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Sales Copywriting: One of the Easiest Ways to Escape Your 9-to-5 and Make 6 Figures

Joined
Aug 19, 2022
I originally posted this on Reddit and the GLL forums. A lot of people found it helpful so I'm reposting it here.


DIRECT RESPONSE MARKETING: GRAB CAPITALISM BY THE BALLS

(YSK there are lots of other ways to escape the 9-5 life if you look around. This is just what worked for me)

One of the skills a capitalist system can't function without is sales. Someone needs to bridge the gap between the customer and the product. This is why salespeople get commission on sales they make. Without them, the machine of capitalism comes to a grinding halt.

And where salespeople sell in-person - a direct response marketer, AKA sales copywriter, is a salesperson who sells from a typewriter (or word processor).

The problem with in-person sales is you can only sell to one person at a time.

But a sales copywriter? Just one of us can sell to millions of people all over the world.

And before you ask - no, you don't need any prior experience in writing to do this. I was a writer long before I started this and it's definitely made things easier, but by no means is it necessary to succeed. Some of the most successful copywriters out there hardly wrote anything outside their own name before getting into this.

So if you have the ability to write copy that sells, companies are willing to pay you a lot of money for your time.

This post is for anyone who doesn't mind escaping the 9-5 lifestyle by taking advantage of the system. And even if you're not - being aware of this kind of mind fuckery will dramatically enhance your quality of life.

As of this post I've been a freelance copywriter for nearly 4 years. At the moment, I make $9,000 a month from one client as a retainer writing sales copy. Most days I only have 1-2 hours of work. 3-4 max if things are busy. Some days I don't have any work at all. I could easily be making a lot more money from more clients but am opting for time freedom at the moment.

Plus even if there's a recession going on (like right now) I never have to worry about finding work, even if my retainer goes out of business or fires me. In fact, sales copywriting is so integral to the sales process that whatever businesses are surviving in a bad economy will need someone with that skill more than ever.

The reason for this is because the kind of sales copywriting I do is incredibly lucrative and powerfully effective.

This style of writing is based on a very specific, scientifically-proven form of marketing that trips specific psychological and emotional triggers in the lizard brain of target customers to drive them to take immediate action.

And it's not just non-profits and companies using this. The basic psychological principles at play here have been widely used by people in positions of power all over the world for as long as humans have been able to communicate. Only in the last 100 years have companies started using it for monetary gain.

It's called "Direct Response Marketing"... and without this crucial step to the sales process, most business have a near-zero chance of making money due to the Yin-Yang of capitalism and consumerism.

Politics is pretty much nothing but direct response marketing. Appeal to your voter base's pain points, blame it on someone else, explain how they're holding you back from your dreams, & ask for money to fix it. I've used the same sequence to write emails and sales letters for health supplements and hi-tech garden hoses more times than I can count.

This is why companies like Amazon and Apple and Google are bending over backwards to steal everyone's private data through their products and services. The secret, most private thoughts of your target customers is the kind of information that can easily be spun into billions and billions of dollars, even with a barebones advertising campaign.

Because of that fact, companies will pay you substantially more for your time if you know how to relate to their target customers. So much so you'll eventually learn to stop charging based on time and start charging based on how much money your client estimates to make from your work (AKA your value).

That makes it insanely easy to hit a 6 figure income once you know how to market yourself. Even if you're just a so-so copywriter. Your skill is in so much demand it simply doesn't matter.

So if you're looking for a way out of the 9-5 hellhole or just need a way to make more money, this is probably one of the most efficient ways:

By learning the skill that functions as the lynchpin to the capitalist-consumerist sales cycle.

Best thing is anyone can do this and no one cares about your resume. Only your ability to bring them results.

I had only 5 months of part-time experience working for clients (all remote) before I was fired from my last "real" job. I decided to try freelancing as a sales copywriter full time. It was a little bumpy at first but I'm now stable enough that I don't have to look for work unless I want to make extra money.

IS THIS TRUE? IS THIS A SCAM? ARE YOU GONNA ASK FOR MONEY?

Yes, no, and no. Businesses have been using direct response marketing for over 100 years. Before the internet, sales letters and ads were sent through snail mail to entice potential customers to send back some sort of response. If you're older you probably have memories of getting an ad in the mail telling you to mail back a single nickel, or some other token of response.

There are also plenty of well-established "gurus and greats." Some famous names are Dan Kennedy, Eugene Schwartz, and Gary Halbert.

Almost every successful business on the face of the planet uses some form of direct response marketing. Some hire single contractors, others hire direct response agencies, and others have entire teams of writers trained in this skill.

If the existence of this field is upsetting to you, you're not alone. To think we can be so easily swayed without knowing it is alarming. But as you'll come to understand the more you follow this rabbit hole, corporate overreach in daily life is rampant.

Don't let it stress you out. Instead, use this knowledge to arm yourself and others. Maybe make a good living while you're at it. And hopefully contribute back to the world in a positive way after it's made you more money than you need.

"THIS SOUNDS LIKE MIND CONTROL"

It does, but it's not. The psychological principles of direct response don't work on anyone who isn't already predisposed to the message of the sales copy. It's just the science of tapping into the ideas and opinions that already exist in your customer base. It's more "scientific influence" than mind control.

So for example, selling a facial wash to someone with acne is a lot easier than selling it to someone who already has perfect skin. That means tapping into the pain points and desires associated with having bad skin is going to have little effect - if any - on people with good skin, and they won't buy.

Some people might argue that such detailed influence still constitutes mind control, and that's a fair criticism.

"I DON'T WANT TO PROFIT BY MAKING THE WORLD WORSE"

Fair point. Like I said, I'm not pretending this is a morally pure path. However, there are plenty of businesses out there whose products and services genuinely make the world a better place and improve people's lives.

Regardless, my $.02:

If it's not me writing the copy it's just gonna be someone else. The damage gets done regardless of what I do.

But if I make a ton of money by doing it, I'm not just taking care of my own needs.

With this kind of money I suddenly have the power to take care of anything and everything friends and family and even strangers need.

I have the power to create immediate positive change on a widespread, even global scale. I can invest in start-ups to combat climate change. I can support politicians dedicated to getting corporate money out of politics or fighting for civil rights. I can found research centers for medical science.

Money = power. And I think a lot of people forget that power can be used for good, too.

While money over-prioritizing money is the root of all evil, capitalism isn't going anyway any time soon... so I might as well take advantage of it to help destroy it

Also I'm not gonna lie... I also like being able to wake up at noon during the week in my 30s cause I was up til 3am watching Brooklyn 99.


RESOURCES

FACEBOOK GROUPS
(tons of great content here, check their group files, media, and pinned posts. I used to get almost all my work from CoC jobs board alone. The only downside is you're competing against other copywriters on a job board, so you don't get paid as much as if you found the client on your own):

Cult of Copy beginner training wheels

Cult of Copy

Cult of Copy jobs board

Cult of copy collosseum

Copywriting jobs

Copywriting unleashed

Copywriting unleashed job board


OTHER FREE RESOURCES
Anything related to "the greats" of direct response... look up Eugene Schwartz, Dan Kennedy, and Gary Halbert to get yourself introduced. Just typing their names into google or youtube or facebook will bring up tons of results

Also if you follow established copywriters on social media, they regularly put out informative and valuable content for free. A lot of them offer free webinars with info on copywriting and building your business that can be incredibly valuable. Colin Theriot is a very good one to follow. You can find others in the Facebook groups I mentioned above

Scroll through the Top Posts of All Time for r/Entrepreneur and r/copywriting. Why the first one? Because by following this path, you are effectively taking the path of the entrepreneur. You are starting your own business. So it is absolutely vital to your success that you understand how to run it.

Link to my resource folder I sometimes update. Check back on the Swipe File doc from time to time as that's what I'll be updating the most. I've just been slacking up til recently:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SlPK1JBa4nz65MuJC2arLjpALYeXGWSfCcVAuRN3cbo/edit?usp=sharing

Lukas Resheske's Copywriting Mentorship Program

Look up this video series on YouTube. It does a truly amazing job of spelling out copywriting and how to make money with it (not mine, they've just been very helpful to me). Up until a couple years ago these videos were part of a course that cost several thousand dollars. Be warned - some of the sales concepts are a bit involved, so if you find yourself struggling to follow what he's talking about (like I did at first) then I suggest revisiting this after you've gotten your copywriter's feet wet. They'll be easier to understand then:



And my notes for the above video series:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1d8iTb3xptdNKeQ9c0s14dpTrMzJ2YMqR?usp=sharing


Books to check out:

4 Hour Work Week (by Tim Ferris)

Dot Com Secrets (by Russell Brunson)

The Freelancer's Manifesto (by Steve Roller)

Think & Grow Rich (by Napoleon Hill)

Breakthrough Advertising (by Eugene Schwartz)

That last one by Eugene Schwartz is considered the Holy Bible of copywriting. Also just a mind-blowing read in general. If you're serious about this, do not skip this book. I might be overselling it but this book was written almost 100 years ago, is only 80 pages, and new copies are $125 minimum. Older copies retail for several hundreds and thousands of dollars.

Fortunately, you should easily be able to find an eBook version for $10. There should also be a PDF of the book in the resources drive I linked you to.


PAID RESOURCES

AWAI.com... if you have $500 or so to invest in your education, their "6 figure beginner copywriter course" is the best way to go. It de-mystifies the whole sales copywriting thing and makes a complex psychological process easy to understand. They also give you detailed feedback on practice work at the end. It's simplified enough that despite massive brain fog I was able to understand and finish the whole thing in 3 months (while studying 24/7).

I haven't looked into any equivalents to AWAI so I can't comment on them. Others may have better pricing or content, but I felt I got way more than $500 worth out of it. And I was right. Don't bother using it as a selling point to prospects though. They won't know what it is or care.

This is probably the most cost- and time-efficient way if you have the extra dough. I don't get anything if you sign up, this is just my own recommendation.

GET A MENTOR

This is the most expensive option, but if that's not an issue for you then it's easily the fastest way to start making enough to support yourself on your own. And then moving on to pull in 6+ figures (if that's something you want). The most cost-effective way to do this is to find an established copywriter on social media who offers a mentorship or beginner's course (usually comes with personal mentoring/feedback). A good mentorship from these kinds of copywriters will run you a couple thousand dollars. I wouldn't pay any more than $5k. Most of them are happy to offer payment plans of some sort (50% now, 50% after your first paying client, etc.)

PASS IT ON

This is not part of a funnel. I do not make money off of anything you do here. Just an inflated ego from helping people out. Really I know what it's like to fail out of the system. To be in a position where you can't support yourself and where everyone thinks you're lazy or faking it. Copywriting helped me when I had no other options, and I know other people in similar situations could use it.

If this strikes your interest, I hope you see it through. It's far from impossible. Hell I did it and I was half-dead most of the time. Which is not to suggest it's easy - it's attainable.

If you know someone you think might benefit from it, share or copy + paste this post. Copywriting allowed me a level of freedom with both my time and money it would have taken 20+ years to "earn" in a corporate setting. If you ask me, no one should have to sacrifice that much time for financial or time freedom.

Good luck.
 
Lieutenant Lucid Hey Lucidity how you doing?

Good to see you on KYIL at last

Part of this post does fall foul of our no advertising rules

If i didnt know who you were this entire post would be gone tbh

Im going to have to remove the links to that membership programme - the rest seems cool. I did read your OG post back in the day
 
Radical Good to see you here man. My bad about the link, appreciate the understanding. Is it okay if I just say to look up the series on YT?
 
YOOOOO!

I posted in your thread on GLL, and I took action on what you said.

I am going through this process man and it's my goal once I've achieved the Phoenix project, something I have put almost 8 months into and have almost accomplished.

Money will be my next goal. Thanks for being here man.

MAC
 
BTW: WELCOME TO THIS FRICKEN GLL OG!!!!!!!!!!!!

I posted on your thread as TheComebackKid. I saw GLL was dead and came here as MakingAComeback. Then these guys kicked my ass and got me where I am today.

I have almost completed my goal for the year, and geuss what my next goal is? 5k a month remote online income. I will be hammering your guide for 2 weeks starting Monday, just had a hair transplant flying back to London Sunday and can't leave the house for 2 weeks.

I am also happy to vlog the journey of trying to give Lucidity's guide a 1st run through in 110hrs. I think I may be able to do this in 2 weeks.

Either way, like I said, I have almost completed the pheonix project now and my primary goal for the next project will be income. You'll see the same dedication and extreme action applied to this goal.

MAC
 
Thanks man. Sounds like you're fucking killing it. Keep me updated on your copywriting progress

MakingAComeback said:
BTW: WELCOME TO THIS FRICKEN GLL OG!!!!!!!!!!!!

I posted on your thread as TheComebackKid. I saw GLL was dead and came here as MakingAComeback. Then these guys kicked my ass and got me where I am today.

I have almost completed my goal for the year, and geuss what my next goal is? 5k a month remote online income. I will be hammering your guide for 2 weeks starting Monday, just had a hair transplant flying back to London Sunday and can't leave the house for 2 weeks.

I am also happy to vlog the journey of trying to give Lucidity's guide a 1st run through in 110hrs. I think I may be able to do this in 2 weeks.

Either way, like I said, I have almost completed the pheonix project now and my primary goal for the next project will be income. You'll see the same dedication and extreme action applied to this goal.

MAC
 
As of tomorrow, I am putting in 8hrs Mon - Fri to following yout guide Lieutenant Lucid and 5hrs Sat & Sun. 50hrs this week, 50hrs next. My goal: do a 1st run through of the curriculum you've outlined. As such-

LEARNING PLAN:

Facebook Groups: Comb Through:

(1) Group Files, (2) Pinned Posts, (3) Media
Cult of Copy beginner training wheels
Cult of Copy
Cult of copy collosseum
Copywriting jobs
Copywriting unleashed

FOLLOW

(1) Colin Theriot
(2) Carlos Reidich

Comb through their info on copywriting & building your biz. Take their free webinars.

READ: Top posts on
r/ Entrepreneur
r/ Copywriting

STUDY

Lukas Resheshe’s Copywriting Mentorship program

Take notes. Study notes nightly.

BOOKS:

Dot Com Secrets
The Freelancer’s Manifesto
Think & Grow Rich
Breakthrough Advertising

COURSE:

AWAI.Com Beginner Copywriter Program

I will shoot a vlog tomorrow, and then Sunday. I will repeat for the next week.

By the end of those 2 weeks, I will have built a bit of a knowledge base.

I will the resume The Phoenix Project and engage in the grinding necessary to ger 3 more lays. Thereafter, I will conclude the Phoenix Project, something I have been doing every day since Nov 2021, and set my new goal for the next year of self improvement. The primary goal will be financial.

I can keep you updated and you can read my log, I log daily and in detail.

Ravi
 
MakingAComeback great to hear it. keep the momentum up

I actually meant to take Carlos Reidlich out as a reccomendation, but I guess I never did. I paid for his $5k mentorship and it was so shoddy and low-value I've completely dropped it. You'll get far more value from Colin Theriot, and his prices are far more affordable
 
Lieutenant Lucid said:
@MakingAComeback great to hear it. keep the momentum up

I actually meant to take Carlos Reidlich out as a reccomendation, but I guess I never did. I paid for his $5k mentorship and it was so shoddy and low-value I've completely dropped it. You'll get far more value from Colin Theriot, and his prices are far more affordable

I've taken him out the learning plan.

Working at it.

Signed up for Colin's training vault, which also lets me attend a monthly webinar and also email him once a month. Just emailed him telling him my goal (make 2k remove income by the end of this year) and how we'd advise a blank slate like me in getting there.

Going to keep blasting, will keep checking in

MAC
 
I've finished Lucas' course. I will review the notes daily, and also watch the course through again a couple times on weekends.

Now working through the AWAI course.

Lets go!
 
Nice to see other people in this playground.

I would also recommend:

AdWeek - Joe Sugarman
Great Leads - Michael Masterson
FB Group: Nothing Held Back
 
Lieutenant Lucid This seems like an awesome way to make money.
Does this still apply in 2023 with A.I developments?
Looking to gain some high paying skills that will support me long-term.

natedawg How have you found this industry and getting started?

MakingAComeback are these concepts you have been able to apply to your current biz?

Any other advice/pointers welcome!
 
Sewerdog said:
@Lieutenant Lucid This seems like an awesome way to make money.
Does this still apply in 2023 with A.I developments?
Looking to gain some high paying skills that will support me long-term.

@natedawg How have you found this industry and getting started?

@MakingAComeback are these concepts you have been able to apply to your current biz?

Any other advice/pointers welcome!

I actually found this industry by complete accident through a friend.

Around 2019, he was getting deep into internet marketing, and decided to start an ad agency. He enjoyed my writing and asked me if I'd be interested in becoming a copywriter.

I was intrigued, so I dove in. I began by learning under a guy who's been writing for years. He coached me up a good deal, then offered me a full time role.

Obviously, there's usually two paths copywriters go: Agency or freelance.

Each has its pros and cons according to what you want first. I chose the agency life due to the company environment, people, and speed of learning. The exchange is that I don't have as much time as a freelancer would, yet my income is pretty stable. Over time though, I will begin to launch my own offers & become more independent.

So I think the first thing would be to figure out what you want from this journey in the near term, then go from there.
 
Sewerdog said:
@Lieutenant Lucid This seems like an awesome way to make money.
Does this still apply in 2023 with A.I developments?
Looking to gain some high paying skills that will support me long-term.

@natedawg How have you found this industry and getting started?

@MakingAComeback are these concepts you have been able to apply to your current biz?

Any other advice/pointers welcome!

I am trying to get to the top 5% of the online coaching industry in the next 2 years broski and sales skills are important, yes, but you have to have an audience to sell to.

Like I have an audience on KYIL through just sharing my life, I am doing the same with biz right now and am building legit followers on FB / IG / YT through being my authetic self and sharing it all.

Learning the sales game is still inevitable.

But first things first.

MAC
 
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