All posts tagged Copywriting Business

How to Maximize Copywriting Services

By | August 2, 2012 | Advice & Insight, Non-Copywriter | 2 Comments

Project Copy Guest Blog

Kristen Bradley of CrowdSource.Com guest blogs for ProjectCopy this week. Read what she has to say about hiring copywriters the crowd source way.

How to Maximize Copywriting Services
In the past decade, crowdsourcing has greatly expanded its reach to incorporate a variety of tasks that previously required individuals or companies to use salaried employees. One such task is copywriting. Creators of blogs and websites can find copywriting services that reach out to writers across the world to compose content on a variety of subjects for these sites. Here are a few tips on how to use these services.

Understand copywriting services
When considering the use of copywriting services, it is best to understand how these services work. Many of these services use the power of crowdsourcing to deliver content at a set price to a requester. When a company needs copy for a site, it may request copy on a specific subject that is relevant to the site in question. Once the directives are made clear, the requester agrees to pay a particular rate for the copy. This may be a price set by the crowdsourcing company, or it may be set by the copywriter, depending on the service used. Then, once all parties have agreed upon the terms, the copy is written and sent to the requester, who then approves or rejects the content.

Choosing the best
Some services may specialize in a particular subject matter. For example, if a requester has a need for copy on legal matters or the stock market, the requester can pursue companies that tailor copy specific to that subject. Many services have writers that can accurately compose copy on many subjects. It is a good idea to look into the top services first, as these services usually attract the best writers, who, in turn, offer the best copy. A requester always has the right to reject work, but the requester should be aware that rejected work should never be used. Using rejected work is considered highly unethical in the crowdsourcing community and leads to long-term issues when trying to attract top writers.

If a person or company is in need of content for a site or for other purposes, there are services that can deliver this content with speed, accuracy and high quality. By understanding how these services work and by following protocols in line with these services, a requester can receive excellent copy at a fair price. All parties can be satisfied with an assignment if they understand the expectations in the transaction and work together in an amicable and professional manner.

Kristen Bradley is a specialist for CrowdSource.com, a leading site on the web that delivers highly scalable solutions to enterprise clients worldwide.

Copywriting: The Essential Business Tool You Should Be Using

By | May 7, 2012 | Copywriting, Freelance Copywriters, Non-Copywriter, Promoting Yourself | 1 Comment

Copywriter

JT Copywriting is celebrating its second year anniversary with a fantastic “25% Off” promotion and an important message.

We’ve all got our own list of what we think the most essential business tools are. However, there’s one that always seems to fly under the radar. The most successful businesses know about it because they’ve used it, but not everyone is aware of it or, more importantly, aware of its amazing benefits.

I am, of course, talking about copywriting. What is copywriting? To put it simply, Copywriting is writing words. You see, whenever a business promotes itself through press releases, adverts, mailshots or newsletters it will need to produce promotional copy, either by writing the words in-house or by hiring a copywriter to do so.

Why should you want to hire a copywriter? James Tennant, owner of JT Copywriting (www.jtcopy.com), puts it this way, “If you think about it, 99% of all communication is done with words. Words are such a powerful and yet oddly underrated tool. Politicians have used the right words to gain control of countries and start wars. It’s obvious to me that the power of the written word is unlimited.”

He goes on: “Whenever a business communicates with its audience and target demographic, they’ll be using words to spread their message. However, without the proper words, that message will go unnoticed, lost among the millions of other messages floating around. That’s where a Copywriter comes in. Copywriters are trained to use words that influence, interest and compel people to buy products and read articles. Their words make some companies millions in profit every year.”

As mentioned, JT Copywriting is celebrating its second year as a business and it is throwing a promotion truly worthy of celebration! – 25% off the hourly rate until July 1st! That’s potentially hundreds of pounds saved on copy that could greatly increase your business’ profits. With such an offer set to create great interest in JT Copywriting’s services, it would be sensible for you to get in touch with James as soon as possible or you might miss out.

James Tennant is the owner of JT Copywriting and is a professional freelance marketing copywriter. He has worked with some of the world’s biggest and best companies (think: eBay, Universal Studios, and Gumtree). He specialises in writing marketing materials that will increase public awareness of your brand and increase your profits. You can access the website at www.jtcopy.com and you can follow James on Twitter: @JT_Copywriting and on facebook: JTCopywriting

Get in touch today via email: contact@jtcopy.com.

The Importance Of Business Cards

By | March 27, 2012 | Copywriting, Freelance Copywriters, Promoting Yourself | 6 Comments
JT Copywriting Business Cards

Snazzy business card design can give you an edge over your competitors

I was recently privvy to a conversation between several entrepreneurs and copywriters about the importance of business cards. (I’ll admit, I was nosing in on Twitter).

On one side (Party A) it was argued that business cards were essential and that they should be carried around at all times. On the other side (Party B) it was argued that they were an antiquated business tool that was not necessary anymore with the emergence of social media.

Both parties had valid points, however, I find myself agreeing with Party A. Why? Because if I meet someone who I could potentially do business with, I find myself asking if they have a business card a long time before I ask if they have a Twitter account. I also find that carrying someone’s information round on a very portable piece of card to be quite handy when at networking events. I’d rather not ask for a pen and paper to write down someone’s Twitter username.

It was further argued by Party B that if he/she met someone that he/she genuinely wanted to work with, he/she would be chatting with them via social media. There was also some reference made to shredding a load of business cards that had been collected over the years from people he/she never intended to work with. My question at this point would be: Why did you take business cards from people you didn’t want to work with? It doesn’t make sense to me. In the same way that this person would be chatting to a person on twitter if he/she wanted to work with them, I would only collect a business card from someone who I wanted to work with.

To further my point that business cards are essential, we should think outside the box for a moment. Yes business cards hold the information other people need to know about us in order to do business with us. Website addresses, names, numbers, addresses and social media usernames etc. However, they can be so much more. A well designed business card can be an attractive thing, it can be the reason why your card is picked up and not someone elses. It’s basically a tiny advertisment that should reflect the professionalism and quality of your service. We’ve all seen cheap, badly made business cards and I have to admit, those kind of cards have immediately given me a bad impression of the business of the person that gave it to me.

In addition, think about business cards from the point of view of graphic designers, artists and photographers. A business card is a chance to show off their work. On one side you have the vital information. On the other you have a sample of their work perhaps. This is a fantastic way for those in the aforementioned careers to give any prospective clients an idea of how good they are at what they do. It’s also a fantastic conversation starter.

For me the business card is more than just a carrier of information – it’s a chance for you to show people a little bit about who you are.

What about you? Do you believe in the power of the business card or is it just a waste of money and time?

Let’s hear your thoughts!

Networking: 4N or BNI?

By | March 5, 2012 | Advice & Insight, Freelance Copywriters, Promoting Yourself | 3 Comments

For UK business owners there are really only two clear choices when it comes to networking. You can join BNI (Business Network International) or 4N (owned by the fast-talking, enthusiastic author of the ‘Get Off Your Arse’ books, Mr Brad Burton).

What’s the Difference?

The biggest difference is the size of the two organisations. BNI is much, much larger, boasting over 6000 chapters worldwide (over 600 of which are based in the UK). 4N has around a third of that UK number right now but it is expanding.

When it comes to the actual networking, both organisations offer the same vanilla experience. You go in, you chat, you hand out business cards, watch a presentation and then chat some more hoping to build a steady stream of clients through recommendations.

However, there is certainly a contrasting atmosphere at these events. Whereas BNI meet-ups are rather formal, target driven and hardcore, (I speak from first hand experience here) 4N have taken a much more casual approach. That’s not to say one is better than the other, it just depends on how you prefer to do your networking.

Are you networking solely to get more clients? Or are you there to meet people and share advice, insights and stories too?

Personally, I prefer to keep the atmosphere as casual as possible when I’m chatting with my clients so 4N seems like a much better fit for me.

Let’s move on..

What about the prices?

Well as you might expect, BNI membership costs more, but that doesn’t mean it’s better. Let’s have a more in-depth look at those prices:

4N Networking4N

  • Introductory Offer – £200 + VAT for 200 days
  • Yearly Membership – £250 + VAT for 12 Months (One Group)
  • Yearly Passport – £490 + VAT for 12 Months (All Groups)

For me, it’s probably not worth getting that introductory offer. Why? Because if you’re going to invest 200 days into this thing to test it, then you may as well do it for a year and it’s only 50 quid more.

Also, although the passport is a nice idea (it allows you to go to ANY networking meet up in the country) it’s only really worth it if you’re moving around a lot. I can’t imagine too many business owners moving around enough to make that huge 240 increase worth it.

BNI NetworkingBNI

  • BNI joining fee – £100 + VAT
  • BNI membership fee – £400 + VAT for 12 Months
  • Breakfast fee – £42 Per Month

So for your first year of BNI membership it’s going to cost you around £550 + VAT (if you want breakfast every time). Wow. That’s much more expensive that 4N and I’m not really sure where the extra cash is going. By that I mean I don’t know how much bigger the benefits are with BNI that warrant a £300 increase over the 4N price.

Pros and Cons

I think the best way to end this comparison would be a quick pros and cons list.

4N

Pros:

  • Casual + Friendly Atmosphere
  • Cheaper Than BNI
  • Passport Allows You To Attend Any Meetup

Cons:

  • Less Members + Smaller Organisation Than BNI
  • Too Gentle (For those looking for a more hardcore business experience)

BNI

Pros:

  • Massive Organisation – Global
  • Much Higher Potential For New Clients (Because There Are More Members)
  • Structured + Supportive Business Environment

Cons:

  • Too Hardcore + Formal (For those looking for a more relaxed environment)
  • More Expensive Than 4N

So go and check out these two networking groups now if you’re thinking about joining one (which you should be!)

Let me know your thoughts on both groups. Perhaps you’re a part of a networking group that you think is better than 4N or BNI? Let us know!

 

Copywriting Survey!

By | February 24, 2012 | Non-Copywriter | No comments


ProjectCopy, in an effort to learn more about what copywriting clients want, need and expect from their copywriters, have come up with a very quick online survey for all you copywriting CLIENTS to fill in. (This ain’t for you copywriters, so stay away!)

Find the survey here!

Once the information has been gathered and scrutinised, a blog post will follow along with an infographic (potentially).

The information collected will go a long way towards improving the quality of service and work you receive from copywriters in the future!

Thank you very much for reading.

Kind regards,

James @ ProjectCopy

Bad Client Habits: A Lack of Communication.

By | February 18, 2012 | Copywriting, Freelance Copywriters | No comments

It really does not take long to send an email...so do it!

For me, there’s nothing more frustrating as a copywriter than sending off a draft to your client and then not hearing back from them for days or weeks at a time. Even with follow-up emails there’s sometimes a continued lack of response. I understand that my clients might be busy (funnily enough I am too!)  but not having 5 minutes, or even 30 seconds, to write a quick reply to let me know that you’re looking at the draft or let me know an approximate date when you’ll be able to get back to me in full is totally unbelievable.

One of the hallmarks of my service as a copywriter is getting back to any emails within a few short hours. Why? Because communication is the single most important aspect of business and without it nothing gets done. On top of that, throughout a project, I like to send regular emails to my clients to let them know how the project is going, ask any questions I might have or bring up any issues I’ve come across. I treat my clients as I would like to be treated so when I don’t hear back from them for a month, it’s safe to say I don’t appreciate it.

Unfortunately, there’s little I can do except encourage communication from the get-go. Phone calls often get my clients back on track but that is a last resort tactic for me as I don’t want to come across as a pest.

By no means am I saying that all my clients are like this, in fact it’s only a tiny percentage but I needed to get this off my chest!

So thank you all for reading this rant, writing this blog post has been very therapeutic for me.

What about y’all? Have any of you come across clients like that? Let me hear your ‘bad client’ stories!

Clients! Here Are 3 Tips To Get The Best Out Of Your Copywriter!

By | February 14, 2012 | Advice & Insight, Copywriting, Freelance Copywriters, Non-Copywriter | No comments

I’ve worked with many clients and I’ve enjoyed a very fruitful and enjoyable business relationship with most of them. However, admittedly, there are some clients who make life very difficult for me.

So what separates a good client from one who can be frustrating? I think it all comes down to preparation and understanding how a copywriter goes about his or her work. It’s not necessarily the case that the client is just a difficult one, they just need a little enlightenment.

So, with that in mind, I’ve decided to help out all of you businessmen and women out there who are looking to hire a copywriter.

1. Copywriters need a lot of research – In order to write the most effective copy, copywriters need access to a lot of research and a lot of it needs to come from you, the client. Without research how can a copywriter possibly write accurate, informative copy? As John Anghelache puts it, “It’s like asking a marksman to fire blindfolded.”

In addition to your research, a good copywriter should provide you with a brief sheet full of questions for you to answer to get things started. If you don’t have a lot of extra information to pass on to the copywriter, your brief sheet answers should at least point them in the right direction.

2. Getting your copy perfect takes time and co-operation – Don’t think that any copywriter will be able to write exactly what you want them to the first time around. That’s almost impossible. The road to great copy is paved with edits and plenty of useful communication between client and copywriter. If you’re not willing to put the time and effort in to help the copywriter, then don’t expect amazing results in turn.

Be willing to provide your input and answer any questions the copywriter might have and you’ll soon be blessed with profit-enhancing copy.

3. Lastly, make sure you set reasonable deadlines! – The bigger and more complex the project, the longer it will take to complete. If you rush the copywriter, you’ll get rushed work back that won’t be as effective as it could be had you given the copywriter enough time to work his or her magic. When you’re spending the kind of money you’ll be spending hiring a copywriter, isn’t it in your best interests to get the best possible quality of copy in return?

Give your copywriter enough time and I promise you’ll not regret it.

What do I mean by enough time? A ten page website or long-copy sales letter can take from two to four weeks whereas an email might take a few days to a week. If in doubt just ask your copywriter how long they realistically need to provide you with the best possible copy.

By following those three simple steps you should make life much easier for your copywriter and if you do that, you’ll get more effective copy in return so it’s win-win.

Discussion time!

Copywriters: Have you worked with any clueless clients recently?

Clients: Have you got any questions about copywriting methods? We’d love to answer them.

Testimonials And Why You Need Them!

By | February 11, 2012 | Advice & Insight, Freelance Copywriters, Promoting Yourself | 2 Comments

Testimonials are vital business tools

Ahh the testimonial. Along with samples of your work, testimonials are the single most important thing you’ll need to get more work and enjoy more success as a freelance copywriter.

Why? Because any prospective client is going to want proof that you can do what you say you can and one of the best ways to show that you’re not full of hot air is to show them testimonials from past clients.

The testimonial is a vital part of any business and you’re going to need a bunch of them if you want to succeed. Testimonials are easy to read and they highlight your best qualities. The best part is, you’re not the one bragging about the quality of your work and service, it’s other people. And groups of people all saying the same thing is a very powerful persuasive tool.

For example: If I wanted to buy a donut and I heard from 20 people that Donut Shop A sold amazing donuts, then I’d go there and buy one. It’s as simple as that.

You need proof that testimonials are as powerful as I say they are? Look at this report about how adding testimonials to a landing page increased this company’s sales by 34%! Amazing.

Amy Harrison over at HarrisonAmy.com has some great advice about the best way to ask for testimonials right here.

Here’s a snippet from her blog:

Remember, to get a simple but specific testimonial which paints a compelling story for your service, ask your customer to answer the following 3 questions:

  • What problem were they suffering from?
  • How did the product / service help (and were there any surprise bonuses!)
  • What were the specific results?

 

 

Interview With David Garfinkel

By | February 7, 2012 | Advice & Insight, Copywriting, Freelance Copywriters, Guest Blog | No comments

Continuing with our series of interviews with leading copywriters, our next participant is Mr David Garfinkel of fasteffectivecopy.com. Let’s see what he had to say when we put the questions to him.

1. When did you decide to start your freelance copywriting business?

Around 1991. I had been an award-winning editorial writer (San Francisco bureau chief for McGraw Hill, and a freelance writer) for years, but when I got into the info-product business, I found I needed a new skill – a way to sell my products!

I started to study copywriting, and practice it for my own business.  And then I found people would pay good money for sales letters that worked.

2. How long did it take before you established yourself as a leading freelance copywriter?

Probably about five years.

3. Are there any other copywriters you admire? If so, who and why?

There are many.  Old-school guys (I mean really old school) include Claude Hopkins, Gene Schwartz and Victor Schwab. Not only because of how they wrote copy themselves, but because of how well they have been able to teach others.  These guys, of course, have passed on.

Current living legends include Drayton Bird, Bob Bly, David Deutsch, and John Carlton. These guys have helped me learn a lot and move forward in my own career.

And some of the younger guys I have mentored: Michael Morgan, Vin Montello, Chris Haddad.  Because they write so well and get such great sales results.

There are others, but those are the first nine that came to mind.

4. What is the best way to get new clients?

Great question.  The answer is, show up where the clients are, and socialize in a business setting.  For Internet copywriters, this could include Internet marketing conferences.  Even if you’re not a social person, do this anyway.  Clients aren’t buying copy – they are investing in a business relationship with someone who understands their business and can help it grow with the written word.  They want to have a good gut feeling about you.

5. If you could pick five traits or characteristics to create the perfect freelance copywriter, what would they be?

No such thing as perfect, first of all…

But assuming there actually were, I would say:

1) Good listener

2) Good questioner

3) Able to boil down a lot of information into concise phrases and stories

4) Ability to sell and to “sense” the sales process

5) Patience, including with all the quirks of the human condition.

6. What’s your favourite power word (or word)?

You.

Next to a person’s own name, it will almost always be their favourite word.

7. List five must-have items that you believe each freelance copywriter should have?

1) An elevator speech (30-second pitch) which includes a Unique Selling Proposition.

2) A place on the Web (site, blog, something) to demonstrate how they write.

3) Samples of actual work, with tracked sales results if at all possible.

4) A sense of humour.  Seriously. If you don’t have that, it’s going to be hard to last in this business. Because if you take things too personally or too seriously, you could get in a lot of trouble in a hurry.

5) Supportive relationships.  With other copywriters, or with a paid mentor, or as part of business Mastermind, or all of the above.  You need people who “have your back.”

8. What are the annoying aspects of freelance copywriting?

The most annoying thing is clients who are more interested in “polishing their halo” (that is, buffing up their own egos) than getting bottom line sales results. I don’t think copywriters should be in the PR business, unless they are PR copywriters.  But some clients have different opinions, and that’s annoying.

Also, having clients who are so successful that you can’t get a response from them for weeks at a time. That’s what happened with me – I heard back yesterday from a client I had emailed and called 10 days ago. I couldn’t move forward until I had my client’s OK on an approach.  It’s annoying, but at least you know clients that busy will be able to pay the bills!

9. What are the most enjoyable aspects of freelance copywriting?

If you enjoy the work – as I do – it’s great to get paid very well for something you have fun doing.

Also, I get a big kick out of seeing my clients’ business grow.

These days, however, most of my copy is for my own two businesses, in which I’m a partner:  Fast Effective Copy, the training site; and a wealth education product.
But every now and then I come across someone who can afford me, and for whose business, their investment will pay multiples back to them.

10. Finally. What advice would you give to all the brand new freelance copywriters out there?

Learn all you can, but also, do. I am working with a staff copywriter who had studied things for years but was relying entirely on what he learned (from the best sources) but he had never actually written copy and observed from experience what works and what doesn’t work.

Also, hand-copy Web pages and old sales letters.  As much as you can stand, and then some.  It’s amazing how fast that advances your learning curve.

David Garfinkel

http://FastEffectiveCopy.com

Thanks to David for some great answers and insight from a unique perspective!

Copywriting Templates: Should You Use Them?

By | February 6, 2012 | Advice & Insight, Copywriting, Freelance Copywriters | 6 Comments

 

You should never just "fill in the blanks" when creating your copy

It’s certainly an attractive idea. You write a killer sales letter for one company and your mind starts to go to dark places. You start to tell yourself, “Why do I need to write a different sales letter for the next company? This one is great as it is. All I need to do is change the name of the company and some other minor details and I can sell it to anyone.”

You’d drastically reduce the amount of time you need to work on your next sales letter and you know you’ll be selling a great piece of work…so why does it feel so wrong? Well, that’s because it is wrong. It’s also terrible business practice and here’s why:

Companies are paying you a very good fee for your time and your talents (or at least they should be – check out my article on what copywriters charge if you feel you should be earning more). They expect to get high-quality, 100% unique work that has been written with a focus on their company. If they were to find out that the sales letter or website copy you wrote for them is exactly the same as a whole bunch of other company’s sales letters and websites then you’ll soon find yourself in the dog house with a lot of businesses and that will do nothing to help your credibility.

Word of mouth and recommendations you receive from your clients are so important to a freelance copywriter that you can’t risk earning a bad reputation just because you want to save yourself a lot of time and try to “cheat” the system.

If you were still wanting to go down the route of selling templated copy then what you must do is inform your customers exactly what it is they are buying. You could create a couple of templates and sell them cheaply to companies who just want to get their websites up and running or those companies who are on a restricted budget. At least this way you wouldn’t be conning your clients.

You’d be doing yourself and your business a much better service by writing unique content every time you have a project. Invest your time and energy into making each project better than the last and not only will you earn a great reputation, but you’ll become a better copywriter too. You need to be your own copywriter, not somebody elses.

Now I should make some distinction here between using copywriting templates in your work and studying copywriting templates. Studying templates, to see what makes them successful, is certainly something you should do, but stop short at actually using the template. There are some great blog posts (particularly concerning how to write a great headline) and some great templates out there that you can look at so make sure you do.

What do you think? Do you use copywriting templates? Do you think that I’m talking rubbish? Let’s hear your comments!

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