| | | **disclaimer: today’s email is made for aspiring digital nomad freelancers — so slightly different from our regular 'everybody' format.**Yo yo yo, Today’s newsletter is gonna be a little bit different. Mondays are about showcasing businesses that grow your career as a digital nomad. I feature coaches, job sites, and other resources that’ve helped others grow as location-independent business owners. Today, I’m gonna mix it up.
I’m gonna keep the same energy with the value — But I’m gonna spit some wisdom to you, myself. You see, I’ve had a fat inbox of emails, DMs, and messages from aspiring nomadic freelancers, asking me: “How the heck do I begin my freelance journey? How do I do it so I can travel? ”
Honestly…My answer is usually pretty short.
Not because it's simple.
In fact, it’s the opposite.
The “how do I begin” question is wayyyy too vague to answer with justice.
Especially since everyone is different, with unique paths and skills.Today, I could give you a dozen answers. But instead, I’m gonna give you just a few tips I wished people told me. Way back in December 2017, I was just a scrappy, hungry (literally), and struggling kindergarten teacher trying to make it as a freelancer. I was overwhelmed with info. Stuck in endless webinars.
Maybe you're in the same board?
I was freaking out, wondering if I was ever going to make a dollar freelancing. Fortunately, I did. And it was because of some of these points I’m about to share with you. Check them out and I hope they help you on your nomadic freelancer journey. ______________________ What's an issue of The Nomad
without a bunch of links? Before we jump in, here are some relevant links of me talking about working as a digital nomad freelancer.Creating A Career As A Freelance Copywriter With Francis Nayan by The World Wanderers Podcast — Listen here.Building A Copywriting Business With Francis Nayan by The Digital Nomad Cafe Podcast – Listen here.Earning From Writing Emails, Francis Nayan By Join Up Dots Podcast — Listen here.How To Make Money As A Freelance Copywriter With Francis Nayan by Expat Empire Podcast — Listen here.How To Make $10k/month as a Digital Nomad Copywriter By Badass Digital Nomads Podcast — Listen here.______________________ #1 Discover What Businesses Need Right Now
Even after choosing to be a copywriter…I was still overwhelmed. I didn’t know what kind of copywriter I should be. Email expert? Sales pages beast? Web copy specialist? I had no idea. It wasn’t until I heard that e-commerce businesses were in desperate need of quality copywriters did I niche down even deeper. Back in 2017 - 2018, the ecommerce/dropshipping was on the rise, and most writers were using templates sold by “gurus”, leading to a filthy orgy of marketing incest with email copy. Therefore, personalized and brand-voice heavy email copy became what I was known for. In 2022, things are slightly different. Email copy is still needed, but…Perhaps, Tik Tok ad scripts are the hot thing that everyone needs.Or compliant FB ad copy…Or YouTube Ad scripts…Whatever it may be, do your research to discover where industries are going and how you can provide the most value. (whether you want to be a copywriter like me or not)#2 Make Client Acquisition A Part Of Your Weekly Routine I’ll be real with you, getting clients as a newbie is gonna be hard. You have no experience. You have no results. You have no references. But, it’s not impossible — even some of the most successful freelancers I know were once nabbing job board ads and asking for clients. Humble times, baby!! And the way you dig your way out of the sad and dreary client-less pit is with good ol’ dedication, patience, and making time to prospect. You can’t expect to get clients without a little internet elbow grease. I’m talking about taking an hour or more each day to pitch, respond to job postings, create content on social media, and actually interact with business owners. Do it today, even. Just an hour. Sure, you may not land that client immediately…But you’re creating the relationships and momentum that’ll eventually lead you to better, high-paying, and quality clients.In time, you’ll get to the point where your relationships and communication skills will have clients knocking on your door each morning — even while you’re out and about traveling the world.#3 People Have To Know Who You Are This slightly piggybacks on what I mentioned above, but visibility is huge for freelancers. I’m not saying you have to be some YouTuber with 1m followers, post on IG relentlessly, or do FB Lives till your eyes bleed…But you gotta show up, showcase your expertise, and “be” places. Whether your ideal clients are on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter, staying relevant and staying in front of them is crucial. Like I said, you don’t have to be a social media or content addict…But consistent posting, networking, and getting to know people goes a long way. Otherwise, you’re just another person pitching a client with the same offer as every other freelancer. Show up every day and be the expert. Let people get to know you. #4 Start Where You Can & Work Your Way Up I think it’s important to mention this…But don’t beat yourself up if things start slow. They’re supposed to be. Only prodigies, people with crazy networks, and those with a ton of luck end up reaching those $10k/months fast. Even then, their skill level won’t be as sharp. Be patient with the process and enjoy every step of the way. You’re gonna have a few hiccups, but those are just opportunities to learn. Just keep going.When you land your first client, use their name as a reference…Nab any results or testimonials you can and share them with your network.Repeat until you get attention.Leverage every chance to learn from others, meet people, and share what you’ve learned. Those $100/months will turn into $1,000/months and that will eventually transform into $10k/months. ______________________
Alrighty, here’s the end of the unconventional episode of The Nomad Newsletter. How’d you like it? If you dig more of these “content” style emails I’ll do more of them. Hit reply and let me know your thoughts. We’ll go back to the regular format on Friday. Francis “Freelancer” NayanThe Nomad NewsletterPS: If you like this style of email, then hit me with any question and I’ll dedicate an email to it :) |
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| | Ignore the following text. It’s random & only here to improve delivery. It helped her understand all of the little things I do for her that I thought she was too young to notice. But now she says "thank you" more often, which really brings a smile to my face. I already know that this book is going to help her grow up to be a kind, grateful young lady!!" Thanks again for this book and I hope you can share this message with other mothers like me so they can read it to their kids." - Jenny Now, that's an incredible story! A Mother's Love is certainly one of my favorites, too, because of all the messages I get like this one. Click the button below to take a look inside A Mother's Love: It's about an interesting creature... a lonely Yeti, who's living in the snowy mountains all by herself, hoping for some company... Here goes: "If you're looking for some fun, or maybe even a friend, go up to the mountain to the path's end. There you'll find the Yeti, who lives all alone. She'll make you feel welcome in her snow-covered home. So pack up your gear, go slow and steady, the fun's just begun because the Yeti is ready!" This fun poem is from a new book called The Yeti Is Ready... And it's given my kids a new perspective on friendship & acceptance!" Click the red button below to take a look inside The Yeti Is Ready: You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings. I arrived here yesterday, and my first task is to assure my sister of my welfare and increasing confidence in the success of my undertaking. I am already far north of London, and as I walk in the streets of Petersburgh, I feel a cold northern breeze play upon my cheeks, which braces my nerves and fills me with delight. Do you understand this feeling? This breeze, which has travelled from the regions towards which I am advancing, gives me a foretaste of those icy climes. Inspirited by this wind of promise, my daydreams become more fervent and vivid. I try in vain to be persuaded that the pole is the seat of frost and desolation; it ever presents itself to my imagination as the region of beauty and delight. There, Margaret, the sun is for ever visible, its broad disk just skirting the horizon and diffusing a perpetual splendour. There—for with your leave, my sister, I will put some trust in preceding navigators—there snow and frost are banished; and, sailing over a calm sea, we may be wafted to a land surpassing in wonders and in beauty every region hitherto discovered on the habitable globe. Its productions and features may be without example, as the phenomena of the heavenly bodies undoubtedly are in those undiscovered solitudes. What may not be expected in a country of eternal light? I may there discover the wondrous power which attracts the needle and may regulate a thousand celestial observations that require only this voyage to render their seeming eccentricities consistent for ever. I shall satiate my ardent curiosity with the sight of a part of the world never before visited, and may tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of man. These are my enticements, and they are sufficient to conquer all fear of danger or death and to induce me to commence this laborious voyage with the joy a child feels when he embarks in a little boat, with his holiday mates, on an expedition of discovery up his native river. But supposing all these conjectures to be false, you cannot contest the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind, to the last generation, by discovering a passage near the pole to those countries, to reach which at present so many months are requisite; or by ascertaining the secret of the magnet, which, if at all possible, can only be effected by an undertaking such as mine. These reflections have dispelled the agitation with which I began my letter, and I feel my heart glow with an enthusiasm which elevates me to heaven, for nothing contributes so much to tranquillise the mind as a steady purpose—a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye. This expedition has been the favourite dream of my early years. I have read with ardour the accounts of the various voyages which have been made in the prospect of arriving at the North Pacific Ocean through the seas which surround the pole. You may remember that a history of all the voyages made for purposes of discovery composed the whole of our good Uncle Thomas’ library. My education was neglected, yet I was passionately fond of reading. These volumes were my study day and night, and my familiarity with them increased that regret which I had felt, as a child, on learning that my father’s dying injunction had forbidden my uncle to allow me to embark in a seafaring life. These visions faded when I perused, for the first time, those poets whose effusions entranced my soul and lifted it to heaven. I also became a poet and for one year lived in a paradise of my own creation; I imagined that I also might obtain a niche in the temple where the names of Homer and Shakespeare are consecrated. You are well acquainted with my failure and how heavily I bore the disappointment. But just at that time I inherited the fortune of my cousin, and my thoughts were turned into the channel of their earlier bent. Six years have passed since I resolved on my present undertaking. I can, even now, remember the hour from which I dedicated myself to this great enterprise. I commenced by inuring my body to hardship. I accompanied the whale-fishers on several expeditions to the North Sea; I voluntarily endured cold, famine, thirst, and want of sleep; I often worked harder than the common sailors during the day and devoted my nights to the study of mathematics, the theory of medicine, and those branches of physical science from which a naval adventurer might derive the greatest practical advantage. Twice I actually hired myself as an under-mate in a Greenland whaler, and acquitted myself to admiration. I must own I felt a little proud when my captain offered me the second dignity in the vessel and entreated me to remain with the greatest earnestness, so valuable did he consider my services. And now, Margaret, do I not deserve to accomplish some great purpose? My life might have been passed in ease and luxury, but I preferred glory to every enticement that wealth placed in my path. Oh, that some encouraging voice would answer in the affirmative! My courage and my resolution is firm; but my hopes fluctuate, and my spirits are often depressed. I am about to proceed on a long and difficult voyage, the emergencies of which will demand all my fortitude: I am required not only to raise the spirits of others, but sometimes to sustain my own, when theirs are failing. This is the most favourable period for travelling in Russia. They fly quickly over the snow in their sledges; the motion is pleasant, and, in my opinion, far more agreeable than that of an English stagecoach. The cold is not excessive, if you are wrapped in furs—a dress which I have already adopted, for there is a great difference between walking the deck and remaining seated motionless for hours, when no exercise prevents the blood from actually freezing in your veins. I have no ambition to lose my life on the post-road between St. Petersburgh and Archangel. I shall depart for the latter town in a fortnight or three weeks; and my intention is to hire a ship there, which can easily be done by paying the insurance for the owner, and to engage as many sailors as I think necessary among those who are accustomed to the whale-fishing. I do not intend to sail until the month of June; and when shall I return? Ah, sister, how can I answer this question? If I succeed, many, many months, perhaps years, will pass before you and I may meet. If I fail, you will see me again soon, or never. Farewell, my, excellent Margaret. Heaven shower down blessings on you, and save me, that I may again and again testify my gratitude for all your love and kindness. |
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