VOLUME 18, ISSUE 5 – MAY 2019
THIS MONTH’S MENU:
I. APPETIZER: IS YOUR GOAL TO DELIGHT YOUR CLIENTS?
Handyman & Happy Client Remind Me What It Takes to Build Customer Loyalty
II. “FIELD” GREENS: IS YOUR DAY RULED BY FIRES OR “M.I.T.s”?
Accomplishing Your Most Important Tasks Ensures a Successful Day!
III. MAIN “MEAT” COURSE: MARKETING WHEN YOU’RE SLAMMED!
NY FLCW: 10 Quick “When-You’re-Busy” Marketing Tasks to Land Work!
IV. DESSERT: SWEET SUCCESS STORIES & TIPS
NY FLCW’s Check-in Email (Amidst a FULL Workload) Lands Huge Project!
TIP: Accurate iPhone Dictate App Makes Short Work of “a Day in the Park”!
I. APPETIZER: IS YOUR GOAL TO DELIGHT YOUR CLIENTS?
Handyman & Happy Client Remind Me What It Takes to Build Customer Loyalty
A few weeks back, I hired a handyman to do a few things around the house, after another one, who promised me, three weeks earlier, he’d “get to me soon,” never did. Guy #2 showed up on time, worked fast, did great work and charged me 60% of what the other guy quoted. AND, sent me a thank-you postcard. What handyman does that??
The card reminded me, 1) that he guaranteed his work so to let him know if there were any issues (none); and 2) to write him review on the site where I’d found him. Done. Caught up now in the “raving” mood, I couldn’t wait to tell a few neighbors about him.
Another story… I recently got a really nice email from a buyer of TWFW and the companion Tool Box & Time Line. I share this not to puff my chest (though it did feel good to read his words), but rather, to make a point—as does the opening story—to anyone selling a product or service. He wrote:
“Your products are immensely beneficial, with literally every sentence jam-packed with advice. This is a rare feat, given that 99% of the content out there—blogs to books—are filled with fluff, and only serve as a springboard for their next, higher-priced offering. When I start making some dough, I’ll be sure to invest in your 1-on-1 coaching.”
So, based on the quality of my initial offerings, he’s planning on hiring me for some coaching down the line. No guarantees it’ll happen, but the point is, what he’s seen so far has convinced him that a follow-on investment would be a good bet. Just like I felt after my handyman left: I was already making a short list of next-round tasks for him.
What a lot of the “fluff” folks he refers to above don’t realize is that it’s FAR easier to sell your follow-on products and services when your first ones are solid. And when they’re not, that’s a classic sign of someone focused, first and foremost, on how much money they can make. And, moreover, concerned about “giving away too much.”
Of course, the opportunity to profit from my efforts was a motivator for me as I started writing books, but I also knew that by being generous with information, I’d win in the end.
Way I figured it, buyers would say to themselves, “Wow, if he gives this much away free—OR in his initial offering—imagine what the main (or follow-up) products will be like!” I made it a game, continually asking myself: How can I make this even better?
Are you asking yourself that as you work with your clients? Do you try to figure out ways to go beyond their normal expectations? What would it take to delight them? On that “make-em-stick-around” note, let’s eat!
II. “FIELD” GREENS: IS YOUR DAY RULED BY FIRES OR “M.I.T.s”?
Accomplishing Your Most Important Tasks Ensures a Successful Day!
Friend, colleague, ex-FLCW and small-business coach, Ed Gandia (look for regular pieces from Ed here) serves up a really simple but powerful tactic for making progress on your most important goals, no matter how many “fires” you end up having to put out along the way. Thanks, Ed!
I have a little ritual I run through every Monday morning that’s helped me reach more of my goals over the past two years. Here’s what that looks like…
1) I start the day by reviewing my goals for the next 90 days.
2) I then brainstorm a list of tasks that will help me get closer to those goals. Most of those tasks become my goals for the week. They’re task-based (or “effort”) goals.
3) Next, I use that list to select the tasks I’m going to focus on THAT day.
I do the same thing every morning of the workweek. Once I have those goal-based tasks on paper, I add additional tasks I need to complete that day.
But then I take things one step further: I highlight the 3 tasks I MUST complete that day—my Most Important Tasks (or MITs for short). They’re tasks that are essential to making progress in my business and personal life.
But here’s the thing: They’re not necessarily urgent tasks. But they’re always important. They’re things I want to commit to completing that day, no matter what happens. In other words, these are tasks that, once completed, will ensure that I have a productive and fulfilling day—even if I don’t complete anything else on my list.
As you might imagine, these are the first 3 things I tackle every day. They’re not always the most fun or desirable ones. But they’re the most important.
Ever since I started placing this kind of emphasis on my MITs, my productivity has shifted to a new level. More importantly, I’ve started making much more progress toward my goals. Why?
Because I’m not letting all the “fires” rule my day. Sure, fires happen. They’re a reality we must all deal with. But by having 3 clear MITs every day, I’m able to keep my eye on the prize and ensure I make progress on what matters most.
Of course, this means that I don’t always cross out every item on my daily to-do list. In fact, I rarely do! But I end each day knowing that I tackled what’s most important. And if I cross out any other tasks, that’s gravy!
Give it a try tomorrow morning. But be gentle with yourself. It often takes a few days to figure out what 3 MITs you should focus on. Once you do, you’ll start seeing real, positive changes in your business and personal life.
III. MAIN “MEAT” COURSE: MARKETING WHEN YOU’RE SLAMMED!
NY FLCW: 10 Quick “When-You’re-Busy” Marketing Tasks to Land Work!
LOVE this exceptionally useful piece from Marcia Layton Turner, a Rochester, NY-area FLCW, on marketing your writing business in 5-10-minute bites here and there, when you’re buried with work. Just because bigger prospecting initiatives may not be feasible at the moment, doesn’t mean you can’t keep your marketing hand in play. Thanks, Marcia!
Busy writers frequently lament that they’re so busy with work, they don’t have time for marketing. Previous marketing efforts have been so fruitful that making time to pursue more work seems unnecessary in the moment. Yet, if one anchor client disappears, your expected cash flow can suddenly dry up.
Take time to market regularly—even when your plate is full—or the inevitable lull will have you wondering where all the work went. Scary stuff. The answer? Commit to investing a few minutes each week in pursuing new work.
Spending five minutes at a time on quick tasks that remind clients you’re out there, or to introduce yourself to new prospects, is more effective, in the short term, than trying to find hours to craft a new direct mail piece or overhaul your website. For now, focus on quick, targeted nudges.
Just one outreach a day = 30 connections in a month. Three a day and you’ll hit 90 contacts. Odds are good that that much activity will have new work hit your inbox.
So, make a habit of one or more of the following 10 types of “quick tasks”:
1) Draft a short “checking-in” email to past clients to see if any upcoming projects might be a fit for you. Mention what you’ve done for them in the past.
2) Forward an article that a Google Alert turned up, to a prospect or former client for which it’s relevant. Tell them, “Saw this and thought you might be interested.”
3) Email a letter of introduction (LOI) tailored to a new market you’ve recently uncovered or have been meaning to explore. Directories of companies that hire writers, such as The Content Council or the American Society of Business Publication Editors, can provide contact information for prospects in those markets.
4) Refresh your LinkedIn profile to be sure it includes keywords related to the work you want to attract. Interested in landing more healthcare writing? Make sure “healthcare writer” is the first phrase in your profile.
5) Register at content platforms such as Skyword, Ebyline and Contently, if content creation is something you want to do more of.
6) Spend five minutes scanning jobs on sites like Problogger, Guru and Upwork. Yes, rates on some projects are low, but well-paying clients are there.
7) Spend another five minutes perusing jobs posted on the job boards run by associations and professional societies to which you belong.
8) Do some research on LinkedIn to find contacts at companies you aspire to work with and ask to connect with them. Also, register for LinkedIn Profinder.
9) Use Google to uncover opportunities for guest posts on popular blogs your target audience reads. Then email the contact person and ask to submit a guest post. Do the same for podcasts.
10) Share some details about the project(s) you’re currently involved in on social media, so your friends and colleagues become more familiar with your area of expertise.
Marketing doesn’t have to be a major time suck, so start small. If you only have 10 minutes free, spend five sending a quick note to a client you haven’t heard from in a while. You’ll be amazed at how all those simple actions add up to major projects down the line.
Marcia Layton Turner is a business book ghostwriter, freelance writer, and founder of the Association of Ghostwriters. She recently launched the Freelance Writer Planner to help writers better manage their work and make time for marketing; each week has a recommended marketing task to get you started.
IV. DESSERT: SWEET SUCCESS STORIES & TIPS
NY FLCW’s Check-in Email (Amidst a FULL Workload) Lands Huge Project!
TIP: Accurate iPhone Dictate App Makes Short Work of “a Day in the Park”!
Exciting success story from Corning, NY FLCW Ted Goldwyn, and a perfect example of what Marcia discussed in the previous article (and a recurring theme in recent past issues of the EPUB). Congrats, Ted – nice work! After that, a cool app that seriously boosted my work efficiency AND quality of life!
Sometimes, the smallest efforts result in the biggest wins!
I’ve been blessed with a solid workload lately, and admittedly, my self-marketing efforts have fallen to the bottom of the pile. But I recently had a half hour of downtime and knocked out a few quick emails to past clients.
This one email resulted in an immediate win:
Hi Dave: Hope you are well and having a good Spring! Just wanted to check in with you to see how things are going, and if your new Marketing Manager has come on board. If I can help you with any upcoming content marketing projects, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Best, Ted
By late afternoon, I received the following reply:
Hello Ted: I was actually meeting with our new Marketing Manager just yesterday when the topic of your writing projects came up. Are you free to talk today or tomorrow? Thanks, Dave
Following a fifteen-minute phone call with Dave the very next day, I closed on a $13,500 contract for a series of short-form case studies! You bet I’ll be more diligent with my prospecting efforts from now on!
A few weeks back, it was such a beautiful day, I decided to work in this park near the river. I didn’t want to take my laptop with me, and since I always write things out longhand before transferring them to my computer (I’m weird that way), and had plenty of original writing to do, I left it at home.
I worked for a few hours, and after I finished crafting some copy for a landing page, I pulled out my iPhone and opened up my the new, remarkably user-friendly, AND amazingly “right-out-of-the-box” accurate Dictate app. It’s only for iPhones, but here’s a bunch for Androids.
Nothing groundbreaking about this tool, but it’s one of those things that, once you have it, you realize all the ways you might put it to work.
In five minutes, I captured the whole page, virtually error-free, and with a few taps, emailed it to myself. Once home, I cleaned it up, and was done. This app epitomizes the best of technology—allowing you to live your life as you want, while still having the tools to be optimally efficient!