If you went to my old website (www.louschuyler.com), you've discovered that it is no longer in use. It served me well, but...I learned to build my own sites and did exactly that.
The new site is www.bluecollarcopywriter.com and is live. I like being able to add content at my convenience and control all aspects of the site. I can add video, change the look of the site, add photo's and add pages.
Feedback and criticism is welcomed. Just remember that this is a work in progress.
Showing posts with label writer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writer. Show all posts
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Monday, May 7, 2007
Reselling Your Services
I have an ongoing contract to write monthly newsletter articles for a client. As per an earlier conversation regarding the theme of the month, I wrote a series of articles for the next edition. Then, I ran into the person who is my contact in this organization. I mentioned that I had the articles written in time for her deadline. She said that she had written some articles herself and probably wouldn’t need my material.
My initial reaction was going to be to remind her that we had a contract and I would have to bill her for my time. Instead, I decided to take a less confrontational approach. (Always a good idea with a regular and pleasant-to-work-with client.)
Since she had not given me specific instructions to write these articles, I told her that I wouldn’t bill her for them unless she used them. I told her I would email them to her and let her look at them. If she chose to use them I would bill them, if not, I would wait for her direction for the next edition.
I emailed the articles and waited. When the newsletter came out, my articles were in it. It was followed by an email requesting some additional work on another matter. Since then, I’ve gotten a lot of work from another department in this same organization.
Occasionally, you’ll have a client that forgets the value that a professional writer brings to the table. At that point you can resell your abilities, or force them to honor the contract. If you’re good enough, your abilities SHOULD win the day. I’m glad I took this approach. If it hadn’t worked out, at least I wouldn’t have burned any bridges.
My initial reaction was going to be to remind her that we had a contract and I would have to bill her for my time. Instead, I decided to take a less confrontational approach. (Always a good idea with a regular and pleasant-to-work-with client.)
Since she had not given me specific instructions to write these articles, I told her that I wouldn’t bill her for them unless she used them. I told her I would email them to her and let her look at them. If she chose to use them I would bill them, if not, I would wait for her direction for the next edition.
I emailed the articles and waited. When the newsletter came out, my articles were in it. It was followed by an email requesting some additional work on another matter. Since then, I’ve gotten a lot of work from another department in this same organization.
Occasionally, you’ll have a client that forgets the value that a professional writer brings to the table. At that point you can resell your abilities, or force them to honor the contract. If you’re good enough, your abilities SHOULD win the day. I’m glad I took this approach. If it hadn’t worked out, at least I wouldn’t have burned any bridges.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Everyone’s A Writer
The first thing you learn in the copywriting business is that everyone’s a writer. And… they all think they’re good. Some of them are…but most are not. Some…should never be allowed to hold a pen in their “hot little hands.”
You’ll meet some who like to “bloviate” in print, thinking that everyone will be impressed with their command of the English language. (They won’t.) There will be others who treat English like it’s not their native tongue.
Oft times when you write for a large organization your copy passes through many hands. Each of those hands is just twitching to “tweak” your copy, so they can impress someone up the line. The version that lands on the desk of the final decision maker will be entirely different from what you wrote. You might not even recognize it. (This happened to me. If it hadn’t been for the title, I would not have known I wrote it.)
The easiest way to avoid this is to involve all decision makers right from the beginning of the project. Explain what you’re going to write and why. Let them know that this is writing in a “conversational tone” and is designed to be read, not to be grammatically correct.
Once they know where you are going, it’s easier for them to understand what you are trying to do.
Keep all parties in the loop. Email copies to everyone, even when you make changes. When they want changes that go against all the rules of sales copy…make them. Make them cheerfully, but explain (in a nice way) why you’re against it.
If the copy gets results even with their changes…be humble. Thank them for showing you a new way of doing things. If it bombs, be considerate and helpful. Resist the urge to say, “I told you so.”
Finally…let it go and be happy, knowing you’ve done your very best.
You’ll meet some who like to “bloviate” in print, thinking that everyone will be impressed with their command of the English language. (They won’t.) There will be others who treat English like it’s not their native tongue.
Oft times when you write for a large organization your copy passes through many hands. Each of those hands is just twitching to “tweak” your copy, so they can impress someone up the line. The version that lands on the desk of the final decision maker will be entirely different from what you wrote. You might not even recognize it. (This happened to me. If it hadn’t been for the title, I would not have known I wrote it.)
The easiest way to avoid this is to involve all decision makers right from the beginning of the project. Explain what you’re going to write and why. Let them know that this is writing in a “conversational tone” and is designed to be read, not to be grammatically correct.
Once they know where you are going, it’s easier for them to understand what you are trying to do.
Keep all parties in the loop. Email copies to everyone, even when you make changes. When they want changes that go against all the rules of sales copy…make them. Make them cheerfully, but explain (in a nice way) why you’re against it.
If the copy gets results even with their changes…be humble. Thank them for showing you a new way of doing things. If it bombs, be considerate and helpful. Resist the urge to say, “I told you so.”
Finally…let it go and be happy, knowing you’ve done your very best.
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