Freelance Copywriting Advice #1: Take the Scary Jobs
From time to time you will be faced with an opportunity that looks downright scary.
The temptation is to think, "Hey, that's way outside my level of expertise. I'm not ready for that."
My advice to you is this: Do it.
When you are faced with opportunities that are larger, more challenging and ultimately 'scary', that's when you learn fastest, stretch yourself the most and build your inner confidence as a copywriter.
Let me give you a couple of related examples.
Within my first two months as a direct marketing copywriter I was presented with the opportunity to write a mailing for Franklin Mint.
As some of you may know, Franklin Mint is a very, very sophisticated company when it comes to direct marketing. I seriously wondered whether I might end up looking like an idiot, wasting my time and theirs.
But I took on the job. Scary, yes. But it worked out fine. I learned a great deal and continued to do work for them.
Here's another, related example.
In early 1998 a friend of mine was invited to speak to a few hundred people at a conference about marketing online. He got cold feet and asked me to speak in his place. The problem was, I had only a week to prepare my talk.
I had never spoken to a crowd that large before. I had no idea what to do. I was terrified.
But I did it.
In hindsight, that first talk was not a great one. But it got me started. Since then I have spoken at dozens of conferences and given full day seminars to numerous companies.
Speaking has made me quite a bit of money, and has led to many copywriting jobs I would otherwise have never received. It has also helped establish me as an expert in my chosen field.
And I came so, so close to saying no.
How close? Probably not as close as I think. Looking back, I have always said yes to the scariest challenges.
It's how you grow. It's how you find new opportunities. It's how you make your name as a copywriter worth doing business with.
Nick Usborne is a freelance copywriter, author and speaker. For more articles and resources on making money as a freelance writer, visit his site, http://www.FreelanceWritingSuccess.com. To find out more about getting started or developing your skills as a freelance copywriter, read his review of this copywriting course by Michael Masterson.
 Google News Updated : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:50:53 GMT Gay Marriage Is Ruled Legal in Connecticut - New York Times
New York Times - In Hartford, Crystal Pretzman of Willimantic, Conn., celebrated the State Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage. Video: Connecticut Court Allows Gay Marriage Marriage ruling not the end of debate in Conn. Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:13:08 GMT Nobel Peace Prize winner wants jobs for the young - International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune - AP HELSINKI, Finland: Nobel Peace Prize winner Martti Ahtisaari said Saturday that finding jobs for more than 1 billion young people in the Middle East and Asia will be a major challenge to peacebuilding in the next decade. Video: Ex-Finland President Wins Nobel Peace Prize Nobel Finn Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:12:07 GMT Got $700 Billion? Sweat the Details - New York Times
New York Times - The bailout plan gives Henry M. Paulson Jr., the Treasury secretary, three broad choices in buying assets. By ALAN S. BLINDER THE House of Representatives was against the bailout bill before it was for it. US firms up plan to buy into banks to stem crisis Paulson Indicates Need to Purchase Bank Equity `Soon as We Can' Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 20:39:07 GMT World is united to tackle financial crisis, IMF says - MarketWatch
MarketWatch - By Rex Nutting WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Financial policymakers from 180 nations around the world are united in their resolve to tackle the financial crisis, Youssef Boutros-Ghali, head of the International Monetary Fund's policy committee, ... G7 nations face going cap in hand to China Finance officials comments at IMF meetings Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:23:46 GMT US space tourist set for blast-off - Reuters
Reuters - By Maria Golovnina BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - US video game magnate Richard Garriott will blast off into space aboard a Russian spaceship on Sunday watched by his father, a NASA astronaut who went into space at the height of the Cold War. US space tourist set for launch Russian space chief reassures US partners Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:10:50 GMT YouTube to play full TV episodes with ads - Afterdawn.com
Afterdawn.com - Google has announced that it will begin offering full-length TV episodes through its YouTube platform beginning this week, thanks to a content deal with CBS. YouTube to Offer TV Shows With Ads Strewn Through YouTube beams up Star Trek for long-form video, prominent new ads Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:13:12 GMT GOP Officials Hope for Stability From McCain - New York Times
New York Times - By ADAM NAGOURNEY and ELISABETH BUMILLER Republican leaders across the country said Saturday that they were worried that Senator John McCain was heading for defeat unless he brought stability to his presidential candidacy and settled on a clear message ... Antiwar Protestor Disrupts McCain Iowa Rally Obama needs 75 percent turnout in Philadelphia, says Rendell Publ.Date : Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:23:47 GMT Amazon RSS Feed Generator |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Tech-writing is a tricky business. It's not a very high... Read More When you are beginning to write, you gather as much... Read More When you sit down to write a sales letter to... Read More How can you gain credibility and exposure for you and... Read More Did you ever wish you could afford to hire one... Read More Putting out a high quality product is a given these... Read More Most salespeople have great ideas, but when it comes to... Read More Every week I receive a couple of emails from people... Read More When you are going to write a press release probably... Read More In a crowded market, clients will be seeking personality as... Read More You've identified the benefits you offer your customers, but how... Read More Have you ever wondered how your copy sounds to your... Read More What is it exactly that copywriters DO when they produce... Read More Knowing how to write, and write well, is a skill... Read More Once a upon a recent time in a galaxy not... Read More Want to know the secret of creating MEMORABLE promotional copy?... Read More Just because you're running a small business doesn't mean you... Read More Whether you're an executive or a small business owner, chances... Read More As a professional contractor who wears many hats, you owe... Read More I recently sponsored and attended Joel Christopher and... Read More Your goal is to land a few nice, secure freelance... Read More Whether you're wet-behind-the-ears or a seasoned copywriter, your craft will... Read More You have a choice. Do you want to be constructive... Read More Persuasive copywriting is what draws the attention of prospective customers.... Read More Building a professional reputation requires a campaign founded on your... Read More
Adsense
websites
10 Tips for Tech-Writers
Cleaning Up Your Copy
How to Write a Sizzling Sales Letter, Part 1
Promote Your Business and Get Paid for Doing It!
How To Ethically Use A Swipe File For Your Ad Copy
How You Can Proofread Your Own Work
5 Rules for Effective Written Sales Communications
10 Tips for Aspiring Freelance Copywriters
How to Develop a Killer News Hook
Hey, Client, This Is Me! Sell With Your Writing Voice
Writing Benefit-Driven Web Copy ? 4 Steps to More Sales
A Little-Known Secret To Writing Sales Copy, For Serious Copywriters Only!
The Formulas Freelance Copywriters Employ When Creating Web Content
How Writing Radio Can Help You Become a Better Writer
Beyond Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tales arent the Only Thing Needing Catchy Openings
Memorable Sales Copy -- How to Write it
Professional Copywriting Services - How to Provide Your Own
So Youve Decided to Hire a Freelance Copywriter - A Guide to the Collaboration Process
Copywriting: Drafting Rules for Professionals
7 Big Ticket Copywriting Secrets I Learned from Ted Nicholas
How To Find Freelance Copywriting Jobs
3 Steps To Better Sales Copywriting
Discover Your Creativity
What Is Persuasive Copywriting And How Can It Help Your Business?
The Five Rules Of Influential Web Writing
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
How to Write Carrot-Wielding Copy!
A significant reason behind websites that fail is the lack... Read More
How Cliffhanger Paragraphs Capture Readers
About 50 years ago, movie serials kept theater crowds coming... Read More
Sticky Homepage Copy in 30 Seconds
Yes indeed, that's all you've got, 30 seconds to make... Read More
Write Hard-Hitting Headlines With Magic Words That Sell
Writing a killer headline for your copy is simple! You... Read More
Lapsed Donors: How to Write a Fundraising Letter That Wins Them Back
Your definition may differ, but I define a lapsed donor... Read More
Ten Eye Popping, Jaw Dropping Ad Copy Secrets
In order to make more sales and get more profits... Read More
Your Article Headlines will Make or Break Your Business
Most people with an online presence will have to regularly... Read More
Creative Copywriting?
There is a difference between creative writing and copywriting. It... Read More
How to Write Ad Copy that Sells
When I write copy for my advertising clients, I always... Read More
Super Verbs Really Move Your Copy
Run or hustle? Eat or devour? Move or scurry? You... Read More
How To Write Headlines That Grab Your Prospects Attention
It doesn't matter if you're writing an article, a newspaper... Read More
Writing Benefit-Driven Web Copy ? 4 Steps to More Sales
You've identified the benefits you offer your customers, but how... Read More
7 Steps You MUST Take Before Writing a Word of Copy!
Copywriting ChecklistOkay, you know you have your product (or service)... Read More
How Ghost Writing Articles And Booklets Can Earn You Big Money!
Do you want to make $5000, $10,000 or more every... Read More
Health and Fitness: A Huge Industry in Need of Writers
Think about how much you read about and spend on... Read More
Promote Your Business and Get Paid for Doing It!
How can you gain credibility and exposure for you and... Read More
Are Long Copy Salesletters Scams?
A passionate debate is currently raging in the Copywriters Forum... Read More
Copywriter Rates, Getting The Facts Beforehand
Have you ever had the experience of hiring a freelance... Read More
10 Things You Should Expect From Your Website Copywriter
As websites and electronic commerce are becoming more and more... Read More
How to Write Profitable Ads
Regardless of how you look at it, the most important... Read More
Four Simple Steps to Improve Your Sales Copy
You know what it's like, you're reading the sales material... Read More
Working on the Internet: Role of Proofreading and Copy editing OnLine
When one is in a creative state, rarely can one... Read More
Four Things Every Web Site Headline Must Do
As you know, I'm constantly making the point that the... Read More
How to Develop a Killer News Hook
When you are going to write a press release probably... Read More
Making a Living as a Copywriter; Freelancing Versus Agency
So You Want To be A Copywriter?Wannabe copywriters often check... Read More
Copywriting |