Easy “gateway” writing project = $2,000 fee

Offer Site Audits to get more work [The Writer’ s Life]( April 1, 2020 Hi {NAME}, Do you feel like you're online even more lately? I think we all do … it's our connection to the outside world. With the landscape changing so much these days, people are relying on the internet for information, current status, and updates. And with all the face-to-face marketing channels like trade shows, in-person meetings, and networking events coming to a halt for the time being, having a useful website has become more critical for businesses than ever. Yet the reality is, most businesses and services don't have good websites. They're obsolete, static, or simply not set up for the best user experience. Which means big opportunity for you as a writer … The first step for each business is to find out what's working — and what isn't. Web writer and AWAI Director of Training Pam Foster created a ["diagnostic check"]( that helps website owners know where they need to improve. Learn how to implement that check, and it will set the stage for you to have infinite well-paid writing opportunities with every client. AWAI Success Andrew Murray used Pam's system to earn money to diagnose a site's problems and recommend solutions, and more money to make the fixes. He shares his experience with this opportunity today. You simply follow Pam's [35-Point Usability Checklist]( to come up with a list of what needs to be fixed … Then charge clients for the report … and charge them again to do the writing. It's that simple! [Check it out for yourself here.]( To your success, Rebecca Matter President, AWAI Offer Professional Site Audits to Land Clients By Andrew Murray [Man sitting in front of computer at desk in home office with view of his backyard] Several months ago, I was speaking to a friend and former colleague about my copywriting journey so far. John and I have known each other for years. In my past life as an engineer, I worked alongside his company many times. We know and trust each other. When I mentioned web-content writing, John's eyes lit up. You see, John has a successful engineering workshop. He also has a website … an old, tired website. He was keen for me to take a look at it and suggest improvements. Of course, I said yes. You know when you land on a website and think, "Wow, this is really bad"? Well, John's website was terrible. John's site was simple, just a handful of pages. However the content was poorly written, with a corporate tone aimed at upper management. The navigation was confusing, with no logical page sequences. There was no focus on "What's in it for me?" Rather, the site was written in the typical "At Company X, we do this" kind of style. This website was in bad shape. I wanted to be certain I captured every issue and every problem area. And then I wanted to present the information in a professional, clear way. I needed a template, a roadmap … and some expert guidance. Coincidentally, I saw information about Pam Foster's [Site Audits Made Simple]( program. So I checked it out and decided this is what I needed to get the job done. A Clear Roadmap Briefly, the Site Audits course lays out a set of logical steps. It starts with ideas on how to pitch your services … all the way through to using the Site Audit as a springboard for ongoing work. The program's built around two principles: Usability and Content. Usability focuses on how easy the website is to "understand, read, and use." Pam includes a 35-point checklist, giving you a roadmap to dissect websites and detect any deficiencies. Content looks at how well the content does its job. Does it solve a visitor's problem, keep them on the site, and then lead them toward a sale? Once you've applied the Site Audit system to a website, you'll have a full breakdown of what's good and what needs to be improved. It's all laid out in front of you. So, now you can take this information and present it to your client. This is your chance to shine, to prove your professionalism. A Professional Outcome Select the most important points and weave them into a professional report. Pam's course gives you useful tips and ideas on how to do this. Include a complete list of your findings in the report. This way your client can clearly see their website for what it is, warts and all … a powerful visual cue for your client. Email the report. Then schedule a meeting, either face-to-face or via Skype. Go through the list, selecting the "big hitters" and briefly explain why these points are holding back their website. This is the point where you prove you are a professional … an expert who knows how to fix your client's website. What stunned me was John's response when I ran him through the report. He is a self-confessed technophobe, but he could immediately see what needed to be changed and why. And remember, I had previously worked with John in a completely different industry. He must have been wondering how much I really knew about web writing. Our face-to-face meeting showed John I actually knew quite a lot. It positioned me as a professional, someone who knows their trade … and that gave John confidence in me. So, what else can you learn from this experience? Learnings and Outcomes First, pretty well every website fails at least a few of the criteria from the Usability and Content checklists. And, not just small business websites. As a generalization, it seems the larger the company, the larger the corporate ego. The need for a company to talk endlessly about themselves seems to go up as the company gets bigger. Second, many business owners have no idea what constitutes a "good" website. This is not a criticism, merely an observation. They need guidance and will appreciate your expert advice. Third, when you're viewing a website with your client, be respectful. When making points that are critical of the website, maintain a professional approach. Never be insulting. Just focus on how things can be stronger. As an example, John's father-in-law wrote the web content. His corporate background was apparent in his writing style. We simply agreed the tone was not appropriate for John's business and moved on to the next point. Fourth, tell everyone you're a copywriter. You never know what opportunities might arise. The Site Audit I completed for John is a perfect example. And finally, you've just nailed your "job interview"! You've shown you are a professional, you've laid out what needs to be done … and you are the obvious choice to do it! In case you're wondering, John asked me to send a quote covering the work specified in the Site Audit. Remember, the report listed every improvement that was needed. So, compiling a formal Scope of Work and pricing the project was a breeze. John was keen for me to get started. He wants to expand the site to incorporate a new direction for the company. So now, I'll be busy for quite a while … Keep in mind, John paid me for the Site Audit, and now he'll be paying me to re-write his site. You can't ask for more than that! Oh, I nearly forgot. Do a Site Audit on your own website. I did and, well … let's just say it needs some work. Have you used [Site Audits]( as a foot in the door for ongoing work? [Share your experiences in the comments here.]( This article, [Offer Professional Site Audits to Land Clients]( was originally published by [Wealthy Web Writer](. Editorial Note: To help you get started doing Site Audits, Pam Foster outlined a complete step-by-step script for a phone call persuading a prospective client to hire you to do a Site Audit. [You can find it here.]() And if you want to start getting paid to write Site Audits, Pam has compiled everything you need, including the tools, techniques, and the 35-Point Usability Checklist she uses herself, all inside the AWAI program, Site Audits Made Simple: Consult Your Way to Lucrative Web Copywriting Projects. [Check out all the details here.]( Can You Spot What's Wrong with This Web Page? If you can, in a single weekend you could earn $2,500 … You could even get paid TWICE for every project you take on … And I'm giving you a cheat sheet so you're GUARANTEED to nail it every time. Even total beginners can take advantage of this 100% foolproof "in" to paid writing. [Go here for the details]( Get Paid to Write About Your Favorite Weekend Activities If you could do anything with your day, what would you do? Whatever it is, I can almost guarantee there's someone who would pay you good money to write about it. Writers are urgently needed to cover everything from coffee and food to travel, museums, crafting, pets, home design, hiking, kayaking, golf, fitness, fashion … … and hundreds of other subjects in a fun, conversational tone. Get a guide to the top 77 writing markets, plus … [Everything you need to start, here.]( It's almost here! The 2020 State of the Industry Virtual Summit Join 11 of the best and brightest minds in direct response and Internet advertising … Experts who've built multi-million-dollar businesses and helped define what Internet marketing is today … To chart out the FUTURE of online direct response … and reveal the BIGGEST and BEST opportunities for copywriters in 2020 and beyond! No working or aspiring copywriter should miss this powerful event. ALL are welcome to attend for free from home on Thursday, April 2 at Noon ET. [Reserve your spot now here.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2020 American Writers & Artists Institute Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? Simply direct them [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- American Writers & Artists Institute 101 SE 6th Avenue, Suite A Delray Beach, FL 33483 (561) 278-5557 or (866) 879-2924 Ensure your subscription delivery. AWAI Whitelisting info available [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- You are subscribed to this newsletter as {EMAIL}. To unsubscribe from any future issues of The Writer's Life, please click here: [Unsubscribe from The Writer's Life](. To unsubscribe from all AWAI broadcasts click here. [I want to permanently unsubscribe from all AWAI emails](.