I wrote this originally on LinkedIn as a part of a business-building intensive. While I made the article’s main audience other copywriters, even marketers looking to hire copywriters can gain from this. After all, you want a confident professional, right? Glean the signs of such a writer from what experienced writers have learned.

And now…

You’ve studied business principles and your craft. Now you want to start your own successful writing business. Congratulations!

…Is the “congratulations” too soon? Does it seem like a slow-burning horror show rather than an adventure? Even if you’ve prepared your skills and platform, you might still feel like you’re fumbling in a dark hall.

That’s where the business principles from American Writers and Artists Institute’s 21-Day Challenge with Ilise Benun came into play for me.

Besides daily challenges, it included three live events with Ilise and a guest. She invited home school and ag-tech copywriter Beverly Matoney, travel copywriter Holly Morris, and speaker-copywriter Terri Trespicio.

It just so happens, these conversations endorsed twenty-one business principles—plus or minus two depending on how I chose to lump or split related points.

Ilise’s official business philosophy for her students covered the first three points, which Teri called “the discovery process.” The other tips came uniquely in the discussions.

Here are the twenty-one principles.

The 21 Business Principles for Your Success

Principle 1: “Your business is a laboratory”

Firstly, like laying down the law, Ilise said, “Your business is a laboratory for your professional growth and your personal growth. You can use it to learn and to experiment and to try things and to grow.”

In other words, you are your business. If you grow, your business grows. So you need to give yourself the freedom to experiment and learn to find your way.

You may not have clients, or you may cling to clients that aren’t a good fit. Thus, Ilise contrasts this to show that you are the business, not the clients. Take care of yourself to help your business, and that helps us help clients.

Principle 2: “Listen to the market”

Ilise often said, “Listen to the market. The market will guide you…I want you to look out into the world and say, ‘What does the world need that I can offer.’”

But what does that mean? Ilise referred to “the tingle.” When you check business websites and content, details will stand out. You realize that those details are issues that you can improve upon.

Slow down, sift through copy, and you’ll discover those details.

Ilise said, “It’s magical. When you listen to the market, once you stop looking for something…once you start gearing outward, then [the market] starts to connect with what’s already inside of you.”

Principle 3: “Your business is your marketing”

“Your marketing work is more important than your client work,” Ilise said. “Your marketing is your future, and your clients are your present. And if you don’t have clients that doesn’t mean you don’t have a business.”

After all, if you focus on what you have done and not what you will do and are willing to do, how will you get anything new done?

Beverly applied this to LinkedIn. Keep your About section about now and the future. It’s perfect for when recently transitioned into a new niche or career.

Show what you have to offer. Don’t draw attention to what you can’t offer.

Principle 4: Slow down

Beverly pointed out that running your business isn’t about doing, but about understanding. Once you slow down to understand the hows and whys, then the doing comes together.

Ilise said being in business for yourself is running a marathon, not a sprint. And sometimes what might look like procrastination is a wise choice—a “sagacious delay” she called it.

Principle 5: Writing

As Beverly put it, writing means more than physically writing. Write and read good writing, sure. But also read everything related to your niche to trigger ideas and write ideas.

Writing doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It exists in the context of your audience and ideas. Remember, writing is a medium to convey ideas to readers. So write and keep an active mind.

Principle 6: Fearless

As a shy person, I appreciated Beverly saying, “I’m the biggest scaredy-cat, introvert that you’ll ever meet. I’m a wallflower.”

But how does someone shy become fearless?

In Beverly’s words, “I take what people teach me and use it. That’s why the 21-Day Challenge was so effective for me. I hung onto every word. I applied every technique. And it worked. The best thing to do is to listen to people who know and follow them.”

You, like everyone else, will make dumb mistakes. You’re human. But as long as you accept that and keep learning, you’ll grow.

Principle 7: “Over…under”

Every project is unique, and you don’t always know how long it’ll take. So take Ilise’s advice: over-estimate, under-promise, over-deliver.

Principle 8: “Be a thinker (not a writer)”

Businesses aren’t paying for a writer, they’re paying for a thinker. You’re an idea machine. You’re an authority because of your ideas and your ability to convey your ideas.

Ilise put this from the prospect’s point of view, “‘This person is more than a writer. This person can be a thinker, too. And maybe we should pay more because they’re using their brain.’”

Principle 9: “Marketing with generosity”

Sharing your ideas isn’t just about showing you can think. Ilise called it “marketing with generosity.”

You show your credibility, and the prospect gets free help. Then that free help predisposes them to hire you to do the work of writing those ideas. That’s a good investment.

Principle 10: Consult

Holly said she can say yes to jobs requiring unfamiliar writing skills. Why? Because all she needs to do is consult the AWAI Resource library. Premier members have access to this.

Therefore, Holly can tell her clients, “I have a great resource.” To me, that sounds like a fictional Mafia character saying, “I know a guy.”

Additionally, modern writers have the online means to figure out how to do most writing assignments they’re given. You just need to be willing, resourceful, and say yes.

Principle 11: People are normal

Holly said, “People are generally normal. Just meet and learn. Business follows.”

To me, that means, “People are normal. People are people.” It’s obvious, yet new experiences can cast the mind from normal thinking. Clients are people. So just have a normal conversation.

Principle 12: “Friendly, prompt, and reliable”

Your ideas set you as an authority. Your writing produces the products you get paid for. However, none of that matters if you’re a pain to work with.

That’s why Holly said, “I put on my LinkedIn ‘friendly, prompt, and reliable.’ They care about that more than anything.”

We all know people with flaky streaks, and we prefer to not be around them during those streaks. Let your prospects know you aren’t that person if you genuinely aren’t.

Principle 13: Planning

Terri contrasted Ilise’s first three business principles to planning.

Terri said, “We love the discovery process more than we love the planning. For us, what we discover in the moment of doing the work, doing the research, listening to people is so much more valuable than anything we planned six weeks ago.”

Plan as much as you need, but leave the rest so you have room to adapt to the culture of your surroundings.

Principle 14: Be yourself

Some people need to plan down to every detail.

Terri, however, said she finds that blocks her from what she calls valuable discoveries.

The lesson? Know yourself. Planners may not get as much out of Terri’s approach as their own, just like how Terri needs to do things her way.

Principle 15: Ride

Much like the business principles “listening to the market” and “slowing down”, writers need to ride their experiences.

Terri said, “You have to slow down to listen to the market, find value, THEN speed up in that experience. Not ‘Hurry up! Everyone’s ahead!’”

Sagacious delay, then hop onto the market.

Principle 16: Elevator pitches

We’ve all been told to create an elevator pitch.

But Terri had something else to say about them. She said, “It doesn’t have to be perfect because conversations aren’t.”

An over-rehearsed pitch, no matter how perfect, will feel awkward. It’s like pulling a punch mid-conversation. Instead of scripting word for word, keep the language loose enough to invite a proper conversation.

Principle 17: Writer’s purpose

Terri took a shot at defining the writer’s purpose. She said it is to “help people gain clarity and share what they do” because “most people don’t want to do it.” Our little secret. Hush, hush.

Regardless of the medium, you’re writing so ideas become tangible. In marketing talk, your written word is a feature, but you as a writer provide the benefit of clarity and motivation. The writer is critical in any area.

Principle 18: Content management

Terri gave surprising advice on the overwhelming world of content management. After all, how can we provide content for clients AND ourselves?

Hence, she said, “I think about what I want to write to my community. I turn it into a blog post. I copy it over to LinkedIn. I’m 1000 characters too long. I cut way down. Now, I have a tiny version. And then I link to wherever I’m going or what I’m doing. It amplifies what you’re trying to say…I like to continue to have stuff up there for people to respond to.”

Principle 19: “Who cares?”

You can’t afford to worry about details like if a reader notices the same content from you on different platforms.

Terri said, “Someone on your list might see it on LinkedIn, but probably not. And who cares. No one remembers anything. So, I like to continue to have stuff up there for people to respond to.”

So relax. It’s a big world, most people keep rolling along, and your job is to keep putting out quality content.

Principle 20: Client communication

How do you talk to clients? AWAI always brings up, “What is your pain point? What is your headache? What keeps you awake at 2 am.”

Instead, in Terri’s words, which I think would flow better in a conversation, “What, copy-wise, you wish you could hand off and it would get done? What can I take off your hands.”

Principle 21: Craft

Writers are about their craft. Subsequently, they can show their approach in their marketing.

Terri role-played this, saying, “I’ve done [copywriting] for all different companies. But the same thing I’ve found in all of it is every one of them is trying to educate a customer and help them make a better decision. The writing I do is geared toward just that: helping a prospect make a smart, informed decision. And all good writing should do that.”

This quote shows prospects how you think. They’ll trust what you can do because you’re showing wisdom from experience and careful thought.

Are these spot on?

In sum, those are the twenty-one business principles I took from AWAI’s 21-Day Challenge with Ilise Benun. These points drew just from the three live discussions with guests Beverly Matoney, Holly Morris, and Terri Trespicio.

And so, if you feel like starting your business has left you fumbling in a dark hall, these principles should cast good light. That and a great network like I’ve experienced with AWAI and its programs, that hall should become easy to navigate.

The post 21 Business Principles Endorsed for Your Writing Success appeared first on Elmstrata.

Credibility makes a successful business.

But what is credibility at its core? Let’s do the math of the winning formula:

(Good product or service) + (Good people as providers) = Credibility.

We buy what we trust. We also buy from who we trust. As a business, you sell products and services that are greater sums of their parts. Those parts are the products and services plus the people behind them. Greater than that, you sell a package of credibility.

Firstly, a lot goes into a good product. Much of it is your expertise and not mine. And sometimes all you need is the best product in all your industry.

However, much of what makes your business unique is your company’s family of quality workers. People trust you. That trust is persuasive.

But what builds that trust? What consciously or unconsciously draws customers to you? Why are you a “safe” choice for their money?

Exposure

We all struggle to trust people we have never heard or seen. This includes the multiple faces of your business: you, your website, and your store. If you have a physical location in a high-traffic area, great. But generally, you need more visibility for new customers.

Here are a few ways to increase your exposure:

• Market your online “storefront”. Interact on social media to reach that audience. Describe your business’s story and products on your website to reach people using search engines.

• Build your professional network. If your name is well-known in your industry, then your name will trickle elsewhere. Strong trust comes from hearing about a new product from a friend or existing business relationship–trust transfers trust.

• Have an informative website with a blog. This helps customers accomplish what they want…sometimes with the aid of a product or paid service you provide. They will still get a lot done without you, feel thankful, and thus tempted to pay you for something even better.

Track Record

Time builds trust. Have you been in the area for a while? Sometimes people just need to know what you have to offer, and how long you’ve done a good job. So much assurance comes from a good track record alone.

• Advertise your track record. But don’t brag. For instance, a sign with flashy colors and big letters focused on “I” or “we” may turn people away. Instead, make it a discussion with the customer in focus. Say “you” and address the issue that concerns your customer. “Here, you get 35 years of Arabian breeding and training experience that will find the best approach. We make sure you will share safe experiences with a confident horse.” Much like a unique selling proposition or elevator pitch.

• Have testimonials. These show rather than tell your track record. They have the socially-proven element we trust. What did a friend recommend? What does another professional recommend? Your audience may not have a friend bringing them to you. However, a social consensus via testimonials has “safety in numbers” assure them you are what you say you are.

• Consistency is reliability. A good track record conveys, “You can trust I’ll do as well for you like many others in the past.” So share your case studies on social media, your website, or as flyers at your store. Have an old-fashioned face-to-face conversation. Hear their needs and share a time your recommended solution made someone with a similar situation happy.

Insight

On the topic of sharing stories, I find the most persuasive salesmanship entails stories of fascinating wisdom.

• Tell something light and fun. Engagement is key to building rapport. It shows baseline respect for the other person. Without it, many uncertain customers won’t open up.

• Share your life lessons. Besides the fun side of a story, the educational side is the most engaging. It also takes the next step and shows your track record. Maybe I want soil testing, and you have a story from earlier in your career as a soil scientist.

• Make it topically related, but it doesn’t even have to explicitly include the product or service sought.

Stories show you’re invested on a human level. I’ll feel easier when talking about your services for my soil samples.

Credibility in the Rhetorical Triangle

According to the rhetorical triangle, persuasion hinges on three points: logic, values such as ethics and emotions, and credibility. These are also known as logos, pathos, and ethos, respectively.

My argument here is that these points, usually represented as a triangle, support each other. To expand on that, logic and ethical values support credibility.

Good marketing and good people skills rely on logic and values. No one wants to deal with someone who is irrational, insensitive, or unethical. So display empathy, common sense, and know-how to help clients.

For instance, if you are a veterinarian:

• Show gentleness and firmness to animals. If they’re as calm they can get, so are the owners. You also look like you know what you’re doing, and something as basic to you means a lot to them.

• Explain what you’re looking for and show it if you can. Knowledge comforts. Sharing that knowledge proves you to them and builds the relationship.

• Have a good attitude, even if the situation is serious. You are on your customer’s team. Your customer feels good about you, learns something important, and therefore builds trust in you.

What NOT To Do For Credibility

This list could be incredibly long. From dismissing concerns to lashing out because you’re affected at work by a personal issue, there’s no shortage of traits to offend people.

But I picked a few traits that encompass common problems that can get even the best of us:

• Lack of composure. No one wants to parent a stranger. We all have emotional moments that draw us to cater to ourselves. Meanwhile, a customer is wondering what’s wrong and if it’s worth their time and their own emotional energy to deal with. They could go to someone else. That stability attracts. That stability is trustworthy.

• Lack of organization. This is an infuriating, yet common flaw that requires a different kind of patience. Customers may go elsewhere, so business owners should minimize inconvenience to the customer.

• Keep promises. People may trust you, but once you start missing promised deadlines, people feel burned and abandoned. So they move on. You had them and you lost them.

Conclusion

In essence, a successful business stands on the credibility born from good products and good people. If you think you’re having trouble conveying credibility, these five approaches should help customers trust you and your product by extension:

Get exposure, have a good track record, use insight, think about the duality of empathy and logic to support credibility.

At the same time, avoid failing at composure, organization, and keeping promises.

It all comes together to communicate credibility as a professional to customers.

The post 5 Assuring Ways to Convey Credibility to Your Prospects appeared first on Elmstrata.

You can find horseback riding almost anywhere that’s not an inner-city. And it’s easy to walk away from yet another similar option for a common service or product.

Say you’re a non-horsey parent.

“I want riding lessons!” Your kid tells you. So you look online for riding lessons and horse stables in your area. Twenty places show up. How do you pick a place for your kid to socialize and mount a 1500 pound animal?

Maybe it’s best to forego the lessons. Maybe your kid will ride out the horse-crazy phase in their imagination.

Perhaps they’ll hold it against you all their lives.

This is a good example of the true value of marketing, which is to remove uncertainty–fear–from prospective customers and create something positive.

You, a caring parent, have to be fearful. There shouldn’t be so little information readily available that you don’t know where to start.

Thankfully, riding instructors and stable owners hold the reins to correcting this problem.

Unique Selling Proposition for Horseback Riding Lessons

Now, you as a business owner, what makes your horseback riding services unique from your competition? What can you promise to your clients that’s worth their investment?

That’s your unique selling proposition or position, or USP.

Does a parent of a horse-crazy child need to research as much as a Ph.D. student to narrow their search? Sure, a few might make the effort to thoroughly check all their options, but most won’t.

Many will take their chances at the closest facility. The riding instructor might have a temper, and the undisciplined horses may be too much for a child. That bad experience might put them off horses entirely. Fear wins.

Yet, you can solve this problem. You’re unique. You have values and skills that will benefit the right people.

Let’s say you focus most on a positive bond between horse and rider. What do clients get out of this? Safety. Parents love safety. You also offer character development–kids learn patience, respect, and empathy. Positive experiences support happiness, and a happy kid takes some stress from Mom and Dad.

Essentially, you’re not selling riding lessons. You’re selling an avenue for productive life experiences. Call them dreams, if you like.

Using Facts Versus Emotions

These kinds of benefits strike people deep. They have emotional value. Facts are wonderful, but you have to grab and hold people’s attention with their emotions. Once you have the emotional motivation, then facts begin to have a flare. Alone, or even first, facts can be confusing for someone new to your industry, or lack importance. If you and your potential clientele align your values, facts come to life and are worth learning. They have context. Facts need subjective value to sink in.

Sell with values. Support with facts. Or in marketing terms, sell with benefits and support with features.

Some Household, Somewhere…

“I want riding lessons.” A child tells their parents.

After looking up riding lessons in their area, the parent studies a Google map with twenty markers. How will they know which one is best for their quiet, sensitive child? What about the other child, whose exuberance often lands them in trouble?

Say there’s one thing the parents refuse: to drive more than 45 minutes away…

Whew! A map zoomed in on eight stables helped so much…yet only so much.

Let’s say the kids just know they want to ride, so they haven’t educated their parents on Western versus English riding, what dressage is, and the parents certainly need to warm up to the whole “horse thing” before they can allow jumping.

So…how do they narrow it down? Does the jumping place do just jumping, or they include the basics? Is Western safe?

The thing is, many horse barns simply don’t market well. Parents either say no and hope the kid’s interests move on, or call every place and pick one based on their impression on the phone.

If they’re lucky, a friend has a horse-crazy kid or ride themselves. However, their recommendation may or may not be appropriate for one of the kid’s personalities. Not enough safety precautions and the energetic child may unnecessarily get hurt. Too much tartness and the sensitive child will wilt.

Ultimately, do you see the opportunity for marketing on a local level? Call it communication–that’s all it needs to be. Don’t be shy about who you are and what benefits your services offer. Your ideal client just needs help finding you, their ideal horseback riding instructor, and stable.

The post Make Horseback Riding Unique: A Lesson in USPs appeared first on Elmstrata.