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

yyes

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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?
@latebloomer you bring up many interesting points that I would like to address . Unfortunately I'm at my slow lane 9-5 job right now but will address when I get home
 
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jramos02

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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.

Appreciate the detailed and honest response. I am currently contemplating giving a SaaS idea a shot or freelancing a shot first (to also learn to sell more through copywriting). This is helpful.

Thank you!
 

SquatchMan

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Appreciate the detailed and honest response. I am currently contemplating giving a SaaS idea a shot or freelancing a shot first (to also learn to sell more through copywriting). This is helpful.

Thank you!

My unsolicited advice, start the SaaS business if it's software that will provide massive value. You should know your market well enough to know this.

If you stick with the SaaS business for 3-5 years, then you have a good chance of having an actual business that generates massive value to customers.

If you stick to freelancing for 3-5 years, then most of the time you will have a high-paying job*

So, why not just start the business now (you have the idea) instead of waiting another 3-5 years? Be honest, are you scared of the risk?

You'll learn to sell once you start a business or start freelancing! Trust me on this.

Edit: Don't give freelancing or starting a business "a shot" either. You have to go all in or else you will fail.

*You can then sell freelancing courses once you get good at freelancing. I'm not a fan of coaching type businesses, so this isn't an option for me. The other fastlane exit is to start some sort of writing service, Amazon listing service, content writing service, etc.
 

Baku85

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My unsolicited advice, start the SaaS business if it's software that will provide massive value. You should know your market well enough to know this.

If you stick with the SaaS business for 3-5 years, then you have a good chance of having an actual business that generates massive value to customers.

If you stick to freelancing for 3-5 years, then most of the time you will have a high-paying job*

So, why not just start the business now (you have the idea) instead of waiting another 3-5 years? Be honest, are you scared of the risk?

You'll learn to sell once you start a business or start freelancing! Trust me on this.

Edit: Don't give freelancing or starting a business "a shot" either. You have to go all in or else you will fail.

*You can then sell freelancing courses once you get good at freelancing. I'm not a fan of coaching type businesses, so this isn't an option for me. The other fastlane exit is to start some sort of writing service, Amazon listing service, content writing service, etc.

Heh I had exactly the same questions few days ago. Ive started even learning wordpress ( I am professional developer so no problem to learn smth new for me ) for doing freelancing. Even started talking with friend to improve his shitty website to move to WP nice design + woommerce. But finally while checking upwork thoughts came to my mind like: "again you will work for someone", "improve his business or yours?" etc.
Of course doing freelancing can be nice, if you get into high stakes ( or even middle ) , 50$/h is very nice, then you can work less and have more time for saas. But to get to 50$/h takes time..
Thats why I decided to "risk" lets say. Work on product that ppl love, I can always do freelancing.
I can easily do my saas while working for company as I am remotely dev so I dont waste time for driving to/back work.
 
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Baku85

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Appreciate the detailed and honest response. I am currently contemplating giving a SaaS idea a shot or freelancing a shot first (to also learn to sell more through copywriting). This is helpful.

Thank you!
Btw. give a shot ? SaaS takes long time, it can take few years to see some results :) Be prepared for long run, not just a shot :)

About freelance vs sass I recommend this YT talk


And I agree, for newbies better start freelancing, connect with people, learn how business works etc, and start earning money.
If you can afford you can even start freelancing and doing your saas after work/weekends. Everything depends on your $$$ situation.
 
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jramos02

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So, why not just start the business now (you have the idea) instead of waiting another 3-5 years? Be honest, are you scared of the risk?

I'm 100% scared of the risk. I've been burned in the past before and failed and I admit, I am still a bit scarred from it.

My unsolicited advice, start the SaaS business if it's software that will provide massive value. You should know your market well enough to know this.

I'm still trying to figure this part out. I want to reach out to more potential users and understand if it is indeed a need / a pain point. I have three options for essentially the same "software" offering. I already posted in Reddit asking, but didn't get much traction. Will probably cold-email a few people and see what they say.

And I agree, for newbies better start freelancing, connect with people, learn how business works etc, and start earning money.

This is how I am looking at it. The video was definitely helpful.

For me, if I am able to escape my 9-5, I truly believe I would have more energy/drive to do the SaaS. Which is why I have considered doing the freelancing and developing that skill (for many reasons) until it can supplement my income. During that time I would also be doing some market research on my SaaS idea and start putting a plan of attack together (or even do it at the same time if the need is a resounding YES).

I think, as OP had originally alluded to, copywriting seems to be a good skill I should acquire either way.
 

HackVenture

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My dad has a Landscaping business. He has had it for 10 years and has never really grown it. I plan to do the following:
  1. Learn how to code based off this Gold thread here GOLD! - How to Learn Code, Start a Web Company, $15k+ per month within 9 months
  2. Sign up for Copyhour course. Supposedly one of the best courses one can take for copywriting.
  3. Finish reading @Andy Black posts about how to promote your local business through adwords.
  4. Help my dad out by building him a website, and writing copy for him so he can grow his business.
If this proves successful, I plan on helping local businesses with copywriting and building websites and helping them grow their businesses.

May I suggest a modified version to this plan?

1. Read Cashvertising
2. Take one weekend to learn how to setup a Wordpress site on Youtube
3. Purchase Thrive Themes
4. Build your dad's site
5. Drop the "If" from "If this proves successful"
6. Tell us how everything went and let us help you from there

The entire process should take no more than 2 weeks, assuming you do not have alot of time to devote to the above or are unwilling to.

I strongly believe you would have learnt way more about building a business than trying your hand at a freelance business.

You could still get into freelancing if you want to, this could even be part of your portfolio.

Lots of good advice given above, good luck!
 
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Donald Melrose

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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.

I love this comment. Focus on finding the people who need copy on a regular basis, then pay outsourced freelance specialists in the niche to create the copy then you have scalability. This is a business, learning it and then doing it yourself will restrict your growth potentials and speed to market and your ability to niche and charge a premium
 

The-J

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OP:

You're looking at this whole thing all wrong.

"You guys tell me to do this, but don't do this"

Those are not the words of an entrepreneur. Too external. Relying on the advice of Internet strangers to tell you how to live your life.

Commit to a path. Have an end in mind. Then F*cking do it.

Everyone has different paths. Don't worry about them.

"Oh but what's the BEST thing" honestly people need to F*ck off with that shit. The "BEST" thing is what's keeping you from doing ANYthing!

By the way, there's enough information on this forum, on the outside alone, to help you start a business with a small (or zero) investment.
 

The Racing Driver

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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.

Hmm...so if one of these copywriters works a maximum of 3 hours a day, every day of the year. They're working

365 days x 3 = 1095 hours/year

and they're earning at least 4 million dollars a year. That's a minimum of $3,652 an hour! WOW

So tell me, what's this guru's name? Where can I sign up to learn more?
 
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Andy Black

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Hmm...so if one of these copywriters works a maximum of 3 hours a day, every day of the year. They're working

365 days x 3 = 1095 hours/year

and they're earning at least 4 million dollars a year. That's a minimum of $3,652 an hour! WOW

So tell me, what's this guru's name? Where can I sign up to learn more?
I thought the smart copywriters get a % of the sales generated by the copy they write?


Anyway, OP, just pick a direction, get started, keep going.

Nothing wrong with starting as a freelancer and engaging the market in 1-2-1 combat.

I can’t remember if I already shared these:
 

The Racing Driver

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I thought the smart copywriters get a % of the sales generated by the copy they write?


Anyway, OP, just pick a direction, get started, keep going.

Nothing wrong with starting as a freelancer and engaging the market in 1-2-1 combat.

I can’t remember if I already shared these:

Correct and getting a % of sales is like having business ownership.

Yep you've shared them, and true you can't learn as much on the sidelines :)
 

eliquid

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Jeez.

I couldn't read everything, but I noticed mentioned of:
  • Building a SaaS
  • Not knowing what to do
  • Not having experience
  • etc

Most of my presentation at the Summit addressed these issues. While I didn't make the whole presentation public, or provide a slide share.. I did do a podcast on the subject.

As someone that owns a profitable SaaS currently ( and is working on my 7th SaaS ), I have some advice on what the real issue is for you.

Take a listen when you have some free time:

.
 
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TheWriter

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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

Can you tell me who is the author of "Local Business Marketing" ?

Finish reading @Andy Black posts about how to promote your local business through AdWords.

Can you give a link to this post?
 
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