Generosity

I Only Need One Million

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“I’m not greedy. I only need one million dollars and I’ll be satisfied.”

I can’t tell you how many times I heard my mother recite this exact refrain.

The underlying psychology/philosophy set a course for my life…

And based on a number of conversations I’ve had recently, I feel like it’s really important for me to talk about this today.

Because maybe you’ve experienced something similar.

I want you to be EMPOWERED. Hopefully this can give you at least a little boost.

Before I talk about the distant past, though, let me share a recent development.

This month, I gave away my car.

It’s not as generous as it sounds, and it wasn’t a marketing gimmick.

Not many people know this yet, but one of my teenaged nephews came to live with us in June. His parents kicked him out with little more than the clothes on his back.

We’ve gone to work getting him right. The boy needs a car to get to school and work.

I’m not saying this for applause. I’m trying to tell you a story.

Thank God we’ve been able to help my nephew.

And thank God my mother’s “I only need a million” mindset didn’t sabotage our ability to get to this point.

Mom had a (relatively) pure heart and the best intentions…

But take a look beneath the surface of that mentality.

It’s deceiving. It sounds humble and altruistic.

In truth, it’s packed with passivity – and it’s actually a little selfish.

Read it one more time: “All I need is one million dollars and I’ll be satisfied.”

Yes, one million dollars could have afforded us a lifestyle I could only dream of as a kid, and we could have helped a few people.

But there would have been a limit to the good we could have done in the world.

Here’s the point:

Your success isn’t just for you.

Contentment is a great thing. And you can surely be “satisfied” (in many ways) with one million dollars or less.

But what if you had ten million? Who else would you help? What other benefits could your generosity produce?

I encourage you to think bigger about your own success today. You never know who will need you.

You’ll be glad you did.

P.S. I’m obviously not saying you have to have a million dollars to be generous. I encourage you to be as giving as you can be, no matter how much money you have.

You can give a little like the poor woman in the Gospel of Luke who gave two mites. You can also give in ways that have nothing to do with money.

Point is, be generous!

10 Tips for Copywriters in Training

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Copywriters Write

A few days ago, I received an email from one of my newsletter subscribers. We’ll call him Paul. He’s taking a copywriting course and wondering how long he should wait to start seeking clients.

Here’s my slightly modified response to him. I think it’ll be helpful for any copywriter near the beginning of his career.

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Good morning, Paul. Thank you for reaching out.

Let me ask you a question: when you look at a website, email, even a TV commercial do you know — almost instinctively — what the advertiser was trying to do, where he went wrong and how you could make it stronger?

Now, I don’t know you, but I’d be willing to bet that the answer is an emphatic “yes.”

With your studies of Hopkins, Kennedy, etc., you’re probably already good enough to be very helpful to 75% of the business owners in America.

So my answer to your question is, YES, you should begin looking for work now.

Let me share a few thoughts:

1) Copywriting, like any other discipline, requires continual study and learning. You’ll never know it all. So there’s no need to wait until you’re done “studying” to launch out into the deep. Or at least stick your toes in the water.

2) Freelancing can be tough. Don’t get discouraged if you’re not bringing in Bob Bly-level fees in the first year. Realize in advance, strengthen your resolve and go for it.

I spent my first 2 years or so as a moonlight copywriter. I worked as many as 80 hours a week in management at Kmart, then came home to prospect and work on projects. I tell that story in some depth in an interview I did with Michael Zipursky in 2012 –> http://www.consulting-business.com/direct-response-copywriter-and-consultant-interview-with-donnie-bryant.html. If I recall, it’s about 30 minutes long. If you have the time, it might be an encouragement for you. I get lots of good feedback.

3) You’ve probably heard it a hundred times, but you should spend a good chunk of your time promoting your services. 50% promoting, 50% doing client work and improving your craft, or something like that.

4) Most copywriters start out as generalists, but the sooner you find a niche (and maybe you already have experience or deep knowledge of some particular industry) the better. Position yourself as an expert in that niche and focus your efforts there.

5) Get some copywriter friends. I can’t tell you how helpful it is to have the camaraderie. You’ll come to cherish those relationships.

6) It’s also helpful to build relationships with people in other industries. Especially people with bigger audiences and established authority. These are people who can interview you and put you on their websites or in their newsletters, recommend your services to their people, do joint ventures, make valuable introductions, give opportunities for guest blogging, etc. Proactively seek out and nurture those kinds of relationships. If you’re looking to provide mutual benefit (and not just be a self-seeking mooch), you’d be surprised who will be open to connecting with you.

7) Be generous, but do your best not to undervalue yourself or your work.

8) Try to get paid upfront, even if it’s just a deposit. Save yourself from getting burned. And watch out for bad barter deals. Sometimes they’re worth it, but a lot of times you end up frustrated with what you get out of the deal.

9) Start building your email list ASAP. Even if you don’t know how you’ll keep in touch with them. Someday, maybe sooner than later, you’ll be glad you did.

10) Read a lot, but don’t let reading stop you from writing. I suggest reading non-marketing stuff and stuff outside of your area of expertise to continue giving your brain more raw material to build creative ideas with.

Curiosity is one of the characteristics of most, if not all, great copywriters have common.

People are often amazed by the stuff I know. From pop culture to ancient history and from biology to philosophy, I know a lot of random stuff. I have a “swipe file” (if I can call it that) of quotes I like about anything, everything. Never know when a powerful idea will spring forth from one. They make good writing prompts, too.

While you’re reading, please add the Bencivenga Bullets to your list: http://www.marketingbullets.com/archive.htm. Now that I think about it, I’m going to work my way through them again…

Here’s the big one:

10) Almost no one wants a copywriter. Almost no one even knows what copywriting is, as you’ve probably noticed.

That means 2 things: A) look for clients who know what copywriting is and how much it’s worth, and B) don’t position yourself as a copywriter, per se, for people who aren’t familiar with it. Focus on your own benefits versus the “feature” of being a copywriter.

I think that’s about enough to start out.

Thanks again for reaching out. I pray you have more success than you dream of.

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What’s your best advice for a starting a successful copywriting career?