October 2008

Hiya CopyStar,

I just had a long talk with one of my clients.

Turns out he's refusing to rent his mailing list to several other companies. Why?

Because he's tired of finding HIS copy in the pages of his competitor's promotions!

Yep, his competitors are hiring copywriters (and paying them serious moolah!) who are doing nothing more than COPYING from my client's successful promotions - many of which were written by yours truly! Now, that sucks on many levels:

Level One: The client is getting screwed. He's paying a lot of money for the writer to deliver original copy - and getting nothing but swiped copy.

Level Two: The original writer is getting screwed out of royalties. After all, SHE wrote the copy in the first place - so SHE should get paid for it!

Level Three: The knock-off copywriter is making money from stealing!

Level Four: That lousy, no good so-and-so is giving the copywriting business a bad rap!

That just stinks!
So I thought I'd use this issue to not only vent - but to make sure you don't get caught up in this racket. Because the truth is - if you steal someone else's copy - you're putting the nails in your own coffin. Here's why...

This is a VERY small industry. Copywriters talk to each other. Designers talk to copywriters. Business owners talk to each other. It won't be long before you get caught - and your career goes down in the toilet!

Case in point - no kidding this really happened to me!
Not too long ago, I was reading a promo that came in the mail. The more I read the copy, the more it "sounded" familiar. After a while, I could even predict what was coming next. As I kept reading, lo and behold - there were special reports that I distinctly remember creating the titles to. After a while, I knew it wasn't a coincidence. I looked to see who the mailer was and it turned out to be an old client.

So, I called the client and said, "hey, just checking to see when I'm going to get my royalty check."

He didn't have a clue what I was talking about.

Then I told him about the knock-off package. He said he was shocked. He wanted to talk to the copywriter to find out what the heck was going on.

Now, here's where you need a little background info, CopyStar: The client hired and paid me to write the package. Due to some internal problems, they decided to kill the product. Six months or so later, they fixed the problems with the product, hired another copywriter and gave him my original package as "background" info.

That background info ended up on the foreground - as the theme of the new package - using the same premiums I created - and lifting chunks of my copy!

Have I used the word SUCKS lately?

Anyway, to make a long story short - the copywriter denied lifting my copy and said it was purely coincidence that we came up with the same theme. Poppycock!

Yeah, I thought about suing the client - and even consulted a lawyer. He felt I had a case but I decided not to waste any more of my time - or make the lawyer rich. However, I did let the client know if anyone ever asked me about his company - I would openly share my experience.

Turns out several copywriters - and designers - have called me, They knew I worked with the client and they were considering working with him. After I told them what happened to me - they backed off and to my knowledge - NONE of them accepted an assignment from the client! And get this...

Six months after that awful experience, one of the client's own employees called to offer me a job. I simply told him I didn't work with unethical people - and he should ask his boss for any further clarification. Then I kindly hung up the phone.

So what are some lessons you can learn from my experience, CopyStar?

LOTS! So listen up...