If you’re looking for quick wins in your copy, online business, creative career, and life, you’re in the right place, my friend. All the gift guides right now tell you where to get the best barbecue set. This one’s a little different. It’s a roundup of free gifts — none of them great for grilling […]
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No experience? No problem. How these copywriters got their first paying clients—or started charging, period
“How do I get started as a copywriter, and how do I know when I’m ready to start charging for my work?” That’s probably the number one (2-part) question I’ve been asked in my 13+ years helping people learn to write copy. The story of how I, myself, got started as a copywriter goes so […]
KEEP READINGShrimpmukkah! A 2022 roundup of must-have opt-in freebies from Shrimp Club superstars
Happy seasons! There are plenty of gift-buying guides out there. I thought I’d add one that’s a gift-getting guide. Free gifts, for you. All they cost is your email address. Whether you’re shopping for help with: Getting your business in the media… A LinkedIn bio that attracts clients… Writing copy that converts ideal clients… Or […]
KEEP READINGShrimpmukkah! A 2021 roundup of must-have opt-in freebies from Shrimp Club superstars
Interested in the most recent Shrimpmukkah Freebies? Check out the list from 2022 here. Happy seasons! There are plenty of gift-buying guides out there. I thought I’d add one that’s a gift-getting guide. Free gifts, for you. All they cost is your email address. Whether you’re shopping for help with: Getting your business in the […]
KEEP READING11 cries for help and expensive business mistakes Marie Forleo dug me out of in 2009
TRIVIA QUESTION: Do you know who’s behind the 8-figure juggernaut of an online course called “B-School”? If you’re saying “Marie Forleo,” yeah, duh. That’s the obvious answer. But, as I recently discovered, it’s not the whole answer. Looking for an old email in my inbox, I stumbled on one between me and Marie. It made […]
KEEP READINGHow to Use Clubhouse (And Not Hate Yourself): A Beginner’s Guide
“Wait, should I be on Clubhouse?” I’ve been answering that question a lot since I joined a couple of weeks ago, because I keep talking about it. It’s not a straight answer, but I’ll get to it. For one, it’s not the best thing that ever happened to my marriage. My husband hates when I’m […]
KEEP READINGThe Million-Dollar Email List: How To Build An Engaged Subscriber List From Scratch—Without Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, Or Giving A Dime To Zuck
“How big is Talking Shrimp’s email list?” Oh my, aren’t you forward! That’s quite the personal question. When you ask, what you’re probably also wondering is: “What’s a good email list size?” I’m happy to answer both questions, the best I can. So, not to brag, but around town, I’m kinda known for my list […]
KEEP READINGI’m a born procrastinator who hates homework. Here’s how I designed a “no homework” career
My fall semester, Frosh year—that’s what we called first year instead of the male-centric “Freshman”—I stayed in my room most of the time. I passed up invitations to go to the student center, to go play pool, to go hang out “with the guys.” My friend Risa, locking her room across the hall and dangling […]
KEEP READINGHow To Get Out Of A Rut: 13 Ways To Stop Feeling Like A Useless Blob And Get Back To Your Creative, Motivated Self (If That Was Ever You)
It comes on suddenly. For months, I’m obnoxiously giddy about my life and what I get to do for a living. I’m on a roll. No, not just on a roll: I’m on fire! #Unstoppable. Until, one day, I wake up feeling…doomed. Life is relentless. I have to do this till I die? I hate […]
KEEP READING11 Ways To Get Paid To Write: Every type of writing gig I’ve ever been paid for (and one that paid $zero).
“You have to be EL James or Colleen Hoover to make a decent living as a writer! Don’t even try! Get a real job!” Ever hear that? Ignore it. There are countless ways to get paid to write. To give you some ideas, I went all the way back to the early Nineties – the […]
KEEP READINGBehind the scenes of my big, fat website redo
(11 crucial steps for your branding or rebranding project, including one I missed) A website and branding redo is no small, or inexpensive undertaking. So let’s start with this: Why I redid my site – even though I didn’t “need” to
KEEP READINGHow To Charge What You’re Worth
I see a lot of blogs and Facebook conversations about “earning the income you deserve” and “charging what you’re worth.”
Blog post vs. email — the death match
What should go in my emails and what should go on the blog? Can they overlap? Should they be the same, or different? I struggled with this one for a long time. Here’s what I used to do:
KEEP READINGHow to sell art, photography, jewelry, luxury goods, entertainment, cupcakes, and anything else that doesn’t "solve a problem."
Have you noticed this? Entrepreneurs* love to get on the digital soapbox and yell, “YOU HAVE TO SOLVE A PROBLEM! IF YOU DON’T SOLVE A PROBLEM, YOU DON’T HAVE A BUSINESS.”
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