Writers - use blogging as your starting point

[The Writer’ s Life]( April 27, 2021 Hi {NAME}, Before I jump in to today's issue, just a quick reminder that our very special LIVE Virtual Open House hosted by Katie Yeakle kicks off at 12 p.m. ET today. Along with getting your own questions answered, you'll hear great stories about how AWAI members achieved writing success (and how you can copy them), the hottest writing niches to be looking at right now, tips for turbocharging your writing career, and a whole lot more. Katie and her special guests are ready to help you any way they can … and have a blast doing it! [>> Get the access instructions here.]( Now, let's talk about how you can start making money as a writer — FAST! Writing blog posts is one of the easiest projects you can start with as a writer … They're short, often only a few hundred words, and easy to write. Plus, they help you get your foot in the door because clients in every industry and every niche need content to fill their blogs. So no matter what your interests or prior work experience, you can write about something you know! It all starts with a basic blog post … So AWAI Success Jen Phillips April is here today with more details about how she built her freelance business on writing blogs. Writing blogs led her to a lifestyle where she can write poolside if she wants to in sunny Mexico … If you learn how to write them, you'll not only get your foot in the door, you'll be setting yourself up for a five or six-figure income, writing only three or four hours a day. [All the details on how you can take advantage of this huge marketing trend are here.]( By learning some very simple secrets … you'll be developing one of the most in-demand skills in the copywriting world today. Rebecca The Blogging Opportunity Is Real for Freelance Writers By Jen Phillips April [Female writing on laptop near swimming pool] If you're ready to make consistent fees as a writer, I've got a great opportunity for you to check out … it's blogging. They're short projects, fun to write, and well-paid. Plus, marketers need blog writers to keep up with the demand. For instance, according to the software tool DemandMetric, "90% of businesses use content marketing tactics, such as blogging." HubSpot, who runs multiple blogs on topics like sales, customer experience, and marketing, reports that "B2B marketers who have blogs get 67% more leads than those who don't." With numbers like that, why wouldn't businesses publish blogs? A Quality Blog Turns Browsers into Buyers Imagine this scenario. Business A has a blog with an average of five new blog posts a week. Business B blogs "when they think about it," aka, maybe once every month or two. Which do you think is more likely to be found by their ideal prospects? Of course, businesses who successfully incorporate blogging into their sales process have strategic thinking behind it. They usually have a calendar of topics tied to their marketing campaigns, a publishing schedule, and a blog manager to manage it all. This means they need a lot of content! That's good news for freelance writers. In fact, according to OptinMonster, "64% of B2B marketers outsource blog copywriting." That's opportunity just waiting for you! Why Freelance Blogging Is a Great Way to Build Your Business I've built my business on blogging and think it's a great way to build yours. There are six reasons why I believe freelance blogging is an effective way to build your client base. - Consistency — No one only publishes one or two blog posts. The best ones publish on a regular schedule and have a constant need for writers. For example, I have several B2B software companies I blog for every month. Also, as you get more familiar with the company, you can usually write faster, and if you charge by the project, that means you make more money. - Short Copy — Many blog posts are between 600-1,200 words. If you know the topic well and are a practiced writer, you may be able to write a solid draft in as little as 90 minutes. Let it sit overnight, add another hour for proofreading and revisions, and send it off. Even if the post is more in-depth, longer, and takes you four hours, it's still a great way to build consistent work for yourself. - Fun to Write — Blog writing is conversational. While some types of writing can be more technical and formal, blog articles tend to be lighter. - They're Specific — Blog writing can be much more straightforward to handle than other writing projects. Since a blog has specific parameters, there's never any scope creep or confusion. For instance, for blog posts, clients will send me a form with the information I need, including potential resources, keyword terms, working titles, and other information I may need to know. It helps clients think through what they want before I start working. As a result, I have a clear direction when I start writing, and they know they're getting a piece on x. - Less Administrative Work — If you've ever worked on a project that required lots of emails and phone calls, then you know how much time that can take. Blogging has a clear definition, which means it eliminates all that back and forth. I have clients I've blogged for over the course of months and years with only an email or two to clarify things. As a freelance writer, you're paid for a "deliverable," aka a blog post. You're not also being paid for meetings and project management, so the more time you can spend writing during your work time, the more money you can make. - Opportunity — Since there's so much blog writing work, there's a ton of opportunity. It's also an excellent way to break in with a company if you don't have a lot of writing experience. Why? Because they're more apt to try you out on blog posts rather than on white papers, e-books, or other bigger ticket projects. Let's say you have four clients who each want two blog posts per month and another two who want four blog posts per month. Even at $250 per post, which is on the low end, that's $4,000 writing 16 blog posts in a month. You can see how it wouldn't take long to add up to a nice income! Plus, blogging is a solid foot in the door for other content projects. Your blogs can be the foundation for a bigger content marketing strategy, netting you fees as much as 10 times higher. How to Position Yourself as a Blogger Organizations want their blog posts to tie to and support their business objectives. They want to boost sales, attract a new audience, and enhance their industry credibility for starters. Here's how that affects you as a blogger. Let's say you've identified a few companies with active blogs that fit your background. You'd like to pitch them a couple of ideas for their blog. One of those ideas is sharing a customer success story. Another idea is answering a frequently asked "how-to" question that you see is missing from their blog content but is often asked by potential customers. You can find your early blogging clients by being proactive. Suggest topics that fit the product/service and show how they help the organization achieve its business goals. That's more likely to inspire clients who say, "Yes." Blogging for businesses is a great way to build a steady client base. And if you want it to, it can lead to several other content writing opportunities as well! Ready to get started? [Blogging product spread] Grab our best-selling program today and save $300! EVERYTHING you need to make great money writing blogs is included … How to write blogs people want to read … What to write about … How to connect with the countless businesses that desperately need writers like you to keep their blogs relevant and current … as well as how to make money writing your own blog … It's … all … in … the … program! Just make sure you grab it now so you can save $300!! [Go here now.]( Do you have any questions about getting paid to write blogs? [Post them in the comments!]( --------------------------------------------------------------- What Would Having Your First PAYING Writing Client Mean to You? When you land your first paying client, you've cleared the single biggest obstacle that keeps some aspiring writers from achieving their writing goals. And here's the cool thing … Once you land that first client, it's so much easier to land the next one … and the next one … and the one after that … But it all starts with landing your FIRST writing client. That's why we've created a [21-Day Challenge]( that's guaranteed to give you everything you need! You'll set up a PROVEN system that lets you easily connect with the right clients for you … And you'll get guidance, support, and direct access to one of the industry's premier "client-getting" coaches. With such a clearly laid-out plan to follow, you'll start connecting with your ideal prospects before the 21-Day Challenge is even over … You'll gain the tools to land your FIRST writing client … AND you'll set yourself up to land a steady stream of your ideal clients again and again! Here's what AWAI Member Amy Voege told us about her experience working with client-getting coach and mentor Ilise Benun: "I may echo many others in saying that this has been a game-changing workshop for me! Four weeks ago, I felt that my writing skills were ready, but I had no clue how to identify or approach potential clients. Now I see that there is an almost limitless pool of clients and work out there, and I feel confident in identifying and reaching out to those I'd like to work with. Thank you, Ilise Benun, for developing such a well-organized challenge and for making each lesson bite-sized and manageable." Now it's your turn! Join the next 21-Day Challenge — it kicks off on Friday! Get Your First Paid Writing Client [Product Spread] Let client-getting expert Ilise Benun take you by the hand and walk you through 21 days of SMALL, SIMPLE, and FUN steps … And land your first client, GUARANTEED. [Go here to join The 21-Day Challenge!]( Top Story: The True Life Story of a New Mexico Mom Buried in Bills … Who Stumbled on the Secret of Making Six-Figures from Home [Read her tell all.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? 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