Hello, guys!

I promised myself to stay away from this board and rely more on my own judgement. But I am still trying hard to get things off the ground, and it's been awfully difficult to get clients.

Most people express some initial interest in my services and then disappear. Each time I follow up, they say they don't have anything for me right now, but will surely keep me in mind.

To make things worse, I lost a prospect by requesting payment upfront (it was a very small amount - just $550).

I am not giving up. No, way! But is it possible that I am doing something wrong?? One marketing guru maintains that it takes up to 27 follow ups with your prospects just to get the ball rolling. Please, come up with some upbeat remarks for a new "kid on the block." (No, I am not a kid. But I am new to copywriting and still struggling...)

Angie

Angie there are so many things that could be derailing you I would hate to even guess what parts of your marketing plan are going haywire.

I'm don't even know if you're doing copywriting, article writing or both.

As far as the $550 goes-- Everyone's perception of how "big" or "small" that number is different. I wouldn't consider that to be a small amount. And I sure as heck wouldn't prepay any contractor in full for services not performed (yet). They get 50% down and the rest upon the successful completion of the project.

There are some folks on this board that can demand full payment upfront. But I think those are copywriters that have some experience and are dealing with customers that they've either dealt with before or the customer at least knows of the copywriter.

But for you to walk into "Joe's Widget's & More" and expect payment upfront and in full from someone that has never dealt with you before and they can't even Google your name and find glowing things about you on the net-- Well I don't think that dog will hunt.

And one other thing...

Getting clients isn't a piece of cake. It takes a lot of time and effort IF you aren't willing to spend the money on marketing tools to make the job easier.

And clients that truly understand copywriting and will respect your position aren't quite as rare as the Doh-Doh Bird, but you won't find them on every street corner either.

Angie...

Chin up... you can't hit homeruns if you don't keep swinging a the ball.

As for clients who won't pay up front, you could try saying that you "usually" get payment up front, but since you 2 have never worked together before you can understand his/her apprension. So you'll (just for this project) accept half up front and half on first draft delivery.

If you do this, make sure you're comfortable with only receiving that first half. Some clients (especially the cheapos) will disappear and never pay you the second half.

I don't know anything about 27 followups... I've never gotten a clients that didn't follow up with me instead of vice versa.

I understand this anti-upfront payment argument but there is such a prevalence of clients who sit on projects forever, and then take a month or more to pay the balance...that upfront payment seems like the only viable option.

I am prospecting to a company right now that did not blink when I said I wanted it all upfront.

I think you should test the upfront payment policy first before dissing it.

Test. Test. Test.

This is a reasonable compromise. I could live with this if someone were super apprehensive.

Waiting until the end of the project for balance is something I have developed a severe allergy to. It can put you in financial straits...

Angie

I was beating the hell out of myself until I discovered this board. But I quickly discovered that my biggest mistake was in thinking that most business people value copywriting, marketing, advertising etc

You'd think it was a ready made relationship, right?

Pay attention to what the highly successful copywriters on here are doing.

They've developed niches, they stick to direct response (where the money is), and they develop their own products so they won't have to deal with client agita.

It's become quite apparent to me that conventional freelance copywriting is NOT lucrative for most copywriters. Unless you fall into a situation where you have a client or two that uses you on a regular basis. Other than that...pfffft

Start paying attention to other people's business endeavors on here. They are doing some amazing stuff....

Interestingly, I was going to charge 50/50.
But after visiting this board and seeing some copywriters brag about getting $3K - $10K upfront, I decided to follow into their footsteps. And as a result, fell flat on my stomach. Now I cannot get that client out of my head. They might never contact me again. I feel like crying...

On the one hand (and we have discussed it before), $550 is a very small amount, especially by NY standards. And they do not know that I am a rookie!

On the other hand, new clients are hard to come. An extra $550 on my bank account could not hurt. I could have spent it on new Louis Vitton shoes!

PS: Michael, as a writer I would like to work on different types of projects, ranging from by-lined articles to direct mail packages. Just answering your question.

Angie

Suzanne,

I find myself always agreeing with you. We are definitely on the same page here.

Article writing is a lot of work, just like writing sales letters or direct mail packages. You interview executives, do a lot of research, write, edit, refine your copy until it sparkles like a diamond.
And then end up waiting for weeks until you get your "lousy" $250 - the remaining amount. pfffft !!

Angie

article writing is bread and butter money for the Bonbon Set. In other words, don't do it unless you can afford to (and love doing it).



You need to rethink that.

Angie,

First thing you need to realize is that not everyone on this board is going to tell you the God's honest truth about everything. Many posts concerning rates, incomes and sales need to be taken with a grain of salt.

As you gain more business experience you'll find the art of exaggeration to be alive and well within the field of marketing.

Secondly I still don't think $550 is a small amount. I think that has to do more with a person's upbringing and their perspective on money rather than where they live.

And I still think being a "generalist" writer won't do your income any favors but again to each his or her own as long as you're happy doing what you do-- that's the important thing.