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Approximately 25 of us gathered to discuss marketing
strategies, marketing materials, and potential avenues to clients in this
economically challenging time. The
last half hour of the meeting, members had an opportunity to look at other
members’ Web sites, check out their marketing materials, follow up with
individual members on points they’d made, and get in some general schmoozing
and socializing.
Following are some of the highlights from our discussion:
Web sites
Roughly a third of the members present have live Web sites.
Most of them designed their own sites, often using templates provided by ISPs or
desktop applications. In general, members use their sites as online brochures,
or as convenient portfolios. The sites are most useful to demonstrate work to
potential clients with whom they have already made contact. Though some members
made an effort to register their sites with search engines, no one seemed to be
getting much business from clients who were just searching the Web for an
editor.
Letterhead and business cards
Several members have their own letterhead, and most have
business cards. Those who have professionally designed letterhead and business
cards weren’t sure how much it helped to generate new business, but said that
it helped them look and feel more professional.
Marketing success stories
 | One
member researched the publishers with books in areas that particularly
interested her, and then sent brief personalized letters to each of those
publishers, letting them know she was available and inviting them to visit
her Web site to learn more about her work. She attached a resume to each
letter. She received several calls almost immediately, and then followed up
later with those she hadn’t heard from. Additionally, she reported great
success with meeting Seattle publishers face to face when she was new in
town, having lunch with them just to get a sense of the publishing scene in
Seattle.
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| Another
member reported success with sending targeted personalized letters,
specifically noting that she would follow up with a phone call in a few
weeks.
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| One
member received new clients after the professional printers who printed her
brochure shared it with customers seeking professional communication
services. She also told us
about a recent opportunity she’d had: after losing a bid for training
services, she called back a few months later to find out how the training
had gone and whether the client’s expectations had been met, expecting to
use this information to tailor her own marketing efforts. Instead, the
client told her they had been dissatisfied with the training, and she is now
talking with the client about future projects!
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| One
member has had a Yellow Pages listing for a few years, and says it has paid
for itself each year with long-term clients. They’ve especially liked that
her Web site URL is listed alongside her name in the Yellow Pages, so they
can find out more about her services before deciding whether to call. |
Ideas for generating business
| Find
a particular market niche, such as ESL business leaders who might appreciate
having an editor to clean up speeches, reports, and other business
communications.
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| Go
directly to the clients you want to work for. For example, one member told
us about someone she knows who ghostwrites corporate biographies; he finds
out where business conventions are occurring and then leaves his materials
on the information tables there.
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| Build
relationships with people who perform other roles for the kinds of clients
you want. For example, graphic
designers and editors are a natural match; instead of competing with each
other, you can pull each other into projects. One member founded a group of
women professionals who support each other in various ways, including work
referrals – the group includes an attorney, a designer, a bookkeeper, and
various others.
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| Create
a specialized Web site to gain credibility and enhance your reputation. For
example, one member’s Web site on vultures brings her attention
internationally.
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| If
you have a Web site, list it on the Editors Guild Web site, and anywhere
else you have the opportunity. On
the Editors Guild site, be specific about your specialties so potential
clients know that you’re a good match.
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| If
you’re targeting high-tech companies, identify those that can actually pay
you. You can go to the Web sites of venture capitalists and other funders to
see who has received funding.
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| Possibly,
place ads in targeted publications. None of the members present had done
this, though one was about to and said she’d report back in November!
Someone suggested that the Book Publishers Northwest newsletter takes ads,
and might be a good way to reach publishers. |
--Brie Gyncild, notetaker
See more meeting notes
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