Direct Response Copywriter on How NOT To Find Clients Part 4

How NOT to Find Clients. Part 4.

A Series of Essays for Copywriters and Fellow Creative Professionals.

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NOTE: You're reading a series of blogs about how to find clients ... and how NOT to find them. This series will be extremely controversial. Read the blogs and you’ll discover my experiences with finding direct response copywriting clients … what works and what’s a waste of time. The goal is to help you find “elite” level clients with deep pockets who are looking for top-quality creative talent.

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Method #4. Major Job Sites Like Monster and Career Builder.

Again, you're going to think I'm crazy. You will place your resume on these job sites ... plus some minor ones. You can get a steady stream of jobs for which you're qualified. Recruiters will also find you.

In my experience, many of the jobs listed on these sites are not the best gigs. They're "jobs" with companies who may or may not respect great copy. You might find a better-paying gig on a site like The Ladders which advertises jobs with higher salaries.

Yes -- you'll find my resume on these sites. I get a call time-to-time from a recruiter. But the recruiter is simply trying to place as many people as possible in jobs. The gig might be good. The gig might be terrible.

I tell everyone to make sure they have an up-to-date and keyword optimized resume on all the big job sites. But … again … it’s PASSIVE and you’re at the mercy of a head hunter.

You're going to have a full-time gig and perhaps you like that. Perhaps you don't. I prefer to have several different clients. If you're a younger copywriter, then the experience working for a larger group might be valuable.

However, ultimately, if you want the greatest clients then you have to GO AFTER THEM. To find these clients, you need a database ... and you can find it here.

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I'm a direct response copywriter. I write direct response copy for clients around the world. Enter your information to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or contact me here when you have a project you'd like to discuss. I'm also a Dan Kennedy certified copywriter for information products.

Direct Response Copywriter on How NOT to Find Clients Part 3

How NOT to Find Clients. Part 3.

A Series of Essays for Copywriters and Fellow Creative Professionals.

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NOTE: You're reading a series of blogs about how to find clients ... and how NOT to find them. This series will be extremely controversial. Read the blogs and you’ll discover my experiences with finding clients … what works and what’s a waste of time. The goal is to help you find “elite” level clients with deep pockets who are looking for top-quality creative talent.

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Method #3. Inbound Marketing … AKA Your Website

This may be confusing but hang with me for a minute.

With inbound marketing, you optimize your website for the search engines and you get leads.

This works for me and it's been my #1 source of business for the last 3-4 years. Right now, my website ranks #1 for several search engine terms like "direct response copywriter."

Trust me, I'm not complaining. Several great clients have come my way. But I also get a number of poor leads.

"Boo hoo," you say ... and with good reason. I'm sure, if you're a direct response copywriter, you'd like to have this ranking.

Here's the downside. At some stage, someone is going to take my spot and I'll be on page 2 where nobody will see me. This could happen tomorrow due to some Google algorithm change. Or it could happen in a few days or weeks.

I can't rely on this #1 ranking forever. I'm not in charge of this situation. And I fully admit I know little or next to nothing about SEO.

So I need to gain complete control of my marketing. That's why I created a database of 2,000 potential clients.

Armed with this database of direct response copywriting clients, I don't have to rely on being found. I go after the clients I want. That's what direct marketing is all about: going after the clients and customers you want.

Inbound marketing is NOT a pure form of direct response marketing.

To find the "elite" clients, you have to be more aggressive.

If you want access to my database of potential clients, click here.

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I'm a direct response copywriter. I write direct response copy for clients around the world. Enter your information to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or contact me here when you have a project you'd like to discuss. I'm also a Dan Kennedy certified copywriter for information products.

Direct Response Copywriter on Style and Granularity

When it comes to writing, what is style? Writing is ultimately about choosing words and putting them in a certain order. Some writers are sparse – like Kurt Vonnegut or Ernest Hemmingway. Others can be intricate and intense – like Martin Amis.

What about direct response copywriters? I don’t read enough copy by other copywriters to say: “oh that’s so-and-so.” I once read that Clayton Makepeace wanted his cub copywriters to develop their own style.

The top copywriters – based on my analysis – tend to write with the same style and it’s a combination of hyperventilation and granularity. There’s enthusiasm plus a highly contagious mix of adjectives and highly descriptive copy; the latter is the granularity.

Instead of writing …

These irons will help you hit more accurate shots on the golf course.

I write …

Strike the ball right in the sweet spot and the ball will be dancing with the flag.

There’s no real evidence that “granular” copy outperforms copy that’s more sparse. I’ve seen some Gary Bencivenga copy that is extremely straightforward. But I’ve seen some Gary Bencivenga copy that’s much more descriptive and evocative.

Some of my most successful copy is sparse and basic. But I’ve written copy with some granularity. I’m working to become better at the granular copy because I have to think it will improve response.

Quite frankly, it’s something I’d like to test.

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I'm a direct response copywriter. I write direct response copy for clients around the world. Enter your information to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or contact me here when you have a project you'd like to discuss. I'm also a Dan Kennedy certified copywriter for information products.

Direct Response Copywriter on My 2nd Biggest Challenge

As a direct response copywriter, my biggest day-to-day challenge is writing copy that generates cash for my clients. My copy – or at least one version of the copy – has to perform. I’m a sales person and when sales people fail, they get fired … and that’s totally understandable.

But here’s another challenge: speaking with a potential client who has endured a bad experience with another direct response copywriter.

Typically, the potential client has hired a copywriter, paid a sometimes significant fee, and watched the copy fail miserably. There may have been other issues like missed deadlines, a haughty attitude, or something else. But the biggest problem is usually the poor return on the investment made in the copy.

I rarely get into the gory details with the potential client. But I often ask a simple question: “How aggressively were you testing?”

The answer is usually the same: “there was only one version of the copy … and it stank.”

And there’s the real problem. The potential client isn’t letting the copywriter fail. The first attempt at the copy fails – as it often does – and the client thinks the copywriter is a dunce – an expensive one at that.

The clients I have worked with who have enjoyed the most success are the ones who EXPECT me to fail. That’s because they test like crazy … constantly. After a lot of copy that fails to beat the control, one attempt will hammer the control and everyone will be happy.

I’m upfront with potential clients about copy. I say what I just wrote: you have to test. If the potential client isn’t with that plan, then the whole situation is probably going to end in tears.

If you've had a bad experience with a copywriter, that's understandable. But ask yourself this question: "am I testing enough?"

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I'm a direct response copywriter. I write direct response copy for clients around the world. Enter your information to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or contact me here if you have a project you'd like to discuss. I'm also a Dan Kennedy certified copywriter for information products.

Direct Response Copywriter on How NOT to Find Clients Part 2.

How NOT to Find Clients. Part 2.

A Series of Essays for Copywriters and Fellow Creative Professionals.

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NOTE: You're reading a series of blogs about how to find clients ... and how NOT to find them. This series will be extremely controversial. Read the blogs and you’ll discover my experiences with finding clients … what works and what’s a waste of time. The goal is to help you find “elite” level clients with deep pockets who are looking for top-quality creative talent.

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Method #2. Word of Mouth/Referrals. Surprisingly … one of the WORST ways to find clients.

Right now, you might be somewhat AGHAST. Why? Because you’ve been told that referrals are a superb way to find clients.

Some companies and freelancers will boast: “I’m really lucky because I get a crazy number of referrals from clients.”

Don’t get me wrong … I like referrals although I don’t get them too often. My current and past clients usually want to keep their direct response copywriter to themselves. I don’t ask for referrals and I don’t sit by the phone expecting them.

Let’s remember something CRUCIALLY important as you market yourself: the ultimate goal of your marketing must be to find the absolute top clients – with the deepest pockets – so you work less and earn more.

One of your great clients might refer someone to you. That’s good. It shows your current client likes you.

But it could also be bad … and here’s why: the client could be a total dog. That’s happened to me. The “referral” client was essentially idiotic, disorganized, plus I had to fight to get paid. Lovely.

I can’t think of a single excellent client who came my way through a referral. This method is a haphazard version of inbound marketing. Maybe this will change for me tomorrow but I’m not holding my breath. It’s tempting to be excited when I receive a referral because the potential client is warmed up and ready to hire me.

I value referrals from my current clients and I thank them for these referrals … BUT … 99% of the time, the new potential clients are a poor fit.

In certain industries, like residential real estate and home decorating, referrals may be a decent source of leads. But I’m not interested in decent. I want the best possible marketing outcome using the best possible method.

This method is making a list of strong potential clients then pounding away at the database. You’re being aggressive instead of passive. Passive marketing stinks and routinely sends you bad clients with bad work, bad products, and a poor attitude.

Recently, I compiled a database of 2,000 potential clients. I originally compiled this for direct response copywriters but any creative person can benefit from this database.

Click here now to see the sales page for the database.

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I'm a direct response copywriter. I write direct response copy for clients around the world. Enter your information to the right for my free series: Seven Steps to High Converting Copy. Or [contact me here][2] if you have a project you'd like to discuss. I'm also a Dan Kennedy certified copywriter for information products.