Didn't You Know Fishermen Use Fishfinders? And Gold Prospectors...

When a fishermen leaves shore to go fishing...

He doesn't just set off in any direction hoping for the best.

You see he has a plan in mind.

He first sets a precise course taking him in a direction out to sea to seek out the catch he's looking for.

And when he gets to his desired location, he thinks about the equipment he's going to use to catch the fish he's after.

He doesn't just stand on the deck on the port or starboard side or the stern of his boat casting chum into the surrounding waters hoping by some fluke of chance some fish might come his way.

Yet this is what many of you newer copywriters do whilst looking for more copywriting clients.

No, the fisherman prepares in advance for the journey ahead.

He plans ahead thinking each step out carefully to ensure the best possible chance of success of getting his hands on the best catch possible which will bring in the most profit for the time and cost involved in the exercise.

On arriving at his chosen location he switches on his fish finder. This sends out a sonar signal which bounces back to him on the boat showing him exactly where the best fish are currently located.

Depth. Direction of travel, size of the fish etc;

Similarly...

Another metaphor...

When you run a gold mining operation you don't just dig in the ground hoping by gum to strike gold - to strike it rich.

You first carry out lots of research to find the locations where possibly the best gold deposits can be found. You analyze data from records in the past. Pore over them before selecting your chosen area to prospect.

Next you go to this location and before you start digging, you carry out bore hole testing to see what the gold yield might be per yard. This will determine your pay day, your profit against the time and expenses involved in extracting the gold from the ground.

So what do these two illustrations have to do with copywriters and finding clients for your copywriting business?

Many of you inexperienced copywriters in training seem to get awfully confused about where to get your ideal clients from.

Struggling for website traffic or successful business men and women contacting you, many of you are approaching this from the wrong perspective.

Casting chum into the waters willy nilly you're hoping to get nibbles of interest or bites of interest when in fact, chances are, by casting your chum in the wrong location sales at best will be pretty dismal to say the least.

And you wonder what on earth you're doing wrong and why other more experienced copywriters seem to be making the process of making money so easy on themselves. You with me so far? Excellent.

Fact is, the more successful copywriters here know in advance where exactly to cast the net to acquire the best potential clients.

They research their market constantly. They look at lots of factors to determine in advance what the exact ROI will be for their time spent in any one marketing activity. They don't want to waste their time or available resources leaving anything to chance.

Think of the Internet like this...

Have you every been to a market? A shopping center? A shopping mall?

Of course you have! But...

Whilst you were there did you ever stop, sit down perhaps for a coffee and simply observe other people quietly going about their business?

It's quite an interesting exercise. Picking out different people, how they're dressed, working out their social standing in society, what they might do for work, and just generally watching their activities in these locations. Watching their behavior. Their movements.

See how they move? How they walk? How they direct themselves towards stallholders or shop fronts which might possibly hold their interest.

Did the person you're observing walk straight into the shop or did they window shop first? How decisive were they in their movements and actions?

So what does all of this have to do with attracting the best clients to your new copywriting business?

Look... someone who is interested in fashion and clothing isn't necessarily going to show much interest in the outdoor pursuits store. Do you see my point?

If you want to appeal to this person (a high fashion clothes buyer in this instance) if you want to reach 'this person', advertising / marketing / positioning yourself in the wrong location to attract this type of individual is going to yield exceptionally poor results.

To make your copywriting business more attractive to your desired target market you need to put yourself directly in their shoes, you need to start thinking how your ideal clients are thinking. Getting your offer right in front of their eyeballs where they're most likely going to take action on your prompting.

Online ask yourself for the service benefits you're offering...

• Where is the most likely location going to be where my ideal pool of clients are amassing in any great numbers?

• Where are they hanging out?

• What are they searching for?

• Which websites or forums do they belong to?

• What are they looking for precisely online?

• What other complimentary interests might they have to tap directly into what you know you can offer them with the skills in your possession?

Sometimes the answers aren't always so obvious.

Sometimes you need to do a bit of digging around to find these complimentary interests. Seek out and go where the market is. Think outside the box and you might just come across a ripe crop ready for the picking in a location you'd never have thought of before.

Don't be lazy seeking clients out only from the easiest places online, dig a little deeper and you may just unearth some fantastic much higher paying clients from elsewhere. Again, it all comes back to your positioning in the marketplace.

It's essentially all about understanding your market.

Understanding from the potential clients perspective your biggest potential benefit/s to them. What you personally bring to the table in terms of the skills and benefits you can offer.

Thinking ahead of your potential buyers movements (both on or offline) when they stroll off in a certain direction, upon arriving at their desired location... why right there in front of their eyeballs is their exact solution staring them straight in the face.

Bingo! This is exactly what they've been looking for. You. And what you can do for them to switch out their emotional frustration and pain to ultimate pleasure upon seeing what you can do for them to make more money.

Ka Ching! Ka ching! Ka ching! More bank for you.

Any thoughts on this topic or similar illustrations or metaphors to help newer copywriters bring in more high quality clients, please do post up your advice or tips down below.

With my compliments,


Mark Andrews