Where Exactly Did You Get Your First Copywriting Job?

13 years ago

If I was hunting for clients, here's exactly what I'd do:

Pick a market and choose an offer that's not living up to its full potential.

Improve it. Write a new letter, create an email sequence, a direct-mail package - whatever it will take to make the marketing SING for this offer.

I'd track down and mail the deliverables to the owner of the product with a letter.

In the letter, I'd explain that I'm working on growing my freelance business.. that I believe my work will generate more profit for them... and that if they'll test it against what they're currently running, they can use it for free - with only one proviso - that they allow me to use them as a case study in the future. If they want to send me something spendable, that would be wonderful, too. But that my objective is to generate PROFITABLE RESULTS together and share our story.

I would WIN that client by sheer determination (another lesson learned).

Then I'd milk that case study for every drop I could squeeze from the udder.

I'd use it to show prospects how I develop creative strategy. How I work well with others. How I take control of the process autonomously and deliver on the promise.

I'd use it like a copywriter should - to project the prospect into the future experience of working with me as their copywriter and prove that I'm the only choice for them.

Delayed gratification is a concept that's hard for newbs to understand - they see all these hot-shot guys raking in big bucks upfront and want a piece of that action.

Understandable, but it's a siren song. The money follows the RESULTS.

Make a bee-line for the results and you'll be blazing the fast-path to the money.

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Brian McLeod

Direct Response Copywriting

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Alex Ceskavich 13 years ago

+1

- Alex

... ten char
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gjabiz

13 years ago

Do exactly as he sez.

Here's a little additional how to.

START with your local weekly newspaper. Go the library if you have one and look at the past few months.

NOW here is a MILLION DOLLAR secret, used by the likes of guys like Bob Serling...
What is working in ONE area...may, could, probably will work in your area.

The caveat being...don't sell surfboards in Iowa. Nor snowblowers in FL.

The point: MOST local advertising isn't very effective. As often as not the paper sells space to the inexperienced and then gives their 21 year old graphics person the task to design a 'GOOD AD' ... now I LOVE 21 year old graphics majors (not literally)...they are now much in demand.

I prefer to tell them what I WANT in the ad...most of the time, a little less creativity/cutesy and more selling (copy)...not always...but mostly.

But as go through the paper cut out all of the ads. Ask for an extra copy or PAY for one.

You want to look at just the ad...and then look at as it sits (or lies) in the paper.

Notice long running direct response ads. Who are they? Where do they place their ads?

How can you bring a little bit of zing and, most importantly, ADDITIONAL SALES as Brian pointed out to those dozens of local companies, some of whom DESPERATELY need help.

NOW, the big secret...and I suggest you ask HERE...is to know what is being run in other areas of the country.

So, say, for example...you wanted to specialize in Massage places. You'd want to find as many ads as you could from around the country in weeklies advertising massage. There is a speedy shortcut...

See, there are Warriors right here who have made a darn decent living and developed their own ADS in the massage business. One secret, for down the road...you may be able to LICENSE these ads from these people, ads which have been proven successful and use them to get your start...

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY...when you do write an ad that works...when you do get RESULTS...that ad...the one YOU wrote...the one which worked.

YOUR work...could also be licensed to other people or used by YOU over and over and over again to get clients in other areas.

Local Newspapers, Phone Books...Google Searches...will all yield you tons of opportunity to do your work and get you started. Just remember, you have to ask.

Now you know WHERE to get started (locally)...

And thanks to Mr. McLeod...you know exactly what to do.

Good luck and don't wait until you think you're ready...go get em.

gjabiz

Originally Posted by BrianMcLeod

If I was hunting for clients, here's exactly what I'd do:

Pick a market and choose an offer that's not living up to its full potential.

Improve it. Write a new letter, create an email sequence, a direct-mail package - whatever it will take to make the marketing SING for this offer.

I'd track down and mail the deliverables to the owner of the product with a letter.

In the letter, I'd explain that I'm working on growing my freelance business.. that I believe my work will generate more profit for them... and that if they'll test it against what they're currently running, they can use it for free - with only one proviso - that they allow me to use them as a case study in the future. If they want to send me something spendable, that would be wonderful, too. But that my objective is to generate PROFITABLE RESULTS together and share our story.

I would WIN that client by sheer determination (another lesson learned).

Then I'd milk that case study for every drop I could squeeze from the udder.

I'd use it to show prospects how I develop creative strategy. How I work well with others. How I take control of the process autonomously and deliver on the promise.

I'd use it like a copywriter should - to project the prospect into the future experience of working with me as their copywriter and prove that I'm the only choice for them.

Delayed gratification is a concept that's hard for newbs to understand - they see all these hot-shot guys raking in big bucks upfront and want a piece of that action.

Understandable, but it's a siren song. The money follows the RESULTS.

Make a bee-line for the results and you'll be blazing the fast-path to the money.

[ 8 ] Thanks
1 reply

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Alex Cohen

13 years ago

This is what worked for me:

1. Create your own product or service.
2. Write the copy for it.
3. Market the product yourself.
4. Tweak until your conversion rate is respectable.
5. Based on your results, position yourself in the marketplace.

Alex

[ 4 ] Thanks
1 reply

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sethczerepak

10 years ago

Originally Posted by Alex Cohen

This is what worked for me:

1. Create your own product or service.
2. Write the copy for it.
3. Market the product yourself.
4. Tweak until your conversion rate is respectable.
5. Based on your results, position yourself in the marketplace.

Alex

If you're starting from zero clients, I highly recommend you do what Alex is suggesting instead of looking for clients. Copywriting clients, most of them, are a straight up pain in the a** for multiple reasons that I don't get into this early in the morning.

If you can write good copy, use it for your own gain. Create your own products and become your own client. If you want a scalable business that you can walk away from without having to deal with drama from people who don't "get it," that's the way to do it.

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happyday

13 years ago

@ Brian,thanks a million.really appreciate those tips.i would pm you later on this.

Thanks

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jann

13 years ago

I too would have asked the same question. But thanks guys for all the advice.

Thanks
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OutOfThisWord 13 years ago

Right out of college I got a production job (translation gopher) in an ad agency and the copy writer often let small jobs linger past deadline, so I buddied up with one account executive to give me a shot at writing copy and wrote 1/8 of a page ad for TV guide.

Simultaneously, I contacted the local alternative newspaper and pitched an idea for an article for one of their upcoming themed issues about the upcoming football season and later went on to write 6 more freelance articles for them on various topics.

After 6 months at the agency I parlayed that job and my published article writing into a better job at a telecom company where I was the in-house agency and while I was there, after hours and on weekends, I helped a local music store start a newsletter that accepted paid advertising from the local music venues around town.

Since new copy has to be written every day... there is new opportunity everywhere.
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- copyassassin 13 years ago
  
  My first client was myself, lol (guess that doesn't really count)
  
  I don't think this was my first project, but DUI Lawyer Whittier
  comes to mind as one of the more memorable ones.
  
  I had a legal problem at the time, and when I saw the lawyer, he spent more time complaining about this marketing than listening to my case.
  
  So I said, "I think I can help out".
  ###
  
  There are a lot of opportunities in the offline space. Loads of frustrated business owners who just want a "damn website that works".
  
  Give it to them.
  
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  1 reply
  
  Signature
  
  The Most Bad-Ass Tax Reduction Strategist for Internet Marketers who HATE paying taxes. See my happy clients
  
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  Mark Andrews Banned 13 years ago
  
  The pain of every single business owner and there are tens of millions of them is that they all want to see more results. More profit from more clients. Or more profit from their existing client base. All of them have this one thing in common.
  
  So what strategies can you devise to help out those business owners and entrepreneurs you meet, either off or online to help them to achieve this goal?
  
  All of their current individual marketing campaigns - some are brilliant and you won't beat their current control whillt others, their marketing strategies are darn next to useless. Marketing just isn't their thing. At best it's a pain in the ass addon to their actual specialization. And they make mistakes pretty much every step of the way. Exploit these opportunities.
  
  And often you can pick these SME's out pretty quickly as a marketer yourself. An ad placed blatantly in the wrong publication or in the wrong place. This will instantly tell you that this company / business owner hasn't got the foggiest clue what they're doing and they're a prime target to move in on - like a laser.
  
  Don't be ashamed of your marketing skills. Even if you think you haven't got every skill in your marketing arsenal you think you should have. Chances are, you still know a hell of a lot more about the subject than the business owner that you're trying to help out. Have belief and faith in your own marketing abilities. Strike up a conversation with this person. Ask them a stream of simple questions...
  
  How is business?
  
  Is the economic downturn affecting you either positively or negatively?
  
  How do you currently market your services?
  
  Where do you advertise?
  
  Do you have an online presence?
  
  Do ever tap into and use social media marketing sites?
  
  Do you advertise in any trade journals or magazines?
  
  What do you feel are the best tools available to make a strong connection to your ideal target audience, potential buyers / clients / customers? etc etc
  
  Listen to the business owner. Record the conversation. And on the points raised where it's obvious that they are experiencing a certain degree of frustration, help them with these areas if you believe that it would be in their best interest.
  
  Listen to what the market is telling you. And anything you cannot provide yourself directly - outsource it.
  
  It's all about developing relationships. Building trust. Gaining credibility. Put the effort in and sooner or later... you'll start to see results.
  
  Attend networking events. Where are local business owners meeting up? The local Chamber of Commerce can yield good results. Go to the local pub where many hang out for a business lunch. Sit at the bar with a couple of damn good marketing books, one which you're reading yourself just to the right of the till and the other one face up on the counter. Sooner or later someone will nibble interest and ask you what you do. Break the ice and spark up a conversation.
  
  Have you ever seen those speed dating events? 2-5 minutes to talk about yourself to a string of singles. Could you set up something similar? Obviously not for dating purposes but apply the same principle. Each business owner having no more than 2-5 minutes to have a quick fire chat with another business owner - speed networking.
  
  This will demonstrate to everyone in attendance that you have excellent networking and marketing skills and chances are you'll pick up a lot of work yourself just by simply organizing the event.
  
  Marketing is only limited by your imagination. The ability to ask questions, proffer very good advice and lending a listening ear to the wants and needs of your targeted niche.
  
  I hope some of these extra tips prove useful to you.
  
  Best,
  
  Pete Walker
  
  PS My first copywriting job was for myself at 14 years old when I first went into business for myself, 30 years ago.
  
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avalanche

13 years ago

Here is one that worked for me

1) Join as an affiliate for an ecommerce merchant
2) Test copywriting on your own lander and split test against a direct link from your ads - don't do an independent review-style lander. Use straight sales copy.
3) Keep split testing your own LP copy until it's airtight
4) Go to the ecommerce merchant and offer to let them incorporate your LP copy in their cart as a split test for a fee with the option to have them use more of your copy in the rest of their catalog.
5) Get gig & apply 80/20 rule to their products. Bank hard.

Doesn't kill your affiliate profits either because now you can simply shift your copy to one step earlier in the buying cycle and write even more introductory copy like a review style.

I'm more of the bent to do the writing for your own products, but a good ecommerce gig can be lucrative if you can keep increasing their conversion rates. Most ecommerce copy sucks and their marketing folks are too stretched to do much about it.

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1 reply

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jnoella 9 years ago

Will try this
- Thanks
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NateJasper

10 years ago

Great thread.

Does anyone have any advice for how to break into direct mail? Specifically sales letters from financial advisers and insurance agents?

Thanks

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splitTest

10 years ago

I got my start writing for others in staff positions, but I think marketing your own products (or affiliate stuff) is a better way to break in than working with clients, for many obvious reasons...

Not the least of which is you might just find yourself so successful that it's all you want to do. Writing for others as a beginner, you'll be competing with lowballers for not a lot of money -- and for mostly "one off" jobs at that. If you can afford to not make much $$, you might as well market your own stuff.

The best copywriters typically embark on marketing their own stuff at some point anyway. It only makes sense.

...However when you guys advise that path, you always leave out a major piece of the puzzle: how to get eyes on your copy for cheap.

No eyes, no sale. And unfortunately, lists, ppc, etc. cost money. More money than most noobs have laying around.

(...And roping customers in through SEO isn't easy to say the least.)

I'm no expert on this, but how are you guys proposing a noob get the audience to market his own stuff, without a major cash outlay?

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angiecolee

10 years ago

Harlan's the guy to talk to about massive traffic generation without paying for it.

He built Dogington Post without paid traffic - that was an interesting lesson in Carlton's Action Seminar last year.

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NateJasper 10 years ago

Originally Posted by angiecolee

Harlan's the guy to talk to about massive traffic generation without paying for it.

Who's Harlan?
- Thanks
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- angiecolee 10 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by NateJasper
  
  Who's Harlan?
  
  Harlan Kilstein
  
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  Aspiring copywriters: if you need 1:1 advice from an experienced copy chief, head over to my Phone a Friend page.
  
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nmwf

9 years ago

My first copywriting job came through RentACoder, a now defunct outsourcing website. You can find similar sites that still exist by googling them. Elance, oDesk, Guru, PeoplePerHour... all of them.

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TypingPandas

9 years ago

Hi there,

I started my career in copywriting by creating top-notch resumes and letters of intent, and sending them to advertising agencies, web design agencies and marketing agencies. I would send them whether they had a job posting or not. That's how I got hired by an advertising agency and got my first job as a copywriter.It was like a dream come true.

After a few years in the business, I felt like I wanted something else and chose the freelancing path. Elance, oDesk and Guru have helped me along the way. That's where I found clients and also built my portfolio.

At some point, I decided there was time for a new change and that's how my copywriting agency, Typing Pandas, came into being. Now, I mainly get my customers through AdWords and e-mail marketing.

I hope this story helps and motivates you.

All the best,
TypingPandas

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Where Exactly Did You Get Your First Copywriting Job?

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