nick usborne's guide to online copywriting
For information on my coaching service for freelancers copywriters, visit:
February 2005
Issue # 73
In this issue:
>> Intro: A
Single Theme...
>> Review: Selling Yourself as a Copywriter
>> Article: Freelance Copywriters: Double Your Income
>> Survey: The Name of My eBook
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Greetings,
In the last issue's survey I asked about your learning habits. Do you read books on copywriting and selling? Do you read eBooks, attend seminars, take courses? The results were interesting. First, I received replies only from those who did invest in learning more about their craft. Not a peep from anyone who doesn't. And of those who did reply, and do invest time and money in learning more, almost all of them spent money on all of the above...books, ebooks, seminars etc.
Seems to me that there is a small hard-core group of writers and copywriters on this list who take learning very seriously. And my guess is that this same group are those who are most ambitious, grow their business the fastest and make the most money. If you're not moving forward by learning more, you're just standing still. And if you're standing still...well, you're not getting anywhere.
This issue's article picks up on this theme. It's about how freelance copywriters can double their income with a simple change in attitude and habits. If you're employed, I think there are still some thoughts here that you might find useful.
To continue that theme...this issue's review looks at Bob Bly's latest creation:
"Selling Yourself as a Copywriter - How to Earn $100,000 a Year". There are a couple of amazing things about this course. The first is that Bob gives you all the tools, knowledge and confidence you need to make a great deal more money as a copywriter. The second is that his course includes email access to him for life. That's quite a bonus.
Finally, this week's survey question is also related to this same theme, and is completely self-serving. Here it is: If *I* were to write an ebook on copywriting or freelancing, what would you call it? In other words, knowing a little about who I am and what I know, if I had an ebook for you, what would you hope to find in it? What niche copywriting topic do you think I am best qualified to write about?
Until next time.
Nick
Nick Usborne
>> Feedback: mailto:nick@excessvoice.com
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REVIEW: Selling Yourself as a Copywriter - How to Earn $100,000 a Year
This course is for freelance writers who have a real ambition to turn their talents into a real, money-making business.
You get printed materials, books, CDs and... LIFETIME, UNIMITED email access to Bob Bly. You have a question? Send him an email and he'll answer. For life, without limit. (If you don't know Bob Bly, well, he makes north of $500k a year as a freelance writer. So he knows a thing or two about working smart and getting good clients.)
This course is for any freelance copywriter who wants to get serious about his or her business. It's about cutting the slack from your work, working more efficiently, getting more and better clients and making a lot more money.
You'll find my review
here:
http://www.excessvoice.com/selling-yourself.htm
Previous Reviews:
>> At Excess Voice:
#1: 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.
http://www.excessvoice.com/michael-masterson.htm
#2: The Site Build It suite of services for web site creation and marketing
Again, this is the only service I recommend for anyone wanting to create a small business site that will generate results, complete with all the necessary tools included.
http://www.excessvoice.com/sitebuildit.htm
>> At Freelance Writing Success
#1: Freelance Writing Success in a Box
An inexpensive guide to building a freelance writing business, working more efficiently and making more money.
http://www.freelancewritingsuccess.com/success.php
#2: 24 Press Releases Transformed from So-So to Sizzling, by Marcia Yudkin
An excellent way to learn the ins and outs of writing more effective press releases.
http://www.freelancewritingsuccess.com/pr.php
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ARTICLE: Freelance Copywriters: Double Your Income
Freelance copywriters are a strange group of people when it comes to running their own businesses.
They are outspoken and enthusiastic while selling their clients’ products and services, but are hopelessly shy and reticent about blowing their own horns.
They grumble and gripe about their clients being disorganized and unfocused, but are terminally disorganized and unfocused themselves.
>> Yes, the situation is awash with irony
The thing I hear most from freelance copywriters is that they feel too shy to promote their own services aggressively.
They won’t make cold calls.
They won’t speak at local business events, at conventions or conferences.
They have never written a direct sales letter to send out to prospective clients.
The result? The result is tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenues.
>> Stranger and stranger...
I would hazard a guess that the majority of freelance copywriters make only a fraction of the money they could.
Their time is spent inefficiently. They work for too long on jobs that pay too little. They fail to replace low-paying clients with high-paying clients. They fail to negotiate higher fees for their work. They never outsource to other writers and make money on the margin. They pay too much tax. They put no money aside. Their cash-flow is horrible. Their promotional efforts are zero. And so on and so on...
It’s a ridiculous situation. Why ridiculous? Because as copywriters we expect to get paid well for the very set of skills we fail to use on our own behalf.
>> Double your income by getting serious about your business
Yes, if you work as a freelance copywriter, you are running a business. And as a business, you need to take things seriously.
Can you really double your income? Of course you can. Just use your time more efficiently and get more and better-paying clients.
We all know we have too many days when we don’t get as much work done as we should. That’s fine if you want to view yourself as a lone ‘artiste’ struggling with writer’s block. But it won’t cut the mustard if you view what you do as a serious business. Use your time efficiently. Get the work done.
And promote your services. If you are truly too shy to pick up the phone or speak in front of a crowd, at least use your writing skills and create a promotional sales package you can send out to prospective clients.
And here’s the easiest way to double your income: get better clients and negotiate higher fees. In fact, the better the quality of client, the more open they will be to negotiation, and the more they will respect your work.
>> Concluding thoughts...
The first step to doubling your income this year is to change your attitude about your work. Think of yourself as a BUSINESS. You are. And apply all the disciplines that are used when running a business. Aim to make money.
Organize your time. Get the job done.
It isn’t so very hard. And the result will be that you’ll make a great deal more money, and will probably enjoy your work a lot more at the same time.
** If you found value in the article, please forward this newsletter to colleagues and friends who might be interested.
** The archives of
all previous ExcessVoice articles can be found here:
http://www.excessvoice.com/archive.htm
>> Feedback: mailto:nick@excessvoice.com
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SURVEY: What is the Name of My eBook?
Knowing who I am and what I know...and if I were to write an eBook...what would the focus to be? What name would you give it?
Nick, given your expertise, I would expect you to write an eBook with this particular, tight focus: ...(your suggestion)...
And I would call the eBook: ...(title suggestion)...
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