Philippa Willitts

21Jan 2014 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 66: Five (and a half) ways lists can transform your marketing

Content Marketing, Freelance Self-Promotion, Podcast

Everybody loves crossing things off a list, right? A to-do list is not the only list freelance writers can use to help their marketing and self-promotion, so tune in to this podcast episode where we talk you through five and a half types of lists that can help you to transform your business. Show Notes 10 most popular episodes of 2013: 10: Episode 2: Setting up as a freelance writer: website, social media and brand management best practice 9: Episode 3: Setting up as a freelance writer part 2 8: Episode 18: How to network like a ninja 7: Episode 7: Freelance Writing: To specialise or not to specialise? 6: Episode 55: Coping with rejection 5: Episode 30: It's not about you: the art and science of commercial copywriting 4: Episode 38: How to break into new freelance…

19Jan 2014 by Philippa Willitts

Big Yourself Up! How giving stuff away will have new clients flocking in your direction, make you look awesome, and give you a nice happy feeling inside. Or, self-promotion for freelancers.

Freelance Self-Promotion

There is a lot to be said for providing valuable content, skills or expertise online for free. Offering useful information demonstrates that you know what you are talking about, it helps to show people you can be trusted, and it gives you an opportunity to get your name 'out there'. It's one of the reasons I make a freelance writing podcast - it helps to establish in potential clients' minds that I'm knowledgeable and skilled in my field. Similarly, the writing I have volunteered for non-profit websites shows editors and clients my writing style and the topics I specialise in writing about. It has also increased my profile, all of which contributes to me getting work on a daily and weekly basis. [tweetherder]Giving stuff away for free is usually good; working…

05Jan 2014 by Philippa Willitts

Episode 65: How to blog about boring topics without sending your audience to sleep

Podcast

While it would be wonderful if every piece of work we undertake, as freelance writers, was thrilling and enthralling, in reality we do, at times, get assignments which are terribly boring. In this podcast episode, Lorrie provides six ideas to help you [tweetherder]create fascinating content when the topic you are writing about is deathly dull[/tweetherder]. Show Notes What should I tweet? 8 places to find fantastic content 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, 'like' us on Facebook to be the first to hear our news and to talk with us about what you hear on the podcast! Transcript Hello and welcome to a Little Bird Told Me,…

11Dec 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 64: Measuring the effectiveness of your content

Podcast

As content creators, we freelance writers have a responsibility to not just carefully craft words into content, but also to pay attention to what we write that works, and what falls flat. Whether it is content for a client or for our own websites, if we forget about what we have created, we have no idea how effective our content is, which means we risk wasting our time and our clients' money by writing articles, ebooks or presentations that don't make an impact. If, instead, we measure how effective our content is, we can quickly learn what works and what doesn't, what readers can relate to and what they ignore, and when we pay attention to what we find out, and apply it to future work, we learn to tailor our…

27Nov 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 63: 60 minutes to a more successful freelance writing business

Podcast

You can boost your freelance business in under an hour? Really? Doing business development work can seem like yet another onerous task that gets in the way of the things you're supposed to be doing. Like, well, writing. However if you want to run a sustainable and successful freelance business, it is essential. In this podcast episode, I have condensed your business development tasks into a simple 60-minute plan, to help you to get a load of bizdev under your belt without the need to sacrifice hours and hours of writing - or fun - time! Show Notes Episode 37: Freelance Writers and Social Proof - What it is, why you need it and how to get it Relationship Marketing Basics for Freelance Professionals There are several ways to make sure that…

13Nov 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 62: How to meet – and exceed – your clients’ needs

Podcast

[tweetherder]Retaining existing freelance clients is generally much easier than constantly finding new ones[/tweetherder], so it's important to ensure that you are always seeking to meet, and exceed, their expectations. If someone hires you, make sure you are impressive! In this podcast episode, Lorrie and I recommend various ways to make sure that you correctly identify the needs of your clients, and how to go about meeting them. Show Notes Episode 18: How to network like a ninja Episode 13: How to be responsive and flexible without losing the plot Lousy Book Covers Lorrie's favourite lousy book cover I couldn't decide whether this one or this one was the best / worst. Free Download: 50 customizable call-to-action templates There are several ways to make sure that you don't miss out on A Little Bird Told…

05Nov 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 61: How To Start Freelancing In 2014

Podcast

Sometimes the hardest thing is to just get started, so if you are really committed to making freelance writing your full-time business, in this solo episode Lorrie outlines her freelance business planning blueprint. Follow her suggestions to be up and running as a freelance writer in just six weeks. Show Notes ALBTM 17 - How To Create An Editorial Calendar ALBTM 18 - How To Network Like A Ninja ALBTM 20 - Goalplanning: your freelance writing aims for 2013 ALBTM 23 - How to decide what to charge for your freelance writing services ALBTM 24 - The art of getting paid ALBTM 25 - why and How to Charge More For Your Freelance Writing Monthly budget template http://www.copyblogger.com/create-content-infographic/ Akismet Limit login attempts There are several ways to make sure that…

02Nov 2013 by Philippa Willitts

NaNoWriMo, NaBloPoMo, NaWhat?

news

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300"] English: Beibin Park, Bad weather. ‪中文(繁體)â¬: 天候不佳的北濱公園。 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption] In a bid to get some work done on my own sites, I have decided to undertake the NaBloPoMo challenge this November, which involves publishing a blog post a day for the entire month. I spend so much of my time doing paid writing for other people's websites that my own can get sadly neglected at times, so I am using this challenge as a way to start populating my own web properties, too. Other writers are embarking on NaNoWriMo, a challenge that captures the imagination of thousands of people across the world as they try to write a 50,000 word novel in a month, and although I don't have the time or energy to do…

29Oct 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 60: Dealing with Sexual Harassment and Sexism from Freelance Clients

Podcast

Many freelancers, especially those who are women or belong to minority groups, will have had an experience of being patronised, not taken seriously, or harassed. Unfortunately, these kinds of oppressive behaviours can really have a negative effect on a person's health and wellbeing, as well as their business. In my own experience, and that of Lorrie's, this can be a particular risk in sectors which have traditionally been male-dominated, but it can happen anywhere, so in this podcast we talk about how freelancers can recognise when they are being treated inappropriately, and what they can do when it happens. Show Notes How to Handle Sexual Harassment from a Client A Woman In Your Own Right: Assertiveness and You (Anne Dickson) - USA / UK Online in 60 Seconds ShareGrab There are several ways to…

22Oct 2013 by Philippa Willitts

Podcast Episode 59: Make Your Hobbies Pay – How Freelance Writers Can Earn Cash with Topics They Love in Niches They Already Understand

Podcast

Are you looking to boost your freelancing income? There might be some areas close to your heart that you haven't considered tapping before... check out this week's podcast to find out more and get some potentially lucrative ideas! In my work I can be called upon to write on a wide variety of topics, but sometimes when I'm searching my brain for a suitable subject to write about I overlook some of the most obvious ideas: those things I love and am passionate about. Most people have a number of hobbies and interests outside of writing, and our knowledge and expertise in these areas can be tapped to produce ideas to write about, and to inform our writing. So in this podcast episode, I talk about a number of ways to…

Author: Philippa Willitts