If Gary Halbert were starting over today...

A common question of people struggling to establish a freelance copywriting biz is...

"If you had to start over today with none of your contacts, no reputation and no money, what's the first thing you would do to get clients?"

It's a smart question because a) as newbies, we're searching for that elusive blueprint ourselves and b) it's intriguing to think what someone with the skill level of a John Carlton or Gary Bencivenga would do if they were suddenly in the same boat as us.

When I posed that question to Carlton the other night on a call, he reminded me that when Gary Halbert was released from the Federal penitentiary, he was in that exact scenario...

"[Gary] wrote what was within months a $15,000 - $30,000 job -- for a $100," he said, and explained how Halbert went on to quickly rebuild his reputation from the bottom up.

He also talked openly about the very first "copy jobs" he did (writing restaurant menus for free) just so he could get the experience of dealing with a client.

It reminded me of the first paid job I ever landed through my original mentor, Vin Montello, and how he had to coach me through writing samples the client wanted because I was so clueless.

The important lesson in these stories relates to a consistent observation I've had about two common traits of the well-fed freelance copywriters I know...

1. When they started, all that mattered was having a reason to write copy.

They hooked up with any client they could without concern over getting a raw deal on price or whether they were getting the respect they deserved. They eagerly embraced the "shameless whore" stage knowing experience was the only way to build a reputation -- and a career.

2. They all got really good, really fast.

They didn't spend years "studying" the craft before they landed their first gigs.. they just strapped on their selling helmets and leaped into the trenches.

I believe there's a certain level of innate passion that fuels any sales career, but especially in freelance copywriting where you've got to sell yourself to the client as skillfully as you sell products for the client.

John didn't necessarily agree with about the necessity of passion, but when you hear him describe his first client check as his most life-altering event next to sex... I'm not sure what else to call it.

If you happen across this interview, I'd be interested to hear your take.

(This call with John, where he answers questions directly from Warrior members like Ross, Scott, Danielle, Calvin and others has just been posted on a website somewhere, but I refuse to reveal the address because there are evil, capitalist affiliate links on the page. So if you find it, listen at your own risk and please DO NOT click those links. They will only lead to more knowledge... dirty, dangerous knowledge.)