No.1 / March 19, 2005

The Corporate Muse


 

Hello.  Welcome to the first issue of The Corporate Muse!  We're happy you decided to join us on this new venture.  As always, we welcome suggestions and/or questions. 

Deliberation

 

   THE POWER OF STORIES

 

 

Return for a moment to your childhood. Good or bad, you more than likely have numerous stories associated with it. Maybe you recall your mother or father reading a particular favorite, or perhaps you find yourself laughing when t hinking of an unconventional friend who just possibly led you into trouble. Whatever the case, those indelible stories flavor your life. In some ways, they even shaped the person you've become.  

 

As you mature, your stories gain complexity. You add to your collection: college days' stories, romance-gone-sour stories, how-I-met-the-love-of-my-life story, bad interview stories, car trouble stories, the-best-day-of-my-life story and the list goes on.  (You get the picture.) The longer you live, the more stories you have to tell. And most of us, if we’re honest, love to regale others with our myriad tales.

 

Stories impact our lives daily. And not just our own stories. Think about the news.  How often have you been deeply touched or disturbed by a report about someone in another part of the country or the world? Before tuning in to Channel 6, you'd never heard of this person. Yet 9-11, Elizabeth Smart, the Unabomber, the women of Iraq and Afghanistan, Ken Jennings, the tsunami victims, and recently BTK (right here in our neck of the woods) have all become topics of discussion at the water cooler or  on the telephone to friends. Each affects us in a different way. Maybe we hold tighter to our children or spouses, maybe we drop to our knees and thank a loving God we live in a free country, or maybe we write checks to victims' funds. You see a story told with just the right twist has the ability to stimulate action. 

 

TV stories span more than news. A few years back, a coffee company ran an advertisement featuring a man and woman who lived in the same apartment building.  Over several episodes, the attractive British lady and the handsome American borrowed a jar of instant coffee from each other. They hooked us by intimating a budding romance between the two. We watched anticipating the prospect of them getting together. In thirty seconds, they fashioned characters whose futures we cared about. When the Taster's Choice commercial came on, we weren't so likely to switch the channel. And years later some of us still remember ... and smile.

 

Right about now, you're probably wondering about the relevance of all this. It's simple. Stories affect almost every aspect of our lives. They transcend reason. They strike at our core. Hit us in the emotions. People pay attention to stories. Don't believe me? Check your own reaction next time you're in church and the preacher relates a noteworthy anecdote. Everyone has a good story to tell!  Still not convinced?  Then consider this: when you create interest though stories, it's much easier to illustrate your position or intrigue the listener to learn more. Next time you're wondering the best way to get a point across - whether for personal reasons or for business - try using a first-rate story. I'll bet it's a method you'll return to time and time again.  (SKC) 

 

       © QuickSilver Copywriters 2005 - Andy & Shawn Catsimanes; http://www.quicksilvercopywriters.com/; mailto: andy_shawn@quicksilvercopywriters.com; Sign up for The Corporate Muse: admin@quicksilvercopywriters.com

 

Inspiration

 

If we're doing our jobs right, we're always looking for innovative techniques to promote our businesses. 10 Ways To Get Significant Exposure For Free by Erny Setyawati offers some great ideas to incorporate into your own marketing strategies. Try a couple and see what kind of results you get.

 

Imagination

 

Maybe you're considering a career in copywriting. You're wondering how to get started; if you have what it takes; if you can really make a living at it. We have good news! There's a world of information right at your fingertips to help you launch a successful commercial writing business. And even more astonishing are the passel of generous souls willing to impart their wisdom and experiences with you. We suggest you sign up for writing forums and newsletters. You can find answers to most of your questions through these two mediums alone. The article below will give an indication of the wealth of knowledge available through such associations: 

The Whole Truth About Making A Living As A Freelance Copywriter

By: Shelle Castles-Melton 

"Can I really make money as a freelance copywriter?" you ask while you consider quitting your job. 

Yes! Yes! Yes! 

"Aha!" you say. "But how much?" 

Well, that depends...  

Anyone who sits back and tells you that you're going to be making hundreds of thousands of dollars by becoming a freelance copywriter is ... well, not exactly telling you the whole truth.  

Can you make hundreds of thousands of dollars? Yes. You can.  

Or, will you get one $300 job by sheer luck and not be able to make any more money for the rest of the year? Well, actually, that can happen too.  

WHAT!? 

So, what's the difference between those successful freelance copywriters and those that fail? Is it talent? Is it where they live? Is it who they know?  

Actually, yes and no. You do have to know how to write copy and you do have to learn how to network. And, if you're only staying in your local market to find clients, then yes, where you live will make a difference.  

"But what's the BIG difference? Come on! I know there has to be a secret!" 

A secret? Are there secrets?  

Well ... yes, there are.  

What do all the top copywriters have in common? They have the 3D2M factors. 

Drive 

Determination

Desire

Motivation

Marketing

Without the 3D's and 2M's, you won't make it.

Drive, determination, desire and motivation are huge factors in determining if you'll be successful or not. If you think you're lacking in any of those areas, you may want to seriously re-evaluate your goals.

And marketing? Now that's the big secret.

Think about it. When you write copy for a brochure, newsletter, advertisement, flyer or any piece for a client, what are you doing? Ah yes! You're marketing! You're creating the words for someone to read that prompts them to contact your client for whatever reason. That's marketing.

So, if you're a copywriter, don't you think you have the marketing skills to be able to market yourself?

I can hear you now. Moaning and groaning. "But writing words isn't the same thing as picking up the telephone and making a cold call!"

 Yes, it is.

 Write a script.

 Or, is this you? "I hate writing copy for myself!"

 Okay, I hate it too. But it's not that hard. Hire yourself. Detach yourself from your business.

 Or, how about this complaint? "But I don't know anything about marketing?"

 You don't? Then you really need to reconsider what you're doing for a living. Writing copy is a form of marketing my friend.

 Marketing yourself is the number one KEY to being successful. Marketing yourself wisely is the GOLDEN KEY to being wildly successful.

 So the answer is, "YES!" You can make a living as a freelance copywriter. The question is really this: Do you want to make a successful living as a freelance copywriter?

                       




Author – Shelle Castles-Melton, © 2004, The Corporate Writer, http://www.thecorpwriter.com/, mailto:shelle@thecorpwriter.com  Want to know how you can get paying clients from marketing yourself on the Internet? http://www.thecorpwriter.com/7steps.htm Need more advice or help with your freelance writing career? Visit the TCW Forum today! http://www.thecorpwriter.com/forum/  Sign up for your FREE subscription to TCW Copy Express newsletter: mailto:TCWCopyExpress-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

                                




Further information can be found on these great sites: http://www.thecorpwriter.com/; http://freelancewrite.about.com/od/weeklyqa/l/blarticlesbysub.htm; http://www.wellfedwriter.com/; http://www.bly.com/. Bonus: another helpful piece for aspiring copywriters by Glenn Murray http://ezinearticles.com/?id=20884. Best of luck and happy writing!

 

Thanks for reading. See you next month!

 

Andy & Shawn Catsimanes


To Unsubscribe:  $UNSUBSCRIBEURL$

Questions?: admin@quicksilvercopywriters.com  

© 2005 QuickSilver CopyWriters – All Rights Reserved

Return Home

Back to Newsletter Archives

Next

 

 

 

For some good reading , check out our Article Archives!

 

"With Andy & Shawn's help, 'Snapshots from the Soul' became a reality. They demonstrated great sensitivity and compassion and we enjoyed working with them very much."

~Dennis E. Chapman, Associate Executive Director, City Union Mission, KC, MO

 

“Andy and Shawn are copywriters you can count on to understand your business and your customers. I couldn’t be more impressed with the copy they provided us. Their work is excellent. I look forward to working with them again soon.”


~Kevin Fryer www.overlap.com

 

"A book would not be enough room to compliment Shawn on her work. Her professionalism comes first even if it means staying up late at night to answer all your question. She works tirelessly to get the best results possible. Her attitude, caring, and devotion are unique and I'm thankful I had the chance to work with her."

~ Olga O'Mara

 

"Andy is a no fluff wordsmith with high direct response, long copy talent. His work will lift interest in your website. His ability to get up to speed on your unique business model is impressive. He is persistent to completing projects and takes personal pride in the quality of his work. He is honest and knows what drives sales. If you are lucky enough to get him, you will get above average copy for a fair price. I'd use Andy anytime."

~ Christopher Hebard
Pruett Media