5 replies
There has been a lot of discussion here about the fact that those considered top copywriters are usually booked way ahead of time and require 3-4 weeks to do their best work.

I don't dispute this at all.

On the other hand, there are still a lot of clients with considerable money to spend who are not disciplined enough (as individuals or as companies) to fit into that kind of scheduling. If you've been in the business for a while, you probably have encountered such clients. Even if you tell them repeatedly you need X amount of advance notice and X amount of time to put together their copy, they can't get it together.

Someone is getting their work and their money.

If you're a quick study, a fast writer and not a perfectionist by nature, you might get along well with such clients.

They're not judging you by the same standards that the more disciplined clients are using, because one of their key criteria is your ability to work with their too-short deadline and help them get their promo out the door.

They expect work that's not shoddy but maybe not polished and targeted to perfection, either.

And if their project is profitable overall, they might very well continue to operate in this fashion rather than try to acquire discipline and work with copywriters who have a higher level of skill.

It's not realistic to deny that such clients exist or to claim that anyone working with them is necessarily turning out horrible copy.

I'm not talking about myself here, because I'm a slower than average writer on most things and I don't enjoy very short deadlines. But if I were quicker, I might go after this market segment.

Marcia Yudkin
#copywriters #deadlines #fast #quick #rapid #speed
  • Profile picture of the author backendbuddy
    Yes, i have one, comes with yearly bundles, throws all together, asks me to deliver 1 site a month and keeps rolling for last 5 years. I do agree with both of you. They are the two sides of the coin, thing is, who is viewing what.
    What would you explain for a newbie affiliate marketer, dictating you the amazon reviews? Pain!?
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  • Profile picture of the author Matt Ausin
    I've yet to see a client that will look past crappy quality just because they can get their letter soon.

    However, that's not to say that a nice copy can't be done fast - if you have experience in the niche, and the client has gratuitously filled out your questionnaire, then sure. Mark is an example of that - 2 hours per gig.. wow.

    It's just you shouldn't for one minute think that being able to write fast will get you a pass when it comes to quality.
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  • Profile picture of the author sethczerepak
    Most programmers charge people for speed. If they want something faster, they charge a premium for getting it done faster. When I found out about this, I started charging an early delivery fee too.

    It scared clients away, but most of them were a pain in the neck in the first place. The ones that stayed and paid it made up for it. If the client is willing to pay extra to get it done earlier and you're willing to miss a few dinners with your family, why not?
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    • Profile picture of the author Hugh Thyer
      There is a happy medium.

      Dan Kennedy talks about it. So do people like Pete Godfrey, Clayton etc.

      It's all about working hard and working fast. Putting your head down and your arse up.

      Most people do far less with their time than they could. I'm one of them, but working hard to improve all the time. Most people could probably do what takes them 20 hours in 10 with better work practices.
      Because the closer the deadline, the harder you work.

      The harder you work the more money you make.

      Combine that with things that make you more efficient (I won't say shortcuts but they kind of are) like knowing how to swipe. What to look for in swipes from the market you're writing for. Using a client survey, how to have a 30 minute interview with a client and pulling out all their killer stories, how to question them to really get inside the prospect's head, research using youtube, google, etc. Having good structures for sales letters etc.

      80% perfect out the door is better than 100% perfect in the drawer.

      One thing that works for me is having a time like Cool Timer (google it) which sits on my desktop which is set for 33m:33sec. You work as hard as you can while it's counting down. Ignore all distractions. Get it done.

      Anyway, I'm off for another 33:33...

      Hugh
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      Ever wondered how copywriters work with their clients? I've answered that very question in detail-> www.salescomefirst.com
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  • Profile picture of the author copyassassin
    Originally Posted by marciayudkin View Post


    On the other hand, there are still a lot of clients with considerable money to spend who are not disciplined enough (as individuals or as companies) to fit into that kind of scheduling. If you've been in the business for a while, you probably have encountered such clients. Even if you tell them repeatedly you need X amount of advance notice and X amount of time to put together their copy, they can't get it together.

    Marcia Yudkin
    AMEN!

    great post! I agree. And don't be afraid to charge a hefty premium for speed. Fedex made their name on it. Domino's made their name on it.
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    The Most Bad-Ass Tax Reduction Strategist for Internet Marketers who HATE paying taxes. See my happy clients

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