I got a $1050.00 project from a completely unexpected source this week. I was able to get it done in two days (off and on). I edited five existing web pages and wrote four others from scratch. I also edited a lot of descriptions (without charging for them) because I saw typos and grammatical errors galore and didn’t want those to remain…
Exceeding expectations is always my goal. I won’t know this client’s verdict for a day or two because the lady who hired me is off work for a week following some minor surgery.
Yesterday I also gave an extreme makeover to a sales page for a client who hired me for the first time last month, so that’s an additional $210.00. He’s going to keep tapping me for copy, looks like. I’m delighted ’cause he’s delighted.
I edited and enhanced something for John Assaraf’s company, too, for $200…and dog sat three dogs for six days for $150. I think that’s everything this month, including the $3K project I did a couple of weeks ago. So that’s more than $4, 500 in under 12 days … a RECORD! (My highest-grossing month before now was just a tad over $4K.) With any luck at all, this won’t be the last month like this one! We’ll see!
I turned down appearing on a 5-minute video for pay today. A company in the Middle East wanted me to present their company USP via video after seeing my presentations on this website.
After much consideration, I decided to pass. Their website is sub-standard and needs a lot of work. The company is a start-up. I just didn’t have enough information about them to feel good about recording a video for them with my face and voice on it.
If I’m going to do something like that for anyone, I have to feel certain that the company or entrepreneur is the full meal deal and that their reputation is as good as my own. As mentioned a few times before, I’m a gatekeeper of sorts: I don’t agree to tackle a writing (or any other) project unless I feel certain I’d feel fine putting my own name behind the product, service or cause by way of an public endorsement. I simply refuse to mislead clients, even when they aren’t my clients!
I think a copywriter should agree to write only for firms and folks who definitely meet or exceed expectations most of the time–like 98% of the time or better. (I’m well aware that no one can please everyone 100% of the time. Some Grumpy Gus types won’t be happy no matter how many hoops a provider jumps through to please them. I’ve had two clients like that myself. Only two, thank God!) I know a lot of copywriters don’t have these scruples, but I do. I need to sleep at night. I don’t want to take part in misleading buyers…
In Other News…
This afternoon I built an outdoor platform for the goats. It needs a little more bolstering (some more nails) but all six goats (two does and six young’uns) got on it today all at once and it stayed put, so it’ll be okay until I get to McLendon’s for more nails tomorrow morning. I may also buy a piece of 1/2″ or 3/4″” plywood to make extra sure it’ll serve the purpose. The piece that’s serving as the main platform right now is old and weathered. I want to overlay it with something better and then nail them together and make sure the “legs” are going to serve commendably, too. The babies will grow, so the platform needs to be able to bear a lot of weight.
I’ll get some updated videos of the goat babies uploaded to Facebook this weekend sometime.
