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			 | 5 Secrets of Successful Copywriting 5 Secrets of Successful Copywriting © 2004 David Garfinkel  Would you like your sales to go through the roof?  Of course you would. Who wouldn't?  I have found five secret "keys" that dramatically improve the money-making ability of just about ANY...
 
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 How To Write Persuasive Subject Lines
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 http://www.copywritingcourse.com   
Three seconds and 40 characters. That's all you usually have to work with when trying to get and hold the attention of someone reading email....
 
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 The NLP Secret That Makes Your Words Sell
 Writing cracker-jack copy would be a lot simpler if every potential client thought in the same way. But in reality, they don't.  The good news is that by understanding the various ways people think, you can appeal to all personality types in your...
 
 
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			| Maximizing The Effect Of Your Freelancer's Bio 
 *Article Use Guidelines*
 
 Use in opt-in publications, or on Web sites, but please include
 the resource box.
 
 Please send me a copy, if possible. Many thanks.
 
 **
 
 Summary: If you want to be a successful freelancer, you need to learn the art of the bio.
 
 Category: Writing, Small Business
 
 Words: 1100
 
 Maximizing The Effect Of Your Freelancer's Bio
 
 Copyright (c) 2003 by Angela Booth
 
 Your freelancer's bio is a vital job-hunting tool.
 
 While traditional job hunters have CVs and resumes, independent
 writers and other independent professionals have biographies,
 because as an independent, you're working *with* your clients as
 a consultant, rather than working *for* them as an employee.
 
 Yes, bios, plural. You need at least four bios of various
 lengths: 200 words, 100, 50 and 25. Over time, you'll create
 dozens of bios, as you emphasize your various strengths to suit a
 situation.
 
 Many writers find it excruciating to write about themselves. If
 you feel this way, don't despair. You will get over this shyness
 in time. Until you do, force yourself to write at least three
 bios. I promise, after you've created your fourth and fifth,
 writing a bio will be a breeze.
 
 =>It's not about you, it's about them
 
 Self-interest rules. So before you write a word, ask yourself
 about the client and the client's needs. You must approach your
 bio from your client's perspective.
 
 If you're answering a job ad, this is easy. You know what the
 client wants, because she's told you. Make sure that you slant
 your bio towards the requirements expressed in the ad.
 
 Usually you'll introduce yourself to businesses without a job ad
 to guide you. The most effective way to do this is with a mini-
 proposal. You send a mini-proposal, because you should never,
 ever send out a naked bio; you must have a reason, other than
 self-interest, for contacting a business. (More on naked bios
 below.)
 
 A mini-proposal is a single page, with:
 
 * a description of a problem (or need) you perceive the business
 has;
 
 * an outline of the solution;
 
 * why you're the person to solve this problem --- what skills you
 have (your bio).
 
 Mini-proposals are easy to write, and once you've written a few,
 you should be able to write two an hour.
 
 And because your mini-proposal is focused on your prospect, it
 will be kept by the business you send it to. I often receive
 calls from companies I sent a mini-proposal to three or more
 years ago.
 
 Did you notice how the mini-proposal focused on the client and
 the client's needs? After saying who you are, you talk about the
 client, not about you.
 
 That said, you should start your letter or email message with a
 very quick statement of who you are. Like this:
 
 Dear Mr Jones
 
 I'm Cindy Cooper, of Cooper Copywriting. I write for business. I
 found your Web site, and ... (here's where you describe the
 problem or need you think Mr Jones has that you could solve).
 
 After this super-fast introduction, the bulk of the letter/ email
 message will be taken up with your outlines of the need the
 business has, and your proposed solution. KEEP THE FOCUS ON THE
 CLIENT.
 
 Finally, after presenting this information, comes your bio, and
 your bio should be no longer than a quarter of the length of the
 entire letter. So let's say that your need/ solution outline
 takes 200 words; in this case your bio will be no longer than 50
 words.
 
 *Your letter MUST focus on the client and the client's needs.
 Your bio needs to be short in comparison.*
 
 ==> Don't send a naked bio!
 
 I
 
 
				
 can't emphasize this enough: keep the focus on the client's
 needs! Don't send a naked bio - that is, a bio on its own, which
 you've simply decided to send a business, hoping that the
 business will have work for you.
 
 This message in a bottle stuff doesn't work. Freelancers get into
 the habit of whizzing their resumes, CVs and bios to anyone they
 think might be remotely interested in hiring them. Then of course
 they wonder why there's no response. THERE'S NO RESPONSE BECAUSE
 PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR THEM, A BIO OR CV ON ITS
 OWN IS NOT ENOUGH.
 
 Yes, I know I'm shouting, but this is important. Never, ever,
 send a bio on its own.
 
 => Your bios' style
 
 Every book you own has a bio of the author, so take a few books
 off your shelves and study the author bios. Most are short.
 Novelists' bios mention the writer's interests, partner, children
 and pets. The bios of non-fiction writers emphasize the writer's
 academic credentials if it's important to the writer's
 credibility, or the writer's experience in the field the book
 covers.
 
 So what do you emphasize? This is where your bio's slant comes
 in. If you're sending a mini-proposal, emphasize your
 experience/qualifications/ interest in the business's industry.
 See why you need many different bios, and the confidence to crank
 them out quickly?
 
 ==> HELP! I haven't got any experience!
 
 Freelance consultants in areas like graphic design, financial
 services, and management have employment experience to draw on,
 so this plaintive yodel usually comes from freelance writers.
 
 A lack of experience in a specific area worries new freelance
 writers, and it shouldn't. You're a writer. You can create
 SAMPLES of your writing capabilities anytime, to order. Write a
 sample, and hey presto, just like magic, you've got experience.
 
 I write for several editorial agencies, and often they'll send
 out messages to their stable of writers asking for a 200 word
 bio, and a work sample for a particular job. It takes me about an
 hour, research included, to crank out a fresh sample.
 
 This is where a Web site or blog (Web log) is important. It gives
 you instant credibility, because you can refer people to it to
 check out your work samples. And as explained, those work samples
 don't need to be work that you were paid to do.
 
 => Where to use your bios
 
 Your longest bio, of no more than 200 words, can be posted on
 your Web site. You can also use it in a presentation folder, with
 a photo, that you give or send to clients. It's also appropriate
 to use this long bio in a media kit.
 
 You can send your 100 word bio to editorial and other agencies,
 so that they have some information about you on file.
 
 The 50 word bio is the one you'll use most. Tack it onto direct
 mail letters, and mini-proposals that you send to companies.
 
 Your short 20 word bio is ideal as a signature file --- a few
 lines that you tack on to the end of your email messages. You
 email program will take on your sig automatically; read the Help
 file to see how to set one up.
 
 If you haven't created a bio yet, do it today. Your bios are a
 vital freelancing tool.
 
 ***Resource box: if using, please include***
 Veteran multi-published author and copywriter Angela Booth crafts
 words for your business --- words to sell, educate or persuade.
 E-books and e-courses on Web site. FREE ezines for writers and
 small biz: http://www.digital-e.biz/
 
 
  About the Author 
 Writer, journalist and author Angela Booth has been writing for print and online venues for over 25 years. She also writes copy for businesses.
 
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