How to become a better writer.

Short post today.

I've had a question pop up several times lately: "Lindsay, how do I become a better writer?"

While a certain level of skill and practice is involved, I'm going to tell you what my fourth grade teacher told me long ago: read. Read a lot.

I try to read a few new books a week. I don't watch a lot of T.V. (except for Oprah). I don't recommend reading business books all the time either. Read everything: the difference in styles will help you become a better writer. 

Right now, I'm trying to read War and Peace. But, over the weekend I finished three Janet Evanovich novels. All of the books will influence my writing style. 

Want to become a better writer? READ. Trust me, it works.

Change the economy with small businesses!

I got an email this morning from an online networking group I'm in: Biznik. Their goal? Change the economy by supporting small business and getting small businesses to work with one another. How? By getting 100,000 small businesses and entrepreneurs to join the community.

I love Biznik for many reasons (you can read my previous post here), but mostly because the community is so supportive and interactive. Members want other members to succeed. And, unlike other online networking groups--I won't name names--Biznik members do more than just add connections. Biznik members comment on articles, attend real-life networking events, and do business with one another. It is one of the most engaged, interactive networks around.

So, to change the economy, us small businesses need to stick together and support one another. There's no better way to access and work with small businesses than to join Biznik. Click here to get started.

A few thoughts on Facebook.

Recently, I attended a networking event about using Facebook for business. It was interesting because I use Facebook as primarily a social tool: interacting with friends, family, and long lost connections. That being said, these connections are helpful for business, and sometimes my friends refer me for writing, but business is not my focus on Facebook. 

And, I'm not entirely convinced you should use your personal page for business. Here are just a few reasons why:

-Friends can post unflattering, unprofessional pictures of me,

-They can say nasty things on my wall,

-I want to keep my professional and private life separate (some things should remain between friends).

My concerns aside, I do think you can--and should--use Facebook for business. Here are my suggestions:

-Create a profile under your business name. Allow people to become "fans." Keep your personal profile social, your professional profile for business.

-Use Facebook advertising: you can really narrow in and focus on your target market.

-Create a group: gather like-minded people and interact with an audience that's interested in you and your business.

So, while I'm not exactly opening up my personal profile for business colleagues, I'm considering using Facebook for business using the methods I described above. Any thoughts? I'm interested to see how others are using Facebook for marketing, networking, etc. 

Freelance Switch: How to Handle Tightwads and Charge What You're Worth.

Yay! I had an article published on Freelance Switch.

Read it here, I think it's good information for anyone being challenged on their pricing. 

Don't do it all: do some things well.

I had a conversation yesterday with a potential client. She was frustrated: she's tried marketing online in the past. In fact, she had worked with a self-proclaimed internet marketing "guru." And, while she receives a decent amount of web traffic, the whole process of marketing on the web has left her dissatisfied. She's overwhelmed.

Here's the thing: many small business owners are doing everything themselves. When you add in online marketing, the to-do list becomes downright daunting. Business owners become frustrated because they feel like they should be doing every single thing possible: Twitter, Facebook, Scribd, Hubpages, Squidoo, LinkedIn, Biznik, MySpace, blogging, email newsletters, commenting on blogs, posting articles to online databases, guest blogging, selling a product, podcasting, etc., etc., etc. Feeling overwhelmed yet?

The truth is that no one can do all this by themselves. Most "gurus" have teams of people working on these things. Sure, they might say they're doing it themselves, but they're not. They've hired out. There are not enough hours in a day!

BUT, I'm not letting you off the hook: you need market online.

You just need a strategy. 

Ask the following questions:

-Do I like writing articles?

-Do I like writing in general (could I post regularly on a blog?)

-Where do my ideal clients hang out: what websites, blogs, articles are they reading?

-Do I enjoy connecting with people face to face?

-How much time do I have to devote to online marketing?

-Is my ideal client even online?

You know your business best. Choose methods of online marketing that work for you and connect you with your ideal client. Only use mediums that you enjoy using: that way it won't feel like work. Research the different methods you can use, but don't feel like you have to use them all.

Choose 1-2 online marketing methods, and do them WELL. You'll be surprised that when you choose a couple of marketing tools and remain committed to them, they'll take you a long way. Plus, limiting the amount of online marketing you get involved with will save your sanity.  

How to Write Web Articles that Get Read, Part 3: Format for Readability and Provide Quality Content.

Here's the final installment of the three part series: how to write web articles that get read. Enjoy!

Format for Readability.

On the web, your content needs to be easy to digest: readers are just a click away from abandoning your article. The point? Format your content so it’s easy on the eyes and conducive to skimming.

· White space. If you’re paragraphs get too long, readers will lose interest. It’s not because what you’re saying isn’t interesting or helpful, it’s just easy to get lost when you factor in scrolling. Plus, the eyes need a break every once in a while. To keep readers from leaving, keep your paragraphs relatively short or vary the length. Instead of indenting at the beginning of a paragraph, use an entire line break between sections. 

· Lists. Using a list is helpful for two reasons: you’re providing a ton of information in a not-too-wordy format while creating a great form of link bait (search engines and bloggers love lists).

· Bolding. The eye is attracted to things that stand out. If you want to highlight important sections or points in your article, use the bold function to help the words stand out. Remember, readers are usually scanning online: bolding draws attention to main ideas, lists, or sections while breaking the monotony of plain text. Just don’t bold everything!

Clever formatting only works if you provide the “meat and potatoes:”

Quality Content.

When it comes down to it, great articles provide quality, specific information for readers. Some “experts” argue that you shouldn’t provide a lot of information in articles, that you should only give general advice in hopes readers will seek you out for help. I tend to disagree.

In my opinion, the best articles, and my favorite experts, give tons of good information and actionable advice. They answer my questions and motivate me to follow through on the tips and advice they give.

To ensure quality content, include the following:

· Specific Examples: Perhaps you have an experience, testimonial, or case study that illustrates a point. By showing an example, you help people learn and show how your advice can be applied in the real world.

· Resources: Let’s say you’re writing an article about social networking. You would want to include links to the sites you recommend. If you’re writing an article about finances, you might include the names of books on the subject or additional articles for your readers to follow-up on. Offering additional resources (besides yourself) is a good practice: it increases your credibility while truly being of service to readers.

· Tools: If you can offer your readers tools to move them forward, your article will be remembered. For instance, a CPA might offer a tax worksheet, a relationship expert could offer a quiz: “is your relationship strong?” Questions and exercises ensure your article has a practical application.

Writing articles and publishing online is an excellent way to reach out to potential clients, position yourself as an expert in your industry, and promote your business. With these tips, you’ll master the art of writing online (remember, it’s different than print), and move your business to the next level of success. Happy writing!

How to Write Web Articles that Get Read, Part 2: Create Irresistible Headlines.

If you want people to see your article, you need a title that entices them to keep reading. Online, readers skim for essential information: they’re short on time and want answers to their questions. You only have a few seconds to capture potential readers. A great headline is a must.

To create a great title, keep your audience in mind. Remember the keywords you brainstormed? Use them in your headline. For instance: “How to Groom Your Golden Retriever in Less than 10 Minutes.”

There are a few types of headlines that traditionally capture reader’s interest:

· A question: Asking your readers a question will get them to pause and think. Even better, they will want to know the answer and be compelled to continue reading. For instance, if you’re a success coach, an effective question-headline might be: “Are you sabotaging your own success?”

· How-to: Because your audience is looking for answers, a how-to title is sure to meet their needs. When you can show readers how to meet their goals, they’re going to keep reading. How-to titles might include: “How to Double Your Website Traffic in Five Days,” or “How to Keep Loyal Customers.”

· Commands: The title I used for this article is a command--“Write Articles for the Web That Get Read.” In this case, you’re taking the most important result from your article and turning it into a title. From this article, I hope you’ll be able to write articles for the web that will get readers. Other command titles: “Lose weight today,” “Stop smoking in two weeks,” and “Get 15 More Referrals this Month.”

A great title will get people to read your article. Part three of this article will show you how content and format will keep your audience interested. 

How to Write Web Articles that Get Read, Part 1.

Writing articles for the web is a great way to promote your website, showcase your expertise, and create a group of loyal readers (over time, if your information is good, readers will likely become customers or referral sources). Plus, if you have aspirations for monetizing your blog or website, articles are a great way to build traffic.

Writing for the web is different than writing for a print publication. Your audience on the web wants information or advice: they aren’t flipping through a magazine and reading an article that happened to look interesting. Web readers are using search engines to seek out specific answers to their questions. They want this information quickly, in a format that’s easy to digest.

If you want to make an impression with your online articles, try these tips:

Be relevant.

Where you publish your article is key to your success as an article writer. If I wrote an article about grooming a Golden Retriever, for instance, I wouldn’t post it in Biznik or other business-related websites. However, this type of article would be perfect on a blog for Golden Retriever owners. 

When you’re writing an article, keep your reading audience in mind. Ask yourself the following questions:

-Who is going to read my article? 

-Who will my article help?

-What websites will my reader likely visit?

-What blogs would my reader find helpful?

-Which e-newsletters would a reader subscribe to?

-What keywords would my reader use to search for this type of information? (A reader for the article I described above might search “golden retriever grooming.”)

After you’ve answered the questions, do a basic search using the keywords you brainstormed to find websites that meet your criteria. Try a blog search engine like Technorati to find blogs that relate to your topic and offer to be a guest writer. Use an Ezine database like BestEzines.com to locate email newsletters that already reach your target audience. If you can’t find a place to publish, consider starting your own blog or newsletter. 

Now that you know who you’re writing for and where you might publish, you can set about writing a helpful, information packed article. Stay tuned for upcoming posts: more tips to come!

How to overcome a price objection: your options when an estimate is "too high."

These days, clients are looking for a bargain. Providing competitive estimates can be a balancing act: you don't want to lose a potential clients, but you need to maintain professional standards (if you're always adjusting pricing, you can get yourself into trouble). I never recommend changing your hourly rate to cater to clients. However, when you've provided an estimate to a client, you have some flexibility.

If your customer says that an estimate for service is too high, have an honest chat about pricing structure and your process. Explain what is included in your bid: research, brainstorming, travel, the actual implementation (writing, designing, programming), etc. If, after you explain all the elements of your bid, the client still feels that the bid is too high, you have a few options:

1. Ask if they’d be interested in a payment plan. If you have a normal fee schedule (mine is 50% upfront, 25% after the job is half-way completed, and 25% upon project completion), you might adjust into smaller, more frequent payment increments.

2. Take some time to crunch numbers. Perhaps you can come up with a smaller estimate by doing less research, brainstorming, etc. If you can remove some of your normal procedure and still provide a product of value, go for it. However, always explain to your client that you’re making an exception, and that you’re removing some elements of the creative process.

3. Not working with the prospect. If you decide that the client is not worth the trouble or that the estimate accurately reflects the scope of the project, you might choose to part ways. Be professional: let the client know that you’re sorry to have missed the opportunity and provide a referral to another freelancer that may be able to help the client. 

It’s always important to appear to be flexible: clients will appreciate you trying to accommodate their needs. However, you can be accommodating without compromising the value of your service or product. 

If you're not sure how much you should be charging per hour, check out this rate calculator at FreelanceSwitch. Remember, you're worth what you're charging!