Coffee With Dan

I sent an email out before, I had a couple of hours to kill before a client arrived for a private consulting day.

It wasn’t anything fancy (in fact was struggling to think of anything to write), but decided to simply ask people to talk to me.

You know, tell me how they are, if they are ok – have a little whinge and moan if they felt like it (sometimes just writing it out and sharing it helps.)

Nutshell version:

I was stunned.

There are some truly awesome people, people I have chatted to here, in private, in person and Skype…and they are going through some seriously tough times.

And if you were to look at their FB profile, you wouldn’t even know there was anything wrong.

It’s so easy to project a happy, issue-free life (especially with social media) – that you would never know that someone close to you could be struggling like fuck.

I know I have been there.

There are times where I have posted up some whimsical status, ACCOUNTABILITY post, update when I have been unable to even get changed, out of bed, feed myself or face the world.

We all have problems.

And I’m not sure if it’s more a guy thing, but as a friend just told me (we were talking about some of our experiences coaching people, no names of course) – bottling that shit up will end you.

Possibly for realzies.

What’s the point of his post?

Well firstly all my energy got invested in my visitor today, so I promise I will reply to each and every email tomorrow.

Secondly; you ain’t alone.

To the ones that shared with me; I hear similar often – it happens. Being an entrepreneur is a tough fucker at times.

(In fact, it can be as unpleasant as dry ‘alternative route’ loving without even a smile or a Hank you after.)

That and I reckon we (as a group of such people’s) tend to attract hose a little free-spirited and creative – and seem like we are a little more ’emotionally dynamic’.

Now I’m not a qualified therapist, mindset coach of similar – but if you feel like you want to share, get some shit off your chest? You can email me at dan@coffeewithdan.com.

I can’t guarantee I can help but like I said before, just getting it out of your head helps.

But do me a favour?

If you are suffering a bit – call your folks, friends, partner, someone you trust on here – don’t fight on solo.

You will be amazed at the people that do care.

Normal, sweary, abusing, marketingy shizzle will resume tomorrow.

Off to recharge 🙂

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When people want to get more shit done – in business or life – it’s amazing how many set utterly ridiculous goals that for most people set them up to fail

Some folks?

Lazy as fuck

They NEED to go ‘all in’ for a period of time, they have not experienced the mental frazzle of overwhelm and they simply have not pushed themselves or (as many do) kid themselves that they are actually doing what they say they are

Most?

From our surveys are spinning too many plates and as a result either don’t start or think ‘fuck it’I’m done

Both not ideal…

What I’m going to show you is a version of we use in espresso with Dan, and has been adapted to create the GSD bot

(Which is actually brilliant)

I’ve made this a bit simpler for everyone who is following along so there’s no excuse to NOT do it

First set a goal for the week

Ideally it needs to be something important, business or life critical – something you may of been putting off for a while

The goal?

Challenging but not crushing; something that is possible if you pushed

Next I want you to THINK

Think of a minimum of 3 things…

…and a maximum of 5 things that you can do

EVERY DAY

Instead of chopping and changing daily, do your best to identify 3-5 things you could do every day to get your goal

For example

BIZ
– 3 email pitches a day
– one hour researching prospects and putting into spreadsheet
– 4 social media posts and one offer

^^^ simple isn’t it

You can’t guarantee your actions will achieve that goal it’s a best escuted guess

– Track it (aka write it down somewhere)
– type them up and put in your mobile phone on repeat at the same time every day (for 5/7 days)
– do what your phone tells you

Then at the end of the week, review and adjust up or down

If you achieve goals and it crushed you – maybe dial it down or, should you wish, to again if it’s mega crucial

Fuck all achieved? Don’t beat yourself up about it but recognise it didn’t work; think what did/didn’t work, adjust effort, removed obstacles etc

Action steps to get shit DONE

1 . Chose a challenging but not crushing goal you will achieve next week. Put in the comments

3. Think what you could do (same thing every day) for 5-7 days to achieve that goal. Put them in the comments

Simple eh?

Over to you…

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***Daily Dose Of Dan***

How are you?

Such a simple thing to say yet you know what most people say

Fine thanks

Fine

Hmmm

I spoke to someone today who I asked exactly that

How are you?

Fine was their reply

Knowing this person as I do, and know they had been going through some shit lately; I pressed on

No, really HOW are you…

Then they proceeded to tell me their woes, I happily listened, and they now fee better for habit. Someone they could talk to about it

Do you have someone in your life you should be asking this?

Do you do a lot of 121 work or coaching

Maybe ask

Email list or group – actually give a shit?

Copy this post and ask them

How are you? Is there anything I can do for you?

(You want to bond with your audience? If you mean it I have just given you a fucking huge golden nugget right there)

Do you see how many of you take ‘fine’ on face value?

It’s no different at all for your clients; for all you know you are delivering a top-notch service to the best of your abilities

You ask them for feedback

Yep, everything’s great – fine thank you

But what if they just like you and don’t want to hurt your feelings?

I know because this has happened to me

(And was the cause of my faux heart attack outside Buckingham palace last year)

Take time to speak to your spouse, loved one, clients, colleagues, friends and those you work with

How
Are
You

Simple isn’t it

I also extend the same to you

How are you?

If you feel like you need someone to chat to, I’m in all night playing DOOM and inbetween blowing the fucking faces off demon spawn (I killed one with its own arm), I’ll be pottering about on here

Hope you are having a great Saturday, heck even better a great week

But if you’re just ‘fine’

Say something 🙂

Doesn’t have to be me, but really I speak to so many people who DONT talk about things when the wheels are wobbling – that shit will simply fuck you up

Right, I just unlocked the super shotgun, Mars awaits…

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A list of things I don’t want to do: workout, work every day, track my macros, stretch, not drink, do mindset exercises, pitch for new business, try new things, continually learn, not chase ‘questionable’ women, eat green stuff…

Things I do?

The opposite of all of the above

Discipline quite frankly sucks balls but I do it anyways because if I don’t? I’m simply robbing from ‘future me’s happiness/success/health

Watched a video from Russel Brand that really hit the nail on the head for me

If you want a better life, body, bank balance, relationship – whatever – then discipline IS the vehicle to your destination

Some of the stuff

Sure can be fun

I’d much rather be drinking goose, being a naughty little bastard, smashing down take aways and doing fuck all except things I want

But I don’t (anymore hah) because that’s the path to ruin and honestly it makes me a selfish prick that is solely focused on the now and immediate gratification opposed to future me and the impact I can have on this world – on a micro and macro level

Let’s be honest you KNOW what you have to do don’t you, and yes it isn’t fun (especially at the start) but the benefits of a little of discipline really do outweigh the minor discomfort at the start

My advice?

Be a little real; don’t beat yourself up or try go OTT with discipline – just do the things you KNOW you need to and don’t quit because it’s not comfortable

Stay the course and reap the rewards…

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There is not a week that goes by the I DON’T get asked about how to get better at copywriting,

What I would do?
How I learned and so on.

So I thought I would give you a ‘quick and dirty’ version on what I would do NOW to get started quick.

(BTW I have sweet F.A. ‘affiliate’ nonsense with anything below, I have simply outlined what I would invest in, ain’t
that much – all can be done for $100-$200 or so – will give you some advanced options as well)

But before I get to that, Im going to give you some tips from ME that have not only made me a better writer, means that
I get anywhere from 35-50% open rates ON A BAD DAY, and you know….make monies from writing words

Innit

#1 Write every day

This is perhaps the most powerful ‘thing’ I have done since learning the craft.

Write. Every. Day

Social media, blogs, forums, emails – whatever – just make sure that EVERY DAY you write something

It doesn’t matter if anyone reads it for starters – in fact (and I say this the same with people who are starting to do videos)
its almost BETTER that less eyeballs will be on it to stat.

Because it will be cr*p

And that’s OK

Because if you keep practising and learning – it gets waaaaaay better

#2 Fiction, Films & Comedy

When I dived balls deep into learning copy, I read nothing BUT copy books and manuals, and watched trainings

But I stopped the above

Now although I became ‘technically’ proficient at writing, my ability to wave and craft a story suffered. My copy became ‘too’ copy, if that makes any sense at all!

Now every day I do the following:

• watch one film
• read 2-3 chapters of a fiction book (fast paced ones like jack reacher, or anything with a multi-layered/character based story)
• listen to or watch stand up comedy, or a comedy podcast

What happens is I’m learning every day how to craft words in a way that keeps people reading, entertains them and helps me see how to put
words together to make them ’flow’

Tis very useful

Plus a brilliant way to start and end your day, as I do

#3 Become a student of life

I consume information from all over across a variety of topics; from history to politics to crime to quantum physics (true) to psychology to
sport and god knows how many other areas.

Think about it like this

Ever been stuck in a social or networking situation with someone who has nothing to say?

Sucks donkey sword doesn’t it!

(So, don’t be that guy/guy when you write)

As the age old saying goes: ‘if you want to be interesting, be interested’

Now this is generally in regards to when you meet other people, but it also massively applies to copy

The more you can know of the world at large, the more it bleeds into your copy AND acts as great ‘fodder’ for content

#4 sneaky headphone ‘hack’ (argh I hate it but can’t stop using that word!!) – also online version

Want to write some copy that directly speaks to your audience?

Find out where they hang out…

Get out your laptop…

Whack the headphones in…

Turn on no music…

Listen 😉

A little tactical eaves dropping on your ‘avatar’ can do wonders – can give you some great stories and ideas for what to write, as well as a business idea or two

Online business?

Well get yourself onto forums and in groups where your audience are – lurk – and keep an eye out for reoccurring topics and themes.

See any posts that have sh*tloads of comments or threads that run into hundreds or thousands?

That’s where you want to be hunting

Works like gangbusters, trust me on this

(that and there are some amazing subject lines and ideas you can ethically ’borrow’ here too!)

Right, that’s enough from me – now what I would do resource wise?

Now as a rule I would, as soon as I can, get myself some copy coaching or put myself in a place where I had access to copywriters
on a day to day basis (like Espresso With Dan – www.coffeewithdan.com/espresso)

But I would also get the following as my ‘starter pack’ – and I’ve used ALL of these

1. ALL of Ben Settle’s ebooks (they are around $5 on Amazon)
2. Doberman Dan’s ‘Rookie Copywriters Survival Guide – Make 6 Figures With Little Or No Experience
3. Ryan Levesque’s ‘ASK’ book
4. The Adweek Copywriting Handbook
5. Words That Sell
6. Web Copy That Sells
7. The Boron Letters

^^^^ get all of that and ACTUALLY read/digest/implement?

And then you are waaaaay ahead of the curve!

If you want to invest a little more I would suggest you get:

• Ben Settles Email players
• Doberman Dan’s Newsletter
• My ‘Espresso With Dan’ membership (www.coffeewithdan.com/espresso)
• Andre Chaperon’s ARM (auto-responder madness)
• The Copy Hour membership

Was that useful?

I hope so – seems to come up a lot!

But if you HAVENT started to learn copy – I really, really thing you should take the time to do so

You DONT have to ‘become’ a copywriter full time like I did, but It will have a huge impact in all areas of your life and business

As is my want to say, its ‘the tits’

😉

Dan

PS This is JUST my copy courses, have 600 books in the other room!!

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This time last year I was sharing some of the ‘fun’ things and the entrepreneurial life has given me:

Countryside rides with DucatiBAE…

Afternoons working by the beach…

Nice watch’s…

Out to sea on the jet ski….

Fucking around playing on big toys…

(I Just wanted to see what people’s reaction was)

Been interesting

🙂

I shared this on a webinar back, and I’m very mindful to do this:

Yea ready:

WHAT I DO NOW ISNT WHAT GOT ME TO WHERE I AM

What I teach?

Is what I did to get to the point in time now

But people tend to think that once you have made it (whatever the fuck that is) that life is a piece of piss

Lol

Far from it

Don’t get me wrong the benefits outweigh (for me) the negatives

But people don’t realise what goes into make a business successful

How much you have to sacrifice

What you lose on the way

The sheer amount of people that rely on you and pressure you are under every day

Totally worth it

But very few tell the real story

I’m fucking sick to the back teeth of the ease and flow fucktards who don’t seem to grasp that to build a business of substance takes (this is factoring in that your product/service is good/ethical/needed etc)

1. TIME
2. SACRIFICE

1. Time

As my mentor Dexter has said to me before you cant cheat time and it’s on the side of those who stay the course

At the beginning?

Frustrating as fuck

And when your in a hole (we have all been there) and YOU NEED TO GET THE £££ RIGHT NOW, it’s tempting to cut corners or rob Peter to pay Paul

Ultimately a choice that’s yours to make, but having done that in my earlier career it fucks you up long time

2. Sacrifice

You have finite energy, time and £

Simply:

YOU CANNOT HAVE ALL THE THINGS….

…yet

Anyone who tries to convey that a business (or life) of merit doesn’t require in part sacrifice?

Is talking shite

The ones that say now that it’s all ease and flow and whatever nonsensical shite most of the time WORKED THEIR FUCKING ASSES OFF FOR YEARS

Now for them?

Course it’s fucking easy; with big lists and books and social proof it’s dead easy to sell that fluff

Ain’t real life though

Don’t get me wrong the whole enterpreneurial world is batshit and amazing and brutal and 100% worth it

But if you want the life?

You got pay the price

And that’s up to you if you can or want to afford it

😘

– back to 2019 –

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I literally was just the worst fucking human tonight

Had a LONG day

A deep 121 consulting day with a crazy smart entrepreneur….

3 hour hot seats in EWD…

Making sure I trained, did all my content, replied to messages…

Finally got time to speak to the family (I’m totally fucked by this point) – was a very quick one to say thanks for the mug the sent me

Anna wanted to say hi

You know what I did?

Said I was too tired

(She does find conversations hard and it takes effort)

Said goodnight and went to go to bed

All she wants is to speak to her brother, Ive given (by choice) 16+ hours to everyone else and my sister wanted 5 minutes of my time and I was too tired

I sat down and realised what a selfish fuck I was

It’s easy to get wrapped up in calls, emails, social media, doing the work

And forget what’s important

Why we do the things we do

And so often our friends, family, loved ones – they bear the brunt of our desires and dreams

I learned the hard way that you can give people all the things and money and stuff

But often what people want is your time

A chat with me – for her – makes her day

And even though what I’m doing now is to prepare for her future

All she wanted was ten mins with her big bro

Which is what she got

🙂

(A tired, pacing around the balcony, trying to stay awake big bro who is doing this post from an Epsom salt bath as he’s fucked – but she got the last of my reserves!)

Don’t forget to take time for the special people in your world

I’ve found that all the dumb shit, arguments, social nonsense – whatever – doesn’t mean fuck all then you get down to it

There’s very few peeps you should give your all too; and often we forget who they are sometimes

Tonight was a good reminder

Life is made up of moments, and moments with the right people money simply can’t buy

Night CWD

PS hope you don’t think I’m a cock for sharing this; I still do dumb shit

Still human

Very easy to fuck this shit up hence wanted to share

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Show that you give a fuck with your actions

We live in a batshit world

Never have so many been so connected yet have felt so alone and under appreciated

It’s a truly mind blowing and brilliant time to be alive; but as I wander around observing life and speaking to humans I continually see couples and families nose deep into phones

Last few days?

I had Teggles down with me

When we went for a walk, breakfast, dinner, bowling, pedicure (and yes straight single men get their feet pampered lol)

My phone = stayed at home

One of the biggest (and cheapest) gifts you can give is your time, presence, thanks and gratitude

Today MAKE time to connect with YOUR humans

The humans that have your back..

The humans that make you smile…

The humans that love you unconditionally…

The humans that pay yore bills…

The humans that show you love – virtual or IRL…

A call
A text
A small gift
An offer of help
A thank you

Doesn’t matter

Today?

Make TIME

because it runs out faster than you think and one day you simply won’t be able to

Do it now

Let me know what you do and how it feels

Maybe even use this as an opportunity for reconnect with someone that has fallen by the wayside

Whatever IT is

Do IT today

Thank me later

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***Daily Dose Of Dan***

Volunteering & giving back

Do you?

Personally I financially do stuff for Springboard (charity that supported my sister) and Clocktower (helping young homeless people in Brighton)

I find myself have spare time

And I would like to give back more with my time and skills

Suggestions?

Equally what do you do?

(If anything – and there’s NOTHING wrong if you don’t btw of course!)

Do you volunteer or ‘give back’ in some way?

Coffee With Dan?

Was my way of giving back to the world that has given so much to me

But, I want to do more

I think as humans if we did more of this we would be happier bunnies; our time is priceless but it is also free

Not sure where I’m going with today’s post, just wanted to start a conversation

🙂

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