Top Pitfalls For Newbie Copywriters And How To Avoid Them
Posted on 05 August 2008 by Sharon
If you are just starting out as a freelance copywriter, it can be hard to know how to build your clientele quickly, generate immediate cash flow and garner repeat business. Well here’s a tip:
Most freelance writing businesses fail not because of a lack of talent, but because of a lack of organization.
So here is a suggestion for you: Focus on performance.
Good performance can make the difference between constantly struggling to attract new clients, and sitting on a cushy monthly retainer from a client that is satisfied with your deliverables. So once your services have been retained, remember these three rules:
- Deliver on time.
- Deliver what was agreed.
- Deliver above expectations.
Today we will focus on the first bullet: Deliver on time.
To deliver your projects on time you need to assess your workload and establish production priorities. Having done that, your next step is very simple:
Start early.
Here’s why:
Starting early increases your free time—and your bottom line. It gives you time to develop your ideas fully, which results in stronger copy. Stronger copy means happier clients, more repeat business and a fatter bank account. Which ultimately means more time sipping mai tais, and less time slogging away in front of your laptop. What’s not to love about that?
Starting early improves your writing—and cures insomnia. It helps you avoid the 4:00 a.m. all-nighter—and the gritty-eyed, foul-tempered, cotton-brained gremlin it can turn you into. Writing when you are not at your usual prolific and witty best can result in off-target, error-filled, painfully soggy copy. Soggy copy means unhappy clients. And unhappy clients mean…you fill in the blanks.
Starting early gives you time for review and revision. This is the phase during which you tighten up any trailing ideas and correctly position those often annoyingly misplaced modifiers. You can also use this period to shoot the copy to your own personal review board and get feedback. So if Mom tentatively whispers “It looks interesting, dear, but what does it mean?” realize that your message might not be as clear as you thought. And if your BFF snarks “I see that Remedial Spelling didn’t do you any good, lol. That should be “sore”, not “soar,” just revise—and thank goodness that it was not your client that caught that snafu.
In short:
Starting early helps you deliver accurate, effective, error-free copy ON TIME. And that is one of the easiest ways to keep your clients happy, encourage them to hire you again and improve your bottom line. Mai tai, anyone?
Lisa Hurley is a poet and copywriter. She is currently working on a new book.
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Tags | copywriting, writing
August 5th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Great post, Lisa!
Burning the midnight oil at the last minute is punishment for yourself and for the client and could cost business because of lack of quality PLUS cause writer burn out.
Dana’s last blog post..Solving Problems for Freelance Clients
August 5th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Whew! As someone who became a full-time freelancer just over a year ago, I’m happy to see that I’m doing something right.
But if you have to point out to a freelancer the importance of delivering what was agreed, on time, and in excess of expectations, one might argue that said freelancer may wish to reconsider his or her chosen profession!
Amie’s last blog post..Suspicious minds
August 5th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
Thanks for the comments, guys.
@Annie: Agreed! You would think that freelancers would know this stuff. After all, it seems basic and logical, but…
Regrettably, I have been the unfortunate client who has received slipshod work from so-called professionals. I’m talking incoherent, spell-check-deficient ramblings. AND it’s been late, with nary an email to even explain its absence on due day. So apparently common sense, as they say…
And no, I have never, EVER used those writers again.
August 6th, 2008 at 1:05 am
Great post! Although it seems rudimentary sometimes it helps to place a focus on the basic building blocks of any business. These days it’s easy to ‘put off’ some of our projects and leaving it to the last minute does not help anyone.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
August 6th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Thanks, Rebecca! Sometimes it’s not the “rocket science” that trips one up, but the ABCs.
August 6th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
I have to admit I burn the midnight oil sometimes. But I almost always deliver my best work under those conditions, just like I did when I was working on deadline as a reporter.
Beth from Avenue Z’s last blog post..Group collaboration tool for freelancers — free beta testers needed
August 6th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Great post, Lisa. I am a reformed “midnight oil burner.” It was no one’s fault but my own that I was doing it so much. Your post is right on the money.
Kimberly’s last blog post..Those Crazy Days of Summer
August 7th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Thanks for the comments!
@ Beth: Good for you! Maybe you can train some writers who THINK they can deliver under pressure, to actually be able to DO it.
@Kimberly: Thanks! Sometimes circumstances (or personality) require the burning of the midnight oil, but to be honest, I like sleep waaaay too much for that to be an attractive option for me anymore.
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:21 am
Well said. I’ve always struggled with being on time… especially if it’s my private project. I’m not responsible to anyone and that’s what I think is keeping me from advancing.
Andre Thomas’s last blog post..How To Increase Response Without Changing A Word In Your Copy