Does your company have a freelancer database?
June 19th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comLast month or so, I was invited by my corporate client to be part of their internal database of freelancers. The marketing department already knows me, obviously, but this type of exposure would give the rest of the company access to my contact information in the event they may need a reliable and trustworthy copywriter to help work on projects.
I was flattered to receive the invitation, and thought it was a highly functional way for this company to maximize their outsourcing potential. Let me describe to you how they’ve organized their internal database:
Popularity: 72% [?]
Posted in Brochure Copywriting, Business Management, Business Writing, Catalog Copy, Commercial Writing, Copywriting Samples, Freelance Lifestyle, Marketing Communications, The Copywriting Client, Wordfeeder Copywriting | 1 Comment »Outsourcing a Copywriter? Here’s What You Should Know.
May 22nd, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.com
Many people who outsource copywriting and website marketing projects are concerned with keeping costs down. There is a simple solution to this without sacrificing quality: work together with the copywriter and strive for the highest level of productivity. Here are a few tips for making the process as seamless as possible and letting your copywriter do the best job she can for you.
Popularity: 74% [?]
Posted in Business Writing, Copywriting Services, Marketing Communications, Project Manager, Search Engine Copywriting, Small Business Marketing, The Copywriting Client, Wordfeeder Copywriting | No Comments »Your Marketing In Bloom
May 13th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comI’m doing a garden this year. Not just two tomato plants, a handful of herbs and some flowers, but a real garden, with real vegetables that we will hopefully be able to eat without any serious repercussions.
As I make my clumsy foray into the world of raised beds and organic composting, I’m reminded of my less experienced copywriting clients, and filled with sympathy for them.
Popularity: 59% [?]
Posted in Creative Platform, Marketing Communications, Newsletter Copywriting, Small Business Marketing, The Copywriting Client, The Creative, Wordfeeder Copywriting | 1 Comment »Little Red Flags that Whisper, “Don’t Write Copy for This Guy!”
April 2nd, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comI’m not going to lie to you. Some people just do not work well together, and that’s that.
There may be a host of reasons for the mismatch. The reasons may have nothing to do with words like “lazy,” “inept,” “incompetent,” “micromanager,” “control freak” and other easy-stick labels. These are black and white excuses, but real people dress in shades of gray.
The truth is that sometimes we encounter good enough folks with good enough intentions… but a communication breakdown happens for whatever reason. Stress? A rushed and/or poorly planned project? A difference in workstyles and temperament? Maybe even a fundamental difference in the way each of your brains processes information.
Popularity: 9% [?]
Posted in The Copywriting Client | 4 Comments »Are Demographics Dead?
March 19th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comOne of my copywriting clients has challenged me to write an article claiming that “demographics and psychographics are becoming obsolete.” The rationale being that he attracts coaching clients from all ages, income levels and walks of life.
I spent a restless night with this one rolling around in my head. My client wants me to revoke everything that’s been drilled into my brain for the last 15 years about target markets and ideal customers and who I’m writing to?
When someone makes a bold assertion like this one, I’m inclined to analyze their marketing behavior. So what’s my client been doing all this time to bring in such a vast and varied smorgasbord of clientele?
Popularity: 42% [?]
Posted in Blogging Tips, Branding Strategy, Creative Platform, Marketing Communications, Social Media, Target Audience, The Copywriting Client, The Creative | 6 Comments »How Not to Slam Copywriting Clients on Your Blog
March 11th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comWhat’s that song that Britney or somebody had out a few years (or was it a decade) ago? “Oops, I Did it Again…”
No, I’m not talking about leaving the house without any drawers on. I’m talking about when copywriters bad mouth their clients right there on their blogs for all the world to see.
Hey, listen. We freelancers all endure our share of frustration. One of the great joys of blogging is to unleash your fury upon the unsuspecting blogosphere.
And one of the most horrid repercussions is when that bad energy BOOMERANGS back to you in the form of negative feedback from someone (client, colleague, competition, random passerby) who now thinks you’re a classless wretch for the brazen manner in which you just publicly spewed.
Nothing feels finer than ripping through a scathing tale of injustice while the other copywriters of the world rally around you and encircle you in a loving and protective embrace.
But you know what? Those other copywriters are going to be no help to you next week when the rent or the mortgage is due. And even if you don’t say names, and you cloak it all under the pretense of “Here’s what happened to this guy I know…” it’s STILL bad form to spank the client on a public and easily searchable forum.
You don’t see your clients bashing THEIR clients on their blogs… do you? (And if you do… get some new clients.)
Here’s what to do if your clients or potential clients seem to be “getting the best of you” on any given day…
Popularity: 18% [?]
Posted in Blogging Tips, Copywriting for the Web, The Copywriting Client | No Comments »Why Copywriting Contracts Are B.S.
March 11th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comOne of the first things they tell you in the Copywriting School of Hard Knocks is that you should have a couple of work contracts and an NDA (nondisclosure agreement) on file. When new clients come calling, you can hand these out as testament to your professionalism. Everybody adds their signature and we can all sleep better knowing we’re bound together by a piece of paper with some inflated sounding words on it.
I have to make a confession right now. I think copywriting contracts, and freelance work contracts in general, are mostly B.S. I say *mostly* because there is one part of the contract that makes sense to me. This is the part where you define the work terms.
Popularity: 16% [?]
Posted in Business Management, The Copywriting Client | No Comments »Copywriting Lessons I’ve Learned While Squatting in the Trenches
February 20th, 2008 Dina at Wordfeeder.comUnbeknownst to my readers and clients, I’ve got a lot going on behind the scenes here at Wordfeeder.com. In both my personal life and my work, I’m experiencing major change, with some growing pains along the way. For those of you who buy into dream interpretation, my sleeping hours are taking me on a wild ride lately. Last week I dreamt that two of my back molar teeth fell out. I tried to screw them back into my gums but they weren’t having it.
I don’t know if every copywriter is like this, but I seem to have a talent for dual perspectives. Although I’m looking ahead toward expansion, team building, and a higher level of service, my mind is simultaneously in reflection mode. I find myself constantly assessing where I’ve been as I navigate a new and unbeaten path.
Here are some tips for those who want to be successful in the field of copywriting:
1. You MUST be Other-People Oriented.
People who “break into” copywriting begin by writing their own material. They stream their own consciousness on their blogs. This is enjoyable, and easy. They think, “Hey, I’m cut out for this copywriting thing. Soon I’ll be making millions.”
Popularity: 30% [?]
Posted in Business Management, Project Manager, Small Business Marketing, Target Audience, The Copywriting Client, Wordfeeder Copywriting | 5 Comments »Six Criteria to Look For When Hiring a Copywriter
August 7th, 2007 Dina at Wordfeeder.com1. Experience. It’s great to have a seasoned, all-purpose copywriting pro working on your behalf. But it’s even better when you can find an industry match who knows the ins and outs of what you do. If you work in an area like pharmaceutical advertising, then you know that a stellar job involves mastering a library of terminology, having the AMA stylebook memorized (or at the very least handy), and maintaining a good handle on those little quirky legal issues that can get you in hot water if you’re not careful.
Popularity: 12% [?]
Posted in The Copywriting Client, Wordfeeder Copywriting | No Comments »