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I've got a weird question for copywriters

by Kevin Lam
17 replies
I was actually asked this:

[NAME REMOVED FOR PRIVACY]: on average how long does it take you to write a solid 2- 6 % sales copy?
My answer:

time is not really the question at hand here. it really depends on what i have to work with and what the market is, because that determines how hungry the market is for the product. With that i sell the sizzle for them to bite on to.
Of course there's more to it (like traffic source and what the product is actually selling), but I was wondering what your take is on this. How would you answer that question and what do you think it takes to have a 2-6% conversion?
#big #conversion question #copywriters #question #sales copy
  • Profile picture of the author MontelloMarketing
    The whole 2-6% part is what puts the wrench in the works.

    I can easily say how long it takes for me to write copy.

    It's pretty well known in the industry that I put the same extreme effort into each and every project I get. So copy that converts at 2-6% is no faster or slower to write than copy that converts at a much higher (or lower) rate.

    The premise that the more a copywriter works on the copy, the more it converts is a flawed premise.

    Usually when this question is asked, you know you're dealing with a dilettante... an amateur who has learned a couple key marketing phrases and is trying to ride them to a successful campaign.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kevin Lam
      EXACTLY! You're right on the money, Vin. As usual. It's like thinking if I put in 3 weeks to get a 2% conversion, I can put in another 6 months, to get a 30% conversion. As if.

      Of course, I was just curious to know how others would answer that. So thanks for the feedback. And hey, now I've got a good idea of what niche to go after next. It's not like I was being hired as the copywriter. If so, I probably wouldn't have, lol.
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      • Profile picture of the author HansM
        Originally Posted by Kevin Lam View Post

        EXACTLY! You're right on the money, Vin. As usual. It's like thinking if I put in 3 weeks to get a 2% conversion, I can put in another 6 months, to get a 30% conversion. As if.
        The same kind of math applies to: a woman can bear a child in 9 months, so 9 women can bear a child in 1 month...
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        • Profile picture of the author Kevin Lam
          Originally Posted by HansM View Post

          The same kind of math applies to: a woman can bear a child in 9 months, so 9 women can bear a child in 1 month...
          What? You say that as if it's not possible... get out of town! LOL.
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  • Profile picture of the author TracyNeedham
    Yeah, weird question. Vin's assessment is dead on. My other thought is maybe the asker is a prospect trying to find a way to negotiate a smaller fee.

    Wouldn't it be nice though if you could just say, "Ok, if I spend this many hours it'll convert at x%, and this many hours, it will convert at y%. Which do you want?"!

    Tracy
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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Lam
    Hahahaha, that would be great.
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  • Profile picture of the author lenlatimer
    Hi, nice comments all. For me, I spend far more time researching and thinking than in writing. Converting features to benefits, identifying the ideal customer, contemplating the offer, figuring the back end, keyword search, figuring the "WIIFM" (What's in it for me) from the customer's perspective, etc.
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    • Profile picture of the author MontelloMarketing
      Originally Posted by lenlatimer View Post

      Hi, nice comments all. For me, I spend far more time researching and thinking than in writing. Converting features to benefits, identifying the ideal customer, contemplating the offer, figuring the back end, keyword search, figuring the "WIIFM" (What's in it for me) from the customer's perspective, etc.
      What carlton calls "percolating." I do that for a bunch of my time.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jo_Shua
    Swiping Vin's answer in case I ever get asked that question
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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    I know a preacher who was once asked to preach as a
    guest speaker at another church. In answer to the
    question how much money he was expecting, he replied

    "It depends on if you want a $100 sermon or a $500
    sermon."

    I wish it were the same for copywriters.

    -Ray Edwards
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  • Profile picture of the author Dean Dhuli
    It's like thinking if I put in 3 weeks to get a 2% conversion, I can put in another 6 months, to get a 30% conversion.
    And guess what?

    At the end of those 6 months, you might actually find that
    your conversion rate is much, MUCH lower than 2%.

    I don't know about you guys, but for me there's a time
    beyond which I wouldn't want to continue working on
    any letter.

    Why?

    Because when we concentrate on the same letter for so long,
    we ourselves will get bored of it and unnecessarily start
    removing and editing the good parts of the letter also.


    - Dean
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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Lam
    Dean, I couldn't have agreed more. I can't imagine myself working on a sales letter for 6 months, let alone 6 weeks. Maybe 6 months LATER I look at it - that's fine with me.

    Ray, I wish that was the case here as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author green1
    "so 9 women can bear a child in 1 month..."

    Funny you should say that! I've had nine women tell me, "Oh, you're such a child, I cannot bear you for even one more month!"
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    • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
      Originally Posted by green1 View Post

      Funny you should say that! I've had nine women tell me, "Oh, you're such a child, I cannot bear you for even one more month!"
      Well, here's hoping you make at least a 10% conversion rate!
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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Lam
    Alexa, you gotta be kidding me. That's funny... but crazy... but very funny, lol.
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