An Insight Into Why Copywriting Prospects Skimp on Their Budget

13 years ago

This is a good topic to bring up. I think mentioning that the client needed to believe she could produce a high quality of work is what really hit the mark. Believe it or not, even with a rock solid guarantee, I've had people hesitate to invest in marketing. And for a long time it really confused me. They literally had NOTHING to lose - or so it seemed. What they were truly worried about was losing their own credibility. When faced with the opportunity to gain so much, they didn't have the necessary confidence in themselves, not me.

That's fine, frankly. Some people just aren't meant to be business owners, no disrespect intended. But calling it out like that, I think, is a way to not only touch on those fears but give prospects the extra "jolt" to get going. Definitely a better tip to use with new business owners, since established companies will take that as an insult (if they're already successful they obviously have some know-how), but very helpful to keep in mind for a hard sell.

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Mark Pescetti

13 years ago

Originally Posted by LauraKryza

This is a good topic to bring up. I think mentioning that the client needed to believe she could produce a high quality of work is what really hit the mark. Believe it or not, even with a rock solid guarantee, I've had people hesitate to invest in marketing. And for a long time it really confused me. They literally had NOTHING to lose - or so it seemed. What they were truly worried about was losing their own credibility. When faced with the opportunity to gain so much, they didn't have the necessary confidence in themselves, not me.

That's fine, frankly. Some people just aren't meant to be business owners, no disrespect intended. But calling it out like that, I think, is a way to not only touch on those fears but give prospects the extra "jolt" to get going. Definitely a better tip to use with new business owners, since established companies will take that as an insult (if they're already successful they obviously have some know-how), but very helpful to keep in mind for a hard sell.

Here's the thing Laura (and it's something that every copywriter should acknowledge

People cherish their hope.

It's something that keeps them excited to wake up and tackle life.

And when they hear they need to invest $1,000, $2,000, $3,000 or more to make their dream; their vision come alive...

...All the sudden, shi!t gets real.

And now they're questioning themselves: "Wow, can I REALLY do this? Or was I just fooling myself this whole time?"

They can't just play in the world of hope any more.

It's time to lay their cards down and show the world what kind of hand they've been holding this whole time.

And that scares them. Their comfort zones are being stretched at a rate that makes them feel totally without an equilibrium.

Of course...

You and I KNOW that's a GOOD thing.

After all...

You can't stay in your comfort zone AND become successful...

...they are two completely different states of being (or state of becoming, as I call it.)

And yes, this process is usually reserved for newbies, but definitely not exclusively.

As a copywriter...

You have the opportunity to voice this process and help them see the other side of their fear and discomfort.

Mark Pescetti

P.S. When I boxed, I went from being in front of crowds that were usually less than a thousand people to increasingly larger venues. The first time I ever had to walk through that curtain and see over 10,000 people looking at me, I was scared sh!tless. I was more worried about the crowd than my opponent. But when I took that step and dove into my discomfort, it dissolved and revealed all kinds of new potentials in my life.

Of course...

Winning the match didn't hurt.

P.P.S. Laura, you need to change your avatar pic. It makes me feel ugly. Seriously, I thought to myself, there's no way this is what she actually looks like. Then I went onto your website and saw... I was wrong.

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maximus242

13 years ago

Yup I think its absolutely true mark

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ThomasOMalley

13 years ago

More than half of the battle is actually targeting or attracting the right prospects.

Attract prospects who understand the power of copy and are willing to pay reasonable copywriting fees.

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shawnlebrun

13 years ago

Great, great post Mark, thank you for sharing this.

It should serve as inspiration for many copywriters here
that the only limiting blocks you put on you, your value,
and your services are the ones YOU place on yourself.

Your clients don't set your fees... you do. We're all
pros here, and we all deserve to be paid accordingly.

And Mark proved that... by showing the value the
client will be getting in return, his copy is still
a bargain.

Hell, Mark's lucky because rarely will you see and
hear this sort of breakthrough and actual mindset shift
with a client... and i think it's awesome.

The biggest reason I've seen for people looking for low
budget copywriters is simply because those are low
money-making businesses.

I can tell you that most businesses that are making
a decent amount of money KNOW how much a good
copywriter is worth.

my thoughts are, if you have to EDUCATE someone
on the need for good copy... they will not be a good
client.

one, you probably won't get the fees you deserve, and
two, they will bug you through most of the process.

the letters i've gotten paid $5,000 to $10,000 were some
of the best clients i've ever had the pleasure of working with.

the letters i used to write for $1,000 or less... those were the
most problem clients.

so, the clients who want you to write for so little... those
are the ones with "so-little" businesses, they have no
money to invest, and they can't see the big picture
of what great copy can do.

these days, i refuse to educate anyone on the need
for good copy. if they don't know that, i simply thank
them for their time, but say we're not a good fit.

i'd rather work with a small group of businesses who
"get" good copy... then write for a large group
of businesses that still aren't sure why they're
paying the copywriter so much.

small copy budget = small business and small
mindsets... they haven't really given much thought
to the big picture of their business... and how much
of a key role copy plays.

awesome post mark, and more importantly, awesome
job!

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Mark Pescetti

13 years ago

Originally Posted by shawnlebrun

the letters i've gotten paid $5,000 to $10,000 were some of the best clients i've ever had the pleasure of working with.

the letters i used to write for $1,000 or less... those were the
most problem clients.

I've always been totally fascinated by this process.

I've NEVER had a bad experience with clients who pay me $4,000 to $10,000.

EVER!

Higher paying clients come to the table with the kind of clarity (and confidence) that makes our collaboration extremely satisfying... and immensely profitable.

They know what they want, how to communicate their expectations and they're typically excellent at driving relevant traffic...

...thus maximizing conversions.

That being said...

I'm not taking the p!ss on lower paying clients.

Some of the most fun I have are with clients who have an almost contagious excitement about the financial possibilities they can create with their copy. (And lots of newer entrepreneurs have that vibe, because they haven't dealt with immense disappointment yet...)

But there is a learning curve for HOW to fully utilize converting copy.

And unfortunately...

That's where a lot of people (especially newbie entrepreneurs) fall WAY short.

On a psychological level...

The reason why people who pay less (i.e. less than $1,000) tend to become difficult clients is: It's NOT a small investment in their minds... and so they expect the world.

They want to milk their investment for all it's worth (and tons more) because they've got so much riding on the success of the copy.

And yes, they're struggling with massively lacking confidence about how good their solution (product or service) REALLY is... and whether their hope for such mind-blowing returns is realistic (in reality.)

Again though...

Not knowing the best ways to drive relevant traffic onto their website or sales letter makes a lot of entrepreneurs fail, when clients who have a more "abundant mindset" would make bank with the very same copy.

It's ALL mindset.

On a personal level...

I appreciate clean feeling experiences.

And yes...

Those types of client/copywriter relationships typically come from people who know what their product or service is worth, beyond ANY show of doubt... and go out and make sh!t happen.

Great insight Shawn! (And maybe I took it somewhere different. But I had to think about your post for a couple of days before I wrote a response...)

Mark Pescetti

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JakeDaly 13 years ago

Great thread, Mark! Keep 'em comin'
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JohnASees

13 years ago

It is all about perceptions isn't it?

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Raydal

13 years ago

A copywriter's fee can seem scary to a person who cannot
see past that fee. The client is not sure that he would recoup
his investment and the risk seems high.

I had a client who I did a letter for about 8 years ago and
the $2,500 fee was scary until he pulled in over $21,000
the first week the copy went live. Needless to say, I didn't
have to sell my fees the second time a round. The last
3 years he made over $3 Million from his online business,
but he still talks about how scared he was sending me that
initial money.

So the ideal client is the one who has been there and done
that and understand business and risk. To work with new
entrepreneurs takes some persuasion that they can make
back a lot more that they are paying you.

On a personal level, I don't bother to persuade a prospect
anymore. If he barks at me fees then I simply run in the
opposite direction. I'm getting too old in this business to
sell the importance and value of my skills. If you get it, then
get me, if not, try someone else.

-Ray Edwards

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Bigfoot1

13 years ago

Copywriting is something no one can afford to skimp on.

Its also why I am trying to learn copywriting. Until I master writing great copy by myself I'll be hiring professional copywriters to do the work for me. Its something that brings massive returns.

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laurencewins

13 years ago

That is an amazing simple yet powerful piece of advice. It's no wonder that you guys are copywriters and I am still "just" a writer." I learn each day.

May I share that story with my readers? So they understand the difference between writing and copywriting as well as the other lessons? I will give you full credit of course.

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Cheers, Laurence.
Writer/Editor/Proofreader.

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SpikeS

13 years ago

Brilliant. and well done on the results.

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TheWrightWords

13 years ago

Great post, thanks! I've found that clients sometimes just don't know how much something "should" cost if it is actually going to work. I had one recently that I write blogs for (in the $100/500 words range, so they understand quality and are willing to pay for it) ask about a salesletter. Her impression was that it "should" cost about $300-500, since it was a "little" more work than the blogs. I actually cracked up -- we were on the phone -- and explained why a salesletter is different. She really just didn't know, and we came to an agreement on price. I wish I had read your explanation first, though, it was definitely applicable in this case

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power88

12 years ago

A person in any sort of business can't become successful without really good copywriting. And yet most seem to want to get a great copywriter and copy with all the bells and whistles for next to nothing. Those people are simply not good businesspeople and will not be successful. I simply avoid them. And they're easy to spot. Just about everyone who asks for a quote falls into that category. And they always put the least amount of money possible down as a budget. I sometimes don't even send them a quote.

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Mark Pescetti

12 years ago

A person's Money Talk is a HUGE part of the pre-qualifying process.

It doesn't matter if they find you on here (the WF,) get reffered to you by a client you've already produced for, Adwords, Craigslist, etc...

...If your prospects don't speak the same Money Language as you do, there's no reason to move forward (unless you want to take the time to educate them.)

But in terms of some basic pre-qualifying steps every copywrter should take (IMO)...

Use your website or WF thread to throw up a lot of boundaries.

The people who respect you for being specific about the working conditions you excel in will love you for it.

Everyone else will get triggered.

Those are the people you don't want to collaborate with.

Mark

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marciayudkin

12 years ago

I've had people hesitate to invest in marketing. And for a long time it really confused me. They literally had NOTHING to lose - or so it seemed.

Literally had nothing to lose? Of course they had something to lose. They could lose the whole amount they invested in copywriting or marketing. Most of the people who have this fear have also had that experience - of spending money on marketing without any return whatsoever.

An important point here is that you're using the phrase "invest in marketing." Many business owners don't have that concept. They think of marketing as an expense, not an investment.

When something is an expense, it need not bring you any returns at all. For example, it's really hard to think of my electric bill or printer cartridges as an investment. Peculiar as it may seem to you, the people you are talking about put marketing and copywriting into that category. They have to be educated to see marketing as an investment.

Of course, you may choose to work only with those who already have the concept of marketing as an investment. That might be the smartest decision. But I think this distinction explains at least part of the hesitancy to spend money on marketing.

Marcia Yudkin

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Mark Pescetti

12 years ago

Originally Posted by marciayudkin

Literally had nothing to lose? Of course they had something to lose. They could lose the whole amount they invested in copywriting or marketing. Most of the people who have this fear have also had that experience - of spending money on marketing without any return whatsoever.

An important point here is that you're using the phrase "invest in marketing." Many business owners don't have that concept. They think of marketing as an expense, not an investment.

When something is an expense, it need not bring you any returns at all. For example, it's really hard to think of my electric bill or printer cartridges as an investment. Peculiar as it may seem to you, the people you are talking about put marketing and copywriting into that category. They have to be educated to see marketing as an investment.

Of course, you may choose to work only with those who already have the concept of marketing as an investment. That might be the smartest decision. But I think this distinction explains at least part of the hesitancy to spend money on marketing.

Marcia Yudkin

Yes. Yes. Yes!

And when that critical shift from spending to investing does take place, it changes a person's whole attitude.

It changes the way you look at your entire life (if you let it.)

Good, vibrant, healthy food is an investment. (Without spectacular health, you can't make money. However, the better your health is, physically AND emotionally, the more money you can potentially make.)

Getting away or quick vacations are an investment. (Embracing the freedom oriented lifestyle you want, even when you're just starting out in IM, allows you to experience what wealth means.)

Your bills are an invesment. (Your electricity, internet, water, cable, cell phone bills, etc., give you the ability to run your business. Looking at them as an expense is counter-productive; they empower you to make more money - on your time and dime.)

The point is...

Spending comes from the mindset that money is inherently limited.

That's just not true.

It's unlimited.

And when you (and your clients/potential clients) look at everything as an investment, your perspective totally shifts.

As a copywriter...

I don't take people's money - unless they're excited and passionate about investing in the potential of making inifinitely more money by engaging and collaborating in my services.

If I have to be blunt about this shift, I am. And I have fun communicating it.

And if there is that hesitance to move forward - working with me or any copywriter - I always look at the objection as an chance to really help people explore and adopt the REAL entrepreneurial attitude. Because once a client really immerses him or herself in the investment mentality, money-making ideas and opportunities pop up everywhere.

Mark

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An Insight Into Why Copywriting Prospects Skimp on Their Budget

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