The Client Letter
June 20, 2012
Sedona, Arizona
Sunny 61 degrees
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The “gold rush” is still going on for those of us in the client business. Here’s where you get your shovel.
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In the copywriting business, I basically encounter two types of clients.
- Type number 1 is the “clueless” client.
- Type number 2 is the “player” client.
Now please understand that by using the word “clueless,” I’m not saying that Type 1 clients are dumb. Far from it. I’m saying they’re not used to working with people in my industry. They might have no idea what a sales copywriter is and find someone jabbering away about cash sucking copy to be more boring than watching paint dry.
They don’t care about copywriting, per se, but they do care about what copywriting is capable of producing.
So if I stand there and talk about what a great copywriter I am, I’m going to lose them fast.
Type number 2 clients are different. They’re used to hiring and working with copywriters. They talk about response rates and headlines and leads and calls to action. Those are the “players.”
Again, they’re no smarter or more successful, they just understand the industry. They too are interested in the results that great copy can produce, but you can begin a conversation with them about copywriting because they’re used to talking about it.
Now think about your business. Do your clients fall into groupings like this? The reason I ask is because if you don’t custom tailor the discussion you have with a prospective client, then you run the risk of presenting your services in a way that won’t move them to action.
If I walk into a local dry cleaner and start talking about copywriting, they’re going to look at me like I’m nuts. But if I start talking about ways to double and triple their traffic or do the same to their average order size… now I have an interested prospect.
This is why you start off your client discussions by saying something like, “Why don’t you tell me about what you’re trying to achieve?” Getting good at the question asking thing can really transform your results almost overnight. Learn how to do it here.
Once you get that piece of information, you can custom tailor your approach so it fits like a glove for the goals your prospect has.