THE CHIX RECOMMEND

Wing into Spring in style! (Nearly) all the Chix's awesome resources are a whopping 50 percent off. Details here.

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Hey Fellow Writer,

We've been busy beavers this spring attempting to keep up with the flow of freelance work coursing our way. I hope you've got a ton of work lined up as well. We hear whisperings of tough economic times but so far, none of us has been deeply affected by this so-called bad news.

That's probably because when economies tighten, people who know how to market get in more demand.

We hope you've sharpened your marketing chops so you can cash in on this new wave of marketing oportunities. If your marketing skills are in need of some polishing, just sit tight and read ahead. Donna's got a great article on just that subject coming up.

Also, we've got some great teleseminars lined up to help you get your keyboard humming as well.

Our “Wing into Spring” 50 percent discount on (nearly) all our products is in full swing. If you've had your eye on one of our valuable resources... Elements of Persuasion, Building a Coaching and Consulting Biz, The Business of Freelance Writing Copywriting Contracts: The Good, Bad, and Ugly, and How to Get All the Business You Can Handle. 

This month, Donna's on tap to provide insight into a little-known secret of top copywriters.

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Fellow Writer,

How would you like to learn a simple strategy that practically guarantees the success of your copy? 
 
It's one that's used by just about every successful copywriter I know -- no matter how savvy or experienced they are. 
 
It's a copy chief.  
 
As you know, writing can be a lonely business. We're often 'too close' to a project and it's hard to look at our work objectively. That's where a copy chief comes in. Taking advantage of the services of a copy chief is almost always a good idea -- whether you are a newbie to the business or a writing veteran.  

Having a copy chief can mean the difference between copy that scores a B+ or one that becomes an A+ control. He or she can spot where your copy drags, which transitions don't work, or help you craft a more compelling headline and offer. They'll suggest where you may need to provide a different focus, or offer ideas for sidebars that can make your package more compelling than before.  
 
Most of the top names in the business hire anywhere from 1 to 5 writers of varying experience levels. These writers edit the package, offer feedback, rewrite headlines, or even provide alternate leads. Other times, copy chiefs are hired to offer input before you hand in a Creative Platform and Headline Concepts to your client.

On my bigger projects, I always use at least 1 copy chief; sometimes two. And its money well spent. I can’t begin to tell you how many times copy chiefs have pointed out a compelling “hook” for the package that was buried somewhere on page 5. A few tweaks to the copy-and the client loved the result.

Here’s another case. A little over a year ago, I was hired to write a direct response package for a seafood company. They marketed salmon from the pure, clean waters of Alaska. The company had high-quality products and were a delight to deal with. And gave me carte blanche with the copy and the graphics. I was honored that they chose me to handle the creative for this important project.

There was only one problem: I despise fish. Any kind of fish. Hate the smell. Vomit from the taste. My husband and daughter love it when I go on business trips, because they can grill some salmon or swordfish and I won’t complain.

So what to do? First, I found a way to become enthusiastic about the product. It wasn’t all that difficult; I liked working with everyone at the company and respected their environmentally-driven marketing philosophy. The president of the company used to be a fisherman in the Bering Sea; I was transfixed about how they travelled to tiny fishing villages in Alaska to purchase the salmon fresh off the boats.

Next, I served the salmon to my family, and asked them to describe for me in detail the taste, the smells, the texture.

So I wrote the package…and my copy chiefs (thank goodness they were fish lovers) helped me craft some tasty descriptions that made this fabulous Alaskan salmon really come to life…

And my client was thrilled.

Where Do You Find Copy Chiefs?

If you have any on-staff writing experience, former co-workers are a great place to start. One of my top copy-chiefs is a former boss. 
 
Don't have many contacts in the field yet? One place to meet potential copy chiefs is at writing seminars or classes. Another way is to join a few copywriting boards. Writers often join these boards to ask advice as well as feedback on their particular copy assignments.  
 
Copywriter Mastermind (http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/CopywriterMastermind) is excellent and counts over 800 busy writers as members (fellow 3Chix partner Beth Erickson is the moderator.) Some freelance copywriters - including myself and my 2 fellow Chix -- offer critiquing services, too. 

If you have the budget, copy chiefs are worth the expense. It will cost a few hundred dollars (figure around $60 per hour, and there’s usually a $250 minimum) depending on the length of your project but the advice will pay for itself in the long run. Because you'll win higher-paying assignments, more often. And that's what it's all about, isn't it? 
 
TIP: Be sure to give a copy chief a couple of days to provide feedback. Then give yourself a couple of days to implement their suggestions before you hand in the first draft to your client. Don’t forget to build this time into your production schedule. 
 
See you next month!

Donna Doyle

3Chix

http://www.3chix.com

http://www.copybydoyle.com