What I’m reading: The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
What’s on the iPod: Unbelievable by Diamond Rio
I managed to finish my large project edits yesterday, four blog posts for another client, and an edit of yet another client’s project. Productive and lucrative day. I don’t normally track my daily earnings (it’s too nerve-wracking), but I did extremely well for one day.
The youngest is home and is settled back in. She’s going to spend today working through all the job listings and links I’d sent her (and a few of you did – thank you again). Her hope is to have something in a few months. She’s driven and determined. I’m in awe watching how focused she is.
Today I hope to get my article finished and get some more in the pipeline. I’ve been back and forth with a few editors on ideas, but we’ve not landed on anything yet (they get busy, I get busy). With some persistence, I should get something set today or tomorrow.
I just started writing in an area that’s near and dear to me – auto issues. If you don’t know me well, you don’t know my secret grease-monkey life, my wanna-be mechanic status. Thanks to a new client, I’m able to indulge. Moreover, I’m able to promote it. The client wants tweets, mentions, and links. I’m only too happy to oblige.
Some writers might see the tweeting, etc. as an added chore attached to the fee paid. I don’t. I see it as a mutual promotion. I get to link to my blogs, my work, and they get added exposure.
Of course that means I have to start that blog I’ve been thinking about, but it’s a chance to build yet another specialty and learn what I’ve been dying to learn while getting paid to do so.
A few more ways to maximize the impact of our work on our careers:
Tweeting. Why not tweet your latest article? Why not help that client promote its business through your work? You both benefit. Yet I don’t see too many writers doing this. Then again, there are a few who over-promote to the point of turning off their audience. Keep it in moderation.
Blog comments. I’ve been known to find experts through blog comments. I stick with LinkedIn, but if you’re brave and know how to vet an interview subject, you could find them on nearly any blog or forum. Why not be that expert?
Guest posts on related blogs. Introduce yourself to a new audience through specialized blogs. They’re great for two reasons: bringing your name in front of the very readership you’re hoping to capture, and they’re instant clips for the new clients.
Google Alerts to your favorites. If you’re working with clients editors in the same area, it wouldn’t be against protocol to send them a Google Alert on your latest article (if it relates to their business or publication).
How do you maximize your career impact?
6 responses to “Maximizing the Impact”
And here's another way to maximize the impact of your words – try actually POSTING your blog entry under the right date stamp. Ugh! Sorry, folks. This was supposed to go up this morning, not this afternoon.
I find that niche communities help you build a presence and network. You can link up with others through LinkedIn group or forums, for example.
As for tweeting, I've set up my tweets so that they go directly to my FaceBook as well. I try to only tweet once or twice a day to not overload followers. =P But I'm sure each person has their own individual balance.
Luck to your daughter! =) You must be happy you can spend more time with her! =)
A couple weeks ago I had a rush assignment for Favorite Editor. She mentioned the big boss of the guy I interviewed was known for being a big-time tweeter, and they sent him the layout ahead of time to encourage him to start tweeting.
After years of avoiding Twitter, I finally joined about two weeks ago.(I'm P_Hendrickson there if anyone is bored enough to follow me – I read more than tweet.) I found my interviewee's Twitter page and found one of his followers had seen my article and Tweeted about the fabulous 6-page spread. I was able to tweet thanks back and forth with the interviewee. My editor was thrilled.
A week later I read Rodger Ebert's tweet about his list of Top Art Films of 2010 and saw my b-i-l's film on the list. I tweeted about that. Maybe the b-i-l will "hire" me as his one-person production company's official Twit.
Your productivity makes me tired just reading about it. LOL I'm glad to see you doing so well. I set up Google Alerts for some of my ongoing clients. It's particularly effective with clients who have a hard time coming up with newsworthy ideas/angles for articles and press releases. When something juicy shows up in my inbox, I can email them with an idea, which results in more work than I'd get if I depended on them coming to me. I highly recommend it.
I'm not really into promoting myself or my clients via social networking, so I'm interested to hear more about your new auto-related gig and how it all works out for you. Congratulations by the way!
Sam, great idea on the specialized groups. It does help. I've found interview subjects through a few LinkedIn groups. And thanks for wishing my daughter luck. She's a go-getter. I'm sure she'll find a good job soon. And yes, spending time with her is great. 🙂
Paula, that's great use of Twitter! Thanks for the ideas. Fingers crossed for the BIL's movie – give us the title again!
Kathy, love using Google Alerts! I love how you're using it – sending ideas to editors. Brilliant!
The blog is through a network of blogs, but we're encouraged to link to our own if we have them. I link to here at the moment, but once I get a blog up and running on the auto side, I'll link to it.
With Twitter I don't want to become one of those narcissistic attention mongers only posting links to my articles, so commenting on other people's tweets about my articles seems like more of a Paula-type approach.
B-i-l's film in question is Chicago Heights: http://923films.com/923Films/Chicago_Heights.html