Say you wanted Double Chocolate Fudge ice cream, but the ice cream folks kept handing a single scoop of Mango Fruity Bubblegum across the counter.
You’d leave and go where you got to pick the flavor, right?
So why do so many copywriters passively let the universe pick their clients for them — when they should be actively picking their own?
The Part Where I Take My Own Advice
I’ve long told my readers to pick their own clients — that waiting for clients to pick you renders your copywriting career about half as gratifying as it could be.
And no, I’m not talking about the basic marketing activities everyone does.
Instead, I’m talking about targeted pitches, where you pick the clients, projects (or causes) that interest you, and then pitch them. In a rare example of me taking my own advice, that’s exactly what I’ve done.
How? (I lay out a six-point plan for pitching higher-value clients in this post.)
Once again, I’m firing up my favorite foot-in-the-door tactic; the lumpy mailer. I covered it in some detail in this post, but in simplest terms, I’m defining a short list of high-value prospects, and sending something fun and three dimensional (in this case, a toy).
It’s Fun. It’s Affordable. And It Works.
The lumpy mailer is designed to stand apart in a pile of mail (it’s a parcel, after all), and once opened, it delivers a fun, short, powerful message (via a drop card attached to the toy).
In this case, I sent two clients wind up chattering teeth (communications being the common thread), and customized the message for each client.
The goal here isn’t instant success. It’s to open the prospect’s door to a pitch, softening them up so my phone call isn’t a cold call.
And yes, it almost always works.
That’s not to say I always close the deal; the prospect may have little interest in what I’m offering. But the lumpy mailer demonstrates interest, creativity and yes — that I’m fun to work with.
It’s Working
The score so far? Excellent. My highest priority target received the mailer last Thursday, and sent a very promising email over the weekend (I’d planned to call this week, but now don’t have to). We meet in two weeks.
I called the recipient of the other mailer, who immediately recognized me (Oh yeah, you’re the chattering teeth marketing guy.")
While their budget doesn’t include the project I pitched, I was asked to get back in touch in two months, when the new budget would be drawn up.
Sure, the dance has just begun, but at least I’m out on the dance floor. And yes, I’ll share my upcoming lumpy mailer results with you (including the results of my engagement marketing project pitch in two weeks).
The moral? Pick your client and projects instead of letting them pick you. Years from now, you may not be any richer, but you will be a lot happier.
Keep pitching, Tom Chandler.
@Tom – I like the spare, thoughtful and fun approach. It also puts the writer, at least on the surface, in some sort of control of the process. In problematic times, a little bit of control can translate into a whole lotta sanity.
Hey Tom,
Great post — I followed the links to find out more about the “lumpy mailer” and I’m impressed!
One thing that you don’t underline specifically is that the lumpy mailer needs to be a parcel, not an item stuffed into an envelope.
One of my clients sent me a logoed pen and a Post-It note pad I had helped produce in an envelope, and it simply got shredded. The remains were put into a plastic bag, which was then put into larger USPS cardboard mailer with a note attached apologizing for the mishap… Some of the Post-It notes survived, but I never did see that pen!
I can’t imagine that this would give a good impression to your prospects if your chattering teeth showed up with a hockey player grin.
~Graham
Roberta: Good point, though any sense of control is probably illusory. Still, I cling to illusions about as well as anyone, so…
Graham: A client just shipped a lumpy mailer consisting of a silk-screened unbreakable mirror, and we used a heavily padded envelope.
Whatever’s appropriate for the job at hand, I say (I’d also say the envelope wasn’t too good a choice for a pen).
Parcels and Fedex/Priority style boxes do add a little urgency to the deal, and the US Post Office offers free Priority Mail shipping boxes to those using Priority status, which isn’t a bad deal.
Tom – I like lumpy mailers, and have used them before, but not to sell personal services/consulting which is really what we are doing. Unfortunately, the perception is out there that if you are a consultant looking for work, you can’t be very good. There are ways that you can ‘look for work’ without appearing to do so. Here are two tips that I will share with you that have really worked well for me.
1.Like most marketing people, I actually open all my junk mail to get a sense of what people are sending. Once in a while I see something that is ok, but can be greatly improved, which is almost EVERYTHING. I have written a letter to some of them, telling them that if they just did a few things, they could improve their conversion and sales rate dramatically. I also tell them that I’d love to help them, but I’m not sure that I have any time to do this as my schedule is full and that retaining me requires substantial investment, with a corresponding increase in ROI.
I have gotten many responses to this, and have landed a few whoppers. If you make yourself hard to get, the perception is that you must be real good, and people want you more.
2. I have also done a variant of this with the people looking for copywriters on Craigslist.com. As you know, they are almost always bottom feeders, but occasionally I see an ad for a copywriter, and they say they are paying $15 an hour. I send back a reply saying that they need to beware of any copywriter who is willing to work for $15 an hour, because they would lack the skill and experience to turn their ideas into success. Then I go on like the previous example, telling them I am too busy to help, and that working with me requires substantial investment, blah, blah, blah. I always get a response! Sometimes it’s unprintable…..but sometimes they say “Please call me as soon as possible at this number so we can discuss. My largest account came to me this way.
This is all about positioning yourself in the marketplace. The concept of ‘taking it away’ and being hard to get can always work in your favor.
Dave Simon
Dave: I’m afraid I have to disagree, and I have a sense we’re playing in different markets.
Professionals market themselves all the time, and no prospect has ever said they aren’t interested in me simply because I’m interested in them.
And the real objective here — that you should target the dream clients you want to work for — isn’t really achievable when you’re cruising Craiglist or responding to companies who have already demonstrated bad decision-making skills in the marketing arena.
I like lumpy mailers because they’re one of the best ways to seek a specific client in a specific space — in a way that suggests:
You’ve studied their company
Know their market
Understand their issues
Can offer them new ideas (often the clincher in today’s fast-changing marketing landscape)
Fallon-McElligott — the pre-eminent “creative” ad agency in the 80s — used outrageous lumpy mailers to win agency reviews and new clients; they once parked a WWII tank in front of a lawn care company with a banner saying “We’ll do whatever it takes to protect your turf”.
All marketing should be objective driven, and my objective is to target specific organizations and pitch them specific projects. The lumpy mailer serves that purpose (and eliminates a potentially irritating cold call).
It’s good to hear your tactics work for you, but they don’t serve me well when I’m targeting specific clients.
@Tom/Dave – Considering how much self-promotion I’ve seen from Bob Bly lately, I’m wondering if he’s been using your same model, Dave
I’m curious — anyone know the reaction the lawn care company had to the marketing agency parking a 10-ton tank on their showcase lawn?
lol,
~Graham
The got the account in 1986 (might have been Fallon-McElligott-Rice by then), then lost it in the early 90s. About par for a national brand back then.
It was in the parking lot, and the banner was on a flagpole stuck down the barrel, though I wonder if — instead of the “protect your turf” headline — something like “Or Else” wouldn’t have been just as effective.
I wonder if they brought in a second one after they got the account. You know, just to say “tanks”…
(somebody stop me)
~Graham
“(somebody stop me)”
If you were within reach, I would…
Tom – I notice you disagree with me….and that’s good! A little controversy makes for a great blog that more people will want to read. You can’t just get ‘attaboys’ and have a any fun!
Seriously, I like your posts (and the Mavens) and your rss feeds are some of the first thing I see when I log on in the morning.
Me, I’m more of the shock and offend kind of guy! I know that this doesn’t work for everybody, and I have to blame it on my admiration for Dan Kennedy, who has made arrogance almost an art form. I have attended several of his seminars, and it is through him that I got interested in copywriting over 10 years ago. I truly believe one of his quotes, “Arrogance magnetically attract more than it repels”, and I have seen it in action many times.
Anyway, I mean no offense to you, and I truly enjoy your blog. Cheers!
Dave Simon
Dave: No offense taken, and I’m all for discussion.
After all, if your methods work for you, then I’m sure my readers want to hear it. I was trying to point out they aren’t a good fit with my post’s point that you want to pick your clients if possible.
Hi TOm,
Great post indeed! And I like the engaging discussion in the commnet section; its a great learning.
I’m branching out on my own with a 10 yr experience in copywriting and never looked beyond agency’ purview; and suddenly this thought struck me to be on my own. I’m literally struggling to get some good clients and really really want to work with some good and professional clients. I think I missed a lot here, and I’ll learn more from you!
Thank you so much!
I take clients that are genuinely interested in my services out to have food or tea. This Chinese style of making deals lets you get to know your customer better and lets you get an idea of if they are serious or not.
Alicia: Good tactic, though hard when your clients are worldwide.
Indeed, who isn’t up for a nice cup of tea and some sandwiches. But like Tom says, that’s not going to work if your customers are world wide (unless you want lots of air ticket bills). I use Skype, most of the time i can talk and even see my clients for free using it. Its a fairly popular chat tool. I think its better than a telephone call because you can have more casual chats and talk more frequently.
Tom – good point. I haven’t dabbled with Skype much (my very-rural broadband throughput is often sketchy). Interestingly, I haven’t done well getting most of my clients to use IM tools, and I don’t know that Skype will prove any easier.
Skype is excellent. It doesn’t matter if your client has it or not. You can make international calls to landline/mobiles for cheap rates. All you need is mic and headphones.
The success of using Skype depends heavily on the culture. In some cultures using Skype can seem unprofessional to businesses/clients, like in the UK, a telephone call is considered more professional and memorable than a chat message.
In China though, Skype is a big hit with major companies and is the standard for many internal/external communications.
I prefer the traditional meet and eat method for pitching to clients, meet on neutral ground, dress smartly and be confident. Make it relaxed and a bit casual but maintain your professionalism.
Louise: Good points. I’ve stayed away just because my rural broadband connection is often dicey, which raises the “professionalism” issue you brought up.