This is a story of two copywriters (both are me… LOL). 

 

Once upon a time, I sat staring at my computer screen. 

 

I was looking at my Linkedin profile. 

 

I’d heard that Linkedin was a magical way to get clients, but you had to say the EXACT right thing, to the EXACT right people and have the PERFECT profile. 

 

“Joshua,” I said to myself, “You MUST get this right. There is so much riding on this, you just gotta get it right!” 

 

My hands started to tremble and the sweat glands cranked up the slimy-palm juice, making my fingers sticky and clammy on the keyboard. 

 

If deleted Professional Titles were like crumpled up pieces of paper being ripped from a typewriter and thrown at the trash can, I could have filled up a large dumpster in less than an hour. 

 

My brain was frozen. 

 

Everything sounded terrible to me. 

 

Nothing was as cool as all the other writers and consultants that I was comparing myself to. 

 

It was all rubbish and trash and worthless! 

 

At least that’s what I thought. 

 

You been there, maybe? 

 

The fear of getting it just right and not making any mistakes and not looking like a fool just overwhelmed me. 

 

And, as a result, I ended up with… NOTHING. 

 

My profile, after a few days of trying to get it “perfect”, was totally blank. 

 

Finally, in an act of sheer will power, I forced myself to just get something down so I could move on. 

 

And I did. 

 

And it was terrible… just as my fears predicted it would be. 

 

So what is going on here??? 

 

Why is it that when I needed something so bad and just had to get it right that I bombed the whole thing? 

 

I suppose there are lots of things happening, but for me the biggest on is secret that I think is my #1 success strategy for Linkedin. 

 

Actually for all of my business success. This one thing just works wonders in all areas of my life. 

 

I call it the “Great Than - Less Than - Equal To” equation. 

 

Here’s what happens… 

 

When I’m researching my market, I read a bunch of copy from other companies and profiles of other writers and the tendency is to think… 

 

“I’m not as good as these guys.” 

 

Or… 

 

“I don’t have as much experience as they do.” 

 

Or… 

 

“This company is way too big for me right now. If I talk to the marketing director, she/he will see me for the fraud that I am and never hire me.” 

 

Or… 

 

Well, you get the point. 

 

All of these are “Greater Than and Less Than” thoughts. 

 

I’m usually putting myself down and lifting them up. 

 

I tend to make regular old marketing directors and business owners invincible, perfect gods riding their chariots on Mount Olympus with 10,000  armed soldiers guarding the gates. 

 

(I’m a little dramatic, ok… lol) 

 

I forget that they are humans. 

 

And I’m a human. 

 

And, as humans, we are equal to each other. 

 

Not the same. 

 

Not identical. 

 

But equal. 

 

Two humans with similar wants, desires, challenges, fears, dreams, and all that other human stuff. 

 

This “Equal To” mindset is central to mine and your success in every area of life. 

 

It allows us to tone down the “perfection” story, eases up on the “exact” pressure, and let’s us get to the business of persuading people to work with us so we can bless their lives. 

 

Give it a try with these three simple steps: 

 

First, Level the Playing Field

 

Before you write anything, mentally visualize your reader. 

 

Not a group of people. 

 

ONE PERSON. 

 

Take a mental spin with them through their day… from walking up, to getting dressed, to eating breakfast, to stressing out about a board meeting, to… whatever this human being would reasonably do during the day. 

 

See it. Feel the day with them. Notice how very human they are. 

 

You are not better or worse than them… just human like them. 

 

Second, See Their Pain and Pleasure Points

 

All humans have pain in their life… and all humans desire pleasure. 

 

Marketing is sooooo much easier when you see humans as real humans and understand their pleasure and pain points. 

 

Forget about all the tricks and techniques and black hat stuff. Just see them for who they are. 

 

Third, Solve Their Pain, Enhance Their Pleasure

 

Now, start writing. 

 

Tell them how you understand their trials and troubles and pains… and how you can solve that for them and bring them greater peace, prosperity and joy. 

 

It’s not too tricky… hey, I’ve discovered that most marketers all want the same kind of pleasure… more sales :) 

 

Show them how your writing will deliver on that and you’ll likely get hired. 

 

And yes, it really is just that simple…