Happy Wednesday! Looking to land more clients on Upwork? You can swipe our proven fill-in-the-blanks proposal template by sharing the newsletter with a friend. Just copy this link to start sharing.
Mentioned in today’s newsletter: Amazon, Meta, TikTok, Gen Z, and millennials. Plus 3 client red flags to avoid, and one simple way to spice up your copy.
Read time: 1 minute and 51 seconds
Making the Rounds
Amazonâs ad business grew 19% in Q4 2022. The ecommerce king is gaining market share in the digital advertising space while Metaâs ad revenue has dropped for 3 straight quarters.
TikTok adds 4 new ways to turn organic content into ads. The new features are designed to help brands and small businesses boost organic content, similar to Facebook and Instagram.
57% of Gen Z and 42% of millennials prefer short-form video. Itâs no secret that short-form video content is crushing it these days, and this new 5-step guide from HubSpot helps explain why.
NOTE: We only share job postings from Upwork. Weâve found it to be the most trustworthy platform with the highest-quality clients.
Furthermore, job postings must be for high-income skills like copywriting, media buying, funnel building, graphic design, remote closing, etc in order to qualify.
Quote of the Day
âHow you climb a mountain is more important than reaching the top.â
â Yvon Chouinard
Be kind and respectful to everyone you meet along the way.
Happy Friday! Friendly reminder that weâre handing out virtual high fives to everyone who completes this short feedback survey. We want to know what youâd like to see less of and more of in the newsletter going forward. And a special shout-out to all those whoâve already filled it out! We appreciate you đ
Mentioned in todayâs edition: Meta, Amazon, TikTok, and IMDB. Plus perception hacking for fun & profit, why you should forget work/life balance and focus on this instead, and the surprisingly simple reason most paid ad campaigns lose money.
Read time: 4 minutes and 13 seconds
Making the Rounds
Meta fined over $400M for serving personalized ads in the E.U. Irelandâs Data Protection Commission not only dropped a whopping 9-figure fine on Zuck and co., but then went one step further and said the company is breaking E.U. privacy laws by serving targeted ads based on online activity.
Amazon lays off 18,000 workers. Turns out a surging ad business isnât enough to protect the king of ecommerce from a wider downturn in the economy. Amazonâs CEO Andy Jaffy announced theyâre laying off a total of 18,000 employees in an internal memo, the biggest cut in company history.
TikTok launches new feature enabling TV and movie tagging directly in videos. The feature, powered by data from IMDB, lets users link up to 5 titles in a single video. Each link drives to a dedicated in-app page with movie info and a collection that links to the same title.
Working With Clients
Perception Hacking For Fun & Profit
Perception is everything.
And how prospects perceive you can make or break the deal.
Especially if youâre brand new and lacking credibility.
So hereâs a simple tip to help position yourself as a real professionalâŚ
Set up a business email to communicate with clients.
Not only does this make you look more trustworthyâŚ
But maintaining some separation between church and state (aka your personal and professional lives) can help you turn off when itâs time to stop working.
So, hereâs how to get your business email set up:
You can also set up a custom signature with a headshot and links to your social media profiles.
Either way, point is:
Highly-paid professionals use business emails.
So if youâre new to the game, donât be afraid to make a small investment to look professional.
Itâs low-risk and high-reward.
Working For Yourself
Forget Work/Life Balance and Focus On This Instead
We talk about work/life balance a lot here in the newsletter.
Because even though weâve got (very) big plans for where we want to take this business⌠and are acutely aware of the many sacrifices this will takeâŚ
Itâs a top priority for all of us here at Gig HQ to make time for life aside from work.
We arenât like some of the other entrepreneur types youâve probably seen on social mediaâŚ
You know the ones â they get up at 5 AM, take cold showers, never drink alcohol, read 7 books a week, and are somehow *always* starting a new cycle of 75 HardâŚ
And to be clear, no judgment from us â thatâs just not our idea of living a fulfilling life.
Itâs also why we wanted to share a powerful mindset shift we came across recently from 8-figure entrepreneur Keala KanaeâŚ
Here it is:
Stop focusing on âwork/life balanceâ and start focusing on âwork/life integration.â
You see, the word âbalanceâ implies your work and your life are at addsâŚ
When really, they should be working in synergy to manifest all the things you want for yourselfâŚ
Like total control over your schedule and your incomeâŚ
The ability to travel, take extended time off, and have lots of funâŚ
Not to mention the opportunity to work on things that excite you and give you purpose.
Labels are powerful.
So while it may feel like your work and your life ARE battling each other sometimesâŚ
The next time these feelings resurface, try reframing this concept in your mind to focus on how one enables the otherâŚ
Instead of how one obstructs the other.
You can have your cake and eat it too!
From The Paid Ads Gig
The Surprisingly Simple Reason Why So Many Paid Ad Campaigns Lose Money
One of the most important acronyms in direct response marketing is L.O.C.
This stands for:
List, Offer, Copy.
Itâs kinda like Maslowâs Hierarchy of Needs, except for selling stuff to strangers.
In this case, itâs a Hierarchy of Influence.
And while it originally came from direct mailâŚ
Where marketers back in the day would rent lists of names to mail their promotions toâŚ
The concept applies to paid ads too.
For example:
Butcher Box might have the greatest offer of all time and the worldâs most brilliant ad to sell itâŚ
But if they put those two things in front of a vegan audience, the response is gonna be crickets.
(or worse, lol)
Thatâs why the âlistâ is #1 in the Hierarchy of Influence.
And one aspect of nailing the list that many marketers tend to miss isâŚ
Using negative keywords and custom audience exclusions to filter their traffic properly.
Negative keywords are strictly for search-based ad campaignsâŚ
While custom audience exclusions can be used on almost all big advertising platforms.
But regardless of where youâre buying traffic, the principle is the same.
Keeping the wrong people OUT is just as important as getting the right people in.
So donât forget to audit your negative keywords and exclusions on a regular basisâŚ
Because it can often be the difference between a winning and losing campaign.
Gig Alerts
Looking for clients? These freelance jobs were posted on Upwork in the last 24 hours:
Happy Friday! âTis the season for holiday traditions. Do you have a favorite? Hit reply and let us know. Ours is a creamy vanilla spiced eggnog and rum. Try this recipe if youâre in the mood for a little extra holiday cheer.
Mentioned in todayâs edition: Amazon, TikTok, Google Trends, and the H-1B Visa Program. Plus 11 ways to get more clients on Upwork, why you should forget the 4-hour workweek and do this instead, and how to keep low ROAS away.
Read time: 3 minutes and 24 seconds
Making the Rounds
Amazon launches TikTok-like features within its app to accelerate social shopping. The new feature, called Inspire, will show users a continuous feed of photos and videos featuring products that they could then buy through the app. Beta tested by in-house staff, the feature is now available to select customers with a nation-wide rollout coming soon.
Google has released their annual Year in Search report with an added hyper-local twist. As with years past you can see what the top global search trends were (Wordle beating out Queen Elizabeth was not something we saw coming) but this year you can get as granular as knowing what a given zip code was searching for (âquick pancakesâ in my neighborhoodâs case đĽ).
Recent tech layoffs have left thousands of H-1B visa holders stranded and scared. Itâs been a rough fall and early winter for tech workers, as more than 144,000 have lost their jobs. Many experts believe H-1B visa holders make up between 10%-30% of those lost jobs, meaning thousands are scrambling to find a new work sponsor within the 60 day window.
Working With Clients
11 Ways to Land More Clients On Upwork in 2022
Whether youâre new to freelancing or a seasoned vetâŚ
Upwork is one of our favorite places to find clients.
It lets you filter for paying clients who are looking to hire ASAPâŚ
And in our experience, many 7-figure and 8-figure business owners actually PREFER to hire from a freelancing platform like Upwork vs a direct referral.
Why?
Because they can evaluate your track record, look at past reviews, and see how you stack up against the competition.
Not to mentionâŚ
For business owners without a strong network, freelancing platforms like Upwork are sometimes the only option.
So, if youâre looking to land more gigs on the platformâŚ
Check out this article for 11 ways to win more business:
Each week, we ask hundreds of growth leaders which advanced tactics are working for them. Then we share those insights with you.
We turn learnings from our agency into written growth content. Then our 50,000-strong community improves the learnings with real-world examples and data. Once the tactics are proven, they become part of our newsletter.
Find out why 60,000+ founders, marketers, and startups rely on us to grow.
Happy Tuesday! If the colder weather and lack of sunlight have got you feeling a little blue, youâre not alone. So hereâs something to cheer you up: only 23 days remain until the days start getting longer again.
And better still, the earliest sunset this year actually takes place on December 7. Meaning the days will start feeling longer after that, even though the winter solstice isnât until December 21. Almost there!
Mentioned in todayâs edition: Black Friday, Walmart, Amazon, and college degrees. Plus the benefits of a proven step-by-step system, a simple selling methodology to get more money, influence, and loyalty, and how to give yourself a pay cut if youâre an international freelancer.
Read time: 3 minutes and 13 seconds
Making the Rounds
Black Friday 2022 sets new online sales record. According to data from Adobe Analytics, consumers spent a record-setting $9.12 billion dollars on Black Friday, inflation be damned.
More employers are dropping the requirement for a college degree. Companies including Google, IBM, and Delta Airlines are shifting their focus away from college degrees and towards skills and specialized knowledge when it comes to hiring. Yet another reason why freelancing multiplies your options, even if you didnât go to college.
Walmart tops Amazon in search for Black Friday discounts. In a surprising loss of search share, Amazon ranked 4th in this yearâs Black Friday searches, falling behind Walmart, Target, and Kohlâs.
Working With Clients
When You Got That Proven Step-By-Step System
Struggling to land higher-paying clients?
One trick that could turn the tide is refining (and articulating) your step-by-step system.
You see, most top tier clients arenât willing to risk a 5-figure fee on a freelancer theyâve never worked with beforeâŚ
⌠Unless youâre able to build a mountain of trust.
And while testimonials and case studies do have a part to playâŚ
How can a prospective client be sure their project will turn out like the ones featured on your testimonial or reviews page?
This is where your unique system or method comes in.
When you have a consistent and methodical way for producing results for every clientâŚ
Youâre giving them reason to believe you can produce similar results for them.
Which is key.
Ultimately, you should be able to walk them through exactly how youâre going to deliver the work, step-by-stepâŚ
Because thatâs a mark of a seasoned vet.
No matter what skill, niche, or sector youâre in.
So make sure to walk them through it during the interview process, on the sales call, and again during the onboarding or kickoff call.
Pro tip: keep it simple and stick to 3-5 steps or pillars.
Working For Yourself
Want More Money, Influence, and Loyalty From Your Clients? Try This
Direct response marketing is a double-edged sword.
On the one hand, itâs tailor-made to produce profits out of thin air by persuading people to act â NOW.
But on the other handâŚ
Studies show anywhere from 80-95% of buyers in your market are not ready to buy right away.
So how you can design a marketing strategy that speaks to them too?
Enter âsocial selling.â
In the video below from 7-figure copywriter Alex CattoniâŚ
Youâll discover how to leverage this alternative selling strategy to get more money, influence, and loyalty from your clients.
Happy Halloween! Welcome back to The Gig â the daily email helping freelancers scare up more clients, revenue, and freedom.
Mentioned in this edition: Twitter, Elon Musk, Microsoft, and Amazon. Plus one mistake to avoid if you want to build a resilient freelance business, 5 ways to optimize your workspace, and how to activate the âSugarman Effectâ to get more leads and sales.
Read time: 3 minutes and 9 seconds
Together with AdSkills
Why Most Freelance Copywriters Fail to Launch Their Own Offer
Mastering high-income skills multiplies your options. You can apply them for clients or for yourself. And thatâs one of the big reasons why so many freelancers get into copywriting â so they can launch their own offer one day. But hereâs the problem: you still need traffic. And unless youâve got a massive audience on social media, that means learning how to run paid ads.
Luckily, thatâs where AdSkills comes in. They represent the gold standard in paid traffic training. Which is why 9-figure companies like ClickFunnels, DigitalMarketer, and VShred rely on AdSkills courses to train their media buyers. So if you want to learn how to write killer ads, craft campaigns that convert, and scale your offer to the moon on Facebook, TikTok, or YouTube, click here to try a free AdSkills class today.
Making the Rounds
Elon Musk completes $44B Twitter takeover. He didnât wait long to start making his presence felt, either, firing the companyâs CEO, CFO, and head of legal counsel, and announcing the formation of a new content moderation council.
Microsoft working to build their own Performance Max ad platform. The new platform will mirror Googleâs Performance Max, which lets advertisers access all available placements from a single campaign.
Amazon fires 150 people from its Amp Live radio division. The app lets users broadcast their own radio shows, but after a weak Q3 earnings report, the company has slashed headcount to reduce expenses.
Working With Clients
Avoid Making This Mistake if You Want to Build a Resilient Freelance Business
One big advantage of freelancing is being able to diversify your income streams.
Thereâs a reason they say âoneâ is the most dangerous number in businessâŚ
Because if you rely exclusively onâŚ
One traffic source
One ad account
Or one client
⌠for all of your income, then youâre in a very precarious place.
And it wouldnât take much to knock you off your perch.
SoâŚ
A word to the wise:
Avoid relying on one client for 100% of your income.
Aim to have at least two â this way you have something to fall back on if things go sideways with Client #1.
Plus, as you build your track recordâŚ
The list of clients youâve worked with in the past will growâŚ
Which can also serve as a back-up plan if you need to drum up work.
Working For Yourself
Do These 5 Things to Optimize Your Workspace
Whether you work at home, in an office, or at a co-working spaceâŚ
Your workspace can have a huge effect on your focus, creativity, and productivity.
Fortunately, our favorite neurobiologist Dr. Andrew Huberman recently put together a short guide with 5 simple and science-based steps to optimize your workspace.
Activate the âSugarman Effectâ to Get More Leads and Sales
Looking to level up your copywriting chops?
Smooth transitions are what separate crappy copy from A-List material.
Thatâs why legendary copywriter Joe Sugarman coined the concept of the âslippery slide.â Ideally, your copy should be so easy to read that the reader literally slides down to the end without even trying.
And just like learning your ABCs for the first timeâŚ
The best way to master this is by reading your copy out loud.
Then smooth out anything that sounds funny or feels abrupt with transition phrases like:
In fact
Because
Thatâs why
In other words
What this means is
Treat everything like a script and youâll be cranking out polished copy in no time.
Gig Alerts
Looking for clients? These freelance jobs were posted on Upwork in the last 24 hours:
Good newsletters are hard to find. Here are a few of our favorites:
Evergreen by NurtureKit: Evergreen helps creators, coaches, and consultants use email marketing automation to convert subscribers into customers without the headache of tech.
Web3 Daily: Web3 and crypto news, translated into plain English.
The Growth Newsletter: Breaking down the tactics fast-growing startups use to grow. Step-by-step. For free. Every week.
Quote of the Day
“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.”
Happy Wednesday! Donât forget to check out todayâs Gig Alerts section if youâre looking for more clients.
Mentioned in this edition: Amazon, Venmo, Twitter, Meta, and Google. Plus what makes an ideal client, a surprisingly simple technique to grow your freelance biz, and how to sell a high-ticket course in 15 words or less.
Read time: 5 minutes and 11 seconds
Together with AdSkills
When They Find Out Youâre AdSkills Certified
Most certifications arenât worth the paper theyâre printed on. But not AdSkills. Their Matchmaker program generates high-quality inbound leads for media buyers of all experience levels. It doesnât matter whether youâre brand new or a seasoned vet. Once you graduate, youâll have the chance to apply for real gigs with legit clients whoâve specifically requested an AdSkills media buyer.
As an AdSkills member, not only will you learn how to launch & scale paid ad campaigns, but youâll also get the stamp of approval that 9-figure companies like ClickFunnels, DigitalMarketer, and VShred look for when hiring freelancers. So if youâre looking for a new high-income skill to add to your freelance toolkit, click here to try a free class today.
Making the Rounds
Amazon launching new Venmo payment option for Black Friday. The update is already being rolled out to select users, with all U.S. accounts able to use the popular payments to check out on Amazon by November 25.
65% of U.S. shoppers are planning to spend less this Christmas. Looks like inflation, rising gas and food prices, and fear of a recession are putting a dent in consumersâ shopping appetite this holiday season. New research from YouTube advertising company Channel Factory found that a majority of shoppers are planning to spend less at Christmas this year, with 57% reporting that price is the main factor.
Twitter employees flee to Meta and Google in anticipation of Elon takeover. Over 500 employees have left the company in the past 90 days, with many going to Meta and Google according to a new report.
Working With Clients
âSo The New Funnel Isnât Converting Just YetâŚâ
If youâre just starting out as a freelancerâŚ
Itâs natural to try and sign anyone with a pulse and a credit card as a client.
But thatâs a big mistake.
Hereâs whyâŚ
Marketing and advertising can be boiled down to taking financial risks on creative ideas.
Some of them pan out.
Some of them donât.
In fact, itâs normal to have to iterate 3-5+ times on an angle, offer, or marketing campaign before you find a winner.
But if youâre working with a client whoâs never hired a freelancer to produce any marketing assets for them beforeâŚ
Or someone whoâs never spent a dime on paid adsâŚ
The odds of them having unrealistic expectations are sky high.
Which means youâll have a hard time satisfying them unless you hit out of the park on your first at-bat.
SoâŚ
Aim to work with clients who understand (and have experience with) marketing and advertising.
People who understand you have to spend money to make moneyâŚ
That having a great offer matters more than having great copyâŚ
That you need to âbuyâ data through testing before you can optimize your campaignsâŚ
And that even the best copywriters and media buyers in the world donât hit home runs every time.
Now you may have to work a little harder to find and land clients like thisâŚ
But itâs an investment that will pay off big time in the long run.
Working For Yourself
Surprisingly Simple Technique to Grow Your Freelance Biz
Before someone will hire you to do a job, they have to know (or at least believe) that you can actually do the job.
And if youâre running a freelance businessâŚ
This gap of awareness is much easier to bridge if you do it in advance.
How?
By building your network and getting to know other people in your industry.
Thereâs a reason they say your network is your net worth.
Because the more people knowâŚ
1 – Who you are
2 – What you can do
⌠the more opportunities youâll get.
Plain and simple.
And if youâre worried about âthe competitionâ or anyone else who provides the same service as you do..
Consider this:
There is SO much more work out there than there are competent people who can do it.
The amount of people who have both skill and the will to pursue the same goals as you do is so small that it doesnât even matter.
The closer you get to the top, the smaller the world gets.
Here are a few ways to get started:
– Join free communities focused around a specific niche or skill
– Build relationships with other service providers on social media
– Buy a product from your favorite content creator to start a more intimate conversation
Bottom line is:
Become a connector and youâll have more opportunities than you know what to do with.
From The Copywriting Gig
How to Sell a High-Ticket Course in 15 Words or Less
WIIFM is one of the most important concepts in copy.
It stands for âwhatâs in it for meâ â a reminder that your readers donât actually care about youâŚ
So if you want to get someoneâs attention, appealing to their self-desire is key.
But according to Gary Halbert, author of the Coat of Arms promo that ran for over 30 years and generated millions of dollars in the 70s and 80s, and someone whoâs often listed as one of the best copywriters of all timeâŚ
Thereâs ONE element of persuasion even more important than self-desire.
Something that can make readers burn through 50 pages of copy in a frenzyâŚ
Something that can turn an underperforming ad or email into a customer-generating machineâŚ
And something that separates pro copywriters from wannabe Don Drapers.
Can you guess what it is?
Iâll give you a hint: itâs not a killer price, money back guarantee, or added bonusâŚ
And itâs got nothing to do with scarcity, urgency, or even storytellingâŚ
Instead, that special something is:
Curiosity.
You seeâŚ
You never want to reveal everything in your ad, email, or sales page right away.
Learn how to talk about something without giving away what it is.
Especially when it comes to writing bullets (also known as âfascinationsâ in copy)…
Because sometimes all it takes is ONE really juicy bullet to hook a readerâŚ
And create a psychological âitchâ they just have to scratch.
(by buying your product, of course đ
Even if itâs a high-ticket info product that costs $2,000 or more.
Ultimately, if your readers arenât curious to discover your secret, hack, trick, tactic, strategy, or 7 magic words to achieve a desired resultâŚ
They wonât be motivated to buy.
A few tips to execute on this:
Talk about what itâs not
Talk about what itâs better than
Talk about what you can do it without
But no matter how you create curiosityâŚ
Just make sure you can actually pay it off inside the product â because thatâs what separates compelling copy from cringy clickbait.
Gig Alerts
Looking for clients? These freelance jobs were posted on Upwork in the last 24 hours:
Happy Wednesday! You know what they say: the early bird catches the worm. But then again, the bird who sleeps in probably feels more rested. Plus maybe theyâre intermittent fasting anyway? Who knows. But whether youâre an early bird or a not-so-early bird, weâve got the latest freelance news fresh off the presses and ready for your reading pleasure.
Mentioned in todayâs edition: Amazon, Alexa, TikTok, Twitter, and Elon Musk. Plus how to make unpaid invoices slightly less painful, when that portfolio site looks tight, and what to do when traditional copy frameworks donât convert.
Read time: 4 minutes and 27 seconds
Together with AdSkills
When Youâre AdSkills Certified, itâs All They Need to Know
Most certifications arenât worth the paper theyâre printed on. But not AdSkills. Their Matchmaker program generates high-quality inbound leads for media buyers of all experience levels. It doesnât matter whether youâre brand new or a seasoned vet. Once you graduate, youâll have the chance to apply for real gigs with legit clients whoâve specifically requested an AdSkills media buyer.
As an AdSkills member, not only will you learn how to launch & scale paid ad campaigns, but youâll also get the stamp of approval that 9-figure companies like ClickFunnels, DigitalMarketer, and VShred look for when hiring freelancers. So if youâre looking for a new high-income skill to add to your freelance toolkit, click here to try a free class today.
Making the Rounds
Alexa users sue Amazon over allegedly using voice recordings to target ads. In their defense, the company claims that while purchases made through Alexa are used to inform interest-based targeting, recordings of conversations are not. Something tells us this will be difficult for either side to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.
TikTok planning to build ecommerce fulfillment network in the U.S. Based on over a dozen new LinkedIn job postings, TikTok is gearing up to build an âinternational ecommerce fulfillment systemâ that could eventually pose a threat to Amazon.
Twitter and Elon Musk almost struck a deal at $50 per share. If it had come together, the deal wouldâve saved Elon roughly 8% on his original $44B offer to buy the company. But the deal reportedly fell through because he was unwilling to accept concessions.
Working With Clients
How to Make Unpaid Invoices Slightly Less Painful
If youâve ever had to chase down a client just to collect on an unpaid invoiceâŚ
Then hereâs a simple tip to soften the blow next time:
Ask for a deposit up front.
It can be 25%, 50%, or even more..
Use your judgment, of course.
But the more established you are (and the bigger the project is), the more you should be asking for up front.
So even if the project drags on, or you have trouble getting the rest of your fee paid in a timely fashionâŚ
At least youâve collected some cash up front.
Plus, if a prospective client scoffs at the idea of putting down a deposit, thatâs a red flag.
Working For Yourself
When That Portfolio Site Looks Tight
One question you may be asking yourself if youâre a new freelancer isâŚ
Do you need a portfolio website?
Especially considering freelance sites like Upwork have built-in portfolio functionalityâŚ
Along with the ability to collect social proof through ratings and reviews.
So hereâs our takeâŚ
Portfolio websites make you look more credible and professional.
They also demonstrate some added overall know-howâŚ
Because to set one up, youâll need to:
Register a domain
Sign up for hosting
Choose a content management system (WordPress, Squarespace, etc)
Set up your website to display your work
Now you may eventually get to the point where you donât need a portfolio site to close dealsâŚ
But in the early going, itâs a great way to position yourself as a true professional.
Plus it doesnât have to cost much to set up.
You can register a domain for less than $20 on NamecheapâŚ
You can sign up for hosting at Siteground for less than $5/moâŚ
And WordPress is free to install.
So even if youâre just getting started in your freelancing careerâŚ
Setting up a portfolio website is well worth the effort.
From The Copywriting Gig
Traditional Copy Frameworks Not Converting? Try This
P-A-S and A-I-D-A arenât the only copywriting frameworks that convert.
The movie industry generated $21.4 billion dollars in 2021.
Hereâs the 5-part storytelling structure behind Star Wars, LOTR, and all your favorite Hollywood movies (and how it applies to selling stuff):
PART 1: Inciting Incident
Think of this as the hook.
Itâs the ONE event that sets the rest of the story in motion.
Letâs use the Matrix as an exampleâŚ
The inciting incident is when Trinity contacts Neo through his computer in The Matrix
Now in the case of a product or serviceâŚ
Itâs usually a high-stakes âtrigger momentâ that brings the problem to the forefront.
– getting dumped – losing your job – having your card declined – ripping your pants in public – etc
PART 2: Progressive Complications
The inciting incident creates an imbalance in the heroâs lifeâŚ
So they try to restore balance.
But this only takes them further from their goal.
Like when the Oracle tells Neo heâs not The One.
For marketersâŚ
This is where the prospect explores other solutions, but continues to fail.
– tries keto, atkins, IF and whole30 but doesnât lose weight – tries trading stocks, crypto, and FX but doesnât make money – tries paid ads but doesnât get clients
PART 3: Crisis
This is the heroâs âdo or dieâ decision point.
After Morpheus is captured, Neo is forced to decide:
Should he let him die or go back into the Matrix and save him?
In an ad or promotion, the decision point is:
Should the prospect continue? Or are they finally ready to give up and abandon themselves to their fate?
– being overweight – being broke – being single – working a 9 to 5 – etc
PART 4: Climax
The climax is the OUTCOME of the crisis decision.
Neo decides to go back into the Matrix and save Morpheus.
For products and servicesâŚ
This is typically the âmoment of discoveryâ where they stumble across the new solution.
– new diet / training program / special nutrient – new trading / investment strategy – new approach to landing clients – etc
PART 5: Resolution
The climax brings the storyâs conflict to an end.
The resolution is what follows.
Neo realizes he is the One & sets out to free more minds.
If youâre writing a sales letter or VSLâŚ
The resolution is what leads your hero to share their solution with others, which creates a âreason whyâ and helps position the offer/solution.
Put this storytelling formula to work next time youâre writing a long-form piece of copy and let us know how it goes.
Gig Alerts
Looking for clients? These freelance jobs were posted on Upwork in the last 24 hours:
Happy Monday! Reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen claimed his second title after winning the Japanese Grand Prix yesterday, with 4 races left to go in the season. Up next on the F1 circuit is the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, which drew a record-breaking 400,000+ fans last year.
Mentioned in todayâs newsletter: Twitter, Elon Musk, Portugal, and Amazon Prime Day 2. Plus one simple way to attract higher-paying clients, a reality check for anyone suffering from shiny object syndrome, and inside jokes for media buyers.
Read time: 4 minutes and 0 seconds
Together with AdSkills
When Youâre AdSkills Certified, itâs All They Need to Know
Most certifications arenât worth the paper theyâre printed on. But not AdSkills. Their Matchmaker program generates high-quality inbound leads for media buyers of all experience levels. It doesnât matter whether youâre brand new or a seasoned vet. Once you graduate, youâll have the chance to apply for real gigs with legit clients whoâve specifically requested an AdSkills media buyer.
As an AdSkills member, not only will you learn how to launch & scale paid ad campaigns, but youâll also get the stamp of approval that 9-figure companies like ClickFunnels, DigitalMarketer, and VShred look for when hiring freelancers. So if youâre looking for a new high-income skill to add to your freelance toolkit, click here to try a free class today.
Making the Rounds
Twitter v Elon Musk trial delayed. Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick chose to grant Elonâs request to delay the trial as the two parties circle back on Muskâs original $44B offer to buy the social media platform, but set a deadline for the deal to close by October 28. If the deal isnât closed, a November trial will be scheduled.
Portugal launches new digital nomad visa. Remote workers earning at least $2,750 per month can apply for the new visa starting on October 30 and stay for a year if approved. Plus, you know what they say: one pastel de nata a day keeps the doctor away.
Amazon Prime Day 2 kicks off the holiday shopping season early. The second Prime Day event of the year takes place on October 11-12, as retailers make a holiday shopping push even earlier than usual due to inflation.
Working With Clients
When a New Prospect Asks if Youâve Got Experience Writing For Their Market
One of the most important ways to specialize as a service provider is by focusing on one of the Big 3 markets:
The Big 3 are:
1) Health
2) Wealth
3) Relationships
These are universal desires we all share.
As markets, theyâre constantly refreshing themselves.
Old consumers exit the market as new consumers enter it.
Now, you can go even deeper by specializing in a sub-market or a nicheâŚ
For example, within health, you could drill down by specializing in keto diets or bodyweight training.
And in wealth, you could specialize in gold and silver investing or penny stocks.
But until youâve built up a big track record, itâs unlikely youâll be able to fill your schedule with client work from just ONE sub-market or nicheâŚ
Thatâs why itâs best to focus on the market instead.
Itâs broad enough to offer a ton of opportunities, but specific enough to give you an advantage as a specialist.
So decide which one youâre most interested in or have the most experience withâŚ
And turn it into your specialty.
Not only will this help you attract higher-paying clients and charge more for your servicesâŚ
But youâll also save time on researchâŚ
So you can increase your output and your income.
Working For Yourself
Donât Be Fooled By the Online Biz Guruâs Company Line
Everyone you meet in life is selling you âtheir wayâ â whether they realize it or not.
But donât forget there are lots of different ways to reach your destination.
Especially in online business.
As Rich Schefren says, itâs all about tradeoffs vs payoffs.
For example:
With ecommerce and affiliate marketing, the results can be quickâŚ
But youâll need startup capital to fund your paid traffic costsâŚ
And youâll need to navigate the steep learning curve of how to run paid ads at a profitâŚ
Otherwise you could lose it all.
Plus the margins are typically on the low end, around 15-20%.
With service-based businesses like freelancing, coaching, consulting, or agenciesâŚ
You can start landing clients and getting paid with virtually ZERO startup costsâŚ
The margins are much higherâŚ
But that means investing time on cold outreach and freelancing platformsâŚ
Always being on the hunt for the next clientâŚ
Plus now youâre on call + have to be available for meetings, answering emails and DMs, etc.
Donât get us wrong â both businesses can be wildly profitable.
Ultimately though, you have to decide what your priorities are and what youâre willing to sacrifice to achieve them.
Because no business model is all upside.
And measuring yourself based on the games other people play is a recipe for unhappiness.
Figure out what game YOU want to play and commit to it all the way.
From The Paid Ads Gig
Inside Jokes For Media Buyers
Coming up with killer ad ideas doesnât always require creative genius.
You just have to be savvy enough to save a great ad when you see one in the wild.
Add one new ad to your swipe file every day and youâll never lack for creative ideas.
Whether itâs going to the Facebook Ad Library and checking in on your favorite advertisers (because you do keep a list of them, right?)…
Or simply grabbing a screenshot when you see a killer ad in your news feedâŚ.
Happy Friday! A new paper from the World Bank warns a global recession could be triggered with countries like the U.S., U.K., and Canada all tightening their fiscal policies at the same time.
And with inflation staying persistently high stateside while it climbs even higher across the pond, we may find out sooner rather than later. So on that cheery note, letâs get into it.
Mentioned in todayâs edition: Amazon, Microsoft, and railroad workers. Plus a PSA for freelancers, 24 proven ways to make an extra $1k per month, and our next split-test.
Read time: 3 minutes and 34 seconds
Making the Rounds
Amazon launches Tailored Audiences email marketing program. The new free program lets merchants mail their customers through Amazon. Itâs currently in beta, but the company aims to have it rolled out to all U.S. users by early next year.
Microsoft announces multimedia ads for Search. The product team over at Microsoft Advertising must be working overtime, because theyâve rolled out a slew of updates over the past few weeks. The latest is multimedia ads for Search: advertisers can now run ads that incorporate images and videos as part of their Search campaigns.
President Biden announces railroad strike averted. The deal was reached after a marathon 20 straight hours of negotiating, and will help keep goods from ecommerce websites like Amazon flowing.
Working With Clients
A Public Service Announcements For Freelancers Who Miss Deadlines
Want to know the easiest way to stand out as a freelancer?
Best part is, itâs got nothing to do with skills, experience, or track record.
All it takes is being able to manage yourself effectively.
By now, youâve probably guessed itâŚ
Donât miss deadlines. Ever.
It sounds simple, we know â but trust us⌠getting your work in on time will instantly set you apart from the competition.
Donât believe it? Try hiring a freelancer and see for yourself.
And if you find yourself struggling to hit deadlines you setâŚ
Hereâs what to do:
Do a time audit on your next project
Add 24-48 hours on top
Use that as your next deadline
Once youâve got a grip on how long each task or project takes you on averageâŚ
You shouldnât have any trouble hitting deadlines.
Working For Yourself
24 Proven Ways to Make an Extra $1,000 Per Month
Freelancing is one of the easiest side hustles to get started with.
Thereâs no overhead and you can spend as little or as much time on it as you want.
But once your freelance biz becomes your main hustleâŚ
You may want to find a new side hustle to work on in your spare time.
We like to think of it this way:
Side hustles are stomping grounds for accelerating your skills.
Having skin in the game totally transforms the way you approach a project.
And if your end goal is to build something of your ownâŚ
Itâs never too early to get started.
But there are a ton of options when it comes to picking a side hustle.
If youâre on the hunt for one that meets your criteria for both lifestyle and income goalsâŚ
Tracking pixels need to be âfedâ lots of data to optimize.
Itâs what makes them such a powerful marketing toolâŚ
Because they get smarter and smarter over time.
Only problem isâŚ
Since iOS 14, tracking pixels have gotten dumber.
Especially when theyâre fresh out of the box and yet to be seasoned with hundreds or thousands of conversions.
And platforms like Meta and Google keep removing targeting options to stay out of trouble.
So hereâs an unconventional way to feed your pixel better data:
Tell anyone who is NOT your ideal customer to leave the page immediately.
For exampleâŚ
If you were a media buyer running ads to get clientsâŚ
You might place this line of copy on your opt-in form:
âIf you are NOT a coach, consultant, or course creator spending at least 1k/day on ads, please leave this page immediately.â
Now, will this decrease your conversion rate and increase your cost per lead?
You bet.
BUTâŚ
Your lead quality will improve dramatically.
And because youâll only be feeding the pixel conversion data from smack dab in the middle of your target audienceâŚ
Your campaigns will be able to optimize much better over time as well.
So if youâre struggling with low quality leadsâŚ
Or simply looking for a new marketing experiment to runâŚ
Give it a go and report back đ
Together with AdSkills
Every Direct Response Companyâs Biggest Turn On
Stacking high-income skills is the best way to become truly in-demand. And copywriting and paid ads make for a lethal combination most direct response companies would kill for. Thatâs where AdSkills comes in. Inside their platform, youâll learn how to write killer ads, craft campaigns that convert, and scale ad accounts to the moon on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and more.
Plus, as an AdSkills member, youâll also get the stamp of approval that 9-figure companies like ClickFunnels, DigitalMarketer, and VShred look for when hiring freelancers. So if youâre looking to partner with top-tier businesses and make more money per client, click here to try a free AdSkills class today.
Gig Alerts
Looking for clients? These freelance jobs were posted on Upwork in the last 24 hours:
Happy Wednesday! Hereâs a fun fact to start your Hump Day: Canadian miners recently discovered a baby woolly mammoth encased in permafrost in Klondike, Yukon. It could be over 30,000 years old.
Mentioned in todayâs newsletter: Amazon, Google, TikTok, and the Federal Election Commission.Plus a simple way to strengthen client relationships, how to act like the CEO of your freelance biz, and one thing to include on your pre-launch paid ads checklist.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes and 21 seconds
Making the Rounds
Amazon plans to double down on Prime Day this year. The second Prime Day will reportedly be called âPrime Fall Deal Event.â Because otherwise people might get confused. The additional promo probably has something to do with the $3.84 billion dollar loss Amazon registered in Q1.
Google launches new program to help campaign messages avoid the Spam folder. With the midterms coming up, Google has asked the Federal Election Commission to officially approve the program. So if you live in the U.S., your inbox is about to get a little busier. On a related note: is it possible to buy your way onto that list? Asking for a friend.
Republican Senators ask Treasury Secretary to address TikTok security concerns. A group of six Senators sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen after BuzzFeed reported last week that Chinese TikTok employees had accessed U.S. user data. TikTok has since said itâs moving all U.S. data to stateside Oracle servers, but who knows⌠they may have had their fingers crossed.
Working With Clients
Special Delivery
Freelance businesses are built on long-lasting relationships.
One of the best ways to show your appreciation for clients is to send them a gift.
It could be as simple as a handwritten note, pen, or gift cardâŚ
Or something more elaborate like a food and wine box.
A few options to check out:
Handwrytten lets you send handwritten notes at scale
