There’s a lot of hype about this, of course. And unfortunately, the hype has caused many would-be freelancers to be cynical about their earning potential.

Some years ago, while speaking to a roomful of writers at a local conference, I encountered one young man who kept rolling his eyes during my presentation.

When I asked if he had a question or comment, he told me that he just didn’t believe that you could earn lots of money from freelance copywriting. He said it all sounded like a scam.

I can’t blame him for thinking that. I see all those get-rich-quick ads on the Internet too, and they make me roll my eyes.

Freelance copywriting is not a quick way to riches. You have to have skill. You have to be willing to work hard and stick with it, often for several years, before you start earning big money.

But you can make a lot of money at it. I used to earn little more than $5 an hour. And now I earn closer to the equivalent of $500 an hour. That’s no scam. It’s just the truth.

But it begs the question: Why is it that most copywriters, or other freelancers, never seem to earn much money from writing? Or to ask it another way, what’s the difference between high earners and low earners?

Just from personal experience, here are a few observations:

• High earners approach their work as a business, while low earners approach their work more like a hobby.

• High earners go after lucrative writing work for carefully-selected businesses where there is little competition, while low earners compete with millions of other writers for any writing gig available.

• High earners act like professionals, while low earners act like employees.

• High earners are willing to take a little risk working for themselves, while low earners want the security of a “boss” to tell them what to do.

• High earners are willing to put their skills to the test and compete in the business world, while low earners generally just want to punch a time clock and cash a check.

I’m not trying to be insulting here. I’m just telling it like it is.

If you prefer to work in a job situation, that’s fine. But you’ll probably never earn as much as the high-end freelancers. And if you do freelance, you must get rid of your employee mindset or you’ll always earn low fees and experience a lot of frustration.

I’ve seen this from both sides of the fence. I used to be a full-time employee and didn’t want to do anything like freelancing. I didn’t even like the idea of running a business.

In fact, I was shocked when I realized I was in business after accepting some freelance work early on. But I made the transition and have seen how a shift in my point of view was essential to my success.

So, yes. You can earn six figures a year. IF you’re willing to change your thinking. IF you’re willing to polish your skills. IF you’re willing to do what needs to be done.

In other words, freelancing is pretty much like anything else in life. You must have what it takes and do the work.

I’m curious, do you find that inspiring or depressing?

No related posts.

It influences what you do, how you do it, and how others perceive you.

It’s not something you’re born with, though it does seem to be something that sticks with you through life if you develop it early.

But what if you don’t? What if you’re the stereotypical writer who’s an introvert? What if you lack the confidence you need to speak to people boldly, ask for the pay you’re worth, and take the risks your career requires?

Well, I’ve never been the cheerleader type, full of chirpy advice about how to feel good about yourself. Actually, I can be something of a curmudgeon. But I have learned a few things over the years about confidence.

When I started out, I was a typical creative writer type. I didn’t have any more confidence than anyone else. Today, I’m often described as a Type A personality.

So what happened? Where did all the confidence come from?

I didn’t have a formula. And I didn’t read any books about it or attend self-image workshops. But as I look back, I can identify a few concepts that helped me get to where I am now, a confident copywriter.

Learn your craft. There’s nothing like being good at what you do to give you confidence in yourself. So it’s important to always be learning and perfecting your skills as a writer and communicator.

You should know more than just good grammar, you should be fluent in the psychology of communication and persuasion and the business of your niche market. You should know how to use and care for the tools of your trade, including your computers, software, and Internet resources.

Plus, as a professional, you should learn how to work efficiently, work with others effectively, and promote yourself. If you’re a freelancer, you should know how to generate phone calls, close deals, and run your business.

Put your work first. Those who lack confidence spend a lot of time thinking about themselves. How do I sound? What do they think of me? Am I good enough? But this internal focus is counterproductive.

It’s not about you. If you’re a writer in a full-time job, it’s about the project you’re working on. If you’re a freelancer, it’s about your client’s needs and goals. Put the focus on these external things and take the spotlight off yourself. You’ll find this remarkably liberating.

By shifting the focus from yourself to your work, you not only remove the pressure you would otherwise feel, you will enable yourself to put all your energy into doing good work. And a job well done is a big confidence booster.

Stop comparing yourself to others. There’s no faster way to get depressed. Confident people don’t waste time with comparisons. They’re too busy doing what they love. The only people who make such comparisons are those who lack self-confidence. So it’s a losing game.

Comparing yourself to other people is inherently unfair. It’s apples and oranges. What you’re really doing is comparing all the bad things you know about yourself to all the good things you know about others. Right? You can’t see the secret failings of others. So it’s never an honest comparison.

What other people accomplish or earn has nothing to do with you. Everyone starts in a different place, takes a different path, and leads a different life. You’re unique. Just be yourself and do what you enjoy.

Act like your hero. There is one circumstance when thinking about others might help. That’s when you’re not sure what to do. In truth, you almost certainly know what to do but you lack the confidence to do it.

So picture someone you admire and imagine they face the same situation. What would they say? What action would they take? Once you know, do the same thing.

Fake it till you make it. Every sales person or entrepreneur knows this one. We all start out as beginners. Of course, no one wants to work with beginners. So what do you do? Fake it.

I’m not talking about lying. I just mean pretend to have the confidence, experience, and skill that the situation requires. In most cases, that’s all you need to get the job done. Pretty soon, you won’t be faking it anymore.

The same technique works with lifting your mood. If you’re having an off day, just smile. Sounds silly, but your brain associates smiling with a good mood. Forcing a smile can trigger genuine good feelings and lift your spirits.

Confidence is a tricky thing. It’s easy for confident people to talk about it and give advice. It’s not so easy for someone lacking confidence to start believing in themselves. But it’s possible, because I did it.

And there’s one more thing you should know. All those confident people you know aren’t as confident as you think.

Very few people are totally confident, so confident they don’t even think about their confidence. Regardless of the way they act or appear to you, most people have some level of self-doubt. They’re concerned (at least a little) about what you think of them. The only difference is that they don’t let it get in the way.

What do you think? Do you have a confidence problem? Or have you used any techniques to build your confidence?

Related posts:

1. 7 ways to drive a copywriter stark raving mad

Stacy from gemcopywriting.com asked me about how to know what a client expects to pay on a project.

How do I get them to tell me what they expect to pay before I waste a lot of time on talking with people who aren’t realistic? I always worry that if I outright ask their budget, they think I’m asking just so I can charge the maximum amount.

Or can I just say something like, “My fees start at $XXX.” or “I typically charge $XXXX for project Y.”

Good question. And it’s one every freelancer faces.

Here’s how I answered her:

Stacy,

That’s always a big challenge. I usually send my information kit before talking with someone, so they’ll see my fees. That weeds out some people immediately. Then when I talk to them, I ask the budget. If they tell me, I know what I’m dealing with. If not, I just give them a quote and see what they think.

You should never waste a LOT of time talking with people. But you do have to spend enough time to qualify them. I think what you’re really saying is, you’re worried that they won’t want to pay what you ask. Well, if they aren’t, that’s not the client for you. Though there are ways to deal with objections, if your fees are too far away from their expectations, you won’t make a deal anyway. And that won’t be the sort of client you’ll want long-term.

For example, a guy called me recently who wanted a sales letter. He said he expected to pay (I kid you not) $55. My fee, even for a simple informational 1-page letter, STARTS at $500. I gave him some other options for reviewing his letter, etc. but in the end he wasn’t right for me.

Looking back at Stacy’s question, I think it deserves a little more attention. And my answer begs for clarification, because I suggested asking for the budget, and that’s not really the best approach. (That’s what happens when you toss off an answer quickly in a blog comment.)

Many (if not most) freelancers are shy when it comes to talking about money. There are many reasons for this.

Some freelancers just can’t get used to the idea that they’re in business, so they’re squeamish about money. Others don’t feel equal to the business people calling them, so they don’t feel “worthy” enough to lead the financial discussion.

Maybe the biggest issue is that freelancers have a hard time with rejection, so they fear that if they bring up the fee issue, the client will run away.

Let’s run through Stacy’s question point-by-point, because I think she’s bringing up some important ideas.

How do I get them to tell me what they expect to pay …

Naturally you want to know what someone’s expectations are. That’s part of smart negotiation. Since your fee is probably the biggest objection to hiring you, you have to deal with it.

For some freelancers, however, they allow the client’s expectations to control what they earn on a given project. They may want to earn $XX, but if the client expect to pay $X, that’s what they charge.

What a client expects to pay should never dictate your fee. If you fall into this trap, you will train your clients to set your rates. That’s like opening a grocery store and hanging a sign that says, “Pay whatever you want for the food you buy.”

That’s not a good way to run a business. And you will always earn less than you should.

… before I waste a lot of time on talking with people who aren’t realistic?

Every freelancer must deal with unrealistic prospects. I shared one example in my former answer where someone wanted to pay about a tenth of my minimum fee.

Some people have never worked with freelancers before. Some have worked with freelancers who charge ridiculously low fees. Either way, when they come to you, they’ll suffer from “sticker shock” when you give them a professional-level quote.

I’ll talk more about handling price objections in a future post. The point I’d like to make now is that you have two possibilities if you run into a price objection.

1. If your fee and the prospect’s expectations are close, you can generally overcome the objection.

2. If your fee and the prospect’s expectations are miles apart, you can almost never overcome the objection.

I always worry that if I outright ask their budget, they think I’m asking just so I can charge the maximum amount.

There are different ways to approach pricing. You can have a set fee that you charge everyone. Or you can have a sliding scale that takes into consideration the difficulty of the project, your schedule, the client’s ability to pay, and so on.

If you use the former strategy, then why worry about what someone expects to pay? Your fee is set. Whether they expect to pay more or less, you charge X amount and that’s it.

If you use the latter strategy, then what’s wrong with charging more if the client expects to pay more? That just means they value your services.

Or can I just say something like, “My fees start at $XXX.” or “I typically charge $XXXX for project Y.”

Either way would work. But the first is better because it establishes a minimum price without limiting the upper end. I use a price range on projects, from minimum to maximum. This allows me to establish a minimum fee, show the upper end, then in most cases provide an estimate somewhere in between. Clients like that.

So here’s the answer to Stacy’s question. If you want to know what a client expects to pay, you have to ask. Simple as that.

However, I recommend that you reveal your standard fees first, then ask if it’s in line with the prospect’s expectations. This lets you set the benchmark for the conversation instead of the client.

I might send my information kit before I talk to someone. Or I might say, “My fee range is typically $X to $XXX. For this particular project, I’d say $XX. Is that okay?” This should happen fairly early in the conversation, after you have a good idea about the work involved.

This isn’t always the best approach, but it helps you avoid wasting time with unrealistic prospects.

In future posts, I’ll talk more about qualifying prospects and how to handle price objections. There are some nifty tricks that work nearly every time. Stay tuned.

Related posts:

1. Freelance fees: hourly or per project?
2. Turn an angry client into a loyal client (with one word)
3. 8 rules for setting your freelance copywriting fees

But I met Kathleen Hanover recently at the local Panera Bread shop and was blown away by her expertise on public relations know-how.

So I twisted her arm and got her to agree to an interview on PR copywriting.

***

Dean: You’re a public relations copywriter. What do you do, exactly?

Kathleen: I’d describe myself as a marketing expert who frequently uses the tactic of PR to help my clients reach their business goals. I see copywriting — all forms of marketing copywriting — as a marketing tactic as well. But here’s where the PR flavor of copywriting is different. It’s most successful when you serve multiple masters.

What do I mean by that?

Well, when I’m doing direct marketing copywriting — writing a sales letter or web content, for example — I’m communicating to my client’s target audience in my client’s voice. It’s very clear who my client is. My client is the person signing the checks.

However, when it comes to public relations, my “real” client is actually better served if I pretend to forget who’s signing the check. When I write PR copy, I write as though the journalist or editor is my client. I write to AP standards, the editorial standards used in most newsrooms.

I write interesting leads. I supply quotes from my client, my client’s customers, experts, and so forth. I try to find interesting, newsworthy angles that will make the news release appeal to the editor’s customers — the publication’s readers. In short, I write like a journalist, and I bend over backwards to make it easy for editors to run my news releases verbatim.

And it’s not uncommon for editors to do so. This strategy is most effective in smaller publications such as community newspapers. They’re always hungry for content, especially if they have few reporters on staff. But this strategy has even worked in publications as large as the Los Angeles Times.

Dean: I love that you ask yourself questions then answer them. You’re making this easy. So how did you get into the business? Is there a story?

Kathleen: There’s always a story, Dean!

Dean: Ha! Look who I’m talking to.

Kathleen: I got a job at the community arts council in Dayton, Ohio, and one of my responsibilities was promoting the fine art gallery that we managed. About every six weeks we’d mount a new exhibit, and I was tasked with writing a news release that was sent out to a tiny handful of editors and writers in the area. This was before the Internet.

Never having written a news release before, I went to the library and checked out a book on writing news releases. I followed the instructions in the book, and added a couple of twists of my own. I was astonished when my press releases started appearing almost word-for-word under the local art critic’s byline. It was a heady feeling to see my words in print, even after someone else’s name.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Dean: How specialized is PR copywriting?

Kathleen: It’s not the copywriting per se that is so specialized. As I said, I learned how to write a news release in about an hour with a book I checked out at the library. The mechanics are simple. The tough part is understanding PR strategy and what editors and reporters will consider to be newsworthy. The tough part is making a ho-hum product announcement relevant, timely, and appealing to a publication’s readers.

With public relations, it’s a two-part pitch — you have to convince the editor or journalist that your story will help them sell papers or airtime or whatever. Then you have to convince the reader or listener to read your story and take action based on the content of your release.

You have to answer that very basic question — “What’s in it for me?” — for everyone in the “food chain.” And the answer to that question will be different for everyone — your client, the editors, the journalists, and the readers or viewers or listeners.

If you can’t answer that question for everyone involved, you’re probably not ready to write the press release.

Dean: I follow you on Twitter and have noticed that you’re into politics and have other interests besides PR. How do you fit all that into your schedule?

Kathleen: As you may discern from the lateness of these interview answers, I often completely fail to fit everything into my schedule! I am passionate about a lot of causes that can be furthered and supported by public relations, so I probably say yes to too many volunteer projects. But I feel that PR is one of my superpowers, and I get a lot of satisfaction from using it for a good cause.

Dean: Superpowers. I like that. Kathleen, you’ve already said that you do more than just write copy. So what other services do you offer clients?

Kathleen: Because I have over 20 years of experience in both marketing and public relations, I have a lot of different tactics in my toolbox. Most of them revolve around copywriting — things like sales letters, web content, marketing collateral, tag lines and so forth — but I also do quite a bit of strategic work for clients.

Nowadays, there’s far less “vanity marketing” — the kind of self-congratulatory corporate flogging that was done to “create awareness.” Today, clients need every dollar to create results, not awareness. So I’ll look at a client’s business goals and budget, and create a marketing and PR strategy that should help them get the biggest bang for their buck. Then I’ll suggest an affordable, but effective, list of tactics for them to implement.

Sometimes clients have the internal resources to handle implementation, and sometimes they just scrape everything marketing-related off of their plate and onto mine. I’m fine with that.

Dean: What do clients want most from you? What are your most popular services?

Kathleen: In a nutshell, I specialize in persuasive communications that generate a desired response from the target audience. The most obvious example is direct response sales copy, where I’m actually attempting to close a sale with a sales letter or web content. But I also persuade people to take action with radio ads, video scripts, social media engagement, and of course, public relations copy.

I’d say that my sales copywriting is overwhelmingly the most popular service I offer. I simply love writing sales letters and fundraising letters, and I’ve attained ungodly response rates on some projects. It’s very satisfying — for both me, and my clients.

Dean: Years ago, a PR writer would type up a press release and mail it to reporters and editors. How has this changed?

Kathleen: Well, the distribution channels have changed, but this is still the most common way to get a news release published. Some journalists and editors will accept “pitches” via phone or social media, but I don’t know that the news release will ever become extinct. Someday it may be delivered via talking holograph, but I think press releases will always be a part of public relations.

Dean: What sort of things do PR writers have to know to be effective? Do you need a special degree or have a certain kind of experience?

Kathleen: I don’t have a degree in PR. In fact, I don’t even have a degree in marketing. My degree in directing and stage management certifies me to mount a production of Hamlet, but not much else. I’m entirely self-taught, and my methodology has always been the same. First, learn the theory. Then model other people who get results. Try new things. Keep the new things that work, ditch the things that don’t.

The single most important thing to understand, when you’re doing “traditional” PR, is that no one owes your client any coverage. In fact, no one owes your client the time of day. It’s up to you to develop your client’s story in such a way that it becomes “editorial” instead of “promotional.”

You need to be able to look at the bare facts and develop a story that meets your client’s needs for exposure, but — even more importantly — meets the goals of the editor, journalists, and even the publication or media outlet itself.

Dean: SEO is all the rage now. How does that tie into PR copywriting these days?

Kathleen: You know, SEO is an art and science, and so is PR. This topic really deserves its own interview, because in a way, it’s a separate discipline, and I approach it differently than I approach traditional public relations. So I’m going to punt on this one.

Dean: You’re one of the few copywriters I’ve actually met in person. Do you find the copywriting business to be a bit lonely?

Kathleen: You’re only about the second or third copywriter I’ve met in person! Copywriting, like any solo activity, can be a bit lonely. But when I’m connected to the Internet and getting emails, tweets and Facebook updates all day, I rarely feel as though I’m alone.

Dean: Yeah, thank goodness for the Internet. But it’s still not quite like sitting down with someone and having a beer, or in our case a panini sandwich and Diet Coke. Is there a lot of demand for PR? Is there much competition?

Kathleen: A few years ago, I would have said that PR is dying. And traditional media relations is certainly changing, simply because the consumers of media have changed so much. The minority of Americans now get their news from the big three networks. More people trust bloggers than politicians and “the mainstream media.”

So, with dozens and dozens of traditional media outlets going out of business, I’d have said that PR is doomed. But now, we as PR professionals have the ability to take our client’s story directly to consumers, bypassing the “traditional media” in many cases. Our clients still need us to help tell their stories … but again, the distribution channels are changing, and we have to change to keep up.

Yes, as with every discipline in marketing, there’s a lot of competition. Marketing can be something of a “squishy” major, so it attracts a lot of people who aren’t quite sure what they want out of life.

There’s plenty of competition among the mediocre. But the best people in any field can always find work. I strive to be the best, and get outlandish results for clients. Results speak louder than any resume.

Dean: I know what you mean. Seems like some of the worst people at marketing are those with marketing degrees. Probably because marketing teachers generally have no real world experience. Hope that doesn’t offend the marketing majors out there.

One more question. What would you say to a writer who wanted to get into your line of work?

Kathleen: Start paying attention to the print stories that you find compelling, and try to figure out why. Is it the headline that caught your eye? The angle? The quotes? The “moral” of the story? Once you understand what hooks you as a reader, you’ll start to understand how you can help your client meet their goals.

And read good journalism. Read it voraciously. Learn how journalists write. And learn how to tell a story 10,000 words at a time, 400 words and even 140 characters at a time.

Dean: Kathleen, I’ve learned a ton talking to you. And I hope we’ll have a chance to get together again sometime. As a friend of mine says, you’re cool beans.

Related posts:

1. B2B copywriting: an interview with Pete Savage
2. Email copywriting: an interview with Ivan Levison
3. SEO copywriting: an interview with Heather Lloyd Martin

I’m really starting to like Sally Bagshaw.

She has a knack for writing about writing in a way that’s fun and helpful.

Here’s Sally’s latest contribution to Pro Copy Tips for those of you who want to polish your product descriptions.

***

Writing product descriptions can be fun. It can also be mind numbingly boring, especially when you have a heap to do.

Products that are generic, or can be used by anyone, tend to be the most difficult to describe.

How do you tailor a message that speaks equally to a teenager, a stay-at-home mother and a granny?

Here’s a hint: Focus on the senses.

Did you know we use our senses to learn?

What’s more, we all favor different senses? That’s why there are different types of learners.

Personally, I’m a visual learner. I can understand a problem or concept if I can see or read it. Flowcharts are my savior. I love books. I want to take things apart to see how they work.

On the flip side, I’m terrible with remembering names when I’m introduced to someone. In fact, unless I write the name down (or see it written down), it’s as good as lost.

There are also auditory learners (they like hearing things and never forget a name spoken to them), kinetic learners (they like to touch things), olfactory learners (they go by smell) and gustatory learners (it’s all about taste).

Writing to appeal to the senses

You may be thinking, “This is all well and good, but what has it got to do with writing product descriptions?”

Glad you asked.

We naturally write with our own learning style in mind. For instance, if you asked me to write a product description for a rose, I would probably get carried away describing what it looked like, yet leave out what it smelled like.

The end result would be a description that would only appeal to other visual learners.

In order to get everyone to sit up and take notice, the trick is to appeal to all the senses, not just the one you prefer.

Let’s pretend you are selling sunscreen …

It’s a pretty common product that anyone can buy and use so you have to appeal to a wide audience.

Here goes:

Coconut crush sunscreen offers you year-round protection from UVA and UVB rays. Light and non-greasy, this non-whitening sunscreen is easy to apply and leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth with a hint of coconut fragrance.

It’s stylishly packaged in a recycled PET pump container for quick application on the go. Perfect for the next time you take a car load of noisy kids down to the beach.

See how easy that was?

• I described what it looked like (and what your skin looked like after using it) for the visual folk out there.
• Kinetic learners found out how it made your skin feel.
• Olfactory and gustatory learners were sated with the coconut reference.
• And finally (because sunscreen doesn’t make a sound), auditory learners were provided with a bit of noisy imagery to keep them happy.

If you have a product that isn’t so tangible, make the words do the work.

Try:

• visual words like sparkle, gleam, dark, shine, sheen
• auditory words like crackle, clunk, drip, ding, ping, buzz
• olfactory words like pungent, fresh, earthy
• gustatory words like sweet, sticky, creamy, watery, fruity
• kinetic words like smooth, soft, rough, and silky.

So next time you are asked to write product descriptions, ask yourself:

• What does it look like?
• What does it smell or taste like?
• What does it feel like?
• What does it sound like?

And you may be surprised how easily the description comes together.

What type of learner are you?

Sally Bagshaw is a web copywriter and content strategist from Australia. Check out her visually appealing website at www.snappysentences.com.

Related posts:

1. How to write an advertorial to sell a product

Pete turned losing a job into a freelance business in record time, as you’ll see in a moment.

When we talked, Pete shared his thoughts on the unique world of B2B copywriting.

***

Dean: How long have you been a freelance copywriter? What’s your story?

Pete: I’ve been a freelancer for about 8 years now. I tell people I was pushed “backward and blindfolded” into the world of freelancing … which means I got fired.

Turfed on a Friday morning, and by Monday I had my first freelance gig. And the market for freelancers is even better now that it was then. I was a copywriter in a small ad agency — that’s the place I was let go from. Prior to that, I had worked in the corporate world in sales and marketing jobs.

Dean: Fired on Friday and freelancing on Monday? That must be a world record! So now you specialize in B2B or Business-to-Business copywriting. Just in case someone doesn’t know what that is, can you give us a brief definition?

Pete: When you or I purchase a computer or clothing or accounting services, those are B2C, meaning Business-to-Consumer transactions. B2B, or Business-to-Business, transactions don’t involve consumers; these are purchases that take place between businesses.

The small business owner in your city’s downtown (as well as Microsoft headquarters in Seattle, for that matter) buys office equipment and cleaning services and accounting services from OTHER business. Those are B2B transactions. So B2B copywriting involves writing marketing materials for companies who sell their goods and services to other businesses.

Dean: Why did you choose to specialize in B2B?

Pete: I have a business degree, and a background in B2B sales ( I was a sales rep for Pitney Bowes in a former life) so I understood and enjoyed the business-to-business environment before becoming a copywriter.

Dean: How does B2B pay compare to other freelance projects?

Pete: The pay is excellent. There is one exception … the royalties that you can earn in consumer copywriting (primarily for large direct mail projects) don’t exist in B2B.

Dean: Some freelancers work with local clients. Others, like me, work with people scattered all over the world. How about you?

Pete: Yes, my clients are all over North America.

Dean: I would imagine you have a lot of U.S. clients since you work with technology companies. Are there any advantages or disadvantages to being located in Canada?

Pete: Yes, I have a mix of U.S. and Canadian clients and I’ve always viewed it as a totally seamless thing. I don’t really make the distinction between the two because our economies, our cultures, our industries are quite homogeneous.

The only time I notice it, really, is when spellcheck hassles me about writing about my neighbour’s favourite colour. So then I have to localize my behaviour.

Dean: I have a client with Dutch branding and I have to purposely use those sort of spellings. People in the U.S. consider them somewhat exotic. Give us an idea of the type of projects you routinely get from clients?

Pete: It really does run the gambit. Taking the past year as an example, I’ve written everything … direct mail, email marketing, case studies, online video, microsites. Often times I’ll do conceptual / consulting work leading up to the copy which is fun.

Dean: Yes, it’s always nice when you can help develop the concepts rather than have them handed to you. It’s not only more profitable, it can also give you more control over the final message. In your opinion, has social marketing made an impact on B2B?

Pete: Yes, more and more clients are talking about it. It’s in the early stages, so lots of B2B companies are still hesitant, still cautious, but you’ll see it become more prevalent. A year from now, most B2B marketers will have a social media presence.

Dean: Do you need any special education, skills, or experience to do B2B copywriting work?

Pete: You don’t need a business degree or formal skills, but an understanding of how B2B marketing works is a must. There are nuances in terms of the sales force and the marketing department in B2B, how they differ, how they interact, how one supports the other, etc.

It’s not rocket science, but you need a solid understanding of the B2B world in order to be valuable to your clients. You can either get that understanding through your work experience, which many people already have, or by studying the industry… books, blogs, industry publications, etc. AWAI also has programs that teach these essentials. Full disclosure: I’m a contributor and co-creator of some of AWAI’s B2B programs.

Dean: This might sound like an odd question, but is B2B fun? I do a lot of B2B and think it’s a blast. But to some people, it sounds a little dry.

Pete: Haha … yes, I think people might think that because there has always been so much dry corporate marketing stuff out there. But a good copywriter will help their clients get past that, and get down to the real story, the real essence of the products and services.

Really you’re helping your clients do a better job of selling and marketing their business, which is very fun and rewarding.

Dean: What is the hardest thing about writing B2B copy?

Pete: For me, it was harder years ago when I was new to it, trying to get comfortable writing naturally instead of all corporate-collar-and-tie like. Once you get past that and get really comfortable writing like a human being, writing B2B gets much easier.

Dean: What do you do when you’re not being a B2B genius? Any sports, hobbies, obsessions?

Pete: My latest work-related obsession is helping solopreneurs build thriving businesses. Since writing a book on the subject of freelancing, it’s become a key focus of mine. I love speaking, teaching, writing, blogging about the topic. I’m also blessed with a happy and growing family, so right now my non-work time is spent with my wife and kids, which I love.

And at this particular moment in time (June 2010) I’m regularly sneaking away from work to watch England in the World Cup.

Dean: Yeah, but don’t those freakin’ vuvuzelas drive you nuts? Sheesh. Speaking of nuts, does your dog Ringo help out around the office?

Pete: I wish! If I could channel Ringo’s energy bursts (he’s a Weimaraner) into helping me out around the office I’d be 10 times more productive!

Dean: If you could give freelancers just one solid piece of advice for writing great B2B copy, what would it be?

Pete: Avoid the stiff, vague, lifeless corporate speak that you see so much of, and help your clients better connect with their audience by writing in a natural, human, conversational style.

Dean: I think that’s good advice whether you’re writing B2B or B2C or anything, really. Thanks for taking the time to chat with me, Pete.

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And now, I’m finally giving in.

I AM writing a book on freelancing. And it’s going to be big. How to start, build, and run a freelance practice. Soup to nuts.

Here’s the story.

Years ago, even before the Internet was a big deal (we’re talking mid 1990s here), writers would contact me about how to start and build a freelance business. I tried to answer their questions as well as I could, but it became time-consuming to write and send emails every week.

I noticed that a lot of the questions followed a pattern, so I pulled together all those emails, filled in a few details, and created a little 30-page ebook. I just sent it to anyone who contacted me and didn’t charge anything.

To my surprise, people would respond with overwhelming praise for that little ebook. So I started to think about selling it, but I wasn’t sure how at the time and I got busy and had a hundred excuses for not doing anything with it.

It sat in my computer for 15 years or so. Until recently.

Today there is a HUGE market for freelance copywriting information … the Internet is the perfect way to sell it … and I have a book ready to go.

Well, sort of.

Things have changed a little during the last 15 years. And I know a LOT more about freelancing now than I did then. In fact, that’s one reason I set the book aside for so long. I just didn’t feel right about offering advice on freelancing when I was just a few years into it myself.

I’ve always rolled my eyes at people who offer advice for something they’ve been doing for 5 minutes and I didn’t want to be one of those people.

So when I accidentally ran across that book in my computer files, I started reading it and thought, “Hey, this isn’t bad. I should stop keeping this to myself.”

I started expanding those original 30 pages and that little ebook is now growing into a big ebook … from what sort of person you need to be to setting up your office to how to find good clients to the kind of work you should look for (and what kinds of work you should avoid) to how to promote yourself to … well, you get the idea.

I hate to do anything half-assed, so this will take some work. But it’s coming along and I just wanted you to know about it.

If there’s something you’d like to see included, let me know. What do you find most difficult about freelance copywriting? What secrets have you learned? Where are the most lucrative clients? How do you close deals? I’d love to answer your questions or include your thoughts.

Stay tuned to Pro Copy Tips for updates on how the book is coming. I’ll announce publication here first. I suggest that you subscribe by RSS or email to make sure you don’t miss anything.

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Many people think the government does all their own work. Surprise! They actually hire subcontractors to do most things.

And yes, they need help with copywriting.

This isn’t an area I know much about, but Arvid Westfelt does. So here are his sanity-saving tips for working with public sector clients.

***

Writing for the public sector can be lucrative. Public procurement accounts for a whopping 10 percent (or more) of a country’s economy — and some of that money is used to pay copywriters like you and me.

But public sector clients can be hard to work with. In fact, their seemingly odd and irrational behavior can drive you crazy. Here are a few tips for working with them while staying sane.

Be patient. Your writing assignment is often the last stop in a project that has taken your client months, or even years, to complete. They will show little understanding if you demand immediate feedback on your first draft. So be patient and don’t let their super-slow work rate frustrate you.

… But deliver fast. Within public organizations there are always a few people who are anything but patient. They have worked hard to push the project forward, despite slow colleagues. Now they expect you to deliver fast, to protect you from the bureaucracy. This is good news. If you deliver fast you will get paid fast.

Prepare to have your copy trashed. Your client might decide that they must rework your so-called “final version” before going public with it. Don’t take this personally, the reasons are often political and they probably still think your copy was great. Just make it clear to the client that you cannot take responsibility for how their revised copy delivers results.

Don’t fall victim to a committee. You should never accept writing by committee unless you enjoy the torture of handling conflicting comments, regression to the mean, and spiritless copy. Instead, ask the person in charge of the project to filter feedback for you. He or she knows the organization inside and out, whose comments really need to be considered, and how to handle any political conflicts much better than you.

Help your client sell. Your client may be reluctant to admit it, but they are selling something. Perhaps it’s a message to an interest group, hoping to get their support. Or it’s about what an important job they are doing, hoping to get more funding from an elected official.

Your job is to help your client sell. But this can be a delicate matter, so instead of talking about “selling,” talk about “immediate purpose” or “achieving goals.” Then explain why the headline is the most important element of any text, and why they need a clear call-to-action.

That’s it. Now you’re ready to take on any public sector client.

But before you do, please share your comments: What are your experiences with public sector clients, and what are your best tips for handling them?

Arvid Westfelt is a copywriter and public relations consultant who works with government agencies in Sweden without being the least bit crazy.

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I’m not a gambler and have no illusions about winning a jackpot, but I do enjoy some of the games there.

While feeding money into a slot machine at Bally’s, I started thinking about freelancing. (Slots don’t take any brain power, so the mind naturally wanders.)

It occurred to me that many of the freelancers I talk to are gambling with their future because they just don’t know how to intelligently play the game.

So here are a few of the things that popped into my mind as I doubled my money, then lost it all over the weekend.

Play your best game. You can’t win at everything. You need to choose the game you know best and stick with it. That means you should specialize in high-tech, business-to-business, financial services, or whatever field you have experience or interest in.

Know the rules. Every game is different. And the rules keep changing. You have to stay up-to-date with your industry and be as educated or more educated than your clients. They’re coming to you because you’re an expert, after all. Attend conferences, subscribe to publications, talk to your peers, connect with people on LinkedIn, read the latest books.

Don’t bet on just one or two clients. It’s tempting to work for just a few good clients, but this is a big gamble. Every business relationship eventually ends, and if half of your income is coming from the client you lose, you’re in trouble. My rule is to never have more than 25% of my income coming from a single client.

Play to win. Writers can be timid. But freelancing isn’t for the faint of heart. You can’t let fear or doubt hold you back. Success comes to those who are willing to take a few chances. You don’t have to take giant financial risks, but you do have to place your bet and spin the wheel. Freelancing isn’t like having a job. YOU have to take action. And experience shows that doing something, even if it’s a mistake, is better than doing nothing.

Stick with it. The odds are with you. Giving up too quickly is the number one mistake new freelancers make. It takes time to figure out how to find clients and run your business. The overnight successes you read about are the exceptions. Usually, you’ll spend 3 to 5 years before you’re totally comfortable at freelancing.

Freelancing really isn’t risky business. In fact, it’s a lot less risky than having a full-time job, especially these days. But while you have to be willing to gamble a little, there’s no reason to take unnecessary risks.

What do you think?

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First up, a question from Joseph about guarantees. Specifically, how do you guarantee a free product?

Hi. I just read your article about offering guarantees to allay customers’ doubts about purchasing products. The article was great. However, I have a question: how would this relate to a company that offers their product for free?

I volunteer with a non-profit organization that gives away study Bibles for free. When people order these Bibles, they have certain doubts that have to be answered before they will order the Bible, even though the Bible is free.

Is there any kind of similar “guarantee” that can be offered to people when a product is free?

Thanks for any help.

Joseph

That’s a great question. No one has ever asked me that before.

What’s interesting about this is that guarantees generally offer money back. They assure people that there is no financial risk so they are more likely to buy something.

So if the thing you’re offering is free, do you need a guarantee and how would it work?

While guarantees are almost always applied to financial transactions, there’s no reason to restrict it to that. Any time a prospect needs assurance, you can write a guarantee to address his or her worries.

Or another way to say it is, a guarantee helps to reduce “perceived risk.” If you’re giving away a Bible, there is no financial risk, but there may still be perceived risks, such as “Am I going to get on a mailing list?” “Is this a scam?” “Are people going to show up at my door?”

When you offer something free, people always wonder why. What’s in it for you? What’s the catch?

So let’s write a quick guarantee for the free Bibles:

Our “No Catch” Free Bible Guarantee

We offer this new Bible to you free of charge. Why? Because our mission is to spread the word of God and help you find the peace and happiness you deserve in this life and the next. This mission is funded solely by donations, not by sales. There is no catch, no cost, and no obligation. Order your Free Bible today.

Joseph may want to massage that copy a bit, but it’s headed in the right direction. And it’s a good example of how to guarantee a free product.

Notice that there is no “if” here. A normal guarantee would say, “Here’s what we promise and here’s what we’ll do if you feel we don’t deliver on that promise.” But since there’s no transaction, there’s no practical answer to the if.

This guarantee is really more of an assurance in guarantee form. Simply decide what the concerns are and write the guarantee to address them.

What do you think about this? If Joseph were your client, how would you write the guarantee? Would you use other language, such as a “promise” or an “assurance” instead?

Got a question? Use my contact form and ask me.

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