Episode 066 - Copywriting When It's Crunch Time

Imagine you like to ride a bike. Maybe you already do. So you ride every day, on mostly flat roads and paths and occasionally a mild hill. Then one day you decide to get in a race. You don’t learn much about it ahead of time. On the day of the race, it’s raining. There are oil slicks on the road. The competitors are going much faster than you are used to. Then gusts of wind kick up. And to top it all, there are hairpin turns on top of steep hills!
Guess what – you’re in crunch time.
It’s that special moment when all hell breaks loose and you have to follow through with whatever you started.
How do you deal with that?
Today we’ll talk about
• What crunch time is
• Why you need to prepare for it
• How you need to prepare for it
• And what to do when it actually happens
Now hear this:
Copy is powerful. You’re responsible for how you use what you hear on this podcast. Most of the time, common sense is all you need. But if you make extreme claims… and/or if you’re writing copy for offers in highly regulated industries like health, finance, and business opportunity… you may want to get a legal review after you write and before you start using your copy. My larger clients do this all the time.
Crunch time happens to everyone. At various points in your career. Happened to me this year (weekend training). Has probably happened to you, too, Nathan?
The key is NOT to try to avoid it. The key is to deal with it and come out smelling like a rose.
1. You can wish and hope and pray all you want that Crunch Time doesn’t come before you’re ready for it. But it will anyway.
- When it’s likely to come
- Why it’s likely to come
- What it’s like when it does come
2. Why you need to prepare for Crunch Time.
- Conditioning and internalization in your hip pocket
- Shit’s gonna happen you had no idea was coming, and you can only learn so many things at once
- You’ll have more confidence in the face of uncertainty
3. How to prepare for Crunch Time.
-“Drill” in the basics. That is, get good at the core activities of your work.
- Develop routines and systems. The less you have to think about and the less you have to decide, the easier it is to ramp up fast and operate faster than you’re used to.
- Practice doing business tasks faster, just as an exercise. Notice where you get slowed down. Then, practice doing those things until you can do them a little faster.
4. What to do when Crunch Time comes – whether you’re ready or not.
- Clear the decks. Even if you have other important and urgent priorities, getting the job done well and on time has to be JOB ONE.
- Eat light. Drink enough water. Coffee as needed, if that’s what you do. You want to feed and hydrate yourself like a high-performance machine.
- Go, go, go! And don’t go without sleep entirely.
You’ll be surprised that you can do more than you thought you could do.
After Crunch Time is over, see how you can arrange some “lazy time” where you catch up on your sleep and let your brain get some air!


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