Try this writing project (+ Writing Contest!)

These feel-good stories require a “human” touch ;) [The Writer’ s Life]( October 3, 2023 "Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact." – Robert McKee Hi {NAME}, AI and its impacts on the copywriting industry has been front of mind with writers of all experience levels this year … And while we've talked a lot about the opportunity it creates for speed and ideas, it's important to remember that content and copywriting is about so much more than the actual writing part. Interviewing subject matter experts or happy clients, being creative, connecting at an emotional level, and crafting engaging stories … There's so much more skill and nuance that trained writers bring to the table. If you can tell great stories through the written word, you'll be a very valuable partner to anyone who hires you. So today, I want to highlight a writing opportunity that utilizes some of those "human" skills … It's a fun project — with this specialty, you're spending your time talking to happy clients and writing "feel-good" customer success stories. And you'll feel good about the fees too. The industry average is about $1,500 for just two pages of copy! Plus, the project follows a simple formula, so once you've mastered the basics, you'll be able to write these in no time. But, I don't want to give away ALL the good news about these projects. 😇 I'll let expert Casey Hibbard handle it, and tell you more about why NOW is the ideal time to be writing these fun stories. Casey is the one to learn from — she's already done over 1,200 of them. She has so much work that she has to turn projects down! That's because businesses understand the huge role these stories play in their sales process … Which is why they're willing to pay writers $750 to $1,000 per page simply to tell a specific kind of two-page story. If you're interested in learning more, check out the free report, The Secret to Telling a $2,000 Story that comes with your Barefoot Writer Club membership (along with four other guides aimed at accelerating your earning potential!). You'll see why anyone can learn how to write these stories. You'll also see a real-life example of what one looks like … And you'll learn how to start getting paid to write them fast! Not yet a member? [Go here to get a special discount]( and immediate access to the report (plus $363 worth writing gifts!). To your success, Rebecca Matter President AWAI P.S. We've got a new Writing Contest for you to enter … and the prize is a ticket to our Virtual Bootcamp (a $2,495 value!)! Even better … we're not giving away just one ticket … we're giving away THREE of them! Check out more details below. Now Accepting New Writers If you want … - high-paying gigs, - predictable writing income, - greater flexibility … AND the satisfaction that comes with LOVING what you do for a living … 
 Then getting accepted into our influential club can set you up for everything you're looking for in a writing career.
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 [Apply Now]( 4 Reasons Why There's Never Been a Better Time to Write Case Studies By Casey Hibbard [female freelance writer working on laptop] In 2000, I was a freshly minted case study writer. I'd written a few of these fun, well-paying projects, and was hooked. I was interviewing my clients' happy customers and crafting compelling stories. Sign me up for more! In the pre-LinkedIn era, I began frequenting face-to-face networking events to find clients. But when I enthusiastically told people that I write case studies … blank stares followed. Back then, it was the rare marketer who had heard of customer case studies — mostly limited to savvy technology companies. I had to explain WHAT case studies were, WHY they were valuable, and then SELL prospects on working with me. It became exhausting. The good news for writers is, things are vastly different today. Customer case studies, aka success stories, have become an indispensable marketing tool. Hundreds of thousands of businesses create them. And if they don't yet, most know they should. Here are four reasons why there's never been a better time to be a case study writer … Reason #1: Social Proof Rules the Day People have always relied on "social proof," or word-of-mouth, to make decisions. Maybe your friend recommends a babysitter or restaurant. With that endorsement, you feel more confident making the same decision. But in the past 20 years, social proof has become more formalized and part of companies' marketing budgets. From buying blenders to hotels to software, we've come to rely on the experiences of others to help make decisions. Consider the power of reviews on Amazon, TripAdvisor, and Yelp. Think about the last major purchase you made. Chances are, someone else's experience influenced your decision. But beyond online review sites, countless businesses now actively create customer case studies to give buyers more peace of mind in their decisions. Because the more expensive, complex, or risky the purchase is, the more proof buyers need. What better way than a compelling customer story to show that a company delivers on its promises? Buyers agree. When the research firm Forrester asked Business-to-Business (B2B) buyers about the type of content that helps them make purchase decisions, over 70% said "real customer or peer stories." Reason #2: Companies Can't Find Enough Good Case Study Writers So many organizations now create case studies that marketers just can't find enough skilled help. Trust me. Nearly every week, a new prospect contacts me about creating case studies. But I can't take on all the requests that come in. The market needs more qualified case study writers. Companies want someone experienced in the ins and outs of this unique kind of writing … Someone who can learn their solutions quickly … Ask the right questions in interviews … Craft a compelling story with measurable results … Match the story to the client's goals and key messages … And guide them through the process until they have a completed story ready for use. It's not hard, but it does take specific know-how and the "human" touch. Reason #3: Written Case Studies Still Reign Writers frequently ask me whether video testimonials are replacing written case studies. After all, marketing and social media are rife with video. While customer stories lend themselves well to video, the price tag and logistics seriously limit its use. Consider this: Chances are, the vendor and customer are in two totally different places. That requires flying a video crew to the customer's site, bringing the customer to the vendor's location, or finding a quality video team based in the customer's location — for every story. None of this is easy, or cheap. That's one of the reasons why written customer stories still outpace video testimonials. Second, not everyone prefers video. In fact, one survey found only about 30% of buyers actually prefer video over written. A possible explanation: written stories are skimmable and consumed at the buyer's own pace, while video is not. I see this with my own clients. Even those who produce customer videos still develop written stories on those same customers. Reason #4: Nearly Any Type of Business Can Benefit In the early days of my freelance career, customer case studies were mostly a make-or-break marketing tool of tech companies attempting to stand out in a very competitive start-up environment. But those technology trailblazers set the precedent for the rest of the business world, and now TONS of businesses market with written customer stories — from business services providers to consumer companies. Spend a few minutes searching online for "customer case studies" or "customer success stories" and you'll see what I mean. Up will pop page upon page of hits. At the top, you'll see big names like Microsoft and Cisco. But keep going and you'll find all types and sizes of businesses. These are just the ones that come up in a search. There are countless others behind-the-scenes that already produce case studies, or know they need to. Those could be coaches, consultants, health providers, financial advisors, architects, building contractors, educational providers, and many more. Check out the AWAI website and you'll find [dozens of member success stories]([.]( Because just about ANY organization could benefit from marketing with customer stories. So there you have it. There's never been a better time to add case studies to your menu of writing services. But beyond all that, it's an especially rewarding and fun form of writing for those who enjoy storytelling. And who doesn't? What's Hot at AWAI … 👉 Not a member of the Barefoot Writer Club yet? [Join today for just $49.]( 😄 [How to transition from full-time to freelance.]( 👀 [New to freelance writing? The four easiest content projects to master.]( 🤩 [Charlotte copywriter clears $140K — in year one.]( A week full of wins … [Social media post about partnering with an illustrator to create a children's coloring book on chiropractic healing] [Social media post about having a good 4-day week of copywriting projects] Great job, Kip! Stacking those wins during a four-day work week is impressive! And congratulations on completing the coloring book also! 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! Enter Our Writing Contest Write an 83-Word Email and Be One of Three Winners Who Receive a Ticket to Attend Virtual Bootcamp! (A $2,495 Value) For this contest, you're going to persuade readers to watch one of our classic Bootcamp Member Spotlights. And if yours is one of the three winning submissions, we're going to award you a ticket to Virtual Bootcamp! (Our 2023 event takes place October 24-26.) The Member Spotlights are a high point of each day at Bootcamp … hearing the journey one of our members took from newbie to successful writer. The speakers tell thoughtful and engaging stories of their experiences and provide valuable tips for writers embarking on their own journey to the writer's life. For this contest, you can choose one of three Member Spotlights to "promote": - Michele Peterson - Guillermo Rubio - Keith Trimels Your goal is to capture reasons why a member would benefit from watching the video and persuade them to watch — without giving away the whole story. 😁 For complete contest details, guidelines, deadline information, and insights, click [here](. Full Access for Just $1!!! This free blueprint shows you how to make $2,500 to $8,000 a month as a writer. And for just a buck, you'll gain access to every resource you'll need to execute that blueprint. All the roadmaps … All the articles … All the how-to videos … All the training webinars … The member forum, the job board, the tutorials, the tools … All of it! [Check It Out Now]( Featured Jobs You can find these jobs and thousands more on [WritersWanted.com](: --------------------------------------------------------------- eCommerce Copywriter — The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company Full-time, Marysville, CA We are looking for a talented eCommerce Copywriter to write clear and compelling product copy that engages consumers while it meets brand standards and compliance requirements. --------------------------------------------------------------- Writer/Copywriter — Merritt Group Part-time, McLean, VA The Writer/Copywriter at Merritt Group works on the development, creation, and execution of all content in support of our clients' marketing, programmatic, and sales goals. --------------------------------------------------------------- Global Product Writer — 24 Seven Talent Contractor, Portland, OR As a writer on the Global Product Writing team, you are responsible for sharing the story of innovation and design at scale. 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