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How to Create a Free Report That Actually Gets Read and Acted On

By Mark Satterfield

In my earlier articles I’ve shared with you a structure for your lead generation letter. While a letter can be a very powerful tool for beginning a new relationship with a key decision maker, it’s limited in terms of what we can realistically expect readers to do once they’ve read it.

From a practical perspective, unless readers have a burning need for your services, it’s unlikely they’ll pick up the phone. Thus if your call to action is limited to Give us a call today to discuss your…you’ll never hear from a large percentage of your readers. And that’s a shame since there are likely to be lots of people who would like to learn more about you but are understandably wary of leaving themselves open to a full-bore sales pitch.

However, if the call to action is for more information, you’ll find that a healthy percentage will take that next step.

That’s the role of the Free Report.

Your Free Report should build credibility for you and move the prospective client forward to the next step in the relationship building process. If a reader puts down the report without taking that next step, then your report hasn’t completely done its job.

So we want to build credibility and move the process forward. Quite an agenda for a free report, but it’s one that you can accomplish if you follow a sequence of steps.

What you want to do first is…

Develop an attention getting title.

Most writers don’t give this the thought it deserves. I’ve tested hundreds of reports and the conclusion I’ve reached is that what initially makes someone want to read your report is…your title.

Ideally when you send out a report you want people to be so interested that they stop what they’re doing, and read it right then. That’s my goal when I write a free report for a client, and I think that’s a good goal for you.

So here’s a tip. When you’re developing your title focus on…results.

That’s what your readers want. That’s what they’re interested in. That’s what they’re going to read.

For example, this article isn’t titled “How to Write a Free Special Report,” but “How to Create a Free Report That Actually Gets Read and Acted On.” The “Gets Read and Acted On” part is the result I’m presuming the reader of this article wants.

Ask yourself, what result do your readers want?

Here’s another tip. If you really want to make your headline compelling, ask yourself this question; What would accomplishing the goal or solving the problem enable readers to do that they can’t do now?

Here’s a fun example that illustrates this. Which would you rather read?

“How to automate your business” or
“How to set up your business so that it runs on autopilot while you play golf”?

Key Point: Identify what the desired result would be and include that in your title.

Here’s yet another suggestion. Whenever possible your title should suggest targeted results. By this I mean that the more you reference your niche audience in the title, the greater the response and interest. Time Management for Physicians, Tax Tips for the Family Owned Business, Seven Things All Finance Directors Need to Know about Sarbanes Oxley.

Naturally there are all sorts of different titles that can work effectively. However let me share with you some “tried and true” formats that work well.

• How to____in____Steps: “How to Develop a College Recruiting Strategy in 5 Easy Steps”

• How to____in____(time frame): “How to Get 75 New Clients in the Next 45 Days”

• The Real Secret to Quickly____: “The Real Secret to Quickly Getting New Employees up to Speed”

• Top 2 Ways to____: Top 2 Ways to Avoid Hackers”

• 5____Mistakes That___(undesirable result): “5 Accounting Mistakes That Actually Increase Your Tax Liability”

• ____Checklist: Are you____: “Plant Startup Checklist: Are You Ready to Open on Schedule?”

• The Hidden Costs of____: “The Hidden Costs of Systems Implementations”

• 7 Simple Steps to____: “7 Simple Steps to Acclimating a New Executive to Your Organization”

The bottom line is that your title is absolutely critical. That’s why I urge you to give special attention to it when you begin writing your free special report.

In my next article, we’re going to move into the second part of the process: developing the content for your free report. I’ll also discuss how to incorporate great stories into the content, tips on tone and style, and a whole bunch of other ideas that will ensure your free special report actually gets read and acted on! Naturally if you have any questions don’t hesitate to send them to mark@gentlerainmarketing.com or visit my Web site.

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Mark Satterfield is a founding partner of Gentle Rain Marketing and the creator of the Gentle Rain Marketing System. He is also the author of five books, including Power Prospecting: How to Gain Access to Key Decision Makers, How to Negotiate the Raise You Deserve, and Career Etiquette. Find out more about his services at www.gentlerainmarketing.com.