Notes from Minnesota Hey Freelancer, Goodness! This year's sliding by fast. It's amazing to think September will soon be here as well as the final quarter of '10. Yikes! Before you jump into the holiday season, take a moment to take stock of your writing career. How are the resolutions turning out? Are your goals where you'd like them to be? How many times have you been published? Are you a dreamer or a do-er? Tough questions. But I guess my job isn't to become the post popular zine owner in the world, my job is to get you off your haunches and get you on the road to where you want to go. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy today's issue of Writing Etc. Quick note: my three books PLUS 5 CD packages are moving out the door. Once I'm out of books, I won't offer this incredible package anymore. Be sure to check it out, especially if you're the kind of person who's tired of dreaming and ready to hit the road running. Enjoy! Beth P.S. Be sure to check out our best sellers. Here's the link P.P.S. Share Writing Etc. with your freelance friends by clicking here. Beth's Hot Pick of the Week Advice to Freelance Writers: Insider Secrets to Effective Shoestring Marketing, Managing a Winning Mindset, and Thriving in Any Economy, Volumes 1 - 3 is my final tribute to the freelancing community. Because I knew I wouldn't write any more books aimed at writers, I spilled all my secrets, every trick, held nothing back and created a comprehensive 3 volume set covering:
In Volume 3, I dig especially deep into marketing, revealing specific techniques, their pros and cons, and revealing which ones worked best for me, as well as which ones tanked. Finally, because your a Writing Etc. subscriber, I'm
tossing in five audio CDs including: Each book retails for $12.95 ($38.85 total for the three volumes). Each CD retails for $9.95 (49.75 total for 5 CDs). You'll get the whole sh'bang for $29.95. But, the 5 CD set is going the way of the dinosaur soon. Just an FYI. If you want this special set, be sure to order today.
Make Your Writing Sparkle Summer's here! This feature will be back when the weather turns cold. Until then, I'm hitting the bike trails! Prompts for the Week Yup. Still on the trails. Seriously. I really am. You won't BELIEVE what's up my sleeve this time. Feature Article How to Land Commercial/Copywriting Clients Landing commerical/copywriting assignments is quite different from writing articles, stories, or books. When you write for publication you usually write a query, wait for a response, endure rejection, then move on to your next targeted publication. When you work for businesses, you usually contact them, find out what they need, give it to them, make a revision or two, and then get paid - some times a lot of money. You know the basics of good copywriting and if you keep studying this fascinating branch of writing you could wind up making an excellent living. But with what you already know from this book, you’re certainly ready to start attracting local business clients. Here are six tips I used to draw clients towards my copywriting business: First… you’re a letter writer. Pull everything you’ve learned from this book and draft a killer letter promoting your writing services. I’ve written a “generic” letter that I customize for each business I contact. Coming from a small community, I don’t have many large corporations or mail order companies nearby. In other words I can’t afford to send them anything but my best work. If I make a bad impression, word spreads fast and I’m out of business. So I do my homework. I study their past mailings and ads and shoot off my generic letter filling in the paragraphs that deal with their specific needs without offending them - after all, the person you contact may very well have written those letters you studied. Second, never tell anyone your phone number. GIVE it to them. Print up a bunch of business cards and whenever anyone asks for your phone number, give them your card instead. For example, when I took our dog to the vet for a minor surgery, the receptionist asked for my phone number so she could call me when they finished. I handed her my business card. Voila. Another contact. From what she tells me, I just may get some work from them. Third, build your portfolio by working for friends and relatives - then ask them to refer their friends, relatives and customers. For example, my first business writing assignment came from a local upholstery shop who needed me to write a brochure for them. Ok… you got me. They were my parents. But the exposure I get every time my mother hands a brochure to one of her upscale clientele is worth gold. Sometimes she even distributes my business card when a customer wants to know who writes her promotional materials. Fourth, you can place a small display ad in your local newspaper. These ads are inexpensive and after a while are a virtual workhorse. However, if you decide to run an ad be prepared to run it for a prolonged period of time. Running a regular ad on a frequent basis establishes your credibility and gives your customers a sense that you’re a part of a stable company. Fifth, you can write a column for your local newspaper. Write for trade magazines. Get your name in front of your prospects. Writing articles is a quick way to get yourself established as an expert. The topics of your articles are limited only by your imagination and drive to succeed. Grab a current copy of the Writer’s Market and start looking for prospects. It won’t take long before you have a list as long as your arm…. Sixth, plant yourself directly in front of your community’s business leaders by preparing a short presentation and speaking at the local Chamber of Commerce meeting. While you’re at it, you can hit every civic club as well. Speak with authority, and before you know it, you’re viewed as an expert and the best source for their copywriting needs. Each of these methods are low-cost (some even are paying propositions) and can be an important part of an effective advertising plan. And as with all advertising, slow and easy wins the race. Become a stable fixture in your community - keep your advertising efforts at a stable level - and you’ll eventually have as much work as you’d like. If you don’t give up. Today’s assignment: Breeze through your yellow pages and target a couple businesses that look interesting to you. Write their names in your journal and decide how you’ll contact them. Then do it. ~~~ ~~~ P.S. You can use this article free of charge on your
own website or zine. Just don’t make any changes and be sure to include the entire byline. Enjoy! WRITERS FIND MARKETS EASILY - Worldwide Freelance has
a NEW fully-searchable Markets Database. Discover writing markets from North America, Europe, Australia and other
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