What’s on the iPod: Sweeter by Gavin DeGraw
Some months I just can’t stand making myself accountable for my earnings and marketing. This, however, is not one of those months. It was a month in which I’d met my target earnings before the middle of the month. What is usually the slowest time of the year for me — late June through Labor Day — has been my biggest earnings month in eight years. I don’t know what let loose, but I hope to catch more of it.
Queries:
I sent one. I didn’t have time to send any more. Still no word on it, but it’s a new magazine market, so I’m not holding my breath.
LOIs:
None. No time to send them mainly because I didn’t have one spare minute to cram one more project into the mix. I hope this doesn’t come back to bite me, but I suspect not with my more recent agreements.
Existing clients:
Let’s see — four existing clients netted me a boatload of projects. This month, I was writing four articles, a website, case studies, brochures, a radio script, and editing articles, websites, a business plan, and email blasts. Things slowed down slightly around the 12th, but then picked up again on the 17th, although slower than the break-neck pace of the previous six weeks. The biggest news is that a client I’d done a few small projects for is about to sign a retainer that will net 3/4 of my monthly target for the next five months.
New clients:
In total I’d say I worked with three new clients this month. Make that four–I had a resume client, as well. It was a blog comment I’d left about nine months ago that brought the newest client. So far I’ve done one project for them and have invoiced them for another that’s about to begin. They’re already talking more projects to complete.
Referrals:
None this month that I can remember.
Earnings:
I exceeded my monthly goal by 25 percent. I was shooting for doubling it, but I realized I’d be working too many hours and might sacrifice quality. Nope. That just means I have a great headstart to August.
Bottom line:
I wish I could show the guy who argued like crazy that his making $10 an article was much more lucrative than my making $2,000 an article. The basis of his argument was that I wasted entirely too much time and effort on marketing. Right. Spoken like a guy who doesn’t know how to market.
That said, it pays to pave your road before driving on it. The conference work, the magazine work, and the contacts have all given me the majority of my work this month. That time spent away from the office in April has been a huge plus to the bottom line. I earned more from July 1 to July 31 than I’ve ever earned in a single month.
I’m not marketing, which bothers me a lot despite the invoice totals. Marketing is essential, and if I’m not careful, I’ll be sitting without any work or money soon. I don’t care how busy I am or how rosy things look now– I’ve been on this roller coaster way too often to take it for granted that the work will be here. That means I’ll spend August redirecting some of my efforts back into marketing.
How was your month? Are you finding that this summer is busier than most? Have you seen any uptick in the number of clients who are calling?
Glad you had such a stellar month, Lori! You deserve it!
Earnings Unless I receive a check today that is more than a month overdue, I won't meet my earnings goal. This has been 2 months in a row of slow payments from long-time clients and I am frankly getting really sick of it.
Existing clients June was my busiest month in terms of projects and July was busy as well. I have projects lined up for the rest of the year.
New clients I had one call from a possible new client-outside my niche. Not sure if it's going to work out. He left the call by saying he was going to send me info. about his business for a proposal. That was supposed to arrive last week and nothing. We had a really great discussion, but I get a feeling it's one of those who flake out on you. I'm following up today, but not very hopeful about it.
Marketing Working on an ebook-took the month off from guest posting as I needed the break. Tried something different on LinkedIn-will let you know if it works out.
My summers are normally busy, and the past couple months have been no exception. I've been extremely productive, too.
Queries: Sent two batches of awards-season queries to two of my favorite editors – one of my ideas was assigned, along with one of their ideas and two more "capusles." Also sent a fun query to The Bark magazine – no word yet, but it's an idea I can pitch elsewhere if they don't, um, bite.
LOIs: No LOIs this month, but I have a magazine in mind to tackle next.
Existing clients: They're keeping me busy. I turned in eight assignments, two columns, three quick projects and also netted the new assignments noted above. One of my graphic-designer-sister's big clients had another light editing project and requested me – I'd edited executive bios for them before and they have another batch.
New Clients: When Y-Me shuttered suddenly, my sister asked me if I would update resumes for a few of the women who lost their jobs. Paid. Working on three of their resumes this week. Also did a resume for another one of my sister's friends.
Referrals: Along with the resume referrals, I finally heard back from a marketing company another writer had referred my way…I replied (second time) still no word.
Earnings: Barring any checks that may arrive in today's mail, I'm a hair below my modest monthly goal. The good news is in the past two weeks I've invoiced almost double that, and am currently working on projects totaling roughly the same amount I've already taken in this month.
Bottom line: Optimistic. (What a nice change!)
Cathy, the length of time it takes a client to pay you is directly proportionate to how depleted your funds are. Sorry you're having to fuss with these people. Fingers crossed on that new client and on your LinkedIn stuff. 🙂
Paula, optimistic IS a nice change! Good for you. Sounds like the start of better things, if you ask me.
This month is actually looking pretty good. And the ghostwriting deal I was certain I'd lost is still in negotiation. Go figure.