How to know your worth as a writer

It’s so much more than words on a screen [The Writer’ s Life]( April 8, 2022 "Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are." – Malcolm S. Forbes Do you know your value as a writer, {NAME}? Most writers think of it in terms of the services they provide. As in … social media management, blog posts, sales letters, SEO writing, user experience, white papers, case studies … Whatever it is, if you understand the copy's intention in the marketing machine, it's easy to identify the direct value a company gets from it. For example, I call email writers rainmakers, because they drive the revenue in a business. You can have the best sales letter in the world, but in this digital world, emails bring the readers. More emails = more readers = more sales. ([More on that here.]() But {NAME} … the value of what you write is only the tip of the iceberg!! For starters, if you have experience in an industry, you bring additional value. You understand the jargon, the audience, the problems … on a deeper level than a writer without your experience ever could. For example, let's say you have less than a year of experience as a writer, and 10 years of experience working for a company who manufactures solar panels. And you're up against another writer with 10 years of writing experience, but no industry experience. Which writer does the solar panel company hire for their marketing needs? And who do they expect to pay more? 👉 YOU. You bring more value and can hit the ground running faster … and your copy will likely perform better. And yet we're still only right below the tip that iceberg … If you are the prospect, you also bring additional value. This one's even easier, because we all have daily needs and products and services that we know and consume. For example, I'm a mom of two little ones. So, I've spent a lot of time thinking about the health and safety of my kids. Assuming I've had some training in [how to write strong email campaigns]( … I'm the PERFECT writer to connect with moms about infant safety products … child care services … pediatrics … parenting strategies … (And "girlfriend getaways," because moms need a break now and then!) I know moms, because I am a mom. I've lived their fears, their hopes, their annoyances. I've looked for the exact same solutions they're searching for right this minute. Who I am and my personal experiences brings massive value to any company trying to target moms. Apply this to any life experience you have! But wait – there's more. 😉 The longer you work with a company, the more value you bring, too … You learn the way they work … their voice becomes your natural writing voice … you know what's worked in the past and what hasn't … You get faster, your copy performs better … Soon, you're able to identify blind spots in the company's marketing … those opportunities that can bring in new prospects or revenue … or improve experience to keep the customers and revenue from flowing back out of the business … All resulting in a better bottom line for the company … While at the same time creating new opportunities for you to write and make more money, too! At this point, you provide so much freaking value, the thought of losing you becomes painful. If you leave … all that value and experience leaves, too. WHEW! Bottom line – once you raise your hand as a writer … YOU are needed and valued by any business hoping to be … well, in business! And when you set yourself up to play to the strengths you already have, you can accelerate your value – and therefore income – greatly. This weekend, take some time to think about those strengths … If you're brand new, it might lead you to a niche. If you're working with clients, it might give you better focus in your writing career, so you can really push forward. Either way, your path forward will become a bit clearer. And if you're looking for a writing path that accelerates your experience – and therefore value – check out our [upcoming email writing mentorship]( with one of the top email writers in our field. Along with being a rainmaker, and literally being able to drive up the volume of writing assignments for yourself (remember, more emails = more sales) … This writing opportunity allows you to improve your value, faster. With the immense volume of emails needing to be written each week, you'll get more times "at bat" to learn, apply, and grow as a writer. And, as I'm sure you've already guessed: build even more value for yourself. Hope you have a nice weekend! [Rebecca Matter’ s signature] Rebecca P.S. Today is your last chance to get mentored in email writing from OUR biggest "rainmaker" here at AWAI … We call him G, and not only is he one of the best email writers I know … he's passionate about teaching and coaching writers, too. If you want to give it a shot, go ahead and [grab one of the last spots]( right now. You'll be able to try it out and still get your money back if you decide it's not for you. [>> Here are all the details.]( Our May Writers Retreat is Filling Up FAST! We're looking to help a small group of writers level up their writing businesses in just two days. This May 10th & 11th in beautiful Delray Beach, Florida, sit at the table with some of the top copywriters … success coaches … and copy chiefs in our industry … And come away with your own personal plan to double or even TRIPLE your writing income this year. [Click here to get the details]( (and see if any spots are left!) NOTE: The page will automatically redirect to a SOLD OUT message once all the spots have been claimed. If you click the link above and can fill out the form, you're in! What's Hot at AWAI … 💰 Want a chance to win $200? [Check out this month's writing contest!]( 😄 There are SO many ways to make a living writing emails! [Here are 6 of them.]( 🙌 Here are [7 Subject Line Formulas Guaranteed to Boost Your Email Open Rates]( ❓ What are some of the biggest opportunities for email writers? [Check out this past Inside AWAI session.]( First Retainer Funds Caribbean Condo! Dede just wrote in to tell us she's doing her "happy dance" as her very first client retainer came in. Here's what she said … I knew if I didn't get out of my comfort zone, then I might not be able to close on my Mexican Caribbean condo. I was short on funds, so I reached out to the Real Estate developer suggesting SEO optimized blog posts and social media posts. At first, they only wanted to hire me to edit their copy. After months of negotiations, they agreed to a monthly rate of $1,500 for SEO copy that I created. That one retainer gave me the courage to reach out to other companies in the real estate and travel industry and helped me pay the monthly mortgage on my vacation rental in the Caribbean. Big congratulations to you, Dede, on your first retainer, and getting your condo in the Caribbean! Cheers to many more coming your way in the future! 🥂 Have your own story to share? Email us at mysuccess@awai.com, or [post it over in the Facebook group](, so we can celebrate your win too! Last Chance: Start Getting Paid to Write and Save $100 Thousands of successful writers credit the Barefoot Writer Club as the spark that helped launch their careers … Including a former high school teacher who now earns six figures working from home. Join him today and start your own success story … You'll have the same insights, opportunities, community, and support that helped him double his income and enjoy way more freedom over his time. [Go here and join today!]( FREE Training: Break Into B2B Writing FAST Learn why B2B writing offers one of the surest and fastest paths to making six figures a year with just a handful of clients. Tuesday, April 12th, 12 p.m. ET [Get The Details Here]( Featured Writing Jobs Email and Lifecycle Copywriter – DRINKS Full-time, Los Angeles, CA The Email and Lifecycle Copywriter will create compelling marketing communications that trigger an immediate response. While the ideal candidate will work within established brand guidelines, this person will be well versed in online email marketing techniques and will be fueled by a desire to create marketing communications that exceed goals, leading to increased opens, clicks and conversions. This role is a regular, full-time position. --------------------------------------------------------------- Copywriter – 24 Seven Talent Full-time, Hybrid, San Francisco Bay area Provide smart, engaging, on brand copy for customer facing materials across all channels and internal communications. Ensure consistent and error-free execution in all vehicles. --------------------------------------------------------------- Copywriter – The Mom Project Contract, Remote We are seeking a Copywriter on a contract basis to help support our Customer's business needs. You will collaborate with Art Director and in-house teams to conceptualize campaign directions, write decks, scripts, ads and copy blocks taking them from the original concept and exec buy-in through all stages of production and post. --------------------------------------------------------------- You can find all of these jobs and thousands more on [WritersWanted.com](. Access is currently available with [The AWAI Method™]( and will be opened up to additional AWAI members in the near future. Stay tuned! --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2022 American Writers & Artists Institute Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? 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