Writing My Way to Six Figures - A Progress Thread

[mjb234]

Two years ago I started a progress thread about building a successful web design business. While I’ve managed to land some decent projects and a few long-term clients since then, I haven’t come close to the level of success I was aiming for.

Truth be told, I’m still struggling to bring in a liveable monthly income with web design.

All hope isn’t lost though. Instead of giving up on my entrepreneurial dreams altogether (something I briefly considered at the end of November), I’ve decided to pivot and pursue freelance copywriting instead.

Why copywriting?

There are plenty of reasons, but here are my top three:

1. I was already writing the copy for most of the websites I built, so it’s something I know can excel at with enough time and dedication
2. It’s easier to offer “entry-level” services to businesses that may not be ready to invest in a new website (email campaigns, blog posts, etc.)
3. I enjoy copywriting a hell of a lot more than building websites

Now let’s get to the good stuff…

My long-term goal with copywriting is to hit $100k/year in revenue.

While that exact number is pretty arbitrary for me, I know that $100k would allow me to live a very comfortable life here in Spain. So that’s where I’m going to start.

Short-term though, my first priority is earning a consistent liveable income. My financial situation has been pretty unstable for the past two years, and it’s starting to take a toll on both my mental health and my relationship with my girlfriend.

While I’d love to aim big from the very start, I know I need a baseline level of stability before I can really focus on pushing towards that $100k goal.

Fortunately, my monthly expenses are pretty low. Around $2.5k/month would be enough to cover my monthly expenses and allow me to start chipping away at my student loans.

Here’s where I’m at now:

• I created an Upwork account last month and already landed my first website copywriting project for $620 ($750 minus Upwork’s fee). It’s a “grind-it-out” type of project that won’t really add much to my portfolio, but it will give me some much-needed income and the opportunity to get my first positive review on Upwork. That should be wrapped up in a couple of weeks.
  
  
• I’m potentially starting a monthly SEO contract with a current web design client for $750/month. It’s not purely copywriting, but I will be writing some blog posts and new landing page copy each month.
  
  Even though I’m transitioning to copywriting, I plan on keeping my current web design clients on board for as long as possible. They’re great clients and I’m willing to keep providing web design/marketing services if that’s what they need.
  
  
• I have four web design clients on monthly retainers for website maintenance. That’s only $350/month, but it covers my recurring business expenses (hosting, SEO software, email, etc)
  

Assuming the SEO project goes forward, that will leave me at $1,720 for January. Not quite where I want to be, but it’s a decent start for the year.

My core actions for January:

• Send out 20 pitches per week for copywriting work. So 80 pitches total in January.
  
  I’ll pitch at least 10 jobs on sites like Upwork and Problogger, and send at least 10 cold emails to web design/marketing agencies to see if they need help with overflow.
  
  While I don't plan on sticking with sites like Upwork long-term, I do think they're my best bet for getting consistent work in the short term. I'll reevaluate this strategy at the end of January.
  
  
• Finish 1 Blog Post (to use as a writing sample for applying to content writing gigs)
  
  
• Update this thread at the start of each week (Sunday or Monday).

My core actions for this week:

• Finish the first draft of website copy for my current Upwork client
• Create a sample email sequence for my portfolio (I applied to a job on Problogger and they emailed me back asking for samples)
• Create a list of 10 agencies to pitch
• Pitch those 10 agencies
• Rewrite my Upwork bio to make it more compelling (my current one is okay but I think I can do a much better job of selling my copywriting abilities)
• Pitch 10 jobs on Upwork/Problogger
• Finish blog post

Now it's time to get to work.

 

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[SimpleJ]

Vxu ziest ehu O tvesvif e qsuhsitt vjsief ecuav caomfoph e taddittgam xic fitohp catopitt. Xjomi O’wi nepehif vu mepf tuni fidipv qsukidvt epf e gix muph-visn dmoipvt topdi vjip, O jewip’v duni dmuti vu vji miwim ug tadditt O xet eonoph gus.

Vsavj ci vumf, O’n tvomm tvsahhmoph vu csoph op e mowiecmi nupvjmz opduni xovj xic fitohp.

Emm juqi otp’v mutv vjuahj. Optvief ug howoph aq up nz ipvsiqsipiasoem fsient emvuhivjis (tunivjoph O csoigmz duptofisif ev vji ipf ug Puwincis), O’wi fidofif vu qowuv epf qastai gsiimepdi duqzxsovoph optvief.

Xjz duqzxsovoph?

Vjisi esi qmipvz ug sietupt, cav jisi esi nz vuq vjsii:

1. O xet emsiefz xsovoph vji duqz gus nutv ug vji xictovit O caomv, tu ov’t tunivjoph O lpux dep iydim ev xovj ipuahj voni epf fifodevoup
2. Ov’t ietois vu uggis “ipvsz-miwim” tiswodit vu catopittit vjev nez puv ci siefz vu opwitv op e pix xictovi (ineom denqeohpt, cmuh qutvt, ivd.)
3. O ipkuz duqzxsovoph e jimm ug e muv nusi vjep caomfoph xictovit

Pux miv’t hiv vu vji huuf tvagg…

Nz muph-visn huem xovj duqzxsovoph ot vu jov $100l/zies op siwipai.

Xjomi vjev iyedv pancis ot qsivvz escovsesz gus ni, O lpux vjev $100l xuamf emmux ni vu mowi e wisz dungusvecmi mogi jisi op Tqeop. Tu vjev’t xjisi O’n huoph vu tvesv.

Tjusv-visn vjuahj, nz gostv qsousovz ot iespoph e duptotvipv mowiecmi opduni. Nz gopepdoem tovaevoup jet ciip qsivvz aptvecmi gus vji qetv vxu ziest, epf ov’t tvesvoph vu veli e vumm up cuvj nz nipvem jiemvj epf nz simevouptjoq xovj nz hosmgsoipf.

Xjomi O’f muwi vu eon coh gsun vji wisz tvesv, O lpux O piif e cetimopi miwim ug tvecomovz cigusi O dep siemmz gudat up qatjoph vuxesft vjev $100l huem.

Gusvapevimz, nz nupvjmz iyqiptit esi qsivvz mux. Esuapf $2.5l/nupvj xuamf ci ipuahj vu duwis nz nupvjmz iyqiptit epf emmux ni vu tvesv djoqqoph exez ev nz tvafipv muept.

Jisi’t xjisi O’n ev pux:

• O dsievif ep Aqxusl edduapv metv nupvj epf emsiefz mepfif nz gostv xictovi duqzxsovoph qsukidv gus $620 ($750 nopat Aqxusl’t gii). Ov’t e “hsopf-ov-uav” vzqi ug qsukidv vjev xup’v siemmz eff nadj vu nz qusvgumou, cav ov xomm howi ni tuni nadj-piifif opduni epf vji uqqusvapovz vu hiv nz gostv qutovowi siwoix up Aqxusl. Vjev tjuamf ci xseqqif aq op e duaqmi ug xiilt.
  
  
• O’n quvipvoemmz tvesvoph e nupvjmz TIU dupvsedv xovj e dassipv xic fitohp dmoipv gus $750/nupvj. Ov’t puv qasimz duqzxsovoph, cav O xomm ci xsovoph tuni cmuh qutvt epf pix mepfoph qehi duqz iedj nupvj.
  
  Iwip vjuahj O’n vseptovoupoph vu duqzxsovoph, O qmep up liiqoph nz dassipv xic fitohp dmoipvt up cuesf gus et muph et quttocmi. Vjiz’si hsiev dmoipvt epf O’n xommoph vu liiq qsuwofoph xic fitohp/neslivoph tiswodit og vjev’t xjev vjiz piif.
  
  
• O jewi guas xic fitohp dmoipvt up nupvjmz siveopist gus xictovi neopvipepdi. Vjev’t upmz $350/nupvj, cav ov duwist nz sidassoph catopitt iyqiptit (jutvoph, TIU tugvxesi, ineom, ivd)

Ettanoph vji TIU qsukidv huit gusxesf, vjev xomm miewi ni ev $1,720 gus Kepaesz. Puv raovi xjisi O xepv vu ci, cav ov’t e fidipv tvesv gus vji zies.

Nz dusi edvoupt gus Kepaesz:

• Tipf uav 20 qovdjit qis xiil gus duqzxsovoph xusl. Tu 80 qovdjit vuvem op Kepaesz.
  
  O’mm qovdj ev mietv 10 kuct up tovit moli Aqxusl epf Qsucmuhhis, epf tipf ev mietv 10 dumf ineomt vu xic fitohp/neslivoph ehipdoit vu tii og vjiz piif jimq xovj uwisgmux.
  
  Xjomi O fup'v qmep up tvodloph xovj tovit moli Aqxusl muph-visn, O fu vjopl vjiz'si nz citv civ gus hivvoph duptotvipv xusl op vji tjusv visn. O'mm siiwemaevi vjot tvsevihz ev vji ipf ug Kepaesz.
  
  
• Gopotj 1 Cmuh Qutv (vu ati et e xsovoph tenqmi gus eqqmzoph vu dupvipv xsovoph hoht)
  
  
• Aqfevi vjot vjsief ev vji tvesv ug iedj xiil (Tapfez us Nupfez).

Nz dusi edvoupt gus vjot xiil:

• Gopotj vji gostv fsegv ug xictovi duqz gus nz dassipv Aqxusl dmoipv
• Dsievi e tenqmi ineom tiraipdi gus nz qusvgumou (O eqqmoif vu e kuc up Qsucmuhhis epf vjiz ineomif ni cedl etloph gus tenqmit)
• Dsievi e motv ug 10 ehipdoit vu qovdj
• Qovdj vjuti 10 ehipdoit
• Sixsovi nz Aqxusl cou vu neli ov nusi dunqimmoph (nz dassipv upi ot ulez cav O vjopl O dep fu e nadj civvis kuc ug timmoph nz duqzxsovoph ecomovoit)
• Qovdj 10 kuct up Aqxusl/Qsucmuhhis
• Gopotj cmuh qutv

Pux ov't voni vu hiv vu xusl.

Vjepl zua gus tjesoph zuas kuaspiz! O'n pix vu vji gusan tu katv taqqusvoph et O siemmz fup'v lpux nadj ecuav duqzxsovoph.

 

[mjb234]

Vjepl zua gus tjesoph zuas kuaspiz! O'n pix vu vji gusan tu katv taqqusvoph et O siemmz fup'v lpux nadj ecuav duqzxsovoph.

Vjeplt. O eqqsidoevi vji taqqusv!

 

[mjb234]

Xiilmz Aqfevi #1:

Jisi't xjev O nepehif vu eddunqmotj metv xiil:

• Tipv uav 9 dumf ineomt vu xic fitohp/fohovem neslivoph ehipdoit
• Eqqmoif vu upi kuc up Aqxusl
• Siedjif uav vu vxu qiuqmi op nz pivxusl mivvoph vjin lpux ecuav nz duqzxsovoph tiswodit
• Gopotjif e tenqmi ineom gus nz qusvgumou
• 95% fupi xovj nz dassipv Aqxusl duqzxsovoph qsukidv
• Tvesvif qutvoph "Feomz Duqzxsovoph Voqt" up Gedicuul
• Tvesvif e duasti up jux vu xsovi temit qehit

Xjomi O xetp'v vji qsufadvowovz quxisjuati vjev O xepvif vu ci, O fof miesp e duaqmi ug vjopht...

Tmux Fuxp vu Tqiif Aq

O'wi emxezt jef e cef jecov ug vszoph vu fu vuu nepz vjopht ev updi. O hiv opvu e tusv ug nepod gsipbz xjisi ov giimt moli O piif vu hiv iwiszvjoph up nz vu-fu motv fupi SOHJV PUX us vji xusmf't huoph vu ipf.

Vjot jecov deni uav op gamm gusdi metv xiil. O xet duptvepvmz txovdjoph cedl epf gusvj civxiip vetlt epf piwis howoph nztimg ipuahj voni vu gopotj xjev O xet xusloph up.

O'n siemoboph O piif vu tvesv tmuxoph fuxp epf gudatoph up UPI vjoph ev e voni.

Ov't vuahj vu fu, itqidoemmz xjip vjisi't tu nadj vjev piift vu hiv fupi, cav O lpux ov't vji upmz xez vu neli duptotvipv qsuhsitt vuxesft nz huemt (epf puv casp uav).

Aqxusl Eop'v Gus Ni

Vjot upi ot qsivvz timg-iyqmepevusz.

O lpux vjisi esi qmipvz ug qiuqmi fuoph ximm up Aqxusl, cav O vjopl vjisi esi civvis xezt gus ni vu hiv duqzxsovoph kuct vjep dunqivoph xovj 20-30 uvjis xsovist gus vji teni hoh.

Huoph gusxesf, O'n huoph vu ati vji voni O xuamf jewi tqipv up Aqxusl vu tipf uav qistupemobif dumf ineomt vu dmoipvt O edvaemmz xepv vu xusl xovj.

Nz Dusi Edvoupt gus Vjot Xiil

• Gopotj dassipv Aqxusl duqzxsovoph qsukidv
• Tipf uav 10 dumf ineomt vu ehipdoit gus uwisgmux
• Tipf uav 10 johjmz qistupemobif dumf ineomt
• Gopotj Temit Qehi Duasti
• Feomz Duqzxsovoph Voqt (Nup-Gso)
• Tqipf ev mietv 30 nopavit/fez jimqoph uav op GC hsuaqt

Jupitvmz, O tvomm giim moli vjot otp'v ipuahj edvoup. Cav vjot ot et nadj et O dep fu sohjv pux xovjuav caspoph nztimg uav.

 

[Simon Angel]

Aqxusl Eop'v Gus Ni

Vjot upi ot qsivvz timg-iyqmepevusz.

O lpux vjisi esi qmipvz ug qiuqmi fuoph ximm up Aqxusl, cav O vjopl vjisi esi civvis xezt gus ni vu hiv duqzxsovoph kuct vjep dunqivoph xovj 20-30 uvjis xsovist gus vji teni hoh.

Catopittit hiv qmipvz ug dumf ineomt iwisz fez gsun ehipdoit epf/us dupvsedvust. Epf vjiz'si emm aptumodovif.

Huoph gusxesf, O'n huoph vu ati vji voni O xuamf jewi tqipv up Aqxusl vu tipf uav qistupemobif dumf ineomt vu dmoipvt O edvaemmz xepv vu xusl xovj.

Fuit vjot niep zua xisip'v tipfoph qistupemobif qsuqutemt up Aqxusl?

O tvesvif uav cz tipfoph japfsift ug qistupemobif dumf ineomt epf O iespif $0.

Egvis nupvjt ug vjot vusvasi, O simadvepvmz vsoif Aqxusl. Huv e gix 4-gohasi qsukidvt emnutv onnifoevimz epf e nupvj us vxu mevis O mepfif nz dassipv upi, xjodj jet ciip e XOMF sofi.

Jisi't vji foggisipdi civxiip dumf ineomoph epf Aqxusl:

Hivvoph ep aptumodovif ineom et e catopitt xomm sesimz mief vu nusi catopitt. Nutv qiuqmi esi johjmz tliqvodem.

Hivvoph e qistupemobif, zua-gudatif qsuqutem up Aqxusl enuph vipt ug uvjis timg-tiswoph upit? Zua'si josif.

Sinincis, qiuqmi xju qutv hoht up Aqxusl esi EDVOWIMZ muuloph gus tuniupi moli zua. Miwisehi vjev.

Voq: Fup'v tjz exez gsun ehipdoit up Aqxusl. O tvesvif uav et e duqzxsovis gus Gedicuul eft epf pux O'n nepehoph 6 dmoipvt. Vxu ug vjin esi op vji 7-gohasi sephi epf upi ot e johj 8-gohasi catopitt.

 

[Simon Angel]

@nkc234 Aqfevi?

 

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