Award-winning journalist and freelance copywriter, Susanna K. Hutcheson, presents news, thoughts and ideas on the world of business, marketing, copywriting and much more.

8 Mistakes Copywriters Should Avoid in 2009

Now is the time to take stock of our mistakes and vow not to make them again. The mistakes I'm writing about are not mistakes in writing. They're mistakes in running our businesses and in marketing ourselves.

Not every copywriter makes every mistake. Some don't make any of them. How do I know they're mistakes? Because I've made them. Or, copywriters I know have made them. And the consequences were often extremely unpleasant and costly in time and money.

So, here in no particular order is my list of mistakes to avoid in 2009.

1. Not getting a written agreement.

Working without a written agreement is like walking a tightrope with no safety net. You may not think something will happen. Chances are most of your projects will be uneventful. But it just takes one client, one time, to make your life miserable. A simple written agreement will save you time and money and make your job easier.

2. Not keeping a running record of your client/prospect emails and phone calls.

You may never need to refer back to an old email or phone call you had with a client. But when you need it, you need it now and you need it badly. Keep all of those emails and when your relationship with that client ends, archive the emails and save them. Also, record each phone call with clients. Tell them you're recording the call if that's the law where you live.

People in business expect their calls to be recorded and it should not offend anyone. I put it in my agreements that I will record all phone calls.

3. Not keeping good records in general, especially financial records.

The new administration in the United States is apt to be less friendly to business and more into our pockets. So make sure your financial records are pristine. Document everything.

4. Not keeping up with current marketing methods.

Many copywriters, especially those who have been successful for many years, are loath to get into things like the new social media marketing tools. They just don't get it.

While the old ways are still wonderful in many ways and we can learn much from them, things are changing. We must change with the times.

That means looking at branding methods such as podcasting, Twitter and other social networks, talk radio shows and video, to name a few.

5. Believing everything we read and hear from every "guru".

It's not smart to take at face value what anyone writes or says --- no matter who he or she is. When a study is done or proof is offered, then take it seriously. It's like taking estrogen. For years women were told they must take it at a certain age. Then we find out it's killing us. A long study proved the original thinking wrong.

That's why I like Jakob Nielsen. He does studies to back up what he writes. Therefore, I trust what he says about Web site usability. I know it's not opinion.

6. Accepting a client before you know more about him.

Your relationship with a client may only last throughout the project. But that can seem like a lifetime if it's not a good relationship. While most clients are wonderful to work with, a few are not. If you hear or feel any red flags before taking on a client, don't take them on. If you need to, do a background check.

I recently ran a quick check on a prospective client and found he used several names and was scamming customers and others.

7. Not getting paid in full, in advance.

Gone are the days when you deal with people you know. We work with people all over the world. These are people we do not know and probably will never see.

Always get 100% of your fee upfront. There's simply no other safe way to do business in my opinion and from my experience. And few clients have a problem with this and have come to expect it.

8. Being arrogant. Thinking you are right and everyone else is wrong.

I've been in this business over 40 years. But every day I learn from people half my age. I love young people. I love their energy, their ambition and their knowledge of new things and new ideas. I love the fact they're willing and anxious to learn from those of us who have been around a long time.

I can't be young again. But I need not stick to outdated ideas that worked once but no longer matter. I can't be arrogant in my knowledge of the old ways. Rather I must learn from others just as they learn from me. The new and the old must work in sync to create marketing that is superior and that meets the needs of today's consumer and advertiser.

My mentor was Cecil C. Hoge, Sr. He was also the mentor to the famous copywriter, Eugene Schwartz. I learned from the master and the master's master. If Cecil were alive today, he would embrace the tools of today.

Indeed, Cecil wrote one of the first books about Internet marketing, "The Electronic Marketing Manual." He embraced the new marketing and so should we.

Embrace the Tools of Today to Achieve Success Tomorrow.

Our thanks to Ben Walker, songwriter of ihatemornings.com for the wonderful video and great song. Visit his site.

Get the Twitter Song Tee Shirt here.

Announcing Special Podcasts Coming Up On The Power Marketing Network

As you may or may not know, I'm taking a few weeks off from my podcast, The Susanna Hutcheson Power Marketing Show, produced by The Power Marketing Network. However, in January, I have some big plans for your listening pleasure.

Let me explain.

Michel Fortin, famous copywriter and Internet marketing guru, tweeted about an article on Entrepreneur's Web site by Susan Gunelius , author of Harry Potter, the story of a global business phenomenon and Kick-ass Copywriting in 10 Easy Steps: Build the Buzz and Sell the Sizzle.

Her Web site is keysplashcreative.com. The article is called 10 Advertising Words to Avoid in 2009

Well, Michel was appalled at the article and didn't at all agree with it. On the other hand, yours truly agrees with almost all of it and has some things to add to it of my own.

I'm going to do a show about the article and other words that I have on my own personal list. Then, I’m turning the next show over to Michel.

I invited him to be a guest host on The Susanna Hutcheson Power Marketing Show in January and he graciously accepted. So, you'll have Michel Fortin as your host on one of the Power Marketing Network shows in January.

I also invited Susan to speak about her article on my show but she said she would rather the article die. She said Entrepreneur changed it more than she wanted and it didn't necessarily reflect her exact thoughts on the subject. She said, however, she would be happy to be on the show to discuss copywriting or her books. So I'll probably have her on the show in January or February.

Actually, I don't know why she feels that way about her article. I wrote an editorial for a newspaper I worked on long ago. I was young and far more sure I was right than I am now. Anyway, it caused an awful stir. One day the head of both The Church of Christ and The Catholic Church stormed into my office and gave me what for. It's probably the one and only time those two people were in the same room together and certainly the only time the two churches agreed on anything. But, worse than that, my mother was so mad at me she wouldn't speak to me for a month.

Yes, ruffling feathers just goes with the territory of being a journalist or writer. It's never bothered me that much. At least I know that people read what I wrote whether they agreed or not. But, I digress.

Then, I have a special guest coming up in January. You'll meet Ron Knowles, the narrator of many publications, including the audio version of Business Week and many popular magazines and books on Audible. Com. Ron reads The Classroom to Go Series of audio books, and Blindsided by Jay Giles, among other things.He is currently narrating the story of Ruth Bell Graham. He recently read Winston and Roosevelt. Ron is going to discuss how to use audio to get new business and build your brand. I know it will be a lively and valuable discussion that you'll want to hear.

Both of those shows are coming up in January. You can subscribe on iTunes or on my Web site and many other places.

Have a wonderful Holiday season and listen for The Susanna Hutcheson Power Marketing Show --- bigger and better --- in January. Oh, and be sure to visit Powerwriting.com and listen to any of the shows you might have missed. Also, give us a call with your feedback. The number is on the site at powerwriting.com/podcast.html.

I'm not sure of the dates at this time. So be sure and subscribe now so you'll get the shows delivered to you the minute they come out.

New AP Stylebook Update Just Announced

I just received notice of a new AP (Associated Press) Stylebook Update. As many of the new AP updates, it has to do with the new economy.

Editor's Note: An entry on mark to market has been added to define the term as an accounting requirement that securities must be valued at their current price.

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mark to market

An accounting requirement that securities must be valued at their current price, rather than the purchase price or the price they might fetch later. Also called "fair value."


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Susanna on 12.22.08 @ 05:27 PM CDT [link]

How To Avoid Clients Who Make Your Life Miserable.

While clients are the lifeblood af any business, including the copywriting business, care should be taken in choosing your clients.

That's right. I said "choosing your clients." As a professional, you should not let clients select you. You choose them. Let me explain.

Like all copywriters, I've had painful and costly experiences with a couple of my clients. I could have saved myself the trouble I had by simply not accepting them as clients in the first place.

I saw red flags. Things they said or wrote in emails gave me clues. My time would have been better spent on other clients.

If you're just starting out in this business, you may have to accept whatever you can get. My advice to you is always get paid in advance and have an iron clad agreement to protect yourself.

That doesn't mean you won't have trouble with some clients. You will. But it will help a lot.

If you are experienced and have a reputation as a respected copywriter, you do not need to accept every client that comes along. No amount of money is worth the hassle that comes with some clients.

I suggest that if you have any uncomfortable feeling at all about a person or a business, you turn the job down. I also suggest that if you want to make sure who you're dealing with, do a background check. It doesn't matter if you're paid upfront or not. You can still have trouble with clients.

A background check and a Google credibility check will usually tell you if others have had problems with this person or if you might have problems with them.

If you don't find them in a Google search, chances are they're working under the radar, and that's not good. A good business person is transparent and his or her reputation is easily available online.

Most clients are great to work with. But some are not. A few decades ago we knew who we were dealing with. Today we do not. We have to be careful and protect ourselves from the predator client.

Do your due diligence on prospective clients. It will save you much time, trouble and money.
Susanna on 12.15.08 @ 11:34 AM CDT [link]

Recent Study Finds That 18 to 34 Year-Olds More Influenced By Email & DM

I would have thought that social media has more influence over the younger set. I would have been wrong. According to recent results of a study of a collaborative research project with Ball State University's Center for Media Design in a new whitepaper, "Messaging Behaviors, Preferences and Personas," this group is more influenced by email marketing and direct mail. Here's what it says:

"One of the key findings in this research is that 18- to 34-year-olds claim they are more likely to be influenced to make purchases based on e-mail marketing messages and direct mail than from marketing messages on social networks," said Mike Bloxham, director, insight and research, Ball State University's Center for Media Design. "It is too easy to assume that the media consumers choose for their own news, information and entertainment are, by default, the best media to use for marketing messages. This is a dangerous assumption to make in a time when consumers are becoming increasingly aware of their level of control over their media experiences."

So, if you market to this group, you might want to keep this in mind.
Susanna on 12.04.08 @ 12:40 PM CDT [link]

New AP (Associated Press) Stylebook Update Regarding Derivatives

It seems that the financial mess in which we seem to find ourselves has created a whole new set of AP Stylebook changes. Here is one I was made aware of yesterday.

Editor's Note: An entry on derivative has been added to define the term as a contract whose value depends on the financial performance of its underlying assets, such as mortgages, stock or traded commodities.

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derivative

A contract whose value depends on the financial performance of its underlying assets, such as mortgages, stock or traded commodities. Credit default swaps are one form of derivative.


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Susanna on 12.02.08 @ 09:45 AM CDT [link]