Subj: what is it you do?
How’s it going?
Over the last few years, friends and family have often asked “what is it you guys actually do?”
I usually give what I think is the simplest response.
I ask:
“Do you have a friend who owns a business or works in marketing?”
They will answer something like: “Yes, I do. My friend Laura runs her own business.”
“Well, we teach online marketing to people like Laura.”
If they express genuine interest to know more, I elaborate with “we help businesses like Laura’s attract more leads, clients and revenue via online marketing. Plus we’ve discovered this training framework appeals to digital marketing consultants.”
However that answer isn’t always appropriate.
When my parents’ friends ask, I know Dad often says: “they wrote a book”. My parents’ generation can wrap their head around that. “Oh… they’re authors. I get it.”
(It’s actually our book’s birthday, this week.. More on that below.)
Friends who work in service-based businesses or who are in full time roles ask, “Yeah but what do you do in exchange for money…?”
For them, it’s easiest to grasp that “we get paid to do speaking and corporate training.”
It still seems weird to get paid to talk about and teach something I am so passionate about. Although it’s a privilege and one that we take seriously. We’ve had coaching, mentoring and done hundreds of live presentations plus we’ve dedicated plenty of time to practicing and studying how people do it well.
To friends who also work in this online world, I say “We sell online courses that teach web marketing and we also promote JV partners whose material I know will help our readers.”
‘Normal’ friends, as in people outside of our online world, often cannot grasp how people can earn a living “online” or via a “blog”… And this is ok too!
Can you see how the words and language I use to describe the simplest of questions is so important? And how it varies depending on who I am talking to?
All are true and authentic answers yet you need to explain things in terms the other person can understand.
Just like you would talk to your grandmother differently to the way you talk to your mates. You are still authentic, you are just using language appropriate to the other person.
Crafting WORDS in order to COMMUNICATE is called copywriting.
(Btw, this isn’t what lawyers do — that is ‘copyright’ — completely different.)
Writing words aka copywriting is important.
It doesn’t matter if your words are written in a blog, book, email or sales letter, or spoken in a speech, video, conversation or sales meeting. Words are the tools you use to educate, inform and persuade people and to grow your business.
In fact when you think about it, everything we do in business and marketing comes down to how well we write words (copy).
I want to invite you to join me for a free 3 Day Copywriting Challenge. It’s hosted by my virtual mentor Ramit Sethi — one of the best copywriters I’ve come across.
It’s free and it starts Monday. You will learn how to double the size of your business — even if you don’t consider yourself a writer. I’ve already registered.
Register here for the free 3 Day Copywriting Challenge.
Jobs, jobs, jobs – are you looking for a digital marketing job?
Just this week I’ve been ask if I know good people looking for great opportunities to work in digital marketing.
If you love the digital world of online marketing, content, social media and want to work for some cool companies, these opportunities may appeal.
Digital Manager: Full time role, mid level, 5 years experience. Sydney based.
Social Media Manager: Full time role, intermediate level, 2 year experience. Sydney based.
Social media Specialist: This role is 5 – 10 hours per week and you’ll need to attend monthly client meetings in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast. Aside from that this role can be done remotely or from the firm’s office in Brisbane.
Please reply to me if you want to know more!
2nd birthday for our book
Two years ago this week, Web Marketing That Works was released in book stores around Australia, US, Singapore and the UK. We are very grateful that many thousands of readers have bought it and implemented what they’ve learnt. It even became an Amazon #1 bestseller.
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If you’ve not read it yet, now is your chance to get your copy. The content is still as relevant as ever (well, except maybe for Google+!).
The publisher tells me there are only a few hundred paperback copies left.
Grab your copy here for $25 USD
Aussie readers will get a signed copy in the mail. International readers will get it via Amazon. You’ll get a bunch of free bonus material too!
So what is it you do ~Contact.FirstName~? Please hit reply and lemme know. I’m keen to hear from you.
That’s it for now.
Adam
Adam Franklin
Co-founder of Bluewire Media
Co-author of Web Marketing That Works
PS. Please feel free to forward to a friend who works in marketing, and they can download our Web Strategy Planning Template.
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