Blog - Page 27 of 31 - Tanya Brody

6-in-6 Freelance Copywriter Progress Report – 6 Months

September 21, 2016 by Tanya Brody 4 Comments

Good heavens! I was so excited by the video post I wrote last week, I totally forgot to write my monthly freelance copywriter update.

So here we are at the sixth month since I started this blog and this process of becoming a full-time freelance copywriter. It’s been a very interesting journey so far. (The clovers both came from my yard, they’re for luck.)

Note, I say “so far.” I expect this to be a long journey, one that I sincerely hope will last for years. I expect these posts to morph into something else as my career progresses.

For now, I can honestly say, I haven’t reached my goal. And that’s okay.

This freelance copywriter thing is a journey. As noble and exciting as my goal of reaching the point where I was earning $6000 a month in 6 months was, it’s not how things turned out. The nice thing about goals is, they’re something you strive for. If you don’t reach them, you keep striving. When you do, you set another goal.

So I’ll keep striving to reach my goal.

The good thing is, it’s becoming more realistic. I’m getting more contacts from potential clients. I have a meeting with one today. Part of that is because I’ve passed the final tests and become a Leadpages Conversion Marketing Certified Expert. I’m listed in their directory now and I’ve had several potential clients contact me through there.

I’m also getting better at marketing myself as a freelance copywriter. I swear, that’s one of the hardest things to do. I’m great at promoting other people’s businesses, but talking about myself feels…weird. I feel like tooting my own horn is inappropriate. It’s not. I love being a freelance copywriter and I’m really good at it. So I’ll keep working on that.

I’m working on projects for current clients and some of those may become regular work. (At least, that’s my goal for them. These clients could use the help so they can run their businesses and not worry about their marketing.)

I’m reaching out to new potential clients through these blog posts and with two new landing pages. One is a free report offering 5 simple copywriting tricks that will engage your customers and get them to buy. The other talks about how a landing page can get you more customers and grow your business. (Yes, I linked to both of them. Please feel free to share.)

I’m attending 2 conferences in one week, because I’m insane. One is the Leadpages conference, CONVERTED, the other is a conference for freelance copywriters, AWAI’s Bootcamp and Job Fair. I expect to make more potential client contacts there as well, and to convert some of those folks into clients.

Despite the fact that I haven’t reached my goal, I’m not upset. I’m quite happy. I may not be where I wanted to be by this time, but I am making money doing what I love. My business is growing, I’m getting new clients and learning lots along the way.

If you’re traveling along this same path with me, I hope you’re not discouraged if you don’t meet your goals. Instead, I hope you keep striving to meet those goals and when you do, you get to celebrate, just like I will when I meet mine.

As always, thank you for following along on my journey. Please do comment below. I love to hear from you about what you think of my progress and how you’re doing on your own journey.

Cheers,
Tanya

You Need to Use Video Marketing to Promote Your Business – Now!

September 14, 2016 by Tanya Brody Leave a Comment

I have a secret identity. (Shhhh. I’ll tell you, but don’t tell anyone else!)

Along with being a professional copywriter and marketing consultant, I’m also a professional musician. I play the harp (yes, the kind that angels play) and I used to tour with a Celtic band called The Muses. I don’t play anywhere near as much as I used to, but I still do shows a few times a year.

Last Thursday, I performed as part of something called 5 to 10 on Hennepin. It’s an event put on by Hennepin Theater Trust, one of our local arts organizations here in Minnesota. They’ve started bringing in performers and musicians every Thursday evening to highlight the arts scene in downtown Minneapolis.

Well, during my stint, I decided to record a couple of Facebook Live videos to my Tanya Brody – Words and Music page, just to see how it worked and if they’d get any traction. I had a friend of mine record while I was playing. No crazy cameras or extra tech. Just my smartphone and a person holding it.

I was incredibly pleased with the results.

One of the videos reached 354 people and got 88 views. The other reached 1,641 people and got 646 views. That was without boosting the posts. I didn’t have to pay Facebook for exposure for either of these videos, and they got a great response. (Well, for me, anyway.)

Why does this matter?

Consider this. As of my writing this article, my Tanya Brody – Copywriter page has 233 likes. That means any post I put on that page should show up in the feeds of 233 people. (So long as Facebook doesn’t change its algorithm.)

My Tanya Brody – Words and Music page has 120 likes. So those videos only showed up in the feeds of 120 people. Yet those two videos got far more views than anything I’ve posted on my copywriting page in the last month and a half.

I only put up my copywriting Facebook page recently. I’ve had my music page for years. And it’s gotten more exposure in the last week than anything I’ve ever posted on there before.

Why am I telling you this story?

It’s a really roundabout way of showing you that video marketing is the current (and future) trend.

2016: The Year of Video

Actually, people have been using video in marketing for years, on and off line. But it’s become so popular that many of the social media platforms are giving it preference in people’s feeds.

But a lot of major companies, like Red Bull, Netflix, GoPro and Amazon, are using a lot more video to engage with their audiences. YouTube reports that mobile video consumption is rising by 100% every year. Right now, 1/3 (yes, that’s one third, desktop and mobile,) of all online activity is spent watching videos.

And, most people spend 1 to 2 minutes watching a video. That means more time spent engaged with your company, product or service.

Perhaps you’ve noticed that when a friend of yours is using Facebook Live, they show up at the top of your feed. Their post will even show up at or toward the top of your feed for several hours after they posted it.

It turns out that native video uploads to Facebook (meaning not linked from somewhere else) have 10 times the reach of those posted on YouTube. Facebook is definitely on the video bandwagon.

That’s a lot of video. And it’s a great opportunity for you to get more exposure for your business.

Think about it. If my little Facebook Live videos got as much engagement as they did, without any additional work on my part, imagine how much video could increase your bottom line. According to Aberdeen Group, businesses using video marketing grow their company revenue 49% faster, year after year, compared to companies that don’t use video marketing.

How to Add Video Marketing to Your Marketing Plan

Yes, like me, you’re a small business. You don’t have a lot of money to make fancy, expensive videos showing off your products or services. Fortunately, you don’t need them. All you really need is a cellphone with video capability and a way to keep it stable while you record.

As an example, here’s a short video I recorded with my smartphone and a little tripod. It’s a list of topic ideas for videos:

I’m seeing an increase in people recording videos for their businesses in their cars, or while they’re putting together their products. Yes, you want your video to look as “good” or “professional” as possible. But the real goal is to insert your personality into the video so you (and your video) stand out from your competition.

“Hey, Why Are You, a Copywriter, Talking About Video?”

Because I’m also a marketing consultant. My job is to help you find the best ways to market your business. Video is quickly becoming one of those “best ways.” So, yeah, I’m going to talk about it.

Besides. You’ll still need me to write the landing pages you’re going to stick these videos on, and the scripts for the videos, or the video sales letters (VSL) you’re going to use to sell your products or services. So I’ve got plenty of job security.

Speaking of that whole marketing consultant thing, click on the button below to download my Video Topic Stimulus List so you have ideas for your videos going forward.

Download the Video Topic Stimulus List

I added a few more ideas than I mentioned in the video above, so you’ll have even more fodder for your new video marketing series.

How do You Use Video in Your Marketing?

What kinds of videos do you make? Do you use video at all? If not, why not? Tell me about it in the comments.

Why You Need to Use Social Proof in Your Marketing

September 9, 2016 by Tanya Brody 1 Comment

When was the last time you researched something you wanted to buy?

If you’re like me, you probably do some online research for price, reliability, comfort, or whatever other features you consider important. Then you ask your friends. You look for social proof that you’re making the right decision, before you make it.

I usually ask on social media and I get at least 25 to 50 answers. I read through all of them and make my decision.

Why do we do this? Why do we ask for social proof from our social circles (some of whom live on the other side of the planet and we’ve never actually met in person)?

Because we tend to give more weight to the opinions and experience of others over trusting what the company selling the product says.

We all know that companies can manipulate the data they find in their studies to say their products are safe, effective, well-made, (insert other qualities here). But we believe it when we hear it from someone we know and trust.

Why?

Because it’s different when you hear about a product or service from someone who has actually used it. Even if you don’t know that person, you’re inclined to put yourself in their shoes.

Yelp is a classic example of social proof. Companies that get good Yelp reviews tend to do well. But the instant a bad review comes up, the owner of a company works hard to remove that review, or get other customers to review the company to push the bad review further down on the list. That way the company doesn’t suffer from one person’s bad experience.

Why does this matter? Because people rely on Yelp for opinions on whether they should buy a product, use a service, eat at a restaurant or go to a venue. People want to know what kind of experience to expect. They want to know if they should spend their hard-earned money on something before they plunk it down on the proverbial counter

Since this is something your potential customers want, give it to them. Prove to them that your product or service is worth their money, time and effort.

Here are three ways to use social proof in your marketing.

Testimonials

A testimonial is a quote from a current customer, singing the praises of your product or service. Testimonials are particularly powerful social proof, because they show that another customer had a positive experience. The reader will usually consider this a positive sign and it can make them more likely to buy.

Where to Use Your Testimonials

If you glance at the top of this page, on the right, you’ll notice that I have a few testimonials from former clients listed prominently for all to see. You can list your testimonials on every page, as part of your template, like I do. You can also have a page on your website, specifically for testimonials.

If you’ve just started collecting testimonials, I recommend having them as part of your template. Once you have a good long list, make a page just for testimonials, and keep the best ones displayed prominently on the rest of your site.

Here are some other great places to use your testimonials:

As part of your email signature
On your landing pages
On your checkout pages
On your opt-in forms
In your printed marketing materials

How to Get Testimonials from Your Customers

The great thing about happy customers is they love telling you how pleased they are with your work. The best time to get a testimonial is while that customer is raving about your product.

To get this precious social proof, you can:

Ask your customer if you can quote them: If someone says something wonderful about your product or service (especially if it’s incredibly quotable) ask them if you can use it as a testimonial.

Come right out and say, “Can I quote you on that?” If they say yes, get them to repeat it and write it down or record them saying it. (Your mobile phone should have a voice memo feature.) Let them know you’ll be using this as a testimonial in your marketing.

If the quote is in an email, write them back immediately and ask if you can use their comment as a testimonial. Copy and paste the quote you want to use, so they can see exactly what they’re putting their name to.

Ask your customers for a testimonial: I tell all of my clients that they need to use testimonials in their marketing (just like I’m telling you now). It makes it easy to ask for a testimonial once the project we’re working on is complete.

You may not have this little advantage, but you can still ask. It can be as simple as training yourself and your sales staff to say something like, “The best promotion for our business is when our customers say good things about our product. Can you take a moment to write down a positive comment about our product?”

Not everyone will do this, (and you’ll want to ask if someone is a regular customer before asking this question) but people who do like your product will happily give you a good testimonial when asked.

Send out a survey: Survey Monkey, Typeform and Google Forms are all great survey platforms to collect information from your customers. (And they’re all free!) When you create your survey, make sure you ask open ended questions so you can get those fabulous quotes.

Add a link to your survey to:
- Emails
- Invoices
- Receipts

Case Studies

Case studies are a great way to get social proof for your business. They are literally proof that your product or service works. Better yet, they show exactly how your product or service made someone’s life, business, or day better.

What is a Case Study?

Another common term for case study is success story. It’s basically telling the story of how someone had a problem, they found your product or service and their problem was solved. They tend to be about 1 to 3 pages long and are commonly used as handouts, blog posts or lead magnets on websites or landing pages.

Here is the standard outline for a good case study:

Problem: Tell the story of your customer and the problem they were having. You can go into as much or as little detail as you want here.

Enter your product: Talk about how your customer found your product or service and what they found appealing about it.

Customer’s success: Show how your product or service solved your customer’s problem. Give detailed information on what your customer did and how they got their result. Whenever possible, use numbers, photos or other evidence to show the result.

Wrap-up: You can do a few things to wrap up your case study:
- Write a quick summary of the case study.
- Talk about your customer’s plans to use your product or service going forward.
- Create a “How This Applies to You” section that shows the reader why your product or service is a good fit for them.

What Makes a Good Case Study?

The best case studies are the ones where someone got a definite and measurable result from using your product or service. Here are a few examples:

A customer lost 20 pounds in 4 weeks using your diet plan.

A customer went from having 5 days of serious pain a week to just 2-3 hours (or no pain at all) using your pain reliever.

A customer increased their sales by 75% in 2 weeks using your software.

You want to prove to potential customers that not only does your product work, it can make a huge, positive change for them and solve whatever problem they’re having beyond their wildest dreams.

How to Get Your Customers to Let You Use Their Stories as Case Studies

Again, if your customers are happy with your product or service, they’re going to tell you about it. So strike while the iron is hot.

Here are a few ways to collect case studies:

Come right out and ask: Ask your customer if they’d like to be interviewed for a case study as soon as they tell you their success story.

Request success stories on your website: Link to a form where a customer can give you a brief synopsis of their story as well as their name and contact information.

Search those survey results for possible case studies: Remember that survey you sent out? Some of those responses could be excellent case studies.

How to Get the Information to Write a Case Study

You’ll need to interview your customer (or have your copywriter interview your customer) to get all the details. Use the basic outline above to come up with a list of questions for your customer.

As you’re talking to them, get them to go deeper into the story whenever possible. I tend to use, “Tell me more about that…” to get people to divulge more information about a subject or situation.

I recommend recording the interview (with the customer’s permission) so you don’t miss anything. I know I can’t type as fast as people talk. When I record an interview, I can go back later and fill in details or check my facts.

Always ask your customer if they want to see the case study before you publish it. Some of them may not care. Others may care deeply and want to see how they’re being represented.

You may need to do a bit of online research to fill in some blanks. You can also talk to your colleagues and employees to get more background on your product. I recommend the sales team and folks that build your product (if you’re not all of those things yourself.)

Start Writing!

Great! You have all the information you need. Now tell a compelling story that makes people want to get these same results themselves. As I mentioned above, show the results whenever possible. Before and after pictures are great. And people love it when you use numbers to show results.

Graphics are also a wonderful way to illustrate a change. Give the information to a graphic designer and let their creativity loose to come up with a fabulous image.

I always recommend having a few people read your case study before you show it to the world. They may find holes in your story or ask questions you hadn’t thought of before.

Once your final draft is finished, you’ve got a great lead magnet to use on your website. You can also print it out and give it away at trade shows or use it as part of a presentation.

Money-Back Guarantees

Sometimes the best social proof is you backing up your product with your own money. That’s why guarantees work so well.

When you say, “If you’re not completely satisfied with my product, I’ll give you your money back,” it’s less of a risk for your potential customers. That way, they can try your product and fall in love with it on their own terms. They figure, “This company wouldn’t be willing to give me my money back unless this product really works.”

Companies in all industries use guarantees to convince customers to buy. You see them all the time.

Duluth Trading Company offers a “No Hassles, No Nonsense” guarantee. No conditions, no time limit. If you’re not happy, send it back and they’ll return your money.

Valspar Paint guarantees that you’ll love their paint colors on your walls, or they’ll give you a rebate for the can so you can get another one.

Yes, some customers do return products or cancel services. But generally speaking, offering that guarantee increases your sales and improves your bottom line.

You can make your money-back guarantee any length you want. 14 days, 30 days, 90 days, a lifetime. And it’s always better to make it unconditional, like Duluth Trading Company’s guarantee. Don’t argue with your customer, that makes them angry when they’re already disappointed in your product. Giving them their money back with no conflict will leave them with a better impression.

Worried you won’t be able to remember all of the techniques I’ve talked about here? Download the Social Proof Cheat Sheet. Just click on the button below and you’ll have all of this information at your fingertips.

Download Your Social Proof Cheat Sheet

How Do You Use Social Proof in Your Business?

How do you get your customers to rave about your product or service? And how do you use that in your marketing? Tell me about it in the comments.

How to Stay Focused When You’re Having a Distracted Work Day

August 30, 2016 by Tanya Brody Leave a Comment

A distracted work day. You know the kind of day I mean. You sit down to get some work done, but the mojo just isn’t flowing. You can’t produce whatever it is you’re supposed to be producing. (In my case, it’s writing.) It’s not that you’re blocked or you don’t know what you’re doing. You just can’t stay focused.

So you sit there staring at whatever it is you should be doing. (In my case, a blank page in Word.) And since that doesn’t help, you decide to go putter around on Facebook. Where you waste half an hour of your precious time.

Still nothing. (Grrrrr)

So you get up to do something, and promptly forget what it was you were going to do. You end up staring out the window at the squirrels chasing each other around the yard, or something similar. Until you snap out of it and realize you’re supposed to be working.

When you’re a small business owner, this can be a serious problem. You have to stay focused to stay in business. You know you have to get your work done. But the only person to keep you on task is… well… you.

If you can’t buckle down and get your work done, you’ll have some very disappointed customers and an empty bank account. Not a good combination.

So how do you get yourself back on track?

Here are 4 ideas on how to stay focused when you work for yourself and you’re just not able to concentrate on your work.

Walk Away for a While

Yes, this sounds counter intuitive. But it works. If you’re unable to concentrate on what you’re doing, get up and do something totally unrelated to what you’re trying to accomplish.

Here are the things I tend to do when I can’t stay focused:

Go for a walk: I find that getting out of my house and clearing my head helps me get back on track when I get back to my computer (or whatever it is I’m doing).

Do a couple of chores or errands: I spend a few minutes tidying the kitchen or putting in a load of laundry. If I can run a short errand, I’ll do that to get myself out of the house and out of my own head.

Do something in the same general field, but not directly related to your current project: For example, I sit down and read books or articles on marketing. I usually find something that inspires me and helps me to continue with the project I should really be working on.

Work on a Different Project

I know that as a freelancer, I like to have several projects I’m working on at once, so if I get stuck on one of them, I can pick up another and stay productive.

I do this when it comes to my own work for marketing my business as well. You’re reading this blog post because I was having a terrible time writing the post I’d started on this week, about using social proof in your marketing. You’ll probably see that one next week, when I’ve had more time to ponder.

Do More Research

Sometimes you can’t figure out what you’re doing because you don’t have all the information you need. Yes, this can even happen when you’re making something you’ve made hundreds of times before.

I used to have this issue when I was building period costumes for Renaissance Festival performers. Sometimes I’d have to stop sewing and go back to look at my original reference material. Or I’d have to look up period methods of construction so I got the look of whatever I was making “right,” even if I was using modern materials.

I do this today when I’m writing. I may sit down with an idea of what I want to write, but once I’m faced with an empty page, I realize I’m missing information I need to get my point across to you. So I spend some time searching the Internet or my own library. That way I do a better job of writing and you get a more useful resource.

Plunge in and Do It Anyway

This may be more effective for those of us who have the opportunity to revise than for people who are manufacturing the same product over and over. But it can still apply.

When I write, I know I’m writing a first draft. So I sit down and put something “on paper.” (Okay, on the screen.) When I’m having a distracted day, this can take a while. And it usually doesn’t turn out the way I wanted it to. But it’s a start.

Even if I end up trashing the whole thing, writing that first draft has gotten the juices flowing. The next time around, I end up with something I can use. And with some careful editing, it becomes a finished product that I can present to my client for review. Or to you as a blog post, like this one.

Ultimately, You’re the One in Charge

One of the lovely things about being your own boss is you get to make the decisions. So if you decide to work late to make up for lost time, you can. By the same token, you’re also the one responsible for getting the work done.

There will be days when your brain just can’t or won’t focus on the project at hand. On those days, be gentle with yourself and coax that brain back to work. Yelling at it (and yourself) rarely helps you stay focused.

Once you get back in that groove, enjoy it and get as much of it done as you can. And hold on to that groove as long as possible. Until the next time your brain gets distracted. Then try the tactics in this blog post again.

How do You Stay Focused?

Do you have certain things you do to get yourself in the work groove? How do you break the distracted cycle? Tell me about it in the comments.

6-in-6 Freelance Copywriter Report – 5 Months

August 16, 2016 by Tanya Brody Leave a Comment

Sometimes, your business is like a garden.

You’ve tilled the soil; you’ve amended it so it’s got lots of nutrients to feed the plants. You’ve planted all the seeds and seedlings. You tend your garden regularly so it doesn’t get over-run with weeds.

That doesn’t mean your garden will produce right away. Sure, some plants will deliver sooner than others. But gardening is about patience. It’s about nurturing, watering and feeding your garden so it grows healthy vegetables and beautiful flowers.

My freelance copywriter business feels a lot like my garden right now.

I see lots of potential meals in my garden, but they’re not quite ripe yet. And some of them may get eaten by other critters. I bring in a small harvest fairly regularly, so I’m enjoying my garden. But it’s not producing the way I want it to.

In my freelance copywriter business, I have lots of potential projects on the horizon, but I don’t have signed contracts yet. I have lots of ideas on how to make my business grow, but implementing them will take time. Probably more time than I really want them to take.

So right now, I’m nurturing my business. I’m making it healthier and more robust.

I’m taking classes and going through courses so I’ve got the skills to deal with whatever my clients need from me. (And I’m an information junkie, so I’m having fun.)

I’m working on my own marketing so more clients can find me. (FYI, I just put up a Facebook page for my business last week. I wrote a blog post about it too.)

I’m following up with current clients and directly seeking out new business.

I’m setting up a better schedule for my own work so I make sure it actually gets done.

I’m finding new ways to offer my services to potential clients.

I’m working on making some parts of my marketing system “evergreen” so they keep bringing in business without my having to spend a lot of time on them.

In short, I’m planting seeds, weeding and fertilizing my business. I want it to grow and thrive, so I have to put in the work, and I have to be patient.

Being patient is the hardest part.

I want to taste the fruits of my labor now! That’s half the fun of running your own business (and of gardening.) But I know that as the season progresses, my garden will continue to grow and I’ll be able to harvest all of my hard work. Fortunately for me, my freelance copywriter business can grow year-round, unlike my garden.

So, here are the things I’ll be doing to grow my business over the next several months.

I am committing to posting a new blog post every Tuesday. I know I’ve been a bit lax about it over the last few months, posting on random days and not posting at all on some weeks. From now on, please look for new blog posts on Tuesdays. Sign up here to be notified of when they’re released.

I will revamp my website a bit so it looks more like a website and less like a blog. The blog area will probably remain the same.

I am offering retainer agreements to 6 clients who need ongoing work done. If you are currently my client, or are interested in becoming a client, and are interested in obtaining one of these slots, please contact me for further details.

I’ll be promoting my landing pages, blog posts and website via social media. Some paid, some free. I expect I’ll document some of those experiences here, so please stay tuned.

I intend to find speaking opportunities in my local area to promote my business and share my knowledge.

Stay tuned for more updates and more blog posts about how the ideas above end up working for me. As always, thanks for following me on this journey as I build my freelance copywriter business.

If you have questions about building your own business or ideas you want me to write about, please post them in the comments.