Get Great Clients

What Copywriters need to know about Facebook's new TIMELINE format

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:22:00 GMT

Are you on Facebook?

Have you updated to the new TIMELINE format?

I have, and I'm excited about it. I think it'll be better for business.

Here's why:

1. TIMELINE offers you more space to display your brand. Note how large the cover photo is!
http://www.facebook.com/chrismarlowforwriters

Perhaps in response to the recent shift to shorter copy and an increased emphasis on visuals, Timeline has replaced the old tabs with photos.

This is good because in the world of direct response copy, we know that supporting copy with images can increase response rates by as much as 20 percent.

In my coaching program we always create icons for our white papers, ezine, and other important lead-gen tools. It simply sells better.

2. TIMELINE's layout lets you put your offer, products, testimonials, and other business-building tools front and center. Can you see how prominent the Free Report is? And Chris's Products? And my TMs?
http://www.facebook.com/chrismarlowforwriters

3. TIMELINE also wants to support the dissemination of active content and encourage conversations. Both good things! Do you see the little downward arrow that has a "4" next to it? Click on that and you come to my blog's recent articles. Cool, huh?

One thing I DON'T like is that when you go to a page, you can't click your browser's back button to get back to the previous page. However, if you click on "Chris Marlow for Writers" up at the top, it works. Something to file away because I've been pulling my hair out for weeks before I discovered this. Pavlov's dogs? We're pretty well trained on the back button!

4. TIMELINE offers analytics! Now you can get stats on your posts. My research says it can arrive in as little as five or ten minutes. Since I'm just launching, I haven't had a chance to use the analytics. But you can help me with that by "liking" my page.

You might be interacting with me on my old Facebook site, but if you're a writer or a copywriter, I'd rather talk with you here. This is where the action is!
http://www.facebook.com/chrismarlowforwriters

Plus it's your first glimpse into the final steps in a rebranding that has taken more than a year, and that will complete very soon.

I'm all about helping you — the intrepid writer — to earn more, build wealth, and enjoy life through courses, information products, and conversation on the subjects of Marketing, Money and Productivity for Writers!

Thank you for being on this journey with me. You have no idea how important you are to my life, and how I've enjoyed your community way before "community" became a popular social media term.

Warmly,

Chris

PS - When you're building your TIMELINE page, make sure it's unpublished until you're finished. We forgot to do that and some of my close writer friends "arrived" before I was ready for them (as you'll see from the comment dates).

How long did it take us to complete the work? My social media webmaster did this work AND updated my Twitter and LinkedIn accounts in one month. Well worth the investment!

PPS - This would be a good time to mention that as part of the repositioning, the "Get Great Clients" brand is being retired and I will simply converse with you one-on-one, as Chris Marlow.

What writers and copywriters must know about Wordpress before getting started

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 23:30:00 GMT

Have you converted your website to WordPress yet?

Did you hear it was easy and now you're pulling your hair out?

I've had enough coaching students who chose to go this route only find themselves exasperatingly stuck.

So if it's so easy to build on WordPress, what's going on?

A GROWING PLATFORM

According to Alexa (2012), 17.4 percent of the top 100,000 websites are now on the WordPress platform.

Obviously, WordPress is popular (and gaining every day).

This platform does offer many attractive benefits for writers, chief among them:

* It's built on a CMS (Content Management System), that makes it super easy to upload and build out great content on your site;

* It stays current with new technologies and tools, such as social media integration, mobile app compatibility, plugins and widgets, and more;

* It allows the site owner to do the work of updating, lowering outsourcing costs and allowing for more control over one's site.

So why are some of my writers going crazy?

I decided to find out.

But fair warning: I am a complete novice when it comes to WordPress; however by making if my job to find out about it, we both learn together!

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WORDPRESS

First of all, there are two options to choose from: WordPress.org and WordPress.com.

Thanks to an interview I did with Pam May, one of my coaching clients, I believe I discovered the source of my students' agonies.

I believe they downloaded WordPress.org rather than WordPress.com.

According to Pam (and other research I did), you can download both the WordPress.com or WordPress.org platforms, from WordPress.org. (Confusing, I know — and that may very well be the problem).

WordPress.org is for webmasters, programmers and others who are experts at this stuff, while WordPress.com is for the rest of us... site owners who want WYSIWYG functionality and the ability to build a site in a day. (Does anybody even use that term anymore?)

In looking back at the complaint of my coaching clients — that pages weren't consistent, that security features and other must-haves were missing — it's now clear to me that they probably downloaded WordPress.org instead of WordPress.com.

Since Pam has JUST finished a two-day hands-on seminar near her home located in Oakland, California, I asked her if she would allow me to interview her on what she learned.

She generously agreed and I now have an informal 40-minute audio to share with you for free. Simply Click Here to listen.

There's a lot of information out there on WordPress and a much of it is designed to sell you into classes, some of it very expensive.

Personally, I feel I need deep training because of my many websites, and will choose a teaching solution sometime soon.

However, this 40-minute interview I did with Pam will help you understand some basics, so you don't make the mistake of downloading the wrong Wordpress platform, like so many others have.

This 40 minutes could save you some serious stress. If it saves you from making a big mistake, please email me. I'd love to know if the time we took to record this information was worth it.
Click Here to listen.

Warmly,

Chris

P.S. — Here's another good source of information on Wordpress from fellow copywriter David Kline that will be helpful if you're just getting started:
http://www.klinecom.com/2011/11/16/just-another-wordpress-confession/

Thanks David!

Chris Marlow
Master Copywriter & The Original Copywriters Coach
Achieving Goals Through Trusted Advice™ Since 2003
http://www.thecopywriterscoach.com
http://www.chrismarlow.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/christinemarlow
http://www.facebook.com/thecopywriterscoach
http://www.twitter.com/Chris_Marlow

3 Steps to better copywriting clients than you currently have

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:53:00 GMT

Do you have "great clients"?

If you're not sure, why not take this quick and simple Quiz:

Do your clients...

1. Understand the value of copywriting? YES/NO

2. Have a generous budget for copy that pays you what you're worth? YES/NO

3. Treat you and your business with equality and respect? YES/NO

4. Know more than you about marketing, so you can learn from their campaigns and sophistication? YES/NO

If you answered YES to all four questions, you have ideal clients. Congratulations!Your clients are large small businesses, mid-size, large, and very large businesses.

If you answered NO to any question, you need better clients.

And if you answered NO to all questions, your clients are almost guaranteed to be individuals or very small businesses (and your income is likely to be low as well).

HOW TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR CLIENTS

Here are three steps to improving the quality of your clients, and they are in a particular order.

Step #1 must be in place before you go to Step 2, and Step 2 in place before going on to Step 3.

STEP 1: Do not use your website or marketing messages to "educate."

Website copy that tells the prospective client "why" they need copy automatically attracts very small business (because they know they need to be educated), and repels higher levels of business (because they know they do not).

A mid-size or larger business will think, "This copywriter works with very small business," and then will go on to look for a copywriter who speaks the language of a more sophisticated marketer.

STEP 2: Do not use your home page to talk about yourself, except for VERY briefly (like two or three lines — save the details for your Bio page).

When you spend too much time talking about yourself on you home page, a seasoned marketer recognizes you as a marketing novice.

This is because in the world of lead-gen, it's common knowledge that marketing pieces have a "YOU" focus.

So when a prospective client arrives at your home page and sees that it's all about you, they instantly assume that you don't know much about marketing, and especially lead-generating marketing.

Rather, your home page should reflect an understanding of your target market's needs, wants, desires... and especially, their pains.

The copy on you home page should clearly show the visitor that you understand their problems and that you can solve them with your copy and marketing acumen.

Of course, this means you must know what some of your target market's business pains are — pains that your copywriting can solve. And that brings us to...

STEP 3. Do have an offer for your home page visitor.

Often, and logically, solutions to your target market's pains are presented in an offer to the target market, usually in the form of a free report or white paper.

In the B2B lead-gen world (which you are a part of as a copywriter seeking business clients), it's standard to offer a white paper or "free report".

That free offer is the vehicle for capturing a lead on your end, and for educating your visitor the correct way: by not talking about "you," but showing them how you can solve THEIR marketing problem.

The trick is, that free report or white paper had better contain a solid solution to a major pain... or it won't generate any leads for you.

And its title must be on target and exceedingly compelling!

Since I brought the concept of creating an offer to the copywriting world nearly ten years ago, my coaching students have created — and are still creating — white papers and free reports that are truly cutting edge, and therefore strong lead-generators.

However, as word got out about my marketing techniques, there became a rise of home page offers amongst the general population of copywriters.

A quick spot check of copywriters' home pages reveals many very weak paper topics.

Quite a few look as though they were hastily created, with titles that reveal little depth or relevancy.

Also I frequently see a violation of the rule of Step #1: Thou shalt not educate on the topic of copywriting! (Again, unless you want to attract very small business.)

Remember, to attract companies, organizations and institutions that gross at least $5 million per year (large small business, mid-size and on up), we focus on solving THEIR pain.

They don't want to know "The 10 Top Tips for Killer Headlines." That's YOUR job.

Higher quality clients want to know how you will help them by raising ROI, shortening sales cycles, selling more, saving money, breaking into new markets, leveraging new technology, coming up with strong ideas, and more.

In short, great clients want to know how you can make THEM look good!

9 hot productivity tips for copywriters

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 05:06:00 GMT

As we prepare to enter a new year with new goals, the intention of increased productivity is usually part of the formula.

After all, the rewards of productivity are great: a stronger sense of personal satisfaction, clients who are pleased, and an increase in income.

Here are 9 productivity tips and concepts that can help you start the year off right.

Tip #1. Forget multitasking. Studies show that staying focused on one task is more efficient than trying to do too many things at once. It seems like a no-brainer but for those of us who come from a corporate environment, the bad habit can be become ingrained.

Tip #2. Take frequent short breaks. This is the productivity secret of many of the copywriters I interviewed this year. Break every 45 minutes for at least 5 minutes, and longer whenever you feel the need. You'll work faster and better after a break.

Tip #3. Eat breakfast. Not only will it get your brain going but it will help you keep weight off over the long term. Just make sure it's quality food!

Tip #4. Get some exercise before going to work. When I go hiking, yoga or even 2-miles of walking, I'm a different person when I sit down to the computer. I can go from sluggish and disengaged from eager to start a new day. The extra energy it provides is remarkable!

Tip #5. Master deep breathing. Nothing helps you control stress or anxiety better (unless you're on the hard stuff :). Deep breathing is fast, simple, healthy and mind clearing.

Tip #6. Create a custom daily schedule that also takes into account your short- and long-term goals. In my copywriting career I make new daily schedules every year.

Tip #7. Keep hydrated. Put a large pitcher of water in your office and make sure you get through it each day. This is a tip few people associate with heightened productivity.

Tip #8. Hand off non-copywriting jobs to assistants. In the olden days few copywriters had assistants. Today the work life is more complicated. Let someone else load your tweets and do the accounting.

Tip #9. Know your "why." The most productive people are those who are passionate about their work. Identify what makes you passionate about your work and remind yourself frequently. It's passion that turns people into superstars!

Chris Marlow
The Original Copywriters Coach
Achieving Goals Through Trusted Advice™ Since 2003
Copywriters Wealth Bowl: 3 Steps to Boosting Your Earnings AND Increasing Your Wealth in 2012 — Guaranteed!

I'm looking into the future for copywriters and other freelancers and it's not pretty

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 04:19:00 GMT

Are you one of America's 30 million freelancers?

If so, you'll want to read this short message.

As the original copywriters coach, I've been looking out for copywriters since 2003.

Specifically, I've been helping them earn more via my celebrated Marlow Marketing Method™ for Copywriters coaching program.

But in the past year I've seen some scary things right here where I live in Palm Desert, California, just down the road from world-famous Palm Springs.

And that scary thing is not having enough money for retirement.

I have seen well-off friends...

*   Sell their gold and jewelry in order to come up with the extra money needed for a new used car

*   Move out of their nice house in order to rent it out

*   Suffer through 115-degree summers with the air conditioning barely on in order to stay within retirement monies

*   Lose their homes

*   Sleep in their car (again, to rent out the nice house)

These are people who live in Palm Desert, La Quinta, and tony Indian Wells, long lauded as California's wealthiest city.

Now don't get me wrong... I have retired friends in these cities who drive Bentleys and have second homes elsewhere. They're set for life.

But too many of us are not.

In fact, did you know that 85 percent of Americans have less than $50,000 in savings?

It's true... just look at the people you know.

Who do you know who lost half (or more) of their retirement savings to the stock market and real estate meltdown?

Who do you know who has suffered expensive health problems?

Who do you know who plans to work the rest of their life?

Do you know what the "silver bullet" is?

It's what financial professionals refer to as "the solution" for not having enough money after your working days are done.

Sobering, eh?

That's why I've created a new kind of coaching program that not only focuses on EARNING more in 2012 — but also SAVING more.

You'll want to know about my truly unique — and timely — FREE Webinar:

The "Copywriters Wealth Bowl: 3 Steps to Boosting Your Earnings AND Increasing Your Wealth in 2012 — Guaranteed!"

One of the weird things about life is that often, we "don't get a clue" until it's too late.

If you're a Baby Boomer, you especially need to hear the message of this Webinar — before it really is too late!

On that note I urge you to clear your schedule and make space for this very important one-hour presentation.

This information is so important that I'm delivering it three times next week. (Unprecedented in my history!)

So that's what I'm doing to help you... or a friend of yours — please pass this on to someone who can benefit!

Who else is offering to help you not only MAKE money in 2012, but also use that money to SECURE YOUR FUTURE?

Don't let next year's earnings slip though the cracks.

I promise you won't be disappointed, and that you'll come away with the conviction that the time spent was well worth it. That's my guarantee.

So go here now and secure your spot now, before someone else gets it:

Copywriters Wealth Bowl: 3 Steps to Boosting Your Earnings AND Increasing Your Wealth in 2012 — Guaranteed!

Chris Marlow
The Original Copywriters Coach
Achieving Goals Through Trusted Advice™ Since 2003

You could soon be earning less as a copywriter thanks to our nation's fiscal emergency

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:19:00 GMT

Our nation is in deep financial trouble and making urgent corrections is going to be tough on all of us.

One group that will get hurt is the 42 million independent freelancers who make up 30 percent of today's workforce. In other words, you and me.

Who doesn't expect an imminent rise in taxes?

If that isn't bad enough, the money you do have is not keeping pace with inflation.

The average inflation rate for this year so far is 3.50 percent.

Today's top rate for a 1-year CD is 1.15 percent (cdrates.bankaholic.com).

The difference is a 2.35 percent loss on the spending power of your money in 2011.

So if today's financial realities will methodically chip off pieces of your dollar and if looming tax law changes dig deeper into your pocketbook, a financially aware copywriter would see that not only will you have to earn more in the coming years just to stay even...

...but that in order to advance your financial situation, you'll have to sit down and do some serious strategic planning in order to thrive in today's world.

HOW MUCH DO YOU EARN IN A YEAR?

According to Census data (the 2002 Survey of Business Owners), the average revenues at non-employee businesses (read: freelance) have declined about 12 percent since 2002.

That means that freelancers are earning less and less. At the time of this Census survey, average revenues were less than $50,000 per year.

My own 2005 Freelance Copywriters Fee & Compensation Survey confirms that most copywriters earn between $40,000 and $60,000 per year.

Thank heavens we have the skill set to earn much more if we simply put our heads to it!

My 2005 survey reveals that 9 percent of the survey respondents earned between $100,000 and $150,000; and that 13 percent earned between $150,000 and $1 million. One respondent came in at over $1 million.

So there certainly is room for improvement.

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR INCOME IN 2012

There are a number of ways you can increase your income next year. You can take a good hard look at your niche. This is where most gains can be realized.

You can offer more valuable services. You can increase the quality of client you work with. And you can raise your fees.

There's a formula for not only earning more but also making those extra earnings work for you in terms of wealth building.

Learn more about it at my exciting Webinar, where, as always you learn concepts about successful copywriting that can't be found anywhere else.

Sign up now for the "Copywriters Wealth Bowl: 3 Steps to Boosting Your Earnings AND Increasing Your Wealth In 2012 — Guaranteed!"

Here's the link, and see you there!

http://bit.ly/t2Oarl

Chris Marlow
The Original Copywriters Coach
Achieving Goals Through Trusted Advice™ Since 2003

Top 5 ways for copywriters to earn more in 2012

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:06:00 GMT

With Thanksgiving and then Christmas fast approaching, it'll be the New Year before you know it!

So what's your plan for 2012?

I know what mine is.

I'll be helping copywriters not only EARN more, but SAVE more in the form of wealth-building! (More on that in upcoming announcements.)

For now, let's think about how to increase your income in 2012. The financial world hasn't been kind to us lately and it's time to fight back!!!

For those of you who are signed up for my Copywriters Marketing Roundtable, you're hearing from a broad cross-section of successful copywriters who — for the most part — fly under the wire.

Almost all earn in the six figures, quite a few in the two-hundred thousands, and one is in the high six-hundred thousands!

As we all know, there is money in copywriting.

However my own statistical pricing guides — the Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Surveys — show the larger group of us at around $40,000, $50,000 and $60,000.

For a lot of copywriters, there is room for financial improvement.

And this isn't just about making more money for the sake of making money.

Many of us have had our financial worlds ripped right out from under us in the stock market crashes of the past decade and real estate debacle of today.

So it's time to get serious about making more money so you can mitigate any losses you might have incurred.

In this spirit, I offer you 5 of the top ways that copywriters can dramatically boost their income in the coming year — some of it gleaned from the illustrious group of copywriters being interviewed in my Copywriters Marketing Roundtable series.

INCOME BOOSTING TIP #1: INCREASE YOUR VALUE

Take look at the services you provide. Are they "expenses" in the eyes of your client?

Jobs like writing ebooks, articles and blog posts aren't directly tied to ROI.

However, services like SEO can bring huge traffic and clients will pay more for a service like that.

In fact, SEO pioneer Heather Lloyd-Martin can charge $350/hr for her services because she brings leads, and ultimately, sales.

If you were to look at the history of my own copywriting websites you'd notice that I don't list ANYTHING that is not tied to leads and sales simply because I want to earn the highest paycheck I can.

And the only way to do that is to provide the highest value in the eyes of the client.

INCOME BOOSTING TIP #2: RAISE YOUR FEES

You may be undercharging.

I see this all the time with my coaching students.

If you're a beginner and you're working with companies, organizations, and institutions (not individuals), you should start at $75/hr.

If you've been in business a couple of years and have done well for your clients, you should be charging $125/hr.

If you have a specialty that brings direct ROI, you can charge much more.

In my Copywriters Marketing Roundtable I'm seeing $350/hr as not uncommon for experienced, specialized copywriters who can produce results.

The highest hourly rate comes in at $1,500/hr (no kidding!).

Bottom line, raise your rates accordingly if you provide significant ROI.

INCOME BOOSTING TIP #3: BECOME MORE PRODUCTIVE

One of the things I notice as I interview the featured copywriters in my Copywriters Marketing Roundtable is that those who earn more, are disciplined.

Interestingly, those who have less time to devote to copywriting tend to earn more.

They have figured out how to juggle "parental needs" with the needs of earning an income.

Look at your own performance. Where can you improve?

A book I highly recommend is "The Power of Full Engagement" by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz.

It teaches that managing your energy is the key to high performance and personal renewal.

INCOME BOOSTING TIP #4: LOOK AT YOUR NICHE

Some niches are enormously more profitable than others.

Niches in which you routinely generate orders pay very well, especially if you can work with the very large mailers.

In B2C about 80 percent of businesses are order generating.

The statistics for B2B, however, flip flop. About 80 percent of the work available is lead-gen.

Does lead-gen pay less? Not necessarily. Consider how immensely valuable a good white paper is to a company.

You can earn many thousands to write a white paper, in fact as much as $20,000 for a white paper at the very high end.

The point is, view your niche with fresh eyes. Where are the biggest opportunities?

INCOME BOOSTING TIP #5: SOLVE A MAJOR PAIN

Look for the greatest areas of a company's pain, and determine whether the marketplace is meeting that need.

If it isn't, you can create the solution. We do this all the time in my coaching programs.

Not only can you charge more to solve a major pain, but your workload is almost certain to go up as well.

What might a hidden opportunity look like?

Here's one: According to the IBM Corp.'s "Global Chief Marketing Officer Study," (October 2011), 70 percent of CMOs are overwhelmed with the data of social ROI.

As a copywriter who offers higher value — because you are a problem-solver — this is an opportunity to put your thinking cap on.

What service could you offer, or what company can you partner with, to bring a solution to such a huge group?

These are some tips to help you get your brain in gear for the coming new years.

My coaching clients will be earning more in 2012. What about you?

Warmly,

Chris Marlow

Master Copywriter & The Original Copywriters Coach
Achieving Goals Through Trusted Advice™ Since 2003

Win a FREE Ticket to the Copywriters Marketing Roundtable

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:18:00 GMT

Would you like to win a FREE ticket to the upcoming Copywriters Marketing Roundtable?

Or a FREE one-hour consultation with me, Chris Marlow, the original copywriters coach?

AND nearly $1,000 in FREE Bob Bly and Ed Gandia CDs?

Well, you just might be the winner in a very cool contest we dreamed up to make this unprecedented upcoming event even more exciting than it already is!

In fact, the value of your winnings exceeds $1,500.00!

To learn more about this fantastic opportunity, go here:

http://bit.ly/p1ZaCl

Great education is never cheap. But YOU have a fantastic opportunity right now to tap into a wellspring of expert copywriter knowledge... all for a tiny bit of marketing on your part.

In fact, gaining a valid entry into our Copywriters Marketing Roundtable Contest drawing will cost you 30 minutes… TOPS.

Yet you could win an education pertaining to marketing for copywriters (and other freelancers), totaling a value of $1,541.70!

Not bad for 30 minutes work, wouldn't you say?

As a reminder, we're approaching the "end zone" of our BIG $300 Early Bird Savings for the Copywriters Marketing Roundtable.

If you haven't read up on this once-in-a-career opportunity for copywriters and other freelancers, visit this link:

http://bit.ly/pLQAiZ

Warmly,

Chris
The Original Copywriters Coach™ Since 2003

P.S. — Remember, the Copywriters Marketing Roundtable is an unprecedented event in the copywriting world. And it may never be repeated.

I will interview 15 notably successful copywriters who have agreed to tell you their success secrets unreservedly. One earns more than $600,000 per year. Most others are in the high $100,000s $200,000s and $300,000s.

Again, here's your opportunity to attend FREE, and gain over $1,000 in additional educational freebies:

http://bit.ly/p1ZaCl

For more info on the upcoming Copywriters Marketing Roundtable, go here:

http://bit.ly/pLQAiZ

Announcing the Income Growth Planner for copywriters and other freelancers

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:00:00 GMT

Are you a copywriter? A freelancer of any kind?

Do you want to grow your income?

Of course you do!

Wouldn’t it be great to have a tool that would show you how to do that in just 12 easy steps?

Well, copywriter extraordinaire David R. Yale created just such a tool and has used it for years to grow his own income!

And now he’s sharing the beta version for FREE with all of the copywriters and other freelancers who are signing up for the upcoming BIG event, the Copywriters Marketing Roundtable!

http://bit.ly/pLQAiZ

According to David, there are three powerful ways to grow your bottom line:

1. Increase your gross income, or
2. Decrease your expenses, or
3. Move to a lower tax area

The Income Growth Planner lets you see — at a glance — what happens when you change any of these factors.

Thinking of raising your fees? Go ahead — try it out here first!

Looking for ways to operate your freelance business more efficiently?

Give it a try here — and you'll find more motivation to make the changes when you see the bottom line results!

Thinking about a tax-cutting relocation? Try it on for size here — before you call the moving company!

This Excel-based spreadsheet lets you change certain factors so you can generate "what-if" scenarios with your numbers.

According to David, this unique and exclusive tool was key in helping him reach a six-figure income.

What would you be willing to pay for a tool like this? Plenty, I’ll bet!

However, it’s yours FREE when you sign up for the Copywriters Marketing Roundtable:

http://bit.ly/pLQAiZ

But hurry… you can save a whopping $300 if you sign up now while the Early Bird Discount is still valid!

Go here now to read more about David’s Income Growth Planner and the many other valuable FREE Bonuses you’ll get instant access to when you enroll in the exciting upcoming online event, the Copywriters Marketing Roundtable:

http://bit.ly/pLQAiZ

See you there!

Chris Marlow
The Original Copywriters Coach Since 2003
Achieving goals through trusted advice™

How copywriters can boost earnings this year with powerful negotiating tips

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:28:00 GMT

How are your negotiating skills? Pretty good... or do they need a little brushing up?

If the latter (and who among us can't improve), then you'll want to avail yourself of this important moneymaking advice.

Most freelancers hate to negotiate. Some are even so bad at the money end that they don’t invoice, leaving the paper trail up to the client.

Because dealing with money is such an important part of freelancing, today's article focuses on the art of successful negotiation.

Believe it or not, most clients don’t want to get a “great deal” at your expense; they simply want an agreement that’s fair to both parties. Because when both parties feel there’s a fair exchange, it opens the door to a continued and mutually profitable relationship.

So if you’ve kicked yourself in the past for coming in way too low on price... if you’ve hated a job you’d have enjoyed if only you were paid more... then print this article and keep it handy for your next negotiation.

By understanding how the negotiation process is supposed to work, and by effectively playing the part you’re supposed to play, you can literally add hundreds of dollars each month to your bottom line.

THE FIRST RULE OF FREELANCE NEGOTIATION

I’m convinced that the foundation of a good business relationship rests on fairness and integrity. By starting from a place of honesty and fairness, you can spend your energy on arriving at an agreement rather than trying to be the winner, as some misguided “old school” negotiators do.

That said, let’s get to the details of how you can further improve your negotiating skills.

ESTABLISHING YOUR BASELINE

Have you ever felt bewildered in the initial phase of a negotiation because you didn’t know where to start? The problem may be that you don’t really know how much time it takes you to complete a particular type of job... which makes you unsure about what to charge.

In an advertising agency, filling out your timesheet is an everyday occurrence, so getting adept at estimating jobs is a fairly quick process.

When I left the agency and went freelance, however, I wanted to get estimating down to a science. So I used a timekeeping software (and still do use it on occasion), it's called StopWatch by DesignSoft.

Using StopWatch helped me keep track of my time and gave me a huge advantage (and loads of
confidence) when it came time to submit a bid. Knowing how much time it will take you to do a job is the strongest negotiating “tool” you can have in your freelancer’s bargaining kit.

PHASE 1 OF YOUR NEGOTIATION: PREPARATION

Assuming you have a good idea of how much time a particular project should take, your next job is to size up your potential client, and consider your current situation as well.

Factors that will determine what you ultimately ask for include:

• Is the client a mid-size or large company that’s used to paying professional rates? Or is it a small, local Mom & Pop stretching dollars to get a simple brochure?

If you want to work with the Mom & Pop shop, you’ll need to consider their tiny budget. Conversely, if you’re providing copy for a large company that’s mailing fifty-thousand, five-hundred-thousand, or a million pieces... then obviously you shouldn’t be paid peanuts for your work and expertise.

• Are you new at copywriting and trying to build a portfolio? It may be more important to add a sample to your portfolio than to get top dollar.

• What’s the economy been like for your client’s industry? If it’s been a tough year, you may be viewed as insensitive if your rates don’t accommodate tighter budgets. In times of recession, copywriters are expected to "share the pain."

• What is the client’s actual budget? Because talking about money intimidates most freelancers, many don’t ask what the budget is. But if you ask what the budget is, sometimes the client will tell you. Now all you have to do is consider how long it will take you to do the work, and submit your bid within the budget’s range (if it is indeed, a reasonable budget).

• How badly do you need the job? If you really need the job, then you’re at a serious disadvantage in the negotiation process. It’s tough to deal with the tension, and very tempting to come in low on price in order to get the job... and some anxiety relief.

The problem is, once you’ve done a job on the cheap, your client will expect the same price again. If you’re facing a situation where you really want the job, try to strike a deal where you do the first job at a discount, but all subsequent jobs are at “market rate.” Position yourself as giving a one-time discount and — this is important — get it in writing.

This may seem like a lot to do in the “preparation” phase, but there’re still a few more things you should know, such as...

• Determine what you’d like to get for the job, know what the absolute minimum is that you would accept happily, and determine the price you want to start with.

In our culture (an in many others), the purchaser assumes the seller will start high so there’s room for the customary bargaining.

You have an expected role to play, and if you err in the first round by coming in too low, you have nowhere to go but down, potentially putting yourself between a rock and a hard place if your client is a strong negotiator.

• Know what you’re worth and be prepared to defend your position. Some time ago the CEO of an Australian software company balked at my hourly rate for Americanizing their marketing materials.

He felt he was very knowledgeable about the price of writing because he was also the CEO of a worldwide language localization and translation company.

In order to appease him I reduced my hourly rate by $25 per hour but it was still much higher than the figure he threw out. So I explained that because I’m a direct response copywriter, his materials would become much more powerful than they are currently.

I explained that the work I would give him was worth more because he was getting much more than just editing and Americanizing.

And to make the difference “real” to him, I offered to farm the work out to another writer for a lower rate. He quickly agreed to my rate, and we both felt good about the outcome.

PHASE 2 OF YOUR NEGOTIATION: THE DANCE BEGINS

At some point, the potential new client is going to bring up the subject of price. If not in the first conversation, surely in the second.

If you’re not careful, you can make a fatal mistake at this point. Loosely throwing out a ballpark figure can come back to bite you if you don’t have a real handle on the amount of work to be done. I’ve made this mistake and I’m sure thousands of other freelancers have too.

The best way to handle a premature discussion of money issues is to have a few stock phrases tucked away in your back pocket. With the right words, you can push the subject out until you have more time to study the requirements — and determine your role — in the project.

For instance, will you be expected to fill out a Creative Brief, or will the client handle that necessity?

Will you handle creative direction, or just hand in the copy?

Is there a huge learning curve on the product? Does your client want high-level concepts or just a teaser on the envelope? Who is going to hire the designer, you or the client?

Making assumptions at this stage of the game can cost you money. You want a clear picture of the job before you start throwing out numbers.

When I want to avoid stating a dollar figure or a price range, I have a few stock phrases that work well for me. One is, “I’m not the cheapest, but I’m also not the most expensive”... and then I follow that statement with benefits I bring to that particular client.

Another statement that buys me time is, “Whatever your budget is, I’m sure we can find something that works for both of us.” This reassures the client and the conversation usually moves on to another topic.

It’s at this stage of the negotiation that you’ll spend time “getting your arms around” the project. It pays to take your time and really think it through. By being very specific about the scope of the job, you get clear on what it is you have to do and how much you should charge.

Collecting detail also helps you sell the client on your price by showing them visually, on your Fee Agreement, what you’ll be doing for them.

For instance, consider an Agreement that says “$4,000 for one lead-generation package.” That’s pretty naked and the price can seem high.

Now consider a Fee Agreement that says “$4,000 for one lead-generation package consisting of 3 concepts with rationales, one 6 x 9 envelope, one 2-page letter, one standard brochure, one 4-page landing page, and offer development.”

Both approaches take the same amount of work, but the second approach offers a realistic picture of what the job entails... and also clarifies expectations on both sides.

THE WAITING GAME

Once you’ve submitted your fee (I always do so in a formal Fee Agreement that includes contractual terms), there’s often a period of silence while the client considers your offer. The bigger the project, and the higher the fee, the longer it can take to get feedback.

This is where the freelancer can go a little crazy wondering, “Did I ask for too much?” “What’s wrong? Did they decide not to do it?” And “I blew it. They hate me. I’m dead.”

Rarely is there a problem, outside of the fact that the client is taking their time. After all, you’re asking them to sign a contract.

My personal threshold for waiting lasts about three working days. If I haven’t heard back, I send an email asking if they received the Fee Agreement. Over the years, this has remained true for me, and the copywriters I coach.

I recall a potential new client had not responded to my submitted Fee Agreement. Because of the volume of work, the Agreement ran three pages (remember, be specific!).

Three days later, I sent an email asking if he’d received it. It turned out he’d been sick, and he hadn’t even looked at it yet.

A day later, he sent requests for a few changes that I did not like. I expressed concern and we set up time for a phone meeting. In the end, he gave a little and I gave a little, and the Fee Agreement got signed.

While this negotiation took nearly one month to complete, most take only a matter of days. The important thing to remember is to have patience when you’re negotiating with a potential new client.

With a well-paced, thoughtfully considered negotiation, where both parties feel their interests have been served, you have the foundation for building a lasting — and profitable — client relationship that pays dividends to your checking account.

***

Wonder how some of the most successful copywriters get there? If so you'll want to check out my new Copywriters Marketing Roundtable — an unprecedented event that will blow your mind:
http://bit.ly/pLQAiZ

Chris Marlow
The Original Copywriters Coach Since 2003
Achieving goals through trusted advice™

My dream comes true for copywriters: something that's NEVER been done before

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:40:00 GMT

Do you have a business goal... a dream you've been thinking about for some time?

I have... and now I'm making it REAL.

For years, I've dreamed of gathering up a posse of super-accomplished copywriters to ask them personal and probing questions...

... such as how they succeeded, how much they earn, what kind of marketing they do, what their productivity secrets are, the mistakes they've made, how they take advantage of their "freedom" lifestyles, their hidden wisdoms (that can only come from time in the trenches), and much more.

For a long time I thought it was just a pipe dream.

After all, why would any notably successful freelancer want to reveal their most effective marketing secrets? Why would they tell the world what their income is? Why would they want to share their hard-won entrepreneurial wisdoms?

Yet this burning desire inside me — as a longtime copywriters coach — would not go away. My head said, "Forget it!" but my heart said, "C'mon Chris, at least try."

WELL! This goes back to the old saying that one should never "ASS"ume anything.

When I started making phone calls, one copywriter, two copywriters, five copywriters... and then finally 15 copywriters — they all said YES, I will share my information with others!

I was blown away. And I knew my dream would now come true.

And thanks to the generosity of these 15 amazing copywriters — all laboriously hand-picked over two-month's work — you'll be able to get a deeper, more profound, more accurate picture of what the copywriting world really looks like... and what is possible within it.

Today is a big day for me — and you — because today I announce an event unequaled in the copywriting world... the upcoming COPYWRITERS MARKETING ROUNDTABLE:

http://www.copywritersmarketingroundtable.com/

(And BTW, this is not JUST for copywriters. It's for any freelancer who wants to learn from the world's BEST self-marketers!)

Check out http://www.copywritersmarketingroundtable.com/

But before I sign off I should tell you that time is of the essence and seats (meaning lines) are truly limited... so go here NOW for the full details:

Check out http://www.copywritersmarketingroundtable.com/

Chris Marlow
The Original Copywriters Coach™Since 2003
Achieving goals with trusted advice™

Land a new client by giving him options

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 20:40:00 GMT

You have a new potential client and you're nervous you might price wrong and lose the deal.

Not to worry!

A simple solution that I came up with early in my copywriting career is to give your new client options.

How do you do this?

Easy. You offer two Fee Agreements, one with all the bells and whistles (and a higher fee), and one that's bare bones (and a lower fee).

Clients LOVE this and appreciate that you're sensitive to their budgetary limitations.

And believe it or not, more often than not, the client goes with "all the bells and whistles."

This is a powerful way to get around pricing dilemmas and take stress out of starting a new relationship on the right foot.

So what would this tactic look like in reality?

Here's an actual example of a job that I helped one of my coaching students with. The job was for a software industry lead-gen direct mail campaign:

BELLS & WHISTLES

3 concepts @ $300 each (for outer envelope) = $900
2 versions for A/B split test = $300
2-page sales letter = $2,000
Small brochure = $750
Demo CD sleeve copy = $175
Creative Brief $750

Total: $4,875

BARE BONES

1 concept @ $300 (for outer envelope) = $300
2 versions for A/B split test = $300
2-page sales letter = $2,000
Small brochure = $750
Demo CD sleeve copy = $175

Total: $3,525

Difference: $1,350

See how simple that is, and how significant the difference? This tactic has worked wonders for me for many years and I have seen it bring my students new clients many times.

One note of explanation: Most of the time clients will provide the Creative Brief — the document you work from as a copywriter (this is more commonly found in the B2B world than the B2C).

However sometimes the client is overwhelmed and will happily pay the copywriter to build the Creative Brief.

In this case we could tell the client did not have the time to do this work and I suggested to my student that she offer to do the work. The client agreed.

In the end, this client went with the "bells and whistles," and my student gained a wonderful new client!

WAIT! Before you go...

How would you like to know the marketing success secrets of today's top performing copywriters? Yes?

Then stay tuned... I have an event coming up that you will NOT want to miss.

You've never seen anything like this so if you're not signed up to my mailing list, be sure to do so now.

I promise you won't regret it! Simply Click Here.

Chris Marlow
The Original Copywriters Coach™Since 2003
Achieving goals with trusted advice™

Successful copywriters share world-class marketing strategies at unique online event

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 02:41:00 GMT

If you could talk to wildly successful copywriters, what would you ask them?
What’s important for you to know …
... right now?

What would make a huge difference in your ability to get the great, quality clients?

Top copywriters share their marketing secrets in a unique online roundtable.

You'll be learning more about this upcoming event, so stay tuned.

Don’t delay – just submit your questions or comments TODAY, as a comment below, so that we will know what to ask our esteemed guests.

Many thanks,

Chris Marlow
The Original Copywriters Coach™ Since 2003

Copywriting and marketing tips from superstar copywriter John Forde

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:57:00 GMT

Is it any wonder that superstar copywriter John Forde has 10,000 loyal readers to his long-running newsletter, the Copywriters Roundtable?

In the copywriting world he has published fantastic content consistently, and consistently published since 2001.

Here I'm re-publishing a portion of his latest newsletter partly because it's just too good not to share, and partly because I'm working on a big project for copywriters that's prevented me from coming out with a Get Great Clients newsletter this month.

If you aren't already a John Forde fan and subscriber, sign up here and get $78 worth of FREE gifts.

Now for the good stuff from John...
****************************
COPYWRITER'S ROUNDTABLE #525

July 25, 2011

What I heard in Germany, from behind closed doors...

Weeks back, I promised you some secrets, as heard behind closed doors in a four-day copywriting seminar in Germany.

If you don't mind, I'd finally like to make good on that offer. Ready? Here we go... oh wait, to refresh:

This was for a German information publisher and I co-presented with the great Herschell Gordon Lewis, David Yale, and Natalie Recke.

You'll find a good mix of their secrets below, all mixed together, plus a handful of my own.

So NOW, here we go...

** Copywriters should do more than write copy. They/we should also get involved in product development, picking lists, production, and more. This way, your value goes up and your business sense skyrockets. Plus, it could pay more.

** Try paying off your headline promise in the actual sales letter... but then teasing with something much bigger. That is, if you offer a compelling tidbit of info at the outset, go ahead and give it away... but only when you have something even more tempting lined up.

** What are the typical customer service complaints with the product you're trying to sell? Don't bury them — use them by addressing each objection ahead of time, in your sales copy.

** Don't use "initial caps" in the subject line of a selling email. What are "initial caps?" Easy. They're When You Stick a Capital Letter in Front of Each Word. Why avoid this? Because it looks too polished and salesy, not natural like a regular e-mail.

** Here's one you can safely apply almost across the board: Specifics out-pull generalities. That is, opt against the sweeping promise or other copy, in favor of the unique details.

** Imperative also outsells declarative. That is, don't just tell them what is, tell them what to do.

** Though, pay attention to what words you use to urge action. When you say "Let's do this..." it's friendly. If you say "you should do this..." that sounds like authority. But if you say "you must do this..." it might, but not always, stir resentment and even resistance.

** One more: emotion out-pulls intellect. We buy because a pitch makes us feel, not calculate. But you know that — I hope — by now, yes?

** Here's another insight that really stuck: Remember, attention does not always translate into action. In these days when marketers are clamoring to get more Twitter "followers" and Facebook "likes" for no clear reason, what observation could be more relevant?

** Speaking of which, "Can't Buy Me Love" said four mop-topped philosophers musically, some time back. How true... and trading online coupons and similar for a social media "like" falls in that same category. It's a false psychological statement.

** That said, there ARE ways to use social media that seem smart. For instance, what about "posts" and "tweets" that you share only with your paid-up customers?

** How's that work? How about "tweets" to subscribers and past clients that build excitement for upcoming events? Or "tweets" that share details from a live conference, plus upsells to the recording for those who couldn't attend?

** If you've got a subscriber-based product, how about "tweets" sharing only the headlines of the latest issue, to increase readership?

** All that said, the use of any direct response tool has to figure out how much time and staff it's going to cost. For social media, for instance, that means you want to run those numbers early to figure out if it's really worth your while.

** Don't fear social media, but don't worship it either. It's just another communication tool, which the masters will master and absorb.

** Selling to seniors? Don't try to transform them. Say, in so many words, you're offering what you're offering "because you are who you are... and you deserve this." And by all means, promise fast action.

** Writing your reply page? For the sake of all, keep it simple and demand little. Your prospect needs to be able to read it and understand what you're offering in 10 seconds or less, a way that flatters his intelligence for ordering. And you need to collect only the information you have to have to make the sale and not one tidbit more.

** Have a company website? Here's a cool idea... start featuring a customer of the month. Make it real, pick someone your other prospects can relate to, and let it highlight the benefit the customer got from one of your products.

** Offer a toll-free number on your reply card? Try testing without it. Offer a lifetime guarantee? Try testing a "20-year Guarantee" instead. And while you're at it, use this phrase wherever you can: "Free Shipping."

There was, of course, so much more.

But that should give you plenty to chew on, yes?

**************************************

Thanks John!

And BTW, dear readers, the esteemed copywriter and master marketer David Yale will also show up in the BIG online event I'm creating right now for freelance copywriters and other freelancers who need to attract clients. Stay tuned!

Chris Marlow
The Original Copywriters Coach™ Since 2003

What to do when you’re left “standing at the altar” on a copywriting job

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:54:00 GMT

This month I’ll share a problem every copywriter experiences...

And that's what to do when you’re left “standing at the altar” on a copywriting job.

One of my past students emailed me with this distressing situation. In her own words:

"What do you do when you talk to a potential client several times and you both agree on the details of a project. (The project is worth $4,800.) They seem pleased and excited about continuing.

"I send them my Fee Agreement with details on where to fax it and where to send the deposit. I emphasize the point that I cannot begin work on the project until I have both the signed Agreement and deposit. I wait...and wait...

"Four days later I send them a short and friendly email asking if they have received the information and again remind them that I can't begin work until I have the Agreement and deposit. No response. The due date that we set for the initial stage of the project is approaching...

"What do I do? Have they dropped the project? Do I give them another nudge or is this too pushing?"

4 TIPS ON HOW TO INTERPRET A POTENTIAL CLIENT'S SUDDEN SILENCE AND SAVE THE DEAL

In my experience there are four common possibilities for why a potential new client suddenly shuts down at the beginning of an agreement:

1. Way more often than you'd think, it's not YOU, it's that there's something awry internally in the potential client's business.

And if it's a budget issue (like not being able to cut a 50% check on demand), it's less embarrassing for the contact to remain silent while he or she tries to remedy the situation.

In other words, the silence may simply be a stalling tactic. It's far less painful to come back to a copywriter and say "Sorry, the boss was out of town and we needed her signature," than to say "We're so stretched we can't pay you $2,400 right now."

2. Another hold-up is the possibility that the contact has hired you, but now needs to sell the boss. In this case, patience is a virtue. (If your contact shares this dilemma with you, which is unlikely, you can always write a letter for her, designed to influence the boss. I myself have done this, to extreme success!)

3. You may have a lemon on your hands... a company that is actually backing away because your price is higher than what they were hoping for.

If you priced fairly, and were smart enough to structure the Fee Agreement in such a way that some things can be whittled away in order to bring the price down without hurting the client's objectives — or your projected hourly fee —then you should be able to save this situation.

For instance, I have a situation now that's in limbo. Are they sticker shocked? Doesn't matter. I can always say, "Ok, let's eliminate this part, and that drops the fee by X. We can still meet our objectives, right?"

4. Another reason for the cold shoulder may be a sudden a turn of events on their end. World affairs, a business emergency, a fired CEO, new legislation, or a change in business strategy are just a few common derailers.

I've even seen delays because a merger was imminent. And with mergers there are usually power struggles... in which case your contact may be unsure of what business decisions to make.

(Incidentally, times of upheaval are a good time for copywriters to get their foot in the door. A messy event is called a "trigger event" because it triggers opportunity for you!)

So these are tips on what to expect as you rise higher in the copywriting world... and how to handle each situation with grace and aplomb.

HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD YOU NUDGE A STALLING CLIENT?

I would send a maximum of three emails (one every three days), and on the third email (about the 9th day) I'd say that it appears the project is stalled. I would leave the door open by letting the client know that "I'm setting the file aside, but I'm here when and if you move forward."

When you show your client that you respect your own time, they will respect it too.

REPRINT RIGHTS: This article is available for use in your marketing. Simply append with this copy:

Chris Marlow is the original copywriters coach since 2003, bringing copywriters into the world of high quality clients, high pay, and maximum career satisfaction. Chris also helps copywriters achieve thought-leader status in their niche markets, and create new revenue streams with information products. For more information, follow these links:
http://www.thecopywriterscoach.com, http://www/chrismarlow.com