How to Become a Master Marketer (Part I of II)

None of us start out as master marketers – it’s an ongoing learning process. I’ve been a freelance writer since 1993 and I have to laugh at some of the marketing techniques I’ve tried that didn’t work. BUT, with each failure, I learn something -- I tweak a procedure and give it another go.

In the upcoming freelance writing seminar in October, a great deal of it will focus on marketing – because this is the number one ingredient to achieving success as a freelancer.

The great thing about marketing is that there is never one right way to do anything. But, there are some consistent techniques that “Master Marketers” employ, which is why they’re so effective.

Here, we’ll examine three.

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Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.
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3 Techniques Master Marketers Use to Become Successful

Single Message: Master marketers focus on a single message when they contact you.

I’m sure you’ve been to those one-page websites promoting a product. They are usually extremely long pages and give you reason after reason after reason why you should purchase their product.

To view some of these websites, go to Clickbank.com and read browse through some of the products there. I did a quick search and clicked on a site for the Forum Equalizer.*

*I have no affiliation with this product whatsoever. I don’t even know what it does. I’m just using it as an example here.

Promoters on these sites don’t confuse you by trying to sell you two or three different things at one time. Their entire message is focused on getting you to purchase that one product.

While many offer add-ons (free software, a special report, free e-books, etc.), these are ancillary products that are usually offered FREE.

The lesson here: When marketing, don’t confuse the potential buyer by bombarding them with too many messages. Marketing experts agree that too many messages confuse potential buyer.

Confused buyers don’t purchase, the “wait until later,” or “try another source.” So, while you may be a great photographer in addition to being a heck of a writer, sell your prospect on your primary skill first – offer them your secondary skill as an “add on.”

Eg, I can write the piece on snowbound animals –and am also able to supply photographs along with it at your request.But, you may be thinking, “I can’t afford to marketing one thing at a time. My budget is limited.”

My response to that is – you can’t afford NOT to market one thing at a time. If you take a long-term view to your career, it is much cheaper – not to mention more effective – to market this way.

If you’re thinking that you’ll never survive long enough to make a real go of freelancing if you market this way, then perhaps freelancing full-time is not for you – right now. You can always start part-time. Once clients get to know you, you can sell them on your other skills.

Marketing Exercise: With the above in mind, go to a site like VistaPrint.com and design postcard to sell your freelance services. They have many templates you can use and it’s free. You only pay when you place an order and/or upload your own art.

Tomorrow’s Post: The other 2 things master marketers do that guarantee them success.
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Upcoming Features in Inkwell Editorial’s Newsletter

Later Today! Paula Mooney. Blogger who helps other bloggers “make money, get readers and increase their blog’s ranking.” Paula will reveal how she makes money online, and how she’s built a very popular blog in only a few month’s time.If you currently have a blog, or are thinking about starting one, you won’t want to miss this interview!

August 15: Meryl K. Evans. I tapped Meryl for an interview because she’s found success in the B2B niche. Meryl has written for some pretty notable clients, eg, PC Today, O’Reilly and Pearson to name a few.

This is where the real money in freelance writing is folks (B2B). I’m as anxious to see what she has to say as I hope you are!

September 12: Gordon Graham. We ring in the “editorial season” by interviewing Gordon Graham, aka “that white paper guy.” Gordon writes and edits white papers and case studies. He charges $90/hour just to edit a white paper and a minimum of $4,000 to produce a white paper from scratch.

Now, do you see why I had to interview him?! Most freelancers don’t even dream of making this type of money. I can’t wait for this interview.

NOTE: As editorial is cyclical and slow during the summer, in July and August, the newsletter will be published once. In September, we go back to our twice-monthly publishing schedule. Subscribe today so you don't miss anything!
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Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.
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Turn Your Blog into an Effective Marketing Machine in 2 Easy Steps

In yesterday’s post, I discussed why I thought blogging for money is a waste of time for most freelance writers. Instead of worrying about making money from ads like Google’s Adsense program, focus your efforts on the following:

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Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.
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A) Dispense Information: Use your blog to inform your readers about your niche. For example, most of my posts are about the business of freelance writing. I updated it almost daily – giving readers a chance to come back again and again.

3 Marketing Advantages of Consistent Blogging

i) It builds up a body of work: I can refer potential clients to my blog so they can get an idea of my writing style before hiring me. As my blog is over two years old, it showcases a significant amount of my work – more than enough for potential clients to judge my capabilities.

ii) It showcases you: Via my posts, subscribers glean an idea of what I’m like as a person. Consumers buy from those they know, like and trust. Regular readers get to know (and hopefully) like me a little bit more with each post.

Comfortability leads to likeability, which leads to trust and ultimately sales. Clients will rarely purchase from you the first time they encounter your product/service. But, if you’re “in their face” on a regular basis, they come to rely and depend on your advice, your insight, your suggestions, etc.

When the time comes for them to purchase the type of product/service you’re selling, all things like price being equal – you have a good chance of them purchasing from you.

iii) Opens up opportunities: I never dreamed when I started blogging that it would turn into what it has. I’ve been contacted for interviews, jobs (read how blogging led to an Editor-in-Chief’s job offer); and other business opportunities via my blog. You just never know who’s out there taking in your work – especially when it’s put out on such a consistent basis.

B) Create Your Own Product(s): I preach this lesson to freelancers on a continual basis. Whether you’re a freelance writer, freelance web designer, freelance photographer or freelance illustrator, in my humble opinion, it’s imperative that freelancers create their own products to sell.

This can be artistic t-shirts, a unique web design package, a pen line, a freelance writer’s gift basket boutique (something I’ve often thought of doing), etc.

While selling the products and services of others via affiliate programs can be lucrative, why not spend some time creating your own products to promote. When you consider that promoting a product – whether it’s yours or somebody else’s – takes a huge chunk of time and effort, why not put that into your own product?

Advice on Marketing Your Own Product/Service

Many freelancers shy away from this because they may not know what to create or how to sell it. BUT, everything you need to know about how to sell anything can be found online.

Start with the same techniques you use to promote yourself as a freelance writer, designer, graphic artists, photographer, etc.

Just to get you inspired, following are some links to freelancers who have turned their craft into profitable side ventures.

Profitable Side Ventures for Creative Freelancers

T-Shirts: The T-Shirts Guys (Writers, Cartoonists, Graphic Designers) at http://bigstonehead.net/about/faq/

Greeting Cards: The Freelance Photographer who also created a line of greeting cards sold at high-end retail stores. Visit her site here.

Self-Syndicated Column: The Freelance Writer Who Created a Column with a readership of over 2.2 million readers. Read about it here.

Ebooks & Seminars: In my case, I added ebook writing and seminar production to my income streams. To date, I’ve written six ebooks and one e-seminar. And, I’ll give a live seminar in October.

As you can see from these examples, how you apply your talent is up to you – the ways to make money from it are endless – but, you must become an efficient marketer to be successful at it.

TOMORROW’S POST: In tomorrow’s post, we’ll discuss some dynamics on how to become a “Master Marketer.”
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Upcoming Features in Inkwell Editorial’s Newsletter

July 18: Paula Mooney. Blogger who helps other bloggers “make money, get readers and increase their blog’s ranking.” Paula will reveal how she makes money online, and how she’s built a very popular blog in only a few month’s time.

If you currently have a blog, or are thinking about starting one, you won’t want to miss this interview!

August 15: Meryl K. Evans. I tapped Meryl for an interview because she’s found success in the B2B niche. Meryl has written for some pretty notable clients, eg, PC Today, O’Reilly and Pearson to name a few.

This is where the real money in freelance writing is folks (B2B). I’m as anxious to see what she has to say as I hope you are!

September 12: Gordon Graham. We ring in the “editorial season” by interviewing Gordon Graham, aka “that white paper guy.” Gordon writes and edits white papers and case studies. He charges $90/hour just to edit a white paper and a minimum of $4,000 to produce a white paper from scratch.

Now, do you see why I had to interview him?! Most freelancers don’t even dream of making this type of money. I can’t wait for this interview.

NOTE: As editorial is cyclical and slow during the summer, in July and August, the newsletter will be published once. In September, we go back to our twice-monthly publishing schedule. Subscribe today so you don't miss anything!
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Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.
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Why Freelance Writers Shouldn't Blog for Money

I ran across a post on Problogger.net the other day entitled, How to Make Money Blogging - What We Wish We Knew. The post basically was about things bloggers wish they knew when they first started out.

As Darren Rowse, the webmaster at Problogger put it: “In this post I’ll share readers comments on the topic of making money from blogs as well as some of my own experiences and advice.”

One comment from a reader stood out to me, which inspired this post on why I don’t think freelance writers – in general -- can ever make a livable income blogging. While there will always be some exceptions to the rule, as a whole, I don’t think it’s a pursuit most of us should spend our time on.

Following is why.

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Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.
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Blogger Chris @ Martial Development commented: “I wish I had known that your choice of niche will affect your contextual ad revenue by a factor of 100! And that certain niches can therefore never, ever be profitable with Adsense!”

Bloggers make their money from advertisers. And, many start with Google’s Adsense program. If you don’t know what it is, click here to learn more.

When people click on the ads, you are paid a certain amount. Certain categories pay more. For example, an ad about a tech product like “gaming software” may pay out a lot more than an ad about “freelance writing jobs,” which is an ad typically found on many freelance writers’ websites.

As I wrote in my 5/30/07 post, Why Freelance Writers May Be the Poorest Internet Entrepreneurs (Part I of II), “Much of new technology is for tech people: It seems that every new piece of software that comes out is for tech people.” And, advertisers in this genre are willing to pay handsomely for new customers.

When you consider the payoff (ROI (return on investment)) for tech companies in acquiring new customers, they can afford to pay more to those blog owners who carry their ads.

Is the ROI (Return on Investment) Worth It for Freelance Writers When It Comes to Blogging?

Consider this: According to softwarereality.com, “. . . projects having an ROI less than 100 % may not be undertaken.” How is ROI calculated?

ROI = ( PROFITS / INVESTED CAPITAL ) x 100

The ROI for each project is compared with the invested capital on a yearly basis. ROI analysis means that where expected benefits and costs are realized within the same year of implementation of the project, the project is more likely to proceed.

The whole point of this post? UNLESS you specialize in a high-paying niche like tech or medicine, don’t expect the payout from ad programs like Adsense to pay you much. You may have to generate 100 times the traffic to see the same payout as a blog in another, better paying niche.

So, given this, why blog?

TOMORROW'S POST: In tomorrow’s post, I’ll discuss two easy things you can do to turn your blog into an effective marketing machine – and it won’t even feel like marketing!
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Upcoming Features in Inkwell Editorial’s Newsletter

July 18: Paula Mooney. Blogger who helps other bloggers “make money, get readers and increase their blog’s ranking.” Paula will reveal how she makes money online, and how she’s built a very popular blog in only a few month’s time.

If you currently have a blog, or are thinking about starting one, you won’t want to miss this interview!

August 15: Meryl K. Evans. I tapped Meryl for an interview because she’s found success in the B2B niche. Meryl has written for some pretty notable clients, eg, PC Today, O’Reilly and Pearson to name a few.

This is where the real money in freelance writing is folks (B2B). I’m as anxious to see what she has to say as I hope you are!

September 12: Gordon Graham. We ring in the “editorial season” by interviewing Gordon Graham, aka “that white paper guy.” Gordon writes and edits white papers and case studies. He charges $90/hour just to edit a white paper and a minimum of $4,000 to produce a white paper from scratch.

Now, do you see why I had to interview him?! Most freelancers don’t even dream of making this type of money. I can’t wait for this interview.

NOTE: As editorial is cyclical and slow during the summer, in July and August, the newsletter will be published once. In September, we go back to our twice-monthly publishing schedule. Subscribe today so you don't miss anything!**************************************************

Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.

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Subscriber Lists: The REAL reason website visitors won’t give you their email address

I’ve experienced some amazing growth to my newsletter since I started publishing it again a in June. However, from the amount of traffic my website and blog generate, I always feel like I should be getting more subscribers.

So, I’ve been pondering the question, “What are some of the things that make people not subscribe, even when they, ostensibly, like and continually visit your site?”

I majored in Sociology, so am curious about this from a “how and why human beings do what they do” point of view, as well as from a business/marketing viewpoint.

Following is one major stumbling block I came up with – from personal experience. Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts.

POST CONTINUED BELOW
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Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.
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One Very REAL Reason Web Surfers Won’t Subscribe to Your Newsletter/Ezine

Most automatically think of the privacy issue when it comes to whether or not to subscribe, eg, they will sell my email address. I never think about this anymore, because any marketer worth their salt knows that they have to guarantee that as a matter of course.

The following is what keeps me from subscribing to a lot:

Don’t Sell Me! I subscribe to a very popular tech-oriented newsletter. It’s one of the few things that I do subscribe to.

The only reason I subscribe to it is I tend to have very little interest in technology, but realize that I need to keep abreast – even if only peripherally – of what’s going on in this genre.

I receive between 1-3 emails a day from this publisher. One of their daily contacts is their newsletter, which I find very informative. BUT, they also pitch a lot of products from their advertisers.

While I expect a sales pitch from time to time when I sign up to a publication – even if they say they won’t do this – it’s annoying to get 2, 3 and 4 sales messages a day.

If I’d known this when I signed up, I never would have – even though their newsletter is great.

So, you may be thinking, “Why don’t you just unsubscribe?” Well, I did. BUT, I still receiver their emails.

How to Get Unsatisfied Subscribers to Stay on Your List

When I unsubscribed, their little pop-up screen gave a message that read somewhat like, “It will take between 5-7 days before your email is removed from our system. Please forgive any correspondence during this time.”

<> Why haven’t I been more persistent about unsubscribing? The short answer is, I’m way too busy to follow up on minor annoyances like this. The other reason is, quite frankly, their content is very interesting.

I’d venture to say that 60% of their topics interest me and even though it frustrates me that that are such slaves to their advertisers, obviously their content makes me want to click. So, it’s a love-hate relationship I have with them.

In the end, who wins? They do because I continually open their emails and have even considered purchasing some of the products/services their advertisers push.

So, how do they get me, an unsatisfied subscriber toa large degree, to stay on their list

Well, one, they make it hard to unsubscribe. I don’t know if it really takes them 5-7 days to remove me from their list or not. But, obviously, this “delay” tactic is working. EVEN THOUGH, I do not recommend this. When subscribers ask to be removed, it should be done immediately.

The most effective thing they have going from them though is their useful, timely, relevant content. They serve a purpose for me -- keeping me “in the know about technology.”

The overall point I’d like to make here: From a human perspective, most of us don’t like to be sold to. BUT, if you give us a good reason to hear you (eg, read your newsletter, subscribe to your ezine), we will leave the door open to be sold to over and over again.

So, considering this, what can you do to turn visitors into subscribers? In this case, let potential subscribers know how often you will – or perhaps more importantly – will NOT, contact them.

Many newsletter publishers tell us up front how often we will receive their newsletter, but they don’t tell us how often they will contact us overall.

I know I’d feel a lot better about subscribing to a website if I had an idea of how often they’d be popping up in my inbox.

Moving forward, this is a policy I’m going to implement (look for it in the next newsletter).

How Often Should You Contact Your Subscribers?

This depends on your publication, your niche, your audience’s expectations, etc. I think though that a good rule of thumb is at least monthly – at a bare minimum. Otherwise, you run the risk of your subscribers forgetting who you are.

The whole point of a newsletter, ezine, etc. is to remain top of mind with your database so that when they are ready to purchase the type of product/service you offer you will be the first one they think of. Minimally, monthly contact establishes this.

The more often you can “comfortably and unobtrusively” contact your database, the better. The reason comfortably and unobtrusively is in quotation marks is that if contact is too often, you run the risk of having subscribers unsubscribe, which is in essence chasing off business.

But, you may be lamenting, “I want/need to contact my subscribers more often. How can I do that without running them off?”

When Should Contact Be Daily?

There are some instances where you can, in my opinion, contact your database daily – and have them look forward to the contact. Eg:

“Joke of the Day” emails, “Find the ___ and Win a Prize Contest,” “Daily Update on ___”.

You must prime your audience for this type of contact though. Let them know up front that in addition to your regular newsletter, for example, that you also send a “Joke of the Day,” to “lighten their load.”

I don’t think most visitors subscribe the first time they visit your site. There is a wooing period – kinda like dating. Sure, you get me intrigued on the first date – enough so that I want a second one. I’m even more impressed on the second date, enough to look forward to a third date.

I may even “investigate” you before our third date (eg, read through a few months of your blog posts and or tool around your website for awhile).

Loving what I see, I look forward to our third date (eg, the next newsletter). So, I take action (eg, subscribe) – instead of waiting for you to do so.

The Bottom Line: Remember, people subscribe to things that will help them solve some type of problem they have. Whether it’s making money, saving time, cutting down on their commute, marketing more effectively, etc. Most are after a benefit.

Keep this in mind every time you communicate with your audience – and they will think of you as a go-to, informative source – and subscribe.

<>Your Thoughts: I’d love to know what you think about this. What is the thinking process that makes you go: “Yeah, this is worthy of me typing in my email address? What makes you be a regular reader, yet not a subscriber?”
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Upcoming Features in Inkwell Editorial’s Newsletter

July 18: Paula Mooney. Blogger who helps other bloggers “make money, get readers and increase their blog’s ranking.” Paula will reveal how she makes money online, and how she’s built a very popular blog in only a few month’s time.

If you currently have a blog, or are thinking about starting one, you won’t want to miss this interview!

August 15: Meryl K. Evans. I tapped Meryl for an interview because she’s found success in the B2B niche. Meryl has written for some pretty notable clients, eg, PC Today, O’Reilly and Pearson to name a few.

This is where the real money in freelance writing is folks (B2B). I’m as anxious to see what she has to say as I hope you are!

September 12: Gordon Graham. We ring in the “editorial season” by interviewing Gordon Graham, aka “that white paper guy.” Gordon writes and edits white papers and case studies. He charges $90/hour just to edit a white paper and a minimum of $4,000 to produce a white paper from scratch.

Now, do you see why I had to interview him?! Most freelancers don’t even dream of making this type of money. I can’t wait for this interview.

NOTE: As editorial is cyclical and slow during the summer, in July and August, the newsletter will be published once. In September, we go back to our twice-monthly publishing schedule. Subscribe today so you don't miss anything!
**************************************************
Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.
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Like what you read here? Find the content useful and informative? Make us a Technorati Favorite. Simply click the Technorati icon at the top right-hand corner of the page.

Freelance Employers Speak!

Face-to-face time with employers who hire freelancers -- that’s what you’re going to get in Inkwell Editorial’s upcoming freelance writing seminar in October.

First, I apologize for not posting this yesterday. I was at an all-day seminar (there's always something to learn) and when I got home and logged on, I discovered a spyware bug in my system that literally hijacked my pages. It was a nightmare to fix. I was too tired to deal with it last night and spent most of the day today fixing it.

Meryl Evans, a techie who also happens to be Inkwell Editorial’s August newsletter interviewee, gave me this piece of advice, which I’m passing along to you, “Remember to have an anti-monsterware app always running. Your geeky tip for the day. :)”

So, back to the freelance writing seminar: Who’s going to be there and what are they going to be able to tell you about freelancing? Read on.

POST CONTINUED BELOW
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Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.
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PANELISTS/SPEAKERS FOR UPCOMING FREELANCE WRITING SEMINAR

Lisa Calhoun: Lisa is the founder of Write 2 Market, the largest business writing agency in the Southeast. Write 2 Market’s client list includes UPS, ADP, NAPA and Aquent, to name a few.

Write 2 Market provides value to their clients by creating marketing campaigns, public relations initiatives, training, technical documentation and so much more. Learn more about Write 2 Market (W2M) here.

When I contacted Lisa about being a panelsit, she replied:

I love the opportunity to address pools of freelance writers—as the largest writing agency in the Southeast, we have continual needs for talented business writers and it’s a great way for us to get in front of them and potentially recruit. . . . we like to work with new writers because we can train them in our own styles and procedures.

Lisa was so nice and enthusiastic about this opportunity – she made me feel like I’d be doing her a favor by “allowing” her to present, instead of the other way around.

Keith Bishop: Keith is the founder of Pitch Graphics, a design studio with clients like Sherwin-Williams, Durex, Kimberly-Clark, CIBA Vision, DeltaTel, Solvay Pharmaceuticals and Norcom, to name a few.

Keith has been in business for himself since graduating from college. A product design and development specialist, he’s been in the advertising industry for almost 25 years.

Keith’s real value for seminar attendees will be in relaying how start, run and grow a successful freelance business, be it writing, graphics or photography.

As he works in tandem with freelance writers supplied by clients, Keith will also tell you know how to effectively work with a “team” that you may not see every day, and how to parlay that into more work from clients.

Keith was really forthcoming about what he could bring to this seminar. He, in essence told me that what he felt most strongly talking about was how to grow a creative business. As many freelancers don’t start out with this mindset, hearing it from someone who’s been at it for almost 25 years will be invaluable.

I’m honored that he’s taking time from his business to spend the day giving others insight on what it really takes. This is the type of first-hand advice that can really make or break your freelance career.

FYI, freelancers can exponentially increase their income by teaming up with those outside their expertise, eg, a graphic designer. As Pitch Graphics proves, “Simplifying the work flow for the client by combining a variety of creative services under one roof” can be a highly effective way of garnering repeat clients.

Learn more about Keith and Pitch Graphics here.

Think it’ll be worth your while to come out and meet Ms. Calhoun and Mr. Bishop?

So, what do you need to do to sign up? Right now, Send us your email address and we will reserve your spot and contact you when registration begins in late August. No payment is due now. If email link is not clickable, send an email to info [at] InkwellEditorial [dot] com. Put "Seminar Attendee" in the subject line.

If you’re considering freelance writing as a career, or are already freelancing but just don’t seem to be able to make an effective go of it – this seminar is a must!

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
http://inkwelleditorial.com/
http://inkwelleditorial.blogspot.com/
P.S.: I have to say, I was pretty nervous contacting these professionals because I know how valuable their time is. I was surprised at how eager they were for a chance to share their insight – and recruit as well.

As I’ve said before, freelance writing is a career with a relatively low entry barrier where you can make a really good living – for years to come from the comfort of your home.

P.P.S.: There are no barriers to becoming a freelance writer! Age is not a barrier, income is not a barrier, education is not a barrier. Almost anyone --with the right tools -- can start a successful career as a freelance writer. This seminar will show you how -- from A to Z.

P.P.P.S.: Remember, there will also be a web designer at the seminar who’ll talk about possibly the number one marketing tool every freelance writer must have – a website! And, of course I’ll be there to answer questions on everything – from business to marketing to failures (and how to learn from them).

I can’t wait to see you there -- what a day we're going to have!

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Upcoming Features in Inkwell Editorial’s Newsletter

July 18: Paula Mooney. Blogger who helps other bloggers “make money, get readers and increase their blog’s ranking.” Paula will reveal how she makes money online, and how she’s built a very popular blog in only a few month’s time.

If you currently have a blog, or are thinking about starting one, you won’t want to miss this interview!

August 15: Meryl K. Evans. I tapped Meryl for an interview because she’s found success in the B2B niche. Meryl has written for some pretty notable clients, eg, PC Today, O’Reilly and Pearson to name a few.

This is where the real money in freelance writing is folks (B2B). I’m as anxious to see what she has to say as I hope you are!

September 12: Gordon Graham. We ring in the “editorial season” by interviewing Gordon Graham, aka “that white paper guy.” Gordon writes and edits white papers and case studies. He charges $90/hour just to edit a white paper and a minimum of $4,000 to produce a white paper from scratch.

Now, do you see why I had to interview him?! Most freelancers don’t even dream of making this type of money. I can’t wait for this interview.

NOTE: As editorial is cyclical and slow during the summer, in July and August, the newsletter will be published once. In September, we go back to our twice-monthly publishing schedule. Subscribe today so you don't miss anything!
**************************************************
Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.
**************************************************
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4 Things to Be Aware of When Building an Online Niche Business

From 2002 through 2005, I ran an online ethnic decor business, Ethnic Home Décor. The site featured ethnic décor accents for the home, eg, mudcloth pillows, ethnic candles, wall art, etc.
Even though I shut it down due to lackluster sales, it was fun and I learned a lot.

Why do I bring this up? Well, piggybacking on my 6/28 post about creating multiple income streams, I wanted to: (i) explain exactly how to go about creating an online niche business; and (ii) remind you that if you do decide to go this route, try and make it an offshoot of your current freelance business.

Eg, if you're a freelance writer, opening a CafePress shop selling t-shirts with your witticisms. Staying somewhat in the same line will make your online niche business so much easier than if you decide to start a separate venture in another arena altogether.

Remember, starting a business is a monstrous undertaking with no guarantee of success. Niche businesses, though, may offer a better than average chance for survival, for the following reasons:

POST CONTINUED BELOW

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Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.

**************************************************

"Niche startups are good in that they offer you a chance to focus all your branding and marketing in one area and expand on those core customers as you grow your company [emphasis added]," according to Ira Davidson, director of the Small Business Development Center at Pace University in New York City. [Source: Entrepreneur.com, "Scratch a Niche," August 2005]

So, how do you start an online niche business? I'll tell you by way of my story.

One Entrepreneur's Startup Story

Ethnic Home Décor grew out of my love for sewing. You can read the background details on Entrepreneur.com, which featured the business in February 2005.

Website: Once friends started asking me to make a pillow for them one too many times, I thought, "Hmm, I should get a website."

So, I registered the domain name and built my website using FrontPage software. As I initially only had a few products, it was a very simple site. Following are some things to look out for when building your online niche website.

4 Things to Look Out for When Building a Niche Business

1. Website: If you can build your own website, do so. Use templates whenever possible - especially if you have little or no money.

There is so much do-it-yourself website building software out there that it's easy to learn how to build a site. And, it'll be cheaper because, trust me, you'll be changing it a lot - especially: (i) in the beginning; and (ii) if you offer different products.

DO get a dedicated web name and a reliable, but cost-effective host. Eg, at Namecheap.com, you can register a domain name for as little as $8.88. You can even register one for as little as $1.99. I've been a user of Namecheap for years. I like them because they make it easy to transfer domain names, forward URLs, etc.

As for hosting, you shouldn't pay more than $10/month for hosting fees - at least in the beginning. If you start to get more traffic, you can pay for more space, but don't pay for more than you need up front.

Get with a host provider though who is reliable and offers expanded services because you don't want to have to migrate your whole store to a different host provider if you do grow exponentially.

2. Payment Processor: I signed up for a merchant account, which, if I remember correctly, costs about $100 to sign up and charged a monthly fee of $24.95/month, plus a percentage of each sale. Novice mistake!

Use a payment processor like PayPal. It's become much more accepted now than it was back in 2002 (it used to be looked on as cheesy and subpar).

It's FREE to sign up with PayPal, and they get a percentage of each sale. So, if you don't sell anything from your site, you don't pay anything.

3. Product Offerings: Wanting to round out my product offerings, I searched for vendors who sold ethnic products wholesale. Don't take on too many products at one time, which is a mistake I made.

You may wind up with a lot of unsold merchandise sitting in your basement.

To avoid this, look for vendors who don't require you to buy a lot up front. Many wholesalers have minimums, so expect that. So, by all means round out your product line, but don't be in a rush to do so with too many at one time.

4. Marketing: Building an online niche business - or any business for that matter - requires marketing. I employed free and low-cost methods like press releases, free article marketing and a newsletter.

I really kind of surprised myself in this area with what a little determination and a lot of effort brought. I managed to get the name out there to some impressive publications, eg, Entrepreneur.com and The Wall Street Journal's RealEstateJournal.com.

I even got a call from Essence magazine about being featured, but had decided to close the business before I managed to get a firm commitment from them.

If I had one thing to do over in this arena, I would have tightly focused my marketing more.

As a side note, I was running Inkwell Editorial at the same time, so was unable to give this one all the attention that it needed. That was a valuable lesson learned. NEVER try to run two businesses at one time, especially if your primary business is a freelance business -- not a full-time job that pays the bills.

Nine times out of 10, you're going to be working full-time while you get your niche business off the ground. To grow it into a full-time enterprise, you will have to be super focused in the time that you do give to it.

Online niche businesses are fun and you can avoid a lot of headache in the beginning if you keep the above in mind as you start.

Tomorrow's Post: I've secured our two employer panelists for the upcoming freelance writer's seminar in October. Tomorrow, I'll tell you who they are. This seminar is shaping up to be so much more than I ever dreamed possible. I'm so excited -- and lucky! -- to have nabbed these two panelists. I'll tell you EXACTLY why if you're currently a freelancer, or thinking about becoming one, you'll want to be hear what these employers -- who hire and deal with freelancers on a regular basis -- have to say.

Win "My" Blog Profits for One Month!

Well, not mine, exactly. Courtney Tuttle's. Let me explain.

As this is the only post I'll be doing this week due to the holiday, I wanted to leave you with something to think about moving forward -- viral marketing.

Courtney Tuttle created a contest whereby readers could win his blog's profits for an entire month. He did it for two months. Read about it here. Talk about putting your marketing on steroids.

POST CONTINUED BELOW
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Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.
**************************************************

You see, viral marketing is all about getting eyeballs to your site/blog. Contests, awards, hot topics (eg, Paula Mooney's blog is great for this), etc. can all be made into great viral marketing campaigns.

Take "The Thinking Blogger's Award," which this blog was tapped for twice (way cool!). Read about that here. Even though the guy who created it no longer has an active site, the award lives on.

Site traffic leads to subscribers (regular readers). This builds trust, which eventually leads to sales. So, start thinking of some viral marketing ideas for your site/blog and watch your sales and subscribers increase.

To my American counterparts, enjoy the upcoming 4th of July holiday. During your festivities, please keep the troops of every nation in mind -- whether you agree with the war or not/ The freedoms we enjoy, especially in this country, are due directly to their incredible sacrifices.

I'm going to take this week and catch up on some "backburnered" projects. I'll join you back here on Monday, the 9th.

Always editorially yours,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
http://inkwelleditorial.com/
http://inkwelleditorial.blogspot.com/
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Upcoming Features in Inkwell Editorial’s Newsletter

July 18: Paula Mooney: Blogger who helps other bloggers “make money, get readers and increase their blog’s ranking.” Paula will reveal how she makes money online, and how she’s built a very popular blog in only a few month’s time.

If you currently have a blog, or are thinking about starting one, you won’t want to miss this interview!

August 15: Meryl K. Evans. I tapped Meryl for an interview because she’s found success in the B2B niche. Meryl has written for some pretty notable clients, eg, PC Today, O’Reilly and Pearson to name a few.

This is where the real money in freelance writing is folks (B2B). I’m as anxious to see what she has to say as I hope you are!

September 12: We ring in the “editorial season” by interviewing Gordon Graham, aka “that white paper guy.” Gordon writes and edits white papers and case studies. He charges $90/hour just to edit a white paper and a minimum of $4,000 to produce a white paper from scratch.

**************************************************

Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.

**************************************************

Like what you read here? Find the content useful and informative? Make us a Technorati Favorite. Simply click the Technorati icon at the top right-hand corner of the page.

Now, do you see why I had to interview him?! Most freelancers don’t even dream of making this type of money. I can’t wait for this interview.

NOTE: As editorial is cyclical and slow during the summer, in July and August, the newsletter will be published once. In September, we go back to our twice-monthly publishing schedule. Subscribe today so you don't miss anything!
*************************************************

Freelancers: Advice on Creating Multiple Income Streams

Many freelancers have several income streams -- whether it's working a full-time job and writing on the side, or doing the writing and design for their web design business.

The Skinny on Creating Multiple Income Streams

Whether you have several income streams from the same business, or pursue two different ventures altogether, what it adds up to is splitting your time, money and energy between two businesses, which leads me to the following.

POST CONTINUED BELOW
**************************************************
Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.

**************************************************

I recently became a contributor to Yahoo Answers, which by the way, is an excellent way to build your credibility and convert prospects into paying customers.

What is Yahoo! Answers? Those seeking answers to questions write in with their concern, and anyone - hopefully with knowledge -- answer them. You get credits for Best Answers, which increases your visibility. Learn more here.

The top contributor in the category I like, Business & Finance, is Isabel Isidro, the co-founder of PowerHomeBiz.com http://www.powerhomebiz.com/, an online magazine for home business entrepreneurs.

PowerHomeBiz.com, by the way, is one of the best sites on the web for dispensing information on starting a business - any type of business - from home. At any rate, a user wrote in with the following question on YahooAnswers:

Question: I have two ideas for a very niche but underserved market and I'd like to get my foot in the door now with both of them. They are two very different businesses that target the same market. When both are up and running they can actually support each other.

One is a publication and the other is clothing manufacturing. The publication could potentially serve as an advertising medium for the apparel.

Should I focus on one first? If so, which one should I start with?The reason I want to do both at the same time, is that I'm worried other competitors may get there before me - the old "don't steal my idea" syndrome..:)

Mucho Gracias

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Answer: My answer to the question, "Is it wise to start two businesses at the same time?"

Dear Amitaf:

I can tell you from personal experience that you should definitely NOT start two businesses at the same time -- even if they are in the same niche. I did this a few years ago, and I barely escaped with one business intact. One was an editorial staffing agency. The other was an online, ethnic crafts business, EthnicHomeDecor.com, which did not survive.

Get one off the ground first and make it profitable. Then, start the second one. Why? Two reasons:

(1) Money: You don't want to split your resources. Marketing -- of any business -- will take up a huge chunk of your startup capital. Most entrepreneurs don't have enough of this to go around. Don't split it between two enterprises. Use it to build a solid foundation for one business.

Once that one is successful, it could support the other one -- especially as they are in the same niche.

(2) Time: As you probably know, starting a business takes herculean effort. I've owned two businesses over the last 10 years and I can tell you, it's exhausting. It takes all of your energy to grow one business to the point where it not only gets past the initial stage, but grows into a self-supporting entity.

Dividing your time between two is like putting in half the effort -- even though you will be working twice as hard. Give 100% to one first. Then, take the profits from that to finance the second.

As for other people stealing your idea(s), don't worry about that at all. Why? Again, two reasons.

Why You Shouldn't Worry About Others Stealing Your Ideas

(1) Follow-through: While many think an idea is great, most are not proactive enough to follow through. As I'm sure you know, a great idea is one thing -- doing the work of researching the feasibility of an idea, putting together a business plan, and actually doing the work to get the enterprise open is something else altogether.

Many don't have what it takes to get past the "this is a great idea!" stage.

(2) Passion: The fact that you're so excited by this idea that you have gotten so far as to contemplate opening not one, but two, businesses around your idea says that you're passionate about it. This will leave most in the dust right there.

Passion and hard work eliminate most would-be "idea stealers," so, again, don't even worry about it.

I hope I've given you enough insight to make your decision. Whatever you decide, good luck!

###END OF RESPONSE###

FYI, this was chosen as the best answer from all those who responded, which got me added points on my very first try - tres cool!

Many freelancers flit from idea to idea in an effort to build enough of an income to sustain themselves. But, experience has taught me that giving my all -- time, energy and money -- to one venture, if done correctly, is much more profitable in the long run.

That's why I like working within a niche. You can create several income streams within it to make a really good living. Eg, I'm a freelance writer and have created several income streams as a freelance writer -- my ebooks and on- and offline seminars are two. I have a couple of more in the works over the next few years.

However, if I hadn't built my reputation in one, I'd never have been able to do the others. Remember, people buy expertise -- what you can do for them.

Remember, flitting from one thing to the next dilutes your expertise (brand, marketing); it doesn't enhance it. So, stick with one thing long enough to piggyback off of its success.

Good luck!
**************************************************
Upcoming Features in Inkwell Editorial’s Newsletter

July 18: Paula Mooney: Blogger who helps other bloggers “make money, get readers and increase their blog’s ranking.” Paula will reveal how she makes money online, and how she’s built a very popular blog in only a few month’s time.

If you currently have a blog, or are thinking about starting one, you won’t want to miss this interview!

August 15: Meryl K. Evans. I tapped Meryl for an interview because she’s found success in the B2B niche. Meryl has written for some pretty notable clients, eg, PC Today, O’Reilly and Pearson to name a few.

This is where the real money in freelance writing is folks (B2B). I’m as anxious to see what she has to say as I hope you are!

September 12: We ring in the “editorial season” by interviewing Gordon Graham, aka “that white paper guy.” Gordon writes and edits white papers and case studies.

He charges $90/hour just to edit a white paper and a minimum of $4,000 to produce a white paper from scratch.

Now, do you see why I had to interview him?! Most freelancers don’t even dream of making this type of money. I can’t wait for this interview.

NOTE: As editorial is cyclical and slow during the summer, in July and August, the newsletter will be published once. In September, we go back to our twice-monthly publishing schedule. Subscribe today so you don't miss anything!
**************************************************
Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.
**************************************************
Like what you read here? Find the content useful and informative? Make us a Technorati Favorite. Simply click the Technorati icon at the top right-hand corner of the page.

How to Get an Expert to Agree to An Interview

In yesterday’s post, we discussed three ways to find interviewees for your newsletter. Here, we'll go over what to say to them to get them to agree to be interviewed for your newsletter.

How to Get an Expert to Agree to An Interview for Your Newsletter (Website, Ebook, Sales Material, etc.)

POST CONTINUED BELOW

**************************************************

Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.
**************************************************

Following are three areas you should cover when approaching a subject you want to interview for your publication.

1. Who You Are: Unless you 100% know for sure that your subject knows who you are, introduce yourself.

If you want to interview this person, nine times out of ten it's because they're pretty successful - which means that they're busy. So, a request for an interview from "Jim" means nothing to them.

Introduce yourself in a professional manner, which leads me the second area you want to cover, your profession:

2. What You Do: Mention your website, blog, newsletter, etc. in your initial correspondence. Provide a brief bio with links to further information so the interviewee gets a thorough overview of who you are and what you do.

This will allow them to make an informed decision based on sound information. Remember, it's innately self-serving to link yourself to those who are successful and/or who are a good reflection on you. So, make it easy for your target to say yes.

Your website should be professional. Your correspondence should be professional. Your blog should be professional. These are all reflections of you - and ultimately of the person you want to interview. Make it a good one.

3. Why You Want to Interview Them: Tell the prospect why you want to interview them. Tell them from a what's in it for them view, not a what's in it for you.

Eg, "As you provide job for freelancers and my site is about the business of freelancing, I'd like my subscribers to hear your take on the subject."Many interviewees, especially if they have a website, are promoting something.

Whether it be their services, their ebooks, speaking engagements, etc. So, they're only too glad to do an interview to get their name in front of more prospects - especially if it's worded in the right way.

ACTUAL "REQUEST FOR INTERVIEW" LETTER

Following is a letter I wrote to a Clark Covington of Internet Research Associates, whom I interviewed for the second issue of my newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. It covers all three areas mentioned above.

Dear Mr. Covington:

I read about your organization in the AssociatedContent.com forum. I came across the post by Kathy Browning.

My name is Yuwanda Black and I'm the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com and InkwellEditorial.blogspot.com. The site and its accompanying blog are all about the business of freelancing.

We serve as an internet portal, providing advice, case studies, seminars, e-books, etc. to those who want to freelance -- full or part-time.

All that being said, I'd like to feature you in an interview -- as you provide work-from-home opportunities for freelancers. If interested, please answer the following 8 questions. Of course, I'll let you know beforehand when it will be published, and will send you a link to the post once it is live.

I look forward to hearing from you. The questions are pasted below.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
InkwellEditorial.com
InkwellEditorial.blogspot.com

Simple, direct and to the point. So far, everyone I’ve asked for an interview has complied. Fingers crossed to your success in querying interviewees.

******************************************************
Upcoming Features in Inkwell Editorial’s Newsletter

July 18: Paula Mooney: Blogger who helps other bloggers “make money, get readers and increase their blog’s ranking.” Paula will reveal how she makes money online, and how she’s built a very popular blog in only a few month’s time.

If you currently have a blog, or are thinking about starting one, you won’t want to miss this interview!

August 15: Meryl K. Evans. I tapped Meryl for an interview because she’s found success in the B2B niche. Meryl has written for some pretty notable clients, eg, PC Today, O’Reilly and Pearson to name a few.

This is where the real money in freelance writing is folks (B2B). I’m as anxious to see what she has to say as I hope you are!

September 12: We ring in the “editorial season” by interviewing Gordon Graham, aka “that white paper guy.” Gordon writes and edits white papers and case studies.

He charges $90/hour just to edit a white paper and a minimum of $4,000 to produce a white paper from scratch.

Now, do you see why I had to interview him?! Most freelancers don’t even dream of making this type of money. I can’t wait for this interview.

NOTE: As editorial is cyclical and slow during the summer, in July and August, the newsletter will be published once. In September, we go back to our twice-monthly publishing schedule.

TOMORROW'S POST: Tomorrow we'll explore the topic, "Is it Wise to Start Two Businesses at the Same Time?" Many freelancers have several income streams -- whether it's working a full-time job and writing on the side, or doing the writing and design for their web design business. I'll offer some sage advice -- learned from first-hand experience, of course.

**************************************************
Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.
**************************************************
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Newsletter Profits: How to Find Experts to Interview for Your Newsletter

I recently relaunched my company's newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career.

One of the reasons I initially stopped publishing the newsletter was because I wanted to revamp it. A major change I wanted to make was to providing more first-hand information -- from more than just myself.

I think one of the best ways to learn something is to ask someone who is already doing that exact thing. So, my logic behind revamping the newsletter was to include more industry experts, success stories, "How I did it" insight, etc.

All of this being said, I knew that I was going to have to find appropriate professionals to interview. Following are three ways to find experts to interview for your newsletter (or website, or ebook, etc.).

POST CONTINUED BELOW
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Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.
**************************************************
3 Ways to Find Experts to Interview for Your Newsletter

Hit the Web: Of course, this is the first place to go. The web offers a variety of ways to find excellent interviewees. Employing the suggestions below, you will never run out of experts to interview.

On a side note, I often wonder how anything got done before the internet. Can you imagine being a freelance writer without the internet? But, I digress.

General Search: You may be thinking, "Go to the web and do what?" Well, if you have no clear-cut path, start with the title of the professional you want to interview.

For example, as my newsletter focuses on creative freelancers, my targets are freelance writers, graphic designers, editors, illustrators, web designers, playwrights, etc.

So, my Google search may include phrases like "freelance writer"; "freelance graphic designer"; "freelance web designer"'; etc.

Then, simply start visiting the websites of those who pop up and contact them, asking if they are willing to be interviewed in your newsletter.

Forums: Forums are another great place to find experts to interview in your newsletter. That's how I found the interviewee for the premiere version of my newly relaunched newsletter, Michelle L. Devon of AccentuateServices.com.

I came across Michelle's post about how she'd started her freelance career with Elance.com, raking in $10,000 in one year from this job site alone. This allowed her to go on to build a successful career as a writer, editor, novelist, etc.

Freelancers who participate in forums tend to be very good interviewees because they often give in-depth information and analyses. This is probably because they like, and are accustomed to, sharing and exchanging information.

Comments Section of Websites: Look in the feedback section (if there is one) of websites you frequent and click on the hyperlinks of those who've left comments.

This is a good place to find quality interviewees because: I) they obviously have opinions they want to share; and ii) they're probably interested in, and know about the same things you're interested in (after all, you found them on a site you frequent).

First-hand Information Leads to Newsletter Profits

The internet puts first-hand information literally right at your fingertips. Use it to create a must-read publication your subscribers will depend on. This opens up several revenue streams for you as an online entrepreneur.

Good luck if you decide to give it a go.

TOMORROW'S POST: Now that you know why interviewing experts leads to profits, find out what to go about effectively interviewing them. Tomorrow's post will cover 3 areas you should touch on when interviewing experts for your newsletter.
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Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.

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Turn Website Reviews into Easy Cash - FREE Website Review Template for Freelance Writers

On Friday, I published a Product Review Template here. I also created a Restaurant Review Template freelance writers can use to cut their writing time in half - and essentially double their income on these types of projects.

Here, I'll lay out a website review template, which will, hopefully, do the same thing. Marching on: The Website Review Template.

POST CONTINUED BELOW
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Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.
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I've only written one website review -- NameCheap.com. So, I'm going on limited experience here. But, as several ideas for other website reviews come to mind, following is the formula I'm going to follow:

Section I: Here, I list why I use the site and/or why I'm reviewing it. I don't like to review things I haven't used and/or am not extremely familiar with. For me, it's an ethics issue.

Nowadays, with more and more pay-for-review websites, blogs, etc. abounding, many do so. This is fine - if you come clean with your reader. After all, the beauty of a review is that the reviewer has some first-hand knowledge of the innerworkings of the product/service.

Section II: Features. What the product is, how it offers its service, the price, unique benefits, why it's better than XYZ site, etc. For example, in my review of NameCheap.com, I write:

NameCheap makes it easy for you to transfer domain names - to and from - them. They describe how to enter server information for your hosts by giving easy-to-understand examples. If you're a non-techie, this is extremely helpful. And, the best part of this - it's extremely affordable, starting at $8.88 (the same price as registering a domain name).

What you choose to highlight about a product/service will depend on how/why you use it, so be sure to list some things you may not think are important.

A catch-all category like: "Other Features That May Interest You" will allow you to list two or three more things about a website that you've never even given a second thought to.

You may surprise yourself. Digging for this type of information may expand how you use a website.

Section III: Dislikes. Here you may list things you don't like about a site - as well as tips, hints, advice, and/or suggestions for the webmaster to consider. Most site owners love feedback - they practically beg for it - positive and negative.

Dislike Tip: When listing a dislike about a site, going outside of your scope of use is not advised simply because how can you write about something that you don't know about. However, feel free to offer tips and suggestions on things you'd like to see on a site.

This section is not for dislikes only - after all, you may have nothing bad to say about a site. So, suggestions on things you like to see added work well here.

Section IV: Conclusion. This section is optional, but I like to leave readers with an overall impression of my experience with the site in this section. A simple one or two-line paragraph works fine.

Eg, my wrap-up for the NameCheap.com review I did: "All in all, a great site to register your domain name."

TOMORROW'S POST: Want to publish a money-making newsletter? Interviews with experts are one way to go about it. Tomorrow, we'll discuss how to go about finding appropriate experts to interview in your newsletter who will increase your subscriber and referral rates -- and your product purchases. Information is where it's at folks -- and first-hand info is KING!
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Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.
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Quick Money-making Freelance Writing Template

Usually, I don't post on Fridays because I figure no one is reading anyway. BUT, this is so good I thought, why save it. Eventually, it'll be discovered!

Following is a quick money-making and time-saving freelance writing template, AND a site you can write for immediately to pick up some easy cash.

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you probably know that I submit articles to AssociatedContent.com (AC). For the uninitiated, AC is a media site that pays writers for articles.

You can write about anything you want -- from politics to sports to entertainment to business. As long as the article is 400 words and well-written, it has a good chance of being published.

The pay will not make you rich -- it ranges from $3 to $50/article -- but the beauty of this site is that if you want to churn out kickaround money, or even write enough to make it a part-time or full-time gig, you can.

Now, my template. I've done a few reviews here and there (product, restaurant and website). In order to cut down on the writing time, I created templates. So, instead of spending 45 minutes on a review, I can now write one in 20 minutes or so.

My reviews average around $5/each, so that's a quick $15/hour -- again, nothing to write home about, but enough to cover car gas and a make a margarita run with a girlfriend. Following is the template -- in the form of an article I submitted to AC.

Hope you can put it to good use! And, feel free to pass it on.

POST CONTINUED BELOW
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Freelance Writing Seminar: Learn exactly what to do to earn $100, $150, $200/day or more as a freelance writer, editor and/or copy editor in our upcoming seminar. Details. It's a career anyone who can read and write can start -- with the right information.

$10,000 in one year from one "client" alone; From $0 to $600K in profits in two years: Learn how these successful freelancers carved out profitable careers in our highly popular newsletter, How to Start a Successful Freelance Career. Subscribe today. FYI, you get a FREE ebook on article marketing when you subscribe.

Gain clients, web traffic and brand awareness. How? Let us interview you for our popular newsletter? Full details. Read the first issue here.

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As a freelance writer, I'm always trying to maximize my time. A couple of months ago, I realized that I could cut my writing time practically in half by using templates for things like Product Reviews, Restaurant Reviews and Website Reviews.

As I wrote a series of Restaurant Reviews at one sitting, I created a Restaurant Review Template - to rave reviews. Here, I'll lay out a Product Review Template.

Product Review Template

Section I: In this section, I usually relay why I bought and/or needed this product to begin with. Providing this type of background information lets readers know where you're coming from, so to speak.

For example, I'm a runner. In my product review of Lady Speed Stick, I tell readers this so they can judge the effectiveness of it - for their lifestyle. This also adds to your credibility as a user.

Section II: Components/Special Features of the product. Here I'll list such things as price, outstanding functions, unusual functions, how I've used it, etc.

For example, in my review of my digital camera, the Canon PowerShot S200, one of the things I listed that I liked about the camera was how easy it was to use it. I wrote:

Literally, it's point and shoot. There's no figuring out lighting, how to minimize/maximize color, whether to use a flash, etc. The camera does all of this "thinking" for you.

There may be many features of a product, so how do you decide what to write about? I list the features that I liked - and why. Again, providing up-front information like why you purchased this product will give readers of your review valuable insight into why you chose to highlight this feature.

As a catch-all, you can list other features in a separate paragraph, like I did in my camera review piece, under the "Other Cool Feature" category.

What you list here may very well be THE selling point to another reader.

Section III: Here, I usually list things I dislike and/or would change about the product. I always explain why, because, again, what may be a dislike to you may be a selling point to other potential buyers.

For example, in my review of my new cell phone, the Nokia 6030, I wrote:

The fonts on this phone are small compared to my other phone. There's no way to increase the size, and as someone who has less-than-perfect vision (alright, I could probably qualify as legally blind!), that's annoying, especially first thing in the morning.

Section IV: The wrap up. Here I give my overall conclusion of the product - if I would buy it again, the thing I enjoy the most about it and if I would recommend it to others - and why (always provide the why).

MONDAY'S POST: Monday, I'll publish a Website Review Template.
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Copyright Notice: May be reprinted with the following, in full: Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to InkwellEditorial.com.

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