My current client base is mostly made up of one-person consulting businesses. I did not particularly choose this market segment, it's just the people that I've met through networking.

A friend sent me this link today:
http://www.actionplan.com/mktwrkbkN790521.html

2 things I'd like to say about this. The first is that it's made me realise that if I can use the information in this book, then not only can I use it on myself, but I can use it to help my clients. Therefore, I have decided to pursue a strategy of specifically targeting consultants for now. (Before I was just targeting any small business in my locality).

Secondly, I really like the copy and how it's laid out. It's not in my face screaming at me. It's honestly (I think) offering me a service that I (as a very targeted prospect) can make use of and derive value from.

Phil - if you have time to take a look at the site, what are your thoughts on this style of copy?

It certainly does a lot more for me than "Talk Anyone Into Anything, Anytime...Guaranteed!"

And here's why - because the copy for the book is specific to someone like me. The guy knows my pain as an independent consultant. He understands that independent consultants suffer from famine and feast. He understands that we hate making cold calls, and that we're never really certain why our interactions at networking events don't work well. He knows that services are difficult to sell because they're intangible, and so we have to work harder to articulate a crystal clear message than someone selling products.

In short, he is speaking directly to me.

I also think the offer and incentives are brilliantly crafted - he hasn't missed a trick. You get a sample (the free chapter), a guarantee, and a $10 discount if you order within 24 hours. I can't lose. As Michel would say, I "whipped out my wallet" and bought straight away. Even the bonuses are done tastefully - he doesn't insult my intelligence with "here's $10,000 worth of bonuses", but simply states that he doesn't know what they're worth, but maybe a few hundred dollars. I can live with that!

Compare this to the "Talk anyone into anything" type of screaming copy. It didn't speak to me. Talk whom into what? Talk my boyfriend into buying a house for us? Talk my Dad into lending me money? Talk my customers into buying something from me? (and maybe that something isn't suitable for them and they'll end up with buyer's remorse which won't help me get business referrals). The point is, is that neither the market nor the result are clear (to me).

On a personal note, I don't particularly want to explicitly persuade people - I present the facts and let them make up their own minds. So far that has worked very well for me. People buy from me because they know they can trust me and because I exude an air of "I know what I'm talking about". Granted, it doesn't always work, but I have no interest in persuading (aka manipulating) people into doing things that they don't choose to do. I'm of the belief that at some level they will know that they've been "sold to" and will resent me at some level.

A further point on your copy Kent (I only read the top and the bottom) - you lost consistency of concept when you said "Since I’ve just launched the course and I’m hungry to create lots of raving fans, I’m slashing the price from $247 to just $147" and then you say "And, like I said... I’m not eager to get overwhelmed with responses." which are mutually exclusive by my reckoning. On the one hand you're offering a special deal because you want to penetrate the market, and on the other, you're going for the exclusivity, limited number of applicants etc. concept. Surely if there's only one principle in marketing, it should be consistency.

For all I know Kent's product would be much better for me than the marketing manual. Both links were delivered in a similar fashion - Kent's was on this board, and the other link came from a board my friend visits. So far it's even Stevens. I looked at both sites. One worked for me and I bought, and one didn't work and I didn't bother to read beyond the headline.

It could simply be that I'm not in Kent's target market. I don't know.