How Do You Feel About Marketing Your Writing Business?
Over at Graham Strong’s blog, A Few Strong Words, he asked Do Blogs Work?
He also asked if blogs can bring business, saying -
… Although it is certainly social and helps us all develop our writing/business skills, I’m not sure it is useful for attracting new clients.
Copywriter, Tom Chandler added one of the many interesting comments to the conversation.
I’m afraid too many new writers are using a blog to avoid the more stressful aspects of self promotion (cold calls, direct marketing, pitches, etc). Putting yourself in front of a prospect - and suffering the rejection - is never fun, but in most cases, it is necessary.
Ouch! But I agree totally for many experienced writers too. It all depends on the purpose of your blog, of course. But if you are a business owner (blogger, writer etc.) hoping/wanting/needing to get business via your blog directly or indirectly, you need to market yourself.
The conversation spilled over to Men With Pens and Business & Blogging and now I’m throwing it open to Writers Cafe visitors.
For my part, I’ve had work through Grow Your Writing Business, including referrals from other writers. But I’ve never seriously used this blog for marketing. I’ve recently decided to keep this as my personal blog and am in the process of developing a separate blog with a slightly different focus specifically for marketing my business. And no, I can’t reveal all… not just yet, anyway. 
To many writers, marketing is something they’re not comfortable with. How about you?
SOME DISCUSSION STARTERS - (or anything else blogging, writing or business related also goes).
- How has your blog worked for your writing business?
- What other online or offline methods do you use or recommend for marketing?
- What do you like/dislike about marketing?
- Any questions for others? There are lots of talented writers and marketers here who’d be happy to offer some thoughts, I’m sure.
Grab a comfortable chair and the beverage of your choice… (and chocolate cake)…. Let’s chat!
Hi Yvonne!
I’ve had work through my blog also, but blogs are not necessarily a quick way to get business. In fact, it took half a year before I saw my first direct lead from having a blog.
As a writer, I think that having a blog should be a part of your marketing strategy - but not the entire strategy or even the main strategy.
Repeat business is huge for me. Word of mouth and referrals are also important.
I worked as a freelance writer for years before I had a blog and I still get a large portion of my work from clients that I obtained through non-blogging sources.
If you are going to adopt a blog as part of your marketing strategy, then I think that there are certain steps (that I listed in the post you so kindly linked to) that you should take to help your blog become more effective.
Good topic!
Laura Spencer’s last blog post..Of Note: Writing For Hire
Hi Laura
I agree that a blog is only one part of an overall marketing strategy, and more a long term approach than something that will be guaranteed to bring quick results.
What other marketing methods do you recommend or found effective?
Yvonne, yet another awesome topic. How do you do it? I’d really like to use my blog to more directly market my writing services, but haven’t hit on the right formula. Some clients have hired me because of things they’ve read on my blog, but for me referrals and live conversations have been more clearly successful.
Brad Shorr’s last blog post..12 Things Writing and Golf Have in Common
Hi Yvonne!
The quality of my work has always been my biggest selling point. Without that I’d have nothing. Because of that I get referrals and word of mouth leads.
Other marketing methods include direct mail, attending (or speaking at) seminars and conventions, advertising, and more.
Laura Spencer’s last blog post..Of Note: Writing For Hire
Hi Yvonne,
I think many (most?) writers have a hard time with the “business” side of freelance writing — I know I do. I would love to have the clients just roll in, but it doesn’t work that way. You have to do some of your own marketing and advertising.
Tom is right, I think: too many people hope that passive marketing like blogging will bring in the buyers. After all, who wouldn’t want to write a blog in the comfort of their own office rather than do cold calls or pound the pavement?
Even salepeople don’t like cold calling (except, perhaps, for a select group of gung-ho, “i-love-rejection”, types…) but at least they are trained for it.
We can all be writers fairly easily. But being *freelance* writers means we have to actually take steps to create a business out of it. Not only is it out of our element, but it is *exactly* the type of thing most of us “arteestes” sought to avoid in the first place with our life choices.
Best advice: bite the bullet. Get yourself out there. Devise a marketing plan, make the phone calls, face the rejection. It’ll get easier once you get more comfortable with it.
I’m off to follow a bit of that advice myself…
~Graham
P.S. - Glad you found my post useful!
Graham Strong’s last blog post..The Writing Tip I Learned from Paris Hilton (True Story)
As everyone’s pointed out, a blog — especially one not aimed directly at customers — is probably only one part of a marketing process.
I’d also suggest that blogs are not the most-effective use of our limited marketing time when compared to more direct media channels, but then, I suspect most of us get something from our blog that falls far outside the boundaries of an ROI measurement.
Given our lifestyles and isolation, there’s value in that too.
On my blog, I outlined a simple plan for pitching the clients and projects we want to win (instead of waiting for clients to find us).
My thinking is simple; blogs are general and somewhat passive. They certainly have long-term value, but nothing’s more effective than targeting specific clients (or projects) and trying to make them happen.
Tom Chandler/Copywriter Underground’s last blog post..The Ups and Downs of Freelance Copywriting: The Perils of Proposals
Hi Brad
Thanks for the positive feedback. Great to have you as a regular at The Writers Cafe.
The right formula and mix of marketing channels will no doubt be different for everyone, taking into account what you are selling, personality, target market, skills, comfort zones etc. Therein lies the challenge for us all.
Referrals and networking are ideal, but what do you think about the success rate of cold calling, either “in person” or on the web?
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..How Do You Feel About Marketing Your Writing Business?
Hi Laura
It sounds as though you have a well though out well rounded marketing plan. As you say, the quality of your work is your best calling card.
Chris Pearson, the designer (Cutline etc) says you also need to challenge yourself to improve with each gig.
I think that’s one of the benefits of blogging for writers. We can experiment and hone our craft through trying new techniques and styles in an informal setting, where we have the support and encouragement of our peers.
Laura, you mentioned direct mail.
Have any of you ever done a targeted postcard campaign in your local area? That’s something I’m contemplating with a specific target group.
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..How Do You Feel About Marketing Your Writing Business?
Hi Graham
Thanks for the inspiration for this week’s Writers Cafe topic.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head, when you mention “freelance”. Someone who is an employee isn’t running their own business. If you run a business, you have to market. Simple as that.
How much (proportionately) of your work time, do you spend marketing? I guess it depends which stage of the cycle you are at, but some marketing consultants say up to 25%.
Any thoughts on this %? What do others think?
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..How Do You Feel About Marketing Your Writing Business?
Hi Yvonne,
I haven’t done a postcard campaign myself (though I’ve researched them), but I would lean more toward a sales letter if you are going local. Postcards I would save for out-of-town clients.
Why? I think postcards are great to give a visual impression of your company, but they are kind of impersonal. A letter, on the other hand, isn’t as splashy but it is highly-personal — follow it up with a phone call and (hopefully) a face-to-face meeting, and I think you have a winning combination.
You could beef it up even more by including a brochure or even a doubled-side rack card to add visual appeal without raising your mailing costs.
On the other hand, if “local” for you means downtown Manhattan (or a similar large area), you might want to go for the flashier method.
Just a few thoughts for you,
~Graham
Graham Strong’s last blog post..The Writing Tip I Learned from Paris Hilton (True Story)
Hi again — you posted just as I was posting to your other question…!
I’m not sure what the “optimum” percentage of self-promotion time is, though I suspect it is on a sliding scale. If you have a full week, you would likely spend less time (though I think you should spend some to make sure you have a full week next week too…)
If you only have a couple of active projects, you (a) have more time to market yourself and (b) probably need to advertise more!
It’s always a guessing game. But if you always do some marketing, and you concentrate on new marketing methods during your slow periods (instead of, say, watching Y&R) then you’ll be on the right track…
~Graham
Graham Strong’s last blog post..The Writing Tip I Learned from Paris Hilton (True Story)
Hi Tom
Thanks for your valuable input and for referring us to your link - just one of the many useful posts on this topic on your blog.
As you say, blogs can be somewhat passive (and a long term proposition). I guess it comes down to anything… the need to take action and being willing to try new strategies, even if it means getting out of our comfort zones.
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..How Do You Feel About Marketing Your Writing Business?
Hi Graham
Thanks for your thoughtful and informative responses. Good points about a postcard campaign vs a sales letter.
About the marketing %, I agree. I think it’s a matter of not leaving it till you need more work, but marketing on an ongoing basis so you have something in place.
Thanks for your insights and for joining in the conversation.
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..How Do You Feel About Marketing Your Writing Business?
Yvonne,
My blog is not intended to generate business. It’s purely for fun.
I’m blessed to have long-time clients and get my business from repeat business and referrals. I’d rather do a variety of things for a few clients than have to look for new clients.
Lillie Ammann’s last blog post..How to Write an Interview-Winning Resume
Hi Lillie
Sounds like it’s all working out beautifully for you. Repeat business and referrals is the ideal situation.
I like your take on variety too.
Yvonne Russell’s last blog post..How Do You Feel About Marketing Your Writing Business?
Hi Yvonne, yes, I’ve cold called. My experience there is probably common - the percentage of positive responses is small, but if you make enough cold calls, you’ll get some.
Brad Shorr’s last blog post..12 Things Writing and Golf Have in Common
Hi, Yvonne,
I haven`t promoted my writing business through my blog, to tell you the truth. I do refer clients to it as a sample of my blogging skills when applying for a blogging position, but that`s about it.
I think other methods are far more effective and unfortunately, though it`s not my favorite part of the job, active marketing and contacting clients is still the best way to get work.
My blog is a way to provide fresh content on my web site and give readers something in return for stopping by.
No client has ever said that s/he hired me because of my blog, but clients have found me through my web site. So I’d say the blog helps them find their way to my services.
Meryl K. Evans’s last blog post..The Easy and Hard Way to Start a Blog
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