Okay, I'm coming out with a new product I'll be rolling out shortly.

What I'm looking for is anyone here (or if you know someone) who writes copy on par with what they charge.

I'm NOT looking for the A-list copywriters as I already know who they are. I'm looking for decent up and coming copywriters who I can feel comfortable recommending to people who buy my product.

I'm looking for copywriters who can be hired to work with people who don't have the A-list budgets.

So if you charge anwhere from $1,000 to $10,000 for a letter or in that range please let me know... and it might get you quite a bit of business.

Obviously, I don't expect world class at that rate... but I do expect the equivelant of what you charge. If you don't understand then read John Carlton's recent blog post.

Post your link or PM me with samples or something so I can look over your work to make sure you can "walk the walk".

Thanks

Hey Vince.

If it's possible it would be helpful if you could tell us what
niche or niches you want copywriters for.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

While I would like to know more about what niche or niches you are seeking writers for, I charge within the range you specified, and would love to be considered. Email me at james@jamesmpalmer.com

Thanks,

James

I'll second what Andrew said.

Knowing what the niche and the product/service to be sold are, can be a big help.

Top-quality copywriters won't just take the job to collect a paycheck. They will pick the jobs that they feel they can write a winner for their client. They won't write copy for subjects they don't know, don't understand, or don't want to learn about.

That's why I turn down about 70% of the project offers that come my way. If it's a topic that I don't know well -- or want to learn about -- then I won't take the project.

Also, what do you mean by rolling out "shortly"? When are you looking to launch the product?

Most of the real good copywriters I know, including me, don't have instant openings because they're already busy writing copy for other clients.

Hope that helps,

Mike

Bingo you gotta give some notice man. 6 Months or so is ideal.

Also you have to sell the copywriter on the project. Good copywriters have a virtually unlimited amount of people willing to work with them. Its the one missing ingredient for all direct marketing businesses.

Products are a dime a dozen, regular writers, seo guys, programmers, those people can be found by throwing a rock in any direction.

But a copywriter who can sell your product like gang busters is one of the rarest creatures to walk this earth.

You see, the thing most people dont understand is how much effort goes into writing GOOD copy. While amateurs may spend a few hours writing copy and charge you a couple hundred bucks - the pros can spend weeks even months working on sales copy.

Gary Bencivenga easily could go through 20+ revisions which could work out to say 3 months of writing. Naturally, once this was done, he made more money than he could count in royalties - but you get the point.

There is researching, writing and polishing, all of which take up a tremendous amount of time and energy. I write around 700 bullets for every book I do a sales letter for. Out of those 700 - only about 100 or so will be used in the final copy. So that means I write SEVEN TIMES more than what you actually see in the final copy. Thats a lot of work.

On average I will write 139 headlines in the beginning. Then I will sit down and really work them over until I have a headline that is so eyeball sucking, so in your face - cant turn away that you cannot possibly do anything but read the deck copy.

To do all of this, you spend hours upon hours upon hours writing over and over again until it reaches a point of perfection. How many writers are willing to do this? Very few, most want to sit down, write an ad and collect their cheque for 10 grand. But it just doesnt work that way.

Consistently beating controls and creating winners that make cash is so much damn work. Personally I only write for myself and my friends who own businesses because they cant find anyone.

With a 5% conversion rate (not all that difficult to achieve) on a $39.95 product with an average cpc of 0.20 cents that means huge money.

Figure it out.

5 sales out of 100 visitors.

5 x 39.95 = $199.97

0.20 x 100 visitors = $20

So 199.97 - $20 = $179.97 Profit

Now lets say you get 10,000 visitors per month. Being conservative of course.

Since you make $179.97 per 100 visitors (this does not include having an upsell, downsell or cross sell or autoresponder follow up)

We can just go 10,000 / 100 = 100

So 100 x $179.97 = $17,997 Profit Per Month X 12 Months = $215,964 A Year!

When you put things into perspective you are really paying someone $5,000 for $215,964... which means... You are really Buying Money At A Discount!

Of course, none of this matters if you dont get a 5% conversion rate. Oddly enough sometimes I offer a guarantee to give a certain conversion rate (provided the traffic is targeted and the offer is good) and that I will not rest until that conversion rate is achieved.

Naturally I get a royalty plus upfront fee. When you can make this much money for people you can get away with charging the same things too.

Hi Vince,please let me know the niches for which you want copy to be written.I'll PM you some of my samples once I know this.Thanks.

Yep, it'd help greatly if you reveal the niche. There are some niches I prefer not to write copy for.

You raise some very good points--and this one in particular has become very true for me.

Granted, I'm acquiring skills that allow me to understand any market more deeply from the target audience's perspective--but when I'm personally enthusiastic and gung ho about a product...wowza!

Thanks for the replies, but I guess I didn't make myself clear the first time.

Here is what is going on.

I am putting together an info product for the biz-op market. In it I will be going over copywriting briefly. I will point people to either...

1. Learn how to write copy themselves... or...
2. Point them to some decent copywriters they can hire that are within their budget.

I do not write copy for others, and even if I were to... I am out of most people's price range.

So let me make this clear...

I AM NOT HIRING A COPYWRITER...

All I want is a few copywriters I feel comfortable recommending to others who will need them. I do not want to send people to a crappy copywriter though (hence that is why I want to make sure they are competent).

So there is not a specific market. The writing is not for me.

If you would like me to list you in my product recommending you as a copywriter then let me know... as well as what price range you charge and what market you will/won't write for, etc.

Andrew and Mike Humphreys... I know you guys are competent, but I don't know what your price range is and I am not sure what all niches you specilize in.

So anyone who would like me to send them traffic... let me know.

Moving on...

There are a couple other things I can't help but comment on...

1. Yes, good copywriters generally need a decent amount of heads up. Instant opening is usually a bad sign.

But... 6 months is stretching it a bit for 98% of copywriters out there. There are very few booked out that far in advance... or at least not booked solid that far in advance.

Just noting that there are a few copywriters who are taking the positioning angle a little extreme. It might work on someone who isn't familiiar with copywriters, but I know some are "flexing the truth" when they say a certain thing.

Not pointing fingers, just observations from being a member here for some time. Which also makes me giggle when some people position themselves that way after asking... "how do I get business". You know who you are.

Onward...

One last thing.

As an experienced marketer and copywriter... there are a few things that I interpret when I read some of the posts. This is meant to be constructive criticism, so I hope you take it as such.

When a copywriter tells me that copy is EVERYTHING and the product, list, and all else is nothing... it tells me a couple things:

1. You don't have much experience marketing. The copy is NOT the most important thing to the success of a business or a promotion. Yes, it's undeniably important, but it is not the end all. If it was then hiring John Carlton would be all anyone would ever need to do.

Getting back... it tells me that you don't know how everything goes together in the big picture. I understand the need for people to not take you lightly, but every experienced marketer here will tell you that the copy is not everything.

So telling me it is everything and everything else is shat... tells me what stage you are at in development.

2. By also saying everything else is shat and you are the only thing important, you really come across as a diva. I woudn't want to work with a copywriter who is the next Mariah Carey.

It's not a good way to start a potential relationship.

Anyway, if anyone would like to have me include them in my product, let me know. Thanks

I'd just like to clarify... what you're offering is a way of getting more traffic?

In which case, the niche is irrelevant.

Also, I like what you said about the copy not being the most important thing-- I used to think it was but that was pretty early on, and it was more due to ignorance than anything else.

And, as you say, it's a very arrogant stance to take for any copywriter.

I won't be going for this but only because I've decided to work on my own products and not because my diary is chocabloc full of clients.

Whatever it is you're working on, good luck... and I can see this being a good thing for any copywriter who takes you up on your offer.