Today’s episode is a little bit Back to the Future-esque as we dive into the concept of setting your future self up for success. This is something the Filthy Rich Writer team is verrry big on, so we want to share some of the best actions that will make future you oh so thankful.
Tend to drag your heels before sending an invoice? Always finding a reason not to update your portfolio? Listen in for some expert tips to help you smooth out your processes and make your future self proud.
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Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!
A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[1:44] Today’s episode is all about how to set your future self up for success by taking certain actions and is a concept that works really well for the Filthy Rich Writer team.
[3:05] Try to give yourself a bit of a buffer when it comes to setting internal deadlines. If a project is due on Friday, you might want to aim to do it by Wednesday so that you have some wiggle room in case something unexpected comes up.
[5:01] As you take on more work, your schedule will become full and sneaking projects (even small ones!) in is difficult. It’s much better to under promise and over deliver.
[6:34] Kate set a boundary for herself to not start working on projects until at least two weeks after the initial call. Having these kinds of rules in place give you some extra breathing room in case other things crop up.
[8:29] It can be very tempting to fill up your schedule as you have more clients and work coming in. But remember to give yourself some unscheduled time as you plan out your day so that you have space to concept or take a breather from a project if needed. This also allows you to say yes to the fun stuff or deal with any emergencies.
[12:31] Look at the weather in advance to help you plan your unscheduled time so that you can take advantage of it when you want to and block off vacations early (even at the start of January!) so you can plan around this.
[16:16] Whatever you think you’re going to remember, know that you probably won’t! Try to process handwritten notes immediately and add things to your calendar so that you don’t have to try and hold so much information in your head.
[17:32] You never know when an idea is going to strike you, whether it’s for a client project or a new way to market yourself, so make sure you always have a pen and notecards on you! Let’s encourage those ideas by giving them a place to go instead of trying to hold onto them in our heads.
[19:45] As you look at your process of working with a client, check to see if there are speed bumps anywhere, like sending invoices. Build steps in which will set yourself up to make this important part of the process faster and easier for future you.
[21:03] Set in time to add work to your portfolio once the piece is live and published. Nicki and Kate can both confirm that future you will thank you for not having to update your entire portfolio all at once!
[24:40] Even if you don’t want to put a project in your portfolio, still try to regularly gather your pieces and take screen grabs because it may be useful for a specific client or job role one day.
[28:19] If you work from home and have certain hang-ups like making sure the laundry is done or the kitchen is clean, make sure things are in line before you know you’re going to start working. That way, you won’t end up procrastinating and letting resistance take over!
[29:39] If you have a big client call coming up or a day that you know that you really have to dig into a project that is especially challenging, make sure that you have adequate sleep planned in the night before.
Must-Hear Takeaways
As with every episode, we highly encourage you to listen to the entire conversation! But here are a few of the highlights:
“I feel like we unnecessarily put lots of stress and pressure on ourselves because we say we want to deliver, we want to be the best partner to our clients, and by being the best partner, I can get to them faster. But being the best partner is going to be delivering the best copy possible. And if that means giving yourself lots of time to lower the pressure, and lower the stress level on the whole project, then do that. There’s truly no reason to add that extra layer of pressure for yourself.” – Kate
“So, so many of us, once we’re done with the project, we’re like, ‘Yay, done! Oh, now I have to send the invoice…’ And we procrastinate on sending the invoice, which when you think about it, is just absurd. But that’s what we do (or some of us do). So build in time, build in a step in the process to send your invoice, and build in a step to send an email asking for testimonials and or referrals.” – Nicki
“If there are any places in your life where you think to yourself, ‘why did I do this to myself?!’ that is a prime opportunity to set yourself up for future success.” – Nicki
“It is so much easier to update your portfolio if you’re doing it regularly versus getting to the end of a year versus getting to the end of two years and going, ‘Oh, I need to do this, I have so much work that’s not even on here. I look like a totally different copywriter.’ And then having to track down work, and sometimes having to reach out to previous clients or previous contacts.” – Nicki
Related Links
- 5 Ways Super-Productive Copywriters Start Their Days
- Daily Habits of the Most Successful Writers & Creatives
- What Are Your Copywriting Business Rules?
- 3 Steps to Taking a Vacation as a Freelance Copywriter
- The Right Way to Invoice Your Copywriting Clients
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About the Build Your Business Podcast
Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?
Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.
Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.
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Ep. 157: Are You Living in the Gap or the Gain?
Last Updated on June 10, 2024
