Why Copywriters Should Never Pursue Clients

Your best chance for making money is to avoid this marketing mistake I had to learn the hard way

Sunday a business owner I had been chasing years ago when I was starting out approached me. He hadn't hired me back then. Now his business is struggling, near the brink of going under. He is working more than ever and earning less than ever.

Though those who followed my advice have seen continued increases in their businesses, the only things that have increased for him are his gray hairs and the unnecessary stress in his life.

I could easily end this article here with, "I told you so," and then move on to something else...but I won't...

The reason I'm writing this is because something he asked me on Sunday made my head spin. He smugly asked if I was still involved in the image advertising business.

What?!?

I could feel my head start to tighten. That vein in the center of my forehead that pops out when I'm angry was throbbing like a high pressure water hose with a kink in it.

Where did I go wrong? What did I ever say or do to make him think I was involved with image advertising? Did he not read any of my newsletters I sent him? Did he not read the sequence of sales letters I sent to him explaining how to increase his sales and eliminate marketing guesswork? Did he not read any of the articles on my site or in my blogs?

Nope.

He assumed image advertising in his own mind, without actually reading anything. And that is why he avoided my follow calls too.

This encounter drove home even deeper for me how important it is to choose very carefully the clients you pursue. I think it was Dan Kennedy and John Carlton who both said only choose clients who are already doing some form of direct response marketing, regardless of industry.

The ideal client is one who doesn't need me. They can do the work themselves and their businesses are thriving. The reason they hire outside help is to save time, gain a third-party perspective, and to lighten their load. For them, it isn't a case of not knowing what I do.

Anyhow, I'm glad I had stopped chasing this business owner two years ago. Big waste of time and resources.

Oh, would you believe, though his business is failing, he's still going to continue doing what isn't working, 'because he's been at it so long it eventually has to pay off'? Talk about stupidity!

I think it was Einstein who said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting to eventually get a different result.

He's insane. But I'm not. I'll never pursue a person or business that isn't already involved in some form of direct response marketing.

If you are in a business that pursues clients, even indirectly, I urge you not to chase anyone who doesn't already do for themselves what you do either. You'll lose your mind!

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