Ep 047: Filthy Rich Writers with Nicki Krawczyk

Ever wonder what success actually means?

How do you get

it? And how do you keep it?

We all want it yet sometimes it feels only some of us get to have it.

Hi, Teresa Blair here. We are two badass entrepreneurs, bestselling authors, coaches and business mentors, who have had success filled success, questioned our own success and reclaimed it. Let's be real for a hot minute. 2020 has been a roller coaster ride, and many of us have started to wonder if they'll lose the things that made them successful. So we got curious, Ron real about what success is truly about?

Can you put it in a box?

How can you get it?

Can people take it away? Or are you the one with the power?

Does it mean the same to all of us? Or are we the ones that create it?

From PGA golf bros to doctors, CEOs, entrepreneurs and spiritual mentors. We get together to meet with successful people from around the globe to dissect success for vibrant conversations and interviews. Make sure you click the subscribe button on the app store because each week we will drop a new episode to bust through the myths around success and dissect its true meaning. Who's ready for the most badass and massive uplevel in their business? It is back what's back momentum land Teresa's signature six month business and mentorship accelerator is now open for enrollment

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Hello Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of dissecting success. We have a very special guest with us today. Nikki karasik. She is a copywriter with 15 plus years of experience writing full multi billion dollar companies solopreneurs and every size business in between. She also teaches people how to become professional copywriters and build thriving careers off their own via website filthy rich writer.com. Love that website name by the way, and her comprehensive copywriting Academy and to build your copywriting business podcast which you must go and check out is awesome. For her being filthy rich means having a job you love being good at what you do, and making great money doing it. Oh my god, just by the bio alone, I can tell that we have an incredible copywriter and wordsmith with us. Welcome, Nikki,

thank you so much. It's great to be here.

Oh my god. So so fun. So Nikki, let's dive right in. And I am just so hyped up about this conversation coming up just after this small introduction. But let's start by you just sharing a little bit about what success means to you.

Absolutely. To me, success means. I mean, like, fundamentally, it means being able to do what I want, right? The day is that you get up and you go, Oh, I just can't bear to, or I should say the days before when I couldn't bear to go into an office or Oh, I don't want to have to do this. I don't want to I define success as being able to decide what I do for the most part really when I do it, and really what I earn for it. And I do that as a business person now, which is fantastic. But I was also able to do that as a copywriter when I was still copywriting full time.

Whoo, good one. I want to also just kind of talk about something for a second. When did you decide you wanted to be filthy rich. And I hear like Lisa Rinna, from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, like I hear her voice with that. But like, I just you don't hear that often. Like, oh, man, that person is just filthy rich. Like you just don't hear that. I want to talk about that. When did you know that's what you wanted to be? And how did you come up with the definition of what that is?

Well, you know, the funny thing is, is that most people and you guys have probably heard this too, but most people who grow up loving writing or who kind of want to be a writer, they what they always hear is writers don't make any money. Oh, you want to be a writer? Okay, well, you're going to need a day job or you're going to be a writer. I hope you're okay. Not having any money ever. And I absolutely heard that there was a friend's parent in middle school when I talked about being a writer, they're like, you should just tell people you're going to go into business. which ironically, I guess I did, I did both but um, but yeah, the the, you think that or a lot of people think that writers can't make any money. And it's it's, unfortunately, a very sad fact that there are a lot of writers that don't make any money unless you are JK Rowling or Stephen King. You're not making money as a novelist. And very unfortunately, you're probably not making money as a journalist, and you know, blog writers, all this kind of stuff. They're not making money, but copywriters make excellent incomes. And so part of the reason that that I called the company, the site filthy rich writer is because I wanted to stop people in their tracks. I really wanted people to go, Wait, what is that? Is that actually a thing? And to be willing to dig a little bit deeper into the idea that we could be financially rewarded for actually using our writing skills, which is crazy that it sounds so crazy to actually say that, and then, you know, beyond that, what is a rich life a rich life is his success, right? is being able to do what you want, how you want to do it, have other people respect you for what you do, and then get paid well to do it. So it all kind of comes together in that way.

Oh, that's so good. I, you know, I so I was recently in my childhood, home, packing up stuff, and I came across multiple diaries, I started I love writing, I've published a book, I'm working on my second book, I'm in public relations and social media marketing, writing is a huge element. And I used to write poetry. And I used to, like, print it out on loose leaf and bind it together with the three holes and give it to people for presidents and I found a bunch of different journals from different periods of my life. And each one was like, I would love to publish a book one day, do you think I'll ever get to publish a book and my poems, I want to write a book and I forgot about all that. And I had these dreams to write and I've never been driven by money, like good, you know, my life was always like, what makes me happy. And that's important, right? Doing what makes you happy, because that's part of being filthy rich is about fulfillment. And it's interesting because you're right, like writing a book like my book, I self published my book doesn't make me money, but it provides me opportunities to make more money, credibility wise, invites me You know, I'm invited to speak on more podcasts and more virtual stages and hopefully more real stages. And you know, Teresa also wrote a book and it's interesting that you're saying that because also about like, people making those comments because I found the same thing I was gonna go into broadcasting. I was gonna go into broadcast journalism, and my mom's like, oh, y'all make no money go into psychology. I was like, Oh, look at me now I have a podcast I basically went into broadcasting and PR and I started going into psychology and I was like, No, no, no, I should probably get a psychologist and then I went into PR but it's so interesting right? Because we took these things that we wanted to do that people were like now there's no money and we still found a way to incorporate those things we want to do while making money.

Absolutely Well the thing is like it's not it's not a good thing that most writers don't make money you know it's not that i a couple of months ago maybe someone posted on one of our posts about or maybe it was one of our ads you see that a little bit more often but saying oh I would never do this I have to write for my heart and I have to like we shouldn't be celebrating that most writers are not getting paid well that's not a good thing it's it's copywriters should be paid well and aren't paid well but yeah, novelists should be paid well, poets should be paid well it's it's not a good thing that there's only one portion of the writing population that is paid well, but also just because it is it is used for marketing or use for advertising doesn't mean that you can't put your heart and your soul in all of your creativity and all of your strategy into that work writing is writing and it still requires creativity and strategy and and looking to meet objective isn't quite the right word. You know, when it comes to creative things, but you're you have a goal that you're trying to read something you're trying to convey. And that's not different, whether you Yes, there absolutely elements that are different when it comes to writing a novel versus, you know, writing a website or writing an email series, but there's a lot of overlap there. And I think that for some people to say, Oh, well you're paid for that and therefore it's it's better ad is really, really destructive way of looking at it. I think that we should celebrate where writers are paid well. And then if at all possible, try to spread that wealth a little bit.

That is real powerful. Sorry, I just need to I think before we go on, we need to really clarify what is being paid well and not well, as a writer. I'm sorry, totally cut you off Theresa. And that's why we have a system. And I don't totally broker that muting system. But I just think people are listening and some people have no idea or if you're hiring a writer, like what is what's not well, like what's what's what is it? Like, let's define that before we go on so people can wrap their heads around it.

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, there's no reason that as a if you are a full time, freelance copywriter, there is no reason that you can't make six figures maybe not your first couple of years. Well, actually, it's not true when one of our one of our students I was just talking with she's within her first year and just got hired for actually a full time on staff job and she's making six figures, but it's, um, I but I also at the same time, I don't like I don't never want it to sound like a gimmick, right, like a get rich, quick thing, because it's copywriting is a real career. And I think for a lot of writers, when they hear about it, it sounds so good, that they think oh, it's got to be some kind of scam, it's not a real job. But it absolutely is. And it is perfectly possible to make, it's perfectly possible to make six figures, that's when you break down the numbers. You know, that's if you want to work full time, which includes writing and editing and you know, some calls with your clients and concepting thinking about stuff all that kind of thing. That's works out to be like 50 bucks an hour, which is a reasonable place to even reasonable rate even start out with as a copywriter. So it's when you actually break it down, it's perfectly possible and then of course, we have lots of students that that start out part time as copywriters because they have their full time job, and then I'm ready to dig into it completely. But yeah, it's, it's, and I don't quite frankly, know of any other writing careers where you can get to that level. So again, I don't want to say quickly, but there's potential for it to be relatively quickly. And, and so easily. Again, I hate saying quick, and I hate saying it, because it's a career, you have to learn it, and you have to practice it. And you do have to get out of your comfort zone and take, take the right steps, you know, we can give you all the steps and all of the support and all the training. But every, every person does actually have to do the work. But there's there's a potential to bring in a really fantastic income and you just don't see that unfortunately, again, among any other writing fields.

God I love that and I know running my own coaching business, and helping coaches build their coaching business and what we're doing with our program with momentum, helping people gain business momentum, that piece, like let's like I want to, like dive into this because copywriting to me is two things. It's an art. And it's genius. Because there is a way to write that draws us in and want to know more and there is a way to write that's like, Oh, yeah, okay, just read that infomercial. See you later. You know, so I think that copy writing and and I just like I love like I love writing. I've always loved writing. But it wasn't until I hired a copywriter that I fully started to understand the layout of certain posts, the way we can tell a story the way to convey it, and it changed the way I vide for example, social media posts. And you know, I see that in a way Blair writes her posts too, right? There's a certain way that moves us. Like it's writing to move somebody to take an action right specifically. And I think that it's I see so many business owners, especially coaches invest in these beautiful websites. But then they're like, yeah, send me all the copy and the images and then the like the copy. Right? So the copy is this afterthought and what I always say is, you're better off to hire a copywriter fast, get your message clear, have all that done. And then even if you use you know, even if you have to wait a little before you can invest in hiring somebody to do a professional website for you, that copy using that on our website on a template that you can buy and no offense because there's brilliant graphic designers out there. So do not misunderstand this. But to me, the copywriting the way you tell a story, the way words make us feel. I mean, that to me is worth like, I can't even tell you, but I can, I can tell you, if you invest in one thing at the beginning of your business, getting somebody to help you get started on your journey to be able to write, copy that converts copy that sells copy that attracts the right people in. I mean, hello, why I can't see how brilliant copywriters would be making multiple six figures. I mean,

yeah, well, I mean, that's that's the thing, like you were saying you the messaging is the most important part. And I think because business owners just as a whole, I think because there may be a little bit intimidated by it, because it is hard to write about yourself hard to write about your own business. That is it is the hardest thing to write. So I think a lot of business owners tend to leave that to the end, like you were saying, when it's really something that they need to address right away. But you could have, you can have the most beautiful pictures and the most beautiful website. But if your messaging doesn't connect with your target audience, you're not going to sell anything. But you could have, you know, just a white page, black type. But if your copy really gets in, if your target audience who has that want or that need, reads your reads your copy, and your copy gets them to go, oh, oh, oh, wow, they really get me? Oh, yes, yes, this is exactly what I need, then then you can make sales like crazy that messaging really is the most important part. And, again, probably because it is intimidating for a lot of people. It gets left off until the end. And a lot of businesses are going but I have a gorgeous website. And I got my great pictures taken. And I've used all the words that I've seen on other websites, which of course is also a big problem. Because if they aren't the right words for your target audience, they're not going to work. And they wonder why they're not making sales. And it's always could always going to come down to the message always.

Do you have any advice? This is not the end of the interview. This is just like a mid midwife advice. And we're done. And seen, because it's just this like I'm a writer. But do you have any advice for entrepreneurs who are taking a stab at this themselves? who are trying to find the right messaging? Like? Do you have a specific practice or advice for us entrepreneurs out there?

Yeah, absolutely. First, like I was saying, I'm not blowing any smoke by saying the hardest thing to write is is for yourself. So if you are struggling with it, give yourself a little bit of grace, give go easy on yourself, because it really is the hardest thing, right? You know, our copywriting students do fantastic work. And then they have to sit down to write their own websites, and they go, why am I struggling with this, because it's really hard to write about yourself. But that's also a sign that you need to approach it a little bit differently. Part of the reason why it's hard to write about ourselves is we're very focused on ourselves. And that's not a good place you want to be writing from, you need to be writing from your target audience issues. So if there's one piece of advice I can give you, it's to focus on what your target audience genuinely wants and needs. What are they going to get out in anything you do in in the emails that you send them in the on your website and every page of your web site and any you know the signup box for your your opt in, what have they going to get out of taking the action you want to take and if you always focus on that, if you focus on how they will benefit. You're at least halfway there. A lot of business owners want to focus on Well, here's this is my and there are definitely places to tell your story. And that's important, but they focus on themselves. And they focus on they focus on what they want to happen. They focus on the features of their core, so they focus on well it's, it's I put together 16 videos and I put together and there's a coaching group and there's all this. Nobody wants to buy I don't know who said at first, I really should look it up but nobody wants to buy videos. Nobody wants to buy a coaching group. Nobody wants to buy. People want to buy transformations. They want to buy what their life is going to look like after this thing that you're Selling does its does its work. So that's what you need to focus on the benefit of the benefit of the big story, the big transformation, but every single piece of copy that you're sending out, what is the benefit for them of doing whatever it is that you want them to do? That's like I said, that's going to catch you, at least halfway there, if not more, so.

Gosh, these are so valuable, such valuable pieces of information. It's always good to remember to like, not always say that when people are writing or when they're trying to figure out that product is like, capable, what's in it for the past? And like, how are you going to feel at the end of this? Like, what is that life going to be like, at the end of this? Like, like, Why? Why do they? Like even if they don't even know yet that they want it? Why do you, they want it like what's in it for DME right like to even start that. And that is something that I find is the vibe you bring for launches, we I talk a lot about launching and product and it all these things, and your copy really brings it together. And that's why so often too. And you see this now, and I'm sure you've probably seen this, in this industry is that there's a lot of people who have mastered this way of storytelling, and authentically connecting with your audience and to really painting what life is like to be after and they could be selling you a garbage bag, and everybody would hit buy. Because they have literally found a way to connect so much. And to show people what is possible that every time they're like, oh, here's an offer. Everyone's like, dude, we gotta go. But like we got to jump at the offer. And I just think that that is so brilliant. And it's so brilliant to get people's focus back on, you know, you're not writing about yourself, you're writing about the transformation that somebody will have, and then you can bring a personal story in it. But it's really about that connection point and vd showing people like this big picture vision, right? Like, yeah, imagine what life is going to be like, when this happens. Like imagine what life is going to be like when people get on your website and they're drooling over your coffee and they come I do hereby Yes, please sign me up.

Yeah, exactly. Well, as you know, so many so many business owners, they write their websites focus on themselves. And that's you know, something that we always joke about with our copywriting students is your your whole website, and especially your About Me page. It's not about you, your website's not about you, it's about your target audience and what they need to hear, and what they want to hear to take the action that you want them to take whatever that next action is, is what they need to hear. And so writing from that perspective, will will change everything.

I think that's great. I'm very big into Donald Miller building a story brand. And that, you know, the hero is your customer. And as you know, it's a good way to look at how you're writing copy for your website. Or, you know, what, if you feel like your head spinning while listening to us, hire someone. We're a community, right? We're not meant to do everything ourselves. How are we going to keep the economy going? Well, we're gonna do that by hiring marketers, and business coaches and writers.

Well, and you know, sorry,

to say it hiring people to do things so you don't need to do it all ourselves.

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. This The thing is, is that I think with any hiring anything, right, when you're a business owner, there's like, well, I don't know how to do this, and I don't really know how to hire someone, but really in any freelancer, any consultant that you work with should do this. But I can tell you from a copywriting perspective, a good copywriter should lead you through the process. You know, I think sometimes business owners think well i don't i don't know what to tell them to make sure that my message is good. But part of a copywriters job is to come in an ask you the right questions, to yes to all to get what they need for the project, but also to help you think through strategic elements like okay, you're trying to say your target audience is this and do they do this? And is this a concern for them? Okay, well, it sounds like this. And so that it The, the, you know, the, the initial kickoff discussion for a project should also benefit the business owner in that it kind of gently forces the business owner to think strategically in ways that they might not have done before and a good copywriter is going to be that marketing partner. That kind of forces you to sit down and think through some of these elements, but they'll work with you. So you don't need to come into you know, one of the things that we always say is that clients don't know how to be clients. And I think that's true. And I will say that as a business owner, when it comes to hiring developers, I don't know how to be the right how to be a client for for a developer for coder, I know how to, you know, generally know how to be a client or how to pay. But I don't know how to ask though I don't know how to tell you the information. I need someone to come to me and ask me what they need to know. And I think especially with a copywriter because it's messaging it it's very beneficial for the business owner to have to have the depths of their minds plumbed, you can tell it's Friday afternoon, I'm starting to get really weird with with what I'm saying. But really kind of dig into what's in there and use that to craft the most effective pieces possible.

This is the perfect segue. Because I know we've already asked for some advice, but this is the episode where you get to give our listeners multiple pieces. What advice do you have for people who are writing their way to success?

What do you mean by writing their way to success? Do you mean they're they're working as writers or?

Well could be entrepreneurs who are taking a stab at their own copywriting? Okay, why don't we start there? and see where where your advice goes?

Yeah. Well, if you're entrepreneurs who are who are writing, like I said, first place is definitely to start with benefit. The second point is, is you need to have a purpose between before you need to have a purpose for every single thing that you're putting out there. I think what happens a lot is when putting together a launch, okay, well, I need this and i and i have to put up No, I need a well, I need a nurturing sequence, okay, so I need I don't know what like three emails, okay, I'm just gonna, I'm gonna write three emails. And we'll usually have stories, I'm just gonna tell a story. But without thinking, what needs to happen? And why are you sending this email? We don't send emails because well, you have to send three nurturing emails and then seven sales emails and you know, the okay, but why, why does this email have to be sent? Why is this essential for them to understand, in order to get them eventually, to want to make that purchase, or, you know, sign up for whatever, it's, it's very easy to get caught up in, well just I have to put this together. And I have to, and same thing with with social posts, social posts, right? I have to, I have to put this out, okay, we need to get this up. And we have to post something today. So just write something up. And that's when you put stuff out that that doesn't connect at all, because it doesn't mean anything to you. It doesn't mean anything to your target audience. And you may have tried to put in some some a tone that makes it fun and light, but it's, there's no point to it. Every everything that you need to write everything that you're writing, needs to have a purpose that's posts, that's emails, that's your website, everything and before you sit down and try to put something together, figure out what that is. Figure out what you're trying to get someone to do with this email, even down to your subject lines, I see so many, so many bad subject lines, you know, just the other day, dot, dot dot. Why on earth would I open that email? Why is anybody opening that email, you know, you if you're going to when it comes to a subject line, right, which is the most important part of an emails I know, you ladies know, is the most important part of an email, because if the subject line doesn't get them to open, it, does matter what's in the rest of the email, they're never going to see it. And so with a subject line, you can either write to write to the benefit, let them know what they're going to get out of this email. Or you can intrigue them pique their interest, and especially solopreneurs will kind of balance the two of those. But it's when you get into this, like, well, I don't know what to write. So I'm just gonna maybe like to start a sentence, and then maybe when people open, or I'm gonna just, if it's not, like just the other day, dot, dot, dot, that's not genuinely interesting. I don't care, I'm gonna delete it. And if someone starts writing, if all of their emails come through with that, like I was thinking.dot.or, even if you've seen if, if another business owner is doing it, don't do it yourself. Because everybody, you know, I can't believe this happened yesterday. Like, if everybody's doing that, if you're seeing that in everybody's emails, then your target audience is getting five of those. And if they open one, that it's like, Oh, I can't believe I don't know I saw a dog yesterday or whatever. Anyway. It is less than impressive. They're gonna delete everything in there that's like, I can't believe I can't believe I'm saying this. I can't put you know,

dot dot dot. Yes, exactly. Like,

I never thought I'd say this Nikki dot dot dot. I mean, if everybody's doing it, you should not be doing it. You either have to, like I said, give a reason for someone to open, I'm gonna go on a subject line diatribe, give someone a reason to open it by giving them the benefit of what's, you know, high level what they're gonna get out of this email, or genuinely interest them. I mean, if you got that in your inbox, would you actually open it? Because remember to that people aren't. Most of our audiences get a lot of emails, you know, sometimes people think, well, they signed up for my emails, so they must want to hear from they must like me, they must want to hear from me. And to certain degree, absolutely. But not so much that if you show up in their email with, I was just thinking dot, dot, dot, they don't care about you that much. In theory, they care, they want to hear what you have to say, but they don't care enough to be like, Ah, yes, let me dig into this email and find out what this stranger whose emails I signed up for four months ago, was thinking, you know, it's, it's every thing that we write needs real strategy behind it. And it's, you can't just throw something out there. Because it's, it's not going to get read, your key messages are going to get missed. And when your key messages get missed, people don't people don't go where you want them to go, and they don't go where you want them to go. They don't take the action you want them to take, and then you have a launch, did you throw in a whole bunch of Facebook ads money at or you put your heart and soul in it and it falls flat? because no one's reading your messages? Does that answer your question? Am I gonna just went off the rails, I get very excited about messaging and copy.

It it's so powerful, though, because I think, you know, back to how we started this conversation. And you said that success is being able to do what I want to decide what I do and when I do it, and how I how much I earn for it, right? Like, and it's interesting, because we're finishing it with really like everything you do and right, you got to have a purpose that it goes out into the world with right so it's like, yeah, you that's the whole point of you being able to craft your message, right, in a unique way. Right? But if you actually want to continue to do that, there's gotta be something bigger behind it than just a sale, right? Like and I just love that you're bringing this up because I feel like that's what so many people get so caught up in the doing doing doing and I need this many emails and I need this many posts and I need a sales page and this and a rule. And it's like, Okay, well that's awesome. But like, Why? Why are you like, why are you trying to sell this course? Like why? Why? What's behind it like the intent is so powerful. And when an intent is powerful, the quality goes over the quantity so you might not need seven emails. You could fill your program a free you know, you might not need 100 posts, you could fill your programs with 10 and so I just love that you say set that because I feel like that's what so many people are missing it so I hope that everybody vt had that have a purpose for everything you put out into the world. Yeah, and I feel like that's beyond copywriting. Right like that is

Yeah, I think a lot of especially newer business owners want want to find the perfect template, right like oh, okay, well this business guru does like I was saying three nurture emails and then a challenge and then these monies and then a sales pitch that looks like this and and want to just kind of fit their stuff into that Well, okay, they use this and they use this template and if I just use this template, it will work and to your point that's that's not that's not how it works because it has to be it has to be crafted to what you are trying to say and more importantly what they need to hear what messages do they need to hear what stories do they need to hear what what testimonials do they need to hear what what objections that you overcome, do they need to hear and me maybe that'll fit maybe you will need three nurture emails and seven sales emails or whatever or Maybe you won't it's it's I think it's breaks a lot of especially new business owners hearts that there isn't just like a formula like you just plug it in there you're good to go there you are seven figures it's not that it's really about taking the time to custom craft every element of your business what you're saying who your target audience is what you're offering all that kind of thing and making sure that it is right for both you and your target audience.

Yes, I love it. So good. So Nikki, if people want to connect with you or follow what you're doing what what can people type into their browser? Yes,

please do. So you can find us if you happen to be a podcast listener just saying you can find us at build your copywriting business that podcast there filthy rich writer calm if someone is listening and thinking and also on Instagram and all the socials that kind of thing. If someone is listening and thinking Hmm, you know, maybe I should look into this whole copywriting thing. Go to free copywriting training.com talks about how to land your first freelance copywriting clients but even if you're not ready for yet that yet that's fine. We have all kinds of stuff just to give you a feel for what it's like to be a copywriter what you what you can expect from the career and, and all that kind of fun stuff. So that's where it's

amazing. And if you didn't catch any of that, you can rewind it or just hit the show notes. Nikki, thank you so much for dissecting success with us. I feel inspired to go redo a bunch of copy I've written recently. And I'm really honored that you took the time to chat with us and until next time,

thank you so much. Bye.

That's a wrap for another episode of dissecting success. enjoyed this episode. Make sure to subscribe to blackout blonde Venables and Teresa Lambert's podcast dissecting success on the App Store.