videos – Freelance Co-op Online

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Why do we resist doing what we need to do? Linda Perry joins our group to talk about how our mind gets in the way of our most important freelancing moments — and what to do about it! For more from Linda, check out the “Mindset First” podcast on your preferred podcast platform!

Prerna and Mayank cover exactly how to come up with, create, and even price service packages!

A-List Copywriter Marcella Allison breaks down one of her longest-running controls. As you may know, a control is a piece of copy you write once and that continues to bring in royalties until another piece of copy can beat its conversion rate. In Marcella’s case, the control we’re talking about has been running for 11…

3 Simple Strategies to Accurately Estimate Project Timelines, Eliminate Scope Creep, and Stop Undercharging For Your Creative Client Projects

Mike Michalowicz joins us to talk about his process for creating a profitable business from the start.

Make Q4 your 2019 “On Ramp” Live Workshop replay from October 4, 2019

Abbey sat down with copywriter and marketing consultant Ross O’Lochlainn to talk about the unique way he structures his client agreements. For Ross, it all started with a question, “What would you do if you only got paid when your client got results?” We talk about: [02:19] Where to find the most money in any deal…

I have been known to say that I think customer avatars are bullshit. The reason is that most people approach it completely wrong. That’s why I was so excited to sit down and chat with Allison Carpio about her novel approach to finding and understanding your customer on the deepest level. This is a must…

Do you ever feel like you’re just guessing when it comes to your project fees? That’s exactly what this video is all about. I brought in Branko Mijatovic, founder of LearntoQuote.com to walk through exactly how to come up with prices that make sense and aren’t made up. We cover: [04:01] Why freelancers are usually terrible…

One of the biggest expenses for a service-based business like copywriting is payment processing. As a result, people try some tricky stuff to avoid the fees. There are good options for payment processing that help you have control of your money while minimizing the fees. In the video below, I cover: 3 things to avoid…

Can you take off every Friday? Can you work 4 hours a day? Can you demand clients ONLY communicate with you via fax? I’d like to put these questions to rest once and for all. Check out this short video for the limitations copywriters have in their demands. (Transcript is available below) [VIDEO TRANSCRIPT] I want…

I am not a graphic designer. But, I have a lot of needs for nice looking documents and images. In this tutorial, Iï¿½ll show you how I use a freemium program called Canva to create professional looking designs quickly and without spending a lot of money. Hereï¿½s just a few things I use Canva for:…

The promise of Business of Copy is that as I apply new lessons and techniques to my business, you’ll get them, too. Recently, I had a $24,000 upfront fee plus royalties accepted by a client. Here’s the exact proposal I used, broken down for you.

The best productivity hack is a healthy brain and body. But, as copywriters, it’s difficult for us to create routine and systems to keep ourselves healthy. Dr. Isaac Jones sat down (rather, stood up) with us to talk about why our career makes change difficult, and how to set small things in motion for big…

A question I get every time I present systems, is “Where do I find a project manager or assistant to do this for me?” My project manager happens to also be my husband. Unfortunately for you, to my knowledge there aren’t any other project managers hiding under the covers of my bed. So, since I’m…

Recurring charges are tricky buggers. Sometimes you forget about them, sometimes you overpay for services you don’t even use, and sometimes you have downtime because you innocently forgot to update credit card information. Here’s a simple solution you can use with a team (or by yourself) to keep on top of all the subscriptions, dues,…

Setting up your legal foundations correctly means that you’ll have a lot less to worry about as you do business. This is exactly why I brought in attorney Gordon Firemark to discuss what important (and even what’s not). In this training, we’ll go beyond the templates and talk about legal basics every business owner or…

It’s no secret that my first big client was New York Times’ Best-Selling author Ramit Sethi. One of the most powerful lessons I learned from Ramit (and there were many) is the power of automation when it comes to finances. Here’s how it works:

Remember in middle school when your teachers attempted to make not smoking, safe sex, and avoiding drugs cool and hip by “trying to speak the language” That’s how I feel when I write about taxes and financial accounting. “No guys, seriously, protection is cool! Your business will still feel just as good! SERIOUSLY, do you…

Transitioning from writer to chief can be a tough one. While we write, we often rely on instincts — chiefing requires us to break those instincts into repeatable processes. It’s not unlike why great players often make bad coaches. From the article: “As you get better and better at what you do, your ability to…

Some copywriters preach putting your prices on your website. I’m not one of those for the following reasons: Yes, each project is different. Even a funnel of the same size has different requirements depending on the team size, customer research available, previous content, etc. Too many snap judgments are made if price is the first…

When I was 12, my momma gave me advice that made me rich (richer than your average teenager anyway). I still follow that advice today and so can you to get more (and more enthusiastic!) referrals. Thanks, mom! And, a pretty graphic to go along with it:

Positioning, Copy reviews, Mentorship – Copy Chief The mantra of Business of Copy is that you need 3 things to be successful in copywriting 1) Write good copy, 2) Find clients, and 3) Run your business. BoC is where you go for #3. For #1 and #2, there’s no better place than Copy Chief. I…

A different kind of pricing training today… A few months ago, we watched this video: And we bought $64 worth of the “rarest coffee in the world.” Was it worth it? Here’s the result: So what did we learn? Turns out, quite a lot. First, I’m a sucker for scarcity and something about the…

We all know we need to plan. Some of us even do it. But, most of us have trouble executing our plan — despite our best intentions. When I discovered Dave Ruel’s ProductivAction method, I knew I had to get him inside the Freelance Co-op. This has truly been a game changer for how I…

We say it at least 4 times during the interview: “NOBODY follows up!” By employing just one of the simple strategies Casey Stanton reveals in the video below, you can: Get ROI on any event you attend Form long-term friendships that are worth more than money Get more referrals, more repeat business, and happier clients.…

Many times as copywriters we’re also asked to be project managers. At the very least, we have to manage our own time and calendars. And during big projects like launches, this can seem like a monumentous task. In the video below, I discuss how to handle large product launches with considerations like how to: Communicate…

Brian Kurtz, in addition to working with all of the top copywriters in the world, mailing billions (yes, with a “b”) of pieces of direct mail, and working in direct response for over 30 years…. is also one of my most influential mentors. I was so honored to have him stop by and chat with…

Clay Hebert and Joey Coleman call it The “Carpe Defect” moment. This is the moment in our business where we’ve messed up. Missed a deadline. Let something slip through the cracks erektile-dysfunktion-at.com. Pissed off the client. It’s here we have one of two results: Destroy the client relationship. OR Use the opportunity to make the…

Over time, I’ve learned that certain phrases signal an impending disaster. Some of them sound innocent, but can reveal serious problems with the project, the client, or the product. I reveal them all (and what they really mean) here: And just in case you forget, here’s all the phrases to watch out for (print…

Clients are funny people. After days or weeks of unanswered emails, they pick the one day you’ve decided to unplug. Or they respond at 6p.m. on a Friday about something you don’t want to answer until Monday. And then, their email gets buried. And by Tuesday they are irritated that you’re not responsive. Or… you…

Do you consider yourself shy or introverted? Do you get insanely nervous when speaking to prospective clients? Do you hate “mingling” at live events? Then for you, this could be the most valuable training on this site. Most of my clients can be traced back to a drink at a hotel bar after a conference.…

Have you ever found yourself caught in a seemingly endless email chain trying to simply schedule a meeting with a client or colleague — particularly if they’re in a different time zone (or continent)? End the back and forth with this awesome tool. Here’s how we use it.

There are few things that make a copywriter (or any freelancer for that matter), cringe as much as “what do you charge?” We all know it’s coming on every single call but we still get a little pit in our stomach when we have to answer. After hundreds of prospect calls, I’ve made nearly every…

Before I grew enough to use the capabilities of a project management tool like 17Hats, the Harvest App was the software I used daily. It’s a great “starter program” for invoicing, time tracking, and planning. Benefits: You can time track, even toggling between projects (or phases of projects) really easily It’s intuitive to use Sending…

On this site, you’ll rarely see the words “always” or “never” But this is an exception. You should never go into a prospect call blind. You should always be prepared with both questions and comments about what your prospect is up to. And it doesn’t have to take long. Here’s how to create a “one-pager”…

Often a client will write copy for you on a call. But getting every call transcribed was prohibitively expensive for me. That is until I found Rev.com. Check it out:

17hats is the “Command Center” of my freelance business. We can create custom, automatic workflows for each client. Load up our templates and send them automatically. For example, once our contract is signed, the invoice goes out instantly (without having to touch anything). It also emails reminders when things are past due or when I…

A while back, I set a goal to get better testimonials from clients. I had very few “working” testimonials, i.e. ones that I could publish on my website. So here’s what I did: First, I just emails clients asking if they had anything they wanted to share. 0% response rate on that. Note, that during…

I couldn’t figure out why I had so much trouble getting my shit together. I tried every calendar app, setting reminders, and even hired a project manager. What the fuck is wrong with me that I can’t stick to a simple schedule? And then I saw this article: Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule And it made…

Software Programs We Use Easy landing pages Leadpages Graphic Design Canva Automatic Password Management Lastpass Time tracking, invoicing Harvest Project management/workflow/bookkeeping 17hats Autoscheduling Acuity Scheduling Planning Effic ProductivAction Planner Electronic Signatures Hellosign Auto-followup Followup Then Payment Processor Stripe Transcription Rev.com Meetings Zoom Voice Tools Tone Analyzer Cadence Tool Voice Book

Dan Martell has been one of my biggest business mentors. He’s pushed me to do scary things. He’s kept me from ruining what I have. And he’s connected me to huge projects and clients. We riffed for a half hour on: How to protect your confidence as a business owner How to find mentors and…

A great way to close out a project on a high note is to send your client a thank you gift. This can range from a $10 gift card to dinner reservations, all the way up to a higher-end gift for large projects. In the video below, Abbey walks you through her process for discovering…

Live events are my natural habitat. All of my clients can be traced back to a drink at a hotel bar somewhere. In this training, I walk through my 3-step criteria for deciding what events to attend and then what to do (and what not to do) once I get there to make an impression…