One of the biggest challenges facing copywriters is how to increase their income without increasing their workload. There are only so many hours in the day, and if your income is tied to client projects and an hourly rate, sooner or later, you'll hit the ceiling of what you can earn per day.
So what's the alternative?
In this solo episode, Bernadette shares some of the most valuable lessons she uncovered while interviewing more than 40 of Australia's most successful online entrepreneurs for her latest book, Secrets of the New Online Entrepreneurs.
A fascinating pattern emerged from those interviews. The founders who built the most successful businesses didn't necessarily start with a product. They started with an audience.
From Tesla's famous pre-orders for the Model 3 to MasterChef favourite Kirsten Tibballs building a global chocolate empire from a weekend workshop, Bernadette explores how entrepreneurs are validating ideas, building communities and creating products people actually want to buy.
You'll also hear the inspiring stories of actress Adele Samus, who built her own audience long before landing major acting opportunities, and cat rescuer Jenny Fisher, whose passion project attracted tens of thousands of followers and a host of unexpected commercial opportunities.
At first glance, chocolate makers, actors and cat rescuers might seem to have very little in common with copywriters. But scratch the surface, and they're all doing the same thing: building an audience around an idea, a skill or a passion before trying to monetise it. For copywriters looking to create courses, write books, launch memberships or build personal brands, the lesson is clear. Stop making, start validating. The audience comes first, and the products come second.
Most importantly, you'll discover why copywriters are uniquely positioned to benefit from this approach and how your content, expertise and ideas can be transformed into assets that generate income beyond client work.
You'll learn how to:
- build an audience before creating a course, book or digital product
- test demand before investing months creating something nobody wants
- turn your expertise into assets such as workshops, memberships, templates and coaching programs
- use content as a tool for audience growth and customer acquisition
- build visibility, even when nobody is paying attention
- leverage LinkedIn, email, podcasts and social media to grow a community
- identify topics you're genuinely passionate about and use them to attract an audience
- create multiple income streams from the knowledge and skills you already possess
Bio:
Bernadette Schwerdt is the founder of the Australian School of Copywriting, Head Copywriting Tutor at the Australian Writers' Centre, TEDx speaker, award-winning author and ghostwriter for many of Australia's leading entrepreneurs and CEOs.
She is the author of Secrets of the New Online Entrepreneurs and has interviewed more than 100 successful founders, business owners and thought leaders to uncover the strategies they use to build influence, attract opportunities and grow profitable businesses.
Through her writing, speaking and training, Bernadette helps copywriters, founders and subject matter experts turn their knowledge into books, content, courses and other intellectual property that builds authority and generates new income streams.
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