Entrepreneurs need to know how to write. If you cannot write, or don’t want to write, you need to know how to hire a content writer for your business. If your career path is to be a writer we have tips on how to begin a writing career.
Knowing how to write and how to sell your services as a writer is a booming business. One of the main reasons we are seeing this boom is because new entrepreneurs are entering the market and need content — blogging, newsletters, social media posts — you name it. If you have a passion for words, can interview your clients, meet deadlines and want to jump into the content creation market, now might be the best time!
You will need to build a portfolio and find that first client who will give you a testimonial and sing your praises to your next client.
How To Begin A Writing Career
While some writers do just wake up and say, “I want to be a writer!” most writers for hire have been involved with words for many years. They are avid readers and writers. They have a journalism background or some other successes in penning fiction or nonfiction.
Here’s what you need to begin a writing career.
You need to know how to write. You need to understand grammar. You need to be able to work to editorial guidelines if your client has them. Don’t rely upon Word or programs like Grammarly to “proofread” your content. You need to have those skills.
Start your own blog. Your own sharing of blog content and your expertise with the written word will help you find clients.
You need to be somewhat techy. You should know how to upload blog posts, add in images, understand newsletter delivery platforms, social media posting platforms and others. Take an online class and enhance your skills.
Work on your portfolio. Your blog posts on your own site can be part of your portfolio. You can toot your own horn by the quality content you create. Find a client and offer a cut-rate price in return for a glowing recommendation. Don’t do this too many times — you’re trying to build a business after all.
Study the experts. Network with other writers and find your niche.
Set your pricing.
Write a business plan.
Has being a writer been a dream of yours? What do you feel are your potential stumbling blocks? If you’re an entrepreneur, are you struggling to find a writer for your content? Reach out to us, we can help.
Running a business can be drudgery. Many entrepreneurs go into owning a business and being their own boss with rose-colored glasses. They dream of loads of money and not having to work many hours a day or a week. Reality hits and they get discouraged. We have put together 5 tips to make running a business easier. Keep in mind, that being a business owner is work — but it’s rewarding and you are your own boss.
Keep your chin up! Running a business has become a very viable option for people during this coronavirus pandemic and the shut down of businesses across the country. People have become resourceful as a way to pay the rent and keep food on the table. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive!
5 Tips To Make Running A Business Easier
These tips are not secrets, but new business owners lose sight of them because they may not know they exist and they’re so excited about running a business that they jump in without making a plan.
Create a plan! Being profitable means knowing what to charge, what you need to earn, what your income and expenses are, and how you will get there. A business plan needs to have your goals and your WHY. You should also plan for growth.
Have contracts that you give to vendors and new hires. Talk with a lawyer — yes you may need to have a lawyer on your team — even if you’re a start up. Know what kind of insurance you need to have in place to protect yourself and your goods and services.
Research the competitors. Know how you are different from them. What makes you and your goods and services unique? Why should people choose you over the competition? Make sure it’s not because you’re the lowest price in town.
What are the trends in your industry? Know them and know whether you want to follow them or break them.
Take breaks. Yes, you’re building a business and that takes time and effort, but know that you need to step back and recharge your batteries. If you are a solo operation and you get ill from stress who will take over? The answer is — you should make your health a priority.
Working with a business coach is also a way many business owners thrive. Give us a call today and let’s talk about your business.
What are the secrets to great SEO? There really aren’t any! We know you were hoping we were going to open the big vault of search engine optimization secrets, but in reality — getting your blogs and website found is a concerted and diligent effort.
SEO can do a LOT for your business, but you need to know how to care, feed and grow it.
To improve your website copy and its searchability you need to know:
What terms are people using to find you
What terms do you want to be found for
Do you want to use local search or are you an online business so location doesn’t matter as much
The Secrets To Great SEO
Let’s start with your blog:
Optimize the title. Make the blog title be something people would search for. This blog post title for example is searchable. If I’d written: SEO is a secret that can get your blog found…What? First of all it’s too long. Second it’s not a search phrase that someone would use intuitively.
Use tags in your post. Use an H2 tag with your blog post in the body of the content. The H2 helps your blog rank in a search and it also breaks up the text and makes it easier for your audience to read.
The optimal length of a blog post title is a topic that is debated. Some say it should be 60-100 characters (including spaces) or six words (six words is easy to read on mobile).
Long-tail keywords should be in the blog (in this one it’s great SEO)
Use a tool like SEO by Yoast as a way to help optimize your content for search.
When you add an image, use alt text tags. Use the blog title and a meta description of the image. For this post, for example: Alt text could be: Great SEO; the image title could be: SEO secrets; the meta description could be: Word game tiles spell SEO – Secrets To Great SEO. These steps can boost searchability.
Focus on long-tail keywords. For example. This title could be optimized by “secrets to great SEO” a long tail keyword could be “secrets to great SEO for swimming pool contractors.” You’re making the title specific and if the swimming pool contractor wants to know how to amp up his or her SEO, he would likely add “swimming pool contractor” to his or her search.
Make the post long enough. Post length again is a hotly debated concept. They should be AT LEAST 350 words. Some people believe consumers want LONG blog posts — in the 2-3,000 range. Others feel that shorter is better because readers are busy and are consuming your blog on their phone or tablet. You need to test it for yourself until you hit on the right combination.
SEO is an ever-moving target. If you’re focusing on your business and your core competency you may want to outsource your blogging and social media and SEO tasks to an experienced professional. Give Rex Richard a call or contact him through his site, or leave a comment on his blog — he can help!
Today’s business landscape is so competitive. Entrepreneurs need to not only set themselves apart, they need to explain why they are better than the competition, how they are different from the competition and why you should choose them. One way to do that is to write great copy. How to write great copy is something we talk with our clients about because we understand the power of search engine optimization and how great copy helps you rank.
If you’re having a hard time writing great copy, we have tips.
How To Write Great Copy
Great copy, and writing it is an art form. You can either write your own copy or hire an expert to write it for you — we can help you find one, or we can craft your copy.
If you want to write your own copy, here are our best tips.
To whom are you writing? Knowing who your reader is and what they want to know will help you craft the context of the article. What do you want to tell readers and what action do you want them to take once they’ve read it?
Stick to one topic per post.
A great, and searchable title. When you determine the title first, it will help you stick to one topic (see bullet point above). When you’re writing your title, write it in a way that is intuitive for your readers to find. “How to write great copy” is a searchable title, “How to write an article about what people want to know about writing copy” is horrible. Too long, not searchable, not intuitive.
Your first sentence should be compelling. When you read a book, it’s the first sentence that draws you in. Craft a compelling first sentence.
Short paragraphs are key.
Use bullet points, bold text, numbered list. Readers have short attention spans and consume content in chunks. Give them the highlights and make it easy to read.
Use a graphic. Break up text with graphics and make the graphic relevant to the content.
Use key words and key phrases to help your written content get read. Using SEO in a manner in which you’re conveying great content in a searchable way is an art form!
Is your content getting read? Are you writing great content? If you’re not sure, email us or drop us a comment and let’s talk.
Many entrepreneurs are seeing light at the end of the tunnel. If you have weathered the coronavirus pandemic you are on the road back to success — we hope. Business owners surviving COVID-19 deserve a gold star because it has been difficult. We know so many businesses will fail and that economic recovery will take months, perhaps years.
If you’re still plugging along, we applaud you. If you were one of the new entrepreneurs who came out of the pandemic, then come along for the ride!
Business Owners Surviving COVID-19 Deserve A Gold Star
What is the hallmark of a surviving business owner who should get the star? They survived! They are thriving. They have pivoted in their businesses and are still here — months later. Here are some other qualitties that deserve recognition.
Creators. Business owners are the ultimate creator — that doesn’t necessarily mean they are artists or designers — although it could! A creator means that a person looked at a problem and created a solution!
You love being your own boss. You have mastered productivity, time management and a work life balance. Congratulations!
You uncovered your hidden talents and turned them into a business opportunity.
You’re much better at being your own boss than you were at being an employee — we know many entrepreneurs who “failed” at being an employee but are incredible at being a boss!
You took the leap of faith. Jumping into business ownership takes faith in yourself and courage. You’ve shown both!
Don’t you deserve those gold stars? Take time today — right now and think about all that you’ve done that sets you apart. What makes you the entrepreneur that you’ve become? Shout out your successes on social media!
Entrepreneurs need to be productive and effective with how they spend their time. Finding how to be more productive when creating business content is one way a business owner can cut time and potentially save money. If you don’t want to, or aren’t ready yet, to outsource content creation we have come up with ways in which you can be more effective and efficient when creating content.
How To Be More Productive When Creating Business Content
Write in batches. If you find you have an hour or two (we know, that might be funny) then create batches of content then. Don’t think you’re going to write one blog post a week and that you only do that one post. If you can find time to do more writing – batch writing – do that.
Keep an idea notebook. Ideas will come to you when you’re least expecting them. Have a way to keep track of them. Write them down. Record them and send them as a message to yourself.
Do you blog about holidays or do you have a product or service that lends itself to a holiday? If so, create your promotion calendar and add all your potential blog post topics there – an editorial calendar will be your best friend.
Don’t get bogged down from writing by having to research. Set up a separate time for writing and a separate time for research. When you’re in the middle of a blog post and have to stop to research, chances are you will not get back to the post.
Create a process that you can use again and again. Make a template for your blog posts then use a “fill in the blank” style when you are struck with a brilliant idea.
Repurpose old content. Look at your old content and see if it can be repurposed and rewritten with updates.
Schedule a specific time for blogging – don’t just hope it will happen.
If you need help with outsourcing your blogging and content creation, reach out to use, we can help. If you need insight and deeper advice on your blogging and content creation, let’s jump on a call.
