Copywriters: Pay yourself first

Even though I love working with clients... and some of the very best clients I've ever worked with have come from the Warrior Forum here, I still will never allow someone else to determine my income.

Not now, not ever.

And as a freelance copywriter, you really DO owe it to yourself to put yourself and YOUR business first... not your clients.

After all, if YOU are not looking out for you, who the hell is?

I remember reading a book in my early 20's called The Richest Man in Babylon and in that book, there was a section that talked about "paying yourself first"

Most "financial gurus" practicing today all preach that same message.

But as a copywriter, you owe it to yourself to "pay yourself first" as well.

Here's how I do it.

Before I work on any client projects, either freelance or through my agency, I'll take an hour each morning to dedicate to writing copy for MY projects.

Not clients, not relatives or friends, but MINE.

That one hour in the morning, before I write for anyone else, has done more for my income than anything else I've EVER done.

Why?

Simple, when I'm writing for myself each day, building my own products and sales pages, it can add up quick.

And these projects all add up to create multiple streams of income that help me to do one thing:

have the freedom to say "Yes" or "No" to any client, any job, anything I don't want to do or anyone I don't want to work with.

When you're in the position where you can pick and choose your clients, your projects, and what you do each day... life becomes a LOT less stressful.

You're not at the mercy of any client. If they rub you the wrong way, or treat you poorly, or are more hassle than it's worth, you can just say "See ya"

It's high time that copywriters start demanding the respect they deserve... because i've seen too many damn copywriters fold and weaken at the demands of a client, simply because they need the money.

What?

Without good copy... many businesses wouldn't even survive!

So it's important you start commanding the respect and fees you deserve... because YOU, the copywriter, are often the one factor that can take a sinking business and help it rise again.

So start paying yourself first.

Start your day off writing for you, for your own projects.

Whether its an ebook, emails, membership site, direct mail, it doesn't matter.

Start each day like I do: one hour each morning is spent working on YOUR stuff.

Build your own business, create your own projects, and treat your own damn self better than any client would.

When you are a copywriter, there's simply no reason you shouldn't be using those skills to write for your own damn self... the most important client there is!

So, like the Richest Man in Babylon talks about paying yourself first.... take an hour each morning and write for yourself, your own projects, your own sales letters.

This way, not only will you have multiple streams of income coming in to help you live the lifestyle you want... you can also pick and choose who you want to work with.

when you have a decent size amount in the bank because you've spent so much time writing for yourself, it makes writing for other clients a whole lot easier.

Some people ask me why i even write for others when I write so much for myself? Simple, it's an amazing feeling to be treated so nicely by clients because of what you've done for them with your copywriting.

Even from my days as a police officer in the 90's... helping others has always been a part of who i am.

and it's quite an amazing feeling to deliver a piece of copy to someone who tells you a month later that their business has changed because of what you did, how they went from breaking even or worse, to having their first profitable month.

I love writing for others... but honestly, it comes AFTER I write for myself. There will never be any other way around that.

Because if you don't write for yourself, and treat yourself as your best client... I assure you, no one else will.