Welcome to THE WELL-FED E-PUB!
Serving up food for thought and tasty tips for the prospering FLCW* writer. Come
on in, sit anywhere and bring your appetite!
*FLCW, peppered throughout the ezine, stands for “Freelance Commercial Writer” – the designation for anyone who freelances for businesses (as opposed to writing magazine articles, short stories, poetry, etc.), and typically earns $50-125+ an hour.
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VOLUME 7, ISSUE 8 – AUGUST 2008
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WANT TO GROW YOUR FREELANCE BUSINESS?
Stay tuned for a MAJOR announcement coming next month – one of the biggest 'somethings' I’ve EVER been a part of. Hang tight. You’re going to love this.
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ONE SALES LETTER, 77 RECIPIENTS, $80K IN NEW COPYWRITING BUSINESS??
All the details: http://savagemarketing.com/64000/cmd.php?af=761186.
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The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is Rockin’! http://www.wellfedwriter.com/blog
We’re getting anywhere from 20+ to 50+ comments on each subject! Come join the fun!
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“The BODACIOUS Banquet” – Issues 1-52 of The EPUB! Just $10.95!
Details: Below and http://wellfedwriter.com/thebodabanq.shtml.
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MISSED MY TELECLASS? “Thriving as a Freelance Commercial Writer”
38-PAGE instant download just $12! www.wellfedwriter.com/jan07tstranscript.shtml.
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THIS MONTH’S MENU:
I. APPETIZER: A COOL SUMMER APPETIZER SAMPLER!
Translation? I’m Lazy and Want to Make This Month’s Appetizer Nice ‘n Easy!
II. CRISP “FIELD” GREENS: COST ESTIMATING BASICS (WITH ADDED TIP!)
FLCW’s Question Spawns Pricing How-To & Tip For Less Big-Project-Pricing Anxiety!
III. MAIN COURSE: GOT LINKEDIN?
NY FLCW Serves Up the Skinny on Social Networking Sites
IV. DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
MI FLCW Shows Writing For Play Can Become Writing For Pay!
TIP: CT FLCW Says Yes to Client, Switches Hats, Develops Profitable Niche!
V. COFFEE, MINTS AND TOOTHPICKS
- The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is Rockin’! http://www.wellfedwriter.com/blog
- NEW! The BODACIOUS Banquet – Issues 1-52 of the EPUB; Just $10.95
- MISSED MY TELECLASS? Full 38-PAGE e-Transcript – Just $12!
- New Blog “The Wealthy Freelancer” Features Three All-Stars!
- AWAI Copywriting (& Other) Courses: Register Here, Get 2 Bonuses (no charge!)
- Well-Fed E-Pub Needs All Courses!
- How Can My Mentoring Service Serve You?
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I. APPETIZER: A COOL SUMMER APPETIZER SAMPLER!
Translation? I’m Lazy and Want to Make This Month’s Appetizer Nice ‘n Easy!
As we get deep into summer, I’m feeling a bit sluggish. So, I looked at my notes for this month’s EPUB, saw a handful of little tidbits here and there, and thought, heck, I’ll just stick ‘em all on a bed of lettuce, add a bit of dressing, chill, and serve. Enjoy!
NO-CHARGE REPORT FROM BOB BLY
Bob sent on this: “My copywriters are really worried about the economy. If yours are, they can get the attached report at no charge at: www.bly.com/reports.”
YOURS TRULY ON NEW PODCAST
Did a pretty cool podcast in May for the writing site “Words to Mouth.” If you’re new to the field and want to hear a pretty good overview of the commercial writing and self-publishing fields, or are curious what I sound like (he said, all full of himself), check it out at http://wellfedwriter.com/podcast.shtml.
NEW TELESEMINAR FROM THE WHITE PAPER GURU
Michael Stelzner and two other TOP white paper experts join forces in an August teleseminar entitled, "Making Your White Paper Stand Out From the Crowd.” For all the details, check out http://www.whitepapersource.com/cmd.php?Clk=2507058.
FLCW WANTS YOUR “MISTAKE STORIES”!
Nebraska FLCW Mary Guinane McNamara is collecting stories for “Copywriter Confessions”: successful copywriting veterans sharing the gaffes they’ve made (the ones newbies fear most). Want to be a part of it? Visit www.twacopywriting.com.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
Speaking of Mike Stelzner, he sent me the link below. This is for anyone who’s ever worked with jargon-spouting, creatively clueless clients. Hilarious, but also scary in how downright accurate it is: http://youtube.com/watch?v=kU9YeOQm3Y0
(AND, ONCE AGAIN) WANT TO GROW YOUR FREELANCE BUSINESS?
Stay tuned for a MAJOR announcement coming next month – one of the biggest 'somethings' I’ve EVER been a part of. Hang tight. You’re going to love this.
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II. CRISP “FIELD” GREENS: COST ESTIMATING BASICS (WITH ADDED TIP!)
FLCW’s Question Spawns Pricing How-To & Tip For Less Big-Project Pricing Anxiety!
Got a note from a Bloomfield, NJ FLCW Steve Sears (SGS@SGSWrite.com, www.SGSWrite.com) some time back. It read (in part):
Peter: There’s a business group in NYC who needs a newsletter (or portions of
it) written. For the first issue, we're talking a 750-word feature, 12 bios of
60 words, and a few smaller articles and tips, with some editing/proofreading
as well. For subsequent issues, one 750-word feature and more of the same,
but probably no bios.
Do I estimate an hourly figure and then figure the flat fee? Isn't there a chance I might come in too low here and hurt myself? And depending on what's needed per issue (if there are different things included), shall I "flat fee" them per issue?
My response: Obviously, they’ll want a flat fee, and the only way to provide that is to start with an hourly rate: estimate how many hours you think it'll take to do each piece, asking as many questions as necessary of them to get a sense of the parameters (i.e., do I need to do interviews, how many, any/how much research, background reading, what's involved with securing info for each bio, etc.). Based on those answers, give them a flat fee range (one that varies by 10 to 15% is perfectly acceptable).
Put all this in a bid letter (in my first book; p. 135), and – this is key – include a clause that says that after you finish the first issue, if both sides want to continue, you reserve the right to revisit the financial arrangements and make sure all the numbers still work. That way, you protect yourself in case things were a lot more complicated (i.e., time-consuming) than you first estimated. Great strategy, incidentally, for ANY large project (book ghostwriting, multi-module program, etc.) to reduce anxiety factor on both sides.
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III. MAIN COURSE: GOT LINKEDIN?
CT FLCW Serves Up the Skinny on Social Networking Sites
Got this great overview piece of “social networking” sites from Middletown, CT FLCW Adam Farrah (adam@adamfarrah.net, www.adamfarrah.net).
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Got Facebook(.com)? MySpace(.com)? Should you? Sites like these can often discourage new users, with their challenging “how-to” and often unsatisfying initial results. Yet, over time, they can be a valuable component of a freelancer’s marketing machine – generating client leads and connecting with other professionals. A good outcome starts with proper management – and the right understanding of the paradigm.
The key operating concept with these sites is VALUE. The value of these sites is in YOUR ABILITY TO CREATE VALUE for others in your network – present or future. That value can be as simple as pointing someone to a web site with some information they need, or as important as referring a potential client to a member of your network.
The way to be successful (i.e., find clients) on these sites is to be valuable to your network. As you do, you display your knowledge and expertise and drive people to your profile. The way to be unsuccessful? Put up a profile and hunt around for people to ask for work, or worse, do nothing and expect those who need your services to find you.
BUILDING A NETWORK Regardless of the site, start by connecting with friends and colleagues from previous jobs, college, high school, etc. LI’s free basic membership allows you only to connect with people you actually know, or to those you don’t know through someone you know (and who trusts you) who knows that third party.
Pay for an upgraded account and you can send “InMail” to those you don’t know. A well-written personal email sent to someone you don't know is much more effective and engaging than an invitation to connect passed through a chain of people you don't know and who don't know you. I used this strategy on a writing project when looking for someone in the fashion industry. I searched LinkedIn, sent emails to several folks, and ended up with two phone chats that answered all my questions. And recently, I placed an article in a prominent martial arts magazine (first try!) off a contact I made with LI.
ADDING VALUE TO YOUR NETWORK LinkedIn’s “Answers” section allows members to post questions to their network and answer questions from their network. If you have a targeted network, members will periodically post questions relevant to your field and expertise. The more of these questions and problems you can answer and solve, the more knowledgeable you’re perceived as being.
Got a blog? Why not direct inquirers to previously posted blog entries on the subject? It can also work in reverse: expanding an answer to a question can yield unexpected blog fodder. (Facebook and MySpace don’t have equivalent Q&A functions, but you can replicate that on most discussion forums targeted to your niche or market).
One of the easiest ways to build that value is to find those folks in your network who’ve worked with or for you on a project, click the “Recommend this Person” button on their profile and write a recommendation. As you build up others, you get built up as well.
MYSPACE.COM? If your market(s) tend to be younger, edgy, trendy, etc., MySpace is worth a look. For traditional business clients, focus on LinkedIn, and give Facebook a look (a hybrid that occupies the middle ground between LinkedIn and MySpace).
FINAL NOTES Using the Social Web to grow your business is like planting a garden: you have to put in the work day to day and be patient while things grow. But, rest assured, they will. The more you use them, the more sense they’ll make, and the more benefits you’ll reap. Check out the resources below to maximize your experience.
RESOURCES
My LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/adamfarrah
My Business and Marketing Blog: http://adamfarrah.blogspot.com
A great blog resource for LinkedIn users: http://imonlinkedinnowwhat.com/
A great blog resource for Facebook users: http://facebookadvice.com/
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IV. DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
MI FLCW Shows Writing For Play Can Become Writing For Pay!
TIP: NY FLCW Says Yes to Client, Switches Hats, Develops Profitable Niche!
The first Dessert course is a little success story from Alan Stamm of Birmingham, MI (astamm@comcast.net), who reminds us that potentially profitable opportunities can surface anytime, anywhere – once we groom an inviting path to our doors. That’s followed by a tip/success story from Cortlandt Manor, NY FLCW Patrice Athanasidy (patathanas@aol.com), who shares how saying yes instead of “I don’t do that kind of writing” opened up a brand new door AND income stream.
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Creating a monthly ezine for fellow summer camp alumni was a volunteer labor of love, yielding 16 essays on the lessons and legacies of childhood summers in New York’s Catskill Mountains – as well as an offbeat addition to my portfolio. The few hours devoted to these newsletters and essays were a productive, though unpaid, way to flex writing muscles – to limber up and stretch before or between client projects.
Then this summer, unexpectedly, a more tangible payoff came up. During a reunion weekend in Pine Bush, NY, 40 years after our camp there closed, a fellow alumnus who now runs a small business said the conversational tone of my communications matches his vision for an expanded company website and upcoming direct mail campaign. He invited a conference call with his marketing vice-president as a prelude to submitting a proposal. The payoff? I delivered a trifold brochure and refreshed the company's online content. No blazing financial bonfire, but a fruitful reunion epilogue. Lesson for fellow FLCWs: Show what you can do, at play as well as for pay. You never know where your next prospect might come from. It’s ALL marketing, right, Peter?
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Peter: Here’s a tip for you. Always be ready to switch writing hats. I was doing a regular PR gig for a client, but was let go when they hit hard economic times. I stayed in touch by email letting them know about public relations and fundraising opportunities that matched their goals. Less than a year later, they contacted me asking if I could write grants. I had never written one, but had worked in development offices and knew that grant writing was marketing in a more structured format. I had to sell my client’s needs to corporations and foundations rather than consumers. I told them that my development background would give me the experience they needed, so they gave me a shot.
A few years later, I have four regular grant clients which means four regular checks per month. I was even able to hire my sister to handle some of the material collecting and mailing so I can concentrate on the research and writing. I get my creative juices flowing with some other non-grant projects every year and the grant income gives me the opportunity for steady work from my home office.
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V. COFFEE, MINTS AND TOOTHPICKS
- The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is Rockin’! http://www.wellfedwriter.com/blog
- The BODACIOUS Banquet – Issues 1-52 of the EPUB; Just $10.95
- MISSED MY TELECLASS? Full 38-PAGE e-Transcript – Just $12!
- New Blog “The Wealthy Freelancer” Features Three All-Stars!
- AWAI Copywriting (& Other) Courses: Register Here, Get 2 Bonuses (no charge!)
- Well-Fed E-Pub Needs All Courses!
- How Can My Mentoring Service Serve You?
****************************************
The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is Rockin’! http://www.wellfedwriter.com/blog
We’re getting anywhere from 15+ to 50+ comments on each subject! Come join the fun!
*****************************************
The BODACIOUS Banquet – ISSUES 1-52 of the EPUB; Just $10.95!!
Every strategy, technique, tip, and success story from 5/02 to 8/06 in one KILLER easy-to-use 280-page ebook resource! http://wellfedwriter.com/thebodabanq.shtml.
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MISSED MY TELECLASS? “Thriving as a Freelance Commercial Writer”
38-PAGE e-Transcript! $12: www.wellfedwriter.com/jan07tstranscript.shtml.
*****************************************
NEW BLOG “THE WEALTHY FREELANCER” FEATURES THREE ALL-STARS!
Check it out at www.TheWealthyFreelancer.com!
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AWAI COPYWRITING (& OTHER) COURSES: Register Here, Get 2 Extra Bonuses!
Six-Figure Copywriting, Graphic Design, Internet Writing, Fundraising, Health Market and more! TWO Bonus CDS: http://www.wellfedwriter.com/awai.shtml.
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WELL-FED E-PUB Needs ALL COURSES!
“GREENS” (200-300 words), MAIN COURSES (400-500; query first), TIPS (150-200) and SUCCESS STORIES (200-300) to peter@wellfedwriter.com.
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HOW CAN MY MENTORING SERVICE SERVE YOU?
For details and testimonials, visit www.wellfedwriter.com/Mentoring.shtml.
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NEW Subscribe/Unsubscribe feature. To Subscribe (YAY!), Unsubscribe (boo!) and/or update your address for the E-PUB, visit: http://www.wellfedwriter.com/ezine.shtml.
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