My Priceless Advice for a Copywriter Called “Lice”

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I got an email this morning from a pitchy, pesty subscriber who offered to help me with my copywriting.

To protect the “innocent,” I’ll call her “Lice.”

Lice signed up for my list 17 days ago and claims she read all my emails since. She offered a 21-day trial period where she would work with me to write better, revenue-generating emails.Ā šŸ™„

“If at the end of the 21 days, it seems like a good fit…We could figure out some more ways I could bring value to what you’re doing…But if not, then I’ll deliver the project and be out of your hair.”

I passed…

…but not before I offered advice to Lice.

Lice littered her email with rookie copywriting mistakes, and I outlined several in my “Thanks-but-no-thanks” reply to her.

I know… That’s a bit cheeky of me šŸ¤­. But Lice’s email bugged me. And I saw an opportunity to outline some valuable business lessons for her AND you. (Read on to see how you can get your hands on ALL the lessons I shared with Lice).

I’ll share one lesson here:

Never, ever (EVER!) position yourself as a pest!

Here’s how I put it for Lice: “When you say you’ll get out of my hair, you position yourself as a pest and inconvenience. You undermine your value.”

Instead of saying, “But if not, then I’ll deliver the project and be out of your hair…”

…Lice could have said, “But if not, you’ll still have my feedback (with actionable, business-building advice), and we can part as friends.”

See the difference?

People position themselves as pests all the time…

…in obvious ways (i.e. “Sorry to bother you, but…”)…

…and subtle ways (i.e. “Thank you for your time.”)

Yep, “thank you for your time” positions you as a pest. (Credit to the great Chet Holmes and his book The Ultimate Sales Machine for opening my eyes to this one.)

When you thank someone for their time, you imply THEIR time is more valuable than YOUR time. You imply they sacrificed something when they blessed you with their presence.

Your time is as valuable as theirs. The information you share with them is a gift, not an imposition.

“Thank you for your time” implies THEY offered you a gift.

“Thank you” will suffice.

As for the other lessons I shared with Lice…

I’m gonna make a video to reveal ’em all.

In this short video, I’ll break down Lice’s email and share seven tips to write better copy. This applies not just to cold pitches like Lice’s. This applies to any copy designed to engage prospects and land clients.

If you want that video, reply to this email with “LICE,” and I’ll get back to you with the details about where to find it.

Don't go away yet..

p.s. Coaches, authors, and consultants hire me to power-up their creative content and storytelling to captivate prospects, stand-out and book more business.

Whenever you're ready, here are several ways I can help you become a storytelling stand-out so you'll land more clients without pitching and prodding:

1) Get theĀ Story Power Profit PackĀ -- 52 Strategies, Tips, and Tactics Ā to Transform Your Content from Ignored to Adored.

2) Watch theĀ free, 7-minute Micro-Training: ā€œThe 3 Most Important Storytelling Keys to Captivate Prospects and Inspire Them to Act -- Without Pitching and Prodding.ā€

3) Become a Story Power VIP: Master how to discover, assemble, and deliver business-building stories. Twice-monthly live masterclasses. Members-only content. One-on-one feedback and consulting sessions. And moreā€¦ If you'd like to learn more about our VIP program, just reply to this email and put "Story Power VIP" in the subject line. Iā€™ll contact you with more details.

4) Work with me one-on-one: If youā€™re interested in working directly with me -- to discover, assemble, and deliver powerful, business-building stories -- simply reply to this email and change the subject line to "Private Client." Tell me a little about yourself, your business, and what you'd like to accomplish, and I'll reply to discuss options.

5) Invite me to speak at an event: I can tailor a presentation that meets the specific needs of your organization. Informative. Entertaining. Virtual or live. Potential for continuing education credits when applicable for your group. If interested, reply to this email and change the subject line to ā€œSpeaking Engagement.ā€ Iā€™ll circle back to discuss the possibilities.

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Tom Ruwitch

Tom Ruwitch is the founder and CEO of Story Power Marketing. For more than 30 years, he has helped businesses grow by delivering powerful stories using a variety of different media.