Mistake of Freelancers


The #1 mistake new freelancers make in their marketing, and how to avoid it! By copywriter and marketing coach Chris Marlow I've found that except for freelancers who specialize in some form of sales, most freelancers enter their new careers thinking they're a copywriter, or a designer, or a coach, or any number of other non-sales titles. But until we get that first job, we're not a copywriter, or designer, or what ever we're striving to be... We are in fact salesmen...because until we get that first job, our only job is to sell a potential client on our services. After coaching many new copywriters on proper positioning, niching, lead-generation and marketing, I've come to the conclusion that the #1 mistake new copywriters make is a failure to make the "mind shift" from copywriter to salesperson until the day they win their first job. Having your head on straight during the first months of active marketing can turn a trying ordeal of disappointments into a game where you actually can see and feel yourself getting closer and closer to success. I've discovered that understanding the facts of sales can make the difference between a copywriter who makes it, and one who gives up. Here are three crucial early-stage marketing pointers that will help new freelancers immensely, and that will remind even the old hats how powerful the mind shift into salesmanship mode can be... 1. First and foremost, always remember it's a numbers game. If you don't know what the numbers are, do some reading and find out. When I started my second (much more successful) freelance career, I knew that even if I was just average in my salesmanship, I should convert one in 100 in my follow up calls to the letters I mailed out. My best month ever was when I got 12 "yes, we're interested" responses to my calls. I knew that one, maybe two of that bunch would pan out. As a direct response copywriter, my favorite book for understanding sales and marketing numbers is Russell Kern's SURE-Fire Direct Response Marketing. Having freelanced for his agency for a number of years, I respect his data for lead-gen marketing above all others. (Best price I've found is at amazon.com. There are many other books you can read to get a realistic picture of sales numbers. The point is, get educated so you don't throw in the towel simply because you don't have a realistic picture of what it's going to take to convert your first lead. 2. Understand that the sales rule of thumb is that a contact will need to see you in some capacity seven to 10 times before you're even on their radar screen. This figure is everywhere...Dan Kennedy's books, Jill Konrath's excellent Selling to Big Companies, and more. In my coaching I teach my marketing students to use an "integrated" approach to marketing. In advertising and marketing agencies, campaigns are often "integrated," meaning that there's more than one thing going on. The target will not only see a direct mail letter, but then receive a telephone follow up call; they may also see a print ad in a trade publication, and be approached by a salesman at a trade show. The prospect may be "touched" by an email message, and see a relevant article that reminds him or her of the freelancer saleswoman. The point is, if it takes seven to 10 "touches" to get someone warmed up enough to see you as worthy of their time, then let's use lots of ways to get in front of them in order to cut down on the lead-to-sales timeframe. 3. You're a full time sales man or sales woman. Until you get that first job, you should be putting in at least 40 hours a week on your marketing. Truly, it can be fun if you've got your salesman's hat on! I remember when I left Rosen/Brown Direct, the agency I worked for for nearly a decade, I got into the sales process so deeply that I actually felt a little regret when I got my first copywriting jobs! (Amazing, but I am — as always — telling you the truth.) Most freelancers are consultants who sell their services to businesses. Businesses also have to sell, and they sell to other businesses or to the consuming public. And because they too have to sell, they're often empathetic to the freelancer who's knocking on doors. The caveat is...you'd better have a good message to deliver. Today's decision-makers spend their days in crisis mode, always putting out fires and trying to meet goals. They have no time for weak propositions. So be sure that in every piece of marketing you do, that your value is blatantly apparent, and preferrably using numbers and statistics. For instance, I advise my coaching students to send a monthly ezine to potential corporate clients with each issue focusing on some way to help them solve their problems. The best content brings numbers into the picture. Two examples: * "How to quadruple hot leads each month by adding a strong White Paper offer to your home page" * "Elements of design that can increase your sales revenue by at least 20 percent and oftentimes more" So if you're struggling to get that first job, forget who you really are and get your sales hat on. Consider numbers your friend, and play the salesmanship game. If you're like me, you can turn a scary process into one that's invigorating, and that helps you enjoy the (sometimes long) path to your first job. © Chris Marlow, all rights reserved * * * * * Dear Reader: You have permission to publish this article wherever you wish as long as this resource box stays intact: Chris Marlow shows copywriters and other freelancers how to land the high-value, high-quality clients through her popular Coaching Program and Get Great Clients ezine. Sign up for your free subscription and get instant downloads of four timely articles on how the right clients can help you build your most profitable business! Visit http://www.GetGreatClients.com/signup

The #1 mistake new freelancers make in their marketing, and how to avoid it!

By copywriter and marketing coach Chris Marlow

I've found that except for freelancers who specialize in some form of sales, most freelancers enter their new careers thinking they're a copywriter, or a designer, or a coach, or any number of other non-sales titles.

But until we get that first job, we're not a copywriter, or designer, or what ever we're striving to be...

We are in fact salesmen...because until we get that first job, our only job is to sell a potential client on our services.

After coaching many new copywriters on proper positioning, niching, lead-generation and marketing, I've come to the conclusion that the #1 mistake new copywriters make is a failure to make the "mind shift" from copywriter to salesperson until the day they win their first job.

Having your head on straight during the first months of active marketing can turn a trying ordeal of disappointments into a game where you actually can see and feel yourself getting closer and closer to success. I've discovered that understanding the facts of sales can make the difference between a copywriter who makes it, and one who gives up.

Here are three crucial early-stage marketing pointers that will help new freelancers immensely, and that will remind even the old hats how powerful the mind shift into salesmanship mode can be...

1. First and foremost, always remember it's a numbers game. If you don't know what the numbers are, do some reading and find out. When I started my second (much more successful) freelance career, I knew that even if I was just average in my salesmanship, I should convert one in 100 in my follow up calls to the letters I mailed out.

My best month ever was when I got 12 "yes, we're interested" responses to my calls. I knew that one, maybe two of that bunch would pan out.

As a direct response copywriter, my favorite book for understanding sales and marketing numbers is Russell Kern's SURE-Fire Direct Response Marketing. Having freelanced for his agency for a number of years, I respect his data for lead-gen marketing above all others. (Best price I've found is at amazon.com.

There are many other books you can read to get a realistic picture of sales numbers. The point is, get educated so you don't throw in the towel simply because you don't have a realistic picture of what it's going to take to convert your first lead.

2. Understand that the sales rule of thumb is that a contact will need to see you in some capacity seven to 10 times before you're even on their radar screen. This figure is everywhere...Dan Kennedy's books, Jill Konrath's excellent Selling to Big Companies, and more.

In my coaching I teach my marketing students to use an "integrated" approach to marketing. In advertising and marketing agencies, campaigns are often "integrated," meaning that there's more than one thing going on.

The target will not only see a direct mail letter, but then receive a telephone follow up call; they may also see a print ad in a trade publication, and be approached by a salesman at a trade show. The prospect may be "touched" by an email message, and see a relevant article that reminds him or her of the freelancer saleswoman.

The point is, if it takes seven to 10 "touches" to get someone warmed up enough to see you as worthy of their time, then let's use lots of ways to get in front of them in order to cut down on the lead-to-sales timeframe.

3. You're a full time sales man or sales woman. Until you get that first job, you should be putting in at least 40 hours a week on your marketing. Truly, it can be fun if you've got your salesman's hat on!

I remember when I left Rosen/Brown Direct, the agency I worked for for nearly a decade, I got into the sales process so deeply that I actually felt a little regret when I got my first copywriting jobs! (Amazing, but I am — as always — telling you the truth.)

Most freelancers are consultants who sell their services to businesses. Businesses also have to sell, and they sell to other businesses or to the consuming public. And because they too have to sell, they're often empathetic to the freelancer who's knocking on doors.

The caveat is...you'd better have a good message to deliver. Today's decision-makers spend their days in crisis mode, always putting out fires and trying to meet goals. They have no time for weak propositions.

So be sure that in every piece of marketing you do, that your value is blatantly apparent, and preferrably using numbers and statistics.

For instance, I advise my coaching students to send a monthly ezine to potential corporate clients with each issue focusing on some way to help them solve their problems. The best content brings numbers into the picture. Two examples:

* "How to quadruple hot leads each month by adding a strong White Paper offer to your home page"

* "Elements of design that can increase your sales revenue by at least 20 percent and oftentimes more"

So if you're struggling to get that first job, forget who you really are and get your sales hat on. Consider numbers your friend, and play the salesmanship game. If you're like me, you can turn a scary process into one that's invigorating, and that helps you enjoy the (sometimes long) path to your first job.

© Chris Marlow, all rights reserved

* * * * *

Dear Reader: You have permission to publish this article wherever you wish as long as this resource box stays intact:

Chris Marlow shows copywriters and other freelancers how to land the high-value, high-quality clients through her popular Coaching Program and Get Great Clients ezine. Sign up for your free subscription and get instant downloads of four timely articles on how the right clients can help you build your most profitable business! Visit http://www.GetGreatClients.com/signup