Interview with Bob Bly: How New Copywriters Can Land Clients

Great opportunity for a copywriter teacher to position himself/herself as the one who teaches
what's working now to get clients, rather than what used to work when the field was less competitive.

Best,
Ewen

Well, why don't YOU call him up, YOU interview him, YOU edit it and YOU share it for free?

Then you'll get answers to the questions you have.

This interview came out of Bob's blog post against prospecting calls. So I wanted to know what he recommended instead. No point in arguing with him about effectiveness or ineffectiveness of calling.

A post like yours devalues the time and effort I put in to get this interview.

Hardly anyone on this forum shares the content I do. Finding someone else's interview and linking to it is nothing like doing this.

As for magazines, people still read them. Older, more mature, experienced people. I spoke with Glenn Osborn, NLP copywriter, two years ago now--

and I want to break this out: he told me NO ONE ELSE had ever called him from WF, and he gave me well over an hour of his time and expertise

--and he recommended a strategy called "surfacing in the middle of the fleet." Comes from a german sub captain who sunk more tonnage in less time than any other. While is fellow captains slunk around the perimeter of the enemy convoy, running into destroyer patrols, he went under and popped up in the middle. No defense. Bang bang bang. Merchant ships all sunk.

IE. get an article published in a trade magazine your target market reads. Instant authority.

Could be a guest post on an authority blog, too. Things do work across technologies.

Maybe the call to action in your report needs improvement. Send it to me and I'll give you my feedback. (I see this a lot: "It didn't work for me, so it doesn't work at all." Well, I do things and they don't work. Facebook marketing was a huge flop for me. Does that mean it doesn't work? No. It means the way I went about it--right before they released advanced targeting--didn't work.)

And as long as you keep thinking of yourself as a 'nobody', you'll keep getting those results. Do you have something of value to share with others? Do you truly believe you can get results? Then it's your DUTY to get in front of people you can help.

When my schedule gets slow, which it does all too frequently, what do I do? Get marketing, prospecting, promoting...talking to new people.

Have you read his book: "World's Best Kept Copywriting Secrets"?

It seems you haven't so you're just belittling him as someone who's "not good enough" according to your standards. He has 35 years of copywriting work experience which says it all. His work is exemplary & if you're a professional copywriter, obviously you WILL respect his achievements because he went out to work with clients when there were none like him & did things that no one could think OF. He did not have such kind of support & training that we have today. He made it step by step & I salute him for the same. Is THIS A SMALL FEAT?

Content marketing is the buzz word today, why? Because it helps you to demonstrate what you know & do DIFFERENT THAN THE REST to expand what others want in their lives.

Believe me, a lot of people actually get a whole load of contracts - some even get million dollar contracts - because they use content marketing. You can use slideshare or scribd to get clients. It's a clean & neat way to prove yourself as an authority copywriter.

PR is the best way to be publicized fast & Bob recommended PRweb in the interview. Differentiate between spam & PRweb, will you?

You know, sending a mailed press release to magazines can actually result in a whole lot of business because they have a whole lot of advertisers who would like to place an ad in their magazine.

You're talking about joining groups - of course it's a great way because you become well-known as a professional by posting your inputs. I've seen him posting on LinkedIn regularly & he does it every time whenever he gets a chance.

Bob gets clients even today using networking on LinkedIn so do I have got inquiries in the past using the same medium. In fact, I have got clients from facebook & twitter in the past because I knew how to sell. Bob does all of this & more to get clients using LinkedIn -- I think he said he doesn't get clients from facebook, twitter, etc. He teaches stuff only what he preaches. I swear by his expertise.

Well, you attract clients - you don't chase clients. Everyone cannot be your client. Plus these aren't weak tactics -- these are well-proven to work time & again. If it doesn't work for you really doesn't define any other new copywriter's success rate. I beg to disagree with you totally. You got to position yourself STRONG - that's how your tactics become strong.

Thankfully, you appreciate something of him.

Maybe your offer sucked or maybe there could have some other factor which did not resulted in a sale for you but that doesn't necessarily mean that Bob is wrong in saying what works for him won't work for you if you know how to do it right.

Content marketing is less about marketing & more about the context of the content to prove your authority status in your respective field. You really don't have to promote your own self here. Your content will speak a lot for you. Did you hear the audio well? I doubt. He gives an example of a whitepaper written by Michael about whitepapers. The quality of content itself positions you as THE "professional writer" in your specialization.

What you're expecting a "shortcut" -- something that will make you money instantly -- like a shiny object or a golden egg or something like a magic golden bullet that you can bite. You're living in a fantasy -- come down to earth & face the reality to see that there's NO magic golden bullet that will make you a million dollars in no time -- something like a get-rich-real-quick-lottery kind of fantasy.

Bob said very aptly that you got to target Fortune 1000 companies, direct marketers & agencies alike who can afford to pay such money. Individuals can't afford to pay $1000-$25000 for a sales letter.

Secondly ...

Copywriting isn't for nobody's. If you're a nobody copywriter, no one would want to work with you because if you can't sell yourself well enough - you can't SELL your customers offers, products & ideas to his/her customers.

A copywriter is a salesman first, writer second. It looks like you're bad at selling.

You forget to follow through on what they say & then you keep whining about what doesn't work when you should be working on what really does work. Bob has done us copywriters a favor & we should be grateful for the same but you're being ungrateful for the simplest reason that you didn't "like" what Bob said because of your prejudiced beliefs against certain methods of getting clients.

See, at one point while listening to the interview Bob said "It's NOT THE way but 1 way to get clients." Plus he mentioned "PRweb" to do a press release blast which is way different than what you have said.

It's not what medium you use but it's how you market your services & implement your marketing strategy, to be honest, that results in MORE business.

I can bet you're not good at selling that's exactly why you're not satisfied with this interview. I'll tell you that you can even screw up things that others are good at, doesn't really mean what you find does not work is gospel truth. Many new copywriters reading this thread may get discouraged by what you're saying & hence I felt extremely sad that your discussion took it to whining about Bob having an "under-achiever" status which is completely false.

Joe, I think you missed out on a lot of GREAT ideas I guess. I am just being well-meaning & clarifying by saying that you got to make a shift in your perception. Rome was not built in a day nor success is achieved in a day by banging your head for shortcuts. The more you crave for shortcuts, the less you'll be successful. There is no such thing as shortcut to success -- all those who promise you'll get rich in no time are just looking to rip you off by taking away all your money.

Problem with most marketers is that they whine when others work towards achieving their goal. I was one of them in the past but I'd a reality check. You got to stick your butt out if you really want to make the money you want so desperately. I don't mean to be mean with you but I really think you got to improve on your goals & improvise on the methods which you use to get leads, sales & profits. I have succeeded from getting business because I am natural at selling. Persuasion, psychology, marketing, selling & promotion come naturally to me - that's what I am naturally gifted at. If you think you're, stop whining & get to work.

Jason, I'm deeply grateful & blessed that you took up this initiative with Bob to get answers to our questions, especially mine. It was wonderful of you to do so & record the interview while posting it out without an opt-in. Sure, you're awesome Jason! I thank you for doing this & this interview has surely changed my life in terms the amount of financial security & independence it will generate for me, my family, my siblings, my friends, my relatives, my well-wishers, society, my teachers & many many many well-meaning people.

PS. Joe, it's just a piece of advice -- Not an argument. Take it or leave it at that. Best of luck!

Well what the heck did you expect him to say????

I can't believe that people are so naive enough to think that there is some MAGICAL way to get clients.

It all boils down to

1. Using your copywriting skills to contact businesses with a great offer ( pick up a yellow pages to start, use the net ) this way you can actually DEMONSTRATE your ability to get people to take action

2. Using free and paid advertising

3. Networking/social sites

END OF STORY. There is no backdoor or building down the road that has a sign that says "CLIENTS WHO ARE HIDING FROM COPYWRITERS"

DO what all businesses do, get off your ass and go find them

Firstly, you don't appreciate the time, money AND effort we take to put great content that will help you directly.

Secondly, we were not mean on your face but said what we had to say in a gentle manner.

Thirdly, we didn't mean to put a label on you saying "my ass, you jerk". We didn't tag you. We didn't define you. We just told you what you are expecting -- a shiny magic golden bullet that will give you instant success -- which is impractical & lead you to nowhere. None of us disagreed on this point.

Fourthly, I still respect you & so do others. We perfectly understand where you're coming from & that's why we aren't getting 'personal'. You want instant success -- that's where you're coming from which is unrealistic.

Fifth, we don't use filthy language like 'egomaniacs' for others. Those who define others are originally defining themselves well enough.

Sixth, you fail to see our good intentions. Most importantly, you fail to read between the lines, listen to what we are saying, listen to the audio recording making your notes & implement it to test your results.

We don't label you nor blame you for what you're feeling & doing right now -- because it's not you but it's the 'get-rich-quick' influence you're so involved in which is talking all this BS. Sometimes we were there where you are right now so no blame game on that one. Now, back to my work - you'll learn only when you WILL fail.

Let's focus on what 'does' work - (you shiny little golden b*tch) LOL joking.

Best Of Luck Brother Joe. Bless you. I pray to god you become wealthy enough to see the true reality everyday. Abundance & Wealth.

Cheers!

Ronak.