Andrew,

Thank you for sharing your experience. You made several important points that are sometimes scorned and stomped on by prominent copywriters and copywriting coaches.

I quite agree with this:

This is my experience, too, and not just for web sites but also for things like seminar promotions or ads where seminars are a primary means of bringing in prospects. And yet I know of one copywriting coach who adamantly tells students to stay away from local business owners as clients. I also agree that business owners are easy to work with.

One thing I'll add to your point is that you cannot walk into the office of a small to medium sized business owner, tell them you are a copywriter and expect them to understand. They don't think in terms of "copy." You need to talk to them in terms of increasing their leads or sales. This they understand.

For some reason, this is a hard point for people who feel personally invested in becoming a "copywriter" to get. But it's a crucial one.

Marcia Yudkin

Excellent point, Marcia. We tend to forget that those outside of our little world have no idea what a "copywriter does." People say, "Oh, like trademarks and stuff?"

Best to describe yourself to the laymen as a "marketing specialist," with a specific field thrown on the front like, "Internet" or "Direct Response." Although even DR may require some explaination.

Hi Marcia,

Thank you for your feedback and you're right about
telling business owners you're a copywriter.

In the report at the link below I give instructions on exactly
how to talk to business owners.

First I would strongly suggest you don't waste your time telling
local business owners you're a copywriter at all.

They don't know what a copywriter is and just using that
term displays your complete lack of concern about helping
them.

Most business owners know they need an "online presence" and
they're very eager to make some of that money that other people
seem to be making on that "interweb thang".

If they don't have a website then you can just talk about
the potential of adding internet marketing to their business/marketing
mix.

Then you charge them for putting a website up for them.

A simple, low cost hands off solution for them and a few days work
for you where you get paid $1,000 to $2,500 for setting up a website
with a good lead generating sales page (use a real live phone number
as a call to action).

You can also charge an ongoing monthly fee for keeping
the website active (as a web designer would).

If they already have a website you can talk about some of the
more advanced strategies they can use to improve their sales
and follow up process.

For example using an email autoresponder to capture emails and
follow up on clients and/or prospects.

If you've already set up a website for a business owner you can
offer these more advanced services and charge the owner for
each new addition.

The beauty of this is that the business owner makes more sales
and profit out of each improvement you make to his online marketing
and is more inclined to hire you over and over.

One of the reasons it's very easy to charge $1,000 to $2,500+ for
setting up a website for a business owner is because it's also
very easy to help that same owner make an extra $200 to $1,000+
in sales in a week.

If it's a business with a high transaction value like selling
cars, home improvements, pools or spas etc etc then making just
one extra sale might bring in several thousand dollars profit for
the owner.

So what do you call yourself when you talk to business owners?

Try an "internet marketing consultant".

Or a "direct response web designer".

And when you talk to business owners focus in on finding out
where their sales and profits are coming from and how you can
use online marketing to help them increase those sales and
profits and improve their follow up procedures.

If you're bright you'll also see ways to improve their offline
marketing too.

And as you get more clients, if you're really bright, you'll start
setting up endorsed mailings where one of your clients recommends
the products or services of another client.

You can charge a fee for all of these services.

But it really does start with just talking to local business owners.

I know you copywriters are going to think "I'm going to set up a
mailing campaign to entice them to hire me" etc etc etc.

If you want a really effective mailing campaign (where you don't
blow your money) you need to know your best prospects.

And the quickest way to get to know who will hire you and what
their hot buttons are is to go talk to some business owners
one on one.

It costs nothing and you'll make money.

In fact once you realize how the majority of business owners are
over the moon to be talking to anyone who genuinely knows something
about marketing (and especially online marketing) you'll find this
very easy to do.

Just walk into a business, get into a casual conversation with the
owner where you ask him questions about his online marketing and
you'll see what I mean.

It can even be a business you visit already (it works even better if
you're a customer).

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

Hi Creative Fossil,

Since you asked for my feedback on your plan.

"I will design sales letter, and mail or hand deliver it to practices and local PCT's etc with informtion re this new service in their area. I will do personal practice visits and perhaps offer first 500 words free. I will work within their practice budget. As an ex PM, I understand their needs and will traget them accordingly."

Really you're making this a whole lot more complicated than it needs to be.

My suggestion would be:

GO TALK TO SOME PRACTICE MANAGERS TODAY!

You could whip up a one page letter explaining what you do and why they should hire
you but that personal contact will get you work and it's likely to get you work fast.

By going in and talking to real, live prospects you'll also discover what their real
objections are and learn how to answer them effectively (and adjust your business
model based on the real market instead of theory).

You've already been involved in the industry so you shouldn't have any trouble
relating to your prospects.

And you can go in very low key "I'm hoping you can help me out. I was a practice manager myself and I'd like to run an idea by you that should save you a whole lot of time and headaches. What I'd really like is your feedback."

Something along those lines should get them open to listening to you.

You simply don't need to be more complicated than this.

If you get objections you don't have an answer for on the spot you can say
"Thank you so much for bringing that up. That's exactly the kind of feedback
I was looking for. If I give that some thought and come up with a good answer
to that would it be alright if I ask for your feedback again?"

I know it can be scary talking to people but after a couple of days doing this
I'm sure you'll find it's actually fun.

And I'm also pretty certain a well spoken lady like yourself should be
picking up real work probably the first day out, almost certainly within
the first week.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

P.S.
"(In ten years time, when I am asked how it all began, I shall say with a thread on CW board by cartoonman )"

That's really sweet but...

If you read the sales letter for my report you'll notice the list of people who've made real money often their first day talking to business owners.

I wrote the original post and report because I know what it's like to struggle and I also know now how unnecessary that struggle really is.

I don't want any credit and I'm sure Michel doesn't either. What we want is for you to start making some money from your skills preferably this week or even today.

Go talk to some of those practice managers.

PM's don't get any say in this type of thing and as I was one of the best in the biz (and intend to promote myself as such) they'd see me as an immediate threat.

It's the Gp partners I need to speak to and they are short on time, don't like impromptu visits etc. They are also very particular re who they hire from outside so a proffessional approach but informal personal manner is imperative. I know these guys intimately! I hired and fired them as well as working for them.

So I would approach via letter of introduction first. I would include offer of free informal face to face consultation in the letter. I know how to ensure that letter gets to their desks, past secretary Insider knowledge.

Note: Another reason why powerful letter is important is that presently they do not hire people to do this work, they do it themselves or their PM does it. What I need to sell them on is 'time'.

Meanwhile my post here:

I have recruited an accountant, proof reader and got myself a company name to trade under.All courtesy of family member

So the product will include : cw and proof reader.

Not sure how I will find time to do this, eBooks, supply content to two articles sites and complete my student TA course while being FT mum, but I'll find a way!

Thanks for the feedback and advice cartoonman, I'm gonna look over it again now!

Meanwhile credit where credit is due re this thread, a tiny thing can set the ball rolling for someone.

I started writing for example due to an online forum bickering match I had with a cyber scientist pal of mine. He was a mod and kept deleting my posts which contradicted his so I set up a blog, made my post then posted link on the forum! That was how this writing malarky got started! One online forum debate (HIV conspiracy of all things).

Tiny seeds can grow into giant trees but one should never forget where that seed came from! The tree is never more important than the seed.

"So I would approach via letter of introduction first. I would include offer of free informal face to face consultation in the letter. I know how to ensure that letter gets to their desks, past secretary Insider knowledge.

"Note: Another reason why powerful letter is important is that presently they do not hire people to do this work, they do it themselves or their PM does it. What I need to sell them on is 'time'."


Is there any reason at all you can't get some of these letters out today?

Also I'm guessing you're going to have to follow up on these letters with phone calls
if you want to get a reasonable number of appointments.

Expecting a busy medical professional to call you even if they think it's a good idea
is probably being unrealistic.

In fact I have experience in this exact area and I can tell you they won't call
but most will be very positive if you call them after you send a letter outlining
what you do and how it can benefit them.

My observation is that most people will engage in "busy work" that leads nowhere
instead of getting out and doing the few key things required to get real business.

Also I'd give some serious thought to approaching practice owners you might
already know and getting them to refer you to other practice owners.

Getting them to call their friends on the phone while you're there is the quickest
way. Next best is probably creating a referral letter for them that they can sign.

You don't know if this business idea will work until you've actually got out in
the market and sold your services so that really should be your first step.

Who do you know already who might hire you or give you referrals on the
spot?

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

yes

It's 8pm and I have 5 articles to write before bed.
Tomorrow I have an assignment for college to write
Midweek I have work, college,kids

I will not have the time to do any full time work (if I get some) until December 08, so I shall spend the time in between laying the foundations, completing existing projects and fine tuning my approach as possibly seeking small projects in this area.

I am not actually worried about the 'getting work' part. I know this field, I know the people, I know how to get in. The reason I haven't done it before is time and the fact I'd like to do something more creative.

But your thread here made me aware, that I can earn a decent income doing this perhaps PT, allowing me to focus on other projects, but if you read my 'secret' thread you'll understand why it's impossible I accept work right this second.

I have had my own businesses before (shop and a franchise) as well as running other people's, and I do like to have every corner covered first, that's just my way.

This project will succeed if I approach it and the Docs right so I need to make sure those first contacts are spot on. So I won't be rushing it. I want to work locally so can't risk c*cking up a single contact.
Word of mouth is everything in a small networked community.

The most common trait of successful business people and
sales people is "Speed of implementation"...how fast you go
from coming up with a new idea and put it into action.

This is a great video on the subject:

YouTube - Get Altitude - Speed Of Implementation Contest (full)

And a post:
Copywriting: Why Some People Get Rich Online FAST...

When you don't immediately implement an idea you already
know what happens.

The idea sounds less sexy a few days later and after a few
weeks you've forgotten about it altogether.

The problem is some of the ideas you get are really, really valuable...often
many times more valuable than the work you're doing that "gets in the way"
of implementing new ideas.

I've worked with many very wealthy business owners.

Most don't plan or prepare when they get a great new idea they just
charge right in and see what happens.

I have seen many people get very wealthy with this approach.

I also know quite a few people who are still "planning" some great business
idea months or years after getting it.

I've yet to see anyone who does this actually become successful with it
(although I'm open to the possibility it might happen some day).

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

I agree, momentum is everything, but wheels are in motion. I would be an idiot to gain work I don't physically have time to do. No one wins in that situation.

I have never failed at a business project and don't intend to start now.

Here's a free 44 page report readers of this thread may find helpful
if you decide to sell your internet marketing/web design
services to businesses in your local area...
http://www.copywriting1.com/OfflineGoldForumThread.pdf

Ultimately you just have to go talk to business owners.

I have a long list of people who've made good money
doing this...often on their first day out.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh