NICK WALROND: MD, SANDERSON RECRUITMENT PLC

"When I first encountered Sonja in 2005 I was new to my role as managing director. A huge tender had landed on my desk, and my sales team were totally overstretched on other projects. Not wanting to miss this opportunity I brought in Sonja to manage the bid process and lead the writing for what it soon became clear was our largest ever tender project.

Sonja and the team produced the best tender document we've created. We've used it as a template for many successful bids since that time too. The quality of this work led me to realise that we had an opportunity to raise our game by improving the standard of our written communications with clients.

I engaged Sonja on an ongoing basis to write content for some critical sales and marketing projects. Her work has included:

• tenders, proposals and presentations
• sales letters and brochure copy
• case studies
• web copy
• white papers

With Sonja's help we started to write some 'thought leadership' content to educate our clients and prove our expertise. We've now produced four white papers on subjects close to our clients' hearts. These have been extremely well received by current clients and prospects. They help our clients to see us as advisors and not just suppliers and are fantastic 'leave-behinds' for our sales team.

Over the last few years our business has gone from strength to strength. Our turnover has doubled to £110 million. I have no doubt that Sonja's input on our written communications has played a real part in our success. She has helped us redefine the way we pitch. Our offer is now more obvious, more tangible and brings us greater success. We see ourselves as thought leaders in our field, and this is helping us to secure more beneficial client relationships.

Sonja challenges the way that we work, she knows her field and our industry and we benefit from her independent voice. I take her advice very seriously."

Nick Walrond, managing director of Sanderson Recruitment plc, March 2008: www.sandersonplc.com.

See Sanderson news story

JANE NORTHCOTE: INDEPENDENT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT

 "I am a busy management consultant. I never seemed to have time to update my website or write up my assignments and create case studies. So in January 2005 I enlisted Sonja's help.

Sonja sorted out my website, writing new content and reorganising the site. She interviewed me and my recent clients to create a series of approved case studies. In the process she helped me clarify my value proposition and discover what it was that clients valued about my service. This has been really significant in the development of my business.

Her work revealed that I had a distinctive approach which clients valued and which formed the basic principles of my practice. With Sonja as thought-partner, project manager and editor I have now written and published a business book to set out my principles and approach.

Sonja's support has enabled me to write this book while continuing my work on consulting assignments (this is no mean feat).

Sonja provides the right degree of challenge, while at the same time respecting my personal style: an ideal collaborator on a project such as this. I would recommend her to anyone who needs written content but is 'too busy to write'. I have recommended her to management consultants, legal pracitioners, interior designers.

Working with Sonja is fun - and the writing gets done. This is practical marketing on the right scale for my business."

Jane Northcote, independent management consultant and author, March 2008: www.janenorthcote.com.

See news story on Jane's book

______________________________________________________________ For more information on my clients, see the Who I work for and Projects pages.