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6-in-6 Freelance Copywriter Report – 10 Months

January 10, 2017 by Tanya Brody Leave a Comment

In case I haven’t said it to you, Happy New Year!

It’s January, 2017, month 10 of my freelance copywriter life. Here in Minnesota, it means snow and cold. It’s the time of year when we all find as many things to do indoors as possible, and wear as many clothes as possible to get between our cars and whatever buildings we’re running to.

It’s also a good time to hunker down and get work done. Fortunately, I have plenty of that coming in.

My two regular clients have plenty going on this month. I also have a new potential client, and a trial project that may develop into a regular project, in the works. All of this moves me closer to my goal of making $6,000 a month, net as a freelance copywriter.

Just so you’re aware, that means making $9,000 a month, gross. Why so much? Because when you’re self-employed, 1/3 of everything you make automatically goes to Uncle Sam.

When you’re employed by a company, that company takes out tax for Social Security and Medicare from your paycheck automatically. They also pay a portion of that tax for your out of their coffers.

When you’re self-employed, you pay that yourself. 12.4% for Social Security, and 2.9% for Medicare, for a grand total of 15.3%. Plus, you still pay your normal income tax.

That’s how I arrived at the $9,000 a month, gross, figure. That way I can just take 1/3 of what I earn and stash it away to pay taxes.

Yes, that sounds intimidating. But I’ve already come darn close. In November of last year, I was $750 short of hitting that goal. So, it’s doable. The trick is getting enough regular freelance copywriter work coming in so I can hit that goal every month.

December wasn’t great on that front. But January looks to be more promising for reaching my goal. I promise you, you’ll hear about it when I do!

Meanwhile, I need to get motivated and get to work. But mostly, I want to sit here and stare out the window at the snow and the birds and squirrels eating from my feeders. (That’s my current view at the top of this post, by the way.)

I think that’s one of the hardest things about working for yourself. There are days it’s just hard to find the motivation get the work done. That doesn’t change the fact that the work needs to get done. But some days, it’s easier than others.

Fortunately, I get to work on projects I enjoy, which helps a lot.

Speaking of which, if you have a project coming up that you want me to work on, please contact me ASAP. My schedule is filling up quickly for the next couple of months. If you want to be on my calendar, act quickly.

As always, thanks for reading my ramblings and following along on my crazy freelance copywriter journey. It’s kind of scary to think that in another 2 months, I’ll have been writing this blog and doing this job for a full year.

Here’s to my reaching my goal before then.

Reflecting on 2016 as a Small Business Owner

December 28, 2016 by Tanya Brody Leave a Comment

2016 was a year of transformation for me. I lost a “real job,” left the corporate world, and now I’m a small business owner working for myself. That’s a lot to handle in one year.

So, I’m taking a moment to look back and see what I’ve accomplished for my small business in the last year.

In 2016, I:

Started a new small business.
Started a regular blog.
Worked on 20 projects for 14 clients (not all of which are finished yet).
Started and completed my Leadpages Conversion Marketing Certification.
Started and am still working my way through several new marketing courses.
Joined a Copywriting Mastermind Group (they’re awesome, by the way).
Learned several new marketing tools, like SamCart and Drip.
Attended 2 marketing conferences in one week.
Traveled the country and had fun with friends and family, while working.
Did a ton of research and learned many interesting new things.
Worked on my own business a lot.

That may look like a short list, but it was a lot of work, trust me.

And most importantly, I enjoyed it. I’m happier working for myself. I make a great boss of me.

I would encourage you to do this exercise as well. Whether you own your own small business or you work for someone else. Whether you’re happy where you are, or are looking to move on to another position in your current company, or on your own. You can do this if you’re retired or not working too. It’s just a useful reflection exercise.

Take a few minutes right now and write down what you’ve accomplished in 2016. Your accomplishments don’t have to be huge, but they should be notable to you. Projects you’ve finished at work or at home are good candidates. Working on projects for yourself are also a good idea.

They can even be as simple as “survived 2016” which can be considered an accomplishment this year. I don’t know about you, but 2016 has seen the demise of some major icons in my life, as well as several friends.

The point is to see what you’ve done in the past year. I expect it will be a lot more than you anticipated. And it can help you plan for the coming year.

This is something just for you. It’s not meant to be criticism or compliment. It’s just so you can take note and realize how much work you’ve put into the last year. It’s a good thing. Don’t compare yourself or to anyone else, or your year to any other. Just take a moment to recognize and be proud of what you’ve done.

A friend of mine who worked for AWAI spoke at their Bootcamp conference this year. One of her “secrets to a happy freelance life” was to avoid the Comparison Coma.

The Comparison Coma is when you look at your own life, stacked up against others who are doing better than you (regardless of what they’re doing). No matter how hard you’ve worked, it always seems like your life pales in comparison.

My friend recommended just being happy with where you are and what you’re doing. Others are doing what they’re doing. Some will do better, some worse. You can be happy for them, (or offer to help) but let any comparison go. You’re doing what you’re doing right now. That’s what matters.

That’s why I recommend you look at this past year and appreciate what you’ve done. You can make goals for the coming year, but don’t be disappointed in what you’ve done this year. And even if you didn’t reach some of your goals, remember, they’re goals. You can keep striving to reach them.

So, here’s to celebrating our successes in 2016, whether we’re small business owners or working for someone else.

And here’s to an equally (if not more) successful 2017.

I wish all of you a prosperous and happy New Year.

6-in-6 Freelance Copywriter Report – 9 Months

December 15, 2016 by Tanya Brody Leave a Comment

Aaaahhh!!!! I can’t believe the end of the year is staring me in the face! How did it get to be December so quickly? This means it’s been 9 months since I started my freelance copywriter business, this blog and this challenge.

I can honestly say, it’s been a wild ride, and I wouldn’t trade a moment of it. I love working for myself. I enjoy the challenge of taking my marketing and writing skills, and applying them to a new project or new industry. I love learning new techniques and about new products.

In short, I am in information junkie heaven.

Some of you may remember that I was part of something called the CLIMB program. It’s part of the Minnesota unemployment system that allows people to collect unemployment while starting their new businesses. I wrote about it a few months back. You can read that post here.

Having that income is what allowed me to stay afloat for several months. There were months when that income was pretty much all I made. Those payments ran out last month.

I’m pleased to say that I have made up that income, and more, just with freelance copywriter clients. I’m still not where I want to be, making $6000 a month, net, but I inch closer every month.

I have several new clients in the works. A couple of small, one time projects and some ongoing. I’ll introduce you to them as they move forward.

I finished the launch for the Medical Moguls “Momentum in Medicine” event. You can see the website here. It was a lot of work and a lot of fun. I ended up learning a couple of new platforms for this project, so it was an adventure.

I am very happy to say that Inkit is ramping up for their product launch. We’re hoping to be ready to roll by February at the latest. If your business uses direct mail postcards for promotions, (or you’re thinking about it) you should check out Inkit’s website.

Inkit is a SaaS platform that lets you create a postcard mailing in their drag and drop builder, upload your mailing list. As soon as you hit the “Send” button, your mailing project goes directly to the front of the queue of one of Inkit’s printers and is in customers’ mailboxes within a few days.

Inkit is only collecting email addresses of folks who are interested in their platform right now. But once it’s up and running, it will save you a ton of time and money on your direct mail projects.

Enough about my fabulous clients. On to me…

Since the new year is coming up, my New Year’s resolution is to be better about writing regular blog posts. Right now, they kind of get chivvied in where I have time. Having clients is a wonderful thing, and I wouldn’t have a business without them. But I do have to attend to my freelance copywriter business as well.

So, starting next year, on January 3rd, I will strive to have a blog post out every Tuesday. Those of you who are on my email list will be notified as soon as it’s available. If you’re not on my list, you should be!

Join the club! Sign up via the cute little pop-up form in the lower right hand corner of this page. Or the pretty green button in the sidebar that says “Follow My Journey.”

To keep this resolution, I need your help. I want to know what you would like me to write about.

Are you interested in more copywriting tips?
Do you want to know more about starting and running your own business?
Do you need more information on how to do your own marketing?

Let me know by filling out this quick survey. It will only take a couple of minutes, and you’ll be doing me a huge favor. I’ll get more ideas for blog posts, and you’ll get the information you want.

As always, thank you for following along on my crazy journey to become a freelance copywriter. It’s a pleasure having you on this path with me.

6-in-6 Freelance Copywriter Report – 8 Months

November 17, 2016 by Tanya Brody 1 Comment

Things have calmed down, yet gotten much busier since last month’s post. My life as a freelance copywriter continues to progress well, which makes me incredibly happy. I haven’t reached my official goal yet, but I’m getting closer.

I ended up creating landing pages and copy for an event launch for one of my new clients last month. This was great, because it means I got home from my conferences and had plenty of work to do! I love working with this team. My experience and insight are appreciated and I’ve been able to contribute quite a bit, beyond just handling the words.

I’ve also picked up a new client from Converted. I met Todd Murphy at the Leadpages workshops and Converted last year. When he found out I’d gone freelance, he contacted me after the conference and signed a retainer contract. He’s a bankruptcy lawyer, so I have plenty of experience writing for his industry. To learn more about Todd, visit his website.

I’m following up with folks I met at Converted or AWAI’s Bootcamp and Job Fair, and with people who have contacted me outside of those events. I hope that a couple of those turn into regular clients.

I’ve also gotten a lot of experience with the infamous “freelance copywriter lifestyle.” One of the many joys of working for yourself is that you have more control over your schedule. One of the many pains is, if you don’t do the work, the work doesn’t get done. (I’ve written about this in more detail here.)

I had to travel last week to attend a memorial service for a family member. While in the middle of preparing for a launch. This meant I spent a lot of time working while technically being “on vacation.”

It’s an interesting balance to deal with. I love the fact that I have a portable work life as a freelance copywriter and can do my job from anywhere. At the same time, it can be frustrating to have my family want me to join them so we can do fun things, knowing I need to finish something urgent for a client.

It’s a delicate balance. But it’s one I’ve found before, so I’m sure I’ll find it again.

I’m still enjoying the freelance copywriter journey and look forward to seeing where it goes.

Winter is starting to settle in here (we’re supposed to get snow tomorrow, thus the picture). I am sincerely hoping that by the time winter is over and the sun starts warming the earth again, I’ll have reached my goal of $6000 net a month, while still enjoying the work I do.

I’ll let you know as soon as that happens.

Meanwhile, I want to hear from you. What questions do you have about my journey, why I decided to do this, copywriting, marketing, running a small business, or anything else I might be qualified to answer? Please let me know in the comments. I’ll answer in future blog posts.

As always, thanks for following along.

3 Excellent Reasons to Follow Up with Current and Prospective Customers (and How to Do it)

November 6, 2016 by Tanya Brody Leave a Comment

I got a great compliment from a prospective customer the other day, a fellow named Adam Katz. I called him for our initial consultation, right on time. He answered the phone and commented on my punctuality. Then he said, “I’m very impressed by your marketing and your follow-up.”

This was very nice to hear, because I make an effort to follow up with everyone who contacts me about my copywriting business, and not just because they might be potential clients.

I’ve had a few folks contact me since I was interviewed on Ed Gandia’s podcast who were interested in learning more about freelancing. I’ve taken time to talk to all of them.

Why do I do this? Because following up with people is important. Whether you’re a freelancer or solopreneur like me, following up with potential clients, or you’re a brick and mortar business working with customers. It gives your business a better reputation.

Here are 3 excellent reasons, and good ways, to follow up with your customers:

1. Acknowledging You’ve Received a Message.

I am always amazed by how many companies, from small businesses to major corporations, utterly fail to acknowledge they’ve received your message. Or if they do, it’s something to the effect of “Your message has been logged in our system.”

Okay… So somewhere, a computer has logged my message. Is anyone going to respond to it? Will my question be answered? Or am I stuck in eternal limbo?

I had this occur recently at my car dealership. They had to order a part for my car, and they may have to order a second one, because they don’t know which part is actually causing the problem.

Well, I found another problem that may be able to diagnose which part is the faulty one. So I called the dealership and asked to speak to the fellow I worked with when I came in for the first appointment. He was unavailable, but I left a message.

No one has called to follow up with me. Not even to say, “Hey, we got your message and we’re looking into this. We’ll get back to you as soon as we have an answer.”

As a customer, it’s nice to at least know that someone is working on my problem.

Now, switch that around to your business.

If you don’t respond when someone calls with a question, to place an order or to hire you to do something, they’ll assume you’re not interested in their business and go elsewhere. That means you’re out a customer, and you’ve lost income.

Following up with that person, even if it’s just a quick email to say “Hey, I got your message” can be the difference between a good month and a bad month for your business.

Personally, I follow up in 2 ways.

I have an autoresponder connected to my contact form that sends a short email to tell them I’ve received their message and will get back to them shortly. I also include a link to my online calendar so they can make an appointment with me at their convenience.

When I get the information from the contact form (via my email service provider) I send a personal email. Again, I say I got their message and I’m interested in talking to them about their project.

Both of these show that I’m interested in working with the people who contact me for my copywriting services. And, most importantly, it shows that their message hasn’t disappeared into a black hole, never to be seen again.

2. Following up after the initial contact.

If people who have contacted me don’t make an appointment or respond to either email, I send another one in a few days.

Why?

Because people are busy. Generally speaking, we’re all much more involved in whatever is going on in our immediate lives. (Or as I like to call it, whatever is on fire on your desk at the moment.)

By taking the time to follow up with someone, you’re saying “yes, I know you’re busy, but you had a concern that I can help you with. What can I take off your plate?

Years ago, when I was a professional touring musician, I had the pleasure of hearing Derek Sivers speak at a music conference in Cincinnati, OH. Derek is the founder of CD Baby, an independent music distribution company. (It’s an awesome company, and yes, you can still find my music there.)

Derek was talking about how to market yourself as a musician, and in particular, how to get the attention of the person you’re trying to reach. He said something during that speech that stuck with me over the years. “Persistence is polite.”

In context, here’s what he was saying; if a music venue coordinator or booking agent didn’t get back to you right away, you should keep trying. A lot of musicians get frustrated in this situation, swear a lot, claim they’re “too good to play this dive” and call the next venue on their list. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work out well for some of them.

I took this to heart at the time, because I was one of those musicians who spent her days calling music venues to book my band. And I made it my mantra.

When I first contacted a venue, I would make a note in my Outlook journal of when I had contacted them, how I had contacted them (phone or email) and what had happened. Then I’d set a calendar alert to contact them again in a few days to a week.

I did this over and over and over. I was always polite, and I deliberately said in each of those messages, “Please let me know one way or the other, so I know what’s going on at your end.”

I wasn’t interested in wasting my time trying to contact people who weren’t interested in talking to me. I’d rather have them say, “No thank you” so I knew and could move on to whatever was next.

Several times, I had venues who would call or email back, weeks or months later, and say “Yes, we want to book you.” Somewhere in the booking process, a couple of them said “We’re really excited to have you, and thank you for continuing to follow up with us until we responded.”

Yes. Persistence is polite. Do it. I think you’ll like the results.

3. Checking in to see if you can help

This is a great idea, especially if you’ve been contacted by people who are interested in what you’re selling, but may not need it right away.

This lets your customers (or potential customers) know that you’re still interested in doing business with them whenever they’re ready. And it keeps you top of mind when they are ready.

Again, I do this in two ways:

I write a monthly email newsletter that I send to current customers and people who have expressed an interest in doing business with me. It’s a quick update about what’s going on with me, an invitation to contact me if they’re ready to talk about their next project and a special business tip I only include in these letters.I also include a list of the month’s blog posts from my blog, so they can see what I’ve been writing about. (This sneakily acts as a set of samples and a reminder that I do content writing, among other things. Now everyone on my monthly newsletter list knows my secret.)

Occasionally, I’ll send a personal email to clients I haven’t heard from in a while, just checking in to see what’s going on and whether they need my services.

Both of these techniques have gotten me work. And I’ve gotten to help out some folks who were in a bind and needed something done quickly.

How Do You Follow Up In Your Business?

Now that you know the importance of following up, I hope you’ll make it a regular part of your business. If you are following up with current and potential customers, how do you do it? If not, why not? Tell me about it in the comments.