High-income Business Writing: Freelance Writing | Copywriting | Content Writing | How To Freelance

I occasionally hear from writers who are on the verge of giving up their freelance dream. They've tried for months (or even years!) to make a go of it. But they haven't been able to achieve the level of success they expected. So they come to me for advice. In this episode, I share some of my thoughts on this issue. And, no—it's not all "rainbows and sunshine" advice. In fact, some of these ideas may surprise you.

Wouldn't it be great to have most of your business come to YOU? Referrals and word of mouth sure beat having to chase every opportunity on your own. Unfortunately, they don't just happen­ — you have to make them happen. In this episode I share some practical ideas to getting more referral business — and how to do it in a way that feels right and becomes habitual.

The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of the show. There’s a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in . To leave a voicemail with a question for Ed, go to: . Please keep your question to under a minute, and keep it focused and detailed. What job titles should I look for when looking for content marketing projects in software companies? Look for “marketing managers” and all the variations: “digital marketing,” “marketing communications manager,” “social media marketing manager,” etc. You can also look for “marketing director.” This level of management has hiring authority. If you approach VPs of marketing, you’re counting on them to pass your name along.

Working for yourself often means that you're working BY yourself. If you're tired of long commutes, office politics and cubicle hell, that may be a blessing. At least at first. But for many freelancers, this can often lead to a feeling of isolation — of being disconnected from the rest of the world. Fortunately, there are many creative ways to combat isolation when you work at home. And in this podcast, you'll hear from Hannah Braime, a freelance writer and self-emplyed professional who has learned how to cope with this common challenge. Hannah shares 10 very practical and effective ideas for dealing with isolation. And she explains why each idea can work so well, even if you consider yourself an introvert.

Freelancing is booming. And the competition has never been fiercer. But while tens of thousands of independent professionals fight over $5 gigs, many others are thriving. The reasons for their success vary. But most of these solos have one thing in common... They're positioning themselves differently. You see, what's really being commoditized in today's gig economy is the words, the design, the software code, the photography. In other words, the work itself. If all you do is talk about your writing — how great it is, how clear and compelling — you'll do what everyone else is doing: focusing on the features of your product. But what if you talked about your unique perspective? Your experience writing in a certain field. Or your background in the accounting industry. Or maybe it's your 12 years of bedside nursing. Your 15 years' experience as a high school teacher. The2 years you spent backpacking and working odd jobs in Spain and the South of France. That's hard to duplicate. Because you've just added your DNA

One of the many things I love about being an entrepreneur (yes, even if you're a solo business owner you ARE an entrepreneur!!) is the magic that often happens along the journey. I love how challenges often turn into great opportunities. And how ideas that originally seemed insignificant (even silly) will often end up saving our business! Great companies such as Apple, Starbucks Zappos are filled with this kind of folklore. Most of us have heard the stories. But I recently came across one such story that is not as well known yet has a strong parallel to successful freelancing. It's the story of Chipotle Mexican Grill. And in this episode I explain what we can all learn from the company's founder as we launch and grow our own solo businesses.

I'm NOT a fan of websites like Elance or oDesk. But occasionally I'll meet a writer who has launched a successful freelance business using these services. Nathan Collier is a perfect example. Nathan launched his freelance writing business on the side last summer. And in just a few months he's been able to land a handful of decent-paying clients using Elance. Here's the really impressive part. He's done this by "Grouponizing" his services. In other words, rather than subscribing to the notion that every project must be at least somewhat profitable, Nathan is willing to work at a loss in order to prove himself to the client. Once the client sees the quality of the work, he then proposes other projects at higher margins. In this interview, Nathan details his strategy and how it works. He explains how to pick the right prospects to work with. And how he builds the value and makes it almost irresistible to hire him at higher rates. The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of the show. There’s a lot

I come across a lot of writers who love the idea of developing passive income streams. Problem is, they just don't know where to start! It's not surprising. The world of Internet marketing is filled with hucksters promising overnight riches. Then there's the multitude of technology and product options. The "you gotta do this" and "you HAVE to do that." It's overwhelming! That's why I recently reached out to one of the truly great guys in this business of internet marketing: Mark Mason of the . And in this episode, Mark talks about the best opportunities to develop realistic and viable passive income streams ... how "passive" is passive ... where to look for opportunities ... how to better determine if there's a strong demand for your idea ... and much more!

If you're going after small businesses, entrepreneurs or solo business owners (such as consultants), there's a very lucrative opportunity many writers don't even know exists:   Writing "lead magnet" books or eBooks.   Lead magnet books are informational tools used for marketing purposes. They typically outline the methodology, approach or formula the business uses to produce results for their clients or customers.   Many businesses and entrepreneurs have found that sharing their insights and systems through a book is a great way to build credibility and turn many cold prospects into hot leads and customers.   Fortunately (for us!), most of these business owners aren't writers. They know what they want to say, but they're not skilled at putting these ideas down on paper.   That's where you come in.   In this episode, I interview Susan Anderson, president of and the author of . Susan has created a thriving writing business that's focused on writing and producing lead magnet books.   She explains what these pro

Happy New Year! In this episode I discuss seven simple and proven strategies to put more money in your pocket and to make your writing business more enjoyable in 2014. Here's to having your best year ever! The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in .

  NOTE: This is part 2 of a two-part episode on the spiritual aspects of freelance success. If you haven't yet listened to part 1, make sure to do that first. The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in . To listen to part one of this conversation, please go to Episode #033. Question #4: Am I letting my outer circumstances, and not my vision, influence my thoughts and feelings on the subject? If you don’t have a strong vision of the outcome you want, you’ll always be in reaction mode. If you have a vision, it will guide you in your thoughts and actions. Example: Joseph Murphy, The Power of Your Subconscious Mind.  

  See if this sounds familiar... You try your hardest to launch your business. Or to get to a certain income level. Or to land that high-profile client you've been chasing for months. But no matter how hard you try, you can't seem to get there. You've followed the formulas. You've toiled day and night. You've given it all you've got ... to no avail. What's going on here? You've played by the rules. You've worked your tail off. In part one of this two-part episode, my good friend Pete Savage (from ) and I explore this issue. And we talk about the missing link in this complex puzzle: the spiritual side of freelance success.

I'm not a fan of going after small local businesses for writing work. Most of them don't understand the value of great copy and content. Or if they do, they can't afford professional-level fees. But I recently came across a writer who proved me wrong. Her name is Shawndra Russell, and she's earning a six-figure income writing for small clients in her hometown of Savannah, GA. Oh, and get this -- she just started freelancing a couple of years ago! In this episode she explains how she does it and how she keeps the work coming in. The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There’s a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for the coaches and mentors I've worked with over the years. These individuals have enabled me to accelerate my progress, avoid costly mistakes and grow both personally and professionally. In today's episode, I share some of the most valuable lessons I've learned from these coaching relationships. And I'll tell you how you can get the most value from a business coach, if you ever explore that option. I also share my thoughts on gratitude and how making thanksgiving a daily practice helps attract wonderful things, people and circumstances into your business and personal life.  

SEO is one of those topics that I have a love/hate relationship with. It can be fun to optimize a website for the search engines. But the constantly changing rules drive me nuts! What worked yesterday will get you in trouble with Google today. It's a maddening cycle! Yet I have to admit that there is great value in knowing how to optimize your OWN freelancer website. And fortunately, the time to do that has never been better, thanks to the big fundamental changes Google has made over the last couple of years. To explain these changes and how you can use them to your advantage, I've brought in my good friend Dianna Huff to the show. Dianna is a seasoned SEO pro who works with small business owners and midsize companies drive more traffic to their websites, generate more leads and get more business. If you're already an SEO expert, this may not be for you. But if you want to better understand what's going on with SEO and how it will impact you as a freelance business writer, then I think you'll find this interv

Impatience has been a recurring theme in my life. Once I decide to pursue a big goal, I can't WAIT to make it a reality. This goal-centered mindset has served me well. But it has also caused me to miss many of the little moments that make up that exciting journey. Moments I can't ever get back. They're gone forever. In this episode, Jeff Goins, author of The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing explains why moments of breakthrough are NOT where life's greatest transformations happen. Instead, they happen in the "in-between" moments. Waiting in the checkout line, waiting for our first big client, waiting for that big trip to Europe... This is an important discussion for all freelancers, regardless of where you are in your journey. I hope it's as helpful to you as it was for me.

Why do so many writers avoid networking as a marketing strategy? Some will tell you that they just can't find the time. Others claim that there are no good networking opportunities where they live. And many will admit that they put it off because they're shy and introverted. These might be true to a certain extent. But I've found that you can overcome any of these challenges when you follow a simple, proven framework. Without a framework or roadmap, it's very difficult to navigate the networking waters — especially if networking is something you're afraid to do. My guest this week is , a writer turned solo attorney who developed a simple framework for networking more effectively. His approached has worked so well that it landed him a staff writer position at the Clinton White House and a speechwriting gig in the California Governor’s office during the Davis Administration. He attributes these achievements to his methodical yet authentic approach to networking. And in this episode, he details this approach and

It's easy to talk about achieving a healthy work/life balance. But it's much harder to put it into practice. And that's true no matter where you are in your freelance journey. In this week's episode, freelance writer explains why she's decided to set clear boundaries in her business. She talks about her daily routine, her experience outsourcing some of her tasks, and the expectations she's learned to set with clients. Rachel is a Toronto-based freelancer who helps B2B marketers improve their response rates, clearly communicate complex messages and generate high-quality leads. She shares her insights on B2B marketing in her articles for the Content Marketing Institute, Business 2 Community and her . The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in .

Peter Bowerman -- the author of The Well-Fed Writer and other "Well-Fed" books -- is one of the most influential mentors in the world of commercial writing. One of the many things Peter does very well is generating strategic partnerships with freelance designers. Through these arrangements, Peter gets a well-paid writing gig, the designer lands work she may not have won otherwise, and the client benefits from a turnkey service solution. In this episode, Peter reveals how this strategy has added tens of thousands of dollars to his income over the years. He explains how to contact designers ... how to find them ... how to structure these opportunities ... how to price your work ... and much more! The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in .

One of the biggest, untapped prospecting opportunities is our own personal and professional networks. But many of us are reluctant to do it. Why? Most common reasons are because you: 1.      Have a fear of rejection 2.      Don’t want to sound stupid 3.      Don’t want to mix business and friendship 4.      Don’t want to feel awkward 5.      Believe there's no value in it 6.      Don’t know how to explain what you do to a lay person None of these have to be true. They’re only true if you believe them — or if you’re not prepared to address them. Let's analyze each of these reasons...