The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

Starting a Copywriting Freelance Business. How well do I sell myself?

rogue synthetic

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
310%
Aug 2, 2017
348
1,079
Been reading a sh*t ton of books last ten months, have not taken any action partly because I flip flop and get swayed by what others tell me.

This is your problem, friend. I know it's confusing, and that's one reason why you've just got to pick something and go for it.

You probably can do what you want, eventually, but you almost surely won't get there by dabbling in lots of things while never acting on any of them.

I'm not even telling you not to freelance on Upwork. I'm getting some decent play-money off it now after a few dry months while I figured out the ropes. What I am telling you is that unless you know how to stand out from the crowd you're going to be fighting for less than table scraps.

You're not going to get even that far reading books and wondering what to do next. Your first client will show you a whole different reality.

Maybe your post gave me the wrong impression. It sounded an awful lot like you were expecting to read a few books, learn how to code and be a great copywriter and a sysadmin and start raking in the megabux inside a year.

Maybe you get decent at all of these things. You know what? When you freelance, you're going up against lots of other people who also do those things, and they will do them better because they got really good at just one of them.

Guess who is going to get the job?

There's nothing wrong in building your skillset. It's the way you're going about it (or, rather, aren't) that's going to bite you on the rear.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Andy Black

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
370%
May 20, 2014
18,566
68,699
Ireland
It's not that the advice here is necessarily conflicting. It's just that we all walk a bunch of different paths. Different journeys. Different destinations.

Freelance pays the bills and can free you from a traditional job. It can also be a job. It can also make you 6 or 7 figures. It can also make you miserable and take up all your time.

What do you want from all of this? What lifestyle? How do you want to live?

Form a plan.
Pick a path.
Decide to do it.
Go.



This is mostly my approach.

I listen to advice from others. Sometimes I apply it. Sometimes not. I'm not building anyone else's business but my own. That makes me the boss. That means whatever the outcome, it's mine to own at the end of the day. So I have to make the decisions and take action.

MJ and others have given me great advice over the years. Some of it probably would've propelled me to millions if I'd followed it. I didn't follow his or everybody else's advice all the time though. I'm not a millionaire. But I'm okay with where I am and how I do things. I'm making it all the same.

The one thing that separates me from everybody else who doesn't get anywhere (and this is true for a lot of people around here) is I just do sh*t and see what happens. Roll the dice. Spin the wheel. Sometimes you land on red. Sometimes black. You make the best decisions you can based on how you want your life to be. Then just go for it and see what happens.

That's what I do anyway.
Likewise. I take what I hear and read with a pinch of salt. It’s my own path.

Pick a direction.
Get started.
Keep going.


OP, it sounds like you’re stuck in the consumer trap. Get producing and the fog will lift.
 

Formless

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
267%
Oct 27, 2013
599
1,597
Stop listening to everyone else and do something for at least 8-12 months diligently. More if it's a "real"/Fastlane business.

If advice on the forum is counterproductive - stop reading it. You will achieve way more F*cking up on your own terms than meandering on the wisdom of others.

It doesn't matter what any of us think - pick something and do it for a while.

That's the cure to your ailment.
 

Fox

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
Forum Sponsor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
690%
Aug 19, 2015
3,881
26,766
Europe
Freelancing is a stepping stone - not a destination.

If in a year from now you had solid cash flow, some savings, world class copyrighting skills, and lots of connections and insight into a specific niche it would have been time well spent.

If a year from now you’re writing the copy for some 16 year olds amazon listing at $15 an hour then you only succeed in making another job.

Copy skills are the ability to sell. You need to link that in with something else though to get anywhere. You will need your own product or service once you get a feel for things and have the resources to make it happen.

All these freelance skills are to be learned and then to be used by yourself, for yourself. So if you are going to pick copy then get really, really good at it and look for a Need you can tap into and start something for yourself.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:

yyes

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
97%
Jun 18, 2017
93
90
34
Boise Idaho
Freelancing is a stepping stop - not a destination.

If in a year from now you had solid cash flow, some savings, world class copyrighting skills, and lots of connections and insight into a specific niche it would have been time well spent.

If a year from now you’re writing the copy for some 16 year olds amazon listing at $15 an hour then you only succeed in making another job.

Copy skills are the ability to sell. You need to link that in with something else though to get anywhere. You will need your own product or service once you get a feel for things and have the resources to make it happen.

All these freelance skills are to be learned and then to be used by yourself, for yourself. So if you are going to pick copy then get really, really good at it and look for a Need you can tap into and start something for yourself.

So basically learn these skills and apply these learned skills to my own business?

That makes alot of sense. Thank you @Fox

Also, thank you to @Andy Black @Formless @rogue synthetic @SinisterLex @MILIANARD134 for contributing to the discussion and helping me out. This is all helpful advice.
 

Fox

Legendary Contributor
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
Forum Sponsor
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
690%
Aug 19, 2015
3,881
26,766
Europe
So basically learn these skills and apply these learned skills to my own business?

That makes alot of sense. Thank you @Fox

Also, thank you to @Andy Black @Formless @rogue synthetic @SinisterLex @MILIANARD134 for contributing to the discussion and helping me out. This is all helpful advice.

If you got no/little money, no/little market skills, and no clear idea of a Need to go solve then ya start with freelancing. You can build up an amazing skill set over 1 - 2 years and use the cashflow to build a real business. There are dozens of examples of people on here who did just this.

No matter how good your skills get you will always need to create your own something. Otherwise you are working for someone else and/or under the control of someone else's business system.

The forum is full of people who had great business skills learned in one area (but in a limited CENTS system) and then they bounced and created their own thing. An INSIDERS membership will show the progress threads of quite a few but there are ones on the outside too.

Since you don't have marketing or creation skills already I would start there. Work on your copy but always keep the focus on what creates the most value. Don't just become a headline and bullet points guy - try create high value offers and see opportunity for businesses to best serve people. Jay Abraham would be one person to study as you take action.

Best of luck!
 

Andy Black

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
370%
May 20, 2014
18,566
68,699
Ireland
So basically learn these skills and apply these learned skills to my own business?

That makes alot of sense. Thank you @Fox

Also, thank you to @Andy Black @Formless @rogue synthetic @SinisterLex @MILIANARD134 for contributing to the discussion and helping me out. This is all helpful advice.
You can grow by other means than “just” applying the skills you acquire to your own business.

You could nail the sales side and then scale.

You could sell the byproducts to your main service. Often that’s the knowledge of how to do the work technically, or how to acquire clients and grow a business around that skill.

Learn a skill, sell that skill, scale that skill.

You’ve got to be good enough technically to add (enough) value.

You’ve also got to figure out how to get paid.

Check out:

Also... check out the quotes in my signature.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

DannyD

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
202%
Dec 1, 2017
41
83
Latin America
So when I joined this community, I did it because I ended up being very impressed with MJ's both books. After having read those books I was under the impression that the only way to get out of the 9-5 was to provide value to others, and to really try to help people out. In addition to that, I learned that the only way to get out of the grind is to create systems (similar concept to E-Myth) and to scale a business and separate time from money.

I then join this forum and find what I would consider conflicting advice. Advice saying that freelancing is not fastlane and that one shouldnt pursue freelancing.

Whereas others say that freelancing is a good thing to get into, atleast initially. In fact, there are Gold threads demonstrating how members from this community such as @Fox have gone out there and made sh*t happen. His thread on how he helped people out and made 15k a month in the process is proof of this. And now, he has his own course trying to help others do what he initially did.

It doesnt stop there though. @SinisterLex is another example of someone that went out and made sh*t happen. In his case he did it all through Upwork whereas Fox did it targeting local businesses I believe.

Granted, in Sinisters case, he has a lot of background in writing (10+) years.

Having said all this, I joined this community because I sincerely want help from members here. A lot of you know what the hell you're doing and I am grateful for having found you guys.

It seems that I am at a crossroad like @Kak said and sometimes I think that its because of the conflicting information that I seem to be getting. Or maybe its just me and the information isnt really conflicting and im just not understanding correctly.

I want to help people and definitely want to start my own business. But my logic behind trying to learn how to build websites, write copy, sell is because I want to try and make my business as successful as possible.

In the past six months I have read the following books recommended by a lot of you guys:
  • Influence by Cialdini
  • The Direct Mail Solution by Dan Kennedy
  • Predictably Irrational
  • Cashvertising
  • The Boron Letters
  • The Way of the Wolf- Sales book by Jordan Belfort
  • How to Win Friends and Influence People
  • Ogilvy on Advertising
  • The Copywriters Handbook - Partially Read
  • Local Business Marketing
  • Unscripted and Millionaire Fastlane
  • 10 Pillars of Wealth
Reading, reading, reading. No action taken on my part because every person or forum that I talk to gives me different information. And my weakness is that I have allowed myself to get swayed by the feedback given to me on these forums.

The feedback goes a little like this:
  • Amazon is dead.
  • Amazon is not easy, you should focus on a local business instead.
  • Dont do pressure washing, its hard to scale. Plus, theres seasonality involved. People dont really like to pay.
  • Dont get into window washing, way too saturated. Just look on google, there are tens of companies.
  • Dont do Copywriting. It takes years to get proficient at that, especially if you want to make six figures.
  • Also, you should do Copywriting, in six months to a year, you can potentially be making six figures.
  • You want to make six figures a year profit as a lawncare or landscaping guy? Forget about it. Ive been in this business for 15 year, never met anyone that made that kind of money.
  • Want to start a Painting Business? Do you even know about painting? What if a customer asks you about the different colors, design, what color can make his house look bigger, smaller? Do you know any of this? (Side note, I did painting for a year back when I was 19 lol).
And so all these excuses, make me flip flop. One day I want to focus on a local business, until I get discouraged by someone not to get into it. The next day, I want to do copywriting, and get discouraged by someone saying to avoid it.

This makes me think that I have a weak mentality and that I should not give a f*ck about what people say and just go do it.

At the same time though, it is wise to listen to people that have much more experience than you do.

Long a$$ post I know, but I figured I would share my train of thought with you guys, so that I can get the help I need.

TLDR: Been reading a sh*t ton of books last ten months, have not taken any action partly because I flip flop and get swayed by what others tell me.

1. Not everyone on here is making money. You should be careful who you take advice from - look for proof

I'll be honest - I am broke. But I am really doing the freelancing thing and don't recommend it as stated

2. Stop reading so much. You don't make money or learn anything from reading. You learn from doing. I can tell you are a thinker from your post (as am I)
 

jramos02

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
108%
May 18, 2018
59
64
New York
Look at your language.

Your goal is not to “learn to sell”, or to “learn copywriting”.

Your goal is to sell. Period.

You don’t need to “learn to sell a bit more”. You need to “sell a bit more”.

This is actually really helpful. I appreciate the honesty and the feedback. For me it was definitely been a mindset thing and limiting beliefs that have truly held me back in the past.

I have taken countless action before, probably the wrong actions, and that has also "scarred" me. Working through it and something as simple as how I express/think about it, truly makes a difference.

Thank you.
 

Fastlane Liam

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
148%
Feb 10, 2018
407
604
27
United Kingdom
Alot of good advice here, I do copywriting on Fiverr and had my best week yet: made $125. Not amazing, but its something.

Your page is very vague, and it stops you from writing the most important thing: the benefit.

Whats in it for them and where does that get them? Literally write out what it'll do for them in real life. The more mental imagery you use the better.

Example: Invest in my copywriting to get you more sales(feature), to make you more money(benefit) that can be put towards that much needed 2 Week Tropical Vacation in the Bahamas. Sip ice cold
Piña colada stretched out on your deck chair as the tropical sun tans your beach body to Baywatch! (what it does from them!!) - okay maybe a little silly but you get my point
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Kak

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
493%
Jan 23, 2011
9,678
47,666
34
Texas
@MILIANARD134 @Tommo @yyes

Why have you guys not set up your avatar yet? I know they are are mostly just for fun, but posting with an incomplete profile, for whatever subconscious reason, makes me feel like you aren't taking contributing on the forum very seriously. I connect the dots in my head, with the questionable advice and hair brained ideas, and wonder if you guys are taking entrepreneurship, in general, seriously.

Unless you make entrepreneurship your life... it's not going to work out for you.
 

yyes

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
97%
Jun 18, 2017
93
90
34
Boise Idaho
@MILIANARD134 @Tommo @yyes

Why have you guys not set up your avatar yet? I know they are are mostly just for fun, but posting with an incomplete profile, for whatever subconscious reason, makes me feel like you aren't taking contributing on the forum very seriously. I connect the dots in my head, with the questionable advice and hair brained ideas, and wonder if you guys are taking entrepreneurship, in general, seriously.

Unless you make entrepreneurship your life... it's not going to work out for you.

Hey, I'm a freaking INSIDERS lol jk

But yeah you're right. I should have mine by the end of the night.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Andy Black

Help people. Get paid. Help more people.
Staff member
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
370%
May 20, 2014
18,566
68,699
Ireland
@yyes

The 700+ PMs thread linked to in my signature might help you.
It's over 2,000 PMs by now, and a lot of people I PM seem equally tangled up.
 

Late Bloomer

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
143%
Apr 17, 2018
950
1,356
No action taken on my part because every person or forum that I talk to gives me different information.

That's because each of us are giving our own interpretation about how life and business works in general, filtered through our own interpretation about your own life and business opportunities and risks. That's a lot of layers of interpretation, judgment, and opinion. Even if it starts with someone's personal experience and success, even if it includes seeing what worked or didn't work for many other people, that's still a level removed from who you really are and what your situation really is right now... which we might see accurately, which you might see accurately, or maybe not.

Pick something that seems to you, that it might work for you. If more than one thing seems like it might work, pick whatever seems to you to be a quick path to get some initial results, or to learn that you need a different approach, at a level of risk you can handle now. Do it. Learn from the experience. If it succeeded, do more of it. If what you succeeded is that you learned that something didn't turn out as well as you hoped, revise your expectations or your approach and continue again. You don't have to figure out a plan for decades to come or even for all of next year.

You got plenty of opinions, some of them well informed and well intentioned. Now it's up to you to prioritize and apply them for yourself. Choose something, give it a shot, and tell us how it turned out.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Tommo

Silver Contributor
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
168%
Jan 21, 2018
438
738
70
Perth Australia
@MILIANARD134 @Tommo @yyes

Why have you guys not set up your avatar yet? I know they are are mostly just for fun, but posting with an incomplete profile, for whatever subconscious reason, makes me feel like you aren't taking contributing on the forum very seriously. I connect the dots in my head, with the questionable advice and hair brained ideas, and wonder if you guys are taking entrepreneurship, in general, seriously.

Unless you make entrepreneurship your life... it's not going to work out for you.
Kak,
You have mistaken my post. It was a polite way of saying "do no more copywriting and let someone else do it for you", to the OP.
I am presently unable to contribute often due to being in the middle of Australia, in a remote workplace with iffy communications which when they are good I use to contact family.
I haven't looked at getting an Avatar as yet as they are mostly for fun but if it is causing you to make assumptions I'll get onto it forthwith. By the way I believe the term is "Hare-brained". I know you are a stickler for spelling and punctuation. I read all your posts which, apart from this one are usually inspiring and admirable.
Regards,
Tommo
 

Kak

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
493%
Jan 23, 2011
9,678
47,666
34
Texas
Kak,
You have mistaken my post. It was a polite way of saying "do no more copywriting and let someone else do it for you", to the OP.
I am presently unable to contribute often due to being in the middle of Australia, in a remote workplace with iffy communications which when they are good I use to contact family.
I haven't looked at getting an Avatar as yet as they are mostly for fun but if it is causing you to make assumptions I'll get onto it forthwith. By the way I believe the term is "Hare-brained". I know you are a stickler for spelling and punctuation. I read all your posts which, apart from this one are usually inspiring and admirable.
Regards,
Tommo

It can be spelled either way. A mistake here and there is fine and I legitimately didn't know of the alternative spelling.

It was just an observation about the avatar. One doesn't have to participate in a forum to be an entrepreneur. I have also observed the folks that tend to get ahead and blaze their own path are also the ones that whole-a$$ everything they are involved in.
 

Tommo

Silver Contributor
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
168%
Jan 21, 2018
438
738
70
Perth Australia
It can be spelled either way. A mistake here and there is fine and I legitimately didn't know of the alternative spelling.

It was just an observation about the avatar. One doesn't have to participate in a forum to be an entrepreneur. I have also observed the folks that tend to get ahead and blaze their own path are also the ones that whole-a$$ everything they are involved in.
Observation duly noted. I thought I read somewhere that Avatars were allocated by MJ after some time but on your advice I'll sort something myself.
I am working away in the evenings on my own plans and keep them to myself as I don't want to be an action faker. When I get results I'll let the Forum know.
Back to the thread now- No comment from here.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Late Bloomer

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
143%
Apr 17, 2018
950
1,356
yyes, the thing you missed from the early success stories of the previous generation, like Gary's and Dan's and Jay's, is that they didn't use brilliant word choice, enticing storytelling, easy to follow organization, etc. Although they both referred to creating something from nothing, all these skills were in the service of promoting something that was already well worth buying.

Gary actually looked up family names in a real heraldry reference. Although the connection from the heraldry to the current people was tenuous and presumptive, Gary and his wife didn't just create a fantasy coat of arms from their own imagination. The benefits of pride, recognition, exclusivity etc. were pitched emotionally, but there was a real product behind it.

Dan refers to making his own cardboard crown to declare himself the king. But he actually had many years of serious study of self-development and business info, that he'd put together in his own way, going back to a kid who watched his family try different ways to make money in business. (It's not clear to me if his parents were in MLM when he was young or if that was his own teenage experience.)

Jay put together the pitch to get already valuable TV time and print ad space, to pitch already valuable arthritis relief cream. And to get authors of already valuable experts and products, promoted through the credibility of already informative newsletters.

It's very hard to use enough clever language, organization, storytelling, or other copywriting techniques, to sell something with no particular value compared to a commodity. "I'll try to make a basic sales letter for you" is a commodity. That's the reason for my enthusiasm for your working with your Dad and finding other genuine products and services you can write about. Yeah, there is an "internet marketing of the business of internet marketing syndicate" who shill for each other, but I don't see that as a sustainable way for either you or me to contribute real value to this world.
 

yyes

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
97%
Jun 18, 2017
93
90
34
Boise Idaho
yyes, the thing you missed from the early success stories of the previous generation, like Gary's and Dan's and Jay's, is that they didn't use brilliant word choice, enticing storytelling, easy to follow organization, etc. Although they both referred to creating something from nothing, all these skills were in the service of promoting something that was already well worth buying.

Gary actually looked up family names in a real heraldry reference. Although the connection from the heraldry to the current people was tenuous and presumptive, Gary and his wife didn't just create a fantasy coat of arms from their own imagination. The benefits of pride, recognition, exclusivity etc. were pitched emotionally, but there was a real product behind it.

Dan refers to making his own cardboard crown to declare himself the king. But he actually had many years of serious study of self-development and business info, that he'd put together in his own way, going back to a kid who watched his family try different ways to make money in business. (It's not clear to me if his parents were in MLM when he was young or if that was his own teenage experience.)

Jay put together the pitch to get already valuable TV time and print ad space, to pitch already valuable arthritis relief cream. And to get authors of already valuable experts and products, promoted through the credibility of already informative newsletters.

It's very hard to use enough clever language, organization, storytelling, or other copywriting techniques, to sell something with no particular value compared to a commodity. "I'll try to make a basic sales letter for you" is a commodity. That's the reason for my enthusiasm for your working with your Dad and finding other genuine products and services you can write about. Yeah, there is an "internet marketing of the business of internet marketing syndicate" who shill for each other, but I don't see that as a sustainable way for either you or me to contribute real value to this world.

yyes, the thing you missed from the early success stories of the previous generation, like Gary's and Dan's and Jay's, is that they didn't use brilliant word choice, enticing storytelling, easy to follow organization, etc. Although they both referred to creating something from nothing, all these skills were in the service of promoting something that was already well worth buying.

Gary actually looked up family names in a real heraldry reference. Although the connection from the heraldry to the current people was tenuous and presumptive, Gary and his wife didn't just create a fantasy coat of arms from their own imagination. The benefits of pride, recognition, exclusivity etc. were pitched emotionally, but there was a real product behind it.

Dan refers to making his own cardboard crown to declare himself the king. But he actually had many years of serious study of self-development and business info, that he'd put together in his own way, going back to a kid who watched his family try different ways to make money in business. (It's not clear to me if his parents were in MLM when he was young or if that was his own teenage experience.)

Jay put together the pitch to get already valuable TV time and print ad space, to pitch already valuable arthritis relief cream. And to get authors of already valuable experts and products, promoted through the credibility of already informative newsletters.

It's very hard to use enough clever language, organization, storytelling, or other copywriting techniques, to sell something with no particular value compared to a commodity. "I'll try to make a basic sales letter for you" is a commodity. That's the reason for my enthusiasm for your working with your Dad and finding other genuine products and services you can write about. Yeah, there is an "internet marketing of the business of internet marketing syndicate" who shill for each other, but I don't see that as a sustainable way for either you or me to contribute real value to this world.

I get what you mean.
But how is it that people such as Tai Lopez, Alex Becker, and others able to start an internet business?

They sell their products promising that we too can take advantage of the internet to make millions. Further, they promise this and make assertions stating that no previous experience is required.
 

yyes

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
97%
Jun 18, 2017
93
90
34
Boise Idaho

jramos02

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
108%
May 18, 2018
59
64
New York
But how is it that people such as Tai Lopez, Alex Becker, and others able to start an internet business?

I don't know who Alex Becker is but Tai Lopez seems like a scam to me. At least the stuff I have read about him, he seems like the guy that just got to make money online by telling people how to make money online...
 

Late Bloomer

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
143%
Apr 17, 2018
950
1,356
But how is it that people such as Tai Lopez, Alex Becker, and others able to start an internet business?

They sell their products promising that we too can take advantage of the internet to make millions. Further, they promise this and make assertions stating that no previous experience is required.

I'm not familiar with all of these people. But I can say three things that are very likely true about their marketing.

First, if they are selling using sales copy, I bet the copy is much better written and edited than your own sales letter that you posted here. The ideas, organization, words, paragraphs, are all carefully chosen... deliberately constructed... the result of testing to prove what sells. (And, we don't know if they wrote their own letters and ads, or hired great copywriters who can write in the client's voice.)

Second, they are going after people who are really hungry to be given an easy path to get rich quick. Their ads, lists, posts, etc. target likely buyers. They probably do not sell using flyers in shelters, where nobody can scrape together $500. They probably also do not sell door to door at the highest-priced street of mansions, because those people don't need to learn how to get rich quick, they already are rich from their lifetime. Lopez, Becker etc. choose and target their audience carefully.

Third, the copy is full of benefits for the buyers. It reaches them emotionally, such as, wow I want that influence and money and success this guy's talking about. It gives their mind reasons to justify what their emotions decide. Such as, I believe he did it starting from nothing, so I believe he's factual when he says I can too.

Learn how to taking advantage of the Internet to make millions, like this guy? That's exciting. But it's scary, what if I fail because I've not done anything like this? Oh, he says there's no risk of failure because I lack experience? That's even more exciting. Shut up and take my money! Where's my credit card?

Be told that someone who knows nothing about my business, and has no successful case studies, can give me a 30% sales increase? Boring.
Be told that using freelancers who bill by project is a great hidden secret of business success? That's not really exciting. The sales pitch includes an assumption that I'm bad at business and a bad boss too? Where's my trash can?
 

bugsybunny

Contributor
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
200%
Oct 2, 2016
13
26
This isn't the "hundredaire replace my shitty income lane" It's the MILLIONAIRE fastlane . You aren't starting a business... Freelancing is maybe one step above MLM.

Don't be ok with anything less than COMPLETE perfection. Build something that matters. Leave copywriting for your employees.

Freelancing isn't the only copywriting model out there. It's just one that most businesses know.

There are copywriters out there who work no more than 3 hours a day... and earn 4, 5, 6+ million dollars a year. And each following year is financially better than the last. It's like a snowball effect.

One successful year doing this... is like creating and selling a business and doing what MJ did.

Freelancing isn't "Fastlane".

.

Really?

.

.

What exactly is the definition of "Fastlane"?

It's passive income, right? (That's the ultimate goal.)

So the word "Fastlane" is nothing more than New Name given to a pre-existing term.

...

Interesting...

This is what copywriters do. They rename things.

But why?

Because they know... it's a lot easier to sell something new, fresh and unique than it is to sell an idea that people have already gotten used to.

Anyone who studies direct response marketing will agree with that statement.

How well would've MJ's book sold if it was titled something like:

Passive Income Tunnel -- Spend years crawling in darkness, building a business and finally generate income for life! (If you reach the other side.)

Probably not very well.

A much better title...

The Millionaire Fastlane -- Crack the code to wealth and live rich for a lifetime!

It instantly makes the reader wonder, "Oooohhhh... what's the Fastlane?! What's code?!?! I gotta know what this is about!!!"

Even if you disagree with the stuff I said above. And think that Freelancing Copywriting isn't (or can't be) "Fastlane"... it sure as hell is A LOT better than a 9-5.

  • First, you can make more money than at a 9-5 (a lot more).
  • Second, you can do it in a shorter period of time (allowing you to focus on your "Fastlane" dream).
  • And Third, you're learning an essential skill to marketing and selling your "Fastlane" project.

Sooner or later you're gonna need to know how to get your product into people's hands.

So if you don't have a brilliant idea yet... why not learn how to market it in the meantime?

Another thing about passive income...

You can win the lottery today. Win something stupid like $400 million. Never worry about money AGAIN.

And if you don't kill yourself by dumping it down your nose (or catching a deadly disease because you're "living like a rock star")... you'll probably spiral into depression and wanna kill yourself anyways... because you'll no longer have purpose.

You can have anything and everything. Whenever you want.

When you get to that point, there's no more desire.

You think MJ is just chilling? Doing nothing all day?

He finally has time to do what he's passionate about.

His purpose.

For him... that thing is writing.

And he's a damn good at it.

And whether or not he knows it, he's a damn good copywriter too. Just look at the impact his book as had on people. Look at this forum.

It's all because of his writing ability.

.

If you're passionate about something (something like copywriting)... it won't feel like work.

.

This isn't a direct assault on you. I'm just addressing what most people think of when they hear the blasphemous word, "Freelance" on a "Fastlane" forum.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Kak

Legendary Contributor
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Summit Attendee
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
493%
Jan 23, 2011
9,678
47,666
34
Texas
There are copywriters out there who work no more than 3 hours a day... and earn 4, 5, 6+ million dollars a year. And each following year is financially better than the last. It's like a snowball effect
No there aren't.
 

SquatchMan

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
383%
Dec 27, 2016
452
1,731
Nowhere
Freelancing isn't "Fastlane".

.

Really?

.

.

What exactly is the definition of "Fastlane"?

It's passive income, right? (That's the ultimate goal.)

The definition of fastlane is a business that meets the CENTS criteria, not a "passive" income.

Freelancing does not meet the CENTS criteria (freelancing isn't even a business). Therefore, freelancing is not fastlane. Sure, it makes money to cover your nut, but at the end of the day it's still a job.

Not sure how you can make freelancing passive unless you charge residuals, but at that point it becomes investing in a business/project. Instead of money, you are investing your time.

----

I do freelancing copywriting.

I'd still rather be the guy paying the copywriter $5mm per year than a copywriter working for $5mm per year.

I doubt Donald Trump, Richard Branson, Gary V, etc. know a thing about copywriting. They just hire the best copywriters and marketers for their businesses and work ON the business, not in the business.
 
Last edited:

jramos02

Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
108%
May 18, 2018
59
64
New York
Isn't freelancing still a good way to get out of the 9-5? Also a good way to get your feet wet on the entrepreneur mindset and creating value on your own for your direct clients/customers instead of through an employer?

You do it @SquatchMan, I don't just yet. Would you agree on the above? Or not?
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

SquatchMan

Gold Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
383%
Dec 27, 2016
452
1,731
Nowhere
Isn't freelancing still a good way to get out of the 9-5? Also a good way to get your feet wet on the entrepreneur mindset and creating value on your own for your direct clients/customers instead of through an employer?

You do it @SquatchMan, I don't just yet. Would you agree on the above? Or not?

Question #1:
If your only goal is to escape the 9-5 location dependent work, then sure I guess freelancing is better than that. I probably do more actual work than I would at a 9-5 job though (never had a serious 9-5), but the location independence makes up for it.

Question #2:
Freelancers are still employees. It does not help with developing an "entrepreneur mindset" (whatever that is). The only similarity between a freelancer and an entrepreneur is that both require self-motivation and discipline.

Entrepreneurs build businesses. The abstract definition of a business is a team of people that follow a specific set of processes to create a product that adds value (people, process, product). Entrepreneurship therefore requires leadership skills. Everything else can, and should, be outsourced.

Freelancers work for businesses. No leadership skills are required.

Question #3:
No. I don't agree.
 

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top