“Hiring Eddie As Your Online & Offline Freelance Direct Response Copywriter…

...Answers To Frequently Asked Questions!”

Q:  Apart from writing web pages, website sales copy and direct mail marketing packages, do you write other things such as generic flyers, print ads, e-books and other non-personalised marketing material?

A:  Yes.  I write print ads, flyers, e-books, lead-generation bait-piece free reports, email pop-up offers, even billboards designed to connect, educate and sell your product or service.

Q:  Who uses your services?

A:  Businesses large and small who care about selling as much of their product or service as they can, and who want maximum return on their marketing spend online or offline!

Q:  Do you have criteria for clients?

A:  Yes. If it’s illegal I don’t do it. If you and I are not a match or committed to the same goal I won’t be able to write your copy for you.

Q:  You say you will guarantee satisfaction for the direct-response copy you write, so how does that guarantee work exactly, Eddie?

A:  Most clients are really pleased with the copy I write for them, however, if you are not, tell me what you don’t like about it and I will rewrite it to your specific guidelines at my expense once.

Q:  What happens if I don’t like the resupplied version?

A:  I’ll give you the intellectual property owners rights, which includes potential marketing strategies and ideas we discussed. I’ll charge you a small kill fee and you can do what you like with the copy!

Q:  Is there any guarantee on sales when you write direct-response copy for me?

A:  No.

Q:  How come?

A:  When marketing a product or service there are a lot of variables to consider such as price, demand, consumer preferences and current events. Marketing success comes down to whether or not you are pro-active with your marketing or you do it once in a while as well. These are issues and variables that I cannot control.

So while I am happy to guarantee the copy I write, due to marketing variables, business cultures and consumer variables I cannot guarantee specific sales results.

Q:  So how do I know if the copy you write will beat my control package or even make money?

A:  You don’t and neither do I. You are hiring me, as a professional direct-response copywriter, to increase the likelihood that the copy I write based on my experience will outperform your current copy.

Experienced direct mail marketers and online marketers know that this is part of the testing process in creating sales and doing business online or offline.

Inexperienced direct marketers and business owners don’t understand this and therefore have unrealistic expectations as a result.

••  No-one has the guaranteed formula for beating a current control or ensuring a winning promotion every time. If I had one, I would be sitting on a beach, surfing and have more money than Donald Trump!

Q:  What do you need from me?

A:  Any promotional samples you already have. Your insight into what you think makes your business/product or service different, your honesty and for you to understand that my time is just as important as yours.

Q:  What is the normal timeline from start to finish?

A:  As each project is different, generally I work to a 3-4 week turnaround for a direct mail package, sales letter or brochure. Websites take about 4-7 days.

It all depends on what the project is, the complexity of the project, your availability and my schedule at the time, however, I’ll give you an expected first draft supply date when I quote your project.

Q:  What happens if I hire you and for some reason I have to cancel or delay?

A:  Delays are OK to a point as long as you let me know and I don’t have to chase you endlessly. My time is just as important as yours. Part of my service is to keep things on track.

Q:  Will you write copy for free first and get a return from the profits?

A:  No. Your time, product or service and skills are extremely valuable and so are mine. I do not start your project until I receive a 50% deposit.

Q:  What’s your weekly payment plan system for projects over $400AUD?

A:  Once you receive your quote I’ll outline a suggested payment plan. Clients love this because it makes it easier on them, easier on their cash flow and keeps your project on track.

Then once you receive the first draft of copy from me, you’ll receive a scheduled payment plan detailing the actual weekly amounts and dates when those payments would be due.

••  This is only for projects valued at $400AUD or more and failure to keep to the payment schedule once we have started may result in your project being held back.

Q:  Do you work on royalty or mailing fees?

A:  Yes, I am always interested in that arrangement, however, I still require my usual payment upfront for projects under $400AUD or 50% deposit for over $400AUD!

Q:  So why would I want to pay you your normal fee and a royalty fee?

A:  So I can generate new ideas and sales copy on a consistent basis and build a relationship with you and a feel for your business over a period of time to help you maximise your profits for the long term.

Q:  If you write a project for me and I want to tweak it or test a series of different headlines do you write those for free?

A:  If you are paying me a royalty, mailing or monthly contract fee, I will make those tweaks and changes at no cost. It is in my best interests to serve you as well as I can, so I have a financial and copywriting interest to keep writing and supplying you with winning control copy.

If I am not receiving royalty or mailing fee payments, there will be a cost that I would quote you on to write or tweak your copy before I started.

Q:  What is your copywriting critique service?

A:  This is where you may have written a print ad, website, direct mail marketing package, E-zine, sales letter, bait-piece free report or brochure yourself and I critique it for you.

Basically I break your promotion down reviewing the headline, opening sentence, body copy, call to action, the target audience and offer, then you receive my comments on how to make it stronger. You receive a quote with an exact cost before I start and payment is usually required upfront in full.

Q:  How does it all come together?

A:  The whole process comes together in 4 simple stages...

Stage 1 – Your initial need and discussion

#1: Once we’ve spoken about your needs and what you want to achieve, you’ll receive a quote from me usually within 2-4 days of us speaking!

#2: You approve quote via email, fax or phone and pay full amount if project is under $400AUD or pay 50% deposit. Payment can be made by cheque, money order or direct deposit.

(A suggested weekly payment plan will be outlined on your quote for projects over $400AUD).

#3: Once I receive full payment or 50% deposit I begin to write your copy.

Stage 2 – Headline & Lead sample

#1: So you and I are in agreement on the concept of your promotion, you’ll receive three possible headlines and a lead sentence of your copy for any website, direct mail or sales letters via email in MS word format … usually within 5-7 working days or whatever timeline we’ve agreed upon.

(This simple step guarantees that you and I agree on the concept of your promotion before I write the entire promotion, which saves both of us time and money)!

#2: You approve one of the headlines and opening (or I work it from there)… then I continue writing the rest of the copy once you are happy with the, headline and lead.

#3: If I don’t hear from you within 4-5 days once you have the first draft to get feedback or comments, I follow you up with an email or phone call.

#4: I do changes to your copy over the phone, via email, fax, or I come and meet with you to do changes depending on your location. You get two text revisions per project.

#5: Once you are happy with finished copy, I send it to be professionally proofread. (This saves it going back and forth between you, me and my proofreader while we are making any revisions)

#6: Once I’ve made grammatical changes and copy is completed any money owing needs to be paid.

Stage 3 – Copy completed CD Rom, Tax Invoice Issued:

#1: Once final payment and any monies owing have been paid, I burn your completed copy on to a CD Rom for you and either mail it to you or deliver it to you personally with your Tax invoice.

OPTIONAL: You are more than welcome to send me a mock-up or the finished designed version of a direct mail package, print ad, brochure or website for review at no cost to you if you would like to.

Stage 4 – Follow up

#1: I will follow up with you approx 30-40 days later to see how your promotion went if it’s a sales piece or at what stage your project is at for mailing or testing.

For more information or specific questions and I’ll get back to you within the next 24-48 hours!