EXAMPLES: Part-Time Business Start-up Stories

Note: Some of the following go beyond the proscribed 600-900 word range, but 900 words (and preferably fewer) will be the limit for submissions. 

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A Heartland Harvest

Mary Guinane Smith – Sioux City, Iowa; The Write Answer  (www.twacopywriting.com)

Because I live in a tri-state metro area with a population of only 100,000, I’m all about networking and relationships. Here, laying relationship groundwork is just as important as building a portfolio. A small market means that someone always knows someone.

Getting Started
Plan on higher start-up costs because your initial impression will have more ripple effects in a small community. Keep quality first rate, but quantity in moderation. For example, start out having your brochures printed professionally, then, after you’ve distributed them en masse, beginning printing them as needed on your home printer. You may only end up paying for professional printing once, so do it when it counts.

If your marketing materials are done well, you’ll attract clients who understand the value of quality. More than once, I’ve had someone refer to my brochure and say, I want something like yours. You can build your client list and get paid to build your portfolio by doing some of these simple projects for smaller businesses.

For my Web site, I purposely went to a well-known, award-winning designer with a reputation for quality. In addition to building me a good site, he’s been happy to play the mentor role. I was able to ask him lots of questions about the bidding process, rates in our market and his expectations for a good copywriter. I’ve since done work for one client of his and been part of two other bids for large projects.

Building Momentum 
Though they may not be billable hours, time spent at community events and networking functions weigh heavily in launching your business. In the beginning, view relationship building and networking as projects that need your time and attention.

I had a connection with the local Advertising Federation Club and helped them out with some freebie stuff. I was happily surprised when they paid for me to attend the District Conference and I’ll be the Program Chair on the Ad Fed Board starting in several months. We only have about seven ad agencies in town, but they’re all part of the club and I’ve been able to make good connections at each.

I also joined the Chamber and will be helping with a project the Ad Fed will be doing for them – a Buy Local promotion. Lots of small businesses are being affected by my work – a follow-up gold mine!

Next, I joined the Junior League – very strong here. It helps balance my solitary work place and provides more networking opportunities. In this town, if you’re in the good graces of the right groups, good things happen. In Iowa, people are very loyal to the companies they deal with. In fact, the sales guys complain about how strong a factor that is when it’s not in their favor.

Valuable Volunteering 
Don’t underestimate the power of one job done free, but done well, for a committee; it can be as effective as time spent on cold calls or mailings. Volunteering feels good, but never give away anything less than your best work. Other committee members will appreciate your hard work and who knows who they’ll tell? They all have bosses and companies who just may need you, too.

Whatever you do, do it right. Your reputation will precede you by the time you’re meeting with your third client in a small business community. Being professional at all times and producing solid work on deadline isn’t just important, it’s crucial.

Even if you don’t get work from outside your market, build your knowledge base by expanding your information network. Use the Internet to learn what happens in other markets and find resources to help you think like your clients. Find message boards to exchange with copywriters in other markets – of course, TWFW message board is a prime example! (PB: See signup info in Appendix E). Use business and entrepreneur Web sites and newsletters to find out what the decision makers you’re meeting with are discussing. The more you know about their problems, the easier it is to offer them solutions.

I’ve played the “new person” card as a copywriter, but made sure everyone I met knew that a high level of professionalism was my transferable skill. I may have changed industries, but simple things like thank-you letters and letting people know that you followed up on the lead they gave you are always appreciated. It’s okay to be new, but never let that translate into naïve or unprofessional behavior. Consider tapping community leaders for their expertise, but don’t expect them to do your legwork for you. Figure out how you can reimburse them for their time with your skills. Focus on building a relationship with that person, not coming out of the meeting with a paying job.
 
Becoming Established 
Don’t evaluate the success of your first years in business solely on income. Take time to evaluate each project for its potential for repeat or referral business. One small job for a well-connected client may have a higher long-term return than a one-time gig with a big price tag, but no other potential. Select new projects for the same reasons.

Think and act like a businessperson, not a freelancer, when you’re with other business people. Those stuck in an office each day don’t want to hear about you writing in your pajamas. They do enjoy an exchange on how your business is similar to theirs, so keep the conversation in their comfort zone. (You can always pity them later when you’re doing the project you landed with them, in your PJs, of course.)

Be a source of solutions for clients, on committees and at networking functions. In a community where people cross paths often, you need to be part of the network. Find out the area of expertise of everyone you meet, then refer others to them. The more you know about what other people do well in your community, the more folks will think of you as a source of expertise and solutions.

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Canada CAN-DO

Pam McInnes – Ariss, Ontario, Canada; A-ha! Writing Services (www.ahawritingservices.com)


I registered A-ha! Writing Services on September 5, 2001 when I lived in Fergus, a small town of 7,000, located in Ontario (I’m presently in Ariss, even smaller). I’m currently fulfilling two yearly contracts, have a few repeat clients, and pick up new clients every now and again. I’m making decent money and still have time to work on my novel, children’s book series, and business e-book.

Market Research 
Even before choosing a name and registering the business, I conducted a phone survey directed at businesses in Fergus and the surrounding area (a 50km radius). I asked the businesspeople I talked to if – and how often – they used freelance writers, and if I could contact them once I had my business up and running. Most said, Sure.

My research never stops. After I have completed a project or a long-standing contract, I send out a Service Evaluation form to my clients. It asks if A-ha! communicated billing information and procedures effectively, if my work met their expectations and how they would rate the company on a scale of one to ten. It also has an area for client comments – with a clause stating I may use their comments in my promotional materials.

I also started using my monthly newsletter, A-ha!’s Acumen as a means of gauging my client’s needs by turning it into a Q&A forum. The readers (small to medium-sized business owners or employees) ask questions about writing, customer service, technology and marketing and either myself or another expert will answer. This is a new venture, so its effectiveness has yet to be determined.

Networking/Volunteering 
I joined the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce and was immediately ambushed by the staff. Their newsletter was in pretty rough shape and they desperately needed a professional to help them out. Given the strong potential for meeting local business owners, I decided to give them a hand. At the first meeting, they tried to promote me to newsletter editor, but I declined, citing unfamiliarity with the local businesses. I countered by offering to work as an associate editor. Agreed.

Six months later, the editor stepped down. Business was picking up and I told them I couldn’t do any more volunteer work. They asked for a quote. I won a client for a year.

I also joined The Kiwanis. In addition to enjoying the meetings and volunteer events, I’ve gotten a few writing projects. Most members of service groups are serious business people with hearts of gold. If they can’t use your services, they’ll try to refer you to those who can.

I’ve participated in one trade show and would do it again in a second. It allowed me to invite prospects out to meet in neutral territory, while also networking with new prospects. I landed one project, which more than covered my show expenses.

Advertising and Marketing
Advertising didn’t work for me. The general lack of understanding locally as to what a freelance writer does necessitated a more personal approach to getting my name out into larger nearby cities:  Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, and even greater Toronto. I thought of standing on the highways wearing only an A-ha! Writing Services sign and a smile, but better judgment prevailed. I ended up doing something even more painful – I cold called. I still cold call.

My first cold calling campaign was three-part:  an intro call explaining what I do and determining the prospect’s current and future writing needs; a follow-up mailing with an info sheet and portfolio to interested businesses; and a final phone call to verify receipt of info, answer questions and invite that business to join my newsletter mailing list.

Summary 
Trustworthiness and dependability are crucial in smaller towns. Once I’ve made a contact, I have to prove that I can provide what they need, when they need it. I contact them when I say I will. I communicate effectively by saying exactly what I mean. Once the client feels comfortable enough to hire me, it’s imperative to maintain solid communication lines and to exceed all expectations.

Advice? Be flexible, use the technology available, and don’t be afraid to branch out. In my case, it was important for me to realize that I couldn’t make a living just from my small town. Perhaps it’s the small-town experience, but I’ve found the Canadian market not as open to hiring freelancers as the U.S. market, and explaining about what I do is more difficult. Calling myself a business writer is best, though in my small town most businesses don’t see the need to spend money on professionally written brochures, sales letters, newsletters and in many cases, even Web sites.

PB Note: Obviously, there’s a difference between a town of 7,000 and a region of 100,000 or a city of even 50,000. No surprise that Pam quickly got that she needed to move beyond her small town and hunt in greener pastures. 
 
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Tennessee Tenacity

Karin Beuerlein – Loretto, Tennessee

I’m building my business in Loretto, Tennessee, in the middle of nowhere (Nashville is the closest city at one and a half hours away). It’s going well. I have a major client that provides steady income now, one that came about through – you guessed it – cold-calling! I’d called the state’s Department of Agriculture (in the course of phoning several government agencies) and the public relations rep had said the agency had no budget at all for writing projects. But he also said he thought the Farm Bureau was starting some kind of magazine, and asked if I would be interested in a project like that.

After considering not following up on the lead because it sounded too vague, I sent my info to the editor-in-chief, who forwarded it on to the managing editor, who in turn contacted me months later and was amazed that he’d found someone who could crank out two or three articles per issue right in his backyard (me!) Now I write for this publication regularly and am starting to take on some editorial duties as well. I’m also starting to get jobs by word of mouth even though I’m out here in the sticks. So the system can work for rural dwellers!

Get some great brochures and business cards printed up and fling them to the winds. The work will come from the darndest places.

I seem to remember reading in TWFW that sending out postcards or doing a fresh cold-calling session will work weird magic. I recently started a new round of cold calling, and on that very day two people I hadn’t heard from in ages called me with work (it had nothing to do with the people I was actually calling). I didn’t even do my usual naked writer’s booty-shaking rain dance this time! It was amazing.

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PB Note: Karin’s living in Knoxville now and provided me this update/warning when I checked in not long ago. 

After several years of experience, my advice is this:  Never stop your marketing efforts to new businesses and regular contacts with your old clients. I made this mistake in 2002 as I was planning my wedding – I was impossibly busy and thought it would be okay to coast on the steady work I was receiving. My two biggest clients folded and I was stuck building everything from scratch again. Not a pretty situation to be in. But I'm still plugging away. After tasting the freelance life, it would be a grievous disappointment to return to the grind of working for someone else. I know that marketing myself will always eventually pay off.