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The Copywrighting Process..

by SurrealPSD
12 replies
Hey guys,

I launched a product last year, and produced the sales page / copy myself. It has performed moderately well, but I haven't run any tests, tweaks or iterations to improve performance (see sig link).

I'm looking to work with a copywriter to assist me in improving the conversion rate for the product, but I've never commissioned a service like this before. How does the process work?

I fully appreciate there are different tiers to a skilled service like this, I'm hoping I can afford a competent copywriter - I know the guys at the top end of the game have crazy rates, and rightfully so

Any feedback will be truly appreciated

Conzz
#copywrighting #process
  • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
    Originally Posted by SurrealPSD View Post

    Hey guys,

    I launched a product last year, and produced the sales page / copy myself. It has performed moderately well, but I haven't run any tests, tweaks or iterations to improve performance (see sig link).

    I'm looking to work with a copywriter to assist me in improving the conversion rate for the product, but I've never commissioned a service like this before. How does the process work?

    I fully appreciate there are different tiers to a skilled service like this, I'm hoping I can afford a competent copywriter - I know the guys at the top end of the game have crazy rates, and rightfully so

    Any feedback will be truly appreciated

    Conzz
    Conzz, most copywriters and the top trainers of copywriters
    and conversion rate experts miss this, and that is to maximize
    the profit from every visitor to customer.

    You do it through a whole funnel.

    Starting from the right free offer, the low dollar offer,
    the upsell on purchase, product line extension and
    automatic messages going out when they do and don't
    take an action every step of the way.

    Having this all in place is going to outperform
    even the best copywriter working in one area
    or a conversion rate expert doing his thing.

    Best,
    Ewen
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  • Profile picture of the author shawnlebrun
    Originally Posted by SurrealPSD View Post

    Hey guys,

    I launched a product last year, and produced the sales page / copy myself. It has performed moderately well, but I haven't run any tests, tweaks or iterations to improve performance (see sig link).

    I'm looking to work with a copywriter to assist me in improving the conversion rate for the product, but I've never commissioned a service like this before. How does the process work?

    I fully appreciate there are different tiers to a skilled service like this, I'm hoping I can afford a competent copywriter - I know the guys at the top end of the game have crazy rates, and rightfully so

    Any feedback will be truly appreciated

    Conzz
    A lot of success will come from your traffic... whether it's as targeted as it can be.

    Then, if I were you, I'd start testing out the lead/intro... and try out a few different headlines.

    In tests I've done with my copy, I've seen just a change in the headline double and triple sales.

    There's no reason you can't try testing out a few things while you find yourself a writer who can advise on some other things.

    A few of your bigger problems are... your lead/intro/headline is too boring and dry. No "end result benefits".

    You'll also want to move your testimonials from the bottom and show them off a bit sooner, helps with proof.

    Even though your market is visual, your header is way too big... it takes up most of the fold... yet doesn't really offer the reader much in the way of benefit.

    Check out this site... and see what they are doing...

    Trick Photography and Special Effects by Evan Sharboneau

    They are doing very well and have been at the top of Clickbank for years.
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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 SurrealPSD
    The Copywriting board never lets me down, thanks so much guys - both comments make perfect sense, and are phenomenally helpful.

    The traffic comes mainly from my free tutorial site SurrealPSD.com

    In regards to the Trick Photography product you referenced, it's crazy that it's doing so well - I sincerely believe I have a superior product (I am biased though!!)..

    I should get this thing moving, by the looks of things, this is a huge opportunity for 2014.
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    Master the Art of Photo Manipulation
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    • Profile picture of the author shawnlebrun
      Originally Posted by SurrealPSD View Post


      I sincerely believe I have a superior product (I am biased though!!)..
      You MAY indeed have a superior product... but it's the company with better marketing that typically wins.

      Back when I first start writing for my fitness biz back in 2001... I remember emailing Bill Phillips and actually getting a response!

      And he said something that has stuck with me for the past 13 years...

      "The money is in the marketing"

      So, just remember that you may indeed have the better product... but the better marketing is what puts the product in peoples' hands.

      In the past 13 years of doing this, I've probably consulted with over 600 copy clients.

      The funny thing is, almost every single one of them all said they had the best product.

      Yet... when they came to me, most said their sales were nothing.

      So, just remember that the product is just step one... the real work comes after that.
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      • Profile picture of the author SurrealPSD
        Yup, I'll have to agree with you wholeheartedly on that.

        I'm going to get Google Experiments fired up and start testing.. I know that you should only tweak one element at a time to gather accurate data, but how many (eg. headline) variants should I test at one time? eg. have two competing headlines - or maybe three or more?

        I really appreciate your time, thanks so much,



        Originally Posted by shawnlebrun View Post

        You MAY indeed have a superior product... but it's the company with better marketing that typically wins.

        Back when I first start writing for my fitness biz back in 2001... I remember emailing Bill Phillips and actually getting a response!

        And he said something that has stuck with me for the past 13 years...

        "The money is in the marketing"

        So, just remember that you may indeed have the better product... but the better marketing is what puts the product in peoples' hands.
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        Master the Art of Photo Manipulation
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    • Profile picture of the author Tim R
      Originally Posted by SurrealPSD View Post

      In regards to the Trick Photography product you referenced, it's crazy that it's doing so well - I sincerely believe I have a superior product (I am biased though!!)..
      I saw the Trick Photography site a few months ago, and even though I only have a casual interest in photography, I was interested in the product.

      The thing that site does really well is it makes cool, artsy photos sound achievable for the everyday photographer. It goes to lengths to point out that you don't need to know Photoshop to take photos just like the ones shown.

      By contrast, your product sounds like it has a really steep learning curve. And if I don't already know Photoshop or want to invest serious time to learn it, your product loses me straight away.

      That's fine, if you're only going after industry pros. But you'll never compete with the other product as it has a much broader appeal and targets a wider market.

      All of your testimonials are from graphic designers and photographers, which just confirms that this is only for specialists. Trick Photography has testimonials from what sounds like everyday people, which makes me think I could get the same results too.

      Not to mention that your product is nearly double the price.

      So if you see yourself as being in competition with Trick Photography I think you need to rethink who you are trying to appeal to.

      Tim.
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  • Profile picture of the author SurrealPSD
    To add..

    I just found an insightful article, outlining a process I may use a template for my own tests. Some of the other readers may find it helpful:

    5 Landing Page Headline Formulas Tested | Unbounce
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  • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
    Also: Test that first picture with something of equal or greater caliber. Also, test that picture with various captions like "Learn to create stunning images like this in just minutes!"

    - Rick Duris
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    • Profile picture of the author MikeHumphreys
      Focus on nailing these 3 things down:

      1. Targeting the right audience (a.k.a. target market)
      2. Making them a compelling offer
      3. Use compelling sales copy.

      One option to improve your sales copy is to hire a top-notch copywriter to do a paid critique of your existing salesletter. They will point out all of the things that you need to change, improve, or fix in your existing salesletter.

      You've gotten some solid advice in this thread so far which I'll second. Let me offer one more suggestion: Your website header is ho-hum.

      If I compare it to some of your examples on the page... well, they are awesome. If your target prospects can't see something of equal quality for your header, a good number of them are going to click and leave.

      In other words... if someone comes to your website and the first thing they see is your graphic header...

      Are they saying "Holy smokes! That's awesome!"?

      If they aren't, then replace it with something that will cause that reaction.

      Hope that helps,

      Mike
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      Kick-A$$ Eight-Figure Producing Copywriting Gun For Hire | Marketing & Copywriting Blog
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  • Profile picture of the author Ricardo Furtado
    Fantastic advice given. Thanks for sharing guys.
    All the best. Regards.
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    Ricardo Furtado

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  • Profile picture of the author SurrealPSD
    Originally Posted by Tim R View Post

    The thing that site does really well is it makes cool, artsy photos sound achievable for the everyday photographer. It goes to lengths to point out that you don't need to know Photoshop to take photos just like the ones shown.

    Trick Photography has testimonials from what sounds like everyday people, which makes me think I could get the same results too.
    Tim, I think you're right on the money there!! I'll definitely bring in testimonials from the many non-professionals who have found success with the product, and change the value proposition to something with a much wider appeal. Thanks so much.

    Originally Posted by MikeHumphreys View Post

    Focus on nailing these 3 things down:

    1. Targeting the right audience (a.k.a. target market)
    2. Making them a compelling offer
    3. Use compelling sales copy.

    Your website header is ho-hum.

    If I compare it to some of your examples on the page... well, they are awesome. If your target prospects can't see something of equal quality for your header, a good number of them are going to click and leave.

    In other words... if someone comes to your website and the first thing they see is your graphic header...

    Are they saying "Holy smokes! That's awesome!"?

    If they aren't, then replace it with something that will cause that reaction.

    Hope that helps,

    Mike
    I'll get right on that Mike, add a LOT more wow factor above the fold. Incredibly helpful, thanks so much everyone that has commented
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  • Profile picture of the author JonMills
    Originally Posted by SurrealPSD View Post

    Hey guys,

    I launched a product last year, and produced the sales page / copy myself. It has performed moderately well, but I haven't run any tests, tweaks or iterations to improve performance (see sig link).

    I'm looking to work with a copywriter to assist me in improving the conversion rate for the product, but I've never commissioned a service like this before. How does the process work?

    I fully appreciate there are different tiers to a skilled service like this, I'm hoping I can afford a competent copywriter - I know the guys at the top end of the game have crazy rates, and rightfully so

    Any feedback will be truly appreciated

    Conzz
    Well first, be sure that it's the COPY that is not performing and not your marketing.

    I don't know how many times I tell clients this.

    If your product or service isn't selling. It doesn't always mean it's the sales copy.

    It could be your lack of social proof
    It could be your pricing ( you haven't looked at the market )
    It could be the product or service
    It could be your source of traffic
    It could be your crappy marketing

    Hell there are a lot of things it could be. Unless you know your market like the back of your hand and are split testing you are going to make judgement calls and spin your wheels endlessly.

    Conversion rates don't mean crap. For two reasons...

    1. Most folks haven't a bloody clue how to accurately track conversion rates.

    2. You could take two companies selling similar products with the same copy but different price and see a higher conversion rate on the low priced product than the high priced product but the low priced product brings in less profit. i.e The high priced product doesn't sell as many but they outperform in profit

    The goal shouldn't be conversion rates, it should be profit.
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