Copywriting #9: Emotional Downfall to Emotional Uplift

The assignment said to use this technique when the audience may be hostile, suspicious, or negative.  I was thinking to write this one for those struggling with weight loss (negative and suspicious of other products and gimmicks) or those trying to get college application help (also suspicious, usually negative, possibly even hostile).  It seemed like the same sort of words would work for BOTH groups--which was a bit revelatory for me.  Here is the ad for college consulting, specific to PARENTS of those senior year.  I first wrote it for students, then realized I need to target parents, since they're the paying customers :-)

Help Your Teen Move COLLEGE APPS from the "List to Avoid"  TO 'THE HAPPY AND DONE LIST!'

Is your teen...

...avoiding computers?

...avoiding your school counselor?

...avoiding anyone that asks "how are those apps coming along?"

And you know...the "apps" aren't the yummy appetizers for the Homecoming Party.  The "apps" are the college apps your teen keeps avoiding.  The series of blanks for personal information, then lists of accomplishments and honors, documents to submit, and essays to write.  Even the list sends them into overwhelm.  

But...did you know...it's actually possible to ENJOY THE PROCESS?!  

For Your Teen.  And For You. 

(take a moment and enjoy this new possibility)

It's possible to DROP THE OVERWHELM.  

Senior Year is the culmination of all the good of high school, and shouldn't be buried under fear and feeling lost.  You've watched your teen accomplish all the hard work--you just need some guidance to package it for the colleges.  

So, instead of running from college apps, they'll be running TO the apps with the help of a personal college counselor.  

A personal college counselor can work with your teen on the application, step-by-step.  Instead of feeling lost and alone, they can feel connected with someone by their side to answer questions in the moment.  Your teen will check off portions of the application with every appointment, and submit the best application to fantastic colleges!  And this positive experience can begin today, by signing up HERE for private and helpful college consulting.  

Most students are able to complete the application in 3-5 hour-long sessions.  So, help your teen ditch the overwhelm and grab some senior year enjoyment by signing up with Krim College Consulting.   

Copywriting #8: Drip Irrigation Method

 WHAT'S FOR DINNER?! 

No matter how you try to avoid it, kids want dinner every night.

Seriously.

Every Night.

And don't even try to recycle the same weekly menu.

They'll know.

...or will they?

Could you tweak a base menu just a bit, to keep them eating and you surviving? 

• Instead of a rotation of tacos, then pasta, then salad...what about rice dishes every other night?
• What about cooking one meat to use for several nights?  
• How about saving money, instead of fast-food nights that happen too often?
• Instead of wasting time starting from scratch every night, how about meals ready under 30 minutes?  
• Instead of collapsing in your chair for dinner, how about enjoying the meal with everyone?

Is meal planning really possible that keeps everyone at the table happy:  happy eaters and a happy dinner-chef? 

Yes:  with Daily Dinner Done!  

Keep your time and mental energy by investing only $5 per month in Daily Dinner Done that elevate dinner hour to the best hour of the day.  Click here for your first month of dinner planning, and you'll receive the second month free!  

Copywriting #7: Writing Copy for Renegade Soccer

I've been writing a lot of these practice copy exercises for soccer related products.  I receive emails from Renegade Soccer Training, and thought it would be fun to try this exercise for a real company.  They send out effective emails for previous customers, especially around holiday sales.  We've purchased one of their programs, and enjoyed it.  I also worked on playing around with different fonts / italics / bold lettering.  (trying to break out of my Classic English Education and Teaching Background)

------------------------------------------------

Most soccer players want to "level up".

But before putting in hours of training on a soccer field or paying an elite coach, ask this question:  what is the best way to "level up"?

Not just a good way, or a fun way, but the best way?

The best way is 1,000+ touches on the soccer ball every day.  That's a fact, and it's actually a lot simpler than it sounds.  The catch is, it won't happen at soccer practice.  Soccer practice is fun and important for team plays and positions.  But most players only touch the ball 20 or 30 times during drills at an hour long practice.  

That simply isn't enough to improve individually.  Soccer players need more...much more!  

Soccer Experts advise getting 1,000+ touches every day.  The daily repetition of 1000+ touches on a soccer ball is the recipe to becoming a powerful contender on the pitch.  And the way to get 1,000+ touches on a soccer ball doesn't need to be more than 20 minutes with specific training.  

That's where Renegade Soccer Training comes in.  Renegade has YOU in mind:  creating programs that guide players with individual movement on the soccer ball.  Each program has a video for every day giving 1000+ touches in a 20-minute workout!  The specific exercises train players with the needed skills for game day.   Coach JR (founder of Renegade) has built a system to help beginners, intermediate, and advanced players all become dominant on the field.  Players don't need to figure out what training to do...they simply get to push "play", follow along, and witness their own progression.   New players emerge through the Renegade Training Programs.  

This is a great opportunity to become the player you're imagining.  Check out the Renegade Soccer Training program.  If the player highlights look like the sort of player you'd like to become, be sure to sign up and get started.  Be a different player for your next game by checking out the  program that is the best fit for your level.  With 30+ programs, there is absolutely one that is the best way to go to your next level.  

School Day #1

 The kids are back in school.

I'm elated.

I'm lost.

I'm happy 

I'm Sad.

I love being alone and I miss them.

I'm counting down the minutes until they're home, which is incredibly soon as it's only a half-day.  Yes, this week is only half-days, so I really have to get going as soon as they go.  It's 11:52 a.m., and I've only barely started to focus on my copywriting course.  (apparantly, today is a get-my-head-back-in-the-game day).

We did a "taper" on Monday and Tuesday, and this morning went fairly well.  There was only one argument about the 2nd hair curler not working, and Chaim woke up way too early...like an hour early.  We also didn't realize the elementary school started 10 minutes earlier, and barely made it to Chaim's 1st day.  Sorry, Chai.  Also, didn't really prepare him that he'd be the only one going to the elementary school.  Second sorry.  He's such a tender heart and loves his sisters.  We went to a playground yesterday for our last day of summer, and he only wanted to go with them.  Just)his sisters, or rather "dee-dohs", the name he gave them when he first started speaking.  They'll be 30 years old, and we'll still refer to them as the "dee-dohs".  You can't plan that sort of stuff.  Names given spontaneously are the best names.  

And that's about it for today.  Just trying to get back in the groove of things.  I did my "hand copy" assignment, and now am going to try writing another piece of ad copy to get going.  And then plan out tomorrow to hit the ground running.  I want to use these school hours when the house is quiet for my business, and leave cleaning, laundry, meal prep for when the kids are home (or at least after 4 hours of copywriting).  I want to do better at organizing my time and using my most focused hours of being alone for the hardest work, so that I can focus on the kids and not have to work when they're home. That's the goal.  

I'll check in again and report.  Oh...one more thing.  I'm contemplating a digital detox for the month of September, so that I don't waste time on my phone, especially on youtube.  

Returning to Routine

 Morning Routine

The kids are going back to school next Wednesday, and so I'm now less than 1 week away from being back on the "school schedule".  We don't do a school schedule taper anymore--we just wake up that first morning really excited, and then the 2nd morning we're dragging.  Somehow by the 2nd week, we've found our new schedule.  I am worried though--because today it's 8:41 a.m., and no one is even stirring.  I think we might need a small taper at least.  Like getting up at 9:00, so that the 6:30 wakeup isn't such a shock.  

The morning routine at our house--with Scott scrambling to get ready in 20 minutes, Noel needing 1.5 hours, and Juliet and Chaim being daily wild cards creates a lot of unknowns.  I don't even know my own morning schedule.  I don't know if I can workout in the mornings anymore, or if I should wait until the kids go to school.  I feel kind of lost in the mornings.  Is this normal?  I've usually been a morning person (not always, because I'm working on telling my own story a little more truthfully).  I like getting up in the morning and getting going.  Lately though, I struggle getting out of bed, and when I do, I just want to lay on the couch and read.  I don't want to exercise.  I guess getting on a schedule is more about what needs to be done, rather than what wants to be done.  So, here's the goal to work towards:

if the girls leave at 7:30 for school, we probably need to have breakfast @ 7:00.  Which means, I should workout from 6:00 - 6:45 (unless I go swimming, which I'm not entirely sure I'm able to do in the mornings anymore).  Anyway--6:45 if I'm done with exercising, I could prep breakfast, and we could eat around 7 or 7:10.  They could brush their teeth at 7:20, and then we could go to school.  I also know that I want to work with them on having some sort of morning devotional / morning scripture.  Just something simple and helpful for them for the day.  .... went and found the books by Pres. Monson, Pres. Hinckley, and one from the Old Testament.  Can use those.  More and more, I feel like I need to plan ahead and be present for these "crossroads" moments:  the moments before they leave for school, come home from school, and in the evening.  That is my REAL responsibility.  The copywriting is just a way to make money and support our family financially, but what I do with and for our family in real-time:  the conversations, the support, the puzzles and games and pretend play (which I 100% need to do better with engaging in), are the real things I need to do.  I'm suddenly struck by the fact that Noel only has 5 more years at home before college, July only has 6.  They're now in Junior High, and they're going to get busier and spend more time with friends.  I need to use the time I have with them as best I can.  I know there will be some resistance to blocking off time in the morning for these breakfasts + spiritual devotional, but I feel like I need to start it and continue with it.  

I need to get my act together in my mornings, so I can support them with their morning routine:

5:30 a.m., wake up

5:35 - 5:40, lemon water

5:40 - 5:55, pray and read

6:00 - 6:45, workout

6:50 - 7:10, prep breakfast

7:10 - 7:20, breakfast and morning devotional

7:20 - 7:30, help with water bottles, lunches

7:30, run girls to school

7:40 - 7:55, start laundry, wake up Chaim

8:00 - 8:10 breakfast & morning reading with Chaim

8:10 - 8:20, pack lunch, water bottle, load up in car

8:20:  leave house for morning walk to school with Chaim

8:50, return home, switch laundry (aim for 1-2 loads / day)

9:00:  begin work 

Back at Writing

 We have 2 more weeks of summer, and it's safe to say I'm struggling.  I just read the post about Kota, and he helped me a lot.  Helped me to not focus on me so much.  I've been at my computer most of the past 4 hours, accomplishing little and stressing a lot.  I really have no idea how I'm going to get a first client / first paid job as a copywriter.  It's just so Big and Overwhelming right now.  It's 1:30 p.m., and I'm still in my pajamas.  I need to get up and dressed and doing something different for the rest of the day.

I miss Kota.  I keep checking the website and he's still listed.  I run through all sorts of situations where he comes back to our home--could we possibly make it work?  I don't know, and I'm scared to bring it up with our family--especially the kids because of getting their hopes up.  His sweet face stays with me, his cute wagging tail and so, so many kisses!  

I don't know how I'm going to get through 2 more weeks of summer--I've got to work and get stuff done, and can't really get in "summer" fun anymore.  I'm stressed about bills.  I've got to figure out how to make money.  I think the girls understand this.  Chaim doesn't.  Scott's stopped asking about the course because I think he knows I'm overwhelmed.

I'm going to take a break now, and hopefully start the blog later today, but definitely tomorrow.