Uncategorized | Words on the Page

6 Ways You’re Scaring Off Clients

Posted on February 11, 2015 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: The Modern Leper by Frightened Rabbit Slower week this week. One project due to come in on Monday has been delayed a week. That gives me time to get an article finished and get a marketing blitz started. I have three months until a big trade show. The more companies I…

Social Media Connecting without the Creepiness

Posted on February 9, 2015 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett What’s on the iPod: Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole Last week was a busy one. Two deadlines within three days of each other had me hopping. The project drafts are done, and I wait for the revisions. This week is a bit lighter — one…

Juggling Multiple Writing Projects

Posted on February 4, 2015 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars Busy, busy week. Today is filled with client calls, interviews, writing, and marketing. I have a trade show the end of April, so now is the time to reach out to exhibitors. Tomorrow won’t be much better as I have two tight deadlines, but…

Monthly Assessment: January 2015

Posted on February 2, 2015 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Call Ya Momma by Justin Townes Earle It was a lovely weekend. Our final Burns Supper was Friday night, so we dressed up and headed out into the single-digit temps to once again toast a barely intelligible poet who wrote poems about mice and lice in Scots dialect. Go figure. But the…

Free Advice Friday: The Killer Query Letter

Posted on January 30, 2015 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Mademoiselle du Paris by Jacqueline Francois Quite the busy week I’ve had. First a snowstorm that never happened interrupted work on Monday (everyone ran out for bread — apparently, you can’t have a sandwich shortage during a snowstorm). Then an assignment kept me busy with research and lining up interviews. Yesterday,…

7 Reasons Why Your Client Communications is Failing

Posted on January 28, 2015 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Roll the Bones by Shakey Graves So much for predictions; that massive storm that had the weather people in complete ecstasy and had the rest of us scared to not have bread in the house? Nothing. Oh, I suppose an inch and a half of snow is something, but when you’re…

4 Hyper Marketing Strategies for Writers

Posted on January 26, 2015 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Fast As You by Dwight Yoakam Oh, snow. We had snow showers overnight — just an inch — and the snow right now is falling so softly. Such a pretty picture. Until tonight. That’s when the big shit comes down. Our area is expected just 7 to 12 inches (“just”). Other…

Finding February Freelance Work

Posted on January 22, 2015 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Everything by Michael Bublé Today’s the day! Visit the All Indie Writers Freelance Theater (episode 7) page today to hear Jenn’s interview with yours truly. Topic: easy marketing strategies. You won’t want to miss it! The morning is starting out well. I sit here enjoying a little Bublé (yes, I actually listen to a…

Writers Worth: This Job, Not That Job

Posted on January 21, 2015 by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Lay Back Down by Eric Lindell Don’t forget — visit the All Indie Writers Freelance Theater page this Friday to hear Jenn’s interview with yours truly. We’ll discuss easy ways to market your services. Interesting week so far. I spent Monday finishing up edits, marketing, and updating blogs. Yesterday was more of the…

7 Signs a Writing Client Isn’t for You

Posted on January 19, 2015 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey What’s on the iPod: Keep It Simple by Martin Sexton A quick note — visit the All Indie Writers Freelance Theater page this Friday to hear Jenn’s interview with yours truly. We’ll discuss easy ways to market your services. I’m staring at a pretty busy week ahead….

Cathy Miller

January 19, 2015

This one is very similar to your "asking the price up front" but with a twist.

Not having a budget. I know, I know. LOTS of prospects respond that they have not worked out a budget for a project. It doesn't always mean there's going to be a problem but with a bit more questioning, I often find they are not ready for my professional services. 😉

Anne Wayman

January 19, 2015

Slow pay on the first project

Paula

January 19, 2015

One of my very first clients (who only lasted for one project) spelled out very specific and convoluted payment terms which he later tried to bend to his benefit.

It was sort of a PR type gig to get articles about his company and products in print, and he rated the "value" of story placements in various types of publications, which he broke down based on real circulation vs paid circulation; number of subscribers vs number of newsstand sales; ad rates, as noted in their media kits; distribution area; trade vs consumer; pass along numbers even factored in….and those are only the things I can remember. Of course the story length was important, too, and cover stories got bonus points.

According to his list, by my calculations the cover story I landed for him – in a family custom real estate magazines that spanned most of the US and were a great fit for his company – should have paid $2,000. But he nitpicked the definitions I gave and said it was worth less than $1,000. He said it was a trade, I said it was a custom publication geared to the trade's clients, exactly the people he wanted to reach. He said it was local, not national, but I countered that it was a family of local custom publications that were purchased by Realtors across the country.

I held my ground, and knowing I never wanted to work with a jerk like him again, I went ahead and burnt that bridge. Why? Before we'd hashed out a fair payment, he sent me a small check hoping I'd be dumb enough to cash it so he could say I'd accepted payment.

Instead, I mailed the check back with a scathing letter telling him I wouldn't allow him to get away with trying to use his complicated formula to confuse an inexperienced freelancer into doing far more work than he was willing to pay for. I outlined everything I'd done to get that story placed, I broke his stupid formula down like a checklist, and told him while my interpretation of his formula resulted in a higher rate, I saw where some confusion came from – whether it was a trade or consumer publication – and suggested the only fair thing to do was to split the difference.

After several heated letters (this was pre-email), he finally paid me $1,000, which was a lot more than he wanted to. I think returning that first check stunned him into realizing I wasn't some dumb little kid he could pacify with a couple hundred dollars. (Looking back, though, I was pretty dumb to even consider his ridiculous formula.)

Lori Widmer

January 19, 2015

Cathy, excellent point. I agree — that is a red flag.

It's akin to clients who don't know what they want or they do, but have no idea how to explain it. I had one lovely client (he really was a nice person) who'd spent an hour telling me all about his business. It should take ten minutes — otherwise, you're over-thinking it or your focus is way off.

Anyway, I knew I was in trouble when he said "Our goal isn't to attract customers" but he couldn't tell me what the goal was. I missed the mark (naturally) and his note to me (very nice note, I might add) said that most people don't "get" what they do.

Right there was his disconnect. He didn't know how to tell me in a way that I understood and could convey to his audience, which apparently didn't include potential customers??

You tell me. I'm still scratching my head over that one.

Anne, amen! Agreed.

Paula, that's a wild story! You were so smart to mail that check back! Amen. You risked not getting anything, but you trumped his trump and won. Way to go!

Jennifer Mattern

January 21, 2015

Thanks for the reminder that I need to get my rear in gear and edit our podcast chat. 😉

Lori's guest episode will be available directly at http://AllIndieWriters.com/podcast/7/ at some point on Thursday. 🙂

Lori Widmer

January 21, 2015

Thanks, Jenn. It was a fun conversation. 🙂

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