The average consumer is inundated with sales pitches. So if you’re selling a product or service to today’s ad weary consumer, if you want your sales letters to get results, you’ll need a step-by-step plan that breaks down the barriers to buying. A plan that bypasses the head and goes right for the heart.

If the heart’s in it, the brain will follow.

Buying anything is largely emotional. Whether it’s paper clips or plain paper copiers, emotions lead the purchase. Facts, specs and the like are simply used to justify the decision, once made. Which means that everything about your sales letter, every sentence, every phrase must appeal to your customer’s emotions.

What emotions?

The simple truth is, there are only two emotions that really motivate people: The promise of gain or the fear of loss–with the fear of loss being the stronger. Example: Given the choice of headlines: “Save money in legal fees.” Or “How to keep from being sued.” The latter will probably get a better response.

Supporting the promise of gain and the fear of loss are seven key emotional hooks or basic human needs. No matter what your product or service, to be effective, your sales letter must directly address as many of these basic needs as possible:

• Safety/Security

• Wealth

• Good looks

• Popularity

• Self-satisfaction

• Free time

• Fun/Excitement

So how do you get them to act? How do you go from head to heart? What’s the copy paradigm? Imagine you’re in a baseball stadium facing an audience in rows of bleachers. It’s the game of the century, ninth inning, bases loaded. And you’ve got a bag of peanuts you absolutely must sell or the boss will fire you on the spot. What would you do to get their attention? Yell “Peanuts?”

Start with a verbal “2×4”

You’ve got to hit them over the head with an emotional motivator. And that means you start with the envelope. Remember– gain or loss–it has to be right there on the outside, in bold. (When was the last time you rushed to open a plain white envelope?) Two examples:

Gain– “We Put a Money-Making Miracle in this Envelope.”

Loss– “Throw This Away and Work Hard for the Rest of Your Life.”

Okay. They’ve opened the letter and what do they see? A boring paragraph about your leadership in the industry? Stuffy sentences about commitment, innovation and dedication?

Whoosh. In the round file it goes.

Time to visit our key motivators–gain or loss. Again, it’s got to be there in a headline they can’t miss. And it must reinforce the headline that compelled them to rip open that envelope. Both headlines must dovetail in their message and emotional impact.

Example: “Finish reading this letter and you’re halfway to becoming rich.”

Next comes the all-important body copy. What to say to leave them begging for your product. For this we go right into the consumer’s emotions, mining for clues to the perfect selling pitch.

What’s the problem?

A while back, McDonalds was beating the pants off its competitors. So Burger King hired a big powerhouse ad agency to gain them market share. They tried everything–analyzing secret sauces, elaborate contests, toy tie-ins. Nothing worked. Finally, they sent out questionnaires, did focus groups, and literally stopped people on the street. And you know what they discovered? Not what consumers liked, but what they didn’t like about hamburgers. For on thing, the leading hamburger came practically “factory made” with everything on it. Some folks liked pickles, others hated onions or mayo. That was “the problem.” The solution was simple: hamburgers made to order, followed by the now all-too-familiar slogan “Have it Your Way.” The point is, you’ve got to find and exploit your consumer’s problem. And make your product the hero.

Life without your product–miserable

So, you’ve succeeded in getting your reader’s attention. You’ve discovered their “problem.” Now it’s time to remind them how many ways that problem affects their lives. If you’re selling a cordless electric lawnmower, you’ll want to remind them of all the headaches of their old gas powered mower. Like running out of gas, finding the gas can, taking it to the gas station, driving back with a can full of smelly gas in the car, maybe spilling gas on the carpet. Once at home, there’s the annoyance of yanking the starter until your arm feels like a wet noodle. And the fire danger of having a can of gas in the garage with kids playing near it. The point is, you want to paint a very troublesome picture of life without your product.

Life with your product&ndashabsolute bliss

Now that you’ve raised your reader’s interest by making them feel the pain of life without your product, it’s time to provide your solution. Here’s where you’ll briefly introduce yourself and your product or service. No more running out of gas, no more smelling gas cans in your new car, no more yanking that starter cord till your arm falls off. Just flick the switch and you’re ready to mow. Plug it into your electric outlet and it charges overnight. Your worries are over. You go on and on, hammering home the fact that your product or service is the perfect solution. At this point, your reader will probably ask, “Sounds interesting, but who the heck are you to think you can solve my problem? I never heard of you.”

Credentials time

Here’s where you build trust by detailing key facts that build confidence in you and your company. You could start by listing some testimonials from satisfied customers. If these come from people in the industry who your prospect is familiar with, so much the better. And if you can get photos, phone numbers and so forth, it will add even more to your credibility. This is also the time to mention how long you’ve been in business and any articles that about your company and/or its products that have appeared in the local or national media (these can be particularly valuable, since they come from an impartial source).

Now that you’ve assuaged their fears about doing business with a complete unknown, they’ll want to be totally sold about your product or service. Here’s where you go into detail. And this is the perfect time to do so, because you’ve established trust. They won’t be thinking about who you are, but what you can do for them–how you’re going to solve their problem.

Detail benefits, not features

A key caveat here. Don’t get your reader quagmired in “Featurespeak.” It’s easy to do and it’s what most unskilled writers fall victim to. Featurespeak is for your sales team, not your potential customer. Avoid things like “Our new cordless electric mower features the X9T Autoflex handle, or the PT600 Zenon Battery. Better to say, “Our new electric mower’s handle easily adjusts to your height for maximum comfort.” Or “The easily rechargeable battery lasts up to 5 years without replacement.” If your product or service has more than three major benefits, list them in bullet point form to make them easier to read.

Make them an offer they can’t refuse

This is the crucial part of your sales letter. Your offer should be compelling, irrefutable and urgent. You want your reader to say, “This is a great offer, I’ve got nothing to lose but my problem.” Try to combine the big 3 in your offer–irresistible price, terms, and a free gift. For example, if you’re selling a cordless electric mower, your offer might be a discounted retail price, low interest rate, and a blade-sharpening tool. Try to raise the perceived value of your offer by adding on products or services–for electric mowers, it might be an extended warranty or safety goggles. Augment this with compelling benefits these additional products or services will provide.

Assuage with a guarantee

There’s a little voice in the back of every customer’s head that whispers, “Buy this and you’ll be sorry.” So make your offer bulletproof. Take the risk out of the purchase. Give the absolute strongest guarantee you can. It tells your reader you’re confident in your product or service. Enough so to back it up with a strong guarantee. Don’t be afraid to make this final commitment.

Motivate the procrastinators

So they’re reading your letter and are pretty convinced that your company and your product or service can solve their problem. They want to buy. The mind is willing but the flesh is weak. Time to bring in our key motivator&ndashfear of loss. One way to tap into this fear is by convincing your reader that because this is such a good deal, only a scant few mowers remain. Or that the extended warranty is being offered only for the next few days, or for the next 50 customers. Our old motivator–gain–can be used here as well. Example: “Buy now and get a $20 gift card–FREE!”

Call to action–KISS

You and your staff know what readers need to do to buy your product or service, but your readers are inundated with offers every day. And each offer has a different procedure for buying. Give them a break and walk them through the order/purchase process. And KISS (keep it simple stupid). Use simple action words like “Pick Up the Phone and Call Now!” If your phone number spells out a catchy slogan or company name, always add numerical phone numbers. If they need to fill out a form and mail it, say so. And if possible, use large type on your form&ndashespecially if you’re selling to seniors. Be clear on what they’re ordering and for what price.

ABC!

Follow Alec Baldwin’s admonition in the movie Glengarry Glen Ross&ndash“ABC…Always Be Closing.” Sprinkle your call to action throughout your letter. Ask for the order. Then when you give the call to action at the end of the letter, it won’t come as a surprise, but just another reminder. Better still, if they’re ready to order halfway through your letter, they’ll know what to do.

Postscripts are magic

Nobody reads postscripts, right? Wrong. The P.S. is the third most read element of a sales letter&ndashafter the headline and any picture captions. The top wordsmiths use several (P.P.S) in their letters. It’s one of the best places to remind readers of your irresistible offer. But you have to be brief and compelling, establishing urgency and value, and drawing on your key motivators of gain and loss.

Drive it home on the order form

The order form is where some of the greatest sales are won or lost. It’s where that little voice in the back of your customer’s head comes alive once again and says, “You’ll be sorry” or “You sure you want to buy this now?” It’s what I call Preemptive Buyer’s Remorse.” Time to bring in our top gun persuaders–gain and loss–one last time. Use the same persuasive arguments as before–only be brief, more compelling and urgent.

Do you want the steak knives or the El Dorado?

Okay, you’ve got the prized Glengarry leads. And the formula for writing a winning sales letter. Start by knowing your prospect’s problem, then drive home key benefits using the emotional motivators I’ve described. And don’t forget Alec Baldwin’s other maxim, AIDA–Attention. Interest. Decision. Action. Get their attention, build their interest, convince them it’s the right decision, and finally, urge them to act. Good luck. You’ve got 26 letters in the English alphabet. How you use them can make all the difference …between getting the steak knives or the Cadillac El Dorado.

The average consumer is inundated with sales pitches. So if you’re selling a product or service to today’s ad weary consumer, if you want your sales letters to get results, you’ll need a step-by-step plan that breaks down the barriers to buying. A plan that bypasses the head and goes right for the heart.

If the heart’s in it, the brain will follow.

Buying anything is largely emotional. Whether it’s paper clips or plain paper copiers, emotions lead the purchase. Facts, specs and the like are simply used to justify the decision, once made. Which means that everything about your sales letter, every sentence, every phrase must appeal to your customer’s emotions.

What emotions?

The simple truth is, there are only two emotions that really motivate people: The promise of gain or the fear of loss–with the fear of loss being the stronger. Example: Given the choice of headlines: “Save money in legal fees.” Or “How to keep from being sued.” The latter will probably get a better response.

Supporting the promise of gain and the fear of loss are seven key emotional hooks or basic human needs. No matter what your product or service, to be effective, your sales letter must directly address as many of these basic needs as possible:

• Safety/Security

• Wealth

• Good looks

• Popularity

• Self-satisfaction

• Free time

• Fun/Excitement

So how do you get them to act? How do you go from head to heart? What’s the copy paradigm? Imagine you’re in a baseball stadium facing an audience in rows of bleachers. It’s the game of the century, ninth inning, bases loaded. And you’ve got a bag of peanuts you absolutely must sell or the boss will fire you on the spot. What would you do to get their attention? Yell “Peanuts?”

Start with a verbal “2×4”

You’ve got to hit them over the head with an emotional motivator. And that means you start with the envelope. Remember– gain or loss–it has to be right there on the outside, in bold. (When was the last time you rushed to open a plain white envelope?) Two examples:

Gain– “We Put a Money-Making Miracle in this Envelope.”

Loss– “Throw This Away and Work Hard for the Rest of Your Life.”

Okay. They’ve opened the letter and what do they see? A boring paragraph about your leadership in the industry? Stuffy sentences about commitment, innovation and dedication?

Whoosh. In the round file it goes.

Time to visit our key motivators–gain or loss. Again, it’s got to be there in a headline they can’t miss. And it must reinforce the headline that compelled them to rip open that envelope. Both headlines must dovetail in their message and emotional impact.

Example: “Finish reading this letter and you’re halfway to becoming rich.”

Next comes the all-important body copy. What to say to leave them begging for your product. For this we go right into the consumer’s emotions, mining for clues to the perfect selling pitch.

What’s the problem?

A while back, McDonalds was beating the pants off its competitors. So Burger King hired a big powerhouse ad agency to gain them market share. They tried everything–analyzing secret sauces, elaborate contests, toy tie-ins. Nothing worked. Finally, they sent out questionnaires, did focus groups, and literally stopped people on the street. And you know what they discovered? Not what consumers liked, but what they didn’t like about hamburgers. For on thing, the leading hamburger came practically “factory made” with everything on it. Some folks liked pickles, others hated onions or mayo. That was “the problem.” The solution was simple: hamburgers made to order, followed by the now all-too-familiar slogan “Have it Your Way.” The point is, you’ve got to find and exploit your consumer’s problem. And make your product the hero.

Life without your product–miserable

So, you’ve succeeded in getting your reader’s attention. You’ve discovered their “problem.” Now it’s time to remind them how many ways that problem affects their lives. If you’re selling a cordless electric lawnmower, you’ll want to remind them of all the headaches of their old gas powered mower. Like running out of gas, finding the gas can, taking it to the gas station, driving back with a can full of smelly gas in the car, maybe spilling gas on the carpet. Once at home, there’s the annoyance of yanking the starter until your arm feels like a wet noodle. And the fire danger of having a can of gas in the garage with kids playing near it. The point is, you want to paint a very troublesome picture of life without your product.

Life with your product&ndashabsolute bliss

Now that you’ve raised your reader’s interest by making them feel the pain of life without your product, it’s time to provide your solution. Here’s where you’ll briefly introduce yourself and your product or service. No more running out of gas, no more smelling gas cans in your new car, no more yanking that starter cord till your arm falls off. Just flick the switch and you’re ready to mow. Plug it into your electric outlet and it charges overnight. Your worries are over. You go on and on, hammering home the fact that your product or service is the perfect solution. At this point, your reader will probably ask, “Sounds interesting, but who the heck are you to think you can solve my problem? I never heard of you.”

Credentials time

Here’s where you build trust by detailing key facts that build confidence in you and your company. You could start by listing some testimonials from satisfied customers. If these come from people in the industry who your prospect is familiar with, so much the better. And if you can get photos, phone numbers and so forth, it will add even more to your credibility. This is also the time to mention how long you’ve been in business and any articles that about your company and/or its products that have appeared in the local or national media (these can be particularly valuable, since they come from an impartial source).

Now that you’ve assuaged their fears about doing business with a complete unknown, they’ll want to be totally sold about your product or service. Here’s where you go into detail. And this is the perfect time to do so, because you’ve established trust. They won’t be thinking about who you are, but what you can do for them–how you’re going to solve their problem.

Detail benefits, not features

A key caveat here. Don’t get your reader quagmired in “Featurespeak.” It’s easy to do and it’s what most unskilled writers fall victim to. Featurespeak is for your sales team, not your potential customer. Avoid things like “Our new cordless electric mower features the X9T Autoflex handle, or the PT600 Zenon Battery. Better to say, “Our new electric mower’s handle easily adjusts to your height for maximum comfort.” Or “The easily rechargeable battery lasts up to 5 years without replacement.” If your product or service has more than three major benefits, list them in bullet point form to make them easier to read.

Make them an offer they can’t refuse

This is the crucial part of your sales letter. Your offer should be compelling, irrefutable and urgent. You want your reader to say, “This is a great offer, I’ve got nothing to lose but my problem.” Try to combine the big 3 in your offer–irresistible price, terms, and a free gift. For example, if you’re selling a cordless electric mower, your offer might be a discounted retail price, low interest rate, and a blade-sharpening tool. Try to raise the perceived value of your offer by adding on products or services–for electric mowers, it might be an extended warranty or safety goggles. Augment this with compelling benefits these additional products or services will provide.

Assuage with a guarantee

There’s a little voice in the back of every customer’s head that whispers, “Buy this and you’ll be sorry.” So make your offer bulletproof. Take the risk out of the purchase. Give the absolute strongest guarantee you can. It tells your reader you’re confident in your product or service. Enough so to back it up with a strong guarantee. Don’t be afraid to make this final commitment.

Motivate the procrastinators

So they’re reading your letter and are pretty convinced that your company and your product or service can solve their problem. They want to buy. The mind is willing but the flesh is weak. Time to bring in our key motivator&ndashfear of loss. One way to tap into this fear is by convincing your reader that because this is such a good deal, only a scant few mowers remain. Or that the extended warranty is being offered only for the next few days, or for the next 50 customers. Our old motivator–gain–can be used here as well. Example: “Buy now and get a $20 gift card–FREE!”

Call to action–KISS

You and your staff know what readers need to do to buy your product or service, but your readers are inundated with offers every day. And each offer has a different procedure for buying. Give them a break and walk them through the order/purchase process. And KISS (keep it simple stupid). Use simple action words like “Pick Up the Phone and Call Now!” If your phone number spells out a catchy slogan or company name, always add numerical phone numbers. If they need to fill out a form and mail it, say so. And if possible, use large type on your form&ndashespecially if you’re selling to seniors. Be clear on what they’re ordering and for what price.

ABC!

Follow Alec Baldwin’s admonition in the movie Glengarry Glen Ross&ndash“ABC…Always Be Closing.” Sprinkle your call to action throughout your letter. Ask for the order. Then when you give the call to action at the end of the letter, it won’t come as a surprise, but just another reminder. Better still, if they’re ready to order halfway through your letter, they’ll know what to do.

Postscripts are magic

Nobody reads postscripts, right? Wrong. The P.S. is the third most read element of a sales letter&ndashafter the headline and any picture captions. The top wordsmiths use several (P.P.S) in their letters. It’s one of the best places to remind readers of your irresistible offer. But you have to be brief and compelling, establishing urgency and value, and drawing on your key motivators of gain and loss.

Drive it home on the order form

The order form is where some of the greatest sales are won or lost. It’s where that little voice in the back of your customer’s head comes alive once again and says, “You’ll be sorry” or “You sure you want to buy this now?” It’s what I call Preemptive Buyer’s Remorse.” Time to bring in our top gun persuaders–gain and loss–one last time. Use the same persuasive arguments as before–only be brief, more compelling and urgent.

Do you want the steak knives or the El Dorado?

Okay, you’ve got the prized Glengarry leads. And the formula for writing a winning sales letter. Start by knowing your prospect’s problem, then drive home key benefits using the emotional motivators I’ve described. And don’t forget Alec Baldwin’s other maxim, AIDA–Attention. Interest. Decision. Action. Get their attention, build their interest, convince them it’s the right decision, and finally, urge them to act. Good luck. You’ve got 26 letters in the English alphabet. How you use them can make all the difference …between getting the steak knives or the Cadillac El Dorado.

Seek and Ye Shall Find?

Sometimes finding a good writer can be harder than finding a soul mate because writing and copywriting are subjective arts and if you are not a writer, you can not see the difference between a good writer and an excellent writer. If you are looking for a writer on the Web by searching on terms such as writer and copywriter, there are few things you should look for once you find a writer’s website:

Excited, Delighted or Uninvited?

Excellent writing entertains and excites, quickly and concisely. When you read the writer’s website you should be drawn in. Does she ask the reader questions? Does he understand what you want? Does she seem friendly? Does he have relevant experience? Does she list what kinds of services she offers?

Location, Location, Location

Often businesses hiring a writer want to look for someone nearby so they search, writer, Los Angeles if they live in Los Angeles, if the writers don’t show an address or location where they work, you’ll never find then. You’ll be able to get a general idea of where the writer is by either the contact page or by references to work completed.

A Bad Writer Ain’t Hard to Find

If you notice grammar and spelling mistakes you are probably on the wrong page. Also if the style and design of a writer’s website looks bad, even if their writing looks good, you should be wary. Good writing is neat and pleasant looking.

Ample Parking and Samples

Excellent writing on the Web, gives the reader plenty of potential to stop, park, click and look for a while. If the writer doesn’t link to more writing and industry resources, she/he is less professional than the ones who do know that linking is best form of networking around. You ought to find several kinds of writing samples. If you don’t find the kind of samples you like, e-mail or call the writer and ask for exactly what you want.

RSVP

Response is also important to you and the writer. Although a few second e-mail response-time is possible, a day or overnight return time is reasonable. If you want a faster response, be sure to tell the writer that you are in hurry and on a deadline. When writers don’t respond in a timely manner, they miss out on your work.

Check References

Once you locate the name of the writer, do not hesitate searching for other references of the writer on the Web. Type the name in a search engine with an appropriate word such as writer. For example, when I searched my name Lynn Walford with the word writer, along with my website .freelancewriternow.com, a photo of me standing next my former editor Michael Goldstein at a Justice Magazine party appeared. I never saw the photo until I searched my own name! Of course writers and authors names should also appear on magazine articles and bylines in other media. I also found myself in an article on naming books by Robin Quinn at the PMA website.

Titular Savvy or Tense—What’s in a Name?

Look at the title of the writer’s website. Is it catchy? Memorable? Does it Make Sense? Of course when someone is born Anna Matto Poeeah, (pronounced just like onomatopoeia, the poetic word for when something also sounds like its name such as whispering or clang) you can’t hold it against her. However, when writers don’t take the time to name their websites appropriately they can’t write a title for you.

The Price is Write

Some writers charge by the hour, by the piece or by the word. Whomever you choose, she/he should be able to give an estimate on how much your project will cost. Vagueness usually means no experience.

Rewrite Right?

Most excellent writers and copywriters will give a free rewrite if you don’t like what they do. Always ask if they will rewrite it for you if you don’t like it.

Test, Quiz

If you are planning a major project such as a white paper, which can be expensive, look for a writer in advance and ask him/her to write a small project for you first, then you can see if you can work with him/her and also test knowledge.

Well, Well, Well.

Writing well is a precise art with a sense of urgency and a taste of the divine. You should be able to tell good writing when you find it. It comes to life, sings and shines. When you read something like ” Avoid cliches like the plague,” found on 26 Golden Rules for Writing Well you are definitely in the wrong place.

Seek and Ye Shall Find?

Sometimes finding a good writer can be harder than finding a soul mate because writing and copywriting are subjective arts and if you are not a writer, you can not see the difference between a good writer and an excellent writer. If you are looking for a writer on the Web by searching on terms such as writer and copywriter, there are few things you should look for once you find a writer’s website:

Excited, Delighted or Uninvited?

Excellent writing entertains and excites, quickly and concisely. When you read the writer’s website you should be drawn in. Does she ask the reader questions? Does he understand what you want? Does she seem friendly? Does he have relevant experience? Does she list what kinds of services she offers?

Location, Location, Location

Often businesses hiring a writer want to look for someone nearby so they search, writer, Los Angeles if they live in Los Angeles, if the writers don’t show an address or location where they work, you’ll never find then. You’ll be able to get a general idea of where the writer is by either the contact page or by references to work completed.

A Bad Writer Ain’t Hard to Find

If you notice grammar and spelling mistakes you are probably on the wrong page. Also if the style and design of a writer’s website looks bad, even if their writing looks good, you should be wary. Good writing is neat and pleasant looking.

Ample Parking and Samples

Excellent writing on the Web, gives the reader plenty of potential to stop, park, click and look for a while. If the writer doesn’t link to more writing and industry resources, she/he is less professional than the ones who do know that linking is best form of networking around. You ought to find several kinds of writing samples. If you don’t find the kind of samples you like, e-mail or call the writer and ask for exactly what you want.

RSVP

Response is also important to you and the writer. Although a few second e-mail response-time is possible, a day or overnight return time is reasonable. If you want a faster response, be sure to tell the writer that you are in hurry and on a deadline. When writers don’t respond in a timely manner, they miss out on your work.

Check References

Once you locate the name of the writer, do not hesitate searching for other references of the writer on the Web. Type the name in a search engine with an appropriate word such as writer. For example, when I searched my name Lynn Walford with the word writer, along with my website .freelancewriternow.com, a photo of me standing next my former editor Michael Goldstein at a Justice Magazine party appeared. I never saw the photo until I searched my own name! Of course writers and authors names should also appear on magazine articles and bylines in other media. I also found myself in an article on naming books by Robin Quinn at the PMA website.

Titular Savvy or Tense—What’s in a Name?

Look at the title of the writer’s website. Is it catchy? Memorable? Does it Make Sense? Of course when someone is born Anna Matto Poeeah, (pronounced just like onomatopoeia, the poetic word for when something also sounds like its name such as whispering or clang) you can’t hold it against her. However, when writers don’t take the time to name their websites appropriately they can’t write a title for you.

The Price is Write

Some writers charge by the hour, by the piece or by the word. Whomever you choose, she/he should be able to give an estimate on how much your project will cost. Vagueness usually means no experience.

Rewrite Right?

Most excellent writers and copywriters will give a free rewrite if you don’t like what they do. Always ask if they will rewrite it for you if you don’t like it.

Test, Quiz

If you are planning a major project such as a white paper, which can be expensive, look for a writer in advance and ask him/her to write a small project for you first, then you can see if you can work with him/her and also test knowledge.

Well, Well, Well.

Writing well is a precise art with a sense of urgency and a taste of the divine. You should be able to tell good writing when you find it. It comes to life, sings and shines. When you read something like ” Avoid cliches like the plague,” found on 26 Golden Rules for Writing Well you are definitely in the wrong place.

I remember the first time a client offered me a case study writing assignment.

I was petrified.

It was early in my freelance writing career and I didn’t even know what one looked like. I had a lot of questions. “What the heck is a case study?” “How long is it?” “What is the format?” “How much do I charge?”

I didn’t have a clue.

Of course, these days, I know more. A lot more. In fact, I write dozens of case studies for clients each year.

Case studies now rank high on my list of the most fascinating &ndash and lucrative &ndash projects I handle. (I’m sure glad that client offered me the job all those years ago!)

If you’re unfamiliar with case studies, don’t worry. They’re really quite simple. A case study is just a fancy name for a success story &ndash the tale of a happy customer and his or her experience using a product or service.

Lately, I’ve noticed that more and more companies need case studies written, yet have difficulties finding writers who can do the job.

That spells OPPORTUNITY for you and me.

And it gets better. Consider the following:

1. Case studies are not difficult to write.

They are similar in style and format to a newsletter article. So if you can write one of those, you can write a case study.

2. Case studies are relatively short

Usually about 400-800 words in length. Once you’ve gained a little experience, you’ll be able to knock one off in less than a day.

3. The formats are standardized

Unlike ads and direct mail, you won’t get stressed out by having to come up with a dazzling new concept or killer headline. The basic structure of a case study is remarkably simple. All that’s required of you is to get the facts and write a good piece.

4. Case study writers are in demand

More companies are scrambling to get case studies written today than ever before. I can’t give you an exact figure but, in my opinion, the demand for case study writers has increased significantly over the past couple of years.

5. There is little competition

I’m not sure why, but few copywriters go after this market. Some may not know it exists. Others may mistakenly think that case studies are dull or technical. Not true! Case study writing is storytelling. It’s fun.

6. Case studies pay well

Surprisingly well. Now you won’t get the superstar rates paid to big-league direct mail copywriters. But most clients do pay handsomely for case study writing. Earning $100 per hour is not an unreasonable expectation for an experienced writer. I know many who earn a lot more.

Right now the case study market is booming. Why not jump in and get your share of these fascinating and lucrative writing gigs?

I remember the first time a client offered me a case study writing assignment.

I was petrified.

It was early in my freelance writing career and I didn’t even know what one looked like. I had a lot of questions. “What the heck is a case study?” “How long is it?” “What is the format?” “How much do I charge?”

I didn’t have a clue.

Of course, these days, I know more. A lot more. In fact, I write dozens of case studies for clients each year.

Case studies now rank high on my list of the most fascinating &ndash and lucrative &ndash projects I handle. (I’m sure glad that client offered me the job all those years ago!)

If you’re unfamiliar with case studies, don’t worry. They’re really quite simple. A case study is just a fancy name for a success story &ndash the tale of a happy customer and his or her experience using a product or service.

Lately, I’ve noticed that more and more companies need case studies written, yet have difficulties finding writers who can do the job.

That spells OPPORTUNITY for you and me.

And it gets better. Consider the following:

1. Case studies are not difficult to write.

They are similar in style and format to a newsletter article. So if you can write one of those, you can write a case study.

2. Case studies are relatively short

Usually about 400-800 words in length. Once you’ve gained a little experience, you’ll be able to knock one off in less than a day.

3. The formats are standardized

Unlike ads and direct mail, you won’t get stressed out by having to come up with a dazzling new concept or killer headline. The basic structure of a case study is remarkably simple. All that’s required of you is to get the facts and write a good piece.

4. Case study writers are in demand

More companies are scrambling to get case studies written today than ever before. I can’t give you an exact figure but, in my opinion, the demand for case study writers has increased significantly over the past couple of years.

5. There is little competition

I’m not sure why, but few copywriters go after this market. Some may not know it exists. Others may mistakenly think that case studies are dull or technical. Not true! Case study writing is storytelling. It’s fun.

6. Case studies pay well

Surprisingly well. Now you won’t get the superstar rates paid to big-league direct mail copywriters. But most clients do pay handsomely for case study writing. Earning $100 per hour is not an unreasonable expectation for an experienced writer. I know many who earn a lot more.

Right now the case study market is booming. Why not jump in and get your share of these fascinating and lucrative writing gigs?