Wrong. Small businesses very often don’t have the kind of money a smart and talented consultant deserves to be paid. And very often, a small business doesn’t have the knowledge and resources to implement the consultant’s solution properly, often leading to disappointing results.

And it’s the results you need…it’s the stories about how you solved a problem, what kind of returns you brought, how you cut costs, or increased productivity…these are the things the mid-size and big companies want to hear before hiring you.

So the first rule in consulting…whether you’re an IT pro, human resources expert, or copywriter like me…is to start prospecting somewhat higher than the very small business. And yes, you should also have the really big guys on your list, the global enterprises.

Even though your chances of landing the IBMs might be small now, you should have a certain number of enterprise-level names on your list (within your niche), because if they’re not on your list now, they won’t know you later when you’re ready for them, and they’re ready for you.

So the first rule in freelancing to the corporate decision-maker is to target high enough.

Now before we move on, let me point out that there is one very important exception to this rule…

…and that is that you CAN work successfully for small business IF you offer a “full solution.”

For instance, you’ll have a hard time surviving on small business accounts if you ONLY sell copywriting services.

However, if you handle ALL aspects of their marketing…the strategy, ad buys, project management, creative, production…in other words, if you handle the whole ball of wax as their “one-person marketing agency,” you can make working for small business a VERY profitable niche.

We’ll go into the realities of working for small business an upcoming article, but for now, let’s finish our focus on what it takes to land the big accounts.

So if the first rule of landing big accounts is to aim high enough with regards to size, then the second rule is to have a solid “value proposition.” This is a statement that does more than differentiate you…it also shows, in specific terms, what your value is to the client.

Here’s an example of a value proposition taken from Jill Konrath’s outstanding book, “Selling to Big Companies,” slightly modified…

“After working with [me], one well-known retailer saw a 54 percent increase in sales conversions and a 25 percent increase in order size from their online sales. My clients typically see 40 percent to 150 percent improvements in key operating metrics such as profit margins, rates, and cost savings.”

A strong value proposition like this one, with numbers and benefit statements, has a lot to do with getting you in with the high-quality, high-paying clients.

It’s the metrics that make the difference, and it’s been my experience as a copywriter that gaining strong metrics is easier when you work with companies with sophisticated marketing departments.

And what if you don’t have any metrics you can use in your value proposition?

Simply use your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) for now, being sure to state not only what sets you apart from your competition, but what it means to the client. (Your benefit statement, what you mean to the client, is the most important part of your USP.)

So whatever work you do, and whoever you do it for, one of your primary concerns is getting your hands on the results of your work. I put it right into my fee agreement so the client can’t blow me off later when I come asking for results data and work samples.

Here’s what’s worked well for me for years, and I encourage you to add it to your own contract/fee agreement:

“In order to promote my business it is essential that I receive samples of my work as well as any information on the performance of the work. Your sharing of samples, response rates, and any other measurement data is very important, and you understand that I may use these samples in the promotion of my business. Thank you for your cooperation!”

Ok…so back to the question: “Who lands the big accounts?”

The consultants who work for the high-quality, high-value clients have a niche market and specialized experience and/or talent in that market.

They may be individuals like my coaching students and me; they may be groups of individuals, such as small consultancies. And they may be mid-size companies or big corporations themselves (think Madison Avenue ad agency).

And they all have their various value propositions. You can get into the big time too IF you know a common problem that your niche market struggles with (low marketing response rates for instance), AND you have the answer to the problem right there in your value proposition:

“I can double your response AND cut your costs.”

Chris Marlow, all rights reserved

* * * * *

Chris Marlow shows copywriters and other freelancers how to land the
high-value, high-quality clients through her popular Coaching Program
and Get Great Clients ezine. Sign up for your free subscription and
get instant downloads of four timely articles on how the right clients
can help you build your most profitable business!

RESOURCES

The Business and Practice of Coaching: Finding Your Niche, Making Money, and Attracting Ideal Clients

Get Clients Now!(TM): A 28-Day Marketing Program for Professionals, Consultants, and Coaches

Persuasive Business Proposals: Writing to Win More Customers, Clients, and Contracts

Sometimes the result is disastrous.

I know this from personal experience. At the beginning of my freelance career, some 20 years ago, I charged Stash Tea just $18 per hour for my copywriting services. I got lots of work as you might imagine!

My contact, Susan, eventually left, and just before leaving she took me aside to tell me I’d been under-pricing by at least $30 per hour!

I never had the stomach to calculate my financial loss, but it’s certainly been in the thousands, not just with this client but with others too. The sum total of my foolish pricing decisions could have funded a respectable CD earning hundreds of dollars in interest over the years.

Why do copywriters under-price?

Here’s a short list of the primary reasons, and any or all may play a part in the final pricing decision:

• The copywriter is insecure. She reasons that she’s not highly experienced or “famous,” and so should undercut her pricing.
• No known benchmarks. The copywriter has not worked in an agency environment, or “in-house” at a catalog company, or in the advertising department of a sophisticated marketer, and has no concept of fair pay for his services.
• Financial stress. Pressure to meet financial needs and obligations leads her to “come in low” in order to secure the job.
• Other motivators: He needs more samples on his Web page and is willing to do the work for less in order to pad his portfolio; the client is a small business and doesn’t have much money for copywriting services; the client promises more work if he’ll do the job “on the cheap” just this once (don’t believe it); or… or…and the list goes on.

The fact is, many freelance copywriters talk themselves into accepting less than they’re worth just to “stay in the game”… but in doing so, they also ensure they’ll stay on the margins of this highly lucrative career choice.

If you’re even the least bit weak-kneed when it comes to pricing, you (and your family) will greatly benefit if you hone your negotiation skills, and show the client that you demand respect for your time.

To that end, here are some tools to help you price correctly on every job:

1. Understand that you cannot price less than $50 USD per hour and remain comfortably in business. You must charge for your time, for your overhead, for your health insurance, for your retirement fund, and for PROFIT, which is your right as an entrepreneur. Generally, copywriters should charge at least $75 per hour to earn a livable income.

2. Charge more if you provide more. Are you an expert in a particular field? Is your work impeccable, requiring little revision work for the client? Do you offer creative direction? Project management? Are you expected to attend on-site meetings? When you price, price for everything you bring to the table… not just the copy.

3. Avoid small businesses. They’re legendary for using too much of a copywriter’s time, and paying too little for it as well.

4. Avoid working for individuals, small businesses, or other entities that require education. If they don’t know what a copywriter can do for them and you find yourself educating them about copywriting or marketing, run as fast as you can in the opposite direction. They’ll drain your energy and pay little for it.

5. By the same token, if a business looks like it needs the help of a copywriter (e.g., badly written Web site), don’t think, “Hey, they need me!” Rather, understand that they don’t need you or their Web site would be well written in the first place. Always work for people who understand and value copywriting. They’re
the ones who’ll be willing to pay your price.

6. Seek pricing benchmarks. Over the last 20 years I’ve collected a file that is now 3 inches thick on copywriter pricing. Like piecing a puzzle together, the “whole” of it offers a better picture of what’s real — and what should be — than the individual parts.

7. When you’re really stumped, try this simple but stress reducing technique (this works especially well for very large jobs that are scary to price):

Simply sit down and devote an hour to actually doing some writing on the project. (Don’t let the client know you’re doing this or you’ll weaken your bargaining position.)

This one hour will help you grasp the true size of the project. Often it’ll reveal that your original idea for pricing was way off… in other words, way too low. Spending one hour on the project will help you “chunk it down” so you can make a realistic
estimate of how much time you’ll spend.

Sometimes this hour is better spent thinking of all the things you must do to complete the job, such as helping the client write a Creative Brief, researching the competition, writing an outline, etc. Then estimate time spent for each task, in addition to writing the copy. Now you have something to work with in pricing, rather than the amorphous thought, “this seems like a big job.”

8. Write down everything you’ll do for the client and present it to him with your pricing. In my Fee Agreement I’m very detailed about what I’m providing (copy, testing concepts and rationale, offer development, new testimonials, etc.), and will even detail the size of the components of a package. When the client sees
all that copy representing what I’m going to do for him, he’s less resistant about price.

Chris Marlow, all rights reserved

* * * * *

Chris Marlow shows copywriters and other freelancers how to land the
high-value, high-quality clients through her popular Coaching Program
and Get Great Clients ezine. Sign up for your free subscription and
get instant downloads of four timely articles on how the right clients
can help you build your most profitable business!

RESOURCES

           

Chris Marlow's 10-year proven system for correctly negotiating and pricing a job is now available in a 5-part Pricing Toolkit for Copywriters. Find out what you MUST ask your client,
discover easy ways to increase the fee amount, protect yourself  against common pitfalls, and avoid expensive mistakes on your
very next job! Comes with mp3 of Pricing Teleclass. Visit  http://www.CopywritersPricing.com 

The Job Search Solution: The Ultimate System for Finding a Great Job Now!

Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters: 400 Unconventional Tips, Tricks, and Tactics for Landing Your Dream Job

The Career Chronicles: An Insider’s Guide to What Jobs Are Really Like – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from Over 750 Professionals

discussion of the topic since she had recently encountered some

difficulties with clients. In her own words:

“I’ve been in this business for 23 years and only in the last

two years do I finally see the need to have a contract with

new clients.”

Now I’ve seen a lot of contracts in my freelance life, but none more complete or protective of a freelancer’s interests than my own. And I’ll share its elements here so you can create your own contract, or perhaps improve the one that you use.

But before we get started I’ll make a couple of points:

The first concerns semantics: Somewhere along the line I read that the word “contract” is negative and off-putting, and  after some thought, I had to agree.  So I call my contract a “Fee Agreement,” which I think is friendlier and sets the tone for a positive and equally respectful working relationship to come. You might think about doing the same for your own contract.

Point two is that you should always, always use a Fee Agreement and get it signed and faxed (or emailed) back before starting any work. When you work with the proper forms you are telling your client that you are a professional, and your client will then treat you with the respect you deserve. Much of the success of the freelancer/client relationship is built upon how you conduct yourself in your transactions.

In my Fee Agreement I always make it clear that I will Invoice for half the fee up front, upon receipt of the signed Fee Agreement. That way the client has agreed to pay an up front fee of 50 percent.

Then I email the Invoice, which instructs the client to send the check via FedEx or another overnight delivery service. Since I tend to work with mid-size to large companies, I never have a problem getting my upfront fee or having it delivered over night.

My feeling is that clients are in a hurry to get their copy and are at their most agreeable at this stage. However, once they’ve received their copy, there is no incentive the rush the check. So I send a final Invoice “due and payable upon receipt,” instructing the payment to be sent via regular mail.

Since I work directly with the client, this arrangement works well for me, however you may need to be more flexible depending on whom you work with, or what market you’re working in. For instance, ad agencies may ask you to collect 100 percent at the back end, especially if the job is small and fast.

For very large jobs, paying in thirds is also common. And small businesses may prefer to pay in thirds if their budget is tight (and it usually is). And then, of course, there are those pay arrangements that include bonuses or royalties, which you will most often find in the business-to-consumer side of direct marketing, among very large mailers.

Does anyone ever get paid 100 percent up front? The answer is yes, but I’ve seen it rarely. Recently one of my coaching students was paid 100 percent up front for a very small job worth $300. And another student was paid in the four figures from an entrepreneur, who obviously understood that the copywriter realized the risk involved with working with a risk-taking marketer.

My advice is to try for 50 percent, and if the client balks, proceed very carefully if you proceed at all. If the client has problems paying you now, before you do the work, it’s a red flag. You’re better off to say no, and spend your time marketing yourself to find a better client.

A Quick List of What Should Be in Your Contract:

* A very detailed description of the job, listing virtually everything you will do

* A deadline for the work to be completed

* Revision terms

* Payment terms

* Late payment terms

* A description of what will be included in your services

* A description of what will not be included (interviewing and creating testimonials, for instance)

* A policy on how change orders are handled (you charge more if they make a significant change after work has been done)

* Ownership (you own the copyright until you’ve received full payment)

* Indemnity (a legal disclaimer holding you harmless against any legal charges such as libel and copyright infringement; you don’t need to add false advertising since you won’t be doing that anyway)

* An agreement for the client to share work samples and results (so you can use them in your promotions)

Don’t be so anxious to get the work that you fail to get a signed Fee Agreement and payment up front. Getting payment up front is an effective screen, and evidence that you are a professional.

Chris Marlow, all rights reserved

* * * * *

Chris Marlow shows copywriters and other freelancers how to land the
high-value, high-quality clients through her popular Coaching Program
and Get Great Clients ezine. Sign up for your free subscription and
get instant downloads of four timely articles on how the right clients
can help you build your most profitable business!

RESOURCES

           

Chris Marlow's 10-year proven system for correctly negotiating and pricing a job is now available in a 5-part Pricing Toolkit  for Copywriters. Find out what you MUST ask your client,
discover easy ways to increase the fee amount, protect yourself against common pitfalls, and avoid expensive mistakes on your
very next job! Comes with mp3 of Pricing Teleclass. Visit http://www.CopywritersPricing.com 

Writer’s Digest Handbook of Making Money Freelance Writing

Secrets of a Freelance Writer, Second Edition: How To Make $85,000 A Year

The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency As a Freelance Writer in Six Months or Less

How disciplined are you?

If you’re like most freelancers, you love the “time freedom” of your lifestyle. No more punching a time clock or being chained to a desk. No more “hanging up quickly” when the boss walks by.

As a freelancer those days are gone forever…but one quickly learns that in order to make a great living as a copywriter, you’re now the “boss” to whom you must be accountable!

It’s ironic, to be sure. And as you strive for higher and higher income and greater and greater success, you’ll realize that neither will come without strict time discipline on your part.

Setting Your “Policy”

Now that you work from home (as most freelance writers do), people will know that you’re available for rides to the airport and other favors. Since part of the pleasure of freelancing is its time flexibility, you might want to be able to say “yes” from time to time.

However there’s a big danger lurking called “part time work,” and if you spend too much time not working, you wind up with “part time pay.” If you have a family or small children, enormous amounts of time can also be siphoned away through small but endless interruptions.

The best way to deal with “time thieves” is to institute a “policy,” as most businesses do. When you say “I’m sorry, my policy is to devote two hours per week to doing favors and this week I’ve already used them up,” you’ll probably find little resistance. That’s because policies are like printed signs: people rarely argue with them.

A Simple But Powerful Daily Schedule Document

As a freelancer, you’ll need to create your own work system and your own documents. Over the years I’ve refined my own system and documents to near perfection (I’m always changing and improving as ideas come to me).

One of my most powerful documents is my “Daily Timesheet and Schedule.” It helps me prioritize my most important projects, lays out what I need to do in half hour increments, shames me into doing my daily exercise routine, and forces me to be accountable throughout the day. If someone needs a favor of me, it must go on the Daily Schedule
where it “bumps” a work item.

Here is the Formula for Creating Your Own “Task Master”

Since it’s so easy for us freelancers to procrastinate when we’re faced with a task we’d rather put off, I put right at the top of my Daily Schedule the question, “How will I earn money today?” And then I must write it down in the top position for that day’s work.

This forces me to put aside the fun but less important jobs, to focus on the most lucrative.

My Daily Schedule also has two columns: the left hand column is for “Task”; the right hand column is for “Activity.” The Task column shows what I should be doing at any appointed time. The Activity column shows what I AM doing.

Having to write down what I’m actually doing under “Activity” exposes those moments when I’m doing something I shouldn’t be doing…those time-wasters that detract from my income. You can imagine how powerful it is to acknowledge — by physically writing it down — that you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing!

If you adopt this system for keeping you on the straight-and-narrow, be sure to create your plan for the day the night before. That way you can gather the tools, papers, research and other items you need so you can truly stay on schedule throughout the day.

By working from such a schedule you can identify your personal work weaknesses, increase your billable time and effectiveness, and conquer your procrastination.

Try this system for yourself and see if you don’t get more done, earn more, and feel more successful — because you are!

Chris Marlow, all rights reserved

* * * * *

Chris Marlow shows copywriters and other freelancers how to land the
high-value, high-quality clients through her popular Coaching Program
and Get Great Clients ezine. Sign up for your free subscription and
get instant downloads of four timely articles on how the right clients
can help you build your most profitable business!

RESOURCES

The Instant Productivity Toolkit

Total Workday Control Using Microsoft Outlook, 2nd Ed.

The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play

You will find money for individuals, projects, writers residencies, travel, workshop expenses and more.
The fun part (yech) is writing the grant proposal. Proposals range from short 2-3 page documents to fully developed documents that include project plans, budgets and other assorted details.

Learn more about writing proposals here.

Canada Council for the Arts

This is a great place to start your research. The Canada Council for the Arts offers a range of grants for professional Canadian writers, collectives and publishers. There are over a dozen grant categories with deadlines throughout the year. There are also cross-over grants so be sure to check out the other grant categories such as inter-arts, media-arts and visual-arts. Check and see who has won previous awards to get an idea of the types of projects that are funded.

The Writers’ Trust of Canada

This is a non-profit organization that supports and administers over a dozen programs for individual writers and publishers. Here is a sampling of the many awards offered:

McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize
Winner: $10,000; Winning publisher: $2,000
Awarded annually to a new and developing writer of distinction for a short story published in a Canadian literary publication.

The Marian Engel Award
$15,000
The award is presented once a year to a female Canadian writer, not for a single book, but for a body of work and in anticipation of her future contribution to Canadian literature.

Matt Cohen Prize
$20,000
Recognizes a lifetime of distinguished work by a Canadian writer, working in either poetry or prose in either French or English. Valued at $20,000, it is one of the richest literary awards in the country.

The Pearson Writers Trust Non-Fiction Prize
Winner $15,000; Finalists $2,000
This award is for a work of non-fiction that, in the opinion of the judges, shows the highest literary merit.

Canadian Heritage Financial Support Programs
There are a wide range of programs available to not-for-profit organizations, established businesses and municipal/government groups. Programs include money for publishers, magazines, arts groups and aboriginal groups. There is no funding available for individuals.

PROVINCIAL GRANTS AND FUNDS FOR WRITERS

Many of Canada’s Provinces are actively encouraging writers and the literary arts though various funding programs. The challenge is in discovering the right departments to query!

Alberta Foundation for the Arts
Each year, $19 M from lottery revenues is distributed by the AFA to individual artists and arts organizations in the visual, performing and literary arts, and cultural industries. Grants are awarded to individuals and non-profits, businesses.

Grant MacEwen Literary Awards
Grant MacEwan Author’s Award: Annual author’s award of $25,000 will be presented to an Alberta writer.
Grant MacEwan Young Writer’s Scholarship: Scholarships of $2,500 each will be presented to four young Albertans (aged 16-25) for an essay or short story of between 1,000 and 5,000 words in length that meets the same criteria as the Author’s award.

British Columbia Arts Council
Money is available for professional development, literary programs, travel, projects and more for individuals and organizations.
Vancouver Foundation oversees a variety of arts and cultural funding.

Manitoba Arts Council
Provides assistance to professional book and periodical publishers, to writers in a range of genres, and to arts service organizations that contribute to public education about the literary arts. They have a variety of individual, residency, travel and organization grants.

New Brunswick Arts Board
Scholarships, Awards, Foundation prizes.

Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council
Project grants, travel assistance, awards …

Nova Scotia Tourism and Culture
Grants and funding for individuals, groups, non-profits, organizations and businesses. Of interest is their grants to individuals program which supports the creation of new works by professional artists in all disciplines.

Nunavut’s Department of Culture, Language, Elders, and Youth
Grants and funding programs and literary prize.

Ontario Arts Council
Project and operating funds for individuals and organizations.

Toronto Arts Council
Groups supported include: individuals, presenters, festivals, and service organizations.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation
The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Ministry of Culture that receives annually $100 million of government funding generated through Ontario’s charity casino initiative. They’ve got some interesting tools on the website to help you develop a proposal and application. Grants are for organizations only they do not fund individuals.

Saskatchewan Arts Board
Individual Assistance Grant Program grants are available in the literary, media, multidisciplinary, performing or visual arts.