Guest post by Lisbeth Tanz

One of the things I hear most frequently from new freelance writers is that they didn’texpect it to be so hard.

If they had asked me, I could have told them that doing this work isn’t the easiest way to earn a living, at least not initially.

No new business is easy – but when you consider that all you need to start a writing business is a computer, Internet connection, telephone, fax (maybe) and writing talent, it seems like a slam dunk.

However, starting a writing business takes more than just good writing skills. It takes business savvy (or the willingness to develop it), the ability and desire to work hard to get established and an understanding that money won’t start flowing immediately (unless you’re really, really fortunate).

Here are 10 things to consider before you declare yourself in business as a writer:

1. Identify the things you know a lot about and would enjoy writing about.
2. Determine how much time per day you will be able to pursue your writing business dream.
3. Determine the market(s) you want to pursue. Do you want to write for magazines? Newspapers? Web content providers? Your own content? Do you want to create your own products? Do you want to be an affiliate marketer? (You’d be surprised at how much writing is necessary when you promote the products of others effectively.) NOTE:  Each of these markets is different and you may not be able to find work for some of them on the job boards.
4. Analyze (don’t just look at) the top job boards:  guru.com, elance.com and odesk.com. There are others, but these three are probably the biggest. I could write a post or three on just this topic. You’ll want to look for what the most successful bidders are doing and emulate them.
5. Take a stroll over to Craigslist to see what freelance gigs might be posted there. Sometimes I find hidden gems on my local Craigslist.
6. Now that you’ve done some research, you’re better prepared to write down three goals you would like to achieve with your writing business in the next three months, six months and 12 months. Setting goals helps you stay focused.
7. You’ll also want to calculate how much money you must earn to make this venture worthwhile. You can learn how in this post I wrote about calculating your freelance writing rates .
8. If you don’t have any writing examples, create some! You won’t need many, but you will need to create a few that can demonstrate your writing ability.
9. Consider where and when you’ll do your writing. If you have three kids under three, this could be a challenge. But people manage extreme or difficult situations and still make time for writing, so get creative with your planning.
10. If your skills aren’t up to snuff, search for mentors, websites and books that can help you improve your skills.

There are many other things to consider, but these should get you started. You might have noticed that I didn’t talk about coming up with a business name, creating a logo, making business cards, etc. That’s because you will best serve yourself by considering these 10 points before you jump headfirst into a writing business.

Many thanks to Melanie for giving me the opportunity to guest post on Solo Mompreneur!

Lisbeth Tanz is a freelance copywriter and editor. Her business, The Hired Pen, was started on a wing and a prayer in 2004 (before she understood the 10 points above). Since then she’s written and edited for a wide variety of business clients, but focuses primarily on alternative health and wellness, home improvement and pets/animal companion writing. She’s continually amazed at all there is to learn about writing and business and enjoys sharing her newfound knowledge with new and experienced writers at www.savvyfreelancewriters.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn .

Guest post by Jane Lee

One might ask why bother blogging? I just do not have the time to blog. What is in it for me? Definitely, I hear all your concerns.

With business both now online, off-line, and corporations, everyone asks do you have a website/blog?

Your website is now your storefront. Prospects, clients/customers walk into your establishment and they want to see what you are all about. Your blog is that connection with your readers just like the customers walking into the store. They find out about your specials of the day, the types of service that you offer them and information that will help them make an informed decision of which product/services is right for them.

Here are the 3 key reasons why you should be blogging on a regular basis:

1) Keep your prospects, clients/customers up to date on what is happening. Think of yourself as a newspaper or magazine. You are providing consumer information that they may not be aware of and they are coming to you for resources.

2) By providing rich content and information, your prospects, clients/customers see you as the expert in your field and this builds credibility.

3) It takes time for visitors to find you.  If you are a brand like Coke-Cola, then everyone is familiar with your service. By blogging, reciprocating, and becoming visible in the community, others will start to notice and begin to follow you.

Happy Blogging and to your Great Success!

Jane Lee is a Marketing and Sales Coach who loves to blog. She teaches coaches, service professionals, and solo entrepreneurs how to sell authentically with confidence and ease.

It’s true. Flattery will get you everywhere.  And social media venues are no exception.

Online marketers often complain that social media sites are a waste of time. They spend hours crafting and posting promotional offers and updates that bring no sales, no clients, no subscribers, and no results.

The truth is that using social media venues is a smart, savvy, effective way to get your message out to your target market. The key is knowing HOW to do it right. Having one-way conversations by posting “Me, Me, Me”, “I, I, I” messages simply doesn’t work.

Sorry to hurt your feelings but … nobody cares about “You”.

In order to get the results you desire and deserve, remember that flattery will get you everywhere. You may not be ready to hear this, but you must be prepared to “give” before you “get”.

Here’s how it works:

Compliment

Give others a thumbs up, a shout out, or kudos for a wonderful blog post, an inspirational quote, a helpful resource, a personal story, etc. that adds value to your life and/or your business. Simply let people know that you appreciate them or admire their expertise. Of course, be absolutely genuine. Don’t say it if you really don’t mean it. Everyone can spot a phony, fabricated remark. You’ll be surprised how far sincerely complimenting others will, in turn, get you noticed online and build your credibility.

Comment

Always take a few minutes to leave your thoughts in the comment box on someone’s blog. Comments create backlinks to your site, providing a tremendous benefit to you. However, posting self-serving promos, coupon offers, and other sales messages will get your comments blocked. Remember that most successful online professionals moderate their blog comments. “Selling” is not proper social media etiquette and you’ll be labeled as hype-y and probably banned from future comments. Only leave well thought out, appropriate comments that are directly related to the topic.

For more simple and creative ways to build your business on the internet and more info on social media marketing, subscribe to the Online Success Newsletter … it’s 100% free and always loaded with expert tips and fantastic resources.

Some solo professionals and small business owners really enjoy writing and others prefer speaking.

You don’t have to have a college degree in communications or specialized training to use speaking as a strategy to promote your products or services.

If you enjoy using your voice to build your online business, teleseminars are a fantastic marketing platform. You can invite your e-newsletter subscribers, blog readers, customers, current clients, and social networking friends to attend your teleseminar.

For those that can’t attend, be sure to provide a “replay” link so they can listen to the presentation at their own convenience.

If you spend time on my website, you’ll quickly figure out that I’m a big fan of “Free”. So here are four No-Cost teleseminar resources for you to check out:

1. FreeConferenceCall.com
2. NoCostConference.com
3. FreeConference.com
4. FreeConferenceCalling.com

Speak up! Speak out! Using your voice is a very effective way to share your expertise, showcase your talents, and let your personality and pizazz shine through.

Babies are soft and sweet and gentle, wouldn’t you agree?

But sometimes they can be doggone loud!

Those are the moments they will instantly and effectively grab your attention, awaken you from a sound sleep, call you away from the dinner table, or even cut your shower super short.

What can you learn from babies that will help you market your business online?

Babies are great at taking center stage, tooting their own horns, and getting someone to take action. And that’s exactly what you need to do as an online marketer in order to reach your business goals.

Pardon the pun, but you can’t take “baby steps” and be shy about it. Many solo professionals I’ve met would rather do a root canal on a Rottweiler than promote themselves. They’re afraid of coming across as sales-y and no one likes a pain-in-the-patootie sales person.

I’m not suggesting you annoy your target market by pitching, pouncing, prodding, and pestering (loud and obnoxious never wins any awards). Instead, learn how to become an expert at Bragging — the right way.

Your clients and potential clients want to work with a winner, someone who is skilled at alleviating their pain and solving their problems. They want you to brag and they want to brag about you.

Ask yourself these questions as you put together your marketing messages: “Why would someone want to hire YOU? What are your strongest selling points that set you apart and make you stand out? If someone were to brag about you, what would they say?”

Friend and colleague, Cathy Goodwin of Copy Cat Copywriting, has an mp3 recording and 25-page workbook called Bragging101 for under twenty dollars that is a phenomenal tool that teaches you how to market confidently without sounding like a used car salesman. I use it in my own business and refer back to it often. If you have a fear of bragging, check it out.

If your current marketing strategy and self-promotion resembles that of a sleeping baby, it’s time to wake it up!

Today I’m going to write what I call a “pigeonhole” post.

After you read the post, use the comment box below to tell me your definition of a pigeonhole post.

On with the post …

When I share a business success formula with my target audience, a quote from Adam Urbanski always sticks in the forefront of my mind.  Adam says, “Your offerings should be ‘pain killers’ versus vitamins.”

My audience is short on time.  They want the most valuable business-building information that’s as concise as possible – consumed and digested quickly.

Here’s the formula I give them:

1) Get to know yourself – Make a list of your attributes (gifts, talents, strengths, life and work experiences)

2) Develop and research your ideas – Find out what others have done in your field, what kinds of problems people are looking to solve, and what they are willing to pay for the solutions.

3) Clearly define your message – Who will you serve?  How will you serve them?

4) Marketing your product or service – Stick with three to five marketing platforms till you have mastered them.  Then start adding more.

The best strategy for business success is to be a good listener.  Listen to your target market and be first in line to answer their questions and provide solutions to their problems.

(I’ll be curious to read what you think a pigeonhole post is!)

It’s better to do both.

Today will begin and end like any other day, with one small exception.

I’ll crank up the morning by walking my dogs, Kona and Maxwell, and then get ready to head off to my first job of the day.  I’m blessed.  I have three jobs and not everybody can say that!

Oftentimes I think about the numbers of people who have been laid off or who have lost their jobs and I only wish I could give them one of mine.

Early on in the day, I give help to new breastfeeding moms at a small community hospital. What I receive in return is beyond measure.  The smiles and thank-you’s I get when I show first-time moms what to do and build their confidence are the greatest gifts in the world.

Lending office support, coordinating the online and offline marketing, and working with patients in an ophthalmology practice is the next order of the day.

Not a day goes by that my co-workers don’t show appreciation for my assistance.  They’re always telling me how happy they are that I came on board.  One of the technicians reminds me all the time that her day would not be “peachy” without me there.  She has a great sense of humor.

In the evenings, I have tons of fun teaching childbirth education classes.

Helping to alleviate the fears, worries, and apprehensions that expectant couples have about labor, birth, and postpartum adjustments isn’t really work – it’s a labor of love.

Teaching is one of my biggest passions in life.  What a gift to end the day with a job that allows me to follow my passion.

By now, you might be wondering what the one small exception is for today.

Today is my birthday.  I’ll be giving and receiving all day long.

Prefer to listen to this post?

Are you familiar with the saying, “Shoe a Goose”?

If not, hold on a minute and I’ll get to that.

I think if I tried to shoe a goose, it would take me all day.  It might even take me two or three days.

First of all, I’d have to catch the goose, and I’m sure that’s not easy.

And then I’d have to find a way to pin it down and keep it still.  Once again, not so easy to do and might take me hours.

Next I’d have to try to figure out how to get a shoe to fit over a webbed foot.  At best, that’s got to be tricky.

By that time, I’d be so tired, I’d probably let go of the goose and then I’d have to start all over again.

So what does “Shoe a Goose” mean, anyway?

It means “Engaging in a fruitless task”.  After all, geese don’t wear shoes and they don’t need shoes!  So trying to put one on a goose is fruitless.

As you work to build your business throughout the week, how often do you shoe a goose?

How often are you checking phone messages, reading your emails, cleaning off your desk, going to the kitchen for another cup of coffee (or another chocolate donut), playing with the dog, shuffling papers, downloading music, shopping online, looking at interesting videos on You Tube, … the list could go on.

None of these kinds of activities will help you to make money or move your business forward.

So stop trying to put a shoe on a goose – And get busy doing something that will make you some money!

Guest Post by Fiona Bosticky

Being a start-up, or a small business, or an entrepreneur takes special skills.  You need to be a little bit daring, prepared for lots of hard work, and have just the right amount of faith in yourself.

In the beginning there are long hours, a lot of planning, and an inner strength that almost cannot be described.  However once things get going and you start to see the rewards –YOUR work out in the world, meeting people who appreciate your work, and if you’re lucky – even making some money, being an entrepreneur can feel awesome.

With all this in mind, why would a single mom, who in the universal-sense is normally considered to have such a tough job, make such a great entrepreneur?  Here’s what I think:

1. They know how to Juggle/ Multi-task

Women are normally renowned for being great multi-taskers, and to be in the situation of raising a child on their own, is a crash course in high-level multi-tasking.  We have busy enough lives with plenty of pressures, but when you are also running the life of a dependent, on your own, you quickly learn how to do literally 1,000 things at the same time.

Entrepreneurs who can juggle like this – do the job, do the finances, do the marketing, and do the managing – all at the same time, are definitely one step ahead.

2. They can handle a Tough Customer

Children can be very demanding, and sometimes difficult to satisfy.  Single moms understand this, and normally have a “battle-plan” for dealing with these situations.  This skill can easily be transferred to the workplace, and to the area of customer service.  Occasionally we do come across a tough customer in business.  And single moms definitely have an advantage in dealing with these people to achieve a mutually-beneficial outcome.

3. They have well developed Decision-Making Skills

When you are a single mom, the decisions for your entire family, tend to fall onto your shoulders.  Being in this role, builds fast and effective decision-making skills which can easily be transferred to business.  When you are in the habit of quickly assessing situations for the most desirable outcome, and then deciding the course of action, you become very efficient.  And having excellent decision-making skills can prove highly beneficial as an entrepreneur.

4. They know when to be Positive and say “Well Done”

When the joyful moments come in their families lives, women understand the importance of celebrating and taking a moment to reflect on the good times.  This is so important as an entrepreneur and small business owner.  Sometimes it is easy to be caught up in the work, as there always seems like there is more to be done.  But knowing and understanding what’s important, and taking a moment to celebrate the good things, even if they are little, can really make a big difference.

5. They understand Endurance and Persistence

Being able to go-the-distance, and keep the family happy and moving along is a big responsibility for a single mom.  Single moms truly understand persistence in the home to achieve what they want to achieve.  The ability to keep going and endure through the hard times is a huge skill that every entrepreneur must possess to succeed in this world.

Fiona Bosticky is an Aussie marketing coach, social media advisor, and entreprenuer.  Doing her part to help businesses around the world with marketing planning, marketing strategy, websites, social media strategy and blogging.  To find out more, visit Abnormal Marketing.

You might enjoy this more if you listen!

When I was a kid, the first thing I grabbed out of the Sunday edition of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette was the “funnies”.  I started my morning off on a happy note by reading the comic strips.

Forget about the front page headlines – most of that stuff fell under the categories of boring, tragic, political, or I-really-don’t-give-a-hoot!

One thing I value a lot is a sense of humor and I think it’s because so few people have one!  And I consider it a wonderful asset.

I take humor very seriously.  There’s probably an oxymoron somewhere in that statement.

Humor will take you a long way in life in all of your relationships, even the relationships you have with your target audience.

But telling jokes isn’t what I’m talking about and it’s not a good idea.  You wouldn’t want to start off a teleseminar, for example, by saying, “Three men went into a bar.  One was a priest, one was a rabbi, …” and you know the rest of that joke.  Trust me, that won’t work, so don’t go there.

So how can you incorporate a splash of humor into your on-stage deliveries, email marketing campaigns, blog posts, teleseminars, podcasts, and internet radio shows?

LAUGH AT YOURSELF.  It works like a charm!

Let me give you an example of how I laugh at myself when I’m introducing myself to a new group of students in my childbirth education classes.  And please keep in mind that I teach a 2-hour class that starts at 7:00 PM.  And when you’re pregnant, 7:30 is bedtime!  So it’s not exactly easy to keep these people awake!

Here’s how my introduction goes …

Good evening.  My name is Melanie and I’m a single mom with four daughters, including a set of twins.  What that really translates into is four weddings to pay for and a house full of PMS!

That always gets a laugh and breaks the ice.  However, what I’ve just shared with them is the truth and it’s really not funny.

But it works because I’m laughing at myself.

Can you think of a way you could incorporate humor into your business and marketing strategies?