These shortcuts = more money writing

[The Writer’ s Life]( May 3, 2019 Hi {NAME}, No one likes to be weighed down by paperwork … And when it comes to making more money as a writer, the key is spending as much "work time" as possible on billable projects. So today, our Director of Copywriting Training, Pam Foster, is here to share shortcuts she learned from the legendary Bob Bly, so you can spend more time doing what you enjoy. Before I turn it over to Pam, just a quick note … Writers are always asking me about sample contracts, invoices, proposals, and more … When you're starting out, getting all of these pieces set up can seem complicated, especially when it comes to legal documents like contracts and agreements. So we've pulled together the 16 most important templates you need to run your business and created the [Essential Templates for Your Copywriting Business]( program. They're all easily customizable so you can quickly personalize them and use them as your own … Check out the 16 templates [here]( today. Have a great weekend, Rebecca Matter President, AWAI Flash Sale: 16 Business Templates for Only $98.50 Improve and automate your business communications with our Essential Business Templates for Copywriters. These 16 professional templates will save you hours of time when working with clients and allow you to focus on writing better copy and making more money. This special offer expires at midnight tonight. [Get your templates here.]( Impress Clients with These Freelance Writing Productivity Shortcuts By Pam Foster [Blank template form for project planning and goals sitting on table] As a freelance copywriter, every minute counts when it comes to making a great living. You don't want to be spending loads of time on the business side of things. You want to spend as much time as possible working on billable client projects, right? And, you want to impress your clients as a highly organized and effective professional so they'll continue calling you for projects. Taking inspiration from Bob Bly — the most prolific and productive copywriter I know — I'm providing the following shortcuts you can use to maximize your billable time while impressing your clients. Shortcut #1: Have a process What's your process for working with clients? For instance, it would be ideal to have a system for each the following aspects of copywriting projects: - Replying to inquiry emails from potential clients looking for help - Driving the initial client "intake" call - Pricing projects - Writing proposals for new work - Starting a new writing project once the client says YES - Staying on track with research and writing - Delivering your first draft and subsequent drafts - Closing out a finished project It's easy to set up a process for these things. All you need to do is establish your methods for handling each phase of a project. And then use those methods every time, adjusting as needed. For instance: - Reply to inquiry emails with a cheerful message requesting an intake call, so you can have a conversation about the client's needs. It's much better than simply responding with an email about what you offer. - Drive the initial client "intake" call by asking a set of awesome questions that show you're interested and can help … such as, - "What is your goal with this project?" - "Who's your ideal customer or prospect?" - 'What's the competitive situation?" - "How is your product or service better than other options?" - "What do you want to get the prospect to DO?" - Price projects using a fee schedule you've created with ranges based on different types of services you offer. Not sure what to charge? Check out AWAI's annual [Copywriting Pricing Guide](. - Write proposals using a simple formula that leads to YES. (First, restate the client's mission and how you can deliver a great outcome; then list the specific deliverables you'll provide; and then list your fees and close with an "I can begin this next week" type assumption that your client will hire you.) - Start the new project by sending the client a detailed Creative Brief/questionnaire so you'll have what you need in order to think about your copy approach. - Stay on track by setting deadlines for yourself and working with focused discipline each day. For instance, block out time each day for uninterrupted research and writing time. - Deliver your drafts via email, with a clear explanation about your approach — why you wrote the copy in the way that you did. For example, for a website homepage, you might say, "The headline addresses your unique promise that gets attention; shows the customer they've found the best solution. The subhead and bullets make you the clear choice. The offer is irresistible, with a call-to-action written to drive clicks." (You may also want to get on the phone with clients and walk them through the copy, so you can answer questions.) - Close out a finished project by suggesting the next project. You can say something like, "Now that I've finished this email series, I can make sure your landing page continues the sequence in the strongest way possible to increase responses." See how this can work in your favor and make you a polished and productive pro? Now that you're seeing how to set up a process, here's my second shortcut. Shortcut #2: Create templates for yourself Why reinvent the above elements for every new project? You'll save a boatload of time if you turn each step into a template, and then you'll only need to customize the details for each different client or project. You can create templates for: - Email responses to an inquiry - Client intake call questions - A pricing fee schedule as mentioned above - Proposals where you fill in the blanks - A Creative Brief/questionnaire to get details from your client - A checklist to follow when working on a project and making sure it's polished before you turn it in - A boilerplate message when closing out a project: leading to the next project When I first got going with my business, I didn't have these templates. I was creating from scratch every time, eating up my billable hours. Then I realized that each copywriting process was essentially the same. So, I created ["grab and go" templates]( that slashed my busywork time so I could focus on more billable writing time. Finally, I'd like to share Bob Bly's well-known shortcut to becoming a prolific writer: outsource everything that takes away from writing time. Bob often tells copywriters that he hasn't been to the post office in years. He doesn't mow the lawn. He doesn't run errands. In short, he doesn't waste time doing menial tasks that take away from his writing work. Anything he can hire out for a lower cost than he bills per-hour, he outsources to someone else. Think about the time wasters in your life, and consider how you can hand them off to someone else or even eliminate them. Then you can focus all your time on being brilliant and billable. Editorial Note: Here's the best shortcut of all — you don't even need to come up with your own templates. AWAI has already done all the work for you in our program, [Essential Templates for Your Copywriting Business](. And today, you can get the entire set for a steal. Grab this set of 16 customizable templates and you will have everything set up for the administrative side of your business. Your agreements, your proposals, your invoices … all of it. It can be that easy! [Go here now.]( But it's available at this special price for today only, [so check it out right now](. The Fastest Way to Become a Well-Paid Copywriter Join Katie, Rebecca and special guest experts for an in-depth, comprehensive webinar series where they'll walk you through one section of The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting at a time, in extreme detail. You'll learn all the skills, secrets and techniques you need to become a successful copywriter – all in a matter of 10 highly-productive hours. [Learn about the special training series here.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2019 American Writers & Artists Inc. Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? 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