VOLUME 21, ISSUE 3 – MARCH 2022
THIS MONTH’S MENU:
I. APPETIZER: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ASSUME…
Marketing/Copywriting Pro Sees “Curse of Knowledge” in Action
II. “FIELD” GREENS: WILL YOU PICK UP THE “SLACK”?
Writer Wonders If She’s Being Difficult by Not Embracing Slack
III. MAIN “MEAT” COURSE: GOT LATE PAYMENTS?
Small-Biz Coach: How to Get Paid AND Preserve Client Goodwill
IV. DESSERT: COMBO SUCCESS STORY & TIP
The Power of Accountability Partners to Keep You on Track
I. APPETIZER: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ASSUME…
Marketing/Copywriting Pro Sees “Curse of Knowledge” in Action
Marketing/copywriting pro Marcia Yudkin, in a recent Marketing Minute (subscribe here), ran a piece, entitled: State the Obvious. She wrote:
For weeks, I puzzled over a strange sign in front of a house on the way to my local post office. Although it had the shape and size of a “For Sale” sign, what it said instead in big letters was simply “For More Information, Text ___ to ___.”
Was it on the market or not? If so, what possible reason could they have not to use the plain words “For Sale”?
Then, the sign disappeared. To satisfy my curiosity, I looked up the address and learned the house had just been sold. Now you might assume this shows us that motivated lookers will figure such things out. Nope!
You should never make it that hard for potential buyers to know what’s what. Always state what you feel is obvious. Why?
(1) A confused mind says no – or simply retreats.
(2) People are embarrassed to ask questions that might get ridiculed.
(3) Shoppers may need to spend time wondering about basic issues like “Is this a book?” “Does this subscription cost money?” or “Whose opinion is this?” instead of formulating the desire to sign up or buy.
In #1 above, Marcia’s echoing an old adage from my sales days, which every copywriter should take to heart: “A confused prospect never buys.”
When a prospect decides not to buy something, sure, it may be that it’s just not a fit for them. But, in many cases, and especially if they sought it out, and are still not buying, it’s far more likely they’re missing some piece of info (#3 above).
And that may be the case because of…
The Curse of Knowledge (i.e., YOU know what you mean, so you assume a prospect will, too. Um, why??). In the example above, the seller made unwarranted assumptions about what a prospect knew.
Certainly, some did, but, no doubt, others, including Marcia, were confused.
In copy I write, I always put myself in the shoes of an “uninitiated prospect” and spell out things I (and my client) may be assuming the prospect knows.
I’ll also try to include answers to the unspoken question: “If I decide to buy, what happens next?” That may be all it takes to turn a prospect into a buyer.
Commercial writers need to step back from what we write about a client’s business or product (based on our familiarity with the subject), and ask:
If I knew nothing about this product, would this copy “meet me where I was” (i.e., a position of ignorance)?
If not, then rewrite it until you can say yes.
It’s not easy to “un-know” something—and you’ll never be able to completely clear your mind, but the closer you can get to the state of the “uninitiated mind,” the clearer, stronger and more effective your writing will be.
My E-PUB “Branding” Rant Gets Re-Published!
SEO pro, colleague and occasional E-PUB contributor, Katherine Andes, liked my November 2021 Appetizer on branding so much, she republished it as one her own Easy Web Tips (subscribe here), AND on one of her client’s sites, here. Thanks for spreading the love, Katherine!
II. “FIELD” GREENS: WILL YOU PICK UP THE “SLACK”?
Writer Wonders If She’s Being Difficult by Not Embracing Slack
Got this email from an experienced writer a few weeks back:
I have a new freelance client (yay!) and I’m finding clients always want me to get on all their communications platforms. And there are SO many (Instant Messaging, Teams, Slack, What’s App, Texting, etc.) AND their project management systems, which have their own messaging.
Just the thought of having all those messages coming at me from all different platforms stresses me out. So far, my two clients have been understanding that I want to stick with just email but I always have a hard time telling them that.
I feel like I come off sounding like I’m being difficult to work with. AM I being difficult to work with by resisting this?
This is becoming more and more of an issue. And for us…ahem…more mature writing folk who don’t take to new technology like a fish to water (more like a cat to water, right?), it can be a hurdle. Here’s my take…
There’s no right or wrong answer, and I have definitely had to deal with this myself. For one new client, I joined Slack (the project-collaboration platform), but just on a 90-day trial.
When that three-month deadline was looming, I gently pushed back on signing up for a paid plan, and my contact was happy to go back to just email.
Yes, I completely understand the advantage Slack offers for team projects (i.e., multiple contributors delivering input/feedback/edits). But, given that it was just the two of us in our loop, it made Slack seriously superfluous.
But I swear, so often, it seems the younger, digital-savvier generations (and my client checked that box) just looooove any technology platforms, not because they’re truly necessary, but because it makes them feel all hip ‘n happenin’.
And let’s face it, your leverage will also be a function of how valuable you are to them. I had definitely proven my worth at that point, so they were happy to accommodate me. That said, they might have been willing to accommodate me even on Day 1. Meaning…
It’s often less about their insistence than our hesitance to be perceived as less than a “team player” (as the writer noted).
So, if that’s the case, then, I’d suggest always making your preferences known (preferences being the key word, not demands), but be flexible if they insist—and especially if a project’s team aspect warrants it.
III. MAIN “MEAT” COURSE: GOT LATE PAYMENTS?
Small-Biz Coach: How to Get Paid AND Preserve Client Goodwill
We’ve all had to deal with late-paying clients from time to time, though, thankfully, given the higher caliber of clients in the commercial field, it happens far less often than in the general “freelance writing” arena.
But, when it does, here’s some solid advice from friend, colleague, small-business writing coach and E-PUB regular, Ed Gandia.
You just submitted your final draft on a project, and the feedback is complimentary. Everything looks good!
You ask for and get the green light to send on your final invoice. But then the payment due date comes…and goes…and nothing happens. Radio silence.
Here’s what to do—and what not to do.
- Don’t Panic
First of all, stay calm. Don’t assume the worst. Sometimes it takes time for your invoice to make its way through your client’s payment system. Be patient.
- Start Following Up
Once the invoice is overdue, you can follow up, but wait at least three more days for payment to arrive, or you’ll look a little desperate and paranoid.
After that, send a friendly email reminder:
“Hey Bob, hope everything’s working out great with the white paper. Just following up on the invoice. Can you take care of this when you have a moment? Thanks much!”
- Keep Following Up
Give the client another three or four days to respond. They could be traveling or exceptionally busy. If you still don’t hear back, pick up the phone and call. Again, keep it friendly.
(PB: If it’s a larger firm, consider reaching out to accounting first, before tapping your main contact. If things drag on, definitely involve your primary contact).
If you don’t get paid after the call, it’s fine to follow up more frequently. Be a friendly thorn in their side!
- Remain Professional
Don’t torpedo the relationship by getting snarky in your follow-up. Be firm but remain professional and courteous. Resist launching into a “I can’t live like this! I’m a solo business owner and rely on this income, etc.” speech.
You never know what might lie behind a delay in payment.
One of my coaching clients was in the middle of a big project when his client vanished. After no response to emails or phone calls, my client started to worry. Was the client unhappy with the work? Was he being played somehow?
Eventually, he learned the client had been in a car accident and was in the hospital for three weeks! Thank goodness he kept his cool and didn’t leave a bunch of irate emails and voicemails for his client!
Don’t assume the problem is you. Keep it professional.
(PB: From many years in the business, I’ve learned that client delays, whether to reply to emails, respond to invoice follow-up, or anything else, is rarely about you, but almost always something innocent on their end).
- Next Time, Plan to Get Paid on Time
While some payment delays are out of your control (e.g., car accidents!), you can take steps to help make sure you get paid on time:
- Have a written contract.
- Get an upfront deposit (non-negotiable; 50% is typical).
- (Optional): Invoice the final payment upon submission of initial draft (not when the client decides the draft is final; if you plan to do this, let the client know upfront, to avoid any unpleasant reactions later).
- Understand the client’s billing schedules and procedures.
You Have Every Right to Follow Up—and Get Paid!
It’s absolutely your right to follow up persistently until an invoice gets paid. At the same time, act like a pro, and don’t jump to conclusions. In the meantime, take proactive steps to ensure you get paid on time on your next project.
IV. DESSERT: COMBO SUCCESS STORY & TIP
The Power of Accountability Partners to Keep You on Track
Got the following great tip/success story from a FLCW who prefers to remain anonymous. I was especially impressed by how long he and his “accountability partner” have been doing this “success insurance” exercise! Rest assured, if it wasn’t delivering serious benefits, they’d have quit a long time ago.
Very smart—and based in an empirical truth about human nature: we will let ourselves down far more easily than we will let someone else down. Sad, but true.
One of the perks of being your own boss is that you don’t have to worry about a jerk manager getting on your case.
A big downside? If you miss your goals, no one will take you to task, even if you deserve it. All that happens is your business quietly suffers.
After a rocky start to my freelance career where I struggled to hit my marketing goals, I decided I needed some help.
I reached out to a good friend of mine, Joe, who was launching his own translation business. We decided to partner up for weekly calls, which we call accountability sessions.
Each week, I recap what I did well and where I messed up to Joe, while he does the same. It’s nonjudgmental and helps us figure out how we’re going to do better the next week.
I find that when I set a goal only to myself, it’s so easy to cheat. But when I tell Joe I’m aiming for 50 cold calls, I hustle a lot more to make them happen because I don’t want to let him down.
These weekly calls have worked so well, we’ve been running them for nine years straight. If you need a little help staying on-track, go out there and find your accountability partner!