I'm fed up with freelancing

[SweetTooth]

I do copywriting and web design freelancing. To be honest I'm getting fed up, bored, and annoyed with making money this way. Sure the benefit is I don't have a boss, just deadlines, and I can work anywhere with my laptop. But I can't help but feel like it's not very different from a regular job. My time is still being traded for money. I pay myself first but in a way I'm still making other people money with my copywriting. Unfortanately this is my main source of income to keep me afloat. Is there any real business I can use my skills for that will give me income quickly apart from freelancing?

 

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[Andy Black]

You're a hired gun. It has it's perks compared to being in someone else's cubicle.

Get good at bringing in more business, and you could subcontract/hire others to do the coal-face work.

Build your own sites/funnels that generate leads for businesses, then charge per lead or renting your funnel.

Lots of ways to go from here.


.......


1) Listen to:

• www.tropicalmba.com/services
• www.tropicalmba.com/consulting

2) Read "Built to Sell".


3) Watch the video I dropped into thread:

• You're selling the wrong product

 

[devine]

Question is: what can you offer apart of copywriting and web design for somebody else?

 

[Andy Black]

I do copywriting and web design

Why do you get hired to do web design and copywriting?



(I already know the answer... I'm asking to get you to think it through yourself.)


Hint (don't read till you've thought about it)

 

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[Dazed]

Is there any real business I can use my skills for that will give me income quickly apart from freelancing?

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...onth-with-very-little-work.69128/#post-550991

 

[marklov]

Dejavu

I was shooting the shit with a copywriter I think 2 weeks ago,
He originally did a $500 letter which led to a VSL job and the owner of the product laughed his way to the bank with over 100k.

He's about to write another piece for the guy.

Sounded defeated as hell too.

I have had people bitch at me when I deferred against whoring themselves out on
freelance sites but what do i know lol...leave em to their own devices.

 

[GMSI7D]

maybe you can make your own products and seminars about copywriting.

with a launch for example ( jeff walker's product launch formula)

instead of searching for gold ( finding clients), you sell showels ( you teach people to do copywriting for their clients ).

a lot of entrepreneurs do this way

 

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[nradam123]

I thought Freelancing is the transition phase to a Fastlane business.

So that you are not broke and you have no major money issues.

Then you go validate an idea with CENTS or CENTS super powers.

That will be awesome

 

[TheGrind]

Copywriting is invaluable. Look at the top guys, they get paid thousands to do work that takes an hour. I don't mind trading time for money at the rate. Also, with copywriting you can sell your own products. The top guys are absolutely millionaires.

Web design is different, even the best can't charge the absurd rates copywriters do.

 

[SweetTooth]

maybe you can make your own products and seminars about copywriting.

with a launch for example ( jeff walker's product launch formula)

instead of searching for gold ( finding clients), you sell showels ( you teach people to do copywriting for their clients ).

a lot of entrepreneurs do this way

This is something I've wanted to do. I'll have to check out Jeff Walkers program.

 

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[The-J]

Scale + Hire bro.

Here's the thing.

If you follow @Andy Black's advice, and get GOOD at bringing in new business...

...there will come a time when you are TURNING DOWN business in order to keep time for yourself.

That's when you start to hire.

Build out a process by which you get other people to build pieces of the deliverables for you. Then, perfect this process. Make it seamless.

I've been doing that. What used to take me 2-3 weeks now only takes 4-7 days. Full on websites, with copy, all built.

You can copy my process if you like, I really don't care. My process ain't a trade secret. (Thank @Omni for it lol)

So this is what I do:

When I get on the phone with clients, I use that time to figure out everything they're going to need.

I then use the information given to write specification sheets. These are basically instruction manuals for contractors. They tell exactly how you want something done, how you want things to flow, and what you want them to do at the end.

I look for contractors who have several hours a week open in order to work, preferably for me. I use Upwork to find them. I then give them a small test (simple task, like 1-2 hours work) and see how long it takes them to do it. If it's greater than 24 hours, I tell em to F*ck off.

I now know (1) the availability of my contractors, and (2) the ability of my contractors. I then negotiate hourly rates and have them gimme a quote for the content of the spec sheet. (I expect, nay, DEMAND, that a contractor spend at least 5 hours per day on my stuff. If it takes him 15 hours, I expect 3 days. I can tell when they don't, and when they don't, I don't hire em again.)

I have all pieces of the job hired out same day, except development since design has to come first. But as soon as the design is made, my developer gets the go signal.

45 man-hours of work, all done in 3 days. I polish the shit myself, maybe spend an hour doing it to make sure it's to the client's specifications. Fast, professionally done, and F*cking QUICK.

I can then turn around and do the next job.

In case you're wondering, my margins are currently 60%.

 

[SweetTooth]

Scale + Hire bro.

Here's the thing.

If you follow @Andy Black's advice, and get GOOD at bringing in new business...

...there will come a time when you are TURNING DOWN business in order to keep time for yourself.

That's when you start to hire.

Build out a process by which you get other people to build pieces of the deliverables for you. Then, perfect this process. Make it seamless.

I've been doing that. What used to take me 2-3 weeks now only takes 4-7 days. Full on websites, with copy, all built.

You can copy my process if you like, I really don't care. My process ain't a trade secret. (Thank @Omni for it lol)

So this is what I do:

When I get on the phone with clients, I use that time to figure out everything they're going to need.

I then use the information given to write specification sheets. These are basically instruction manuals for contractors. They tell exactly how you want something done, how you want things to flow, and what you want them to do at the end.

I look for contractors who have several hours a week open in order to work, preferably for me. I use Upwork to find them. I then give them a small test (simple task, like 1-2 hours work) and see how long it takes them to do it. If it's greater than 24 hours, I tell em to F*ck off.

I now know (1) the availability of my contractors, and (2) the ability of my contractors. I then negotiate hourly rates and have them gimme a quote for the content of the spec sheet. (I expect, nay, DEMAND, that a contractor spend at least 5 hours per day on my stuff. If it takes him 15 hours, I expect 3 days. I can tell when they don't, and when they don't, I don't hire em again.)

I have all pieces of the job hired out same day, except development since design has to come first. But as soon as the design is made, my developer gets the go signal.

45 man-hours of work, all done in 3 days. I polish the shit myself, maybe spend an hour doing it to make sure it's to the client's specifications. Fast, professionally done, and F*cking QUICK.

I can then turn around and do the next job.

In case you're wondering, my margins are currently 60%.

This is something I'd like to do with the web design side of freelancing. With copywriting however, this is a little bit harder, nearly impossible. People get copywriters for that persons background and expertise. When you subcontract a copywriter, that persons lack of skills and experience can be read through their writing.

 

[The-J]

With copywriting however, this is a little bit harder, nearly impossible. People get copywriters for that persons background and expertise. When you subcontract a copywriter, that persons lack of skills and experience can be read through their writing.

I have found that editing copy is much easier than writing it.

So I get some middle-of-the-road copywriter who has some experience, but isn't a rockstar... then I make it a little bit more appealing.

Copywriting is, in general, a science that can be learned.

 

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