The #1 Secret To Attracting Higher-Paying Copywriting Clients (Interview with Selena Soo)

Leveraging Publicity to Grow Your Business

In this interview, Selena Soo shares insights on how copywriters and service-based entrepreneurs can leverage publicity to grow their business and build authority.

Getting Started with Building a Six-Figure Business

• Start by learning a high-income skill such as copywriting or freelancing.

• Hone your skills, build experience, portfolio, and rapport with clients.

• Turn one-off clients into ongoing clients while raising prices over time.

• Trade up smaller level clients for bigger ones who are willing to pay higher amounts for expert knowledge and authority.

Using Publicity to Build Authority as a Copywriter

• Intentional publicity can help you build authority as a copywriter.

• Use the publicity calendar to position yourself as an authority and use it for marketing initiatives with your clients.

Selena's Journey in the World of Publicity

• Selena shares her journey in the world of publicity and how she got started.

Struggling with Self-Worth and Finding Inspiration

In this section, the speaker talks about her struggles with self-worth and depression. She shares how she found inspiration through role models and experts in the field.

Finding Inspiration Through Role Models

• The speaker felt like she was meant for something more than her current job.

• She struggled with self-worth issues and became clinically depressed.

• The speaker realized that people who are struggling need not only information but also inspiration.

• She found inspiration through role models who have gone through challenges and come out on the other side.

Building a Reputation Through Connecting People

In this section, the speaker talks about how she started building her reputation by connecting people to each other.

Connecting People to Build a Reputation

• The speaker fell in love with publicity because it helps people get credibility and become known.

• Even though she identifies as an introvert, she reached out to entrepreneurs she admired to connect them with each other or media opportunities.

• The speaker started building a reputation for herself by making connections between people.

Defining Publicity for Everyday Entrepreneurs

In this section, the speaker defines publicity for everyday entrepreneurs and explains why it is important.

Definition of Publicity

• Publicity is all about getting your ideas, message, products, and services out on other people's platforms.

• It includes traditional media like magazines, TV, and newspapers as well as new media like podcasts and social media.

• Publicity is about getting your work onto other people's platforms to reach a wider audience.

Importance of Publicity

• The speaker believes that publicity is important because it helps entrepreneurs get seen and put themselves out there.

The Power of Publicity

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of publicity for building authority, reaching more people, and building the know-like-and-trust factor.

Building Authority

• It's important to have authority to tell the world that you are the best at what you do.

• Writing a book or growing your following on Instagram can help build authority but takes a long time.

• Publicity is the fastest way to get credibility because once you learn the skills, you can get publicity in a matter of weeks or less.

• Being featured in media provides a whole other level of credibility that nothing else compares to.

Reaching More People

• Getting out there through publicity can help reach more people than individually connecting with them one by one.

• One interview could be heard by 100,000, 5,000 or even 500 people.

Building Know-Like-and-Trust Factor

• Publicity is also a form of content marketing and expressing yourself. Sharing things on other platforms helps people feel like they know you and builds trust.

• When it comes time to reach out and have a phone conversation or when they learn about your program opening up, they're much more likely to because that know-like-and-trust is already there.

Overall, publicity is powerful for copywriters as it helps build authority, reach more people and build trust.

The Mindset Shift Needed to Succeed as a Copywriter

In this section, Selena Soo talks about the mindset shift that needs to happen for copywriters to succeed. She emphasizes the importance of honing skills and gaining experience before being more visible and putting oneself out there.

Starting Out as a Copywriter

• As a beginner, start with honing your skills and gaining experience.

• Once you have some experience, be open to being more visible and putting yourself out there.

• Offer value in different ways such as being featured on a podcast or offering strategy sessions.

Advice for Introverted Copywriters

In this section, Selena Soo shares her personal story of how she overcame her fear of public speaking. She also gives advice for introverted copywriters who want to start using publicity.

Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking

• Selena shares her personal story of feeling terrified during her first interview 10 years ago.

• Despite feeling uncomfortable, she knew that publicity would help her reach more people and be known.

• After watching the recording of the interview, Selena felt horrified but received positive feedback from others.

• She learned four lessons from the experience that she shares with copywriters and creatives.

Tips for Introverted Copywriters

• Start by saying yes to opportunities even if they make you uncomfortable.

• Share your work with others and get feedback.

• Focus on expressing yourself through stories.

The Importance of Imperfect Action

In this section, the speaker talks about the importance of taking imperfect action and not comparing oneself to others.

Don't Compare Yourself to Others

• We can't compare our beginning to someone else's middle or end.

• We're only going to get better by doing, therefore we must take imperfect action.

• Accept ourselves, forgive ourselves, and just do our best.

It's Not About You

• Remembering it's not about you, it's about the people that you help.

• Showing up publicly is an act of courage and an act of generosity and service.

Give Yourself Permission to Suck

• Give yourself permission to suck. You have to be bad at something before you can be good at something.

• Comparing yourself to someone who is a few steps ahead of you creates anxiety. Instead, think of how can I be in service even just to one person to start?

Start Small

• Start small. For example, with an email list of 80 people.

• If you help one person, it's worthwhile.

Where To Start Looking for Visibility and Publicity?

• No specific answer was given in this section.

Understanding Your Core Offer

In this section, Selena Soo talks about the importance of understanding your core offer when seeking publicity. She explains that different types of offers require different types of media outlets and provides a technique for creating a media list.

Identifying Your Core Offer

• Understanding your core offer is essential when seeking publicity.

• Different types of offers require different types of media outlets.

Choosing the Right Media Outlets

• Mainstream media like television or magazines can reach millions quickly within minutes.

• Niche media may not be household name media but if it's what your ideal clients are consuming, then you want to target that.

Creating a Media List

• The "Follow the Leader" technique involves making a list of at least five leaders in your industry and searching for podcasts they have appeared on using Google.

• This gives you a customized way to reach out to the media by referencing other experts in your field who have been featured on their platform.

Being Proactive with Publicity

In this section, Selena Soo emphasizes the importance of being proactive when seeking publicity and shares tips for building authority as an expert.

Building Authority as an Expert

• Defining your USP (unique selling proposition) gives you great authority by having clarity in terms of what you offer and what you do.

• Being proactive with publicity involves going after opportunities rather than waiting for them to come to you. Podcast hosts are always looking for people to feature so having a clear offer can give you a foot in the door even if it's a smaller platform.

Building a Body of Work

• Building a body of work is important for all of us because it gives us something to pitch ourselves with.

Importance of Publicity and Selena's Publicity Calendar

In this section, Selena Soo talks about the importance of publicity and how it can help establish oneself as an authority in their field. She also introduces her publicity calendar, which is a resource that provides story ideas, special dates, and hooks to get into the media.

The Benefits of Publicity

• Establishes oneself as a leading expert in their field.

• Provides credibility when someone else vets you for their podcast or publication.

• Timing is important in publicity. Understanding what the media is looking for each month can help tailor pitches to be more relevant and increase chances of getting featured.

Selena's Publicity Calendar

• Over 40 pages worth of story ideas, special dates, and hooks to get into the media.

• Helps understand what the media is looking for each month so pitches can be tailored accordingly.

• Can be used not only for mapping out publicity but also social media or newsletter content calendars overall.

• Available for free at impactingmillions.com/copyposse.

Conclusion

Selena's publicity calendar is a valuable resource that can help establish oneself as an authority in their field by providing relevant story ideas and hooks to get into the media based on timing and events throughout the year.

This section was short enough to not require subheadings beyond "The Benefits of Publicity" and "Selena's Publicity Calendar".

Running and Scaling a Business in the Past Year

In this section, the speaker shares lessons learned from running and scaling their business in the past year.

Key Lessons Learned

• The importance of having a clear vision for your brand and business.

• The value of building a strong team that shares your vision and values.

• The need to prioritize tasks and focus on what's most important for growth.

• The benefits of being adaptable and willing to pivot when necessary.

Vision for Your Brand and Business

• Having a clear vision is essential for success.

• A strong vision helps guide decision-making and keeps you focused on your goals.

• It's important to communicate your vision clearly to your team so everyone is working towards the same goal.

Building a Strong Team

• Building a strong team is crucial for success.

• Hire people who share your values and are passionate about your brand.

• Invest time in training and developing your team members so they can grow with the company.

Prioritizing Tasks

• Prioritizing tasks is key to achieving growth.

• Focus on high-priority tasks that will have the biggest impact on your business.

• Don't get bogged down by low-priority tasks that don't contribute to growth.

Being Adaptable

• Being adaptable is essential in today's fast-paced business environment.

• Be willing to pivot when necessary and make changes to your strategy.

• Stay open to new ideas and be willing to experiment with different approaches.