High-Income Business Writing Podcast

I'm not a fan of going after small local businesses for writing work. Most of them don't understand the value of great copy and content. Or if they do, they can't afford professional-level fees. But I recently came across a writer who proved me wrong. Her name is Shawndra Russell, and she's earning a six-figure income writing for small clients in her hometown of Savannah, GA. Oh, and get this -- she just started freelancing a couple of years ago! In this episode she explains how she does it and how she keeps the work coming in. The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for the coaches and mentors I've worked with over the years. These individuals have enabled me to accelerate my progress, avoid costly mistakes and grow both personally and professionally. In today's episode, I share some of the most valuable lessons I've learned from these coaching relationships. And I'll tell you how you can get the most value from a business coach, if you ever explore that option. I also share my thoughts on gratitude and how making thanksgiving a daily practice helps attract wonderful things, people and circumstances into your business and personal life.

SEO is one of those topics that I have a love/hate relationship with. It can be fun to optimize a website for the search engines. But the constantly changing rules drive me nuts! What worked yesterday will get you in trouble with Google today. It's a maddening cycle! Yet I have to admit that there is great value in knowing how to optimize your OWN freelancer website. And fortunately, the time to do that has never been better, thanks to the big fundamental changes Google has made over the last couple of years. To explain these changes and how you can use them to your advantage, I've brought in my good friend Dianna Huff to the show. Dianna is a seasoned SEO pro who works with small business owners and midsize companies drive more traffic to their websites, generate more leads and get more business. If you're already an SEO expert, this may not be for you. But if you want to better understand what's going on with SEO and how it will impact you as a freelance business writer, then I think you'll find this interview interesting, practical and helpful.

Impatience has been a recurring theme in my life. Once I decide to pursue a big goal, I can't WAIT to make it a reality. This goal-centered mindset has served me well. But it has also caused me to miss many of the little moments that make up that exciting journey. Moments I can't ever get back. They're gone forever. In this episode, Jeff Goins, author of The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing explains why moments of breakthrough are NOT where life's greatest transformations happen. Instead, they happen in the "in-between" moments. Waiting in the checkout line, waiting for our first big client, waiting for that big trip to Europe... This is an important discussion for all freelancers, regardless of where you are in your journey. I hope it's as helpful to you as it was for me.

Why do so many writers avoid networking as a marketing strategy? Some will tell you that they just can't find the time. Others claim that there are no good networking opportunities where they live. And many will admit that they put it off because they're shy and introverted. These might be true to a certain extent. But I've found that you can overcome any of these challenges when you follow a simple, proven framework. Without a framework or roadmap, it's very difficult to navigate the networking waters — especially if networking is something you're afraid to do. My guest this week is John Corcoran, a writer turned solo attorney who developed a simple framework for networking more effectively. His approached has worked so well that it landed him a staff writer position at the Clinton White House and a speechwriting gig in the California Governor’s office during the Davis Administration. He attributes these achievements to his methodical yet authentic approach to networking. And in this episode, he details this approach and how you can use it to network with greater confidence. The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

It's easy to talk about achieving a healthy work/life balance. But it's much harder to put it into practice. And that's true no matter where you are in your freelance journey. In this week's episode, freelance writer Rachel Foster explains why she's decided to set clear boundaries in her business. She talks about her daily routine, her experience outsourcing some of her tasks, and the expectations she's learned to set with clients. Rachel is a Toronto-based freelancer who helps B2B marketers improve their response rates, clearly communicate complex messages and generate high-quality leads. She shares her insights on B2B marketing in her articles for the Content Marketing Institute, Business 2 Community and her Fresh Marketing Blog. The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

Peter Bowerman -- the author of The Well-Fed Writer and other "Well-Fed" books -- is one of the most influential mentors in the world of commercial writing. One of the many things Peter does very well is generating strategic partnerships with freelance designers. Through these arrangements, Peter gets a well-paid writing gig, the designer lands work she may not have won otherwise, and the client benefits from a turnkey service solution. In this episode, Peter reveals how this strategy has added tens of thousands of dollars to his income over the years. He explains how to contact designers ... how to find them ... how to structure these opportunities ... how to price your work ... and much more! The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

One of the biggest, untapped prospecting opportunities is our own personal and professional networks. But many of us are reluctant to do it. Why? Most common reasons are because you: 1. Have a fear of rejection 2. Don’t want to sound stupid 3. Don’t want to mix business and friendship 4. Don’t want to feel awkward 5. Believe there's no value in it 6. Don’t know how to explain what you do to a lay person None of these have to be true. They’re only true if you believe them — or if you’re not prepared to address them. Let's analyze each of these reasons...

Do you have professional liability insurance? Do you even need it? I mean ... do freelance writers really get sued? In this episode of The High-Income Business Writing Podcast I interview Jared Kaplan, CFO at insureon, a national online insurance company for freelancers and other self-employed professionals. Jared explains the types of insurance policies available, what they cover, when they're worth considering, and what they'll cost. This may not be the most exciting topic in the world ... but it's a hugely important one. So try to carve out some time today to listen to this discussion. The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.

I firmly believe that establishing yourself as a content writer is the surest way to freelance writing success. It's the most realistic opportunity in the world of writing. Especially if you go after the corporate market. That's because the fundamentals of content writing are stronger than ever. Content marketing has gone mainstream — and is not showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon. In this episode, I interview Joe Pulizzi, founder of The Content Marketing Institute, Content Marketing World and Chief Content Officer magazine. Joe is also the author of the newly released book Epic Content Marketing[EG1] : How to Tell a Different Story, Break through the Clutter, and Win More Customers by Marketing Less. Joe explains why content marketing is hot and getting hotter ... why businesses need writers desperately ... and how to get hired at top rates. The notes that follow are a very basic, unedited summary of this podcast. There's a lot more detail in the audio version. You can listen to the show using the audio player below. Or you can subscribe to this podcast series in iTunes.