Reality Copywriting: "In My Country We Call This Scam"

Ecolumn - Tuesday, February 20, 2007

“In My Country We Call This Scam”

I received this email today with the subject line you just read above. It was in response to the message I sent out on Friday titled "Only Two and a Half Grand For One-Page of Writing."

Here's the content of the email...

"What a scam! Either you're scamming your list telling them they can make $2,500 writing a one page ad OR Shaune's teaching them how to scam hard-working business owners into paying out big money for a measily $2,500 ad. How do you sleep at night?"

How do I sleep? Well, I usually do some stretching exercises for 15 minutes, followed by meditation. Then I fluff my pillow. I close the blinds and the drapes... That's the secret really: Making sure the room is real dark. Darkness enables your brain to secrete melatonin which helps us go into a deep sleep.

So that's how I sleep at night.

Now regarding the first part of your email...

This is not a scam in either of the ways that you suggest. I understand that some people slave away at minimum wage jobs (done it myself) and don't even make $2,500 in an entire month (I was making $1,300). I understand that coming from that

perspective it may seem "unfair."

Well, it just so happens that certain skills are more valuable than others. Anybody can run a cash register -- well, actually, I wasn't so proficient at that. Only a few know how to (in the case of doctors) save lives, (in the case of musicians and actors) entertain and (in the case of copywriters) make money by writing words.

These skills are more valuable than serving Coke and fries.

Writing a good direct-response ad isn't like flipping hamburgers. It can take a good 10, 20 or even 40 hours to put together an effective ad -- albeit only one page of content.

That said, here's why it's not a scam even if it only took ten minutes...

One good ad or sales letter for a business can easily produce tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars in sales.

Let's say you write a direct-response ad to place in the newspaper promoting a chiropractor.

Every time that ad runs the chiropractor gets FIVE new patients.

It cost $3,000 to run the ad.

Each patient pays about $2,000 over the next 12 months. And then an average of $5,000 total over the next ten years (at $45 an adjustment). That's a $7,000 total lifetime value per new patient.

Alright, now you made, with just that ONE ad, printed ONE time...

... $7,000 x 5 = $35,000 less the cost of printing the ad = $32,000.

Let's say the chiropractor prints that ad EVERY month.

$32,000 x 12 month = $96,000

Let's say he keeps on using that ad for 5 years...

$96,000 x 5 years = $480,000

Now let's say each of those new patients that ad brought in, brought in one referral...

$480,000 x 2 = $960,000

Alright, now, does a $2,500 price tag still sound like a lot?

Does it sound like Kathy was scamming her client?

If anything, it sounds like the client was scamming Kathy.

If you know how to write an ad that produces more than it costs to print... a sales letter that brings in more money that the expense to mail... or a website that brings in more revenue than it costs to send traffic to... then people will be extremely happy to pay you $2,500, $5,000 even $10,000 plus a royalty.

It's not a scam. It's called BUSINESS. It's a good thing. Keeps mouths fed.

So, if you want to know how to track down clients who will HAPPILY pay you four-figures for 400 words, then email Shaune while there is still some room in his coaching program...

shaune@dynamicresponsemarketing.com

If you have no copywriting experience yet, I'd recommend you master the basic skills ASAP. Best place to get good fast is here...

www.realitycopywriting.com/master_the_skill

Capture, captivate, convert!

John A. Manley

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