At the time I will still pretty new to copywriting and so I was eager to please.

I made the edits and didn't say anything to the owner.

This continued for another week.

I'd write emails and he would edit just about every sentence.

By week 3, sales had dropped over 50% from week one.

Open rates were down and click through rates were also declining.

I highlighted this to the owner and guess what?

He blamed my copy.

Despite increasing sales when I was left to my own devices somehow he rationaled that I was to blame.

At the time it was a huge knock to my confidence.

I started to question my ability.

Maybe it was my skills that were the problem?

I continued to deal with countless edits until the end of our first month test trial came to an end.

After which the client suggested we work together for a lower rate.

It was at this point I realised he was trying to take advantage.

While I needed the money at the time I decided it simply wasn't worth the headaches.

In less than a month I'd gone from loving copy to hating opening my emails in the morning.

I felt constantly stressed.

I was spending most of my time on a low paying client.

And I wasn't sleeping well.

In the end I told the client to keep his money and hire another copywriter.

Two weeks later I signed a client I ended up working with for over six months.

But while the client was a nightmare to work with, the experience was my own fault.

At the time I wasn't screening prospects for quality.

I was just looking to make money.

I also didn't have enough confidence in myself to tell the client he's hired me for a reason.

You don't hire an accountant and tell them how to manage your accounts.

You don't contact a musician and tell them how to perform.

You don't go to the doctor and tell them your diagnosis.

And the same applies to copywriters.

Someone has hired you as you're the expert.

If they're constantly telling you what to write then its a good thing to remind them that they hired you to help.

I always tell them to A/B test.

After that I have tangible results to back up my arguments.

So there are three lessons from this.

1. Always screen your prospects before working with them

2. Position yourself as the expert and remind your client with proof if needed

3. Be willing to say no to cheap clients who don't care about you

I hope you have a great week.

And if you have a client who's giving you grief, this is your reminder to replace them.

Copy Mav