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How Can A Newbie Fast-track to a Highly Paid Copywriter in the Shortest possible time?

by Geenius
27 replies
Hi

Im a newbie in the copywriting game, started reading up last month and beginning to learn the ins and out of it.

My goal is to become a Great and Highly paid copywriter one day eg. $30 000 per salesletter etc.

What advice would you give so that I could attain to this in the shortest possible time???

My plan right now is to write out a powerful ad/salesletter every day, read up 1 copywriting book per week by the greats (Gary Halbert, Bencivenga, Joe Karbo etc) and practise writing out my own ads every day.

I plan on putting in about 4-5 hours per day for the next year or so doing this, and then maybe start charging $1000 per salesletter when I begin offering my professional services.

My goal is to reach about $10 000+ per salesletter within 2 years.

Any constructive advice would be great. Thanks in advance!
#copywriter #fasttrack #highly #newbie #paid #shortest #time
  • Profile picture of the author Andrew Gould
    Come on, this is the third thread on getting started on just the first page.

    You want to get good at copywriting?

    Learn to research.

    Everything you need is in the stickies.
    Signature

    Andrew Gould

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    • Profile picture of the author goindeep
      Originally Posted by Andrew Gould View Post

      Come on, this is the third thread on getting started on just the first page.

      You want to get good at copywriting?

      Learn to research.

      Everything you need is in the stickies.
      I'll learn you something... this is a discussion forum hombre
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      • Profile picture of the author The Copy Nazi
        Banned
        Originally Posted by goindeep View Post

        I'll learn you something... this is a discussion forum hombre
        Uh huh. You might keep that in mind after attacking me for discussing supplements in another thread. (and you'll see your comment was nuked)

        And it's "I'll teach you something" NEVER "I'll learn you something". Capisce?
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve The Copywriter
    Instead of setting a goal of $30,000 per sales letter.

    You'll get better at copywriting far faster by saying something like "I'll beat every clients control and increase their net profits by 57%"


    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author KingOfContentMarketing
      Originally Posted by Steve The Copywriter View Post

      Rather than setting a goal of $30,000 per sales letter.

      You'll get better at copywriting far faster by saying something like "I'll beat every clients control and increase their net profits by 57%"


      Steve
      This is it, OP. As Vin Montello says somewhere in the archives, "Prices don't go up over time... they go up over results." The faster you get big results for yourself or clients, the sooner you'll get big pay days.
      Signature
      Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of perceptions.
      - Jack Trout
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  • Profile picture of the author Geenius
    Makes sense. I need to focus on results more than just price.
    Thanks @Joe and @Steve.
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  • Profile picture of the author Geenius
    Makes sense. I need to focus on results more than just price.
    Thanks @Joe and @Steve.
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Grace
    It takes time, dedication, hard work, and lets face it you gotta be a bit weird. Most of all you gotta love advertising.

    There is no set amount of time. Use the words "quick and easy" in your letters, but don't become jaded in your own mind that that's how it works in the copy biz.

    There also comes a time when you gotta put down the books, stop quoting names of top copywriters (That SCREAMS newbie with no experience to a client), and just whip out a letter for a product and test it with paid ads.

    Either create your own product, or go to Clickbank and find a good product with a bad letter and make it good. Make the order links go straight to the payment page with your affiliate id.

    Then, run traffic and see what happens. (This take brass balls your first time out because it will test your confidence in your ability)

    If it's a winner you can then approach the product owner with confidence and offer to sell your PROVEN winner.
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    • Profile picture of the author MDJonesCopy
      Originally Posted by Don Grace View Post

      Either create your own product, or go to Clickbank and find a good product with a bad letter and make it good.
      Call me stupid but how would one go about contacting the owner of a Clickbank product that had a bad sales page?

      I'm a bit green when it comes to internet marketing. I've been writing copy for 3 years (1 self-employed), mainly for local businesses (websites, flyers, newsletters - you know the score).

      I'd like to break into writing more direct response copy, squeeze pages, long form sales pages/letters and so forth.

      My experience in this area is thin but I'm confident I can generate results, I just need a test subject.

      I'm willing to re-write someones sales page for free in exchange for sharing their results and recommendation.

      Any help finding a guinea pig would be appreciated.
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      • Profile picture of the author KingOfContentMarketing
        Originally Posted by MDJonesCopy View Post

        Call me stupid but how would one go about contacting the owner of a Clickbank product that had a bad sales page?

        I'm a bit green when it comes to internet marketing. I've been writing copy for 3 years (1 self-employed), mainly for local businesses (websites, flyers, newsletters - you know the score).

        I'd like to break into writing more direct response copy, squeeze pages, long form sales pages/letters and so forth.

        My experience in this area is thin but I'm confident I can generate results, I just need a test subject.

        I'm willing to re-write someones sales page for free in exchange for sharing their results and recommendation.

        Any help finding a guinea pig would be appreciated.
        No need to work for free. You already are a direct response copywriter. Talk to some of the businesses you work with and ask for specific response numbers to your flyers or websites. Use that to sell yourself for sales letters and squeeze pages. No specifics available? Then get general feedback and use that until you have specifics.

        Also consider setting up your own sales page and sell a product--then use the results in your marketing.

        As far as contacting the owner of the sales page, most of them have a "Contact Us" link like this random page I found on Clickbank:
        ABS - AutoBinarySignals.com
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        Marketing is not a battle of products. It is a battle of perceptions.
        - Jack Trout
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      • Profile picture of the author shawnlebrun
        Originally Posted by MDJonesCopy View Post

        Call me stupid but how would one go about contacting the owner of a Clickbank product that had a bad sales page?

        I'm a bit green when it comes to internet marketing. I've been writing copy for 3 years (1 self-employed), mainly for local businesses (websites, flyers, newsletters - you know the score).

        I'd like to break into writing more direct response copy, squeeze pages, long form sales pages/letters and so forth.

        My experience in this area is thin but I'm confident I can generate results, I just need a test subject.

        I'm willing to re-write someones sales page for free in exchange for sharing their results and recommendation.

        Any help finding a guinea pig would be appreciated.

        Matt... just like Joe said on many accounts, you can find their contact info usually right at the bottom of their site.

        And I wouldn't do anything for free, just use your sales/persuasion skills to sell them on your worth and value to them.

        You can usually tell, by just using Clickbank, their sales letter, and Alexa... which sites are making money and which are not.

        Don't waste time contacting the big dogs that are ranked in the top 10 on Clickbank, you probably won't get a response unless you have name recognition and plenty of results... even then, they usually pay the $10,000 and higher copywriters to try and beat their controls.

        and don't waste time on the zero gravity ones either, because normally they are either new, have zero money, don't know the value of copy, etc...

        Look for a few sites from pages 5 to 20 or so... gravity better than zero... and send them a friendly email.

        WAY back when I started... I used something like this...

        -----------------------------

        Hey ______,

        I noticed your program in the Clickbank marketplace.

        Like you... I also have a business on Clickbank.

        Actually... I used to. I recently sold it to one of my
        competitors for a VERY large amount.

        These days, I'm copywriter for other health and fitness
        businesses.

        That's why I'm contacting you.

        I'd like to help you sell more of your fitness ebook... so you
        make more from it.

        When I was actively promoting my businesses on Clickbank,
        each of them made six figures a year before I sold them.

        In fact, one of my best-selling ebooks sold over $2.2
        million in the last ____ years.

        And I've helped my clients sell over $24.5 million worth of their
        programs.

        I only mention this because I want you to feel comfortable
        following my advice.

        Now, I've been studying your site http://www.yoursite.com

        And I have some ideas to share with you that could immediately
        increase your conversion rate and profits.

        On my site, I'm offering a free copy critique and marketing consult.

        I'll look at your site in depth and send you over some steps
        you can use to immediately increase your sales and cash flow.

        There's no charge or obligation and I can usually get it done
        in 48 hours or less.

        I can also do your critique over the phone, together as I go
        through your site.

        You can call me 207-XXX-XXXX.

        We'll go over your business and talk about some things you can do to
        get more sales and profits coming in.

        Again, no strings attached.

        So go ahead and visit www..com for your free critique
        -----------------------

        That email landed over 48 paying clients the first year
        i tried it. not once did i write for free, and not once
        did I ever have someone respond saying I was spamming.

        So I know it works.

        the one big caveat... you should be able to provide proof
        or show them that you TRULY can help... and find sites
        that you know you can honestly help.
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        MILLION Dollar Copywriter Offering Written Sales Letter or VSL Script Worth $5,000 - Just $500!
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    • Profile picture of the author Mikhail Hunter
      Originally Posted by Don Grace View Post

      It takes time, dedication, hard work, and lets face it you gotta be a bit weird. Most of all you gotta love advertising.

      There is no set amount of time. Use the words "quick and easy" in your letters, but don't become jaded in your own mind that that's how it works in the copy biz.

      There also comes a time when you gotta put down the books, stop quoting names of top copywriters (That SCREAMS newbie with no experience to a client), and just whip out a letter for a product and test it with paid ads.

      Either create your own product, or go to Clickbank and find a good product with a bad letter and make it good. Make the order links go straight to the payment page with your affiliate id.

      Then, run traffic and see what happens. (This take brass balls your first time out because it will test your confidence in your ability)

      If it's a winner you can then approach the product owner with confidence and offer to sell your PROVEN winner.
      That is a wicked strategy, I've always wondered if that was possible know I know.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve The Copywriter
    This was posted one minute after Don's who has said just what I'm about to say...

    Geenius,

    Don't spend all your time studying the theory.

    Always be putting it into practise.

    Pick any product or service or create your own and start...

    Writing Ads, sales letters, web copy, emails, postcards, flyers or whatever.

    This way you won't be an "academic" copywriter you'll be a real one.


    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Pescetti
    If you're good enough to produce $30,000 a letter results in two years...

    ...you should be able to easily write a multi-million-dollar-generating letter RIGHT NOW.

    Write for a product - even if it doesn't exist (and create it!) Do your voodoo. Test. Prove. Command. In that order.

    If you try to beat a control, put some money into it. For instance, if you write a whiteboard script, get someone good to produce it and create the original animation. Why? Well, again, a person who believes he can command $30,000 a letter (in two years) is capable of NAILING a high-converting video script today. Why wouldn't you want to produce in all its glory?

    When you prove it converts, you can decide to sell it to the owner (with a nice 10%+ backend cut) or just keep it for yourself and continue raking in the profits.

    I'll expect to see something you wrote posted here in a couple weeks! ;-)

    Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
    A) Learn to sell face to face at seminars where you can
    meet clients with money but who are just learning
    about direct response marketing. That's one way to do it -
    Dr. Kilstein's course on the business covers this
    approach. Sort of a SPIN selling approach I think.

    B) build a portfolio and solicit the big mailers and
    catalog companies. This approach is advocated
    by Clayton Makepeace, Herschell Gordon Lewis
    and to some extent Bob Bly.

    C) Take the more entrepreneurial approach of
    setting up joint ventures as advocated by
    Gary Halbert, Jay Abraham and Ted Nicholas.

    Doug D'Anna is quite a badass in direct mail. Worth
    getting on his list.
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  • Profile picture of the author Geenius
    Thanks guys,

    you really put some things into perspective for me.
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  • Profile picture of the author MDJonesCopy
    Joe, Shawn...thanks for the detailed responses and taking the time to help me out.

    I had just started looking through the Clickbank database before your post Shawn and felt a bit lost, thanks for the direction.

    One other question I had (and apologies if this is going too far off topic), what's the deal with setting up a sales page and selling someone else's product?

    As this video describes:


    How does that work?

    Looking at Clickbank's website you're either selling your own product or you are an affiliate. Would creating my own sales page for an existing product just be another way of being an affiliate?
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
    Originally Posted by Geenius View Post


    My goal is to become a Great and Highly paid copywriter one day eg. $30 000 per salesletter etc.

    What advice would you give so that I could attain to this in the shortest possible time???
    Find a coach who has "been there, done that" and will work with you one-on-one. A good coach will teach you and push you. And will be honest with you when deciding if he/she can help you achieve your goal.

    That's the quickest way.

    Alex
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeHumphreys
    Originally Posted by Geenius View Post

    Hi

    Im a newbie in the copywriting game, started reading up last month and beginning to learn the ins and out of it.

    My goal is to become a Great and Highly paid copywriter one day eg. $30 000 per salesletter etc.

    What advice would you give so that I could attain to this in the shortest possible time???

    My plan right now is to write out a powerful ad/salesletter every day, read up 1 copywriting book per week by the greats (Gary Halbert, Bencivenga, Joe Karbo etc) and practise writing out my own ads every day.

    I plan on putting in about 4-5 hours per day for the next year or so doing this, and then maybe start charging $1000 per salesletter when I begin offering my professional services.

    My goal is to reach about $10 000+ per salesletter within 2 years.

    Any constructive advice would be great. Thanks in advance!
    Clients pay big money if you can deliver big results consistently.

    Every top copywriter I've ever met or talk with is always working on improving and refining some part of their skills. They also have developed the ability to mentally bounce back from any campaign setbacks and then quickly go the offensive... meaning they don't sit around and brood over a piece they wrote bombing. They roll up their sleeves and start figuring out WHY it bombed and fix it ASAP for their client.

    Last but not least, don't forget to treat everyone you meet kindly on your way up to the top. Many of them will still do the same if you ever have a career setback or slump instead of kicking you when you're down.

    Best of luck,

    Mike
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Pescetti
      Originally Posted by MikeHumphreys View Post

      <THIS>They also have developed the ability to mentally bounce back from any campaign setbacks and then quickly go the offensive... meaning they don't sit around and brood over a piece they wrote bombing. They roll up their sleeves and start figuring out WHY it bombed and fix it ASAP for their client.</THIS>
      Taking this thought process another step:

      Make sure and have a clear business model.

      If you need 10% on the backend to continuously refine a project's copy, get that stated upfront.

      If you have a certain amount of time you'll do revisions, get that stated upfront.

      If there's a specific process you need clients to go through (like collaboration and filling out questionnaires,) get that stated upfront.

      The more transparent you are from the get-go...

      ...the more successful your campaigns will be.

      A strong foundation - built on trust, respect and communication - is beyond necessary to hit the ball out of the park on a consistent basis.

      Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author sidneyng
    @Mark Pescetti - Love that ClickbankCopywriter site. Great niche to be in.

    @Geenius - I agree with the rest. Get your clients the results. Start with your own product (I think WF is a great platform to begin with in the IM niche) or doing spec assignments (for profit share) and earn your salt. You need to build your own value. Most of the good copywriters who charge insane fees usually deliver equally insane results that marketers don't mind paying because they are earning so much more.

    Or you can be a copywriter's apprentice :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Bill Jeffels
    Read and absorb everything you can on copywriting.

    Study it day and night. Become obsessed with it. Use your own copy to sell some of your own products

    Write some letters for yourself so that you'll have some proof that you can deliver.


    Bill



    .
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  • Profile picture of the author The Copy Warriors
    If you want to become a copywriter who earns a respectable four-figure fee (like say $2000) per sales letter, you can achieve that with a combination of...

    - Hard work. Spend at least a few hours a day sending out pitches to prospective clients, in addition to any time you spend working on projects for existing clients.

    - Testing. Tweak your copy as much as possible, until it improves your client's sales figures. This will get you references and referrals.

    - Leverage. Go for the gold, not the easy pickings. Send out proposals to marketers who you know are established and have money, don't waste your time with clueless newbies who don't have the cash to pay a decent fee. This means you need to send more proposals to land a job, but it works out in the end when your wealthy client is able to pay you a better fee.

    You can easily become a successful copywriter, charging $1000-$2000 a letter, if you follow the advice above.

    That said, you mentioned that you want to become a $30,000 a letter copywriter, not a $2000 a letter copywriter. That's where my advice starts to change a little bit.

    First off, very few copywriters can command those kinds of fees. I'm not talking 1% here, I'm talking the top 1% OF the top 1%. Most copywriters who are making that kind of money are not independent contractors out hustling work like your average joe. Most of them know the top marketers very well and partner with them on multiple launches every year. So if you want to get into that club, the first step is to start networking... Now.

    Second, even the top copywriters only charge those kinds of fees to their extremely wealthy clients. Most copywriters operate the same way lawyers do, charging higher fees to clients with more money. Most "$30,000 copywriters" only pull that $30,000 fee for a handful of jobs a year. For the vast majority of their gigs they're pulling a few grand.
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  • Profile picture of the author max5ty
    Couple of the best ways I'd suggest:

    1. Become a copy cub for one of the copywriters that use them. You'll get projects to work on and also have a reference, and probably some good connections.

    2. Create your own product. Nothing says you know what you're doing better than a successful product. Once you get rich off your own product, chances are you'll just stick to being a one person wrecking machine...
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    • Profile picture of the author jamillard
      I'm also new to this forum but I've been writing for several years. Here's what I did to jump start my writing career.

      Start by checking out businesses on Manta. It is a huge business directory that lists businesses with serious marketing budgets. These are the types of companies that have the money to pay writers top dollars.

      Anyway, locate companies on Manta (you don't have to just stick to locale companies either) and then check out their website. See what they offer. In my experience, very few of these businesses outsource writing and even fewer have staff writers. They usually assign writing to some HR or marketing clerk as an extra duty.

      Using Manta, I've been able to get work writing web content for $0.25 per word and ad copy for $1 per word. I know that is a far cry from $30,000 per letter but it's a good starting rate when you are launching a writing business. After a few jobs, get some testimonials and you will be able to raise your rates.
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