Blogfeeder - The Copywriting and Marketing Blog from Wordfeeder.com

Wordfeeder Featured in Craftrends Magazine

What a nice Valentine's Day gift I received from Angie Pedersen, the legendary Scrapbook Marketer and a friend of Wordfeeder Copywriting! Sometime amidst the crush of December, Angie interviewed me for an article called Webpreneurs. Her piece is featured in the January issue of Craftrends Magazine. And check this out... my big old moon face and "webpreneur tips" appear on Page 3 of the below PDF file. (It's page 31 if you're reading the actual printed magazine).

Wordfeeder in Craftrends Magazine

This is so nice. I'm thankful to Angie for thinking of me for this piece. If you are a corporate advertising professional or soon-to-be ex-corporate, you should take a look at the advice offered by me and the other ladies interviewed here. Some good suggestions on how to successfully manage a virtual business if I do say so myself.

Thank you so much, Angie Pederson! I feel kind of self-conscious about that massive photo though... oh well. The price to pay for fame, I guess.

Dina at Wordfeeder.com Copywriting and Marketing

PS - I can't help noticing that the large drop-cap letter that opens the piece should be a "Y", but they've printed an "F." Did someone call for a proofreader?

Thankful Copywriter

Before the holiday weekend is officially over, I'd like to take a moment and express my gratitude. This year, the copywriting chick is giving thanks for...

The internet: without it, I'd still be just another cubicle chimp!

My parents: they clash like oil and water and fight like cats and dogs. And yet, when you take each of their greatest gifts, you end up with one FORMIDABLE super-human. I didn't realize it when we were young but very few people come away with a value system, the smarts and tools for survival like my brother and I have. So thanks, Mom and Dad. And quit your bickering, it makes my head hurt.

Mah hunney: He's generous, sweet tempered, and my mood swings and multiple personalities amuse instead of irritate him (?). He never EVER has an unkind word about anyone or anything. Also, he's good with power tools AND he cooks and cleans. Who would give that up?

Copywriting clients who run with it! I visit the blogs of my copywriting clients regularly - one, to check up on them, and two, because I genuinely enjoy reading what they have to say. A couple of them really know how to make the most of what I give them. For instance, we'll release an article in October, and in November, I'll notice that they've taken a paragraph of that piece and turned it into a whole new entry of its own. This warms my cockles and shows me that my clients understand how important it is to keep the web content flowing! (Not to mention, they're really just great people in general.)

A bevvy of topics to write about. Variety is the spice of my copywriting career. Some drink coffee, I get a jolt from knowing that there's always something new and exciting to learn and then communicate! This fall I wrote about customer service, air travel, early retirement, career coaching, medical products, landscaping, women in business, spelling tips, a wedding singer... you get the picture.

A nice mix of male and female copywriting clients. I enjoy the differences between men and women and am of the position that when you put the two together, you come up with some powerful creative alchemy and amazing results. So I can really appreciate when I get to work on mixed-gender teams, or when I have a couple of jobs going for the girls, and a couple more for the guys. Keep it coming, dudes and dudettes!

The tutorial that's included with Dreamweaver. Having decent web design skills really gives me the edge over other copywriters and keeps costs down for my clients (because they don't have to hire a separate person to "tweak" their site or create a sales page for them). I also can't forget the person who gifted me with this incredible program. A thousand thanks... you know who you are!

Every tech geek who has blessed me with tips and troubleshooting support. Thank you for your know-how, and your willingness to share.

My would-be office pals... the people who email me their friendly hellos and updates, keep it entertaining on their blogs, contribute to online forum chats, and generally function as my virtual cubicle buddies. Thanks for bringing a bit of mirth and merriment to the working life of a busy copywriter like me.

Finally, I'm thankful to my friends near and far, for being so easygoing, unpretentious, loyal, accepting, colorful, offbeat, honest, funny, understanding, original, and just plain perfect.

Dear reader, I hope YOU enjoyed your Thanksgiving weekend as much as I have. I'm off to host a holiday crafting party but I'll be back bright and early on Monday for marketing madness. See you then!

Get a head start on your holiday marketing. Contact Dina[at]Wordfeeder.com for holiday postcards, press releases, sales pages, newsletter copy, and more.

Copywriting Clients Who Make Me Smile

Among other things, I write articles for a handful of article marketing clients each month. The relationships that I share with these select clients are mutually satisfying because,

a. They get a high quality web article (or articles) for a reasonable price.

b. I don't feel like they take up exorbitant amounts of my time (and vice versa).

Mainly, everyone walks away happy because there's a system in place. I'll tell you exactly what that system is.

1. They have a pre-existing newsletter that's set up in an attractive, HTML-based template.

2. About a week or so before their ezine is due, I get a "heads up" email from them alerting me to the article topic(s) of the month.

3. Shortly after, they send me an email detailing five or so key points per article.

4. I write about a page-long article or so, elaborating on each of their points in detail.

5. They publish the article in a new page, and link to it from the Articles page of their website.

6. They (or their "web person"?) then publish a section of that article in their email newsletter with a link to read more (which directs the reader to that article page that they just published in step 5).

7. I bill them, they pay me.

8. Repeat process the following month.

Why does this work so well? Why is it not confusing? How do we manage to not struggle during this co-creative process?

a. These clients of mine have a clear picture of "who's doing what." They cover the topics and key points, I draft the text, someone else handles the content publishing  and linking. It's a system. People are so fond of systems because they work.

b. There is no battle of egos. If something my client "said" in their article synapsis sounds good to me, I include it in the final draft. They accept my draft and use it as-is... without the need to nitpick. These clients understand that in web marketing, there is no TIME for nitpicking.

c. Nobody nickel-and-dimes. If I typically write an article that's a page long, and then one day I feel particularly wordy and I give my client a page and half, I'm not going to try and squeeze an extra hour's worth of payment of out of them. It's just no way to say, "I appreciate your business."

If there's one thing that brings me joy, it's copywriting and marketing clients who have their stuff together. When I think about these clients that I've had the good fortune to work with, I have no doubt that their businesses are profitable. I can tell that they are, simply by the quality of work they put out, and by their high level of productivity.

Have you thought about your monthly copywriting and marketing plan for 2007?

How to Turn Around a Top Quality Copywriting Job in Record Time

I came home from Christmas shopping at the mall the other day to a nice surprise. A colleague of mine had called to let me know there would soon be a new copywriting and marketing assignment coming my way. Sure enough, his referral followed him on the answering machine, and the next day I was engaged in marketing discussions for a designer shoe store opening in Soho.

Should I mention the name of the company here? Is that tacky, like kissing and telling? Hmmm. Not sure if it is or isn't but I usually let the client lead. Meaning, if they start broadcasting my name around town, then yes, I'll disclose that I did copywriting and marketing work for them. But until they do that, I think I'm kind of sworn to service provider secrecy. So back to the story.

The new client got on the phone with me and proceeded to unload information in one long, run-on sentence like she was on speed. She didn't stammer or stumble - not a once. She didn't go off into side tangents, she was just this marketing dynamo person... and the best part is, we had NO SMALL TALK! Awesome. I furiously scribbled down everything she said to me, she informed me she'd be overnighting me some additional info, and the next day I settled down to work on her copywriting job, which I turned around in a couple of hours.

Wham, bam, thank you ma'm! Copy job in, copy job out. That's how I like it, bay-bay! I want to give this woman a placque for Easiest Person I've Ever Dealt With. She should give lessons on How to Be a Power Marketer and How to Turn Around a Top Quality Job in Record Time as far as I'm concerned. Not to mention, her company has a really cool thing going, a real breakthrough in the fashion industry. I wish I could tell you more about this, I found the whole concept so intriguing. Maybe when I catch her on Monday I'll ask if I have permission to reveal our association so I can toot her company horn on my blog.

I just felt like sharing that story. I like speed. Efficiency is good, too.

"Get your copywriting and marketing on the fly!" - Wordfeeder.com

Thanks for Taking the Copywriting Quiz!

I wanted to send a note of thanks to everyone who participated in the copywriting talent screening I published earlier in the month. A flurry of responses to the quiz came in almost immediately. If you're just finding out about the opportunity now, don't worry -- you still have time to submit your answers. It's not like there's a "deadline" for when I stop looking for future partners. Know what I mean? Go ahead - take the quiz if you like.

Some great connections were made and I'll be keeping names on file for future use. As I said earlier, if you don't hear from the copywriting and marketing chick for weeks or even months, don't grow discouraged. You really just never know when a talent match will be needed.

There is one thing I do want to mention, and I hope nobody takes offense to this because it's not personal. Friendships are one thing, and work is another. I am totally laid-back with my friends, yet very demanding when it comes to work.

There are certain things that I'm looking for in a partner, as well as some characteristics that do turn me off, to the point that even though I might *like* you, I could choose not to work with you. Don't think of me as a snob so much as discriminating. My copywriting and marketing clients deserve the absolute best care. To put it bluntly, I really do bust my butt for them, and therefore if you work on my projects I expect you to bust your butt for me.

So, here are some preferences:

Be proactive.

What is proactive? That means, if I ask you for something and you're not sure what I may need, come back with more than just a question. Give me questions, AND choices. And be specific about it. Take time to explain what you mean. Take a stab and "guess" what the solution might be. Offer options. Don't just say, "Can I get more information?" That answer tells me, either a. you don't care, or b. you do care, but you're probably overloaded with work yourself. In either case, I don't need that kind of help. :)

An example of being proactive: Sometimes clients come to me with vague copywriting project proposals, and expect me to quote them. I would NEVER reply with only, "Please give more information." Instead, I tell them *exactly* what I need: "An overview of your target customer. A brief description of the product and the type of marketing project you plan to create. URLs of your existing marketing. URLs of competitors you'd like to emulate. A deadline." Seems like people should know this, and that I shouldn't have to repeat myself, but I do. The same goes for any copywriter who's dealing with me on a professional level.

Quit being so darned chatty!

It's difficult to strike a balance with this one. Of course you're going to get friendly with people if you're working with them all the time. But I feel it's important to keep the socialization to a minimum.

A couple of years ago I struck up a new potential partnership with a fellow copywriting and marketing expert, and I needed to call her about a project we were working on. All of a sudden this long, drawn-out story about her ex-boyfriend came tumbling out of her mouth. Oh, my God (slapping head), I feel like this happens to me all the time. Is it me? Am I an enabler of some kind, and don't realize it? Please don't get too personal with me, I try to maintain professional boundaries, not because I don't like people but because... I'm working!  

Always ask, "How can I make this easier?" and then DO that.

I try to constantly think of things I can do to make life easier for my clients. Simple, small things - like asking if I should send HTML-formatted text documents, and then formatting them if needed. Including live links, right in the copy. Making sure email subjectlines are named properly. I should be able to tell what the contents of the email are just by looking at the subjectline. Other examples... duplicating the headline graphic in a Quark document, and then "trimming" the headline to fit the space, so the designer doesn't have to come running to me later wondering what he should type in there.  

Be resourceful.  

A lot of copywriters gave me the answer that I wanted to hear for one of the questions - which was, if you can't get sufficient information from the client, do some research on the industry. That's terrific... and it's heartening to know that there are other copywriters out there doing what I'm doing, and better still, making it happen for their clients, every day. Bottom line: there is more than one way to skin a cat, or get something accomplished. I want to work with people who prefer to take the shortest distance to get from point A to point B, but if there happens to be a roadblock, they know how to get there via the detour route. 

Does any of this make sense? I figure if I just put it out there, somehow I can exert a magnetic pull and get back what I need.

Thanks for bearing with me, 

Dina at Wordfeeder.com Copywriting and Marketing

The Real EzineArticles.com: Second to None

Today I got an email from some moron who was trying to impersonate EzineArticles.com.

Not only did he lift their logo design and basic business model, but if memory serves, a lot of of what the email said is a direct pickup from something Christopher Knight sent out less than six months ago.

And it's like, Oh, come on, man... I mention the real EzineArticles.com at LEAST once a month in my blog, ezine, or articles that I write for the web. Do you really think I'd be dumb enough to mistake you for them?

Do you think that I'd actually go visit your website and open up an account there, or at the very minimum share your link with another living soul, knowing full well what a completely unscrupulous, lazy, shortcut-taking, no-original-idea-having con artist you are?

Actually, EzineArticles.com Impersonator, I think that you don't *think* about how smart or dumb I might be, because you don't think about me at all. And THAT fact makes my heart swell for the real EzineArticles.com, for trying so gosh-darned hard not just to bend over backwards for, but to know their customers.

How many web based companies can say that they know their customers... and mean it? Thousands of authors submit articles to EzineArticles.com each day, and hundreds read, learn from and/or engage in conversation on their blog every week. And Chris, Wally, and their support team KNOW these people, not just by name or even profession, but they take the time to know them on a distinctly personal level.

Thousands of EzineArticles.com members seek technical and article submission assistance via email, and receive helpful replies from a human being within minutes or hours after clicking send. Thousands are mailed helpful internet marketing and article writing tips via the EzineArticles.com Newsletter. Thousands are welcomed into a thriving community of authors, where they are given every opportunity to interact with some of the most creative and inspiring entrepreneurs in the world!

Who delivers service like this anymore? Nobody I know!

Not only that, but Chris Knight has to be one of the most impressive networkers I have ever seen. How many heads of companies do you know who go scurrying around building trust-based relationships with the entire world... right out in the open, for all to see? How many do you know who have the balls to share their company vision and future plans in broad daylight, even if that means running the risk of people like the abovementioned doofus snatching those brilliant ideas to claim as their own?

(which by the way, never works. You can duplicate the look of an idea and fool a few people for a very short time, but in the end, the genuine, hardworking person always wins.)

How many company heads go face to face with their customers asking for honest feedback in public, leaving themselves open to intense scrutinization from the entire planet, and then TAKE that feedback with a smile even if it's not so good, and actually build on it, to make themselves EVEN MORE AMAZING than they were before? Heck, most of the CEOs I know cower behind the Big Desk in the corner office. And trust me, some of my best friends are CEOs. OK, no they're not.

The EzineArticles.com Support Team just got finished sending out their holiday gift of appreciation to Platinum Authors - the "I Love EzineArticles" 12-oz. coffee mug. And it's just a mug, and some might not think that's any big deal. But as you can see from the above mug shot, I REALLY DO love my EzineArticles.com mug, not because I love mugs, which I don't... but because I love the great team of professionals who sent it to me.

Call me a sentimental fool... I love the mug!

So to the EzineArticles copycat who sent me that lame invitation to join his poser site... I just want to say thanks. Thanks for reminding me that it's time to show some appreciation for the real deal, the One and Only http://EzineArticles.com.

Thanks EzineArticles.com, for offering me so many opportunities for brand exposure, business connections, and for making me feel super comfy and at-home in your author community. And while I'm at it, thanks for giving me a chance to write and submit articles for my copywriting clients as well!

Don't have an EzineArticles.com account yet? Sign up now and start promoting your business via original, high quality articles.

Peace out.

Rave: Unsolicited Copywriting Testimonial

Yesterday, I was raving about customers who pay on time. Today's rave covers clients who spontaneously send me killer testimonials as a thank-you for my copywriting and marketing work.

I received this joyous affirmation of my worth from Lena West, creator of The Technology Diet this evening. Why thank you, Lena. Yours may just be the most powerful testimonial I've received to date. I think you just made my week.

Lena writes:

"When I was first introduced to Dina, I was skeptical because I write a lot professionally and I know good writing when I see it. We didn't want to trust writing the copy for our new program to just anyone. I have found Dina to be an uber talented copywriter who blew my socks off with her intelligence. I've been in business a long time and there aren't many people who "get it". Not only is Dina a superb writer but she is an idea generator and immediately thought of an easy solution that allowed us to keep program registrations pouring in even after classes were filled. Good writers are hard to find and I'm glad we found Dina."

--Lena L. West, CEO, xynoMedia Technology & Creator of The Technology Diet

And while I'm talking about her...

If you're tired of being at the mercy of your web designer and all this technology mumbo jumbo, go grab your spot in Lena's next Technology Diet 8-week Fall Intensive. I know from working with her that Lena will blow your mind with her knowledge and give you the missing info you need to take your business to the next level.

Opportunity for Women Writers

A colleague of mine, Heidi Richards of WECAI.org, has just released the inaugural issue of a vibrant, information-rich online magazine for women entrepreneurs - WE Magazine for Women.

I am honored to have been featured within the colorful pages of this first of many insightful issues, alongside some highly talented and enterprising women (and a couple of awesome guys, too). The magazine was released two days ago and already I've received positive feedback from people who have read my article, "What Makes Online Press Releases Different From Traditional Ones?"

So, first and foremost, a big thank-you to Heidi Richards, for providing this exciting new communication vehicle, designed to help fellow women entrepreneurs in the quest for success, wealth and balance in their lives. And secondly - whether you're a copywriting and marketing expert like I am, a virtual assistant, web designer, or a woman who runs her own business in any capacity... now is a great time to reap the added exposure of a new and high quality online publication like this one.

Topics covered: Travel, Technology, Wealth, Business, Networking, Lifestyles and more.

Associated Women's Groups:

WECAI.org
TheWomen'sAlliance.org
WomensMentoring.com.au
WomensMarketingForum.com
EWMD.org
WeChamber.org - Women's Chamber of Commerce

To read the inaugural issue of WE visit: http://www.wecai.org/we%20magazine.pdf

We magazine for women is published by WUN Publications, Inc. a publishing firm whose focus is on publications by, for and about women. WUN Publications is a member of the WECAI Network™ - whose mission is to “Help Women do Business on and Off the WEB.” We magazine for women is one of many tools to help the WECAI Network™ fill its mission.

To contact the publisher, write Heidi Richards at :

7100 Pembroke Road,Miramar, FL  33023, call her at 1-877-WISDOM7 (947-3667) or visit her website at www.HeidiRichards.com. 

 

5 Things I Love About Being a Virtual Copywriter

A few weeks ago, my girlfriend's mother asked if I was interested in a full-time marketing position with the pharmaceutical company she works for. While I appreciate the offer, I wish I could make her understand that I'm over the moon for what I do now - run my own copywriting business.

It's not easy to break into the Freedom Zone when you've been conditioned into the corporate mindset for half a lifetime. But once you cross over... there's no going back. Here's why I live for what I do, every single day. I want you to be in the place where I am!

5 Things I Love About Being a Virtual Copywriter

1. Meeting emboldened entrepreneurs.

I've pitched all-natural honey, eye exercises on CD, a revolutionary beltless car wash system, an emerging young rap artist, personalized video Santa Grams for kids, a high-end start-up catering business, gourmet plantain chips, online greeting cards by mail... the list goes on and on!

These enterprising clients of mine have realized something amazing that maybe you have yet to know? You can do and be WHATEVER you want. The internet makes it all possible! Check out what this lovely song bird has done for herself!

 
2. Rush jobs.

Maybe I'm a bit of a sicko, but rush jobs give me a rush. It's true that planners are less stressed overall and believe me I've been stressed. But last week, when that random real estate pro crawled out of the woodwork at 4:30 pm on a Friday and chucked me a sweet sales letter job, I took it and ran with it. It was FUN.

 
3. My "virtual officemates."

You have your cubicle mates, I have my email inbox buddies. Thankfully most of my favorite virtual consultants are like me in that they'd rather bounce marketing ideas off me than tell me about what their kids did last night. Keeping it professional, business owners helping business owners, that's what I like!

Go visit my favorite nutritionist, virtual assistant, podcasting expert, article marketing team, homemade shortbread peddler, search engine expert and love coach, and see if they can't help you make some improvements in your life and/or career.

 

4. My off the wall clients.

I love that my technology client calls me "dude" in her emails. I dig the guy who was spewing profanity on the phone yesterday because he's clearly in need of marketing assistance and I can help.

I love that my gourmet food client was tickled pink to see that I'd blogged about her and emailed to tell me "I showed my husband what you wrote!" (Sometimes I forget that blogging is still a novelty to many people). I love that I'm doing work for a woman who got saddled with the stress of handling moves for the companies where she worked so many times that she finally quit and started up her own professional relocation service.

I love that I helped launch the first ever Canadian podcasting survey because I know the technology company who conducted it from the Ryze network.

5. My Web site - the one I designed myself.

I'm rather proud of the fact that my copywriting and marketing Web site wasn't built using some ugly template with a weird background design that looks like crinkled up lunch bags sprayed with glitter. I made the logo myself, knowing nothing about logo design. It thrills me when people "get" that I'm the Head Copy Chick. I find it exciting that I'm still on page one of Google for my selected search term and that I can do the same for my copy and marketing customers. I'm stoked that fellow professionals read my copywriting ezine and then want to sign up for my services.

Are you vomiting into your briefcase yet? If so, why do you still have a briefcase? Today at Wordfeeder.com, we are celebrating the joy of being self-employed. What do you love most about being an independent consultant or business owner? Share your personal victories here on this blog. Leave a comment below.

My Love for Nerds

This morning I was reminded of why tech people need marketing people to do their communicating for them. More on that in a minute though, because I have this Nerd Reverie that's in need of release.

I've been hanging around with tech dorks for many years. Ahh, how I miss the days of being held spellbound in the IT dept while eager geeks spoke earnestly of newfangled web technologies -- search engines, Perl scripts and such (like the copy girl would have any clue in 1998 what CGI or Perl was, let alone that there was a difference between the two - but yes, the terms stuck with me until I had an actual need for them in 2003 so THANK YOU for pointing me in a direction, tech support pals).

Nerds have opened my eyes to many wonders, and not just things I needed to know as a marketer like HTML, CSS, keyword linking, OEM software, and how to keep my computer virus-free.

Nerds showed me how to LIVE!

My beloved group of geeky pals at my old corporate job taught me every Quark Express trick in the manual... and then they got me tipsy and convinced me to eat sushi for the first time (more accurately told, one of them dangled a pair of chopsticks holding a large chunk of fatty tuna dripping mustard sauce in my face, so I just ate it.) Oh, what a joyous discovery THAT turned out to be.

The Nerd Herd at my old job took me to see famous comedians at well-known comedy clubs and showed me where to get the best family-style Italian food in Manhattan (go to Carmine's - they have bullet holes in the wall leftover from mobster shootouts).

One nerd pal, I remember, alerted me to the fact that there was a keylogger on my work computer (THANKS FOR THE TIP, BUDDY!).

The nerds in my past were coffee snobs, shunning the break room's generic brand of dirt-flavored java in favor of freshly ground gourmet beans brewed with a French press in the computer room. I didn't ask to drink their coffee because I knew they were stingy about it and didn't blame them. But if I had asked, I know those nerds would have let me partake of the Sacred Beverage at least once. Generosity was their nerdy way.

Graphic Arts Geeks in the packaging department turned me on to iTunes and a plethora of alternative music choices. My ears warmed to the heavenly sounds of reggae from Jimmy Cliff, haunting folk melodies from Bill Frisell, Bela Fleck's banjo marauding as a harpsichord, and some truly awe-inspiring bagpipe bands from I don't know where!

The nerds who we outsourced from Integrated Software assured me that it was safe (and fun!) to go shopping online.

Nerds introduced me to the thrill of instant messenger (it was cool for a while, but I've outgrown the IM).

Oh yeah... and nerds taught me about love, too. But we won't go into that here. :)

So, that's my nerd reverie. I was pulled away four times while composing this post, so pardon me if I sound a wee bit scattered. When I come back to this blog I'll share with you the reasons why nerds need marketing experts to sweeten their communication.

But for now - I've got pressing issues to take care of back in Copywriting and Marketing land.