Copywriting for small- and medium-sized high-tech B2B service firms
WHAT I DO Write sales copy and build client acquisition systems to market and sell complex, expensive and hard-to-explain, so-called “high-consideration” high-tech solutions to smart, savvy and sophisticated clients in the B2B arena. Systems that establish thought leadership, generate high-quality sales leads and move the sales process along more quickly, while eliminating the need for large and expensive field sales forces, dialling for dollars and grovelling at price-obsessed procurement agents’ feet through RFPs.
WHO I SERVE My ideal clients are successful high-tech service firm in the 10-75 employee range with $2 million or more annual revenue whose leaders know they haven’t achieved their full potentials, but are as eager as peanut butter to grow and reach their next performance level. Specifically, they want to acquire better clients (vs. more clients), increase net profits per employee (vs. total gross revenue), generate better sales leads (vs. more), build strong brands, differentiate from competitors (vs. blend in), and create demand that positions them as respected authorities that can pick only the most desirable deals with only the cream of the crop of their target markets. My ideal clients have often reached plateaus that they haven’t been able to break through. They have been in business for at least 5 years and are stable and profitable. They are diamonds in the rough in their markets. Some facets are polished and are as shiny as a diamond in a goat’s arse, but some others need refinement. They are very good at what they do, but they are usually not widely known in their industries, so they still get price-shopped through RFPs. My ideal buyers have significant purchasing discretion, so they can initiate and fund projects without running it through legal, their cats, gods or in-laws. They know what they want to achieve but are open to finding the best way of getting there. * Good buyer: “We want to increase our online sales. What do you suggest?” * Bad buyer: “We need a 527-word blog post on XYZ topic. We need it by tomorrow. How much discount can you give us on half of your normal price?” My perfect buyers are smart and sophisticated enough to make buying decisions based on their desired business outcomes not on my prices. They have the vision and the business savvy to see the value of my contribution not only its cost. They also regard my fees as fair and reasonable investments in their own futures, especially considering the unique perspective I bring to the table as someone with extensive experience in their industries. Finally, my perfects clients are willing to consider me for future projects. Instead of one-night stands with several copywriters, they want to build a long-term relationship with me, so I can learn their business and offer my best and brightest in my projects for many years to come. I accept projects if and only if I can directly interact with decision-makers with profit/loss responsibility, and do my level best to stay away from brokers, intermediaries and bogus agencies that make a living from fleecing solo professionals.
PROBLEM I SOLVE Many high-tech SMBs commoditise themselves by selling technical improvement, often using either obsolete or high-pressure B2C methods. I help them to transform to selling business improvement by tapping into the cream of the crop (top 0.5-2%) of their target markets and sell their services to dream clients, while carefully avoiding low-grade, critical, obnoxious and unappreciative clients with boring, micromanaged, over-scoped and under-priced junk opportunities.
MY SOLUTIONS: Acquire dream clients with exemplar client behaviour, exciting projects and premium budgets. I use precise market positioning, engaging messaging and effective systematisation and automation which has resulted in shorter sales cycles, higher closing rates and as high as $2.1 million annual revenue per employee.
All in all, I help my clients to transform their T.E.C.H. businesses (Tedious, Exhaustive, Chaotic and Hard: Marketing and selling technical improvements) to R.E.A.L. businesses (Rewarding, Enjoyable, Attractive and Lucrative: Marketing and selling business improvements).
MY DIFFERENCE: Unlike most of my peers, my ability to build effective client acquisition systems is based on my 16-year career in the high-tech sector as a computer engineer, programmer, project manager and technical buyer. I’ve built high-tech, bought high-tech and sold high-tech, making me one of the less than 3% of high-tech business developers who’s sat on all three sides of the negotiation table, hence intimately understands the buying process.
I DO MY BEST WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO… ...run boutique-style high-tech service firms* with up to 75 employees that seek to win new clients… • ...with perfect-fit buyers based on their perfect client profiles (client avatars, buyer personas, etc.) • ...with sexier, more exciting, and intellectually stimulating projects • ...at higher profit margins • ...at lower cost of sale • ...at lower risk • ...at lower labour intensity (being hired for brainpower not brawn power, a.k.a. manual labour) • ...with your firm’s being positioned to make the biggest positive impact Further... • …are real decision-makers with real budgets and real authority to initiate projects. • ...have the social graces and intellectual firepower to engage in honest dialogues and communicate in whole and meaningful sentences. • ...value my work based on what they stand to gain from it, not how much time and effort I put in it. • ...are looking for raising the bar, not merely restoring the status quo and propping up operational shortcomings. • ...know what they want and are willing to share it. They have clear goals, and have bold but realistic time frames to achieve them. • ...intend to make go/no go decisions within one week. • ...are experts in their own fields, hence they respect other experts. • ...appreciate direct response marketing (“let’s get their money in here”) vs. corporate image marketing (“let’s get our name out there”) • ...love discussing their goals and aspirations, but can honestly reflect on their afflictions and frustrations too.
* IT consulting firms (IT security, VAR, network design, backup & disaster recovery, etc.) Internet service providers Web- design and development firms Managed services providers Web-based technology development firms Software as a Service (SaaS) firms Custom software development firms System integration firms Data communication firms eBusiness solution developers Information systems developers Data mining, data collection, data warehousing and data processing firms