The true story of how I got my first client
I made my first dollar online purely by accident.
I first started posting about solopreneurship because I loved the philosophy.
For a genuine hermit who had become way too accustomed to life after lockdown... who was sick of cold calling in my corporate 9-5 in healthcare recruitment... it seemed like a dream come true.
Honestly, I was posting aimlessly. I knew I had to post daily. I knew I had to stay consistent and not post about solopreneurship one day and my breakfast the next. Because I wanted to build a business, and my goal was to attract an audience of future customers and clients.
But I wasn't selling anything, I had no offer. There wasn't even a way for someone to buy something from me. No funnel, no nothing. But I posted away merrily, blissfully unaware that I was attracting the right kind of interest - all because I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING FOR ANYONE TO BUY.
I hadn't set up a biz bank account, I hadn't launched a website. Nothing.
So the first time someone approached me with genuine interest in working with me - I simply wasn't ready.
The illusion of running a business shattered. I wasn't running a business, I was posting on social media. Sure, it's a part of an online business, but it's the tip of your marketing spear only. So when someone approached and asked if I could teach them to write like me - I had no idea what I was getting myself in for.
Cue the mad scramble to actually build a business.
I knew how to write intuitively. I loved writing, I loved DR copy...
But teaching it?
I didn't even know where to begin.
I bought a couple of courses to see what the market was offering - to see how people were pricing themselves, to see how to pitch myself, to see what I should offer, etc. I made many mistakes, you name it. I quoted a number that I thought was crazy - no way would they say yes to it.
They said yes immediately.
I then realised I had no way of taking payment. Madly setting up Calendly and Stripe - check.
The moment that Stripe notification came through, I was at my old job. I couldn't celebrate. But to be honest, when I got the notification, I didn't feel happy. I didn't really feel anything. I had shattered the idea that this Wi-Fi money thing was all just a scam, guys posturing online in front of rented Lambos... someone had actually given me their hard-earned cash for my help.
I wanted to blow this guy away, so I shut myself in my office and spent 2 weeks BATHING in all things copywriting coaching and was determined to knock it out of the park.
Researching their website, their product, them. I was practically wearing their skin.
In hindsight, I undercharged so badly. I had made 3 figures for an hour of work!
WRONG.
I made 3 figs for 2 weeks and 1 hour of work. And I still had to earn it.
The hour of coaching was prepped - this client wanted to learn copy while working on the copy for their landing page. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have accepted the deal - it was the ultimate helicopter client. If you want copy written for you, pay the going rate for a copywriter. "Learning" copy meant I had to write copy on the spot for the client, on the call. No bueno. But you don't know what you don't know until you get your ass out there and start taking swings.
The night of the call arrived - I was so nervous. I had some despicable trap music blaring, and I was bouncing around the room on the balls of my feet, trying to get excited, knowing that half of the experience was entertainment, not just value.
Curveball:
The client had scrapped their landing page and wanted to review their pricing page... all of my prep was out of the window... and I had no idea how I was supposed to really wow this guy with the small amount of copy on a pricing page.
I learned a crucial lesson - if you don't clearly define what you offer, your client gets to set the agenda, not you. Instead of the 4 calls we had originally agreed, only one ever happened, and I'm sure that his experience wasn't worth the money I charged.
You owe it to yourself and your clients to be crystal clear on what you do and how you do it. Especially when coaching.
I learned that "teaching" something to someone who hasn't got the first clue about what you do is a fool's errand. The uninformed beginner doesn't know what he doesn't know - so how can he value what you teach?
That first coaching call was my last and I'll never "coach" again. I'm not interested in teaching baby his first PAS and AIDA.
I worked with my second client for around 9 months. Serious biz with a clearly defined offer, which meant no curveballs when writing the copy. The client didn't want to "learn copy". He was too busy working on bigger levers in the business and needed someone he could rely on to deliver consistently. And he certainly wasn't hovering over my shoulder, breathing down my neck as I wrote it. He told me what he wanted, and I went away to research, write, and deliver, and the cheddar landed in my account soon after.
A far cry from the awkward first client experience I'd bumbled into to make my first dollar.
No coaches round these parts, hombre. But if you need a consult on writing copy that sells more...
Here's the link:
James Perkins
