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What do You Do to "Get Out in The World"?

by andreas3
9 replies
So... working, at least the way I do it, tends to involve sitting at a desk in a nice and quiet room with the company of a laptop and NOBODY ELSE. Under penalty of being sold as a diaper-changing slave to the daycare down the road, or death, whichever they prefer.

And let's face it, pretty much all of internet marketing involves 14 hour days, 7 days a week, staring at an LCD screen, trying to squeeze out that last tenth of a percent out of your conversion/open rate or "double the size of your list in 30 days" for the last two months.

But, let me quote Saint Halbert on this one...

http://www.thegaryhalbertletter.com/...t_attitude.htm
I am always amused (somewhat sourly) by copywriters who explain how they get their marketing inspirations while working in splendid isolation somewhere in the woods of New Hampshire or while tramping some lonely beach north of San Francisco or in some other God-forsaken place where there are no "people" around to interfere with the wondrous flow of their creative juices.

Oh gosh, it doesn't seem to work that way with me. I get insights and ideas from going out amongst the market. And what is the market? You know, it seems to me that the "market" is people. Want to know where I learned to sell? And, in fact, where anybody who really knows how to sell also learned how to do it? Most "creatives" would never guess because where I learned was...


In The World


Yes boys and girls, I've been a door-to-door salesman, an MP, a prison guard, a prison inmate, owner of several corporations (one employed 700 people), a publisher (of books, newsletters, etc.), a scuba diver, a fool, a fraud, a savior, an idiot, a hero, a parent, a lust-crazed salivating degenerate (I still am); I've worked with movie stars, morons, Machiavellian manipulators, saints, sinners and so forth and I say this unto ye:
"Do Not Ever Trust (Or Hire)
A Copywriter Who Is
Not Of This Earth!"


So... what do you do to break the chains that came FREE! with your last computer, and get out there and learn to sell and/or be human?

Or is Warrior Forum and JV chat your daily dose of interpersonal interaction?
#get out in the world
  • Profile picture of the author OutOfThisWord
    I live in a downtown urban area with plenty of parks, bars, restaurants, tourists and lots and lots of crazies like me.

    So when I need a break or want to listen in on what people think and watch what they do, I simply open the door and walk, sometimes not even a block to get the refresher I need.

    When I was young (teen, even pre-teen), I did door-to-door but that was in a day you could knock on someone's door. In fact, first sales gig was ordering x-mas cards offered in a direct response ad in the back of comic books and selling them to the neighbors.

    I've always been an avid reader and just a stroll through the bookstore or newsstand, if you can find one, will give you lots of insight.

    Always good to read the covers on all the magazines while checking out at the grocer.

    14 hour days, 7 days a week? No.

    But I do break up my time by writing 4-5 hours starting in the morning, editing in the afternoon and catching up on emails and reading in the evening.

    Sometimes doing nothing is exactly what you need to do.
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  • Profile picture of the author DanteRomero
    Travel more. The internet has freed your location.
    Signature

    "Perfection isn't important. Improvement is."

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  • Profile picture of the author LastingLifeSuccess
    No arguing with Gary. Why would you? He was so made out of this world.

    Yes, Saint Halbert remains lord and master. I know I'm sold.

    Thanks for sharing that great copy.

    LLS
    Signature
    "How To Make $4,000-$8,000 Finder's Fees Snooping Around Public Records"
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  • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
    Go for a walk...especially to the supermarket or a shopping
    mall or anywhere there's a congregation of businesses.

    Be active in your community (in other words get out, meet
    and help some people eg. help a charity make some money).

    Get REALLY good at what you do and start charging a significant
    amount of money for your products and services so you have
    more time to invest talking to real people in the real world (eg. stop
    selling email writing for $5).

    Go convince some of your family members to stop smoking, eat
    better, drive more safely etc etc. You will almost certainly FAIL
    at this but you won't have any fun at all trying so you'll have a
    greater appreciation for how shitty the sales process can be.

    Play a sport. Often that brings you in contact with a wide variety
    of people you can talk to.

    Kindest regards,
    Andrew Cavanagh
    Signature
    Old School Copy Like This Is BACK & Converting Like Crazy!
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  • Profile picture of the author johndetlefs
    I go for a surf or go diving... it's amazing how a little bit of time in the water refreshes me!
    Signature

    You only get one shot at life - make it awesome.

    Everyone else also gets just one crack at it - help make theirs awesome too... or, politely step out of their way.

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    • Profile picture of the author Dan Ferrari
      I'm with John...I typically work a few hours, go surfing, and come back rejuvenated. I'm also an avid lifter so if there's no surf, I'll workout.

      These are my passions. I think having passions and interests is a great way to understand a lot of what drives humans to make decisions, even if they are completely unrelated to your own passions. This is undeniably helpful in writing copy.

      And interpersonal relationships...actually having people in your life that you know and relate to and can offer support and empathy to. Go out and be social or get together with friends. That will help your ability to understand human interactions and thus, copywriting a lot more. Not to mention that the more people you are close to, the more "markets" you have access to so its easier to assume language that will work with them.
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      • Profile picture of the author johndetlefs
        Originally Posted by Dan Ferrari View Post

        And interpersonal relationships...actually having people in your life that you know and relate to and can offer support and empathy to. Go out and be social or get together with friends.
        Not to create a mutual "love in" here, but this is a big one for me too. I have a couple of close friends who also largely operate as one man bands, and we make sure that we get together at least a couple of days a week to hang out.

        I'd go stir crazy if I was just by myself all the time. I like hanging out with me, but I also need some good healthy friend's time!
        Signature

        You only get one shot at life - make it awesome.

        Everyone else also gets just one crack at it - help make theirs awesome too... or, politely step out of their way.

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  • Profile picture of the author ReferralCandy
    Originally Posted by andreas3 View Post

    "Do Not Ever Trust (Or Hire)
    A Copywriter Who Is
    Not Of This Earth!"
    Way to discriminate against the aliens, man.

    For me, I play guitar, work out a little, have coffee with friends, read books. That's about it. Would like to travel more.
    Signature

    Measure, manage and incentivize customer referrals with ReferralCandy.

    PS: Looking to get more repeat customers for a physical store? Check out CandyBar's digital loyalty cards!

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  • Profile picture of the author arkina
    It's funny, I used to love to spend time on the computer for leisure, not it feels like a prison! When I am not working I want nothing to do with it now. It feels very unhealthy to me to be sitting here all day staring at the screen. I am now trying to get up once an hour and get outside for a walk or do some exercise.
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