Direct Response Copywriter - Do You Help Your Clients Track Results of Your Copy?

Hi Fated,

So far, everyone I've worked with has handled the tracking themselves. But if a client didn't know how, then I'd help them.

And if the copy doesn't perform I will re-write because the client's paying for results rather than words.

(Before someone else picks you up on it, in this context copy is an uncountable noun - we don't pluralize it.),

Hi Fated,

I suppose it is possible but it's not something I've come across. You'll find clients are genuinely grateful for successful copy and will happily pay you again if they want you to have another go.

To help make sure your copy does perform, submit it with a few different headlines (you might need to modify the lead as well so they flow into the body copy) and a suggestion of other elements the client should test.

And in your contract you can limit the number of re-writes you'll do.

I wouldn't worry about it.

For me, this is a matter of personal preference. I try to take as active a role as possible.

Not only do I establish the testing platform, but I also do rewrites, major revisions and updates. It's my nature.

There are lots of reasons why, but the biggest reason is I enjoy it.

I'm a fisherman and I very much have a fisherman's mentality. Writing copy and not watching it, would be like baiting the hook and casting the bait but never learning whether (or how) anything was caught.

Are we in the right fishing hole?

Are we using the right bait or lure? Is the rig too obvious?

Is the bait getting caught in the weeds?

Are fish taking the bait but we're not catching any fish?

Is it the right season, weather, or time of day?

Is there some other distraction keeping fish from biting?

Are the fish caught legal? Are they keepers? Or do we have to throw them back. Or are we catching fish we don't want?

Are we catching our limit?

Are there other fishermen doing better or worse? Why? What can we learn from them?

There are so many interesting distinctions you can learn. And then incorporate into the next version of copy.

- Rick Duris

I encourage it, in fact I pretty much insist on having analytics. I also take a very active role and usually build and format the site, oversee graphics, and produce the videos... so when I build out the site I just install the code myself.

This is good for two things- First it's bragging rights for my portfolio. Second, I've had cases where they are not satisfied with sales and think it's because of the letter. So I go into analytics and figure the conversion rate, then the conversation changes to...

"ok, you've got 22 sales at a high price point but only 1004 uniques, looks like you need to work on your traffic"

but if it was not performing in other cases I always stand behind my work and will redo

i may be in the small minority here, but my goal as a copywriter is to
write for ONLY those clients who are well-versed in tracking.

just from the headaches i've gotten from clients who don't know
direct response... i now will usually run away from clients who ask
me "what is tracking or what is direct response?

i'm not saying that's the case with all clients, or that any client
who doesn't know how to track is bad... its just that in my experience,
this kind of hand holding usually means they'll need their hand held
in a lot of other instances. neither good nor bad, just my preference
to work with clients where i can send over a good piece of copy and
i know it's in good hands... and will be used and tested correctly.

Thanks for all the input. It was helpful to me especially while I am still finding my footing in this trade.

My situation is slightly different because I don't just do website content, sales pages, landing pages or online ads. I also do online marketing copy such as fliers, brochures, posters, offline ads etc.

I am sure it is a hassle and a lot of work to track for your clients. Based on my experience thus far, most of the business owners I meet don't track their marketing activities before engaging a copywriter too.