The Marketing Mix | official blog of the Marketing Mentor community

Newsflash: People are happy to hear from me.

Hi, I'm Deidre. In my posts, I talk about my voyage down the road of self-employment as a web copywriter, my achievements and roadblocks along the way, and what I’m learning as I go (with Marketing Mentor as my guide).

Would you stop being scared … if you knew you could reach out to prospects and they’d say this? 

“I love that you actively sought me out, and had these materials at the ready to send over. Good marketing efforts!” 

If that’s not enough reinforcement, here are a few more responses I got:

• “Thanks for touching base! And nice to meet you :) Yes, by all means please send me some samples of your work and your rates. I work with outside copywriters and usually have quite a bit of website copywriting reworking during redesigns.” 
• “I would love to set-up a time with you to chat about our project!  We need help writing copy for our new website, sales print materials and possible other endeavors.”
• “I DO hire copywriters. I would love if you sent over rates and samples. I am working with a new client right now….”

I mean, what is scary about these responses?

So far this year, I’ve introduced myself to 25 web designers. Pretty much, I’m finding web designers who I’d like to work with, saying hello via email, letting them know what I do, and asking them if they want to know more… 

After all, how am I going to grow my business if people don’t know about me? 

It’s this simple:

To reach my monthly goal, I need projects. (Do financial Mad Libs to find out how many.)

To get projects, I need clients.

To get clients, I need to introduce myself. 

You know I used to psyche myself out, but I’ve been mustering my courage—and the responses have been truly unexpected. (Thank you, Ilise, for giving me the tools.) 

Are you still scared? Reach out and see what happens. Prove your fear wrong. 

Need accountability? Email Ilise to find out about upcoming basic marketing groups to get the tools in place.

 

Here is my “2012 Goals + Prospects” Worksheet

Hi, I'm Deidre. In my posts, I talk about my voyage down the road of self-employment as a web copywriter, my achievements and roadblocks along the way, and what I’m learning as I go (with Marketing Mentor as my guide).

Recently, I shared what I accomplished in 2011. Want to know what I didn’t accomplish? Well, here it goes…

I did not meet 2+ prospect per week (even though I had a starburst on my wall). I did not meet anywhere close to 2+ prospects per week.

This was possibly my most important marketing task last year—and I didn’t do it.

Why?

Because I slacked. I lied to myself. I was a truth-stretcher.

The word, “meet,” was too vague. I justified this to myself by saying, “Sure, I met 2 people this week.” I didn’t track who I met, so it was easy to tally them favorably in my head.

Here’s the dilly. Vague goals don’t work. If there is room to “stretch the truth,” I will. Most of what I accomplished last year was clear-cut. The things I slacked on were greyer.

For 2012, my goals are black and white. First, if I do only one thing this year, it will be this:

Introduce myself to 5 new prospects per week.

The method doesn’t matter. It can be through email, phone, in-person or carrier pigeon. But I will track these people that I introduce myself to.

The simple fact is: My business will not grow unless people know about me.

I can’t rely on my meta tags. I can’t rely on word of mouth. The best way to meet new people is to simply say hello. This year, I’m getting serious about saying hello! (I’ve already said hello to 15 people this month.)

My specific goals for 2012 are:

• Meet the magic number every month
• Send my un-newsletter every month
• Introduce myself to 5 new prospects per week

I also want to track:

• How many projects I have each month
• The average invoice size per project
• How many prospects become clients
• Who I added to my email list (Marketing Mentor loves Emma for email marketing and offers a 20% partner discount!) 

To do this, I created a worksheet.

It’s super simple, but maybe it can help you too? 

Download my "2012 Goals + Prospects" worksheet here.

I’ve used formulas, so that when you update the prospect worksheet, it automatically updates the “Goals” worksheet with names, and denotes which prospects turned into clients, tallying each month.

What is the one thing you’re doing this year?

Are you a Grinch to yourself?

Hi, I'm Deidre. In my posts, I talk about my voyage down the road of self-employment as a website copywriter, my achievements and roadblocks along the way, and what I’m learning as I go (with Marketing Mentor as my guide).

Cheer abounds this December. It’s in the form of holiday parties, decorations and kids sitting on Santa’s lap. It’s in holiday concerts and home-baked goodies. It seems to be everywhere (well, except mall parking lots and on line at Macy’s ... there—a cheer infusion is needed desperately.)  

With cheer in the air, I started to think about my own cheer level. 

I consider myself a cheerful person.

I’m cheerful when I talk to clients. I love being nice to them.

For the most part, I’m cheerful to friends, strangers and animals (even the spiders I find in my house).

But am I as cheerful to myself as I am to others? Nope.

I started to recognize my inner monologue—and sometimes it’s downright mean.Too often, I tell myself things like, “You’re not doing good enough. You kinda suck.” 

Really, I should be saying, “You’re making some really good steps, let’s see where else you can grow.”

Would I tell someone else they suck? Would I tell that to my buddy, client or friend? Of course not. 

My gift to myself this Christmas is to be kinder. I will speak to myself with more encouragement and support. I will be my own Elf, and instead of toys, I will make self-niceness. 

How about you?

In this season of cheer, don’t forget to spread some inward cheer too.

Happy holidays! 

 

Do open rates really matter?

Hi, I'm Deidre. In my posts, I talk about my voyage down the road of self-employment as a website copywriter, my achievements and roadblocks along the way, and what I’m learning as I go (with Marketing Mentor as my guide).

My recent newsletter (Tired of waiting for copy?) had one of my lowest open rates yet—but its subject line was also the most targeted to my ideal audience. 

From talking to my current clients—I know that my ideal clients are the designers who are, in fact, tired of waiting for copy from their clients. This time, instead of trying to craft the most appealing subject line—I chose the most specific.

I used to give a lot of weight to open rates. But maybe they don’t matter so much? Here’s what I mean:

If your subject line is targeted to your ideal prospects, it means only serious prospects are opening your email. The ones who were only opening it—because it was catchy—aren’t. 

Though I may keep in touch with many designers—only some of these designers need the help of someone like me. Only some of them are “tired of waiting for copy.”

The goal of a newsletter list is to keep in touch with your best prospects. Right? Maybe those who open your most targeted mailings—are essentially raising their hands and saying, “I’m your best prospect!”

Maybe sending the most specific subject line possible—is the best indicator of who your best prospects are?

The question remains: Can the content of a newsletter with a catchy subject line (that draws not-so-ideal prospects to open) convince these people they need my help too? Perhaps. I’m not sure.

Which approach do you think is better? Here are some fun vs. specific subject lines from my past mailings: 

More fun subject lines with slightly higher open rates

• Have you spoken to Alex lately? 
• My obsession with big buns 
• Would you trust this man? 
• Honey, coffee and cheese: tasty or nasty? 
• Officer, I'm not playing it safe 

More specific subject lines with slightly lower open rates

• Tired of waiting for copy? 
• Stinky copy? 9 ways to tell your client. 

What’s better? Specific or fun?

Do you think open rates matter?

 

How did you get that client?

Hi, I'm Deidre. In my posts, I talk about my voyage down the road of self-employment as a website copywriter, my achievements and roadblocks along the way, and what I’m learning as I go (with Marketing Mentor as my guide).

My favorite TV show, American Pickers (where Frank & Mike scour America’s barns for “rusty gold”) inspired my recent newsletter, and today, it's inspiring this post. 

Whenever Frank and Mike buy a rare or spectacular piece, people always ask them:

“Frank and Mike, How on earth were you able to buy that?”

Frank and Mike say, “We asked!”

It just reinforced that to get what we want—we need to ask. (Even if it seems too rare, too spectacular, too unlikely.)

So, I asked 5 new prospects (designers) I’d been eyeing (as spectacular) if they ever need help from a copywriter like me. All 5 said yes. I would never have known, unless I asked. (Another reason for having a target market—is simply—so you know who to ask. If you need one, I can highly recommend a Beginner Marketing Group.)

Reaching out to new prospects is nothing more than asking, “Do you ever need help from someone like me?”

In The Proposal Bundle, Ilise says that sometimes, in the follow-up process of submitting a proposal, you need to “ask for the job.” 

Could it really be this simple? (I’m thinking, yes.)

What will you ask for today?

 

How many windows do you have open?

Hi, I'm Deidre. In my posts, I talk about my voyage down the road of self-employment as a website copywriter, my achievements and roadblocks along the way, and what I’m learning as I go (with Marketing Mentor as my guide).

I had a major moment of clarity this week: 

My stress is correlated to the number of windows I have open.

One window, loving life. 4 windows, flustered.  6 windows, stressed. 10 windows, volcanic meltdown.

Yes, I’m talking about how many projects/items are open on my computer. This may seem simple, but it’s taken me approximately four years to figure out. Too many open windows drastically depletes my peace-of-mind.

Alas, I can have a lot of work on my plate … as long as I don’t try to do everything at once!

I made great strides when I discovered the egg timer in March, but I slipped. More and more windows started to open. With the world’s quickness, it can be easy (for me) to lose focus and try to do too much at once. (Yikes, every piece of technology is beeping, bleeping and ringing at once!)

It’s my job alone to keep myself working the way I need to work! Not the way I think everyone else works. 

Dear world, I can only do one thing at a time. Period.

Do you need to remind yourself too?

With my 5th year of self-employment around the corner, I’m finding my groove, and accepting it’s probably slower than everybody else’s. I’m learning what works for me—and I’m acknowledging that going with it—instead of working against it, is the quickest path to success.

I can get it all done (even plentiful amounts of marketing!), but only when I keep my approach in-check. 

Is the approach 9/10ths of the battle?

Do you need to close a few windows?

What environment allows you to work best?

 

Guess what their budget was?

Hi, I'm Deidre. In my posts, I talk about my voyage down the road of self-employment as a website copywriter, my achievements and roadblocks along the way, and what I’m learning as I go (with Marketing Mentor as my guide).

A project came to me via word of mouth. I was “highly recommended” by a great contact. It was for a large organization, and it seemed promising. 

When I spoke to the potential client, she was lovely. She knew what she wanted, and was very professional.

When I asked, “What is the budget you have in mind?” she said, “We don’t have one. We just need to know what it costs.” 

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll put together some numbers.” 

I should have known better. I should have delved deeper. I should have thrown out some ranges (like I normally do for smaller projects) saying, “Something like this usually costs around $700-$1100. Does that feel comfortable for you?” 

But this time—the project was so big—I really had no idea what it would cost until I looked closer. I could have thrown out a very wide range, like $1000-$5000, but that seemed silly at the time.

After looking deeper, I called her back with the range I’d come up with. I like to do this before putting together an “official” estimate, just so I can make sure we’re on the same page.

“I want to see if you’re comfortable with these numbers before I put together an estimate. It looks like a project of this size will cost $3000-$5000.” 

I could hear her jaw hit the ground.

Like Ilise says in her book, The Creative Professional’s Guide to Money, everyone has a budget in mind, even if they don’t say it. Once I presented a number, it was easy for me to find out the number she had in her head.  

They had a “head” budget of less than $400.

Normally, I’d be happy to tweak the scope of the project to fit inside their budget. This project was just too big, and their budget was just too low.

This showed me that it is our job to educate clients. And that education should start with numbers in the first phone call, always. Many clients have no clue what our services cost. 

I had thought it would be silly to throw out such a wide range (like $1000-$5000 dollars) on our first phone call, but I should have.

It was an excellent learning experience, and it just shows that without first determining that you—and your potential client—are on the same playing field, you can end up wasting time.

Thoughts? Any similar learning experiences? 

 

Should presenting your price be “uncomfortable”?

Hi, I'm Deidre. In my posts, I talk about my voyage down the road of self-employment as a website copywriter, my achievements and roadblocks along the way, and what I’m learning as I go (with Marketing Mentor as my guide).

Just this week, I priced a project (according to my system) and it seemed too high. So I lowered it a few hundred. I guess I was uncomfortable with the number, but why? Should comfort come into it? Are comfort and value somehow correlated? I doubt it.

Last week, Ilise interviewed Bryn Mooth for the MM Podcast. Bryn was having trouble matching her prices with her value, and she raised the idea that pricing should be uncomfortable.

Bryn’s husband, Rob (who works in the corporate world), suggested to her:

You ought to be uncomfortable when you’re submitting a price. If you feel too good about the price, and your client accepts too readily, you’re probably not pricing high enough.

Since I lowered my price to be comfortable, maybe I should have kept it and been uncomfortable. Maybe Rob is on to something?

I suspect I’m still too attached to the numbers. I still have feelings about numbers that keep me from seeing value clearly. Mostly, I think certain numbers are too big, even if I’ve priced a project according to the work involved, using the same method I always use.

What do you think? Should you be uncomfortable when presenting a price? How can one detach from numbers, and attach to value?

Do you psyche yourself out?

Hi, I'm Deidre. In my posts, I talk about my voyage down the road of self-employment as a website copywriter, my achievements and roadblocks along the way, and what I’m learning as I go (with Marketing Mentor as my guide).

Sometimes, when looking at prospects’ websites and client lists, I psyche myself out. Their talent, branding, and portfolio impress me so much! What if they’re out of my league?

When it comes to reaching out to new potential clients or contacts, the less thinking I do, the better.

I love the way Ilise broke down, simply, in her tip yesterday, how to use LinkedIn to meet new, ideal clients. The steps were simple and effective. I know they work!

Nowhere in Ilise’s tip did it say: Before you contact these new people, worry about whether or not they’ll want to meet you, or if they’re out of your league.

These are the people I want to know, but occasionally I think,

Gosh, why would they want to talk to me? They’re a big deal, and I’m just a little fish.

I’ve been working as a copywriting partner to designers for four years now. No matter how big of a project I land, or how many awesome clients I work with, I don’t think that tiny seed of doubt will ever totally disappear. I know it’s silly. I know it’s not based on fact. But it’s there. And if I listen, it can corrupt my outreach efforts!

So, I force myself.

I’ve made it a priority over the last month to reach out to more potential clients and colleagues, no matter how impressed/intimidated I “feel.”

I just put myself out there. And guess what? The results have always been positive.

Since I’ve become self-employed, I’ve been my own biggest enemy. But being aware of what’s real—and what’s just a fear—has helped me move forward.

If seeds of doubt are getting in your way, my advice is: Talk to that conference speaker, give that author a call. Put yourself out there—into the space where you want to be. (Ilise has new marketing groups starting in mid-October if you need help.)

When in doubt, I look at my testimonials. I’ve worked with some amazing clients, and they’ve always seen the value in my work. I bet you have some too! Small fish, big fish, it doesn’t matter.

My new challenege: Just swim. Be the fearless small fish who swims with the confidence of a big fish. Don’t think. Just reach out.

Have you faced any little fish confidence challenges? What happened?

Where do I want to grow?

Hi, I'm Deidre. In my posts, I talk about my voyage down the road of self-employment as a website copywriter, my achievements and roadblocks along the way, and what I’m learning as I go (with Marketing Mentor as my guide).

I feel like I’ve been saying no a lot lately. And while saying no can be a window for growth—I also want to make sure I’m recognizing areas for growth—in a way that interests me and suits my strengths. Last week, I talked about where I don’t want to grow—but this week—I’m going to address where I do.

I’ve written numerous websites, email newsletters and blog posts. I’ve gotten involved in the strategy behind the content. And I love doing these things!

Areas where I’d like to do more:

1. Helping people clarify their brands and putting that into words. This is where I really get my kicks. When a business isn’t quite sure who they are—and they need help figuring it out and wording it, I want in!
2. Brand strategy. Once the brand is clarified, I’d like to do more strategizing on the best way to relay that brand to the audience.  
3. Company naming/taglines. I’ve done a few of these, and really enjoy the process of listening, exploring, and finding the right fit.
4. Reading, attending, following. I worry that I haven’t made enough room for learning and expanding my skills, and my brain. I want to keep growing my craft by reading more, following other pioneering writers, and attending learning events. (Tomorrow, Sept.23rd, is International Freelancers Day—and I’ll be watching!)
5. Expanding my writer network. I’d also love to create and enhance my relationships with other writers. When I do say no to a job, I’d like to be a good resource and recommend someone. Also, I’d like to see what I can learn from and share with other writers.  

Next step: Planning action-steps to grow in these areas.

I found this exercise refreshing. Will you try it too?

Take a few minutes to figure out where you want to grow—and please share what you come up with.