Client that Doesn't Get Direct Response Copy...

Did you tell him his revisions destroyed the persuasive elements of your copy?

If not, that's a good first step.

If yes, and he still wants to go with his revisions, suggest a split mailing. If his emails do better, you refund the fee.

If he won't agree to that, refund the fee anyway with a courteous thank you and walk on.

Alex

This is one reason I ask clients to show me a letter that they do like first... because if your copy doesn't match the tone of what's in their head, they're likely to ask for major revisions.

I'd try to find a middle ground. It sounds like he wants a professional letter - you might find just tweaking your voice a bit might make him happy.

And if he wants a "reliable, well-trained" section - tell him you'll demonstrate that in the copy without using those words. That's what you should do anyway.

I've had success showing clients the light before - not always, but often.

Cheers,
Stephen Dean

For sure some clients want to hire a pen rather than a penman.

But part of my filtering process is that I make sure that the client
understand that I am the expert in the process. If they can't handle
that relationship then they are using the wrong writer.

If you are hiring me to do something that you can do in the first
place then I become redundant. It is frustrating when your copy
is changed drastically after submitting your draft. But that is a
battle I try to win BEFORE I take on a client rather than after.

I'd say go with your gut feeling.

-Ray Edwards

I'd say drop this guy while you're ahead.

He doesn't really want you to do anything for him. It seems as though he's only hired you to prove to himself that he can do a better job. Either this guy is trying to justify his own [inefficient] marketing tactics, or he's just too bullheaded to accept that he needs some help.

You should offer your advice (not services), and tell him that you can no longer manage his project. No matter what you do, this guy is probably going to always try to prove you wrong. He'll have to figure it out on your own, and if you stick around, he's going to cost you more money than his project is worth.

Skepticism and even hostility to direct response methods
is not uncommon among small business owners. Often the
perception is that direct response is all about selling pills,
potions and scam products and also that "my business
is different" (and more legitimate, above such chicanery).

Ignorant perceptions aside, you'll have to assess whether
educating such clients is worthwhile. Giving them books
written by recognizable/authoritative 3rd parties may help
your case.

David Ogilvy's book is ok, but he while he advocates for
direct response in principle, in the text he takes a broader
focus. Still, his legitmacy in advertising is irrefutable.

Dan Kennedy, while considerably less-know, produced
a just-adequate book called "No B.S. Direct Marketing: The Ultimate, No Holds Barred, Kick Butt, Take No Prisoners Direct Marketing for Non-direct Marketing Businesses ".

Kennedy's cohort, Bill Glazer, produced another book which
may be useful in similar context.

In all probability however your client is an ignorant
dip**** and you should tell him you aren't going to work
with him and move on. Chances are roughly 50/50 he'll
come grovelling after, begging you to fix his dopey
marketing.

This is all assuming you tell him in no uncertain terms
where his ideas will take him in today's marketplace
and do it with chutzpah.

I am serious, btw. Dump the bum or dominate him.

How did this client manage to hire you in the first place if they don't understand direct response copy? Might be a time to take a look at the process by which you get clients. And fine-tune the customer avatar you work based on, if you have one.

It depends on the root cause. I have gotten people -- in a larger company -- to back down on this. Try this.

You need to have them run theirs, any way you can. If possible in an A/B split. However way you do it, you must get them to 1) Own up to it being 100% theirs. You have nothing, whatsoever, to do with it. 2) Commitment to use yours, if response isn't at X level of performance.

The problem here is you do not have a client. This person wasn't prepared to regard you as an expert and follow your advice.

Usually this is a dead end, especially if you ever run their ideas as your work. You'll get no credit if it works out and they want you to have all the blame when it doesn't. What it sounds like is this guy wants you to make reality conform to his sales letter.

He may be setting you up to take the blame for his letter not working.

Owning his own results can work if you get to run your superior piece. Usually the objection to having you ever run yours is he knows best. This is a diplomatic way to rejiggle the relationship so you get a shot at being the expert.

"You run yours. I'll run mine. Let's see what the market thinks."

But, as stated, you have to take a look at the details leading up to this and see if you're encouraging people to hire you as an employee ('cause that's what you are to him right now) rather than work with you as a consultant.

They may understand direct response. What they don't get is the client-consultant relationship.

Small businesses are small for a couple of reasons. One is "..'tis better to rule in sales hell than serve in someone else's heaven." They got into business to run it their way. And that includes running it into the ground.

These people can't be worked with until they've had a good long sit-down discussion with reality ...usually it takes years. So much for the all sought after startup company

Frankly I find this kind of small business a nonclient type to be filtered out. I can not, for the life of me, understand the avalanche of people wanting to service small business. For any suspect business to self-describe themselves as "small," that would be a strike one. (What I refer to has nothing to do with a revenue threshold or employee head count or facility square feet).

If they've never put a piece in the mail. Or, never put up a web site in this day and age, you do not want to be talking with them.

I loved Ray's line about the pen vs the penman - so true...

You've got an uphill battle here with very little likelihood
of the client ever coming around to your side of things.

As has been advised - if what they "revise" works, it will
inevitably because of how smart they are.

If it flops in any way, the blame will fall squarely on you.

Unless there's an obscene amount of money in this for
you, I'd walk with a spring in my step.

Then of course, even a 7-2 off suit can flop a full-house
every once in a while...

Brian

Sorry, but I'm not convinced that your client is wrong, and that you're right.

You haven't said enough about what you gave the client. For example: You're pleased that you provided "conversational" copy, but I've read some very silly/ineffective "conversational" copy. Have you strayed too far from the tone he wishes to set for his business?

I say:
* Listen first to what the client wants (Did you get clarity in the beginning?)
* Respond in positive ways that build on his vision, adding from your skill set
* Give the client what he wants, enhanced with your knowledge
* And like someone else suggested, maybe give him 2 copy sets to do some testing

Seems too dramatic to tell the client to take his money and go away. Maybe you're viewing this too seriously, resisting more than necessary. Maybe he knows something about his customers that you don't.

Try to give him something he'll think is good and usable. Always build revision time and costs into your fee, so that you feel comfortable being asked to pull everything apart.

Drop this guy like a scorching-hot lava rock.

The best thing would be to try and explain things to him. Let him know why your way is right and what would happen if you go ahead with what he wants.

I myself have worked with clients like this before. Sometimes, how much ever you explain it to them they don't understand it. You start hearing things like, it’s too simple, use more complicated words, and all sorts of other complaints.

I do my best to explain things to them, they either get it or they don't. If they don't get it then it's best to change it to they want it to be. As at the end of the day they're hiring you and they're the boss.