Issue #132—June 4, 2021
FACT: There are more copywriters now than ever before.
It used to be that once you racked up a few wins as a copywriter, you could easily collect hefty advances and book your calendar out a year or longer.
You could also charge more for your copy than many companies are willing to pay today.
But these days you’re up against a slew of competitors–and other challenges.
Some companies have built up their own in-house copywriting teams and no longer work with freelancers. Others hire virtual teams that do unlimited work on retainer.
Meanwhile, more people are lured each day into the idea of becoming a freelance copywriter by training programs that paint the picture of a care-free laptop life anyone can achieve (I’m trying not to puke as I write that).
Hence we now have tens of thousands of freelance copywriters around the world vying for clients. So when you apply basic Economics 101, you have increased supply driving down prices. What can you do? Get back to the basics.
The better you get at copywriting, the less you’ll have to worry about finding clients. And the more successes you get under your belt, the more those clients will come to you.
As the comedian Steve Martin once said, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”
That’s a tactic our featured Copy Insider for the month of June has been using during his short career as he climbs the “copywriting ladder”. Let’s meet our latest…
Copy Insider of the Month: Mike Abramov
This week we’re getting to know Copy Insider Mike Abramov, who’s a freelance creative director and copywriter. He also happened to write the Dr. Sears supplement promo I broke down in a recent “What’s in Kim’s Mailbox” edition (you can read it at my blog here.)
So let’s get to know Mike, who hails from Los Angeles, California…
What are you working on right now? Two front end promos. One supplement, the other financial. (Why would I tackle both at the same time, you ask? I’ve wondered exactly that every morning for the two past weeks.)
What are you most proud of in the past year? My writing speed has doubled, and the quality of my copy has continued to soar with it.
What are you most excited about right now? A health promo I wrote earlier this year looks like it’s a smash hit, and is being rolled out to direct mail. I have two more promos set to test in the next week or so. Fingers crossed.
What are you most interested in learning more about? I’d love to learn how to read and write in Russian.
What’s your favorite food or drink to order when you’re out? Medium rare steak and an Old Fashioned.
Where do you most want to travel on a future trip? Portugal.
What do you like most about Copy Insiders? The “What’s in Kim’s Mailbox” breakdowns are my favorite.
Thank you, Mike, for being our “Copy Insider of the Month” for June. I’ll have to share that story of how I met you at a marketing conference in Orlando a few years back when you and copywriter Ning Li spontaneously joined our group for dinner.
From the bottle our group shared at the table, I poured you your very first glass of wine: a nice Cabernet Sauvignon to go with your steak. Which is why I’m SHOCKED your favorite thing to order with steak is an Old-Fashioned! (Where did I go wrong?)
If you’re interested in being a future “Copy Insider of the Month” and getting your 15 minutes of fame, simply click here and provide your answers and photo. (Want to get known? Here’s a way!)