Lex DeVille's: 15 Days to Freedom - Make Money Copywriting in 15 Days or Less

[Lex DeVille]

15 Days to Freedom
Make money copywriting in 15 days or less.
(Without writing a hundred Gary Halbert letters)​

Everything you think you know about the way they’ve taught you to think about the way things are supposed to work…

…is a lie.

Consider what this sentence actually means.

Now think about whatever reasons (excuses) you've been verbally vomiting to yourself about why you’re not getting anywhere and why you’re not making progress. What specifically holds you back? This isn't the time for vagueness. It's time to be real with yourself. It's time to be clear.

Get specific.​

Is it that you don’t know what to do? Is it that you don’t know where to start? Is it because you don’t have the experience or knowledge? Whatever your reasons are, go ahead and visualize the words and phrases that make up those reasons that hold you back, and get a clear picture of the actual words stamped on your mind.

"No education"
"No experience"
"No money"
"I can't"
"I won't"
"I'm not"

Keep going. Visualize your phrases too.

"I can't take action because I'm not ready yet."

"I can't publish an ebook because I don't know how to write.

"I can't start writing copy because I haven't hand-written 30 sales letters."​

Now imagine yourself and all these words and phrases tossing about in an endless black sea. Visualize your excuses floating around you, violently thrashing back and forth in an ocean of darkness, bobbing up and down, tossed side to side like twigs in a hurricane - an endless storm of thoughts and ideas tormenting your mind, forcing you under, and you’re about to drown.

Now stop. Freeze the chaos in place.​

When it's still, then pan out. Wayyy out, and notice as your mind grows brighter. Keep panning out and let the scene grow smaller and smaller until the ocean of darkness is tiny. Pan out until you realize the pool of misery is actually a small toilet filled with tiny turds of excuse excrement in desperate need of a courtesy flush. Realize that you’re not in that toilet. You’re beyond it.

Flush the toilet now.​

What happens when you press the lever? What happens when you flush? The excrement, the excuses, the endless useless phrases - they all swirl around the bowl, then disappear into the unknown. Just like the shit you flushed last week, your excuses are gone from memory. Gone for good and you can forget them forever.

Now clear your mind, and let's get started.​

If you’re reading this, then you’ve been around long enough to know you don’t have to do things the old way. You don’t have to follow the rules, and you don’t have to get the same shitty results as everyone else. We're all here because we want to make money, be successful, and earn freedom.


The path of this forum is to start businesses that help bring the outcomes you want in the shortest time possible. While that may not mean getting rich in a year, it does mean getting freedom and wealth faster than any old job can offer.


But, to speed things up we need tools. Like craftsmen, we need specialized equipment, machines, & utensils for specific jobs that help us excel. One of those tools is money. But how do we get money?

Here's a secret. ​

​

When we don' t have the tools we need, then we need to use the tools we have to forge the tools we need to craft our desires into existence.​

That's what this thread is about.​

Over the next 15 days, I'm going to give you some new tools, and if you pay attention and take the time to read, learn, and test what I say, then you'll have exactly what you need to create income from nothing. Or, if you already have an income you can increase it to help your other pursuits. I've used these methods on Odesk, applications, cover letters, and in person, and I'm confident you can benefit too if you apply what you learn.


Over the next 15 days I'll give you the foundations of my copywriting strategy. Opinions on good copy may differ but...

…the ONLY thing that matters is results.​

Since my copywriting has proven results, I'll leave it up to you to decide whether or not you should consider my words. If you care to listen you might learn something new. If you know it all then maybe you'll be refreshed. Whatever you decide is ultimately up to you.

I'll still continue because whether you choose to benefit or not, someone will, and that someone is going to make money. I hope that someone is you.

At the very least your excuses are gone. You flushed em’ down the toilet remember? Now you’re ready to take responsibility for your own destiny, and for your own results.

If you found this post even remotely useful, motivational, or inspirational, and if you want to learn enough about my version of copywriting to earn money now, then consider following this thread, and checking back over the next 15 days as I share what I can in attempt to explain the elements of my recent copy success.

Consider this post a bonus lesson. The 3 elements of basic, powerful copy are within.

Read it again carefully and see if you can find them.

The 3 Elements Are:

Mindset

Technique

Influence​

Now that you have no excuses and
the only clear path to your goals is
forward, it's time to take action.

Scroll down and when you’re
ready, engage the first
Mindset lesson
Day 1.​

 

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[Lex DeVille]

Day 1 | Mindset Lesson 1
Be Like Jesus - Forget You. Help Them.​

I’m not sure there’s any more simple way to put it than be like Jesus. The first step to copywriting that makes money fast is to forget yourself. Forget yourself and start caring about other people.

Fake it if you have to. Fake it til’ you make it. But always operate with the intention of making it real.

Leave religion out of the picture. The only thing we’re focused on is a mindset of being focused on other people. Learning to care & help others is extremely powerful. Not only does it change the way you look at the world, but it changes the way the world looks at you.

It seems like a simple shift to make, but it’s not. It took me years to figure out what it actually means to care about others. It took years to figure out that if I just help others, good juju comes my way.

Now I finally understand, and I earn more than ever… Coincidence? Not likely.

You don’t need to fully understand why it works to make it work. All you need to do is try it. All that matters is results, remember? So start thinking in terms of other people. Start accepting others as they are. Start finding ways to help others, and you’ll find the #1 mindset technique to making money with copy.

Since I pretty much beat this concept to death in my other thread, I won’t drag it out here.

Just know that your copy won’t earn a penny until you learn to solve problems for other people.

That’s the first of the 5 Mindset lessons.

Forget You. Help Them.
​

Day 1 Challenge

Really Help Someone – When I say help someone I’m not talking about convincing them that you can help them. It’s not about making them believe you can help them. It’s about actually helping them. But most of the people reading this will miss that part. That’s why I keep getting messages asking questions like “How do I get them to believe I can help them?”

The only way to get them to believe you can help them is if you actually prove you can help them, and to prove you can help them you actually have to be capable of performing the task. But before you can do that you have to be operating from the right mindset. So your challenge for Day 1 is to find someone and help them without asking anything in return.

It doesn’t matter how big or small the task, and it doesn't matter if it's online or in person. All that matters is that it truly affects the other person by making their life better, easier, more enjoyable etc.

Do it today.

Succeed at this challenge today or don’t bother reading tomorrow. Either you’re willing to take action now, and do what it takes, or you’re not, and the rest of the lessons won’t help anyway.

That's all for lesson 1. Forget you. Help them.

When
you
are
ready
continue on to Day
2 - Technique
Lesson
1 ​

 

[SBS.95]

@SinisterLex - I've been following your other thread for a few weeks now. Thought I'd offer a little perspective, especially to those people who believe "they won't hire me for x, y, or z."

I recently had to hire a freelancer for a short programming job. I knew what needed to be done but it was just a bit out of reach for my novice coding skills. Still, I knew the math/logic behind the code and for an experienced programmer it was super easy cash.

This was on Freelancer.com, and I paid an extra $15 for my job listing to get a "Priority" job listing. Immediately I get swamped with applications. And most of them absolutely, positively sucked! Some examples of what NOT to do:

• Send me a generic "copy/paste" application. If you do this, it's so obvious. I deleted these immediately.
• Beg/plead.
• Make me read your life story. My job listing was for a C++ programmer. I had multiple people tell me all about their history with coding--how they learned HTML at age 12 and Java at age 16. I really don't give a shit if you helped Bill Gates create DOS, all I care about is if you know C++, particularly in a manner that relates to the problem I outlined clearly in the job listing.
• Not understand that I want the job done fast. I paid the extra $15 for a "Priority" listing--that means I want this done NOW. This is verbatim from my job listing: "If you legitimately know C++ this is an easy job and money opportunity. It doesn't need to be pretty, and faster is better." And yet I would have applications with "I promise to get started within 48 hours." MO-FO I WANT THIS FINISHED WITHIN 48 HOURS, THAT'S WHY I PAID FOR A PRIORITY LISTING!!!!

As for the person I ended up hiring... he wasn't the "recommended" (according to Freelancer.com's algorithm) applicant. He also had zero (that's right, goose egg) feedback. Also he was NOT the lowest-priced applicant. In fact he was one of the higher-priced ones. Why I liked his application:

• He told me what experience he had with C++ that actually related to my problem. It was 100% obvious he had read every word of my job listing.
• He said--and this is verbatim: "If you hire me, I will begin right away and have this done for you by the end of the night." Mind you, this is like 9 PM on a Monday night.
• ....and then he actually delivered on what he said.

I left him a perfect rating and glowing feedback comment, and would hire the guy again in a heartbeat. So for those people on here who think you can't get hired because there are people who have more feedback or lower price rates or more experience or whatever; that's complete bullshit.

If you have a small job that needs doing, I'd recommend hiring someone from a freelancer website. This gave me way more insight on the hiring process than I would have gained otherwise. And all in all with the listing and paying the guy it was like $60... well worth the lesson alone, let alone the work he did for me.

 

[Lex DeVille]

Day 3 | Influence Lesson 1
The Butterfly Effect
We can never truly know the real impact of our words.​

“Influence is inevitable.” – Unknown​

Some of you may think this quote ridiculous. Maybe you read it and say, “Inevitable? No way. I read Robert Cialdini’s book, and there’s no way I can be influenced now.”

But you are wrong.

Influence happens constantly. Consistently. All around us, all the time. It happens to us, and there’s not a damn thing we can do to stop it. Need proof? Stay awake until you fall asleep. Prove that you can’t be influenced by fatigue, and I’ll never write again.

I can make that statement with confidence because I know that you can be influenced, just as I can be influenced, and just as every other person can be influenced.

But this lesson isn’t about the fact that every single one of us can be influenced.​

It’s to help you understand that every action you take, whether physical, mental, verbal or written, influences others, yourself, and the future as you know it.

That’s great, but how does it apply to copywriting?​

This could very easily breach the realm of mindset, but this isn’t a mindset lesson, so let’s narrow it down to the words we write.

When was the last time you gave extreme consideration to how your words would be received?

Recall the last time you posted on this forum. Did you spend hours thinking about how people would respond? Did you wonder if your post would help someone instantly?

And did you also spend hours thinking about how people 5 years from now would be impacted when they read it? Or did you simply post it without much thought at all?

What if something you say today triggers a powerful chain of events leading to another Fastlane member’s freedom 3 years from now? How would that make you feel?​

That’s the big picture with influence. That’s how it works. What we write today influences others long into the future, and we can never truly know how far that influence extends.

That’s why every word we write MUST have a purpose.​

Influence is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean it's always positive. If your writing sucks, or if you blindly write without structure, rhyme or reason, then your copy will negatively impact everyone who reads it for many years to come. But, if you write with intent, always moving toward a specific outcome, then you can practically guarantee you'll have a positive effect.

Good copywriters always keep influence in mind. They know it's not black & white. They know that just because a prospect doesn't buy today doesn't mean he won't come back tomorrow. That's why we always write every single word with a purpose.

Good copy doesn't just drive the sale today.
It plants seeds that drive sales tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day after that.​

Alright, enough lecture.

Let's read some kick-a$$ example phrases that'll unlock your mind and
open doors to worlds you never imagined possible!

Influential Words that Sell Today

All of these words & phrases are commands that drive action and
influence your prospect to take the next step.

Buy Now.
Click here.
Join.
Get It.
Subscribe.
Submit.


Influential Words that Sell this Week

All of these words & phrases are commands that
influence your prospect by setting a deadline or
invoking the principle of scarcity.

Offer Ends Friday.
Offer Valid thru Friday.
Offer Good While Supplies Last.
Respond by Friday if You're Interested.
My schedule Fills by Friday.
Call Before Friday.
Order by Friday and Get [insert something here].
There's only a few slots left.
These tacos won't last long.
They're going fast!


Words that Influence Long Into the Future

These words & phrases are called idea seed planters. They
plant seeds of thought that grow either throughout the
length of your copy, or over a period of time with
repeat exposure.

Consider this.
Think about it.
Consider it.
Give it some thought.
Ponder it.
Mull it over.
Consider your options.
Maybe it's right for you.
What's the worst that could happen?
Imagine how you'll benefit.
Imagine what you'll gain.
Just imagine it.
Sleep on it.
Just
do
it​

There are way more phrases than this.

This is just a small sample of some of the words you can use to influence your prospects, readers, clients, & customers.

Influence is what copywriting is all about.

It's about taking the influence that's going to happen anyway, and giving it direction. It's not about manipulating people. It's about helping customers reach the outcomes they want, and also reaching your own outcomes at the same time.

Everyone should benefit.

To ensure your copy always packs the most powerful impact possible, write with the intent of influencing people throughout all concepts of time whether it's right now, this week, or 10 years in the future.

And always seek to have a positive impact on others.

Day 3 Challenge
​

1. Help someone. Solve a problem for someone. Do it without asking for anything in return just like yesterday, and just like the day before. Remember, it doesn't have to be something epic. Just something that impacts them positively in some way.

2. Write 5 new headlines that MAKE THEM STOP, and tap into your prospects desires & emotions.

3. Using your product or service, or something you make up, write a paragraph or two to your target customer utilizing the influential phrases you learned in this post. Consider using all 3 types of phrases for maximum impact, and remember to write with intent. Find ways to show how your product helps your customer while driving them toward the action you want them to take.

Do this before reading the next lesson, or don't keep going forward.

Now that you know that influence is inevitable you can
start writing copy with intent & purpose so you can
achieve your desired results in the shortest
time possible. Always write for positive
outcomes. That's it for this lesson.
When you're ready, continue
on to Day 4 - Mindset
Lesson
2​

 

[Lex DeVille]

Day 2 | Technique Lesson 1
Make Them STOP!

​

Stop signs share an important message worth exploring. When we see a stop sign, we know what to do. We stop. But why? What specifically makes us stop?

Forget the fact that we've been trained for more than a century to stop at red, octagon-shaped signs. Instead, let's consider the deeper message. Let's think about what the word S.T.O.P. actually does.

The word STOP triggers something in our mind. That something is fear. On a deeper level, it's our survival instinct. STOP taps into our desire to live. If we blow through a STOP sign then we're at much greater risk of death by car accident, and that's something we want to avoid.

STOP also triggers very powerful emotions. When we see a stop sign, we instantly process the following:

If I don't stop it could get my whole family killed.

If I don't stop I could be responsible for the death of someone else.

If I don't stop I could wreck my car, and lose (insert any number of things here).
​

Now let's look at how this message applies to copywriting, and how we can use it. STOP is a short, 4 letter Headline in all CAPITAL LETTERS, almost always printed in bold. It taps into our basic desire to live, and the emotions surrounding the negative impact of our actions if we ignore it, and it almost always gets our attention.

STOP signs exist for 1 reason - to make us STOP! When we stop we can think. When we think we can observe. When we observe, we take in more info that helps us decide if it's safe to proceed, and this is exactly what your headline must accomplish!

The first goal of your headline is to make them STOP!

If a prospect doesn't stop, they won't think, and they won't proceed through your text. That means they won't buy anything either. So the first technique of copy that sells is a headline that makes them STOP!

How do I make them stop?

This is where desire & emotion come into play. Now, some books will tell you that you have to tap into desire, and others say you only need emotion. Both can work alone, but they work way better together.

But before they can work at all, you have to tap into the right desire & emotion.
​

To do that you MUST change your perspective. You have to think in terms of them, not you. By shifting your perspective you can ask questions that gain clarity about what your prospects really want, instead of assuming you know what they want.

Let's look at how two popular books accomplish this.

"The Automatic Millionaire" & "The Millionaire Fastlane "

Two very different books that are both top-sellers. One sells the idea of saving coffee change, while the other sells the idea of starting a business. So, why don't either of these books mention anything about saving money, or starting businesses in their headline?

Because the reader doesn't desire those things, and doesn't connect emotionally either!

Instead they had to get inside their reader's mind and ask the right questions.

Who am I? (Target Market)
Young, 18 to 30 year olds, primarily male.

What do I want? (Desire)
Fast money, fast cars, to not have to work for money or riches. Freedom from jobs.

Why do I want it? (Emotion)
Money, & super cars will make me powerful & seductive.

What if TMF used this headline instead:

Get Rich by Starting a Business and Failing a Lot.

Would you have stopped? Would you have opened the book? Would you have read the first line? Would you have still dedicated your entire life to making this shit work no matter what? Would you even be here right now?!

Probably not, because the headline doesn't speak to you personally. It doesn't tap into your desires or emotions. It doesn't give you a reason to care.

A lot of psychology goes into your headline, but you don't have to spend 10 years learning about it to be effective. All you have to do is ask questions from the prospect's perspective and figure out what they really want. Then find a way to write it in your headline.

Now that you know that your headline's ultimate goal is to make them STOP by tapping into desire & emotion, let's check out some ways you can enhance your headlines.

1. If it's 3 words or less, use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
----- "INSTANT CASH LOANS"

2. If it's more than 3 words, Only Capitalize the First Letter of Each Word, Following Basic Grammar Rules.
----- "Big Johnson's Beer & Liquor if We Don't Have It, We'll Get It!"

3. If you can tap into desire / emotion & be creative, then your headline will have more power.
----- "Unleashing the SUPER Ideavirus - Ideas that Spread, Win"

4. Length is based on the headline's goal. If you need it processed fast, then use less words.
----- "How to Win Friends & Influence People"

5. Get rid of extra words. Every word must have a purpose.
----- "Here's How You Can Switch Gears, Downshift, & Drive Into the Millionaire Fastlane .
vs. "The Millionaire Fastlane " - Way less words. Way more impact.

6. If you can add subtle influence to your headline, such as a CTA, you'll add power.
----- "NOW! Get a FREE Animal Tail Butt Plug with Every Vibrating Prostate Massager!"

^
(Now, that's a deal you can't pass up!)
​

You don't have to be a copywriter to get good at writing headlines. All you need is practice. Take your time, and give every product, website, or cover letter serious thought. It may take you 2 hours to come up with something, but when you get it right it works pretty much every time.

Remember, Your #1 Goal is to MAKE THEM STOP!​

Day 2 Challenge​

1. Help someone. Do it without asking for anything in return. Just like yesterday.

2. Come up with 5 to 10 products / services / or something else you want to sell. Give serious consideration to the questions above. Figure out the customer's deepest desire. Figure out the emotions they want to experience. Then write 5 to 10 headlines utilizing what you've learned, that MAKE THEM STOP!

If you're feeling brave you can post your headlines in this thread for others to critique. But no pressure.

Now that you know the first & most
important element of all copy
you can move on to Day
3 - Influence Lesson
1​

 

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[Lex DeVille]

Day 4 | Mindset Lesson 2
The Universe Rewards...


​

What makes Agent 47 so incredibly lethal? Is it his weapons? His fighting skills? Is it the fact he's a genetically engineered killing machine?

No, no & no.

So, how did he become unstoppable? How is it possible for him to defeat countless enemies and impossible odds, constantly achieving his goals, and delivering for the client?

It's because he takes action.

Agent 47 could have trained forever. He could have become the most knowledgeable theoretical tactician on the planet, but without action he'd be useless to everyone. Instead he utilizes his fundamental knowledge of battle on the battlefield, and comes out on top every time.

He takes action, gets feedback, and adjusts as he goes.

He ALWAYS presses forward.

He is the aggressor, not the victim, and that makes all the difference.

Theory is great, but without action it's worth nothing. This is true no matter what business you're in, and especially true for copywriters.

This is why I didn't take the Gary Halbert challenge.

You can write 10,000 sales letters by hand, read every book on copy, and have all the theoretical knowledge in the world, but if you never take action and implement that knowledge you will NOT be a copywriter. You'll just be someone who knows a lot about copy.

There's a HUGE difference between calling yourself a thing, and actually being a thing.

This difference separates the men from the boys. The elite from the unexceptional. The winners from the losers.

It's what makes it possible for companies like Nike, Apple, & Chevy to constantly increase their profits while emptying your pockets.

Think about it. The last time you bought a car, what factors did you consider? The looks? The style? The way other people would look at you when you were driving it around? The way it made you feel like a badass?

The masses buy ideas. They buy feelings. They buy emotion. They buy identification. They want the thing without the process, and that's why they never get it.

Many "entrepreneurs" do the same. That's why MJ calls them "wantrapreneurs". They want the end result, but they aren't willing to take action to get it. They fool themselves into believing they're changing their lives, when what they're really doing is spinning their tires.

Either you are a thing or you aren't, and if you aren't taking the scary actions then you probably aren't.

But, how do you know if you're really taking action?

Ask yourself these questions:
- How many books/blogs/articles have I read that I actually used to earn a real dollar?
- How many times have I actually applied my knowledge toward making money?
- How many times have I actually tried and failed?
- How many websites have I built that actually got a product live?
- How many blogs have I actually contacted to promote my idea?
- How many books have I actually published?
- How many businesses have I actually called?
- How many cover letters have I actually submitted?
- How many clients have I actually spoken to?

Ask yourself "How many" questions first. If you answer with a number less than 1 then you are action faking.

Once you realize you're guilty of action faking, then it's time to ask the next question...

What specifically is stopping me from taking action?
- Fear
- Uncertainty
- Doubt

All of these are excuses, and I guarantee one of these is the answer to your question.

But here's the thing...

Fear, uncertainty, doubt & excuses are only roadblocks. They cannot actually stop you from taking action if you choose to take action. So, once you acknowledge that you're experiencing fear and making excuses, then the only thing left to do is choose to take action. ANY ACTION.

Pick an action and GO.

The Universe Rewards Action.

And until you start taking action, you aren't going to get results. That means ANY action. Even if you don't know what action to take. You've got to take some action, or else you can't get feedback to improve!

Maybe a website isn't where you should start. How will you know until you try and fail?

Maybe your cover letter sucks balls. How will you know until you try and get denied?

Maybe your business idea is the worst on the planet, but...

What if it isn't?

There's only one way to get feedback. You have to do something.

Cause and effect only works with both ingredients. If you take out cause, you don't have effect.

Things don't just happen, and until you fully accept and embrace the action mindset, you won't get the results you want.

Action is how you stomp out fear.

Action is how you crush your doubts.

Action is how you put foot to a$$ and get everything you've ever desired.

Now Quit Wasting Time & Take Action!

Day 4 Challenge​

1. Help someone. Solve a problem for someone no matter how big or small. Don't ask for anything in return.

2. Write 5 Headlines for a real product that MAKES THEM STOP.

3. Write 10 sentences utilizing the influential words from Influence Lesson 1. Make sure you write sentences from all three influential time periods. No need to post them here. This is an exercise for yourself, and if you don't do it, you don't hurt anyone but yourself.

4. Figure out what the 1 action is that you've been putting off and do it. If you're trying to get freelance gigs and are afraid you don't have experience, submit your cover letter and see what happens. If you're thinking of cold calling local shops to pitch websites, then do it, and get real results. Whatever 1 thing you've been putting off due to fear, or lack of motivation, or whatever else, just F*cking do it.

If you just do the thing you're afraid of doing instead of telling me "I've got this problem, I don't think I have enough experience etc..." then you will actually get results instead of getting my opinion, which is that you should do it and get results!!!

Stop wasting your time. Stop wasting mine.​

TAKE ACTION. GET RESULTS.
ADJUST FIRE. SHOOT AGAIN.
ACCOMPLISH YOUR MISSION.​

That's it for the second mindset lesson. Just take action.
Make a habit of taking real action toward your
goals, and you'll quickly experience huge
changes in your life. When you're
ready, continue on to Day 5
Technique Lesson
2​

 

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[Lex DeVille]

Ask Me Anything?
Could you please explain to me - how do I GET PAID? Because I was contacted a few days ago by a few people that run their own business. Now they wanted me to "volunteerely" write articles, because they seen I write good on forums (other than this).

So I wrote them killer clickbait headlines, and they changed them up to something absolutely boring. Even damaged the information in them.

Now - they insists that nobody who writes articles for the will get paid. (Wow what a Control element).

So my question is- How in the world do I get paid?!

The simple answer is - Don't write copy for other people unless you have an agreement for pay.

On a more serious note, there are about 10,000 ways to make money if you can write fair copy.

The only way you'll get paid is if you ask for payment.

Multi billion dollar companies hire copywriters for a lot of money. Sometimes they hire freelance copywriters, so you don't have to give up control.

You can also write scripts for commercials, narration for radio ads, resume services, website pages, direct sales letters and pretty much any thing else you can think of where the written word comes into play.

The main ways to get someone to pay you for your services are:

1. Call businesses and sell them your services.
2. Become a freelancer and apply to gigs.
3. Become a better freelancer and let them contact you.
4. Use your skills to sell your own products or services.
5. Get hired by a high-paying marketing or copywriting firm.

I'm not sure what kind of company contacted you, but it seems like they're looking for cheap content. That's fine, but now you know not to write for them unless there's something in it for you too.

That said, a wise copywriter finds opportunity even when it's not in the form of money. Save the clickbait titles in a word document and start building your portfolio for later.​

 

[randomnumber314]

But I really doubt that any company is going to hire a 18 year old... Also - there are only a few job offers for copywriters here, and most of them are absoulutely hilarious - they want you to do they job for them, even before you apply, and send it to them (your work-allready done).

I guarantee that if you put any effort into it, you will get hired. 100% guarantee. I also guarantee that if you approach the world with your current mindset, you will continue to struggle. 100% guarantee.

 

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[Lex DeVille]

Day 5 | Technique Lesson 2
F.U.C.C.C.
Fundamental Understanding of Core Concepts in Copywriting
or
K.I.S.S.
Keep It Stupidly Simple​

Effective Copy Operates from Solid Foundations.

It doesn't have to be complicated, and you don't have to study for years. You can learn enough in a few minutes to improve anything you write. The more you practice the better you'll be, but you don't have to be J.K. to sell.

This isn't a comprehensive guide, and I can't teach everything in a post, but the stuff you're about to learn will help your copy flow more easily for you and your customers.

Before we start you should know that anything you write should be tailored to your specific audience, and also for the medium where it'll be read. For instance the format of a sales letter won't work very well for most website home pages, so you'll need to modify your style if you want it to look good.

Keep in mind none of these rules are absolutes.


Technique 1: Open with a Question

Why are questions so useful?

Because they draw us in and almost force us to find answers. We MUST know, so we drop a line &
keep reading to finally get closure. Make sure you don't answer the question in the same line or it loses its effect.

For Example:

"Do you ever have trouble hearing what other people say?
If so, then..."

By the way did you notice I did it to you at the beginning of this technique?


Technique 2: Ask More questions

What happens if you ask another question instead of just giving the answer?

It has the same effect and keeps em' reading for more!

For Example:

"Do you ever have trouble hearing what other people say?
Do people sometimes tell you you're freakin' deaf?
If so, then..."

The longer they read, the more chances you have to influence. Be sure not to ask too many questions without offering a solution or you'll piss em' off.


Technique 3: Use Short Sentences

Short sentences move fast. The shorter the better. Eleven words or less is good. More than that and you slow things down. If you want to impact emotion, use short sentences. It speeds up their mind and makes em' want action.

That doesn't mean longer sentences can never be useful, and you'll find there are times when you really want your readers to slow down and grasp what you say. Use long sentences whenever you want to emphasize something, or when you want your prospects to consider a thought or idea more deeply. Use short sentences when you wanna speed em' up again.


Technique 4: Short Paragraphs

This technique is just like the one before it. Keep paragraphs short if you want to keep things moving effortlessly. Long paragraphs take longer to read, and they end up looking like a wall of text. People don't like walls of text.

Instead writer short paragraphs that are 3 lines or less. Sometimes this means increasing font size to fill up more space, or sometimes you have to decrease it or cut out words if you want it to fit.


Technique 5: Less syllables = Easier to Read

Are you aware of the astronomical quantity of citizens who are absolutely, cataclysmically, abominably mediocre when it comes to aptitude for comprehending the transcribed word?

It's pretty crazy, but seriously...

A lot of people suck at reading.

When we use less syllables our words are easier to understand.

My personal experience is that less syllables is usually better, though I've had a few clients who needed more intelligible writing for certain elite audiences. For most product copy, use less syllables and you can't go wrong.


Technique 6: Make Sub-headings Larger than Body Text

Large sub-headings are for people who like to skim instead of reading everything. When writing sub-headings make sure every word counts because it may be all your prospect sees. I can think of a thousand times when I only read the sub-headings and nothing more. But, if the sub-heading doesn't stand out by being larger, then it may not be seen at all.


Technique 7: Choose Where Each Line Ends

Most of us are used to writing sentences that continue the entire length of the page until they finally
return on their own. In copy it's a little different. In copy we still write across the length of the page but
we choose when to hit return so
we can carry our readers to the
next line.

See what I did there? The last examples were just for effect. The first two lines are how it
normally works. Oops, did it again.

"finally..." - Reader asks, "finally what?"
"but..." - Reader asks, "but what?" and they read the next line for the answer.


Technique 8: Read that Shit Out Loud!

OMG... If you're not reading your copy out loud before going live, then it's no wonder you're not
getting the responses you want! When we read our copy out loud we can find subtle differences in the
wording that changes everything.

Sometimes when I write it comes out really wordy, but I don't know it until I read it out loud. Sometimes
I even have to read it about 10 times before it sounds good. When it sounds good out loud it usually
sounds good in our mind.

Any words that seem like they maybe don't necessarily need to be in the sentence, probably don't.


Technique 9: Speak to the Senses

We'll talk more about this one later, but I want to bring it up for those who are writing copy now. All humans think in terms of their senses all the time. That means sight, sound, smell, taste & touch.

If you want to connect with people, and you want them to experience what you have to say, then you have to write words that give them those experiences.

This is especially true for those of you pecking away at your keyboards, watching words fill up the screen while waiting for your Starbucks to cool after nearly spilling it across the floor because the over-enthusiastic Barista was too busy smiling at customers and forgot to add the cardboard cover to your scalding hot brew.

This is sensory-based language. This is also how you show the reader what you want them to see instead of telling them about it.


Technique 10: Use Action Language

This technique is last but it may be the most powerful of all.

Anytime you write copy you should be using the active voice...

Let's rephrase that.

Anytime you write copy use the active voice.

Feel the difference?

For starters, the active voice cuts out most extra words before you ever read out loud. Plus it allows you to direct the reader instead of letting them make their own choices.

"You should." is very different than, "You will."

"I think you should go over there." is very different than, "Go over there."

"I'll think about it." is very different than, "I'll do it."

Action driven language communicates with clarity.

There's a time and a place for passive language, but most of the time write for action.

If you're selling a product or service, then drive action from the start so your reader gets used to being directed, and by the time they reach the end of your copy they're ready to follow your lead...

Order Now.
Reply.
Join.​

This list isn't even close to complete. There's tons of techniques that aren't mentioned, and probably a zillion that I don't even know about. Still, these should be enough to give you a working foundation so you can get started and get feedback. Once you have feedback you can adjust as needed.

Day 5 Challenge


1. Solve a problem for someone. No matter how big or small, and don't ask anything in return.

2. Write 5 headlines for a real product that MAKES THEM STOP!

3. Write 5 influential sentences using the lessons from day 3.

4. Take 1 action you are most afraid of. Just do it.


5. Type a page of copy selling a real product, using a good headline, subheadlines, & the techniques listed in this lesson.


||||||
||||||
||||||

Okay, Day 5 is done and you're still here!
Great! If you're actually following the
steps, then you're probably making
real progress! When you're
ready, continue to Day 6
Influence Lesson
2






​

 

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[Lex DeVille]

Day 15 - Final Lesson
Command the World. Create Your Reality.
The super simple supreme secret to unlimited personal power.
​

This post was originally meant to be about influence, but that didn't seem substantial enough to leave off on. Another influence lesson isn't necessary, because you already have enough tools to get gigs with copywriting, assuming you've done what the other posts suggest.

So, this time I won't post about influence. Instead I'll post a little secret that you can use to unlock extraordinary power, and it extends far beyond the realms of freelance. When you learn this secret, you will never worry about money, or the struggles of the grind again, because you'll begin to realize that money, just like the tide, is fluent. It flows in, and it flows out, and when you free yourself from its binds, you have achieved your own personal Fastlane.

Disclaimer: Before you proceed, please know that only when you open your mind, and only when you see reality as it is, instead of as you believe it to be, can you bypass the Slowlane mindset and merge onto your Fastlane. Those who simply read my posts and accept them at face value will miss the hidden opportunities. They will miss the things I haven't said. The parts that require reading between the lines. Some information is omitted for obvious reasons, while other pieces were left out unintentionally as a side effect of the fact that I couldn't possibly share everything I know in a few short posts.

Some of You didn't Follow the Rules

Undoubtedly many Slowlaners casually browsing this thread will have ignored the original posts that told them not to proceed unless they followed my instructions. This is a double-edged sword since telling someone not to do a thing makes them want to do it more. The fact that many have read the entire thread without completing a single task proves how powerful a single line of copy can be.

At the same time, the tasks were not beyond the capabilities of any person who read through all of the posts, nor was it impossible to not read further simply because I triggered you to do so. But, what makes the difference between whether someone like myself, or the world for that matter, controls you instead of the other way around?

The Application of Will

What's the difference between an entrepreneur and a wantrapreneur? Do you know?

The difference is that entrepreneurs never stop. They never give up. They always take action even knowing they're a tiny ant battling Gods. Entrepreneurs acknowledge that even a microscopic organism can transform the world when it impacts scale. And, they know that the true secret of success is to make the shift from worrying constantly about problems to focusing everything on solving them.

But, knowing how to solve a problem, and actually doing it are two very different things, and this is why training your Will is so important. Most people think of Will as something they either have, or don't have. You see perfect examples every New Year when about 10 days into January the person who worked out religiously, finally gives up, and on the 11th day instead of training he exclaims, "I want to go but I don't have any willpower!"

The truth is that all people have willpower, but only when you realize that Will is not an absolute. It's not something you have or don't. Instead, it's more like a muscle that has to be worked out. How do you train it? By accepting and overcoming challenges.

Just like weight training you don't add hundreds of pounds to the bar right away. You have to build up to it. You have to start small. Building your Will is the same. You start with small challenges, and each time you complete that challenge your Will grows stronger. The challenges in this thread were to help you start building your Will, and those who bypassed them remained with a Will that likely isn't capable of accomplishing what this thread offers.

If you haven't started building your Will, then I implore you to return to the first page, and do so NOW.

All action starts with Will. Without Will, NOW becomes tomorrow, and then it becomes next week, and then it becomes I wish I had taken action 30 years ago. So, if you ever hope to enter the Fastlane, please acknowledge these words. Please accept them as a working truth, and act on them. Please quit waiting! Even if you don't fully understand, it doesn't matter. Just do it, and results will come.

Only those with a strong Will can command the hearts and minds of others, because only those with a strong Will have the power to first command themselves. Until you bring your own life into balance, then you cannot ever transform the lives of others.

Disclaimer: Only proceed when you've completed the other tasks in this thread. If your Will is not developed enough to follow this simple command, then it certainly isn't strong enough to empower you to command others, and you're a fool if you think you're the exception.

The Truth About Reality

Did you know you have the power to change your future? Did you know you have the power to change your past? Your ability to exert influence extends far beyond one-on-one encounters, but only when you drop the limitations of your mind. Reality is not as it seems. What most people believe to be true, is actually a denial of what actually is.

And what actually is?

Reality is formed by the conscious beliefs of the majority. When the majority of people believed the world was flat, it was accepted as so, and everything people did revolved around their belief. But, when a few of history's pioneers did not accept that belief, and chose to believe the world was round, they were able to achieve breakthrough discoveries that surmounted hundreds of years of ignorance. Through Will they developed the ability to break free from the limiting beliefs of others, and through Will they transformed from men into legend.

But, how is this possible if reality is based on what the majority believe to be true? It's possible when, through Will, we come to acknowledge ourselves as separate from everyone else. When we choose to go it alone. When we choose to be the anomaly. When we make this separation, then we are no longer part of the original group, but we become the single member of a new group - our own group, and any group with a single member, is ruled by that member. With only one member, you are the majority.

And if you are the majority, then what you believe to be reality, becomes your reality. Then when you speak of your future to others, and you describe the prosperity to come, you impact their mind as well, and even alter their own view of reality. If your Will is strong enough, and your conviction that your reality is the most real is true, then that person goes forward, believing what you have told him is possible, and shares it as his own belief. Now that person has also been so empowered as to effect change in others, and over time a compounding effect occurs which eventually shifts the reality of the masses in your favor, and gives you the ultimate power to make change.

And, it all starts with yourself.

Until your Will becomes so strong that you are ready to accept and overcome any challenge, then you are not ready to impact the hearts and minds of others. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help determine if you are ready:

1. When was the last time I asked a question for an easy answer instead of Googling it.
2. What was the last challenge I had to overcome, and how big was it?
3. What are my beliefs about money? Do I believe I have to have it to survive?
4. What are my beliefs about reality, and when was the last time I questioned those beliefs?
5. What do I believe that nobody else believes?
6. What problems have I solved that no body else could solve?
7. Do I believe that changing my own reality is possible?
8. Am I willing to challenge my beliefs in order to find out what is true and what is not?
9. Am I willing to continue doing all of this, even forever if that's what it takes?
10. Have I achieved balance in my life by gaining control over my most basic needs?
11. What if every one else is wrong?

These questions will help you think and explore the world around you, but only if you have a strong enough Will to ask, and find answers in the first place.

Only when you believe 100% that you truly have the capacity to change your world at the smallest level can it actually change. Only when you know 100% that even if nobody else believes it, that you Will still find a way to make it happen, will you have the power to change reality for every one else too.

If you're not strong enough to find answers to your own questions first, then why should anyone else believe and accept your reality?

If you don't believe you can deliver high-quality copywriting, because you haven't studied enough, haven't trained enough, haven't performed enough, then why should a client believe you? If you don't have the Will to believe in yourself, then it carries through your voice, and through your writing for all the world to see. It stands out like a beacon in the night.

So, the first step to truly earning with copywriting is to first bring yourself into balance by empowering your Will. The second step is understanding that you either A.) have the knowledge and skill necessary to deliver results, or B.) have the Will to accept the challenge of finding and obtaining that knowledge and skill in enough time to deliver on your promises.

It All Comes Down to Will.

When your Will is strong enough, you can overcome any challenge. Then you begin to form your new reality. Then you begin to bring your life into balance. When your Will is strong enough, you will never worry about money, conflict, negotiations, obligations, again because they all bow to your commands. When your Will is strong enough, only time and death remains to limit you, and perhaps when you're strong enough, even they may not be able to stop you.

If you're not getting the results you want, there's a reason, and that reason is that your Will hasn't been developed enough for you to overcome the challenge. All actions are rewarded with results, but testing and changing, and modifying is required to get the results you want.

Build a Will so strong that you can do anything, and you'll be amazed at how quickly your life and your reality transforms. Always question the truth behind popularly accepted beliefs, and be willing to find out if those beliefs are really true at all. When you achieve real power you'll know it because petty Slowlane problems and limiting mindsets simply fall away, and the only thing that remains is the reality you created through sheer force of Will!​

NOW go and build your Will! Find answers to your questions. Create solutions to problems, and never let the world control you or your destiny... again!
​

For those of you with the courage to take action from the start, who strengthened their Will with the challenges, and stuck with it to the end, you already have results, and you know who you are. You should be proud of yourself. From here it only gets harder, but the rewards multiply to compensate, and at the very least, you have developed something the world can never take from you.

You have the Will to win.

Thank you for being one of the few to step up to the challenge.​

 

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[Lex DeVille]

You're speaking to me right there!

That's the power of good copy.

Question - how long did it take for you to develop your writing style? If my writing were anywhere near as impressive as yours, I would've jumped into copywriting a long time ago.

That's a bit tricky to answer because I've practiced persuasive writing for 7 or 8 years but only as a hobby. By persuasive I don't mean formal training or schooling. Just that I read a lot of books on influence & persuasion and applied the techniques.

Then I spent pretty much all of 2014 learning to write short stories and publishing ebooks. Learning short stories totally transformed & improved my style because it taught me how to write for clarity when space is limited. It taught me how to make every word count.

Then in Feb. of this year I finished my first book on copywriting and again modified my entire style based on new ideas. I've been studying copy 1 hour a day first thing in the morning ever since, and testing new methods when they show up.

So, I guess you could say my style took 8 to 10 years to develop, but there's a kicker...

Style is only partially important. What's more important is your mindset.

My writing style brought some success with ebooks, but it wasn't until my mindset shifted and I started figuring out what my customer's real desires & problems were that it took off. Once you get the mindset aspect down, then the style part is simply a matter of time, practice, & asking a lot of questions.

Most of my clients don't want the style I'm using in this post.

I don't use this style most of the time. I use it here because it's what you want.

For my clients I use styles that mimic what they want, while finding ways to implement persuasive tactics. In this way I give them what they want while solving their problem at the same time.

Sometimes I don't know exactly what they want. That's why I ask a lot of questions. They like it when I ask questions because it shows I care about details. Then when I deliver the work I let them review it and if anything isn't exactly how they want it, I offer to fix it after getting even more clarification.

In the end my style is usually just an afterthought. A nice to have but not used all that much. Just get the basic fundamentals of copy down, and ask a lot of questions and you'll do fine.

This is how you make money writing copy.

 

[Lex DeVille]

"You can write 10,000 sales letters by hand, read every book on copy, and have all the theoretical knowledge in the world, but if you never take action and implement that knowledge you will NOT be a copywriter. You'll just be someone who knows a lot about copy."

You're speaking to me right there! I'm completely new to copywriting so I decided to buy two books on Amazon. I wanted to get the basics down before I began this new journey in copywriting. I KNOW I should jump right in, but I would like to get more practice in before I begin.

Question - how long did it take for you to develop your writing style? If my writing were anywhere near as impressive as yours, I would've jumped into copywriting a long time ago.

Yes, this is exactly it!

This is how you beat other people out for gigs.

Something I'd like to mention in relation to this:

Some people on this forum don't understand the opportunity.

Some say copywriting on Odesk is the flavor of the month.

What they're really getting at is that once the market fills up there won't be room for others.

So I want to share something that happened to me yesterday to help clarify the real opportunity.

One of my $99/hr clients contacted me out of the blue, without any prior notice.

He asked if I was available. I said yes.

He asked if I could do a last minute project. I said yes.

He said he needed a commercial written in 1 hour to be blasted out to fashion schools all over LA. Can you do it?

In my head I said, "FML no F*cking way!"

Out my mouth came, "Yes."

In that moment a hailstorm of doubt pounded my mind. But I remembered that action defeats doubt, and instead of freezing, I simply started writing.

In that hour I thought my brain would explode, but somehow I summoned enough creativity to make a commercial. It took every last second of the entire hour, right up to the point he was ringing on skype, but somehow, by the grace of the Underworld & a slight modification at the end, he liked it.

But who cares about all that... What's important is this...

Before the call ended he said:

"Oh, by the way, you're gonna have a lot more business soon because I've been referring my clients to you for copywriting."

And therein lies the reason I'm not afraid of market saturation on Odesk..

Because Odesk isn't the only opportunity. It's just the start, and you only need 1.

When you figure out how to solve problems, and create real value, you won't even need Odesk.

You won't need a better bio.

You won't have to apply to gigs.

YOU WON'T HAVE ANY COMPETITION.​

Maybe I've only been doing this 2 months, but I charge a premium, I work with executives, and those executives agree that I'm a pro. I've stopped applying to gigs. The money still comes. I work as much or as little as I want, and can find new clients in an hour if needed.

Solve problems.

Create value.​

So, the next time you doubt yourself because you think you don't have what it takes...​

Just Do It.

Create your own opportunities & cut the bullshit excuses.​

 

[Lex DeVille]

Day 7 | Mindset Lesson 3
How to be a Lord of the Sith.
Find your vision and build an empire!
​

How many of you have watched Star Wars?

Probably all of you.

But, have you ever read the books?

I've read a couple, but only one series ever made an impact on my life, and it wasn't about hoity-toity Jedi winning battles against the empire.

Instead it was about an extremely driven man who started from nothing, fought his way out of a hole, and finally found & embraced his vision.

From the ashes of the mining planet, Apatros, Dessel realizes he doesn't want to be like all the other loser miners who've fallen victim to fate. Instead, he sees greatness in his future, and he's willing to take action to get it!
In short, he finds his vision.

So, the first thing he does is forces his way off the guarded planet.

Dessel Took Action!

He doesn't know it at the time, but that one action, based on his vision, sets a massive chain of events in motion that will eventually lead to the greatness he seeks.

Once off the planet he goes on to join the Sith Army where he becomes a total badass, and gets all his troops to love him. Later he gets in trouble for punching an officer who's decision would have got them all killed.

Instead of following orders, he follows his intuition and ends up winning a crucial battle with his troops.

Again Dessel Took Action!

His actions later land him in jail, but his military prowess didn't go unnoticed. Quite the opposite.

A Sith Lord named Kopecz summons him, and all of a sudden instead of just being a troop, he's being offered training in the ways of the dark side.

Taking action landed him his first real connection!

Understanding that he's going through a transformation, he takes a new name, Bane, and starts his training.

At first a lot of shit holds him back, and he's the weakest of all the Sith students. He's suffers epic defeat several times, and finally loses sight of his vision and fails completely.

Luckily, several events happen that bring Bane's vision back to the forefront of his mind, and he picks himself up again, and drives on. He soon realizes that all the Sith around him aren't as powerful as he thought.

He starts to see through the bullshit, and starts to realize that they're all a bunch of wannabes. Then he understands that he can rule them all.

Now Bane Has Extreme Clarity on His Vision!

Undergoing another transformation, he trains harder than ever before and soon becomes unstoppably powerful. He enjoys several victories, and assumes the in-your-face title, Darth Bane.

​

Darth Bane is ruthless and accepts NO excuse. The others may not care about results, but he knows results are everything! So, he acts on his vision again and soon transforms into the most powerful, intelligent Sith Lord the universe has ever known.

Using his strength of will, cunning, and battle intuition... He crushes them all!!!

The other 2 books in the series follow Darth Bane as he continues taking action and rising to unlimited power. There are many road blocks along the way, but he simply crushes that shit one at a time, until there's literally nothing that can stop him.

It All Started With a Vision!

Darth Bane doesn't give a shit about goals!

Goals are not the outcome!

Goals are small things we need to meet in order to achieve our vision, but even when we fail at meeting goals, we can still achieve that vision.

One of the biggest problems with focusing on goals is that we only take steps that get us to the outcome of those goals.

For instance, if my goal is to make 10 dollars this week, and I actually hit that goal... then what?!

I don't know wtf to do with myself because that was my goal. I didn't have a vision. There was nothing beyond the $10.

When we operate from a vision we see the bigger picture. We see the life we want to have. The culmination of all our goals realized.Then we take actions that move us closer to that vision, instead of just closer to achieving our goals.

When we do this, we take WAY BIGGER, WAY MORE POWERFUL ACTIONS.

And those actions lead to WAY BIGGER, WAY BETTER RESULTS!

Maybe being the Lord of the Sith isn't the prettiest title, and maybe others will tell it's impossible or that you you're a moron for thinking you can have it all...

But what if you had a clear vision about where you're going?

What if you knew they were all 100% wrong?

How would that change the actions you take?

How would that change your entire life?

There's one reason I've always loved the Sith more than the Jedi.

It's that real Sith Lords act on their visions.

Real Sith Lords take MASSIVE F*ckING ACTION and don't stop until they've built the empire exactly as they saw it from the start!
​

And that's exactly how we, as entrepreneurs, copywriters, or whatever else you wanna call yourself, need to be. We have to find our vision, and take action to make it happen!

Jedi ignore this path completely.
They are sidewalkers.

Sith Wannabes fake action.
They are slowlaners.

Darth Banes embrace their vision, and take actions that bring it to life.
Darth Banes are rulers. Leaders. Entrepreneurs.
Fastlaners.​

It's time to find your vision.


There's one last thing I want to mention about Darth Bane.

He's VERY passionate
It's not that he loves training, or that he loves battle.
It's not that any of these things are hobbies he enjoys.
He simply takes action, figures out what works and LOVES the results.
He doesn't do what he does because it's what he wants to do.
He does it because it's the ONLY way to WIN.


Now enjoy the Sith Creed.
​

Peace is a lie, there is only passion.​

Through passion, I gain strength.​

Through strength I gain power.​

Through power, I gain victory.​

Through victory, may chains are broken.


Day 7 Challenge
​

Today we're reversing things a little.

1. Close your eyes and imagine the life you want to have. See the cars, houses, food, and whatever else you want to have when you've finally made it. Now blow that picture up, and put yourself in it as if it were already your reality, and just allow yourself to experience it. Experience the sights, sounds smells. Take it all in. This is your vision.

2. Take one action that moves you toward that vision.

3. Do all the other steps from yesterday's challenge, only this time do it from a position of power, as you now understand your vision. Don't just go through the motions. Do it with the knowledge of what your future holds if you take this serious RIGHT NOW.

That's it for today's mindset lesson.
Find your vision, take action and
reap the rewards. When you're
ready, continue to Day 8
Technique Lesson
3
​

 

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[Lex DeVille]

First small job completed. Now to get feedback and move on up.

Got another contract, this time for a flyer.

Awesome bro!

I don't remember if I mentioned this before, but here's how I get feedback from first-time clients.

"Hey John,

Just letting you know I finished your [whatever I wrote] and attached it to this message.

I really enjoyed working for you, and I think your company is headed for great things!

Now that the project is finished, if you'll go ahead and close the contract, I'll leave you

5-star feedback so other freelancers know you're legit and will be happy to work for

you in the future. If you ever need my services again, just shoot me a message.

Thanks for everything!

Lex"


You can't bold stuff in odesk, so ignore the bold. It's just to show key words that will get you feedback fast. I tested this with several clients by not asking, and the result was those clients didn't leave feedback at all.

The first bold word, "for", empowers them by making them feel like a boss. It makes them feel good.

The second bold phrase gives them permission and direction. "Go ahead." "Close the Contract."

The third bold phrase removes the X factor. They can't see the feedback you leave, until they leave feedback, but if you let them know the feedback you're gonna leave, they'll relax, appreciate the favor, and will return it.

By explaining how the 5-star feedback helps them, you also create value.

Which solidifies you as there new favorite freelancer.


NOTE: NEVER ask for 5-star feedback. That is unethical. Instead, create value, and earn it.


Every client I've tried this on left 5 star feedback, within a day.

 

[Lex DeVille]

@SinisterLex - I've been following your other thread for a few weeks now. Thought I'd offer a little perspective, especially to those people who believe "they won't hire me for x, y, or z."

I recently had to hire a freelancer for a short programming job. I knew what needed to be done but it was just a bit out of reach for my novice coding skills. Still, I knew the math/logic behind the code and for an experienced programmer it was super easy cash.

This was on Freelancer.com, and I paid an extra $15 for my job listing to get a "Priority" job listing. Immediately I get swamped with applications. And most of them absolutely, positively sucked! Some examples of what NOT to do:

• Send me a generic "copy/paste" application. If you do this, it's so obvious. I deleted these immediately.
• Beg/plead.
• Make me read your life story. My job listing was for a C++ programmer. I had multiple people tell me all about their history with coding--how they learned HTML at age 12 and Java at age 16. I really don't give a shit if you helped Bill Gates create DOS, all I care about is if you know C++, particularly in a manner that relates to the problem I outlined clearly in the job listing.
• Not understand that I want the job done fast. I paid the extra $15 for a "Priority" listing--that means I want this done NOW. This is verbatim from my job listing: "If you legitimately know C++ this is an easy job and money opportunity. It doesn't need to be pretty, and faster is better." And yet I would have applications with "I promise to get started within 48 hours." MO-FO I WANT THIS FINISHED WITHIN 48 HOURS, THAT'S WHY I PAID FOR A PRIORITY LISTING!!!!

As for the person I ended up hiring... he wasn't the "recommended" (according to Freelancer.com's algorithm) applicant. He also had zero (that's right, goose egg) feedback. Also he was NOT the lowest-priced applicant. In fact he was one of the higher-priced ones. Why I liked his application:

• He told me what experience he had with C++ that actually related to my problem. It was 100% obvious he had read every word of my job listing.
• He said--and this is verbatim: "If you hire me, I will begin right away and have this done for you by the end of the night." Mind you, this is like 9 PM on a Monday night.
• ....and then he actually delivered on what he said.

I left him a perfect rating and glowing feedback comment, and would hire the guy again in a heartbeat. So for those people on here who think you can't get hired because there are people who have more feedback or lower price rates or more experience or whatever; that's complete bullshit.

If you have a small job that needs doing, I'd recommend hiring someone from a freelancer website. This gave me way more insight on the hiring process than I would have gained otherwise. And all in all with the listing and paying the guy it was like $60... well worth the lesson alone, let alone the work he did for me.

This really is a perfect example of helping others & solving problems.

The freelancer you hired showed you exactly how he could meet your needs, and then he followed through!

It wasn't just his profile. It was everything. The whole experience.

Newbies take note!

If you're not willing to reply when you don't want to, then you're not focused on helping them.

If you only care about your schedule, then you'll lose out to the freelancer (like me) who's willing to reply at 1 in the morning to accommodate their timezone.

If you don't ask questions to clarify their needs, then you won't get answers that help you earn the feedback you want them to leave.

If you want to be a highly-paid professional copywriter, then you've gotta be prepared to cater to the needs of clients & customers who are willing to pay. They pay for value, not for your epic high school profile pic...

 

[Lex DeVille]

Day 6 | Influence Lesson 2
Eliciting Emotional Responses
Emotion drives attention drives action drives sales.


WARNING: This post contains spoilers for a movie that was just released. Please watch the movie prior to reading this lesson!!! You have been warned, so I'm not an a**hole!


​

Did anyone go see Furious 7 over the weekend?

I did, and holy shit did I get more than I bargained for!

Had I known the movie would make me cry like a baby... twice... in a theater packed full of dudes and their girlfriends, I probably would've waited for the dvd.

Seriously, I don't think that's ever happened to me before, so I spent a lot of time thinking about it. Then I went online and discovered I wasn't the only one. Apparently it had the same effect on dudes everywhere.

The more I thought about it the clearer it became. The effect was intentional though not unethical. The entire movie was carefully calculated to draw these responses from start to finish, and it worked like a charm, resulting in a theater full of standing, clapping, crying customers, wondering if/when the next movie would launch.

If you're not aware, Paul Walker, one of the main actors for this film series, was killed in a car accident in 2013, prior to this film's completion. He will be missed.

​

So, I was thinking about the specific actions that led to my emotional response, and also about their purpose aside from creating an epic memorial for Paul. That's when I remembered something else.

My wife sat next to me the whole time and didn't shed a tear. WTF?!

It simply didn't make sense! My world was flipped upside down! Wtf was going on?!?!?!

Well things started to connect the next day, when I remembered my youth was very different than hers.

I got my first car around the time the first movie came out, and after watching it, became so identified with the ideology of the street racer that I started driving moronically fast ALL the time, buying parts for my car, and even sold, crashed, and bought numerous new cars, all stick-shift, and mostly Mitsubishi Eclipses for the sheer experience.

This trend continued for years, even after I joined the military and went to Germany. Just imagine pretending you're a street racer on the autobahn. Lol I've got lots of fun stories about that.

The point is, the original movies had a MAJOR impact on my youth.

And that's exactly why men everywhere were out-crying their wives and girlfriends!

None of this was by chance. These movies target a specific audience, and the producers know how to give us what we want. And, they knew that what we wanted this time was a movie that did justice for the series, and showed respect for someone we've come to know as a brother for more than a decade.

But how did they do it? You're about to learn...


1. Specific Outcomes

Make no mistake, the producers knew exactly what they had to do. Their outcome was to give their target audience an epic, action-packed film, and deliver countless highs & lows, to memorialize this film, the series, and the legend in the hearts & minds of viewers everywhere.

If they screwed it up they would lose millions of fans over night.


2. Influence from the Start

One of the reasons setting specified outcomes is so powerful is that it allows us to work our way backwards through the steps to get to that point. We can ask, "What specific steps do I have to take in order to make that happen?"

Once we know the steps, then we realize that influence doesn't happen by utilizing a single tactic or technique. Instead, it's a combination of processes that moves the prospect toward the outcome in a specific series of steps. That process has to start somewhere, and it MUST start at the very beginning of the engagement, or all other steps are likely to fail.

It works in movies. It works in copy. It works in life.

Here's how they did it in the movie.

The very first scene starts with a funeral for Han, the Asian guy killed by Jason Statham at the end of the last movie. During this scene the characters mention not wanting to see any more funerals. Brian says "Just one more."

He's referring to Statham's character, but because he said it, the idea of a funeral is associated with him. Even those who didn't grow up with this series can appreciate the impact of this effect,
(assuming they knew about Paul's passing before watching the movie).

All of this sets very subtle undertones that we're reminded of throughout the film.


3. Foreshadowing

Some questions people have going into this film include, "How will they handle Brian's death? Will he be killed? Will it be early so they can continue without him? Will he live on?"

We don't know these answers, so it's easy for the movie to toy with our emotions. Early on a bomb explodes at Dom's house and slams Brian against his minivan. His face hits the glass, hard, and we wonder, is this it? It turns out it's not, but it does grab our emotions by the throat, and hint at what might come later.

Note: This is the second time they've tapped into our unconscious emotions regarding Paul's death. Each time they do this, they move us a little bit closer to the end goal.


4. Our Desire for Action + Highs & Lows

Anyone who's kept up with the series knows they've really stepped up the action. To over-deliver from the last movie, they had to implement some really extreme ideas. Not only that, but they had to do it in a way that draws us in, and keeps us on the edge of our seat.

Luckily, Furious 7 delivers so much over-the-top action that we don't really have time to think about what's going on under our psychological hoods.

At one point my wife eased my hand off her leg because I was grabbing it so tight. I didn't even know it was happening. There's just something about watching the most powerful supercar in the world leap between skyscrapers that makes you hold your breath!

The movie used a shit ton of scenes like this, and also tossed in emotional low points like when Letty leaves Dom at the beginning.

All of these impacts hit us in the most extreme ways possible. They set us up. They prime us. By the end of the movie we're experiencing so much emotional turmoil that if one more explosion happens, we'll kick in a door and combat roll from the room!


5. The First Trigger

We've just come out of a super-powered adrenaline-filled scene and we're preparing for the final showdown. Our heart still pounds. We're still on the edge of our seat. Now they pull the first trigger.

Brian calls Mia to let her know shit's about to go down. Then he let's her know he might not make it home. There's a lot of symbolism here, and most of us assume we know what it means.

Now Mia gets emotional. Her emotions impact us because the tone changes so fast we don't have time to think about it. Then she pulls the trigger by letting Brian know she's pregnant again.

Now we experience the full power of hardcore raw emotions of grief, loss, and suffering as our minds are forced to think about everything Brian (and in real life, Paul) is about to lose / has lost, and how it affects everyone around him.

This trigger was so powerful I cried instantly. I literally couldn't believe I was crying, because until that point I hadn't felt any kind of grief emotions at all.

Some circles refer to this as the Kansas City Shuffle. They keep our attention focused in the opposite direction (with action) then they blindside us with grief when we least expect it.


6. The Second Trigger

For a few minutes we have time to catch our breath, and dab our eyes. Then we enter another insanely action-packed scene. Before we know it, we're in a spiraling mess of chaos & fun, and we're back on the edge of our seats!

Think about it...can you imagine anything more badass than a street fight between Vin Diesel & Jason Statham?
No, because it doesn't exist!

But the scene eventually ends, and Statham meets his fate, (for now).

That's when we're set up for the second trigger. The very next scene takes us to a beach, where Brian & Mia are playing with their kid in the sand near the water. They're away from the others who are sitting around having a good time, but clearly thinking about things.

Dom starts talking about how Brian's life is good, and we come to realize he won't die in this movie. This is an extremely powerful technique on multiple levels as we acknowledge the underlying message which is:

"He lives on in our hearts & minds"

While we understand the character Brian Spilner is about to embark on a new path with his family, we also feel grief and loss again.

Then Dom gets up to leave and one of the others asks if he's going to say goodbye.
He says, "No, it's never really goodbye." and walks away.

This is trigger 2.

This is where everyone loses it the second time.

I swear to god, there's literally no way you can not cry if you've watched the other movies, and understand the underlying messages.

...My wife must be one bad motherf*****.


7. Drive it Home.

Remember, the original outcome wasn't just to give us an action-packed film, or to pay homage to Paul Walker. It was to memorialize this film in our hearts and minds forever, and what better way to do that than with an actual memorial.

As Dom drives away in his old muscle car, he comes to a stop sign and Brian pulls up next to him in a white supra, looks over, and smiles. This triggers a flood of memories going all the way back to the first movie where Brian had to build a white junkyard supra from the ground up, and Dom had to overcome his fear of the muscle car.

Now the emotional flood gates of hell are opened when a song called, See You Again plays, and images from all the other films are flashed on the screen while Dom talks about the good times they had. This is a super F*cking powerful emotional anchor that solidifies this film as the most epic shit since sliced bread.

Now we have a memory.

A link established between Paul Walker's death, the film franchise, & our emotions, and triggered anytime we hear the song.

Finally, the screen returns to the two cars as they drive off together, but come to a fork in the road. The shot pans out and follows Brian off on his new path before the screen turns white and closes with the words, "For Paul".

There are two purposes for this final shot:

1. To finalize the memorial.
2. To give us closure on Brian so we won't hate the movies when they make the next film without him.


Conclusion...

This has to be the most emotionally-packed movie I've ever experienced.

In fact, I'm literally fighting back tears as I write this.

The point I want to make is that I'll never, EVER forget this, and it's all because the movie influenced me, and everyone else by tapping into our deepest hidden emotions.

When we tap into emotion we aren't just using some tactic that may or may not work.

We're messing with people's whole F*cking lives...

That's how powerful it is.

That's why everything you read about copy tells you to tap into their emotions.

When you understand other people's emotions, then you unlock the secret to one of the most powerful tools of influence. Then you have the power to write copy that sells.


Note: There were so many powerful tools of influence implemented in this movie, I didn't do more than breach the surface here. You seriously have to watch and experience it for yourself to understand. Just note that pretty much all are transferable to your copy. It's just a matter of your creative mind finding ways to implement them.

Day 6 Challenge​

1. Help someone in some way without asking anything in return.

2. Choose a product and write a sales letter for it. Before you start, prepare a specific outcome for your letter.

3. Write the headline for the letter to MAKE THEM STOP & have an emotional impact.

4. Weave techniques of influence into the body to carry that emotional impact throughout the letter.

5. Finalize the letter by driving your prospect with emotion to take some action.
(Click Here, Join Now, etc.)

6. Take some action that you've been too scared to take.

You've reached the end of the Day 6 Lesson on Influence.
I hope you enjoyed this one. It was tough to write.
Always remember to write for impact and
influence. When you're ready, move
forward to Day 7 - Mindset
Lesson
3​

 

[Lex DeVille]

Day 8 | Technique Lesson 3
Write Logically.
​

I if understand wrote sentence this you order would out of still?

No, you wouldn't understand if I wrote that sentence out of order, because your brain can't easily make sense of it. Instead, you'd have to logically rearrange the info first into recognizable patterns.

The same holds true for copy.

In fact, it also holds true for pretty much all influence, persuasion, & sales communications.

When information isn't presented logically, then it doesn't make sense and we lose interest fast.

I'm running short on time today, so it's like this:

Imagine if you opened a landing page and instead of a headline, you saw:

Click Here to Buy Now​

Would you do it? Would you buy right now?

Uh, no... You don't even know what the product is, what it does, or even what it claims to do!

A whole lot of info is missing.

What if you scrolled down and the next thing you read was this:

Just imagine the smile on your face when you plant all 9 inches of
young firm wood deep inside your fresh, brown, dirt hole...

ORDER YOURS NOW!
​

Does that make you want to buy?

Does it satisfy your needs for information?

Does it tap into your emotional desires?

No, no & no.

But it does make you think the owner is some kind of pervert...

Now, what if you scrolled all the way to the bottom and finally saw the headline:

Plant Sapling Trees & Help Save the Environment!
​

Oh, now I get it! It's some kind of tree-hugging environmental company or something like that, and I think they're selling dildos or trees, but I'm not really sure...

At this point it wouldn't matter how well-intentioned the company was, because there's no way in hell you'd buy. If they're not organized or professional enough to present their information in ways you understand, then you sure as hell aren't going to give them your money!

And that's the whole lesson for today.

Every single thing you write, from your headline to your CTA absolutely MUST flow in logical order.

But how do you know if it's logical or not?

Follow the example set by writers!

Presenting your copy logically is as simple as answering a few questions, and creating an outline.

Start by asking what your prospect desires most.

The answer tells you how to write your headline.

Then ask, the who, what, when ,where, why, & how questions.

Questions like:

What is this website about?
Why should I care?
How can they give me what I need?
Who runs this place?
Where do I go for more info?

Those are just a few examples, but they show the kind of thoughts that run through our minds when we first enter a site, or read a sales letter, or open an email etc.

When you answer those questions and figure out which order the prospect asks them in, then you can write your Sub-Headlines. These work just like Chapter Headings in a novel. First write them down and then you'll have the big picture of your copy finished.

After that the only thing left to do is write the body copy for each section.

For example:

This is My Headline
​

1st Sub-Head: What is This Site About?

2nd Sub-Head: Why Should I Care?

3rd Sub-Head: How Can They Help Me?

Call To Action 1​

4th Sub-Head: What Proof Do They Have?

5th Sub-Head: Who Else Buys From Them?

6th Sub-Head: Who Owns This Joint?

7th Sub-Head: What Do I Do Next?

Call To Action 2​

The trickiest part isn't really tricky at all. The hardest thing you have to do is figure out the process a prospect goes through when they read your copy for the first time. But, that's not hard to do, because pretty much every person who reads it goes through the same logical process.

There are tons of places that can help you gain this info. For instance, the users on this forum might be willing to give you feedback if you ask nicely. If not, there are tons of other websites, and places like Facebook, or Meetup.com where you can get helpful opinions about your structure and flow.

After you have the basic logical structure figured out, the rest is easy. It's just a matter of filling in the body copy with more details & info for each section.

Figure out and follow the logical patterns your prospects need to understand, and your copy will sell a thousand times better!

Day 8 Challenge​

1. Close your eyes and imagine the life you want to have. See it is bright vibrant colors. Smell whatever success smells like to you. Hear any sounds that you associate with the life you want to have. Blow the image up and put yourself in it. See it from behind your eyes.

2. Help someone without asking anything in return.

3. Take some action you've been too scared to take.

4. Write 5 Creative Headlines

5. Write a website "About Us" page using everything you've learned to this point, and make sure you do it in logical order.

If you're still following this thread then thank you!
I appreciate you taking the time to read, learn
& take action towards the life you want to
have! That's more than most will ever
do! When you're ready, continue
on to Day 9, Influence
Lesson
3​

 

[DaRK9]

So an update on my progress. I've dropped oDesk/upWork in favor of local clients. I nailed my first marketing/SEO/Copywriting gig locally.

Without warning, I compiled a target vs. competitor marketing/SEO/traffic report. It took me about 4 hours and ended up being around 12 pages long. I also built a demo website with sales copy instead of generic About Us BS. 1.5 Hours.

Called, set up a meeting with the co-owner. After an introduction I flat out told him he was giving money away to his competitor. I showed him the SEO and traffic report. Then had him get on his current website on his phone and try to make a reservation. (it's a high-end restaurant) He was surprised at how difficult it was. It took 8 clicks to finish. I then had him get on the demo site and make a reservation. He completed it in 4 clicks.

So I'm taking over marketing/SEO/building a website and possibly paid ads.

I would never have done this without my oDesk Copywriting experience. A big thumbs up to @SinisterLex You basically helped me get a $700/mo contract.

I increased my monthly income by 30% with a total of 6 hours of time.

 

[Lex DeVille]

Day 12 | Influence Lesson 4
Finding Balance Between Ouch & Oh Yeah!
​

What if I told you that you could earn money in 15 days or less by following my system, guaranteed?

As a budding entrepreneur strapped for cash does that interest you? If so, why?

This lesson is simple & straightforward, but it's paramount to understanding what makes people buy.

So, back to the question...

We already know that earning money in 15 days or less interests you. Otherwise you wouldn't be reading this thread. So, the only part left to answer is...why? There could be a lot of reasons, but in copywriting we only care about the core motivations / emotions / desires.

That's great because it turns out, there's only 2 core motivations when it comes to buying stuff.

Imagine for a moment you're a beautiful antelope grazing on the open plains. You're enjoying a nice sunny day and surrounded by complete serenity. Around you is a herd of 100 other antelopes just like you, and they're all doing the same. All of you are focused on eating, drinking, & generally distracting yourselves from the problems of the world.

Then something rustles in the tall grass a few hundred feet away. One of your antelope friends pokes his head up and gets wide-eyed. WTF was that?!

You and 100 others turn to face the tall grass, waiting for any sign of movement. For a moment all is still... Then it happens - a 1,000 pounds of razor sharp teeth and claws sails through the air and charges straight for you.

What do you do?

Unless you're completely brain-dead, you run like hell!

Your friends all do the same - even the fat one that prides himself on gluttony.

Why?

Because being eaten alive is incredibly painful!!!

But what if things were a little different?

Now imagine you're a magnificent antelope-eating machine. A thousand pounds of fang and claw. A true king of the jungle, and you stealthily watch the antelopes grazing a few hundred feet away.

Your stomach rumbles. You haven't eaten in 3 days, and you know if you catch one you'll have a full slab of beef all to yourself, and it'll be the most fulfilling meal you've ever had.

You see them over there, and imagine sinking your teeth into every last morsel of savory hide. You imagine how it will fill your stomach, and a sliver of drool pools at the corners of your mouth.

Suddenly you forget your feelings of weakness. You forget your feelings of fatigue. Instead, you're overcome with so much motivation that you narrow your focus to a single target - one you can easily get. One that offers instant gratification.

Finally it's too much and you leap, charging faster and harder than ever before!

The entire herd of antelope takes off running, but you don't care! You run faster, and faster. They're telling you that you can't have them, but nothing will stop you from satisfying your craving for pleasure & fulfillment!

What's the difference between the antelope and the lion?

It's simple.

The antelope (even the fat one) is motivated to run like hell because suddenly running is less painful than not running.

The lion is motivated to run like hell because of the pleasure & fulfillment eating a delicious antelope will bring.

The Lesson

Some people are motivated away from pain.

Some are motivated toward pleasure.​

When you understand this simple concept, then you have great power to influence your audience.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is focusing only on the benefits of their product, or only on the pain it solves. Both of these motivate some people to act, but they completely ignore the rest.

When I wrote: 15 Days to Freedom - Make Money Copywriting in 15 Days or Less - I reached out to both sides of the spectrum.

Some of you were motivated to click because the headline offers a fast route to pleasure. It suggests you can make money fast, gain a quick win, and propel yourself forward, toward success.

Others were motivated by business pains that might be avoided if you had more money to spend. Maybe debt is killing you and you must find a way out. Maybe your app can't be finished because you don't have enough funding. Maybe you were simply afraid that this thread might have answers, and that you'd hate yourself for the rest of your life if you skipped a free chance to find out.

Either way you were motivated toward pleasure, or away from pain.

In copywriting (and sales) this is a key piece of information, and once you acknowledge it, you can start writing copy that reaches out to both types of people.

Whether you're writing your headline, the body copy, or anything else, always keep toward/away motivations in mind. Write to both, and avoid focusing only on one direction. In this way you maximize your outreach, and you empower more people to take the actions you want them to take.

This is how you win big.

This is how you help your clients win big too.


Day 12 Challenge
​

1. Write 5 headlines that target both pain & pleasure.

2. Write 2 paragraphs of copy that utilize storytelling & metaphors to speak to both audiences (pain & pleasure).

3. Do something for someone without asking anything in return.

4. Take action toward something that gives you pleasure, or away from something painful. Make sure it moves you toward your goals.

5. Get a clear picture of your vision in your mind and just focus on it for a few minutes at the start of your day. Focus on accomplishing it. See yourself from the present moment as if you've already achieved that vision.

*****************
*****************
*****************
*****************
Please note that the only reason I'm able to write this post is because I
was motivated away from the pain of returning to a slowlane business.
This is what it's all about We take action when the pain of doing
becomes less than the pain of not doing. We also take action
when the rewards offered are so great that we'd be
stupid not to try (buy). Accept this as fact and
use it, and you can sell to anyone.
That's it for this lesson. When
you're ready, continue to
Day 13 | Mindset
Lesson
5​

 

[Lex DeVille]

Day 9 | Influence Lesson 3
Psychological Rules of Persuasion

Six Rules to Breach Your
Prospect's Mind & Command
Higher Earnings Now
​

What if you knew 6 simple tools could bring you unlimited results?

I'm talking 10 times the results of writing a thousand sales letters by hand...

Would that be worth reading a few more lines?

If you gotta minute, and wanna know more, then you can learn.

And, I'll even tell you for free.

Many of you have heard of Robert Cialdini, and his 6 laws of persuasion.

But, for those of you who don't know him, he pretty much set the standard for influence by researching & understanding what makes people tick.

From there he came up with 6 simple tools of persuasion that are so powerful they can get virtually anyone to do anything you want them to.

In fact, they're so powerful that sales and collections agencies use them all over the world.

They're so powerful that when I put them to the test as a Legal Assistant I increased collections so much that the Founding Attorney instantly updated our policies to account for my collections script.

So, before I share the 6 tools & how they apply in copy, I offer you this caution:

Only use these tools when your product is good and you have good intentions. I'm not responsible for anything that happens as a result of your use of these tactics. If you use them appropriately, then you'll experience unknown powers beyond your wildest dreams. If you abuse them, well, it won't end well...

With that out of the way, let's look at the 6 tools & how they apply to copy.

◘ Reciprocity ◘

◘ Commitment & Consistency ◘

◘ Social Proof ◘

◘ Liking ◘

◘ Authority ◘

◘ Scarcity ◘
◘
◘
◘
◘​

1. Reciprocity

The rule of reciprocity is simple. When someone gives us something, we feel psychologically compelled to give something back. It doesn't matter what's given. It can be anything and many studies back it up. If you've ever watched a mafia movie, you've seen a slightly altered version of this in action.

Basically the person on the receiving end owes you a favor.

So, how is it used in copy?

First of all, you can write it right into your copy, just as I did above. "And, I'll even tell you for free."

Another way people use this is by giving away free ebooks, ecourses, or downloadables on their website. This has less power since the human element is removed, but it still works on some level.

The most powerful use happens when you use it directly with clients.

For example, by giving a free sample... you invoke the power of reciprocity, and in return they're way more likely to give you the gig, especially if you put a lot of work into the sample.


2. Commitment & Consistency

This little gem is a sort of tipping point. Let's say you're at a car dealership chatting with a salesman, and you're almost sold on a car you've been eyeballing for a while.

Then the salesman says, "Ready to make it happen?" or something similar.

Now your mind does battle with itself. One last bit of back & forth, because it knows that once you say "Yes", it's so hard for you to turn back it almost takes an act of God...

Once you say "Yes"... Once you commit, then you transition from prospect to buyer.

If you're using this on your website, then the most common type of commitment comes in the form of your Call to Action (CTA). What's important to note is that it's not specifically the words of the CTA that makes them commit. The act of committing happens when they actually push the button.

If you want them to push the button, or take some other action, then you can use disarming language such as:

"Get My Toy" instead of "Buy Now!"

If you're using it with clients, then the very best time is during your interview. When you're certain they're feeling confident in you, then you can close by saying,

"Do you have any more questions for me?"

Wait for the "No", then say:

"Great, well, if you'll go ahead and send the Odesk offer I'll accept it and get started immediately."

99% of the time they'll follow up with: "Sure thing, sending it right now!"

Consistency can be used with clients too.

Interviews are highly emotional, and many clients get wrapped up in it when you have good energy.

Then they say things like:

"If you're work is good, then we'll have a lot more for you in the future. We've got XYZ project etc..."

A statement like this gives you great power for getting more work later. For instance, when you deliver your first bit of copy and they say they absolutely love it, then you can follow up a few days later and remind them that they said they loved it, and ask for more work.

"Hey Bob,

I'm glad your first project worked out so well, and that you loved my work so much. You mentioned having more work if my copy was good. Now that you know I'm your guy, I'd love to start your next project whenever you're ready. What's next on the list?"

To go against this means going against his own word.

He practically has to give you another gig, because he said he would.


3. Social Proof

Social proof is super useful, but there's a catch.

You have to have it before you can use it.

On websites and sales letters social proof often comes as testimonials or logo images of clients who use your product. These can also be used on Odesk, and other places.

Social media buttons are often used on websites to show how many likes they have. Social media buttons double as a form of commitment/consistency too. If you click "Like" or "Follow", then on some level you're agreeing that you like the product.

When you're interviewing, it's easy to establish trust using social proof.

When they ask a question like: "How specifically would you handle X?"

Then you respond with:

"Great, question... When I wrote copy for Apple, I handled something similar by..."

Don't use "Apple" unless you've actually written copy for them. Use another client you've worked for.

In this way you establish that you've worked with, and satisfied other companies.


4. Liking

Another super simple, yet highly effective tool.

We like people who are like us, or who we believe are like us.

This is most commonly used in copy by asking questions.

"Are you sick of paying hundreds of dollars for iPhone screens?
Do you wonder why they won't make one that won't break?

I wondered the same thing, and after buying my 4th screen in three weeks
I'd had enough, so I built a better one..."

What I've done is established a connection between myself & the prospect. Instantly they see that we're just alike, and that we have the same problem.

The only difference is that I also have the solution, and that puts a smile on their face.


5. Authority

Authority is established when a prospect believes you're a subject matter expert. If you're reading this thread, then chances are, you aren't. At least not yet, but that doesn't mean you can't be.

Common examples of authority on websites happen when we post images showing professionals related to our product. If you run a security firm website, then a man in a slick black suit with a blue tie looks more professional than a guy in shorts and a t-shirt. The man in a suit is an authority.

Establishing authority in writing or interviews is simple too, but you have to be confident.

Here's how it works.

When asked a question, such as: "How can I improve X..."

NEVER respond with the words, "I think you should..."

FFFFFFFF Those words!!!!!!!

If you're an expert then you're not giving your opinion. Opinions are educated guesses for people who don't know what they're talking about.

Instead say:

"Do this..."

or "Replace X with Y & move Z over here."

or "Delete that crap because it looks terrible!"

Never give your opinion. Instead give directions & guidance. Then you'll sound like an authority.

If you write with hesitation, or speak with hesitation, your clients will see right through you.


6. Scarcity

The last one on the list is one most of you have encountered.

Scarcity sets limitations.

This works for any product, and it's used 24/7.

"2 for 1 if you buy before friday."

"BOGO ends Tuesday"

"Cut the price in half when you call in the next 15 minutes."

"Supplies won't last long!"

"I've got 3 hours available this week."

"If you're interested, please let me know before the next guy hires me."

"I've got one left on the lot."

"I might have one left in the back room."

"If you want it let me know, because another couple is coming to look at it this afternoon."

You get the idea.

Anything that suggests your product or services are scarce makes them want it 10 times more.

It seems cliche, but I'm telling you it works.


That's pretty much the gist of it. All of these techniques are extremely powerful, especially when you get good at them, and learn to combine them so they work together. Then they build on one another and create a foundation for your sales that's so strong your customers are almost forced to buy.

That's why you have to make sure you only use these with good intentions. Only use them ethically...

If you make promises you can't keep, or if you offer services you can't deliver, then it's gonna be obvious real fast, and all the persuasive tools in the world won't save you from the damage you'll do to your reputation.

Day 9 Challenge
​

1. Close your eyes and imagine selling your first product or service. If you're already selling something, then imagine taking it to the next level. Get a solid picture of what that will look & feel like, and what you'll do with all the extra money you'll have when you achieve it!

2. Help someone without asking anything in return. After today's lesson you may start to understand that everything is an exchange of energy, and nothing ever goes without return. Just because you don't ask for something in return doesn't mean you don't get something in return.

3. Take some action you've been avoiding. Maybe you've waited to build a profile, or maybe you're afraid to contact clients. Maybe you're afraid to pick up the phone and call someone. Whatever it is, just do it.

4. Write 5 creative headlines that MAKE THEM STOP.

5. Write 3 paragraphs of copy utilizing some of the tools from today's lesson.

Great job! You've finished another lesson! If you're actually taking action and using
this stuff, then you're probably already earning! If not, keep at it and you
will soon enough. When you're ready continue on to
Day 10, Mindset Lesson 4.

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​

 

[Lex DeVille]

Hey guys,

Was planning to write the next instructional for this thread, but got a little wrapped up in PM...

It's something I want to share (no names mentioned) because I keep getting messages like this...

But this one really takes the cake, and I want to respond here before anyone else asks the same...

I don't mind helping people... but seriously...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No job so far. Can you please send me an example application letter for a copywriting/article writing whatever job plus a screenshot of your profile?

I must be missing something.

Lol, no.

The reason you're not getting jobs is obvious in the first 10 words of your message.

If you were actually following my suggestions, then you would have very different results.

Why should I send you my profile & examples of my copywriting letters that earn me a lot of money because I spent 2 to 4 hours writing, and proving my value to clients?

What specific value or reason have you offered for me to do so?

None.

I've written two separate threads offering massive value (according to others, not myself), explaining how to get work fast, and yet you ask for more as though you hired me to work for you...

What you're really asking is for me to hold your hand and do it for you.

Not gonna happen.

Even if I gave you samples of my writing, how would that help?

You won't write like me, because you don't have the right mindset yet.

I suggest starting at the beginning and carefully reading through every last word, and trying again.

I guarantee you it's not my system that's not working.

If you're not getting the results you want, then it means something you're doing isn't working.

I'm not gonna say what it is.

But, I bet anyone who has results from my threads can point it out in under 5 seconds.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to finding ways to solve problems, and create value for people.

 

[Lex DeVille]

Day 11 - Technique Lesson 4
Storytelling
Once upon a time...

​

Recall the last time you read something really amazing. Something that grabbed your attention, drew you in, and was so awesome you couldn't put it down.

What was that like for you?

My last great fiction read was Harry Potter, and though I read it like 15 years ago, I still remember the experience like it was yesterday.

Not only that, but it took such strong hold of my attention that I could barely put it down from start to finish, and that goes for all 7 books.

That's what needs to happen with your copy.

But, copy has less room. We're not writing novels, so is it still possible to create such clear images in our readers minds?

We may have less room, but there's a secret weapon that gives us just as much power when properly employed.

So, How Does it Work?

It's Friday night, your home relaxing and your partner says, "Let's see a movie."

You're not really in the mood, but you've got nothing else to do, so you sigh, agree, and check Google for local listings. Together you find one that looks good and you set out for the theater. Your partner is super excited, but you're still humdrum.

When you get there, you buy tickets, and grab the entryway door handle. As soon as it cracks you're slammed with the wonderful smell of extra buttery popcorn, and you follow the peppy popping sounds to a nearby snackbar with vibrant blue and red neon lights.

A small line begins to form, and your partner yelps, "Quick, let's get snacks!" before making a beeline for the bar.

Colossal drink in one arm and a bucket of popcorn big enough to fill a bathtub in the other, you make your way past the ticket checker and through the double doors leading into the low-lit, theater 4.

When your eyes adjust you climb your way to an empty row in the very middle and get the best seat in the house, where you make yourself comfy, and wait for the show while stuffing your face with corny puffballs of grease.

After ten minutes of waiting, and two minutes past showtime, your frustration's at an all time high. "Why the F*ck hasn't this show started yet!? It's 8:02!!!" Luckily the lights dim just as you finish your thought, and you relax back into your seat and prepare for your movie.

Now several trailers play. You remind yourself you hate trailers, but then one catches your eye. It shows a movie that you read online might be coming soon, and you hoped and prayed it was true. With a huge smile on your face you lean forward, and your pupils grow three sizes. You're glued to the screen...

Then another trailer plays, and low and behold, it's another movie that you really want to see! What are the odds of getting two great previews in a row? Must be your lucky day...

What's more strange is that this trend continues all the way until the show starts, and when you finally get to the movie, you have no idea you just endured half an hour to forty five minutes of commercial advertisements.

Still leaning forward, still with big pupils, still glued to the screen, the movie finally starts with some kind of opener that reels your attention ever deeper, and instantly draws you in. Then it gives you exactly the story you hoped for and for the next 2 hours you sit in silence, gaining weight, and forcing back your bladder while desperately hoping to make it through one more scene.

Eventually the end comes and the credits roll, and you grab your trash, head to the exit, and leave through the double doors in a herd of smiling faces. Then you cock your head toward your partner and say, "So... wha'dya think?"

For the next twenty minutes you carry on the exact same conversation as every other patron, all the way home, until you're back on your rear, crying about your terrible stomach ache and praying you live through the night...

Sound Familiar?

That's because millions of people have the same experience every day. Millions of people hand over their hard-earned cash to sit in a tight space full of stinky strangers, while getting fat, watching commercials, and holding their pee for hours...

But How does Knowing this Help My Copy?

It doesn't.

The theater has nothing to do with your copy.

But... the short story about the theater has everything to do with it!

Creative copywriting is all about selling to people, without it feeling like they're being sold to. When we go to a car dealership we may actively avoid sales-people because we don't like to be sold to. We have a stigma against it.

But, if someone simply tells us a story, then we open our minds to the experience. Storytelling isn't like sales. Instead it's fun and engaging. It connects with a different part of our brain and doesn't trigger our fight or flight response.

In this way it subtly bypasses our unconscious alert monitor and allows us to speak directly (read indirectly) to our prospects to move them from line to line until they finally buy.

How Do I Write A Good Short Story?

Well, this a whole course topic by itself, but I'll try to sum it up in the next few lines...

1. Start fast & start in action.

If at all possible, don't start at the beginning of a story (I did in the example above). Start somewhere in the middle if you can, and draw the reader in fast. Add any background details as you go.

For instance I could have started the story with my characters already at the theater... "We entered the theater to the smell of popcorn after Jane finally persuaded me off the couch."

Remember to keep your sentences & paragraphs short so they move quickly. Only use long sentences for things you want your reader to take more time and focus on.

2. Use the Right Perspective

In copywriting we use 2nd perspective a lot because it's easy to keep the focus on your prospect, but sometimes using 1st person can be just as effective.

Sometimes we need to tell an actual story, and we need to use the word "I". For instance, "I discovered the secret formula for this amazing food bar while trekking the mountains in Nepal..."

3. Engage the Senses

Yes, I've said it before, but seriously, if you couldn't smell the buttery popcorn, or hear the peppy pops above, then you're either numb or dead. Use words that speak to the senses. Speak is a sound word. Smell is an olfactory word. See is a sight word. Popping is a sound word. Dim-Lit is a sight word. Cold air is a feeling word. etc.

These words connect with us by drawing us into our own minds for the experience. This is how you create mind-blowing experiences.

4. Use Appropriate Context

If you're advertising the next great bench-press, then it doesn't make sense to set the scene in a massage parlor, right? Instead you write about impressing friends at the gym, or showing off your pecks at the beach. Now that makes sense. Set your story in the proper location.

5. Actually Tell a Story.

It's not enough to engage the senses and use good context. Storytelling has proven to increase sales... by a lot... It doesn't even have to be a long story. Just something to engage your readers and set the mood, tone, and context of your product.

"I wasn't always this ripped. In fact, I used to be a scrawny little wuss just like you. But one day, when our fat-a$$ neighborhood bully was pushing me around at the corner of Owned Avenue & Wimp Street I decided enough was enough. With scraped knees, and dirt on my nose, I picked myself off the ground and started the toughest training regimen of my life. Three weeks later I was a monster, sporting a six pack of solid muscle and more power than God himself. The bully never showed his face again..."

Stories like this tell people who you are, how you came to be, and help build rapport and trust by showing how you're just like them. This is what knowing your market is all about, and it's how you sell without selling.


Okay, so there's a lot more to short story-telling, but this is enough for a start. Definitely consider reading more about short story writing on Google, and search for a book called the cheaters guide to short story writing on Amazon. Then start integrating it into your copy and be amazed at how powerful you become.

That's it for now. Sorry for any poor comma usage. I'm pressed for time today, and don't have time to comb through this one. Just take the lessons, and ignore any errors. Hell, it's free, right?

Day 11 Challenge
​

1. Write a 2 to 3 paragraph short story about a product that explains how it came into existence. How was it born from a need. How did it manifest from a problem.

2. Write 3 mind blowing headlines that would make someone want to read your story.

3. Help someone and ask nothing in return.

4. Take one action you've been putting off. Seriously, just do that shit now!!!

5. Take a moment to yourself, calm your mind, and review your vision.

6. Remember your life metaphor and integrate it into your vision.

Thanks for sticking with it guys! I know you're gonna
love it when you start making money with this
stuff! It really is that powerful, but you've
gotta read between the lines because
I can't tell it all here. When you're
ready, continue to Day 12,
Influence Lesson
4​

 

[Lex DeVille]

Day 14 | Technique Lesson 5
What if I Told You Technique Doesn't Matter?
If Length = Strength then How Are Seth Godin's 1
Sentence Emails so Powerful?
​

Do you really think technique matters? Do you really think it's important?

What if nobody cares about your technique? What if the world wants something different tomorrow?

What if the only things that matter are the words you choose, and the thoughts they inspire?

If things change and everything you think you know about writing copy is suddenly wrong, then how will you move forward? How will you earn? How will you continue to influence, when you discover that centering text on a page, and bolding some things and adding color to others isn't what the people want?

There's only one technique in the world that matters, and it isn't learned by writing hundreds of sales letters by hand. That path only teaches you how to do it someone else's way. Unfortunately that isn't what copywriting is all about, and the world may not want that anymore.

Copywriting is about influencing, and if you can't think for yourself then you can't influence. If you can't come up with a creative thought, and if you can't come up with ways to say things that move people in some direction, then you're either wasting your time, or you need more practice.

When you talk to someone and they don't understand you, is it their fault?

or...

...is it yours for your inability to communicate in ways they understand?

This is probably the most common problem among copywriters. It penetrates deeper than the me mentality. It goes beyond giving people what they want. It's the idea that it's always someone else's fault. It's the lack of responsibility we take for our own actions.

You can study technique in all directions, and you can blame others for not understanding, but when the things you write don't get results, it's not them, it's you.

So, how do you overcome the challenge of technique as a new copywriter? How do you give the people what they want, when what they want isn't something you know? How do you become a communicator? How do you become adaptable? How do you become an elite warrior of copy renowned for his innovative solutions, flexible personality, and infinite creativity?

The answer is simple, but it takes hard work.

Are you ready for hard work? Or, are you another Slowlaner still making excuses?

Nobody here can think for you, and unfortunately if you're writing hundreds of sales letters by hand, that's exactly what you're striving for. You want the easy path. You want the things that worked for other people. You want someone to do it for you.

If you've been following this thread, and haven't gotten results yet, I guarantee this is why. It's because real thought & creativity is hard, and you're still trying to follow the instructions of someone else.

There are no more techniques to teach. There's nothing else you need to learn. If you haven't opened your mind by now, then stop reading, because I can't force you to do it. No one can.

No amount of study will prepare you, just like no amount of training in the world can make a soldier ready for his first battle. Sometimes you just have to do it. You just have to man up and step off the boat and onto the shore. Sometimes there's no substitute for action.

No legendary warrior became legend by training.

The great heroes of the past had to prove themselves in battle. They had to have courage, and be willing to challenge the greatest odds. They had to overcome by sheer cunning, determination, and will. They had to figure shit out for themselves.

The copywriter's path is the same. The only techniques you need to learn are those which work on the battlefield, and in today's world, that means creating new techniques that people aren't used to.

Remember how we used to fight? Soldiers lined up in a row in front of one another and took turns firing... This happened until someone got creative and thought... what if we didn't do it that way...

It was a game changer.

This is what you have to do. You have to be innovative. You have to be an artist. You have to create.

If this isn't you, then you will fail your clients.

I never said anyone can become a copywriter. I never claimed it was easy. I never said the way to make money freelancing was through copy. If that's what you read, then you misunderstood. Perhaps I failed to communicate it, and I'm okay with that, but I'm also not sure there's any other way to say the only way to succeed is by actually being able to help people.

If you think you can help people by giving them the same old crap that other professionals have used, then you're headed down a dark road that leads nowhere.

The only way to succeed is to think for yourself. To make decisions for yourself. To send copy into the world that was pulled straight from the depths of your own mind, and not a copy of someone else's.

Be assured, the definition of copywriting is not to copy the writing of others.

The most powerful copywriting technique available to you is the technique and style you create for yourself. It's the one that manifests from countless hours of figuring out what your client's & customers want and need, and coming up with new ways to give it to them.

The most powerful lesson I can give you in technique is that you don't need technique. You don't need to do it the same way as everyone else. You don't have to follow a set of directions.

Have you ever seen a headline, with a sub headline right below it? Of course you have... Because that's the way it's done.

But what if your sub-headline wasn't below the headline? What if it was vertical and off to the left? Who gives a shit if the world doesn't call it a sub headline anymore. If it gets attention, and builds interest then you did your job!

Technique is only as powerful as it's ability to get results.

Does yours?

What

If

There

Is

No

Right

Way

To

Do

Things?

Day 14 Challenge
​

1. Review common techniques you think are set in stone. Then ask yourself how you might approach them differently. What simple change can you make that completely transforms the outcome?

2. Write something completely random. Make it your own. Allow yourself to be free and create. Who cares how long or short it is. Just write, and express yourself. Allow ideas to pop into your mind and flow from your brain to your fingertips to your document. Become fluid like water, always moving toward your goals, and ready to maneuver around obstacles instead of being blocked.

3. Experience the world around you. When was the last time you noticed how the keys feel under your fingers? When was the last time you realized how soft your toilet paper is? When was the last time you looked at a word and it lost it's meaning? How curious are you about the world around you? Do you notice things, or do things just happen? Are you just going through the motions? What if you stopped? What if you searched for meaning in everything? What if you opened yourself up to the creativity all around you?

4. Help someone without asking anything in return.

5. Find someone to write copy for in the real world, whether online, or offline. Write copy for them. Get results. Create your own technique for the first time. Who cares if it's different or the same. As long as it gets the job done. As long as you get results. As long as you take the next step forward. What are you so afraid of? What are you waiting for? How long have you got?

WWWWHHHHOOOOO
CCCAARRRREEESSSSS
IFOOOTTTHHEERRSS
DDDIIIIIIDDDDDIIITTT
DDIIFFEERREENNTTT

When we think for ourselves we open a world of possibilities.
When we ask questions we gain clarity. When we take
action we get answers. When we take responsibility
the paradigm shifts in our favor. When you're
ready, continue to the final lesson.
Day 15 - Influence
Lesson
5
​

 

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[Lex DeVille]

Day 10 | Mindset Lesson 4
Life is Like A...
It's time to step up your game.
​

Today's mindset lesson is a little different from the others. It doesn't cover the same old mumbo jumbo, and I won't be preaching action, solving problems, or finding visions. Not that those aren't important, and if you've been applying the lessons, then you've definitely had results, but today you're gonna learn a whole new tool that changes the way you look at copy, business, & even life.

And, by the time you finish this lesson, you may leave with a transformation that completely alters your path and propels you toward your goals, but only if you take action toward your vision by solving problems. (haha, that last part was just for fun.)

Seriously, just follow along, answer the questions, and let this take you where it takes you...


Life is Like A...

Forget Forest Gump. This isn't about movies. Instead, give this statement careful consideration and think about how you would finish it if you were describing your own life as a metaphor. Write it down. Start with, "Life is..." or "Life is like..." and think about what your life would be if symbolized.

Examples:

"Life is suffering."
"Life is a test."
"Life is a journey."
"Life is hell."
"Life is business."
"Life is a game."

Close your eyes if you need to and just let it pass through your mind. "My life is..." or "My life is like..."

This may be more difficult for some of you, and you may not have a clear association yet. That's okay.

Now, answer the statements below to gain clarity. Answer them in terms of metaphor. Brainstorm answers, and allow yourself to move over them freely. If an answer doesn't come to you for a question, then skip it and move on to the next. It's fine.

Please keep these answers private. They are only for your own personal journey. <(that's a metaphor)


Finding Your Metaphor

When I really think about it, life is like...

In all honesty, day to day living is...

The problems in my life are like...

I struggle in life because...

A physical object that symbolizes my life so far is...

Life is like... (Insert your metaphor for life here)


Understanding Your Life Metaphor's Impact on You

Answer these questions honestly to help you grasp the full impact of your current metaphor on your life. Use metaphor to answer these questions. For example, if you came to the conclusion life is like a garden, then maybe others are seeds that need water to grow.

How I see others...

How I see myself...

How I respond to challenges...

Strengths of this metaphor...

Weaknesses of this metaphor...


By now you probably realize the metaphor we use for life has great impact on how we interact with ourselves, others, and how we approach the world. There's no wrong answers, but as entrepreneurs and problem solvers we can take giant leaps toward our goals by simply acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of our life metaphor.

Some life metaphors have far more strengths than weaknesses, and if you hang around this board a while you'll start to notice the differences between the metaphors used by sidewalkers, slowlaners, & fastlaners.


How Do I Use This Info?

Well, as humans we all understand things in terms of other things, and how we understand and perceive things greatly affects our actions in every aspect of life.

So, if we think life is a test then we may see ourselves as the one being graded. Maybe we see others as teachers who can teach us, students we can teach, or competitors for the best grades. We may prepare greatly and strive to achieve the highest possible results, though we may take life too seriously at times and forget to have fun.

If we think life is suffering then we may see ourselves as someone doing the best we can given our circumstances. We may see others as poor souls suffering just like us, and we're all in it together. We may respond to challenges by doing the best we can, and it may be easier to accept our limitations. Unfortunately it also becomes easy to fall into the victim mentality.

Again, both have strengths, and both have weaknesses, but for the entrepreneurial journey, one is far more useful than the other, and is the clear winner. <(metaphor for life as a game )

What's really cool about life metaphors is that we're not limited to one. We generally adapt one and tend to live by it, but that doesn't mean it can't be replaced.

So, if you're not getting the results you want, then maybe it's time to reflect on your current metaphor, ask yourself if it's truly useful, and if not, answer the questions below to discover a new one.


Adopting a More Useful Life Metaphor

Adopting a new life metaphor is really easy. Just think of your life in terms of the new metaphor and you instantly gain clarity on how it works. Keeping that metaphor around is a little trickier, and if you want it to stick you've gotta work at it.

First keep an open mind and accept that you must actively work at keeping your new life metaphor until it's fully integrated into your life. Commit to actively working toward living life in terms of your new metaphor daily. It may help to rehearse your metaphor out loud or on paper just as we sometimes do with our goals.

Eventually your new metaphor sticks, and when it does, boy is it some powerful shit. Instantly you see life through new eyes, and you approach the world in completely different ways. You start to notice things you never noticed before, and you know something has changed.

This is how you achieve the shift in mindset that Fastlaners are always talking about.

Don't try to force the old metaphor out. It won't work. This is a shift that happens over time. Anytime you want to utilize the new metaphor, it's as simple as thinking of life in terms of that perspective. If you do this enough times, it becomes automatic. That's when the real power kicks in.

Now, let's find your new metaphor.


My New Life Metaphor

Brainstorm answers to the following questions just like you did before.

I'd like my life to be more like...

Realistically, this is possible because...

If my life were more like _____, then...

The primary roadblocks preventing my life from being more like _____ are...

I can drop my old life metaphor if...

I can adopt a new life metaphor if...

I'll integrate my new life metaphor into my daily life by...

My desired life metaphor is... (Insert your desired metaphor here)


Understanding the Impact of Your New Life Metaphor

Just like before, answer the following questions to see how things change based on your new metaphor.

How I see others...

How I see myself...

How I respond to challenges...

Strengths of this metaphor...

Weaknesses of this metaphor...


If you actually worked through the questions above, then you should have a new metaphor and a clear understanding of how useful this process can be. What once was suffering may now be opportunity. What once was battle, may now be a game. What once was a test, may now be freedom.

Before moving to the next step, please take a moment to review your new metaphor and ask yourself if it's truly more useful than the old one. If it is, then great! If not, then consider exploring other metaphors that might be a better fit to reach your goals. The purpose of this exercise isn't simply to replace old metaphors.

It's to replace less useful metaphors, habits, thoughts & actions with more useful ones.


Ideas for Installing Your New Metaphor

Now that you have a highly effective metaphor for life it's time to plant it deep inside your mind, water it, and let it grow into the new person you want to become. The highly successful entrepreneur & businessman or businesswoman you're fighting to be.

There are many ways to integrate your new metaphor into your life. Here are 2 useful exercises you can try that may help you speed up the process.

Exercise 1

With your eyes closed, bring your new metaphor to mind. How does it look, sound, & feel? If it's a physical object, then hold it if you can. Your life metaphor and your vision are closely related, and when you clearly experience your metaphor, you may also find you clearly experience your vision too. As you begin to associate them, it becomes easier and easier to fully integrate your new metaphor into your reality.

Exercise 2

Embrace your experience from exercise 1 and continue that experience by envisioning a day in your new life with your new metaphor fully integrated. See what you see, hear what you hear, feel what you feel. Move through an entire day inside your mind from your new perspective & your new life, and notice how things have changed.

If your new life metaphor is "Life is a game." then imagine life as a game. How do this change your actions? How do you see the world? How do you respond to challenges? What new opportunities arise when old limitations are replaced by your new resources?


There are many ways you can focus on your new metaphor, and many ways you can integrate it into your life. Whether you do the exercises above, rehearse out loud, write it down, or something else, simply start thinking about it, and take new actions from your new perspective.

Maybe your new metaphor integrates fast, or maybe it takes a little longer. Either way, just notice when it happens and take a moment to smile and enjoy knowing that instead of being a hundred miles away...

Your success is within arms reach now.​

Day 10 Challenge
​

1. Answer the questions and try the exercises above if you haven't already done so.

2. Help someone in some way. Solve a problem for them. Ask nothing in return.

3. Take action on something you've been procrastinating on, or putting off.

4. Write 5 headlines that are very specific - targeted toward a niche audience.

5. Write a short 2 to 3 paragraph, persuasive product description (not a sales letter).

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I hope you enjoyed this mindset lesson. If you followed along and
actually took the time to fill out and honestly answer the
questions then you may come to realize that success
is a lot closer than it sometimes seems. It's all a
matter of mindset & how we view the
world. Those who understand this
win the prize. When you're
ready continue to Day
11, Technique
Lesson
4
​

 

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[Lex DeVille]

But I really doubt that any company is going to hire a 18 year old...

That's exactly why they wont.

Also - there are only a few job offers for copywriters here

So look for job offers elsewhere, or don't get a job. There's a reason I listed job last.

 

[DaRK9]

Got my first copywriting gig. The first one I applied to.

Offered a sample and got it.

 

[Lex DeVille]

The remaining lessons will be posted over the next 14 days.​

 

[Polarbeans]

So I just finished two Copywriting jobs for a client.

Understand that I have NEVER EVER written copy ( at least with a thought) before doing this thread. All I have done is to follow what @SinisterLex has taught and I read the book called Ca$hvertising.

This is what I just got as a response:

OMG! I love what you wrote! I really enjoyed them both. I think I may ask you to write my ads for me, and maybe come up with some compelling post for my social media accounts etc. Would that be ok?

This is not a fastlane business, but I'd say this is what you call it when you do something decent and people throw their money at you.

I have been practicing copy for 2 weeks or so. I read halfway through Cashvertising. I have been on oDesk for 2 days. I can already purchase the book Cashvertising a couple of times over.

Go take action. Don't tell me your excuse.


Btw, if you think I struggled. I did at first. I waited until day 8 to start on oDesk. But the momentum I'm building, the feeling I get in my body, is INSANE!

 

[Lex DeVille]

Day 13 | Mindset Lesson 5
The Art of Outcomes & Assumption
Only Assume That Which Gets You to Your Goals
​

Hey guys,

Been a few days since I wrote. I spent the last week in Vegas expanding my network and creating new opportunities (Also partied with rich people in a multi-million dollar underground bunker just off the strip.) Shit's been crazy to say the least!

​

At this point I'd say Odesk is about 25% of my total clientele, and now I'm working on ways to expand.

I've thought a lot about how I got to this point and how I keep moving forward. Why do people keep coming to me, and how have I not failed yet? Coming up on four months copywriting, and instead of being snuffed out like a cockroach under a shoe, I'm getting referrals to write personal persuasive messages for CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.

At first I wasn't sure what made it possible, but now I'm confident that it all comes down to 2 core ideologies, and I'm not talking about helping people...

1. Setting Well Defined Outcomes
2. Assuming You'll Achieve Those Outcomes

Don't get me wrong. Helping people is definitely important, but it's not enough to tell someone you can help them, or even to offer a few sprinkles of proof.

Instead, you have to know that's what you want to do, and then you have to believe you can do it.

But, how can you believe it when you're not even sure it's true?

For me it starts with the outcome. The times I've failed, I didn't have clear outcomes, and every time I succeeded I did. We've already talked about outcomes, so I won't spend much time on that.

Well Defined Outcomes

We've all heard of S.M.A.R.T. goal setting and all that jazz, but I'm not convinced most goals need to be so complex. For me setting goals or well defined outcomes is as simple as asking, what's the one thing I need to accomplish with this meeting, letter, introduction, etc.?

Do I need to make a brilliant first impression? Do I need them to think I'm an authority? Do I need to get their attention? What specifically is the one thing that's most important for this encounter?

When I know what the outcome is, then it's easy to figure out the steps that either lead to that outcome or don't. Then I either choose to act on those steps, or not, and depending on my choice I succeed or fail.

The S.M.A.R.T. goal setting process, which you can Google if you need to, is great for detail oriented people, and really big goals that take a lot of time and thought, but in the short term it's less useful (in my opinion).

Instead I just figure out what I need to achieve, and then figure out the steps to get there. When you know the outcome, you know the steps, and you know it's all on you to take them, then it's a lot easier to believe you'll make things happen because the logic path is already laid out.

But that's only half the battle, and we all know logic doesn't win the war.

Assuming the Outcome You Want

In any encounter there's a balance of power, this is especially true for working with clients as a freelancer. That balance is usually heavily weighted in the prospect's favor, but it can be shifted. The trick is not viewing yourself the way you currently do.

When I first started on Odesk I operated from the assumption that I could help people get what they want. I also assumed that I would get the gigs I applied to. By assuming these things I changed my state of my mind, and now both have become my reality.

If you assume you are weak, depressed, bad at writing, unable to learn, incompetent etc., then your mind agrees with you and you will think, act, & write in ways that reflect your state of mind.

When you assume you're awesome at writing, highly influential, a person of power, and a force to be reckoned with, then your mind shifts and you operate from a new state. Then everything you think, do, or write flows from a new perspective, and has an opportunity to move people.

Just think about it...

If you were a billionaire, would you act the same way as you do right now? Would you negotiate with pidly little freelancers on their terms? I didn't think so.

Well, that's the kind of shift that happens when you assume you will, or assume you've already achieved your outcomes. If you assume that you're an elite writer, then your actions will align with your assumptions, and you'll do shit that brings it to life.

Then, when you start seeing results, you'll begin to believe that what you assumed to be true, really is true. When you believe it you add more weight to your side of the scale, and the balance of power begins to shift.

At some point you end up with enough clients, or enough customers that the balance of power is equal. Now it's a level playing field. Now you can negotiate terms with the knowledge that even if things don't work out with a given client, you can still move forward.

The more you assume you'll achieve your goals, the more you'll achieve those goals. When you assume it's true, your state of mind shifts. Then instead of operating from a position of fear, you can control your emotions and operate from a position of power.

And that's not the best part...

The best part is that at some point the balance shifts in your favor. If you continue assuming you can accomplish what you want to, or that you're as powerful as you want to be, then at some point it becomes true, and you become more powerful than your prospects & clients.

When enough people say you're the best, and when enough people are willing to hire you at a moments notice, then you have the power of choice. You have the power.

When you have so many job offers that you laugh at low-priced gigs, then you have the power.

When someone tries to low ball you and you tell them to get lost, you have shifted the balance.

When you tell clients to quadruple your pay, or you'll fire them, and they actually do it, then you are virtually unstoppable.

Assume what you want to be true, and it will be.

A Quick Caution

Operating like this is intoxicating. When you have this kind of power, it puts you in positions you never could have imagined. But be careful...

If you let it go to your head, you have the potential to crash and burn harder than ever before.

Never speak down to clients or customers. Always do your best to help them achieve their goals, and get what they want. In the end, if you stop being useful, then they'll stop using you, and if that happens, you'll quickly lose any power you've gained. Maybe the loss of one client isn't the end of the world, but what if that client has the power to influence the world, and can destroy you with a single tweet to 50 million people?

Real power comes when you understand how to use it to help others get what they want while getting what you want at the same time. Never abuse your power, or you'll be sorry!

Now go forth, and make your dreams come true!

Day 13 Challenge
​

1. Set up a LinkedIn profile if you don't already have one. LinkedIn is a powerful tool, and serious entrepreneurs use it to reach out to other serious businesspeople. It's a great tool for discovering hidden opportunities, and takes very little to get set up. It has the potential to help you break free of the evil clutches of Odesk (if you want more power, then don't put all your eggs in one basket) haha.

2. Write down 5 negative things you frequently say about yourself. Now write down reasons why those things aren't true. For instance if you say something like, I can't get hired, then ask yourself if you've ever been hired before. If so, then write it down. I can get hired, and I know it's true because I've done it before! This exercise helps reveal negative assumptions you currently have, and gives you a way to shift them into positive ones.

3. Help someone without asking anything in return. This can be big or small. It doesn't matter. The idea is that you get in a habit of helping people in genuine ways that impact their life. You need to do this every day to make it habit. When you make a habit of impacting lives, then you can create a network really fast, anytime and anywhere. Help people get what they want without asking for what you want, and it comes back around to you in the end.

4. Watch and analyze 2 or 3 television commercials. This seems like a strange exercise, but it's more applicable than you realize. Copywriting includes televised ads, so you may want to watch some commercials and figure out what worked or didn't work. What did you like? What caught your attention? What sucked balls, that could have been improved? This gets you thinking from new angles about what's possible within the realm of copy.

5. Write a commercial script. Again, something to get you moving in a new direction. Most commercial scripts are 1 minute or less. That's about 100 words. Try coming up with a unique script that utilizes some of the techniques you've learned for copywriting. Once you write the script, then be sure to add it to your portfolio so clients know they can use you for other services than just sales letters. If you want to grow, then you have to offer something your competition doesn't.

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That's all for Day 13. I hope you found it helpful in some way.
There's only 2 days left of this sort of copywriting course.
If you haven't taken action yet, then it's time to get
moving! If you're still making excuses, then it's
time to drop them! When you're ready,
continue on to your final lesson on
technique. Day 14, Technique
Lesson
5.​

​

 

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[The Racing Driver]

Finally finished 15 days to Freedom, not in exactly 15 days. But going to go over it again (it's incredible how fast you forget things).

Thanks so much Lex for all your contribution.

Anyhow, if you're looking to start the challenge (do it).

You can simply download the doc file I put together, with the 15 days of the challenge.

You'll save a boatload of time searching for Sinister's posts, and get closer to the freedom you desire. Even quicker....

Good Luck !

 

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