Category: writing

January 13, 2017

You Have a Freelance Client on the Phone, Now What?!

You reached out to a client or they found you and now you have the freelance client on the phone. What do you do?

Breathe.

News flash: I’m a total introvert. Honestly, there have been days at work where I feel like I’ve barely spoken at all. I’d rather hide away at a cabin in the woods for a week than go to a party any time. You get the picture…

So, when my first freelance client asked to chat with me on the phone, I was taken aback. What’s there to talk about? What can’t be said in email? Do I really have to talk to them on the phone?

Seriously, I’m that girl. Trying to figure out what they’re going to ask so I have a rehearsed answer. I even found myself googling “freelance client phone scripts” because I seriously wondered what I would say. I’ve always been really great at writing and terrible at speaking. So the phone has always made me hesitant. Ok, terrified.

But then I got on the phone with my first client and it…wasn’t bad at all.

There were some things about the product that the owner wanted to explain to me, that couldn’t be easily communicated in email, and I also sensed that he was just trying to get a feel for me and my vibe. And I was also able to pick up on his vibe too.

Same with my second phone call. And my third…

Now, I do have several clients that I’ve never talked to on the phone. Email happened to be sufficient for both parties and that’s all it took. Other freelance clients have things they want to talk out with you, conversations that are so much more efficient over the phone.

So, once you have a client on the phone…

My three best tips for handling a freelance client calls:

#1: Be confident about what you do.

You already know way more than you think you know about your writing craft and why you do it. If you’re like me, you might not have confidence in many things, but you can have confidence in that!

Think about how you might explain your craft and the type of results you get. For example, you might summarize your skill like this: “My social media content marketing boosted my clients’ page views by 10,000.” Or “The blog posts I wrote for XYZ boosted their SEO to rank on the first page in Google.”

You probably do more than just write: you persuade, you evoke emotion, you boost SEO, you convert readers into paying clients, you enhance pageviews, you communicate brand images, etc. Write out a list of all the things that you do and don’t be afraid to talk about them. Just having the list in front of you though galvanizes your confidence in your skill.

Also, keep a sheet with your rates printed in front of you during every call. If your client throws you a curveball with a project you’ve never priced before, you can always say “I want to get a better idea about how much work this will take, so let me get back to you on that.”

The last thing you want to do though, is to say you don’t know how much your services cost. That throws up a huge red flag for your client. It says to them that you don’t know what you’re doing, that you must not have much of a business, and that your prices are probably just arbitrary. Not professional.

Know how much you’re worth and have the numbers in front of you. Don’t waver.

Another way to show your confidence is to be excited about what you do. It shows in your voice. Your freelance clients want to work with someone who loves what they do, not someone who’s forcing themselves to put together their content.

The final aspect of confidence I’d like to touch on is your inferiority complex. Get rid of it! Put yourself on the same level as your client, because you are. You are speaking business owner to business owner, not employee to employer.

#2: Know a thing or two about the person/company you’re talking to.

Make sure you are familiar with the company or person you’re talking to. That may seem obvious, but I don’t think many people put much time in researching companies they’re working with.

All you need to do is have a look around their website. Look at the types of people they work with and brands they’ve done work for. Look at examples of their work. Skim their blog topics and read their About Us page.

For example, if you’re talking to a web designer, make sure you’ve peeked at their portfolio and some of the sites they’ve actually designed. You don’t have to do an in-depth study, but you need to have some familiarity with them and their products and style.

Your client will be able to tell if you took the time to actually look at their website. I was on a call with an app developer and was able to discuss parts of the app with him because I had actually tried it. Imagine if I hadn’t! I feel like it’s only common decency.

In fact, at my corporate job, when I’m hiring new employees for my department, I’m always putting my feelers out to see if they’ve at least browsed our company’s website. And let me tell you, as a hiring manager myself, it’s easy to tell who has and who hasn’t researched the company beforehand. You can’t hide it. If a prospect hasn’t, it basically tells me that they’re not all that interested. And that’s definitely not the impression you want to make.

#3: Just do you.

Ok, I know this sounds awfully trite. But it’s probably the most important tip I could give you!

When your freelance clients request a phone call, they often just want to get a feel for you or explain something better. Knowing that, it takes off a lot of pressure. They just want to know that you’re a warm, competent human on the other end of the line, not a drone with rehearsed lines or a phony. People can smell a rat from a thousand miles away.

And really, it’s so much easier for you to just be you.

Someone who’s incompetent and flaky or someone who is a hard-nosed salesy person will send off all kinds of alerts to their prospect (warning, scam!). If you just act like yourself and be honest, then you’ll be OK. In fact, I would suggest never using a “script” or rehearsed lines for this very reason and that’s why you won’t find any in this post!

#4 BONUS: Ask Questions

Questions are great! Ask questions, but don’t ask nit-picky questions. Ask questions that make you sound interested, not like you require hand-holding. I’ve run into several people in the freelance world that have been passed over for freelance jobs because they ask way too many questions.

You see, clients want someone to take a writing project off their backs and not have to worry about it anymore. They don’t want to do it, so they’re hiring you to do it. Don’t make them feel like they have to do a bunch more work to get it off their backs. Don’t be shy about taking the project and running with it.

I guess I have the personality type that’s OK with doing this. Some others are not and they get caught up in the details. If you can let some of the details go and ask only pertinent questions, you’re going to make it much easier on both of you.

But getting back around to the point of this bonus tip, it’s advisable to ask some good questions over the phone. (For an introvert, this means you can let your client do the talking). Get clear on what they’re looking for and what their goals are. Not only will this help you with your assignment, but people love talking about themselves and they love when you show interest.

A few more pointers about taking a freelance client call I might add:

Make sure you take dated notes while you’re on the phone, especially about project details and any numbers you’ve quoted. You won’t remember later, believe me. Write them down.
Feel free to make a little small talk. If your client cancels their first call because of a sick kid, ask how old their children are when you finally get in touch. It allows you to connect on a human level.
Don’t get anxious about the call beforehand. Just treat it like you would a regular call with a friend. (I don’t mean be unprofessional and goofy, I just mean laid-back and assured). I will often busy myself with something simple while I’m waiting for a call to come in so I’m not ruminating or allowing the butterflies to build. Another trick I’ve been taught by a therapist is to practice the Superworman pose before the call. Standing really tall with your shoulders back and your chest puffed out in an exaggerated superhero will give you an immediate confidence boost.
Make sure you can have complete quiet for your call. Shoo the cat and dog out of the room and make sure the kids are being tended. Because you know the second you get on that call, all hell will break loose. That’s just Murphy’s Law;)
If the client feels unsure about hiring you, offer to let them test you out. Then, you take the pressure off of both of you. They should still pay you for your work, but they’re not locked in to any sort of contract until you can impress them with your work.

I hope these pointers make you feel a little less intimidated about taking freelance client calls.

These calls get much easier after the first few. So, it’s OK, just do it, get your first call over with, and even if the first few suck (they won’t), you’ll know that it only gets better from there.

So, tell me…

Do you get nervous for biz phone calls too? Any fun client phone call stories?

December 17, 2016

Free Writer’s Resource: All Different Words for “Thing”

Hey #flashers,

Today, I’m sharing a handy little writer’s resource with you. I have an upcoming post (and an old post) about how I use word collections like this to basically build my writing. And today, I’d like to share one of my actual word collections with you. It’s all the words you can use instead of “thing.”

Did you ever have a teacher in grade school tell you to never use the word “thing” in your writing? She probably told you that it’s lazy and that you should actually list out the “thing” you’re refer to. But sometimes, you just need to refer to “things” in general.

I use this word collection all the time at work. When I’m writing product copy about, let’s say jackets, and I want to write a line about the pockets, I could either say something like “Two side zip pockets hold all your things” OR I could say “Two side zip pockets hold all your personal necessities.” The second description is a little stronger, right?

So, I’ve made it a point to “collect” all the words that mean “thing,” so I don’t use the same words over and over and I don’t make my writing sound lazy. Because some teacher in my past told me it was.

So, I’m happy to offer you my “thing” word collection. Make sure you pin this image so you don’t forget about it when you need it:

I’ll be back with some more word collections like this and my framework for using them, so stay tuned. Drop your email below or in my top bar to make sure you don’t miss them.

Do you “collect” words?

December 1, 2016

Freelance Income Report November 2016

Here I am finishing up my second official month of freelance writing. And since income reports appear to be a hit, I will continue them.

And although it’s a bit early in my journey, I can already tell you a few things for certain:

The work you get each month depends on how much you hustle and pitch the month before.
If you don’t have any more hours in the day to work, you probably will level off at some point.
There’s a way around #2. You need to demand higher rates and/or also leverage and diversify your income. What I mean by that is, you need to have other things for sale that doesn’t just trade your time for money. I’m experimenting with this right now.

So, before I go any further, my freelance writing income for November was…

$1650

Not a bad chunk of extra change right before Christmas, eh?

Remember my income from October’s freelance report was $1385. So, it went up a little: 19% if I did my math correctly.

Part of the reason I got a bit more than last month was that I had some “vacation” time from my corporate job so I was able to dedicate several full days to my freelance work.

Expenses:

My expenses were pretty trivial, unless you count the $277 I spent on a business coaching package. But actually, I used my own spending money I’ve been saving up for that, so I don’t really know if that counts.

I also have the cost to maintain my site, but I paid that in full for two years several months back. I don’t divide it out by month, I just pay it when it’s due.

Freelance writing jobs I’m working on:

Writing copy for a fitness app
Product copy for snowboard equipment
A paid post on Make A Living Writing

I was working for several of the same clients as last month as the projects are ongoing for now.

My predictions for next month:

December should be roughly about the same.
I only have a little PTO left, so I don’t have many more full days in December to work.
I didn’t send out as many pitches in Nov to make Dec bigger. It’s a numbers game.
My fitness app job comes to an end in December, so I’ll need to hustle again to bring in some work for January.
And it’s Christmas. I don’t intend to spread myself too thin this month as we settle peacefully into this starry-eyed season.

If you’re getting started on your own freelance journey, I’ve got some must-read articles for you:

I have many more up my sleeve for the future too, so be sure you subscribe so you don’t miss them! And I plan on doing more of these income reports as well. So, if you enjoy seeing the ~~cold, hard~~ warm, fulfilling truth then stick around;)

So tell me…

What other freelance writing/biz topics would you love to hear more about?

Would you be interested to see how I track my income (it’s very low-tech)?

November 21, 2016

How to Send Your First Freelance Invoice

So, I had no idea how to send a freelance invoice before I took my first writing job. I figured I would just have to figure it out once it was necessary. And that’s what I did.

I know myself, and if I get too caught up in details like this, then I know I’ll just not do them. So my advice: Never let these silly things stop you from going after the freelance life.

Because really…it’s so simple.

So, in this tutorial, I’m going to show you exactly what it looks like to invoice a client using Paypal.

Why Paypal? I’ve found Paypal to be the universal tool for all of my clients so far, and it’s the platform that I’ve used for all of my own invoices. You could make your own generic document in Microsoft Word or Excel, if you wanted. Just try not to overthink this.

You probably already have a Paypal account. If you don’t, it takes seconds to start one. Just do it. You’ll need a bank account to link it to, so have your routing number and account numbers available.

Don’t worry, I’ll wait…

K, so now you’re in Paypal.

See that little button that says Send and Request? Click that.

Then, you’re going to end up on a page that looks like this: Click on “Create Invoice.”

From there, you’ll click on “Create New Invoice.” Pretty self-explanatory so far, eh?

Now, you’re going to have a completely empty invoice to fill in as you see fit. It’s very straightforward, but just in case you’re wondering about it, I’ll walk you through all the parts anyway.

Insert logo here. If you have a logo, you can add one. If you don’t yet, you can send it without. No one cares.
Your business information. I only add my name and Paypal email address here. You can add whatever you feel comfortable adding. I’m not comfortable putting my address here, but if you have a physical biz address, then you might be ok with it.
Bill to: Ask your client what email address they use for Paypal. Add that email address here.
Invoice number: Paypal automatically populates this field for you, but you can manually add whatever number you want. Like, if you’re embarrassed by numero uno. But really, I don’t think anyone cares about this either, so don’t sweat it. Plus, it’s easier to keep track of your work if you start at 1. And think about how one day, three years down the road, you want to look back at where you started. Invoice #1. That’s the start of your story.
Reference/PO number: I don’t use this field. You might choose to, but invoice number is good enough for me.
Due date: there’s a drop down menu that allows you to choose when your client must pay, whether that is immediately, within 7 days, within 30 days, whenever. You’ve likely already discussed this in some capacity with your client.
Item name and description: Paypal instructs you to make a detailed description, and I agree with Paypal. This is especially important if you’re having your client pay for your services up front. You need to spell out exactly what services you’re providing so it’s completely clear. For something like product descriptions, you might say “300 stationery product descriptions, each unique, with a catchy headline, 3-5 lines of description, and order details. Expected completion date: 1/1/17.” Explain each line item in detail.
Price: Take a deep breath. Paypal does the math for you. Just enter the price, the quantity and the tax percentage, if applicable, and the math is done like magic. Thank goodness! (We’re writers, not mathematicians).

Now, on to the second half of the freelance invoice.

9. Total: Again, Paypal is your best friend and calculates everything for you.

10. Note to recipient: Say “thank you,” add a funny little tagline, send a knock knock joke (that’s a fun branding idea, isn’t it?). Or, on the serious side, you can send a note about when you’ll be in contact, what the next steps are, etc. I usually just say “thank you.” Plain and simple.

11. Terms and conditions: if you have any policies (i.e. refund policy), put them here. If you request payment before you begin a project (I recommend at least half upfront, in many cases), then you can paste your terms and condition here, instead of having your clients sign an additional contract. By sending payment, they’re agreeing to the terms. This is a touchy subject, so I’d advise speaking with your own attorney. But don’t let all the legal stuff stop you either! In all honesty, I’ve only done this once or twice so far.

12. Attach files: if you’re providing a document in exchange for money, you can easily attach it here. I find it easier to send my clients a link to my writing via Google docs, but this is just another option for you.

13. Preview and Send: You can “preview” your invoice before sending it. It just gives you more of a bird’s eye view of the document. And then, just hit “send” when you’re ready.

That’s it! See, that wasn’t too scary, was it?

Try not to overthink this. I flew by the seat of my pants on my first several jobs, so I didn’t let that stop me and I didn’t act clueless either. I just figured it out on my own and got on with it.

But I’m sharing this with you so you can save a few steps and really see for yourself how easy and doable it is if you had any hesitations before reading this.

Now, go get ’em!

Any other questions about invoicing your freelance clients? Or do you have a fun story about your first invoicing experience?

November 4, 2016

Published on MakeALivingWriting.com

Hey there #flashers,

I am so excited, I can now say I’ve been published on the renowned writer’s website, Make A Living Writing!!!! Head on over to see:

How I Landed a 3K Freelance Writing Job on Twitter.

If you like that article, you might also like this one from Jorden Roper, the girl who convinced me to give it another shot:

Twitter for Freelance Writers: Exactly How I Use Twitter to Attract and Land Clients (+Case Study)

November 1, 2016

Freelance Income Report October 2016

I always love when freelancers or bloggers share their income reports. The transparency and raw insight is so refreshing.

And although it’s a little nerve-racking to put it out there, I figured I would be transparent about my very own freelance writing income for this month since Oct was my first official month of freelance writing.

As of yesterday, I made…

drumroll please…

$1,385 on my freelance side hustle

This is in addition to my corporate job and the product of working after the kids go to bed, on weekends and on my days “off.” (If you want it bad enough, you’ll find the time!)

So, now that you have the numbers,

Let me show you how I got there:

I hustled my butt off in September. The efforts that you put in the month before show up in dividends the month after. You can get the exact pitch tracker I use for keeping track of all of them here.
I sent cold pitches and I applied for Problogger and projects.
I tended to my social media profiles, optimizing them for my freelance writing business. Just by updating my Twitter profile alone, I landed one of my sweetest gigs in which the client found me (and I have a full article about how I did it coming out soon, keep watch!)
I stayed active in my entrepreneur Facebook groups and did a little bit of free work there to get some lucrative testimonials.
I was firm on pricing. I was offered many more jobs than I actually took because I refused $0.04/word offers and $20 blog post offers. With my credentials and experience, I wouldn’t settle for those “content mill” prices.

So, that’s sort of an overview of all the work that went into getting the income streams going this month. There is soooo much more I could say about pitching and pricing and networking, but for the purposes of this article, I’ll leave it at that. Feel free to comment with questions if there’s more you want to know.

So, what have I been working on?

Exercise copy for a new major fitness app
Coffee table book about New Mexico
Copy about snowboard equipment
Small business blogs for a website design business

I love the work I’ve been commissioned with. I’ve been learning so much and writing about my passions, so things are aligning just the way I believe they were meant to.

I can’t wait to delve more and more into my health and fitness, travel and mental health niches.

The fun part?

To reward myself for all the hard work, I went on a little bit of a shopping spree on Amazon. I found the pineapple chamomile tea I can’t find anywhere anymore. I bought some more writing books, one about writing white papers and the best freelance writing resource ever. I bought two barre workout videos to improve my teaching craft. And I bought a new journaling Bible that was soooo “me” that I can’t wait to dig in to. There might have been a few other things, but they escape me right now;)

What’s next?

I put in quite a few pitches in October alongside the work I did. I’ve already turned a few offers down, but I hope that a few more amazing opportunities come out of the work I put into October.

I’m also working on a swap offer for writing in return for some web design, so there could be some website changes coming. It’s exciting to think about where this all leads.

Not bad for my first month, eh?

If you’d like, I’ll keep you posted! Let me know in the comments.

Do you like seeing freelance income reports like this? What parts of the freelance journey would you like to know more about?

October 6, 2016

Free Client Pitch Tracker for Freelance Writers

This has been the season of up-leveling my freelance writing game.

I’ve been reading every book I can get my hands on about content marketing, contracts, pitches, SEO and anything else pertaining to the world of freelance. (Want me to share some of my favorite resources? Tell me in the comments below).

I’ve been sending out pitches like crazy.

I’ve been guest posting as much as possible.

I’ve really found my stride, in a way that I didn’t even know was possible. (That’s another story.)

So, today, I just thought I’d give out a freebie for you all.

This is the exact tracker that I use for keeping track of the businesses and people that I have pitched for freelance writing opportunities:

Here’s a little breakdown of the Freelance Pitch Tracker:

I track all my freelance writing gigs using a simple Google Sheet document.

(Were you expecting something more complicated? Do not make this more complicated than it needs to be!)

The first thing I would suggest is breaking the spreadsheet into chunks based on your pitching goals. Whether your goal is to send out 100 pitches a month or 100 pitches per day, you can bold the outline under the row of your goal so you know exactly where to stop each day.

The columns are pretty self-explanatory. You’ll notice my color-code key at the side. Color-coding helps me see at a quick glance who I still need to follow up with (still in white white), which contacts have given me a “no,” who I am in conversation with, and who I am currently doing business with.

This color coding system is a huge time saver. First of all, I can completely overlook the contacts that have said no (although, some of these come back and surprise you). A quick glance through another color helps refresh my memory about which clients I am currently doing business with, so I don’t forget any upcoming projects. And the white lets me know I should schedule a follow up.

The date column and follow-up column are used for the purpose of follow-up as well. Let me just tell you a little secret: there is magic in the follow-up. People get emails all the time and if they don’t know who you are, will likely delete your emails too. If you follow-up to the first email though, suddenly they take notice. Mark my words! I’ve nabbed more than one client through the follow up. If you don’t hear back, follow up until you do–just not in a pushy weird way. I could probably do a whole other post about this (and I just might!).

The Notes and Conversations columns are where I put little snippets of our conversation so I remember who I was talking to about what. I once made the mistake of emailing a customer saying I fit all the job qualifications on his page and he didn’t have any job qualifications on his page! I was mixing people up! No-no-no!

The second sheet is my article pitch sheet. If you’re a freelance writer, you are likely pitching guest posts to online publications (if you aren’t, you should be–it’s an incredible credibility- and portfolio-building opportunity). But you definitely need to keep track of the people and places you’re in conversation with.

There’s also a column for submission guidelines. Keeping submission guidelines at your fingertips is a good idea too, so you can pitch to those publications multiple times. Never give up after the first try!

Now, let me tell you why you need a freelance pitch tracker:

If you’re serious about freelance writing, you need to be pitching like it’s your full-time job.

But when you have sent out over 100 pitches, you WILL NOT remember who they all are or where you found them, no matter how good you think your memory is. It just won’t happen. Write down every single pitch you send, even if you think you’ll remember. This tracker will help you free up that mind space!

That first little “name” column has some special magic behind it, if you pay close attention. Let’s say you apply to a job on Problogger. The name of the person doing the hiring is typically not listed. So, once you do find out that name, make sure you list it. Or do a little digging to find out the name of the person. If you can speak to someone directly by name in your pitch, your pitch will be exponentially more powerful. Do whatever you can to fill in that NAME column.

Keeping track of where you found a contact is crucial too. It’s so much easier to make a connection to someone this way rather than coming at them out of left field. Plus, it’s something you’ll add to your pitch letter: “Hey, I saw your request on the [fill in blank] job board for a content marketing specialist.”

Funny story, I found one particular fitness personality after perusing the #BettyWhite trending hashtag on the actress’s birthday (such a sneaky little tactic to get followers). It was an incredible attention getter in my pitch letter. And I can’t tell you how many times I go back to look at that column wondering, where did I find this person again?

This “how found” column also helps when I need to brainstorm where to find new leads. I can look back and see “oh hey, I found quite a few people in this entrepreneur group on Facebook, I’ll look there again.”

You also need a quick at-a-glance reference like this tracker to remember who you’re working with, who said “no,” and everyone in between. You might even want to refresh your memory to see if you’ve already pitched a place in the past (this happens!). You don’t want to look like a fool sending a business the same pitch multiple times. The freelance tracker spreadsheet is so much more searchable than the heap of content that lies buried in your email.

I also like to keep a list of guest post submissions I’ve sent out as well so I can cross-submit. What that means is, if I have a great idea for an article, I might want to pitch it to another media site after the first one rejected it instead of letting it die.

The last thing I’d like to say about why you need one of these trackers is the infinite possibilities that lie therein. It’s validating and satisfying to see the tracker fill up and change color and become more vast every day. And I want the same for you!

To Wrap Up

Well, that’s about it. If you have any questions about what the columns or for or how to use this tracker, just hit me up with a comment or an email. I filled in one example for you so you can see what it’s like. Happy pitching!

Cool, so if you haven’t already:

August 9, 2016

My Newest Adventure–Barre Teacher Training

Guess what I’m up to now?

Dun dun Duuuuuun!

I am studying to become a barre instructor!!!

What started as a search for a way to fulfill my NASM continuing education requirements, led me to one of the fastest growing, most delicious workouts. I love barre! I’ve been throwing barre workouts into my routine here and there for several years now and when I saw that there were a few barre programs that fulfilled my requirements, I hit “BUY NOW.” I went with American Barre Technique because they seemed to have the least restrictions as far as teaching, re-certifying and licensing are involved. Super straightforward.

Thing is though…I am not very graceful or graceful and I was never a dancer. I hope I’m not too clunky of a teacher. But I just LOVE working out this way, working those muscle with teeny tiny wicked movements.

My textbook and training video came in the mail last week and I devoured the entire book before bed one night. The entire thing.

Then, on Saturday, I tried the workout AND did a 40 minute run. I was hungry…all day. Haha. Now, I just have to work on memorizing the routine. My son and Hubster don’t know what they’re in for. Who else am I going to practice on?

So, my workplace offers on-site exercise classes before work, during lunch and after work. I’m hoping to nab my spot when one becomes available!

Wouldn’t it be fun to have a ladies’ only barre party at my house and teach in the backyard, from the deck, and then have snacks and fun afterward? That’s what I’m planning to do to film my final exam video (read: that’s how I’m planning to lure in my friends to be my guinea pigs). Love you, friends!

Oh yeah, and I published a book of poetry. NBD. Haha. It’s a compilation of all the poetry that I’ve tucked away in boxes and notebooks for years and thought, why the heck not publish it? Get your copy here:

Keep your eye on my Youtube channel because I’m going to be sharing the meaning and stories behind the poetry in a series of videos. In fact, one of them (Dresser for Sale) is already up! Subscribe so you don’t miss any when they go live!

Sometimes I can’t even keep up with me.

Have you tried barre yet? What do you love about it?

Are you a hustler who has one million projects going at all times too?

July 29, 2016

How to Find the Right Copywriter

Good writing just doesn’t cut it anymore.

I say this a lot, even in my freelance proposals and on my sales page, because it’s something that must be considered in order to hire the right copywriter. Good writers are a dime a dozen. That’s why sites like ODesk and Elance are saturated with writing “talent,” scrambling to outbid each other for jobs. What you’ll most likely get, unless you find a hidden gem, is subpar writing that doesn’t meet your business’s standards. The purpose of this type of writing is to just pump a ton of content out into the webosphere to increase rankings. These sites tend to undermine the skilled craft of careful wordsmithing.

That’s why you won’t find me on any of those sites.

Good spelling and grammar should be nonnegotiable, but even that’s really not enough if you want to kill it in your online business. Successful launches, well-trafficked websites, and ultimately, superior sales require a level of writing that is much rarer, a finer art. An exceptional copywriter should be able to write well but should also have a firm grasp on:

Persuasion techniques and psychology: A good copywriter should know how to gently seduce your audience with effective psychological tactics. Not in a slimeball way, but in a warm way that requires careful craftsmanship. For example, in order to make better sales, you might want some kind of scarcity factor built into your copy otherwise customers won’t pull the trigger and buy. That’s just one of the many psychological tactics that your copywriter must have skill using.
Juicy headlines: A good copywriter knows what kind of headlines are going to pique readers’ interests. What will make them click a link. What will make them open an email. Just this one tiny detail will make a monumental difference in traffic and conversions!
Ideal client profiling: A good copywriter should have some sort of intake questionnaire exploring your brand, voice, audience and other aspects of relevance. Knowing exactly who your business is talking to, what makes them tick, what keeps them up at night–allows your copywriter to speak directly to your ideal client on his/her own terms. By speaking to the right person, your business will start to bring in only the people that are a perfect fit for your company. If your copywriter doesn’t make a diligent effort to understand and study your ideal client, run the other way!
Creating a decent portfolio: Whether it’s on their website, on Contently, or on Linkedin, your copywriter should have a professional place where they share their writing samples. Even if it’s spec work, you should be able get a feel for the competence of your writer from what they’ve previously written. Do they have pieces that reflect their adaptability to different subjects, outlets, and brands? Their quality of work and level of professionalism should shine through their writing samples. Check mine out here.
Adapting their voice for different clients. You might think you need to look for a copywriter who already speaks in your voice, but then you might miss out on a really skilled writer. The best copywriters are actually able to adapt their writing to your particular voice.
Branding: your copywriter needs to be able to adapt his/her wording to reflect the values and voice of your brand. Your copy should not sound like someone else wrote it! It shouldn’t ever sound like you hired someone to do your writing. It should sound just like you, just like your brand. If you have a luxury brand, your words need to reflect luxury, and a good copywriter won’t rest until they’ve got it just right.
Timeline: one of the questions you need to ask your copywriter is what their turnaround time would be for your project. Some are booked quite solid. Some offer turnaround times that can’t possibly be consistent with quality. Some offer turnaround times that just won’t meet your requirements. This is just another aspect to take into consideration when interviewing clients.
Prices: Your copywriter’s prices are a reflection of their work quality and experience. Charging $5 per blog post might sound great for your business budget, but the quality of that type of writing will undermine your business. No copywriter worth her salt will charge anything less than $50 per decent post. If you take your business seriously, you understand this important difference. Paying higher prices typically gets you a more effective copywriter, which ends up getting you more sales and traffic. And remember, content is king (lots of research on that), so writing is not the place to cut budgets. A good writer is going to be sooooo worth the investment.

I hope this article gives you some perspective on the world of copywriting and helps you narrow down your search for the perfect copywriter. There are so many factors to take into consideration, but you should be able to trust your gut when you find a good one. A little chat with them and a quick look at their portfolio should immediately indicate their competence. You’ll just know…

If you’re currently looking for a copywriter with all these qualities, I’m your girl! You can check out my packages here. If you need something not listed, hit me up and we can make arrangements.