Welcome to THE WELL-FED E-PUB!

The companion monthly ezine to the quadruple-award-winning how-to
guide, ÒThe Well-Fed Writer.Ó Serving up food for thought and tasty tips
for the prospering FLCW*. Come on in, sit anywhere and bring your appetite!

*FLCW, peppered throughout the ezine, stands for ÒFreelance Commercial
WriterÓ—anyone who freelances for businesses (vs. writing magazine
articles, short stories, poetry, etc.), typically earns $50-125+ an
hour, and is the sole focus of this e-newsletter.  

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VOLUME 13, ISSUE 7 – JULY 2014 - HAPPY "WELL-FED" INDEPENDENCE DAY!
Publishing the first Tuesday of every month since May 2002  
Read it online at HERE.

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2014 EDITION OF ÒTHE WELL-FED SELF-PUBLISHERÓ NOW AVAILABLE!
And itÕs a TRIPLE award-winner! Check out various book AND ebook
(multiple formats!) products/bundles HERE!

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PARTNER WITH DESIGNERS FOR A LOW-EFFORT FLOW OF WRITING JOBS!
I did it successfully for 18+ years. Details HERE.

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NEW 1-ON-1 COACHING PROGRAMS: SAMPLE/SITE REVIEW & ÒSIDECARÓ!
Low-cost peace of mind and guidance. Details HERE.
 
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WANT TO BUY ÒTHE WELL-FED WRITERÓ IN BULK (AND SAVE BIG)?
Buy for writerÕs group, class or workshop! Details HERE!

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Check out THE WELL-FED WRITER BLOG! Weigh in on ÒPut These
in Place, and YouÕll Grow Your Copywriting Business Faster, and with
Less StressÓ; ÒDo You Manage Your ÔTo-DoÕ List, or Does It Manage You?Ó;
ÒLiving This Crucial Sales/Marketing Principle Will Make You a Better
CopywriterÓ; & More!

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THIS MONTH'S MENU:

I. APPETIZER: ARE YOU LIKE DELTA OR SOUTHWEST?
Hi-Profile Audacity Argues for Under-Promising and Over-Delivering

II.
ÒFIELDÓ GREENS: SMALL, HALTING FIRST STEPS LEAD TO SUCCESS
VA FLCWÕs First-Gig Story Shows Importance of Just Starting!

III. MAIN ÒMEATÓ COURSE: DO YOU ÒVETÓ YOUR CLIENTS? (PART 1 of 2)
WA Designer: To Keep Stress Low, Remember ÒVettingÓ IsnÕt a One-Way Street

IV. DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
FLCW Deflects ClientÕs Call to Reduce Rate, While Highlighting Her Expertise
TIP: Canadian FLCW Shows How to Get More Value/$ from Finished Projects!

  V. COFFEE, MINTS AND TOOTHPICKS
- MORE WORK WITH LESS EFFORT? Ebook Serves Up the ÒHow-ToÓ!  
- GOT ANY SUCCESS STORIES YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? Email ME.
- THE WELL-FED E-PUB NEEDS ALL COURSES!
- The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is RockinÕ!
- AWAI Copywriting (& Other) Courses: Register Here, Get Bonus CD!
- How Can My Mentoring Service Serve You?

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I. APPETIZER: ARE YOU LIKE DELTA OR SOUTHWEST?
Hi-Profile Audacity Argues for Under-Promising and Over-Delivering

Came across an interesting article recently about Delta (our hometown
airline here in Atlanta) applying for a trademark for the slogan, "The
most trusted airline in the world." Point of the article being that
this self-bestowed accolade is based on little more than wishful
thinking on Delta's part.

Here in Atlanta (and plenty of other places, no doubt), Delta isn't
exactly on too many peopleÕs Christmas-card lists. In the wake of the
recent overhaul of their frequent flyer program, most customers are
far worse off than before. Add to that their claims that it'll take
fewer miles to get places (outright delusion), and this new slogan
flap is naturally being met with plenty of hoots and howls.

Meanwhile, as the article points out, Southwest Airlines claims no
superlatives, and yet, enjoys the highest level of customer
satisfaction and loyalty in the industry. Coincidence? Unlikely.

I've always been big on under-promising and over-delivering in my
copywriting practice. Given my years in sales and marketing prior to
starting my copywriting career 20 years ago, I could certainly claim
to be a marketing consultant as well as a copywriter.

Instead, I choose to bill myself as simply a "copywriter," and once in
the door, as I'm able to share my marketing chops along the way, my
happy clients will see that as an unexpected bonus—a "value-add." And
those are good things. SoÉ

Figure out what your main offering is, and put that on your shingle.
Not only will it make your specific value proposition much easier to
convey and explain, but, you won't be unnecessarily setting the bar
too high. AND you open the door to a higher level of client
satisfaction. Seems logical to me. On that happy note, let's eat!

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II. ÒFIELDÓ GREENS: SMALL, HALTING FIRST STEPS LEAD TO SUCCESS
VA FLCWÕs First-Gig Story Shows Importance of Just Starting!

I love Òfirst-gigÓ stories, like this one from Charlottesville, VA (home of
my alma mater) FLCW Kristine Terrell. Especially when they fast-forward to
the present, and the business has blossomed. Kristine reminds us that
you have to start somewhere with something, even if itÕs not very
polished or eloquent!  

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The kids were back in school and I had just finished a summerÕs worth
of reading about copywriting. Time to start my freelance writing business.
I created a website and ordered business cards. Now, the calls...

How was I going to convince people I could write, when IÕd never
written anything before? Honestly, I think I needed to prove it to
myself more than anything. To get my feet wet, I offered a discount to
local non-profits. It was great to work with people who needed and
appreciated my writing. It gave me confidence to take another step.

I was ready to be paid well, but still uneasy about making calls, so I
decided instead to email potential clients. During my prospect search,
I found a website that was so awful my heart started racing. I
thought, I can help them!

I immediately sent an email, and later that night, got a call back. I
donÕt remember my sales pitch, but when the prospect paused after
hearing my rate, I so eloquently uttered, ÒWell, I just know that I
can do it better.Ó It wasnÕt beautiful, but I got the project anyway.

Three years later, I still work for the same guy. IÕve written over ten
trade websites for him, learning his business (and how to write) along
the way. My humble beginning as a professional writer wasnÕt
glamorous or brilliant—just a series of small steps in the right direction.

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III. MAIN ÒMEATÓ COURSE: DO YOU ÒVETÓ YOUR CLIENTS? (PART 1 of 2)
WA Designer: To Keep Stress Low, Remember ÒVettingÓ IsnÕt a One-Way Street

Great dead-on advice from Mike Klassen from Ferndale, WA. Though now a
designer (formerly a copywriter), given the similarity of both fields, his thoughts
are always applicable to our world.

Love this first part of a two-parter on a subject writers almost never
talk about: the need to ÒvetÓ your clients, just as they vet you.
ItÕll no doubt make many who read it uncomfortable, but at its heart
is a sentiment dear to my heart: Respect Yourself. They may be paying
us, but itÕs still a two-way street! Thanks, Mike!

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An ideal first-time client is one that contacts you and is prepared to
hire you on the spot. They may have heard good things about you from
another client. Or youÕve impressed the socks off them with your
website and samples.

A more realistic scenario is that the potential client is going to ask
a lot of questions to determine if youÕre the right fit: how you do
business, how much you charge, whether you have samples or
testimonials they can look at, and many others.

As freelancers, we expect that and weÕre usually prepared with answers
to the most common questions. Likewise, youÕre going to ask a lot of
questions about the project being offered. And, like you, they expect
those questions. ButÉ

Beyond the questions about the project, what are you asking to find
out about this potential new client? Would you be brave enough to ask
the client for testimonials from other freelancers or customers to see
what theyÕre like to work with? Would you ask to talk to other
freelancers theyÕve hired to find out if the client pays on time?

To put it more bluntly, how does the client prove to you theyÕre worth
your time?


Unfortunately, too many freelancers say, ÒIf they pay my rate and pay
on time, thatÕs good enough for me.Ó

Well, sometimes, Ògood enoughÓ isnÕt. IÕve talked to a number of
freelancers, many in the midst of hellish projects, who realized that
money will make up for only so many difficulties. One common element
to these stories is that they had a gut feeling they shouldnÕt have
taken the job in the first place.

Perhaps, if they had taken the time to explore the red flags they were
sensing, they could have saved themselves a lot of grief.

Those difficulties include clients who are so indecisive it takes
forever to get something approved. That becomes a problem when youÕve
scheduled other projects, yet one client is causing a ripple effect
with those other projects. Or, the clientÕs billing person, who cut
your deposit check faster than the speed of light, doesnÕt seem to be
around much when youÕre billing the balance at the end of the project.

Granted, itÕs impossible to uncover every issue that might tip you off
to a difficult client. And to be fair, the client is in the same boat
when heÕs considering you: he has to make his best judgment.

But I think clients do a much better job of quizzing us than the
reverse. Why is that?

My theory is FEAR. We fear doing anything outside whatÕs considered
normal because we might lose the project. And putting the client on
the spot isnÕt normal. The result is that we often allow the client to
give us the Òthird degreeÓ so theyÕre satisfied with their choice of
freelancer, but we go in trying not to rock the boat to ensure they
hire us over someone else.

Now IÕm not suggesting you put the client under intense lights like
those classic police shows on TV. And I really donÕt expect anyone to
ask for references to prove a client pays on time. But I do think we
can do a better job of finding out more about the client, not just
about the client project.

Next month, weÕll look at some specific questions you might ask, and
how to present those questions.

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IV. DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
FLCW Deflects ClientÕs Call to Reduce Rate, While Highlighting Her Expertise
TIP: Canadian FLCW Shows How to Get More Value/$ from Finished Projects!

Got this smooth piece of straight talk from an anonymous FLCW (youÕll
understand why) about standing firm on rates in the face of a balking client.
Following that is a great tip from Niagara, Canada FLCW Lou Anne Reddon
(a.k.a. LA) about ways to build on projects you do for clients.  

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Peter: A snippet of selling/negotiating language, showcased via an
email conversation with a client IÕve done a lot of work for and who
ALWAYS says my number is too high. She is a high-end creative services
practitioner who charges a ton for HER service. So, itÕs a game at
this point.

In response to my quote of $1,000 to write her website, she wrote:
ÒQuite a bit higher than I expected. I donÕt think there is any need
for you to review competitive marketing. Any way you can reduce your
time/costs?Ó My reply:

ÒI know that website writing can look simple, especially when itÕs a
small site. But what IÕve found from working on so many sites is that,
to do them right takes more time than one might imagine. And with all
due respect, itÕs crucially important to see how competitors are
positioning themselves, so that you can stake out a piece of
promotional real estate that no one else claimed. ThatÕs how you can
earn an edge in the marketplace. Put it all together, and that why the
pricing is at $1,000. I will NOT be offended if you choose to hire
someone else for this project! I appreciate being invited to bid on it.Ó


The point about reviewing the competition made it abundantly clear (in
a nice way) that I knew what I was doing and she didnÕt (smile).

PB: Got this update from the writer when I asked if sheÕd gotten the
deal: ÒI did not do that website, but I did do other work for her. She
was a pain in the neck. Took everything I wrote and ÔtweakedÕ it
(i.e., ruined it with gobbledygook). But, because I had a personal
connection to her (was invited to family events), it made the pricing
issue ever more difficult.Ó

Be careful with friends. It can make pricing trickier, so get clear on
boundaries.

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Imagine youÕve just written a brochure, speech or PowerPoint for a
dentist, chiropractor or life coach. For an extra fee, offer to
convert it into an info product (ebook/CD/DVD), that your client can
use as an opt-in incentive to build an email list, a revenue-generator,
impressive giveaway or as a means of packaging/promoting expertise.
You could even market your own services this way!

ItÕs never been easier or more affordable. Check out these low-cost
resources. Think how such add-on services would provide greater value
to your clients, while increasing your revenue.

EbookIt: Converts manuscripts into ebooks in all current formats.Optional
distribution to 98% of online retailers. Audio book conversion now available.

Killer Covers: The right title and cover design are essential. Mini-sites for
promoting info products built here, too. (You write the sales copy, of course!).

Kunaki: Fully automated. Converts digital files into professionally packaged
CDs/DVDs. No quantity limits. Kunaki also drop-ships.

PB: Speaking of CD/DVD suppliers, I used EasyDisc recently to burn 200 CDÕs
of my self-publishing tool kit (3 PDFÕs on a CD). They did a GREAT job.
Total cost for burning, color printing on CD face (I supplied artwork), packed
individually in paper sleeves, AND shipping: $192. ThatÕs .96 each!

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V. COFFEE, MINTS AND TOOTHPICKS
- MORE WORK WITH LESS EFFORT? Ebook Serves Up the ÒHow-ToÓ!  
- GOT ANY SUCCESS STORIES YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE? Email ME.
- THE WELL-FED E-PUB NEEDS ALL COURSES!
- The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is RockinÕ!
- AWAI Copywriting (& Other) Courses: Register Here, Get Bonus CD!
- How Can My Mentoring Service Serve You?

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MORE WORK WITH LESS EFFORT? New Ebook Serves Up the ÒHow-ToÓ!
ThatÕs not hype. ItÕs how my business has worked for the better part
of 18 years, thanks to some juicy partnerships with graphic designers.
The result? 1-2 jobs virtually every month with little or no effort on
my part. And I put all the how-to details down on paper. Check it out HERE.
 
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GOT ANY SUCCESS STORIES YOUÕD LIKE TO SHARE?
While my call for submissions netted a TON of stuff a few months back,
IÕm still a bit lean on success stories. Whether starting out or
experienced, if you recently had a noteworthy success (i.e., landed a
new client—perhaps in an unusual way—a new gig, new work from an old
client, or anything else that has a good lesson for your fellow
FLCWÕs), send it on to me HERE.
100-300 words is great.     

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IÕM SERIOUSLY LOW ON ALL WELL-FED E-PUB COURSES!
Got a great strategy, approach or specific expertise youÕre willing to
share? Turn it into a Feature (MAIN COURSE) for the EPUB (500-600
words; query first). ALSO, send your ÒGREENSÓ (200-400 words), TIPS
(100-200) and SUCCESS STORIES (150-300) to ME. Archived issues HERE.  

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The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is RockinÕ!

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AWAI COPYWRITING (& OTHER) COURSES: Register Here, Get Your Choice of
Bonus CD Program! Six-Figure Copywriting, Graphic Design, Internet
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For details and testimonials, click HERE.

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