Jenna Rose Robbins - Writer and Editor

Hiring a Ghostwriter: Secrets From a Ghostwriting Professional

Jenna Rose Robbins — Thu, 09 May 2019 15:00:00 +0000

It may seem like a minor miracle that athletes, actors, and other celebrities find time in their hectic schedules to also write bestselling books. In fact, it can be downright daunting to think that a single person can be such a multi-talented multi-tasker.

But the story behind the story just might be that the author had a little help. In fact, it was probably a lot of help. By some estimates, as many as 60 percent of the nonfiction books on bestsellers lists are ghostwritten.

As a ghostwriter of nearly two dozen books, I’m often asked what exactly the job title means. To which I reply: “I get paid to write other people’s stories, and they get the credit for my work.” Many of my clients are actually decent writers, but their busy schedules don’t allow for them to write a book, speech, or magazine column. A recent client hired me to write a single chapter of her book, simply because her publisher’s deadline was right around the corner and the material required more research than she originally anticipated.

Things to Consider When Hiring a Ghostwriter

Understand your editorial needs

It’s not just books that get ghostwritten. I’ve been hired by entrepreneurs, billionaires, and celebrities to ghostwrite everything from blog posts to magazine articles. In most of these cases, the CEOs and entrepreneurs sought a ghostwriter as a means of building their brands, rather than of lining their bookshelves with literary awards. That’s why knowing why you want to write can be just as important as what you want to write about. So relay that reason to any prospective ghosts you might hire.

Also consider the different tasks that might fall to the ghostwriter. If there’s a great deal of research involved, you’ll need someone who can do more than punch out pretty prose.

For those of you lucky enough to already have a contract with a big-name publishing house, you most likely already have a lot of resources available to you, including copy editors. So even if grammar and punctuation aren’t the ghost’s forte, those skills won’t be as important for you as they would for someone who’s self-publishing.

Consider the chemistry

When it comes to the client/ghostwriter relationship, it all boils down to chemistry. This doesn’t mean you have to be BFFs and share wardrobes. But it does mean there has to be a certain degree of comfort and trust, particularly if your project is of a personal nature, such as an autobiography, that requires you to be completely open with the ghost.

That trust goes well beyond discretion with sensitive material. You need to feel that the ghostwriter understands you and can reproduce your unique voice in the writing. This can be a difficult skill to master, so be sure to test-drive your ghost with some short-form assignments before committing to a long-term project.

Also keep in mind that, because of the confidential nature of the ghostwriting industry, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) might make it difficult, if not impossible, for a prospective ghostwriter to provide references or writing samples. I’ve been fortunate that the first half dozen books I ghostwrote were (I’m not kidding) for a ghostwriter, so I’ve been able to use him as a reference with potential clients. Although he is unable to say which specific books I’ve written, he can at least attest to my professionalism, work ethic, and the ability to write on topics as diverse as sports, politics, and Jewish mysticism. Most ghostwriters would be lucky to be able to disclose the genres they’ve worked on, so don’t assume they’re being cagey if they won’t provide references or samples. It’s probably not that they won’t, they legally can’t.

Understand your time commitment

Just because you hire a ghostwriter doesn’t mean you don’t have to commit any time to the project. A ghostwriter is merely taking your ideas and putting them to paper (or pixel, as the case may be). That means you still have to determine the best way to download that info to your ghost, which is most often done through interviews and the sharing of documents. You also need to make time to review the written material to ensure it’s accurate and aligns with your ideals and voice. The revision process alone can require a good deal of review time on your part.

Let me give you some examples. For some projects, I set up regular client calls, which are recorded while I interview them to make sure I understand their angle on the topic. Another client of mine, whose business is highly technical, loves to multi-task, so while he’s running errands or sitting in traffic, he records his latest idea for a blog post, sends the file to a transcriber, and then sends the transcription to me.

In each case, I then take the transcription and turn the stream-of-consciousness conversation into a piece that is coherent and accessible. The client then reviews the draft and provides feedback, which might necessitate another editorial pass. Usually two drafts are all that’s needed, unless it’s a particularly sticky topic, but even the simplest subjects require a time commitment from the client. The good news is that it’s far less time than if you were writing the piece yourself.

Rates for ghostwriters

Most ghosts, particularly those who have earned a name in the business, charge a flat fee, which generally includes the gathering of material, writing the manuscript, and a set number of revisions. Others, myself included, charge hourly rates. I do so because I’ve found that a flat rate can scare off potential clients, particularly since I pad the rate in case the project ends up being more time-consuming than expected. So I view an hourly rate as more beneficial — and honest — for both the client and me.

Ghostwriting rates vary just as much as rates for freelance writers but are often higher due to the fact the writer doesn’t get credit for the work. That means they can’t use it in their portfolio or even as a confidential sample of their work for future clients.

Most seasoned ghostwriters who bill flat rates will charge a minimum of $25,000 for a 200-page book. A colleague of mine, who has ghostwritten more than 70 books, now charges a minimum of six figures, and the most sought-after ghosts in the industry can command three times that. Hourly rates can range from $50 to $400+. It all depends on the ghost’s experience — and how in demand they are.

Ghostwriter or co-author?

If your budget doesn’t allow for a ghostwriter, consider hiring a co-author, which can cost considerably less. Even though the two essentially perform the same job (i.e., transforming your burgeoning ideas into literary glory), a co-author gets the benefit of having their name on the finished work, often in the form of a “with” credit on the cover. And that credit has value, which the writer might be willing to bargain for.

So weigh how much it means to have your name — and solely your name — on your work. But also consider whether or not your personal brand might be diminished if you had to share the limelight. If you’re open to sharing the credit, you might be able to save a chunk of change by upgrading your ghostwriter to a co-author.

The post Hiring a Ghostwriter: Secrets From a Ghostwriting Professional appeared first on ClearVoice.

Survey Results: How Freelancers Set Rates for Different Assignments

Jenna Rose Robbins — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 15:00:55 +0000

Different assignments, different rates, but same freelancer. Do really value and understand your freelancers’ time? If you need to better gauge the work that goes into assignments, Jenna Rose Robbins captures many points marketers and newbie publishers need to know from the freelancer’s perspective. We share her insights on how various factors can affect the time that goes into a typical 1,000-word article.

Freelance writing has changed dramatically in the last several years. Not only have technological advances made it easier for more individuals to join the pool of freelancing professionals, but a boom in new outlets has significantly increased the number of places for a writer to earn their daily bread.

That means that companies have more places than ever to find a freelance writer, considerably upping their chances of hiring just the right person for the project. The challenge lies in determining whether the freelancer’s asking rate is commensurate with the work required.

So, just how do freelancers come up with their individual rates?

Factors in determining individual rates for freelance writing assignments

When determining a flat rate for a project, many freelancers estimate the time involved, then multiply that by their individual base rate. That individual base rate isn’t derived through a predefined formula, but most freelancers take into account their expertise (i.e., years of experience writing or knowledge of a certain subject), as well as geographical factors such as cost of living.

Having both hired freelancers and worked as one myself, I can tell you that I came up with my own general rate by determining how much I wanted to make annually and estimating that I would work 25 hours per week. While that might seem like a short workweek, I was also taking into account how much time I’d spent the previous year performing administrative tasks such as billing, tracking down unpaid invoices, and pitching assignments. All of this work accounts for unbillable time, but time nonetheless. And, of course, I’d want a vacation now and again. Multiply those 25 hours by 52 weeks in a year and you’ve got 1,300 hours of annual paid work time.

Let’s say that, as an experienced freelancer, I wanted to make $100,000 annually — a fair salary for larger cities such as New York, Seattle and Los Angeles. To bring home that amount of kale, I’d have to bill roughly $77 an hour. And I did just that my first few years freelancing.

But it wasn’t long before I was deluged with calls from new clients for projects ranging from creating newsletters to writing blog posts, as well as my main focus of ghostwriting. Instead of turning away prospective clients, I bumped up my rate. I still had more clients than I could handle. So I bumped it up again. I found that I was not only making more money, but my higher rate actually attracted better clients — ones who were easier to work with and paid on time. Who’da thunk?

Considering project-specific rate factors

When a project calls for a flat rate, I use my personal base rate as a general guideline. I know that one client will require more phone time than others (necessitating a higher flat rate), while a publication I write for rarely asks for rewrites and usually posts my work as submitted (meaning I’d ask for a lower rate). So while I may be doing essentially the same work for each, the personal client demands far more time to complete the same task.

Even with a single client, projects can vary considerably. Last year, I was hired to ghostwrite five chapters of a book, one of which was extremely research-intensive. Because the project description was a little vague going in, I didn’t know how much time it would take, so I couldn’t offer the client a flat rate and instead charged by the hour — and it’s a good thing I did. The research-intensive chapter alone took me 23 hours, while each of the other four took only five or six apiece. (When I was asked to turn around a sixth chapter in less than two days, I charged my usual time-and-a-half rush rate.)

Then there’s freelance article writing. Some editors assign an article, then throw in a task that they might view as small but that, more often than not, adds to a writer’s workload — sometimes significantly.

Because of this, I’ve learned that word count isn’t the most important factor in determining how long it will take me to write a particular assignment. Some projects require more than just writing to get the job done. I may have to interview experts, do in-depth research, or, as in the case of this article, conduct a survey. Each of these tasks takes time, but just how much can vary based on the individual writer.

And then there’s the experience factor. While I was conducting the survey, one respondent wanted to be sure that I mention that time is not the factor that matters most. “It’s not time, it’s complexity and expertise,” she stated. “If something is easier, I would charge less. If something is hard, I charge more.”

Breaking down common factors that affect how freelancers set their rates:

1. Experience, time and tasks

Since time is more easily quantifiable, I focused the survey on how long it takes to complete certain tasks, other than the actual writing. More than 70 writers took part. In terms of years of experience, the breakdown was as follows:

I set the baseline by asking how long it would take to write a 1,000-word article on a topic they were already knowledgeable about, meaning little if any research would be required. The participants were also asked to estimate this time based on their past experience writing such articles.

Of all the respondents, more than a third (36.6%) said it would take 3-4 hours, which means they could knock out 250-333 words per hour. What was surprising was the number of respondents who said they could turn that assignment around in 0-2 hours: More than a quarter (25.4%) stated they could write a blazingly fast 500-1,000 words per hour.

Even more surprising is that of that roughly 25%, half were those who stated they had five years or less experience, meaning either they picked up some time-management secrets early on in their careers or are producing work that’s of lesser quality compared to that of their more seasoned colleagues. (Based on the study of freelancer rates and quality ClearVoice recently conducted, the latter may be more likely.)

2. Photo requests

Beyond the actual writing, other factors came into play when estimating how long it would take to complete an assignment. Back in the day, writers were responsible for one thing when they submitted an article: writing it. But today, it’s not uncommon for an editor to also require other tasks, such as providing photos. Although this might seem like an innocuous request, it can significantly increase the amount of time the freelancer spends completing the assignment.

While less than half of the respondents said it would take more than an hour to provide three photos (with accompanying credits and captions), nearly as many (46.5%) said the task could take an additional one to three hours. Considering the average time to complete only the writing portion of the assignment was just under four hours, asking for photos could nearly double the completion time.

The Takeaway: Consider having someone in-house source photos, or pay the freelancer for their time in finding them. If the freelancer provides her own photos, she should be paid for each of them, in addition to the writing portion of the assignment.

3. Finding interview sources

It may seem obvious that interviewing sources for an article requires extra time, but you may not realize where that time-suck lies. It’s not just the interview itself (and any necessary transcription). Just tracking down solid sources can be a time-consuming task.

We asked our respondents how much additional time it would take to simply identify and find contact info for three sources, for the same 1,000-word interview. A third of the respondents said it would take between one and two hours, while nearly as many said it would take at least three. (Nearly 17% stated a whopping five hours.)

And that’s before they even have to schedule the interviews, transcribe, and organize their notes. In some cases, a source may not prove as fruitful as originally hoped, which may require finding a replacement interviewee.

The Takeaway: Consider whether your article truly will benefit from having cited sources before requiring it in the assignment. If so, know that it will take the freelancer considerably more time, and pay them accordingly.

4. Additional research

The next question in our survey expanded upon the base assignment by asking how much time it would take to write the same article, one on a subject in the freelancer’s area of expertise but that would require some research. The example given was an assignment for a travel writer tasked with writing “a travel article about the best Cambodian dishes, although you are unfamiliar with the cuisine and have never been to Cambodia.”

Such seemingly simple research increased the time factor considerably: The average completion time jumped from just under four hours to 6.75. Even the most experienced writers (those freelancing for 15 years or more) averaged seven hours to complete the assignment, as opposed to 3.8 hours for the basic assignment.

The Takeaway: Of course, hiring a freelancer who already has a basic knowledge of the subject is always your best bet. But if you have a trusted stable of freelancers and you’d prefer to assign the article to one of them, be prepared to pay a bit more for the extra legwork.

5. Surveys

Sometimes, there isn’t enough data readily available for your particular subject, as was the case with this article. That meant I had to create and deploy a survey before I could even begin writing. I was fortunate enough to have access to several outlets where I could find a large number of respondents, but I also knew that I’d need time to gather enough responses to get some concrete data.

Creating the survey was just part of the additional time required. Afterwards, there was the requisite crunching of the numbers for a deep dive into the data. But since that sort of task varies so widely, I chose to only ask about the amount of time it would take to create the survey, not analyze the data.

Nearly half of respondents (46.5%) said that creating my eight-question survey (which took less than five minutes for them to answer) would require an additional 1-2 hours of work, about the same time it took me. (Although I did spend several days thinking about how I wanted to structure it, time I did not factor into my overall completion of the article.) Almost an equal amount stated that it would take a little less time (0-1 hours, 16.9%) or a little more (2-4 hours, 21.1%).

The Takeaway: Data can make a compelling case for a well-researched article. Be sure to factor in additional turnaround time and, of course, compensation for the freelancer, who should have at least a basic understanding of data analysis.

6. Additional factors

To close out the survey, participants were asked what additional factors affect how long it takes to complete a freelance writing assignment. They were given three options — transcription, rescheduling with interviewees, editor requests for changes to the assignment, as well as an option to submit their own response — and asked which they most commonly experienced.

As might be expected, transcription was the most common factor, with 40% of the votes. Rescheduling with interviewees and editor requests for changes were deadlocked, each with 25.7%.

One respondent cited lack of clarity in assignment instructions: “Usually the writing assignment is more difficult, in a technical sense, than it was possible to know before agreeing to the assignment.” I’m sure had I included a question about this particular bugbear, many respondents would have concurred.

Other factors include rewrites (which is why some assignment contracts stipulate a cap on the number of rewrites an editor can ask for), fact-checking, and travel/on-site visits.

The Takeaway: Be aware that conducting interviews can be one of the largest factors in completion time. And make sure your assignment is as thoroughly explained as possible, so as to avoid over-taxing a writer with unexpected work.

Ultimately, consider the convenience factor.

With all the above in mind, you also have to consider the convenience factor. Not only do these tasks require additional time, but they usually cannot be done concurrently. Interviews, for example, often must be conducted over a series of days, depending on the interviewees’ availability. An assignment that can be done in as few sittings as possible is obviously more convenient for the freelancer.

Turnaround times are part of that convenience. If you really need an article in less than a day, you may have to pay the writer a rush fee, just as you would with overnight shipping or getting a plumber to your house within the hour. A tight deadline may require a freelancer to push other projects or rearrange other items in her schedule, and she should be compensated for doing so.

Understanding Different Types of Editing: What Kind of Freelance Editor Do I Need?

Jenna Rose Robbins — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 15:00:00 +0000

The type of freelance editor you need depends on a variety of factors, including where you are in the writing process. At the various phases in the life of a piece of content, there are different editorial skills you can leverage to make your writing more compelling and credible.

When it comes to writing, editing can be almost as important as the actual pen-to-paper (or pixel-to-screen) process. A good editor can turn even an incoherent jumble of words into credible, comprehensible prose. But there are different types of editors, and the best one for you depends on a variety of factors. But rest assured, if your project has words in it, you need to hire an editor.

The first factor to consider is the type of project, which could be anything from your own book to marketing materials to a website. A freelance editor can significantly improve the final product in any of these situations.

The type of editor you need depends on multiple factors

While there are different types of editors to choose from, you should first consider your current status and needs. Ask yourself the following questions:

Do you have a completed manuscript or just an idea you want to flesh out?
Are you looking for the long-term growth of your blog, website, or one-off marketing campaign help?
Is this your first time writing this kind of project?
Do you want an editor to strategize topics and manage an editorial calendar?
Is your project a rough draft?
Will you need ongoing editorial support, or is this a project with a finite timeline?

Think about the status of your project as you review the different types of editors and editorial services.

5 types of editors

If your company is looking for long-term content creation, you’ll want to start by hiring an editor who can oversee the entire process. But since there are different types of editors, it helps to know what their roles are to ensure you get exactly what you need.

1. Mid-level editor

Companies creating a limited amount of content — say, two to three articles per week — might be able to get by with a mid-level editor who can both write and edit content, as well as assign the occasional piece and possibly manage some social media interaction.

2. Managing editor

For a more robust content flow, you’ll want to find a managing editor (ME), who will oversee the content strategy and ensure overall quality is maintained. This person can handle everything from managing copy editors to keeping your editorial calendar up to date.

3. Copy editors

Copy editors review each document for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. They can also ensure each piece features your brand’s voice and an appropriate tone for the topic. If you have a managing editor, they can also directly manage any freelance copy editors you hire.

4. Section editors

You can hire a section editor if you have enough content to warrant them. At a magazine, for example, the ME controls the style guide and editorial calendar (what content will be published when), which, in turn, determines what each section editor will publish. So if November is the big travel issue, the food section editor might publish content about the best hotel restaurants or the best foodie cities.

5. Junior-level editor

The ME rarely gets down and dirty with copy editing or interacting with new freelancers, although they might interact with some of the publication’s more seasoned writers. With an ME on board, the content flow can work similarly to that of a traditional publication, with content coming either from outside the company, such as through freelance writers, or from within, such as from junior-level editorial staff.

At a non-media company, the ME will also interact with other departments, such as the sales team, to determine content needs. You might, for example, develop a content strategy that highlights a different client or partner each month, which could help the sales team land new accounts.

6 types of editing

Now that you know the types of editors you can hire, let’s dig deeper. Here are six different types of editing, and how they differ.

1. Developmental editing

For ideas that are still in the rough stages, a developmental editor can help bring structure and organization to the project, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction. Perhaps your company is looking to update its website or begin a blog — a developmental editor can help decide on the site hierarchy, blog categories, and the overall voice and tone. (For online projects, look for an editor who also has at least some knowledge of SEO and/or user interface (UI) design.)

If your CEO has an idea for a groundbreaking business book but doesn’t know where to begin, a developmental editor can help break down the topic into digestible chunks that can be easier to tackle than a full-on tome. When it comes to books, the developmental editor is often part of the project from conception to conclusion.

2. Manuscript evaluation

This service is exactly what it sounds like: A seasoned editor provides feedback on your work. For those with a completed project, a manuscript evaluation can give you a better idea of your next steps. If the overall critique is glowing, you may only need a proofreader to review your work before it’s published, whether that be online or in print.

But if your project needs more work than that, the evaluation should tell you what steps you should take to get it to a publishable state, such as going back to square one and having a developmental editor work it over, or hiring a line editor to help with voice and tone.

3. Line editing

Think of line editing as a line-by-line review instead of the grand overview of the manuscript critique. During the line editing process, the editor looks for flow, tone, and clarity, and will point out problems such as run-on sentences, clichés, and pacing.

Although punctuation and grammar are not the focus of a line edit, many editors can’t help themselves and so will do both at the same time. Just keep in mind that you’ll still likely need a copy editor after a line edit.

4. Copy editing

Even within the editing world, there’s some disagreement as to how copy editing differs from proofreading, so be sure to clarify how an editor defines the service before you begin working together. At magazines and many websites, a copy editor reviews content for punctuation, grammar, spelling, and the project’s unique “style,” or rules specific to that project/publication.

The two most commonly used styles in media are Chicago Manual and AP (Associated Press), although there are others specific to individual industries (e.g., many medical journals follow American Psychological Association, or APA, style).

Style guides are why you see such revered institutions as the New York Times and The New Yorker spelling it “cooperate” and “coöperate” — each has its unique style guide, created and added to over the years. Your copy editor needs to be familiar with your project’s style, or at least be given a document outlining your brand’s peculiarities and preferences. Hire a copy editor to keep it all in check.

5. Proofreading

Some would argue this is the same as copy editing — and in some ways, it is. The term refers to the hard-copy process where a “proof” — a test print of a book, newspaper, or other print publication that has been laid out, graphics and all — is given a final review before the project goes to print. However, it also applies to online projects, from blog posts and ebooks to social media posts and email marketing campaigns.

So in a sense, the proofreading stage is your last chance to catch all those misplaced apostrophes, typos, and missing serial commas before the project is put to paper and is, thus, unchangeable. In addition to copy editing skills, a good proofreader also has an eye for layout issues, such as unintentional extra spaces, missing bylines, or misnumbered pages.

The proofreading process is not the time for major revisions or anything larger than correcting an actual physical error. Because of the print-focused nature of proofreading, few online publications have bona fide proofreaders; the editorial process is considered complete once the content has been copy edited and is live on the site. But you’ll still hear web editors asking for copy to be “proofread,” which in that context is pretty much the same as copy-edited.

6. Book shepherding

Although this isn’t an official term, this role has become more popular in recent years. With self-publishing enjoying increasing popularity — and with costs now so low you might be surprised how affordable it is to print a quality copy of that high school novel you’ve had stuffed away in a drawer — book shepherds have taken on the role of guiding newbies through the publication process.

Although a book shepherd may not be an editor in the traditional sense of the word, many long-time editors have since taken on this role, in addition to the copy editing, line editing, and/or developmental editing they started out doing. Since a book shepherd is also likely to fill one of these roles, if you’re publishing a book, you may as well try to find someone who can do both. You just need to know to ask.

Book shepherds can be just as important as editors when it comes to self-publishing, helping you with everything from getting an ISBN (or even explaining what that is) to helping with interior layout, front matter, and all the other things you didn’t know you needed to make your book shine. Plus, they help ensure that your finished hard copy is as professional-looking as possible, with the right cover, binding, and quality paper for what your budget can afford.

Other editorial services

Few companies realize just how much they need editorial guidance until they have it — and then they wonder how they ever lived without it. So consider other ways your editorial staff can help with related tasks outside of their department, such as copy editing one-sheets for sales or proofreading ads for the design team. Such pitching-in could help prevent embarrassing typos, costly reprints, and lost trust with your target audience.

Another editorial service that’s all the rage is assisting businesses and busy execs with writing books to help boost their profiles or brand messaging. Depending on how much you’re able to write yourself, you may only need line editing, copy editing, or one of the other editing services mentioned above. But if you need more help than that, consider a ghostwriter, who can take the bulk of the work off your plate.

What type of editor does your company need?

By now, you should have a better idea of what types of editors or editorial services your business needs, whether you’re in the home and garden, finance, or software niche. With the rise of content marketing, brands have increasingly needed editors and writers. Depending on the amount and type of content your company is creating, you may need one or more editors, whether they are full-time staff or outside contractors.

Elevate your content marketing with editors

Few companies will require an editorial staff that rivals a traditional magazine, but several well-known brands are making that strategy work for them. REI’s blog produces outdoor travel content to rival some of the top magazines in the biz. HomeDepot’s blog provides detailed how-to guides that range from simple gardening projects to complex electrical work. Rosetta Stone’s blog offers advice for learning a new language, information on other cultures, and tips for getting the most out of their products.

In the above cases, content marketing serves to cement brand messaging, attract new customers, boost sales, and increase online exposure and credibility. (And the editors are behind the scenes, ensuring it all goes off without a hitch — or a typo.)

While these examples are of large businesses, small- and medium-sized companies can follow their lead, albeit on a smaller scale, with freelance editors who can meticulously edit everything from blog posts and web content to white papers and paid ad copy.

Get a better idea of the cost for your content plans. See how ClearVoice can help you power your content marketing with freelance content creators available in 200+ business categories.

The post Understanding Different Types of Editing: What Kind of Freelance Editor Do I Need? appeared first on ClearVoice.

How Hiring a Professional Writer Helped a Specialized B2B Grow

Jenna Rose Robbins — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 15:00:00 +0000

Getting started with content marketing might seem daunting to some business owners, particularly those who have smaller businesses. But with the right writer on board, the experience can be less stressful and time-consuming — as well as a branding boon.

A year ago, Grant Aguinaldo came across the website for my consulting business, Siteseeing Media. Grant is the owner of Envera Consulting, a Southern California-based agency that advises on environmental compliance. As you might expect, the industry is highly specialized and loaded with technical jargon, which were two reasons that Grant had a problem finding the right individual to help produce content.

After trying out several lower-end freelancers, Grant decided he needed to go with a professional, even though his business was still relatively young and his budget tight. However, he believed that content marketing could differentiate Envera from its competitors, so he was willing to make the financial investment. His strategy was to provide value upfront by being completely transparent in how his business works, as well as to share some of the tips he’s learned over the years.

Here are Grant’s insights into his experience with content marketing, as well as some advice for those businesses thinking of doing the same.

What drew you to content marketing?

It was different. My field is very traditional, with much of the marketing being cold calls. I wanted to stand out from my competitors in how I branded and marketed Envera. I used to work on the other side of the industry, so now I’m actually selling to the person that I used to be. So I know I’m marketing my company differently than my competitors are. My goal is to provide value upfront.

Your blog and newsletter provide lots of behind-the-scenes tips and strategies, many of which are how you tackle your clients’ projects. Why did you decide to be transparent with your content?

First off, I was focused on being different. But more importantly, I developed a mentality that I just wanted to help people. I actually didn’t care if you ended up calling me or retaining my firm. I still don’t care. I know that not every business can afford a consultant, but I can still help them. If the content has helped in any way, then it’s done its job, and I’ve done what I’ve set out to do.

You mention that transparency is part of your content strategy. Do you see any downside to sharing your knowledge?

No, and that’s completely counterintuitive in this industry. What I share on the Envera website is viewed as being proprietary or trade secret by other companies. That’s fine. That’s the way they run their business. I’ve decided that I see no downside whatsoever.

How is the content marketing strategy working for you?

It helps because people see that the business is centered around content. We had zero clients in July 2014. Today, we have about fifteen clients, plus a few more in the pipeline. We acquired nearly a third of those clients through content marketing, which has not only led to revenue but has helped from a branding perspective. Envera is the only environmental-consulting firm putting out content, which helps the company stand out.

If you were to have told me a year ago that I would have spent as much money as I did on content marketing, I probably would have been turned off. However, based on the response I’ve gotten from people who have emailed me or sent messages on social media, it’s worth way more than I’ve paid. It helped differentiate the business. My competitors are trying to do it, but I don’t think they’re close in terms of quality.

You first tried working with more junior editors. Tell me about that experience.

I had created a large amount of content that I wasn’t publishing because it wasn’t polished — it wasn’t at the point that I felt it was ready for public consumption. So I went on one of those sites where you hire a freelancer for some piddly amount. Those sites are just a race to the bottom. Their rates were super low, so I guess you get what you pay for, because it never really worked out. I would hire people and get a product back, but there was always something missing. I would never get a product I was happy with.

It took me a while to figure out what I was looking for. I thought that any old editor would be able to take my garbled notes and turn them into something great. Then I read somewhere that there are different kinds of editors, and I realized I’d been looking for the wrong one. I was expecting the editor to come back and say, “This doesn’t make sense” or “Maybe we should elaborate more on this idea.” But what I was getting was like having someone proofread my term paper — just a redline, and maybe some meager notes.

I probably went through four or five editors before I realized what I probably really needed was a ghostwriter, which I knew would be expensive. I wanted someone who could take my material in the shape it was in, read it, make an assessment of what needed to happen to make this a finished product, and then work with me to get it to that point. That’s when I decided I was done messing with low-level freelancers and was going to invest in my content. And I have to say the experience has been awesome. Because everything I’ve ever wanted, you’ve been able to do. And I was really afraid at first, because the content is really technical. But the experience has been exactly what I’d been looking for.

How much time do you think you’re saving?

It’s really hard to quantify. But now I don’t have to stress about whether or not it reads correctly. You’ve saved me a lot of time. What’s really rewarding, and also difficult to quantify, is that my competitors have told me that they read my content. I’ve even been told by officials at government agencies — the ones who write the rules that I advise on — that they’ve subscribed to the Envera newsletter. Random people send me emails about how digestible the content is. That’s all because of you.

It’s easy to sit back and say, “I want to create content.” But to actually put it into motion? It’s really, really hard to do by yourself. It blows my mind how backed up I was. Now it’s pretty simple. You’ve been insanely helpful in getting this done.

What have been some of the unforeseen benefits of content marketing?

One huge benefit is that I can easily send content to people. I often speak with prospective clients who ask me to summarize my points in an email. I say sure, then BOOM! A few minutes later, they have links to five articles on the very topic we were just discussing. It’s such a time-saver. Plus, when the prospect sees not just a few paragraphs with a closing line, but rather long-form content, the response is very different. You can’t put a price on that. Just the mere fact that there’s all this content speaks for itself.

Another benefit is that our SEO rankings have soared since you reorganized the content. When I recently asked my employee to research a topic, our site consistently came up on the first SERP (search engine result page). And the tags index really high. We’ve actually had clients call and say, “Hey, we’re in a meeting researching subject X and your website keeps coming up.” My response: “That’s by design.”

What advice do you have for small businesses looking to start content marketing?

Know what you’re getting into. It’s a lot of work, so make sure you have the bandwidth and right staff, freelance or otherwise. You should also have a client in mind that you write to. One of our clients is a maintenance manager, and I write as if I’m talking to him. Well, I used to write as if I were writing an email to him. Now I just dictate and imagine him sitting in front of me as if I’m talking to him. Then I send the transcription to you.

More advice: You have to be consistent. When I share Envera articles on my LinkedIn profile, I definitely see the needle move, even if it’s just slightly. I start seeing more views of my profile and more people from secondary connections looking at my content. I’m definitely reaching new people.

The post How Hiring a Professional Writer Helped a Specialized B2B Grow appeared first on ClearVoice.

The Importance of Building Relationships With Your Freelance Writers

Jenna Rose Robbins — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 15:00:00 +0000

Solid, long-term relationships are important in most any business, but perhaps nowhere as much as with freelancers. And although managing freelancers can be a job in and of itself, handling the task properly and professionally will benefit you (both your company and you as an individual) in the long run.

Even though freelancing is transient by nature, it’s not unusual for a freelancer to have the same clients for several years — which is a plus for both the freelancer and the client. You want your freelancers to feel a part of the team, even though they may not work on site and don’t receive all the perks and benefits of a full-time employee.

While many of the following points are also relevant to full-time employees, many managers don’t realize just how pertinent they are to freelancers. Here’s why building strong freelance relationships is so important.

Knowledge retention

Every time an employee leaves the company, they take a store of knowledge with them that is difficult, if not impossible, to replace. It doesn’t matter whether the employee is full-time or freelance: They still have skills and company information that walk out the door when they do. When that knowledge is not easily replaceable, it can take some time for your team to get back up to speed.

Yes, it’s a best practice to keep in-house records of your processes and projects. But even full-time employees come and go. I once freelanced for a multi-million-dollar corporation that reorganized, meaning I had to report to a newly hired manager. I ended up teaching her a lot about the job that her own manager couldn’t, including the content management system and editorial ideas we had previously tried that didn’t work out. No one outside the department would have had this knowledge, but because I was a freelancer, I hadn’t been affected by the re-org in that way. My new manager told me several times that my knowledge of the department’s history kept her from repeating past mistakes.

Faster turnaround and lower costs

A freelancer who has already done several projects for you and so is more familiar with your processes is more likely to be able to churn through future projects more quickly. And if your freelancers charge by the hour, that means subsequent projects might cost less. (Of course, there are other factors to consider.) That’s not even taking into account the costs associated with training anyone new you bring on board.

About a year ago, I began working with a new client, Envera Consulting, an environmental consulting firm that I bill on an hourly basis. The content, as you might imagine, is highly technical and scientific, and it took me a while to become competent in the terminology and overall industry. During the first two months, it would take me roughly four to five hours to craft a blog post, publish it, and send it out as a newsletter. Now, six months later, it takes me two to three hours, because I’m familiar with the subject matter and I know the client’s voice and online publishing system, plus I’ve been able to point out efficiencies in the overall process. And because the client has agreed to a long-term relationship with me, I’ve offered a reduced retainer rate in exchange for a guaranteed amount of work each month. It’s win-win.

Lower turnover

No matter how skilled or intelligent a new hire, they’re going to need ramping up before they’re at full capacity. And that ramping-up requires time for you to teach them the ropes. Building relationships with your freelancers can improve your retention rate, meaning you can spend less time training and more time assigning projects to people you trust.

Years ago, I worked at as an editor of an online city guide. Our stable of freelance writers was constantly turning over, meaning I was continuously hiring new freelancers (a process in itself) and coaching them in our voice and style. Sometimes it would take weeks before I felt comfortable assigning more advanced writing projects to a new hire. I was always more productive when I had a stable of long-term freelancers I trusted and could tap for a quick turnaround on urgent assignments.

Improved company reputation

In this great age of information, word travels fast. You want to be known as an employer who is easy to work with and, by extension, that your company is one that a freelancer wants to work for.

Every freelancer I know belongs to at least one — if not several — online groups, where members share their experiences working with different companies and even individual editors. They gripe, they kvetch, they complain, and every once in a while they applaud a particular publication or editor. You want to be the one receiving the applause, and that only comes through good management and building strong relationships. (So reply to that pile of pitches pronto!)

Tips for managing freelancers

Be clear and communicate often. Freelancers often don’t have the benefit of working in the office, which means they’re not privy to the business changes that you see as part of your everyday job. And remember to avoid these six traps when working with your freelance team.

The post The Importance of Building Relationships With Your Freelance Writers appeared first on ClearVoice.