It’s Still The Same “Old” Story

Most of us have a tendency to make certain assumptions about different groups of people.
For instance, what are your assumptions when it comes to the elderly?

I recently had an insight into the thought processes of our senior population.
An 80-year old woman is quitting her job, because they are moving the location.
She picked her last day so as not to coincide with the retirement of another 80-year old woman in the same organization.
The other woman is, in her words–“a b*tch and I don’t want to be associated with her.”

After hearing that, I realized that the emotions that drive all of us do not diminish with age.
In some cases they fester for years and become even stronger.

I belong to an organization that has several senior members in their 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s.
Their blood runs just as hot on certain topics as does the emotions of the younger members.

As marketers, we need to remember that the elderly are just as emotion driven as the rest of us.
They have the same vanities, wants, needs, and fears as all of us.
Don’t discount emotion (think of the seven deadly sins) when you target your marketing to that group.

Ah…Sweet Vindication!

Do you remember my rant about dealing with wannabe writers? I mentioned a client who had majored in journalism and how they have a tendency to nitpick your copy.

It seems that he wasn’t a partner in the venture as he claimed. He was an employee and didn’t have authorization to hire me.

When I sent a follow-up invoice noting that the bill was past due, I got a call from the real owner.

The former “partner” was no longer with the company, but had left some of my work in his desk when he departed. They needed more work done (including rewriting work that he’d done) and asked if I was available.

We reached an agreement on the outstanding bill and I now have a new (legitimate, this time) client.

I shouldn’t have picked on all journalism majors. I’ve worked with some who are great writers but admit that they aren’t copywriters. Others have more work than they can handle.

I guess the lesson here is to beware of someone who spends too most of his time telling you how great he is.

Saved By The Bell.

In my last post, I commented about practicing your copywriting skills. I stated that, since it was summer, you could practice from a hammock beneath a shade tree. I fully intended to follow my own advice, but then…I made the mistake of telling my wife.

That, my friends, was not a smart move! Soon, I had an ever-growing list of “around-the-house” projects that needed to be done. To be honest, I’ve put some of them (maybe, most of them) off for quite a while. So, good husband that I am I set out to due my duty.

But…after a couple of days of being scratched, burned, bruised, and battered in 93-degree heat…it was time to take drastic action. I contacted a few clients, “just to stay in touch.”

That magic “save-me formula” kicked in. Activity breeds activity. One of my clients replied to my email asking me to call. She wanted to discuss a few projects that were coming up. I dialed her number so fast the phone was smoking.

We discussed the projects and I made some notes. Her next question was, “How soon can you get a proposal to me?” (“As soon as I put this rake away,” I thought to myself.)

I told her that it would be on her desk within three days along with an available start date. As I wheeled a cart full of tools back to the shed, I saw my wife watching from the window (in the air-conditioning). I pointed to the phone in my hand and mouthed “client call.” She shook her head and mouthed something through the window. If I were a lip-reader, I’d swear she said, “You are one lucky S.O.B.”

The Dog Days of Summer

I can’t decide if I really like this time of year…or hate it. I love the weather but the copywriting business really slows down. I’ve got a couple of regular clients that give me some work on a monthly basis, but none of the deadline driven, heart-pounding, gotta-get-it done work that you get the rest of the year.

In some ways it’s nice. Having a lot of free time to laze around and take it easy, but it also can get a bit boring. (Please don’t show my wife this blog. The honey-do list will come out faster than her credit card at a shoe sale.)

So what do you do if you’re a copywriter with time on your hands? The best thing to do is study your craft. Since it’s summer, some of that studying should be done from a hammock under a nice shade tree.

The truth is…if you want to get into the upper echelons of this business, you should always strive for improvement. Top guys like Gary Bencivenga, Dr. Joe Vitale, Clayton Makepeace, Bob Bly, and Michael Masterson didn’t get there by taking it easy. So…I guess I’ll write some practice letters.

As the man said when asked how to get to Carnegie Hall, “Practice, my friend, practice, and more practice.”

Are You Ready For The Big Leagues?

Is it time for me to take a shot at the big leagues? I’m ready.

I received an email from AWAI’s Katie Yeakle requesting my biographical information. They’ve arranged to have the top AWAI copywriters and graphic artists listed in Target Marketing magazines “Who’s Charging What?” publication. We’ll be in the prestigious company of writers like Bob Bly, Clayton Makepeace, Krista Jones, and Monica Day.

The note came with this caveat. “If you don’t feel that you’re ready to try this…then don’t. Your name will go out to the top direct marketers in the industry. If you make a bad impression, you may never get another chance.” Scary stuff! It gave me pause for a moment. I don’t want to blow my chances at the ‘big time,” but then again, when will I get another opportunity like this?

I’ve been practicing my craft for about three years and have built up a nice selection of small clients. I’ve had some successes and a few failures. Most small clients don’t have the staff or budget to run a national campaign. The only way to find out if you have “the right stuff,” is to play in the big leagues. The only way you get to play in the big leagues is to take your shot when you get the chance.

I know I’ve got what it takes. Now I may get the chance to prove it. Realistically, I probably won’t get a shot at toppling a control right out of the chute…but if I get my foot in the door, I can show ‘em what I can do. As Michael Masterson says, “Ready, Fire, Aim!”

Hey…I’ve got the training, I’ve got the tools, and I’ve got the right attitude. As someone once said, “No Guts, No Glory!”

Warning! Warning! Danger Will Robinson!

“I Majored in Journalism,” may be the scariest words you can hear a prospective client say. They’ve just given you notice that they are going to micro-manage your copy every step of the way. Now this is not true of every client…but when they emphasize it, it means that they wanted to make a living as a writer and never had the chance. They will try to live their dream vicariously through you.

There are a lot of people out there who think that copywriting is the same as any other writing project. T’aint so…but you’ll never convince a wannabe Hemingway of that. You will spend an inordinate amount of time explaining the reasoning behind each word, sentence, and paragraph. They will give you the old camel response (nodding their head and saying, “Hmmm.”) and change the copy anyway.

That wouldn’t be a problem if they were willing to accept the blame if the piece doesn’t work. Usually though, they’ll point to the copywriter and say it was your lack of skill. This problem is most prevalent with folks who’ve never worked with a copywriter.

Then, of course, you’ve got the tire kickers. They wanted to find out what you charge and have you write a sample. Then they will use those ideas to write their own piece and not use you at all.

I enjoy working with new clients who appreciate what I bring to the table. I also enjoy the give and take of ideas as we work through a project. I’m always willing to learn something new. I spend thousands of dollars a year on continuing education, just to get better at this business. Give me an old hand company who uses copywriters, any day. The knowledge gained working for them is invaluable.

Oh, My God! The Pain…The Pain!!

Just kidding. I have been a little lax in posting lately. Suddenly, I’m on everyone’s dance card. The work is keeping me hopping (or writing.)

I did get a response to application for a “copy slave” position with Clayton Makepeace. (The fact that I’m writing this should tell you the answer. I’d be too busy, otherwise.) Actually, the response came from Wendy, his wife. She was very nice and said “at least I didn’t suck,” or words to that effect.

All joking aside, I did get a nice response from a classy lady. They asked to keep my letter on file in case they had an opening, or needed a freelancer. It is exactly what I’ve come to expect from their organization. (You’ll notice the kiss-up here. Hey! I AM a freelancer, after all.)

Was I disappointed? Yeah. Just a bit. But work has been coming in and I’ve been very busy and haven’t had time to dwell on it. I still want to meet Clayton someday and find out if he ever came into my old bar in Key West. (I threw out a lot of famous people.)

Come to think of it, I’m not disappointed at all. Can somebody get me some band-aids for my wrists?

No Guts, No Glory!

Sometimes you just have to go for it. I decided to apply for the position of “copy slave” with Clayton Makepeace.

What’s in it for me? For one thing, the chance to work with one of the greats in this industry. For another, a chance to become one of the greats in this industry.
Not to mention that it should be a lot of fun if I’m one of the chosen few…or should I say, the chosen one.

I haven’t felt like “the chosen one,” since my ex-wife’s lawyer served me with divorce papers. But that’s another story.

Here’s how it happened. I received the email and read it, as I’m sure did every copywriter on the planet. Then I assumed that I wouldn’t be eligible. (You know what they say about “assume.”) the more I thought about it, the more I decided to “go for it.”

First, I had to get permission from “The Crazy Cuban,” (my wife). That was easier than I expected. (I wonder if she wants me gone for a reason.)

Then I had to write the letter that will get me accepted. Let’s hope that I don’t get that “deer-in-the-headlights” look if I am chosen.

I’ll keep you posted.

“Such a deal, I have for you!”

Clayton Makepeace is advertising for a copy slave. I should be all over this.

What an opportunity. You get to move to B.F., North Carolina. You get to work for peanuts (or whatever it is they grow there.) You get to help increase the size of Clayton’s already formidable fortune, reputation and ego. And…to top it off, you’ll be the lowest person in the pecking order of the organization.

Such a deal!

Actually, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Imagine, working with one of the legends in the business. Who cares if you’re working for chump change? The education is worth more than money. Unless your richer than Croesus, this deal can set you up for life. Just being able to say, “I worked with Clayton Makepeace,” will open doors normally would have been barred to you.

If you’re a young copywriter, jump at this opportunity. If I was a bit younger and didn’t have to explain my actions to “the crazy Cuban” (my wife), I’d be at his door and fighting off all challengers.

I’m a little long-in-the-tooth to be called a copy cub. I wonder if Clayton would consider a copy grizzled-ly? (Yes, I know grizzly is spelled wrong.)

Where The Rubber Meets The Road.

As a copywriter, you don’t always get to see how well your promo or package does.
If you do get to see results, it may be in general terms.

If it beats the current control, you’ll hear about it, and…if it bombs (heaven forbid) you may hear about that too.
Then again, you may just never get any work from that client or his friends ever again.

If you want a real education about launching a promotion, start your own business and write all of the copy associated with that start-up. If you plan to sell online, you can get almost instant feedback as to how well your copy sells.

I am involved with a start-up online company. I accepted a partnership in lieu of my standard copywriting fee.
Now, that sounds like a great deal (and as we get further along, it will be) but initially all of the revenue goes to build the business.
The scary part is when you start to advertise. Will the ads draw? Will the copy sell once they get to the site? Have we priced it properly for maximum profit?
It doesn’t take long for you to find out.

When we launched, I asked for feedback from a few friends.
Most of them said my copy was too long…nobody would read it.
Others said the website was too amateurish, people wouldn’t buy from a site like that.
Well, we’ve proven them wrong.
The site and the copy sells product. Could it be better? Sure! And as we make more money, we’ll upgrade.
In the meantime, we’re looking at economical ways to get our message out and drive people to our site.
I’ll continue to “tweak” the copy as we go.

If you want to see what the site and the copy looks like, go to www.integritea.com.
Tell me what you think. I’m a big boy...I can take it.

Reselling Your Services

I have an ongoing contract to write monthly newsletter articles for a client. As per an earlier conversation regarding the theme of the month, I wrote a series of articles for the next edition. Then, I ran into the person who is my contact in this organization. I mentioned that I had the articles written in time for her deadline. She said that she had written some articles herself and probably wouldn’t need my material.

My initial reaction was going to be to remind her that we had a contract and I would have to bill her for my time. Instead, I decided to take a less confrontational approach. (Always a good idea with a regular and pleasant-to-work-with client.)

Since she had not given me specific instructions to write these articles, I told her that I wouldn’t bill her for them unless she used them. I told her I would email them to her and let her look at them. If she chose to use them I would bill them, if not, I would wait for her direction for the next edition.

I emailed the articles and waited. When the newsletter came out, my articles were in it. It was followed by an email requesting some additional work on another matter. Since then, I’ve gotten a lot of work from another department in this same organization.

Occasionally, you’ll have a client that forgets the value that a professional writer brings to the table. At that point you can resell your abilities, or force them to honor the contract. If you’re good enough, your abilities SHOULD win the day. I’m glad I took this approach. If it hadn’t worked out, at least I wouldn’t have burned any bridges.

Under Pressure

It’s interesting how the mind works. I’ve been under a tight deadline and have more work than I really feel like doing.

I got up this morning after a very restless night and sure didn’t feel like working today. One of the joys of being self-employed is being able to take a day off when you want to. (Wanna bet?)

I worked on my new side business for a while, then spent some time on the phone with one of my partners and realized I was falling further behind.

I went out into the yard and started to do some exercises. (Not one of my favorite things, lately.)

When I came back in, I started to work and suddenly was reenergized. I knocked out my entire daily to-do list and got a good start on the rest of the week.

When I looked at the clock, 6 hours had passed. Amazing the way time flies when you’re in the zone.

Sometimes the planets just line up in your favor. We’ve even started to get a handle on this Google Adwords thing. (Maybe.)

World’s Largest Hurricane Party

If you don’t live in hurricane alley, you’ve probably never heard of a “Hurricane Party.” if you do live in hurricane country, then you know what it is.

For you outsiders, I’ll explain it. What happens is…a hurricane forms and is tracked. As the news of its direction and landfall are predicted, a few idiots will get together and have a “Hurricane Party” to spit in the eye of nature. No one knows who held the first party, but there are stories of people who perished because they chose not to evacuate during these monster storms. (Alcohol is a big factor in these parties.)

I belong to a charity group who came up with the idea of hosting “The World’s Largest Hurricane Party” to raise money to help victims of hurricanes. We host this party on an annual basis.

The party is held PRIOR to the start of hurricane season (we’re no dummies) and attracts hundreds of people. There is live music, free food and beer (see what I mean about alcohol) plus games, raffles and drawings.

The best part is the fact that all goods are donated (including the bands) and all workers are volunteers. In other words, 100% of the money raised goes to charity.

So if your going to be in the Tampa Bay area in May, make plans to come out and party with some of the coolest people you’ll ever meet.

You can get tickets and information by going to www.kreweskare.org and signing up.

See ya’ there.

In Memory of Gary Halbert

I’m sure that by now everyone in the copywriting community is aware of the passing of Gary Halbert.

I didn’t know him except by reputation. But, as a member of the copywriter’s fraternity, I’m saddened whenever we lose one of the legends.

By all accounts, he was a great copywriter and a genuine person. To gain some insight into Gary, go to John Carlton’s blog at http://www.john-carlton.com/

He has written an eloquent tribute to his friend and mentor.

The unkindest cut of all.

We’re planning a surprise birthday party for my mother-in-law. The whole family has gotten involved and we’ve divided the chores and expense.

My sister-in-law and her husband are very busy with one kid in college and one in high school about to graduate. To top that off they care for my brother-in-law’s invalid mother.

When we divvy’ed up the duties, it was decided that they would handle the invitations, as they would be out of town during the time leading up to the party. The invitation that he designed did not meet with his wife’s (my sister-in-law’s) approval. To be honest it was creative but more suited to a children’s party.

We were asked for our input. Since I write for a living…I put all of my skills to bear on the project with help from my wife. We incorporated the theme of the decorations…”Aged to perfection!” into the invitation. It also included the caveat that this was a “very shrewd lady” so keep it a surprise.

We were told that it sounded too formal and that Mom might not like being referred to as shrewd. (Should I have said, “She’s not too bright, but let’s keep it a secret anyway, so she doesn’t catch on?”)

The upshot is that my wife is mad at her sister and I may have started a family feud.

First lesson learned: Always write at the 7th grade level or below. A college degree does not guarantee comprehension…or understanding of nuance. (Both of my in-laws have college degrees…my wife and I do not.)

Second lesson learned: Never ask family for a critique of your work. (On second thought…if they don’t get it, neither will your customer.)

Am I worried about my sister-in-law reading this post? Nah…if she didn’t understand “shrewd”, I guarantee she won’t understand nuance, comprehension, caveat, or any other words of more than one syllable.

P.S. If your degree is from the same school she went to…write and I’ll explain it to you.

“Instant Karma’s Gonna Get Ya! Part 2

(With apologies to The Beatles)

As I said in the last post, “then it got interesting.”

I emailed him and reminded him about doubling my rate.

He emailed back saying that he would prefer the standard rate as he had only used half of my copy. (OK, lesson learned. Bill it at standard and forget this guy. I wonder if he goes to a restaurant and asks for half off if, he doesn’t eat the whole meal?)

Oh, yeah. He would be paying with his partner’s credit card.

Now, here comes the interesting part. I received an email from Pay Pal saying that I had received money from an unregistered payer. Fine, it was his partner’s credit card.

The next day I got an email from his partner asking, “What is this charge on my credit card? I never bought anything from you.” I emailed back and explained the situation. (Notice, I didn’t offer to refund his money. I’m getting smarter.) He must have talked to his partner, because a few days later I got an email apologizing for the mistake.

A day or so after that, I get an email from the original guy telling me to start thinking about the work we had initially discussed. He said he’d be contacting me soon to do this work. Yeah, right Sparky. I’ll be holding my breath while I wait.

The funny part is I am friendly with many of the influential people in this area due to various organizations I work with or belong to. This guy is in an industry where I have a lot of contacts and could have helped him.

How disposed do you think I’ll be to recommending him?

“Instant Karma’s Gonna Get Ya! Part 1

(With apologies to The Beatles)

The call came in about 3 weeks ago. “Hey, Lou. I saw your ad and was wondering…”

He explained his business, his needs, and said that he’d never worked with a copywriter before. (That should have been my first red flag.) He told me what he wanted and I offered to do a small sample to see if that was the direction he wanted to go.

Suddenly I was inundated with emails. “I need this rewritten.” “Can you write this for me?” including his lists of the top words that copywriters should use. (So, now he’s an expert?) “Easy there,” I thought and sent an email suggesting that we meet and work out the details of an agreement.

Sudden silence! Followed a day later by a curt email saying that he had to meet with his partner first.

I went on about my business, writing for existing clients and forgot all about it. Then, late, last Friday afternoon, I got another phone call from him.

“Hi, Lou. How much would you charge to write a one-page email?” (It had nothing to do with the business we had discussed before.) I quoted him my standard rate. He said that it was a rush and would double my fee if he could get it by Monday.

I wrote it and emailed the copy on Sunday. (Without a signed contract…a rookie mistake.) He emailed back saying that it was great work. Could he pay me by credit card? Then…it got interesting.

…to be continued…

Everyone’s A Writer

The first thing you learn in the copywriting business is that everyone’s a writer. And… they all think they’re good. Some of them are…but most are not. Some…should never be allowed to hold a pen in their “hot little hands.”

You’ll meet some who like to “bloviate” in print, thinking that everyone will be impressed with their command of the English language. (They won’t.) There will be others who treat English like it’s not their native tongue.

Oft times when you write for a large organization your copy passes through many hands. Each of those hands is just twitching to “tweak” your copy, so they can impress someone up the line. The version that lands on the desk of the final decision maker will be entirely different from what you wrote. You might not even recognize it. (This happened to me. If it hadn’t been for the title, I would not have known I wrote it.)

The easiest way to avoid this is to involve all decision makers right from the beginning of the project. Explain what you’re going to write and why. Let them know that this is writing in a “conversational tone” and is designed to be read, not to be grammatically correct.

Once they know where you are going, it’s easier for them to understand what you are trying to do.

Keep all parties in the loop. Email copies to everyone, even when you make changes. When they want changes that go against all the rules of sales copy…make them. Make them cheerfully, but explain (in a nice way) why you’re against it.

If the copy gets results even with their changes…be humble. Thank them for showing you a new way of doing things. If it bombs, be considerate and helpful. Resist the urge to say, “I told you so.”

Finally…let it go and be happy, knowing you’ve done your very best.

A Rental Truck Copywriting Lesson

My wife’s company is replacing most of their office furniture. I was volunteered (shanghaied) to help remove and store the old furniture. It will be done in phases and involves renting a truck on several different occasions.

On our first foray into the truck rental experience…the service was terrible. This is a national company whose name is instantly recognizable. (They use an orange and white color scheme.)The truck barely ran, was dirty, and the extra equipment we ordered wasn’t inside. (Luckily, I looked before we left.) The staff acted as though we were an intrusion on their day. The young man who was to check me out on the truck was busy on his cell phone. It must have been very important because he gestured in the direction of this sputtering, filthy beast and nodded that tit was ready for me.

Our next experience was with a competitor and the difference in service was like the difference between night and day. (This company’s name rhymes with Snyder.) The service, the people, and the vehicle were all first rate. Guess who’ll get the rest of our business?

This experience got me to thinking about the customer service we copywriters provide to our clients. Given two copywriters of equal ability, who do you think the client will give his business to? The Prima Donna who is hard to work with…or the guy who is willing to compromise and become part of the team. You need a big ego to succeed in the copywriting business. But it should be tempered with a generous dollop of humility.

Give This "Boob" A Hand

Today’s post is about a very important topic…but it’s not related to copywriting. The maestro, Clayton Makepeace, has started an online auction to raise money to fight breast cancer. He’ll match all money raised up to $10,000. To bid in the auction go to http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200086917526
Let’s give Clayton a hand.

One of our own is battling breast cancer right now. Her name is Sylvie Fortin, CEO of http://www.workaholic4hire.com/ and wife of well-known copywriter Michel Fortin. Sylvie has started a blog to document her battle and ultimate victory over this dread disease. You can track her progress by going to http://www.breastcancervictory.com/

All of us have women in our lives that we dearly love. (I have a wife, sisters, a daughter and four granddaughters.) Think of them when you go to these sites. Do what you can to help. It’ll give you some warm fuzzies if nothing else.

If the bidding on Ebay is too steep, go to Sylvie’s blog for links to donate to a great cause.

Sorry about the “boob” comment, Clayton.

A Tantrum As A Selling Tool?

If you want to be a copywriter…you’d better learn salesmanship. After all, copywriting is simply salesmanship in print. A common complaint in many of the forums is, “I’m not a salesman.” Sorry Sparky, but that’s just pure, unadulterated crap…and you know it. As a species, we are born salesmen. You started selling as soon as you were old enough to express your wants.

Making a sale is just moving people to your way of thinking. You threw a tantrum when you didn’t get your way. Then you tried whining, pouting, and crying. After awhile you realize that these methods don’t work and you start to learn the subtle art of persuasion.

Think about when you used the simplest form of sales…the bribe. You told your sister, “If you wash the dishes for me so I can go play baseball…I’ll clean your room for a week.” Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t. (And, if you had a sister like mine…you were held to cleaning standards that a NASA scientist would have envied.) It wasn’t sleazy or unethical. It was simply a matter of trading something of value for something of value. Every party to the agreement got what they wanted.

People buy because they “want” things. If they only bought what they “needed”…then all sales would only involve food, shelter, and basic clothing. Your job as a copywriter is to get them to buy what they’ve subconsciously decided they already want.

Now, you can throw a tantrum…but I don’t recommend it. Or…you can use that mighty pen and your unique powers of persuasion to help them gain that feeling of _________ that your product will give them.

Has She Been Demoted?

Elections for Tampa (FL.) City Council were held yesterday and one of our own has gone over to the dark side. Mary Mulhern defeated 8-year council member Shawn Harrison…who raised four-times as much money. Mary is a graphic designer and copywriter by profession.

One question that comes to mind is, “If she was a good copywriter…why couldn’t she raise more money?” But, then again, she did win the election.

Why would anyone leave a wonderful profession like copywriting to pursue a career in politics? People actually like copywriters.

Is this a case of a good copywriter gone bad? Will she have to be retrained to use weasel words and double-speak?

Or…will we finally get straight talk from a politician?

Get A Job You Hate

There’s a lot of talk on the web about Clayton Makepeace’s recent newsletter. He points out that you probably won’t make six figures in your first year as a copywriter. He was referring to a lot of the programs that tout changing careers and making a fortune. All this while sitting on your butt watching the sun come up. He was absolutely right. If you’re too dumb to realize this then maybe you’re in the wrong business.

I’ve read a lot of whining about AWAI’s Six Figure Copywriting Course and the way they market their program. (http://www.awaionline.com/) If you bought this course (I did) and didn’t realize after the first lesson that there would be a lot of work involved…then you should have spent your money on lottery tickets. AWAI (American Writer’s and Artist’s Institute) is very specific about refunding your money if the program isn’t for you.

There are many AWAI graduates who have moved into the big-time. The two most recent that come to mind are Monica Day and Krista Jones. Of course they didn’t hit six figures in the first year…and they worked their butts off to get there. Both of them are still coming to grips with the lifestyle of an entrepreneur. They talk about it in their newsletter, “The Copy Protégé.” You can subscribe at http://www.thecopyprotege.com/ . If you are seriously considering copywriting as a career, read the archives. You’ll find that they routinely work 60 or more hours a week to make the big money. Nearly all entrepreneurs do.

The folks who make it big in this, or any other profession, are the ones who never quit. People like Clayton Makepeace, Bob Bly, Peter Bowerman, all have a certain trait that is required to get into the big leagues. It’s called “gumption” (how’s that for an old-fashioned word). And if you don’t have it…well, Sparky, you ain’t gonna make it.

Clayton is dead-on that it takes a lot of work to get to the top. So, if you’re not self-motivated…get a job you hate. That oughtta do it!

FYI…I’m not at six figures yet, but I will be…and I’m enjoying the journey.

Love and the Proper Copywriter

One of the first things you learn as a copywriter is to know your prospect. You’re told to form a mental image of that person and speak directly to them in your copy. You strive for a tone of friendliness and trust. You want to come across as the guy next door or a trusted advisor. You have to do all this in a conversational tone on paper.

So what’s love got to do with it?

Think back to a time in your life when you first fell in love. You spent hours composing love letters in an effort to win the heart of your beloved.
Each little nuance in those letters was designed to move the object of your affection to the next step. Every word was designed to move the relationship to the next level.
When you write copy you have to put the same intensity into the words you choose. You have to “fall in love” with your prospect and your product. If you can do that, your copy will blow the doors off of the competition.

I wrote a fundraising letter for a charity in Colombia that is not well known in the U.S. The client gave me a lot of material to work with, including a picture of a little girl named Angelica. As I did the research, I began to fall in love with Angelica although I’d never met her. Her story became the basis for my letter.
This letter was mailed to a cold list and drew a healthy 3% response. The mailing agency has since given me a lot more fundraising work due to that effort. A copy of the letter can be seen on my website at http://www.louschuyler.com/ . It’s titled “Bad Men Killed My Daddy.”