Do you dream of starting a business? Or maybe you have already begun the process? Before you get too far into things, there are a few tasks you need to make sure you do in order to ensure you are successful in your new endeavor.
1. Define your product or service Figure out exactly WHAT you are trying to sell. Is it a product or a service? Is there really a need for that particular item or service? What are the costs involved, and what do you need to do to create and sell it? If you are selling a tangible good, figure out exactly what the item, or items, are. Figure out exactly what the materials are. Figure out the exact costs to produce it, and the price you can expect to sell it for. This will help you determine whether or not you can make a profit, and how much you need to sell in order to do so. If you are selling a service, figure out exactly what that service entails. Define the capacity and limitations of that service. What is included in the cost? And what isn’t? What are you skilled enough to provide within your service offering, and what do you need to learn? Do some research into similar service offerings and determine effective pricing. You want to have competitive pricing, but not pricing so high that you lose customers or too low to sustain a living on. 2. Narrow down your market Once you have defined your product or service, you need to figure out exactly WHO your market is. Who will buy this product? And who will want to? Is there really a market for what you are selling? And can your market afford its price? You also want to try to forecast if your target market might change in the coming years, based on technology trends or population movement, or other factors outside of your control. Is your market still going to be there in five years? In ten? How will you have to shift your business to accommodate any changes in your target market as time progresses? 3. Write a business plan This is one of the most crucial steps in the process of starting a business, yet so many entrepreneurs neglect it entirely. “But I have it all in my head,” you say. “Why do I need to write it down?” Well, writing a business plan really forces you to fully think through all that “stuff” in your head, and make sure you are truly on a track to success. It forces you to thoroughly examine your business, your finances, your mission, and your strategies. And while writing the business plan, you may discover that some of those ideas you had wouldn’t actually work now that you see all of the costs involved, or can really examine your marketing strategies. If you need help with a business plan or marketing strategies, there are many avenues available to you. Visit the Small Business Administration for guidelines, information, and help getting started on your new venture. And find a good writer to help you get your ideas on paper if you find yourself struggling. 4. Open your doors and sell yourself You have your business plan in place, you have your marketing strategies set, you have all the funding you need (if required). Now it’s time to start selling yourself and your product/service. Do you have a website? If so, is it effective? (How can I tell?) Hire some help if it isn’t. Websites are your number one selling tool in this age of technology. A poorly written website can cause you to lose more business than anything else. Do you have marketing materials? Are they good quality? If not, hire some help. The design and wording makes the difference between someone looking at the materials, or having them throw it straight in the trash. Are you constantly trying to find ways to attract new customers? Or have you only put a few things out there and are now sitting back and waiting? Owning a business is a non-stop job. There is no end to marketing – if you stop marketing, you stop gaining business. While it’s true that at some point a good business may begin to function almost chiefly on referrals, you still need to make an effort to market yourself. Things change, businesses come and go, people move away. You always need that stream of income. Finding an experienced writer and consultant who you can call part-time or as-needed, rather than a full-time staff member, is a good solution if you are on a tight budget. They can step in to help you for a comparatively lower cost, and they will give you a very high return on your investment. Need help growing your business or nonprofit organization? Browse my website to learn about how I can help you with your particular needs.
0 Comments
So you have contacted a writer, gotten an estimate, and your first reaction is that you don’t understand what that money is paying for. After all, it’s just writing right? Well actually a lot goes on behind the scenes. And when you hire a stellar writer who charges professional rates, you are getting a lot more than just writing for that investment. Let’s do a comparison.
Cheap writers Let’s start with the super cheap, below minimum wage writers. You see them all over Craigslist and freelance sites like eLance or Guru.com, and their unbelievably low rates are very tempting. Especially for growing organizations who don’t have a large budget. But what are you paying for when you hire a writer like that? Well, you are likely getting someone who:
Writers like this sacrifice quality and effectiveness for quantity and speed. These subpar writers want to hook the client with a super cheap rate, deliver something quickly, collect the fee and then move on to the next prospect. Many of these writers, obviously, do not maintain repeat customers because of the poor writing quality they deliver. So what you get is a writer who relies on his or her cheap rates – rather than client satisfaction – to continue to get work. Keep these things in mind when considering a writer of this type. You may end up having to get the work fixed by a professional (I am often contacted for this reason), or if left untouched the work may actually decrease your revenue by tarnishing your image. This will definitely cost your organization much more money in the end, and cause you additional headaches. Professional writers Now, let’s talk about a professional writer – a writer who charges real fees and who yes, will cost you a bit more up front. But let’s look at what you get for those fees, and let’s talk about the case for going ahead and hiring a professional even if you are on a tight budget. When you hire a professional writer, you are getting someone who:
Isn’t this a better option long term, when you think about how you are investing in your organization? Professional writers know their craft, they know what it takes to create something that meets your goals and objectives, and they take the time to produce quality because their rates ensure that they can. They conduct themselves professionally and maintain a stable client base, because they deliver good work and provide prompt service for their customers. Wouldn’t you rather pay $500 for something that will bring you $15,000 in revenue, than $50 for something that might only garner you $2000? Think about what you are paying for and how you are investing your money when you hire a writer. And remember, you can always do a trial run with a small project if your budget is tight. See if you like their work, if it increases your revenue, or ups your professional image. If it does, you can move forward slowly with more projects as you get the funds. Need help growing your business or nonprofit organization? Browse my website to learn about how I can help you with your particular needs. I think, as with many fields that rely on experience more than education, technical writing is a very tough field to break into. In fact any writing field is a tough field to break into. Why? Because you have to prove yourself and get solid writing experience before someone wants to hire you, but then you often need someone to hire you in order to get published.
I broke into technical writing by accident. I started as a project administrator in an IT department. They asked me to edit some documents because I had an English degree, and they loved my work. Before I knew it I was the new technical writer. Then I was managing technical publications and entire help systems, and localizing documents for clients all over the globe. I think a good way to break into the field is to get on with an IT company. Even if it’s just in an administrative role. You can get a feel for the products, try to learn more, and then ask to edit some documents or to participate in some projects. It’s a good way to demonstrate your abilities and to absorb skills from the pros. Ask questions. Ask how they create documents. Ask for suggestions about how to write more effectively. I have used this technique to move from technical to marketing communications. It shows you are interested, and usually people are happy to share knowledge. And remember, most companies would be happy to give you extra work if you ask for it and if they think you are qualified. Don’t forget that. They get more bang for their buck if there is one person doing multiple jobs. I successfully asked for, and took on, marketing projects alongside my technical writing projects because I wanted the experience and to learn the field. These skills propelled me forward and allowed me to expand my career even further. Final thought: if you find yourself stuck and stagnant in your job, keep it moving. Especially if you receive good feedback from colleagues about your writing but the company won’t let you move forward. Find a new company that will. Sometimes managers will peg you in a job because it’s cheaper for them to keep you there, or because they think you are very skilled at it (even if you are trying to move elsewhere). Need help growing your business or nonprofit organization? Browse my website to learn about how I can help you with your particular needs. |
Contact me at info@writerliz.com.
Welcome to my blog. Please use the Category links below to find topics of interest to you, or just scroll through current postings. Receive new postings via email:
Categories
All
Archives
November 2014
|