Why I Chose The Hermit Life…
Early on in my contact centre career, I worked the “swing shift” between 3 and 11:30 P.M.
Now, while the graves shift abridged your lifespan, the swing shift forced you into a hermit’s life.
You got up in the middle of the day, ran errands, worked and unless you frequented nightclubs, you went home. I watched a lot of DVDs alone after work while my then-girlfriend-now-wife slept. She had work in the morning… like normal people.
Ten months into this solitary life, the company offered me a day shift for work well done.
I declined. Without second thoughts.
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Sloshing Through Wall Street Blood And Profiting!
Yesterday, I woke up on the slaughterhouse floor, soaked to the bone in Wall Street blood.
I can’t stop staring at my crimson stock portfolio.
The following sequence of events comes to mind regarding this recession and copywriting:
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A Copywriting Student’s Content Addiction Confession
My name is Colin Y.J. Chung and I am a content addict. I have been sober for about twelve minutes. Maybe less.
My inbox brims with “valuable” e-newsletters from internet marketers and copywriting gurus. All writing to me personally (using list software).
It’s horrible.
Sometimes, I feel like half my day passes in a drunken haze of free reports, downloadable audios and streaming videos.
Mmmmm… sweet, delicious content. I can hear it talking to me, right now…
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How the Copywriting Siren Beckoned Me With Her Six-Figure Song
It all started with a sales letter…
A 24-page monster promising me I could retire and make more than doctors and lawyers… writing. It piggybacked on one of my financial newsletters, snuck into my house via direct mail, cross-selling. The nerve.
As promised, three e-columns ago, I’m going to present to you a fuller history of how the copywriting world beckoned me with its six-figure siren song.
Or course, seven months prior, the word “copywriting” read like Greek to me. “Sales letter” as well, and “piggybacking,” and “direct mail.”
Yet, somehow, the letter bypassed my “opening-the-mail-over-the-blue-box” filter.
(In hindsight, I think the prospect of royalties hooked me. The words “passive income” sets off hot button nukes in my brain.)
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Audio: #1 Copywriting Country Hit 2008
In last Tuesday’s e-column, before John rudely interrupted me, I was about to tell you something really embarrassing I’ve done. Think of it as my hazing ritual for getting the chance to write on REALITYcopywriting.com
Do you remember when John held a contest the release of “Sell More Without Hype: Indirect Persuasion Copywriting Secrets Revealed”?
You were challenged to rewrite Willie Nelson’s “Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys”. A copywriter by the name of Hank Rosen out in Ohio won the contest.
Now, John knew I played the guitar and thought it would be a wonderful idea for me to actually sing and record Hank’s lyrics.
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“Will Do Grunt Work For Ugly Monster”
Colin here. Four months ago, John sent out an e-mail blast looking for three apprentices.
In exchange for mind numbing, brain-cell killing work, he would give up a half an hour consultation every two weeks.
Do you remember that e-mail?
I do.
I’m one of the apprentices that John hired. Here’s my winning e-mail subject line that got Nicole and John’s attention…
“Will Do Grunt Work for Ugly Monster”
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