The Copywriting Apocalypse

They’ll probably always be the “us and them” conflicts. It’s not unique to copywriting it happens in every business.

Customer – “Grrr bloody company”

Company – “Grrr bloody clients”

Luckily for us there never has and never will be a shortage of clients (every business, company, organisation) needs good copy.

They’ll always be a selection of nightmare, "clients from hell" – “I know better than you'll ever know”

And stroppy, arrogant copywriters – “Give me 5 grand now and take or leave your copy, I’m waay too important to care”

You do hear horror stories from clients who were very badly treated by copywriters, they more or less did take the money and ran.

And if a client is beyond any f***** endurance – we should have seen this coming (all the signs were there) and side-stepped out of the way.

But most copywriter/client furores can be avoided – IF the copywriter chooses their clients carefully AND fully explains to them the reasons why they have written the new stunning copy in the way that's designed to get the best possible results.

From a clients view it can be a bit of a shock to see a captivating, emotionally driven headline (with the deck copy) - “It just doesn’t look like a proper letter!”

Initially, they don’t “see” why their epic one-page sales pitch needs to be totally transformed into a 7 – 17 page fascinating, compelling and irresistible sales piece – “But nobody will ever read it!”

They react badly to hooks, power verbs, subheads, layout and copy wording – “Those phrases aren't right, my people are different, you shouldn't be trying to sell them anything, they're too clever, they'll buy when they're ready, there's on point in trying to persuade them beforehand!”

They “hate” the guarantee they’re now offering –“I’ll be ripped off for the rest of time!”

But once they understand why all this works and gets the highest response – they usually calm down.

Talk everything through with the clients – if our job is to make their prospects buy – it’s also vital to get the client to see how it’s done. Take the time to explain it all.

When the client realizes why the copywriting techniques are so essential and then runs the promotion everyone reaps the rewards.


Steve

If your potential client doesn't understand the importance of copywriting. Well, then get a client that does, otherwise you'll be in a constant argument of why your services are so valuable. Copywriting is about getting inside people's hearts and minds. It's about building trust and authenticity. People don't buy from companies, they buy from PEOPLE.

If they don't understand the importance of establishing and protecting the connection they have with their customers, then they don't understand business and they'll suffer because of it. Good luck to them.

Here's a great video about connecting with your customers by Simon Sinek, the King of WHY:

ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html : Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action | Video on TED.com

Sorry Joe, but are you making a statement or complaining about poor quality clients/copy? Whats the "Copywriting Apocalypse!" that's coming? Am I too late? Have I joined the forum at an inappropriate time?

... And whats the point of your post? I don't mean to be disrespectful but...

I have paid for quite few articles over the past 2 years that promise the world and didn't deliver... and my most recent purchase was for a website that promised upwards of $400 a day of autonomous income from 1100 plus articles. I decided to download all of the articles instead of promoting the "stock website" that was offered... it was rubbish... a stock "zen cart" website... and I decided to create my own... In the meantime I read 40 or so of the articles and... erm I'm sorry to say all but one of them was total rubbish. Poor grasp of the English language, poor content, repeated sentences just to fill the document out etc... very disappointing...

So, my point is... are you just trying to promote your "Tag line" or do you have a point? or are you just like the 99% of the articles I have ready and are just full of HOT AIR.

Sorry if this sounds a little harsh, but all I've seen over the past six months people trying to sell the same rubbish... using the SAME squeeze pages... time and time again.... how often have you seen it?

You want something different...? call me!.

Steve

I agree with you Steve, mainly on the Guarantee part...

They do think they'll get ripped off. And I don't blame them...a lot is on the line.

It's just soo funny when you show them your copy and they ask you - "Hey, why does it say 90 day guarantee?" like its some kind of language they can't comprehend. It's so foreign.

Yet funny.

...also when you speak to a client they'll start by complaining about the refunds they issued.

It's best to nod in agreement, and then say "How many extra sales did you make today?"

They check the computers and say "Ohh, yes a lot, far more than we ever used to get"

IMO... from hiring writers in the past.... most are full of hot air and can't back up their talk with conversions.

The way i see it, the niche is huge... anyone who writes IM offers only and thinks they're one of the best writers is a fool.

if you're able to crush in non major niches (investing/IM/weight loss), then you're doing really well, sadly most can't.

I think the linked article definitely has some validity, in that whining and nitpicking, without testing the copy, is just silly...

I've had more than a few clients go back and forth with me, nitpicking, questioning everything I did, etc....

Being totally nuts until they finally put my copy up, and started seeing their conversions quadruple.

At which point they switch to "I have another product I want to launch...."

So success is pretty much the best answer to everything...

Now all of that being said, I also see a lot of copywriters who do not value their clients at all, and I think this is a big mistake.

Personally, I don't get offended, or upset, if a client asks me why I'm doing something a certain way. Honestly, the customer is king. That's the truth in all areas of business, and copywriters are not immune. Without clients, we'd go extinct. And acting dismissive to our clients, getting annoyed by them because they want to be hands on in their investment, just seems like bad business.

I guess the take away from all of this is that there's a fine line between active cooperation, and behavior that is actually detrimental to the finished product. Asking me the "why" is totally cool. Changing my headers, taglines, etc. without talking to me about it, is probably counter productive.

At the end of the day, though, my clients pay my bills. My UVP is customer service, and my goal is to always provide the most friendly and impressive experience possible.

Heres some insight from the other side. I own a business that I hire copywriters for regularly. I have to sell my service to my clients at a low rate (SEO services,) in order for them to afford it. Because of that there is pressure on me to find a cheaper copywriter.

Yes, we have to agree with that "know's just about everything" ewen (the scary thing is, he does know a lot...).

A copywriters job is to add such value to the product/service the customers actually want to pay a higher price.

Because - they're now thinking they don't want cheap and nasty. That's not good. They'll end up paying twice as much probably a lot more. With all that wasted time and effort. So, let's save the money and buy the really good stuff now. And get on with all the other things we have to do. It makes perfect sense.


Steve


P.S. I charged a bit more for this post - hope you don't mind. Can you see the value in it, so the good people are happy to pay more...