How to create a stable, predictable and consistent income in 14 days or less

When I asked my subscribers, "What's your biggest challenge or obstacle right now? ?" 90% of them answered finding good clients. That problem stretches even further because it causes the infamous feast-and-famine.

Today, I'll show you how to create a stable, predictable, and consistent income in the next 14 days using my value-first formula or your money back (ahem, this is free; sorry, my copywriter alter ego took over).

Here are a few reactions after I use my value-first formula in my pitches:

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How to fix the biggest problem copywriters face: feast and famine cycles of unpredictable and inconsistent income

No copywriting course, book or blog tells you that 50% of your job as a copywriter is to sell your services. If you freelance like I do, that percentage might be closer to 70% if your income is unpredictable.

Since no one teaches us this, we fail to sell our ideas, ourselves, and services confidently. So, without knowledge, there can be no plan, so we end up doing what I call:

"Okay Robert, I get it. I don't know how to sell." That is probably true, but that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Here's what that means in practice.

You think of every client interaction as a 100m sprint—a one-off interaction that lasts less than 10 seconds. Your actions then become solely focused on milking everything you can right away.

I know, not appealing. Maybe it made you laugh?

But that's how clients feel when they are talking to you. Think about it. You're talking to a potential client, and all they can sense is your effort to sell them. It feels like all you're trying to do is get them to pay you and bolt.

What's worse, you're selling them on something short-term. Here's what I mean.

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You're focusing on short-term gain instead of the lifetime value of the customer

That's what I call the copywriter's myopia: lack of foresight to plan a few steps ahead. And before you start feeling guilty, let me remind you it's not your fault. Every resource you've read, seen, or heard so far has probably never touched on this topic (or at least not with the same degree of honesty).

Let's see how copywriting myopia looks in practice.

Many copywriters conclude before even getting hired by their first client that they'll write website copy (homepage, about you, service page, etc.). Their reasoning doesn't matter.

What matters is they're selling a service (writing website copy) that's usually needed once per client. That means they need to hop off to the next client as soon as they're done with the project the same way a bee 'milks' one flower before moving to the next.

That cycle never ends because their service offers only short-term solutions.

"But I write email copy Robert. Clients will need emails daily. This doesn't apply to me."

Oh, but it does, my dear aspiring copywriter.

Every other copywriter writes email copy. Every other copywriting guru teaches aspiring copywriters to "just write email copy - it's easy to learn."

This means that two out of three copywriters most likely have email copywriting as the core of their service. So before you even pitch a client, create your website, put together a portfolio, or set up your Upwork profile, you're already competing with 70% of copywriters out there.

Does that mean you should exclusively write long-form copy like VSLs (video sales letters)?

No, not necessarily, but it helps to master a skill fewer people have.

But even knowing this comes with challenges. Only a handful of businesses need VSLs every week or have the resources to pay a copywriter to write that much.

That's the copywriter's myopia for you.

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How do you fix your copywriter's myopia?

You start thinking long-term. And then, you start taking actions that will benefit you and your clients in the long term.

Do you see what I'm hinting at here, young padawan?

No? Okay, let's unpack it together!

When your service, skill, and goal(s) align with the client's needs, you've hit the jackpot. Here's the beauty of this: this type of symbiotic relationship creates the best partnerships, leading to the most profitable retainers and royalties.

"Okay, I see what you're saying Robert. But how do I do all this?"

As always, a great question, young padawan. Show you I shall.

First, you need to figure out what you're good at. Grab a pen and paper and respond to the following question:

1. What are the things you do well?
2. What type of copy can you write (or enjoy writing) that you'd have no trouble convincing a client to hand you their hard-earned money without a client feeling like a robbery victim?

Then, you tackle the other side of the coin.

1. What are things you suck at?
2. What type of copy do you despise writing? Just thinking about it probably boils your blood.

Now that we know where we're leaning (and what to avoid), we can craft our long-term service. Plus, we most likely have a clear idea of what type of clients, companies, and niches to avoid.

Which brings me to the last question:

What can I do that'd help me make the most of using my strengths and avoiding my weaknesses?

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Now that you know how to fix your copywriter's myopia, what you're good at, what your weaknesses are, and what you can offer, it's time to move on to step 2.

I'll let the charming, unpredictable, and resourceful Harley Quinn tell you what you need to do next.

It sounds simple, but it's harder to put into practice.

But as with everything in life, this is not like clicking a link online, and voilà you're now "owning" it. No, it's more like that feeling when you watch your favorite anime, and episode after episode, you want more. And then the season ends in the most intense moment ever, and you can't wait for the next season.

You may not have noticed it, but I wrote this entire blog based on the advice I'm giving you. This entire blog ignores "how to write blogs" advice.

I'm selling you my idea using GIFs, movie scenes, and a scene from my favorite anime to convey my point. I'm showing you things I care about. Glimpses of my personality.

I define these as my strengths as a writer because each helps me stand out. That is the hidden value I bring to you, the reader.

Clients expect the same thing from you as a copywriter. If you're passionate about something, don't be afraid to show it. You'll repel some clients (which is good) and you'll get hired faster by the right ones (which is awesome!).

If you leave your potential client indifferent, then you'll be forgotten. But if you click with a client, amazing things happen.

You can expect things like:

How do I do that for myself, Robert?

I already gave you the first few steps. It's time you start doing it.

Then, keep on doing it.

What I haven't explicitly told you so far is that doing this will help you land your dream clients. That's what stops the feast and famine cycle.

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