🤓 Remote work vs in-office

Happy Wednesday! December 21st is the winter solstice, which means the days will officially start getting longer from tomorrow onward. #TYJesus 🙌

Something else you’ll notice from tomorrow onward: we’re taking off for a short holiday break. We’ll be back in your inbox on January 3rd. It’s been a big year for The Gig, but we’ve got even bigger things planned for 2023.

Thanks for riding with us. See you next year!

Discussed in today’s newsletter: Remote employees, Google, Meta, and Twitter. Plus the most dangerous number in business, a hallmark of high-performers, and the one false belief pro copywriters can’t afford.

Read time: 3 minutes and 26 seconds

Making the Rounds

Do remote workers become less engaged over time? One of the biggest concerns executives have about a permanent shift to remote work is engagement. Many feel there’s no comparison to working in the office with your colleagues. But is that true? Read this to discover what Harvard Business Review found when they dug into the data.

Meta and Google lose market share in digital ad spend. With TikTok and Amazon surging, the two online ad powerhouses combined for less than 50% of all U.S. digital advertising for the first time since 2014.

Elon is on the hunt for a new Twitter CEO. According to CNBC, the search for someone to replace Musk as Chief Twit was ongoing before his recent poll. But with Tesla stock sliding more than 30% since he bought Twitter, Elon’s sure to be feeling the heat to find his replacement quickfast.

Working With Clients

Why This Is the Most Dangerous Number in Business

One big advantage of freelancing is being able to diversify your income streams.

There’s a reason they say “one” is the most dangerous number in business…

Because if you rely exclusively on…

One traffic source
One ad account
Or one client

… for all of your income, then you’re in a very precarious place.

And it wouldn’t take much to knock you off your perch.

So…

A word to the wise:

Avoid relying on one client for 100% of your income.

Aim to have at least two — this way you have something to fall back on if things go sideways with Client #1.

Plus, as you build your track record…

The list of clients you’ve worked with in the past will grow…

Which can also serve as a back-up plan if you need to drum up work.

Working For Yourself

If ‘Ifs’ and ‘Buts’ Were Candy and Nuts

One of the hallmarks of high-performers in any arena is a high say-do ratio.

When they say they’re gonna do something…

They do it.

Plain and simple.

No ifs, ands, or buts.

Following through on what you SAY you’re gonna do builds confidence and centers your locus of control.

So if you keep saying you’re gonna…

– apply to more freelance jobs

– start doing cold outreach

– post more on social media

– find a mentor

– go to a live event

– grow your network

– raise your rates

– etc etc etc

Then do it.

Prove to yourself you are in control.

And save the excuses for later.

From The Copywriting Gig

The One False Belief Pro Copywriters Can’t Afford

FACT:

If writing ads, emails, landing pages, or any other type of sales copy is how you put food on the table…

You can’t afford to have writer’s block.

Simple as splat.

It’s not that it doesn’t exist…

It’s just that professional copywriters don’t waste their time with it.

They don’t let it occupy a shred of mental real estate.

As Steven Pressfield wrote in The War of Art, “I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o’clock sharp.”

So here some tips to help you create content consistently and never miss a deadline:

Set a timer
Create an outline
Review other things you’ve written
Start at the bottom and work your way up
Come up with the idea before you sit down to write

The more time you spend thinking about it beforehand, the easier it will be to write.

Gig Alerts

Looking for clients? These freelance jobs were posted on Upwork in the last 24 hours:

Featured Newsletter

Every Friday, the Bootstrapped Founder Newsletter features proven tactics to help you launch, build, and grow your business based on the experiences of Arvid Kahl, author of Zero to Sold and founder of FeedbackPanda.

You’ll learn how to build an engaged audience, how to monetize it, and how to leverage “building in public” to become a recognized expert in your field.

If you want sketchy “hacks,” it’s not for you.

But if you want honest, practical, effective advice to build a real business serving real people, you’re going to love it.

Click here to subscribe for free today.

Quote of the Day

“Rest time is not waste time. It is economy to gather fresh strength… It is wisdom to take occasional furlough. In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less.”

— Charles Spurgeon

In Case You Missed It:

Monday: 🤬 12 ways to deal with difficult clients
Tuesday: 📊 Freelance explosion