Was updating the customer testimonials on my commercial writing site the other day, and came across this one (excerpted):
“Not only does Peter intuitively grasp where we need to go with a project, but his writing truly inspires my design. Bottom line, Peter’s spoiled me with his talent and he’s always my first choice.”
Now, I don’t include this to preen, but simply to underscore what happens when you’re a good writer (and you’re not the only one who thinks so…) – one who, in this case, enhances the quality of a graphic designer’s work. When that happens, they’ll go out of their way to bring you in on projects whenever possible. And why wouldn’t they? You make their portfolio stronger and their clients happier, and both lead to repeat business and referrals – for BOTH of you.
Which makes solid writing skills, arguably, one of the most potent marketing strategies commercial freelancers have going for them. Good commercial copywriters who craft effective copy make their clients’ lives easier and their businesses more profitable. Do that consistently, and you’ll get invited back again and again, and steered to other work.
And unlike other marketing strategies (i.e., cold calling, direct mail, email marketing, networking, social media, etc.), being a good writer “markets” you without you having to do much other than what you do naturally.
Sure, you still need to do your own marketing campaigns to let the world know you exist, but all those outreach efforts end up turbo-charged when your skills are a few cuts above. Till eventually, you may not have to do much marketing at all anymore. It happens all the time to good writers. The world starts coming to them.
A good analogy? A really good book will have a long shelf life (literally) because it’ll benefit from strong reviews and powerful word-of-mouth advertising, while a mediocre one – with few or no “champions” – will struggle to find an audience, and will likely quickly sink into the nether regions of the bargain bin.
Obviously, however, not all commercial writers are created equal. I feel fortunate to have innate writing ability (though, yes, I still cringe at some of the copy I wrote in the early days of my business). Others’ skills may not be as strong or natural. And let’s face it. While the commercial writing field – like any – certainly rewards those with superior skills commensurately, it doesn’t exclude those with modest gifts. Given the staggering amount of gruesome writing in the business world, those who can simply provide solid (if unflashy), coherent copy can find their niche.
So, what makes someone one of the better writers? Well, for me, a very partial list would include, for starters, a lot of technical things: writing like you talk, telling stories in your writing, avoiding $50 words, making sure your writing has the right cadence, and more. It also means understanding marketing fundamentals like audience, features/benefits, and USP (Unique Selling Proposition); being a good listener so you give your clients what they want the first time; and being able to quickly visualize how copy for a particular project needs to be structured and flow in order to maximize its effectiveness.
And a ton of other things. But I want to hear from you (I’m doing a teleseminar in a few months on the subject and would love to use your comments and observations – with attribution, of course).
If you (and/or your clients) consider yourself an excellent writer, what skills, gifts or talents contribute to that reputation and have them coming back again and again?
How has being a top-notch writer made your marketing easier?
Have you always had natural ability, or have you honed initially-less-impressive skills over time?
If you’ve demonstrably improved your writing skills over the years, what books, resources or ideas made the difference for you?
Any other comments or insights?
From my mind to your screen . . . again.
This has been on my mind lately as I revise client-drafted web copy for flow, clarity, brevity and flair — qualities that feel second nature because they seem to come naturally with sometimes just a bit of thought. But, of course, they were learned, refined, reinforced and enhanced some more every time I sit at the keyboard or drafting pad — as I’ve done as a journalist and now a commercial writer for . . . well, more decades that I want to think about.
I believe I “get” projects — in the understanding sense, as well as the repeat business meaning — because (1) a lifelong love of language/reading/writing means I’ve internalized the narrative skills you describe, Peter, and (2) daily newspaper editing is an ideal background for “writing like you talk, telling stories in your writing, avoiding $50 words.” Newsroom vets instinctively pay attention to leads, “kickers,” logical structure, transitions, short sentences/paragraphs and other good things. We ask precise questions, drill for revealing anecdotes, frame information with readers in mind.
Clients give all of us threads of information that are not always complete, rarely in the right order and sometimes the wrong type. Our job is to find what we need, add inspiration and a way with words, and weave colorful, compelling materials. Done well, it’s part gift, part good listening and part technique polished through diligence.
And as you rightly remind us repeatedly, PB, the customized results reflect professionalism that is worth respectable fees for abilities that aren’t acquired quickly or easily achieved by anyone. Consistently strong writers deserve to be . . . yes, well-fed.
I appreciated your remarks about good writing. I highly recommend Nick Usborne’s AWAI course: Nick Usborne’s million-Dollar Secrets to Online Copywriting. I’ve just completed it. He gives a lot of great time-tested techniques specific to online copy. But his main messages are 1) listen to your reader and 2) present the information clearly so the reader can find what he or she needs.
Many decades ago when I was still a classroom teacher, I got my Masters in Psycholinguistics, how the reader’s mind processes information. I left the classroom shortly after that and spent 10 years teaching business and technical people to understand their reader’s questions and communicate that information clearly and concisely–that is, in plain English. In fact that was the name of my consulting and training business, In Plain English Associates.
The message is even more critical today, with the overwhelming amount of information that bombards the overworked, overstressed ordinary person.
Thanks again, PB, for what you do.
Alice Zyetz
Thanks Alan and Alice,
Alan, as usual, your insightful, pithy, and yes, well-written comment showcases their winning attributes both in form and content…;) Good stuff. And no wonder your phone keeps ringing…
And thanks, Alice for reminding us of some fundamentals that get neglected all too often to the detriment of all involved.
What else?
PB
At the end of the day, all the greats go back to the basic skills.
Tho, I don’t really follow pro-sports, one day I was given a bio of Michael Jordan. Having a long plane trip ahead I dove into the book. It turns out that through a long career all his many coaches and trainers agreed emphatically on one thing. Jordan worked harder in practice and on the basics than any other player. Ever.
Thanks for the reminder on the basics
I write at the 6-7th grade level (you can get Word to tell you this, I forget how). I also remember the five reasons people don’t buy: No need, no desire, no money, no hurry, no trust. and I counter these. I just gave away my secrets…well, not really, you have to have talent, too.
I think my favorite clients come back because I listen to them. I don’t start writing until a few weeks into the project, after I’ve obsessed over their target audience and spent a lot of time just talking to them and hearing their voice and thinking about what makes them special. By the time I start writing, I’m almost a ventriloquist.
I think the other thing they like is that I don’t get sloppy. In one of your books (either TWFW or Back for Seconds?) you said you triple-check everything to make sure there aren’t any type-os. This was SUCH a useful habit to have from early on. I always find something when I read it that third time through! If writing is the “butt” in this analogy, editing is definitely the “kick.”
I remember back when I came to you for mentoring, I didn’t think I was good enough. So, sometimes it just comes down to how much a writer CARES. The good-enough part will take care of itself if you really care about the quality of your work. The books that made a difference for me? Besides yours? Definitely Net Words by Nick Usborne. And the book you recommended in your book–Hey Whipple, Squeeze This! by Luke Sullivan.
Always ask who the target audience is, and what action the work is trying to compel. Once I have that, I plug myself in and think about why I need the client and their services or product.
It’s all about humanizing and connecting. My copy should feel like a dialogue, not a pitch. Subtle hooks that draw the reader in, not bludgeoning over the head with a club. I don’t know that there’s any resource available to teach this, other than being human, talking to others and listening. And building your client base so you have lots of practice…
Kelly (and PB), I totally second Hey Whipple, Squeeze This! Great read.
Have you always had natural ability, or have you honed initially-less-impressive skills over time?
I personally think that journaling lots helped my writing immensely, as well as forum posting. The three pillars that will make a good writer, in my opinion, are writing often, criticizing your own writings, and seeking outside inspiration. I’ve found that people who do all three inevitably become skilled writers.
I always loved playing with words, ever since I was about six years old. And I love to read. Writing was inevitable.
And then I had to work hard to learn the craft of the job, the technical elements, and gain practicality.
One of my biggest strengths is that I’m the Anti-Niche. I can write about almost anything. There are companies/venues for which I choose not to write — if I think the company mission is vile or promoting something dangerous. But I’m CAPABLE of writing almost anything.
Another strength that keeps many clients coming back, along with quality work and extreme reliability, is that I see the world rather differently than many others, so if the need is for something in a unique voice unlike what’s out there — I’m your writer.
Part of it is also in the work I seek out. I’m much happier working for an array of smaller, individual clients across a wide array of topics that actually interest me than settling into a routine with one or two steadier corporate clients. There are plenty of writers who like to write for corporate clients and have X amount of work from each per month — I like the variation from individuals.
I don’t want to set my life up in a mirror image of a corporate style, but in a home office. I want flexibility, variety, and off-the-wall experiences.
The more I focus on my overall vision for my writing life as integrated into my overall life, and the less I worry about the money, the happier i am and the better-paying jobs I land. You can still be a smart business person without being entirely dollar-obsessed. (Besides, I accept euros and Kronas, too) 😉
Oh go on, preen a little. You’ve earned it. 😉
One of my first positive comments from an editor was how reliable I was. I was working for the local paper then, and the editor was sick of writers dropping out of sight mid-assignment. I got her attention by showing up. Other comments have been “Your writing just pulls me right into the article/story. I can’t help but read it.” The best was when an advertiser wrote to my editor and thanked him for hiring me because of the balanced writing and the attention to the technical facts. Damn, that felt good!
Being a damn good writer (move over – I’m in the mood to preen a little!) has given me the benefit of others bragging about my work. I don’t have to. I remember sitting at a conference session. The guy beside me was holding our magazine with my story on the cover. He saw my name tag and afterward was just salivating like he’d met a celebrity (hardly – I wrote risk management articles!). That he thought enough to read the byline was like a gift to me. When they tell their friends and clients spread the news, your marketing job becomes that much easier.
Have you always had natural ability, or have you honed initially-less-impressive skills over time?–
Always had it. I was nine years old and “publishing” hand-written newspapers about what our farm animals were up to.
If you’ve demonstrably improved your writing skills over the years, what books, resources or ideas made the difference for you?–
Your book by far was a great resource for notching things up in the marketing department. Also, I learned how to write query letters that went beyond the ordinary with How to Write Irresistable Query Letters by Lisa Collier Cool. That probably dates me, but hers was my Bible for years.
GO GO GO, you damn good writers, you!
This is related to the topic of learning craft, but slightly off the topic. It’s an anecdote about yesterday’s surprise assignment:
I turned around an emergency rush job for a client — he offered, without prompting, to triple my usual rush free (anything that has to be turned around in less than three business days gets a rush fee tacked on to it). He needed it done in a matter of hours, and therefore tripled the fee. He was especially desperate because he’d gone with a cheaper-priced writer (who works for mill content sites) who mucked it up royally, and he had tens of thousands of dollars on the line. I let the fee say, “I told you so” rather than saying it myself. If you hire someone who writes for mill content sites or bidding sites, that’s the quality you’re going to get. You get what you pay for. He was ecstatic with the copy I came up with. We’ll see if he’s learned.
Great stuff, everyone! Lori, had to shake my head at your story of editors telling you about writers disappearing in the middle of an assignment. I’ve heard that too in our business as well, and it always just blows my mind. Hey, more for us. And yeah, YOU preen a bit as well – sounds like you’ve got the chops!
No matter what kind of project I’m working on – a simple brochure for a painting company, a case study for manufacturing company, a sales letter for a school, you name it – I always ask myself: How can I make this more interesting, more engaging, more attention-getting. I don’t care how prosaic a topic is, you can ALWAYS add spice to it, and that should be your challenge to yourself always. Just reminding yourself to work your darndest to give a client something that doesn’t look like everything else out there will make you a better writer.
And GREAT rescue story, Devon. LOVE being brought into a gig after someone’s messed it up OR just when a client hasn’t planned very well and needs it fast. No better feeling than coming through, and as you say, definitely no better way to build customer loyalty than when you save someone’s butt. The panicked feeling they have at the outset coupled with the relief when it all turns out is a powerful psychological one-two punch.
PB