Lex DeVille
Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
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I closed $3000.00 of copywriting services this week. But this isn't about that. It's about what came before that. The part everyone blows. The Skype interview. How do I know you blow it? Because your clients come to me when they get sick of freelancers who "just weren't right." Those are literally the words they say.
"I interviewed ten writers but they just weren't right."
My guess is some of those writers were right. But it didn't come across that way. A client gets a bad feeling and suddenly disappears. They come to me, and even though I charge 10 times what you do, they pay it. What's the difference? Unless it's a text interview, I keep my mouth shut.
Text to text you have lots of time. You get to read their words. You can figure out their problems and learn who they are and what they want and how you can deliver. But when it's voice to voice the world flips upside down. Suddenly you know your shit or you don't. Or maybe you know your shit, but you suck at getting it across so it seems like you don't.
I suck at vocal interviews. Get me on the phone and I can't remember anything. I can't explain things well. I can't form thoughts. I can't guide you to the sell. At least not like with words. So how do I overcome this?
I keep my mouth shut.
Learn this one thing and you'll pick up a lot more clients. Just keep your mouth shut. Don't tell them all the things you do. Don't tell them what you can help with. Don't tell them anything at all. Just wait...silently.
Only open your mouth to greet them, and ask them to tell you about their project. Then let em' vomit their thoughts while you sit in silence, take notes, and pay attention.
Here's how your Voice Skype/Phone interview should go:
Client: "Hi Bob, how's your day been?"
You: "Hi Jim, it's been great, how about yours?"
Client: "Mine's been fantastic!"
---Insert awkward silence here---
You: "So, Jim, what can you tell me about your project?"
Client: "Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
Does that make sense so far?"
You: "Sure"
---Return to silence---
Client: "Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah
Wow, sorry for talking so much.
You: "It's no problem." casual chuckle
---Return to silence---
Client: "So back to what I was saying...blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah
So, what questions do you have for me and what can you tell me about you?
You: [Insert relatable story about a similar project you've worked on. Then ask a question like, "So, which part of this project is your main focus? (Shift the talking back to them)
---Return to silence---
Client: "Well my main concern is...blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
And when I saw your credentials [profile, portfolio, feedback etc.] I just knew I wanted to work with you and here we are...
You: "Excellent. So your main areas of focus are [blah, blah, and blah], [blah] and [blah] are most important to you, and you need [blah blah blah] by [blah blah blah]. Does that about cover it?
---Return to silence---
Client: "Yep you got it!"
You: "Great, and as we move forward I'll send any other questions to you by email. Based on what you've told me, you'll need my xx or xxx service. My rates are $xxxxx.xx for xxx or $xxxx.xx for xx. So, how do you want to start?
---Return to silence---
Client: "Let's start with xx since I'm not sure if I need xxx yet.
You: "Okay Jim, you got it! What email can I send the PayPal invoice to?"
Client: "blahblah@blahblahblah.com"
You: "Okay Jim, is there anything else before I let you go?"
Client: "Nope, that does it. Thanks!"
You: "Thanks Jim, talk to you later!"
---Return to silence. Listen for click.---
[PRO TIP] Key phrases that let you know you're doing it right:
"Sorry I talked so much."
"Sorry for talking so much."
"Wow I should shut up. I've talked too much."
"Sorry I didn't let you speak much."
Also, this phrase means it's time to close the sale:
"I just knew I wanted to work with you."
---The End---
"I interviewed ten writers but they just weren't right."
My guess is some of those writers were right. But it didn't come across that way. A client gets a bad feeling and suddenly disappears. They come to me, and even though I charge 10 times what you do, they pay it. What's the difference? Unless it's a text interview, I keep my mouth shut.
Text to text you have lots of time. You get to read their words. You can figure out their problems and learn who they are and what they want and how you can deliver. But when it's voice to voice the world flips upside down. Suddenly you know your shit or you don't. Or maybe you know your shit, but you suck at getting it across so it seems like you don't.
I suck at vocal interviews. Get me on the phone and I can't remember anything. I can't explain things well. I can't form thoughts. I can't guide you to the sell. At least not like with words. So how do I overcome this?
I keep my mouth shut.
Learn this one thing and you'll pick up a lot more clients. Just keep your mouth shut. Don't tell them all the things you do. Don't tell them what you can help with. Don't tell them anything at all. Just wait...silently.
Only open your mouth to greet them, and ask them to tell you about their project. Then let em' vomit their thoughts while you sit in silence, take notes, and pay attention.
Here's how your Voice Skype/Phone interview should go:
Client: "Hi Bob, how's your day been?"
You: "Hi Jim, it's been great, how about yours?"
Client: "Mine's been fantastic!"
---Insert awkward silence here---
You: "So, Jim, what can you tell me about your project?"
Client: "Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
Does that make sense so far?"
You: "Sure"
---Return to silence---
Client: "Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah
Wow, sorry for talking so much.
You: "It's no problem." casual chuckle
---Return to silence---
Client: "So back to what I was saying...blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah
So, what questions do you have for me and what can you tell me about you?
You: [Insert relatable story about a similar project you've worked on. Then ask a question like, "So, which part of this project is your main focus? (Shift the talking back to them)
---Return to silence---
Client: "Well my main concern is...blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah
blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah right? blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.
And when I saw your credentials [profile, portfolio, feedback etc.] I just knew I wanted to work with you and here we are...
You: "Excellent. So your main areas of focus are [blah, blah, and blah], [blah] and [blah] are most important to you, and you need [blah blah blah] by [blah blah blah]. Does that about cover it?
---Return to silence---
Client: "Yep you got it!"
You: "Great, and as we move forward I'll send any other questions to you by email. Based on what you've told me, you'll need my xx or xxx service. My rates are $xxxxx.xx for xxx or $xxxx.xx for xx. So, how do you want to start?
---Return to silence---
Client: "Let's start with xx since I'm not sure if I need xxx yet.
You: "Okay Jim, you got it! What email can I send the PayPal invoice to?"
Client: "blahblah@blahblahblah.com"
You: "Okay Jim, is there anything else before I let you go?"
Client: "Nope, that does it. Thanks!"
You: "Thanks Jim, talk to you later!"
---Return to silence. Listen for click.---
[PRO TIP] Key phrases that let you know you're doing it right:
"Sorry I talked so much."
"Sorry for talking so much."
"Wow I should shut up. I've talked too much."
"Sorry I didn't let you speak much."
Also, this phrase means it's time to close the sale:
"I just knew I wanted to work with you."
---The End---
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