Wow… Last week’s post about being “unemployable” really struck a chord. E Major if I had to name it. Thick, raw, bluesy. I appreciate all the replies. If you missed it, I wrote about all the “no resume” jobs I did after stand-up, waiting to find something new I could do to earn the money […]
This is how to tell if someone will “make it” Read More »
When I quit stand-up comedy and got off the road, I was STUCK. Ten years of driving all over the United States, sleeping in dingy motels, and talking dirty to strangers for laughs was incredible fun. But, when it was time for me to pull off the road and find a new line of work…
Are you UNEMPLOYABLE? Read More »
I’m still buzzing from our big virtual event last week (Copy Chief Live). I was blown away at how close it FELT to our in-person events. Our community showed up in full, as usual, and brought the sessions and the conversations to the next level. Pondering all we covered in 3 days made me think
Can you write a letter? Read More »
If you’re a copywriter, there are two types of leads you can get all day long with very little effort… The “lowest bidder” leads on freelance marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork where you’re forced to do a high volume of low dollar gigs. (The only way to “win” this game is by living in the
In This Episode How does a high school gym teacher with dial-up internet end up starting, running, and being the face of multiple companies across vastly different niches, all without any formal business education or investors of any kind? By not overthinking it. Ryan Lee is a master of “ready, fire, aim” style entrepreneurship,
EP 241: Wisdom Tree: Ryan Lee on reinventing your business without losing your way Read More »
A coaching student asked me: “How do I know when I’m working ‘too much?’” Good question, actually. The answer is personal… based on what we want – and need – at that time. However, this idea that we should all be “striving to achieve balance” is completely vague and, frankly, WRONG. As a non-conforming, cubicle-shunning,
Those days when the laptop eats your brain Read More »
It’s no secret that a lot of copywriters who attend Copy Chief Live want to find new clients there. So why did one company become worried about their favorite copywriter attending this event? I’ll let Derek explain… “What happened was, they knew I was going to be at Copy Chief Live so basically that became
His client was afraid he’d go to Copy Chief Live…See Why Read More »
I was recently on a Facebook live with special guests… master copywriter David Deutsch, uber-successful entrepreneur, Ryan Lee, and celebrity productivity expert, Adrienne Dorison… Watch the replay to get an actionable preview of the kind of tactics we’ll be sharing at the upcoming Freelancing Transformation Bootcamp in November. Over
Three superstar guests joining me… (guess who) Read More »
In This Episode Dropping services you no longer enjoy delivering is hard for freelancers. Especially when those services are in demand. It takes a giant leap of faith to believe that by creating that space, better things will come. Copy Chief Live guest expert Laura Belgray has made a career of creating wildly popular
A few people have asked… “Why is Copy Chief Live all about freelancing this time?” Good question. Yes, I could have easily made the content for Copy Chief Live all about the “insider secrets” to writing “killer copy”. We certainly have the resources. In fact, several of this year’s speakers are considered the best in
The question to ask if you only have 30 minutes Read More »
Copy Chief Live (the Freelancing Transformation Bootcamp) is all virtual this year, and one of the great benefits of that has been getting commitments from speakers who are typically hard to land because they… a) just don’t like traveling and/or speaking on stage, or b) charge tens of thousands when they do. Mike Michalowicz, who
How we landed speakers who normally don’t speak Read More »
In This Episode Cole Schafer is a writer. And like a real writer, he bares his soul in his work. Including in his ad copy. Even his descriptions of cookies can make you feel challenged, amused… even annoyed. Something you’d expect at a live spoken word event, far more than a chocolate chip cookie
EP 239: New Breed – Cole Schafer on being the man in the arena Read More »
This is a big question: When (if ever) is it a good time to sell all your time to a single client? First off, if you’re being offered this — well done! It means you’re kicking ass in a special way for a client, and they want all the ‘you’ they can get. That’s never
Should you go full time with one client? Read More »
Let’s be real.Freelancing is hard.Especially for creatives. We care – a lot. About the craft.About the client.About the audience. The thing that makes us great at what we do,is the same thing that can sabotage our careers. Our caring nature has our instincts working against us. We…Undercharge for our services.Overthink our specialties. Overwhelm ourselves trying
the starving part of being an artist Read More »
In This Episode Dean Edelson was a stand-up comic working the NYC club scene with legends like Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David… then he started writing TV promos and movie scripts in Hollywood before getting into real estate investing where he realized he loved writing the stuff to sell properties more than selling properties.
EP 238: Freelancer’s Journey – Dean Edelson, ClickFunnels Senior Copywriter Read More »
Rejection sucks. But if you think about it, how many times has it turned out to be a gift in disguise? One of the funkier jobs I held between comedy and copywriting was working the overnight shift at a haunted beach hotel. It’s called the Don CeSar. If you’ve ever been to St. Pete Beach,
Rejection turns to flattery Read More »
In This Episode If I could corral my on-the-go teenagers for three days of focused attention, these are the 3 things I would want them to know about how to work with great clients, from anywhere, on their own terms. I came to these 3 things by reviewing what the most successful freelancers in
EP 237: Coffee With Kev – The 3 things I would teach my kids about freelancing Read More »
Have you ever wanted something desperately, but could not afford it, and thought… “What if I just asked them to give it to me?” There’s a good way and a really bad way to ask for something you want badly. And every year, I hear both versions from people who are eager to attend Copy
How to ask for something big and get it Read More »
In This Episode John Carlton has a very unique style of writing copy. You could no doubt pick it out of a line-up of classic masterpiece sales letters. The thing I’ve always loved most about John’s copy is how it dances with Rhythm. John’s copy bounces along in your brain like a great song.
Ep 124: John Carlton – How To Write With Rhythm Read More »
Copy Chief writers are a special breed. They work hard at writing copy. And they care more about getting results for their customers than any person has a right to. I admit that I’m biased, because many of them have become my friends, as well as my students in Copy Chief’s Real Free Life program.
How to Find the Best Writers at Copy Chief Live’s Roundtable Meet Ups Read More »
Networking at a live event can be challenging. There’s a lot going on. And it can seem overwhelming… even daunting… to get a chance to talk to someone important. Especially if it’s someone who can give you a gig. Last year, it was my pleasure to run the Roundtable Meetups at Copy Chief Live. And
How to Land a Gig at Copy Chief Live’s Meet Ups Read More »
In This Episode A few weeks ago we wrapped up our first ever Copy Chief Live event. Three days of learning, bonding, high-level networking, and just a whole lotta fun. It was an unforgettable moment seeing all the chiefs light up the halls of that Hilton… then soak up wisdom from legendary copywriters and
[CCR] Ep 79: 100 Chiefs Check Into A Hotel… Read More »
