On Copywriting

Inspiration on a Friday

If you'd like to be inspired, read this story at Fast Company.

It's about Ashley Qualls, a 17-year-old girl who has turned her hobby into a $70,000 a month business.

It's not about copywriting.

It's about doing what you love, overcoming adversity, and making it big. Good stuff.

==> Click here to read "Girl Power" at Fast Company.

(Thanks to Warrior Forum for the link.)

Success Is Messy

I first heard Dan Kennedy say "Success is messy" a little over a year ago.

It stuck with me.

After being a freelance copywriter for nearly two years now, I can confidently testify to this truth.

I've missed filing deadlines with the state unemployment office. I've written some "duds." I've even been fired.

Of course, I've also written some "home runs" and cultivated a reputation for writing honest, hard-hitting copy.

Which is to say, success is messy. Or at least it has been in my case.

Success is not a smooth six-lane highway. It's a twisty two-lane road, filled with unexpected potholes... kind of like the mountain roads here in Colorado.

To encourage you a bit, I thought I'd tell you a little story.

For over a year, I didn't clean my study. The stacks of paper grew. The floor was covered. It got so bad, that I could hardly get around without stepping on the piles.

I resisted organizing. I was too busy trying to bring in new clients and writing copy to worry about it.

Finally, after a whole year, I had to do something. It became hard to focus with messes all around me.

So I undertook the project. And for the next month I cleaned. Sometimes a few hours a day; sometimes for a few minutes. But I got the job done.

I've posted some pictures for you to see. One "before" picture and two "after" pictures. (Follow the links in the captions to go from one picture to the next.)

This is visual proof that success is indeed messy!

P.S. One of the things that has helped me stay organized and saved me many hours of time is what I call the "Three File System." Click here to read about it.

Marketing Library for a Trackback?

My friend Terry Dean is giving away 156 Dan Kennedy tapes if you'll give him one little Trackback.

Kinda crazy, huh?

I noticed nobody had sent a Trackback yet, which I find surprising. Well, maybe not that surprising based on my own experience with The Great CD Giveaway. Not many took the initiative to participate.

I've decided to participate simply because I have an interest in all the Dan Kennedy copywriting tapes. Summer is approaching, and I can listen to tapes while I do yard work.

Want to see what Terry is offering? Want to participate? Go here.

P.S. You only have until May 11 to join.

The Path to Success

The path to success looks like this:

1. Take action. (Don't over-analyze.)
2. Fail your way to success.
3. Self-correct & improve.

That's pretty much it.

Simple, huh?

It's a wonder so few people travel this path...

Thoreau on Private Opinion

"Public opinion is a weak tyrant compared with our own private opinion. What a man thinks of himself, that it is which determines, or rather indicates, his fate." (Walden, Henry David Thoreau, p. 7)

So, what do you think about yourself?

Success as a Service Professional

Here's a question I've been asking a lot lately: What specific things have contributed to my success over the last 17 months?

You see, I launched my freelance copywriting career on June 13, 2005. I picked up clients the very first week. I've never looked back (even though I made almost no money in November 2005 and had to dip into my line of credit by $5,000 just to stay afloat).

Pay attention.

Lord Alfred Tennyson said: "Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers."

This is true in every endeavor of life, especially online marketing. Knowledge enough to fill libraries, and yet everyone is still thirsty for wisdom.

Where can you find real wisdom?

I contend that one of the most overlooked sources of wisdom in the entire world... is... the book of Proverbs.

When I was young, my grandfather told me to read Proverbs every month. There are 31 chapters. Read one a day and you can read the entire book every month. Twelve times a year.

Although I never read Proverbs every month, I took my grandfather's advice to heart. And I've read that book of the Bible more frequently than any other.

Anyway, for the past year I've had one particular verse rolling around in my head. It's given me a focal point for my efforts. And it seems to have paid off well.

What was the verse? It was Proverbs 22:29. I quote it here for your benefit.

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings. He will not stand before obscure men.

I have meditated on this verse for over a year now. I believe it is one of the greatest keys to success as a service professional—hence, the title of this post.

You see, if you are skilled in your work, your clients and customers will begin to advertise for you. This is called "word of mouth." Is it any surprise that the most of my new clients are referrals?

The good news is, the same thing can happen for you. Yes, you should advertise. Yes, you should market your services. But never forget that skill—more than anything else—will give you access to men and women of influence. Therefore, be skilled in your work.

This Is Wealth...

In our ceaseless pursuit of material abundance, it's important to reflect and remember what true wealth really is.

I was reminded of this last night as I read Dan Kennedy's No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs. In Chapter 7, "How To Turn Time Into Wealth," he reminds us that "money isn't everything." (p. 71)

He then gives examples of guys doing exactly what they want, when they want. For instance, Dan finds wealth in racing horses at the track. Another man, Dr. Herb True, gave up a lucrative speaking career to teach at Notre Dame and work with the homeless. Although his income is modest, Dr. True is a very wealthy man.

Earlier in the day, I had stopped working at 4:30 to go out and shovel the driveway. Then, my wife, kids, and I built a snowman. We had a great time. After we were done, I thought to myself... this is wealth.

The never-ending quest for more money can leave you feeling hollow and empty. But building a snowman on a Thursday afternoon... ahh... that's wholesome goodness that just fills you up.

When it comes down to it, the everyday blessings in my life far exceed the comforts of money. If you search yourself, I'm willing to bet the same is true for you, too.

Click here to see my daughter posing in front of our snowman.

Tunnel Vision

Tunnel vision.

It's easy to acquire when you spend too much time among Internet marketers.

All you see is a small group of high profile people who hire copywriters.

You see the Armand Morins, the Jay Abrahams, the Mike Filsaimes.

But it's like looking at the reflection of water. You are too preoccupied with the dazzle of the light and fail to realize there is a deep ocean underneath.

The fact is, there are thousands of small businesses out there who need the expertise of copywriters.

Yet you will never see it if you stay confined to the microcosm that is Internet marketing.

If ever you feel you are getting discouraged about "too much competition" in copywriting, then I suggest you pull your head out of the computer and start exploring the "real world" where you'll find an abundance of clients who will happily pay for your services.

P.S. Many of my clients are in the Internet marketing community, so this post is just as much for me as it is for you! :-)

Learn to Earn

Over the last seven days, I've had the privilege of speaking with a number of business owners who are interested in hiring me to write copy. And I got to thinking about how blessed I am.

You see, as a full-time freelance copywriter, I get paid to learn.

Even when talking with potential clients, I learn about some truly amazing businesses. Many of these I never knew existed. I never even knew markets existed to support them!

Of course, getting a new client is even better. Because then I get to research and learn about his business, his market, his product, and how to sell it. And since I love learning, I'm getting paid to do one of my favorite activities.

Why do I tell you all of this?

To paint a picture of how you can live your life. Do you want to "learn to earn?" Do you want to get paid to do something you love? Then consider launching your freelance copywriting career sooner rather than later. Maybe, like me, it will be one of the best decisions you ever make.

An Hour In The Morning...

As my son ripped the cover off an old issue of Country Magazine, I stirred from my nap. The tearing sound had woken me. I like Country, and I hate to see one ruined, but he tore into it before my wife or I could do anything about it.

I bent over to pick up the newly amputated cover and noticed a "Rural Pearl" on the back that said: "An hour in the morning is worth two in the afternoon."

For me, that statement rings very true. My best hours are in the morning. And yet everybody has their own circadian rhythm. Maybe you're a "morning person." Maybe you're a "night owl."

Whatever you are, the important point is to recognize when your energy levels peak and honor that time as work time. You'll work faster and get more done than you ever believed possible by just listening and respecting your body's natural rhythms.