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.
*****************************************
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3 – MARCH 2009
Publishing the first Tuesday of every month since May 2002
Read it Online at: http://www.wellfedwriter.com/ezine/march2009.html
*****************************************
“THE WELL-FED WRITER,” 2009 EDITION – COMING IN JUNE!
Details in Greens and at: www.wellfedwriter.com/twfwnew.shtml
I’M RUNNING OUT OF BOTH WFW TITLES, SO GET THEM NOW!
AND I have FIVE newly-discovered “Well-Fed Spreads” (both WFW titles, SIGNED and slipcased, 2 bonuses, F.R.E.E. shipping). Details in Greens section below!
*****************************************
BOTH “WELL-FED WRITER” TITLES RANK #1 & #2 ON TOP BLOG’S TOP 100!
InkThinker Puts WFW Titles at Top of “Top 100 Books for Freelance Writers”! Details in Greens & at http://inkthinkerblog.com/2009/02/09/top-100-books-for-freelance-writers
*****************************************
ONE SALES LETTER, 77 RECIPIENTS, $80K IN NEW COPYWRITING BUSINESS??
All the details: http://savagemarketing.com/64000/cmd.php?af=761186.
***************************************
I NEED YOUR GREAT STORIES FOR THE EPUB! I’m seriously low on ALL courses and would love to get your features, success stories and tips. Details in Coffee.
*****************************************
MISSED MY TELECLASS? “Thriving as a Freelance Commercial Writer”
38-PAGE instant download just $12! www.wellfedwriter.com/jan07tstranscript.shtml.
****************************************
THIS MONTH’S MENU:
I. APPETIZER: ARE NOT-FOR-PROFITS READY TO LISTEN TO US?
NY Times Article Highlights Paradigm Shift in NFP Arena (Bodes Well for FLCW’s!)
II. CRISP “FIELD” GREENS: 2009 EDITION OF TWFW COMING IN JUNE!
Plus BOTH Original WFW Titles Snag Top Spots on InkThinker Blog’s Top 100 List!
III. MAIN COURSE: CASEY HIBBARD SAYS, “STOP TELLING THE SAME STORY!”
Case-Study Maven Offers Up Primer on Subject (& Three Copies of Her New Book!)
IV. DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
Yours Truly Is Officially Sitting Out the Recession as Work Piles Up!
TIP: Firefox Add-on Provides Instant Word Count of Any Selected Copy!
V. COFFEE, MINTS AND TOOTHPICKS
- THE WELL-FED E-PUB NEEDS ALL COURSES!
- 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!
- AWAI Copywriting (& Other) Courses: Register Here, Get 2 Bonuses (no charge!)
- How Can My Mentoring Service Serve You?
****************************************
****************************************
I. APPETIZER: ARE NOT-FOR-PROFITS READY TO LISTEN TO US?
NY Times Article Highlights Paradigm Shift in NFP Arena (Bodes Well for FLCW’s!)
Came across a most interesting article a few months back by NY Times journalist Nicholas Kristof called, “The Sin in Doing Good Deeds.” Check it out at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/25/opinion/25kristof.html?_r=1.
The piece starts out as follows, “Here’s a question for the holiday season: If a businessman rakes in a hefty profit while doing good works, is that charity or greed? Do we applaud or hiss?” He goes on to offer a review and commentary about a new book entitled, “Uncharitable” written by for-profit super-fundraiser-creator Dan Pallotta. The author was essentially a hired gun who created events that raised over $300 million over nine years for unrestricted use by charities – a stratospheric sum in that world.
Well, seems Dan’s just a tiny bit P.O.’d (okay, VERY P.O.’d) at folks who demonize people like him who help create charitable events that raise millions of dollars AND are well compensated for their efforts. As opposed, presumably, to creating similarly successful events in return for the glow of accomplishment and a bowl of thin gruel.
As he sees it – and I wholeheartedly agree – the business skills and acumen needed to create such wildly financial successful events are worth paying for, and while those without them might work for less, their results will pale by comparison. Apparently, a lot of folks agree with him and change is afoot.
Which brings me to the part of the article that had me say, okay, my peeps need to hear this: “[T]here’s a broad recognition in much of the aid community that a major rethink is necessary, that groups would be more effective if they borrowed more tools from the business world, and that there is too much ‘gotcha’ scrutiny on overhead rather than on what they actually accomplish. It’s notable that leaders of Oxfam and Save the Children have publicly endorsed the book, and it’s certainly becoming more socially acceptable to note that businesses can also play a powerful role in fighting poverty.”
Sounds like something that bodes well for folks like us who can bring new marketing ideas and savvy – often in short supply in not-for-profit (NFP) circles – to the table. I mean, look at an NFP’s options: invest their ‘good intentions,’ earn little return and make little difference. OR invest more in for-profit resources (like us), earn exponentially more, and make far more of a difference. I’m guessing they’d quickly get past their poverty-is-nobility trip. Just one man’s opinion. Let’s eat!
****************************************
****************************************
II. CRISP “FIELD” GREENS: 2009 EDITION OF TWFW COMING IN JUNE!
Plus BOTH Original WFW Titles Snag Top Spots on InkThinker Blog’s Top 100 List!
Yes, The Book is finally done, and should be out in late June. What’s in it? Well, I’ve combined and heavily updated the content of BOTH Well-Fed Writer titles into ONE HEAVILY UPDATED book. For more details, table of contents and sample chapter, visit www.wellfedwriter.com/twfwnew.shtml.
I’M RUNNING OUT OF BOOKS, & NEW BOOK WON’T BE TILL LATE JUNE!
I’m about out of both WFW titles. If you want to get your hands on one of these award-winners, do it NOW (or wait till late June!) at http://www.wellfedwriter.com/books.shtml.
I DO HAVE A FEW SLIPCASED SETS!
I stopped selling “The Well-Fed Spread” (both WFW titles, slipcased) way back when I ran out of slipcases. Well, I discovered my shipping company still has FIVE sets – all SIGNED! Order a Spread at http://www.wellfedwriter.com/wfspread.shtml (includes TWO bonuses and shipping). The site won’t note the slipcase, but if you’re one of the first five, you’ll get it. Want to confirm availability? peter@wellfedwriter.com.
****************************************
TOP BLOG AWARDS TWFW TITLES TOP SPOTS ON “TOP 100 BOOKS” LIST!
Good friend, Kristen King, editor of the great www.InkThinkerBlog.com (one of Michael Stelzner's Top 10 Blogs for Writers in 2006, and one of Bootstrappers Top 100 Freelancer Blogs), and fabulous writer in her own right, compiled the “Top 100 Books for Freelance Writers” and my two original “Well-Fed Writer” titles are the top! How cool is that? Full list: http://inkthinkerblog.com/2009/02/09/top-100-books-for-freelance-writers.
****************************************
****************************************
III. MAIN COURSE: CASEY HIBBARD SAYS, “STOP TELLING THE SAME STORY!”
Case-Study Maven Offers Up Primer on Subject (& 3 Copies of Her New Book!)
Good friend and case-study pro Casey Hibbard has written more than 450 customer stories, and is the author of the new title, “Stories That Sell: Turn Satisfied Customers into Your Most Powerful Sales & Marketing Asset” (www.storiesthatsellguide.com). AND she’s offered up three free copies of her book to the first respondents to peter@wellfedwriter.com (sincere apologies, but only winners will get a reply!).
Check out her no-cost e-report, “The 10 Biggest Mistakes Case Study Writers Make” and her blog, “Stories That Sell,” both at
http://www.compelling-cases.com/resources.html.
STOP TELLING THE SAME STORY!
Customer case studies are simply one of the most powerful sales tools a company can use. It’s the marriage of the credibility-building customer’s endorsement with a compelling storytelling format. Yet, have you ever read several of a company’s case studies and find they all sound pretty much the same – with just new names inserted?
Many of the customer success stories and case studies I see out there just don’t live up to their potential. Too many are written with this cookie-cutter, and dare I say, lazy, approach. Stories like this lack real sales and PR potential:
NO TARGETING: They don’t target multiple sales audiences. Most companies have different types of prospects they’re pursuing (various industries, sizes, challenges faced). Every customer story should be designed with a specific type of prospect in mind. The end goal: a sales rep should be able to pull a story out of her back pocket that matches the profile of the prospect she’s talking with.
THEY DON’T DO JUSTICE TO FEATURED CUSTOMERS: One of the selling points to featured customers is the exposure they get. Don’t miss this chance to truly showcase the customer’s unique business, needs and results.
YOUR STORIES BORE THE MEDIA: The media is always looking for interesting stories to bring to their audiences. Ideally, every story you produce should have its own unique PR value, so each has to be different!
READERS MOVE ON: If every case study sounds the same, why should prospects read more than one? You want prospects to read multiple stories to gain a solid picture of what the product or service can do for them and expected results.
The solution? MAKE EVERY SINGLE STORY ITS OWN.
As an FLCW specializing in case studies, this is what excites me about case studies. With each new one, I look for those angles that set a story apart from all the others I’ve done, and at the same time, accomplish my client’s goals.
Sometimes it’s tough. It requires truly thinking about every story. But in the end, it’s what keeps it interesting for me as a writer, and ultimately for readers.
Here are the steps I take to stop telling the same story:
CAPTURE THE CUSTOMER’S PERSONALITY: Just like people, customer organizations have personalities all their own. Each one is unique. Read over the customer’s web site, looking at recent press releases and media coverage. Understand where the customer is at and what it’s going through. Is the customer growing, facing new market challenges or demands, etc.?
GET SPECIFIC IN THE INTERVIEW: When you’ve got the customer’s time, find out about its specific goals and challenges. Where is the customer right now and what does the customer need to get to the next step? What are some of the pains the customer is experiencing? Then understand how the customer uniquely experiences the products or services, and the specific results that customer has seen.
LOOK FOR YOUR ANGLE: With knowledge of what your client wants to accomplish and the customer’s specific situation, choose a unique angle for the case study.
CREATE AN ENGAGING STORY: Pull out your storytelling skills and get busy. And have fun. The featured customer and your sales will certainly benefit from it.
****************************************
****************************************
IV. DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
Yours Truly Is Officially Sitting Out the Recession as Work Piles Up!
TIP: Firefox Add-on Provides Instant Word Count of Any Selected Copy!
Okay, not trying to rub it in, but I’ve had a few good weeks, so I thought I’d share what’s possible in the midst of a recession. In the 2/23/09 blog post: “Is There Such a Thing as a Recession-Proof Client or Industry?” (www.wellfedwriter.com/blog; go check out the commentary; some VERY cool ideas for recession-proof businesses to approach) I spoke about bidding on a pile of work for one of my clients who’s in a relatively recession-proof industry. She’s been gradually opening up more and more of her business to me as she’s seen what I can do. Turned in the bid, she said she was fine with it, and it’ll get underway in a few weeks: roughly $16K worth of work.
Then just last week, got a call out of the blue from a big apartment property developer five states away who’d Googled “copywriter” and “real estate” and, voila, my portfolio shows up. They’d been using another copywriter who simply wasn’t getting it. After having to rewrite all his stuff – project after project – they’d had it. I did three small pieces for them as a trial, they flipped, and now they can’t wait to get me going on a pile of stuff. Underscores how important writing is to a company, and that when they find a writer who gets their business without a lot of handholding, they stop looking and are thrilled to start writing checks.
****************************************
Great tool for Firefox users: Word Count Plus 1.2.3. – Ever need to do a quick word count of one section of a document? Sure, you can do a word count of a whole document by going into the document properties, but just a chunk? With this nifty Firefox add-on, you select a section click and you get an instant word count. And its f.r.e.e.! Check it out at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4718.
****************************************
****************************************
V. COFFEE, MINTS AND TOOTHPICKS
- THE WELL-FED E-PUB NEEDS ALL COURSES!
- 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!
- AWAI Copywriting (& Other) Courses: Register Here, Get 2 Bonuses (no charge!)
- How Can My Mentoring Service Serve You?
****************************************
I’M SERIOUSLY LOW ON ALL WELL-FED E-PUB COURSES!
Got a great strategy, approach or specific expertise you’re willing to share? Turn it into a Feature (MAIN COURSE) for the EPUB (400-500 words; query first). ALSO, send your “GREENS” (200-300 words), TIPS (150-200) and SUCCESS STORIES (200-300) to peter@wellfedwriter.com. Archived issues at http://www.wellfedwriter.com/ezine.shtml.
*****************************************
The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is Rockin’! http://www.wellfedwriter.com/blog
Weigh in on “Is There Such a Thing as a Recession-Proof Client or Industry?”, “THIS Is What Clients Want. Are You Delivering It?” (15+ comments), and others! 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.
*****************************************
MISSED MY TELECLASS? “Thriving as a Freelance Commercial Writer”
38-PAGE e-Transcript! $12: www.wellfedwriter.com/jan07tstranscript.shtml.
*****************************************
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.
*****************************************
HOW CAN MY MENTORING SERVICE SERVE YOU?
For details and testimonials, visit www.wellfedwriter.com/Mentoring.shtml.
*****************************************
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.
****************************************