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Where Should She Go?

by Steve The Copywriter
17 replies
I know this has been asked before – but it would be great to get an update.

A friend of mine in the UK has become a copywriter (lots of study, courses, books and practise) and she’s pretty good.

She’s a bit too shy to go and speak to clients directly.

So what are the best web resources to get her some work (I’ve mentioned the “warriors for hire” section).

Thanks so much,


Steve
  • Profile picture of the author doshmachine
    She could always advertise her services on fiverr.com as well!
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  • Profile picture of the author KingOfContentMarketing
    Here's some stuff to get ideas:

    http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...right-now.html

    You Ask I Answer | MakepeaceTotalPackage.com

    Yes, You CAN Build a Super-Profitable Copywriting Business! | MakepeaceTotalPackage.com

    Yes, You CAN Build a Super-Profitable Copywriting Business Part II | MakepeaceTotalPackage.com

    Market Your Copy - Discover The Marketing and Salesmanship Secrets for Copywriters!

    Market Your Copy and Doug D'Anna Exclusive Interview

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/51138730/R...riting-Clients

    http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...pywriting.html

    http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...g-journey.html

    http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...my-career.html

    http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...riter-huh.html
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    Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of perceptions.
    - Jack Trout
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  • Profile picture of the author max5ty
    In a few days I'll be 52...I've spent most of my adult life in marketing in one way or another (sales/advertising/copywriting).

    I've always taken the point of view when someone asks me how to get clients, is they should first become their own client.

    They should first focus on getting their own product and writing copy for it...if they can be successful as their own client...they can be successful with other's products.

    Why does it seem new copywriters always want to start out asking someone to place their products and their money in the hands of a new copywriter? Why do they always seem to want someone else to assume the risk of their learning?

    Once you hit it out of the park with your own product...you've got a super resume to work with. You will have more confidence when you approach someone...you'll be able to point to your achievements and wow a potential customer with your abilities.

    The experience you'll get from starting out with your own product is invaluable.

    I've posted before about the ease of finding products...they're all over the place.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve The Copywriter
      Hi Max,

      Yes it makes perfect sense - and at some stage most copywriters will do their "own" products/services.

      One problem she has - like me she knows virtually nothing about the wonders of the internet.

      I know you don't have to use the internet to sell stuff - but it's the fastest way.

      So she really wants to work for other people - she'll do the copy and they can do all the wizardly magic on the web.


      Steve
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      http://www.warriorforum.com/warriors...right-now.html
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      • Profile picture of the author max5ty
        Originally Posted by Steve Copywriter View Post

        Hi Max,

        Yes it makes perfect sense - and at some stage most copywriters will do their "own" products/services.

        One problem she has - like me she knows virtually nothing about the wonders of the internet.

        I know you don't have to use the internet to sell stuff - but it's the fastest way.

        So she really wants to work for other people - she'll do the copy and they can do all the wizardly stuff on the web.


        Steve
        I know how she feels about her knowledge of the internet...I'm still playing catch up.

        There's a copywriter that visits the Warrior Forum that's in his 70's (Straw)...has an ugly website...but still has sold millions of dollars worth of products.

        I don't remember what post it was, but someone was talking about him and how you can still make a fortune without a fancy website.

        It's not as important how you do it...but what you do...like the saying, "It's not as important how you say it, as what you say" (Ogilvy).

        I wish your friend success in her career.
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeHumphreys
    Originally Posted by Steve Copywriter View Post

    I know this has been asked before – but it would be great to get an update.

    A friend of mine in the UK has become a copywriter (lots of study, courses, books and practise) and she’s pretty good.

    She’s a bit too shy to go and speak to clients directly.

    So what are the best web resources to get her some work (I’ve mentioned the “warriors for hire” section).

    Thanks so much,


    Steve
    Tell your friend to get over it.

    Seriously... shyness doesn't have to be a limiting factor for getting clients.

    A few years ago, I interviewed copywriter Scott Paton for my Market Your Copy site. Scott is a confessed "shy person" who regularly speaks at marketing seminars. He does it to force himself out of his comfort zone. Even better, it's a great way to position himself as an expert (which he is) in front of the types of clients he wants to attract.

    If your friend is strongly opposed to anything resembling networking or public speaking, then she'll need to lean harder on tactics like marketing, advertising, and referral generation to get new targeted prospects to talk to.

    Even with those tactics, there's still times where you need to get on the phone or Skype to talk to the potential client about their copywriting needs. If you aren't willing or able to do that then you're going to have a very hard time closing those deals.

    Hope that helps,

    Mike
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    Kickstart Your Copywriting Business: How To Get Loads of New Clients FAST!

    Kick-A$$ Eight-Figure Producing Copywriting Gun For Hire | Marketing & Copywriting Blog
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  • Profile picture of the author KingOfContentMarketing
    Maria Yudkin is a self-described introvert and built a successful operation. She has one product that talks about marketing yourself if you are an introvert. I don't know anything about it but you can check it out here (no affil, no connection):

    Introverts: Market in Tune With Your Personality | Report by Marcia Yudkin
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    Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of perceptions.
    - Jack Trout
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  • Profile picture of the author Pecan
    Has she thought about freelancing for an ad agency? She'd still have to put aside her shyness and talk to people. She might feel more comfortable and less "out of the blue" talking to an agency.
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  • Profile picture of the author queen bee
    I've read this book by Yudkin :-) I think it will be helpful for your friend.
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    • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
      I've mentored a good number of introverted copywriters and have discovered some surprising things about what works for them to build a thriving practice.

      One of the most surprising things to me was seeing one of my proteges quickly have a "waiting list only" practice after joining BNI. BNI is a leads group that has chapters around the world. Each chapter has up to 30 members and meets once a week, usually for breakfast. The purpose of the group is for members to channel leads to one another.

      I have never belonged to BNI, and I thought it would work only for extroverts. This particular protege was so quiet and self-contained I could barely hear her on the phone, and it was a lot of work to keep a conversation going with her. However, she was a hard worker and very smart, and this came through clearly when you spoke with her. The thing is that BNI has a structure that facilitates members getting to know each other, and each group includes (by design) only one member in each profession. So she was the only person in the group who wrote marketing copy. (She also had some design skills, if I remember correctly.)

      If BNI worked for her, and it most definitely did, then it can work for any introvert who gives it a fair shot.

      What's also essential for getting work through a group like BNI is NOT presenting yourself as a "copywriter" (using that label) but as someone who creates marketing materials. The former is something Main Street businesses don't relate to; the latter is something they all understand.

      Marcia Yudkin
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      Check out Marcia Yudkin's No-Hype Marketing Academy for courses on copywriting, publicity, infomarketing, marketing plans, naming, and branding - not to mention the popular "Marketing for Introverts" course.
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  • Profile picture of the author KingOfContentMarketing
    Just make sure she doesn't pitch any clients with anything like this letter:

    We Hope This Gawd-Awful Cover Letter For An Engineering Job Is Fake - Yahoo! Finance
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    Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of perceptions.
    - Jack Trout
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  • Profile picture of the author CreativeFlair
    She's better off avoiding Warrior and using her skills elsewhere (and for more money). There are always writing positions/temp jobs/projects listed on the popular jobs sites and some of the more popular writing blogs, and it will be actual writing work rather than writing 'But wait, there's more!!' every five minutes and calling it good copy.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve The Copywriter
      Thanks everyone.

      As always brilliant advice which I'll pass on to her.


      Steve
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      http://www.warriorforum.com/warriors...right-now.html
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      • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
        Howdy Steve,

        When somebody/company is looking for a sales manager/area manager
        person then this is a great opening for her.

        Here's what happened to me yesterday...

        I had a meeting with a ceo of a company that specializes
        in growing businesses for themselves and others.

        They were wanting an area manger/sales manager.

        I was curious about how the company operated, not after the job.

        We spoke in the board room on the 8th floor.

        We got talking about how to build a real business and agreed on the way it should be done, on a big scale.

        Then asked about their tested methods and performance.

        After going through the 5 areas that needed to be concentrated on,
        the case studies of a a company more than tripled their business by fixing one of those areas within weeks, how to get others to pay for your weekly advertising...

        Then he mentioned websites...I told him I have my own travel website that's ranked #1,
        beating out Air New Zealand, the biggest local travel agency, Expedia and Lonely Planet...


        Soon he was talking about 50% profit sharing in one division, equity sharing and profit sharing over other divisions.

        Point is, these top decision makers are not detailed orientated, his exact words, totally interested in outcomes and measured results.

        Even if I didn't have created results, I would talk about case studies of results which others created , and how they can be applied to their business.

        So she needs to study up case studies of return on investments, leads, conversion, number of transactions, dollar value of each transaction and margins as they all combine to impact the profit.

        Once she knows about them, she can confidently talk about it to decision makers,
        now she will be seen in a whole different light than a service provider....

        Like the guy yesterday who wants me to come on board,
        after I expanded his thinking what is possible.

        Best,
        Ewen
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  • Profile picture of the author CharismaticMannequin
    This thread is GOLD.


    I'm pretty much in the same position myself. What I've tried to do so far is apply for internships/work exp, and also to offer out my copy for free to respected warriors and so on, in order to develop my skills and level of experience, and also so I can get some testimonials and case studies of my success.

    Still, these look like great bits of advice! Definitely gonna look into some of these.


    Ben.
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