I feel kinda like a Sith Lord.<\/p>\n
Since announcing I have a copywriting apprentice and saying she’s\u00a0for hire, I have gotten a ton of emails from people who say they\u00a0want to be my apprentice, too.<\/p>\n
The answer is, of course, no.<\/p>\n
Just like the Sith in “Star Wars”:<\/p>\n
There can only be one master and one apprentice, young Skywalker<\/span>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Plus, after this, I won’t be taking an apprentice again much less\u00a0build a “harem” of copywriting fledglings all working under my\u00a0virtual roof. This also goes for the half dozen or so people asking\u00a0if I’d send them “extra clients my apprentice doesn’t have time to\u00a0work with.” Other than my fledgling, the only people who get those\u00a0opportunities are “Email Players” subscribers (which happens only\u00a0once in a while — making that a dumbo reason to subscribe, btw).<\/p>\n Anyway, end of discussion.<\/p>\n Darth Settle has spoken.<\/p>\n But, there’s more.<\/p>\n Would-be copywriters aren’t the only people I’ve been hearing from.<\/p>\n Lots of would-be clients, too.<\/p>\n Most seem like great blokes — and probably she will accept some as\u00a0clients if it makes sense for her and them. But a few have\u00a0contacted me who are wholly unqualified to hire not only my\u00a0apprentice, but any copywriter who is even of average ability.<\/p>\n Why?<\/p>\n Because they are asking for her “hourly fee.”<\/p>\n Clients still ask copywriters to work by the hour?<\/p>\n I thought that went out the door with describing headlines, copy\u00a0and even copywriters as “killer.” Whatever the case, they probably don’t understand the real value a copywriter can bring to the table.<\/p>\n Or, they look at it as a commodity.<\/p>\n Well, good luck with that.<\/p>\n If that’s you, you’re not ready to hire my apprentice.<\/p>\n My apprentice works for a flat fee.<\/p>\n And, it’s going to be a minimum of $5k.<\/p>\n That’s *minimum*.<\/strong><\/p>\n Mostly likely, it’ll be MORE than that.<\/p>\n That means, if you think you’re gonna get her for a few hundred or\u00a0even just a couple thousand, you’re sadly mistaken. Especially\u00a0since, I am heavily involved in each ad she writes, and nothing\u00a0makes it to the client without being “okayed” by me, first.<\/p>\n It’s not just her time you’re paying for.<\/p>\n You’re getting my time & experience as well.<\/p>\n Secondly, I am getting a cut of her fee.<\/p>\n (Not doing this out of the goodness of my heart, babycakes.)<\/p>\n And I ain’t letting her waste time on nickel-and-dime clients.<\/p>\n Third, about rewrites…<\/p>\n Other than factual errors or claims that aren’t correct (that sort\u00a0of thing), or if there is some kind of message-to-market mismatch\u00a0or other problem we all 3 of us agree on (as we want it to succeed\u00a0FAR more than you do, I can assure you — her reputation and market\u00a0place positioning, as well as my desire to win and other\u00a0“intangible” factors worth more to us than any fee you’d pay her\u00a0are at stake), there will be no rewrites until the ad is tested\u00a0first.<\/p>\n If it’s a bomb, she’ll take another whack at it.<\/p>\n If it continues to bomb, you don’t have a copywriting problem.<\/strong><\/p>\n Probably, you got yourself an offer problem.<\/p>\n Or, a list problem.<\/p>\n Or, a market place positioning problem.<\/p>\n Or, some kind of problem that can’t be fixed by “copy.” (Maybe\u00a0nobody wants your product. Happens ALL the time.)<\/p>\n Copy is only 20% of the effectiveness of an ad.<\/p>\n The offer and list combo are 80%.<\/p>\n The math is #totes clear.<\/p>\n Anyway, so no more apprentices.<\/p>\n And, no more inexperienced clients who want to pay hourly or expect\u00a0bargain basement fees.<\/p>\n (That’s what sites like eLance are for, yo?)<\/p>\n Okay, ’nuff said.<\/p>\n Word out…<\/p>\n Ben Settle<\/p>\n P.S.<\/strong> I really do want to help freelancers, despite my not wanting\u00a0to be their Master. Thus, my media page has an interview for\u00a0would-be copywriters on how to get clients.<\/p>\n Go to:<\/p>\n