VOLUME 21, ISSUE 10 – OCTOBER 2022
THIS MONTH’S MENU:
I. APPETIZER: WHAT A BARGAIN WE ARE…
Good Marketing Writers MAKE—don’t COST—a Company Money…
II. “FIELD” GREENS: HANG IN THERE. IT GETS EASIER.
NYC FLCW Shares the Benefits of Persistence and Determination
III. MAIN “MEAT” COURSE: GOT AUTHOR CLIENTS?
Tapping the Potential of Copywriting for Authors & Publishers
IV. DESSERT: COMBO SUCCESS STORY & TIP
LA Coach: How TWFW Helped Start a Biz from a Daybed
I. APPETIZER: WHAT A BARGAIN WE ARE…
Good Marketing Writers MAKE—don’t COST—a Company Money…
In the wake of some positive client feedback I received at the end of a project recently, I was pondering the value solid marketing writers bring to their clients. When a client hires a competent marketing writer, the benefits are felt both in the process and the results.
1) PROCESS: A Bargain Writer Is No Bargain:
What if, after a first draft misses the mark, a client has to remind the writer of the original instructions and creative direction? Or correct a lot of mistakes. Or rework the writer’s work to nail down the desired end result.
That client will spend more money than if they’d hired a top-quality commercial writer to begin with.
You get what you pay for. You don’t get what you don’t pay for. Yet, inevitably—wait for it—you’ll also pay for what you DON’T pay for.
Related to the above…
2) PROCESS: “Mr. Client, What’s Your Time Worth?” If a client spends unplanned hours hand-holding a writer through the process, they’ve incurred THREE costs:
- The fee paid to that under-performing writer
- The client’s actual hourly rate (annual salary ÷ 50 weeks ÷ 40-50 hours) times the # of unplanned hours, and…
- The opportunity cost of revenue-generating activities the client COULD have been doing
And, can that client even recognize well-crafted marketing copy?
3) RESULTS: What They Don’t Know They Don’t Know: Do clients know their bargain copywriter is delivering writing that will powerfully resonate with their target audience and drive the desired action?
And, in the case of more informative “content,” has that writing been structured to optimally build a logical case for their product or service? Are you certain?
There’s a difference between just “well-written” copy, and copy that:
- Powerfully builds the case for a product or service
- Anticipates and answers common objections
- Understands—and writes to—the known audience
- Effectively showcases benefits (i.e., the things clients care most about)
- Highlights what your product does better than the competition
- Doesn’t assume prospects know more than they do
Use the above both as a reminder to yourself AND when talking with prospects. On that “good-writers-are-a-bargain” note, let’s eat!
II. “FIELD” GREENS: HANG IN THERE. IT GETS EASIER.
NYC FLCW Shares the Benefits of Persistence and Determination
The very cool piece below comes from NYC financial-services writer (and former “coachee”) David Rodeck. Ours is NOT an easy business, but as David colorfully shares, if you stick to it, it will go from hard and unprofitable to far easier and more lucrative. Count on it. Thanks, David!
“Launching a business is like moving a giant boulder. The first few steps feel impossible.”
I still remember these words from over a decade ago. Fresh out of college, I tried my luck as a life insurance salesman on straight commission. I barely made any money at all.
My employer would host monthly speeches from veteran, successful agents. One that stuck with me came from Tom, a shy, mild-mannered guy who’d created a booming practice.
He used the boulder analogy to show that, as tough as it is to get started, once you get momentum going, life gets much easier as you start collecting repeat business and referrals. He said:
“The first three years of your career, you’ll be grossly underpaid for the work you put in. The next five to seven, you’ll be paid fairly. But, every year after that, you’ll feel like you’re dramatically overpaid.”
I don’t know if Tom was right; I flamed out after 14 months. Still, that job gave me the training I needed to launch my financial writing business. And now that I’m approaching my 10-year anniversary, Tom’s timeline feels spot-on.
My first three years of freelancing were an absolute grind. Low income, bidding on Upwork jobs paying $20 per article but not landing them, and the daily stress of wondering whether I’d survive as a writer.
In my fourth year, I started landing clients paying $400+ an article, my income jumped 50%, and my work calendar had far fewer dry spells. It was also the first year I hired Peter for coaching, which I doubt was a coincidence.
Now in year 10, it feels like my business runs itself. I earn more than I thought was possible when starting out, I don’t look for work much anymore as so many clients find me, and I’m constantly overbooked which gives me chances to keep renegotiating higher rates.
I mentor a couple beginner writers. As I teach them the ropes behind Upwork and finding those first clients, it reminded me just how hard it can be at the beginning.
Keep pushing that boulder. Once you get your momentum going, this business will get easier and a whole lot more fun.
III. MAIN “MEAT” COURSE: GOT AUTHOR CLIENTS?
Tapping the Potential of Copywriting for Authors & Publishers
Had a recent email exchange with a copywriter who’d just finished writing a book, and, in talking about next steps, wrote, “There are plenty of copywriting opportunities in the sales and marketing of a book. So, I will soon be donning my copywriting hat.”
Our conversation reminded me that opportunities to help self-publishing authors and publishing entities with their marketing materials abound.
This little-discussed arena of copywriting can be potentially lucrative—potentially because, by definition, self-publishing authors have smaller budgets than typical commercial-writing clients would have.
That said, smaller publishing companies are unlikely to have in-house writing staff (i.e., just like many small-to-medium-sized commercial writing prospects—our “sweet spot”), but may very well have budgets for folks like us.
But, solo authors with healthy budgets do exist. I’ve worked with one for five+ years (a successful business owner) with the budget to pay my going rate.
While he started by hiring me for my book-titling service, that grew to include the following items* (and all at my going copywriting rate):
- Press releases
- Request for testimonial commitment
- Email pitch to possible book reviewers
- Cover letter to accompany review copy for blurb
- Review copy insert sheet
- Promo flyer copy
- Email pitch to pre-reviewers
- Copy for “teaser” on final page of book
- Various other marketing materials
- Editing of multiple manuscripts for improved flow and comprehension
- An expanded** table of contents (TOC) for his book.
*He’d purchased my self-publishing toolkit, where I shared my versions of all the marketing materials I’d created to promote my multiple editions of TWFW. Using that as a guide, he had me create his versions of list above.)
**When working with authors of non-fiction “how-to” books, I’ll often show them my expanded table of contents (TOC). Providing an in-depth TOC that outlines exactly what they’ll find in the book (vs. short, vague one-line chapter headings) can’t help but sell more books.)
He also purchased self-publishing-coaching blocks. Assuming you were comfortable doing so, why not offer marketing consulting as well?
He’s probably put 15K+ in my pocket, and a handful of other clients have added to that. I’ve done virtually nothing to attract new clients in this arena, though, with some modest efforts, I could no doubt boost that direction.
Most authors may be decent writers, but if they’re smart, they’ll rely on editors to help them put their best foot forward.
Yet, book-marketing materials can’t just read and flow well. They need to be optimally structured to persuade someone to take a closer look at the book, giving them the reasons and benefits of doing so.
They need a marketing copywriter, not just a typical “freelance writer.”
That’s the crux: given the vast number of books published every year, authors have to set theirs apart from the enormous pile.
Even doing that is absolutely no guarantee of success; it just gives those books a fighting chance in the marketplace.
If you’re pondering this direction, check out IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association), THE organization for independent publishing, and with countless small publishers in their member ranks.
IV. DESSERT: COMBO SUCCESS STORY & TIP
LA Coach: How TWFW Helped Start a Biz from a Daybed
So gratifying to get notes like this one, from LA-based Moira Shepard, who shared this with her community. Moira helps “coaches, healers, speakers, and writers to develop the confidence they need to succeed.”
While we all face challenges in building our businesses, Moira’s were on a different plane.
Her decision to start a writer’s group—a support network—as she sailed into uncharted waters, was a wise one (I discuss the ins and outs of starting such groups in Chapter 10 of the new edition of TWFW). Thanks, Moira!
TWFW changed my life by showing me how to launch a company from my daybed. I’d been confined to bed for more than 5 years by a back injury.
I’d finally gotten off the narcotic painkillers that made my brain feel like cotton candy. I yearned to be productive again, instead of a useless lump.
TWFW showed me how I could still contribute something of value, even though I could not sit, stand, or walk. I share the story in this short video:
The story began when I emailed Peter to get in touch with an LA chapter of Well-Fed Writers. There wasn’t one, so Peter helped me to set it up
(PB: As I recall, I connected her with another writer in the area—a “coachee” of mine— and they started it).
I hosted our live meetings from the same daybed from which I’d launched my freelance copywriting business.
I made some good friends, did some great brainstorming, and learned a bit about leadership, which was a real challenge for an introverted writer like me. The experience made me grow as a person and a business owner.
Years ago, I’d tried the freelance route as an actress, but I always felt ashamed and degraded, like I was selling myself, at auditions and agent meetings. TWFW took all the shame out of marketing and promotion for me.
That’s huge if you offer intangibles like coaching, healing, or writing—and feel weird about charging good money for creative or spiritual work.