article source: https://www.localgov.co.uk/A-crisis-in-local-government-outsourcing/45223

Article source: http://roymogg.com/a-crisis-in-local-government-outsourcing-localgov-co-uk-your/