Recently I had a client who is very successful in her business hire me, or so I thought, to write some sales copy for her. She has amazing products and already has an amazing website. Her branding is coming along nicely…. I have no doubt she will make alot of money with her products.
When I began to work with her however the situation became UNWORKABLE. What do I mean by that? Well let’s just say she needs to hire someone else to write her copy.
As I was working to do her website sales copy, that she wanted me to edit, she was constantly telling me what she knew, or didn’t know about copy. Well in a round about way. A confusing way.
“I have HEARD that you should do this.
I have HEARD that you should do that.
Well you are the expert and I’ll do whatever you want or think is best that is why I am hiring you but I have HEARD that you should probably do this and it’s so confusing to me”
This is how the conversation went. AROUND and around the dove tail we went. Around the circle… around and around.
Kind of reminds me of when I first began coaching with Dani Johnson. www.danijohnson.com Let’s just say I was a royal pain in the butt! ( this client is not, but I have to say I was!) Dani was hired to help me to MASTER, become the best, to be the PRO at prospecting and closing. As she began to coach me I would argue with her…. when she would ask me if I wanted to learn or if I wanted to just give her my opinion of what I thought would work- I always said I wanted to be the best. I wanted to learn.
There were many times Dani would ask me, “Sandi, have you made a million dollars prospecting and closing yet. ” I have in internet marketing and I have in sales copy in my kitchenware store, yes. But on the phone with a prospect, doing a cold lead that came thru a radio call- no. I had never done that. So! You see that while I might have had some experience and even expertise in some areas, I had no expertise in the areas I had hired Dani to coach me in.
Long story short, I was very teachable, I did exactly what she told me to do. I did not question, I did not ask why or what for. I figured if I fail her methods suck and I can continue broke. NOTHING lost. But guess what. It worked. I got a 95% closing ratio with cold leads on the phone in under 16 months. I broke international sales records- and EVEN outpaced my original sponsor, Tom Challan. I love Tom but I became good competition for him.
When I was always comparing what I did online with what Dani was doing on the phone… I got confused.
When I did exactly what Dani did to succeed on the phone, I was SUCCESSFUL! HUGELY! 1/2 million dollars.
THEN…… when I went to school to be a professional copywriter lets just say it’s been amazing! Has paid me 5x what my investment was! In under 8 months.
So…. back to my client.
I believe she will do amazing…. I think she needs to rework her sales copy. Not being the only person who has told her that.. ( she has had 6 other copywriters give her tips and suggestions)….I know my opinion is not one sided.
However the lesson is this. When you hire a copywriter, unless you have had SUCCESS in writing sales copy…. give them a chance to succeed for you already.
I guarantee what I write. But if someone is always going to have me give them my education, validate why we do things, explain everything I do…. it’s not worth the time or the headache.
When you hire a copywriter, let them write! You prepare for sales.
This client of mine and I went our seperate ways. I pray she gets someone to rewrite her copy. She deserves the best!
But if she doesn’t let a copywriter do what they do best without requiring an understanding of everything in the process….. she’ll most likely be where she is today a year from now.
To your success!
Sandi
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