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How Do I Get My Foot In The Door

by HallOfWords
7 replies
I have been in sales for a very long time (since the mid 80s) and from 1190 to 2000 I worked for a small weekly newspaper selling ad space. During that time I wrote 1000s of ads for all kinds of clients and did really well at bringing them traffic to their businesses. Some of these clients were bankers, real estate brokers, car dealers and motel owners.

Since leaving the paper I have worked primarily in sales, but in the back of my mind there was always the thought of making my living as a copywriter. Last November I suffered a brown recluse spider bite and could no longer function selling suits for JC Penney. I simply could not stand for any length of time.

While recovering I found AWAI's website and subscribed to their "Accelerated Program For Six-Figure Copywriting". I am well over halfway through with the course and know I can write effective and persuasive copy for businesses. I would especially like to write for spas and resorts as this is something I have a passion for, so this is my main desire.

I have a website (hallofwords.com), I've written several articles and posted the on ezinearticles.com and started doing some social marketing on facebook. I'm going to continue to do these things and the next thing I thought I'd tackle is actively contacting resorts and spas to try to drum up some business that way.

I'm just not sure what questions I should ask to get my foot in the door. If anybody has any suggestions I would sure like to hear them.
#begin #clients #copywriter #door #foot #freelance
  • Profile picture of the author Scott Murdaugh
    You know how to sell, correct?

    You know WHY people need great sales copy, correct?

    Either do a mailer, hit the phones, whatever... Ask them what kind of advertising they're doing now, and offer them solutions...

    You have a background, you've written winners in the past, and you've got the skills to sell yourself.

    So go do it.

    -Scott
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    Over $30 Million In Marketing Data And A Decade Of Consistently Generating Breakthrough Results - Ask How My Unique Approach To Copy Typically Outsells Traditional Ads By Up To 29x Or More...

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  • Profile picture of the author Bill Jeffels
    Originally Posted by HallOfWords View Post

    I have been in sales for a very long time (since the mid 80s) and from 1190 to 2000 I worked for a small weekly newspaper selling ad space. During that time I wrote 1000s of ads for all kinds of clients and did really well at bringing them traffic to their businesses. Some of these clients were bankers, real estate brokers, car dealers and motel owners.

    Since leaving the paper I have worked primarily in sales, but in the back of my mind there was always the thought of making my living as a copywriter. Last November I suffered a brown recluse spider bite and could no longer function selling suits for JC Penney. I simply could not stand for any length of time.

    While recovering I found AWAI's website and subscribed to their "Accelerated Program For Six-Figure Copywriting". I am well over halfway through with the course and know I can write effective and persuasive copy for businesses. I would especially like to write for spas and resorts as this is something I have a passion for, so this is my main desire.

    I have a website (hallofwords.com), I've written several articles and posted the on ezinearticles.com and started doing some social marketing on facebook. I'm going to continue to do these things and the next thing I thought I'd tackle is actively contacting resorts and spas to try to drum up some business that way.

    I'm just not sure what questions I should ask to get my foot in the door. If anybody has any suggestions I would sure like to hear them.
    Hey HallOfWords,

    If I were you I would stay away from large resorts for now, you can't really get a hold of one person that can actually make a decision, and they usually like to deal with large advertising firms, ( if they only knew).

    Start by contacting local Spas in your area by mail. Write a personal letter. Plain #10 envelope, you know the deal. Mail it to the owner, they make the decisions.

    Tell them what your going to do for them. Make them money, save them money, more customers, whatever.

    If you really want knock their socks off send them a letter with a dollar bill at the top. "Why have I attached a dollar bill to the top of this letter, first I wanted to get your attention and second because this is about you making money, I thought that attaching a dollar bill was appropriate".

    And make them desire what your offering, also, everything that they will benefit and why they should contact you as soon as they are done reading your letter.

    Hope that helps

    Bill Jeffels
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    • Profile picture of the author Hugh Thyer
      A number of starters have simply offered a few jobs for free on the board here. This gets them real experience, a portfolio and testimonials.

      Might be worth a shot...
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      Ever wondered how copywriters work with their clients? I've answered that very question in detail-> www.salescomefirst.com
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  • Profile picture of the author Scott Murdaugh
    Writing for free is a ridiculous waste of time, unless you're writing for a guy who can launch your career.

    A good sales letter is a 40 hour job easy, don't work for free.

    -Scott
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    Over $30 Million In Marketing Data And A Decade Of Consistently Generating Breakthrough Results - Ask How My Unique Approach To Copy Typically Outsells Traditional Ads By Up To 29x Or More...

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    • Profile picture of the author Hugh Thyer
      I agree to a point, but if you've got no other way to do this, then I don't see why not.

      Why not look up the old threads where people have done this and ask them whether it helped them or not.

      At least you'll have a portfolio of work you can show to an established writer and offer your services free to them, and see if they'll give you a chance, based on your results.
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      Ever wondered how copywriters work with their clients? I've answered that very question in detail-> www.salescomefirst.com
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  • Profile picture of the author HallOfWords
    Thanks to everyone for the advice. I thought about doing a free offer, but like someone already said, that's a lot of work to do for free. Instead I'm just going to try calling and sending letters to the owners of small resorts in my area.
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  • Profile picture of the author briancassingena
    One way you can get paid to get a start is to start a mail order business. Absolute dirt-cheapest lightning-fastest way to get started is to download some free PLR products, put your name on em, print em out, write an ad, place it, send out a sales letter, and track results.

    I'm assuming you've studied halbert and fortin and crook and kennedy and carlton and gotten good, now its time to use those skills in the real world. Quite frankly if you simply model their work your ads and sales letters will easily be some of the best out there, and you can run a low budget mail order business, get great results, keep it going, and people will call you asking who writes your copy and how much they charge.
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    Copywriting For Non-Copywriters: FREE 30-Day Journey
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