nick usborne's blog

The real magic of coaching isn’t about learning tips and tricks from your from your coach.

On my coaching site for freelancer writers and copywriters  I talk about some of the specific ways in which a coach can help grow your business.

But, in reality, the items I list are there simply because I know that people like to see specific ways in which I can help them. They want to see “five ways” in which coaching can help them.

But the biggest benefit isn’t in those lists.

The real magic of coaching isn’t about what I can “teach’ for my clients, it’s about how I can help them overcome internal constraints of their own.

When I think back to when I used a coach myself, I remember he asked me whether I would like to double my income. Without thinking about it, I simply laughed and said, “I don’t want to double it, I want to increase it by ten times.”

By asking the question, he allowed me to open something inside of myself that had been invisible and closed up until that moment. My ambition was larger than I thought. That was a transformational moment for me.

There were other times during our coaching that he managed to open other doors that I hadn’t even realized were closed.

I don’t think he ever told me anything I didn’t know before. He didn’t offer me five “killer” ways to grow my business. He just helped peel back the internal constraints that were holding me back.

That’s the true magic of coaching.

Defeating Writer's Block Teleclass.

Last week Michael Stelzner interviewed me on the topic of writer's block and on how freelance writers and copywriters can increase their levels of productivity.

Usually I speak on the topic of writing for the web, so it was an interesting change to be talking about writing productivity for a change.

In a way, it's a sign of the direction my work is taking me right now.

I used to be an online copywriter 100% of the time. But these days I find that about half my time is now devoted to my coaching practice, and to writing guides for writers who want to be more productive and enjoy their work more.

Last week's call was a live teleclass, so I not only answered Michael's questions, but also took questions from writers and copywriters who were on the call.

It was a one-hour call and the participants paid to take part.

Luckily for you, if you're interested, I am now including the full one-hour audio as a free bonus with my writing productivity guide, Writing Rituals. (The guide plus the audio costs less than the amount people paid to take part in the teleclass.)

That's a good deal if you want to learn how to use your writing time more productively.

Freelance copywriting business articles.

Earlier this year I started getting serious about building my coaching business.

Until then, I had been coaching on an ad hoc basis, as and when the opportunity arose.

More recently I have been marketing the coaching side of my business more seriously. I really enjoy coaching.

As part of my marketing efforts I have been writing a series of articles. I add them to my coaching site, and also include a new one in each issue of my coaching newsletter.

If you are a freelance writer or copywriter, you will likely find a few useful tips in these articles.

You can find the full list of articles here...

And you can sign up for the newsletter, so you don't miss future articles, here...

My new newsletter for freelance writers and copywriters.

As readers of my Excess Voice newsletter will find out tomorrow morning, I have just launched a new e-newsletter.

For years now I have been publishing the Excess Voice newsletter for online writers and copywriters. But recently I have found myself writing articles not only about writing for the web, but also about best practices for freelance writers.

Some subscribers to the Excess Voice newsletter are freelancers, but many are not. So...to ensure that everyone gets what they signed up for, I'm now going to confine my Excess Voice articles to the topic of writing for the web, and will share my thoughts and advice for freelancers in my new AskNickUsborne.com newsletter.

Clear as mud? : )

More about the Excess Voice newsletter here...

More about the AskNickUsborne.com newsletter here...

Some thoughts about enjoying your work as a freelance writer.

Working as a coach to help freelancers develop and grow their businesses raises a wonderful variety of concerns and interests.

Recently, I had to give some thought to the issue of enjoying one's work as a freelancer.

Here's what I concluded:

There are different ways to look at this. There is the "realistic view". This is where a copywriter might say to me, "Sure, I try to stick to work I'll enjoy. But hey, there are bills to be paid, so sometimes I take what's on offer, even if I'm not going to enjoy it much."

I can relate to that view. But the flip side of it is that every aspect of your business improves when you enjoy your work. You will work faster. Your writing will be better. Your expertise will grow faster. Clients will love to work with you, because it will always be a positive experience for them. Word will spread. Etc.

So while bills do need to be paid, I am also very strict in my own business. Here's what I say to myself, "If I save 16 hours not working on this project I won't enjoy, surely I can use that time to find a different project, for a better fee, that I will enjoy."

This approach helps keep me focused and on track.

That said, I know I am very susceptible to being "pulled down" by work I don't enjoy. Project like that really depress me. For copywriters who are not impacted that way, it may not be such an important issue.

Goal Setting Rituals – a new guide for freelance writers and copywriters.

I have been busy. A couple of months back I published Writing Rituals, a guide to help writers and copywriters increase their productivity. And now I have just completed a second guide, Goal Setting Rituals.

The goal setting guide is also written for writers and copywriters, but with particular focus on freelancers.

As a freelancer one either has clear goals, or one simply drifts around hoping some work will come our way. I have noticed this in my coaching work a great deal. The freelancers with clear goals are moving forward with purpose. Those without, float around and just hope they pick up enough work to pay the bills.

More on Goal Setting Rituals here...

What is an urgent pain point?

One of my coaching clients asked me that question this afternoon.

Here's how I replied:

If you haven’t been to the dentist in two years, it’s important that you make an appointment and go. But it’s not urgent.

If you get a blinding toothache, it becomes urgent.

If you weigh too much it’s important that you shed a few pounds. But that’s not urgent. When your doctor tells you your blood pressure is way too high, then it becomes urgent.

When a company knows that its home page isn’t expressing its core value proposition very well, it’s important that they fix it. But not urgent.

When their top salesman calls in and says he lost a major prospect because the prospect read the site, but misunderstood the company’s value proposition...it becomes urgent.

In life and business, nothing becomes urgent until we actually feel the pain or fear.

Building Your Brand as a Freelance Copywriter

Since starting my coaching service at AskNickUsborne.com I have been thinking more and more about the factors that lead to success or failure in a freelance copywriting career.

It strikes me that one of the most important foundations of any freelance career is to get your branding right.

The trouble is, your brand is one of the toughest things to understand and articulate when you are just getting started.

When you are looking for your first few paid jobs, you’re focused a lot more on just getting some paid work under your belt.

That’s understandable. But if freelancers are looking for any kind of long term success, they really do have to pause and invest some time in developing their brand.

How do you do that? To help freelancers find some kind of structure and process in the brand-building process, I have just posted a new article, The 4 Elements of Building Your Brand as a Freelance Copywriter.

My new coaching service for freelance copywriters who want to build a better, bigger business.

For some time I had a forum at asknickusborne.com. The idea was that I could give tips and advice to people who wanted help with their online copy. But it never came to much.

So now I have re-launched that domain as the home of my new coaching service.

I won’t be coaching people on how to improve their copy. There are plenty of other coaches doing that already.

Instead, I’ll be working to help freelancers build their freelance copywriting business. So this is a business coaching service, but aimed specifically at freelance copywriters.

Is there a need to help freelancer copywriters with their business skills?

I think so.

Many copywriters are working in niches that really don’t suit them. And even among those who have the right niche, many don’t know how to position themselves and market their services effectively.

Am I qualified to help? After working for almost 30 years as a copywriter and 25 years as a freelancer...I certainly hope so.

You can find out more about my coaching service at asknickusborne.com.