The Copy Insider Presents: Six Sniveling Copywriting Swindlers

Sent Tuesday, June 30, 2020
On today’s segment of the hit tabloid, “The Copy Insider”, we are asking this question:

Why does copywriting attract so many cheats, charlatans and sociopaths?

Truth is, I don’t totally know.

My guess is it’s because copywriting is sold as a “dream job”. We are told that we can write 400 words a week and live in a Chateau in France.

Which is BS.

This copywriting gig is hard work. It’s super competitive. Every successful copywriter I know works their butt off. Which doesn’t mean working 36 hours a day. But it does mean constantly honing their craft, researching like a fanatic, and drilling deep to dig out the diamonds on every single project.

Which all takes many neurons sucking up juice.

So yes, there are plenty of dependable copywriters out there too.

But it’s more fun to mock and mar the maniacs. So here are six of the salitest swindlers you’re likely to meet on the swelling seas of sales in print:

1: The “I Know Everything” Copywriter -- This one could also be called the “Arrogant Arsehool” Copywriter or even The “Big-Arse Ego” Copywriter. But I like calling them the “I Know Everything” Copywriter, because that is exactly the vibe they give off. These are the guys and gals (but mostly guys tbh) that say things like “My copy can sell anything to anyone.” They usually “learned” all they know about copy from some overhyped course. They also usually tank your sales, blow up your brand reputation, and may even land you in hot water with the feds if you sell in a highly-regulated market. In my opinion, this is the worst copywriting swindler of them all...

2: The ”I Have A Formula For That” Copywriter -- While not wholly dangerous (in fact, the formula copywriters can get pretty good results), this swindler will definitely not be ‘all in’ on your project. These are the ones that have “been there and done that” and have created a paint-by-numbers formula so they can belt out copy at breakneck speeds. Smart? Yes. The most effective? Probably not. Especially if you don’t want to sound just like everyone else in your industry that copywriter has worked for.

3: The “Just Tell Me What To Do” Copywriter -- Truth is, most copywriters are guilty of this when they first get started (I know I sure was). But a good copywriter will quickly grow out of this. These are the guys and gals that never give any push back or input (even when what the client wants is wrong). They just want to be told what to do and when. My guess? These peeps should just get a job instead of trying this whole entrepreneurial thing. While not dangerous, this swindler certainly won’t be adding a whole lot of extra neurons to your problem-solving team. But hey, if you like to micromanage, then the “Just Tell Me What To Do” Copywriter, might be for you.

4: The “I’ll Have It To You By Tomorrow” Copywriter -- These are the copywriters that are so eager to jump on a project, that they will meet any deadline you throw their way. While nice that they are so enthusiastic, it’s a glaring problem. Because good copy takes time. So give your non-swindling copywriters plenty of time to come up with their breakthroughs. Or don’t. But at least don’t say I didn’t warn you.

5: The “It’s A Copy Problem” Copywriter -- This is the copywriter who thinks they can solve any business problem with their wonderful words. They can’t! Many times it’s an offer, list, positioning, or other problem. If your copywriter doesn’t understand the importance of the entire marketing equation... it’s a huge red flag.

6: The “I’m Just A Hired Gun” Copywriter -- And finally, we have the “churn-em-n-burn-em” type. These are the swindlers that just want to get a project… in order to finish it, so they can get paid and move on. While not “dangerous” it’s definitely not ideal. I make it my aim to become an integral part of your team, not just a wham-bam-thank-you-mam one-off project. Even if it is only one project we work on together, I still think of myself as a temporary team member. A team member that was brought on to solve a specific problem and provide a specific solution.

There you have it. Six Snivelling Copywriting Swindlers out to steal your lunch money.

Truth is, most copywriters are not swindlers. And even the ones that fall under those categories aren't necessarily malignant.

Many simply don’t know any better.

I hope you enjoyed this segment of “The Copy Insider”.

If you want me to sell your goods in a non-swindly manner, the first step is to click the link below and enter your information into the form:

www.copybymccune.com

Tyler McCune

P.S. Ok, here’s a bonus swindler. It’s the:  “I Have An English Degree” Copywriter --

This one’s silly, because I actually DO have an English degree. But I’ve spent more time outside of school honing my copy chops then I spent in school honing my creative writing skills -- true story… college is a joke (which is a rant for another time).

Many copywriters get into copy because they like writing. But a good copywriter will also be obsessed with sales.

So make sure your copywriter loves sales too... or risk being swindled

www.copybymccune.com