Copywriting Mastermind Group 2016

[axeconnor]

@Fox if you want a partner for that or just someone to run stuff by, Id love to help out! Just shoot me a PM if interested

 

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[lowtek]

My progress:

Obtained ghost writing gigs on Upwork. Made $50 with another $100 in pending work.

I am moving on Monday (to Phoenix, woooo) so I will be without internet for a few days. I'll be reading during the down time and in full force late next week.

 

[jrd290]

I'm in.

Actions Completed:

• Upwork profile is online
• On day 4/15 of Lex's challenge

Actions to complete before 1st January:

• Complete days 5-15 of Lex's challenge
• 5 Upwork profile tests completed to over 90%
• Read through "Web Words That Work" and take notes
• Re-read and takes notes on: "How To Win Friends and Influence People" and "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion"
• Complete as many small transcription, proof-reading, editing jobs as I can. (I'll come up with a target number for this once I've done a few).

The weekly/monthly/yearly goals will be posted in a couple of weeks when I can figure out some realistic but challenging numbers.

UPDATE

I'll cut to the chase and admit that I didn't achieve even half of this. Frankly, I'm a bit disappointed with my progress.

However, I've made some changes. I've started going to the library instead of working from my room, and I'm focusing on
content writing for now. Moving to the library has given me an instant increase in productivity - which has always been my problem.

On the other hand, I'm yet to make any money or get any UpWork feedback. So, my question to you guys who've already got work is;
do you have any tips? I know to focus on empathy and over-delivering. I'm going to write a couple of sample articles as well.
Is there anything else I can add?

 

[marklov]

Here's an article I wrote elsewhere. I feel It's appropriate here.


Tapping Into Human Emotions

Think of sitting on a raft and going downstream with the existing current that moves the river in one direction. How relaxing and easy is your journey when you go with the flow? Now, turn that raft around and try paddling upstream against that strong current.

Writing sales copy is the exact same way: When you go with the flow, it will be easy.

If you put the principles in the analogy above to use, you will be lightyears ahead of most people out there who try to sell everything based on logic.

In the best-selling book, Cashvertising, you learn that humans are biologically programmed to fulfill eight emotionally desires that are hardwired into our DNA:

1. Survival, enjoyment of life, life extension.

2. Enjoyment of food and beverages.

3. Freedom from fear, pain, and danger.

4. Sexual companionship.

5. Comfortable living conditions

6. To be superior, winning, keeping up with the Joneses.

7. Care and protection of loved ones.

8. Social approval.

Personal development coach, Tony Robbins talks about six emotional human needs:

1. Certainty: assurance you can avoid pain and gain pleasure.

2. Variety: the need for the unknown, change, new stimuli.

3. Significance: feeling unique, important, special, or needed.

4. Connection/Love: a strong feeling of closeness or union with someone or something.

5. Growth: an expansion of capacity, capability, or understanding.

6. Contribution: a sense of service and focus on helping, giving to and supporting others.

Which of these match up with your ideal customer's emotional desires?

Certain emotional desires resonate better with your audience than others. For example, if you are selling a training course on men’s dating advice - Sexual Companionship and Connection/Love will be your primary emotional drivers, but there is a way to connect every single one of these emotions to your product.

You won’t use all of them in your sales copy, but what I like to do is write a story or description that demonstrates how your product can fulfill that emotional desire.

You can’t create emotional desires: This is the most common mistake at this stage.

Before getting started, realize that you don't try to create emotional desires in people. It is much easier to tap into their existing emotional desires. Since these are the core emotional desires of all humans, they will be there in your market, but some may already bay fulfilled.

Example: Let’s say I sell a product that teach people how to make more money.

You are a 21 year old young male looking to date girls and feel significant by driving nice cars. I can tap into your existing biological desire to hook up with attractive women. I can use pictures of beautiful women posing with Lamborghinis and link my product to that desire.

You are a 45 year old married man with 3 kids looking to support your family.

The emotional need for love/sexual companionship is already fulfilled. The attractive women may resonate with you, but not as strong as the 21 year old males. So for this market, I can use images of a secure and stable family, and a confident businessman in a suit.

This is why I like to begin with an ideal image of WHO I am serving in mind first.

Some major gold right here

 

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[Kasper]

Just a quick update to stay focused. I got three clients, 1 might flake on me, the second is a small job, but interesting and the guy really really REALLY loved my pitch (thanks @SinisterLex... Sorry if misspelled I'm on iPhone). And I was invited to upworks talent enterprise solutions which sounds good, but I have no clue what it means...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Poookly]

Update:
Read half of cashvertising.

I've been avoiding upwork like it's cancer so I'm facing my fears and sending 20 proposals this week

Will update.

 

[jrd290]

Update:

I've been avoiding upwork like it's cancer so I'm facing my fears and sending 20 proposals this week

I make it the first thing done each day. Then it's out of mind.

Input

- Taken notes on Scientific Advertising by Claude C. Hopkins.

Nearly finished with this. I'm using the 30 Day Challenge and Copywriting Resources threads to learn. I bought Cashvertising and a Udemy course, so those will be up next.

Output

- Sent 10 Upwork applications.

Spent about 1-1.5 hours on each. All writing jobs. No responses received yet. I've heard of people getting good results on Fiverr so I'm going to set up a profile there too.

Income

$0

 

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[lowtek]

Update:

I finished the move to Tempe AZ this week. I am back at Upwork with a vengeance.

Progress so far:
I have made $179.90 on Upwork since I've started freelancing. This is a pittance in the scheme of things, but it is really nice to generate at least some income without having to rely on a mega corporation.

I have two clients that I do recurring work for, although I don't get paid much (as evidenced by my earnings). Also, the work isn't technically copy. One client has me ghost write ebooks for Amazon, and the other has me writing "reviews" on electric vehicles. I suppose this is technically copy, as he generates revenue through Amazon affiliate links. In other words, I'm trying to sell scooters

I have started applying for more work in copywriting specifically, so we'll see where that goes.

The plan is to continue to produce for my two clients while trying to land a proper copywriting gig.

edit: if anybody is in the Albuquerque NM area and looking to buy a house, I'm selling

 

[jrd290]

UPDATE

I've left Upwork and returned to my old job. The reason is simple; money. I'd need to bill something like 10 hours a day on Upwork to match the pay.

So, I'm still learning copy, just not freelancing. To keep myself accountable, I'll post my input/output each week.

Input and output this week were nil.

 

[Fox]

I took everything that was written on this forum regarding copywriting and applied it to an area that I felt I had much more natural talent - web design.

Over the last three weeks I have been working my a$$ off learning HTML and CSS. Today I landed my first contract for between $2,000 - 4,000 for a website that I can do within a week. Since I live in Colombia this is 2 months worth of living (good) expenses for a few days work. Its small but a great start. I will be using that money to learn more code, set up a portfolio site and get more contracts.

Also I didn't use any third party site to find work. I picked up the phone and started dialing. It isn't hard to find companies that need a new website.

If copywriting isn't working for you trying using the same advice (add value, solve problems, show them how you will do it) and applying it to an area you feel you would have more success with. Thanks @SinisterLex again for all the great info you provided.

 

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[lowtek]

THREAD NECRO

So I've been beavering away at this, have you?

Input: I signed up for a discounted Udemy course on copywriting. Going through it presently.

Output:

Landed several writing contacts on Upwork. I made about $200 in my first month, and almost $2,000 in the past few weeks.

I have a long term gig with a marketing firm, although to be frank my role isn't clear. I'm not writing. I'm doing research and helping to direct writers and convey the strategy. I'm not particularly happy with this position, as the projects are not so well organized and I feel that I'm not adding enough value (with no real idea of what I can do to add more), and I'm not advancing my personal goals (other than making $$$). so I'm trying to secure more contracts. In other words, I'm working on an exit strategy.

I also got a gig writing product descriptions. This is mind numbing, but it's an exercise in creative writing. How many ways can YOU describe a pencil? The hours are not consistent, but it pays well.

How many of you are still on this horse? I can't be the last one standing.

 

[mosdef]

THREAD NECRO

So I've been beavering away at this, have you?

Input: I signed up for a discounted Udemy course on copywriting. Going through it presently.

Output:

Landed several writing contacts on Upwork. I made about $200 in my first month, and almost $2,000 in the past few weeks.

I have a long term gig with a marketing firm, although to be frank my role isn't clear. I'm not writing. I'm doing research and helping to direct writers and convey the strategy. I'm not particularly happy with this position, as the projects are not so well organized and I feel that I'm not adding enough value (with no real idea of what I can do to add more), and I'm not advancing my personal goals (other than making $$$). so I'm trying to secure more contracts. In other words, I'm working on an exit strategy.

I also got a gig writing product descriptions. This is mind numbing, but it's an exercise in creative writing. How many ways can YOU describe a pencil? The hours are not consistent, but it pays well.

How many of you are still on this horse? I can't be the last one standing.

View attachment 11542

for how long have you been learning copy? Keep the good work!

 

[lowtek]

for how long have you been learning copy? Keep the good work!

thanks!

I just started technically learning. All my other work was just ghost writing or a little SEO article writing.

 

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[jrd290]

THREAD NECRO

So I've been beavering away at this, have you?

Input: I signed up for a discounted Udemy course on copywriting. Going through it presently.

Output:

Landed several writing contacts on Upwork. I made about $200 in my first month, and almost $2,000 in the past few weeks.

I have a long term gig with a marketing firm, although to be frank my role isn't clear. I'm not writing. I'm doing research and helping to direct writers and convey the strategy. I'm not particularly happy with this position, as the projects are not so well organized and I feel that I'm not adding enough value (with no real idea of what I can do to add more), and I'm not advancing my personal goals (other than making $$$). so I'm trying to secure more contracts. In other words, I'm working on an exit strategy.

I also got a gig writing product descriptions. This is mind numbing, but it's an exercise in creative writing. How many ways can YOU describe a pencil? The hours are not consistent, but it pays well.

How many of you are still on this horse? I can't be the last one standing.

View attachment 11542

Great effort! Making that much $ in that space of time is impressive. Was that the Len Smith copy course you bought?

You're not the only one remaining; I'm here too! But, things have changed and I'm off Upwork. I'm still learning copy though, for the purpose of being able to sell my own products in the future.

Input: 30 minutes a day of Cashvertising note-taking

Output: N/A

Goals for 7th-14th Feb: 1 hour a day of note-taking. Begin the Udemy copy course when Cashvertising is done.

Keep on chipping away @lowtek !

 

[lowtek]

Great effort! Making that much $ in that space of time is impressive. Was that the Len Smith copy course you bought?

You're not the only one remaining; I'm here too! But, things have changed and I'm off Upwork. I'm still learning copy though, for the purpose of being able to sell my own products in the future.

Input: 30 minutes a day of Cashvertising note-taking

Output: N/A

Goals for 7th-14th Feb: 1 hour a day of note-taking. Begin the Udemy copy course when Cashvertising is done.

Keep on chipping away @lowtek !

Thanks for the words of encouragement

It's definitely a grind if you haven't learned the skill before, and are learning on the fly.

I purchased the course copywriting secrets - how to write copy that sells.

It's OK, I wouldn't buy it at full price. They had a sale at $15 so I went ahead and took a gamble. I'm only about 40% through so I'll reserve full judgement until the end.

 

[GuestUserX09]

I've been copywriting on FIVERR for a few years now. I don't feel very successful at it since I've saved none of the money from over 750 orders to date (I was once a irresponsible college kid, future slowlaner). In that time, it usually made about $300 a month but I sometimes deserted for months at a time. I recently got a lot more serious about my work and added web and graphic design to my offerings, I work from my now 50/50 with Fiverr. I send cold email leads to my website and Fiverr people stay at Fiverr. Currently doing about $700/week but I'm very anxious about having a steady flow of clients.

Goal
YEAR - Have monthly recurring payments from over 20 separate clients. Be booked solid. - 2017
MONTH - Have 2 monthly recurring payments from over 12 separate clients - FEBRUARY
WEEK - Land 2 new clients outside of FIVERR


Input

Sending cold emails

Output

Received 5 Fiverr orders this week - cold emailing for my business has been ineffective.

Income
YEAR - $50,000+ in revenue after business expenses
MONTH - $2,000+ in revenue after business expenses, $20 additional in recurring monthly payment.
WEEK - $500+ revenue after business expenses

I'll try to update this thread on a weekly basis. Also, I can answer any questions

 

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[Chris Veal]

I've been copywriting on FIVERR for a few years now. I don't feel very successful at it since I've saved none of the money from over 750 orders to date (I was once a irresponsible college kid, future slowlaner). In that time, it usually made about $300 a month but I sometimes deserted for months at a time. I recently got a lot more serious about my work and added web and graphic design to my offerings, I work from my now 50/50 with Fiverr. I send cold email leads to my website and Fiverr people stay at Fiverr. Currently doing about $700/week but I'm very anxious about having a steady flow of clients.

Goal
YEAR - Have monthly recurring payments from over 20 separate clients. Be booked solid. - 2017
MONTH - Have 2 monthly recurring payments from over 12 separate clients - FEBRUARY
WEEK - Land 2 new clients outside of FIVERR


Input

Sending cold emails

Output

Received 5 Fiverr orders this week - cold emailing for my business has been ineffective.

Income
YEAR - $50,000+ in revenue after business expenses
MONTH - $2,000+ in revenue after business expenses, $20 additional in recurring monthly payment.
WEEK - $500+ revenue after business expenses

I'll try to update this thread on a weekly basis. Also, I can answer any questions

Start networking. Go to BNI meetings, Toastmasters, civic groups, Chamber of Commerce,

Create a weekly email newsletter for your email list.

 

[GuestUserX09]

So, I've been crushing these goals. I'm using Bing PPC to send traffic to a landing page where I collect emails and follow up.

Each lead for me is worth about $150 although a fair amount have been $400+ so I pay $50 for 100 targeted clicks, 10 turn into leads, 1-3 into sales. Maybe more if I follow through and send some discounts to the email list.

Also Fiverr is still making up about 15% of my income.

Goal
YEAR - Have monthly recurring payments from over 20 separate clients. Be booked solid. - 2017
MONTH - Have a monthly recurring payment from over 12 separate clients
WEEK - Have 2 clients return for more service


Input

Replying to leads, testing responses

Output

Brought on some big clients, unsure of monthly commitment just yet

Income
YEAR - $50,000+ in revenue after business expenses
MONTH - DONE with 8 days to spare
WEEK - DONE

I'll try to update this thread again soon. Feel free to ask questions

If PPC proves to have consistent positive ROI, I'm going to be ramping things up here shortly

 

[andyhaus44]

I wanted to start a thread for those who are serious about learning Copywriting during 2016.
For me this is a huge goal for the year and I want a group of people who can keep each other motivated and accountable.
There is so much GOLD info on here (Sinister Lex and IceCreamKid to name just two) - all is needed is the ACTION.


For those who want to join we will track 4 things weekly:

- Goals for the year and action for the week to get to that goal (x amount of hours/sales/projects)

- Input (what information you COMPLETED that week towards learning Copywriting - book/course/udemy/video series)

- Output (actions taken and COMPLETED that week- profile completed/bid for jobs/4 hours of work for client/18 practice letters written out)

- Income (how much you made that week- let's all be humble/open and except this is an accurate bearing on how things are going. No bashing others but still giving solid accurate feedback.)


If you want to join this group then have a profile ready to go on whatever site you are planning to use by Jan 1st 2016. I would imagine for most it will be UpWork.

You don't have to start off writing (or have any exact online profile for) copy day 1. This will be a thread working towards that goal but you may want to start off with transcribing, content creation or something else. As long as your end goal is copywriting and you are taking action towards that each week that is fine.

If you are in :
- comment on this thread and set your yearly goal for the year (x weekly income/x hour rate/x yearly income etc.)
- openly commit to action and prove this by having a profile ready for Friday Jan 1st

Weeks will start on Sunday end on Saturday (gives 9 days for week 1). Have your info up for the past week by the following Tuesday.

Fox,

Are you interested in doing one for 2019?

 

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[Fox]

Fox,

Are you interested in doing one for 2019?

Ha - this is an old thread. I still working on getting better with copy but I am happy with the level I am at.
My goals for 2019 are more about video production.

Maybe make your own new thread - I would say there are others who will be happy to jump in. One book a month would be solid for a group effort.

 

[Roger FS]

For video production, I found The Complete Video Production Bootcamp | Udemy to be quite informative, at least from a novice standpoint, as I'm exploring most everything these days. The three people who produced it are successful in different facets of video production, not just dabblers.