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| The Client Letter |
| Selleth and Convinceth NOT |
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October 3, 2011 Sedona, Arizona I know it’s politically incorrect to stereotype. So in the next few minutes, I’m going to fit as much of that into this letter as I possibly can. The goal is not to be politically correct–it’s to make a point. Clearly. I spent most of my career as a copywriter in the world of direct response marketing. Most direct response businesses have one very clear goal: make a profit. It’s easy to tell if you’re doing that. The numbers don’t lie. You either are making a profit or you aren’t. As I’ve gotten more into writing and blogging, I quickly encountered another world. The world of “do great work,” selling is manipulative, make an impact, and don’t worry about the numbers because well, you probably don’t have any numbers and you don’t want to be considered one of those hyped up snake oil salesman types–you know, the “yellow highlighter” salesletter folks. Then I encountered yet another world… somewhere in between the two. “We do great work AND we want to make money. Yes we sell, but not like those guys. We’re classy. We don’t use yellow highlighters.” Hopefully I’ve stereotyped each one enough to make their defining characteristics clear. So after encountering all of these worlds, it makes you wonder which one you’re supposed to fit into? BBBBZZZZZZZZZ. Wrong question. You lose. Just because someone else has created these worlds (tribes) doesn’t mean you’re supposed to fit into one of them. That’s the illusion… that it’s a choice you’re supposed to (have to) make. Everybody thinks their tribe is the way to go. And the rest of the folks? Well, they just don’t get it, right? If you want a tribe, don’t try to fit into someone else’s… make your own. The fact is, all the tribes I mentioned above do the same thing: They are ALL selling 24/7. Some are selling stuff… Some are selling ideas… Others are selling ideas packaged up as stuff… Some ask for money… Some make asking for money sound like a sin… Selling is evil… isn’t it? Funny thing is, despite the differences, they’re all doing the same thing in the end. It’s just that, for some reason, (human nature) they like to comment on the way the OTHER guy chooses to sell. But they’re all selling… all the time. Selling, selling, selling. Why are they all selling? Because selling is the only thing that accomplishes anything. The product of a great sales job is commitment. Selling = Commitment Commitment of money, time, effort or thought. If you “sell” someone, that means there’s commitment on their part, whether or not money changes hands. And commitment is how things get done. So what are you supposed to do? Where do you belong? And who are you supposed to listen to? You listen to the ONLY person that truly cares about your future. That, my friend, is YOU. Every body else is just selling their stuff. You can go through life one of two ways: The first way is trying to figure out exactly where you fit in the big scheme of things. The other way is to understand that you fit right where you are, that “the scheme of things” everyone else is trying to fit into is just someone else’s story… and really the only thing holding you back from your success is your willingness to stuff your fears in a sack and run down your path as far as you can go. If you wanna sell something, go ahead and do it. Just don’t fall for all the stories everyone else will tell you about what that means. Those stories they tell are their own. Don’t accept them as yours–because they don’t belong to you. I’d ask you to take advantage of the products and services I offer for independent professionals like yourself, but I’d hate to “manipulate” anyone into buying something while under the influence of my magic spell. In fact, if you had to choose one item I offer that could make a difference in your business starting TODAY, it would be, Secrets of a Renegade Freelancer. This guide has been called by one business owner (who is directly responsible for selling well over 5 million dollars in services), “the best list of actionable advice for freelancers I have ever read.” You can get it here for immediate download. If you’re serious about you and your business, then you need to invest in YOURSELF first. If you don’t invest in increasing your value, who’s going to? This guide is just one way to do it. At any rate, think for yourself and sell what you’ve got. It’s the only way you’re going to make a real difference in this world. See you tomorrow,
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