You're a businessperson with integrity ... you have your clients' best interests at heart ... your credentials are top notch ... and yet, the people who need what you offer are not responding to your marketing copy at the rate you want ... How to Rev Up Your Response Rates, Increase Return on Marketing Investment and Boost Cashflow . . .   Dear Business Professional: Here are five questions every business owner should answer: Did you spend years and tens of thousands on an education that, as a side effect, honed your writing skills to perfection?   But now, after investing in your education, you’re so entrenched in your work it’s nearly impossible to write marketing copy that does not focus solely on your company and what you provide?   Did you learn in Marketing 101 that consumers make the decision to buy based on EMOTION and only later rationalize their decision based on logic?   But today you’re so accustomed to writing in the lingo of your profession that writing to strike an emotional chord with potential clients seems a daunting task?   Do you need better results from your marketing copy, yet you don’t want the hassle of becoming a professional copywriter yourself? You are NOT alone, my friend . . . In fact, yours is the plight of most professionals. You have no trouble talking normally, but just pick up a pen or sit down at your computer to write marketing copy and your years of training kick in, making your words sound stiff and cold. Not exactly what it takes to get prospects to respond, is it?                  Or maybe that’s not your problem at all. Perhaps inside your well-trained mind reside the skills of a copywriting wizard. And writing copy that’s warm and genuine is the easiest thing you do.                                  But who has the time? As good as you are at copywriting, you’re even better at healing the sick, defending the innocent, guiding corporations, supplying your clients with the next big idea, running your company, selling real estate or designing homes, buildings, Web sites, corporate collateral or programs to serve the poor. Whichever it is, other people DEPEND ON YOU, and there just aren’t enough hours in your day. Well, now you can relax. Finally, there’s a really good copywriter you can turn to for help . . . Hello, my name is Kay Steele Faulk. I create abundance for business and medical professionals with words that sell. I do this by writing marketing copy that motivates your prospects to act. I’ve been writing all my life. Simple things, mostly. But look at the Gettysburg Address—words written with such simplicity and clarity of thought, only 272 of them were needed to change the world. Oh, the power of words! This is why big companies spend millions each year on writers. Now, I’m not suggesting my work compares with that of our sixteenth president. Nor am I suggesting you need to spend a fortune on copywriting. I am proposing, however, that you may be missing out on simple opportunities to market your service or product because of the copy in your letters, brochures, ads, home listings, newsletters and on your Web site. I can say this because I once made the same mistake myself and my business suffered . . . You see, I’m an English major and wrote award-winning literary-critical research papers while earning my degree. I was even invited by a prestigious northern university to read one of them at their research conference in English and philosophy. Talk about excited! Although this did wonders for my GPA, it left me out in the cold once I graduated and started my own business. You betcha all my sentences were grammatically correct . . . no split infinitives, misplaced modifiers or dangling participles for me. After all, I had a reputation to protect. Today, it's no surprise why my hundreds of monthly Web site visitors moved on quickly to other sites. But back then I couldn't figure it out. I thought textbook-correct writing was most important, even when writing marketing messages . . . Until I heard about response-driven copy and the special—some say secret—writing techniques used to persuade readers to respond quickly in the way you ask them to. Whew . . . was I relieved to discover that direct response copywriting is a skill! And I could learn it just as I’d learned literary, business, technical and other writing skills. That's when I set out in my usual methodical way to conquer the science of copywriting: I read all the classics by all the greats—Hopkins, Ogilvy, Caples and Bly—to name a few.   I re-read my worn copy of Strunk & White's Elements of Style. You’ll probably find a musty copy buried somewhere in YOUR college trunk.   I read Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, a must read for anyone hoping to engage in persuasive writing, which is what copywriting is all about.   I read Stephen King’s book on writing, titled—what else?—On Writing. I read it because storytelling is a huge part of copywriting, and I don't know a better storyteller than King—evidence all the blockbuster movies made from his novels. Maybe this is where I should mention that my original foray into writing began with the six years I spent writing a novel about a crime committed in a small Mississippi town in the 1940s. But that's a whole other chapter in my life . . . Just know that during that time my storytelling and writing abilities received enough high praise and encouragement from literary agents and famous published authors to keep me writing for six years. Today, that manuscript sits on a shelf waiting for my attention and the time it will take to polish the final ten chapters. But for now, back to the topic at hand: . . . An effective and persuasive copywriter who can create the marketing copy necessary for YOU to realize YOUR dreams. Once I began applying all I’d learned from past masters and the teachings of Clayton Makepeace, currently the world’s highest paid copywriter ... my clients’ response rates and ROIs increased dramatically. But don’t take my word for it . . . “The Christmas ad has been a complete hit! “Cathy just came up to my office and told me we got a call this morning from a lady who has never been a patient here, telling us how much she appreciated our ad - that she had cut it out and put it on her refrigerator! “Several of our patients have mentioned it, and one called to tell us that it was ‘the best thing I have read in the Sentinel News all year!’ “God has blessed us with another record year....We look forward to working with you on more ads.” “My husband, Ricardo, and I have our own real estate and mortgage brokerage in Ontario, California. Most of our business is from referrals, but for prospects that aren’t referrals, we wanted a personal brochure that would introduce us by showing who we are as people. “When I read the copy Kay wrote after she interviewed us, I cried. Truly. She told our story so beautifully that I know our personal brochure will attract the best clients for us for years to come. “We’ve since had Kay write a number of other pieces. She’s as effective with business-to-business copy as she is with business-to-consumer. The REO brochure she wrote for us to give to banks has already brought in three long term clients. That alone will pay for the copywriting many, many times over, and we’ve only had it a month. “Kay doesn’t come cheap, but her writing is worth every cent we’ve spent and more.” Take it from Lisa and Ricardo, you can preserve—even grow—market share, despite a slow real estate market. Professors’ Comments “This is a wonderfully written, argued and  researched paper. “Real voice—a pleasure to read. “The body of research employed makes this paper valuable to scholars and educators. BRAVO!”      —Dr. Judith J. Hatchett          Professor of English              Department Chair “An excellent presentation. Your writing makes your subject come alive.”            —Dr. Jill E. Borchert    Professor of Psychology “A very interesting, enjoyable read. Lovely writing with creative insight. Excellent use of appropriate sources.”      —Dr. Judith J. Hatchett          Professor of English              Department Chair “Superior presentation and excellent writing.”          —Dr. Cynthia Howell          Professor of English “This [paper] was enjoyable, full of original thinking and firm writing.”              —Wayne W. Gebb              Professor of Music        Humanities Instructor “Very insightful and certainly well written.”      —Dr. Judith J. Hatchett          Professor of English              Department Chair “You did an outstanding job on this paper. Why not get it published?”            —Ms. Sharon Fields            Diversity Instructor “What a great summation sort of essay! You’ve linked together, even if in/by metaphor, a great deal of material and some seemingly distant ideas. Such fun! “I’m nominating your last three papers for the Humanities Achievement in Writing award.”              —Wayne W. Gebb              Professor of Music        Humanities Instructor “This is original work, and with a very few changes, this paper can be published.”      —Dr. Judith J. Hatchett          Professor of English              Department Chair “Excellent presentation! This is the sort of paper that’s read at conferences. I’m nominating it for the Excellence in Writing Award in Linguistics and History of the English Language.”      —Dr. Judith J. Hatchett            Professor of English              Department Chair Midway College Kentucky's only women's college, established in 1847 in the heart of the Bluegrass—the Horse Capital of the World. When You Want Your Copy to be the Best... Flawless grammar? Perfect punctuation? Superb sentence structure? Copywriting breaks all the rules. I break the rules with a skill that comes only from having mastered them. It's the difference between errors and expertise. And combined with results, it’s the difference that matters. Just ask Precious, my Black Lab puppy below! When you have a personal brochure, the copy presenting you to prospects is the beginning of their lifetime relationship with you as their trusted advisor. If you think we’d be a good fit and you’d like to discuss this now, go ahead and call while you’re still on my Web site. That’s what Lisa did. Toll-free 877-822-1208 email Even my very first client—a private-practice CPA—received a 5% response rate from my then newly developed direct-response skill. (The industry standard for response is 0.5% to 1%.) She wrote: “Your edits take my letter to another level. I thought it was a good letter to begin with. Now it’s a great letter. The voice you put to my thoughts really makes the letter sound conversational, warm and genuine. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” A week later I received this: “Just wanted to let you know that so far I have received five calls in response to my letter. “Yesterday, I met with one of my callers, a dentist who is interested in working with me. He was extremely complimentary of my letter. Said both he and his partner usually frown upon that type of solicitation, but my letter was very well written and professional — so much so that he called today, and I’m scheduled to go back in two weeks to begin work on their accounting system!”                          —Name available upon request Imagine the possible increase in YOUR client base and cashflow when YOU have a professional copywriter who knows the secrets of direct response writing, writing for YOU.  Toll-free 877-822-1208. email Certainly, though, no one knows more than you about your own company . . . But can you communicate your information and ideas with clean, simple, direct writing that gets prospects to respond AND gets them to do it sooner rather than later? When I write for you, you get: The EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS of a writer known for writing copy that grabs attention, develops interest, creates desire and calls to action . . . all while speaking to the prospect’s heart.   The same COMFORT, CONVENIENCE, ATTENTION and SECURITY of having an in-house writer at work for you.   The JOY of working with a writer whose goal is to achieve results.   The CONFIDENCE of knowing your MarCom copy is top level.   The RELIABILITY and EASE of working with a proven professional.   The COUNTLESS VALUABLE HOURS writing copy once robbed from practicing YOUR profession and servicing YOUR client accounts.   The CONTINUITY of having a proven professional writer get to know you, your firm, your needs and your goals.   The help you need to ATTRACT more clients and MOTIVATE them to act.   A greater opportunity to embrace the ABUNDANCE you prepared for and deserve. You’re ready to talk with a copywriter if . . . . . . You know pushing words around on a blank page is NOT what you were born to do. . . . You realize writing marketing copy is NOT the highest and best use of your time. . . . You’re serious about marketing your practice or business. . . . You’re happy to engage another professional to do for you what you don’t have time to do for yourself, and you have the budget to do so. . . . You’ll gladly contract with a professional writer to articulate your message in a way that attracts clients who need your service. . . . You want to move forward in your professional life. . . . You’re ready to take the necessary action to increase profits, speed cashflow and create the life you’ve always dreamed of. When you’re ready, we can talk.  877-822-1208 email “But, Kay, why should I trust you to know my marketing communication needs?” Back when I found myself needing to earn a living after years as a corporate wife and stay-at-home mom, I began as an outside bank investment officer. After a week’s training, they threw me out on the street and it was sink or swim. Perhaps you should know that, as a child, I could never pass the final test of summer swim class for fear of swimming in the deep. Summer after summer, I refused to dive in. But in the deep waters of life—when given the choice of sink or swim—I always swim. Here are a few of my accomplishments in that marketing arena: Brought in $6 million in new certificate-of-deposit accounts in 20- months’ record time.   Landed account with largest real estate developer in Madrid, Spain.   Brought in $1.08 million in small-to-medium CD accounts in a record-setting 28 days.   As an investment broker, transacted the largest first-time trade ($635,000) in company’s 35-year history.   As a broadcasting company part-owner and board member, partici- pated in decision-making process keeping two large metropolitan radio stations at the top of their markets.   The Big Guys Said I Have a “Nose for Money” But what they didn’t know was I also have a heart for people. And one year I chucked it all to work with the homeless and hungry. This was an eye-opening, life-altering experience. Afterwards, I began to write . . . Marketing — People — Writing Today, copywriting melds my love for all three. Listen to what a Honolulu Web developer and worldwide multimedia expert says about my work: Here’s a recent editing assignment from a custom magazine publisher: Here’s what the head of a private foundation that grants college scholarships to outstanding high school soccer players has to say about working with me: “Working with Kay is like having her sitting next to us as she guides us through various steps we need to take in order for her to do her work.”                                                      —Barbara Christian                Scott Christian Memorial Soccer Foundation                                                                       Kentucky And here are comments on working with me by two of the clients introduced above: So, if you’ve read this far because you want your marketing copy to attract more clients and motivate them to take the action you request . . . Call me toll-free at 877-822-1208 and claim your FREE initial consultation. Just remember . . . there are people out there who need what you offer. They’re going to spend money to fill their need whether they read your message or not. But—given the choice—they’d RATHER do business with someone with integrity . . . someone who has their best interests at heart . . . someone like you. But they can’t do it if your words fail to attract their attention, develop their interest, tap their desire for what you offer and call them to action. Otherwise, your message remains a tiny squeak in a very noisy marketplace. It’s up to you to change that — or not. So, click HERE to read my samples and then call or email me while you’re thinking about it BECAUSE when your words work harder, you won’t have to. Making more money really can be as simple as that. Writing for your success, P.S. Read what a Kentucky Web designer and consulting client says and then call me for your free initial consultation: “I only wish I knew half of what Kay knows. Her help has been invaluable. Working with her has given me the confidence to venture into unknown areas. Her knowledge and patience have guided me through so much, and I appreciate it more than she’ll ever know.”                                                            —Barbara Smith          Frankfort (KY) Department of Parks & Recreation P.P.S. A few words about hype: you couldn't possibly hate hype more than I do! One whiff of it and I'm gone. Why? Because hype is needed when the quality of a product or service is questionable and proof is slim to none. Hype exaggerates often to the point of lying. Hype over-promises and under-delivers. Hype disappoints paying customers. And it has no place in the copy I write for the clients I choose to work with. Savvy though I am to the inner workings of persuasive copy . . . when I’ve been accurately targeted—that is, when the product or service being offered will solve my problem, make or save me money, decrease my expenditure of time or effort, provide me pleasure or eliminate my frustration or pain—I become a human consumer just like anyone else. No one is immune to the promise of a benefit when s/he has been accurately targeted. What differentiates ad-savvy or ad-soaked prospects like you and I from the less informed or the less aware is our high level of skepticism. So, what does it take to make us stop and consider and then buy? The answer is really quite simple . . . A quality product or service that does what’s claimed and the copy presenting it says so . . . and says it with excitement, even passion. When copy incites emotion AND offers enough proof to answer the objec- tions of your most skeptical prospects, that’s when I and others who’ve been accurately targeted pull out a credit card or pick up the phone and call. Copy that does THIS is not hype ... IT’S SALESMANSHIP IN PRINT. If you’re ready for some help and you feel we’d make a good fit, take a look at my fee minimums and payment terms. If they work for your budget, call me and claim your free 15-minute consultation. It’s toll free - 877-822-1208 Read The Real Estate Copywriter on Personal Brochures: How to Write & Lay Out Your Own Personal Brochure What Is a Personal Brochure and Why Should You Care? Sample brochure copy Have you stopped writing to prospective buyers because you no longer know what to say? Check out my new “Straight Talk to Buyers” Letter Series at www.TheRealEstateMarketingLetter.com