Welcome to THE WELL-FED E-PUB!
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 "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 8,
ISSUE 11 – NOVEMBER 2009
Publishing
the first Tuesday of every month since May 2002
Read it
Online at: http://www.wellfedwriter.com/ezine/nov2009.html
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"THE
WELL-FED WRITER," 2009 EDITION – NOW AVAILABLE!
368-page
beauty includes heavily updated content of BOTH original "Well-Fed
Writer" titles. FR.EE e-Bonus & U.S. Shipping. http://www.wellfedwriter.com/ordertwfw.shtml.
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GROUP
COACHING LAUNCHED! JANUARY PROGRAM FILLING UP!
Inaugural
run of program (started yesterday, 11/2) filled 12 slots in 3 hours! Next
session starts January 5th (and I have 6+ on the waiting list from
last time, so donÕt wait!) Details and to register: http://www.wellfedwriter.com/groupcoaching.shtml.
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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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MY TWITTER
DEBUT! I finally bit the bullet and joined Twitter. Follow me at www.twitter.com/wellfedwriter
(donÕt expect 5 tweets a day; IÕm easing into this thing)
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Check out
The WELL-FED WRITER BLOG! http://www.wellfedwriter.com/blog
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I NEED YOUR
GREAT STORIES FOR THE EPUB! I'm seriously low on ALL courses and would love to
get your success stories, strategies, tips and features. See
"Coffee."
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THIS
MONTH'S MENU:
I.
APPETIZER: ARE YOU FOLLOWING UP ON PROSPECTS ENOUGH?
Cold
Calling Pro Shares Startling Stats on Follow-up and How Much It CAN Take
II.
"FIELD" GREENS: MANY PROSPECTS, FEW WRITERS?
New NV
FLCW Finds Database Shows 25 Times As Many Prospects As Writers!
III. MAIN COURSE: INSULTING PAY, BUT
MAGAZINES CAN OPEN DOORS
CA FLCWÕs
2nd Article Says: Use Article Writing as Means to a FLCWÕs Ends!
IV.
DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
FLCW Quotes
Project Rate (Not Hourly), Earns $250 an Hour (& More Work!)
TIP: Marcia
Yudkin Program on New FTC Rules Keep FLCWÕs Out of Hot Water
V. COFFEE,
MINTS AND TOOTHPICKS
- THE
WELL-FED E-PUB NEEDS ALL COURSES!
- GROUP
COACHING! Now Filling Slots for Its January Program!
- The
WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is Rockin'! http://www.wellfedwriter.com/blog
- 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?
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I.
APPETIZER: ARE YOU FOLLOWING UP ON PROSPECTS ENOUGH?
Cold
Calling Pro Shares Startling Stats on Follow-up and How Much It Takes
Got a MOST
interesting email from Wendy Weiss (ÒThe Queen of Cold CallingÓ; www.wendyweiss.com) that has some pretty direct
relevance to the prospecting efforts that we commercial freelancers undertake.
She wrote:
I recently
came across these statistics about how frequently sales professionals follow up
with their prospects. When I read this, I was shocked:
48% of
sales people never follow up with their prospects.
25% of
sales people make a second contact with their prospect and then they stop.
12% of
sales people make three contacts with their prospect and then they stop.
Only 10% of
sales people make more than three contacts with their prospects.
2% of sales
are made on the first contact with a prospect.
3% of sales
are made on the second contact with a prospect.
5% of sales
are made on the third contact with a prospect.
10% of
sales are made on the fourth contact with a prospect.
80% of
sales are made between the fifth and twelfth contact with a prospect.
PB: Now,
donÕt get freaked out by my comparison of us to salespeople (IÕm well aware of
all the baggage that goes along the term ÒsalespersonÓ). But, the same dynamics
DO apply to us. You have a service you charge for, and through your ongoing
marketing efforts, you identify those in the market for that service.
ThatÕs what
sales is – matching your skills with a clientÕs needs (and yes, often
helping clients see they HAVE those needs to begin with), NOT trying to
pressure someone into buying something they donÕt want. As such, yes, we are
salespeople.
If you
donÕt come from a sales background, you likely arenÕt plugged into the reality
of the above stats. More than likely, youÕll think, ÒHey, I called them once or
twice. No cheese down that tunnel!Ó And youÕd likely be wrong.
So, do you
follow up with those clients whoÕve said they have Òongoing or occasional needs
for writing helpÓ but no projects right now (as opposed to those who say they
simply arenÕt in the market for your service; let those go)? As methodically as
you should? Enough said. Food for thought. Speaking of food, letÕs eat!
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II.
"FIELD" GREENS: MANY PROSPECTS, FEW WRITERS?
New NV FLCW
Finds Database Shows 25 Times As Many Prospects As Writers!
Got this
most intriguing email from budding Las Vegas FLCW Zach Wyrick (zachwyrick@writewayinc.com, www.writewayinc.com). Look what he discovered when he
searched a pretty reputable database for prospects AND other writers. Enjoy!
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Hi Peter: I
am about to launch Write Way Inc., my very own commercial freelance writing
business – here in Las Vegas. The website is 99% done, IÕm furiously
compiling detailed marketing lists, and I already have one client I am
ghostwriting a nonfiction book for to the tune of ten grand!
I am using
Reference USA (available through your library) to research potential markets in
Nevada (NV), Arizona (AZ), Colorado (CO) and Washington (WA), and
unearthed some interesting raw numbers:
Graphic
Designers: NV: 154, AZ: 353, CO: 551, WA: 699
Writers (of
any type listed): NV: 10, AZ: 18, CO: 57, WA: 70
In fact,
the combined (very) raw total for Graphic Designers, Marketing Consultants, Web
Designers, Ad Agencies, and PR Firms in all four states is almost 5000!
With less than 200 writers (of any type) listed!
If I'm not
well-fed by Christmas, something is VERY wrong.
Thanks
Peter, for giving me a blueprint and an ongoing source of confidence. I
have studied lots of books and gotten some great advice or a couple of usable
tips, but your two books (and number three is on the way) have been nothing
short of my bible while starting this business. I hope to have a lot of
ÒfeastlyÓ stories to share in the near future.
PB: Not
exactly sure what it means. Maybe writers just donÕt advertise themselves as
much. But regardless, if you decide to interpret the data as meaning you have a
lot less competition than you may have imagined, well, that can only empower
you, no?
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III. MAIN COURSE: INSULTING PAY, BUT
MAGAZINES CAN OPEN DOORS
CA FLCWÕs 2nd Article Says: Use
Article Writing as Means to a FLCWÕs Ends
Last month, Mountain View, CA FLCW
Angus Stocking shared a great piece on creatively leveraging extensive industry
experience into a commercial writing career (archived at http://bit.ly/EEBvw). I was so impressed with
it, I asked Angus if heÕd write another. The result is below – a cool
take on writing for magazines (typically a financial dead end for folks like
us) as part of a FLCWÕs larger strategic marketing plan. Enjoy! More on Angus
at www.ColoradoWriting.com, and www.OtherBS.com.
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In my 40s, when I conceived the
desire to make a living playing with words, I knew from experience that writing
exclusively for magazines wasnÕt the way to do it—articles are a lot of
work, and the pay is usually insulting. And yet, writing for magazines was certainly
a big part of my eventual success and I recommend it to new commercial
freelancers as a means to an end. Here are some reasons you might consider
doing the same.
MEET CLIENTS: If youÕre a niche
writer, most of your prospective clients spend money advertising in one or more
trade journals you can probably get published in—just email the pub or
call them up; if you can write and have a few clips youÕll get assignments. And
when you do so, you have substantial credibility. ItÕs a lot easier to make cold
calls on clients when you can tell them you write for a magazine they advertise
in.
EARN WHILE YOU LEARN: IÕve never
made a lot doing magazine work, but getting paid to practice my new trade was a
good thing. And editors are usually smart people; you can learn all sorts of
things if you listen.
MAKE CONTACTS: IÕve been referred to
important clients by my editors, and some of the people IÕve interviewed have
become clients—including my very first corporate client, a firm I still
write for every year.
GET PAID TO MARKET: Currently, my
two largest clients came to me thanks to contacts I made at trade shows I was
PAID to attend: when covering trade shows, my expenses were always met, and I
was paid for the article I produced. Plus, youÕre press, which means you are
sometimes wined and dined, occasionally get great swag, and ALWAYS get the
attention of any marketing director or sales rep you care to engage. And if the
firm you have to chat up to write a proper article is also a firm that could
use your services, is that such a bad thing?
Once, while attending a press event
at San FranciscoÕs Palace Hotel, I found myself sipping a deductible teenaged
single malt beneath the giant Maxfield Parrish mural that backs the bar. While
sipping, I was interviewing a man who was both a source for my article and a
potential client. And it occurred to me—not for the first time—that
writing is a pretty great way to make a living.
BUILD AN EXPERT BANK: The people you
interview, by definition, are good at SOMETHING. And if you keep good records,
and maybe stay in touch, youÕll be able to turn to them for information and
quotes when working on other projects.
Recently, I learned a new trick: I
get the intervieweeÕs address, and send them a thank you card with a copy of a book
I self-published. ItÕs a good way to keep them in your network, and in addition
to expertise, they may also be a source of work and referrals.
Yes,
magazine writing is hard, underpaid work, but especially when starting out,
itÕs a good strategy to take on such work – and for reasons other than
direct compensation.
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IV.
DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
FLCW Quotes
Project Rate (Not Hourly), Earns $250 an Hour (& More Work!)
TIP: Marcia
Yudkin Program on New FTC Rules Keep FLCWÕs Out of Hot Water
Got this
wise look at quoting hourly vs. project rates from a West Coast FLCW who wants
to remain incognito (weÕll call him Joe), given the specifics shared here. He cuts
to the heart of whatÕs important to most clients – project cost, NOT
hourly rate. Hourly rates reinforce stereotypes of Òhourly workersÓ while
project rates foster the image of a true professional. Joe provides part-time
freelance copywriting services to microprocessor and semiconductor companies
around the world and has managed marketing and technical communications teams
at several household-name high-tech firms.
Following
that is a heads-up on a great teleseminar program from writing guru Marcia Yudkin
following her interview with an expert about the new FTC regulations.
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Hi Peter: I
interviewed with a marketing communication agency project manager to provide
technical marketing copy for an eight-page brochure. ÒWhatÕs your hourly rate?Ó
the project manager asked. I replied: ÒDo you want to know how long this
project will take, or how much itÕs going to cost?Ó The schedule and deadlines
were fixed, so the agency already knew how long the project would take. Their
priority was the cost.
My quote of
$2,000 was based on about 10 or so hours of effort that included copywriting
only and no research other than reading the project material the agency
supplied. I
provided two drafts and, in return, would receive 50% payment up front and 50%
upon delivery of the final draft.
The
background reading material included a detailed page-by-page outline for the
content, which made my job much easier. Along with the signed letter of intent
and completed requirements questionnaire was a check in the amount of $2,000.
Paid in full, up front. (PB: Act like a professional, and youÕll get treated
like one.)
The project
took a total of about eight hours for an hourly rate of $250. Compare that
figure with 9 or 10 hours at, say, $45 per hour, for $450, when youÕre selling
your time instead of your expertise. The agency received the final draft two
days before the contracted deadline for the deliverable.
Several
days later, the agency asked me to edit three single-page product data sheets.
Because my quote for the brochure averaged $250 a page for content development
and was apparently a number the agency could bear, I quoted the agency $600 for
editing all three data sheets ($100 per page times six pages).
Total time
editing the three product data sheets: five hours, which translated to $120 an
hour. I turned around that editing project in one evening. The next day, the
agency sent me two more product data sheets to edit from a different product
family. I completed the job in fifty-five minutes, which translated to an
hourly rate of, well, whoÕs counting?
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FTC
ALERT: Starting December 1st, the
U.S. Federal Trade Commission has new guidelines for disclosures of
considerations received by bloggers (including free merchandise) and new rules
regarding testimonials containing results. My colleague Marcia Yudkin
interviewed business attorney Jean Sifleet on what the new policies do and
don't require you to do - as a blogger, affiliate, marketer, business owner or
copywriter. Get informed: http://www.1automationwiz.com/app/?Clk=3342408.
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V. COFFEE,
MINTS AND TOOTHPICKS
- THE
WELL-FED E-PUB NEEDS ALL COURSES!
- GROUP
COACHING! Now Filling Slots for Its January Program!
- The
WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is Rockin'! http://www.wellfedwriter.com/blog
- 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.
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GROUP
COACHING! NOW FILLING SLOTS FOR JANUARY PROGRAM!
In the
early start-up stages of your commercial freelancing business? Looking for some
guidance, confidence and camaraderie? Not keen on paying $150 an hour for my
one-on-one variety? You could be a perfect candidate for Group Coaching!
The first
program (which started on 11/2/09) filled up all 12 slots in three hours. The
next series begins on 01/05/10 and runs for four straight Tuesdays. Since we
had more than six on the waiting list after the first program filled, this one
will fill up fast. For all the details and to register, visit: http://www.wellfedwriter.com/groupcoaching.shtml.
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The
WELL-FED WRITER BLOG is Rockin'! http://www.wellfedwriter.com/blog
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MISSED MY
TELECLASS? "Thriving as a Freelance Commercial Writer"
38-PAGE e-Transcript! $12: www.wellfedwriter.com/jan07tstranscript.shtml.
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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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HOW CAN MY
MENTORING SERVICE SERVE YOU?
For details
and testimonials, visit www.wellfedwriter.com/Mentoring.shtml.
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