Why a Dog Licking Your Leg Is a Lot Like Freelance Copywriting

So last night my wife and I went out for ice cream.

It’s a big deal.

We just moved back to the city after living rurally for 2 years while renovating a house.

So having an ice cream shop close to our apartment is HUGE.

Even better … it’s 100% vegan.

(Yes, I can hear all you wild meat-and-potato fiends howling in disgust. It only gets worse the longer you stay on this list, so if you don’t like it, I suggest you caress that sweet, sweet unsub button at the end of this email).

Anyway.

We decided we’d take our dog Aggie with us.

Now … if you’ve read my stories about Aggie before, you know that she’s a VERY friendly dog.

Sometimes to the point where it gets her (and us) in some … sticky … situations.

Tonight was no different.

We show up to the ice cream shop around 8 pm. I plan to wait outside with Aggie while Kiara runs in and grabs us a couple of cones.

Seconds later, Kiara is beckoning both myself AND Aggie to come inside the shop.

… A shop that is packed full of dozens and dozens of humans.

… So that Aggie can get a “pup cone.” Her favorite.

Things start off okay. But Aggie — being her ever-friendly self — decides she wants to be pet by the staff behind the counter. So she jumps on the counter with her front paws.

I quickly redirect her before things become … unsanitary for the other patrons … grab our cones, and nestle into a corner of the shop.

More people flood in.

Then … it begins.

We’re sitting there enjoying our cones, but Aggie has already finished hers. And it’s clear that she is now wholly unsatisfied with the amount of attention she’s getting.

So she does the only thing she knows will get attention.

She starts licking random people’s legs.

“WHHAA!” one patron squeals behind me. I dart my eyes over to see Aggie licking some poor woman’s leg.

I bring her back to me, but a few seconds later I hear another “WOOOAH!” as she starts up with yet another unwitting ice-cream eater.

It’s adorable. And nobody really minds. But we decide to high-tail it outta there before she licks everyone in the entire damn shop in an attempt to secure attention.

Now, what in the ever-loving HELL does this have to do with copywriting?

Well … when you think about it … what Aggie did last night is kind of what a lot of copywriters do when they’re looking for a new client.

They’re too friendly.

They’ll take ANY rate.

And they’ll even lick everyone’s le — oh no, no. They don’t do that.

Point is this: “Prospective clients” owe you nothing. So don’t lose all your self-respect the moment you start chatting with them.

Keep your resolve.

Charge what you’re worth.

And don’t lick their legs.

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