Lex DeVille's: How to Make $1,000 a Week with no Degree, no Feedback, & no Portfolio.

[ZeroExile]

Taking action, F*cking it all up, and repeating & modifying until something actually works for a change.
Just Do It.

This, it's something that hit me today. I looked at my failed projects with annoyance but now I'm actually glad that I'm able to eliminate what doesn't work.

 

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[The Grind]

I apologize if this was answered already Lex.

I'm applying for jobs and improving my profile ( tough with no work experience / results yet ).

Trying to pump out as many tests to make me look better, however I can't figure out how to study for the tests.

Is there a study guide for each specific test that I'm missing? For example if you take a MS Word test, do you have to study MS Word from OTHER resources before taking the test, the questions can get quite specific and you can't just pass a test without know a lot about the subject.

 

[tafy]

Best way to start off is to get people to hire you, like people on this forum, friends or anyone really. Do stuff cheap for the 5 star review, do it well.

 

[The Grind]

Best way to start off is to get people to hire you, like people on this forum, friends or anyone really. Do stuff cheap for the 5 star review, do it well.

Right, got 1 5 star rating so far, charging 5 bucks an hour.

 

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[Lex DeVille]

I apologize if this was answered already Lex.

I'm applying for jobs and improving my profile ( tough with no work experience / results yet ).

Trying to pump out as many tests to make me look better, however I can't figure out how to study for the tests.

Is there a study guide for each specific test that I'm missing? For example if you take a MS Word test, do you have to study MS Word from OTHER resources before taking the test, the questions can get quite specific and you can't just pass a test without know a lot about the subject.

Honestly, I dunno how others study for them. I know what you mean about how specific some of them are.

What I did was took the ones I thought were most important, and if I got a low score I hid it from view.

I only leave the tests I score high on viewable.

 

[DrunkFish]

Honestly, I dunno how others study for them. I know what you mean about how specific some of them are.

What I did was took the ones I thought were most important, and if I got a low score I hid it from view.

I only leave the tests I score high on viewable.

Didn't put two and two together. Good to know you can do that because I also thought about how to prepare for the tests, since you can't really. I'll definitely go for some more tests now that I know you can hide them haha. I wish there was a pretest or something.

Also, I might've just got my first job. They messaged me and told me they were interested.

 

[daivey]

I have 1 question. Why many smart people go to odesk, freelancer, fiverr and etc to work for other guys? I don't say it's bad, i just always think it's better working for myself. Maybe it's a reason why I'm not a fastlaner yet.lol

im just surprised when i come onto these forums to read posts like this.

is this a troll post?

what do you think running your own business is??? Sure you dont report to a manager, BUT YOU REPORT to your clients, every DAY, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

It doesn't matter if you work for yourself or for someone else. You are doing the same thing.

 

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[Liz]

Lex,

Thank you for your superb Golden thread. Your blue print is backed up by lots of encouragement. It is always the best to learn from somebody that went through the mill and knows the whole process. A real master.

 

[Liz]

I apologize if this was answered already Lex.

I'm applying for jobs and improving my profile ( tough with no work experience / results yet ).

Trying to pump out as many tests to make me look better, however I can't figure out how to study for the tests.

Is there a study guide for each specific test that I'm missing? For example if you take a MS Word test, do you have to study MS Word from OTHER resources before taking the test, the questions can get quite specific and you can't just pass a test without know a lot about the subject.

Hi Grind, Your question is how to study for these tests. Elance.com also tests subscribers. One can re-take a test every two weeks. What I used to do is if it is Excell, get an Excell book for dummies at the library, page through it and see what you do not know, try to get to the logics and do the test. If I fail, I will keep on repeating the test until I pass (had a real struggle with bookkeeping, you have on average got a minute to get to a really complicated answer, but I got it!). I got more courage and without studying anything, I would go through the list and see what I like, for instance a test on Internet Marketing. Thumb suck and I passed. You must just be very logic, somewhere on this big internet you have picked up a bit of knowledge they question you on. Don't be nervous, remember you can re-take that test in 2 weeks time. Try something you are good at and slowly build your portfolio.

 

[Grinning-Jack]

So, many folks want a home daily job. Yeah, maybe it's your 1st step your own business when you starting from zero. Anyway, it's not for me. When my customers need some services I just hire skilled guys. My customer is happy, my freelancer is happy and I've put a few buck in my pocket. lol

 

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[DeletedUser12]

I apologize if this was answered already Lex.

I'm applying for jobs and improving my profile ( tough with no work experience / results yet ).

Trying to pump out as many tests to make me look better, however I can't figure out how to study for the tests.

I'm not sure who creates the tests on these site, but some of them seemed to test your ability to google or search manuals more than anything. There's one piece of software I took a test for, that I have used for over a decade and consider myself a master at, and I couldn't answer 80% of the questions without searching the manual -- it's like they randomly picked sentences from a 500 page manual and made a question out of it.

 

[ThunderbirdMike]

UPDATE:

So I followed Lex's instructions to the "T" and landed my first job in less than 12 hours.

I wrote custom copy for the job description, and the client said THAT was what set me apart from all of the "shotgun approach" freelancers on Odesk.

Take the extra time, apply to a couple of jobs per day and it seems that good things happen.

I'll keep everyone posted as I move up the Odesk "food chain."

Thanks again Lex!

 

[redsfaithful]

I hire a lot of odesk/elance freelancers - anyone who writes a custom application for the job gets the work probably 95% of the time. It's extremely rare.

 

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[ThunderbirdMike]

SMALL SUCCESS & TWO QUESTIONS:

As of two days ago, I landed my first client on Odesk.

(I had my rate set @ $15, and the client said that was way too low) Good times!

Now I have a few questions for both Lex and the community:

1) Lex, approximately how many applications were you sending out per day when you were hustling for your first clients?

2) You had rates set super low, yes? Like $5 - 10 / hour? I'm wondering if that would look silly considering I have an MBA. Thoughts?

3) Does anyone here on FLF have any small copy or writing jobs they need done? I just want to get some 5 star reviews and feedback on my Odesk profile as soon as possible.

These first few gigs are NOT about the money for me, so it should be a win/win for anyone that works with me.

Thanks again, everyone.

Mike

 

[Lex DeVille]

SMALL SUCCESS & TWO QUESTIONS:

As of two days ago, I landed my first client on Odesk.

(I had my rate set @ $15, and the client said that was way too low) Good times!

Now I have a few questions for both Lex and the community:

1) Lex, approximately how many applications were you sending out per day when you were hustling for your first clients?

2) You had rates set super low, yes? Like $5 - 10 / hour? I'm wondering if that would look silly considering I have an MBA. Thoughts?

3) Does anyone here on FLF have any small copy or writing jobs they need done? I just want to get some 5 star reviews and feedback on my Odesk profile as soon as possible.

These first few gigs are NOT about the money for me, so it should be a win/win for anyone that works with me.

Thanks again, everyone.

Mike

I sent 5 or 6, waited for responses, took the jobs, then sent 5 or 6 more.

I started at like $5.00/hr and each time I got a gig, and got 5 star feedback from it I increased my price.

One problem I ran into was that it wasn't long before pretty much all my applications were getting responses.

So I scaled back until other jobs were completed, because I didn't want to take more jobs than I could handle.

Plus it got me in a habit of being picky with the clients I work with.

During that same time other clients started contacting me with offers, and by now my rates were higher.

After couple of those came within days of each other, I quit applying altogether.

If you have ANY 5 star feedback at all, then you're ready to increase your rates.

Especially if you have an MBA.

As you know, proof is extremely important in copy.

I think the process for a lot of clients goes something like this:
- Is he in my price range?
- Does he have good feedback? (They don't read the feedback, they just see "5.00" at the top)
- Does he have experience?

Some clients get in depth. That's why having your bio filled out & having tests, certificates and other stuff is useful, but I think for the most it doesn't matter, until they start contacting you.

My experience has been that if a client likes your application, then they just glaze over your profile to make sure it meets their minimum idea of what a good candidate looks like.

 

[ThunderbirdMike]

SHARING IS CARING (and PROFITABLE!)

In the spirit of sharing and contributing, I am enclosing my current "cover letter" below.

Now, I of course tweak and customize for each potential client and their specific needs...but here it is, nonetheless!

Feel free to offer (constructive) criticism, praise or anything in between. Believe you me, I can take it. =)

MIKE'S ODESK COVER LETTER:

Hi,

My name is Mike, and I am hand-typing this message, as establishing trust comes FIRST and FOREMOST.

Most freelancers just copy & paste hundreds of applications at a time, but that's not how I play ball.

I saw your job posting regarding the copy you need written for multiple furniture product descriptions. Got it.

The goal is for it to be persuasive, easy to read and drive people to take action. May I ask who the target customer is? Are you selling furniture direct to consumers, or perhaps to wholesalers?


THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM:


Take a look. I have ZERO feedback scores on Odesk. Yep, you read that correctly.


WHY THIS IS A GREAT DEAL FOR YOU.


Normally I charge over $100 / hour for my marketing services, due to having an MBA and 5+ years of digital marketing (mainly email campaigns & sales landing pages). Not today, I'm coming it at some seriously eye-popping low rates...for a limited time.

Why?


TRUST & RELATIONSHIPS COME FIRST. MONEY COMES LATER.


But, being the newbie on Odesk, I want to build relationships first. Money can and will come later. And, at a $10 fixed price, I think you'll agree that I'm not doing it for the money, at this point.

That means the ONLY thing I care about right now is writing some great furniture product descriptions for you, in exchange for a great rating and testimonial.

Sound fair?

I've attached some examples of my recent copywriting for an email campaign and related sales page. See the attached Word doc.


PRICE:


I'm not stupid. We usually get what we pay for in life, and Odesk is no exception.

I know that there will be other copywriters who will underbid me on this project, as many live in developing countries with lower cost of living.

However, here is where I differ and the value you can count on by hiring me:

1. I work extremely fast
2. I place a premium on consistent communication and clear expectations at the beginning of any project.
3. I have written a LOT of copy for both startups, publicly traded companies and even government agencies.
4. I am an American and a native English speaker. This means I can ensure quality communication in regards to the project.

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?


As long as WE develop a clear understanding of what success looks like up front, including my research of the customer and market(if necessary), then I'm confident you'll get some product descriptions that WILLl knock your socks off.


RISK?

Nope. Not for you.

I'm probably crazy to do this, but in order to deliver fantastic results to my first client(s) I'm offering a 100% money back guarantee on any project I take on.

That's how serious I am about exceeding your expectations and ensuring that your brochure copy is top notch.


QUESTIONS FOR YOU:


Who is your target customer?
Do they buy direct from you?
What do they ultimately want? What is their pain?
What is the time frame for this project to be delivered?
What does "success" look like for these product descriptions? How is it measured?

The more insight I have, the more able I am to hone in on the exact pain points and desires of the people who will be reading my copy.


READY?


I'd love for you to be one of the very to take advantage of my extremely low rates, as they will not last forever.

Drop me a line, let's chat and then get to work!

 

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[ThunderbirdMike]

TIRE KICKERS:

Well, it was bound to happen. And, I'm actually glad it did. Now I can share it with all of you.

I applied to 6 - 7 different copy/writing gigs yesterday on Odesk, as I was quite in the "zone."

I spent a good 45 minutes plus on each application. I wanted to make them good. Make them stand out. Solve the customer's problem.

I just got this response back (for a gig I had lowered my rate to only $9/hr for!).

Have a look:

On spec? Wow.

Lex, I'm assuming you never did any jobs on "spec," even when you were just getting started, correct?

Nit to mention, the ad says they are based in Santa Monica, and yet they didn't even get their spelling and grammar correct in their hastily-written response to me.

Thoughts? Sure, I need the solid feedback in order to progress. Of course!

But unpaid, "trial" work on spec?

Am I off base here?

 

[Lex DeVille]

I qualify all clients before doing anything for them.

Have I done free samples? Hell yeah, but not if a client doesn't meet quals first.

I don't waste my time with people I can't understand. Thats a bad sign right from the start.

In fact, I don't waste time with anyone who isn't a good match with my personality and work style. That way I don't have to worry about not being able to deliver what they need.

 

[ThunderbirdMike]

Fixed.

 

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[Lex DeVille]

I wrote em back, and said I only work with people who could use proper spelling and grammar in their response.

See ya!

Even when we aren't a fit I always let them down easy. Who knows who they are, or what their situation is.

Maybe they're very important, busy & responding from their phone.

There's no reason to tell them off.

Words are powerful. Their ripples spread far.

 

[Carrots]

I wrote em back, and said I only work with people who could use proper spelling and grammar in their response.

See ya!

Not a good approach

 

[ThunderbirdMike]

Whoops.

Lesson learned. Gotta keep it on point.

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

 

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[Lex DeVille]

Whoops.

Lesson learned. Gotta keep it on point.

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

Something that can help you score big in situations where you're not a match is simply sharing another profile for them to consider.

Maybe look at who else applied to that gig and find one who might work out for them. Then send the name to the client and tell them the other guy will probably be a better fit for their needs.

This could come back and help you out in more ways than one.

Remember it's all about finding ways to solve their problems.

 

[ThunderbirdMike]

Very nice. Words of wisdom - I'm scribbling them down (digitally) as fast as I can!

 

[BrenndenK]

Good job on taking action Mike.

Fumbles are a part of growth. I guarantee you won't make a mistake like that again where it might really matter.

I like your cover letter ideas, I'm going to steal some of them if you don't mind. ;]

This week I'm going to land my 2nd gig, no excuses. Now, I'm off to real work.. shoulda quit this job when I had the chance, haha. Soon though.

 

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[Disciple]

Even when we aren't a fit I always let them down easy. Who knows who they are, or what their situation is.

Maybe they're very important, busy & responding from their phone.

There's no reason to tell them off.

Words are powerful. Their ripples spread far.

I ran into something and couldn't reply, but that's what I thought. You never know who they are and how much influence they have.

Just a few minutes and you could have a terrible time getting work with their network ever again.

 

[Cembo]

Wow, thanks for this thread!

I set up a profile and sent out some applications today and received 2 answers.

The first one wanted me to transcribe a 45 min German audio recording and then translate it to English. I transcribed the first 3 min of it and already had written 350 words. He then sent me the contract and only offered me 20$ lol. The text would have been around 3000 words. I declined, not worth my time.

The second one was a translation of a category list for an adult website. Only 700 excel lines for 20$. Took me 2 hours. Not a lot but its a beginning

Its actually quite easy to get a job after reading this thread. Thanks @SinisterLex

 

[ThunderbirdMike]

This is interesting.

The gig I made a somewhat rude faux-pas with came back and still offered me a chance to "earn their business."

What would your take on this be, Lex?

My gut reaction is that they don't seem to be a good match as a client. But, in the interest of remaining professional and gaining Odesk exposure, I'm always open to hearing the input of others here at FLF.

Cheers!

 

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[Lex DeVille]

This is interesting.

The gig I made a somewhat rude faux-pas with came back and still offered me a chance to "earn their business."

What would your take on this be, Lex?

My gut reaction is that they don't seem to be a good match as a client. But, in the interest of remaining professional and gaining Odesk exposure, I'm always open to hearing the input of others here at FLF.

Cheers!

If it were me I'd probably let it go.

If I were them, I'd probably hire you just so I could leave negative feedback.

First impressions are easy to make but hella hard to change, and unless you're really certain, or really interested in working your a$$ off it's probably not worth it.

The only way to win them over if they're upset is to offer the first project for free and over-deliver in a big way.

Oh, and apologize, sincerely.

 

[Kingmaker]

When Was Your Last Eyeglass Exam?
It's time to change your frames and see through new lenses.
​

You have a secret magic power, but you may not know it yet. It's hidden right in front of your face, and if you access it, it can transform you...instantly. It's the difference between the Sidewalk & the Fastlane, the Slave & the Free Man, the Mortal & the God.

It holds a key to influencing yourself and others, and when you get it, you'll finally understand what all those people mean when they say things like,

- Things aren't as bad as they seem.
- You don't have to feel that way.
- There's no such thing as failure, only opportunities to learn.

What's this Magic Tool of Influence?

In NLP it's called Reframing.

But before we can use it we first have to become aware of our current Frames of Reference.

To keep it simple, our frame of reference is the lense through which we see the world at any given moment.

What Does This Have to Do with Our Success?

Frame of Reference has EVERYTHING to do with our success. It determines how we see ourselves, how we feel, and how we think. When we operate from non-useful frames of reference, then we experience great difficulty achieving our goals.

But if we become aware of our frame of reference, then we have the power to choose new frames which are more useful for our desires.

This is the process of reframing.

The conscious act of choosing to use a new frame of reference is reframing.

Here's some examples of reframing from non-useful to useful frames for better outcomes.

Original Frame
I want to quit my job and start a business, but I'm afraid.
New Frame
I'm quitting my job to start a business. It's a thrill!

Framed one way fear holds you back. Framed another you're taking action and excited.

Original Frame
I don't have any money. It's a real burden and I can't get something started.
New Frame
I don't have any money so I'll bootstrap until I overcome the challenge.

Framed one way it's a problem that defeats you. Framed another it's a challenge you'll overcome.

Original Frame
I failed again.
New Frame
I learned what doesn't work.

Framed one way you're a failure. Framed another, you're a shining example of personal development.

Original Frame
I don't know how to do (X)... So I can't do it. It's not an option.
New Frame
I don't know how to do (X), so I bought this book to learn.

Framed one way you lack knowledge, and you suck. Framed another you lack knowledge but you'll learn.

Original Frame
The world is against me. Nothing ever goes my way.
New Frame
I'll F*cking crush the world, and anything else that gets in my way!!!

Framed one way you're a victim. Framed another you're a boss!

There's a million ways you can use re-framing. For now just pay attention to the negative thoughts, feelings, and beliefs you hold that are keeping you from success. Acknowledge them, and understand that they are what they are - non-useful frames of reference.

Then acknowledge that you have a choice.

Because you're aware that frames of reference exist, you have the power to change them.

With awareness of frames of reference we can choose to switch from non-useful to useful frames anytime.

We can choose to make excuses or we can choose to make progress.
We can choose to fail or we can choose to learn.
We can choose to be victims, or we can choose to be Gods!

When was the last time you checked your lenses?

Just Do It.

This is an awesome technique. I tried reframing my fears your way and got this:

Fear of failure... it's learning experience. Fear of learning.
Fear of uncertainty... wonder what will happen. Fear of wondering.

Put that way, they sound silly as hell. Just do it, indeed.