...Mike Stelzner's Copywriters Bootcamp has just finished up, and now just around the corner AWAI's 2009 FastTrack to Copywriting Success Bootcamp 2009 and Job Fair is about to begin, where I'll be speaking also. Are you going to Delray Beach Nov. 4 through 7? If so, please find me and say hi!
This month I have a few announcements to share before we get to the main article, which investigates the merits of B2B (business-to-business) copywriting as opposed to B2C (business-to-consumer).
First I want to congratulate former student Peter Fogel for his new information product for copywriters, created with master copywriter Donna Doyle. Peter was my first coaching student six years ago and his tenacity is nothing short of amazing.When I met him, Peter was a stand-up comedian working with New York's entertainment hot shots. I have never met someone more passionate about becoming a health and finance copywriter, or more determined to work in the royalties arena.
Now finally, having achieved his personal goals for financial success as a copywriter, Peter has a grasp on what it really takes to get to this level in B2C. (Congrats Peter!)
On the other hand, Donna's been deeply involved with B2C for nearly 20 years. She's got the long-term perspective, high-profile clients, and plenty of experience with royalties. If you're interested in B2C copywriting and you'd like to benefit from Peter's and Donna's experiences in this niche, you'll want to tap into their revealing recorded interview:
http://bit.ly/2vmOHS
On another note, I want to tell you how thankful I am for you! Every month copywriters and other subscribers send me information they think is worth sharing. Both Victoria Ipri and Eric Lynch sent links to the news on the FTC's coming restrictions on blogging for profit. This is something we all need to keep an eye on for our clients and ourselves. Here's a thoughtful and fairly balanced article on the subject:
http://bit.ly/1K0kHM
Next up, my good friend Ric McConnell (from John Finn's offices in Redondo Beach, CA), is scouting for a talented copywriter for their small publishing company. I asked him to send me a blurb and here it is:
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HEALTH WRITER NEEDED
Online weekly e-letter about alternative health seeks part-time, freelance writers and contributors. You will research and write articles of up to 800 words, mainly on alternative cancer treatments. True believers only, please! We seek someone who is passionate about natural and unconventional treatments (and who's a good writer, too). Send writing samples and a description of your background to Anne Caballero at anne@johnfinn.com.
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Speaking of the alternative health market, my esteemed colleague Pam Magnuson has the book on what you can and can't say, according to the FDA. It's her birthday month and she's having a huge sale - you'll save 50% if you purchase by Nov. 20, 2009.
To read more about What Can You Say, When You Can’t Say Anything? How To Avoid FDA Red Flag Claims and Sell Your Natural Products Legally, go here:
http://is.gd/4sZ8S
And finally, it's been bugging me to see copywriters put "All Rights Reserved" on their websites near the copyright, because, after all, this is a website, not a book, and it's not for sale, as book rights would be. Yet every time I did a web search on the topic, nothing definitive came back.
So I decided to email Diane Eble, who is the book publishing maven and she did the work for us. So should you include "All Rights Reserved" on your website?
In a nutshell, Diane said "...for straight sales copy, no. For pure content, yes. And nowadays, I think content IS what sells, so the lines do blur." Diane did some research and posted clear guidelines on her blog for when to use "All Rights Reserved" on your work, and when not to:
http://bit.ly/VrBfb
(Thanks Diane!)
Ok, so let's get to the meat of the matter for October 2009. My blog letter topics come from real questions from students and colleagues, and this month it seemed I answered a lot of questions on B2B vs. B2C. So this is where we're going this month...
Copywriting for B2B vs. B2C:
Which is better for you?
I've been teaching copywriters since 2003 and in all this time, I've found it tough to clearly explain the differences in working with Business-to-Business (B2B) clients vs. Business-to-Consumer (B2C) clients.
Well, today that's going to change. This last month I've fielded an inordinate amount of questions pertaining to B2B versus B2C, and in this blog letter I'm going to share a comparative concept I've had in my mind for years, but never verbalized.
It goes back to my days as senior copywriter at an agency I worked at for eight years. We had 25 employees, just the right number to go from being a small "happy family" business to introducing politics and all that comes with it.
We had two factions, the "Creatives" and the "Suits." The Creatives were the copywriters and the designers, and the Suits were the Account Execs.
The Creatives were wild and wooly, wore whatever they wanted to work, and played loud music after 5 pm because they often had to stay late to finish their work.
The Suits, on the other hand, were all buttoned up with stiff upper lips, producing creative briefs, schedules, running the numbers and doing "postmortems" (campaign post-assessments). They usually left work on time and never failed to have perfectly polished fingernails.
The Suits disliked the casual attitude of the Creatives. In fact, one once complained loudly to the agency president that I wore cowboy boots and red lipstick to client meetings (gasp!).
When I think of B2B marketers, I think of the Suits. In B2B, there's a great respect for process. Contracts are signed (and honored), Creative Briefs are the norm, schedules are created and adhered to, and the machine runs smoothly because the appropriate paperwork and processes are in place. B2B marketers respect copywriters and their value, and usually have a generous budget for copywriting work. I will say, unequivocally, that B2B marketers are more "Corporate."
When I think of B2C marketers, I think of the Creatives. In my experience, in B2C you often see much less emphasis on process. In general, B2C marketers are more seat-of-the-pants, less likely to follow process, and are more likely to want to negotiate price. I see B2C marketers as more focused on the big picture and much more "Entrepreneurial" in nature.
After working in B2C and B2B for so many years, writing everything from magalogs to lead-gen packages, I found myself choosing to do more B2B work for the reasons stated above. My income took a big jump and I ascribe it to the fact that in B2B there were fewer false starts and faster turnarounds (due to the nature of B2B's shorter copy), which allowed me to do more projects in a year's time. Plus I found it to be better money.
And this isn't just based on end-of-the-year gross revenue. I painstakingly recorded time spent, versus money in, on each and every job for years. I could see statistically that my hourly rate earned in B2B was higher.
I once read a statement by AWAI guru Don Mahoney that B2C doesn't necessarily make you more money because the jobs are bigger and they take more time. There is indeed a danger in "running out of time." I recall many large jobs that had me panicked because constant revisions were hurtling me toward a $50/hr. pay rate.
But because a certain tip-of-the-iceberg group of mailers in B2C mail in the millions, and because that's where royalties are to be found, B2C has gotten the reputation for being where the money is.
The truth is, copywriters routinely bring in high incomes in B2B. As Mike Stelzner proved in his White Paper survey, copywriters who specialize in White Papers can earn upwards of $200,000 per year.
I've coached copywriters who make well over $100,000 in B2B, including Ed Gandia, who made $163,000 in his first year of copywriting for the software niche. (He did have an advantage that may have worked in his favor: the fact that he came from software sales and might have had some good contacts.)
As I spent more time this month thinking about the difference between working in B2B and B2C, I decided to ask the opinion of others, but take care in how I asked the question. I didn't want to tip the scale with a question that revealed my own particular bias. So here's the question I asked in the Copywriters Guild group in LinkedIn:
"Where do you find the highest quality clients... in B2B or B2C? I have my opinion but I'd like to know yours."
And this is what was said:
"In a phrase, Chris? B2B hands down. In my 20+ years experience, they're more likely to value the writer's expertise and craft and pay accordingly with a minimum of fuss. I've also found the most interesting work on the B2B side, getting a chance to learn and write about all sorts of products/services for a wide variety of trades and industries." — Roberta Rosenberg
"To answer your question, there are some B2C markets that are a little like making it into the NBA. If you become a superstar copywriter in, say, the high-end subscription newsletter market, then you can make a lot of money. But that's ONLY if you become a star. And there's no guarantee anyone can accomplish that. In B2B you don't have to be a star. You can be a good writer, master the craft and techniques of B2B copywriting, and do very well in dozens of niche markets." — Steve Slaunwhite
"I have written for both for the last 14 years, though primarily for B2B in the high-tech industry. I think you can find 'high-end' and 'low-end' clients in B2B and B2C. However, in my experience, a lot of B2B writing requires specialized knowledge, for example, in biotech or any number of high-tech verticals, such as networking, semiconductors and telecomm. B2B copy tends to be more complex and in-depth, and so the writer's capabilities to analyze and distill complex information and then translate it into compelling content are more valued and appreciated in the B2B arena." — Michelle Gouldsberry
"The B2C work I've done has been in the 'onesie twosie' camp — client needs one particular project (brochure, website, news release, direct mail letter, etc.). Once that project is done, their need is fulfilled. B2B has offered much greater opportunities for ongoing, sustainable business. And, the projects are more interesting and have an impact on a larger audience." — Diane Autey
So has this given you any level of insight into the differences between B2B and B2C?
I hope so! It certainly has given me an insight... and that is the uncomfortable realization that I may look like a Creative, but deep down inside I'm really more like a Suit. YIKES!
And since we now publish on a blog format, your comments are welcome and eagerly anticipated...
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