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 6 – JUNE 2008
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ONE SALES LETTER, 77 RECIPIENTS, $80K IN NEW COPYWRITING BUSINESS??
Get all the details at: http://savagemarketing.com/64000/cmd.php?af=761186.
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ATTN: DC/MD/VA! Catch Peter Bowerman, “The Well-Fed Writer” at the 29th Annual Washington Independent Writers Conference on 6/14/08. Details: www.washwriter.org.
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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: WHAT DO YOUR CLIENTS THINK THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH?
Brit FLCW’s Phone Call Policy Leaves No Doubt Who’s in Charge (& His Fees Prove It!)
II. CRISP “FIELD” GREENS: GOT “AGGRAVATION FEES”?
NY FLCW Shares How Spot “Problem Clients” & How to Make $ure They’re Worth It!
III. MAIN COURSE: FROM 3-4K/MONTH TO 3-4K/WEEK! (PART 1 OF 2)
Atlanta FLCW Hits 163K in First Year in Biz (After Working 2 Jobs for 2+ yrs)!
IV. DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
OH At-Home-Mom Evolves Out of a FT Job to FT Commercial Writing
TIP: GA FLCW Uses Invoices to Let Clients Know the Scope of Her Services!
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!
- 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: WHAT DO YOUR CLIENTS THINK THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH?
Brit FLCW’s Phone Call Policy Leaves No Doubt Who’s in Charge (& His Fees Prove It!)
In a recent blog post, I showcased Ireland-based Brit FLCW Jon McCulloch, who’s up to amazing stuff across The Pond (see 5/12/08 post at www.wellfedwriter.com/blog. And while you’re there, poke around; it’s quite the dialogue we’ve got going). When I asked him what clients get for a hefty $38K fee, he outlined the direct mail package components, then added, “plus all the advice they can eat, (e.g. ‘stop answering the bloody phone just because it rings!)’” Visit Jon’s site at www.jonmcculloch.com.
Of course, yours truly, after scratching his head a bit over that last line, wrote back: “Not trying to be dense here, but if the point of your work is to increase business, which could manifest in ringing phones, what do you mean by the last line?” Here’s his reply:
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Peter: It’s a positioning thing and a time-saving thing.
1) Answering the phone is a huge time-waster, whether it’s from existing clients, prospects, or my ex-wife. Even if the call is only a minute long, it disrupts your work (you go and make a cup of tea, stroke the cat, and before you know it, you’ve lost an hour). If everyone knows you’ll pick up the phone and spend YOUR time talking every time they have a brain fart, they’ll do it.
2) Make it known that you don’t answer the phone live except by appointment, and it makes you more attractive (after all, we humans want what we can’t have). It marks you as a very busy, in-demand professional, and therefore desirable, no? It marks you out from all the hopefuls and wannabes who’ll bend over both forwards and backwards to please a prospect. It’s important to set boundaries firmly and EARLY in the relationship.
If a prospect/client objected to not being able to call me every time he felt like it, I’d fire him on the spot. Because ultimately he’d end up thinking he owned my ass. You must NEVER allow a client to believe you need him more than he needs you (and even if you think that’s actually true, it’s a faulty perception on your part).
I’ve found that people don’t actually mind this setup (or those who do, don’t waste my time by contacting me, which is exactly how it’s MEANT to work). If you feel you MUST have your phone answered live, get an assistant or a virtual thingy.
PB: Not all will be comfortable with this approach, but there’s a lot of wisdom in it. This is drawing your line in the sand. Jon understands human nature and isn’t the teeniest bit afraid to let people know he’s a force to be reckoned with – both in what he can do for them and HOW he does business. On that self-respect-pumping note, let’s eat!
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II. CRISP “FIELD” GREENS: GOT “AGGRAVATION FEES”?
NY FLCW Shares How Spot Problem Clients & How to Make $ure They’re Worth It!
In a recent email exchange with Rye, NY FLCW Devon Ellington (www.fearlessink.com, (devon@devonellingtonwork.com), she made the following comment: “I’ve become a huge believer in “aggravation fees” – adding a premium to a job if I’m getting red flags that this client is going to be a problem child.” I asked her to elaborate.
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Peter: What I call “Aggravation Fees” are usually just part of how I arrive at a quote. Often, in one’s initial talks with a client, you know that what they’re asking for is going to take much more time and effort than they claim (red flags: “this is a short, easy project; shouldn’t take much time” or “I’d do it myself if I had the time.”).
In addition, you can sometimes tell when clients have no clear of idea of what they want, that they’re going to constantly change course during the project, and then argue that it’s not a change of direction, it’s your work that’s at fault. If I decide to take the client on anyway, I figure the “aggravation fee” into the quote: how much is it worth it to me to work for this person, still being fair to the client, but also a high enough number so I won’t resent the project?
I also budget in an “aggravation fee” if it looks like the work is being vetted by committee instead of a single point person. I always ask (and often add in the contract) that I report to a single point person, but that’s not always the reality. And the reality is, the more people who have a say in the process and product, the more diluted it gets, the more changes of direction comes up, and the more it ends up costing the client.
If the client has a clear idea of what’s wanted and tries to pick the best writer suited to that particular job, regardless of the fee, usually the client winds up saving money in the long run. But for those who think anyone off the street can write excellent copy, and who refuse to follow basic rules of business courtesy, the aggravation fee is the only way to make it semi-palatable.
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III. MAIN COURSE: FROM 3-4K/MONTH TO 3-4K/WEEK! (PART 1 OF 2)
Atlanta FLCW Hits 163K in First Year in Biz (After Working 2 Jobs for 2+ yrs)!
Ed Gandia (ed@edgandia.com, www.edgandia.com) is a fellow Atlanta freelancer I caught up with at a recent meeting of The Freelance Forum, a local creative networking group (www.freelanceforum.org). I’d heard good things about him, but when he shared his success story with me, I was blown away. He kept his FT job WHILE building his FLCW business into a full-time income.
He’s been incredibly successful and not because he’s a slick salesman. He’s a nice, down-to-earth guy who works smart, but also still works his butt off. Well, it’s paid off, Big Time. I asked him to share his story. Here’s Part 1, and Part 2’s next month. And check out the link for a (no-charge) report at the end.
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SIX FIGURES: MYTH OR REALITY?
“Can you really earn $100,000 or more a year as a freelance writer?”
That’s the question I continually asked myself 4 years ago. And for good reason. I had just decided to launch a part-time copywriting business, which I eventually wanted to grow into a profitable full-time venture.
I had a young family. My wife was staying home with our 2-year-old son. And I had a full-time six-figure sales job with benefits. Trouble is, I was struggling to land work as a moonlighting freelancer. After 6 months of prospecting, I hadn’t made a dime! I was beginning to wonder if this business was real – if companies were actually willing to hire freelance writers and pay them well.
Frankly, I was ready to give up. But then everything changed. I landed a paid project. Shortly after that I landed another, then a third one. And before I knew it, I was earning $3,000 to $4,000 a month as a part-time freelance copywriter while I kept the safety of my full-time job.
Twenty-seven months after launching my part-time business, I turned in my resignation at work and became a full-time freelancer.
And in my first full year as a full-timer, I grossed $163,481.
Recently, I went back to my notes. I was curious: What did I do right? What did I do wrong? And what would I tell a freelance copywriter who’s looking to dramatically increase his or her earnings?
As I read my notes and thought about the last few years, 4 key factors stood out as being critical to my success. They’re not the only reasons for my current income level. But over and over again, these factors came up as I analyzed my key wins:
#1: DRAFT AN ACTION PLAN. Call me boring, but I would never dream of taking a road trip without first charting out a route. I’m not a college kid anymore. It’s no different if your goal is to become a profitable freelancer. When I look back at the reasons for my success, I realize that taking the time to put a plan together was the defining moment of my freelance career.
My action plan included target dates for accomplishing the following:
· Landing that first paid project
· Generating a comfortable and stable part-time income ($4,000/mo.)
· Increasing the steadiness and size of my monthly business
· Securing an acceptable number of clients (3 – 4)
· Reaching an adequate balance in my savings account (1 year of expenses)
· Securing an independent health insurance policy for my family
· Resigning from my full-time job
With those big milestones in place, I then broke them down into individual goals, which I broke down further into monthly and weekly tasks. Bottom line: You can’t just “wish” yourself to success. You have to plan your journey.
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PB NOTE: Ed publishes the biweekly newsletter “The Profitable Freelancer.” If you want to score a complimentary copy of his report, “7 Steps to Landing More (and Better-Paying!) Freelance Projects,” (which will explain all the above in more detail), visit www.TheProfitableFreelancer.com. Next month, Ed will share his three other key factors in his success. Stay tuned.
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IV. DESSERT: Sweet Success Stories and Tips
OH At-Home-Mom Evolves Out of a FT Job to FT Commercial Writing
TIP: GA FLCW Uses Invoices to Let Clients Know the Scope of Her Services!
Speaking of PT-biz-building, I got this great piece from OH FLCW Jennifer Carroll (JenCarroll@neo.rr.com) about a Mom who wanted it all (and got it!). Thanks, Jen.
See Jennifer’s complete business profile at www.linkedin.com/in/jlcarroll.
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Hi Peter: I am a wife and mother of two young girls. I started commercial freelancing in 2001 on a very part-time basis (one article a month in an employee newsletter) for a hospital in northeast Ohio. At the time, I was working full-time as an analyst for a Fortune 500 manufacturer making about $40,000 annually.
In 2003, I asked my employer for a part-time position because I wanted to be home more with my children. The company gave me a 25-hour-a-week position that paid maybe $25,000 with absolutely no benefits. However, I continued my freelance work, adding a local non-profit organization.
By 2005, I was working almost full-time again between freelancing and my "real job." Again, I wanted more time with my kids. So, in 2006 I went FT with commercial freelancing, and in 2007, I earned $50K working only 25 hours/week. It’s been amazing!
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In April’s EPUB (archived at http://wellfedwriter.com/ezine/april2008.html), WA graphic designer (and ex-FLCW) Mike Klassen shared a story of nearly missing out on work because he’d never shared the range of his skills with a client. GA FLCW Terri Keller (terri@terrikeller.com, www.terrikeller.com) adds this great suggestion. Thanks, Terri!
Peter: I put what I do on every invoice I send out, like so:
“Your business is much appreciated! If you should need help in the future, I provide the following services: advertising, annual reports, articles, booklets, brochures, business and personal communications, case studies, company and personal histories, creative concepting, executive profiles, newsletters, press/news releases, research, surveys, websites/content, and photography (to supplement written materials). Call today for a free consultation! We’ll bring out the best in your business!” (last line in bold/itals)
All in an unobtrusive, nicely bordered square at the bottom of the invoice. Just a little something to catch their eye once they finish looking at the bill. It's also on the back of my business card!
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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!
- 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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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.
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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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