Before I became a full-time writer and Watkins Associate, I worked as an Executive Assistant and Office Manager for about 15 years. One of the companies I worked for, in particular, was going through some changes in their business. They were growing, adding new employees, managing more debt and more income, and dealing with more logistical, transportation and office/warehouse space related issues.

At the time, some of the managers were concerned that the company owners were not adequately equipped to handle the sudden growth. We suggested that they call in an independent company to perform a business valuation and offer ideas for coping with the fast-moving changes. Because of the CEO’s control issues (which were only part of the problem), or because of his belief that the company didn’t need help, they refused to do so.

Today, that business is barely operational. They’ve lost a number of large contracts because of poor management and had to lay off dozens of employees. Some of these problems could have been resolved had the company executives recognized their need for help and accepted it at that time.

Don’t let your attitude in business be such that you feel you can do it on your own, that you know all you need to know, or that you don’t need help from outside sources. Few, if any, business owners are truly in that position. And the ones who are most likely won’t be small business owners, as the folks I worked for were.

There are times when all business owners, entrepreneurs, work-at-home moms (WAHMs), direct sales consultants, etc. need some help. Allow yourself to accept it when it comes your way. Seek it out when you need it. And you’ll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish and how much more successful your business will ultimately become.

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Chances are, you’re like the other millions of people online who belong to at least one social networking website. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or another one, the rise in popularity of online communities where folks gather for a number of reasons is attracting even the newest computer users. Social networking sites are an ideal venue for building a writing business.

To make the most of any online social networking community, you need to actually participate in the discussions and other features or aspects available. Social networking works best when you remember the social aspect. This is just as true when building a writing business as with anything else you hope to accomplish from your efforts.

Learning to make the most of your social networking will help you building a writing business faster online than almost anything else you can do, except perhaps blogging. Getting acquainted with people through the informal format offered by social networks like Facebook and Twitter is almost as good as meeting people face-to-face at your local Chamber of Commerce gathering. Maybe better.

You may find, like other community users, that your social networking site of preference (mine is Facebook), actually has a number of features you aren’t aware of. Learning what each site offers and how to use it in building a writing business will help you tremendously. And the best way to do that is to simply browse around. Maybe ask a few questions such as, “Can I…. (fill in the blank here)?” Or post a note saying, “I really wish this site let me…” You’ll be surprised at how much help you’ll receive from your online friends.

Take the time to familiarize yourself to the online community you’ve chosen. Ideally, you really need to stick with one or two communities for the best results. Spreading yourself too thin won’t help you in building a writing business any faster and may actually hinder your progress.

Scroll through the site’s options and see what kind of things it lists. Facebook, for instance, has a feature that lets you enter your contact information and allow friends (or whomever you choose) access to that data. This can be helpful if you want people to be able to contact you by phone or mail. Though you need to be cautious of who you share this information with, especially if your office is in your home.

While it’s great to spend all your time focusing on making online friends at your chosen community, doing it the right away is critically important. Never “friend” or invite people indiscriminately to connect with you solely for the purpose of sending them ads or info about your business. Not only is this NOT the best way of building a writing business, it can get you in trouble if someone reports you for spamming them.

Instead, begin with the online connections you already have and invite them to friend you. Then, as you get to know the ins and outs of the community, seek out new friends. Take time to get to know them. Ask them questions, respond to their comments. Share and let them get to know you. That’s the joy in building a writing business through social networking.

For those of us who work alone at home, as many writers, in particular, do, social networking is a tremendously effective way of building a writing business. But it’s also an excellent outlet for meeting new people, albeit online, and enjoying conversation with someone other than your computer monitor.

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If you’re a writer, you may fall into the trap of thinking that all writing is the same. But that’s really not the case. Writing for online venues, in particular for websites where 99 percent of the people who read the text will be reading online, is really a different game entirely.

One reason online copywriting is different is because of the readers. Online readers have a completely different mindset from those who read in print. For one thing, the majority of online readers scan the text rather than read it word for word. That means your text has to have a lot of white space, use short sentences and paragraphs, and say what you mean quickly without rambling. (A fault I try to overcome continually!)

In addition, most websites are visited because someone found the site listed in search engine results. This means that the first few lines of text must be especially compelling and interesting. Obviously, someone found your site because they were looking for what you have to offer. But if you don’t prove to them quickly that you do, indeed, have what they want and need, they’ll just as easily continue their search and click away to the next site.

A first time visitor will typically ask the question, “What’s in it for me?” They want to know up front if they’ve clicked to the right site for what they want. You’ll have a matter of a few seconds—literally—to convince them to stay.

So, how do you do that?

First off, look at your site from your readers’ point of view. They’re really not interested in learning about you, your company, or your experience at this point. Unless you’re a celebrity, that is, and that’s another game entirely.

What they do want to know is what can your products and services do to improve their lives, make them money, give them a better outlook, make them more beautiful, or whatever else it is you claim you can do. Answer these questions for them as soon as possible, and you’re well on your way to creating a site that not only attracts visitors, but buyers who are quickly targeted to be looking for exactly what it is you have to offer them.

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When you’re doing business online, your website is your most important asset. Since people today buy virtually everything online, your website is your store front and must be the best it can be for your success and profit. The copy you write for your site can literally make all the difference in the world. Good copy can help you create a powerful sales tool that draws targeted visitors like a magnet and converts them into loyal, repeat customers time and again..

The first rule of writing website copy is to use simple language that your readers will understand. If your site is geared to college degreed visitors, you might get by with a higher level of writing, but for the general audience, keeping content at an eighth grade reading level is about right.

It may be tempting to use $10 words when talking about your products and services, but big words and fancy language actually hinder your website results. Prospects must understand your language and identify with the words in order to buy from you. Plain words will work best to help you get your message across. So keep this in mind as you write.

You’ll also see better results if you keep your website content short. Overdoing the content is easy when you want to give visitors the information they need about your business. But too much content is actually so daunting, many people will leave without reading it.

Instead, use short sentences, short descriptions, and short paragraphs for the best results. Some folks also caution against having to many pages on your site. This advice varies based on the type site you have, but don’t feel as if you have to have 100 pages before your site’s complete. Sometimes you can get your message across better in just a few.

Using concrete verbs and nouns will help your writing stand out from the rest. You don’t have to be a professional freelancer to write interesting content. Keep in mind what message you want to convey then search for the words to adequately describe it.

Highlight the benefits of your business that your website visitors are most likely to be interested in. If you offer free or low-cost shipping, let them know. If you have exclusive offerings or a lower than average rate, let them know. Tell readers what they’ll find on your site that they won’t find elsewhere and you’ll keep them around longer and bring them back more often.

Obviously, there are no rules that specifically address the content to include. This will certainly vary by niche or target audience. But telling visitors what you can do for them, how you can do it better than your competition, and telling them in short order without a lot of hype will go a long way in helping you to write better website content. Regardless of the type site you have.

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According to Wikipedia, copywriting is “the use of words and ideas to promote a person, business, opinion or idea.” While any text in print may be considered “copy,” a copywriter is actually a person who writes advertising and sales copy, whether for radio, TV, print or online venues.

While many online writers are not skilled at copywriting, specifically, it is a skill that can be learned. And you’ll usually find the rates for copywriting are much higher than those for other types of freelance writers.

Copywriting is in high demand and the industry continues to grow every year, especially as more and more companies are bringing their businesses online, which creates an even greater demand for copywriting services.

The thing about copywriting that not everyone understands is that it must be more in-depth and professional than mere writing for the web, as in articles and general site content. The goal of copywriting is to sell or promote something. That requires the ability to persuade others, to motivate them, and to entice them to buy, subscribe, register or whatever other action you want them to take.

Copywriting is said to be based on three basic principles. These are involvement, explanation of the benefits or rewards, and achievement of your goal.

In other words, copywriters must involve their reader, they must engage them and make them want to read just to see what else is said.

They must then explain the benefits and rewards of what they’re promoting and make the customer feel she needs that product.

That’s where achievement comes in. Once the reader understands the need and desires the product, she’s ready to purchase. That’s the ultimate goal of copywriting.

A copywriter’s goal is to have some sort of effect on readers. It may be to purchase, it may be to enter their email address, it may be to leave a blog comment. Whatever it is, it’s the copywriter’s task to get them job done.

While there are literally thousands upon thousands of freelance writers, the need for copywriters is tremendous. Not everyone has the ability to sell with his words. In fact, really good copywriters are hard to find. But they can be made… they don’t have to be born!

If you’re looking for the higher pay that copywriters earn, you may find it worth your time and effort to learn the techniques of effective copywriting. There are a number of courses available to help you, and you can always find clients online who are looking for website content, sales letters, etc. to be written.

Focus is key for a copywriter. Knowing what you want to say, then saying it in a fresh and original way will take you a long way on your career path to becoming a successful and lucrative copywriting career.

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