Best Practices for Assembling Your Own Marketing Team

Are you ready to put together a regular marketing team to promote your brand? Maybe you're launching a new business from scratch, or maybe you'd rather have your own go-to gang than rely on(and pay for) a big-time marketing agency. Whatever your reasons for assembling your own crew, you'll want to go about it as efficiently, effectively, and painlessly as possible. So here are some tips and considerations worth keeping in mind as you proceed.

Outsource that talent. Sure, it's great to have the "always-on" available and consistency that you can get from an in-house marketing department. But with those advantages come the disadvantages of having to offer insurance, paid vacation, and other benefits employees expect in today's workplace. Outsourcing different marketing tasks to freelancers with the necessary skill and experience in their assigned areas can yield the same high-quality results as long as everyone communicates well. (More on that in a bit.) It also lets you pay for services on an as-needed basis instead of having to dole out full salaries to people who might spend the quieter days twiddling their thumbs.

Make sure each team member fits. The most brilliant portfolio or resume in the world can't tell you everything you need to know about a prospective marketing team member. How reliably do they produce a high standard of work? How consistently do they meet deadlines? How favorably do previous clients or employees rank the experience of working with that individual? Ask for referrals and testimonials, interview candidates personally to determine whether you can deal with them comfortably on a regular basis, and ask other marketing team members to recommend some of their favorite past colleagues.

Engage multiple pros for each function. I once had a client who depended desperately on my availability any and every time he needed copywriting. I had to urge him to get acquainted with at least one other copywriter, and preferably a small bullpen of copywriters, in case I got run over by a steamroller or something. Don't put all your creative eggs in one basket -- have two or more writers, designers, and other marketing specialists in your contact list at all times. You'll not only ensure a steady stream of marketing content production, but you'll have the option of cherry-picking the best mix of individuals for this or that project.

Make the hierarchy clear and simple. The last thing you want to deal with in a complex marketing campaign is a confused mish-mash of ideas and execution from a bunch of individuals who are each following the beat of a different drum. Hire a full-time marketing coordinator who can serve as a point person for the entire team. Have this person create a clear long-term marketing strategy, complete with a detailed editorial calendar. Your marketing coordinator can then consolidate all communications, drafts, notes, and revisions from all hands via a collaborative work platform such as Basecamp or Asana.

Best of luck in assembling your marketing team -- and remember, if you're looking for a freelance marketing copywriter, I'm just a click away!

How Is Content Creation Like Moving?

I'm in the process of picking up and relocating -- a process you've almost certainly dealt with at least once in your life. You know the drill: purchasing boxes, loading some items, discarding others, figuring out where everything will go and how to get it there, scheduling utility connections et cetera. While moving can seem tiring, boring, or annoying, it can also prove illuminating in some respects. In fact, as I was going through all these steps, I couldn't help but notice some striking similarities between the moving process and the content creation process. Take a look at some of the things these two activities have in common.

They Both Require Planning

Sure, you might throw everything you own into a van at random and set off for your new digs -- that is, if you don't mind opening the van to see a pile of jumbled boxes and broken valuables. Smart moving requires smart planning, from what order those boxes should be loaded and unloaded to what they should contain and what packing materials you'll need to ensure those items' safety. You also need to know that the electricity will be on when you arrive, your mail will go to the right place, and that you haven't left anything critical behind. 

Marketing content creation also requires planning, and not just in terms of organizing text and images. Ideally, you want to create an editorial calendar to coordinate and schedule your stream of content throughout the year. You must also select and nurture the right mix of social media channels to host that content and direct it at your target audience.

They Both Reward Efficiency

I've moved several times over the years, and every time I do, I manage to perform the move that much more efficiently. A move that once took several stages now only takes one or two. That's partly because I discovered the value of throwing stuff out. Where I used to simply pack up everything I owned without a second thought, I now start by asking myself, "How much of this do I need, and how much of it can I lose to streamline this project?" In the process, I've come to embrace a simpler, more minimalist lifestyle. 

Of course, that choice won't work for everyone -- but its equivalent in the world of content creation will. I'm talking about scrutinizing each and every line of copy you write. Are you using two words where one would do, or a four-syllable word where one syllable would make the point? the "slimmer" your content, the more powerful and readable it becomes. Less is more!

They Both Benefit From Outsourcing

Do you recall how you felt during and after your last move? It wasn't exactly a picnic, was it? Now matter how carefully you plan it and how efficiently you execute it, a move requires time and effort. The more of the work you do yourself, the harder it gets. (I've moved myself entirely without aid enough times to know.) At some point, you realize that you can save a lot of sweat, pain, and exhaustion by hiring a moving company for at least some of the labor involved. 

Well, you can take the same approach to content creation. Brainstorming ideas and polishing them into little jewels of persuasion can eat up a ton of time, keeping you from other necessary work while leaving you with double vision and a headache. A freelance copywriter can produce much of the content you need at a professional skill level. You know where I'm going with this, right? If you want to enjoy a speedier, less stressful, more successful marketing campaign, contact me today and move that content creation burden in my direction!

How to Get the Best Results From Your Freelance Copywriter

So you've finally decided to outsource your marketing content creation headaches to a freelance copywriter. Maybe you don't feel confident in your own skills in this area, or maybe you'd rather focus on what you do best in your business. Whatever the reason, you'll probably be glad you offloaded this time-consuming, brain-draining, expertise-requiring task. But you can't assume that simply engaging a copywriter's services will guarantee satisfaction with the final result, regardless of the writer's skill, experience, and reputation. Let's look at some important steps you can take to put yourself and your freelance talent on the same page, so to speak.

Make Sure Your Copywriter Understands Your Brand

The most brilliant marketing content in. the world may not suit your brand, like a stunning dress that simply can't be made to fit you properly. Your content needs to speak in a particular voice that matches your brand voice. What should your brand voice sound like? You and your marketing strategy team need to figure that out before you ask a writer to produce content. If you've already got a firm grip on your brand persona, you must communicate that persona to your writer during those initial conversations. Don't assume that your writer possesses some magical telepathic ability to convey your brand voice. Even the content you currently use for your marketing materials may not fit that voice all that well, potentially sending your writer down the wrong road as a reference source. The two of you need to discuss your brand, audience, style, and tone to eliminate any potential for confusion.

Take Advantage of Your Copywriter's Insights

Despite my 26 years as a professional writer, I occasionally land a client who wants to treat me as a glorified stenographer. They know exactly what they want and how they want it, with little interest in listening to outside opinions or insights. This is a mistake. When you hire an experienced copywriter, you're buying a lot more than just words -- you're also paying for that individual's industry knowledge, original ideas, and creative suggestions.  Hiring a copywriting veteran and then simply dictating to that expert is like engaging Wolfgang Puck and then forcing him to cook your own recipes. If you're buying expertise, make as much use of it as you can if you want value for money. Exchange ideas with your copywriter, be open to recommendations, and rely on that specialist's knowledge wherever possible.

Let Your Copywriter Start From Scratch

I once had a client who hired me for website content but not for blog content because "our web development company includes free blogging services." A couple of months later, this client sent me a pile of incomprehensible word salad from the company in question -- article after article that made little sense or had little to do with the client's business. The client asked me whether at least some of this junk could be salvaged, and if so, how much it would cost me to fix it. I replied that I could indeed save some of it, and it would cost him exactly as much for me to fix it as it would've cost to pay me for perfect content right out of the chute.

In many cases, editing disastrous content takes more time and effort than drafting fresh content from scratch. As a result, even if your writer charges less for editing than original writing, you may still end up with a higher bill than if you'd simply let your writer start over. The only exception to this rule applies to re-concepting, of course. If you tell your writer, "This content is fine but I've decided to make this post about something completely different," you'll pay the second full fee because you're requesting a second original article. but you can avoid that frustration by making sure you know what you want before you ask for it.

Once you've taken these suggestions to heart, you should enjoy a happier, more productive working relationship with your chosen copywriter. If you haven't chosen a copywriter yet, look no further. Contact me today so we can build your company's success as a team!

How to Blog When You Don't Have Time to Blog

"I can't go on. I'll go on." Does that famous quote from the writer Samuel Beckett resonate with you a little too strongly when you try to create blog content for your business? You know you need to be blogging to increase your brand's visibility and boost your inbound marketing efforts, but you find yourself locked in a battle against the clock. Let's face it, we're all busy people, and writing takes time. Even so, you can use some clever workarounds to break through those barriers and keep your blog alive, whether you have time for it or not. Try these ideas on for size.

Use Your Voice, Not Your Fingers

Many people who have the gift of gab freeze up when they have to write instead of talk. Some feel intimidated by the blank screen, while others get bogged down in the mechanics of typing, deleting, and re-typing. If you struggle to string one word after another on the keyboard, try ditching the keyboard (temporarily) in favor of a voice-to-text program. Speak from the heart on your chosen subject, and watch the screen fill up with text that mostly matches what you meant to communicate. You'll probably need to go back and make some corrections, but at least you'll have broken through that barrier. If you aren't a touch typist, you may find that the composition goes much faster than the hunt-and-peck method ever made possible.

Tease It Now, Write It Later

Blogs need not focus entirely on "evergreen" articles that address your target audience's major challenges or interests. They may also include your expert analysis and opinions concerning breaking news that affects your industry or your readers. But when a major event occurs, you can't necessarily drop everything you're doing and immediately turn out a definitive post on the subject. What you can do is bang out a quick teaser for what you will be writing on the subject as soon as you get a chance. "Breaking news! This amazing thing just happened. What does it mean for your personal or professional life? We'll be posting a more in-depth look at it soon, so watch this blog!" You've just bought yourself some writing time while still responding to the big event in a timely manner.

Write More When You Do Have Time

Okay, so you don't always have time to blog. But what about those occasions when you do have a little extra time? That's when you should throw it into high gear and overproduce. Create a blog article stockpile that you can draw on when you have not time to compose fresh materials on the fly. If you really want to get ahead of the game, create a 12-month editorial calendar and start writing blog posts that can go out at those various times of year. At least you won't be scratching your head over possible topics.

Outsource Your Blogging Responsibilities

If you really can't make time for blogging even after trying the options noted above, why not hand your blogging burden over to someone else? Maybe you know another expert or influencer in your field who would be more than happy to contribute a guest post. Or for a more comprehensive solution, maybe you could hire a freelance copywriter with the necessary skills and experience to keep your blog populated with top-class content that engages your audience, shows off your expertise, and promotes your brand. Now you have all the time in the world to run your business instead of writing about it!

Want to Make the Best Use of Your Time? Outsource Your Marketing Content Writing

 If you're a business owner, you're painfully aware of the fact that time is money. For us entrepreneurs who have no choice but to trade hours for dollars, time management may be the most important skill we'll ever learn. This applies not only to sole proprietors or micro-business but to large companies -- in fact, the bigger and faster a business grows, the more money can be lost from tiny individual inefficiencies that add up to a massive waste of time. We must always ask ourselves which tasks earn us money and which activities tie up our time and inhibit our money-making ability. Then we need to offload those time-wasting tasks so we can free up more time for the money-making tasks. Makes sense, right?

Writing professional-quality marketing content is one of those necessary tasks that can propel a business to the next level of fame and profitability, but the time investment is brutal, especially for a non-writer. One of the reason so many people -- including some writers! -- fear writing is the fact that it demands so much time, patience, and mental energy. I've been doing it professionally for decades now, and I can tell you from experience that it's draining, so much so that I have to limit my daily output just to prevent serious burnout. So if it can tire an experienced pro, how exhausting must it be for someone who does something totally different for a living?

Your business needs you. Yes, it needs marketing content too, but doesn't it make a lot more sense to delegate that task to a professional and devote yourself to the daily tasks you must perform to keep the money rolling in?

"But I can't afford to hire a writer." Well, that depends on what your own billable time is worth to your company's bottom line. How many hours of your time will your company lose while you sweat over a blank screen or page? I once remarked at a networking meeting that a professional writer can accomplish more in a few hours than a non-writer, burdened with a host of other responsibilities, could manage in a week. I heard several business owners muttering to each other, "More like two weeks," "You mean three weeks," "For me, three months," et cetera.

That's where time leveraging comes in. You hand the job over to a professional who charges a reasonable rate but does the job in so much less time that you still come out way ahead. Plus, you can be reasonably certain the the final product will actually be good enough to help your business make more money. That's what marketing is supposed to do, after all. How annoyed would you feel to have spent all that time (which, as we've established, is money) and frustration writing content that doesn't even work for you?

Most of us already practice this kind of strategic delegation in some way or other. I could probably do my own taxes, for instance, but it would take me forever and I'd probably miss a lot of valuable deductions or make expensive mistakes because I'm not up on the tax laws. By paying a fair sum to a good professional CPA, I can rest assured that I'll get a more effective result without stressing myself out and wasting huge amounts of time. In the end, I've earned far more in billable time than I've spent on the accounting fee. And if it makes sense for accounting, it makes sense for any other aspect of your business that can be farmed out effectively to a qualified pro.

I'll bet your time is worth a lot to you. Spend it wisely!

Gaining (a Copywriter's) Perspective on Your Marketing Content

You may have all kinds of good, solid reasons for outsourcing at least some of your marketing content creation needs to a freelance copywriter. Maybe you don't happen to have a talent for writing, so creating your own marketing content takes up a huge amount of time that ought to go toward doing your day-to-day tasks that keep your business running. Maybe you do have the talent, but you hate, hate, hate using it. (Some people just don't enjoy writing. Heck, even I don't enjoy it sometimes. Of course I find the resolve when it's time to pay the bills.) Maybe you already have a copywriting team in place, but it happens to be stretched to the limit already. These are all great reasons to hire a copywriter, and in each case I'm happy to step in.

But there's another terrific reason to think about adding a copywriter to your creative team: the possibility that you may be "too close to the topic." Let's face it, you know your business inside-out. You're immersed in it on a daily basis. You work with other people who also know the industry, and you communicate with colleagues that speak the lingo as well as you do. You live in the world of your business. The thing is, your customer probably doesn't.

You may find it impossible to see yourself objectively enough to put yourself in your reader's shoes. Sometimes it's hard to pretend you're John Doe instead of Jane Manufacturing Incorporated long enough to really grasp what the reader wants to know, as opposed to what you want to tell him. Time to bring in an objective party -- one who happens to write marketing content for a living. Your copywriter can see John's perspective as well as Jane's, creating a message informed by one and aimed at the other.

You may also find that your industry speaks a language the general public doesn't understand. I recall the time I walked into an engineering company and the owner said, "Ah, so you're the guy who's going to rescue us!" The company's leadership team had spent so many years talking engineer-speak to engineers that they'd lost a handle on how to translate their features and benefits into common English. Again, copywriter to the rescue.

Whatever your writing roadblock may be, don't keep suffering with it. Contact me today, offload that specialized work to a specialist, and welcome a new brain to your company's think-tank.

Want to Maximize Your Time? Leave the Writing to the Writer

Even with the extensions granted due to the pandemic and the Texas winter storm, the tax man cometh. I knew that sooner or later I'd have to get to work on my return. And by “working on,” I mean collating information, itemizing business expenses, printing out 1099s and so forth. Since I’d been keeping all the information more or less in one place all year (a hard-earned lesson in itself, believe me), the process took maybe an hour, tops. I then sent it off to the person who really does the hard work -- my CPA.

It’s a good thing, too. Apart from my general mathematical ineptitude, I hardly understand what I’m looking at when I study all the various forms the IRS seems to have for every possible situation. The instructions alone would be enough to keep me busy long past the due date, never mind tabulating every figure in its corresponding little box. Even if I could figure out the basic mechanics involved, I couldn’t possibly keep up with all the changes in the tax code that seem to pop up year after year like some bureaucratic Whack-a-Mole game. The result of my fumbling and stumbling would be a mountain of errors (which I’m told the IRS doesn’t appreciate), along with countless hours of lost writing time. Instead, I will pay a chunk of money to my CPA and let her sail through the paperwork like the experienced and knowledgable professional she is. Not only will she get the numbers right, but she will also make sure I’m taking all the right deductions (and none of the wrong ones) for my own good. What a deal!

But that’s the beauty of outsourcing to experts. You keep chugging along doing what you do best, the experts do what they do best, and everybody wins. My CPA’s billable time probably carries a higher price tag than my own, but she can do in an hour what would take me ten hours away from my everyday work. Better yet, she’ll do it right. That’s why outsourcing to a CPA makes sense -- just as outsourcing to a freelance copywriter makes sense for business owners who want to maximize their precious time.

Some of my clients are perfectly capable of writing their own marketing content -- but why should they? Whenever I hear resistance over the concept of paying for writing services, I ask, “How many hours would it take you to (a) do this work and (b) make sure it attained the right level of quality and effectiveness?” The invariable answer is that it’ll take them a lot more time, sweat, and frustration than it’ll take me. So the client actually spends considerably less money than he’d lose in the form of wasted time and stalled business productivity. 

My advice? Take those saved hours and put them into fulfilling orders, submitting bids, landing new accounts, and other immediately profitable activities -- and leave the writing to the writer!

How to Take a Holiday Break Without Breaking Your Marketing Machine

I feel confident saying that just about everyone is ready to put 2020 to bed. This holiday season offers a welcome chance to disconnect (as much as possible) from accumulated stresses as you rest, recharge, and get ready for a productive 2021. But even if you're on vacation, you don't have to let your marketing efforts go on hiatus as well. If you want to keep your target audience aware of you -- and perhaps even buying from you -- all the way through the end of the year, consider adopting the following smart strategies to keep the ball rolling, not only this holiday season but whenever you decide to get away from it all.

Stockpile That Social Media Content

Internet traffic stops for no one at any time of year. Your target market will continue to communicate, search, and shop online, especially in the face of ongoing pandemic precautions and restrictions. You'll want to keep up your regular schedule of social media posts, from blog articles and Tweets to YouTube videos and Facebook updates. 

If you have a vacation coming up, make sure you've created a stockpile of extra social media content that you can keep feeding into your marketing machine. If necessary, hire a freelance copywriter, video production company, or other marketing professional to generate this surplus of material. You can stick to evergreen topics that will work for any time of year, or you can pre-plan specific items to accommodate holidays or other calendar milestones.

Automate as Much as You Can

All that ready-made marketing content won't do you much good if you fail to put it out there on schedule -- another necessary task that can impose on your rest and relaxation. The good news is that technology makes it easy to automate your marketing content distribution. For instance, most online blogging platforms allow you to pre-schedule your posts for any future dates you prefer. Twitter automation tools can provide a wide range of scheduling, sharing, social listening, bookmarking, and other helpful options to take work out of your hands.

Automation can also mean placing your marketing content in the hands of providers for distribution on a pre-arranged schedule. As long as your Web developer, social media strategist, copywriters, graphic designers, and other marketing professionals are working from a detailed editorial calendar, you should be able to count on those digital and print marketing pieces going out according to plan. Just make sure that all your providers are on the same page, with any tweaks to the editorial calendar shared by all concerned.

Outsource, Outsource, Outsource

All this discussion of third-party marketing providers points toward one other huge vacation saver for business owners and small marketing departments: outsourcing. The more marketing content creation and execution you can delegate to outsourced professionals, the less of it you have to bother with yourself. This lightened marketing workload makes holidays and other breaks much easier to accommodate.

Do you feel odd handing over the keys to the car, so to speak, to outsiders? If you've chosen skilled, trustworthy marketing experts, you may find that the quality of marketing improves dramatically even while you're sitting back and enjoying a break from that activity. You always have the option of contributing as much (or as little) as you like to the proceedings if you just can't resist getting involved.

Try these strategies on for size. You may find that they enhance your holiday enjoyment as well as the quality and effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. Have fun!

Why Business Owners Don't Write

In countless smaller businesses, the buck stops squarely at the desk of the guy who started it all. If you're the chief cook and bottle washer at your company, you may be tasked with a huge number of issues, including the business's ongoing marketing efforts. And in marketing, content is still king -- so why do so many business owners shy away from writing that content? Here are a few reasons.

It's hard. 

Producing compelling content, for any purpose, takes a certain amount of mental and emotional energy, and there's no denying that it gives the brain a workout. And let's face it, the last thing your average overworked entrepreneur needs or wants is yet another mental challenge. For those who are not naturally gifted or confident writers, the task can seem positively Herculean -- but even those of us who do it for a living can feel pretty drained after a few hours of bashing away at the keyboard. 

Writing doesn't necessarily get easier over time, either. As the lower-level concerns such as spelling, grammar and mechanics eventually get ironed out, the writer's attention turns instead to more advanced issues. There's always some new challenge awaiting you over the horizon, no matter how good you get. So the creation of written marketing content can tie up a good many brain cells that might have gone toward, oh, running the business. Which leads me to the next objection....

It takes too much time.

Even the fastest, most brilliant writers have to spend X amount of time on any piece of writing if they want it to meet professional standards. Writing is rewriting, as they say, meaning that a first draft is rarely the last one. Before you post that article, print those postcards or allow that new website to go live, you must go over your work with the proverbial fine-toothed comb -- cutting the fat, smoothing out awkward phrases, and making sure the message "pops." 

The less confident or experienced you are as a writer, the more time you'll spend fussing over it. Some of us (myself included) even struggle with typing speed/accuracy. (I never took typing in school. I can galumph along at an acceptable rate, but in any case my own bizarre self-created technique is too ingrained to unlearn now.) 

It might come out wrong.

Failure in the business world can be damaging enough on its own (unless of course we learn from it) when it occurs privately, inside the company. Falling on your face in public is a whole other level of "epic fail" entirely. we're all understandably terrified of looking like goofballs in the way we present ourselves, and marketing is all about public presentation. 

So many business owners will shy away from creating their own marketing content on the grounds that they might inadvertently embarrass themselves, now matter how strongly they write. What if the target audience doesn't get what you're saying? What if your industry lingo makes no sense to the average Joe? What does your public want to hear from you?

These are all sound concerns -- and I hear them all the time from business clients who engage me to write their marketing content. Fortunately, a skilled copywriter can squash most of them. By hiring me to take their writing off their plate, for instance, business owners and marketing managers can focus on the pressing needs of their company instead of wrapping all their free gray matter around a blog article or web page. This strategy also prevents content creation from sapping all their valuable billable time. Outsourcing the writing to a third party can even help ensure that the final product speaks to a broad mainstream audience and not just other folks in the business.

Are you facing any other challenges to producing the marketing content your business so desperately needs? Contact me and let's work on overcoming them!

The Monthly Retainer: A Smart Way to Hire a Freelance Copywriter

I've mentioned before that there's more than one way to hire a freelance copywriter in San Antonio, Austin, or anywhere else in the world. It's a simple matter to engage a freelancer whenever you need a particular piece of marketing content written. But is that "piecework" approach the smartest way to go? Not always, I would argue. Many organizations can enjoy some important benefits from signing their writers to monthly retainer agreements instead. Let's examine why you might want to pursue this method of outsourcing your content writing needs.

If you've ever engaged outside professionals by paying them a set amount of money in advance, then you already have some idea of how retainer agreements work. If you need a lawyer who bills $100 per hour, for example, you might pay that lawyer $1,000 to do 10 hours of work for you. If the project at hand takes exactly 10 hours to complete, you've gotten your money's worth to the penny. If your lawyer needs a couple more hours to finish the job, you might receive an additional bill for $200 before work can continue. If the work took less than 10 hours to perform, you might be given credit for 2 hours of future work. Or if you're hiring the lawyer on a monthly basis, the extra money you paid can be justified as the cost of guaranteeing the lawyer's availability for that month.

A monthly retainer for a copywriter works pretty much the same way. You agree to pay the writer X amount of dollars at the beginning of each month; that money then guarantees that your writer is available to you for X number of hours. If you need more hours of the writer's time before the end of the month, you can purchase them separately, either right then and there or on a supplemental invoice at the beginning of the following month.

This arrangement works just fine when your writer charges by the hour -- but what do you do if your writer charges flat per-project rates? I've always used the per-project pricing method myself, since it gives my clients a firm idea of exactly what they can expect to pay for any given job. (It's also great for marketing agencies, since they can easily plug my numbers into their bids on larger marketing projects.) You can still use a monthly retainer agreement with this kind of writer; it's just a matter of pre-purchasing a total dollar amount instead of a total number of hours. You've now secured that writer's services to produce as much work as that total dollar amount will cover. If you need more writing that month, you can purchase another job or two at whatever fixed rates the writer normally charges.

Why would you put a copywriter on a monthly retainer when you could simply purchase individual jobs at the same rates, without any risk of overpaying? There are actually a couple of good reasons:

Guaranteed availability: Remember, you've bought those jobs on the condition that they will also hit your inbox that month. Your writer has already taken the money, so your writer has to deliver per the terms of the agreement. You don't have to ask yourself that dreaded question, "Gee, I wonder if he's gonna be available for this one?" The retainer ensures that we're on the hook to give you what you need, when you need it.

Minimal invoicing: Imagine being a marketing agency who needs to produce a wide range of marketing content for multiple clients each month. Now imagine having to process a fresh invoice and make a fresh payment for each and every one of those jobs. Doesn't sound like a smart use of your time and effort, does it? With a monthly retainer, you pay one bill at the beginning of each month. If you ordered additional work the previous month, you may also receive one other, smaller invoice. Any organization that expects to run through a fair amount of content each month will find this arrangement much smoother sailing.

Limited Risk/Obligation: Of course, there's always the possibility than you might not need or want the same volume of marketing content 6 months or a year from now. Fortunately, you don't have to lock yourself into a long-term retainer agreement. Some writers (including me) offer the option of a month-to-month arrangement. This setup allows you to say, "Okay, this is the last month we're going to need a retainer," and then go back to ordering individual jobs as needed the following month.

Ready to learn more about the process of hiring a freelance copywriter on a monthly retainer agreement? Contact me and let's discuss the details!

Is This Why You're Not Writing That Marketing Content?

In countless smaller businesses, the buck stops squarely at the desk of whoever started it all. If you're the chief cook and bottle washer at your company, you may be tasked with a huge number of issues, including the business's ongoing marketing efforts. And in marketing, content is still king -- so why do so many business owners shy away from writing that critical content? Here are a few reasons:

It's Hard 

Producing compelling content, for any purpose, takes a certain amount of mental and emotional energy, and there's no denying that it gives the brain a workout. And let's face it, the last thing your average overworked entrepreneur needs or wants is yet another mental challenge. For those who are not naturally gifted or confident writers, the task can seem positively Herculean -- but even those of us who do it for a living can feel pretty drained after a few hours of bashing away at the keyboard. Nor does it necessarily get easier over time; as the lower-level concerns such as spelling, grammar and mechanics eventually get ironed out, the writer's attention turns instead to more advanced issues. There's always some new challenge awaiting you over the horizon, no matter how good you get. So the creation of written marketing content can tie up a good many brain cells that might have gone toward, say, running your business. Which leads me to the next objection:

It's Time-Consuming

Even the fastest, most brilliant writers have to spend X amount of time on any piece of writing if they want it to meet professional standards. Writing is rewriting, as they say, meaning that a first draft is rarely the last one. Before you post that article, print those postcards or allow that new website to go live, you must go over your work with the proverbial fine-toothed comb -- cutting the fat, smoothing out awkward phrases, and making sure the message "pops." The less confident or experienced you are as a writer, the more time you'll spend fussing over it. Some of us (myself included) even struggle with typing speed/accuracy. (I never took typing in school. I can galumph along at an acceptable rate, and my own bizarre self-created technique is too ingrained to unlearn now anyway.) 

It Might Come Out Wrong

Failure in the business world can be damaging enough on its own (unless of course we learn from it) when it occurs privately, inside the company. Falling on your face in public is a whole other level of "epic fail" entirely. We're all understandably terrified of looking like goofballs in the way we present ourselves, and marketing is all about public presentation. So many business owners will shy away from creating their own marketing content on the grounds that they might inadvertently embarrass themselves, now matter how strongly they write. What if the target audience doesn't get what you're saying? What if your industry lingo makes no sense to the average Joe? What does your public want you to tell them?

These are all sound concerns -- and I hear them all the time from business clients who engage me to write their marketing content. Fortunately, a skilled copywriter can squash most of them. By hiring me to take their writing off their plate, for instance, business owners and marketing managers can focus on the pressing needs of their company instead of wrapping all their free gray matter around a blog article or web page. It also prevents content creation from sapping all their valuable billable time. Outsourcing the writing to a third party can even help ensure that the final product speaks to a broad mainstream audience and not just other folks in the business.

Are you facing any other challenges to producing the marketing content your business so desperately needs? Contact me and let's work on overcoming them!

Is Your Marketing Machine Still on Spring Break? Get It Running Again With the Right Marketing Content

Another March is flying by, and March means fun and games. Many of the tech-savvy Central Texas entrepreneurs I know flock to SXSW every spring, tweeting madly about various events, presentations and informal get-togethers. And in the midst of all this chaos, kids suddenly have the week off. The older ones go hit the live music events or take off for whatever beach they can afford, while the younger ones need supervising at home (unless the whole family is planning a week-long excursion). In short, the entire city gets massively distracted. Question is, what happens to your business's marketing in the process?

Okay, you're on vacation, or you genuinely need to be attend trade shows and panels (where you may indeed make new connections and land new clients), or you can't leave your kids at home alone during the break. But if you haven't set up a marketing machine that keep running in your absence, then your business is taking the week off along with you. Many of us can't afford that. 

As long as there are people out there who need and want what we offer, we have to keep working to get their attention and hold it long enough to convert curiosity into sales. But too many entrepreneurs are flying by the seat of their pants, marketing-wise, putting out email offers or posting blog articles when and if they have time to do so. The problem is, if you wait until you have time, then your business suffers whenever you don't have time -- which is most of the time! You have to make time for marketing, whether it's convenient for you or not.

This doesn't mean you have to skip all those industry events or personal breaks. It means you have to construct a marketing campaign that can operate more or less on auto-pilot. More often than not, it involves some degree of outsourcing. You might need to talk to a web marketing company about constructing a direct mail system that automatically routes specific messages to prospects in accordance with their various stages of interest. You may have to talk to a copywriter about creating a stockpile of blog articles that will hit your website at scheduled intervals. 

Whatever you do, don't let an established routine fall apart for any significant length of time. I once got an email from a client who had been AWOL for about 8 months, wanting to know if I could resume blogging for him. He hadn't come up with any articles of his own during all the time -- the blog had simply, and visibly, been left for dead. I told him that while I'd be happy to write some new articles for him, we'd have to rebuild whatever readership he'd gained from scratch. A little neglect, unfortunately, goes a long way.

Summer will be here soon enough. You and yours may be looking forward to a well-earned vacation. So do the necessary strategizing right now to make sure your marketing will keep its nose to the grindstone while you're having fun!

Smart Money: Why Hiring a Freelance Copywriter Makes Sense

I sometimes receive offers from marketing agencies and other business who are looking to fill a full-time opening for a marketing copywriter. While I'm always flattered to get such requests, I always end up turning them down.

Yes, it may sound crazy to choose the topsy-turvy life of "variable employment" over a guaranteed salary at an established enterprise. Still, freelancing does hold attractions of its own for individuals attuned to the lifestyle (and it is a lifestyle choice, not just a money-making decision). But even as I pass on those offers, I'm always quick to point out to businesses why it might actually be a more sensible move to engage a freelance copywriter in San Antonio, Austin, or wherever they happen to find the right person. Take these perks under consideration:

You Can Run a Tighter Ship

Controlling your business finances means controlling your overhead. Full-time, on-site employees require desk space; the more of these employees you have, the more you're going to shell out in commercial rental space and utility bills. Don't forget the health insurance, retirement accounts, and other benefits you'll be expected to cover. Independent contractors who work from their homes make none of these demands on your budget.

You Can Get the Most Work for Your Money

How much actual work occurs in a 9-to-5 workday, as opposed to water cooler talk, bathroom breaks, and seeing how many pencils can be embedded in the ceiling? When you engage a salaried employee, you'll probably be paying for a fair amount of idleness on top of whatever work actually gets done. When you hire a freelancer, you're paying only for the work -- which only motivates the freelancer to work harder.

You Can Scale Up or Scale Down Easily

How much of a regular writing load can your staff copywriters handle? Do plus-sized projects overwhelm them? Do quiet periods find them looking for things to do? When you have a go-to "stable" of freelancers at your disposal, you can engage as many of them, or as few, as you need for any given project, allowing for optimal cost efficiency. You don't have to worry your one-and-only staff writer calling in sick or going on vacation, either. If you need a writer, just grab one out of your freelance bullpen. Your production schedule won't miss a beat.

You Can Assign Different Writers to Different Jobs

When you're stuck with a full-time writer or writing staff, you're stuck whatever that person or team brings to the table in terms of style, tone, industry knowledge, experience level, and specialized techniques. But when you can pick and choose from various freelancers as needed, you're always able to match the perfect writer up with each assignment. That means fewer rounds of revisions, less time spent on each job, and more free time for you to devote to various money-making pursuits (such as finding and cultivating new clients).

As you can see, it pays to hire a freelance copywriter. Let's talk about how you can put this sensible strategy to work for your business!

Consistent Marketing Keeps Them Coming Back for More

One February day I went out to the mailbox as usual. I didn't see any mail, but I figured that I might've hit it too early, so a couple hours later I went out and check it again. Still nothing. That's not unheard of, naturally, but I couldn't help thinking, "Maybe he's just running slow today. I'll try once more time later on." So about 5pm I checked one more time. Well, I guess I just wasn't fated to receive any mail today....

Then it hit me: nobody got any mail that day. It was Presidents' Day.

The funny thing, I'd known it was Presidents' Day, and I'd known that mail didn't go out on federal holidays. What's more, I'll bet the other dozen or so people who were out there checking their mail along with me also knew it was a no-mail day. 

So what were we doing out there? Obeying habit. We robotically went to the mailbox because we had been programmed to do that. Most of us have even learned to count on the postman showing up around the same time of day every day. We've been trained to respond through the sheer consistency of the post office, and it trips us up completely when something breaks that routine.

That's why you want the same kind of consistency in your marketing schedule. Whether you're blogging, publishing a newsletter, pumping out podcasts, mailing out print pieces, or working any other channels in your overall marketing strategies -- you must repeat that process regularly and consistently if you want to (1) get noticed, (2) develop interest, and (3) train your target market to look forward to more. Nobody sends out a single flyer or direct mail postcard and expects the phone to start ringing; it takes multiple touches, often with the exact same piece, to get any kind of response. Your client may throw the first few postcards in the trash, but as long as you get that eventual "Okay, let's see what these people are so wound up about" response, then you've succeeded.

These schedules aren't so hard to work out. (How often does a monthly newsletter or weekly blog post appear?) It's simply a matter of scheduling the content preparation and distribution. However often you decide to blog, keep up that routine, rain or shine, and before long you'll see that spike of anticipation in your web traffic -- loyal readers trained to come back for the next round of insight, special offer, or whatever other goodie you've got for them. 

Yes, consistency requires commitment and responsibility. But if you're pressed for time or you don't have the necessary personnel on staff, you can always outsource the content creation or other necessary grunt work. Don't let your audience start wandering away in disinterest -- keep them coming back for more!

4 Key Questions When Choosing a Freelance Copywriter

So you've finally decided that it's time to engage a freelance copywriter for your business's marketing efforts. Maybe you're tired of going it alone, trying to hack out your own content word by exhausting word, instead of spending your valuable time actually running your enterprise. Maybe your marketing team feels overwhelmed and needs assistance. Maybe you're just looking for a fresh perspective. In any case, you may find yourself wondering where to start, what to look for, and how to tell you're getting the right writer for your needs. Here are four key questions you'll want to ask every candidate on your list before you actually schedule that first assignment.

1. "What are your rates and terms?"

You might as well get this question out of the way ASAP, for both of your sakes. You need to know how you're going to plug this professional into your budget, and the writer needs to know whether this job will be worth the bother. It's helpful if the writer offers fixed per-project rates; if not, find out how you can secure a reliable estimate based on hourly rates. You also need to know whether the entire amount if due up front, whether you need to put up a deposit, or whether you're simply billed after the fact. Don't immediately reject a writer who insists on full payment in advance, though -- you may be allowed to break a large job into multiple pre-paid batches or phases.

2. "What kind of writing do you specialize in?"

Different writers typically specialize in different things, especially in larger metropolitan areas where there are lots of writers staking out their respective slices of the market. It's not unusual for a writer to focus on one type of writing project, one narrow range of industries, or one particular form of writing. For instance, I'm a generalist in terms of industry -- I can write for pretty much anybody -- but I focus on "short-form" marketing content such as website pages, blog articles, brochure content and so on. Don't feel limited if your writer says, "I only do such-and-so type for writing." The beauty of hiring freelancers is that you can keep several of them on hand, attaching the appropriate writer to the appropriate project as needed, without any impact on your full-time payroll.

3. "How well established are you?"

This is an important question because it can help predict the experience you're going to have with your writer. While rookies can and do create brilliant work, they haven't reached the point where they can point to a performance track record. It's not a matter of having written for every big name in the business world; it's an assurance that your writer has coped with a wide range of situations, worked with a variety of clients, and has developed a certain amount of professional wisdom that could prove invaluable to you for years to come. In other words, buy writing expertise, not just writing. Don't forget to ask about professional references, associations and/or certifications that can help reinforce your writer's credibility.

4. "What are your turnaround times?"

The best freelance copywriters aren't just the most skilled writers -- they're also the most professional ones. Make sure your copywriter can guarantee a specific turnaround window for each job, and don't put up with a freelancer who is all "free" and no "lance." At the same time, however, make sure your expectations are realistic ones. The busiest writers may not be able to squeeze in that rush job; some of us don't have time to accept rush jobs at all. Understand in advance what your writer can and can't realistically do for you, and you'll know you should realistically ask of your writer. The result will be high-quality work, turned in on time, every time.

Try these four questions on for size the next time you're interviewing freelance copywriters. You'll find that most of us will be happy to answer them!

On Vacation? Keep On Marketing!

Many years ago, an underground cartoon character by R. Crumb made a big stride into mainstream popularity. You may remember him as that dude sticking a big giant foot out in front of him, accompanied by the immortal slogan "KEEP ON TRUCKIN'" (which was also the name of the comic). Here was a guy who was going keep making his forward steadily, no matter what the circumstances. Many of us entrepreneurs and one-person shops promise to put that kind of persistence into our own marketing efforts -- until vacation time ambles along, when we gladly pack our bags and run off to enjoy a well-earned vacation. Unfortunately, when we stop marketing, we find ourselves "on vacation" even after we return from vacation.Why? Because we weren't marketing our products and services while we were gone.

Now, that doesn't mean you have adopt a life of servitude to your business, laboring away 365 days a year. But it does mean that you'll want to think about ways you can keep promoting your brand even while you're out relaxing and enjoying yourself. Here are some strategies to consider:

Network on the road. Surely there's enough room left in your overstuffed suitcase for a stack of business cards. Take them along with you, and be ready to hand them out when you get into a potentially-lucrative conversation en route to (or at) your destination. Seek out casual networking opportunities such as mixers and Meetup groups. Food, drink, and interesting chats are always welcome additions to any vacation -- and they're also pretty good for greasing the wheels of commerce.

Stockpile your marketing content. If you want to stop thinking about business entirely during your vacation, put a little extra thought and effort into your marketing content before you take off. For example, you may want to pre-write a stockpile of blog articles (or outsource them to a freelance copywriter) so you or you team can simply post them (manually or automatically) according to your usual schedule. Those steady updates will help maintain interest and enthusiasm from your target market, while also helping you avoid giving the impression that you totally abandoned your online marketing efforts.

Keep your social media activity business-centric. Business owners seem to love posting tweets and Facebook pictures of their feet stretched out on a beachfront lounge chair: "Ha ha, you're working and I'm not!" But bragging about your laziness isn't necessarily a brilliant marketing move. At the very least, it certainly doesn't communicate the image of a present, fully-engaged professional. And if you're obviously the heart and soul of your company, your audience may decide that there's no point in even contacting your enterprise for the time being. Keep in mind, too, that no matter how much fun you may be having, any social media posts via your official channels need to remain aligned with your brand image and values.

Have a great vacation -- and do some great marketing at the same time!

Understanding Copywriting Rates

"How do you bill?" is a more complex question than you might think when you're soliciting the aid of a freelance copywriter -- or any freelance creative worker, for that matter. Different independent contractors have different ways of estimating and billing for their work, and just because you've always seen it done one way in the past doesn't mean that this new person you're working with is doing it wrong or trying to pull a fast one on you. But these different approaches can make the billing side of things seem unnecessarily and annoyingly murky for business owners and marketing agencies who need to purchase content. Let's look at a few basic ways copywriters rate and bill their work.

Per-Word Rate

A great many large agencies offer writers a per-word rate for their content, and some writers insist on such a rate themselves. On the surface, it seems fair enough. Putting fingers to the keyboard is work, so each completed word can be seen as a unit of work performed. It certainly takes a lot of the mystery out of how the writer came to his final payday. The downside for the client, however, is that more writing isn't necessarily better writing -- in fact, as I mentioned in a previous article, wordiness is more likely to make a piece of content less effective. The per-word rate actually encourages padding the text (at least up to a pre-agreed maximum word count), so you might end up with an impressive-looking wall of verbiage that's actually pretty weak stuff.

Hourly Rate

Billing by the hour is an extremely common approach taken by all kinds of independent contractors. Like the per-word rate, the hourly rate fixes what you're paying to a concrete, measurable variable -- the amount of time spent writing, editing and/or researching. Assuming your writer is using a verifiable program for logging those hours, you can rest assured that you're paying for X amount of labor. But there's a wild card in this deck as well, namely speed. Some writers agonized methodically over each and every word, while others blaze through the draft like lighting. To complicate things further, both writers may come up with equally fine results. So does the faster writer deserve to be penalized for his efficiency? Is the slower writer really working harder, or is he just being lazy (and racking up a bigger bill for you)?

Per-Project Rate

This is the method I generally use. That doesn't make it "better" or "worse," but I've found that it serves both my clients and me fairly well. In this approach, the writer either offers a fixed menu of rates for various kinds of projects, or he eyeballs the project's scope, thinks about how much time and effort he's likely to put into it, and then quotes a flat estimate. Additional charges may apply if the project grows way beyond its original parameters. Clients like this method because they always know exactly what they're going to pay before the project even starts. I like it because it makes it easier for me to figure out whether I'm meeting my own monthly budget and financial goals. There will be some times when the work turns out to be harder than expected (meaning you get extra work out of your writer for the same money), and other times when it turns out to be easier (meaning that your writer enjoys a better payday for the time spent). In the long run, I find that it evens out.

So what kind of billing system should you look for in a copywriter? Ultimately, that's entirely up to you. But I would urge you to look at the writer's experience, integrity and demonstrated skill first and foremost. If you're getting good marketing content, you're getting a bargain!

Yes, "I Don't Want to Write It" Is a Good Reason to Hire a Freelance Copywriter

I was talking to a health and wellness professional today about helping her fill out the content on her website -- and at one point she put on a somewhat sheepish expression and said, lowering her voice, "I could do it myself, because I'm actually a pretty good writer. But I, uh...I don't want to." But you know what? That's okay. She shouldn't feel apologetic about her resistance to writing her own marketing content -- and for that matter, neither should you.

This display of embarrassment comes up from time to time, and what I find so interesting about it is that clients who acknowledge that they can't write their own material often seem less hesitant about engaging my services than those who could write their own material but choose not to. Their hesitation may be due to feelings of:

1. Guilt - "I should be doing this, since I have the ability. Delegating it is irresponsible and lazy of me."
2. Concern - "An outside party can't understand my business, industry or unique value as well I can."
3. Frugality - "I don't need to be paying a writer for something I could be doing myself."

Let me address each of these pain points in turn. First, there's nothing lazy or irresponsible about outsourcing; it's just good business. You're no doubt exhausted enough by all the other issues you have to deal with on a daily basis -- issues that demand your attention and no one else's. Writing takes time, effort and mental energy you may not be able to spare, so outsource it and apply your strength where it's truly needed.

Second, it's understandable that you might worry whether your writer can grasp your products, services and corporate mission as well as you do. But a skilled professional has mastered the art, not only of writing, but also of listening and absorbing information. Better yet, as relative outsiders we can view your business from the standpoint of the general public -- possibly even better than you can.

Third, the frugality argument doesn't hold up when you think about the value of your billable time. Should you spend that time selling your wares, growing your business relationships and making the smartest possible decisions to steer your company into the future, or should you spend it writing marketing content -- and which scenario is more likely to help you make money instead of losing it?

Okay, so maybe Bartleby, Herman Melville's famous scrivener whose response to every request is "I would prefer not to," takes this too far. But "I don't want to write this" is a perfectly sound reason (among others) to put that content writing burden aside -- by handing it to me!

Why You Might Not Be Ready to Hire a Copywriter

I'd love it if every business owner out there contacted me and requested my writing services for that next big marketing project on the boards. The only snag is, I'd have to turn down most of those requests -- and not necessarily due to my own creative bandwidth limitations. Believe me, I stuff my calendar like Uncle Bob at an all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving buffet whenever I can, even though my brain sometimes cries out for a brief fasting period. But many times I encounter prospects who simply aren't ready to become clients because they haven't yet arrived at the point where hiring a copywriter makes the best sense for their current needs and situation. So how can you tell if you're jumping the gun? Here are a couple of major indicators:

You don't have a budget in place. 

It alarms me when I see clients paying me cash out their wallet or purse. Why? Because marketing payments should come out of a business's marketing budget, not somebody's grocery money. If you don't have an official marketing budget, you need to make one that fits into your overall business plan, just like any other corporate expense. Save your grocery money for groceries, and pay your business expenses with corporate funds. If you don't have any corporate funds, than your business problems most likely lie deeper than the marketing level.

You don't have a strategy in place.

Just as you need a marketing budget to fund any copywriting or other marketing expenses, you need a marketing strategy that dictates the most sensible way to spend that money. What are your long-term marketing goals for your brand? Which media channels can help you achieve those goals, and how should you use each of them in a way that strengthens your overall message? What is your Plan B if Plan A should spring a leak? These are questions for a marketing strategist, not a copywriter. If I get called in to write a press release and the client asks me, "What do you think we should say? Who should we write this for?" and so on, I gently steer them toward a marketing consultant who can help them figure those things out. Once you know how you'll market yourself, then you can figure out whether you need a copywriter's services.

If you're not whether you're ready to hire a copywriter -- just ask. Most experienced writers are astute and honest enough to point out any preliminary measures you may need to take first. I'm always happy to refer my prospective clients to other marketing experts who can lend a helping hand. And if you know you are ready to pull the trigger, I'm right over here holding up the big red target!

Outsourcing to a Freelance Copywriter? Do It the Smart Way

Once upon a time I received a request from a business owner who needed professional-quality content for his website. I suggested my Small Website Package, a heavily discounted web content service I offer to marketing vendors and end user alike, as the most cost-efficient and time-efficient way of making that happen. Some time went by with no response to my quote. When I followed up, he told me that he had been delayed in responding because he figured he could save money by roughing out the content himself and simply letting me edit it. 

No such luck. The content I received was so rough that it took me many hours of editing to get it into acceptable shape -- more hours, in fact, than writing it from scratch would have taken. As a result, my client ended up paying more for the editing than he would have paid for the writing. And that doesn't even include all the valuable billable time (and for all I know, hair) he lost over that rough draft!

I bring this up because an increasing number of business owners have discovered the power of outsourcing, thanks in part to Timothy Ferris's popular book on the subject, The 4-Hour Workweek. Ferris has carved out a lifestyle for himself based on outsourcing an enormous portion of his daily activities to third parties while streamlining his own share of the routine for maximum productivity in a minimal amount of time. It makes perfect sense, really -- hand over a time-consuming/tedious/specialized job (such as copywriting) over to someone who can do it really well in a fraction of the time it would probably take you (such as a professional copywriter). By having that third party work while you do other things, you're "stacking" your productivity for optimal time and money savings.

But like so many other things in life, outsourcing only works if you work it. The client I mentioned didn't save himself any time or money because he did the job and then outsourced it to be fixed. The lost billable time plus the extra hours required for extensive editing just made the job more expensive to complete. 

Now, there are certainly situations where editing is all a client needs, and I will recommend that course of action if it makes sense. If the writing's already done and mostly where it needs to be, then a quick polish can do the rest quickly and affordably. But if you're starting from zero, take advantage of the power of outsourcing and let your copywriter take the whole thing off your plate. You'll breathe easier, you can go back to doing what you do best, and you'll be getting more for your money.