The Next Few Weeks

This is my last post before leaving on my epic trip to Ecuador. I couldn't be more excited to explore a new country and culture--and be away from email and the Internet for a while. This is my first real vacation in a long time.

I'll be back on September 11, and in the meantime you'll be in good hands with fantastic posts from some of my favorite freelance writers and bloggers. Here are a few highlights to look for:

Ever wonder why some of your regulars drop out of touch--even when you try to keep in contact? Lori Widmer explores the reasons why clients pull a disappearing act.

Devon Ellington provides valuable tips on how experienced freelancers can build and maintain financial momentum.

Get the client-side perspective with advice from Deb Ng on how not to pitch an editor--plus a post from book marketer extraordinaire Ginny Stone on how her well-known publishing company hires freelancers.

A post from a superstar copywriter whose books on freelance writing got many of us started. I don't want to ruin the surprise--all I'm saying is, BE HERE on the 26th of August.

So tune in over the next few weeks for practical, entertaining and hard-hitting advice from the pros. I know I've learned a lot already from reading these posts--and hopefully you will, too.

Is It Ever a Good Time to Make a Change?

I've been thinking a lot about timing lately. I'm considering making some expensive changes in my life involving where I live and the quality of my health insurance. These are changes I always thought I'd make someday, when I felt like I was earning enough to be comfortable. Everyone I talked to about it said to wait until I felt like the time was right--I didn't want to strain my budget, especially as I'm a freelancer.

So I waited. I built my business. But the perfect time never came--no matter what gains I made, I never felt like I was quite secure enough to make the jump. It's occurred to me that with nearly every big change I've made in my life--moving to New York, moving to Philadelphia, starting my business--I've waited for ideal times until I couldn't stand to wait anymore--and then I took action anyway. Funny enough, things have always worked out.

Here are a few things we tell ourselves to prove we're not prepared--reasons that might be holding us back.

The economy is bad. I started re-reading Peter Bowerman's Well Fed Writer recently. This is an old favorite I revisit a lot--I often find that, a year or so after my last reading, there are tips in its chapters that I wasn't ready to use before--so I didn't notice them. But as I grew in experience, I was able to take in and make use of more. Some of the best how-to books are like that. But re-reading the book this time, I noticed one thing in the first few chapters: when Peter started his commercial writing business, he was in the midst of a "creative recession" in his hometown--something he wasn't aware of until after he had become successful. If he had known, this may or may not have had an impact on his decision to go freelance--but chances are those who were aware of it would have advised him to wait. Still, it was better he didn't--even if the economic conditions weren't ideal.

We can't get away from bad news about the economy right now. But your business is what you make it, regardless of economic conditions. No matter how bad the nationwide numbers are, individual businesses still need to market--and they still need your services.

I don't have enough money. When I started my freelancing business, I was getting negative advice from all directions. Parents and concerned friends told me to wait until I had six months' worth of savings in the bank. They told me to wait until I had a long list of industry contacts. Until I'd landed a few lucrative clients. I saved for a year, and never got to the six-month mark--and I couldn't stand to wait any longer. I jumped in with both feet, and everything worked out--so far. Of course, my overhead was low and I landed some regulars right off the bat that kept me in business, but the point is that if you don't wait until your personal economy is in just the right place, you might just be okay anyway.

I don't have enough experience. If you write well, have some natural creativity and put in the time to read books and articles on copywriting, you can do well enough for most freelance writing projects with small to mid-sized businesses. You can jumpstart your skills by taking an AWAI course. But no matter how much you prepare beforehand, you will never learn as much through reading as you do in the trenches. Now is as good a time to start that journey as any.

My website/portfolio/business cards aren't perfect. Nothing holds us back like perfectionism. Even if you think your portfolio is subpar, it's still probably better than what a small business owner with no writing talent can crank out on his own--so get your name out there. You don't have a perfect logo, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't hand out business cards--my first business cards were all black and white text, with no graphics at all. And there's a lot to be said for a snazzy site, but if all you have is a simple online portfolio, that's all you need. Don't wait til your marketing materials are perfect--functional will do just fine.

I was talking with a friend of mine the other day who had just discovered she was pregnant. She told me she and her husband had been waiting for a long time to feel financially secure enough to have kids, and they felt a long way from that goal now--but the baby was coming, and they'd have to make it work. That's exactly the attitude that's worked for me in the past. So maybe I'll take these next steps anyway, with the hope that everything will work out in the end.

When you started your business--were you prepared? Or did going freelance require a leap of faith?

Blogging About Clients: Without Biting The Hand That Feeds You

I just saw a post on The Urban Muse about mentioning your clients in your blog. If you write about freelancing and the challenges and triumphs you face, chances are you will face this issue eventually. Here are a few tips for handling the tricky issue of talking about specific clients and projects in your blog.

Never use a client's name. This is pretty obvious--never mention a client by name if you're going to write something that isn't completely glowing. Your clients may read your blog--several of mine do at least semi-regularly--and you may be setting yourself up not only to lose the client, but to face legal consequences later.

Change key details. I don't just leave the clients' individual names and business names off the blog; I also change identifying details about the project--if I'm not writing something really positive. It's just one more way to make sure nobody is embarrassed or offended by my writing about them.

Focus on projects, not companies. I also think it's critical not to make things get too close to home. I'll talk about the way a project went, the challenges I faced and how I dealt with them, but I typically won't talk about the company itself. I won't make assumptions about the company's solvency, put down the client's offer or criticize the company itself in any way--even if I'm not mentioning their name specifically and change key project details so that clients don't see themselves in the post.

Promote your clients when appropriate. There are situations when you can mention clients by name without facing possible negative repercussions--when you're talking about them in a positive light. This is something I completely recommend, and something I plan to start doing more on this blog. If you really believe in a certain client's offer, it may be worth it for you to profile the project in a positive way--with a link back to the client's site. They're sure to appreciate the publicity, and it showcases your skills as well.

Social Marketing for Writers

OK, so I came out against Twitter when it was first getting big...but since then I started thinking about social networking's value to my business and questioning whether the time put in might bring a lot to my business later.

In that previous post, I made a few points that still made sense to me. Notedly, I said that social networking was a waste of time because the most lucrative clients don't go looking for writers on social networking sites. That may be true, but in today's market climate I also believe that if you don't have a social networking presence, you show yourself to be behind the times. Even if you don't actually find clients on social networking sites, you need to demonstrate your familiarity with them.

But beyond that, I'm a web writer. If I'm not using all aspects of the web to get ahead, clearly I'm not learning about all the cutting-edge methods for helping my clients succeed. For the past few months, I've been making an effort to expand my social networking presence. I haven't landed a huge ROI from that area yet--but I can say I definitely have gained quite a bit from this blog, including a few lucrative long-term clients. Especially in a recession, it's worth exploring every way out there of reaching out to clients.

So here's what I've learned so far.

Twitter is your friend.I'm a new Twitter user, but so far I've connected with a few prospects. I'm treating each Twitter blast like a small advertisement for my business. I post links to my blog posts. I write about the types of projects I'm doing. And I follow people I'd like as clients--marketers, graphic designers/web designers, and other businesses. I'm confident that if I keep up with it, it will land me some business eventually. And as I learn to use it, it will be just one more layer of expertise to fofer my clients.

Get a professional Facebook profile. I have a personal Facebook profile and a professional page. When I first opened my facebook account, I envisioned it being professional--but with all my friends on Facebook it quickly became personal. So I decided to open a page for Catalyst Writing Services. Facebook won't allow businesses to open their own accounts, however, and clients will still try to "friend" me on my personal page. I don't have anything on my personal profile that I feel like I have to hide from them, but I'm also aware that if I want to build a personal brand, regular status updates of whatever obscure song lyric I happen to be listening to, snippets of poetry and the funny inside joke my friends and I have been laughing at lately are not what they need to see. Because of this, I'm also considering opening a NEW facebook account under my name, but geared entirely toward my business and using the photo I usually use for professional purposes.

Promote your social networking efforts on your blog. So far, I'm starting to think that social networking strategy involves synergy: you have to have a lot of irons in the fire, and they have to speak to each other. Connect to your other social networking initiatives on your blog and write about your experiences. Link to recent blog posts on Twitter and on your Facebook status updates. Each social networking area is an opportunity to connect with clients.

Landing the High-End Clients

Tell me if this sounds familiar.

You're going through a slow month. So you check out the job boards and apply to a few ads that look promising. You get two responses. In one of them, the company says it's not paying you since it's a start-up, but they're offering a great opportunity for you to "get in on the ground floor" and "get exposure." The other one says that since they got SO many qualified responses to their ad, they're trying "something different:" they're asking all the writers to write up the first page of their brochure on spec. The one they pick gets the project and gets paid.

But you're not worried--you just got a few emails in your inbox from people interested in hiring you. With each one you discuss the project parameters, spend some time crafting a quote, and even slash your prices a little--prices you know are on the low end of the professional scale--because hey, we're in a recession. From one of the prospects, you get an email back saying you're still way too expensive for their budget--and they suggest you reduce prices further by outsourcing to writers in India. From the other two, you never hear again--despite follow-up.

So if that sounds like your latest marketing results, maybe you're thinking about how to land a more lucrative class of client. That's what's been on my mind lately. I've been considering signing up for a coaching class with Chris Marlow. In the meantime, I've been researching how copywriters can position themselves to automatically appeal to higher-paid niches.

Here are a few reasons why you may be turning those high-paying clients off your services.

Your website talks about why you should hire a copywriter--and what a copywriter does. This is a sure sign you're used to working with low-end clients--and this will reflect on you. However, if you can demonstrate you understand the needs of businesses that regularly hire and pay copwriters well--and know how to make their jobs easier--they're much more likely to be interested in your services.

You market online only. The best high-paying niches and national companies don't need to post on Craigslist to find a writer. They have the writers who are really accomplished in sales approaching them through direct mail, email marketing and cold calls every day. Every once in a blue moon, a really lucrative client might post on a job board--but don't sit around waiting for lightning to strike. Find these companies and approach them on your own--because your market-savvy competitors are.

You aren't targeting a niche.There are a few really high-profile generalists out there--Peter Bowerman comes to mind--but many highly-paid copywriters are specialists. And it makes sense. If you worked for a national business and needed to hire a copywriter for your next direct mail campaign--and if money was no object--who would you hire: the copywriter with experience in a range of projects, with maybe one sample of the type of project you're looking for and in a radically different industry, or a copywriter with a large portfolio of samples similar to your project and with a strong direct mail track record? Most of the more lucrative clients would choose the second option. You probably would do the same thing.

You aren't demonstrating sophisticated marketing techniques. Are you offering a free report on your website? Do you distribute an e-zine? Are you blogging and do you maintain a presence on key social networking sites? If you're not using sophisticated marketing techniques for your own business, this could be a sign that you aren't as skilled or experienced as you claim to be.

If you're not landing those high-profile clients, it could just be that you're not approaching them. So many of us are so marketing-averse that we put forth a half-hearted effort on the job boards and then wait for referrals to make up for the rest. But with a consistent marketing plan targeting a carefully chosen niche that speaks to your strengths, you're much more likely to land new business. And when they get to your website, hopefully your copy will confirm your expertise--not undercut your efforts.

The Great Guest Post Experiment

I am dropping everything and going to Ecuador at the end of August. I'll be there for several weeks. And--get this--I will NOT be working when I'm there. Nor will I be checking my work email. At least...not when there's no Internet connection available. The really crazy part? I'm actually going to tell my clients I won't be in the office.

This is very different from all the other vacations I've taken since I started this blog. At the beginning, I would simply post a message saying I'd be out of town for a certain number of days. Later, as my business got busy and I started doing "working vacations"--all my vacations have been working vacations since 2007--I would think I could handle blogging and working and vacationing, realize I couldn't, and let the posting slide--no mention in the blog because I always figured tomorrow I'd write a bunch of posts. Not too professional. I know it's bad blogging practice, but sometimes life gets in the way.

OK, so this time I'm doing something different. instead of letting my vacation time catch up to me, I'm soliciting guest posts from anyone who wants to see their work up here. I'll be gone for a while and the more guest posts I have ready, the less work I have to do. Which is good.

Guidelines: please send something at least 200 words in length. Themes include the freelance writing life, getting clients, marketing, dealing with clients, and writing advice. I may be contacting some of you directly to see if you'd be interested--especially if you have a blog I visit on a more-or-less regular basis. But anyone is welcome to send me something I can use. If you're interested, post in the comments or just send me an email.

In return for your guest post, you get linkage to your site and a promise that I'll write one for you next time you're out of town

Thanks!!

If You're Not Marketing, You're Just Scraping By.

I saw a couple of interesting posts on working for content mills at Words on the Page and The Avid Writer recently. The question: why do some writers work for content mills instead of marketing to private clients? The money is a lot worse (although I have to say, I'm surprised there are content mills paying as much as $20 per article nowadays. I'd think they'd all be paying $5 per article or worse). The answers were varied, but one of them got me thinking: you work with content mills, and you don't have to do any marketing.

I know a lot of writers have a raving fear of marketing. I relate to it. But most businessowners wouldn't. Could you imagine the owner of your local gym, grocery store or car repair shop saying they have a fear of marketing? How would these people make any money? If you can avoid marketing and survive, you're insanely lucky. Most businesspeople can't. Most businesspeople wouldn't be caught dead getting stuck in the equivalent of a content mill rut just because it gives them the stability to avoid marketing. The bottom line is, if you're not marketing, you're not thriving as you could be.

So why don't writers like to market? I've heard a few reasons given--and I've even given some of these myself. It takes too much time; it's too much of a hassle; it takes too much effort away from personal writing projects. But I think beyond all these excuses is a single reason: lack of confidence. The only way to build your confidence in the writing world is through self-education and experience. Here are a few reasons all writers (including content mill writers) shouldn't avoid marketing:

Marketing makes your job more stable. That content mill (or regular client) could fold at any time, leaving you out in the cold. In a way, freelancers are more stable than people with regular jobs, because they work with several employers--if one evaporates, there's always another one. But that's not true if you're relying on one or two regular clients to keep your head above water, especially in a recession. Marketing increases your client base and helps guarantee you'll stay busy.

Marketing gets you out of ruts. Chances are, that regular client paid you what you thought was a great wage when you were just starting out. But as you've improved your skills, it's pretty likely you're worth more now. Every new client is a new opportunity to give yourself a raise.

Marketing IS your job. I think it's funny that as freelancers, we're happy to market for everybody but ourselves. Marketing copy is our job. And doing it for ourselves gives us practical hands-on experience we can apply to client work. Try it: order a few cheap postcards on VistaPrint with good copy and a call to action, and mail them to businesses you have a solid track record working with. You'll probably get at least one taker.

Every time I've marketed--even when I've just emailed a few businesses in a few minutes to see who's looking for freelancers--I've gotten at least one response that's led to increased income. Marketing might be scary to some of us--writers can be natural introverts--but don't let marketing trepidation hold you back from living up to your potential.