Tuesday I have a one-to-one with a new client who found out about me because I edited and significantly copy-enhanced a bio for a mutual friend of ours. She was super impressed by how much the bio improved and wants me to do the same for her bio and for the bios of many of her clients. (Her company helps start-up businesses; lots of them need copy writing and copy editing help. Boy howdy, do I know that! I do that–and more–for lots of start-up business owners!) So it sounds like she’ll be able to keep me busy whenever John Assaraf and his clients aren’t.
I just have one question: Why is it that as soon as I proclaim that I only want to work 20-25 hours a week, the flood gates open and it looks like I’ll have significantly more work than I can handle in 25 hours? Well… I guess this is a good problem to have, right?
I will solve it by enlisting a few (no more than three) other top-notch copywriters to help me handle the work load. Now, this is NOT an invitation to swamp me with resumes and portfolios!
Do NOT apply (you’ll shoot yourself in the foot forever with me if you violate this demand) unless …
- you’re great
- you have a portfolio of pieces to document your greatness
- you provide a list of the niches you write for (no pro tackles them all; only hacks do that)
- you provide the contact information for at least four present clients (within the past two months) that I can contact to find out more about your work ethic and how well you interact with and served them.
I won’t even respond if you don’t present the above things to me. I’m not here to screen endless applications; I’m just looking for a few (perhaps 3) good pinch hitters in case I get overloaded.
Again, you have to be at least as good as I am or better if I’m going to suggest you as an alternate when I get swamped. I’ll also have a phone or Skype conversation with you. Native English speakers only from the U.S, Canada, England, Australia or New Zealand, please!
Got that? I will be very, very upset if you aren’t as good as or better than I am as a copywriter. (I’m not an egotist. I just know I’m up to snuff and that you need to be, too, if I’m going to send clients your way…so don’t waste your time if you’re not pretty stinkin’ awesome– and designated as such via your clients’ testimonials!)
I won’t be sub-contracting out any work. I will simply introduce you as a reputable provider that I have screened and vetted if I get over-booked. You will handle your own workload and financial arrangements yourself. You should have your own website.
Send me your URL if you qualify along with the above things I require to seriously consider you. What you send will serve as my intro to you so make it good!
