(If You're New To Copywriting Read This) 40 Questions every new copywriter has
( ALL CREDIT GOES TO dominum1314 on discord - AKA the top G )
Without further ado, please enjoy.
Question 1: What is copy?
Copy is any written or otherwise legible medium in which the writer, takes the way a business or business owner wishes to be understood, and markets their product to the desired audience.
Copy can come in many shapes and sizes, for your best reference, please open your email and look at any of the incoming mail from brands you may have bought from. Chances are you will find emails talking about incoming releases, sales, or important information about your customer experience.
This is called; EMAIL COPY, and falls under the umbrella of EMAIL MARKETING.
You can find many forms of copy from other mediums outside of email including but not limited to; product descriptions, sales pages, scripts for key sale’s videos, and much much more.
Question 2: How do I start?
Chances are you have come from the Tyson4D Youtube channel, or maybe the Tyson.Scales Instagram. In case you do not know, or did not come from these mediums. Tyson offers a free, 4 hours course on YouTube that can be used to leverage Tyson4D's past successes in copywriting, to your benefit. You can find this video by simply searching Tyson4D 4 Hour Copywriting Course on Youtube.
Keep in mind this information is largely for beginners, and a lot of the information that has been provided has been copied over and over by various beginner writers. My advice to you would be to take the information presented in the video, and think of ways that you can innovate, and or improve upon it, after learning how to do it yourself. We are NOT trying to re-invent the wheel, simply make is stronger, and more versatile.
Question 3: I've watched the video, what now?
Well, Little Pickle, that is an excellent question.
The truth is, now that you have the information to begin working on copy, your next step should be to practice and practice well. But what should you practice on? Simply think of what you would like to ideally work on first. Would you like to revamp someone’s Newsletter? Perhaps you could take someone’s Sales Page to the next level? The world is your oyster.
Question 4: So just write any random copy?
Not exactly Little Pickle.
I want you to think really hard about something you enjoy. Whether it be sports, or perhaps video games, or cosmetology. All of these specific NICHES need high-quality marketers to take their product and thus their business to the moon! It is recommended that you start practicing copy on something you know relatively well, and get a feel for what good copy sounds and looks like within that field. Remember, you do not need to tie yourself down to one niche forever, but it does help to limit yourself to what you know when just learning.
Question 5: What is the best niche?
Perhaps you want to skip right to the good stuff, you want to get right into the thick of the most profitable niches. The truth is, the niche is only as good as the people in it, there is not one niche that will make you the most money, or perhaps be the most consistent. This is data that maybe a super-computer could calculate given enough time, but as of right now, it's just not something we can predict. Frankly, the best niche is gonna be something you understand well, and can then market to others clearly, to drive traffic in the right direction.
Question 6: Got my niche, how long should I practice
This is quite the difficult question to answer. Everyone learns at different speeds, and thus your copy will improve at different rates. It is recommended that you do not get yourself stuck in a state of Analysis Paralysis, whether it be from practicing and reviewing your copy, or obtaining information. When you can look at your copy, and others can look at i
t too without giving you too much of a hard time, you are ready for OUTREACH.
Question 7: But I still have questions on X type of copy!
Dont get too ahead of yourself Little Pickle! Writing sales pages, and learning funnel building, and how to integrate everything with your copy is all great in idea, but you just got good at writing your desired form of copy! You’re not gonna be a Jack of All Trades from the start, so dont worry too hard about that. Simply know they exists, and remember, if you see something you dont understand, then Google will be your best friend!
Question 8: Okay, okay, so what now?
You now, with whatever copy you have learned how to do effectively, want to go ahead and design your offer, and think about the ideal business that you would like to OUTREACH to. Think about what you, or others would value your work for. What is reasonable for you? What deadlines can you set for yourself and get the work done? Are you simply working for a testimonial or a case study, or do you think you are ready for the money? Thinking about these things will help make that part of your process, that much easier once planned.
Question 9: What should I be asking for?
This is a very personal question, and really it is entirely up to you. For many people starting, they decide to go for the humble testimonial or case study. Simply put, you will do the work for the client, and the client will endorse your work instead of paying you, making it that much easier to secure the next, hopefully higher paying client.
You also perhaps could think about doing a commission based service, wherein your copy will be used, and any sales attributed to your copy will be paid out at the agreed percentage. This is a highly appealing option for beginners, since the owner often does not need to pay up front, and thus will be less likely to object based on the risk of price.
Which offer you decide to make, and what you ask in return is based entirely on what you value at the current moment in your copywriting journey, and should be thought about heavily before you begin OUTREACHING!
Question 10: What is outreach! Help!
Outreach is simply the act of talking to businesses, or business owners in an attempt to help them with a desired task! It truly is as simple as that, but simple rarely means easy. There is a wide variety of mediums that you can use to outreach. From the simple Instagram, to a wide variety of cold emailing strategies, or other socials where businesses can be found.
Question 11: But how do I outreach
Another very simple question, talk! You want to take some time vetting entities that you believe you can help. Take a look at their sale’s pages, their newsletters (should they have them), or simply talk to them in your preferred medium to ask questions that are relevant to assisting the business further in their own journey.
It is important to remember that how you speak to your client can make or break you CLOSING a sale, so remember to always care about the well being of the business, and treat the client like someone you would talk to professionally. No-one wants to be sold to, but what they do want is to grow their dream further! That is where you come in.
Question 12: Where do I outreach?
There are many different outreach methods that can be used on a day to day basis for an aspiring copywriter. Some use the humble instagram method, vetting and speaking to business owners directly via one of the most social platforms on the planet. Others may use simple cold emails to send a large portion of information to the potential client at one time, without the need for a large number of messages clogging an inbox. In truth, any way you can get in contact with businesses can be used as a form of outreach medium, so dont be afraid to get creative. Maybe you start up vetting and outreaching on Twitter, or maybe you try out the method of cold calling to put your directly in the seat of a DISCOVERY CALL with the business.
Regardless of what medium you choose, make sure to curate your outreach strategy to the platform you do it on, and maintain effective reply and open rates on your outreach messages by sounding the part. You want to speak the language of these platforms, and it would be wise to look for examples of good outreach for your respective medium to really capture the voice you need for the platform you use.
Question 13: How do I get prospects to take me seriously?
Very easy little pickle! As with all serious entities, you need to come off as just as serious. Take some time and organize yourself, learn how to speak professionally, integrate a portfolio into your profiles and conversations, and really demonstrate that YOU are the expert here. This is also where testimonials come in handy, having a written or visual demonstration of the kind of results that you can provide to another individual will help increase your credibility as writer. Remember, results speak louder than words, and being able to show these results clearly will demonstrate to the prospect exactly what you can do for them.
Question 14: What methods should I use when outreaching?
Like stated in Question 11, how you speak to your potential client can absolutely determine the outcome and how easy it will be to CLOSE the sale. A popular and often overused and misunderstood method is coined “Bait and Rizz”, wherein you take up the mantle of potential audience member or customer, only to switch it up at the last minute and talk about more than the client’s offer.
This method has been run down very quickly, as businesses have received a massive influx of people doing this exact method, and frankly are getting tired of it. Remember, at this point of contact, they believe you are actually interested in their content or offer, and would much rather have you as a customer than pay you to do anything!
You want to talk to them as a professional individual, and really be transparent with why you are there and what you are doing. Providing easy, and free value for example in the way of informing them of problems is a good way to stay on their good side, and really establish yourself as a member of “their side”
Regardless of what everyone else is doing, you should not copy what everyone else is doing word for word. Instead, think of ways to innovate, or improve upon any method you come across, and dont be afraid to test some things out.
Question 15: My prospect said X, how do I reply!?
Calm down! Relax, and congratulate yourself. You have just gotten past one of the most difficult hurdles! You have someone talking to you, so let’s keep the conversation going in the right direction. You always want to lead with confidence in your conversations, once again, YOU ARE THE EXPERT. If you don’t know something, ask, or if its something you can’t get the answer for, be transparent about that!
Now is the time to ask questions, perhaps they have a newsletter and you want to know how many people they are reaching, or some data on the various stages of the customer experience. You may have questions about integrations in their webpage, or have spotted problems with traffic direction that you need the answer to.
Now is a good time to get these questions out of the way. You need to have a clear plan going in as to what information you need from the customer, and it will be up to you, what you’re able to do, and what you vetted before even coming to this conversation which will determine the questions that you ask.
Question 15: So what’s the endgame here?
Of course, not all conversations are going to go the same way.
Perhaps they dont give all of the answers you need, or maybe they need some time to figure it out. Maybe they are on the fence about whether or not to trust you with this information. The ultimate goal at the end of the day is to provide a high quality service to their business, and profit off your labors. To get to this final point, it is highly recommended that you do your best to get them onto a DISCOVERY/SALES CALL.
What is the difference between the two you may be wondering. A discovery call is simply a conversation where you and the owner can talk vocally about the specific issues, and exchange questions about what is needed and what can be done. These calls typically do not end in a close, simply with a follow up call where you can officiate your offer, and close them with confidence, this follow up, will be your sales call.
When you get effective at doing these calls, it is possible to combine the two into an effective conversation, wherein you can discuss what is important, and get them to sign off on the offer at the same time. This level of call is tricky to master, but asking questions, being the expert they believe you to be, and assuming the sale with confidence is key in maximising the benefits of each type of call.
Question: 17: My prospect hasn’t said anything for X days!
Don’t feel too alarmed Little Pickle! These businesse’s are ran by people, just like you and I. Their day is spent managing their dream, and you are not yet a part of that dream. You are low priority to them at this stage, and the goal is to get them to prioritize just enough to let you assist them further.
Don’t bombard them with texts or emails, simply wait and move on to other prospects, you would be amazed what a little patience can achieve. If they don’t respond after a few days, then send them a follow up message or email, potentially giving them some more free value, and emphasising that you want to know more about their business.
This is also why getting a call scheduled is incredibly important, as often this ties them to discussing information with you, and thus your time to get that information is secured, leaving you with full authority to look elsewhere for more businesses to help.
Question 18: The call is booked!, what now?
Its your time to shine! Before your first call, you are going to be nervous. It may be beneficial to practice some breathing exercises, and to not come up with worst cases scenarios in your head. This will do nothing but lead to decreased efficiency, and butcher your confidence voice that we all want to hear.
Perhaps you should take some time to outline how you want the call to go, that way you can direct the callflow properly. Come up with questions that you need answered, and if all else fails, talking to them about their business and dream does not hurt in the slightest. This is what we call, maintaining RAPPORT with the client.
It may also be beneficial to talk to one of your pals, and create a mock sale’s call in which they play the role of the business owner. This way you can practice the things that you need to do on that call, and don’t be afraid to get into your role. Of course, your pal may or may not be a business owner, and they may not provide high quality answers, but they will get you into the feel of the call, just in time for the big day!.
Question 19: Call went well, but what now!
Chances are, if you did not close the client on that call, or agree to further sales call, the client will more than likely say something along the lines of, “I will get back to you shortly”. This isn’t all that common if you manage your calls correctly, but if it does, treat it the same way you would any other follow up and try to get them onto the next call as soon as possible.
Question 20: My client wont close because of X!
This is yet another skill you are going to need to master. When starting out, objections are common. Perhaps they are not all in on the price, or maybe they need to discuss with a partner or other people, or maybe they just don’t want your services right now. This is a part of business, you cannot get everyone, but its important to understand that you can turn these situations around!
A good general way to help overcome these objections is to convince them on the money, and time they may be wasting by not resolving these key issues. Frame your handling tactic as a form of value, and let them know early what not resolving these issues could do. In the case they need to speak to someone else, you can always appeal to authority, and try to reason that they are an authoritative figure in the brand, and that this decision made with confidence and swiftness will provide better results, and solidify that standing. Even when they say NO, you can sometimes turn that around by being understanding of their time, and providing them with value as they leave. Remember to be polite, and that you are always there if they are in need. An extra tip for all of this, and a golden question to ask when handling, “Aside from X, what else is making you hesitant on going forward”. This way you can get key insights onto their potential true objection, and peel back these layers, so that you may eventually close the sale.
Question 21: I closed what now?
Now is the time for you to get to work! I am hoping by this point that you understand what it is you need to do, and if not, you better get to learning it fast. Deadlines will close and producing sub-par quality copy isnt going to get you far.
It is recommended that you reach out to people within the Tyson 4D server to get some quality pointers on any work you’ve done so far, and take things to the next level by leveraging peer review. Congratulations. your journey starts here!
Question 22: What payment softwares do I collect money from?
Payment softwares come in all shapes and sizes and perform different task with a different experience for both you and the consumer. Recommended payment softwares include Stripe, or Paypal, however they do require you to be 18 in order to use. It is recommended that you look for payment softwares with the lowest fees, that allow you to track payment information over a longer period of time, so you can see how profitable your time currently is.
With this said, you can also use your own bank account, as many have invoicing and bill payment softwares integrated into their online portals. Or it can be as simple as a wire transfer, however this can take time out of the client’s day to do. The simpler the payment processor, the better.
Question 23: I am not 18, how do I take payment?
This question is tricky answer with a way that will 100% work. In the US, and many other highly developed nations, it is impossible for someone under 18 to open up a bank account, or use a payment software without sign off by a guardian. To open one, simply talk to your parent, or legal guardian, and have them open a bank account in your and their name using your local bank, or any payment software. When you turn 18, you can simply request thier name be removed, and continue using the software. Getting this taken care of early is highly recommended as to not delay payments.
Question 24: How do I spend this money?
Slow down there slugger, you may have obtained your first payment, but like any responsible individual in finance, you do not want to blow all of that money on unimportant things like candy and video games. Instead think of ways you can make that money work for you! Perhaps you can buy the Tyson 4D Academy or Client Copy Accelrator 3.0 to better your copy and get access to high quality experts in the field. Maybe you buy some stock in a very stable and compounding fund to make your money work for you over the next few years. Finally you could easily keep that money sitting in your bank account for when you need it, in the event of emergencies, or showing bank statements when renting an apartment. Regardless of use your money, remember, that when its gone, you will need to make it back to continue living!
Question 25: This is going slow, is this all really profitable?
This question is going to depend on if you are really invested in copywriting. Just take a look at the Tyson 4D discord server or instagram to get an idea of what kind of profit can be made. There are plenty of people making livable, and even making extravagant wages at a young age, by leveraging their marketing skills to obtain high quality clients that pay high, and keep coming back for more. How much you invest in obtaining people to add to your income stream will determine how profitable this ends up for you in the long run.
Question 26: But what about taxes?
Unless you live in a tax exempt country such as the UAE, you will more than likely have to pay taxes. Remember to be extremely cautious and transparent when it comes to the taxman, and do your research on what your income is classified as, and what the tax obligations are for which payments. If all else fails, remember to hire a tax advisor through companies such an H&R Block or Turbotax to handle any self employment income you’re obtaining. For example, in the US, you are required to file quarterly taxes on your self employment income stream.
With this income stream, you also get the added benefit of being able to deduct costs from your own taxes. Have an important medical expense? It can be deducted. Are you in college and have a debt from that that is taking on interest, you can deduct it. Did you need to buy a better laptop or phone with your money to better write copy? This can all be deducted in the US. Once again, remember to consult your country’s tax regulations to get a clear idea on what needs to be paid, and when.
Question 27: How do I assure the client pays me?
While most businesses will not have an issue paying you, as the reputation loss for not doing so could be costly to them. It is important to understand that we are dealing with human beings, and human beings are capable of being bad people. It is recommended if you are dealing with a higher quality client, to potentially sign a contract, often with auto pay features so that the client has no way to pull the rug over you. Please consult with your local contract laws for your country, and take a look at potential contract building templates and payment softwares in the event that you are in need of that extra security.
Question 28: What is a swipe file, and what is it used for?
A swipe file, simply put is a file of different forms of exceptional copy that can be used for inspiration or future reference to see what more successful copywriters are currently doing. You can use this file to reference back and take a lot at the styles, and best practices of successful individuals to model some of your own copy off of. Remember, this is only used for inspiration, and copying the exact strategy for each copy word for word is not a recommended practice. These copywriters have used this copy for a specific brand, and a specific audience, and the same strategies may not work or be as effective as they could be if instead you made it your own, and innovated further.
Question 29: What is a portfolio?
Simply put, a portfolio is a file, or showcase where you can display your work.
May it be your practice copies, or maybe your past work and testimonials. Your portfolio is a way for individuals to obtain information on work you have done, to gauge how well your copywriting work can be, and ultimately what you can do for them. It is best to keep some of the highlights of your career in the easiest place to find, and organize everything by niche and type to better improve the client experience. Remember that this is your work on display, and not putting decent effort into displaying it properly can result in lessened confidence from the people who view it.
Question 30: How do I curate my profile?
As with your portfolio, depending on your outreach method, your profile may be the client’s first point look into you as an individual. How you frame that can be incredibly important. It is important that you understand that clients are looking for professionalism, and authenticity when it comes to you as an individual. Taking your profile and posting simply random, silly posts, is not going to instill confidence. Instead take some pictures of your day-to-day life, where you’ve been, or what you're doing at any given time. Or perhaps you can brand your account further by creating content to translate your expertise into helping other aspiring copywriters. Ultimately, these two methods create the same effect, professionalism, and transparency.
Question 31: Do large followings matter
Simply put, not at all. Not all of us can have thousands of followers at the start by legitimate means, and no one curates these numbers without time and consistency. The amount of people engaging with your content and your profile is not important in the slightest. You are posting what you wish to post, and your profile medium may not wish to show that to a lot of people. Just post what you want to post, within reason of course.
Question 32: Where do I send my copy? This question is going to depend on the client you are working for. Sometimes your client already has an automation setup currently active, and simply need emails to feed into the software. Some may not have any form of automation and have a weekly newsletter they send out to various subscribers. There are even people who don’t have anything solidified in the world of digital marketing, and you may be just the person they’re looking for to assist.
Regardless, the process remains the same in one of two ways. Either you will be handling the automation software, and feeding these emails in yourself using software you are familiar with, or can learn how to use it quickly. Or you will be sending the copy directly to the client by way of whichever medium you used to write it.
Question 33: I was outreached to by X, should I trust them or not?
Most of the time, no. Often scammers will try and take advantage of aspiring copywriters by inviting them to write for seemingly professional or authentic brands. You, at this stage, are a nobody. Companies will 99/100 not be outreaching to you unless you have built up some form of professional reputation, and have at the very least decent experience under your belt. It is highly recommended that all incoming DMs looking for copywriters is to be ignored immediately. Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it more than likely is.
Question 34: How about X as an outreach method?
As stated in Question 11, there are many different types of outreach that one person can do. There is no such thing as a best outreach method, however if you have found an outreach method you are interested in, try it! Take time to learn the method you are wondering about and come up with a plan for finding, and ultimately contacting each business. Trust yourself to make a good decision, really think about where you want to be speaking to these clients. This is your business after all, and your business can do anything it wishes, and must try things out.
Question 35: Can I incorporate non-copy into my offer?
This is a pretty common misconception, that simply because you are a copywriter, you must only write copy. The truth is, the realm of digital marketing is vast, with many different elements that make it up. If you know how to create an effective and engaging website, offer it. If you know how to create IG and TikTok creatives, offer it. The world is your oyster as a digital marketer, and you should not limit your abilities when curating what kind of business you want to be.
Question 36: Can I really make 10k a month on all of this?
Yes. Plain and simple. Take a look at the Tyson4D Discord, there are several people in it who have made significantly more than 10k a month doing copy. These people have curated their craft, dug in completely, and learned everything they needed to know in order create an unforgettable experience for both their clients, and customers. You can very well do the same given enough time and willingness to understand the craft.
Question 37: What is an ESP?
An ESP, simply put, is the automation campaign in which your work is sent out by either you or the client to a list of emails that have been collected. Not all ESPs are the same, nor are their features, layouts, and paid/free benefits, so shopping around for various ones to start out learning is crucial. For a list of popular free ESPs, please refer to the bottom of this document (or just fucking DM me if you’re viewing this before I got to 100)
Question 38: What is a campaign?
You’re full of good questions today Little Pickle. An email campaign is the group of emails that your client will send out once certain criteria have been met in the customer experience. Perhaps someone has just signed up for a client’s website, that client may send out a number of emails split by a certain length of time in an attempt to persuade them to do various things. This can also be done for certain groups of customers, and not only one campaign needs to run at a time. It will be up to you or your client to curate the list properly into the proper categories in order to ensure the right campaign goes to the right people if necessary.
Question 39: What is an email sequence?
Email sequences and campaigns go hand in hand. This is simply the formation in which these email campaigns get sent out in. Below I will provide a very simple example for you to understand how these sequences can work.
  1. A welcome email may be sent, this may be the start of the customer’s journey.
  2. A set of activation emails may be sent, depending on the requirements of the client
  • Various activation emails may be sent, and are typically time based to persuade an individual to continue with registering.
  1. A simple sales sequence may be sent, and may vary depending on options taken on the website and time
  • If this does not work for example, the client may send out reminders, lost cart emails, etc.
  1. A sale has been made, and a receipt is mailed.
This is a wildly simplified, and the realm of email sequences can get very complex depending on the triggers set, and the wants of the clients. I would familiarize yourself with as much material on this as possible so you can understand, at the very least, what stage your emails may be used in the customer experience.
Question 40: What is a sales funnel
Like with all of these words, a sales funnel is just that, a funnel from point of contact, to finally closing and retaining the client. Often these funnels are combined with multiple levels of email sequencing to cover every aspect of the customer experience, always with the end goal of purchasing, or further purchasing. Funnel building is quite the advanced skill to master, and should be a bit lower on your beginner’s journey to learn fully.
Question 41: What is a landing page?
Landing pages are often the first page that a potential customer may land on during their experience with your client. They are often short, information-packed, and incredibly persuasive. However, landing pages are simply the intended first page of landing, meaning it doesn’t have to be the big wall of text and fancy imaging that you may often see. A landing page can be as simple as the home page of a website or maybe a direct link to the website’s catalog of products or storefront. As a copywriter, your job if creating these high-importance pages will be shuffling people down the funnel convincing them of purchase or sign up, and weeding out lower-quality individuals in the process.
Question 42: What is a sales page
These two pages go side by side often. A sales page is the place in which your client’s valued customer is able to begin checkout for the product in which the client wishes to advertise. A sales page can very easily be a landing page, and if so, should be treated with the utmost precision and thought, as a sales landing page needs to harness the benefits of both effectively.
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Adam Khan
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(If You're New To Copywriting Read This) 40 Questions every new copywriter has
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