Hiya CopyStar!
My client calls me in a heated rage.
Turns out he’s refusing to rent his mailing list to several other companies.
Why?
Because he’s tired of finding HIS paid-for 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 competitor 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 post 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 read 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. And 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 found out who the mailer was — 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. Really???
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. But…
… 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! But…
… 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…
Lesson #1: Study the masters — but don’t steal the copy! You can learn a whole lot about writing style… powerful themes… and grab ’em by the eyeball headlines when you study controls.
I highly encourage that type of learning. In fact — on my website — I have an E-Store where you can purchase real controls that are working right now — as well as some classics that stood the test of time: click here!
But the point is to study them. Figure out what makes them work. Get the feel of the copy — and imitate the style!
A copywriter who steals copy is a soon-to-be out of work copywriter with a bad rep! I don’t want that to happen to you!
Lesson #2: Look and see what’s currently working in the market! For example…
… right now — skepticism is a huge hot button! Take a look at how I tapped into the skeptical market with this headline:
