Organizing Copywriting as a business

I read another thread, involving payment problems that prompted me to start this thread.

I personally rather fell into copy writing, however, I'm sure the answers that can be dug up here can help a lot of people in my position as well as myself.

It's the business end of things that I could use a hand with.

Automated Purchase System for Copy Writers

Is there some solution, script, template, etc out there for copy writers that perhaps I just don't know about. A simple way to catologe offerings.

I for instance write about gambling, but I find that I get a lot more business when I am specific about what you can order. To be blunt, my customers don't always know what to order, so if my site makes suggestions, I get orders.

BUT - I seem to change my offerings often, and updating that dang website got to be such a pain I finally quit doing it :/ (I know shame on me, it was PR5 too)

Invoicing Tools
Can someone suggest the best method, and software for invoicing? Currently I use word templates, paypal invoices and sometimes just the body of an email :O

Keeping Track!

I use a task list (I have a small team of writers, so we try to make tools that are multi-user compatible work for what we're doing) and a calendar. We've recently switched from taskfreak to projekt (found in cpanel) .. is that the best option? Are there better options?

Though I've asked some fairly specific questions here, I'm eager to read any and all suggestions when it comes to running, managing, and most importantly organizing a content business.

 

Hey, whats that projekt you talk about, is it better than taskfreak?

 

I haven't really decided just yet... Right now we're scheduling everything out in the calendar, which seems like a step back from task freak to be honeste, but it does (projekt) have a llot of really useful features, its a little mini portal where stuff gets done.

There's a todo list, a public calendar, a forum, and public contaacts list. Also kinda cool is that you can only see your own day in the calendar.. so I can imput stuff in there for my writers.. and they can see it, but noone else can.

 

Hi, LadyHoldem. I'm currently writing for somebody and he's using a program called turbo task manager (ttm). It's plain and simple and works like this:

1. Project leader assigns a task to member
2. Member receives an e-mail about the task
3. Member opens his/her account in ttm and updates the status of the project (e.g. in progress, put off, completed) and enters the estimated time of completion of the project
4. Updates are entered on the comments box

Here's the site of the software: http://turbotaskmanager.com/

Costs money though. I hope that helps.

 

I hope you don't mind me asking questions in here LadyHoldem but it is something I am interested in learning too Can you provide the link to projekt plese because I can't find it

This seems the perfect solution and was planning on using it until the money factor came in At the moment I don't have a large budget so need to cut the cost where possible. Ity may be something I look into in the near future though.

 

You can demo it here, http://www.opensourcecms.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2235

The project site is in german, but there is a link to it there as well.

 

Ah right, anyone know which is better in projekt or taskfreak?

Do you upload them to a server/domain and use it through there?

 

I'm planning on using Basecamp when I start my copy writing business. It's great for collaborating with others and keeping track of your tasks.

 

Thank you very much I think that's nearly the same as Projekt though.. though projekt is obviously pretty basic in design.. the functionality sounds exact.

I installed it into one of my websites using Fantastico in Cpanel.. Here's the support URL

 

I see. What's your website host? I'm using hostgator in one of my sites and I don't think I saw in my Fantastico. Thanks!

- Ced

 

Lady in your first thread you mention the automatic payment system. Do you currently use an automatic one?

I could do with finding a script that allows people to pay via paypal etc then gets redirected to a form so that they can fill in their details about titles, descriptions etc?

How would i do this?

 

Hey LadyH!

Concerning the invoicing, I recently managed some translation work for a client of mine. It's an invoicing system, from where you can send invoices, estimates etc. and it keeps tracks and backups of everything. At the moment, I think you get 100 free invoices per month. I recently started using it. It looks better than the word invoices I use, it integrates a bunch of payment processors like paypal, google checkout, etc., plus it's fully customizable if you're into CSS.

The link is www.acuinvoice.com

 

Keep lookin' I use hostgator too

 

PayPal will do that all on its own if I'm understanding you correctly. If you create a paypal button and choose more options at the bottom of the form, the next page will let you choose an address for your customer to go to after they've made their payment, if you put in the address to your form there you should have what you described here

 

Saw it already, thanks. I checked out projeckt and the other project managing tool and I should say that they're pretty detailed. They're the kind that would cause me a lot of headache. lol

 

Really? Task freak seemed pretty simple to me, but my partner did do all the installing and other applicable hard work

 

I'm actually using task freak at the moment and it can be simply to install and run the basic version but their are many different mods and upgrades that make life easier. They can be fairly hard but the forum provides alot of great help to get things like email notification/file attatchment working etc.

Seems good so far - not sure if there are any better ones available for free.

 

I didn't even look into mods or upgrades! Never even dawned on me and I DO like the program.. alot.. I was just looking for more..

 

You should definately take a look at the site/forum - You can guarantee it will make your life easier and i'm not sure how skilled you are with php/mysql but I believe that you can practicaly do ANYTHING you want.