Hello,

I am earnestly trying to put together a very plain yet effective web page that will explain what I do.

I do not have testimonials to post yet. I have sent some letters around, and gotten a couple of calls for work so this is a big step for me. So basic is what I am trying to perfect at the time.

Does this seem sufficent or should I try something else? I am new to copy writing, and I tell you it is a lot harder then anything I have ever done before, but it is definitly worth it.

Thanks for your time, and advice.

April

www.aprilswordssell.com

Hi April,

Don't be plain damn it! You should go for it with your web copy or you are selling yourself short. Robert Ringer says "leap frog" your competition. Don't be shy about what you think you can do for clients:

Sit down and develop a USP for yourself. Every benefit, selling technique, marketers you've studied etc. etc. then construct a sales letter and put THAT on your website.

Read your first sentence. Do you notice a major spelling error? I do. Copywriters CAN't make those mistakes when selling themselves.

Don't be afraid of longer copy. I appreciate your desire to be simple but try to think of it as being 'sparing' not simple. I too wish to avoid being all hype but you can acheive a strong web page with more words

-Peace

April,
Not trying to "dog" you, so please forgive my bluntness here.

I found numerous spelling and punctuation errors in at least half of your sales page.

It definitely wouldn't hurt for you to take a basic writing class at your local community college.

Please don't embarrass yourself or the copywriting community by selling your copywriting services (yet).

My advice -- Learn the basics of writing first.

Hi April

A website to sell your services should be a sales letter just like you would use for any other product or service...

You need to work out exactly what the hungry market you're sellling to is.

Niche yourself tight...

You need to have a GREAT offer...

Define why your service is unique...

Have a great headline, body copy, call to action, PS etc etc.

If you really want to be a copywriter keep working on the basics - the rewards are high once you master them.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

Freelance Online Copywriter[/url]

April,
Read what Jane has to say in this thread:
http://www.copywritersboard.com/viewtopic.php?t=2265

Her post says it all.

I'll say one thing.

I started my professional writing career at the age of 15 - and I'm now 39...

April has a MUCH better chance of becoming a successful paid copywriter than many of the visitors for one simple reason...

She's willing to DO something and put herself on the line.

That's how you learn FAST.

Sure the writing is bad, the offer is non-existant, the copy is awful.

But she's got it up on the web.

That's more than 95% of people will ever do.

KEEP working at it.

Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly until you can do it well.

You're not doing the copywriting profession a disservice.

Serious clients will just look elsewhere.

I think your first point of call should be www.thegaryhalbertletter.com

Read every newsletter there.

Then go to www.hardtofindads.com and write out by hand any of the salesletters by Brian Keith Voiles or Gary Halbert.

One a day.

And go out and sell something one on one to real live people.

Within a year or two you'll be a good enough copywriter to be worth 2 -10 times what the average salaried person makes.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

I agree with Stephen (ooooerrrr missus!)

I see what you're saying Andrew, and taking action is obviously paramount. On the other hand, I don't believe in giving people false hope.

I once knew a girl who desperately wanted to be a professional singer. She had a nice sound to her voice, but couldn't sing in tune to save her life. Everyone knew that she'd been abused as a child, so they kept making allowances for her, and were frankly, quite patronising. All these well-meaning people kept encouraging her to pursue her ambition of a singing career, but I thought it was ultimately cruel.

Could she have learnt to sing in tune? I don't know, because I didn't understand how she didn't already know that she was out of tune.

It comes down to this - can some things be taught, or are they inherent talents? People excel when they do what they're good at and what they enjoy. It's quite hard to enjoy doing something you're no good at (although this is not always the case).

I'm not very good at putting together flat-pack furniture, although I have done it and succeeded - I was very slow and would not relish the challenge again. I'm quite good at accounting, but I don't enjoy it, so do not have the motivation to learn or excel. I could have had a career in it, but I would've been bored out of my brain.

I never thought I was much of a writer, and in fact preferred pretty much any subject at school that DIDN'T involve writing essays or reading. I preferred the analytical disciplines, which seems quite useful in a marketing context. However, I seem to have developed some knack for writing which means that I could become a great copywriter if I really wanted to. Not sure that I do want to though.

I probably should have been a lawyer. But then again, lawyers can make formidable copywriters.

Point of which long and tedious explanation is that inherent talent can be nurtured and provides a foundation to build on. Where there is no inherent talent, the student may reach the dizzying heights of mediocrity, but will likely hit a brick wall beyond which they cannot progress.

I found that out in the first year of a chemistry degree - I didn't really have a mind that assimilated that information easily, and I didn't enjoy the subject either. Law, French, Marketing, Psychology, Politics, Market research, statistics, accounting, management studies etc - I could do standing on my head in a bucket of water. Went to virtually no lectures in year 2, and still passed everything except my achilles heel - economics (failed the same exam twice).

Also, to be a good speaker, writer, lawyer, politician, comedian and any other occupation that involves delivering a message to an audience, you have to love drama, words and language.

So the question is this:

1) April - do you enjoy writing? Do you love the english language? Do you love delivering a point through words, or taking your readers on a journey?

2) Do you have any reason to suppose that you would become good at writing, if only you learnt and practised more? (Perhaps you're already good, but are not fulling expressing yourself in what you've already written)

Hope that's useful,
Jane

I really, and truly appreciate every single comment you all have made on my web site. Writing is a great passion of mine, and I only stumbled upon copywriting about a year ago. I will say it has been more difficult then I imagined. For me to sell ono on one to someone is easy however for me putting it on paper has been the challenge.

So reading as well as studying have become my new bestfriends. I am a bit rusty with my grammer, spelling, and punctuation. I am aware of that too, and I am working on that.

Your advice is very helpful as well as encouraging thank you again. I will keep trying, because I feel things that come the hardest are the best things for you.


Thanks Again,

April