How to Eliminate That Overwhelmed Feeling
Back in 2007, when I first started my freelance copywriting business, I formed a small corporation with three other people.
The services we offered were website design, high-end PowerPoint presentations, email campaigns, and copywriting services for any type of project you could think of.
As the only writer in the group, I worked with a huge variety of types of projects.
It was great experience, but after a couple of years of working incredibly hard, I felt like I was spinning my wheels.
I was all over the map – trying to write for so many different types of projects that I was in constant learning mode. Worse, I didn’t feel like I knew enough about any one thing and wasn’t always working on projects I liked.
So … I left the company and went out on my own in order to narrow my focus.
Narrowing my focus alone took a huge burden off my back; however, now I had a whole new list of things I needed to tackle.
I needed a website, a way to promote myself, samples (because I couldn’t use most of the samples I had), and customers because walking away from the company, I was only able to retain one client.
I wasn’t really sure how to start.
Should I finish Nick Usborne’s Copywriting 2.0 course I was working on?
Build my website?
Take that course I was reading about by Steve Slaunwhite, Secrets of Writing High-Performance B2B Copy?
Create samples?
Work on getting some new clients?
I felt like I needed to do them all. And secretly, I must admit I’m not always great at finishing what I start when I have lots on my plate.
It was about this time that I read an article about the “Power of One” by Michael Masterson in an issue of The Golden Thread.
A light bulb went on in my head.
I thought … “Why couldn’t I apply that to my business?”
I determined my “to do” list fell primarily into four categories: read/learn, writing, improving, and marketing/getting clients.
Next, I made a chart and applied the “Power of One” by committing to do at least one thing in each of these four categories every day.
Here’s how I broke it down:
Read/Learn
Read, listen, or watch one copywriting lesson each day. This could be an article, a chapter, a teleseminar, or a webcast. Write down one idea from that lesson – something you can apply to improve your writing or marketing.
Writing
Write at least one thing a day. This can be an article, an email, a headline and a lead, a self-promotion piece, a bait piece, a web page for your website, or a project you are working on for a client. Commit to writing at least 800 words a day. Don’t worry if it’s good at first. Just write.
Improve
Read a minimum of one promotion, email, or website, etc. per day. (What you read depends on what your specialty is. For example, if you want to write autoresponders, then you would read one autoresponder per day.)
In addition, once a week, pick one idea to improve your writing and apply it to everything you write that week. I usually picked one thing from the list of ideas I collected during my read/learn time from the week before.
For example, looking back at my chart, one day I read about how to write great bullets. So the following week, I spent time practicing writing bullets and improved bullets in my existing copy by applying what I had learned the week before.
Marketing/Getting Clients
This one I actually labeled “Take Action” on my chart because this was all about doing one thing every day that could bring me new business.
Think of this as doing one thing to get a client. For example, you could return a phone call. Research one new potential client and find their contact information. Call a friend to ask if he can introduce you to anyone at an organization on your potential client list. Add a place to capture email addresses on your website. Or send out a lead generation letter to prospects. Basically, any action that leads you closer to finding new business.
After implementing this for just two months, I made more progress in my business than I had in the last year and a half!
Of course, this isn’t the only way you can apply the “Power of One” to your business in order to make progress.
For instance, if you are working on multiple courses, pick one course to focus on. Then commit to reading one chapter every day until you are finished.
Or, if you need to get your website done, do one thing for your website each day until it’s finished. For example, put one page up. Create one sample. Contact one person for a testimonial.
Applying the “Power of One” principle to your business will help you take action and make forward progress.
So if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, apply this principle to the areas that you are having trouble tackling. Before you know it, you’ll have made great progress and completed your big projects. And if you have any questions or comments for me about applying the “Power of One” to your freelance business, feel free to comment below.
Secrets of Writing High Performance B2B Copy
Acclaimed author and successful copywriter Steve Slaunwhite reveals everything you need to know to succeed as a B2B copywriter from marketing your services to writing copy and everything in between. Learn More »
“I’m no longer stuck in a 8-5 job in an industry in which I have little interest, for an average salary, with very little time with my son. Copywriting’s made all the difference in the world.”
If yes, you could be in big demand, earning big money, writing just a few hours a day from anywhere in the world you choose to be.
Get Nick Usborne’s step-by-step system for creating money-making information websites.
In just 6 hours and 35 minutes, you can be in business earning $60 – $150 an hour writing simple resumes.
Learn the secrets behind succeeding in this in-demand career.
The work is plentiful … the pay scales are generous and the competition is scarce!
Get the answers to the hundreds of questions and concerns commonly asked in specific, step-by-step details.
Use this eight-step plan to make the leap from aspiring copywriter to professional copywriter this year.
Let your fellow AWAI members show you firsthand the easiest, most powerful way to land your first client … BEFORE you finish the program.
Writing for the web is a huge opportunity for copywriters. Let web expert Nick Usborne show you how to write blockbuster web copy in record time … even if you're a complete internet “rookie”!
It’s an opportunity to make $50,000, $75,000, $100,000 a year or more … working just a few hours a day.
A once complicated profession is now something you can do on a standard computer – even if you have little or no “artistic” ability.
It’s one thing to have a website. But if your website can’t be found by the search engines, it may as well not exist.
The Internet creates new income possibilities every day. The biggest among them: online video marketing.
Get the very techniques top-performing copywriters use to rattle off one groundbreaking control after another.
In his new book, Michael Masterson teaches you his very own formula for powerful persuasion and how to apply it to direct mail sales letters as well as online promotions.
This is a fantastic reminder to keep things simple.
We can all fall into the trap of trying to do a zillion things and promising to do yet more. Overwhelm and panic are often the result.
So thank you for bringing this 'over-achiever-in-the-making' back down to earth. ;0)
Guest (Tracey Dooley) – May 11, 2011 at 7:48 am
You're welcome Tracey--I still try to follow this today--funny thing is when I stop, my business always falls off. And thanks for taking the time to comment!
Guest (Cindy Cyr) – May 11, 2011 at 12:44 pm
Hi Cindy,
I´m REALLY new at this and have been feeling pretty overwhelmed with ALL the new info I´ve been trying to take in (the accelerated program & the Build your Website webinar, checking out CW websites, scanning forums/blogs on copywriting...) I guess you might say I am nearly on "overload"! But it´s all so exciting and I want to know it NOW!
The reason I´m really writing, though, is to let you know how much I´ve enjoyed your articles - I´ve even checked out a few things you´ve written in the archives. I am taking your words to heart and using your guidelines to set up a program to follow...I´m going to do this and I have not doubt that the support system at AWAI will go a long way to helping me achieve my goals.
Thanks, again! See you at Bootcamp!
Jan ;) in Germany
Guest (Jan) – May 12, 2011 at 11:41 am
Hi Jan (from Germany--WOW! and FUN!), I know that feeling well--just tells me you will be really good at this because you are excited about it all! Yes, AWAI has a fabulous support system--I've never met a more encouraging and helpful group--it's really awesome. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know I've helped you...makes a person smile and feel good. Please be sure and introduce yourself to me at bootcamp and let me know how it's going--I'd love to hear.
Cindy Cyr – May 12, 2011 at 12:52 pm
Hi Cindy, Thanks for such a fantastic article! I've enjoyed every article you've written this week and found this one to be especially helpful. I've been struggling for a while to narrow my focus and not get overwhelmed. I'm finishing Jay's Autoresponder course now. Your article is one that will definitely be printed out and kept close by for reference. Thanks and look forward to seeing you at bootcamp again this year! Wishing you continued success, Lana McConnell
Guest (Lana) – May 12, 2011 at 1:48 pm
Lana--thanks for the message. That is so nice to hear! I can tell you that when I narrowed things down and focused on getting really good at one thing (like Jay's course) it made such a difference--stress-wise and career wise. Best of luck and please do find me at bootcamp!
Cindy Cyr – May 12, 2011 at 3:41 pm
you sure know you rock cindy.Your delivery is convincing.I just want to jump in 4d COS program right away because you said to,but I'm not used to copywriting yet,I'm thinking I should take the Accelerated program 1st, but COS seems too big to miss now(well,I dont have the money yet).What do u say. Steve Roller's also really good too, but you got me taking the time out to comment.Thank you for giving back.When i grow up,I want to be like you(smiles). Keep on
talktoiyke – May 13, 2011 at 12:18 am
Wow, thanks for the compliment talktoiyke! I was a newbie, only learning what a copywriter was one month before I signed up for COS. I didn't have the money, so set up a payment plan. Seemed similar to paying for a college degree.I found the extra things COS gives you gets you going sooooo much faster. The 5 COS targeted online programs-totally rock-seriously the first one took me from kindergarten level to graduating highschool. The extra help you get from instructors is worth gold. If you're serious about doing this, I highly advise COS. If you're just testing the waters, then the Accelerated Program makes sense.
Cindy Cyr – May 13, 2011 at 2:57 pm