What Clients Want from Copywriters. Direct Response Copywriter Email Archive. November 2019 1.
/What Elite-Level Marketers Look for When Searching for Copywriters
I’m fortunate to know Brian Kurtz beyond a quick handshake at a conference. I was in Brian’s mastermind group for three years and I have learned a great deal from him personally, through his Sunday emails, and through his books.
There are lots of so-called ‘experts’ and ‘legends’ out there (more on that later) but Brian genuinely knows more about direct marketing than just about anyone. He ran marketing at Boardroom and generated well over a billion in revenue. Any questions?
Make sure you read Brian’s books. Make sure you’re on his email list. His most recent email provided his criteria for hiring copywriters. Brian worked with many of the world’s most accomplished direct response copywriters.
Most of the people on my list are copywriters and you should know what an elite-level marketer is thinking when looking for a top copywriter. I’m going to begin a series about Brian’s seven characteristics. I start with a list below.
But first, let me talk about referrals from the perspective of being in a mastermind group. I joined Brian’s group for a number of reasons.
I wanted to ramp up my direct marketing knowledge.
I wanted to meet strong potential clients.
I wanted to get on Brian’s radar because people ask Brian ‘do you know a good copywriter?’ all the time.
I wanted to be the dumbest person in the room because that’s how you learn.
I wanted to meet some elite-level direct marketers and learn from them.I also took the attitude: "I want to give back to this group based on my experience and expertise. I'm going to ask questions, challenge people, and show up."
It was a great experience and I learned so much. After 3 years, I was one of the more knowledgeable people there. I met some great direct marketers.
Let me focus on the referral aspect. I got some work from a few people in the group but I need to go back and have a mini-campaign based on who I met.
But I didn’t get a referral from Brian. Why? You can ask Brian but here’s my guess. Brian has a lot of copywriters who are part of his inner circle. He’s worked with these guys a ton and they have produced for him. I have never written a word of copy for Brian. Why should he refer me to someone? Plus a couple of copywriters in that inner circle have an extensive practice including a number of junior copywriters and they need a lot of work.
Brian delivered everything he promised I would receive … and then some … when I joined his mastermind group.
The lesson here: it’s a mistake to rely on referrals. That should be “Part F” of your marketing plan. I have never received a client who was worth anything through a referral. It's different in other lines of work ... like medicine, law, bricklaying.
There was a funny moment when I was in a dinner at Brian’s mastermind and I was sitting next to Mike Palmer who is one of the top copywriters in the Agora empire. He wrote the “End of America” VSL for Stansberry Research. It’s one of their most successful promotions. I recommend you watch it. It provides an example of an Agora technique: say something, then prove it.
We were talking and he asked me about my practice. I described my work for a variety of clients and he said, “oh … you’re a hustler.”
I’m still trying to figure out his precise meaning. Hustler, like punter, is a word with many meanings. I think he was being a hair rude and maybe even snobby but I actually took it as a compliment. Yes … I’m out there trying to get the work in the door. I can’t settle in the Agora coziness. I’m working hard and if that makes me a hustler, so be it.
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Legendary? Says Who?
I received an email from an accomplished copywriter I greatly admire. I’m on her list. She’s been on the fall conference circuit and wrote about a session with a copywriter she described as “legendary.”
To me, the copywriter she described as “legendary” has written some of the worst copy I’ve seen … copy that’s packed with pure lies and raw hype. I’ve seen said copywriter speak and I disagreed with most everything he said. It was a speech replete with waffling, bad advice, self-congratulation, plus moaning about having to speak.
Here’s what Gary Bencivenga writes in his superb Bencivenga Bullets:
“I believe in selling with integrity. The strongest ads tell the truth dramatically. You don’t have to lie, shortchange your customers, sully your good name, or cut corners. Treat your customers by the Golden Rule and they will reward you with much more gold.”
So I asked the copywriter who sent the email why she thinks said copywriter is “legendary.”
The reply:
(Name) is considered “legendary” amongst many highly successful copywriters I respect.
Even if someone I like says someone is 'legendary' I'm still skeptical.
The moral of this story?
Be careful who you follow and admire, especially in this business. Check out their work and their results. Look for plenty of proof. If you look at their work and their approach and say, “that’s not right” then are they really legendary?
There are so many ‘gurus’ and published authors and others who have little or nothing to say of any value. Why? Because they've never actually sold anything and they're famous for being famous. Yet they’re admired. Thought leaders. Influencers. Whatever.
When I started this journey, I would believe that someone was ‘legendary’ just because it was in the copy or someone told me I needed to think this way. Stupid and ignorant on my part.
But now that I’ve been in the game for a while, I need a lot more proof plus I’m more skeptical about claims. You should be too.
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In my series about what Brian Kurtz looks for in copywriters, I'll start with this list of the 7 characteristics.
- HUNGER
- INSATIABLE CURIOSITY
- CONFIDENCE WITHOUT ARROGANCE
- PASSION
- BEING A STUDENT OF DIRECT RESPONSE MARKETING
- HUMILITY
- PRIDE/SHOWING YOUR WORK
In my next email, I’ll start with hunger.
