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If your copy sucks, your business sucks!

by shawnlebrun
8 replies
Let's face it, nothing happens in your business until a sale is made.

No sale, no cash flow coming in. No cash flow, no business.

And you can't make a sale if your sales copy isn't any good, if it doesn't persuade people to buy from you.

It's not about graphics, or design, or a pretty layout.

It's about the words on your site that will show someone how you can help them, what you can do for them.

Yet, what is the one area that almost all failing businesses neglect to invest in?

Yep, their copy.

They make sure they line up their content creation, their affiliates, their design team, their hosting....

and copy is an afterthought. in fact, they blew through their wad of cash on all the other areas BUT their copy.

and the result? they will fail.

It's really the old "I can't get a job cause I have no experience and I have no experience cause I can't get a job" conundrum.

If you don't invest in good copy, you won't make the kind of money you want.

Yet, far too many business owners say they will wait until sales start coming in BEFORE they invest in good copy.

See the irony? it's like the job scenario above.

Sales and money won't come in because the copy sucks, yet the business owner won't invest in good copy UNTIL they start making sales.

Recipe for failure.

It's funny, back when I first started freelance copywriting, I had a form on my site where someone could fill out their info, give me their site, and I'd give them a free critique and quote.

Boy, I must have gotten 300 or so businesses to fill that out.

And even though my copywriting fees were pretty low back then, the majority of these businesses and sites told me that they couldn't afford my fee, that they would have to pass on my services.

Well, I spent the time last week going back through the website info of these 300 businesses.... all but 2 are gone, vanished, completely out of business.

Now, I'm definitely not saying it was because I didn't write their copy, not at all.

It's simply the fact that these businesses looked at and thought of their copy as an afterthought.

Result? They are gone, no longer in business.

So if you're honestly looking to stay in business and actually make the kind of money that will set you and your family up for life, then please, please, please... do yourself a favor and invest in a good copywriter.

I've had the privilege to meet and know many of the good copywriters on this board... and there are far too many to name here.

but don't let the "i can't get good copy cause i can't afford it" scenario put you out of business like it does for far too many businesses....
#business #copy #sucks
  • Profile picture of the author Ricky Allen
    Hi Shawn

    Well you certainly hit the nail right on the head there as I found early on in my career.

    I was there floundering around not making a bean despite having a few products and sites until I learnt copywriting from some experts at the time.

    So you have a simple choice get an expert like Shawn to write some expert copy for you or like me spend two years learning anything and everything you can about copywriting.

    Ricky Allen
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    • Profile picture of the author shawnlebrun
      Originally Posted by Ricky Allen View Post

      Hi Shawn

      Well you certainly hit the nail right on the head there as I found early on in my career.

      I was there floundering around not making a bean despite having a few products and sites until I learnt copywriting from some experts at the time.

      So you have a simple choice get an expert like Shawn to write some expert copy for you or like me spend two years learning anything and everything you can about copywriting.

      Ricky Allen

      Ricky, if I had to do it all over again, i think there's one thing i would have done differently.

      Because I am glad I learned about copywriting and marketing, because not only was that 50% of my success (the other getting traffic and leads) but it also allowed me to spot good copy from others.

      meaning, whether or not I hired a copywriter for my businesses, at least when I learned copywriting, I could spot if they were doing it well or just B.S.ing me.

      But it also allowed me to model/swipe from other incredibly well done letters... without knowing some of the basics of good copy, you could simply find yourself swiping from the junk pile.

      but i think the one thing i'd do differently, if i had to do it all over again, would be to hire an expert copywriter initially, to do my first product... WHILE learning about copy myself.

      in other words, not sure if i'd flounder for years like i did, not making much while i learned copy and implemented it.

      i think i'd actually hire a pro to do it right the first time, and then use the time to study it myself... that way i have some cash flow coming in right away from the pro's letter... while i spend time learning copy myself.

      i did it like you when i started in 2001... studied and floundered for a few years. sure, when i learned about good copy, my business took off, but it still took a couple of years of learning, testing, and tracking.

      if i did it all again, i'd hire a good writer right away, while i learned copy.

      i think all business owners should learn how to spot good copy from bad, but most real business owners are more facilitators who hire the experts... and they just oversee everything.
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  • Profile picture of the author alfid
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    • Profile picture of the author videolover7
      I am glad I learned about copywriting and marketing, because not only was that 50% of my success (the other getting traffic and leads) but it also allowed me to spot good copy from others.
      How about your offers? What percentage did they contribute towards your success?

      Surely not 0%.

      VL
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      • Profile picture of the author shawnlebrun
        Originally Posted by videolover7 View Post

        How about your offers? What percentage did they contribute towards your success?

        Surely not 0%.

        VL

        Hey VL,

        sorry, I guess I lumped the offer in with the copywriting... meaning that most success will come from your copy (including the offer presented in your copy)
        and then getting enough eyeballs to that page/letter.

        I coach a LOT of new marketers/copywriters... and the one thing I notice with almost all of them... they're so damn busy, scattered, and focused on too many things/distractions.

        I call it the "shiny new toy" syndrome... the minute they get an email with the latest and greatest guru pitch, they put down their own stuff to go buy into that.

        so, when i chat with some of the newer marketers, i'll break the entire process down into 2 halves... getting the copy right and then the traffic.

        it just helps to simplify it that way with them... or else they're thinking of 50 different things all at once... and focus is gone.

        but no doubt, you're spot on... offer means a lot as well.

        if you're focused and targeting your market correctly... and have a really good offer in your copy, you're ahead of the game in a lot of cases.

        Back to the newer marketers... most of the time when looking at their copy, their offer sucks... and again, i usually lump it in with the copy aspect.

        either they're offering a ho-hum product, they have no USP, it's not different in any way, etc... then yes, the offer matters and the copy won't do as well.

        so you're 100% right... i should start separating copy from offers when i mention those... they really are different. thanks for pointing that out!

        i guess you can tip toe around a ****ty offer by having superb copy... but it doesn't make much sense... especially when trying to build an actual business with repeat sales.

        if you have great copy to sell a crappy offer... you might get someone to buy once, but good luck with repeat sales.

        so yes, you're right... offer is a huge part of it.
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  • Profile picture of the author copyassassin
    shawnlebrun,

    I say this with L.O.V.E...

    You're wrong.

    You have so many half-truths mixed in with lies, tossed in with self-serving ideas that this post comes off as a joke to me.

    Now, don't get me wrong, I like what you're trying to say, which is, "Copy is important".

    I think so too. Great copy will grow your business faster than your compeition if you can profitably outspent them for new clients.

    I get that. I agree.

    But to write, "If your copy sucks, your business sucks!" That's a complete joke, right?

    For all businesses? Or, do you mean online ones? Even if you are referring to online businesses, the goal is to quickly and easily get thoses clients offline. Because PPC is just too damn expensive unless you have a backend.

    I mean, I know several successful people with several successful businesses that DO NOT have great copy, or good copy, or even lame copy. Many have none, in-fact.

    Copywriting just another important piece to the puzzle. A vital piece. But still, just a piece. Don't make it to be a "magic pill".

    I will say this though: in competitive markets with high levels of saturation, killer copy is important because you need better conversions to be profitable. Or, you need a better backend to make up for the poor conversions.

    At any rate, you need copy to sell. And killer copy sells more than ok copy.

    It just bugs me with I see these posts about how vital copywriting is without the context it's an important piece of the puzzle. Or when killer copy isn't even needed.

    Yes, if you're in weight-loss, you need killer A-level copy. If, you're selling credit cards, you need A-level copy.

    BUT, most businesses just don't need that level of copy. Most businesses need "C" & "D" level work. That's the honest truth of the matter.

    The raw truth is that REAL business owners need to build their backend ascenation path, impliement follow-up with clients, and design a simple referral/affliate program.

    This is a real problem copywriters can solve. And this is high-value problem to solve.

    And if a client says they can't afford you, what that really means is you didn't demostrate the value you bring to the table.

    Remember, risk reversal ain't something JUST to put into a client's copy. Put it into your service offering. It clients aren't taking your offer it's either because they were unqualified to start OR you didn't demostrate your value.

    Clients want ROI.

    You need to persaude your copy ROI is better than your competition's at your price point. And if it's not, be able to differiante yourself enough so you bring that little extra something that makes working with you "worth it".

    Anyway, just thoughts from a guy who deals with millionare clients all day long.


    Originally Posted by shawnlebrun View Post

    Let's face it, nothing happens in your business until a sale is made.

    No sale, no cash flow coming in. No cash flow, no business.

    And you can't make a sale if your sales copy isn't any good, if it doesn't persuade people to buy from you.

    It's not about graphics, or design, or a pretty layout.

    It's about the words on your site that will show someone how you can help them, what you can do for them.

    Yet, what is the one area that almost all failing businesses neglect to invest in?

    Yep, their copy.

    They make sure they line up their content creation, their affiliates, their design team, their hosting....

    and copy is an afterthought. in fact, they blew through their wad of cash on all the other areas BUT their copy.

    and the result? they will fail.

    It's really the old "I can't get a job cause I have no experience and I have no experience cause I can't get a job" conundrum.

    If you don't invest in good copy, you won't make the kind of money you want.

    Yet, far too many business owners say they will wait until sales start coming in BEFORE they invest in good copy.

    See the irony? it's like the job scenario above.

    Sales and money won't come in because the copy sucks, yet the business owner won't invest in good copy UNTIL they start making sales.

    Recipe for failure.

    It's funny, back when I first started freelance copywriting, I had a form on my site where someone could fill out their info, give me their site, and I'd give them a free critique and quote.

    Boy, I must have gotten 300 or so businesses to fill that out.

    And even though my copywriting fees were pretty low back then, the majority of these businesses and sites told me that they couldn't afford my fee, that they would have to pass on my services.

    Well, I spent the time last week going back through the website info of these 300 businesses.... all but 2 are gone, vanished, completely out of business.

    Now, I'm definitely not saying it was because I didn't write their copy, not at all.

    It's simply the fact that these businesses looked at and thought of their copy as an afterthought.

    Result? They are gone, no longer in business.

    So if you're honestly looking to stay in business and actually make the kind of money that will set you and your family up for life, then please, please, please... do yourself a favor and invest in a good copywriter.

    I've had the privilege to meet and know many of the good copywriters on this board... and there are far too many to name here.

    but don't let the "i can't get good copy cause i can't afford it" scenario put you out of business like it does for far too many businesses....
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  • Profile picture of the author gighive
    They make sure they line up their content creation, their affiliates, their design team, their hosting....

    and copy is an afterthought. in fact, they blew through their wad of cash on all the other areas BUT their copy.

    and the result? they will fail.
    I wish I would have read this thread a few years back. I guess its better late than never.
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