đŸ—Łïž TikTok under fire

Author

Jim Hamilton
March 27, 2023

Happy Monday! Welcome to the new and improved Freelance Gig. We’re debuting a new section below the fold called Bonus Points, where we’ll be sharing links to some of our favorite freelance content from around the internet.

Check it out and let us know what you think.

And in case you missed our big announcement on Friday, we’re launching a dedicated copywriting newsletter this week called The Copywriting Gig. This will be a weekly newsletter going out each Wednesday to share actionable copywriting insights to help grow your business.

Now, here’s what’s discussed in today’s edition: TikTok, ChatGPT, and the U.S. ad market. Plus one simple way to build your track record if you’re struggling to land clients.

Read time: 2 minutes and 48 seconds

Together with Namecheap

Let The Hate Domain Names Flow Through You

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Making the Rounds

  • TikTok CEO grilled by Congress. Chief executive Shou Zi Chew was raked over the coals in a congressional hearing last week, facing questions from angry lawmakers about user privacy and the company’s connection to the Chinese Communist Party as the conversation about a total ban of the app continues to heat up.

  • ChatGPT can now browse the internet. The world’s most popular chatbot launched plugins, which allows it to browse the web and connect directly with sites like Expedia, Instacart, OpenTable, Zapier and more.

  • U.S. ad market shrinks 8 months in a row. Total ad spend in the U.S. fell again last month, making it 8 straight months of decline as the economy remains on shaky footing.

Working With Clients

One Simple Way to Build Your Track Record if You’re Struggling to Land Clients

If you're still a little wet behind the ears and struggling to land freelance clients


Offering free consults can be a game-changer.

Here’s why:

Free consults are a great way to showcase your skills, establish trust with potential clients, and ultimately boost your business.

But that's not all


They also give you the chance to better understand your ideal client's problems, needs, desires.

In other words, it’s a sneaky way to do some A+ market research.

Not to mention you’re creating lots of goodwill, which can easily lead to upsells or referrals.

So if you want to take your freelancing business to the next level


Consider adding a booking link with a tool like Calendly to your social media bios.

It's a win-win situation:

You get to show off your skills and build trust with potential clients, while they get the chance to connect with an expert in a risk-free way.

Once you’ve filled up your schedule, you can simply remove the link, set up a wait list, or even start charging a small fee for them.

The choice is yours.

Bonus Points

Gig Alerts

Looking for clients? These freelance jobs were posted on Upwork in the last 24 hours:

NOTE: We only share job postings from Upwork. We’ve found it to be the most trustworthy platform with the highest-quality clients.

Furthermore, job postings must be for high-income skills like copywriting, media buying, funnel building, graphic design, remote closing, etc in order to qualify.

Mindset Shift of the Week

"I am an investment, not an expense."

One major obstacle to charging what you’re worth is thinking of yourself as an expense.

You’re not.

By hiring you, clients are making an investment to grow their business.

And investments generate returns.

So don’t get hung up on how much it’s going to cost them


Emphasize (to yourself) the return on investment they’ll get from working with you.

What'd you think of today's edition?

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