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Starting my Own Content Business Tips

Discussion in 'Copywriting' started by Chauntelg, Feb 22, 2009.

  1. Senobia

    Senobia Notable Member

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    #21
    After burning out in the magazine sector, I just started my own site. You can check it out to get an idea how I did it, if you'd like. It's only been up since Monday, tho. *laugh* The link is in my profile. Can't post it here, says I'm too 'new'. Eh.
     
    Senobia, Mar 25, 2009 IP
  2. Witech

    Witech Greenhorn

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    #22
    If you already have a steady client list go ahead with the hiring staffs etc. Or I would suggest you to build a database of good freelance writers and when you have a project discuss with them and get it done. This way you have no overhead...
     
    Witech, Mar 26, 2009 IP
  3. bobbyt

    bobbyt Active Member

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    #23
    I am sure Online Writer doesn't mean build a site and leave it there for customers to come knocking on the door. Obviously there should be some active promotions, such as SEO, word-of-mouth marketing, encourage existing clients to refer new customers (offer discounts, consultation, etc. to sweeten the deal), blogging and social networking.

    It is a good idea to combine a static site with a frequently updated blog, the blog will lead many free visitors from search engine, bringing exposure to your site. As a writer, if you can contribute by providing good informational content through your own site, guest posting on other more established sites, forums, ezinearticles, etc. you are bound to get a big break soon.

    When that happens, you really have to look into organizing your content writing business. As mentioned, you will hardly be able to keep up with the work volume if you work individually. Seek for writers with good skills and who are highly adaptable to different kinds of content, provide on the job training for more specific content like PR, initially you have to source in many different places to secure cheap labor but as long as your business plan is and content provided is good, perhaps you can offer a better pay to your writers as your business grows, it makes sense to cling on to great talents and employees who have helped building up your business.

    Good luck to you and I will look to you for inspiration, I am looking forward to building a team and a content writing business myself.
     
    bobbyt, Mar 26, 2009 IP
  4. dscurlock

    dscurlock Prominent Member

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    #24
    Yes by all means setup a site as mentioned above, as your business will be 100% online, if not, you will die out otherwise, there is unlimited amount of people online searching to have content written, and depending on how good you really are and what you offer, do not cater to these 0.01 cents per word BS. in the start you will be your own best customer, because you can constantly write fresh content for your blog, and we all know spiders love fresh content...I setup a site, and had spiders the very first day...and never advertised it yet...so just think on what you can do...keep adding fresh content, and advertise on other forums, and spiders will come, and you will get indexed fairly quickly...like starting a thread on DP on content creation, if you are good, people will keep coming back, and new people will find you hopefully in searches as your index grows, and put a sig to good use.

    ps. you may have to start out at 0.01 to get work, but if you are that good, do not stay at that rate.
     
    dscurlock, Mar 29, 2009 IP
  5. article writer

    article writer Peon

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    #25
    Thanks for the Valuable & Important tips.

    How to pay for the writer's, that's in-house writers. Article basis or hour basis.
     
    article writer, Apr 20, 2009 IP
  6. draga

    draga Peon

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    #26
    thanks nice article
     
    draga, Apr 20, 2009 IP
  7. old_expat

    old_expat Peon

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    #27
    I'm a content buyer rather than a writer for hire.

    I usually write my own content because my sites are about subjects I know .. and I'm actually a pretty good writer. But when I need content that is on a subject beyond my level of competence, I look for freelance writers.

    I never look for the $2/article types.

    One of the first things I try to find is some of the potential freelancer's work. If I can't find any, I'm very skeptical.

    A blog or a website that features their work will get a lot of my attention. It also helps if they seem to know the real concept of "unique" content.

    For those who think that "differently worded" = "unique" .. it ain't.
     
    old_expat, Apr 21, 2009 IP
  8. charpatasiddha

    charpatasiddha Peon

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    #28
    Well i would like to suggest to use the freelance bidding sites.
     
    charpatasiddha, Apr 24, 2009 IP
  9. Kunalbhatia

    Kunalbhatia Active Member

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    #29
    From what I see, he's sick of working for outsourcers. As one of the earlier posters mentioned, they are planning to start a business, and he plans to pay 50% to the article writers he hires. That, I think is the problem. He'll probably get a rate of $1-$1.5/100 words if he's lucky and he'll get writers who work at HALF that rate. Our man here, is one of those writers according to me.

    I think you need to look for work here on DP. Make your own thread, put in your samples. You can even steal clients from other peoples' threads where clients are posting that they would like to try his/her service. Contact them, direct them to your thread and ask them to allot you some work. Sure, a hell of a lot will simply ignore you, but if you can even get one client to give you work, you can probably get work from him/her again. This is only if you write well of course.

    Once you make two or three clients, concentrate on getting work from these clients again and again. As soon as you finish work, message them in a day or two and ask for more work. Keep asking. Be polite. Always ask for feedback on your work to make it better. Ask them to review your work in your thread. You must remember that most of your work should come from present clients. You must always be on the lookout for new clients ,but that should be for expansion, not for desperation.

    Just my two cents.
     
    Kunalbhatia, Apr 24, 2009 IP
  10. MarxGrayscaleServices

    MarxGrayscaleServices Guest

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    #30
    Step 1: Read "How to Earn Money - 69 Steps to Financial Freedom" at businessblogs.grayscaleservices.com/node/8 - my DP account is new, so I can't use live links and a sig just yet.

    Anyway, I believe business must always grow exponentially. It needs to expand to other specialized areas.

    You're the business when you're freelancing. You need to grow exponentially before you can expand to other specialized areas.

    Plan, implement PPT, work smarter and not harder to party harder, replan, improve, develop, expand, implement PPT, work smarter and not harder to party harder, repeat, rinse, repeat, rinse, etc.

    Hope this helps.
     
    MarxGrayscaleServices, Apr 24, 2009 IP
  11. seckin

    seckin Peon

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    #31
    Freelance bidding sites are useful for this purpose. You post your project and writers start bidding on it. You choose the writer who will do the job for you.
     
    seckin, Apr 25, 2009 IP
  12. Nick_Mayhem

    Nick_Mayhem Notable Member

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    #32
    Start off with writers only and do the editors etc work yourself in starting days. Because you don't want to get burned in starting days.

    Startup is very important if you want to succeed.

    Before starting up get clients. You should get clients who are in need of content every now and then. Who also pays well and have worked with you in past or trusts you. Because if you get a client who bothers you every 10 mins then also your startup will be ruined.

    Charge less amount and pay lesser amount to writers in starting. They are not doing any rocket science here so hire cheaper writers to increase your margin. You can revolve around in this margin to cut off the prices etc and give incentives to writers because your margin is bigger.

    When things starts to settle down then appoint editor and reviewers from the writers themselves. Make them team leaders. Pay them more. Give them a new laptop and new car. But everything comes only if your margin is bigger and your clients are stable.
     
    Nick_Mayhem, Apr 26, 2009 IP
  13. ReachConnectionSolutions

    ReachConnectionSolutions Peon

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    #33
    the best and simplest way. use craigslist
     
  14. MarxGrayscaleServices

    MarxGrayscaleServices Guest

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    #34
    Note: Apologies for the inconvenience of placing the URLs below on your browser's address bar to take a look at my blog posts - my DP account's new so I'm not allowed to include live links in my DP posts.

    Step 1: Read How to Earn Money - 69 Steps to Financial Freedom at businessblogs.grayscaleservices.com/node/8.

    Step 2: Read How to Earn Money - Using Accurate Psychographs to Gain Brand Loyalty at businessblogs.grayscaleservices.com/node/9.

    Step 3: Take action by implementing what you learned.

    Step 4: Specialize.

    Step 5: Incorporate PPT on your business (right People + right Processes + right Technology = a healthy growing business).

    Step 6: Work smarter and not harder so as to party harder while growing your business.

    Step 7: Invest in the economy to win and don't invest not to lose.

    Step 8: Don't diversify to an extent that can negatively impact your viable specializations and investments.

    Step 9: Aim to live beyond your means and not within or below it.

    Step 10: Donate to charitable institutions with gainful objectives.

    Step 11: Donate to scientific research facilities aiming to develop inexpensive human CNS regenerative processes or free renewable and usable energy sources.

    Step 12: Publish a book about your story and die "happy".

    Hope this helps.
     
    MarxGrayscaleServices, Apr 27, 2009 IP
  15. AaronFish

    AaronFish Peon

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    #35
    I have set up a website with all the information needed (what we do, who we are, how to contact us..). I also wrote a brochure about the writing and translation services of my company and send it to a lot of businesses. When you do this, don't forget to follow up and include a 'bait piece' in your brochure; ex. a discount, a free article or something else people will like.
     
    AaronFish, Apr 27, 2009 IP
  16. Lancerot

    Lancerot Peon

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    #36
    Start with an Elance account. May help.

    G-luck :)
     
    Lancerot, Apr 28, 2009 IP
  17. Morphineadaicted

    Morphineadaicted Peon

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    #37
    Well i understood that the freelance bidding sites are the better ways to find the clients. Thanks
     
    Morphineadaicted, Apr 28, 2009 IP