Where To Find the Best Copywriting Clients

In my life, I've had two freelance careers, one thattime.
limped along miserably for a number of years, and onePersonally, I've never used Who's Mailing What! to see
that took off like a rocket after only three months ofwhat others are doing since I have an extensive swipe
marketing.file of my own. But I've often used it to build my
What happened in between was eight year ofprospect database.
excitement, growth and misery at a high-poweredWhat makes Who's Mailing What! such a valuable
direct response agency, and a life-changing event at aresource for the copywriter is that it lists known
hospital from overwork. What I'll always be thankful for,mailers. You don't do better than that when trying to
however, is that I learned exactly what it takes to getdetermine whether a company is a likely prospect for
a lead, and convert them.copywriting services.
Prior to my years at the agency I managed toWhat's more, in the Who's Mailing What! database you
maneuver myself onto the board of the Oregon Directcan search by niched category. For instance, if you
Marketing Association. During this time I was often inspecialize in nutritional supplements you can search
the company of list brokers.category #346 (Nutritional Supplements and Vitamins)
One broker I wrote copy for was fond of reciting thefor high quality prospects.
"40/40/20 rule," which I thought was a not-so-subtleYou'll find many repeat entries, but that's ok; it just
attempt to put me in my place.means that particular mailer is mailing frequently, which
According to the 40/40/20 rule, 40 percent of themaking them all the more desirable for your list.
success of a mailing comes from the quality of the list;An example: In a quick search of the database for the
another 40 percent comes from the quality of theNutritional Supplements and Vitamins category - and
offer, and only 20 percent comes from the copy.limiting to just the last two years - I found 66 entries.
I'll grant he was right, except in the case where aOne strong mailer is Mountain Home Nutritionals, with
mature marketer has tested all the lists, and tested alleight mailings in two years.
the offers, and now all that's left to test is copy orNow that's all I need to know in order to "qualify them"
creative.for my list.
New businesses (and new copywriters) must startHowever, if you wanted to go deeper, you'd learn that
with the list, and the more qualified it is, the greater (andMountain Home Nutritionals doesn't mail the same
faster) the success.package over and over; rather, it appears they test
That's why I spend several sessions with my coachingoffers, as well as certain products.
students when it's time to start building their lists. IGo even deeper, and you'll find that on one mailing,
emphasize that nothing is more important thanthey used a #11 envelope, that the mailing specs were
targeting the right people!13 pages of four-color process, that it was an
One of my list-building secrets is the online database,acquisition (prospecting) mailing...and that the concept
Who's Mailing What!.copy for the outer envelope was:
Who's Mailing What! is a huge archive of "classic""Stock Up Now on Dr. Williams' Top Health-Boosting
direct mail packages, postcards, magalogs, catalogs,Formulas!"
and self-mailers. It exists to give businesses access toNow one caution: this is all very fascinating, but you're
competitive marketing materials, and to providesimply looking to qualify a potential prospect. Resist the
copywriters with a research tool and copying service.urge to look deeper as time is of the essence.
For instance, say you got your first job writing aWhat you need to do next is go to your potential
promotion for the Seminars trade. You could spendprospect's Web site to get contact data...and that may
about $70 for a one-year membership to Who'snot be as easy as it seems.
Mailing What! and pull up information on thousands ofFor instance, plugging "Mountain Home Nutritionals" into
archived mailers selling seminars.Google didn't bring it up...but it did bring up "Dr. David
For an extra $40 or so, you can request that one ofWilliams"...and that's the brand under which Mountain
these mailers be copied and sent to you in either aHome Nutritionals is sold. So this is where you gather
traditional photocopied format, or (if available) anyour contact information.
instantly downloadable PDF.With hundreds of categories...from fund raising and
Sometimes you'll find a sample that the Who's Mailinginvestments to technology and insurance...Who's Mailing
What! editors suspect is a control (due to the fact thatWhat! is an ideal source for building your prospect list.
same package keeps reappearing).Start here, and I guarantee you'll step into the
There are two types of control identified: the "Control,"marketing side of copywriting with more
and the "Grand Control." The Grand Control is a mailerconfidence...and more success.
that has mailed many times, and over a long period of