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How to Use AI To Enhance Your Writing (w/ 21 examples)

JS
Photo by Cottonbro Studio

AI is here to stay, and you need to find ways to use it and work with it to create even better content. Ignoring it is not advisable — and there are a lot of great ways you can use it as a tool to make your writing even better than it already is!

There has been a lot of chatter and debates going on in online writing and editing groups I’m a part of about questioning how AI is going to affect our jobs and how we do them.

As Ryleigh Stangness quoted in her LinkedIn article “Tips & Tricks to using AI to write better (not boring) content that will actually rank,”

“Words from Helcim’s CEO Nic Beique that stuck with me from my time there were, ‘AI isn’t coming for your job, but someone who knows how to use it is.’”

Recent advancements in AI and updates to Google’s algorithm have sparked an evolution in content and content marketing.

Google updates happen regularly, as anyone in the content world knows. And we must adapt.

See traffic drop, adjust, get annoyed, adapt, let out a deep sigh, overcome, succeed.

That’s the process, right? Or at least it is mine.

The Google Updates & AI

With the most recent Helpful Content Update in March 2024, Google says it is prioritizing the user’s experience by rewarding content that provides genuine value, diminishing the visibility of low-quality content primarily designed to game SEO systems.

Basically, Google wants to keep lower-value or low-quality AI content out of search results. And while this may at first seem at odds with what this article is saying, hear me out.

Google emphasizes E-A-T (expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness) in its ranking criteria, so content sites have to focus on producing high-quality, credible content written by experts in the field.

AI tools can quickly generate drafts, suggest improvements, and even help with SEO optimization.

However, with Google’s latest update, the content must also be engaging, informative, and tailored to human interests. And untouched AI content doesn’t generally (so far) hit the mark.

For content sites and writers, this means a shift from keyword-stuffed articles to content that truly resonates with readers.

Sites now have to focus more on depth, accuracy, and utility, aligning with Google’s emphasis on content that fulfills searcher intent more comprehensively.

Gone are the days of shoving as many short and long-tail keywords as possible in an article as smoothly as possible (fooling no one!) to hit the top of the rankings.

Instead of a content mill or AI producing a ton of okay-ish or good-enough articles that give some basic information and a lot of keywords, the hope is that now any content in the highest-ranked places is specifically useful to the search terms. Useful and informative.

In my eyes, using AI as a tool, much like Grammarly or Hemingway, can improve your human-written articles and content.

Are there people who will say they are writers but who will just toss the prompt in AI and call it done? Yes.

Are there companies that will move to generating all their content with AI? Of course, there are.

But does AI actually replace good writers and editors? Nope.

Stop worrying about AI replacing you and instead use it as the tool it is to improve and show companies why the human touch is so important when putting out valuable, helpful content.

Let’s talk about how you can use AI tools to make your work even better.

How to use AI in your writing and/or editing in a way that enhances (NOT replaces) your work

Taking the completely AI-written content out of the equation, let’s talk about ways you can use generative AI tools to improve your writing and editing.

There are 12 different ways listed here, with examples of results and a total of 21 example prompts.

1. Use AI to generate a list of article topics or content ideas

This can be a great way to jump-start a brainstorming session. Let it come up with a list, and then use that list to inspire your next article or refine a more broad idea.

Prompt I gave the AI: “Give me a list of the top 10 trending topics in the US and a list of the top 10 trending topics worldwide today.”

Here’s another prompt I gave it: “Give me a list of article topics relevant to content writers and editors right now,” with no additional context.

Other examples include:

  • Give me 5 ideas for how to market a book to a YA audience
  • Tell me 5 ways I can reach people who are 55+ for a marketing campaign for a new osteoporosis medication
  • List ideas for a new Instagram marketing campaign for a new all-orange eyeshadow palette launch

2. Navigate and tweak your writing to the right audience

After writing a draft of whatever you’re writing, you can use AI to see if there are any good tweaks you can make to better fit the specific audience you’re writing to.

You won’t take all of its advice, but using AI to analyze your writing can clarify (for you) what the most important pieces are and give you ideas for enhancing things that may need to be adjusted.

Prompt I gave the AI: “Analyze the following article and suggest ways that it can be adapted to a more knowledgeable or expert level audience: [pasted in this article about editing for different genres]”

3. Change POVs, formality, or look for inconsistencies

Another use of AI in your writing can be to see what an article looks like written in a different perspective or more formal language and look for issues or inconsistencies, like changes in tense.

Prompt I gave the AI: “Rewrite this article in the third-person perspective: [pasted in this article about copywriting vs. content writing]”

A different prompt I gave it for the same article: “Analyze this article for any inconsistencies and list them for me: [pasted article]”

4. Create an outline or get information to get you started on a new article

If you have a good idea for an article but aren’t sure where to start or what the most important points are, AI is a great tool to help.

And this could also help you know where to start with your research if the topic isn’t one you are super familiar with.

Prompt I gave the AI: “I want to write an article about autonomous driving. what are the most important and most talked about points I need to make sure to discuss in the article?”

It went on to give me 8 points, each with a couple of bullet points of additional information about what should potentially be discussed in the article. I can take this list and start my research around the 2–4 points I think are most important and build my article.

Another prompt I gave: “I want to write an article about autonomous driving. create an outline with 3 main points to get me started.” As you can see, it did not just regurgitate the previous prompt’s answer.

5. Use AI to help with editing and proofreading

You can simply ask a generative AI to proofread an article, or you can use an AI-powered tool like Grammarly (which I use), which is not generative but uses AI to help with editing.

Prompt I gave to chatGPT: Proofread this article using AP style: [pasted in this article about copywriting vs. content writing]”

And it spits out the same article with its editing suggestions already in it:

6. Have AI create templates for you

If you’re writing for a client that requires a very specific format or you’re looking to create a format for a specific topic, AI can create one for you.

Examples of prompts you could use to have AI create a template for you:

  • Create a template for a weekly newsletter. Include sections for sharing articles or videos, highlights from the week, and a short introduction.
  • Create a template for listicles
  • Create a template for how-to articles with examples

Prompt I gave the AI: “Make me a template for an in-depth article about healthcare for an expert-level audience”

7. Have it analyze your writing to see if you missed anything important

Using AI for this will help you find things you may have missed in your research or help you realize that you did hit all the most important points.

Prompt I gave the AI: “Analyze this article and tell me what is missing about parasocial relationships that should be included: [pasted this article about parasocial relationships]”

8. Have it analyze a scientific or technological article and break down the findings

This is a great way for you to disseminate information from a scientific or academic journal or assist you in research. It can also help you know what the most important points are so you don’t miss anything you need to include.

Examples of prompts:

  • Analyze the three articles below and break down the most important points about [topic]
  • Review the following article and summarize it
  • Summarize the key concepts in this article
  • Give me the 5 most important points in the following academic paper

Prompt I gave the AI: “Summarize the key concepts in this article: [pasted this technical article called “Governing artificial intelligence: ethical, legal and technical opportunities and challenges”]”

9. Ask it to assist in repurposing existing content into other formats

This is something content writers have been doing forever — taking an article and repurposing it into different types of content.

You might want to take an article and turn it into a script for a YouTube video, a TikTok video idea, a podcast episode, or a social media post.

Prompt I gave the AI: “Turn the following article into 3–5 Instagram social media posts with 1 image for each post: [pasted this article about parasocial relationships]”

10. Have it break down two sides of an argument so you can compare

You can do this with any argument, but, of course, I chose one for this example that is pretty divisive in the US.

Prompt I gave the AI: “Compare both major sides of gun reform and break down the main arguments for each side”

11. Have AI create personas for your audience

If you know who you’re writing to (your target audience), then you can use AI to create a template or paragraph about the personas for your process.

If you aren’t sure how to encapsulate the persona, ask the AI for help.

Prompt I gave the AI: “Create a persona for a 30-something adult in the US who is a Managing Editor at a startup. The person wants to make a positive impact and create content that resonates with people online.”

12. Have it analyze and adjust your content for localization

You are likely to write any article from your own perspective, and you can use generative AI to help identify specific ways to make the writing more suitable or aimed directly at a specific audience in different locations.

Prompt I gave the AI: “Analyze this article and suggest ways to adjust it to fit an audience in Europe as a list without examples [pasted this article about when and how to negotiate your salary]”

Ultimately, it is up to you whether you want to incorporate new tools like AI into your writing and editing process.

I strongly encourage you to play with a couple of the AIs out there and see if there are ways you can use them to enhance your output and even make your process more efficient (like creating templates or having them help you brainstorm ideas).

Like that one guy said, “AI isn’t coming for your job, but someone who knows how to use it is.”

Freelancer Website: When, Why, and How?

Freelancer Website: When, Why, and How?

JS

A website is a necessary part of running ANY size business in the 21st century.

But as a freelancer or small business owner, do you need one the moment you start thinking about freelancing? Once you have a good idea? When you get your first client?

Those are great questions!

Let’s dive into some answers.

When should you start a website?

This can vary. However, the smartest and safest move is to reserve the domain name (the URL) once you have a business name in mind.

Even if you don’t intend to start selling your products or services immediately, having the domain and social media handles ensures you’ll have the ones you want when you ARE ready.

As for actually building your website, the time is before you start pitching/marketing your services or products.

Once you start marketing yourself and your business, many people will Google you/your business before making a purchase.

Having a website means YOU get to control the narrative around how your business is marketed. You control the messaging.

Even as a freelancer, I believe a LinkedIn profile alone or other social media isn’t enough.

Many shoppers these days check the website as their first move.

Does the business look legit? If there is no site or social media, could this company be a scam?

Why should you start a website?

A nice website (you can get a free one on places like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace!) basically gives your business credibility and legitimacy.

It’s a place for you to introduce yourself as a human person and not just a business. It lets you add humanity and personalization to your company.

It’s also simply is a necessity. You need a website.

Whether you’re an author, a freelance graphic designer, run a small agency, or anything else, you need a website.

You can sell products (like your books!) and services (consulting services!), post reviews from satisfied clients, add a portfolio of your work, have a place for potential clients to contact you, and even have a blog — a place to show off your skills and knowledge. And to optimize some SEO keywords and bring in website traffic and generate leads.

You can have landing pages, email newsletter signups, promotions, and so much more.

Websites are way more than just an ecommerce shop — they are a hub for you and your entire business.

How do you start a website?

This one is a little more complicated.

The easiest way to start a website if you have no experience is to use something like WordPress (my site is WP!), Wix, or Squarespace. These 3 consistently rank as 3 of the top free website builders.

A straightforward website builder can walk you through the process from signup to a beautiful site. WordPress is known for customization and flexibility but has a more complicated backend, while the other 2 are well-known for their simplicity and ease of use but may have fewer customization options.

You can either purchase a URL through them or use one you already own. Same with hosting.

Just know there are a lot of options, so you certainly won’t be left with nowhere to go.

As for what you should include, try looking at other freelancers/consultants/small businesses in your industry and see what they include.

This exercise will also help clarify what you do and do not like about those sites, which will help you when making choices for your own site.

The standard pages to include are:

  • Homepage/welcome with a newsletter signup form or popup
  • About me/about the company to tell your story
  • Services page to show what you’re selling (sometimes they include pricing, sometimes not)
  • A blog for contextualizing your work
  • Contact form/page for people to message you

Other optional pages include:

A Portfolio page if visuals are part of your services or a Shop page if you sell physical products and things like landing pages for specific courses/books/products, etc.

You could add a use cases page to show how your services or product can be used in various ways.

You might want a “team” page if you have employees and want to showcase them.

Or a Media page to put links to articles about you or podcasts you’ve been on.

Perhaps a testimonial or review page to show what people think about working with you.

The world is your oyster! The sky is the limit!

It’s YOUR website. Let it show your personality and be proud of your business. Think of your website as your little corner of the internet.

Alexa, play ‘In My Own Little Corner…’ from Cinderella.

Freelancers Deserve Vacations, Too: Tips for Having a Stress-Free, Guilt-Free Vacation

Freelancers Deserve Vacations, Too: Tips for Having a Stress-Free, Guilt-Free Vacation

JS

As a freelancer, it is so easy to stay connected ALL THE TIME.

Even on vacation, we often take our laptops or check emails every time we have signal.

But taking a break from work is normal — and really good for your mental health and general well-being.

While some businesses slow down naturally around the holidays (like general office work, sales, etc.), some speed up (seasonal stuff, hiring prep for after the new year, etc.).

But when you run your own business, any change — good or bad — can trigger negative emotions and stress.

And time off is imperative to keep going and staying happy and healthy.

So, how can you prepare your business (and yourself) for time off?

While it is weird to think you can just turn off your phone and computer for two weeks and come back like nothing happened, you CAN.

You just have to prep for it first.

When I am going on a real vacation — as in, not bringing my laptop and with no intention of checking work emails — I start by planning ahead.

About a month before my vacation, I email all of my clients to let them know the dates I will be away.

I let them know that anything with deadlines prior to the vacation will still be met and inform them of how and when I’ll be sending invoices and anticipating payment. I also let them know that I will not be available or responding to calls and emails in that time.

I then ask if there is anything they know they’ll need during that time — so that I can make a plan to either get it done ahead of time or find someone else to do it while I’m gone.

Since I do regular check-in calls with clients, I remind them about the dates I’ll be gone starting about two weeks ahead of time.

About 2–3 business days before I leave for vacation, I send a quick reminder email to all clients that I will be gone and unavailable and reiterate the dates.

Then, finally, starting at the end of the business day the evening before I leave for vacation, I set an out-of-office email message, block out my calendar, and turn off all available dates on my Calendly (an appointment-setting tool).

Learn more about the tools that run my business!

Then, I go on my work-free, guilt-free vacation!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with going on vacation — even as a business owner or freelancer.

Here are my tips for having a stress-free, guilt-free vacation:

  • Remind yourself that you are allowed to have time off. You don’t get angry when you clients take a vacation, and not one is mad at you or disappointed in you for doing it, either.
  • If you DO happen to have a client who kicked off, really think about if that is the type of person you want to be doing business with.
  • Pause your Slack notifications, email notifications, etc. Or put your phone on do not disturb!
  • Remember that you are at your best when you are rested, relaxed, and ready to work. You deserve a vacation and need one to be at your best for your business.
  • Give yourself grace — it takes time to stop thinking about work when you’re always connected.
  • Tell your partner/travel buddy that you want to go completely work free, and let them remind you of that when you think about sneaking a look at your emails when you stop for coffee.
  • Enjoy yourself!

Just remember, there is not going to be some writing emergency that will burn down the Amazon while you’re gone.

You MUST have time away from work and clients to be mentally and even physically healthy!

The Easiest Way To Make More Money Freelancing: 3 Quick & Simple Tips (No marketing!)

The Easiest Way To Make More Money Freelancing: 3 Quick & Simple Tips (No marketing!)

JS

There is an acronym in the sales/marketing world: ABC. It means “always be closing.”

While this is a fantastic strategy and mindset when marketing for new clients, many self-employed people don’t think it applies past the “yes” and starting to work together.

So, in this short article, I will give you the 3 best ways you can make more money and continue to “sell” yourself to clients you’re already working with.

1. Ask for more work

This may sound simple…“Oh, duh, just ask for more.”

But the truth is that once you have a contract in place and are working with a client, it is often easy to go on autopilot and do the work and move on to looking for more clients.

But you have a golden opportunity here! The client already likes and trusts you, you know the voice/tone for their business, and they already understand the value you add to their business (since they are already paying you!).

So, ask for more work.

Let’s say you are a content writer/blogger, and you’re writing one post per week for a client.

Reach out to the client and ask if they’ve considered writing additional posts per week/month.

And ask if they need writing in other areas! Writing skills help with much more than just blog posts. For example:

  • Writing social media posts
  • Writing content for LinkedIn that parallels with the blogs on the client’s website and links to the site
  • Writing website copy
  • Email campaigns
  • Newsletters
  • Writing email templates for a business

And more. Use your knowledge of the client’s business and their goals to find ways your specific writing skills can help the business grow.

2. Expand/upsell more services for the same client

Similar to the first tip, this next one is about expanding past simply writing and using any other skills you have to “upsell” your services.

For example, instead of just writing and editing blog posts and sending them to the client, you can offer to take the entire blog process off their plate. Let them know they can simply provide ideas (or you can put together a list of ideas to choose from!), and you’ll write the post, source images, edit the post, then physically go into WordPress, Medium, LinkedIn, or whatever blog platform they use, and post it for them.

Or you can offer to use your knowledge of SEO to search for relevant keywords and use SEO optimization techniques to improve their rankings in the SERPs.

Or you might use your social media savvy to offer to manage their social media accounts and create beautifully-written Instagram or Facebook posts.

Maybe you took a course on IG and FB ads and can upsell your services to include creating and managing paid ads for the client.

Depending on your skills and areas of expertise, there are tons of ways you can expand the type of work you do with a client. Small businesses, especially, love working with this type of freelancer because you are ultimately saving them time and energy of dealing with other (necessary but sometimes annoying) parts of the business.

3. Ask for referrals

Finally, one of the best things you will ever do for your business is to remember to ask them for referrals.

Now, I never wait until AFTER I finish working with someone to ask for referrals.

Once I have a good working relationship with a client, I shoot a quick email with something like this:

I really enjoy working with you and wanted to check in to see if anyone you know may need similar services. I recently finished a large book editing project and have the time and bandwidth to add 1–2 new clients to my roster. If you know of anyone, I’d love an introduction!

And I also periodically (about 2–3 times per year or when it makes sense) reach out to old clients I am no longer working with to check in and ask if they or anyone they know needs anything.

I also take that opportunity to remind them of my skills.

“It was great working with you earlier this year, editing your book was a blast. I hope it is doing well! I wanted to reach out and see if you or anyone you know needs any writing or editing assistance. In addition to editing books, I also write blog content for businesses, help authors with the self-publishing process, put together social media or editorial calendars, and can even help create sales scripts and email campaigns. Hope to hear from you soon!

This reminds them of our work together, lets them know any new skills I’ve picked up, and keeps my name in their mind when they do need anything.

Another time I might reach out to old clients is if I am running some kind of sale. If I’m doing some kind fo “10% off all packages” or something for the new year or other holiday, that is the perfect excuse to shoot an email to an old client and let them know — while also asking for referrals.

The most important thing to remember is that when you have great customer service and were responsive and easy to work with, people are generally quite happy to recommend you to friends and colleagues!

Summary

These 3 things are why my entire book of business is from referrals and word of mouth. I rarely need to actually market myself to attract new clients.

Do Freelancers Need A Resume?

Do Freelancers Need A Resume?

JS

As the gig economy continues to grow, more and more people are opting to work as freelancers. While freelancing can be an attractive option for those who want to work on their own terms, it can be challenging to market yourself effectively — with or without a traditional resume.

For me, I choose to keep my traditional resume updated and good to go, but I’ve never needed to give it to a prospective client. Instead, I focus on my website and my blog to show my experience.

But the question of whether freelancers need a resume is a valid one, and the answer is not a simple yes or no. Let’s discuss when having a resume as a freelancer might be useful and other ways to market yourself if you choose not to have or don’t need one.

3 Reasons A Freelancer Might Have a Resume

As you know, your resume is a solid marketing tool to summarize your education, work experience, certifications, and skills. While it is most typically used to apply for traditional jobs, it can also be useful for freelancers.

It may be the case that these benefit beginning freelancers or those without a website more than more experienced ones.

1. To showcase your skills and experience

As a freelancer, you are your own brand. You need to be able to communicate your skills and experience effectively to potential clients to secure new projects.

A resume can help you do that by highlighting your previous work experience, education, and any relevant certifications or training you’ve completed. This information can give potential clients a better understanding of your background and the value you can bring to their projects.

2. To establish credibility

Having a well-crafted resume can help establish your credibility as a professional freelancer. It shows that you take your work seriously and have put in the time and effort to build a strong foundation for your business.

A resume can also demonstrate your attention to detail and professionalism, which can be appealing to potential clients who are looking for someone reliable to work with.

3. To differentiate yourself from other freelancers

With so many freelancers in the market, it can be challenging to stand out from the crowd.

Having a nicely-formatted resume that highlights your unique skills and experience can help differentiate you from other freelancers and make you more appealing to prospective clients.

3 Alternatives to a Traditional Resume

Traditional resumes are often geared toward full-time jobs, and they may not fully capture the more unique nature of freelance work. Plus, some freelancers may not have a traditional employment history or formal education, making it even more difficult to create a traditional resume.

If you choose not to have a traditional resume, there are alternative ways to market yourself as a freelancer. Personally, these are 3 things I’ve done to market myself and find new clients.

Create a blog or portfolio

One of the best ways to showcase your skills and experience as a freelancer is to build a blog or portfolio. A portfolio, like a blog, is a collection of your best work samples, and it can help potential clients get a sense of your style, quality, and capabilities.

You can include a link to your portfolio on your website or social media profiles to make it easily accessible to anyone interested in hiring you.

Instead of a resume, when I apply for freelance gigs or message a cold prospect, I include a link to my blog so they can see my writing samples and style.

Create a website

Having a website is an essential tool for any freelancer. It serves as a central hub for your business, and it helps potential clients and other people easily find you online. You can use your website to showcase your work with links or images, list your services and rates, and provide information about your background and experience. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to people!

You may also choose to have your blog on your site, a contact form, and even a media page if you’ve been featured on other sites.

Leverage social media

Social media is an incredibly powerful tool for freelancers. You can use platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram to showcase your work, connect with and message potential clients, and build your professional network.

And by sharing updates about your projects and engaging with others in your industry, you can establish yourself as an expert in your field, thus building more authority and credibility and attracting new clients (or email subscribers!).

Summary

While a traditional resume can be useful for freelancers, it is not always necessary. Freelancers can also market themselves effectively by building a portfolio or blog of work samples, having a website to showcase their work, or using social media to market themselves.

Do you use a resume as a freelancer? Why or why not?

Copywriting vs. Content Writing: What’s the Difference?

Copywriting vs. Content Writing: What’s the Difference?

JS

While those within the writing/editing field may see this and think, “Duh, dude, I know this one,” many people out there don’t know the answer and use the terms more or less interchangeably.

What is content & what is copy?

In the world of words, “content” covers a multitude of things, including scripts, ebooks, journals, blog posts, white papers, technical guides, newsletters, guides, infographics, and more. The intent is more to educate, inform, or entertain, and the length depends on the needs of the piece.

“Copy” is used to refer specifically to writing with the intent to persuade. Sales ads, social media ads, commercials, slogans, landing pages, product pages, sales emails — copy is written to sell you something. It is persuasive writing, and typically the result is shorter.

While they have different purposes and intent, it is easy to remember it this way: Content is basically an umbrella term that covers all writing and word-related things. It can include copy as well, but in the writing world, most of us use the two distinctively — after all, words matter!

Think about “content creators” on social media. They are primarily using stories/scripts, videos, and images to share their lives. They are using the content from their lives to create physical content on the internet to both entertain their audience but ALSO to draw them in and get more followers.

In the writing industry, the two terms have specific meanings.

Example 1:

To put it simply, let’s say your company has a blog on its website and sends out weekly email newsletters to customers.

The content writer is coming up with topics, researching, finding credible sources and images, and writing blog posts for the blog portion of the site.

The copywriter writes the words on the website landing pages and creates an effective email newsletter to persuade subscribers to come to the website, read more, and spend money.

They are both words, but the purpose and intent differ — which requires a different set of skills.

Example 2:

Another example is a stand-up comedian. Their set is content, and the ads for the show are copy.

Basically,

Copy is persuasive, designed to make the reader take action (buy something, share something, sign up for something).

Content is broader and while it can include copy, also has all other manner of informative writing. Content is typically meant to educate, inform, or entertain.

As a note, since copywriting is more specialized, it tends to be higher paid. So, if you are thinking about becoming a copywriter — do it! Take some courses and learn in the ins and outs of copywriting and jump in with both feet!

Hope this helps!

How To Create A Schedule & Stop Working Weekends (for Freelancers)

How To Create A Schedule & Stop Working Weekends (for Freelancers)

Entrepreneur, JS

I am in several writing and freelancing groups on various platforms, including Facebook and LinkedIn.

I enjoy the community of other writers and seeing how others use software, how they approach issues with clients and more.

There are also a lot of newbies in those groups who have a ton of questions about finding clients, determining pricing, dealing with rejection, and scheduling.

I came across a GREAT question in one of the groups and really think it’s something many freelancers deal with. So here I am to give YOU this info!

Here is the question:

I have kept her name out for privacy’s sake.

Here is the answer I wrote to her:

It took me a while, but I learned to turn it off on weekends (unless I was under a deadline).

Here’s what you need to start doing: When you receive new work, whether from a new client or a current one, acknowledge receipt via email and ask when the deadline is.

Instead of just immediately starting, start having specific deadlines and then craft your workdays around them. If you have 3–4 weeks to dev edit a 50k-word draft, you know your pace and can start to set a schedule, such as “edit 10 pages per day” or “12,000 words per week,” etc. Build a schedule instead of just opening an email and starting work ASAP.

One thing that works for me is every single Monday morning, the first thing I do before starting any work is write down my to do list for the week. What projects need working on? Do I have any hard deadlines this week? Is there anyone I should be following up with? Any invoicing to do? I write a list by hand in a notebook I keep on my desk. Then I also have the pleasure of checking off things I complete “Edit 50 pages of X project — CHECK” or “Write press release and send to Y for review — CHECK.”

Having a visual list right in front of you that you can scratch out and add to as the week goes on, and then use it to push things forward to the next week as needed.

Let’s discuss this further.

When you first start freelancing, it’s easy to keep on top of everything. You’re typically not super busy yet, or haven’t put together a schedule yet, and can easily just check your email throughout the day.

You respond immediately to all new inquiries. When you get a new project, you jump right in and start working on it.

Maybe you have some organization and tools set up, maybe not.

Since the very beginning, I have used Google Drive to organize and house all of my projects. While these days I have to pay a bit (maybe $20 per year) for extra storage, that organization still works for me.

But you’re not super busy yet. And you probably haven’t really instituted a schedule.

Heck, maybe you’re still working from the couch or from bed!

Freelancing can be a full-time job — with a full-time salary.

But in most cases, that is because you treat it like a job. Like a business.

Don’t just do whatever whenever you feel like it.

  • Get on the phone with clients and discuss deadlines, deliverables, and payment terms.
  • Get a signed contract before starting ANY work. (Here is a copy of my contract you can use!)
  • Know your value, and don’t undersell yourself.
  • Set up a workspace in your home where you can work and be comfortable and focused.
  • SET SCHEDULES & REMINDERS.

I do not know how to tell you how important it is to have a schedule for work and deadlines!

I use my Google calendar to put down deadlines on the dates projects are due and then use my weekly physical checklist to list out specific tasks that need to be done that week. Every week is a new, fresh page, even if the previous list still has unchecked items. Those things get moved to the new page.

Set a reminder in your calendar to check in with clients and give them brief progress updates on the project. Mine is usually a brief email to let them know I am on track to meet the deadline, and then I include anything additional, like if I need more information, access to something, for them to review something, etc.

Let yourself rest on weekends! That email can wait until Monday; it is most definitely not a writing emergency — and even if it is, enjoy one of my favorite quotes:

“A lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.”

*chef’s kiss* what a beautiful sentiment. You’re allowed to stop working at a reasonable hour and not answer unexpected calls or emails at 10 pm!

If you TREAT freelancing as just “Oh, my side gig for a bit of extra cash,” then that’s all it might be.

But if you take it seriously and treat it like a job, even a part-time one, you are more likely to succeed faster.

So, find your rhythm. Create a schedule, make deadlines, organize your work and your space, and take weekends to yourself.

You’re going to do great!

9 Easy & FREE Marketing Ideas for People Who Hate Marketing

9 Easy & FREE Marketing Ideas for People Who Hate Marketing

Books, Copywriting, Editing, JS, LinkedIn, Medium, Sales & Marketing, writing

I get it, I am a weirdo.

Perhaps an anomaly.

But I…(shhh, don’t tell anyone!) like marketing myself and my business.

No, no, don’t run away!

I know most people hate marketing themselves.

It can feel “braggy” to talk about yourself. There is anxiety when approaching strangers. What if the person/company doesn’t like your work? And, hey, marketing takes time away from other (paid) work.

“I’m just not good at it.”

“I don’t see the point.”

I have HEARD IT ALL.

And I still know it to be 100% true that if you market yourself, even a little bit, you will get back SO MUCH return and will be more profitable and successful FASTER.

So, instead of a lecture on why marketing is super important and why you really just need to do it, full stop, I am going to give you a few quick tips you can implement starting right now to do some marketing with minimal work or effort on your part.

None of the below ideas require you to spend hours researching or scrolling through social media or emailing individual companies and people. They are all free. And even just picking a couple and trying them will show you how useful this kind of marketing can be.

I CHALLENGE YOU:

Do just a couple of these things consistently for 60–90 days and see if you are getting more leads, more money, and better clients. 

Just see if it works for you.

You may find that some things work better than others. Great! Drop the ones that don’t work after the first 30-60 days and focus on the things that are producing results. Maybe replace it with another item on the list if you have time to incorporate it.

You may be surprised that some of these end up being things you actually enjoy doing. Yes, I blog for my business — but I genuinely enjoy blogging!

1. Add your blog, books, and links to your email signature (and social bios).

Time it takes: 10 minutes (max)

Cost: Free

This is a super simple one. Add the links for your company, website, books, courses, etc. into your email signature and also into all of your social media bios.

It takes basically no time, and then they are there forever.

Here is my Gmail email signature:

2. Ask for referrals.

Time it takes: 10–20 minutes

Cost: Free

This is something you SHOULD be doing with every client, but it’s easy to forget.

Go through your spreadsheet or email folders or wherever and gather the list of previous clients you’ve worked with over the past, say two years.

Shoot them a super quick email saying hello and checking in, and letting them know you enjoyed working with them previously. Mention any exciting developments (you launched a new course, have new services, got married, etc.). And end it by saying, “If you or anyone you know anyone who needs _____ services, please let me know! I am currently looking to add 2 new clients to my roster. Thank you!”

You can even create a referral program where you give an old client $100 or a percentage of the first project you do with any client they refer.

If you decide to create a referral program, mention it in the same email!

Then, moving forward, every time you work with a client, ask for referrals. You don’t have to wait until you’re done working with someone. Once you’ve done some work for anyone, they have enough information to know they like working with you.

Always ask for referrals!

3. Upsell your existing clients for more services.

Time it takes: 10 minutes of conversation (or a REALLY good email)

Cost: Free

As a writer/editor, most first-time or prospective clients assume that writing or editing is all I do. They ask me about the cost of website copy, blogging, or editing a book, and that’s it.

However, I use the conversation to let them know about my other skills and other ways I can bring value to their business.

For example, instead of ONLY writing the blog post, I offer to source images, upload the post to their site (if they want), and create a social media post with the link, a quote from the article, and hashtags.

This takes a lot off their plate — uploading, scheduling posts, grabbing images, etc.

They then get excited when they realize I can do the entire process, which also helps them understand why my prices are what they are — because I’m worth it.

Or if I am editing for a client, I like to also offer my writing, fact-checking, research, and formatting services.

So, think about additional things you can do to make your existing services bigger. It is the easiest and fastest way to make more money!

If you offer graphic design and are brought on to update the website, talk about your logo creation services, too.

In most cases (in my experience), the client didn’t even think to ask if you also did these other things and are excited you can take more off their plate.

The result is more money from each client.

4. Create a free one-pager, article, infographic, 3-minute video, or other informational item related to your business.

Time it takes: 1–2 hours one time (+ long-term returns)

Cost: Free

This one and #5 work hand in hand.

You can offer a free opt-in item to anyone who is interested.

I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of popups on websites and blogs that say, “Get a FREE ____ workbook!” or “Click here to download a free 10-day meal plan!”

Those are free opt-ins.

You can create ANYTHING to be a free promo item. It could be a PDF of an article you wrote that is particularly valuable for your industry, a one-video short webinar on the topic you get asked about the most, a listicle of paid opportunities in your field, an infographic, a free ebook you’ve written — anything.

But having a free promo item helps you build your email list AND gets your name and work to a wider audience with basically no additional work from you.

Then you can add the link to your free promo item in your email signature and bios, at the end of blog posts, as a popup on your website. There are plugins for that OR you can do it via your mailing list site (see #5), and every time someone signs up for your free item, they are added to a mailing list and become leads.

5. Build an email list and send out newsletters.

Time it takes: 20 minutes to get started, then ongoing, maybe 30 minutes per newsletter

Cost: Free (depending on what resource you use)

I use a free MailChimp account for my email list and to send newsletters. If you choose a different service, this might not be free.

But MailChimp (and other email services) have free signup forms you can create and add to your website or blog to encourage people to sign up for your mailing list. In my MailChimp account, I can go to any audience and click on “Create a signup form” to get their form builder.

This is mine for my main mailing list, Schwartz Freelancer News

I have the link to my mailing list form (that “eepurl” URL at the top left) at the bottom of blog posts and on my website. You can also add it to your email signature, social media bios, and more.

Once I put it at the bottom of my blog posts, I started getting new signups every week!

Once you have a few signups, start sending out newsletters to your list. You choose how often you want to send them out and what they say. Do it consistently, similar to how you might create a blogging schedule.

I tend to only send out newsletters about once a month. I usually feature a recent (useful) blog post and mention what I am working on next and any announcements about my work or business.

Yours could be anything. They could be valuable resources you’ve found for people in your industry, a list of websites that pay for contributor articles, a recommended reading list, a recent blog post or video you posted, or anything!

But sending out newsletters keeps your name in peoples’ minds, engages with leads, and shows them the value you provide for free. They will be certain your paid services are worth your price.

6. Write and post blogs consistently.

Time it takes: 1–2 hours per blog

Cost: Free

Content marketing is super important, but all you need to know is that you should post more on your blog, whether that is on your website or on an independent platform like Medium.

Blogging consistently (I recommend at least once per week) will grow your audience and get you ranked higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs). Original content is huge for search engines.

And if more people find you from the SERPs, you’ll continue growing your audience and your credibility with useful content.

Bonus tip: Do some guest blogging! If you have a piece of content that could be a good fit on another site, shoot them an email and ask if they accept guest posts. Whether they pay or not, you’re widening your audience base and getting your name further afield.

7. Post on social media more often (& not necessarily work stuff!).

Time it takes: 5–10 minutes a couple of days a week

Cost: Free

You have an online business. You KNOW you should be using social media, even just a little bit every week.

Start making a point to post on social media 2–3 times per week. The posts do not need to be only about your business. In fact, most consumers prefer to see the humanity and authenticity behind the brand. Post about yourself, a cute photo of your pet, a challenge you are working through, anything.

Posting more often widens your reach and expands who sees you. And then, when they check your bio, they see all the stuff you do! It all works together.

Make sure to use hashtags when posting so that the people who follow those tags see your posts, and remember it doesn’t even have to be original content — you can retweet and share other people’s content. Tag them so their audience sees you, too.

Finally, don’t sleep on LinkedIn. I’ve gotten a bunch of clients through LinkedIn. Grab the post you just made on Facebook or Twitter and paste it into LinkedIn to share. Throw up a blog post from your blog onto LinkedIn’s platform occasionally. Just use it; there are so many business owners on that platform!

8. Get involved in a couple of Facebook or LinkedIn groups in your field of expertise and answer a few questions.

Time it takes: 10 minutes a couple of times per week

Cost: Free

You’re probably already in a few groups here and there for your industry. I am in a couple of writing groups on Facebook and LinkedIn. While I don’t check them every day, I do like to go in once or twice each week and answer some questions.

I have gotten new clients who told me they saw my comments in the FB/LI group and wanted to work with me.

I just answer questions with a few sentences. Not every day and not every question, but I go in and clearly answer a few things weekly to show my authority and continue to brand myself as a thought leader.

I am also not afraid to ask a question or two myself in the group and get some info from others.

It’s a great way to engage with people and get your name out without having to actively market yourself. It also shows off your knowledge and expertise. Win-win!

9. Join HARO & PodcastGuests to get featured in articles and podcasts.

Time it takes: 2–3 minutes to scroll through the list. 3-5 minutes per answer

Cost: Free

I’ve talked about HARO before, and I’m saying it here because it’s a great way to get free publicity and market yourself by getting quoted by other websites for free.

HARO stands for Help A Reporter Out and is at www.HelpAReporter.com. Go to the website and sign up as a “source.” It’s free and quick.

You will receive 3 emails per day from HARO with a list of all the writers and reporters looking for information and quotes for their articles. They always list out what they are looking for and the information they need, and in most cases, they list the publication.

If they like your response, they’ll quote you in the article and usually send you a link once it is published.

In case they don’t, I do a Google search of my name about once a month to see if anything new has been posted with my name.

If you’re interested in getting on podcasts, a similar free resource to HARO for podcasts is podcastguests.com. Sign up and you’ll receive daily emails about podcasts actively looking for people to interview on their show. You can very quickly fill out a Google form for each one you’re interested in.

Not only is this a great free way to get your name even further out there and pops up when people search your name, but it ALSO is a great addition to the Media page on your website. My media page lists everywhere I have been featured or directly interviewed, including podcasts. It just adds to my credibility when people look at my website and search for me online.

Here’s my media page: https://jyssicaschwartz.com/media/

An Important Note:

James M. Ranson, a close friend of mine who is also a successful freelancer, wants to add his thoughts to this post. This comes directly from his own experience:

If you look at these 9 marketing tips and just don’t want to do any of them or don’t see the point in doing them, you may not have a marketing issue — you may have a business problem. Take some time to reflect and make sure that you are happy with what you do and offer and the work you produce. Revisit what you do, why you do it, who you do it for, and how you feel about doing it.

If you aren’t excited to share it, you may not be doing the thing that is right for you. And that’s ok! It’s totally fine — even encouraged — to reassess and pivot to a new offering or work that you like more.

Be ruthlessly honest with yourself about what’s working for you around those things and what isn’t. Then use what you find to tweak, refine, pivot, or even completely revamp your business into something you’re excited to do at least SOME of these 9 marketing tasks for.

Do You Really Have To Write Every Day To Make Money?

Do You Really Have To Write Every Day To Make Money?

Entrepreneur, JS, writing

There is a myth that pervades the writing world that you HAVE to write every single day.

If you don’t, then you won’t be successful or good…or make money!

That is NOT true.

Let’s talk about this.

While I have long thought, written, and advised that writing more often is essential to improving, the main thing anyone can take away from my advice is:

CONSISTENCY.

Consistency is the true path to success.

I do not write every day.

Not on my blog, for my next book, or in my journal.

Depending on my clients and deadlines, not even for clients! (To be fair, I mostly do editing these days.)

Consistency is the only real way to create a sustainable, profitable writing career.

Some writers may prefer a writing schedule that has them writing every day. But that is certainly not the only way to be successful.

I post on my Medium blog once each week. Sometimes more than once, if I am struck by a good idea.

But I strive to always post one new blog per week.

Not because I cannot write more but because that is a schedule and expectation I can actually meet every single week.

When I’ve tried to commit to more than that in the past, it will be okay for a few weeks, but then I get busy or run out of ideas or hit writer’s block or don’t feel like writing that day, and I stop.

A sustainable writing schedule is more important (to me) than money right this moment.

When I’m working on a new book (I’ve written 6!), my goal is not to finish it right this moment and get it away from me — my goal is to actually write a good book.

And I know myself well enough to know that a daily several-hour writing commitment is not going to happen. I might try for a couple of days, but that will quickly lead to burnout for me.

I’ll get bored of it and just chuck the proverbial ball into the shed and ignore it until I kind of lose passion for the topic.

Instead, I create a sustainable writing schedule that I can actually stick to and continue with over time.

Building a profitable writing business is always a longer-term goal, not an overnight implementation.

Listen, I got clients right away when I started freelancing. Meaning I started making money ASAP.

But if I’d stopped there and didn’t continue to market my business, refine my offerings, raise my prices, and improve my skills, I would not have been able to continue.

Because those first few clients paid me peanuts! I didn’t know what to charge, I was saying yes to any project that came along, and I allowed clients to scope creep.

Because I hadn’t figured it all out yet.

I HAD to take a longer view. Raising my prices and knowing my worth. Putting a contract in place with revision limits. Figuring out the things I LIKED doing and no longer doing the things I didn’t enjoy.

My business has evolved significantly over the years.

I no longer even offer weekly blogging! I mainly do editing work these days and very little actual writing for clients.

But it all takes time.

And consistency.

Consistently giving clients high-quality work products.

Consistently marketing myself.

Consistently asking for referrals.

Consistently providing top-notch customer service to clients.

Consistently valuing my time and not over-committing or under-charging.

Consistently producing personal writing on a schedule that works for me.

…consistently making money and running a profitable business.

Branding vs. Marketing vs. Sales

Branding vs. Marketing vs. Sales

Copywriting, Entrepreneur, Medium, Sales & Marketing

When it comes to branding and entrepreneurship as a whole, authenticity is often far more important than any “sales tactics” or marketing plans.

Those things are also incredibly important — essential for businesses to thrive, in fact.

Let’s first take a look at the concepts

Branding

Branding is “the promotion of a particular product or company by means of advertising and distinctive design.”

Basically, branding is how you and your company are presented to the world. Your name, logo, color choices, fonts, banners, mascots, etc.

Your branding is a marketing tool and is what allows your company to stand out from the competition. When done right, it helps build trust and even support your mission and vision as a business.

Think about the Nike swoosh — I don’t have to put an image; you know exactly what I’m talking about. No matter where you see it or if it has text with it, you know exactly what brand it represents.

Marketing

Marketing “refers to activities a company undertakes to promote the buying or selling of a product, service, or good.”

In other words, marketing is really what you’re using the branding FOR. For example, doing a paid ad campaign on social media or sending an email blast to your list.

You use your branding to make your marketing strategies cohesive and recognizable.

Almost anything can be a marketing tool, a driver of traffic to your product or service.

As an example, (some of) the books I’ve written are marketing tools for my writing and editing business. I write about freelancing and books and writing, therefore, people who read them understand that I am knowledgeable about the subject and might reach out to me to hire me.

Your social media accounts, especially those tied directly to your business, are marketing tools. You use them to announce new products, give information, and engage with your audience.

Sales

Sales is “a transaction between two or more parties in which the buyer receives tangible or intangible goods, services, or assets in exchange for money. … Regardless of the context, a sale is essentially a contract between the buyer and the seller of the particular good or service in question.”

Essentially, a sale is a short-term, sometimes one-time interaction. It is transactional in nature.

But marketing is a longer-term, more relationship-based activity. Sure, it exists to drive sales, but that is not its only purpose. It is meant to engage with your target market, promote the company, build relationships, and advertise the services/goods.

How does authenticity come into play?

Authenticity is imperative in today’s world.

With the advent of the internet and how connected we are, the world has become a smaller place. Customers can easily look up any company and learn about its business practices, mission, social impact, how they treat employees, and so much more.

Customers are smart — and they have more options than ever before.

If customers don’t like how you do business, there are a dozen other companies they can turn to.

And if they don’t trust you, they will not buy from you.

Authenticity is being real and genuine. For businesses, it often goes hand-in-hand with transparency, integrity, sincerity, and building genuine relationships with your customers.

No matter how beautiful your branding or masterful your marketing, without authenticity, you cannot reach the success you want.

If you want to stand out, you must figure out how to be authentic.

And it needs to be real.

Customers will see through fake authenticity.

Think about it — do you trust Facebook?

Probably not. They have had too many issues with data, privacy, and gobbling up the competition.

Sure, you might still use it, but you’re not an advocate of the brand, and it’s all too easy for you to bash it, even on its own platform!

What are some signs of fake authenticity?

  • Not delivering on promises your business makes. If your customers are not getting the quality they expect, are missing pieces of the product, or are unable to get a promised refund, etc., how can they believe you care about your product or your customers?
  • Pretending you/your business is perfect. Perfection is highly overrated — most customers would rather see reality than an airbrushed image of perfection. And since most people don’t trust perfection, you will lose customers.
  • Companies that claim they have a social mission but are unable to prove it.
  • Companies that only support certain groups or say they are allies during the month it is celebrated — Black History Month, Pride Month, etc. If you only post a picture of a rainbow cookie in June but never support LGBTQIA+ the rest of the year, we notice. Allyship shouldn’t be just a marketing tool or performative.
  • The same goes for gender and minority equality. You can say you support it, but if you have 2% female or POC leadership and a wage gap — then you don’t.
  • Fake before and after shots or dramatically photoshopped images.

Authenticity in Marketing

Those were some ways companies come off as not genuine or real. But how do you show your authenticity in marketing and on social media?

The answer is both simple and complex: be yourself, be honest, and have fun.

Companies are neither perfect nor relatable. PEOPLE are relatable and real.

Instead of going for polished perfection, aim for human and genuine.

Look at the way some major corporations have let their social media managers have fun and be human and silly.

https://twitter.com/Wendys

Take a look at some of the small business creators on TikTok that have gained huge followings just by being themselves — they talk about the highs and lows of owning a business, share trials and triumphs, and above all, show themselves as human.

@ktscanvases, @jenonajetplane, @lindatongplanners, @belexieshoppe, @modernyarn, and genuinely so many more.

Larger businesses can follow the same template: show your work, show yourself, and be honest.

Highlight employees, show any social impact projects you’re involved in, and discuss the challenges and successes of your business.

When it comes to authenticity, it is NOT a “fake it ’til you make it” process. It’s the opposite — be real ’til you grow.

Be authentic, and success will follow.