My First EVER Sales Letter was for $3,000

by Jack Bastide

Posted: 16 years ago 9 replies

COPY WRITING

The first Salesletter I ever did for
somebody was for $3,000

Want to know how I did it?

Jack

#letter #sales

ghyphena 16 years ago

Go on Jack... do tell
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Gil-Ad Schwartz
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Steven Wagenheim 16 years ago

Originally Posted by Jack Bastide

The first Salesletter I ever did for
somebody was for $3,000

Want to know how I did it?

Jack

Yes Jack, please do tell.

Oh, and happy holidays my friend.

Did you ever get that interview released???
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- 1 reply
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- Jack Bastide 16 years ago
  
  This was a few years ago
  
  here's what happened:
  
  I was on a Forum of a well known Copywriter
  when he posted that he needed somebody to do
  copy for his Personal product
  
  We never discussed price. I was just happy to get
  the exposure
  
  The copy did very well. It converted at 8% on a
  $97 Product
  
  He actually posted on his forum raving about it
  
  So he sent me an IM asking me what he owed me
  
  I said .. "I don't know .. Just pay me what you think
  is fair"
  
  He came back about a minute later and said Ok I
  paypaled you
  
  I checked my Paypal ... $3k!
  
  To be real honest when he asked me what He owed
  me I didn't really I know what to say
  
  I had never done a Sales letter for anybody except myself
  
  So IMHO heres what you need to get good money for your
  copy
  
  1 - Your Copy needs to be good (this is a given)
  
  2 - You need somebody that KNOWS the value of Copy
  
  3 - You need somebody who has a robust Business model to
  support paying a quality amount for quality Copy
  
  There will always be a market for low price copy and theres
  nothing wrong with being in that niche if you enjoy it
  
  but if you want to make Real money writing copy you need
  to find good customers
  
  Jack
  
  [ 2 ] Thanks
  
  2 replies
  
  Signature
  
  If you can drive Biz Op Phone Calls .... I'm Buying
  
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  Buckwheat.corn 16 years ago
  
  Sometimes, I have been the lone voice in the wilderness about copywriting fees.
  
  Jack, excellent post...to get real money in copywriting, you have to do target marketing. You must find customers who will pay you excellent copywriting rates...eg. $3500 for a sales letter, $1500 for a lead gen. letter etc.
  
  In other words, you must market your copywriting services beyond this forum. Great people here...but everyone is charging $300 for a sales letter or prospect is saying they have a budget of $300. When I see that I can't run away fast enough. But then again I would not target internet marketers in the first place for this very reason.
  
  Thanks
  
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  prettyboy 16 years ago
  
  Ok...I have a question Buckwheat or anyone else who has the answer:
  
  If you're not targeting Internet marketers for copy, I assume that you're targeting small businesses. Am I right? If so, how are you marketing to them? Direct mail using a list? What list are you using, meaning new businesses that recently registered in the area? I'm just interested. I'm a copywriter and I'm looking to transition from only targeting IMers. I've been considering buying a list, but I'm not so sure that there are lists that shows businesses who are looking for writing services.
  
  Thanks.
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  Buckwheat.corn 16 years ago
  
  Hi prettyboy,
  
  You are on the right track.
  
  There are no list of companies that are explicitly telling you they need copywriting services. I recommend you create you own list of companies that demonstrate they pay for marketing and advertising yet they are not big enough to pay ad agencies. These companies tend to be between $3 million and $30 million in revenue.
  
  In other words, the companies should meet these two requirements. You can find these type of companies for free in different types of business directories.
  
  Create a list of 200 of 300 companies as your target list.
  
  In terms of actually marketing to this list, check out Slaunwhite's Starting and Running A Copywriting Business, Bob Bly's Freelance Copywriter book, and Peter Bowerman's Well-Fed Writer book. You can buy these books at amazon.com.
  
  I would not target your local small businesses since they do not have the money for copywriter services. Yes, they need it. But they don't recognize this fact and they won't pay for it. You'll get bloodied real fast marketing to these businesses...avoid them like the plague.
  
  You can do social media marketing as well but I would limit this to my secondary marketing efforts. Target marketing should be your first priority and then do other marketing if you have the time.
  
  I hope this helps and I wish you the best.
  
  Thanks
  
  1 reply
  
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  Mark McClure 16 years ago
  
  Jack,
  
  That'd make a killer sales story if you one day open your own mentoring program.
  
  Thanks
  
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