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Copywriting Skill: How to Measure It

by Razaberry
12 replies
Hey crew, ever wonder if you are a good copywriter? And, if you are, how can you prove it yourself and to your clients?

Some would say you are worth the rate you can charge, but I remember successfully charging $80/hour when I was worth maybe $30.

Then there is the results your writing gets, but there are so many variables (previous results, site copy vs. email vs. sales page vs. etc., who is the audience, what is the product, etc.) that you cannot really compare any two.

If we can measure our skill, we can know exactly how much we are worth. We can watch as our skill grows, and see exactly which tactics are working for us. We can set measurable goals in ability, and actually be able to track as we reach them.

Having a solid measurement of your skill as a copywriter will be a HUGE asset in improving your skill.


But how can you track your progress as you learn? How can you successfully compare two copywriters to find which is better?

Essentially, the question I need your opinion on is this:

How do you measure a copywriter's skill?

Cheers,
- Razaberry

P.S. I'm going to find the most common and agreed upon measurement(s), and post them to the forum. Hopefully, we will soon be able to calculate, share, and compare solid proof of just how skilled we are. Then, we can start to really learn from each other and find out what makes others skillful in areas we are not.
#copywriting #measure #skill
  • Profile picture of the author echotips
    Surely by conversions or sign ups? You could even split test two adverts by two copywriters and see which advert is most effective.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Scott
    The issue here is there are so many different types of writers and different markets that it's impossible to have any objective measurement standard.

    Who is the better martial artist... Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris?

    Who is the better musician... Miles Davis or Santana?

    Who is the better artist... Picasso or Matisse?

    Here's what I do...

    I read a ton of controls and break them down, so I can figure out where the strong points are.

    I talk to a lot of colleagues and bounce around ideas so we can learn from each other.

    And I write a ton of copy and discover my own strengths and weaknesses - especially when I break a strong control.

    The rest is hard work and constantly trying new and innovative approaches while pushing yourself to do better work each time you write.

    Finally... anyone who takes a good, hard look at themselves knows damn well if their skills are improving, or whether they're just coasting on their previous successes. I know too many copywriters who do the latter, and it's always come back to bite them eventually.

    -Daniel

    P.S. Any decent copywriter knows where their skills are at. I don't need some arbitrary measurement to know I'm damn good at what I do... my track record attests to that
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    • Profile picture of the author videolover7
      Originally Posted by Daniel Scott View Post

      P.S. Any decent copywriter knows where their skills are at. I don't need some arbitrary measurement to know I'm damn good at what I do... my track record attests to that
      Reminds me...

      I once asked a guy I worked with (who obviously had a super-high IQ) if he belonged to MENSA. He replied something to the effect, "No, I don't need any organization to tell me I'm smart."

      Good on you Daniel!

      VL
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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    This was the title of an old thread.

    http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...ng-skills.html

    -Ray Edwards
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    • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
      I see it being measurable, both online and offline.

      For offline it's the ROI.

      This can be for print ads and direct mail.

      How much money came back in after x amount spent.

      Then how much higher ROI did the ad writer
      get when paid to beat the control.

      The track record of the ad writer can be measured in what percentage
      of winners he/she was involved in.

      If the ad writer keeps this measurement in mind, then he/she will only want to get involved with a top product and marketing team which puts the odds of a high ROI in his/her favor.

      Then online there is still the ROI measurement.

      Seems to be used very little in the internet market space as the income without expenses is the flashy, ego side people like to display.

      With so many measurement tools available you can
      run split tests to measure changes.

      Depends on what you want to measure and whether the data is valid.

      The subject of dud data is a whole big subject,
      so won't go over it here.

      ROI and profit should be the biggest measurement.

      Best,
      Ewen
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  • Profile picture of the author Ninja Ana
    Track the number of visitors to your sales page, and the number of sales that you get credit for. In this manner, you'll be able to judge the effectiveness of your copywriting skills.
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  • Profile picture of the author mrdomains
    Originally Posted by Razaberry View Post


    Essentially, the question I need your opinion on is this:

    How do you measure a copywriter's skill?
    Easy. You measure it as with anything else. Did it do what it was supposed to do? :confused::p

    The problem with copy is that the client often has a very vague idea of what they want it to do.. other than be beneficial.. immediately.. in huge bounds.. but what exactly was, is, will be.. the intention? If you don't know that, then the performance can't be measured.
    And if it can't be measured.. then you may have a hard time explaining why your bill is the size it is.

    My take on all this (on projects big enough that the client will want proof of results): it is extremely important to set the limitations, boundaries and targets of what the work is supposed to do so that it CAN be mesured. Anything else will just be vague speculation.. something that savvy clients will capitalize on the day of the final money talk.
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  • Profile picture of the author masterpaintingnow
    Conversion rates on your sales copy.
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  • Profile picture of the author Anthony Carrera
    you measure a copywriters skill by

    how well he knows his market and how well he adresses their problem from the start of the copy.. then how well does he tie in that problem to the rest of the copy...how well does he stir emotion and create desire in the prospect in a way that is unknown to them

    bottom line if a copywriter does these things his copy will work
    make the peice look valuable to the reader(catch attention)
    make a promise to solve a problem want or desire
    Give unquestionable proof
    make and unresistable proposition(offer)

    SALE IS DONE!!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author AlexanderBeresford
    This is how I measure MY copywritintg skills ...

    Results, man!

    * When I see clients smiling and laughing around me!
    * When they take me out to an expensive dinner and offer me the best seat!
    * When they say "yes" to whatever fee I'm asking!
    * When they recommend me to others!
    * When they want to sleep with me!
    * When they introduce me to their daughters hoping to bring me into the family!
    * And on and on and on!

    When any of the above happens I KNOW I'm the best damn copywriter in the universe!


    When – and this is rare – the copy somehow fails, I feel like sh*t. Period.

    Regardless, I'm ALWAYS ...

    Studying!
    Learning!
    Experimenting!
    Questioning!
    Building!
    Growing!

    AND I'm having tons of fun doing it!

    There's no other way.
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    • Profile picture of the author angiecolee
      Originally Posted by AlexanderBeresford View Post

      This is how I measure MY copywritintg skills ...

      Results, man!

      * When I see clients smiling and laughing around me!
      * When they take me out to an expensive dinner and offer me the best seat!
      * When they say "yes" to whatever fee I'm asking!
      * When they recommend me to others!
      * When they want to sleep with me!
      * When they introduce me to their daughters hoping to bring me into the family!
      * And on and on and on!
      Ummm...I'm glad you're a manly man and everything, but I'm not exactly sure how sex and marriage relates to this.

      Also, Daniel Scott - thoroughly agreed.
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    • Profile picture of the author rjweaver10
      I agree with this part of your post! We should always be learning and evaluating ourselves!

      Regardless, I'm ALWAYS ...

      Studying!
      Learning!
      Experimenting!
      Questioning!
      Building!
      Growing!

      AND I'm having tons of fun doing it!

      There's no other way.[/QUOTE]
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      {Your Blog on Auto Pilot 4 Blogs (1 per week) for $80 a month!}

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