I saw the following thread today in the Ask Men subreddit:
“If you really like a girl, what are some reasons you wouldn’t date her?”
Reading through the top responses, I realized many of these reasons apply, in slightly modified form, to dating your copywriting clients as well:
#1. “Not willing to discuss issues we’ve had”
Some clients I’ve had never shared the results of campaigns I worked on for them. Was a time, when I happily kept working for these clients, just for the money.
Not so any more.
Today, a big part of what I get from any new copywriting project is the opportunity to learn and improve — and getting feedback in the form of sales results is a major part of that.
#2. “Different stages in life”
I’m in a kind of settled, “middle age” period in my little copywriting career.
This means I prefer to work with boring, established, successful businesses that are already making sales.
I would be unlikely to get involved with the uncertainty and stress — or if you prefer, excitement — that comes with most young, hungry, no-name startups.
#3. “Deep debt, unwillingness to work”
If a client is not doing well financially, and if they are hoping my copywriting will save the day, I silently pivot on my heel and run in the opposite direction.
#4. “She lives 8 hours away. By airplane”
I’ve had long-term clients from all over the world, from New Zealand to Thailand to the UK to California.
So physical distance in a client relationship doesn’t bother me.
But I do still need a bit of love and regular interaction, at least in the form of timely replies to questions I send and requests for info I make.
#5. “She doesn’t want to date me”
Why chase clients who don’t want to work with me — when there’s so much demand for good copywriting out there?
#6. “My wife would be pissed”
There were times when I was working with several clients at the same time who could be considered competition to each other.
None of them has ever been jealous or tried to keep me all to themselves.
That said, if I did date a copywriting client long-term, and they asked me not to work with a specific competitor of theirs, it’s something I would consider doing.
#7. “Mismatch of core values: religion, etc.”
Some businesses out there are outright scams, selling shoddy or harmful products.
Others prey on segments of the population — gambling addicts, for example — who cannot make anything close to a rational decision.
I don’t work with these kinds of clients, because I feel that there are plenty of ways to get rich by selling something that gives value to the buyer instead of making them worse off.
And there you have it:
7 reasons NOT to date an otherwise attractive girl…
And 7 reasons I choose NOT to write copy for some otherwise attractive clients.
Now, if you have a business and you found yourself on the list above, then odds are slim we will work together.
And if you did not recognize yourself on the list above, but you are looking for sales copy and you think you might want to work with me, then write me an email and we can schedule a lightning-fast first date to get to know each other a bit better.