Marketing Monday: You’re Doing It Wrong

What I’m listening to: Hardliners by Holcombe Waller

The best ideas for marketing often come from seeing it done incorrectly.

Let me preface what I’m about to say with a caveat — if you’re attempting marketing, you’re more than likely doing it okay.

But there are ways a freelance writer — or anyone — can screw it up.

I saw examples of people doing it oh, so wrong in a forum recently, and I saw mention of it on Devon Ellington’s Fearless Ink site (which is fabulous, by the way).

What I like about mistakes is how we can learn from them. We all make them, but do we let them stop us, or do we take the lesson forward?

Choose the latter.

The ways in which writers are getting the marketing wrong include:

Approaching new clients with a “Your website sucks” or “You have several misspellings.

Devon mentioned this on her site, and I saw someone actually asking on a forum. Here’s why that sucks: Your potential client may be way too attached to the copy. Someone wrote it. It could well have been the potential client, who thinks it’s fabulous. By opening with: “I’m a writer and I noticed quite a few problems with your web copy” may translate not as helpful, but as arrogant and insulting.

Try this instead: get to know them. Build a relationship before suggesting any revisions or rewrites. In fact, I’d keep the website content out of the conversation unless they ask you directly what you think. Even then, be gentle. “It’s good, but I think I might be able to help you improve results with just a few tweaks.”

The “Hello, hire me” approach to social media.

I cannot tell you how much I hate this way of connecting. If I hate it, and I’m not the one hiring you, imagine how the person you’re connecting with feels. I’ve heard the “advice” that says you should jump on every new connection with a “Are you looking for a writer?” query. Personally, I think that’s lousy advice. Yes, you may have one or two people who show interest because they connected for that reason, but the majority are going to think you’re stalking.

Try this instead: Thank them for connecting/accepting your connection invitation. Say something like “I’m glad we connected! I’m looking forward to hearing more about your business. How are things going for you?” It opens the door without kicking it down.

The badly focused query with the wrong tone and approach.

I get quite a few press releases each week that have nothing to do with what I write about. Nothing. As in “child care” when I write about “insurance.” I waste a lot of time telling marketers that they’re barking up the wrong tree, and that’s only because ignoring them means I keep getting these emails. If you didn’t research your potential client, you’re risking pissing them off and losing any credibility, just like these marketers are doing.

Try this instead: Spend five minutes researching the person you’re about to send a query to. Seriously, get on Twitter or their website and actually pay attention to what they’re saying, how they’re presenting themselves, and the language style they’re using. Then mirror that tone in your query (if this is still a good fit for you — it may not be).

Looking clueless in public.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with asking a question in a social media setting. There’s absolutely everything wrong with asking a question that makes you look clueless. For example, “How do I start freelancing?” in a place that you’re intending to use to locate clients.

Try this instead: Find a private forum or ask a friend. Or hey, how about doing an internet search and finding your own answers? Basic questions have been covered many times over. If it’s a really focused question, ask. Otherwise, do the legwork and avoid looking lazy or clueless.

Not caring if your spelling is off.

We all mess up, but if you’re constantly typing without proofreading, you’re sending out a message that you’re not too concerned about being careful. If I were a client looking to hire a freelance writer, I’d bypass you based on that point alone. Yes, we make mistakes (you’ll probably find some in this post). A dozen times a week? That’s a problem.

Try this instead: Slow down. Before you hit “Send” reread it. Install Grammarly if you’re really not that good at proofing your own stuff. Run Spell Check. Just pause for that few seconds before you post and make sure your spelling is okay.

Writers, how are you seeing marketing going wrong?