Direct Mail Copywriting

[arfasaira]

I was reading through some stuff from Clayton Makepeace and Carline Anglade-Cole the other day and that got me thinking about working with direct mail companies.

How exactly do you break into direct mail copywriting? What's the best way to approach direct mail companies? How do you position yourself if you've no experience in the area?

Are there any courses which you can take to break into this type of copywriting?

I saw this course: Secrets of Writing for the Catalog Market

but wanted to know if its recommended?

Thanks everyone!

[ewenmack]

Hi Arfa,

1 question...

#1 Do you like writing about health related topics, or at least interested in the subject of alternative health?

If yes then approach Carline.

She has worked with copy cubs in the past, not sure now.

Since the type of direct mailers Carline works with use email for their back-end offers,
it is easier for them to try a new writer with email because they have less risk involved compared with a direct mail letter going out.

Once they gain confidence with your emails, they will consider you working alongside a top gun to write a direct mailer.

And from then having you write one yourself.

As you can see, it's a progression from your first foot in the door.

Carline is a high energy person to be around.

Best,
Ewen

[arfasaira]

Originally Posted by ewenmack

Hi Arfa,

1 question...

#1 Do you like writing about health related topics, or at least interested in the subject of alternative health?

If yes then approach Carline.

I love writing in the health and wellbeing field - this is where I specialize and where most of my clients come from.

Thanks for the tip - I think I'll definitely try that!

best
arfa

[John_S]

Send a letter. Start with "I beat controls."

End with "I have beaten controls during recessions."

How you flesh out the letter between those two sentences will determine how well you do.

[marciayudkin]

Secrets of Writing for the Catalog Market

I purchased this some years back to see if it was something I wanted to recommend to my copywriting students and decided I would definitely not recommend it.

Not that it's terrible. What there is in it is solid. It's mainly that it's relatively skimpy for the price they're charging for it. I think they're counting on the fact that there's not that much written on the topic, so some people will feel compelled to buy it.

Marcia Yudkin

[John Breese]

Create your own direct mail service - but approach it as an investor.

[Mark Pescetti]

I've recently used direct mail to promote my own copywriting business... I wanted to write for people in the "alternative" health industry. So I sent off plain, hand written, envelopes - with a real first class stamp - to individual entrepreneurs in the San Francisco Bay Area.

As a result, I got 2 new awesome clients after sending out only 20 direct mailers...

My point being, achieve direct mail credibility and confidence on your own, then approach companies to help them get better results from their lists...

I hope I read your post right...

[arfasaira]

Originally Posted by Reflection Marketing

I've recently used direct mail to promote my own copywriting business... I wanted to write for people in the "alternative" health industry. So I sent off plain, hand written, envelopes - with a real first class stamp - to individual entrepreneurs in the San Francisco Bay Area.

As a result, I got 2 new awesome clients after sending out only 20 direct mailers...

My point being, achieve direct mail credibility and confidence on your own, then approach companies to help them get better results from their lists...

I hope I read your post right...

That's a great idea - I tired something similar with postcard marketing touting my business and from 40 postcards (admittedly not very much) got one client. Not bad.

What I'm more specifically after is ways in which to break into this market because the competition is tough. I know Agora is huge, and its how I can make myself stand head and shoulders above the rest.

I'm a proven copywriter, but is this enough? I've never beaten a control and how could I convince a direct mail company to take a chance on me? I've got plenty of knowledge in the health field - its what I love...but again having a passion for something isn't enough.

anyone have any ideas?

[Mark Pescetti]

Originally Posted by arfasaira

I've got plenty of knowledge in the health field - its what I love...but again having a passion for something isn't enough.

I beg the differ! If you have passion or something, nothing... and I means NOTHING can stop you!

Go after what you want. If you know what your worth, show them!

Just because there's competition doesn't in any way, shape or form determine what's possible for you.

FOLLOW YOUR BLISS!

[Joe Ditzel]

Check this interview out- it's somewhat dated but might give you some ideas:

An Interview with Alternative Health Copywriter Donna Doyle

[arfasaira]

Originally Posted by Joe Ditzel

Check this interview out- it's somewhat dated but might give you some ideas:

An Interview with Alternative Health Copywriter Donna Doyle

A great resource and very useful too - thank you!

[kellyburdes]

I believe that Bob Bly has a course on getting into freelancing with large mailers. I've never bought the course, but I seem to recall having come across the site a few times.

Also, Clayton talks a bit about it in his How to Builda Six Figure Copywriting Business.

Good luck.

[kellyburdes]

I did a small post card campaign for my brother when he decided he wanted to open his own HVAC company. He went from being a pretty much unknown one man show to one of the largest, with 18 employees, in a city of 50,000 in two and a half years.

Obviously I can't take all, or even most of the credit because my brother has great mgnt talent, he gives a damn, treats everyone well and did a lot of other things right too - but the only marketing he has ever done is postcards and getting current customers to recommend people.

I got my brother to try it because I'd read about a carpet cleaning business that grew from $200,000 a year to $3million a year in 18 months, largely on the back of a post card, direct mail, campaign.

So - it certainly can and does work, and work well.

It's also incredibly effective for info products. Most of the biggest financial products (newsletters, courses etc) have large direct mail components to their business.

Originally Posted by slicx

any profit by doing direct mail copywriting?