How not to look Needy to clients
Published: Sat, 07/03/21
The question basically went like this:
He had sent some copy to a client (while working on spec i.e., only gets paid if the ad is accepted, ran, and the client is honest…) The client wrote back with some suggestions. The copywriter fixed it according to said suggestions… and he hadn’t heard from the client in a while.
I don’t know for sure.
But it sounded like it’d been a long wait.
Almost like the client had either fallen off the face of the earth or took the copy (he got free) and now has no intention of paying the copywriter.
Which is what the question was about:
He was wondering if/when he should follow up.
Especially so he wouldn’t look Needy, etc.
My answer?
It’s the same answer I give to anyone anxiously waiting for something from someone — whether it’s a girl’s answer to a text, a boss’s reply to a request for a raise, or, yes, a client you’ve sent something to and are awaiting a reply for an unusually long period of time.
And here it is:
Whenever you feel this way, ask yourself:
“Isn’t there something better I could be doing?”
And then go do it.
Very simple.
And, surprisingly therapeutic, constructive, and efficient.
Anyway, this horse crap dance with clients is one reason I hated dealing with them. Especially when money was tight, I didn’t have a lot of time to be jerked around, and I was on a rampage to get things done.
Far as I know, a few years ago I was the first to coin the phrase:
“Alt-Copywriter”
Because that’s what describes what I do instead of freelance work.
And some wise copywriters — going back at least as far as the late Gene Schwartz — have also run just such a business, where you are your own client, selling your own offers, and keeping all the money, instead of just relying on a fee. And you also don’t have to ever diddle around waiting for anyone else because the whole show rests on your shoulders.
Something terrifying to the freelancer types who need a boss.
But exciting to those who are for-real entrepreneurs.
It’s also what my 10-Minute Workday program with AWAI shows how to build.
It’s not for sale right now.
But if you get on the waiting list at the URL below, you will get a PDF of the “One Sentence Business Plan” report I wrote — which can get you on the right track starting immediately, whether you get the program when it’s available or not.
Details here:
https://www.EmailPlayers.com/awai
Ben Settle
P.S. Lest you think the One Sentence Business Plan is just some disguised sales pitch (which, admittedly, most of my free content is…) here is what a gent named Fredrik told me happened for him using it:
“…downloaded this business plan months ago and implemented everything! I email daily, got my first 20 paid subscribers to a monthly report I write and sold one copy of my “course” for $1000, that’s being created while delivered. A very good pdf to get. Moved away from anything marketing/business related and now sell retirement advice.”
And so it is…