Tanya Brody

Copywriter | Marketing & Optimization Consultant | Customer Advocate

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

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4-leaf and 5-leaf clover

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

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

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Stay Focused

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

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Garden

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.

 

The Top 6 Reasons to Have a Facebook Page for Your Business

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facebook-page

I just created a Facebook page for my copywriting business. You’re welcome to check it out here. I haven’t gotten a lot up there yet, but it’s a good start.

I decided it was a good idea to have a separate Facebook page for my business. And after doing a bit of research, I figured I should write a blog post about why it’s a good idea to have a Facebook page for your business. So here are the top 6 reasons I discovered for having a Facebook business page.

1. Increase Your Reach

A personal profile limits you to 5,000 friends. Most people don’t have that many Facebook friends, so it’s not a big deal. But for your business, you want to be able to reach everyone who may be interested in what you’ve got to offer.

When you have a separate Facebook page for your business, your posts will reach folks who have liked your page. Yes, this is about the same as having a personal profile.

A personal Facebook post limits the audience who can see it. For instance, I limit all of my posts to my friends list. But once your post hits your fans’ pages, it’s there for all the world to see.

Now, when I tell the world about my new blog post (about Facebook pages) on my new Facebook page, it will show up on their newsfeeds. But instead of exposure being limited our shared friends, it will be seen by all of their friends. And if some of those folks share my post with their friends, it will go even further.

So without a lot of effort on my part, my blog post, my Facebook page and my business have been exposed to a whole new audience of people. You can do this for your business too.

2. Target Your Audience

Facebook has 1.7 billion monthly users. That means 1/7th of the planet’s population logs into Facebook once a month. Most do it daily. That’s a huge audience! Way more people than you want, and certainly more people than will be genuinely interested in your products or services.

Facebook has one of the most sophisticated demographic tracking systems around. They collect a heck of a lot of data on their users. (That whole thing about “if the product is free, you are the product, it’s true.)

Yes, this feels a bit “big brother-ish” but as a marketer, this is to your advantage. Because you can target, down to very detailed demographics, who you want to see your Facebook posts. This is a great thing for you, because:

• You spend less money on advertising.
• You reach people who are more likely to become your customers.

I haven’t done it yet, but there’s a button on all of the posts on my new Facebook page that says “Boost Post.” That button lets me customize my audience to region, gender, age and interests.

So if you own a vintage 50’s malt shop in Berkeley, CA, you can target your audience to people who live in a specific radius from your restaurant, like ice cream and are interested in vintage stuff from the 50s. (Yes, you really can get that detailed.)

3. Drive More Traffic to Your Website

You spent a lot of money building that website. And it’s where people can get detailed information about your products or services. So use your Facebook page to drive more traffic to your website.

If you visit my Facebook page, you’ll notice that I’ve already posted some of my older blog posts to the page. I wanted something for people to look and click through to. I’ve already gotten more views on my blog posts from my Facebook page.

If you’re running a special on a certain product, your Facebook page is a great place to promote that, with a link back to the product page on your website where customers can buy the product.

If you’re going to be at a special event, post a link to your events page, where people can find more information about where you’ll be and what you’re doing.

4. Gather More Leads

Yes, you can collect email addresses on your Facebook page. There are a variety of ways you can do this:

  • Use the button feature on your Facebook page to get people to sign up for your mailing list. (Choose the “Sign Up” option.)
  • Direct site visitors to a sign-up form or squeeze page on your website.

Why should you do this? I mean, after all, you’ve got all of these Facebook likes. Doesn’t that duplicate your efforts? No. What if, for some reason beyond your control, your Facebook page was suddenly and irrevocably deleted? How would you communicate with your fans?

If you have their email addresses, you can tell them what happened, let them know where to find you from now on, and stay in touch.

5. Get Messages from Interested Customers

One of the pitfalls of personal profiles on Facebook is that unless someone has already Friended you on Facebook, they can’t send you a direct message. So if you’re using your personal profile and a potential customer messages you to ask a question, you may never know about it because the message disappears into the “Message Requests” folder in your Messages section.

I just checked that section and discovered a message from a potential customer who wrote to me in April. I never would have known it was there, had I not written this blog post.

By contrast, I got a notification on my new Facebook page about a message from a friend who wants to talk about having me help her promote her book. Because I was able to see that notification, I responded right away and we’ve set up an appointment to talk.

6. Look More Professional

Okay, I confess, I’ve been posting announcements about my new blog posts to my personal Facebook page. And my friends are all very tolerant of my doing this. Some of them even share them with their friends. (Thank you very much to those of you reading this who have helped promote my blog posts and my business.)

But let’s face it. My personal Facebook wall is covered in silly cat videos, funny stuff my friends have shared with me, and personal commentary. My clients and potential clients don’t need to see this stuff. Nor will they be able to, unless they’ve friended me on Facebook. (Some of them have.)

So having a Facebook page that is specifically for your business means you can post announcements about your business, as well as share articles and opinions that you think will interest your audience. You can ask questions with polls. You can build a professional relationship with your potential clients. (And yes, you can post the occasional cat video.)

Go Create a Facebook Page for Your Business

I hope the 5 reasons above have convinced you that creating a Facebook page for your business is a good idea. So if you don’t already have one, go make one. If you do have one, make sure you’re paying attention to it and posting to it regularly

Do you have a Facebook page for your business? If not, why not? Please tell me about it in the comments.

6-in-6 Freelance Copywriter Report – 4 Months

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RockyShore

I’m over halfway on my personally allotted time and I’ll admit I’m worried about making my goal. I have been getting work, and I have been making money. But I haven’t come close to reaching my goal of making $6,000 net per month as a freelance copywriter yet.

Why $6,000 net? For those of you who are new to this blog, my goal is to be able to have $6,000 a month to live on so I can live comfortably, pay for my own health insurance (and health care bills) and put money aside for retirement.

To do this, I need to make $9,000 a month because the government takes about 1/3 of what I bring in for taxes. Yes, yes, go ahead, grumble about the government, I do too. But I’d rather pay the taxes than get fined for not paying them. And I have a good accountant so I should get some of that back.

But I haven’t come close to that goal yet.

I have made $6,000 in a month, but I haven’t achieved that every month.

Yes, I realize that this is a process, and it takes time. Yes, I’m prepared to extend my allotted time, because I know that a goal is something you strive for, not something that makes or breaks you.

But I won’t deny that I’m worried. It’s part of being human.

I do have work coming in, just not as much as I’d like. (So if you need a project done in the next few weeks or months, get on my calendar now.)

I’m not going to starve. I have the weekly unemployment benefits from the CLIMB program coming in, so I can pay my bills. I don’t live extravagantly, so those payments cover most of my expenses and I save everything else.

But I need to change things.

I have enrolled in several online courses, some of which offer certification in their fields. I’ll be finishing up my Leadpages certification and my SEO Copywriting certification in the next few weeks. That will get me listed in each of their directories, which I hope will help.

I’m listed as a freelance copywriter in a few other places, and I’m going to promote those more, so I hope that helps too.

Meanwhile, work is coming in from unexpected sources. A friend mentioned that he had invented a product on Facebook the other day, but admitted he isn’t a marketer. I mentioned that I am a marketer and can help. We’ll be talking today.

Another friend and former colleague may hand off a project she’s working on because she doesn’t have time to do it herself.

And I’m putting together several promotional pieces that should attract attention and get more business in the door.

I have no doubt that I’ll be able to make this freelance copywriter business work. It’s all just a matter of time.

Thanks for sticking with me on this crazy journey. I hope you don’t mind that it may take a little longer than expected.

Let me know what you think, and if you have any ideas for me or anyone else running their own business. Who knows, I may take your idea and write a blog post about it.