sales strategies for freelance business journalists: day three

Day 3:Closing the Sale

Presented by Maya Payne Smart

Today’s Agenda

• How are you going to sell to new clients?

• How are you going to win repeat business?

Goals for Today

• Understand the path from a lead to a prospect to a customer

• Learn tried-and-true methods for winning repeat assignments

• Explore various methods for storing prospect and client information

POLLWhich social media site has helped you win the most business?

Business Cards

Old School

• Print

• Email, phone, address, URL

New School

• Digital and print

• Photography

• Social media profile links

LinkedIn Tips

• Flesh out your profile and keep your status bar updated.

• Reconnect with current and former colleagues, including editors and fellow writers.

• Join groups.

• Check the job boards.

• Research new markets in the Companies section.

• Seek and give advice in the Question and Answer sections.

• Adjust privacy settings to avoid spamming your network.

Facebook: Formal and Informal

Twitter

• Keep tweets newsy.

• Put your spin/angle on everything.

• Post less than 20 times a day.

• Focus on one thing.

• Use descriptive keywords and include you URL in your profile.

• Learn to make and post video to your site or blog

• Create your own channel

• Register the .tv version of your sites

Tips

Website

Search Engine Optimization

• SEO starts at home

• Use key words

• Make your site mobile compatible

• Add fresh content

• Put navigation at the top of the site

• Add social sharing buttons

Public Relations

• Announce business openings, service offering shifts, location changes

• Publicize awards and fellowships

• Conduct polls and surveys

• Create tip sheets

• Host contests

Why Blog?

• Share compelling information and insights and build credibility

• Keep your web presence fresh and boost your search engine traffic

• Build a readership or community of your own

Blogging: Two Approaches

Informative

• Trends in your niche

• Interesting reporting that didn’t make it into your story

• Behind-the-scenes audio, video, photos and commentary

• Links to related industry news and blogs

Promotional

• Case studies

• Testimonials

• Advice on how to work with freelancers effectively

• Your story—why you do this work

• Work samples

Pay-per-click Advertising

Managing Contacts

Step by Step

Pitching Yourself

Pitching Your Ideas

This cartoon is by Dave Walker.

POLLWhat’s your best referral source?

Evaluating Sales Results

Prospect Referral Source

Contact (LOI, query, call)

Result (Y,N,M,0)

Notes

Winning Repeat Business

• Be a positive, punctual, problem-solving professional.

• Convey enthusiasm for the assignment.

• Make every effort to meet deadlines and communicate early when challenges arrive.

• Handle small problems yourself. Share big problems with the editor AND propose some solutions for consideration.

• Double check your draft against the assignment and writing guidelines prior to turning it in.

• Remember that the editor is a client, not a friend.

Staying Connected

Questions?Please e-mail me at maya@writingcoach.com.