A disgruntled copywriter wrote me demanding clarifications. He believes most copywriters lie and exaggerate their claims of wealth. Let’s call him “Chuck.”

I understand where Chuck is coming from. Because I’ve been where he is. So I responded, not because I wanted to acquiesce to his demands but because I wanted to give him hope, ideas, and, dare I say it, a million-dollar education.

He says he will be asking other copywriters the same question, and even threatened (although, that may be too harsh of a word) to publish my reply.

For all I know, this copywriter may be gathering information to create his own product. Who knows? (If he is, I must say that his strategy is brilliant. And if he does create a product out of this, good for him!)

I’m reprinting the conversation here since I believe it will help a lot of other struggling copywriters out there. Also, I’m opening myself a little more than usual. I guess you can say that I’m exposing the real “Michel Fortin.”

My answer might surprise you…

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“I conceive that pleasures are to be avoided if greater pains be the consequence, and pains to be coveted that will terminate in greater pleasures.”
– Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (Circa 1500)

Remember that it’s not your goals that really count but how you live your life according to what’s important to you. If you feel you can not incorporate this system with your current job or other responsibilities, you should first try it out.

You might find out that your job is indeed part of your priorities or that it doesn’t mean anything at all to you. If the first is true, then you will have a greater zest and love for what you do. However, if the second is true, then start looking for something you love or would love to do.

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There is great advantage in a name that tells a story. The name is usually prominently displayed. To justify the space it occupies, it should aid the advertising. Some such names are almost complete advertisements in themselves. May Breath is such a name. Cream of Wheat is another. That name alone has been worth a fortune. Other examples are Dutch Cleanser, Cuticura, Dynashine, Minute Tapioca, 3-in-One Oil, Holeproof, Alcorub, etc.

Such names may be protected, yet the name itself describes the product, so it makes a valuable display.

Other coined names are meaningless. Some examples are Kodak, Karo, Sapolio, Vaseline, Kotex, Lux, Postum, etc. They can be protected, and long-continued advertising may give them a meaning. When this is accomplished they become very valuable.

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Ryan Healy, a talented copywriter whose blog I love reading, recently said that copywriters shouldn’t be cheap, especially when they start out.

It’s a powerful notion, because many beginning copywriters believe that being cheap will get them more business. (There are other ways around this, of course. Knowing how to market yourself is one thing. Focusing on a specialty, a niche, is another. But more on that at another time.)

The bottom line is, if you lowball your rates, you will not get as much business as you think you’ll get. Sure, you will probably get some. But it’s the kind of business you don’t want.

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Gary: Your wife has triplets. Now somebody comes up to you and explains, tells you your wife has triplets. Is there any way that that piece of information could be transmitted to you in a way that wouldn’t be of interest to you? I mean, if they use broken English, bad grammar, if they use sign language.

However it was, if it was, if your wife had unexpectedly had triplets I think you’d be interested in the message. And, and, and that, that’s a point, uh, I think it’s really important ****.

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