Six Red Hot Tips From LA's Big Seminar (What Freelancers Can Learn From Entrepreneurs)

By Beth Ann Erickson

I spent last weekend in LA at Armand Moran's Big Seminar.

OK. I know. I'm a writer. However, I've always loved entrepreneurs. After all, my mom's an entrepreneur. My dad owned his own business for years. Even my grandmother managed the North Dakota family ranch long before women entrepreneurship became fashionable.

Near as I can figure, every successful writer I know... the writers who earn a fantastic wage... the writers who achieve name recognition... writers who recognize hot markets and act on that knowledge... every one of them weave a thick thread of entrepreneurship into their writing career.

So, here's my point: Writers can learn a lot from entrepreneurs. For starters...

1. Entrepreneurs control fear

OK. They're not emotionless super-humans. Of course they experience fear. But the difference is (generally speaking) that entrepreneurs tend to not wallow in that fear... instead they face it head on and are conditioned to view it as a challenge rather than a problem.

As writers we need to mimic this behavior and face fear head on. To heck with rejections. Forget competition. Just forge forward, drop all fear, and view your career as a wild adventure.

2. Entrepreneurs think big

Working with entrepreneurs is a real trip. Their minds spin at unbelievable speeds. Their eyes scan he terrain for new ideas. When they start a project, they speak in terms of thousands... if not millions of dollars.

Contrast that with an average freelance writer. We often concentrate on tens of dollars. Heck, I once spent an entire week on an article only to turn around and sell it for a whopping 25 bucks.

What a bummer.

What if you could write and make a great wage at the same time? What would happen if you thought big and started earning hundreds... perhaps even thousands of dollars on one project?

Think big... just like entrepreneurs do... and see where you wind up.

3. Entrepreneurs are not afraid to test

You're going to fail. I'm going to fail. It's just the way life is.

HOWEVER... “failure” isn't something to fear. Ever. In fact you need to anticipate “failure” and tweak your marketing plan whenever a query, promotion, article, whatever doesn't achieve the results you're shooting for.

If you keep testing new ideas you'll eventually stumble upon a plan that'll work for you.

Just keep slogging forward. Keep testing new ideas to maximize the results of your marketing.

But most importantly...never give up. After all, every entrepreneur acknowledges that the only way to truly fail is to give up.

4. Entrepreneurs are willing to learn... and pay big to do so

I sat in the seminar hall, gape mouthed as I watched attendees pull out their wallets time after time and purchase various programs that promised to make their lives easier, their businesses more profitable, and give them contacts in their industry.

“Why would you do that,” I asked a man... a wildly successful Internet marketer who I just happen to deeply admire...  who had just shelled out more than five grand on a program that promised to “take him to the next level.”

His reply? “I might learn something new.”

It's that simple. The most successful entrepreneurs... the best writers... they all have one thing in common: they're life-time learners. And they're not afraid to invest in their career.

I personally have invested thousands on my writing career this year alone. My husband can vouch for this... so can my income....

5. Entrepreneurs aren't afraid to share information

My experience with successful entrepreneurs has been nothing but positive... and very fruitful. They share information freely. Got a question? Ask 'em. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred they'll be more than happy to give you a leg up.

Near as I can figure, the reason for this phenomenon is because many top entrepreneurs believe in what's called the “universal principle.” An over-simplified definition of this principle states that the more you give, the more you receive.

Pretty much every religion outlines this concept in one way or another, so I figure there has to be an element of truth to this theory.

Besides, I've given this truth a whirl myself and guess what? It's true. You truly do receive whenever you freely give of your time, money, or information.

Give it a try yourself.

6. Entrepreneurs aren't afraid to make big profits

Try this: The next time a potential client... whether they're an editor or a business owner... asks you to quote a project, pause, then mentally come up with a price.

Now double it, state it aloud, and watch magic happen.

Entrepreneurs aren't afraid to charge big money for their services. They value their time. They value the dollar. And when time and money converge, an entrepreneur shines.

My goodness! I’m not even half through this article and I’ve already filled more pages than I ought.

So hang tight. Part two arrives in your in box next time.

Until then, enjoy your day and work smart.

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