04Jun 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 41: The Importance of Professional Courtesy

Podcast
We all grew up being told that manners cost nothing, and it's never more true than when you are running your own freelance writing business. Treating your clients and fellow freelancers with courtesy is a must, and it is not unreasonable to expect the same in return. In this solo episode Lorrie talks about the importance of professional courtesy for freelancers and gives some handy hints and tips about achieving it, even in trying situations! Show Notes How to format an e-book. http://freelanceswitch.com/freelance-writing/format-an-ebook-for-kindle/ The sad smell of desperation: http://lorriehartshorn.com/episode-nine-of-a-little-bird-told-me-the-sad-smell-of-desperation/ Turning one-off clients into repeat business: http://www.philippawrites.co.uk/podcast-episode-39-how-to-turn-one-off-clients-into-repeat-business/ There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first…
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21May 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 39: How to turn one-off clients into repeat business

Podcast
Keeping and nurturing existing clients is a more reliable and less time-consuming way to conduct your freelance writing business, when compared to doing lots of one-off pieces of work for all and sundry. You don't need to spend as much time marketing yourself, and you can build on existing good relationships rather than constantly starting new ones. In this podcast, I talk about the 13 top tips to turn one-off clients into repeat business and there is, of course, the Little Bird Recommendation of the Week too. Show Notes Episode 8: Essential Software and Online Apps for Freelance Writers Twitter Law There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio…
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03May 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 36: Visual clues to professionalism

Podcast
  Working from home might feel like an endless opportunity to work in your pyjamas, but there are times when it is really important to think about your visual appearance - including the appearance of your website and social media profile pages. In this episode, Lorrie and I talk about lots of aspects of your visual presentation, including how you need to prepare for Skype conversations, and how to choose a business name.         Show Notes   How to name your business: Facebook discussion   The top 50 most embarrassing domain names ever purchased   Clients from Hell   The Essentials of Reuters sourcing   Coursera   There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me.   Subscribe…
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24Apr 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 35: No portfolio? No problem. Get writing work without published clips.

Podcast
We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. Lots of new freelance writers fear that they will never get any work because they don't have published articles or novels already. However, when you remember that every successful freelancer started out in the same way, it becomes clear that it is definitely possible to get hired as a writer even if you have no clips to show. But how, exactly? In this podcast episode, I go through lots of different ways to get yourself some clips, build up your portfolio,…
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16Apr 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 34: Sociable or Spammy? Pitching your marketing to be enticing, not annoying

Podcast
We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. Freelancers need to constantly market themselves and their services in order to keep the work coming in. To make sure that your self-promotional efforts hit the mark and don't put potential clients off or even offend them, Lorrie and I made this podcast episode to summarise some of the most crucial dos and don'ts for four different marketing platforms. Show Notes Buffer App Condescending Corporate Brand Page Writing a Better Elevator Pitch How to work long periods at your desk and…
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19Mar 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 30: It’s not about you – the art and the science of commercial copywriting

Podcast
We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. Commercial copywriting is not what most people picture when they think about freelance writing. It is so different to typical fiction or non-fiction writing, and in this episode, Lorrie and I talk about why this is, what PPC ads can teach us about why good copy might not be that good, and what the deal is with features versus benefits. Show Notes Calmingmanatee.com Entrepreneur.com: Marketing Features Vs. Benefits Google Adwords keyword tool 10 Amazing Free Online Writing Courses Episode 23: How to…
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12Mar 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 29: How to Get Started as a Freelance Writer

Podcast
We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. In this brilliant solo episode, Lorrie goes into detail about how to prepare for starting out as a freelance writer, and what to do and where to go to start finding work. There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told Me. Subscribe via RSS Subscribe via iTunes Find us on Stitcher Smart Radio And finally, please 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what…
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05Mar 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 28: The 11 biggest myths about professional copywriting

Podcast
We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. There are lots of myths and fallacies around about what being a freelancer really involves. In this podcast episode, Lorrie and I talk about 11 of the most prevalent ones, and thoroughly debunk them! Show Notes Marissa Mayer banning working from home  Zemanta for Google Chrome Zemanta for Firefox Zemanta Wordpress Plugin 57% of online shoppers will wait three seconds or less before abandoning the site Expertise vs. Humility – A Writer’s Battle Royale? There are several ways to make sure…
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21Feb 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 26: How to turn down / disconnect from a client or supplier without losing your professionalism or gaining an enemy

Podcast
We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. As well as saying yes to clients, customers and contractors we also sometimes have to say no. However working out exactly how to do this tactfully can sometimes be tricky. In this episode, Lorrie and I talk about several situations where you might need to say no, and how to go about it. Show Notes No More Useless Meetings - Liz Sumner Carol Tice - @TiceWrites That’s Not What I Wrote! What to Do When You’re Hit With Heavy Editing - Sophie Lizard at…
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05Feb 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Episode 25: Why and How to Charge More For Your Freelance Writing

Podcast
We ran out of storage space for our earliest episodes. But fear not, we have made these many, many hours of freelance writing goodness available for just £10. If you want access to them all, please click Add to Cart and buy through our e-junkie account for instant access. This solo episode by Lorrie is the third in our series of three podcast episodes about money. In episode 23, I talked about how to set your freelance writing rates, and in episode 24 we discussed the practicalities of things like invoicing, chasing clients and setting payment terms. So today, Lorrie talks about under what circumstances you should consider raising your rates, and exactly how to go about it. Show Notes The Key to Creating More Remarkable Connections There are several ways to make…
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