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My Team Connects

Engaging Customers and Building Community with Copywriting and Content Marketing

Seven Surprises I’m Grateful For After Ten Years Of Freelancing

November 26, 2015 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

Seven Surprises I’m Grateful For After Ten Years Of Freelancing
freelancing surprisesWhen I first realized I could have and grow a business from the family’s only computer, I spent all my “extra” time building a website for my arts and crafts business, and then writing a blog to write and showcase my work and writing I was doing for others at the time.

My website was essentially a “display case” for my work, which was fine for lead gen, but I still also had to do the work — making the art and writing the copy or articles for e-zines, magazines, local small businesses, and the people who hired me on elance.

On top of that, I was out there pitching the work in person — setting up a tent at holiday art shows, traveling to art retreats and drumming the pavement for local work. Not to mention personally bidding on lots of odd writing jobs and losing half of them to other wirters… Yes, it was a lot of hustling!

I was — and still am — a stay-at-home mom. If you’ve ever had tiny children you know any sort of regularity is impossible when kids are small. To everyone else, the stuff I was doing, making and building looked more like a hobby, especially since I wasn’t making much money doing it. If I had to describe my work-life “balance” back then it was like trying to staple jelly to a wall!

Ten years later, we’re still going through some challenging times with some “special needs” older teenagers, and life is good, given all its twists and turns.

But as a small business owner I’ve turned a corner, and that’s what I want to share with you.

I have the greatest respect for people with a business mindset and a big dream. People who are focused on building a business from home, even when it seems like not another living soul believes in them.

But I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t think gainful employment would be cool sometimes. Even though I know it doesn’t really work like this, I still fantasize about it: I’d clock in and perform some enjoyable, assigned task with supportive and appreciative coworkers for X number of hours, with the certainty that I was going to get paid X amount at the end of the week! (Oddly, I’m usually picturing stocking produce when I imagine a job other than writing… it looks like fun.)

stress over time

It’s a mindset. A go-to job would never work for me because I made a choice, at least for now. I’m an entrepreneur-freelancer who chooses to work from home. I have a full, but unusual schedule. I can’t expect anyone else to live around it, either, especially when things get a little crazy around here.

But do I work hard? Of course. Do I place high demands on my work and productivity? You bet.

And that’s a typical entrepreneur-freelancer’s mindset for you. Helping folks create relevant content, and putting effort into marketing efforts is how I grow my business. It’s essential to filling any freelancer’s funnel.

For personal and financial reasons, a lot of folks are adopting a similar work habit. Freelancing and self-employment are not too far out of the norm.

Last year, self-employed workers made up 10% of the overall workforce. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, that’s 15 Million people!

entrepreneur, freelancerWe’re a growing population, that’s a given. In order to support my fellow freelancers, self-employed solopreneurs and entrepreneurs, I’ve been assessing the changes in the last decade, and wanted to share my experience.

After ten years freelancing and working for myself, what’s changed and what’s stayed the same?

1. The more experience you have, the better you’re able to vet projects before you take them. I still hustle for jobs, but now I’m better at predicting which jobs wouldn’t be a good fit so I don’t take them or even bid on them at all. I used to spend hours on the phone with “prospects” who would ask hundreds of questions about marketing strategy, in effect getting valuable consulting for free. Then I’d spend half a day putting together a proposal based on their specific business and goals. Many times I would never even get a response when I followed up. Not cool, but it happens to new freelancers all the time.

2. Business details no longer consume time and drain energy. I still spend a fair amount of time working IN my business, rather than ON my business (the cardinal sin of entrepreneurship), but I’m gradually getting to the point where my business doesn’t drag me down. I can get on top of it and see where I’m truly helpful, and where I need to get help from others. I get to spend more time doing what I’m good at because there’s a bit of infrastructure in place, finally.

my team connects3. The name My Team Connects is a name we gave the company when a former partner and I had in mind a SAS that helped sales teams collaborate via email. I like to think it’s still a name that works. Three reasons:

  1. I’m building a team via a network marketing company I believe in, separate but complementary to my writing business.
  2. As a writer and marketing consultant, I get to help other freelancers and businesses grow. When the energy is great, I feel like I’m part of a team, albeit a revolving team.
  3. I feel a connection to my professional and personal team of people on whom I rely to get me through the days. If we didn’t have a good connection working together, it wouldn’t be much fun, so I’m grateful for that.

4. My confidence underwent an adjustment. I’m not exactly sure “confidence” is the right word, because it sounds prideful, when what I mean is that I’m more aware and willing to admit what I can’t do, instead of pretending that I’m something I’m not. The word Confidence has evolved to mean “Less bravado, more kindness.”

5. Success doesn’t mean building an empire. I used to think that if I didn’t have an Inc. Fortune 5000 Small Business Award hanging on my wall someday, nothing I did would count. Success these days is more about choices, freedom, and giving back.

6. Trust your talent and skill. Listen, I’m a big believer in coaches and teachers, but there’s a moment you realize that their way isn’t always the best way for you. For several years, I spent lots of money and time taking courses on how to be a better writer, and comparing my writing with others’ writing. I mistrusted the words I penned, even though I’ve been writing almost daily since I was 11 years old; and while I know there are better writers, I didn’t allow myself to trust my voice. I’m getting better about that.

7. I also bought into what seems to be the inspirational speakers’ mantra that invariably goes something like this: “I was living in my car; I was such a failure, my mother didn’t even claim me; but now I’m over all that stuff that was holding me back. So follow exactly what I do and you’ll be a raving success just like me.” I would wear myself out readjusting my thoughts to someone who seemed like they had it all together, and taking to heart the voices and opinions of others who knew nothing about me. Weird, I know, but tuning out all that “inspiration” is a sign of growth. For me, at least.

Today, not only do I detect a trace of desperation in some of those voices (which makes me sad), but the message also makes me uneasy because I look around and see leaders with quiet confidence whose kingdoms are every bit as great. You have to learn to trust yourself and your own story.

happy home businessIf I can share the dream of building a business from home while being happy at home, then I know I’ll be doing my best work here. The things that have helped me build a writing business helping people sell millions of dollars in products and services, are things I can share with you, too.

My blog is a course in itself, where you can get hundreds of posts I’ve written over the years about copywriting and email marketing . You also have access to some of the information products I’ve created to add value for my small business clients.

I’m adding to this content library weekly, and working on organizing it into categories so that it’s easier to find relevant topics. Meanwhile, please enjoy what’s here and let me know if there’s something you’d like me to cover from a work-from-home standpoint, a business-building standpoint, or a copywriting standpoint.

A good place to start is with the Lucky Deck of content creation tips. Most people have a natural voice when it comes to their expertise, but they just don’t know how to tell the story. These help with that.

Then, you need the copywriting part. When you learn to infuse your content with specific calls to action, then your social media and blog, etc. really start to bring in the people who will buy products and services from you. This is how you transform your communication into writing and speaking that closes sales.

communityYou really can’t build a business without it, so if you have 21 minutes today, I invite you to get the pointers for writing and speaking these words that sell. They’re my best 21 tips in short 60-second videos and I think you’ll like them a lot!

By the way, did I mention that all this content is free! Just register for the content library membership here to get started.

 

 

Filed Under: Freelancing Tagged With: build business from home, building a business, business success, copywriting, entrepreneur qualities, freelance writing, freelance writing from home, freelancing, freelancing vs. job, home business, small business, solopreneur, teamwork at home, work from home, writing

Young Living’s Integrity Problem

May 25, 2015 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

Young Living’s Integrity Problem

Missing Blue Tansy, worth the wait...I want to work with a company that tells me the truth.

Young Living’s business model means I’m sharing it with people I know and like, people who trust me. I’ve been using Young Living Essential Oils for a year now, and I’m really thankful it doesn’t resort to tricks to keep its customers and members satisfied. It relies instead on the truth, even if it’s hard to swallow sometimes.

In the past year, we’ve been out of Valor and Peace and Calming due to “supply shortage.” For two years in a row, the Blue Tansy harvest was spoiled by heavy rainfall. So what does that mean to lovers of that Blue Tansy and the blends containing it? It means we wait until the next harvest and use something different in the meantime.

I come from a farming background, where I’ve learned that when it’s time, it’s time. Especially at harvest time. In Nebraska, where my family has farmed for generations, it doesn’t matter how much you’ve been looking forward to that Cornhuster football game; if the crops are ready to bring in, you’re up and out there in the field. That’s just the way it is. My uncles have missed a lot of sports events at harvest time. Nebraska football and Nebraska farming don’t always go together. And you see the results in the people there. Nebraskans are realistic, faithful, hardworking, and accepting. Interesting how that works.

Think of it like a pregnancy. When baby’s ready, but you’re not, too bad. You change your plans. Nature has a way of holding all the cards, which is both reassuring and frustrating. I love how when you are committed to working with nature, and not against it, you are forced to find patience, faith, and acceptance. I think it might be God’s way of helping us with those qualities. quite frankly, I like that Young Living encourages its members to adopt these qualities right along with the corporation. We’re in it together.

Instead of tweaking a formula known to work, they embrace transparency and share the truth about the harvest. It’s no secret, anyway. Rain is rain. Sorry if you were counting on Valor, but that fact is, you need Blue tansy to make it. It is what it is. Young Living is not going to substitute an essential oil for something else just to fulfill orders. Yes, it’s frustrating, but it’s liberating, too.

Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. John 8:32

A lot of companies accommodate the market and their shareholders to a fault. While I understand how and why that happens, that doesn’t mean I like it. Do you ever wonder how can a company can skim, cut corners, and search for the lowest common denominator; and still stay in business? Many times it can’t, unless it’s a consumable that people want and need, and the brand is strong.

Consumers grow more savvy and informed every day. Small competitors, happy with a smaller market, use the ubiquitous digital media and product evangelists to spring up and nip into industry giants’ markets. As a consumer, I admit I like the trend. As a marketer, I’m fascinated by certain small companies’ growth and evolution.

Don’t let me down gradually.

Do you ever notice when you begin to love a product, you become a regular buyer; you stop comparing brands and prices because you landed on “the one you like;” you replace the generic name of the product with your favorite brand’s name; and you even tell your friends about it.

Little white lies corporations tell
A dishonest business man

And then… you start noticing little differences in quality. The material is a tiny bit thinner, or the bottle seems smaller, or the life of the product is a little shorter… you think, but you can’t quite be sure. At the same time, the product is becoming more popular; it’s not the best-kept secret anymore. “What’s happening?” you wonder. Did the company stop testing, or scale back on quality control? Did they find a cheaper vendor, or are they cutting corners to meed demand? Something’s not right, and usually that something is accompanied by higher prices.

Eventually, that purchase you never questioned before does’t hold the same allure. If another , more attractive product comes along, you would try it. That’s what happens when a company either grows too fast and wants to make too many people happy, and/or forgets its loyal customers. Maybe the company just decided it was worth it to lower their original standards to serve more people. Or sells to a giant in the industry.

As the primary consumer of a busy household, I’ve resigned myself to this pattern many times. Sometimes consumers have no choice, as is the case with the shrinking quantity of tissue paper on a roll over the last 20 years. (What’s up with that industry trend, anyway?) Sometimes your favorite thing just vanishes overnight, like Illuminations Candles. (Loved those.) Sometimes the change is sudden, and the customer just deals with it, as in Netflix’s membership/pricing terms in 2011 (I stayed.)

What’s worse is when the change or decrease is slight and disappointing, or minor, and “hidden.”

Last Saturday I travelled with my friend Suzi to a Young Living Essential Oils event. We made a pitstop midway between Austin and San Antonio, where I grabbed a cup of yogurt. (The one that starts with a “Ch.”) I opened it, and saw maybe a third cup of yogurt in what used to be a good half cup, in a “5.2 oz.” container. The plastic cup was the same size, but it was literally half full. I wondered if maybe a machine in the factory malfunctioned, or the cup slipped past the weight test. Who knows? It tasted fine, but I was not dazzled when I peeled back the lid.

Unfortunately, I became a little suspicious of the integrity of the company. The food itself wasn’t the disappointment; it was the behind-the scenes decision to just skim a little off the top, as if a loyal customer wouldn’t notice.

Regarding sharing the truth about supply, ripping off the bandaid is always the better option.

No valor? Try this instead.I trust YL oils because of their “Seed to Seal” promise. Rock solid testing and quality controls ensure the best product every time. If they are out of an ingredient in a blend, Young Living isn’t going to ship me some second-rate substitute just to fulfill the order. Instead, they explain why they won’t let me place the order in the first place, then they support me with other options.

I can handle that. Yeah, I’m sad I can’t get Valor. (My kid has great days when he puts some on his feet in the morning, but, oh, well.) We can try other oils instead. at least I know for certain their purity will never be compromised. Makes me feel more confident in the products they have already shipped to me. One of those little perks of Young Living integrity… I can trust the company.

As Cherie Ross said this weekend at her event in San Antonio, when the company is out of something, look at it as an opportunity to try a different oil or combination of oils… “Enjoy the detour,” she advised, then she went on to share the profound benefits of Stress Away, which like every last one of Young Living Essential Oils means it only include 100% pure therapeutic grade oil.

Are you curious about Young Living as a company you might want to work with? Learn more about Young Living here, or feel free to connect with me any time… Contact me.

*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.

Filed Under: essential oils Tagged With: blue tansy supply, cheap substitutes, compromise, customer objections, essential oils, Integrity, little white lies, Peace and Calming, Seed to Seal, small business, Stress Away, supply, trust, try a different oil, Valor, young living, Young Living integrity

Three Traps To Avoid When Building A Business Writing From Home

April 8, 2015 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

Three Traps To Avoid When Building A Business Writing From Home

writing from home We’re the lucky ones, we writers.

We get to practice our craft and get paid for it. While most of us may never actually achieve perfection, the cumulative effect, hopefully, is a portfolio of decent writing.

Some writing is great, some is average, and over time you raise your own bar. As with all work, the longer you stay with it and the more consistent your habits, the higher the overall quality of your writing.

However, a few troubling trends are sneaking around. I’m afraid they’re pulling some excellent writers off course, and diluting their ability both to improve their skills and to earn a good income working from home.

I know, because they’ve taken their toll on me, too. That’s why I’m warning you now…

But first; the good news. A great foundation for building a business of any kind also applies to a freelance writing business. Follow this simple writing law, and you’ll be rewarded with the potential to become a great writer.

If you learn from other writers, and collect advice about writing habits and practices, then you’ve already been exposed to a version of this: Focus on serving your audience, that one person who really needs to hear what you alone know THE MOST about.

That’s it… Focus on service.

Maybe you’re thinking right now, “But I don’t write for charities. I don’t write for nonprofits, or even for service companies. That’s okay. Stay with me, and you’ll see how this applies to you, too.

There are basically two kinds of web writers. Those who sell their writing to others (copywriting, ghost blogging, and content writing) and bloggers who make money from their blog through affiliates, advertising, and product sales. Many writers do some combination of both.

If you’re just starting out, maybe you’ve got some writing chops and you’re ready to start creating your own content, or do some writing for others and make money. Great! There’s a huge need for good web writing and people will pay you well if you’re reliable and solid.

Want to write well, and build a lucrative business writing from home? Begin with this mantra. Focus. Service. Focus. Service. (Tweet this.)

Focus on service and you’ll quickly begin to attract an audience, and a list of clients who need your skills.

invisible unknown audienceHow can writing embody service?

Service can take the form of an advice column, a how-to article, an entertaining diatribe, a descriptive feast for the senses, or a listicle. Service even has countless tones; it can be humorous, sincere, informative or confrontational. Service is in the eye of the beholder, which is why it pays to know your reader.

The service of writing takes many forms. It is akin to cooking, and just as quickly consumed. You create something, just as a chef cooks; and your client tries it, or gives it to her followers to taste. All you have to do is find the angle that works best for you, whether by subject, or style; for your own audience or another’s. Then you see if it’s palatable by how much interaction it brings.

Sounds easy enough, right? A good work ethic, discipline, and a commitment to write every day are great qualities of a writer. Heck, just sitting your butt in a chair and pressing your fingers against keyboard buttons is what separates most lucrative professional writers from their frustrated counterparts! But even if you have all that, I guarantee you’ll still confront these pitfalls in the business of writing.

TRAPS that keep you from “The Law of Focused Service”

Along the way, especially as I was building my writing business, I fell into the trap of forgetting this simple law. It’s very easy to do, in fact, because the writer’s mindset and lifestyle are so conducive to this weakness. Here’s how to anticipate the most common writing traps and avoid the mistakes I’ve made.

Since the two key components to the advice “Focus on service” are 1) Focus and 2) Service; it’s probably pretty obvious where it’s easy to fail.

Three Things That Kill Focused Service:

First, the easiest way to falter in blogging, or in finding the right customers for your writing services, is to envision too many readers or customers. Solve this by maintaining a clear picture of your audience.

1. Fuzzy or nonexistent audience ID kills your writing. (Tweet this.)

You’ve heard that before, haven’t you? Know your audience. Write to that person.

who's this guy?The inherent problem in this statement, however, is the very word “audience.” We’re imagining dozens, maybe hundreds and thousands of readers. We want a lot of people to read our writing, right? If your blog only has one reader, it’s not going to be a very successful undertaking, so we envision multitudes. And then we commit the first fatal mistake.

We confuse the number of clicks and shares we desire with the number of people we should be writing to.

The problem results in a profound lack of focus. In trying to please everyone, you interest no one.

It’s terribly distracting to crave, imagine, or wish for a huge following – a “readership” — while you’re writing to one person, isn’t it? The beautiful irony is this. Instead, make (virtual) eye contact with one guy. Lock in, pretend your answering a question that he asked and smother your desire to make your answer fit a slew of different points of view. If there’s more than one answer, you can always break your topic into small parts and address each part separately, in individual blog posts or videos. But for now, conquer the task at hand and answer that one question or address that one topic from that one person. Focus.

It’s not easy, but it’s a skill worth practicing. Once you get it, your voice comes more naturally, and your articles and posts will have that lean quality and structure readers can easily follow.

2. The fabulous lifestyle that can sabotage your writing…

Don’t you love it when people rave about working from a home office? Your freelance writing “lifestyle” is rife with distracting elements. The very reason you may have chosen this home business path is so you could attend to children, hobbies, a chaotic schedule, or a desire to squeeze every ounce of joy, productivity, and freedom out of your life. And still make money writing.

Unfortunately, you absolutely cannot develop good writing skills unless you just sit there and write. From most outside perspectives, that looks pretty boring. For the writer without a laser-focused attitude of service, it’s like writing at a three-ring circus. Even in relative quiet.

There’s always that temptation to stop, look up, look around for inspiration. And as soon as you do, there’s the leaky faucet; or your dog giving you “that look;” the plant that looks like it could use some water, the box of chocolates, email…

On top of that, there are the flat-out interruptions: The phone call from school, the UPS delivery, or a flash of lightning/power blip that occurs more often here on the outskirts of Austin that you’d ever believe. So what do you do while your computer is rebooting, or “as long as you’re up?” Check your phone, get a snack, take a shower… see, I fight this monster daily. You know you’re losing the battle when you start writing about your distractions…

But I was talking about focused writing, wasn’t I? Well, you already know it’s not so easy to refocus after you’ve lost it.

Whenever I need encouragement and tips for blocking out distractions, I look to the master of web writing focus and productivity, Daphne Gray-Grant, or I slip into a cocoon of white noise with an app like My Noise.net. I like the brown noise. It really does help.

stuck!3. “Maybe I’ll just write another blog post about me today.”

Another significant pitfall I see among bloggers and other writers seeking work is confusion about content that actually serves a purpose. You see a lot of motivational hooey these days, mixed in with some really good motivational business blogs. Some business websites lean so heavily on inspirational content that you’d think that all it takes to be an entrepreneur these days is to find yourself, become self-aware, and live your bliss. You’re also taught that as long as you’re “passionate” about your topic, you’ll find a loyal audience hungry for your content.

While this may be true for a finely carve-out niche or a celeb with the cult of personality, don’t make the mistake of thinking that all your many splendored interests will translate into a great blog or a large, engaged target audience.

Your content must have value.

Writers are often good at extracting information from piles of interesting sources. (Interesting to the writer, at least.) In fact, that’s one of the reasons we are writers – we’re just so ridiculously captivated by all sorts of details, ideas and concepts that must be put on paper and shared! But an active mind and a relentless curiosity can be the tyrant that sucks your productivity, your effectiveness, and eventually, your business.

Even if you hustle like Gary Vaynerchuck, you still have to identify that one specific thing you serve up daily, tirelessly, and relentlessly to your followers. What this doesn’t mean is lumping all your interests online as if you were the web’s expert on them all – PIYO, raising chickens, juicing, and reading mysteries – and expect a groundswell of interest in your writing (or writing services). It doesn’t work exactly like that. (Oh, how I wish it were true.)

While your trip to the cactus nursery may be the notable high point of your weekend, and a privileged peek into the less dominant facets of your life besides your business writing; too much social sharing and blogging about your hobbies, social life, or your cat’s most recent accomplishment detracts from your most important task – that thing you’re known for – your writing or blogging.

Focused service requires editing, both on paper and in your content. Even if you DO have more time to play than your friends with regular jobs (shh), focus your play in areas that energize your writing and share that with your audience.

The best writing gig in the whole world

You know what’s really cool, though? It’s when you can write about what you like to do, whether that’s social media, raising thoroughbred bloodhounds, or parasailing; and get paid to write about those activities. That way, the ruthless editing is confined to your articles and not your lifestyle. You simply live full out, and describe your experience to your waiting fans.

It can be done, especially now that there’s a targeted niche just waiting to be created every living day. The secret to focused service is delivering value within a solid, entertaining and clear writing style, in a focused, consistent manner.

Heart in web photo by Neal Fowler on flickr


What are your greatest challenges working from home? I’d love to know. I’m checking in with my readers and favorite freelancers for some input on that. If you have a moment (actually about 2 minutes) to answer a few questions, please click here. I’d love to connect. Hey, thanks in advance!

Filed Under: Freelancing, Home Business Tagged With: blogging, bog writing, business writing from home, content writing content writing tips writing rules, Daphne Gray-Grant, distractions, focus on service, focused service, freelance writing, freelance writing from home, Gary Vaynerchuck hustle, home business, home writing business, internet writing, listicle, service in writing, small business, traps to avoid in freelance writing, traps to avoid working from home, writing for the web, writing from home

Hand It Over: Why Letting Go Is Good For Your Business

February 13, 2015 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

Hand It Over: Why Letting Go Is Good For Your Business

letting go in your businessYesterday I was stressing about bookkeeping and taxes. I felt like a child who was going to get in trouble for not doing her homework. But after one hour with Jackie Sweeten at Sweeten CPA​, I felt peace and control over my home office. What a relief! Jackie is the kind of professional I LOVE to work with. Like some kind of accounting horse whisperer, she took control and brought that wild animal into the coral and showed me how to handle it. With her calm assurance, she handed me control (over my part) and gave me the confidence to let her team handle the rest. I also know a ton more about my business and books than I ever did before! Talk about feeling in good hands!

Owning a business is extra difficult when you obsess about loosening your grip.

  • Sometimes that grip is over your money.
  • Sometimes, that grip is on your dream, or your precious idea.
  • Sometimes you have your grip so tightly around your worry itself, that you can’t even see a solution if it whacked you in the face!

Do you know what it’s like to have a wall around a certain area in your business? I had a mental and spiritual block about my books. Just to paint you a picture, I have a pile of papers that I still need to file from tax season 2013! So naturally I get really stressed about tax season and filing, and saving the right stuff, and keeping records about income.

are you qualified to do this?One recent tax year, I got the wrong help from someone who was going to help me with my books, and I ended up reporting an obviously incorrect amount for one line of my business, all because my head was NOT in the game. My first mistake was letting someone who didn’t know Quickbooks help me with my books (duh), and my second was not looking over her report (DUH). [I know you business people who manage books are just shaking your heads and cringing right now, and you probably even think this is related to some kind of terrible character flaw that leaks over into all areas of my life. And you wouldn’t be too far wrong about that, except that I have enough other gifts to buoy me up, so no one even knew, except my closest friends. 🙂 It’s like the illiterate person who can fake not being able to read. I used to be like that, but with my accounting books.] Furthermore, my accountant didn’t even ask about what should have been a very odd line item. After cleaning it up, I knew in my heart that I brought those problems on myself, of course…

Although I’ve always thought of myself as a great “manifester,” (I always seem to have what I need exactly when I need it, whether that’s money, information, documents, etc.) I would always get a little panicky a few days before I really needed to write that check or produce that document. It’s just a  thing with me, and once I figured out the pattern, I decided to stop it.

After literally “manifesting” myself into a puddle of stress about my books, I decided it was time to own it. That meant, putting on my big girl pants and handing it over. Oh, my Lord, how humbling is that?! But here’s what I’m discovering in this process…

Admitting you have a problem, and then handing over control is EMPOWERING!

I let it go, finally, and asked for help. Yes, I asked for help from God, and realized that He had already planted the seeds for me. I just had to go harvest the crop! See, I have sat in several accountant offices before, and there’s a part of my brain that I always just shut off.  Have you ever done that? You sit there, with your mind half closed, and you take notes and you sort of smile, and pretend you’re getting it.

Well yesterday, I prayed that God would give me wisdom to open my mind, and ask the questions that needed answering, and to really accept the help from someone who was referred to me in this area. Jackie Sweeten is a true pro because she never once hemmed, hawed or hesitated. I could tell, she’s seen clients like me before, but here’s the difference: I made the commitment to be teachable.

This is what I told her: “I need you to know this about me. I am willing to change…

“I am going to try very hard to open my mind to your advice. I will ask a bunch of mundane questions until I understand, and then I will do what you tell me to do, and I will pay you for whatever services you think I need.”

She was kind, letting me know that she totally understood. She easily welcomed my worry in and gave it a seat. This is a testimonial for her awesome bookkeeping manners, surely, but it is also a testament the freedom in really handing something over!

  • Hand it over to a professional. If you’re not at ease with copywriting, or saying your message, then HAND IT OVER!
  • If you’re not sure about how to implement a good idea, or how to focus on something that would help you move forward in your business or life, ask for help and HAND IT OVER! Literally, float it out on the internet, ask your followers on Twitter, or call someone who looks like they have their act together in that area and in most cases, they will be happy to help or refer you to their source.
  • If you are tired of doing everything yourself, you can always pray! Trust god or however you envision Infinite Wisdom and goodness in the universe… and just ASK. Then be open to it, noting when you are being touched by someone who can really help. HAND IT OVER!

dream it, do it.If you are one of those do-it-yourselfers by nature, I can totally relate to that. But here’s the big revelation — and you have to trust that this is true — there are other people in the world who can do most things better than you. LET THEM!!

You’re great, but you’re not good at everything.

It’s the true counterintuitive part about being an entrepreneur. When you jump into this sea, and really own your business of serving, building, profiting by your gifts and goods, you have to be willing to hand over the reins and do what YOU do best. Be teachable. Push yourself to understand what you need, and then follow through with your part. Sometimes it’s as minor as returning a phone call or filing a receipt!

You will be amazed at how much energy and calm you reap when you flex that muscle and hand over stuff you were never meant to do. Let that gap be filled by someone you trust, and open your heart to professional expertise. After yesterday, I feel like I just bought an extra few hours in my week (even though all I ever did with those hours was spend them worrying) and now I even feel empowered to file that 5-inch stack of receipts and papers. I don’t even need a bookkeeping house call, although I’ll bet I could get one if I really wanted one!

You will be lifted by letting go, and ironically, you will feel so empowered by the awesome natural gifts of others. We are stronger together.

Your turn. When did you ever turn something over and reap rich rewards for it?

Filed Under: Home Business, Inspiration Tagged With: accounting, big girl pants, Bookkeeping, expertise, filing, getting help in business, getting help with copywriting, handing it over, home business, home office, Jackie Sweeten, letting God into your business, owning your business, professionalism, small business, small business owner, Sweeten CPA, tax season, taxes, teamwork, worries about money, worry

Get Over Yourself — Why A Third-Person Mindset Helps You Play A Bigger Game

October 21, 2014 by jennifer mcgahan 2 Comments

Get Over Yourself — Why A Third-Person Mindset Helps You Play A Bigger Game

Get Over Yourself -- Why A Third-Person Mindset Helps You Play A Bigger GameIt happens a lot, especially when I’m writing an about page, or a bio for LinkedIn. A client reads the copy I wrote for them, and stops dead in her tracks.

“I’m…this good? Are you sure?”

Then they want to add a disclaimer, or soften up the piece. It’s almost as if they are afraid they won’t live up to what the copy is promising.

See, in my copywriting work, I have the great pleasure of working with many personally driven entrepreneurs. They are doing business with heart and soul. They do it because they love it, and they’re on a mission to change the world with each client they serve.

While it’s cool being a part of someone’s business and helping them shine and get seen online, the challenge is promoting their work in a way that feels “right” to them. Small business people and solopreneurs are often so caught up in who they are, and how they present themselves to the world that they often forget their marketing purpose to attract and win new business.

The challenge of objectivity

Some of my clients (especially those new in business) balk when they read about themselves in the third person because they feel they are “selling” themselves.

It’s a problem they take personally, and it keeps them playing smaller than they should.

One helpful piece of advice I give when delivering copy for a sales page or email, is to try to see your own business from the outside.

Read the copy with the eye of someone who desperately needs your services or product. Know that it will change their life. Stop reading the copy from inside your own narrow perspective.

Overcome it With Confidence

Good marketing takes confidence. It also requires that you assume a level of efficacy you may not be used to. It’s an accountability thing, a belief in your abilities and how well you actually perform a task. As my copywriting mentor Sandi Krakowski told me, “Being a business owner means you have to drop the drama.”

When you decide to go for it in your business, you have to release your hesitancy. Seriously and with intention, you must let go your fear of not being good enough. It’s not a business if you don’t ask for money; and asking for money requires authenticity and integrity. People want to know and feel that they’re in good hands.

As you create your marketing strategy and produce your copy and content, the easiest way to get over your own junk is to ask yourself, “If I didn’t know myself, would I want to do business with me?”

If you’re running and marketing your freelance business, especially when you’re working from home in a bit of a vacuum, you might be susceptible to seeing our business from a single point of view.

You can add a lot of unnecessary drama if you don’t believe you’re good enough. You might even try to disguise a lack of confidence by telling about yourself too much. Believe me, I’ve done it!

Solo-preneurs and small business people can become obsessed with their preconceived view of themselves — what they’ve done, what they do, what they think, feel, and say — and unable to see themselves objectively as their most satisfied clients might view them.

An inexperienced copywriter or someone marketing her own business may use “I” in her marketing and copywriting, and totally miss the connection she could be making with her customers. You remember that customers really only want to hear about themselves, not so much about the person behind the selling.

That takes confidence and the ability to see yourself as others do, and then to relay that information objectively. You’re not bragging, just asking for the sale.

Yes, even if you are the face of your brand, you have to get out of your own way.

Illeism, the habit of referring to oneself in the third person, is symptomatic of someone who is not only uber-confident, they imagine how they’re viewed by others. Ever notice that it’s pretty common among sports and political figures? Generally, thinking, speaking, and writing from a third-person point of view may lower your dependability factor. Take this example spoken by Lebron James:

I wanted to do what was best for LeBron James and what LeBron James was going to do to make him happy.

A bit much, don’t you think? You’d probably laugh if someone talked like that in person. However, when you’re writing copy, knowing how someone would describe you or refer to you is invaluable! Lose the bravado and this is exactly what you should do!

Can you project too much confidence in your copy?

It’s OK to hold yourself to a high standard.

It establishes importance and authority in your brand. However if you frequently do business from an “I” point of view (how I help, what I do best, the way I serve you), you impede your ability to connect with your best customers.

In a misguided effort to assure their customer of their honest intentions, beginning copywriters may even assure the reader, “I promise I’m not selling anything,” (I’ve actually seen this in sales copy!) which looks like you really don’t know what you’re doing, or you don’t have the chops to deliver.

People want to buy from those who have the confidence to make a bold, declarative promise. Many customers truly want you to make an offer because an offer shows honesty, clarity, and purpose within a business.

I’m not telling you to promise something you can’t deliver on, but be confident that what you have is worth paying money for — at least if you want to succeed in your business!

As long as you come from a place of service to your customer, a genuine offer reveals honest-to-goodness possibility. It feels good to deliver the offer and it feels authentic to receive it. Buying customers rely on the quality of confidence because it dissolves their own doubts and inner objections.

As psychologist James W. Pennebaker points out, the third person point of view relates to speakers who assume a higher status than those who use the first person. We often think of someone who uses “I” a lot as someone who’s self centered at worst, and confident at best. But Pennebaker counters that “I” reveals a touch of insecurity and an internalization of others’ opinions and observations.

Get over feeling weird about third-person language.

break out of your narrow perspective
Break free from your narrow perspective!

Marketing — especially self-marketing — demands some stretching. Look up and out. See yourself from the outside in order to grow and say what you do with assurance.

“I” Vs. “She”

Two ways to start seeing how others perceive you, and market your business with confidence

Viewing your business from your own point of view, is a first-person mindset. It is actually a good thing, because this mindset reveals a commitment to clients and customers. Using “I” in your writing also allows you to tell your personal story, to share your purpose for your business, and to solidify your personal brand. It shows you are willing to be “on the hook” for your work and that your word is gold.

But internalizing your work also gets in the way of being able to claim a place in the market and the (presumably) positive outcome of working with you.

If you want to start getting a good idea of how others see you, and gaining that third-person mindset — ask your clients! They will tell you how you are different, where you stand out, and why they like doing business with you. They may also tell you where you trip sometimes. Negative feedback is sometimes hard to hear, but listening is a skill that will pay you back in spades. Unless you can read minds, you should come right out and ask those questions in an exit interview or a survey for your ongoing clients.

Additionally, you may try getting some valuable insight from Sally Hogshead’s book below. I did this work and was found to be an “Intrigue”: Discerning, Perceptive and Considerate. It’s a fun test you can take online, or buy the book How the World Sees You: Discover Your Highest Value Through the Science of Fascination,  and learn even more.

Looking for more inspiration and copywriting tips? I’ll show you how to connect with your customers and market your business like a highly paid copywriter…
You can write your own copy

Filed Under: Copywriting, Freelancing Tagged With: "I", business, copy, copywriting, customers, entrepreneurs, freelance copywriting, freelancing, illeism, James W. Pennebaker, LeBron James, marketing, marketing strategy, navel gazing, objectivity, personal vision, point of view, promotion, Sandy Krakowski, small business, solopreneurs, third person

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