Issue 141 of the Excess Voice newsletter for online copywriters

For information on my coaching service for freelancers copywriters, visit:

Excess Voice Newsletter
October 2007, Issue # 141

In this issue:

>> Intro: Productivity Issues
>> Review: Turn Your Pictures into Cash
>> Article: Can a business coach help you advance your career or business?
>> Survey: What reduces your productivity most?
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Greetings,

In response to the last issue's survey, 95% of those who responded said they were most productive in the early morning. That's a huge percentage, and raises questions about what happens to us for the rest of the day.

Hence today's follow-up survey...

This issue's article and review are both a bit off-topic. The article looks at the benefits of hiring a business coach. And the review is about making money from photos. The review link will take you through to the full review on my other copywriting site, FreelanceWritingSuccess.com.

Next time we'll get back to the usual topic of writing for the web.

And if you have a moment - please respond to the survey.

Until next time,

Nick

Nick Usborne

>> Feedback: mailto:nick@excessvoice.com

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REVIEW: Turn Your Pictures into Cash - A Comprehensive Program in Taking and Selling Photos for Profit.

If you have ever wondered whether you could take and sell photos for a profit, the answer is almost certainly Yes.

This course weighs in at over 300 pages and gives you the detailed information you need to start taking photos that sell.

As you would expect, the course includes sections on equipment and photography techniques.

But it goes way beyond that.

It takes you into the world of the photography business itself.

You'll learn about what kind of images editors are looking for, and what qualities they look for in the photographs they buy.

In addition, you'll learn how to present and promote your photographs in a professional manner that will get you noticed and make you money.

Read my review at FreelanceWritingSuccess.com:
http://www.freelancewritingsuccess.com/photos-for-profit.php

#1. Desktop Marketing

A course for freelancers who want to increase their income by offering writing AND design services.

Read my review:
http://www.excessvoice.com/desktop-marketing.htm

#2. The Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey, Volume 2.

This is the second volume of this survey, fully up to date, and with a lot more information on what to charge for 40 different types of freelance copywriting work, how to find new assignments, and more.

Read my review...
http://www.excessvoice.com/copywriting-fees-survey.htm

#3. Productivity Engineering - a hypnosis CD program to help you improve your work performance.

An excellent program I tried myself with considerable success.

Read my review:
http://www.excessvoice.com/productivity.htm

#4. Michael Masterson's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting

This is the only copywriting course I wholeheartedly recommend to any copywriter who wants to write copy that drives results.

Read my review:
http://www.excessvoice.com/michael-masterson.htm

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ARTICLE: Can a business coach help you advance your career or business?

This article is a little off the beaten track, and has nothing directly to do with writing for the web.

However, we are all employees and freelancers, as well as writers. We have careers or businesses to take care of.

So how about coaching? Is it an effective way to get ahead? Can paying a business coach to talk with you over the phone really make a difference?

I must admit to having a small demon on my shoulder when it comes to coaching. It's probably a second cousin to the demon who whispers in my ear when confronted by a therapist. Part of me is just daring the person to utter that awful phrase, "How does that make you feel?"

Recently I went through a few months of coaching.

And here's the bottom line:

I will make twice as much during the second half of this year as I did during the first half. And next year is looking even better.

So how does this weird magic work? How can talking with a business coach make that kind of a difference?

My coach was Alan Allard.

He's a patient man. I probably spent the first two sessions introducing him to my demon. After all, the guy used to be a therapist himself. And I think he came perilously close to asking me how I felt on a couple of occasions.

For the first few sessions at least, I had very little idea of what he was trying to do with me. I couldn't quite figure out the process he was following.

As it turned out, that didn't really matter.

In fact, the entire experience was like trying to grab hold of mist.

What he did, with his cauldron and frogs and eyes of newt, was re-awaken a level of self-confidence I had somehow lost. Not just in myself, but in my work. (And no, I had no idea I had lost that level of self-confidence. That realization came as quite a shock to me.)

Feeling good is one thing. Feeling good in a way that one can directly apply to one's work or business is quite another.

In other words, he didn't just sugar coat me with a cloud of ethereal, feel-good encouragement. He gave me something I could take to the bank.

I have no idea when or how it happened, but he quietly opened a couple of doors deep inside me and then stood back and waited.

And I guess that's his skill. To open or re-open doors. To enable people to tap into strengths and depths which they either never knew they had, or had somehow forgotten.

Perhaps Alan won't thank me for describing him in a pointy hat with a large cauldron. I use the analogy simply because I can't unravel the mystery of how he made his magic.

All I know is that it worked.

So if you have a feeling that you're not moving ahead in your career as fast as you could, or that your freelance business should be booming, but isn't, consider engaging a business coach.

And if you want to speak with Alan, you can reach him at AlanAllard.com. He's a great coach and an outstanding person.

>> Feedback: mailto:nick@excessvoice.com

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JOB BOARD

>> Looking for an online copywriter or web content writer?

Post your job on the Excess Voice Job Board and reach over 20,000 copywriters a month.

http://excessvoice.jobcoin.com/

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SURVEY: What reduces your productivity most?

If, like most of us, you are most productive at the beginning of the day, what is it that undermines your productivity as the day progresses?

[ ] Distracted by co-workers
[ ] Distracted by family (if you work at home)
[ ] Too many meetings
[ ] Too much email
[ ] Too many phone calls
[ ] Too many tasks to deal with
[ ] General loss of focus during the day

Comments:

(NOTE: Any comments and your name may be published in the next issue, or on the Excess Voice web site.)

Cut and paste your replies to me at mailto:nick@excessvoice.com

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NICK USBORNE'S SERVICES:

Yes, I do more than write articles and publish newsletters.

Ask me to give a training seminar or webinar for your writers or web team.

http://www.nickusborne.com/speaking.htm

Ask me to write for your site, emails and newsletters.
http://www.nickusborne.com/copywriting.htm

Ask me to optimize your key offer pages...
http://www.nickusborne.com/consulting.htm

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