Wealth of Words Blog

A Tour of My Office

2007-04-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

Note: Apparently, my photo was too big for my blog, so I've added a couple more so you can get the complete picture.

Since my laptop's been out of commission, I decided to rearrange my home office and then give you all a little peek into what it looks like.

Okay, this next photo is an add-on...it's what's on the other side of the first photo.

This next one is the far side of the room, just in case it gets cut off in photo #2.

There you have it, the whole room from left to right! Now you can better understand the extent of my book obsession!

The lamp on my desk doesn't actually work - I bought it, it sat in my closet for a while, and I finally took it out this week since I moved things around. I took off the plastic wrap, removed the tags, and plugged it in. When I turned it on, nothing happened! I just don't feel like moving it just yet.

So there you have it; a little sneak peek into my life. I'll be posting regularly again as soon as I recover from this laptop fiasco. Much more to come on the 2007 WOW! Small Business Marketing Challenge and other posts for writers new and experienced (notice I didn't say "old" there - I caught myself!).

What do you all have in your offices that you love or can't live without? My "must-have" is definitely my mini-library. I get many great ideas just by browsing through the pages, and when my brain is fried and I can't handle one more ounce of real-world information, I turn to my legal thrillers (John Grisham/Scott Turow), medical mysteries (Robin Cook), and assorted mysteries (particularly the Kay Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell). Share your favorite things in the comments.

Talk to you all soon!

P.S. Sorry about the spots on the photo - there's a reason I'm a writer and not a photographer!

Sneak Preview of the 2007 WOW! Small Business Marketing Challenge

2007-04-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be publicizing a challenge I am sponsoring shortly, but I wanted to give my blog readers a preview of it before I go public.

The 2007 WOW! Small Business Marketing Challenge will be kicking off on June 1, 2007 and concluding on December 1, 2007. The goal is for all participants to log 100 hours of marketing for their businesses in that 6-month period. Participants will receive 6 e-books on marketing throughout the challenge (1 each month), a weekly e-mail offering encouragement, tips, and articles, and special bonus reports and other items in this 6-month time frame. At the end of the challenge, all participants will be entered into a drawing to win a package of books, e-books, and special reports valued at over $1,000 total.

This challenge is for small business owners in every industry - this is not just for freelance writers (although you all have a special place in my heart).

Stay tuned for the official announcement and information on how to participate. Let's all work together to make 2007 the most profitable year ever for our businesses.

Discount Click Search Engine Marketing

2007-04-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

Customer Service (or Lack Thereof)

2007-04-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

Next time I want to move somewhere, someone PLEASE remind me that I can't move anywhere without a physical address. Because apparently, PO boxes confound everyone from cable companies to Dell service technicians. Dell wants to replace my AC adapter and motherboard, as previously mentioned. But they can't do it without a physical address. They also won't call me for two days to set up the appointment, so I have no idea when they are going to come fix it. It looks like I will have to go to my parents' house Wednesday night and not come back here until whenever Dell decides they can show up and fix my issue, so I will definitely not be online for a while. My parents have dialup, so I can't get online until around 10 p.m. (so they don't miss phone calls) and by then I'm too tired to be spending hours online.

Anyhow, the point of this post is outsourced customer service. I don't mind outsourcing things that don't require communnication with the end user like parts repair or assembly. But communicating via chat module with someone who speaks English as a second language is very frustrating. I have been online with Dell since 11:47 this morning and it is now 1:23 p.m. Half the time, we have been going back and forth about shipping of parts. The tech says I can't use a PO box as my address, so I give him my parents' address because I will be going there this Wednesday night. Then I ask if techs work on Easter Monday or if it is considered a holiday. He tells me it's a holiday. I say fine and continue the chat. So we get to the end of the chat and I asked a question and the tech says "that's only if a repair call is scheduled." I think to myself, "what did I just give you all of that information for?" I ask for clarification and he tells me "I can only send a tech to a physical address." I tell him I GAVE him a physical address (my parents') and he says "yes, but you said the tech would have to come there on Easter Monday but techs don't work then."

Me: "No, I asked you if the techs worked on Easter Monday. I didn't say it *had* to be done on Easter Monday.

So then I have to give him the address all over again and go through the whole rigamarole. Now I still have no idea when my appointment is because the tech will "call me in two business days" to set it up. So to be safe, I will go home Wednesday night and stay until Dell finds the time to come fix their faulty laptop.

Have a great holiday weekend and I'll see you soon!

My Poor Little Laptop :(

2007-04-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

The AC adapter for my laptop mysteriously stopped working yesterday around 1 a.m. and now Dell wants to replace my adapter AND my motherboard. *Gulps* I am using the last few ounces of battery power I have left to inform you that I probably won't be blogging or checking e-mail for the next few days. I lost some work when my laptop went on the fritz, so I will be busy redoing it and getting ready for Easter. Talk to you all when I get back!

One Sick Freelancer

2007-03-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

My return to blogging was rather short-lived, as I ended up in the hospital this week. I had a headache that wouldn't go away for 6 days. Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and Excedrin were all no help so I finally bit the bullet and headed to the doctor. Turns out my blood pressure was so high that my headache is probably from all the blood rushing around. My doctor packed me up and sent me to the hospital for some IV medication and some bed rest.

My point? Take care of yourselves as freelancers. Work is important, but you can't do your work if your health is declining. Pay attention to your body and don't try to work through pain. Don't stay up all night long trying to get that project done or looking for information for your business. This may work for a while, but it will catch up with you and it takes quite a physical toll on your body and a mental toll on your mind.

Stay well, fellow freelancers. Now I've got to go catch up on some work!

Back in Business

2007-03-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

I'm baaaaaack! After a week hiding away in my office, typing furiously and occasionally muttering to myself, I'm resurfacing and making my first post-hiatus blog post. Some quick observations from the past week:

I need to come up with some way to tactfully and graciously let some people know that their disorganization is disruptive and detrimental to producing a quality end product.
Firing clients can be fun if you reallllly have a good reason to fire them.
I'm all for being truly available to my clients, but Yahoo! Messenger has got to go. Someone used the "buzz" feature of it the other day and I almost had a heart attack.
Do not listen to Peter, Paul & Mary when you're on a deadline - you WILL feel like you need to slip into a coma.
Little kids are really mean when they are teething because it HURTS. I'm getting a wisdom tooth and I feel like killing someone. Anbesol is my new best friend.

The first three observations, of course, have a story behind them. Someone asked me to write 7 newsletter articles for an online newsletter on Wednesday. "Sure, when's the deadline?" Thursday. I won't get into the details of why the deadline was only one day later so I can protect the guilty, but suffice it to say that I spent Wednesday and Thursday typing like a madwoman. Don't you worry, I charged a rush fee, too!

I can't actually say why I fired a client in my blog because there's no way to protect the guilty if I actually tell the story. If you realllllly want to know, e-mail me. My e-mail address is in my Blogger profile. I promise it's a story that's worth the extra effort of e-mailing me instead of reading it right on my blog.

Don't listen to music on your laptop and then forget to turn the volume down because, if you do, your Yahoo! alert will be about 50x louder than necessary and it will make your heart skip a few beats. It may also induce a bladder spasm or two. Remember, the mute button is your friend.

You may have noticed that I now have a Technorati search box in my sidebar. I wanted to be all technological and start driving more traffic to my site. Well let me tell you, I had the darndest time getting it to work. I followed the instructions step by step, put the code in my blog, and then tried to use Technorati, but it kept saying it couldn't see the code in my blog (I don't know why, because *I* could see the code in my blog, but whatever). I finally got it to work, so now I've got a handy search box. I was so peeved when I was done though, that I still have to go back and do some things on Technorati to get everything working.

I actually do have more work to do today, so I am going to stop writing now and come back later and post some more tales from the trenches. Happy Saturday!

Building Your Freelancing Business with a Merchant Account

2007-03-24T09:18:00.000-07:00

Sponsored Posting

Talented freelancers sometimes have a hard time collecting payment from clients because they can only accept checks or money orders. Many small businesses rely on their business credit cards for expenses, so excluding this form of payment from your business can cause you to lose business or have a high level of accounts receivable. High risk credit card processing capabilities are even more important to protect freelancers from accepting payments from clients that will not go through.

Advantage Processors is a company that allows freelancers to set up merchant accounts for credit card and high risk credit card processing. The low risk processing options are ideal for freelancers who work from home, along with hotels, motels, and restaurants who need to process credit cards right at the point of sale. The high risk processing options are ideal for merchants who deal with greater risk when accepting credit cards, like online gambling companies, travel agencies, debt collection agencies, and online dating services. Advantage also offers low processing rates so that a merchant account is an affordable option for small businesses. You can visit the Advantage Processors Web site to find out more about the credit card options available to you.

New Gig

2007-03-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

Well, my hiatus isn't as much of a break from my blog as I thought it would be. I recently applied to work with Blogsvertise - they pay per post for blogging and I really want to start building some extra income using my blog and other means. I'll be posting reviews and blurbs here from time to time as a part of that. I ask that you please bear with them and, if you're not interested in reading them, move on to one of my own posts. As I get more blogs going, I will move the reviews and blurbs off of here and return to my previously unsponsored format.

Quick Update

2007-03-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

I'm still on hiatus, but I did manage to finish a new article on exceeding client expectations over at HubPages. I hate when my "HubScore" is low - show me some love (and traffic) by reading the article Exceeding Client Expectations: 4 Tips for Excellence. Join my fan club too if you're so inclined; I'd love to have you!

Many stories, tips, and links to share with you when I get back. See you then!

Short Hiatus

2007-03-20T17:58:00.000-07:00

While you're all pondering the humor of poultry in motion, I'm taking a short break from blogging (personal blogging, anyway) to handle some client work. I'm working on articles for two clients, 4 different blogs for another client (daily posts for each), e-book revisions, and 3 travel guides. Speaking of travel guides, thanks to Deb Ng for her Freelance Writing Jobs blog. I submitted my credentials for consideration and received an assignment from one of the ads she listed. I turned in the first assignment yesterday and they liked it so much, they asked me to do 3 more. Thanks Deb!

I'll be back Friday morning.

My Mother's Way with Words

2007-03-20T16:46:00.000-07:00

I am currently sitting on my couch laughing so hard that I have tears running down my face. My mother works at a hospital, and she just told me the following tale:

"I wore my chicken scrub top to work today, and I told everyone I was poultry in motion."

Maybe I'm overtired from working on a deadline, but I thought that was in the top ten of the funniest things I've ever heard! Maybe I got my way with words from her.

Blog Chain

2007-03-20T06:49:00.000-07:00

Did you know there was such a thing as a blog chain? Neither did I! Suzanne Lieurance, the Working Writer's Coach, started a blog chain just for writing blogs. The idea is to get more traffic to your own blog and then leave a positive comment on each of the other blogs in the chain. This is a great traffic-builder and a good way to lend support to other bloggers in the writing field. Stop by these writers' blogs today and give another blogger a thumb's up for their efforts.

http://www.sylvias-journal.blogspot.com
http://www.writingforchildrencenter.blogspot.com
http://www.kcwrite4u.blogspot.com
http://www.contentdonebetter.com
http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com
http://musings-from-a-writer.blogspot.com/

We'll Return to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming Tomorrow

2007-03-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

I love writing this post because for the first time since I started writing, I am too bogged down in work to blog today! I'll be back tomorrow after I've gotten some projects sent out. Stay tuned!

No Room in This Town for a Nerd

2007-03-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of work ahead of me this weekend, but first I wanted to share my current wishes with my fellow freelancers. If I share them with you, it makes them more "real" and I am more motivated to make them a reality if I see them in print every day!

I would love to move back to NYC in the near future. Pennsylvania has some beautiful mountains and greenery, but I am terribly out of place here (funny to be out of place in your own home state). See, I'm a nerd. When I lived in New York, I had all kinds of nerdy things to do. Scrabble tournaments on Wednesdays, board game nights on Tuesdays, Su Doku puzzles on the train to work, Barnes & Noble stores the size of a small city, the New York Public Library in all of its glory, poetry readings, business workshops. Not to mention the art museums, the botanic gardens, the opera, the ballet, and the symphony. The world was my oyster, as they say. Then I had to move back to Pennsylvania due to some medical concerns.

The nearest library is 30 minutes away, the nearest Barnes & Noble is in NY state (Elmira), and the only classes and workshops you'll find in this town have to do with hunter safety, boating safety, and canning vegetables. I kid you not. It seems like there is nowhere for a "nerd" to go in this town to spread her wings and socialize with other like-minded people. It makes for a very lonely life. I was getting used to it until I found out there's an awesome writer's space in NYC called Paragraph. I was looking at the pictures of the loft and its room full of books and comfy couches for writers, and my longing for the city increased tenfold.

So as I put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard, as the case may be) today, I will remember that I am working towards something that will make me much happier. I hope all of you can find some of the same inspiration and motivation in your work in the near future.

Get SOAPED!

2007-03-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

Easton Ellsworth of Know More Media has started a wonderful program for bloggers called SOAP. SOAP stands for "Scratch One Another Program." In a nutshell, bloggers can volunteer to SOAP each other. Every volunteer is assigned a blog to review and will have their blog reviewed by another volunteer AND Easton Ellsworth himself. Read the full details of the program at Pass the SOAP.

This is a great idea for everyone who wants to improve their blog, get more traffic, or write better posts. 65 volunteers are already SOAPing away and another 35 are needed to round out the group of 100. You can take the sign up survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=385263411496. Just fill out your information and answer the questions and you'll be on your way to a good SOAPing by another blogger.

New Gig: Small Business & Personal Finance Articles

2007-03-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned yesterday in my meme post, I applied to one of the gigs posted on Deb Ng's Freelance Writing Jobs blog. I'm now writing articles on small business and personal finance for HubPages. I just finished my first post (hence not posting on this blog today) - it's a pretty timely assignment considering my previous post on a nonpaying client. How to Collect Late Payments from Customers - Getting Paid Without Burning Bridges is now live. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Don't forget, I'm taking questions or suggestions for articles topics from all of you.

Blog Meme: Am I Talking to You

2007-03-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

Lisa Vella of Getting it Write for You tagged me last night, but I had so much going on that I am just now sitting down and properly addressing the meme. It's a two-parter: to whom am I blogging and am I talking to you?

Part 1 - To Whom am I Blogging?

If you read my first few posts, I started out to blog directly to prospective clients. The first 6 or 7 posts I did were keyword-rich and focused on copywriting, content writing, and similar topics. Then I started to connect with other bloggers and my audience changed. Now I blog to my fellow freelancers, some established and others new at freelancing. I can share my frustrations at not getting paid on time, ask for advice, congratulate those who have gotten hired for a great gig or accomplished a goal, alert people to scams, link to great resources, and take a break from my day to connect with other people. Now I'm not so worried about using keywords or writing posts that only prospects would be interested in reading.

Part 2 - Am I Talking to You?

Well, am I? The people I'm talking to generally fall into the following groups of people:

Established freelancers that I've asked for advice or connected with in some way
New freelancers that have contacted me after reading my blog and asked questions
Potential clients with whom I have shared this link as a sample of my more informal writing
People who stumble on this blog when searching for freelance writing or other topics that I have blogged about
Friends and family

With my new (and hopefully, improved) posts, I try to appeal to all of these groups. I've provided advice for new freelancers, info for established freelancers, given this link to potential clients, and even shown my mom! So, am I talking to YOU?

I'm tagging Lori Widmer of Words on the Page, Kristen King of Inkthinker, and Deb Ng of Finding the Right Words. Enjoy, ladies!

Editor's note: Thanks to Deb Ng's freelance writing jobs, I'll be blogging on both small business and personal finance for HubPages. I'm working on my first few posts right now, but I'm open to ideas from all of you. If you have a question about either topic, you can e-mail me at wealthywords at gmail dot com (replace the at with the @ and dot with a period) or post in the comments section of this blog. I'll be posting here when I'm all set up on HubPages, so look for that soon.

When the Steam Threatens to Blow the Whistle Off of Your Freelancing Teapot

2007-03-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

Lisa Vella tagged me yesterday, and I'll get to posting about that later, but for now I just had to write a post to let off some steam so it doesn't start coming out of my ears.

What gives clients the right to think they can just pay you for your work whenever they please or, worse yet, not pay you at all? Client X, let's call him PD, hasn't paid me in almost 2 months for a project that was completed on a rush basis in 4 days. His client has been benefiting from my work all this time, using it at tradeshows and other events. I've had to keep sending payment reminders to his company rep. Turns out the rep no longer works there because PD hasn't paid him EITHER. Too bad I didn't know this BEFORE I took on a project with him. You must be a creep if you neglect to pay both contractors AND W-2 employees. Anyway, I finally got tired of nice requests, a la "I didn't get your check" and "Could you please stop payment on the check and issue a new one? It has not arrived." I gave El-Creepo ten days to pay before I would file in small claims for the original amount, late fees, court costs, and any damages for the time I have to waste traveling to the court (in another state), preparing the case, etc.

He responds pretty quickly and tells me to change my tone. I need to send a formal invoice and then I'll get a check. Well, excuse me PD, but I have a voicemail message from February 16 from your company rep saying that YOU said a check was being sent that day. Doesn't that mean you were aware of my payment information and invoice amount at that time? Second of all, I wouldn't have ANY tone if you would have paid me in a reasonable amount of time. I don't make a habit of e-mailing people in a nasty tone and telling them I'll take them to court for no reason at all. Finally, how formal does this invoice need to be? I sent you one in Word with my logo at the top, invoice number, date of invoice, and a daily breakdown of all the hours I spent on the project with notations like "3 phone calls to client, revision of 3 sell sheets, drafting of 1 sell sheet." Isn't this formal enough? Do you need me to have it printed on gold bars or something?

Something I've never talked about on here is why I freelance. I freelance because I have a lot of medical conditions that keep me from working full time or working at anything that requires any kind of lifting, standing for a long period, etc. Even a clerical position requires lifting file boxes and the like, so you can see why I'm now self-employed. When a client stiffs me on an invoice, I can't just go out and find a manual labor job on Craigslist to make some quick cash or get a job waiting tables for the tips.

So thank you, PD, for ruining my entire week, screwing me out of $1,300, and making life miserable until I figure out how I'm going to recover that money.

Does Article Marketing Work?

2007-03-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote about joining the Lieurance-King Article Challenge. I joined late in the game - the challenge started February 1 and is running until March 31 - so I have been writing articles like a madwoman to get my 30 in by March 31.

Is my time paying off? Yep. I just checked my site traffic statistics and at least a dozen people have followed links from Go Articles and E-Zine Articles to my Web site. That hasn't translated into a dollar amount yet, but I'm seeing a good jump in my traffic, and as I improve my Web site, I expect that conversions will start to pick up. Additionally, with only 8 articles live as of last evening's stats check, I've gotten 133 requests for my articles on Go Articles. I submitted 5 articles to www.ezinearticles.com and 4 of them were just approved yesterday afternoon. In less than 24 hours, I've generated 52 views of the 4 articles that were approved. I am still waiting approval on the 5th one I submitted. And let's not forget all of the one-way links we are creating for our Web sites!

I've experienced two added benefits of article marketing. One, I finally finished my Web site. I sat down to write an article and thought, "where the heck will I link it to since my site is half-done?" I quickly finished the other half. Two, I used to struggle with trying to get permission from clients to use their work as samples for my portfolio. Now I have a bunch of links I can provide that point to my work. There are no copyright issues, I don't need to get permission, and having the list of links will save me time in finding old files and either attaching them to e-mails or copying and pasting the text of those files into e-mails.

Those of you in the challenge, keep up the good work. Those of you not yet using article marketing might want to consider giving it a try.

Any comments on article marketing? Post 'em here.

New Blog

2007-03-12T10:46:00.000-07:00

Hey all you freelancers - I wanted to let you know that I just started a new blog full of tips, tricks, techniques, and fun for freelancers (anyone who works from home or freelances, not just writers). It's at Freelance Tips and I'll be posting news, tips, and other information daily for those of you who want to know more about time management, freelance marketing, getting clients (and keeping them), saving money on business expenses, and anything else related to the freelance lifestyle. I'll see you there!

Working from Home - I Love It, Most of the Time

2007-03-12T07:07:00.000-07:00

Working from home is the dream of many people. You can decorate your office however you want, choose the kind of computer you have to work with every day, and even buy cute office supplies that make you smile. One thing I didn't count on when I chose to work from home was...noisy neighbors.

I moved from one apartment to another in the same building in December. My old apartment was empty in December, January, and almost all of February. During that time, there wasn't one peep in the entire building. I have seen the man who lives across the hall from me exactly twice since I moved to this building 6 months ago. The couple at the other end of the hall are super nice and I rarely see them either because the guy works third shift and then sleeps all day. Even the people who used to live in my new apartment weren't loud - the husband worked all day, the wife kept to herself, and the kid was well-behaved (I actually never once saw them the entire time they lived here). Then came the neighbors from Hades.

They pulled up out back with a minivan one night and seemed nice enough at first. Then came the constant noise. I figured they were moving furniture around and didn't think anything of it for the first week. Then it was two weeks. Now it's been a month. The noise just keeps up. I always know when the daughter has a phone call because the mother can't seem to say "Phone call for you." She has to say "Answer the @$!# phone!" The little kid is not old enough to go to school so he's home all day. He apparently was never taught how to walk as opposed to stomp everywhere he goes. Have you ever seen that episode of Family Matters where Steve Urkel has a pair of dinosaur slippers and every time he takes a step, they make dinosaur roars? Yeah, that would be LESS annoying. I alternate between referring to the kid as Stompy Stomperson and Damien (a reference to that creepy devil child in The Omen).

I know it's not the kid's fault if he hasn't been taught the polite way to do things, but sometimes I want to ship him off to military school. It's great fun being on the phone with a client, trying to block out the STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! in the background. It's even more fun trying to take a relaxing bath at night and having to hear him either banging on the side of his washing machine with a spoon or actually getting in the washing machine and crawling around (the only two scenarios that explain the sound coming from their apartment).

I miss my noise-free apartment building!

So, what bugs you about working from home? Comments are open.

*Editor's note: I LOVE children (in a non-creepy way). I am not the fire-breathing, child-eating dragon I seem to be from this post. But the walls are thin and the deadlines are tight and the kid is NOISY!

Confessions of a Blog Stalker

2007-03-11T06:58:00.000-07:00

My name is Leigh, and I have a problem. I must admit that I enjoy my fellow freelancers' blogs so much that I have turned into somewhat of a "blog stalker." Now don't get scared; I'm not going to be showing up at your houses with night vision goggles or anything.

What I mean is, I am always looking for updates to your blogs. A typical morning for me goes something like this:

*Stumble out of bed, sit down at computer*
"Hmm, I think I'll check out some blogs and see if there are any news posts."
*Find Irreverent Freelancer in my bookmarks list*
"Darn, no new posts."
*Try Content Done Better*
"Darn, still the same post I read on Friday."
*Click on over to Words on the Page*
"Damn, why isn't anyone posting?"
*Finds Inkthinker in list of bookmarks*
"#@$%! Why aren't there any new posts?"
*Start work for the day*

I was delighted when I went to Inkthinker this morning and there was a new (and entertaining) post for me to read.

I know you all have your busy freelance practices to worry about, so I won't ask you to post more often. It would be greedy of me.

Just know that I love reading your blogs and find a lot of great information, motivation, and inspiration when I read them.

What Goes Into Writing a 500-Word Article

2007-03-10T08:13:00.000-08:00

Lori Widmer recently ranted about so-called employers who want to pay a lousy couple of bucks for a 1,000 word article. I've written on this topic before, but I'm going to keep writing about it until I stop seeing "sell your soul for $2" posts on Craigslist and other job sites. I think that most of these people are just trying to get something for nothing, but for those who really DON'T understand how much work it is to write an article, let's go through everything that goes into writing a 500-word article.

Example: Let's say client X wants me to write a 500-word article on the architecture of Paris. I didn't major in architecture in college and I've never been to Paris, so I've got to start off with some research. Searching, reading, weeding out bad sources, and making notes can take anywhere from one hour to several hours depending on the quality of the sources available and the specific focus of the article. Then I outline the article to make sure I address each point that the client wants to focus on and so that I have a plan for each paragraph. That takes me around 15 minutes because I often make changes and move topics around. Then I've got to write the actual article.

If I have an extensive outline and good notes, I can actually write a draft in about 45 minutes. This is for an online article or piece of Web content, not a magazine-quality article with sidebars or callouts, mind you. Also keep in mind that I type over 100 WPM so I've got an advantage over others. Then I've got to reread the article and make revisions, followed by a final proofread before sending the draft to the client. That's another hour right there.

Now, let's assume for the sake of this example that everything takes me only the absolute MINIMUM amount of time. That's one hour for research, one hour for outlining and drafting, and another hour for editing and proofreading. That's 3 hours. At $2 per article, that's a whopping...67 cents per hour!

What really bothers me is people who want to pay writers the sum of 67 cents per hour for their hard work so they can turn around and earn AdSense revenue or affiliate commissions. That's not only cheap, it's absolutely unethical. You wouldn't pay a plumber $5 to fix a leak, you wouldn't pay a doctor $2 to take out your gallbladder, and you wouldn't pay your babysitter $1 an hour to watch your children. What makes it okay to offer this kind of "compensation" to writers, especially when you're going to be profiting from their writing?

Writers, you don't need to work for free or for peanuts. If you need samples, you can write some samples on your own time so that you can publish them and use them as samples whenever you want without copyright issues. You can also find a nonprofit organization that needs writing services. Offer your services and negotiate a reasonable rate of pay. At least then, if the pay rate is at the low end of the scale, you're doing it for a worthwhile cause and getting some samples in the process. Don't write articles for $2 each - the time and effort you put into it is not worth that pitiful "reward."

Article Marketing

2007-03-08T19:58:00.000-08:00

I recently joined the Lieurance-King Article Challenge and have been writing like a madwoman to get my 30 articles in by March 31. Many of my clients and other freelancers have been asking me for tips on writing articles for directory submission. I decided to post a few tips here and open the comments area for additional tips or comments from other freelancers.

Use interesting or eye-catching titles. Instead of “Writing Articles,” you can name your latest article “The Secret Weapon That Increased My Sales by 30%.” Anyone who’s interested in increased sales (and who isn’t?) will want to click on the title and find out what your secret weapon is and how you used it to get such a big increase.
Try to use numbers in some of your titles. Good examples include “5 Tips for Starting Your Own Blog” and “Writing an Article in 10 Easy Steps.”
Use headings that break up the text to catch the interest of those who skim the page instead of reading the entire article.
Offer new information or explain old concepts in new ways. Don’t recycle the content of others.
Bulleted lists can be used effectively when you want to list benefits, disadvantages, tips, and other lists of items.

Does anyone else have a tip or suggestion to share? Has article marketing been effective for you?

Interested in Learning SEO?

2007-03-08T19:40:00.000-08:00

If anyone is interested in learning how to do SEO for their own Web sites, I have a recommendation for a free SEO class that I have found to be IMMENSELY helpful for anyone who wants to learn SEO right from the beginning.

The class is offered by J. Bailey and is done in a Yahoo! Group format. To register, go to http://www.gnc-web-creations.com/class-registration.htm and follow the instructions for registration. You will need to sign up for a Web site marketing class in addition to the SEO class, but both are free and give great information, so there's no reason not to sign up for both.
Course lessons cover keywords, meta tags, content, link building, and other important SEO topics. This would also be helpful for anyone who wants to learn more about SEO for Web content writing purposes.

Leave me a comment if you have questions. If you do sign up, enjoy (I know you will)!

Educating Clients & Prospects About Web Content Writing Services

2007-03-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

“This is an easy project for someone who knows what they are doing.”

“I could write this myself, but I don’t have the time.”

“This should only take a good writer a few hours max.”

We’ve all seen these statements in Craigslist advertisements, project descriptions on freelance bidding sites, and other job postings. Everyone seems to think Web content writing services are not valuable or replaceable. When I see these statements, I want to run in the other direction, but something in my brain goes off and forces me to apply (and include my actual rates with a statement like “these are market rates for a freelance writer”) or just e-mail the poster and ask them if they made a typo, followed by a similar statement about real writing rates.

I probably should move on right when I see these posts, but I can’t help but wonder if these people are just cheap (some are) or if they really don’t understand the value of Web content writing services. Let’s look at the benefits of hiring a Web page content writer to develop your content:

• The writing is almost always better than something the client could have written (unless they really COULD do it themselves if they had more time)
• Web page content that is high in quality and integrates keywords naturally into the text can generate more Web traffic, leading to more sales
• Content is a proven factor in the success of an online business
• Web sites are made “stickier” with the addition of quality content, meaning people are exposed to the products and services of a particular business for longer periods of time
• Giving away free information in the form of Web page content can help to build better relationships with prospects and current customers

The list of benefits that business owners get from Web page content and working with Web content writing services is almost endless. Yet, the very people who will benefit from these services are not willing to pay for the time and effort of the writer in question.

I had a client request a quote on a very large project today. I gave him a discounted piece rate because he’s given me a lot of business, but it still added up to a good chunk of money because of the size of the project. He replied, “I hadn’t thought about how many articles this is. $XXXX is a lot of money, but let’s go ahead and do it. I appreciate the discount.” This client understands what goes into creating quality Web page content and isn’t afraid to pay for someone who writes well. Will I continue to work with him? Of course I will. Will I keep offering him a discounted rate? Absolutely! Maybe I should just skip over the posts offering $2 per article, but the advocate in me wants to educate these people about the true value of Web page content, Web content writing services, and freelance writers around the world.

How do you educate these people? Or, do you avoid their ads and move on to other, more promising, job listings?

Does Age Have Anything to Do With Client Attitude?

2007-03-05T22:45:00.000-08:00

I spoke with a prospect today (he's now a client - big grin from me) that was just an absolute pleasure to speak with. He had an interesting point of view on his field (he's an attorney) and was just very animated and nice to speak with. When he got around to asking if I'd be interested in working with him, he said he'd like me to write just one thing for him first and then if he liked it, he'd have me do the entire project (a big one). I got ready for the "write me a free sample" rejection speech - the one I've decided to give prospects who think I don't have anything better to do than write free sample articles all day long. But then he absolutely SHOCKED me when he said, "I'd be happy to pay you for your time to do the sample."

My jaw literally dropped. Here is a person who actually understands the value of my time and will compensate me for it even if we end up not being a good match for an entire project. Then I realized something - I've gotten this line before, but it has always come from older clients. This particular client is at least 60 (he's been practicing for 43 years). Others have been in their 50s. It seems like the ones who want something for nothing (whether it's free samples, $2 keyword articles, a 100-page e-book for $300, or a Web site designed for $250) are in their 20s through 40s. I'm in that age group, so I'm not throwing stones - just making an observation.

Have you encountered this in your freelancing lives? Do older clients and prospects give you more respect and offer compensation that's more fair (or arrives in a more timely manner) than your younger clients?

Getting Firm with a Potential Client

2007-03-02T20:57:00.000-08:00

I am generally very patient with potential clients and have no problem providing work samples, references, and other information. I know hiring an expert blogging professional, Web content writer, or e-book writer is an investment and prospects need to protect their finances and their confidential information. But when is a potential client going too far with their requests? I bid on a project a few weeks ago and forgot all about it (I tend to do that when I don't hear back from the potential client right away). I was pleasantly surprised when the guy contacted me and asked more about my experience. I have specific experience in his industry, so I was the perfect match for his project. He seemed nice and easy to work with, until he asked for a sample. Accuracy was a big concern since a previous freelancer apparently wrote some articles that were not fact-checked and ended up getting some heat from the potential client's Web site readers. I had no problem writing one sample article about the specific topic to show that I could find accurate info and double-check it. I asked if he had received the article and he said "yes, but it felt like I was reading an encyclopedia article." First of all, the guy had not given me past articles, a link to his Web site, or any other info about what he was looking for. Second of all, the point of the sample was not to give him an article EXACTLY like the one he wanted; it was simply to demonstrate my ability to write accurate articles. We kept going back and forth for a week and it was always "well I am not sure" or "I need to hire the best writer for the job." All of this was over Yahoo! messenger and took up 20 minutes or more each day. Finally, I figured he was taking me for a ride and decided to get firm with him. I simply said, "if you would like to place an order for your articles through my Web site, you are more than welcome to do so. I cannot continue to work with you or chat with you without being paid to do so. If you choose to use another provider, I wish you the best of luck." He did a total about-face, immediately told me he wanted to work with me, and paid his 50% deposit in less than 4 hours. Have any of you freelancers experienced success when getting firm? How about negative responses? Looking forward to your replies!

Time Management and Freelancing

2007-03-01T20:31:00.000-08:00

Freelancing and time management should go hand in hand, but sometimes it's difficult to keep a good schedule and work exactly when you should. Working from home can be very unstructured without the micromanaging boss, one-hour lunch period, and meetings where you discuss essentially nothing for hours on end. At home, you're your own boss for the most part, you can usually eat lunch whenever you want, and you can set specific time periods for meetings so they don't drag on forever.

I've been trying to develop some better time management systems lately, but I'm having a rough time. For a week or two, I scheduled EVERYTHING in Outlook from when I would eat lunch (2:00-3:00 p.m.) to when I would work on specific projects. You can imagine what happened; I became annoyed with Outlook's little alert sound and I started getting hungry at 1:00 p.m. That time management method was a bit too rigid for my needs; my clients often call unexpectedly, need last-minute projects done, or have questions. I can't ignore their calls because I am supposed to be "researching elder abuse law articles" from noon until 2:00 p.m.

Now I'm trying to set smaller, more manageable daily goals. Instead of looking at "write 100 articles for Client X" and panicking, I'm breaking that down into "research article topic #1, " "outline article #1," "draft article #1," etc. I'm also working on using a system where I "must do 2 articles" and then I can do whatever I want for 15 minutes or give myself permission to work on a more interesting project.

What are all of you doing to manage your time?

Blogging: My New Favorite Activity

2007-02-28T11:25:00.000-08:00

I've decided that I love blogging. I wasn't sure I'd like it at first because I didn't know if I'd come up with anything to say on a regular basis. Between browsing a "freelance bidding site" and seeing abominable pay rates, reading the blogs of other freelancers, and dealing with my own clients, it turns out I have dozens of posts ready to write themselves. I've been bookmarking quite a few freelancing and marketing blogs lately, so I'll share them with you later in the week. I'm also seeing my fellow freelancers' names popping up in article directories when I am doing research or just looking for something to read when I need a break from working. Writing has not been a passion of mine lately, but I am doing everything in my power to make it one again. I'm setting aside time to blog and free write so I am not constantly writing about topics I'm not really interested in and I'm also doing some projects I wouldn't normally do just to expand my horizons a bit. How do all of you keep from getting bored when you've been working on a long client project?

Firing Clients - Tips or Advice from Others?

2007-02-27T16:32:00.000-08:00

I've finally made the decision that I need to fire two clients. One I really feel bad about firing; she's a nice woman, but she hasn't paid on time and she feels that my new 2007 rates are way too high (meanwhile other writers have written to me and told me my rates are WAY too low). The other I don't feel so bad about getting rid of. He's a nice guy, but he too, is always trying to nickel and dime me. In December, he wanted to put together some blogging packages where I would write the blog posts and he would find the clients. He insisted my prices were too high and no one would pay them every time I sent in revised pricing. Finally, he accepted them and I thought everything was fine...until I received an e-mail from someone interested in the blogging. It turns out this guy nickel and dimed me from reasonable rates to low ones and then added $400 per month onto my rates for his cut (we had agreed he would add a percentage on as a "finder's fee"). Between that and the fact that I don't think my work is valued, I'm done.

Does anyone have any tips for me? Should I be completely straightforward and say, "I don't feel that you value my work" or should I say something less confrontational, like "I'd like to focus on other types of projects right now"? Discuss in the comments section.

New Blog Added to My Favorites

2007-02-26T20:10:00.000-08:00

I posted about my favorite writing blogs last week, but the list was rather bare since I just started reading the blogs of other writers. A new favorite to add to the list is Kristen King's Inkthinker. Kristen's posts are fun to read and she really encourages other writers (as in this post on the freelancer's article writing challenge). Also, you have to love Pickles (cute video here)!

The Freelance Feast or Famine (Which are you experiencing?)

2007-02-26T20:02:00.000-08:00

My Copywriter Mastermind group discussed feast and famine in the world of freelancing this week. Generally, the feast means you almost have too much on your plate and the famine means you need to choose between buying food or paying your heating bill. I've found that consistently marketing is the best way to avoid the famine - if you "overmarket" yourself, you can always pass extra work on to freelancers you know and trust. If you undermarket yourself or, worse yet, stop marketing because you are working on a big project, the time will come when you finish that big project and find yourself with no projects to keep income coming in on a regular basis.

I've been really making an effort to market more regularly and to "work smarter, not harder" when it comes to marketing. Some of the activities I've recently taken up:

Starting this blog to connect with other freelancers and potential clients
Redesigning my entire Web site and redeveloping my brand (often a slow-moving process since I don't actually *know* how to design a Web site - I just learn as I go along)
Writing direct mail pieces to focus on specific niches (better get those out before postage stamps go up to 41 cents a piece!)
Getting in touch with the local Chamber of Commerce
Spending more time overall doing marketing activities instead of 100% client work

I've had to change some things around to accomplish all of this. Normally, I'd do 100 or 200 keyword articles in a week; now I'm giving myself 3-4 weeks to finish these for clients so I can spend days on marketing and administrative work.

How about the rest of you freelancers? Are you marketing yourselves consistently to avoid the feast or famine cycle? Looking forward to your comments.

My Favorite Writing Blogs

2007-02-22T10:31:00.000-08:00

I'm still getting my blog going and I haven't quite figured out everything I need to do to get a blogroll going, so I thought I'd list some of my favorite writing and freelancing blogs in a post until I can get an official list up. I even did a little review of each one so you can find out why I like them and keep reading them every day.

The list (in no particular order):

Carson Brackney's Content Done Better

Carson's blog is a good mix of information, opinions, and freelance industry news. The posts are usually longer than those on other blogs, which I love because it means he has given in-depth information instead of glossing over a subject. Great blog!

Kathy Kehrli's Irreverent Freelancer

Kathy's blog is hysterical, but it's also a great read for new freelancers. Kathy's writing is fun to read and lets other writers know they're not alone in the world of non-paying clients or prospects who want BMW-quality writing for the price of a Hyundai. I've learned a lot and have finally learned to say "NO" to people who want me to work my butt off for very little compensation since I started reading Irreverent Freelancer

Lori Widmer's Words on the Page

I just recently starting reading Lori's blog and I love the posts on sticking up for yourself as a freelancer. I've added this one to my list of bookmarks and will be waiting eagerly for more posts.

Angela Booth's Fab Freelance Writing

Angela's blog is very informative, from telling writers how to start a blog to letting them know that Web writing is where it's at in today's writing market. Angela is an accomplished writer and shares her information freely with others.

If you're not on this list, it doesn't mean I don't like your blog! I recently started reading writing blogs and am slowly adding more to my list of must-reads. Feel free to send me a link to your blog through the comments area.

The Two Things I Hate About Freelancing

2007-02-22T09:50:00.000-08:00

I generally love freelancing. I've learned about a lot of new things, talked with people from all over the world, and been able to earn a living working from home and not having to face the crushing subway commute I used to hate.

But there are two things I really hate about freelancing - clients who "forget" to pay and having my work stolen and used by others. I sent an invoice out on January 24 for a big project I had done that week. The client's copywriter had come down with appendicitis and had surgery in the middle of prepping for a trade show. I stepped in at the last minute and had a 4-day deadline to learn everything I could about MY client's client (corporation contracted out to the marketing firm and then the marketing firm gave the copywriting portion of the project to me), draft 9 sell sheets for the trade show, revise them, and send the final copies in to be printed. The project wasn't without its pitfalls (e.g. marketing company forgot to send me background info the client had provided, so I was basing entire sell sheets off of just 20-word product descriptions from the Web) but it was a nice change of pace. The client was responsive, willing to provide additional information if I asked for it, and was an actual company instead of a small online startup that could disappear tomorrow so I was confident that I'd be getting paid with no problems.

Fast-forward to last week. I sent a payment reminder and the client immediately called me and said the check was being mailed that day (Friday). I went to the Post Office eagerly awaiting its arrival on Tuesday, Wednesday, and today, Thursday. No check! I live in PA and the check is coming from NJ - I used to live in NJ (about 25 minutes from the client's office, coincidentally) so I know that mail coming back and forth usually takes about 2 days, 3 days max from the time it's sent to the time it arrives. I've even gotten mail from Minnesota in 2 days! So now I'm peeved about not getting paid in a timely manner.

On another front, a client I worked with last summer took his article and didn't pay for it. I told him I was retaining all rights to the article and continued using it as a portfolio sample. I come to find out that this guy submitted the article to a major media corporation and that corporation now has it posted on their site. I informed them of the copyright violation and they sent me a form to fill out with all the details. I sent it back in December and now that they have all of my information, the legal department refuses to respond to me at all. When an online media giant has to steal an article from a little freelancer in Pennsylvania, something is wrong with the world.

I've Been Tagged! Meme: Why I Blog

2007-02-20T19:46:00.000-08:00

Kathy Kehrli over at the Irreverent Freelancer tagged me today. The meme is "Why I Blog" but I decided to modify it a bit since my blog is new. I'll be focusing on why I started a blog and why I plan to keep blogging.

1. I want to get to know more freelance writers and learn from them. I love reading blogs like Irreverent Freelancer (Kathy Kehrli), Content Done Better (Carson Brackney), and Words on the Page (Lori Widmer). I'd also like my blog to become a resource for other writers, potential clients, or anyone looking for solid information.

2. I understand the value of having a blog from a business perspective. Many of my fellow bloggers (whose blogs are way more established than mine) have let me know that they have gotten new clients from their blogs. Others use their blogs as writing samples instead of sending a prospective client a bunch of attachments. Not to mention the SEO potential of a blog is pretty darn good.

3. I like to "meet" new people. I can't wait until I've been blogging for a while and people start leaving comments or e-mailing me (even if they hated a post or disagree with my opinion).

4. It's good to blog about things your non-writing friends don't understand. If I tell my mother I am writing an e-book, she gives me a blank stare and says "oh, I just thought you worked online" (don't get me started about how she doesn't understand that what I do is a BUSINESS). Friends don't understand why I get up at 5:30 a.m. once a month to go to a Chamber of Commerce meeting. Blogging will help me connect with others living the freelancer's life so I can talk about that frustrating project or rant about the latest "write me 100 articles for less than $250" job posting on Craigslist.

5. It'll be nice to write something that is my own and not a client's. Something I can share with others and change on a whim.

Now that I've been tagged, I'm feeling much more motivated to keep up with my posting, even when my project load is crazy or I am busy marketing myself. Keep 'em coming!

What Expert Blog Help Can Do For You

2007-02-18T10:52:00.000-08:00

Do you want to drive more traffic to your Web site? Promote your products and services? Give customers a way to interact with you and give feedback about your business? Expert blogging can accomplish all of that. But do you really have the time or the skills to choose a blogging platform, set up a blog, and make regular posts? Most entrepreneurs and small business owners don't - they're concentrating on generating new business, following up on leads, and marketing their products and services. That's why expert blog help is so important for online business owners. With your blog, you can:

Earn extra income with PPC campaigns or promotion of affiliate products
Create an interactive environment where customers can provide feedback and share their concerns
Build credibility by sharing your knowledge in your field
Promote your products and services
Generate additional traffic for your Web site

Expert blog help is ideal for busy entrepreneurs who recognize the value of having a business blog and don't have the time to research the number of options available, deal with the hassle of setting up a blog, or make enough posts to keep the blog active. Blogs have become a very popular form of promoting products and services, so why not take advantage of the skills of an expert blogging professional to improve your sales, generate additional Web traffic, and develop a rapport with your customers?

Visit my Web site to find out more about how expert blog help can benefit your business.

Writing High Quality Web Articles

2007-02-15T11:14:00.000-08:00

Web articles can be an important part of your online marketing strategy because they are so versatile. These articles can be used in online article directories, on your Web site, on your blog, in online newsletters or e-zines, and in your marketing materials. Because Web articles are so versatile, it's important that they are well-written and use keywords in a way that makes sense. Few things annoy visitors more than visiting a Web site that is clearly set up to get traffic and not set up to inform users. Repeating your keywords over and over again is a sure way to annoy visitors and get banned by the major search engines for spamming. Integrating keywords into your Web articles should be done in a natural way. If you read one of your articles and it doesn't make sense or seems awkward, then it needs to be rewritten. When you're reviewing one of the Web articles you've written, examine the following:

Use of keywords - do they make the article unreadable? Does the article make sense?
Spelling and grammar - first impressions count!
Article length - does the article miss important information because it's too short? Is the article so long that readers might get bored and go to a different Web site?
Formatting - does the article have headings, boldfaced text, and other formatting features that make it easier to read?

Keeping all of these things in mind will help you to produce better Web articles for your readers.

If you don't have the time to write Web articles for your Web site, newsletters, and directories, visit my Web site and find out how I can write Web articles for you so that you can focus on running your business.

What Really Goes Into Creating "Simple" Web Articles

2007-02-12T11:00:00.000-08:00

It breaks my heart when I see ads offering $4 per keyword article, especially when they say things like, "for someone who knows what they are doing, this is a simple job" or "experienced writers should be able to do this quickly." This shows me that the person writing the ad and requesting the Web articles does not know the value of the services I provide. There is nothing "simple" about crafting a well-written piece of content that convinces readers to want to take action. Whether that action is making a purchase, clicking a link to another Web site, or signing up for an e-mail list, a writer must consider the target audience and write accordingly. If Web articles with keywords are being written, the writer must find natural ways of incorporating these keywords into the text so the article is much more than a piece of keyword spam.

There is much more that goes into one article than just writing. These tasks must commonly be completed during any Web article project:

Initial consultation with client to discuss project deliverables and terms
Research of assigned topic
Writing of first drafts
Revising drafts based on client input
Proofreading prior to final draft submission
Client communication throughout project (e-mails, faxes, phone calls, online conferences)

If you want Web articles written about an obscure topic, your writer will certainly need to do more research than s/he would if you were requesting Web articles on a fairly common topic. Clients often want to talk on the telephone to discuss the project, which is fine, but sometimes these calls can turn into 50 or 60 minutes in length. Writing Web articles can take anywhere from one hour to ten hours or more for just one article. The one hour estimate is for topics that the writer is an expert in and can write about without doing too much additional research. For me, I could easily write Web articles on "common spelling errors" or "free marketing techniques" because I study that information every day. If you asked me to write an article on particle physics or chaos theory, I'd definitely need some research time. If you're looking to pay $4.00 per article for an article that takes ten hours to write, that's an insulting 40 cents per hour.

At 40 cents per hour, someone who wants to earn just the minimum wage in the U.S. ($5.15 base) has to produce THIRTEEN articles per hour. The only way anyone could possibly do that is by outright copying and pasting content from other Web sites into a word processing document and sending it to you as original content. There is absolutely no way even the best writer could produce 13 articles per hour without plagiarizing and turning in poor quality work. I type 105 WPM, which is pretty fast, but that means I can only type about 6,300 words per hour. That's 6.3 articles of 1,000 words each or 12.6 articles of 500 words each. That's just typing - not thinking about what is being written, not thinking of a target audience and writing speficially for their needs, and not coming up with creative content.

If you don't mind being unethical and facing copyright infringement lawsuits from angry Web site owners, then by all means, pay $4 per keyword article. But if you want Web articles that are original, speak directly to your prospects, and incorporate keywords without turning into pages of spam, then value the copywriter you're working with and offer a more reasonable rate.

If you need Web articles for directory submission, Web site SEO, or other purposes, visit http://www.wealth-of-words.com/content.html to find out more about my Web content writing services.

Ways Expert Web Content Can Boost Your Business

2007-02-08T09:22:00.000-08:00

Having expert Web content on your site is a great way to build your credibility and reputation as a business owner. When users visit a Web page, they want to find information that's useful to them. While some users are looking specifically to make a purchase, others are just looking for information. If you concentrate only on promoting your products and services, you're missing out on valuable opportunities for showing prospects how well you can meet their needs and providing them with the information they need. This can also help you build trust with your prospects - they'll appreciate that you thought of providing them with information and resources instead of simply trying to sell your products and services. Expert Web content can be used in many ways; you simply need to spend the time necessary to add it to your site and update it on a regular basis so it stays relevant.

Expert Web content can be used to educate your customers on topics that are relevant to your business. For example, many boat dealers offer boating safety classes to their customers. Computer consulting firms can offer fact sheets on common software problems. Bookkeeping businesses can offer tips for small businesses. Whatever business you run, there's a way to use Web content to educate your customers. Web content can be used to drive traffic to your Web site. The content you have written for you by a copywriter can be submitted to article directories and linked back to your Web site. If your content is interesting enough, people will visit your Web site to find out more. Expert Web content can also be used to develop e-zines, online newsletters, and other publications that will help you build your subscriber list.

If you don't have time to write Web content, let me write it for you. I can provide you with expert Web content for your Web site, e-zine, or online newsletter in a reasonable time period. Best of all, you can focus on running your business while I focus on creating the highest quality content for your business. Visit http://www.wealth-of-words.com/content.html to find out more.

The Value of Web Sales Copy Demystified

2007-02-03T11:12:00.000-08:00

The importance of persuasive Web sales copy is sometimes underestimated by those who are selling products and services on the Web. The truth is, the right (or wrong) copy can make all the difference in your sales numbers. If you have professionally-written copy that appeals to your target market and has a clear call to action, you stand a good chance of improving your sales. If you have Web sales copy that does not speak directly to your prospects, does not do a good job of describing the benefits of your products and services, or does not contain a clear call to action, your sales will suffer. If you think of Web sales copy in this manner, you'll see that having effective copy can actually make your business successful - or turn it into a failure. When you hire a copywriter, don't think of it in terms of an expense. Think of it in terms of an investment in your business that can yield great returns. If you sell $5,000 worth of merchandise using a sales letter that cost you $500, wouldn't you consider that a solid investment? Of course you would. That's why Web sales copy is so valuable for companies big and small.

Web sales copy is also valuable because it is so versatile. You don't need to use your copy for only one type of product or service. You can use sales copy to promote yourself as a speaker or author, sell your products, promote your professional services, or market information and affiliate products across the Web. If you want to improve your sales conversions, using Web sales copy (and a well-designed Web site) is one of the first steps to making your business more successful.

For more information on how professional copywriting services can benefit your business and provide a substantial return on your investment, visit my Web site at http://www.wealth-of-words.com.

5 Ways to Make Money with E-books

2007-02-02T13:12:00.000-08:00

E-books (known as ebooks by some) are one of the best ways to market your business and make extra money. E-book is the shortened form of "electronic book." E-books are books of anywhere from 10 to hundreds of pages that can be viewed on a reader's computer screen or printed out and placed in a binder or folder to be read later. If you don't know how to write an ebook, there's no need to worry. You can have a professional writer develop an e-book for you and sign the rights to you upon completion. This means you don't need to write the e-book on your own, but you can use it as you wish without having to credit the writer. This is also called ghost writing. Once you have your e-book, you can use it to make additional revenue or market your business in a number of ways. These are 5 of the easiest ways to use e-books; there are many more that you shouldn't overlook once you understand how much e-books can help you grow your business.

Have an e-book written for your company and then promote the e-book in article directories, discussion forums, and other Web sites. This will help to drive traffic to your Web site.
Give away a free e-book to show your prospects how they can use your products and services.
Sell your e-book on your own Web site or through a shopping cart site to earn additional revenue.
Offer a free e-book on your Web site and ask people to sign up for your mailing list so they can access the book. This can help you quickly build an e-mail list so you can continue to promote your products and services.
Distribute your e-book for free and allow readers to pass it on to their friends and colleagues. Include links to your Web site within the e-book so your readers can visit your site and find out about your products and services.

The best ebooks are those that appeal to your target audience and can showcase your expertise. If you don't know how to write an ebook, have a professional do it for you so you can be sure you are distributing an information product of the highest quality and best value.

If you need help putting together an e-book to sell or distribute freely for promotional purposes, visit http://www.wealth-of-words.com/ebooks to find out how easy it can be to start using e-books to improve your business.

5 Ways Expert Copywriting Can Save or Make You Money

2007-01-31T10:16:00.000-08:00

Many people who have never worked with a copywriter see it as just another business expense and do not value the additional opportunities for revenue provided by expert copywriting professionals. There are many ways a copywriter can save you money or make additional revenue for your business. These are five of those ways; I'll continue to address this topic in a future post.

Expert copywriting professionals can produce compelling sales copy that will increase your sales conversions and result in more revenue.
Working with professional copywriters can save you time and money because they will get the job done right the first time. Instead of hiring a "cheap copywriter" and having to have their work redone at an additional cost, hire a professional copywriter the first time and avoid wasting valuable time and money.
Expert copywriting professionals can help you develop ideas for content that will improve your revenue and promote your business.
Copywriters who have experience writing for the Web can help drive traffic to your Web site using keyword-rich content and articles submitted to online directories. This additional traffic can help you generate additional sales.
Expert copywriting professionals can develop e-books and special reports that you can sell to create additional profits or use as viral marketing tools to promote your Web site.

The value of working with an expert copywriting professional is clear. While it may seem like an expense, it provides a phenomenal return on your investment and helps you make your business more successful.