How To Make It Happen In 2008

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right."
~Oprah Winfrey

In Issue #136

Editor’s Note: Happy New Year! May this be the happiest, healthiest, and most successful year of your life.

In this special Holiday edition of Copy Protégé, Laurie Cauthen reviews her 2007 accomplishments and prepares for 2008. Check out the websites Laurie mentions below, I think you’ll find them useful. Enjoy!

How To Make It Happen In 2008
by Monica Day

I can’t help it. As cliché as it might seem, the first couple weeks of January is hands-down my favorite time of the year. I couldn’t be jaded about it if I tried.

There’s simply something magical about turning the darkest, coldest time of the year (at least where I live now) into a fresh beginning.

As you already know, I’m slaying my procrastination dragon once and for all this year. What I learned about doing that recently has been groundbreaking. All these years, I thought that if I just planned better, used my time better, was more deliberate and thoughtful about taking on commitments – I would beat it. And then, the truth emerged in the last month.

It has nothing to do with any of those tactics.

The truth is…when I am following my passion, deadlines are not an issue. And when I’m not, I can’t write a word, no way no how. Deadline or not. Upset client or not. Looming mortgage payment or not. The voice inside is like a two-year-old who won’t give up her toys. And her toys are her words. She holds them all hostage until she gets her way.

So I’ve given in and am feeding her what she wants. I’m letting her ignore the financial markets for a while – things like options, currencies and commodities. And instead, I’m letting her indulge in poetry and music and vocal performance and long, intense doses of quiet time to create.

She’s already happier. Contrary to my worst fears, too, she’s not going to starve. I’ve booked about $10,000 of work, give or take, in the last 48 hours. Plus, I found out I have a royalty check on the way that’s going to cover the kids tuition. All with work I feel motivated to do. I am in the flow. And thankful for it.

How about you? Are you in the flow…or are you stuck? Or maybe a little of both, depending on which hour of which day we’re talking about?

We all have little stuck places that slow us down. I notice it in my work with the Copy Protégé Mentoring Program. The same thread runs through each of us. But most of us do this work of becoming a copywriter in isolation – so those little voices don’t get aired. We can stay stuck – and hold our careers hostage – for too long unless we do something about it.

Take CH – a current member on my Protégé group. She was playing the waiting game. She’d get a promising email from a potential client…respond with samples…and then she’d wait to hear from them again.

But a watched in-box rarely delivers. And while she was waiting, her energy and enthusiasm for copywriting was giving way to frustration and doubt.

So I kicked a little butt – and got her to move on. She crafted a beautiful postcard, gathered a list of graphic designers in her geographic area, and offered them a great deal on referring her copywriting services to their clients. She heard back from two – and that was during the holidays when most people were out of the office. I suspect her second mailing this week will generate even more response.

And while she was doing this – guess what?

She heard back from one of the client’s she was waiting on – and they want to put her on a monthly retainer this year. Of course, she still hasn’t nailed down the deal or gotten the details in writing yet. She’s tempted to “wait” for it to come together. But she’s learned her lesson. She’s working diligently on her first assignment from them instead – on faith that it’s going to come together as long as she does a good job for them. Which she will.

Where are you stuck? And how will you get moving on your goals this year? My best advice is this: don’t hide out. Find someone you can work with, tell them everything, and let them kick your butt when necessary. It could be a peer or a professional coach or your spouse or good friend. As long as they are willing to risk ticking you off – for your own good – they are a viable candidate for the job. Hire them!

Speaking of which…

Special Offer: Good until January 8th at midnight only!

I have to tell you, Krista and I are getting pretty good at this mentoring stuff. We took it on so tentatively. Beta-tested our program – and our mettle for the last six months – only to realize we are far better at it, and enjoy it far more, than either of us anticipated.

And at the risk of not sounding as humble as I’d like, let me share instead what some of the people we’ve worked with have to say:

“I found this session especially useful…Thanks for your comments, Krista… I don’t know why but I can sense that you are a very compassionate person. There are other coaches who treat it only like a business and I have not gained from them at all. But you really care…I am inspired!” B.B., China

“What I wanted to mention to you before the day gets underway is how valuable your comments were about the millionaire mindset. That was a great bit of inspiration. Copywriting, it seems, is an individual journey and to be able to share some of the challenges and get some sound feedback makes a huge difference – not only in the overall product, but in the degree you enjoy the work. Thanks again.” –P. R., Canada

“I couldn’t believe how obvious the errors in my copy were once you pointed them out. Thank you so much! I feel like my writing has really improved during the session” –L.P., Germany

“Wow! You’re my favorite mentor Monica! Thanks for the copy…you just know what works! And as far as my marketing plan…thank you for kicking me into action. Keep on pushing me, I’ll get there.” – D.V., Israel

“I wanted to say I’m very impressed with the CP program. I can tell that my writing has improved a lot–I have a better idea of my target–an improved marketing plan–and inspiration to keep moving towards my goals. I really appreciate that. And you’ve been great to work with.” – D.K., Florida

So I’m happy to announce that the Copy Protégé Mentoring Program is here to stay! And we are taking on a new crop of participants right now – to coincide with the New Year and support you in achieving your goals.

For the first time ever, I’m also going to spell out the program here – because if you apply, I want you to know what you’re getting, what it’s going to cost, and what you can expect.

The program has been developed to focus on the four areas that we know from experience are most critical to your success:

  1. Coaching: Helping you to figure out what your next steps are, and how to best take them…
  2. Copy critique: Reviewing your headlines and leads, other places in your writing where you’re struggling, and a full promotion once a month…
  3. Networking: Connecting you with peers and colleagues, and helping you develop effective networking skills that suit your personal style…
  4. Swift kick-in-the-pants when necessary: This one is probably self-explanatory – but basically, we won’t suffer fools or whiners! We’ll share everything we know with you – but no one can do the work for you. And if we think you’re holding yourself back – we’re going to let you know about it. And then help you figure out how to get back on your track to success…

Here’s how the program works. You get…

  1. a 30-minute one-on-one session per month…
  2. weekly group coaching and critique calls…
  3. unlimited email access to your mentor with guaranteed 48-hour turnaround time for response…and
  4. a full copy review from your mentor every month.

In addition to the basic program, we are also throwing in a few extras that we think you’ll appreciate:

Bonus #1:APrivate Mastermind Group—you’ll become a member of a like-minded community of budding copywriters you can rely on for feedback, advice, and answers to almost any question you have on building your business and reaching your goals. The community will include all current members of the Copy Protégé Mentoring Program regardless of who your mentor is—up to 24 people.

Bonus #2: Special Dinner in Delray Beach with both Monica and Krista – and the rest of the Copy Protégé Mentoring Program participants on hand – if you attend the AWAI copywriting bootcamp in November.

Bonus #3:20% discount on Copy Protégé products…

Best of all, we’re offering you a discount if you apply for the program by midnight, January 8th. The regular cost of the program is $2000 for a three-month session – but if you respond to this email by sending us a sample of your writing (no more than 2 pages) and a statement of your goals for the program to admin@copyprotege.com – you can join the program for just $1,750.

This offer is only available to readers of The Copy Protégé – and you must be a member of AWAI as well. We draw on the lessons and concepts of AWAI’s Accelerated Program to Six-Figure Copywriting so we ask that everyone have that as a foundation. (Although it is OK if you just got started with the program to join us at the same time!)

This is the last time we will offer the program only to our readers. After this offer, we will open the program up to all members of AWAI, whether they are readers of The Copy Protégé or not. So we hope you’ll take this opportunity to get in the queue. Send us your samples and goals today. If we fill up, don’t worry, we’ll put you on the waiting list at the lower rate.

But don’t delay. It’s a New Year, a fresh chance to get going on your goals now. Ready, fire, aim!

Reader Feedback: A June Resolution That’s Coming True

My essay on procrastination (see CP Issue #134: The Key To Unlock The Grip Of Procrastination if you missed it) resonated with quite a few of you! I suspected I wasn’t alone in that one. Self-sabotage happens to the best of us. Here’s one particularly courageous soul’s story – one of many I heard from through the holidays wishing me well in my new endeavors, and sharing how they are tackling their own:

“I also made my New Year’s Resolution—last June. I know exactly what you are going through and so took your last Copy Protegé to heart. My albatross was a nice fat, comfortable grant writing contract that helped pay the mortgage for 15 years. And yet I was not fulfilled.

Something happened about the time I took the AWAI Six-Figure Copywriting Course and attended the October 2007 Bootcamp. I realized there were goals I had that had somehow gotten tucked away on the top shelf of my closet, behind my winter boots.

In August I informed my major client that I was not going to renew my grant writing contract and on September 1, I was income-less. I was frightened and yet exhilarated. Since then, I have developed a business plan to start my own info publishing venture. The Universe must be listening because a marketing guru friend of mine who is between jobs and needs some e-marketing accomplishments for her resumé has offered to create a marketing plan for me—for free.

I have taped on my computer monitor two reminders that I read daily:

"Go forward confidently, energetically attacking problems, expecting favorable outcomes" — Norman Vincent Peale)

"Leap and the net will appear" — Julia Cameron, THE ARTIST’S WAY).

You go for it. Your courage will be rewarded.” – J.D., Copy Protégé Reader

All five of these books are great reads. If you haven’t read any one of them, get a copy and let me know what you think.