Some of you are working your job remotely from home, perhaps for the very first time. Welcome to my world! I'm an independent commercial business writer (okay … a freelance B2B copywriter), writing ad copy and marketing content for the industrial manufacturing and safety sectors. For the past decade or so, I've been working remotely. In fact, over the course of that 10+ years, I've only met one client face to face. One client. And I've only worked for two clients down home here in Arkansas, the Natural State. Two … [Read more...]
Outhouse Copywriting – Let’s Talk Price
Okay, I realize "outhouse" might not be the best term. But, hey … I'm from Arkansas. What do you expect? Besides, you're reading this, so … Anyway, there are times when a business or organization needs to hire a writer or writers from outside their group. There could be several reasons: Not enough inhouse staff writers to handle the work load Not enough staff writers that understand the product or service Not enough staff writers that understand how to write the copywriting format needed No staff writers … at all Those … [Read more...]
B2B Copywriter Makes 2 Industrial Strength Fails…and One Business-Saving Fix
The importance of backups in protecting your data...and your business. Screwed up my computer last night. It's not something that happens often, mind you. I've been fooling around with these marvelous machines for longer than many of my clients have been alive. But it does happen. Taking a break from my writing chores, I thought I'd fix a minor problem that's been nagging me for a while. When I did, I ended up playing the "dummy card." I do that on occasion. And that's why I keep a plan in place to protect me from my own stupidity. … [Read more...]
B2B Copywriter Gets Unexpected Lesson…from Solitaire
It was 5:30 AM on this January 1, 2015. I'd awakened early, as usual, and stumbled down to my office. Everyone else was still sleeping, even the dog. On the way, I stopped in the kitchen to get a pot of coffee started. As I waited for this Elixir of Life to finish brewing, I thought I'd play a few games of Solitaire on my computer to get the old brain cells warmed up. Now, I'm not a big gamer. In fact, the few games that come with the operating system are the only games on my machines, both desktop and laptop. On the second … [Read more...]
When the Writer’s Block Just Won’t Come
A Lesson in Writing, Publishing and Automation ~ It happened the other day and it was terrifying. I woke up early that morning, grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down at my desk. I needed to write articles for my most demanding client: my wife. The minute my fingers touched the keyboard, something snapped. They began flying over the keys like a skater on a glassy, ice-covered pond. The words flowed to the screen like the roaring river rushes to the sea. Word after word, sentence after sentence, paragraph after paragraph danced onto the monitor. … [Read more...]
Is Your Home Page a GPS or Laundry List?
When you're planning a trip, you will probably use some sort of map to chart your course. You might break out the old paper map or atlas, a rather old school approach. In this digital age, online maps show a clear route from point A to point B, photos included. Of course, built-in or stand-alone Global Positioning Systems make traveling even easier by talking to you, telling you when and where to turn on the fly. The point is that when you need to go somewhere, you must find out how to get there. The easier it is to map a course, the more … [Read more...]