This 1 thing can get you paid

And it costs you nothing to do it … [The Writer’ s Life]( September 20, 2022 "Nothing in life is worthwhile unless it's kind of hard to get there." – Carli Lloyd I'm a big fan of self-development, {NAME} … But when it comes to building confidence and motivation as a writer, it's hard to beat the power of a paycheck. Getting paid for your writing proves you have what it takes … Someone values what you do enough to pay you for it. You believe in the opportunity, and more importantly, you believe in yourself. It's hard to create that intensely powerful feeling any other way. That's why all AWAI programs include instruction on how to get paid for the skill you just learned … And why our [Circle of Success program]( focuses heavily on "getting you paid" the minute you join … Our COS Mentors are literally instructed to find your fastest route to a paycheck, build a roadmap that achieves it, and then continue on from there. Because after 25 years of training writers, we know nothing motivates more than money. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's all about the money … Money can't buy you happiness, right? OK … But it CAN buy you freedom. And freedom can make you very, VERY happy. Now if you're looking to get paid for your writing, whether it's your first (or tenth!) motivating paycheck, AWAI Success Michele Peterson is here today to help you … The plan she outlines below may seem simple … but please don't dismiss it. When it comes to "how I landed my first paying client" success stories, this is more often than not the way it happened. Remember, it only takes one client to get the ball rolling … And from there, this world of opportunity opens up, and your journey to the writer's life takes shape. Over to you, Michele! [Rebecca Matter’ s signature] Rebecca --------------------------------------------------------------- "Hear ye! Hear ye!" They'd walk the streets ringing a bell and shouting out news and announcements. Town criers were one of the earliest means for delivering marketing messages to the masses. A little primitive compared to the digital marketing we have access to these days, but they got the job done and the word out. Getting the word out … telling everyone what's going on … that's as crucial today as it was when town criers were the messengers. It's especially crucial as you launch your writer's life. In fact, it's the one thing you must do to launch your writer's life. You don't need a website. You don't need a sales funnel. You don't need content marketing, a blog, or even samples. All those things can be helpful, and you'll want them eventually. But you don't need them to launch your writing business. All you really need to do is start telling people what you're doing and asking who they know that you could help. Imagine yourself acting as a town crier to get the word out about your new writer's life. Not by actually walking the streets and shouting out the news, but by reaching out to people you know and people you strategically meet. Who Do You Know That You Can Tell? If you're like most of us, you know more people than you can think of at a moment's notice. One way to jog your memory of people you know is to scroll through the contacts in your phone. Another way is to have a brainstorm session with yourself or with a spouse or close friend (sometimes two heads are better than one!). To spark some ideas and remind you of all the people you know, consider this list: - Parents - Siblings - Aunts/Uncles - Cousins - Grandparents - Co-workers - Past co-workers - Boss - Past bosses - High school friends - College friends - Friends of friends - Neighbors - People at your church - People at your gym, yoga studio, etc. - People in your book club(s) - Doctor - Dentist - Dental Hygienist - Chiropractor - Front desk staff at your doctors' offices - Person who cuts your hair - Massage therapist - People at the dog park - Veterinarian - Dog Groomer - Dog Walker - Fellow members of community service clubs you belong to - Fellow members of business organizations you belong to - Host/Hostess/Server(s) at your favorite restaurant(s) - Barista at your favorite coffee shop - Facebook friends - LinkedIn connections - Any service you get done at your home: Gardener, Pool, Pest Control, Housecleaning, Carpet Cleaning, Window Washing, Solar Panel Cleaning, etc. - Auto Mechanic - Uber/Lyft drivers - Parents of kids in your kids' class at school - Parents of kids on your kids' sports teams - Your kids' teachers - Your kids' former teachers - Your kids' coaches - Your kids' former coaches - People that you play sports with - People at community events - People who volunteer with you - Checker at your regular grocery store - Teller at your bank - Accountant/Tax Preparer - Mail Carrier - Counter person at Post Office I could keep going because this list isn't all inclusive, but you get the idea … You want to tell everyone you know and everyone you meet. And this list just covers the people you know or meet in everyday life. If you want to accelerate your launch, go to a business networking event! You can find them through your local Chamber of Commerce, networking organizations like Business Network International, and sometimes even through meetup.com. What Do You Tell These People? When you're planning what to tell the people you know and the people you meet, I encourage you to, again, imagine you're that town crier. A town crier's message had to be brief and memorable. So does yours. And it should be even shorter and simpler than your elevator pitch. You basically just need to tell what kind of writing you're doing and who you're doing it for. And then ask if that person knows anybody they can introduce you to. For example, you might say: "I've started helping local businesses improve what they say on their website. Who do you know with a website that might need to be updated?" … or … "I've started writing blogs for companies so they don't have to do it themselves. Who do you know who might need that kind of help?" … or … "I've started helping companies launch or improve their newsletters. Who do you know who I could help?" These examples are specific about the kind of writing, but pretty general about who you're looking to do it for. That's okay. But if you go fishing with general bait, you never know what kind of fish you're going to be eating for dinner. So, let's take the blogging example and make it into better — more specific — bait. "I've started writing blogs for realtors so they don't have to do it themselves. Who do you know who might need that kind of help?" (Almost everybody knows at least one realtor, by the way.) … or … "I've started writing blogs for bookkeeping and accounting firms, so they can focus on working with numbers and leave the words to me. Who do you know who I could help?" By saying the specific kind of business you want to help, you help the other person focus on who they may know in that business. It's actually easier to think of people in narrower categories. (Kind of like how it was probably easier for you to think of people you knew when you read the list above.) So, maybe they say they don't know a bookkeeper or accountant. Then you can mention a second target. For example: "That's okay. I'm doing the same thing for pest control companies. Know any of those?" How Do You Tell These People What You're Doing? Imagining a town crier in the planning and prep stage of your launch is one thing, but I don't suggest a literal town crier approach when it comes down to actually telling people about the writer's life you're launching. You'll get some attention if you walk down the street ringing a bell and shouting, but not the right kind of attention. How you get the word out needs to be more personal than that. And the more personal, the better. Because the more personal your approach, the better the response you get will be. In-person is the hardest to ignore, so you're sure to get a response if you tell people face to face. You're standing right there having a conversation with them after all. A phone call or text is the next best, with email and social media direct messages close behind. But these should not be cut-and-paste broadcasts. Take the time to personalize each message. Remember, the more personal your message, the better the response. So, Ready to Launch Your Writer's Life? There will never be a time when everything in your life is perfect. The stars will not align. A sign will not appear pronouncing that "Today is the Day!" You simply have to decide that today is the day and start telling people about what you're doing. You start by telling just one person. Then another. Then the next. Eventually, somebody you tell will know somebody. They'll introduce you. You'll get a client. I don't know how many people you'll have to tell before you get that client. But I do know you won't get that client if you don't start telling people what you're doing as a writer. Start with one. Start today. Launch your writer's life right now. Michele Peterson Coach, Consultant, Direct Response Copywriter [AWAI COS Member]( --------------------------------------------------------------- P.S. Today's the LAST CHANCE to sign up for our 2022 Copywriting Success and Getting Clients Bootcamp at a discount … At midnight tonight, registration goes up to full price! If you haven't grabbed your ticket yet, [go here now](. LAST CHANCE: You Get It All for Just $249 $49!!! Until midnight, you can get our popular Writer's Starter Kit … [Writer's Starter Kit Spread] Including all the tools, templates, resource lists, guides, and fee schedules you'll need to launch and run a successful writing business … And save $200! You'll even get a FULL YEAR to put it to use, completely risk-free. [Grab The Writer's Starter Kit now!]( What's Hot at AWAI … 👀 LAST CHANCE: [SAVE 60% on a ticket to the "MUST-ATTEND" writing event of the year here](! 🙌 JUST ANNOUNCED: [September Writing Contest — your chance to win $200!]( 🤓 If you missed yesterday's Monday Morning Jumpstart, you can (and should!) [still catch it here](. 🤔 Curious about Circle of Success membership? [Check out our trial membership offer here.]( 🚗 [Car restorer shifts gears, and boosts personal happiness through copywriting.]( 😄 If you *just* need a pick-me-up, stop what you're doing [and read this story of ultimate rejection turned into incredible writing success](. No more measuring the day in 6-minute increments for this recovering lawyer … [Candice Lazar Living The Writer's Life] Candice's days were once structured around billable and non-billable work. But not anymore! The writer's life has given her the freedom to take a walk in the middle of the day without anyone caring … And SO much more. [Read her story here.]( Have your own story to share? Email us at mysuccess@awai.com, or [post it over in the Facebook group](, so we can celebrate your win too! LAST CHANCE for BIG SAVINGS on a ticket to the 2022 Copywriting Bootcamp! Bootcamp has helped launch hundreds of copywriting careers over the past 25 years … And at this year's event, our powerhouse lineup of speakers will share their latest insights and secrets, and what's working in the industry NOW. Plus, you'll connect with fellow writers … marketers looking to hire … AWAI staff … and more … all from the comfort of home. Grab your ticket before the price increases at midnight — and save 60%! 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