Not sure what direction to take career wise

[:-)]

Indeed. So back to the telemarketing. 27 hang ups down, 973 to go.

Are you talking about Mortimer Zuckerman?

 

[guru1000]

Disposition report?

 

[:-)]

..........

 

[guru1000]

When I was 21-years old, I was a stockbroker. It was 1995; that year I earned $400,000. I had a close childhood friend, Bob, who after seeing my monthly paychecks, wanted to join me. Of course, it seemed, any 21–year old who can earn a $30,000+ monthly paycheck “must be in an easy industry.” There was just no other explanation, right?

Neophytes, would cold-call for 120 days straight, before having the opportunity to study and take the Series 7 license to become a registered stockbroker.

And so my friend Bob, began cold-calling. He was naturally extroverted, and thus talented--or so it seemed. He attained a normal amount of leads daily, thus exhibiting strong potential. But, one day along the 3rd or 4th week, I saw that he was buzzed after lunch, clowning around, and distracting the other cold-callers--acting as the firm clown. The next day, the same. He was buzzed after lunch, laughing, and cracking jokes to all surrounding him.
I called Bob over, took him to a private room in the back, and opened the window.

“Bob, I want to show you something. Can you please place one leg out of the window?”

The look on Bob’s face went from jolly to blank; he refused. I proceeded to put one of my legs out the window, looked him at him resolutely, and continued:

“Look down below. We are 32 stories high. If you want to succeed in this industry, then you must make one commitment to yourself: If you fail, you will take the plunge to the ground below.”

Silence. Bob did not say one word; nor was he laughing anymore. After that day, Bob quit. Today, he is collecting disability for an alleged "accident," as not to have to work, as the workplace is “too competitive,” “too difficult,” and “beyond his education or acumen.”

Most people fail simply because they don’t set “a price” for quitting. What are you willing to sacrifice in your life to ensure success? Not much I can see, as you have already quit after one day of work. To me, quitting would mean my life.

 

[dasein]

Been away a few days. Excellent thread. Smile, you are ahead of the game, you should feel elated not depressed. I was also a stockbroker early on. Did not do nearly as well as guru, but well. In my first month I dialed the phone maybe 5000-10,000 times to get one or two accounts. Netted about $1500. Sixth month? I made $16,000.

Do you not feel the power of having someone offer you even 300 for your services? Just a short time ago you had no business, no direct experience, and look what you have accomplished. Personally I would take it and do the work she needs now just to get your first client (and never let on to her about this of course).

My philosophy is if someone hands you money, take it early on because then you have a client and soon will have a reference and portfolio, figure out some way to take it. 100 of those, even the trivial ones, will end up sending you enough referrals and business to make you successful if handled correctly. If you can get one this month, you will get two next month and 5 a month after. How long before you have 100 clients? Some will fade, some will produce. You will end up booked solid and doing 80% of the work you do for 20% of your clients.

Agree generally with guru's excellent advice here. This thread could serve as a map for many who have similar issues and desires as OP.

 

[:-)]

How do I write this florist's website when I cannot even write my own?

Plus there appears to be a conflict of interest. This is a recurring pattern. Whatever I start I cannot finish.

At school I was an A grade pupil but ended up leaving school with only one subject.

At University I started well but left with one module unfinished.

I wrote a pretty successful play but after that couldn't write another.

Whenever I started for a property company I would start making good money and be the star employee but it would tail off and I would leave in disgrace.

I tried stand up comedy and that started off really well but with each performance I got worse and worse until it got to the point where I would forget my lines on stage in front of an embarrassed audience.

Even the job I'm in now I started off as a valued member of the team but now I am seen as a liability and get passed over for promotion.

Now this. I feel like a fraud because I'm passing myself off as something I have no experience in.

There seems to be some mental block that prevents me from being successful! It's frustrating!

 

[guru1000]

For your first five clients, I will assist you in copywriting, and if I am unable to, I will hire a professional at my expense.

Now what is your excuse?

 

[:-)]

For your first five clients, I will assist you in copywriting, and if I am unable to, I will hire a professional at my expense.

Now what is your excuse?

You think that is going to make me feel like any less of a fraud by getting someone else to do my work?

 

[guru1000]

Most CEOs don’t shroud themselves with company labor; they hire professionals/assistants to perform the “menial” labor, while they focus on growth: new clients, developing relationships, contacts, contracts, etc.

A fraud has intention to defraud. Or is your intention to enhance your client’s business however, whenever, wherever possible? This is the very definition of a successful entrepreneur.

You will always rationalize your thinking, especially if the thinking provides you with the specious feeling of “safety.” Safety is a cognitive reframing machination to keep you homeostatic, “I am comfortable where I am.” But … if this were truly so, then why did you ask for help?

In your previous post, you exhibit a track record of beginning a pursuit, and then failing to follow through. Is this your identity?

“I am Smile.”
“Who is Smile?”
“I’m the guy who will begin, but fail to follow through.”

Your thinking cements your identity, which prognosticates your future action, which fashions your subsequent thinking. Cognizant of the self-fulfilling loop in which you are entrapped?

You must begin by setting a price for your failure to follow through in your pursuit. Remember, the feeling of safety is a self-created machination to preserve your homeostasis--and you will rationalize your homeostatic condition to death. But, what will the price be?

I can’t change you; only you can. You asked for help, and I provided it.

 

[:-)]

What could the price be?

 

[guru1000]

My price is my life. Accordingly, I always follow through in business/personal/health-related pursuits. But, I could not ask the same from you.

The price must be costly enough that the fear of failing (or shall we say the fear of success!) is diminutive in comparison.

You mentioned earlier that you were "scared to death" in losing your two-month living expense emergency fund. Why not offer this as the price?

In concrete terms:

You will commit to a minimum of 20 days cold-calling, 200 calls per day--or--if you quit for any reason, you will donate your two-month emergency fund to SoSuave.com, as to know that such monies were actually donated.

Are you willing to make this commitment?

 

[:-)]

My price is my life. Accordingly, I always follow through in business/personal/health-related pursuits. But, I could not ask the same from you.

The price must be costly enough that the fear of failing (or shall we say the fear of success!) is diminutive in comparison.

You mentioned earlier that you were "scared to death" in losing your two-month living expense emergency fund. Why not offer this as the price?

In concrete terms:

You will commit to a minimum of 20 days cold-calling, 200 calls per day--or--if you quit for any reason, you will donate your two-month emergency fund to SoSuave.com, as to know that such monies were actually donated.

Are you willing to make this commitment?

I can make that commitment.

What about the other part? THe conflict of interest. That copywriting is pure sophistry and in direct opposition to what I have been searching for. And that Plato and Socrates condemned sophists and poets because they dealt not in Truth but rhetoric and were purgers of the soul?

This is the conflict of interest I have. God or Mammon. TO do this I will have to sell my soul. A far bigger price, no?

 

[dasein]

How do I write this florist's website when I cannot even write my own?

I have a friend from school with crippling ADD, the real variety that amounts to a learning disability. His writing and English skills are atrocious and he never graduated college. He is in sales and has to write website copy as a tangent to his main work. If he manages, so can you.

http://www.ehow.com/how_7254824_write-copy-small-business-website.html

http://www.homebusinesswiz.com/2006/11/how-to-write-copy-for-your-website-homepage.html

https://www.powerhomebiz.com/online-business/internet/write-effective-sales-copy-web.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_4547393_write-good-copy-website.html

https://www.futuresimple.com/blog/how-to-write-web-copy-for-small-business/

Results from a one minute search. You can also buy books on writing copy and search engine optimization, the latter being very important to your mission, or just go to the old fashioned library and research there. If you can write, you can certainly write net copy.

 

[dasein]

This is the conflict of interest I have. God or Mammon. TO do this I will have to sell my soul. A far bigger price, no?

You are now conning yourself. Why the self-sabotage? As long as you treat people fairly and honestly in providing a quality service at reasonable prices, you are not "selling out."

In fact, many people such as myself believe that we have an ethical duty to maximize our skills however possible, and sitting around not doing so because of comfort or inertia is what is actually "selling out."

 

[:-)]

I have a friend from school with crippling ADD, the real variety that amounts to a learning disability. His writing and English skills are atrocious and he never graduated college. He is in sales and has to write website copy as a tangent to his main work. If he manages, so can you.

http://www.ehow.com/how_7254824_write-copy-small-business-website.html

http://www.homebusinesswiz.com/2006/11/how-to-write-copy-for-your-website-homepage.html

https://www.powerhomebiz.com/online-business/internet/write-effective-sales-copy-web.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_4547393_write-good-copy-website.html

https://www.futuresimple.com/blog/how-to-write-web-copy-for-small-business/

Results from a one minute search. You can also buy books on writing copy and search engine optimization, the latter being very important to your mission, or just go to the old fashioned library and research there. If you can write, you can certainly write net copy.

Yes. I've been studying copywriting. Articles, videos and an on-line course. I've also previously done an NLP practitioner course and have plenty of sales experience. I'm sure an experienced copywriter will tell you it's not something you will learn overnight though. It will take practice.

YOu talk about honesty and reasonable prices but I don't have any business experience or a portfolio of work at the moment and I'm quoting prospective clients £2000-£5000 for my work.

Wouldn't it make more sense to approach companies offering my services for free just to build up a portfolio?

 

[:-)]

I will restart my cold calling campaign tuesday (its bank holiday tomorrow). As before. 9am-11am every day before work.

 

[guru1000]

What about the other part? THe conflict of interest. That copywriting is pure sophistry and in direct opposition to what I have been searching for. And that Plato and Socrates condemned sophists and poets because they dealt not in Truth but rhetoric and were purgers of the soul?

This is the conflict of interest I have. God or Mammon. TO do this I will have to sell my soul. A far bigger price, no?

Plato and Socrates were quite intelligent, weren’t they?

The question is who is not dealing in truth?

Sophistry is defined: “the use of fallacious arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving.” How does sophistry correlate with your appointments, where you identify red flags in your clients’ literature, and render useful recommendations to rectify these aberrations? Is your intent to help or to deceive?

You are correct in your sophistry label: You are using fallacious arguments to deceive yourself! Remember: "safety" is a self-created machination to rationalize your homeostasis. Ironically, “machination” and “sophistry” are synonyms. And so you are committing this crime upon yourself! Dasein is absolutely right when he mentions “Which act is truly selling out your soul: to act or not to act?”

Also, let’s not forget my previous guidance to you:

Eliminate promises, guarantees, or warranties from your vocabulary, thoughts, and intentions. Once you project specious ideas or ideas with specious intent, you will be walking a precarious path. Read my sig. Material difference between “you will” and “you can.” This may seem like semantics, but I assure you, experientially, it is inexplicable and imperative for your long-term success.

One law that I always defer to in life, especially in business, is the law of reciprocity. Be fair and straight with people, and reap the enduring rewards of referrals and repeat business. I encourage you to adopt the same philosophy.

Wouldn't it make more sense to approach companies offering my services for free just to build up a portfolio?

You are to quote a price for your services, because the goal is to promote through the Stages, capitalize your business as to grow exponentially, ultimately allowing you to help a myriad businesses.

Smile, are you ready and willing to commit to the 20 day/200-call per day--or--donate to SoSuave.com price?

 

[:-)]

Smile, are you ready to commit to the 20 day/200 call per day or donate to SoSuave.com price?

Yes.

 

[:-)]

Just one question:

Would you advise me to set myself in business and offer my services as a lawyer, plumber, electrician, actor etc without first educating myself in my trade first ?

Just seems odd to me.

 

[guru1000]

Fallacious analogy: all the trades except actor require licensing and you have a higher-education degree in writing.

Herein is a random website I chose. Name five things that can be improved:

http://www.kistnersflowers.com/