Wealth Attraction for Copywriters: The Difference Between Good Writing and Writing that Sells

One of the most common mistakes people make when hiring copywriters is thinking that good writing is sufficient for selling...nothing could be further from the truth. It’s possible to be a VERY good writer and to create copy which hardly sells or doesn’t sell at all...and FEW people can even tell the difference between the two. I hear people say it all the time: “I can get the same thing from ____ copywriter for MUCH less than what you’re charging.” Yes, this might sound like a reasonable statement...that is until you consider the “same thing” statement.

However, the difference becomes painfully obvious when you publish or mail out your sales letter, only to find that the results it brings in are minimal. In this article I’ll be talking about how you can spot a copywriter who can create writing that sells. All it takes is a few basic questions...

First, Do They Have Direct Marketing or Sales Experience?

This is HUGE when you’re considering whether to invest in a copywriter’s services. If you examine all the big name copywriters: Dan Kennedy, Bob Bly, John Carlton etc...you’ll find that they all have one thing in common. All of them have prior experience selling. In other words, they are salespeople FIRST, writers second. So what if someone has a degree in English or in Jou
alism or if they can write stuff that LOOKS great? If they have no experience selling, you’re taking a chance and when you’re hiring someone to create your income stream, you really can’t afford to gamble on someone who doesn’t know sales.

Do They Demonstrate Knowledge of Sales and Marketing?
You can tell more about how capable a copywriter is at creating writing that sells by the writer’s behaviours when you’re interviewing them or discussing a project. Do they have questions and suggestions which demonstrate that they understand the sales process? I’m not talking about writers who simple email you a questionnaire...anyone can get a hold of one of those and make it look like they know what they’re talking about. Actually talk to your copywriter on the phone (or skype) and see if they actually have the mind of a marketer. If they do not, seriously consider walking.

Do They Know The Value of Their Services?

Good copywriters are never cheap. If they are, you have to wonder why they’re agreeing to work for chump change, in spite of the fact that their job is to make you more money than you spend on them. However, you don’t want to fall prey to a copywriter who simply charges a lot to make themselves look more valuable....so do this: ask them to lower their rates. If they do it without a fight or without selling you on the value of their services, they’re most likely not as valuable as the rate they first quoted. A copywriter who is confident in their ability to get you customers won’t fold when you question their rate.

So look for these three things, and don’t be fooled by “good writing,” what you want is writing that equals money in your pocket, everything else is just a theory.