Catalogs: The Copywriter's Hidden Gold Mine

[Jay White]

Let’s face it, folks. Our secret is out.

The once under-the-radar career of direct response copywriting is now a full-fledged phenomenon, with more and more fresh-faced copywriters entering the marketplace daily. And that means more competition for those plum clients, and a little smaller pie for the rest of us.

But not to worry. Because there’s a hidden marketplace out there that few copywriters are aware of… a virtual treasure trove of copywriting jobs that are quick, easy, fun, and best of all lucrative — if you know where and how to find them.

Yep, I’m talking about the wonderful world of catalogs. Consider these statistics…

* According to the Direct Marketing Association, the catalog industry grew 7.5% in 2006, with sales reaching $144 billion. (Yes, that’s “billion”, with a “b”).

* The National Mail Order Association estimates that there are 11,000 consumer catalogs and 6,000 business-to-business catalogs in the U.S alone. That’s 17,000 possible clients.

Startling numbers, aren’t they? And the amazing thing is, this mega-sector is serviced by only a handful of copywriters.

It’s true. This tightly knit group of copywriters hold claim to this massive fortune. And guess what? They’re keeping their traps shut about it so no one else will horn in on this primo gig. Wouldn’t you?

So what’s so great about catalog copywriting? First of all, it’s a lot easier (and faster) to write a 10 line copy block than it is to struggle for days and days over a 10 page sales letter.

Secondly, you have much more variety, writing about many different products instead of getting bogged down in one grueling subject for weeks at a time.

Finally, it can be very lucrative for those who are talented in this field. It’s not unheard of for catalog copywriters to receive $50… $75… even $100 or more per copy block. Write a couple of blocks an hour for only a few hours a day, and you can see how the numbers can add up quickly.

But before you dive into this incredibly underserviced marketplace, here’s a few tips to get you started the right way.

* Target a niche that you’re familiar with or passionate about. Your words will shine brighter if you love the subject matter. A great place to look for possible clients is at catalogs.com, cataloglink.com, and catalogs.google.com.

* Get some samples together. Search through some catalogs you have and find a few blocks that are lacking. Then rewrite these blocks, using the same format and similar word count. This is the perfect place to plug in your direct response skills, like the AIDA formula and power words. Put the before and after copy blocks side by side on a Word document and boom–instant sample. Remember: to a potential catalog employer, it’s not how pretty it looks, it’s how well it sells. So don’t worry about styling.

* Use email to contact your potential clients. Be short, sweet, and to the point. Highlight your experience, insert any short testimonials, and leave your contact info. On my second day after launching my freelance career, I used this same basic approach and received an incredible 30% response–all within 3 hours of sending my email. Less than a week later, I had secured a client. And that same client has used my services again and again.

As you can see, the catalog market is truly an untapped source for copywriters, and a virtual gold mine for those who take advantage of it.

So what are YOU waiting for?

Jay White is a highly successful direct response copywriter who cut his teeth in the catalog market. He is currently teaching other copywriters how to break into this $144 billion dollar a year industry. For FREE access to his teleseminar on how to write killer catalog copy, go to http://www.catalogcopywritingsecrets.com