So here’s the problem.<\/p>\n
My ex-copywriting apprentice is going to the big Traffic &\u00a0Conversion Summit in San Diego next month (which is good)… but,\u00a0she’s going to be surrounded by homeless cats (which is bad).<\/p>\n
Here’s what I mean:<\/p>\n
She’s a generous, giving soul with her time and knowledge.<\/p>\n
(The opposite of me.)<\/p>\n
And, thus, when she first discovered her newfound copywriting and\u00a0marketing “powers” she wanted to be a do-gooder and help people —\u00a0even people she did not know — with free advice, tips, ideas, and,\u00a0yes, giving away her time freely, without asking for anything in\u00a0return. She primarily did this via hanging out in various Facebook\u00a0groups networking and contributing to discussions. In one case,\u00a0some bloke (who had never met her, or had seen any of her work)\u00a0even asked her to JV with him in his new business, and they’d split\u00a0the profits.<\/p>\n
At first, she was flattered.<\/p>\n
Then, I explained why she should ignore him.<\/strong><\/p>\n The dude was a poser with nothing to offer and, even if he did, why\u00a0would he offer her half his business if he doesn’t know her, had\u00a0never met her, has never seen any of her work, or even knew she\u00a0existed 24 hours earlier?<\/p>\n Doesn’t that seem a bit… oh, I dunno… suspect?<\/p>\n But, she felt bad for the guy.<\/p>\n (Again, she is a much nicer person than I am.)<\/p>\n So, she declined his invite, gave him some good advice instead, and\u00a0then (figuratively) swatted him on the butt, gave him a cookie, and\u00a0sent him on his merry way, thinking that was done and on to the\u00a0next adventure.<\/p>\n But alas, it wasn’t so.<\/p>\n Like a homeless cat will do if you feed it just one time — he came\u00a0back looking for MORE free advice, ideas, time from her, etc.\u00a0(Specifically he wanted to know if she knew of a pirate site to\u00a0download a $5k product for free.)<\/p>\n Shocking, no?<\/p>\n So once again, she dispensed free advice.<\/p>\n (Sending him to the sales letter so he could BUY it.)<\/p>\n And, once again, she thought this was it and he’d leave her alone.\u00a0Of course, he didn’t leave her alone. He came back to burgle even\u00a0more of her time and knowledge and ideas…<\/p>\n (She now ignores the hoser finally.)<\/p>\n The point?<\/p>\n To stroke my ego with “I told you so’s”?<\/p>\n No.<\/p>\n (Well, maybe…)<\/p>\n All I want to say is… don’t feed homeless cats.<\/strong><\/p>\n Not just the ones who show up on your doorstep each night expecting\u00a0a saucer of milk… but also the ones online who will come back\u00a0again and again for more “food” (free time, ideas, products, etc)\u00a0from you… and sometimes even getting hostile if you don’t give it.<\/p>\n Make them learn how to hunt on their own, instead.<\/p>\n It’s the only way to save them.<\/p>\n Here’s where to go next:<\/p>\n