Discount your copywriting rates? No way! Try this instead.
Is discounting your freelance copywriting rates ever a good idea. Really?
How many times has this happened to you:
You sweat and slave over a copywriting proposal. Finally, you get an email from the client. Success! They want to work with you!
And then you read, “Your copywriting rates are too high. We were planning to spend about half that amount. Can you bring your price down?”
Ouch.
Now, you’ve got a dilemma. Should you discount your copywriting rates and get money in the door? Or should you hold fast to your price and possibly lose the gig?
It’s easy to get in panic mode and immediately offer the discount. But that may not be the best idea. Here’s why:
- Reducing your copywriting rates reduces the value. Let’s say that you charge $250 per page – and the client wants to pay $150 per page. If you meet your prospect’s price, you’re basically telling them, “I was padding my bid by $100 a page. $150 is the true value.” Not the best first impression.
- An initial rate reduction makes it hard to charge full price later. After all, if the client got you for $150 a page, why would they pay $250? Would YOU pay an additional $100 a page if you knew that you didn’t have to? Yeah. Didn’t think so.
- It’s easy to resent your low-paying clients. And by “resent,” I mean “flake out because you have bigger, better paying jobs to work on.” The client feels burned because they know that they aren’t a priority – and you feel burned because you’re doing the work for less money. Think this won’t happen to you? It can (and probably will.)
Fortunately, there’s a way to handle this situation so your client feels heard – and you get paid what you’re worth. Here’s how:
- Are you bidding on a large project? Offer a small discount if the client pays the contract up front. This solution is a nice win/win for all. The prospect gets the discount they want – and you get a big check before you start!
(You DO get a deposit before you start work, right? If not, you’ll want to check out this video.)
- Offer to eliminate a deliverable from the agreement. Rather than reducing your copywriting rates, you could eliminate a page from the agreement – or reduce the consultation time. Basically, you pull something out of the bid. This brings down the cost – and you don’t have to slice your rates.
- Just say no. Sometimes, the only thing you can do is explain to the client, “Because of the time it would take to complete your project – and the experience I bring to the table – I have to keep the cost as-is. Are you sure that we can’t work something out? I have had many prospects come back with, “We want to work with you, so I guess your rate is OK.” Whew!
And if you do need to walk away, that’s fine. You know you’ll land another client soon – plus, get paid your full rate!
What about you? How do you handle it when a prospect requests a discount? Is there any time when you will offer a price reduction?
Make more money in your copywriting business + have more free time? Heck yeah! Check out what the Copywriting Business Bootcamp can do for you! Classes start February 11th.
How to handle writing revisions – without going insane!
January 21, 2013 • written by Laura Crest
Writing revisions are an inevitable part of freelance copywriting – it’s something ALL of us face, from “newbies” to veterans with decades of experience. Typically, you can count on at least one revision of everything you write.
The key is to minimize those writing revisions and to make them as minor as possible so you don’t feel like you’re stuck with re-writing the entire page!
Tune in to learn how to do this, beginning with what a revision is versus what is “out of scope” of the original agreement with your client.
Revisions versus “out of scope.”
- A revision entails making minor edits to the content. The main structure of the page stays the same.
Revisions are quick tweaks to the content, as when the client asks that you change a word or switch up a sentence. They’re changes you’d make to the content that aren’t all that time-consuming.
- “Out of scope” is when the client changes his/her mind about the topic, tone or feel, or what should be included in the content.
Sometimes, however, a client will change her mind and ask that you change the topic, or the tone and feel of the content, and/or what should be included in the topic.
Those kinds of substantive changes are considered “out of scope”: you had an agreement with the client before you started writing and then the client essentially changed the agreement.
That is not a revision. That would be considered re-writing a page, at an additional page cost.
So this distinction is important to clarify with your client at the outset, before you start writing. The client needs to know that little tweaks are cool, and part of the process, but major overhauls will entail an additional charge.
What’s the best way to minimize revisions?
- Talk to the client before you start work and ask them a lot of questions.
Where a lot of revisions come into play is when the writer isn’t really clear about what the client wants, having failed to nail down the client for specifics. So when the client reads it and thinks “this isn’t right…” the writer is faced with a lot of extra work.
- It helps to send a follow-up email outlining the conversation, the article structure and main points to hit.
After that initial conversation with the client, it helps to send a follow-up email to reiterate: “This is what we talked about, this is the tone and feel, these are the sites that you like that you wanted to use as examples, these are the main points that we wanted in the content…is this correct? Please email me back and let me know.”
That way you have a paper trail showing what everyone agreed on and what you were going to write.
Having that paper trail can definitely help later if the client changes her mind and you have to gently remind her “…this is what we agreed on when we talked on the phone.”
Revision tips:
When you do have those writing revisions come back from a client – as virtually all of us do – here are some tips for dealing with them:
- Ask the client to provide specific feedback in writing.
The phone is helpful if you have any questions, but again, writing provides that paper trail.
Specific feedback means just that: if you get vague feedback like “we don’t like this,” that doesn’t help you improve the sentence or the paragraph or the page. You’ll want to dig in with the client to ask specifically WHY they don’t like something.
- If you get revisions from multiple people, ask your client for help.
Sometimes a page you’ve written will be reviewed by multiple people, each with their own idea of what needs to be changed. So when you get the page back from the client it’s all marked up, and you can’t tell what’s priority, what to change, what to keep…
In this scenario, you’ll want to go back to your point of contact and say, “I’m really not sure how to proceed with this. Can you go through the revisions and make sure they’re all applicable, this is something you want, and give me an updated document so I know how to move forward.”
That is definitely something to put back on the client.
Also, in your contract you’re going to want to:
- Limit the amount of revisions you’ll do at no cost.
Beware of saying that you’ll provide unlimited revisions – sometimes that can mean that the project is literally never done as you find yourself stuck in an endless loop of client revisions!
What a lot of freelance copywriters will do is stipulate “three revisions and then the page is considered final” or “two revisions and the page is done.” So go with whatever works best for your business model – but it is something you will want to be sure to include in your client contract.
You’ll also want to be sure to give your clients a head’s up that there is a limitation to your free revisions. That way, when they’re looking at a page, they know they only have a couple of times to change it before they’ll have to pay for revisions.
Thanks for tuning in – and please check back again next Monday for part 4 of the “how to start an SEO copywriting business” series, when Heather will discuss (more of) what you should include in your copywriting contract!
And as always, if you have a comment or question for Heather, or a suggestion for a topic you’d like to know more about, you can zip her an email via heather@seocopywriting.com, or reach her on Twitter via @heatherlloyd.
photo thanks to Suus Wansink
Coming February 11th: the Copywriting Business Boot Camp for freelance writers who want to learn how to build their business and make more money (without working so darn hard)!
Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,Tips and techniques
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What print copywriters need to know about SEO copywriting
January 17, 2013 • written by Heather Lloyd-Martin
Are you a print copywriter? SEO is a smart skill to learn…
Are you a print copywriter who has avoided SEO copywriting?
You’re not alone.
I find that there is still a lot of resistance to “writing for Google,” especially from print copywriters. Sometimes, it’s because an old (print) dog doesn’t want to learn new online tricks. That’s understandable.
But, there are also many misconceptions about how important SEO copywriting is, how hard it is to learn, and what’s involved.
If this sounds like you, you could be holding yourself – and your clients – back.
Here’s why:
Adding keyphrases to the page doesn’t sabotage the writing – when it’s done right.
The biggest misconception I hear from print copywriters is, “I spend a lot of time working on an article. Why would I want to shove in extra words and ruin it?”
It’s true that there are (still) bad SEO copy examples out there. You know – those articles that read like, “Our Pilates studio in Portland is the best Pilates studio in the Portland area. Visit our Pilates studio in Portland, today!”
Here’s something you should know. That’s not considered good SEO writing. In fact, it’s considered spammy.
Good SEO writing is good writing, period. Yes, you’re making sure that certain keyphrases appear in the content – true. But these phrases should easily fit within the copy. You’re not shoving in a word that doesn’t work or makes your copy clunk. Many times, you’re using words/phrases that you would have used anyway.
When you do it right, the keyphrases easily blend into the content. It’s seamless.
SEO copywriting isn’t too technical for you to learn.
I understand this fear. I really do. At first glance, learning about “Title elements” and “meta descriptions” seems scary and foreign. I’ve chatted with many print copywriters who said, “I’m not ‘technical.’ I don’t think I can do this.”
Yes, you can do this. Really.
If you’ve been a print copywriter for 20 years, realizing that you have to learn another skill is daunting – yes. But it’s actually pretty easy to learn once you get past the SEO lingo. Is there a learning curve? Yes. Will you get frustrated when you first start out? Sure.
Then, there will be that moment when everything clicks and you’re able to easily write a page without tripping over the keyphrases. Trust me. I’ve seen it happen literally hundreds of times.
(Don’t believe me? Check out this interview with Lynda Goldman, author of over 30 books.)
SEO content development isn’t a fad
I’ve been talking about SEO copywriting for 15 years now – and the topic shows no sign of going away. It may change and morph, but it won’t disappear. If you’re waiting for it to go away, you’ll be waiting a long, long time.
What you learn today about SEO copywriting won’t be obsolete tomorrow.
Yes, Google’s algorithms are evolving and changing. Yes, things are different today than they were five years ago. But here’s the thing: The general SEO copywriting guidelines have stayed stable over time. Why? Because “writing for the search engines” has always been about “create quality content for your reader.”
Of course, it makes sense to keep up with Google’s latest and greatest tweaks – they will help you refine your copywriting strategy and get better results. At the same time, you won’t have to completely toss out your previous knowledge and start over. You’ll be building on what you already know.
Your clients need this!
If you don’t know SEO copywriting – and one of your clients’ goals is getting found in the engines – you are costing your clients money and mindshare. Here’s why:
- Your articles won’t drive the traffic you (and your client) want.
- If the client wants optimized copy, they have to pay someone else to optimize it – which is expensive and inefficient.
You could be losing money
If nothing else, you’re leaving money on the table if you don’t learn this skill set.
I’ve talked with many print copywriters who said, “I resisted learning about this for a long time. But then my clients started asking for SEO copywriting services – and now I’m making more money than ever before.” What seemed like a pain in the butt actually turned into a nice profit center. Plus, it was easier to learn than they thought, too.
And those kind of surprises are always a wonderful thing!
Want to learn more about SEO copywriting? Sign up for our newsletter, or consider the SEO Copywriting Certification training. You’ll be glad you did. Promise.
Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting
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Make your freelance copywriting pay – every time!
January 14, 2013 • written by Laura Crest
Whether you’re new to freelancing or have been doing it for awhile, this is a very important subject. In order to make money, you need to know how to ask for it before you start a writing project. In other words, you need to know how to ask for a writing deposit.
Tune in to learn about this business-building (and money-making) essential!
Many new copywriters are afraid to ask for money…
- They’re afraid that the client will be “put off” by the request.
- They’re afraid that they’ll ask for too much up front and lose the gig.
- We’ve been brought up to believe that asking for money is bad.
But here’s what can happen if you don’t ask for a deposit: you can do the work, put in all the time to compose a killer blog post or web page (and you know how much time it takes to produce quality content), only to get stiffed by the client.
The other scenario is that you do get paid by the client, but ever so slowly. Instead of receiving your money in a couple of weeks as you expected, you don’t have the money in hand for a couple of months.
So setting up that deposit really protects you. And by agreeing to pay a deposit, the client is showing that s/he is serious, and wants you to do the work – after all, s/he’s already fronted you some money!
Now let’s talk about how to make that happen…
Reality check: Always get a 30 – 50% deposit before starting work
Always, always, always, always!
- Setting up payment terms is perfectly reasonable and OK.
You’re not asking for anything weird or different or out of line. Requiring a deposit is good business, and it is something that you should do! Otherwise, in essence, you’re extending the client credit: you’re doing all of this work for free, on credit, until they pay you.
Sometimes clients will say things like, “Oh, well, I don’t quite have that money now, but I will have it in a couple of weeks…can you just start now and then we’ll settle it later?”
No!
Tell the client: “I’m perfectly happy to wait a couple of weeks until you get that deposit in, so not a problem!”
- If a new client won’t give you a deposit and set up terms, walk away. Don’t start before the check is cleared.
If a new client refuses to agree to your terms, you’ll probably want to walk away – that can be a very big red flag. I’ve talked to many copywriters who have said that the times that they didn’t get paid are the times that they didn’t get an initial deposit.
- Small (quick) job? Get all the money up front.
If it’s a new client and you know that you can turn the writing project around in less than a week – and it might be a small amount of money – ask for the entire amount up front.
It’s not unreasonable to do that. In fact, I know many copywriters who will ask for the money up front even on larger jobs. And if you’re sufficiently established and you’ve worked with enough clients, that’s definitely something you can go for as well!
But if nothing else, be sure to get a 30- to 50-percent deposit, and try to get all the money on your side of the table before turning in the final page. That way, you know for certain that you’re going to be paid the entire amount owed you!
Thanks for tuning in! As always, your comments and questions are welcome. You can write them below, or contact Heather via email (heather@seocopywriting.com) or on Twitter (@heatherlloyd).
Be sure to check in next Monday for the third video of the series, when Heather will discuss how to handle revisions of your work. See you then!
photo thanks to Tax Credits
Are you planning to start a freelance copywriting business this year? Learn how to build a business that will not only survive, but thrive! Register for the Copywriting Business Boot Camp and learn how to start a successful SEO copywriting business from 12 world-renowned experts!
Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,Small business,Tips by Industry,Working with clients
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Niche copywriting for love and (more) money
January 7, 2013 • written by Laura Crest
So whether you’ve been thinking about launching your own freelance copywriting business for awhile, or you’re looking to transition from in-house to freelance copywriting, this series is for you!
Inspired by the Copywriting Business Bootcamp, over the coming weeks Heather will be discussing a number of things that you will need to think about before starting a copywriting business. And the first thing to think about is: what will your copywriting niche be? How do you want to specialize (or do you want to specialize)?
You can make a little (or a lot) more money with niche copywriting – and Heather will be talking about why that is. So tune in to learn more about how to define your copywriting niche, and why that is a crucial first step in launching a profitable SEO copywriting business…
Copywriting niche examples
For examples of folks who have really targeted their markets and set up a niche, there are Pam Foster (@pamcontentclear) and Lynda Goldman (@LyndaInk).
- Pam Foster has the website shown at the very top, petcopywriter.com. She has done a great job marketing her services to the pet-related industry, such as vets, pet industry marketers and sales people, and her entire website is geared just to those folks.
- Lynda Goldman’s website, lynda-goldman.com, is the second example. She specializes in natural health marketing, and writes copy for people who sell supplements. As with Pam Foster’s site, Lynda’s is really targeted towards her particular market.
How can specialization help you?
There are several advantages to specializing in a copywriting niche. There’s nothing wrong with being a generalist – so if you’re the type of person who enjoys working with multiple types of clients, that’s cool. But many people really appreciate having a copywriting niche because it allows them to focus.
Other benefits of specialization include:
- Copywriters who work within a certain “niche” tend to command higher rates and have more marketing opportunities.
You can walk into a meeting with a client and say, “I’m the go-to copywriter for this industry. Here’s some folks I’ve worked with, here’s some things I’ve done.” So it automatically helps to build your brand and showcase your expertise.
- It’s often easier to develop services when you’re focusing on just one or two target audiences.
Also, when you’re working within a particular industry vertical and a certain type of client, you have a really good idea of what those clients need in the way of services. So, they might need white papers, they might need web page copy, they might need e-mail autoresponders – and those are the main types of services that you can offer, rather than trying to do everything across the board for everyone.
- Google will see you as an authority…which can mean more $$.
From the standpoint of self-promotion and Google Plus, if you’re known for writing about a particular industry a lot and you’re seen as an authority, when coupled with Author Rank, that will help your articles and blog posts position better in the search engines and they then help to showcase you.
This is turn can help you make more money. You can tell clients “Hey, I’ve got 5,000 Twitter followers interested in my views on X; you can see the articles I’ve written and how Google treats them.” It can really help you build your brand.
How to brainstorm your niche
So we’ve covered where specialization can help you. What can be tricky is figuring out what your niche will be.
Here are some questions that you can consider to help streamline that process:
- Where have you worked in the past?
I know people who have had jobs 20 years ago that they really enjoyed, and now they’re thinking “Wow! I can write copy for those kinds of folks. I can be the go-to SEO copywriter for that industry!”
- What kind of experience do you have?
You might want to look at your experience. If you’ve been writing in-house for an agency, you might have worked with a variety of clients. Was there a particular type of client or experience that you really loved?
- What do you love writing about?
- What are your hobbies?
Sometimes hobbies can translate into a really great niche. I talked to a guy whose hobby is hockey, and he’s built out a website just about how to play better recreational hockey. He also has products associated with it. So that’s another option, and you might be able to monetize it!
- It’s OK if you can’t figure it out right away.
Please know that it’s okay if you can’t figure this out right away…especially if you’re brand new. Sometimes the best way to determine what you love writing about is to take on a bunch of different types of clients and then you can figure out: ‘love writing about this; didn’t love this so much’ and narrow it down from there.
So don’t let this get in the way of launching your business – just know that as your business progresses and grows, having a niche can be a way that you can establish yourself as an expert and make more money accordingly.
Again, if specialization isn’t what you want to do, that’s cool. But it certainly has been very, very successful for a number of folks, and you’ll find many of the leading experts in the industry do encourage people to find their niche because it is something that can serve folks very well!
Thanks so much for tuning in! If you have any questions for Heather about today’s video post, or suggestions for topics you’d like to learn more about when you’re starting your copywriting business, simply zip her an email via heather@seocopywriting.com, or contact her on Twitter via @heatherlloyd.
And be sure to check in next Monday for the next video post on how to start an SEO copywriting business – see you then!
photo thanks to Incase.
Want to make more money without working so darn hard? Learn how from 12 of the world’s leading business-building experts – register for the Copywriting Business Boot Camp today!
Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,Tips and techniques
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3 Ways to get “Back to the Basics” of SEO copywriting
December 10, 2012 • written by svcarleton
Life often gets complicated and overwhelming during the Christmas holiday season. As you wind down the year and think about your New Year’s resolution, consider keeping it simple.
Heather takes us “Back to the Basics” with three fundamental SEO copywriting how-to videos. Watch and be reminded how sticking to the basics of SEO copywriting can improve your business in 2013.
What is SEO Copywriting?
At its core, SEO copywriting (or SEO content) is online writing that includes keyphrases, i.e. words people type into a search box to find the information they need.
Some say the best SEO is great content. Your writing – how and what you write – has everything to do with customer satisfaction, search engine ranking, traffic to your blog, and financial success. Good SEO copywriting engages your customers, makes you money and attracts incoming links.
SEO editing vs. copywriting for SEO
SEO/keyphrase editing and SEO copywriting are very different:
SEO copywriting tips: How to create a clickable Title
Great Titles help increase search engine rankings – and help visitors convert from the search engine results page (SERP) page.
Titles have a very specific structure:
photo thanks to Noell (Noell Hyman)
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Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,SEO Copywriting Certification,Tips and techniques
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Content marketing tips from the world of cycling
December 4, 2012 • written by Amy C. Teeple
However, this past year, I have officially become a cyclist. (I say officially because I have participated in several organized rides.) Even though I’ve been riding bikes since I was able to sneak a ride on my brother’s Big Wheel, I have definitely learned a lot about the art of cycling during the last six months.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered some of these lessons easily could be applied to content marketing and online writing.
You need to talk the talk
There is a distinct language in the cycling world. I’m not a “biker;” I’m a “cyclist.” It’s not a “seat;” it’s a saddle.” Those “curly handlebars” are actually called “drops.” There are terms for ways you ride, other people who are riding, obstacles along the way, and so much more.
When you are writing, know your target audience and their language. Don’t speak to them in corporate talk (unless that is appropriate for who you are trying to reach), talk to them in a language they understand and embrace.
Actions of others affect your performance
When you are riding in a race, your performance can be greatly affected by those surrounding you, especially at the start when all of the cyclists are bunched together. It only takes one unsafe, inconsiderate, or inexperienced rider to make a move that could cause you to fall. Or, you may be stuck behind riders who are blocking your path, causing you to go slower than you wish you could.
This is the same with online marketing. Your competition may make a move that causes you to slip in the search engine rankings or they may submit a PPC bid that causes the cost of your paid advertising to increase. Even your own team (designers, developers, managers, etc.) could implement something on your website that could hide your content or cause it not to be visible to search engines.
Be safe
It is common courtesy when you are going to pass another cyclist that you should not only pass on the left, but that you should yell, “On your left!” This alerts the other rider that you are approaching and can prevent a crash. Also, often you have to ride on roads next to cars and trucks. You need to obey traffic laws and signals, wear protective gear, and be aware of your surroundings so you can avoid anything that could harm you while you ride.
The same is true for content marketing: be safe. It may be tempting to use a technique to “game Google,” but as we learned after the Panda and Penguin updates, Google is onto you and will tweak its algorithm, as needed, leaving your website in the dust. By focusing on making your content better, you can avoid this pitfalls and worries about updates.
Sometimes you are too close
I was amazed to discover the major differences that little tweaks to your riding style and your bike can make. When I first started to ride, several other cyclists told me that my seat, er, I mean saddle, looked too low for my height. At first, I told them it was fine, but then I adjusted the saddle height and suddenly I was riding better than I had been. You would think that I would have noticed that my saddle was too low, but it felt OK to me, so I couldn’t see the potential for improvement. Sometimes a little third party perspective can make all of the difference.
When you have been writing on a topic or creating a specific website there is a chance that you will become too close to the project and you could lose your objectivity. There is also the possibility that because you are on overload from the project, you may not notice a spelling error or a missing piece in the narrative. Even if you work for yourself, be sure you have a friend or colleague who you can use as a sounding board or a “reader” for your projects. That fresh set of eyes could see errors – or opportunities – that you have missed.
Know your competition level
Not everyone is at the same level. If you are just starting to ride, you won’t be anywhere near the performance level of Tour de France riders. In fact, you won’t be at the riding level as many of the other riders … and that’s just fine. You shouldn’t be at the same level. You are a new rider with a bike that probably costs a fraction of their bikes. There are serious cyclists who ride road bikes that cost $5,000 and there are Tour de France participants who ride bicycles worth $17,000. Of course there is a difference in performance – these riders have invested serious time and money into cycling.
The same is true for your online competition. I’m not saying you shouldn’t dream big, but just because you can reach a global audience on the internet, it doesn’t mean that you should try to reach them. Know who your true competition is. If you sell super-fuzzy handmade baby blankets, don’t build your marketing plan on how you are going to outsell Babies”R”Us. Find your specific market and know your competition there. (Again, feel free to dream big, but make world domination part of your long-term goals.)
My wheels are still spinning
Sorry, I couldn’t resist the corny phrase.
I hope my cycling endeavor has helped your marketing. There are many more lessons I have learned from cycling. I’ll share five more tips next week.
About the Author ~ Amy C. Teeple
Big news – I’m extending the 20% discount on the SEO Certification training by another week. Enroll in the program before December 10 and use code GRATEFUL20 to grab your savings!
Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,SEO Content marketing,Tips and techniques
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How to escape from the hamster wheel and start living
November 29, 2012 • written by Heather Lloyd-Martin
This “why am I doing this” feeling is a self employed dirty little secret. People don’t talk about it. Heck, they don’t even admit it to themselves. Instead, they let things build up until they’re ready to shut down, quit their business and give up.
That’s so sad.
Derek Cromwell’s post shed some first-person light on this subject (if you haven’t read it, click the link and read it now – it’s an excellent post.) His post includes some fantastic tips that will help you pull out of the “why am I doing this” trap.
But, since this is an incredibly frustrating (and common) place to be, I want to add some tips of my own…
First, for folks who don’t know my story, burnout almost put me in the hospital. I would work 14+ hour days, hop on a plane for a speaking gig, come home, do it again…and wonder why I was so tired all the time.
It was like being on a self-employment hamster wheel – I would be running hard and fast, but I never really went anywhere.
Today I physically can’t work like I used to – my body won’t let me. I consider that a good thing. It’s forced me to set some pretty hard and fast boundaries about what I do – and with whom.
Here are some things that I’ve learned.
Remember that YOU control your schedule. It’s soooo easy to blame our clients or “being in search marketing” or (insert your favorite excuse here) as the reason why we work so hard. But that’s just B.S’ing yourself. Would you work a consistent 14+ hours a day, every day, if you were working in-house? Hell no. You’d quit that job as soon as you could. Why would you ever do that to yourself when YOU control your schedule?
Yes, that means saying, “no.” Yes, that means that you may upset some folks. But you know what? Most people understand. There have been a number of times that I’ve said, “I won’t be able to get it to you on X day, but I can get it to you by Y.” And guess what? The world didn’t fall in – nor did I lose the client.
Get rid of toxic relationships. Do you feel your pulse quicken (in the bad way) every time you get an email from a certain client or vendor? Stop making excuses for them and let the relationship go. Granted, I have some…challenges…around this myself. Just this past weekend, my husband said, “You know, every time you talk about (name withheld) you get angry and stressed out. You wouldn’t let me treat you like that. Why do you let them walk all over you?” He was right. As soon as I made the decision to let them go, I immediately started feeling better.
This can be tricky if you’re making a lot of money from your toxic client – or your toxic vendor is “OK, but not the best.” You will make excuses about how they “aren’t that bad.” But don’t you deserve more than “not that bad?”
The reality is, life is too short to work with folks who don’t have your back. If they’re driving you nuts, let them go. You will find someone else to take their place. Trust me. You will.
Take some time off already! I am the mistress of “why I can’t take time off” excuses. Before I took my 30-day vacation (complete with a Grand Canyon rafting trip,) I thought my business would literally end if I wasn’t available to it 24/7. Seriously. I really thought that leaving for 30 days was a stupid mistake.
You know what? I was wrong. Not only did I come back feeling like a new woman, I was more creative than I’ve been in years.
Taking time off may seem foreign and impossible. But it’s not. You just have to get used to the concept of “taking time off.” My strategy is to plan something fun a few weeks in advance – maybe a road trip, or a spa day. Then, I take it – no matter what’s going on, how busy I am, or how stressed I’m feeling.
But remember, if you are planning an “unplugged” day – that means that you are truly unplugged. No email. No client calls. No working on vacation. Period. I thought I would go nuts when I didn’t check email for 30 blissful days. Nope. It. Was. Wonderful.
So, isn’t it time to get off the hamster wheel and live your life instead? Because you can – and you can even start today.
It’s up to you.
P.S. I just watched a great video by Marie Forleo called “Burned out, or time for a change?” If you’re thinking that it’s time to close shop and do something – anything – else, watch this. It’s awesome.
The 20% off sale for the SEO Copywriting Certification Training and the Copywriting Business Bootcamp ends TOMORROW. Use coupon code GRATEFUL20 for your discount and sign up now!
Photo thanks to captainmcdan
Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting
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Should you publish your SEO copywriting rates online?
November 27, 2012 • written by Laura Crest
The problem with “How much?” is that there are too many ways to get the answer wrong.
One answer wins you the job, but leaves you feeling cheated or rushed. Another answer causes the customer to walk away, looking for a cheaper option. And another is so low it convinces the customer you suck at what you do.
Worse, determining what number is wrong for which reason is near-impossible, because the whole thing is subjective.
Excuses for NOT listing SEO copywriting prices online
So, is it any wonder we freelance writers tend to shy away from posting our prices publicly? The first time someone suggested I put my SEO copywriting rates on my website I blanched. What if a potential customer isn’t willing to pay that much? I’ll scare them off. Or, what if they’re willing to pay more? I’ll lose money.
How can I be flexible and negotiate if my prices are out there for all to see? Besides, each project is different so doesn’t it just make sense to create an individual price quote for each.
My opinion was only bolstered as I looked around the web and found very few SEO copywriters publishing their rates online. This is standard industry practice, I told myself. I’m doing the right thing.
But…
The fact of the matter is that after nearly four years in this business I know what I WANT to charge.
I also know there are copywriters who charge significantly more, and scores who charge significantly less. That puts me comfortably in the middle, and I believe I’m worth my asking price. So, why am I still afraid to answer “how much?”
Because I’m afraid of being told “no.”
My epiphany about publishing SEO copywriting rates online
Over the years I’ve performed mental gymnastics trying to come up with the right answer to “how much?” I’ve spent hours putting together fancy proposals hoping they’d convince prospects to pay more. And I’ve suffered the frustration and disappointment of losing bids I thought were a sure thing.
So, I recently asked a negotiations expert how I can know the right answer to “how much?”
She said, “Ask yourself, what is the value of my services in the hands of my market? If your market can’t afford you, change your market!”
Huh? You mean I’ve been wasting time and energy trying to fit my prices into my market, when I should’ve been finding a market that fits my price?
Yep.
The benefits of posting your SEO copywriting rates online
So I’m taking the plunge. I’m establishing standard rates and posting them on my website.
Does this mean I’m unwilling to negotiate? No. But it does mean I’m facing my fears and taking charge of my pricing . If someone sees my rates and decides to go elsewhere, then they weren’t the right customer for me anyway.
I figure this is going to help me:
1) Generate higher quality leads from my website.
2) Save time by focusing my sales efforts on the right people.
3) Establish credibility with people who visit my website.
4) Close more sales.
What about you? Do you publish your prices online? What are your reasons for or against doing so? I’d love to hear your answers in the comments section below. (And please join the discussion in my Network of Web Professionals group on Facebook and LinkedIn).
Alexa Steele is The Website Wordsmith and founder of Mystique Marketing Communication. She and her nationwide team of Internet marketing specialists provide premium services including website design and development, SEO, social media marketing, and website copywriting. In short, “we communicate with the people who make you money.”
photo thanks to Tax Credits
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Filed under Freelance SEO copywriting,Tips and techniques
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How I salvaged my failing SEO copywriting business
November 20, 2012 • written by Laura Crest
That’s why I counted myself lucky when Thunder Bay Media continued to perform for me. Month after month I had inquiries through my site. By mid 2010 I never had to go near freelance job sites because clients were breaking down my door to hire me.
That went on continuously and I burned the candle at both ends for years trying to keep up with all the work that came in, earning more than I ever had!
At least… it was great up until this last summer when my business all but imploded.
The success that I experienced was due to the fact that I did a lot of things right over the last few years.
Now let me tell you where I went wrong and why my business collapsed beneath me abruptly:
Gas on the Candles: I didn’t just burn the candle at both ends; I doused them in gasoline and lit them with flame throwers. For years I worked 14+ hour days, even on weekends. We took a trip to Disney – first family vacation ever. I worked every day that week from the hotel room before we had family time.
The Result: Complete and utter burn out that went on for months. The only time I hit burnout this bad was when I was in EMS and had 6 months of nothing but patients who died in my ambulance or were already dead on scene. This burnout made me hate writing, my clients, my office and everything about a self-made career I used to adore.
Little to No Marketing: I know I said I did some marketing here and there – but it was nothing near the consistency we preach to clients. I was so focused on all the work I had that I just kept pushing off my marketing. “Do it tomorrow” went from days to weeks to months. It didn’t help that I was so sick of writing from burn-out that I didn’t want to do anything for me.
The Result: As long-term clients finished up, orders started to trickle off. Add to that the annual penny-pinching around September in a lot of regions coupled with tighter pockets around every presidential election and my business dried up – completely. Two months with no new work and we were ripping through our savings quickly because my business had been fully supporting us since mid 2010.
Never Saying No: This goes right along with burnout. Because the money was so good I never turned down a job. Not only did this overwhelm me (hello burnout) but I took on bad clients that I never should have. I had to devote extra time to fighting charge backs from clients who tried to steal their money back after work was completed.
The Result: I blew some deadlines which destroyed credibility with the good clients. I had to turn down a job with one of the biggest energy suppliers in the Northeast because I was already so overbooked there was no way to squeeze them in. Turned down an even bigger contract with Macy’s because I was overrun. I didn’t spend enough time networking to even have an overflow of capable, trusted writers.
Operational Chaos: I prided myself on perfect book keeping for years. Every invoice, every expense, every credit receipt, monthly P&L reports, etc. When burn-out hit and I got overwhelmed, I lost my organization.
The Result: Some ugly money tracking issues and negative drafts on my business account. I also completely forget one project after a deposit was made, forcing me to make a refund to a very upset client. My projects got scrambled and I couldn’t prioritize things appropriately, resulting in some fubar’d deadlines and a lot of discounts on final invoices to make up for it. Ultimately – money lost.
Picture me essentially sabotaging myself despite having a real head for business, referrals from every direction, and the ability to sell ice to Eskimos. Come September I was faced with a very real problem:
I was going to have to close my business and go back to work just to make sure my family was fed and bills were paid.
I agonized and tried to figure out what went wrong for a week or so before finally deciding I should start looking for a job. I threw my resume online and searched a bit, but it still felt wrong. I wasn’t ready to give up yet.
I had to face harsh truths and look inward to admit what went wrong. There’s no one else to blame. I uncovered each of the points above and decided I wasn’t going down without a fight.
If I could save lives in the back of an ambulance doing 80 mph weaving through traffic, I could do this.
The Result: Within days of the new site design and copy I started getting flooded with orders again. I was able to cherry pick the good clients and say no to the ones I could not or would not handle. After two months of no orders and dire financial times where we were burning through savings, the business bounced right back to being profitable like nothing happened.
And I’ve learned some valuable lessons from it all that I was compelled to share in hopes of saving someone else from making a mistake I nearly made.
DO NOT take everything that comes your way or you risk serious burn out
DO take time not only for yourself and family, but also for marketing your business (daily if you can)
DO NOT focus on the pursuit of money – that’s the fastest route to burning out
DO become a champion for your own business, because no one else can be
DO NOT close your operation down, no matter how ugly it gets. You can do it!
Lastly, DO invest in the courses that Heather offers. I am in no way compensated for telling you that her SEO Copywriting Certification course and her business course will greatly reduce the chances of making grave errors in your business. When things get ugly, what you can learn from Heather will save you.
If this post saves just one person from making the same mistakes I did, then I’m happy to have gone through hell and back.
Guest Author, Derek Cromwell
About the Author ~ Derek Cromwell
Derek Cromwell is a graduate of the Success Works SEO Copywriting Certification program and founder of Thunder Bay Media. He fancies himself as a professional writer, peddling website copywriting and content marketing services to businesses around the globe. He’s still trying to convince his family that he does more than sit at a computer playing Call of Duty all day, but they’re not buying it.
photo/image thanks to Sim, youn jin
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