Category Archive: Contracting

Sep 27

Ask Questions, Get Answers

Categories:

Contracting, News and Views, Policies, Projects

September 27, 2011

Are you thinking about hiring a freelance writer or editor to help you to complete a project? Are you a freelance writer or editor negotiating with a potential client? Over the years, I have found that the best way to develop a successful relationship with my clients is to ensure that everyone is “on the same page” from the beginning. When you ask a lot of questions, you’ll receive a lot of answers; eventually, each of you will have a strong foundation for managing your project.

As my friend and fellow writer, Sharon Hurley Hall (@shurleyhall) writes on her blog, a client questionnaire will help to clarify for both the freelance writer/editor and the client the terms, conditions, and “fine print” of each project. So, whether you are the freelance writer/editor or the client, what should you look for in a client questionnaire? There are many different formats that you as a freelance writer/editor can customize; as a potential client, there are informational sections to look for:

1) Complete contact information. With today’s global business environment, many people work non-standard hours and are location-independent. It is important to for the contractor and the client to be able to communicate across time zones and during non-business hours.

2) Complete background information. As the potential client, what is it exactly you are looking for? The more information you can give about you, your company, your goals and objectives, and your competitors, the more your writer can successfully meet your needs.

3) Project details. This is the place to be very, very specific. This section should include the deadline, the milestones, the update schedule, the number of revisions, the contact person, and the exact details of the project.

4) The budget and payment details. This is the section where the freelancer and the client discuss the project budget and finalize the payment arrangements. Each project has a budget, and each freelancer should be paid for his or her services. This section outlines the specifics.

A well-written client questionnaire will benefit the freelance writer/editor and the client. The writers at Writing It Right For You have a questionnaire and a project plan template ready to work with you. You can contact us here.

If you are a freelance writer or editor, do you use a client questionnaire? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

Are you a client who has worked with a freelance writer or editor? Did you complete a client questionnaire? What other information would you like to see included in a client questionnaire? Let us know in the comments section.

Permanent link to this article: http://writingitrightforyou.com/home/2011/09/27/ask-questions-get-answers/

Apr 29

A Copywriter for Your Copyright

Categories:

Business Writing, Client Projects, Contracting, Copywriting, News and Views, Projects

April 29, 2010

Just about everyone knows what a “copyright” is: an exclusive government protection for the works of an author, musician, and so on. If you write anything in print, audio, video, etc., you can apply for copyright protection against people copying your work and passing it off as their own. When you have that protection, your work is copyrighted. But what if you need effective marketing messages for your print, audio, video, website or blog? You really need a professional who understands how words affect people’s responses and actions. You really need a copywriter. A professional copywriter can help small business owners fine-tune their marketing copy to stay competitive in today’s business climate. There are so many variables to consider: website copy, sales materials, advertisements, social media marketing, email marketing, case histories; the list goes on and on. A professional copywriter does much more than “write copy”. An experienced copywriter excels at using words to inform and persuade the reader. A gifted copywriter will help your marketing materials yield results for you: clicks to your website; sales into your e-cart; phone calls to your office; etc. A professional copywriter cannot secure a copyright for you, however. The writers at Writing It Right For You are talented and experienced people, but we are not lawyers! If you need material you authored to be copyrighted, click over to the United States Copyright Office. When you need marketing materials that are professionally written to sell your products or services, educate people about your business, and indice your readers to action, contact the professionals at Writing It Right For You.

Permanent link to this article: http://writingitrightforyou.com/home/2010/04/29/a-copywriter-for-your-copyright/

Apr 12

Virtual Independent Contractors Benefit Clients

Categories:

Blogging, Business Writing, Contracting, Opinion, Projects, Websites

April 12, 2010

West Coast Way Consulting, Inc. provides its clients with access to the services of an entire team of highly qualified and experience virtual workers.

I recently wrote a guest blog post for West Coast Way: “The Benefits of Working with a Virtual Independent Contractor”.

You can read the entire post here: http://bit.ly/cHLpDO

Permanent link to this article: http://writingitrightforyou.com/home/2010/04/12/virtual-independent-contractors-benefit-clients/

Apr 05

Independent Contractors

Categories:

Contracting, Policies, Projects

April 5, 2010

Everyone here at Writing It Right For You is an independent contractor. Our job is to work with you for the greatest success for your project; but we don’t work for you. IRS guidelines are very specific; we are independent contractors who work for ourselves under contract to our clients.

There are many benefits to you in working with independent contractors such as those at Writing It Right For You.

1) You work with full-time, experienced and mature professionals who understand your area of study or your business and will give your project their best efforts.

2) You pay for only the amount of time you need; no worries about paying benefits, insurance, taxes, etc. The per-project fees for Writing It Right For You professionals usually work out to be much less than paying for a full-time employee.

3) We have all of our own software, hardware, internet access and other equipment. We manage our own projects, do our own invoicing and pay our own taxes and expenses. (Some expenses will be re-invoiced to your project.)

4) You will have your own company/project page on our 37Signals Backpack business organization application, and your own account with our Freshbooks project-tracking and invoicing program. You will always know what’s going on with your project.

To find out how the professionals at Writing It Right For You can assist you in reaching your writing and editing goals, schedule your free 30-minute consultation by phone, email, or Skype using the Contact Form.

We look forward to working with you!