Your Passion Is Right Under Your Nose

“Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion.
You must set yourself on fire.”
Arnold H. Glasow, author

In Issue #159

Editor’s Note: Working with the inspired and driven people in our Copy Protégé Mentoring Program has been a big highlight – and learning experience – of the last few months for both Krista and myself. While we love sharing their stories here with you, we love it even more when they tell you what they’ve learned firsthand. Today, you’ll hear about how one woman discovered a way to connect her copywriting ambitions with her passion in a very unexpected way…

Your Passion Is Right Under Your Nose
by J.C. Dearden

When Monica and I had our first one-on-one mentoring teleconference, Monica asked me what niches I would like to involve myself in.  I chose Medicine because medicine was my first career. I am, also, married to a Pediatrician. The other niche I chose was the Christian niche.

To “paint a picture” of our conversation, I was sitting in my sewing room in front of my 2 sewing machines.  As we’re talking, I’m looking around my room thinking about what sewing project I want to work on next and how do I want to reorganize my room.  For me, the word  passion is synonymous with sewing.  Spending a whole day sewing and making myself a new outfit is being in heaven for an entire day.  

Then Monica said, “You want to think about your passions and look in your own backyard.  You become a better writer when you concentrate on your personal passions.”

This was my “V-8” moment.  My backyard is my sewing room and my passion is my sewing!  So, Monica advised me to “seed” myself by subscribing to trade magazines and answering ads to get direct mail home.  The next day, I went to the fabric store and bought one of every kind of magazine.  I was reading Threads, which is a sewing trade magazine and found an advertising card that you fill in the circles for the products you want information on.  I filled in about 35 circles and mailed it out.

Four days later I received an email from a gentleman in Wisconsin asking me if I would market his sewing and upholstery DVDs.  After my family pulled me off the ceiling, I emailed him for all his information on his DVDs and asked him to send me samples of his DVDs. 

It’s 2 months later, and I have begun establishing a website – www.sewithjo.com — dedicated to selling the sewing DVD.  I just finished a direct mail letter marketing his upholstery DVDs. 

So, when any one says to you, follow your passion—take my word for it…DO IT!  It works!

Resource Referral: Final Mentoring Program Offer…

As you’ve probably guessed, Krista and I have loved working with people like JoAnn and Mindy, who shared her story with you on Tuesday. We’re committed to seeing our current people through – and also do one more round at a reduced rate to accommodate for the turn in the economy. But then, we’ve decided to turn our attention to other things for a while.

So if you’ve been on the fence about taking the plunge and joining us for a three-month session to jumpstart your career – the time to do it is now. Not only will the price never be lower – the opening simply won’t be there.

If you’re wondering what you can expect, here’s a little of what some of the people we’ve worked with have to say:

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

We designed the program 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…

In addition to the four areas mentioned above (you’ll get the full program details after we’ve received and accepted your application), we’re also throwing in the following bonuses:

Bonus #1: A Private 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 me – 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…

This offer is only available to readers of The Copy Protégé. You must also be a member of AWAI as we draw on the lessons and concepts of AWAI’s Accelerated Program to Six-Figure Copywriting. Being an AWAI member gives everyone the same foundation.

If you’re ready to make your career happen in 2008, respond to this email by sending us a sample of your writing (no more than two pages) and a statement of your goals for the program to admin@copyprotege.com . If you’re accepted into the program, right now you can join for the one-time low fee of only $995 for three months.

Don’t delay in sending in your application. We’ve never offered the program at this incredibly low price, so the openings are likely to fill up fast. And we plan on making this next session our last and taking a break for a while.

Quick Copy Tip: Seeding Your Hobby List

I love JoAnn’s story. And there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t find clients and projects in an areas you’re passionate about the exact same way she did.

Take a few minutes today to make a list of your hobbies. Then, see what is sold through direct response marketing that is related to that hobby. You’ll probably be surprised to find there’s more out there than you realize.

Get yourself seeded on mailing lists for these products just like Jo did. It shouldn’t take long before you have a short list of potential clients in a field that you already know about and are interested in. And money almost always follows passion when you take the time to make the connection.