Copywriting, The “Secret” and Other Mystical Mojo

July 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment

*** Why Mindset is So Important

*** Mindset Is Only a PIECE of the Puzzle

*** Get In Tune with What You REALLY Want FIRST

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I’ve been writing non-stop since I opened my biz. I’ve had lucrative and not-so-lucrative jobs. I’m finishing my last non-lucrative job and am only going to fish in bigger ponds from now on.

Thanks again for such a great book. I’m no longer a copywriter. I’m a moneymaking marketing specialist. :-)”

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———————

Dear Copywriter,

Put on your seatbelts today…

Because we’re going somewhere QUITE a bit different.

We’ll return to our regularly scheduled program next week, but today’s issue is going to focus on the number one thing standing between you and the success you’re seeking.

That “thing” is your mind.

Now developing your copywriting chops is a smart thing to do, but they hardly matter if you and your magical sidekick (your brain) become your own worst enemy.

It’s possible. I’ve done it. And every now and again, I do it again.

So today’s focus is MINDSET (kind of). And why it’s so important to your future success.

Why Mindset is So Important

About two years ago, when I first watched the movie, “The Secret,” I spent the rest of that evening buzzing about what I was about to attract into my life.

I sat around visualizing what I wanted…

But nothing happened.

So I tried again.

Nothing happened.

I got a little bit frustrated. So I started devouring every piece of information I could find about mindset. About how to use your mind to help create the things you want in your life.

Eventually, I realized what I was missing…

Mindset Is Only a PIECE of the Puzzle

You see, when I first started actually making money in this business, I got really excited.

It’s a nice feeling to be able to pay your bills.

And I got enamored with the idea of buying nice things. A nice watch maybe (even though I hate wearing a watch) and maybe a nicer car (even though I’ve never been happier than when I lived in NYC without a car).

I got caught up in the wheel of success as I call it.

The only problem is, I wasn’t the one spinning the wheel. It wasn’t even MY wheel. And I was starting to get dizzy.

Mindset is one of the most powerful tools to get what you want. That’s what we’ve all been told right?

The part that no one seems to mention is that the things you want need to be the RIGHT things for you.

It took me a while to realize that what I learned watching “The Secret” wasn’t so that I could live the life of the stereotypical “successful entrepreneur.”

That’s what I was chasing, but it was completely WRONG for me.

And as long as I bucked the truth for me (what I REALLY wanted my life to be like), I wasted energy trying to get my “mindset tuned for success.”

I tried to use my mindset to direct me down a path that simply wasn’t right for me.

Get In Tune with What
You REALLY Want FIRST

Once I got straight with myself and spent some time figuring out what was RIGHT for me, then my mindset mojo actually started working.

But it only really started once I got very clear on what I really wanted.

Someone should have put that as a disclaimer in “The Secret.” It would have saved me a lot of time :)

So what kind of LIFE do you want to live?

REALLY? Would that be your answer if no one was looking or listening?

Deep down inside your gut, you already know what you really want. You may even already have it.

But sometimes it can be a huge challenge to hear that voice come through.

Especially when you’ve got a hundred people all trying to TELL you what you should want.

You should be wealthy, successful, have a successful business, charge big fees, live in a nice house, never work for anyone again, spend your time with successful people, look up to the wealthy…

Blah, blah, blah.

This is your life. And all of that success stuff is great… unless that’s NOT how you want to define success for YOU.

You’ve got to get CLEAR on that first. That’s step one.

Because until you do that, all of this “mindset” mojo probably isn’t gonna work so well.

Mindset is your energy. The energy you’ve been given to CREATE.

Just don’t waste it creating a dream that isn’t really yours. You’ve got great things to do in your life. And you can make them happen.

Take the time you need to set YOUR compass. And then enjoy the ride…

Posted by Jason | Filed Under Blog 

The Biggest “Copywriting Secret”

July 15, 2008 | Leave a Comment

*** I Don’t Know Why No One Mentions This

*** You Make Your $ on the BUY

*** Hard or Easy… It’s Your Choice

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———————

Dear Copywriter,

It’s time for some “from the trenches” truth telling…

So I’m going to start today with something you’ll probably never hear from a copywriting guru.

And that is…

It’s time to STOP working on your copywriting skills… (for a little while)

Especially if you want to increase your income as a freelance copywriter.

Now my experience could be a fluke, but based on the past 18 months of my life, good copywriting is about 15% of what you actually need to succeed in this business.

Today, I’ll tell you why I think that. And hopefully help you take your copywriting business to a new level.

I Don’t Know Why No One Mentions This

When I got started as a freelance copywriter, I thought that the better my writing got, the more money I would make.

My thinking went something like this:

1. Better copywriting leads to…
2. Bigger results, which lead to…
3. More clients, which lead to…
4. More money.

Sounds simple enough.

But it doesn’t seem to be true.

Because while it IS important to always be learning and improving your craft, it doesn’t really put food on the table by itself.

That’s why there are plenty of excellent copywriters who are scraping by.

And that’s true for a lot of industries. Music… technology…

So today, I’d like to share something with you that I’ve learned over the past 18 months. Something that I’ve found is FAR more important than being a good copywriter.

I call it “The Biggest Copywriting Secret.”

That big “secret” is simply this:

Your success as a freelance copywriter will depend on your ability to CHOOSE the right clients.

You Make Your $ on the BUY

Sounds like common sense doesn’t it?

You’ve got to have good clients. And by good clients, I don’t just mean clients that pay you on time and give you steady work.

That’s a good place to start, of course, but long term a GOOD client is more than that.

In one way, copywriting is just like the real estate business. In real estate, you make your money when you BUY the property.

As a copywriter, much of your future income is made (or lost) when you CHOOSE the clients you are going to work with.

And here’s the reason.

Good clients have 4 things:

1. They have some marketing sense. (That way, you’re not having to justify every marketing decision you make.)

2. They have GOOD products. (GOOD means that people are actually buying them.)

3. They have GOOD lists of people to sell products to.

4. They’re already making money.

How many of your current clients have those four things?

When I got started, very few of my clients had all 4 things.

Choosing the WRONG clients will set you on an uphill journey.

Choose a client without a GOOD product or a GOOD list and there’s a good chance your results WON’T warrant a long term relationship.

You’ll wonder why your copy never gets huge results. And you’ll start to have doubts about whether you have what it takes to be in this business.

It won’t be your fault, but it will be your problem.

So I’ve found that there is an easier way…

Hard or Easy… It’s Your Choice

You need to make sure you create your marketing system to help you uncover the GOOD clients. Those are the clients that will help you increase your income, in less time.

That means that your marketing system needs to sift, sort and filter out the clients you don’t want to be working with.

The fact is, you’ll put the same amount of time and effort into writing a salesletter for a product that has no hope of selling as you will into one that will create a home run.

So it pays to take the time to get this right from the beginning.

Choose GOOD clients.

Being in business for yourself is challenging enough. So make a decision right now as a freelance copywriter to take the smart path.

And that path begins with GOOD clients.

Posted by Jason | Filed Under Blog 

The Problem with Startups

July 8, 2008 | Leave a Comment

*** Oops, I Did It Again

*** Playing the Market Research Department Stinks

*** What to Do Instead

— Special Offer —

A reader speaks out…

“Jason’s book is full of solid advice you can use to become a successful copywriter. He outlines all the mistakes a new writer can make - I cringed through those parts, because I’ve made the same mistakes.

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-Dave Chappelle
Copywriter

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———————

Dear Copywriter,

It was bound to happen…

Almost every time I go against my gut and take on a client that’s a startup… I end up being sorry.

Today, I’d like to talk about why.

And I’d like to (hopefully) save you a bit of frustration. Plus give you some tips about finding more profitable waters to fish in for YOUR next client.

Oops, I Did It Again

In my experience, (unless you’re lucky) here’s the arc that things often take with a startup:

1. New startup client comes on. They think you are the answer to their prayers. In an effort to sell your services, you try to temper their fantasy expectations a bit, WITHOUT sending them running…

2. The marketing campaign starts. The copy gets written. The campaign doesn’t take off. The startup begins to get frustrated. Cashflow is tight. Stress sets in. You are the only one standing around. The spotlight falls squarely on you.

3. Startup calls. Asks why things aren’t working. Everyone else seems to be selling this stuff successfully. You try to explain that there could be a lot of problems.

The problem could be the copy…

The problem could be the product…

The problem could be the market…

The startup doesn’t understand why things need to be so complicated. The startup explains they need a change. The startup goes back to Step 1 with a new copywriter.

Rinse and repeat.

Playing the Market Research Department Stinks

So here’s the biggest problem you have as a copywriter working with a startup company:

You end up being more of a market research department WHILE you’re trying to sell their stuff.

The big challenge with a startup is that (unless they are extremely savvy), they are coming at you with a product THEY love (which hasn’t been tested for viability in a market) but don’t know how to sell.

That’s a big challenge for even the world’s top copywriters.

Plus, you’re working with a company where cash is often so tight that the clock is ticking (loudly) for you to produce results FAST.

That can be a problem when the deck is already stacked against you.

What to Do Instead

This might sound cynical…

So be it.

My simple rule is to stay away from startups as a primary way to earn your living.

If you want to work with them, that’s one thing. But if you’re looking for profitable clients who you can count on to come back time and time again, chances are, a startup company is NOT the place to look.

The most profitable clients…

1. Are already selling their products and services. They aren’t looking for the pieces of the puzzle to make that first sale.

2. Have enough cash so they aren’t looking to YOU for a constant supply of home runs just to pay their bills.

3. Understand that the majority of marketing promotions don’t return huge dollars, and they’re willing to keep getting up to bat for those times when home runs DO happen.

Now if I could just take my own advice :)

Posted by Jason | Filed Under Blog