If you’ve been in business more than a day, you’ve probably figured out that success happens when you can get inside the head of your market and find out what really makes them tick. And what makes them buy.

That’s what freelance copywriters do. They specialize in knowing (or figuring out) what makes your market buy. And then they direct their words at those hot buttons.

So why not use the same idea and apply it directly to your dealings with your copywriter? Wouldn’t it help to know what makes them tick?

Because the more you understand about copywriters, the more value you will be able to get from the money you invest in their services.

So let’s jump in. Here are 27 things your copywriter is probably thinking. I know, because I’ve thought most of them.

1. You don’t like it? Could you be a little more specific?

2. No, it takes me more than a day to write a letter that will help you bring in thousands of dollars of business.

3. I hope this client has a product worth selling. I hope he’s done the research to create a product someone actually wants.

4. It’s gonna take sending out more than one letter to make a million bucks.

5. Yes, even though I’m writing this promotion for you, it could fail. It’s a little like baseball. Hitting 3 out of 10 will make you wealthy and famous.

6. No, simply telling them you are “the only source for all their needs” doesn’t make it so. You have to prove it.

7. I know it doesn’t look like I’m working. I’m thinking. That’s what you’re really paying me for.

8. When does it end? You mean the marketing? It doesn’t end. Thinking that it does end is what created this problem in the first place.

9. Just because you need it yesterday doesn’t mean I can write it that fast.

10. I hope this works.

11. You know, despite what it looks like when I sit and stare at the wall for hours at a time, this is hard work.

12. How much? No, that won’t really work for me.

13. I know that 98% of the people that got the letter threw it away. But that’s good!

14. Well, I’m not sure why it didn’t work. Have you ever sold one of these before?

15. You don’t have any testimonials from satisfied customers?

16. You don’t have a list of your customers?

17. I hope he likes it.

18. But what makes your business unique? Different from every other business you’re competing with? You haven’t thought about that…?

19. How can I tell him (politely) that he doesn’t know what he’s doing?

20. You can’t have cheap, good AND fast. Please pick two.

21. I know the executive committee doesn’t like it, but that’s not the point. The point is to sell your customers. Only your customers need to like it.

22. This guy is sitting on a goldmine and he doesn’t even know it. This is going to be fun.

23. I know it makes you uncomfortable to stick out. But that’s the point.

24. You are not your market!

25. I know you don’t like the headline. But if you change the headline so that you’re comfortable with it, no one is going to read your promotion.

26. You thought it wouldn’t work so you didn’t even mail the letter?

27. I really hope this turns out. I know I can create better results the longer I work with a client. I hope he thinks the same thing.

Of course, not every freelance copywriter is thinking these things. But that’s not the point.

The point is, the more aware you are of what your copywriter is thinking, the better you can help them reach the goal: and that is to make you more money.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 6th, 2008 at 2:43 am and is filed under Working with a Copywriter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.