How To Hook Your Readers With Specifics

March 9, 2017 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

Getting to the point — the real point — with specific details is the only you can bring clarity to a problem your customer may be having.

Insightful copywriting shows you understand your customer by revealing a new level of depth in an issue they might not be able to see clearly.

A guy called in to the Kim Komando show once with a complaint. He was looking for an IT solution for his school district, and all his IT people were scratching their heads because they couldn’t solve it within their tight budget.

Kim’s answer was pretty simple. First she sympathized with the prices, and then explained how she also always gets sticker shock when her IT people at the show reveal a solution that seems over the top. She says, “How can personal laptops do all this stuff for consumers, but then when the show needs it on a larger scale, we can’t just buy 10 laptops and string them up together and make them pull their weight?” I’m paraphrasing, but she ended with this: “Well, they can’t. That’s just not how it works. This stuff is expensive.”

See, the caller was comparing his imagined solution to the wrong thing, He couldn’t accept the price because he was comparing the solution to a consumer’s price, not a B2B, or institutional price.

He was frustrated because in his mind he assumed it was an IT problem instead of a budget problem. He had simply framed the problem incorrectly.

Tim Robbins’ Ultimate Power is a powerful read for content marketers and copywriters. If you havent’ read it, or you think it might be too “out there,” I challenge you to give it a try. Our minds try to hold us back from success by filling our consciousness with generalities that are off-the-mark to begin with. We can only understand a problem in terms of our current awareness. In other words, we can’t know what we don’t know.

Your customer is in the same boat. When she states her problem, you can understand her, based on the context of the situation, or simply because you’ve solved a similar problem for others like her. But in her mind, she just can’t see the problem clearly. And that’s half the problem! That’s where you come in.

Next time you’re in a problem/solution situation, help your customer by applying details — details she’s provided, even! — to her problem.

People simply don’t have the time or space to be less than their best if they think about problems in specific, accurate terms. This is where copywriting comes in, so consider these concepts as if you had to write an exploratory paper about your customer’s dilemma. You’ll quickly see how easy it is to address the problem, come up with a decent solution, and encourage your client to see it from a new vantage point.

As a work-from-home mom with a business to run, I remember many summers when the kids would whine that there was “nothing to do!” Quickly coming up with a list of specific things for them to do was my solution.

In a similar way, what I’m suggesting here is not to offer your customer a list of specific options to choose from; but rather to pose their questions as specifically as possible so that they can easily come to the same conclusion as you and see the ease with which their problem could be solved.

When you show you understand, by merely reframing their problem with specific details, then you’ll be seen as an expert with an answer.

I have some ideas for you today — ideas that can improve the way you put into words how your products and services help your customers.

Here’s the thing. For most people, when something is bugging us, and especially when we haven’t quite decided to do something about it yet, we tend to linger around the problem like we’re lost in a cloud. It’s almost as if we enjoy being lost in the muddle.

Next time you’re really frustrated, notice your thoughts. Does that voice in your head start uttering negative-talk? If you’re human, your mind may start coming up with generalities which are definitely not going to bring you any closer to a solution. When you’re really down and out, it’s almost impossible to see your situation in specific, solution-oriented terms! Instead, your inner voice says things like:

I always get within 10 pounds of my goal weight, then stop losing weight. Why try?
I have no time for that project.
How can I be so forgetful?
Every time I attend that meeting, I end up frustrated.
That class is too expensive.
Writing code is hard.
I can never hire the right person for the job.

Can you see the relationship between all these phrases? At their core they hold no power because they are nebulous by nature. When you find yourself thinking about problems in this vague way, inspect them more closely to find the real hooks inside the issue.

To show you can really serve your customer — and relay that with your copywriting, let’s rephrase each of the above complaints with a specific clause. Where, exactly, does the person get snagged up?

I always get within 10 pounds of my goal weight, then stop losing. Why try?
- Should be: When I reach 125 pounds, I start adding old friends like chips and ice cream to my diet. How can I stay on target and resist those things?
I have no time for that project.
- Should be: I would need to drop this other thing from my schedule if I were to work on that. Or I really don’t want to make time for that project, but maybe I can find someone who can help.
How can I be so forgetful?
- Should be: I’m great about remembering to-do items for projects, so why do I forget the names of the clients at that company? How do I retain them?
Every time I attend that meeting, I end up frustrated.
- Should be: Who or what is it about that meeting that frustrates me? Can I avoid feeling frustrated by doing or saying something different?
That class is too expensive.
- Should be: That class is expensive compared to this other one. What is the added value I would get from it?
Exercising is hard.
- Should be: I find it difficult to stay on task when I’m studying. Once I settle into my work I’m ok, so how do I get rid of distractions so I can focus?
I can never hire the right person for the job.
- Should be: Either my ads are attracting the wrong candidates or we don’t have an interview process that screens people well. Where can I get information about that?

Now think about some of the common problems of your customers.

Are people coming to you with a perceived problem that is unsolvable in their minds? It could be because the wording is intrinsically formatted in “loser” terms. I’m not saying that out of disrespect. You must show empathy by listening and repeating the things that are bugging them.

Finally, don’t merely imagine your constituents’ problems. Verify your guesses by making yourself available on social media, in your communities, and through face-to-face networking with REAL people. In order to truly understand how to serve people better, you must engage in a real conversation with them.

As you begin to offer help, that’s when it’s appropriate to define problems with specific words and phrases.

Specific terminology — rather than general fog — defines the problem and gives it real teeth, so you can get in there and fix it.

If it weren’t for all the preconceived notions, and non specific ideas tumbling around in our heads, just imagine how productive we could be and how quickly we could come up with answers to our problems! Learn to let others help you when you can’t define a problem with certainty, and then learn to help others when you can see clearly through their brain fog.

When writing and creating content for your audience, hook your readers with specific concepts that redefine their main problem.

Want to take this discussion further? Let’s connect on Facebook. What’s the hardest part about finding the root of your customer’s nebulous problem?

[Updated from a 2013 blog post]

Seven Simple Writing Techniques To Keep People Reading To The Bottom Of The Page

January 6, 2017 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

The famous copywriter Joe Sugarman says “the purpose of the first sentence is to get the reader to read the second sentence.” Effective writing is all about flow and purpose.

Your goal is to get the reader to consume your entire page; to get to the end of the text, if not to actually read every single word.

How do you do that, and how do you know when you’ve achieved that? Well, the best way to test the readability of your copy is to use the Flesch Reading Ease Score.

Do people read your emails down to the bottom of the page? After you’ve picked your topic, outlined its main points, and decided what you want your reader to take away or do; the writing should be easy, right?

Well, it’s not always that easy. Even if you’re speaking in your natural voice, and you’re sharing the true and meaning-packed morsels of wisdom you were put on this earth to say; even if your headline is riveting and your layout inviting — your JOB is to get your email (or article, blog post, or press release) actually read by human eyes and minds.

As Sonia Simone declares so earnestly, “You have a voice that’s irreplaceable. It can’t be turned into a clever algorithm. It can’t be duplicated and it can’t be churned out for a penny a word.”

With such a message to deliver, your writing must be readable.

If the point of “good copy” is to get your reader’s eyes moving down the page, and even instigate action on the part of your beloved reader, then it pays to know some basic copywriting tips.

When your reader answers your call to action, you’ll know your copy is readable. In that case, there are also probably a lot of other things going on that are working well together – strong graphics, a desirable offer, good credibility – but your writing plays the critical role.

Before testing your writing on your reader, why not test it yourself? Did you know you could even do that?

I’m going to show you how to score the readability of your page, and then how to accomplish your readability goals.

The Flesch Reading Ease Score and the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level both measure your writing’s readability. Developed to ensure standards in military technical training manuals, the scores can be used to easily gauge the readability of your writing too. You’ll find them within the spelling tool in Microsoft Word.

For more in-depth understanding of your score, you can also copy and paste your text into the space provided on this handy and informative website. It’s actually kind of fun to play around with your sentence structure and word choices on this site. Try it and let me know how it goes.

Now here’s the kicker about reading ease: Did you know that the average person reads and comprehends — and hits the sweet spot of persuasion — at about the 6th and 7th grade reading level?

If you can consistently write copy that falls somewhere around the 60 – 70 score (the reading ability of an average 13 – 15 year old student) then you will reach, satisfy, convince and convert the most people.

Reading comprehension varies based on education level and experience (the lower the Flesch Reading Ease score, the more difficult to understand) but even college grads and other “smart” people respond most readily to writing that is within the 60 – 70 range.

word magic? — Working your magic through words…

Working Magic Through Words

Are there tricks to this? Is there some magic formula for achieving this score when you write? While the Flesch scores take into account sentence length and word length, here are some practical ways to squeeze the most juice out of your writing, while keeping it clear and simple.

Use short, punchy words. Don’t neglect the juicy descriptive words; just remember to jab with words that can take the place of long phrases every now and then. Remember, “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

Use meaty words to interest and engage people. If you are stranded in realms of possibility, or spend too much time in thoughtful rumination — verbal navel gazing — you can lose your reader really fast. Ground yourself in the real world. Think red meat, not pie in the sky. That means…

Employ action words to sweep the reader along. Stay away from “be” “is” and “are.” These words form passive sentences that bore readers to sleep. Use them only when you absolutely must. Compare the following sentences:
- It was decided that the gymnasium be locked after the institution’s operating hours in an effort to thwart the local vandals’ destruction. (Flesch Reading Ease 38.3; Flesch-Kinkaid Grade Level 12.0)
- To stop the vandalism at the gym, Mr. Brown decided to keep it locked after school. (Flesch Reading Ease 82.2; Flesch-Kinkaid Grade Level 5.7)

Grab your reader with descriptive verbs and adjectives. “She says.” could be “She squeals.” or “She drones.” Each sentence would contribute about the same to the reading ease score because of structure and word length…but what differences between them!

Take another example: a purple paint color chosen for an office could be either “sickly” or “soothing” — simple descriptions that powerfully alter the reader’s perception and emotion.

Vary your sentence lengths. Sentence lengths should both sizzle and pop, almost like the rhythm of an exciting tennis match. Long volleys back and forth are satisfying to watch and more leisurely — but can last forever. Rapid rallies at the net add excitement – but they don’t last as long.

You should be able to write in both styles, just as a pro tennis player can play at the net and the baseline with equal efficiency. Go back and forth between short and long sentence lengths to keep your paragraphs balanced and your cadence natural.

Don’t be afraid to utilize white space. Certain copywriters who write in one-sentence paragraphs create some of the best emails I’ve read. The physical space between each thought works as hard as the actual text to pull the reader along. Of course in this case the writing must be spectacular.

One of the best methods you can use to find your most powerful voice as a writer — and to keep people reading — is to write without self-editing. Write like a banshee. Force yourself to say it like it is, any way you can, and just the way you want to. Forget about spelling and grammar. Set a timer for only two minutes (if you have to) and write like mad.

Before you go back and cut your writing to the bone, you’ll find kernels of richness in there, as well as a lot of garbage. Don’t leave the chaff for your reader to remove; he won’t. Only after you have thrown it all up on the page (sorry for that graphic description) should you edit yourself.

That’s right, I didn’t forget the editing part. Take all of the above writing techniques into account and then…

The Final Step… Edit Your Work.

Be ruthless. See if you can cut the length in half. That could have (and probably should have) been technique number eight, but editing is a whole new topic, IMHO. Editing’s just as important to getting people to read to the end, but not exactly in the gooey pond of connective content I’m talking about today.

I was talking yesterday with a friend (and one of the smartest women I know), a Wharton MBA and a big mucky-muck at a computer company that rhymes with “Spell.” She told me how she goes through her emails and trades big words for smaller ones, scratches everything that isn’t absolutely crucial to her main point, and then goes back again and cuts the entire email down to a third of the original. She sighed, “It’s so sad…” and I countered, “It’s wonderful; that’s good writing.”

While practice is the best way to improve your writing, you can sharpen your writing style with these tips. As your copy grows stronger, your Flesch Ease Score will reveal how readers will receive it.

If I’ve missed any tips for making your copy more readable, why not let me know in the comments below. Thanks, and if you’d like more writing tips in an easy video format, login and get these 21 quick and easy videos. Click here for access.

*This post has been updated from an earlier post dated Jan.12, 2012.

How To Dazzle Your Audience With Tips From Top Restaurants

September 13, 2016 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

While the skill of hospitality is not essential for public speakers and entrepreneurs, those who master basic hospitable characteristics shine above their peers, get referrals, and collect invitations for future gigs.

A few simple details in behavior and presence help them “make it look easy,” as they prepare for a crowd ready to receive their message.

Think of the last time you had a wonderful meal at the home of a friend or a really good restaurant. Ever notice how a gracious host makes you feel welcome, pampered, and special? A meal at the home of a talented host or hostess, or a 5-star restaurateur, is one of the most memorable and pleasant experiences one can enjoy.

Those who do it well make it seem like an innate gift, but in fact hospitality can be learned with practice.

Hospitality sets the table for a great speech.

According to NYC restaurateur and author Danny Meyer, providing and receiving hospitality is one of the most intense human drives. In his wonderful book, Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business, her writes:

Within moments of being born, most babies find themselves receiving the first four gifts of life: eye contact, a smile, a hug, and some food. ~ Danny Meyer

Now if that doesn’t make your heart skip a beat, you’re probably not cut out for the restaurant business. However, if you are an entrepreneur — even if your business isn’t food related — the business angel tapped you on the shoulder for one reason or another, so this sentence should strike a chord with you, too.

Your customers pay your for your services and products. If you’re also a public speaker (and we all are on some level) your audience also appreciates a memorable experience. Their encounter with you is transformed by your hospitality toward them: before the event, while you’re on stage or presenting at a meeting, and after your speech.

Infuse hospitality into your speech and your business. Your audience’s experience will be transformed.

Much of hospitality centers on presentation and service. I’ll bet you can vividly remember a meal that was so unpleasant you couldn’t wait to get out of there. Whether it was at a restaurant, a picnic, or a person’s home, if your experience was inhospitable then you felt like someone was doing something to you instead of doing something for you. The worst!

Your presentation is “felt” in everything you do. In business and on stage, serving clients, customers, vendors, and especially your audience: requires hospitable manners.

That may not mean white glove service (especially in the BBQ business!) but it does have those four elements Meyer mentions:

Eye contact: Your connection depends on it. Have you ever sat in a presentation where the speaker never bothered to make that connection? Even in the smallest room, the eye contact helps the audience follow your message and creates a dynamic and powerful link. The hands may move, the speaker may walk around, but unless she’s making eye contact, the speech falls flat on its face.

A Smile: If you’re nervous or worried, or if you think you’re just a smidgen better or smarter than your audience, it shows. A smile is the great equalizer, the universal sign of goodwill. One of my favorite personalities, author and speaker Guy Kawasaki, in his book Enchantment, says to smile so your crows feet dig in. Smile so your eyes close, smile like you really mean it. A smile works wonders to dazzle your audience before you even get to the actual content!

A Hug: OK, even if you wanted to, and even if it were required; it’s not possible to actually hug everyone. What IS necessary, though, is to embrace people with your message.

Even if they don’t have the slightest interest in what you’re presenting, your audience will be more receptive to your speech if you roll out that personal touch. Good speakers are prepared. They know ten times more than they actually tell. They spare you from boredom by incorporating stories, specific details, and enthusiasm for their subject.

That’s the speaker’s equivalent of a hug. The audience is practically enveloped in the aura of the speaker’s knowledge and passion.

Some Great Food (aka “Content”): The content you deliver will be remembered better if you practice the above three habits. So make it good! This is what people came for, after all. Unless you’re already that famous that people just come to see you, and even if that’s the case, your content should still be original and full of good, entertaining stories and information.

By the way, have you ever noticed how words and speeches are often perceived in distinctly food-related terms?

You want your listeners to digest what you’re saying.
They showed interest by consuming all of your content.
Your delivery was fresh.
He had a crisp tone of voice.
They roasted the guest last week.
Her words were tough to swallow.
Chew on this advice.
Break your speech down down into bite-sized portions.
He poured on the intensity.
She has a spicy style.
His words were raw but effective.

If you spend weeks and months working on your craft, you know that your word choices matter. A hospitable speech is memorable and well prepared, just like the most fabulous dining experience or exquisitely planned event.

Incorporate juicy words and phrases that connect with your audience’s senses. Over time your unique flavor and style will become second nature. (See what I did there?)

Take heart if you are new at this. With every stage appearance, your natural voice emerges, and you will find a cadence and delivery that just feels right.

Every time you speak you get closer to your true element. When you are “on your dime,” (a term used a lot by Speak-to-Sell Mentor Lisa Sasevich) your speech will be fun to give and receive, just like that human desire for hospitality.

Prepare to get out there and wow them!

Your presentation begins long before you step up to the podium. Just like your actual speech, your marketing materials also reflect your style and your professionalism. Copywriting plays a part in your hospitality quotient, too! as Michael (the “Prepaholic) Hyatt cautions, it pays to do this background work. Getting gigs will depend on that same compelling “voice” which will be hinted at in your speech title and speech descriptions.

You’re probably going to deliver these materials long before your speech, by directing the organizer to your online bio page, complete with your background and speech topics. Remember that every web page your publish, every email you write, your hand-written correspondence, your bio/about page, and all your web content is fair game for the planner to make a decision about hiring you.

Your copy reflects the caliber of content you’ll be presenting, and it also shows how prepared you are as a speaker. Get them in ship shape so you’re ready when opportunity strikes.

Follow Through Graciously.

After you speech, your personal, hospitable touch is again necessary. Now the tables are turned. While you owe it to your audience to be hospitable throughout your delivery, now you owe it to your host to thank them and ask for feedback. Top speakers and even 5-star restaurants do this to keep honing their craft and delight future audiences.

Send a thank you note, inquire about how your speech was received, and ask for recommendations about other speaking opportunities.

As you know, it’s a rare speaker who makes his bread and butter through speaking alone. In a lot of cases, the speaking engagement smooths the way for a future sale, if not an actual close at the end of the talk.

Hopefully at some point during your presentation, you’ve given your audience an easy way to get more information or to connect with you in the future. This doesn’t mean just posting your website or email address on your last slide!

Go the extra mile and offer a download of your deck, next steps, or a free ebook, etc. You can even have people text their email addresses or a special code to a designated number so that you can reach out to them again. (This is one time you’ve be glad to see members of your audience playing with their phones!)

Remember that your demeanor and tone, warmth and authority, all set the table for a scrumptious presentation.

Words are the compelling, meaty, content-part in the event organizer’s eyes; but your hospitality skills ensure that your speech makes a favorable, long-lasting impression. Pull out the stops for your next speaking engagement and reap the rewards and appreciation enjoyed by a generous host.

My Team Connects serves small businesses, entrepreneurs, and public speakers with online and direct response copywriting that inspire customers, agents, organizers and audiences. I am delighted to help promote individuals and companies with copywriting as fresh and as passionate as you are!

How Just One Tweak Helps You stand Out In A Vanilla World

August 11, 2016 by jennifer mcgahan 2 Comments

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?

Wait, let me guess…. um, vanilla!

How did I know that? Because most people prefer vanilla over any other flavor. Don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you’re boring.Vanilla’s just popular.

Let’s say you’re in the vanilla ice cream business. You’re the entrepreneur of ice creamy goodness. The brains behind the bean. Congratulations, you have a large share of the market!

Except it’s too large. And there are so many other purveyors of vanilla ice cream. How do you corner your particular niche of your vanilla-loving market? How do you market your product so you stand out in a vanilla world?

Close your eyes and be your customer for a moment. What do they remember about you vs. your competition? Which juicy part of their senses or psyche do you nudge?

You’ve got to add something to stand out.

Or, whittle it down to bare bones and stand out.

No matter what business you’re in, chances are, there’s someone selling something similar (say that five times fast), so you have to stand out to get people to notice what you do.

You’ll also have more fun marketing if you distinguish yourself from everyone else.

For example, if it’s vanilla ice cream you’re serving…

Serve it quickest.
Serve it coldest.
Serve it softest.
Serve it hardest.
Pump up the fat content.
Make it ulta-convenient.
Make it low cal.
Serve it in an unusual container.
Serve it with a smile or it’s free.
Serve it with guarantee.
Serve it with a thought-for-the-day.
Serve it with a compliment.
Serve it with pie (and I’ll be there).
Serve it upside down.
Serve it some way, somehow, with something, anything, to earn a special place in your customer’s heart.

You’ll sell a lot of ice cream cones if you’re not “just” vanilla… but that special brand of vanilla.

Now think about your business and scoop out a niche for yourself. Go ahead and serve up something really cool and different.

Do you practice your craft in a weird way?

Hold opinions that swerve from the mainstream?

Devote more ___ to your ____?

OK, let’s say it differently: Anything quirky about your methods, your experience, or your customers?

That’s what you want to tell your readers and potential customers all about! With all the choices in the market, you want your customers to know you for something unique; something jaw-droppingly, crazily unique.

Then, make sure your copywriting and content reflects that.

Avoid just sending news about your latest launch or release. Even coupons, discounts and invitations get old unless you intersperse them with valuable content no one else is sharing. Think of your copy and content like just like serving up another scoop of your best vanilla ice cream. In a world full of content, your customers are the ones who value yours and give you their business — even though they can get vanilla anywhere!

Your scoop of content melts into that visceral corner of their brain where emotions stir… people get hooked and come back for more.

Need a hand identifying how you are “YOU-nique”?

If you’re having trouble discovering what it is that makes you stand out, download this branding self-assessment that will help you figure it out. (By the way, I ask these questions of all my new clients so I can write better content and copy for them. Use them and see for yourself.)

You’ll also gain access to ebooks, videos and other free marketing resources for freelancers, solopreneurs, and small businesses.

The Top Twelve Essential Oils That Support Freelancers

August 8, 2016 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

You may have seen those little brown bottles on the shelves of your grocery store, or maybe you’ve heard people talking about the wonderful effects of essential oils on their physical, mental and even spiritual health.

With the growing popularity of essential oils, isn’t it time you at least looked into them?

I discovered essential oils a little over two years ago, and have since incorporated them into many parts of life. One of the areas essential oils have made a huge difference is in my work as a freelance copywriter. From creating a better work/life balance, to helping me focus and concentrate on tasks at hand, to improving the health of my body as I deal with ergonomic challenges of working at a desk all day… they’ve changed the way I enjoy my work and lifestyle.

Sharing 100% pure essential oils with others is important to me, as I see so much improvement in people who begin using them. Today, if you work as freelancer, or solopreneur; I know you juggle work and personal life as you serve your clients and customers from your home business, just like I do.

My Favorite Essential Oils for Freelancers

I’d like to share my favorite essential oils for work, and how they help me be more creative, balanced, happy, and focused on copywriting and content marketing projects, while also managing a busy household of three teenagers.

As a distributor of Young Living Essential Oils, I have access to all of them, but I do have some go-to oils, and everyday favorites.These are my top “Twelve Can’t-Live-Without” Essential Oils.

#1 I couldn’t live without my Lavender

… because it’s the “Swiss Army Knife” of Essential Oils. When you body needs zigging, it zigs. When your cells need zagging, it zags. When you’re depleted and exhausted, it invigorates; and when you’re revved up, it relaxes you.

Not to mention its soothing comfort to skin, it’s traditionally been known to balance the body and to work wherever there is a need.

If in doubt, use lavender.

I keep this oil on my person at all times. You can use it topically, and aromatically. Whenever I want to feel better, I place a drop in my palm, rub my hands together and cup my hands over my nose and mouth. Then I breathe slowly and deeply for about 20 seconds. I usually say a little prayer, too. After that, everything is alright again.

#2 Frankincense

… was that rare oil-gift the three kings brought Mary for a very good reason! Back in the days when people valued essential oils for their medicinal uses, Frankincense was a wonderful gift for a new mother. I like to imagine that they brought enough for Mary to use it every day with her little baby Jesus, and for all the little postpartum nuisances new moms face. I like to think the kings brought a giant jar that lasted throughout Jesus’ childhood, too.

“Frank,” as I like to call it, is great for modern life as well.

It grounds you spiritually, and gives you the focus to hum along writing all day with a sense of peace and goodwill. It’s really earthy, so if you think all this spiritual jabber is nonsense, then just know that it reduces “brain noise” and enhances calmness, allowing the brain to better use its own innate abilities for learning and decision-making.

I love Frank. You would love it too. Everyone I’ve ever seen exposed to this rare oil… literally swoons.

#3 Purification

… is an oil blend that consists of Citronella, Lemongrass, Rosemary cineol, Melaleuca (Tea Tree Oil), Lavendin, and Myrtle. This is a fresh, purifying scent that makes my office come alive with a bright, cleansing aroma that everyone loves. Well, almost everyone. Rodents, pests, and insects hate this stuff; so does bacteria and icky smells of all kinds.

Any mildewy smells, stale odors, lingering cigarette smoke smells… nothing can last when my little diffuser is pumping out Purification. You can also use it in a hotel room when you’re traveling for work or pleasure (because freelancing requires travel sometimes), a garage, barn, even the car. It smells wonderful, and even improves air quality as all those refreshing molecules are emitted into the atmosphere!

#4 Thieves

Let’s just say I have this oil blend in a number of different forms (housecleaner, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. But my favorite is the simple oil blend. It cuts through gunk, cleans everything (I keep a little spray bottle of thieves and water on my desk for spot cleaner), and when I’m not feeling great I diffuse it, rub the bottoms of my feet with it (covering all the vitaflex points that lead to other parts of the body), and even drink it in a warm water tea. Just a drop or two with a drop of lemon is all it takes to soothe a throat and keep those mucous membranes healthy through all the winter months. So cozy and nice.

By the way, the “thieves” that this oil is named for, were grave robbers during the plague. Guess what? They never got sick, and succeed in raiding many a tomb before the King (which king, I don’t know… there are many versions of this story out there) finally captured them and demanded their secret. What was the secret recipe?

No one knows for sure, but this effective blend includes the pure essential oils of Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus radiata, and Rosemary cineol. If you are looking for bodily protection, immunity from all the weird stuff going around this season (especially if you have school-aged kids or aging parents in and out of doctors’ offices), then this is your oil!

#5 and #6 have to be the one-two combo of essential oil blends Clarity, then Brain Power.

I can’t remember who taught this to me, but I love this combo at around 3 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon when I’m starting to fade.

I inhale Clarity first and it’s like a cleansing blast to the brain. It really sweeps all the cobwebs out and helps me focus. Then I follow up with the driving, and wonderfully warm Brain Power for a solid finish. After the two oils hit my system (it usually takes about 2 minutes) I’m refreshed and wide awake again. It’s a no-brainer for writers who need to, well… write!

I’m also a single mom, and the primary chauffeur for several people in my family. If you’ve ever been on the road in the afternoon, and have experienced falling asleep at the wheel, then you know why I keep these two oil blends in my purse at all times.

I can take a good whiff of these oils at a red light, get an instant, powerful boost, and be on my way again. I promise you, the jolt-iest energy drink has nothing on this combination. No jitters; just pure, healthful, open-eyed wakefulness.

#7 Peppermint.

As I write this, I keep thinking, how could I ever pick just one? It would be like trying to choose your favorite child!

I’d be so sad without invigorating, refreshing Peppermint in my daily water bottle. For fresh breath, mental acuity, digestive health, even as an appetite suppressant, Peppermint is an everyday oil, for sure!

Not only does it keep mice and spiders out of the house (just spray a few drops in water around the floorboards or wherever they get in), it is so invigorating to the human body! **Don’t use this on kids, or if you’re pregnant, by the way. It’s a doozy!

#8 Lemon.

We live in an environment that is just plain toxic. There are so many weird, lab-invented toxins that are floating around, it’s impossible to isolate yourself. And who’d really want to? You don’t want to live in a bubble. You want to live in the world and enjoy it!

But still, when I go into a big box store and my eyes water like crazy, and my nose tingles, I wonder what strange chemicals are getting into my and my kids’ bodies. Yikes!

Here’s my antidote. The limonene in lemon oil is a powerful antioxidant. Think of rust on a car. That crap just eats away at metals, right? Well, the very same thing happens when your body is highly acidic. Most of the average diet is pretty conducive to cellular oxidation — and you don’t want your cells rusting from oxidation! Lemon oil quickly raises your body’s alkalinity (the opposite of acidity), lowering its susceptibility to acidic influences and balancing out all your cells.

It also destroys petrochemicals in your home and your body. A few drops in your water or sparkling water is refreshing and OH so good for you!

#9 Joy.

Do I really need to tell you why I love this? Want to be grinning like a fool in happiness in no time? Then just inhale some Joy. Really. You’ll start smiling.

If you’re working from home, and everything is piling up on you, you need more joy in your life. The easiest way to get it is in a little brown bottle. (Yes, you can BUY Joy!)

Why does this stuff work? One of this blend’s oils is rose oil, the highest-frequency oil on the planet (by a long shot). It makes you vibrate with good energy.

I had a 100-year-old friend, Jane, that I shared some Joy with. She said, “OMG, I can’t smell this stuff, [her smeller had gone out years ago], but I can FEEL it!”

I swear by the stuff when I’m down. And being a solo-preneur is all about keeping yourself UP. At least it is for me. You can’t be sad with Joy on your heart — yes, put it directly on your heart and temples — or diffuser. Everyone who comes in your office will be happy, too. If you’re working from home, this could be your silver bullet!

#10 Aroma Ease, Relieve It or Pan Away (depending on the muscles involved)

… because working at a desk all day is no fun when your body is sore.

I’m a strong advocate of keeping healthy if you work from home as a freelancer. You simply cannot sit and work at a desk all day, never moving your body, and expect to feel good, look good, and be friendly to people. It just won’t happen. You have to MOVE your body. Our bodies were made for movement, so you must find time to exercise daily.

And as a work-from-home (or anywhere) freelancer, you simply don’t get an excuse not to. You can fit it into your schedule better than anyone… IF your intention is there.

That said, movement sometimes makes your muscles sore. Even sitting on a chair too long, and using a mouse and typing… all those things cause sore muscles. For me and many of my gym rat friends, any of these three oils are always close at hand, to soothe muscles naturally and powerfully. Wrist, shoulders, forearm, lower back knees, you name it. They all function better with essential oils to keep them healthy.

#11. EndoFlex

This beautiful oil blend supports the vitality of the body and the endocrine system. If you’re older than 12, then your hormones are at play in your body.

Your endocrine system controls the glands that regulate all those hormones circulating between your organs and cells. (OK, that’s not an official definition, obviously I am NOT a doctor! But it’s how I like to think of it.) Your liver, pineal and pituitary glands, parathyroid, thymus, and adrenal glands are all important senders and receivers of hormones that regulate metabolic and hormonal functions. This oil keeps that whole system balanced and healthy.

According to TeensHealth, the endocrine system is important because it regulates tissue function, mood, metabolism, growth and development, sexual function and reproductive processes. It influences nearly all cells, organs and functions of the human body.

Endoflex is also emotionally and spiritually soothing. Not a day goes by when I don’t apply this oil to all my glandular points, and feel grateful.

#12 Abundance.

Ah, abundance! Freelancing is a sometimes-on-sometimes-off business. You always have to be hustling for the next gig. Or at least have your eye on it.

Some mornings when I have a serious cash “imperative” to bring in the bacon, I say a little prayer, put a few drops of abundance in my diffuser and on my palms, and get down to business.

By the way, one the oils in this blend is Myrrh, part of the formula the Lord gave to Moses (Exodus 30:22-27). It helps open the heart and mind to receiving. When you are open, true gifts will be given. Some people even put it into the paint when they paint their office to expand their ability to attract wealth.

The Life Force of Plants

I hope this list of essential oils for freelancers is helpful to you. I can’t help sharing these with you because I’m passionate about making the most of this amazing gift of life. I’ve seen how they’ve improved my family’s and my life and health, and I know they can make a big difference in your life, too.

Essential oils are living, non-patentable, true forces of nature. Always slightly different from one batch to another due to differences in harvests, rainfall, sunlight, etc, these “smart,” miraculous, God-given plant oils, created to work for the good of all human beings. The more we know, the more we can make natural, wholesome choices about what we put on in and around our bodies.

If you’re curious about how to begin incorporating them to see positive changes in your life, and the health and happiness of your family at home, I’m always open to sharing what I know. Questions? Give me a call, or contact me through the contact page. Just want to investigate more? Grab the free ebook I wrote about getting started with Young Living Essential Oils.

*The FDA has not analyzed this statement for accuracy. This statement is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or heal any known or suspected disease. Consult your doctor.