My first day back from the New Year and I would like to wish everyone a great year! I’m going to start it off right, with a story about freelancing and how to get off to a good start. Proofreaders are here to make you look good and here’s an example.

It was the year end, so I decided to take a look at a few things the other day. I couldn’t believe what I saw. I’ve got to admit that I feel a little inspired when I see how great other freelancers are doing. I looked at one such freelancer’s earnings and found him in the $70,000 USD range. That doesn’t even include work not accounted for in that particular profile.

It motivates me because that’s the potential we all have. But, I can’t help to think how much more potential I have over that writer because there were so many errors in his profile it was unbelievable. Yes, I looked. It was interesting and confusing at the same time. I guess it was an experience that humbled me a bit too.

It’s kind of a thing with me. I like to know my competition. I looked at the work he had done over the last year and I was impressed. But, I couldn’t get past the thought of wondering how in the world he got all those jobs. If I wanted someone to write something for me, I wouldn’t want to see any errors in his profile.

That’s kind of a pet peeve. I thought every writer felt that way. I know he earned quite a bit and I can’t argue with success. I also know that writers are often times the only ones who notice all those hideous mistakes. But, putting your best foot forward is the rule of thumb and in writing that means error free copy.  Here are just a few written documents that should always be submitted without error.

Resume

Your resume is your potential employer’s first impression of you. Just like a freelancer’s profile, it is the first thing a potential employer sees. Wouldn’t you want it to be error free? If that employer looks at errors as incompetence, you won’t get the job. Sometimes, job hunters can’t get through the door with a perfect resume. Don’t hurt yourself before you even get a chance.

Reports

Reports are your way of showing the world what you know. But, sometimes the boss uses them for promotional purposes. Yes, it’s more important to have the content and make sure your facts are straight. But after that, sit down and look the report over. Make sure it’s error free. Two people vying for the same position might get compared through their reports. Maybe not! But, if you were head-to-head with another person in getting that promotion, would you want anything holding you back?

Portfolio

There are different types of portfolios from modeling to architecture. The writer’s portfolio should be error free. Of course, having impressive work under your belt is a good way to get your foot in the door. But, your work should be error free if you want any chance at getting ahead in the freelance world.

The resume, a report and your portfolio merely scratches the surface on the handful of documents you need to ensure are error free.  Now, I can’t answer how in the world a professional writer is getting that good of a paycheck with a profile that contains errors. I’d rather not try to answer for him. But, yours should be error free just like I try to make mine. In fact, I think I’ll look mine over again just to make sure it’s as perfect as I can make it.

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I know I covered the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How the last time. But, haven’t you got it yet? There is always more involved than what I let on in my first post on any topic. In fact, entire books have been written about article writing. Entire college courses teach it. So, one simple post isn’t going to cover everything.

Articles that get in depth are what people want to read. Don’t simply answer the questions and move on to other questions. Get in depth information that goes deeper than anyone else writing on that topic. Otherwise, you are simply telling people what they already know.

Example:

Frederick Dominguez and his kids were lost for three days in the mountains of Northern California because they ventured out there to cut down a Christmas tree. They were found on Wednesday by a California Highway Patrol helicopter crew.

If you visit any news site or look in any newspaper where this story is told, you will find this information. Does it answer the six critical questions? Yes.

Who – Frederick Dominguez and his kids.

What – were lost and have been found.

When – Wednesday.

Where – mountains of Northern California.

Why – looking for a Christmas tree.

How – California Highway Patrol helicopter crew.

But if you can find this story anywhere, why would anyone read yours? It makes all the difference in the world that the mother of the children had no idea they were missing until she realized her youngest child didn’t go to school on Monday. It makes all the difference in the world that a new snow storm was about to come and the search was about to be aborted. It makes all the difference in the world that people like Cory Stahl who owns a pest control business shut his business down so that all the employees could help with the search.

There are plenty of answers to those six basic questions. Keep digging. Dig deeper. Make sure you have as much information as you can and discount nothing. Any bit of information can make your article more interesting than the others. That’s the essence of great article writing.

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When you are talking to someone about what you want, what do you want to hear? You most likely want to hear that they know what you’re saying and they know how to get it accomplished. Doesn’t it make you feel better when someone can communicate those things to you?

When you have asked for a very technical process or you think it’s a very technical process, what do you want to hear?

“I no the job you ask and I can do. Luk at my resume. Give me a call.”

Note: Spelling errors were added for effect.

Or:

“I have worked as a business consultant for several companies and I understand that you need an expert in online promotion. There are several techniques I have mastered that will enhance your online promotion efforts. The first thing I would like to do is…”

Exactly! The second project proposal makes me feel like I’m in good hands. But, like I’ve said before that the hardest part of writing a project proposal is changing your mind around. When you wrap your brain around what the client wants and you learn to address those needs, now you are writing an effective proposal.

Acknowledge what you think the goals of the project are. What are the objectives? How does the client want them accomplished? Take a look at the timeframe too and make sure you understand exactly what the client wants as a finished project.

Most freelancers think that writing a project proposal is as simple as saying they can do the job and to get in touch with them. That’s not true at all. In fact, project proposals don’t fly when the writer doesn’t even acknowledge the final product.

For instance, a client who wants an e-book submitted in pdf format is being very specific about the finished product. Pdf is different from word doc and it used to be hard to put documents in pdf format. But, not anymore. Cutepdf.com will let you download software for free that allows you to convert your word documents to pdf format. Problem solved!

But, that’s just the final product. What if the client says that they need 30 pages with a TOC, appendixes and title page not included in the page count? In your project proposal, it’s a good thing to mention that you understand the page count exactly and that the TOC, appendixes and title page are not included.

What else does the project manager want? If the client mentions that they want cover graphics too, do you know anything about that? If you don’t address that you know anything about graphic design and can design a cover, you might as well not even submit the proposal.

It’s not hard to wrap your brain around what the client wants. Simply think about what you would like to hear if you had posted that project. Read it and put yourself in the potential client’s shoes. Once you have managed to see it from their side, you can write the perfect proposal. The only thing left is to make sure that it’s proofread. It doesn’t hurt to get a project proposal proofread if it means more business for you.

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When you walk into a job interview, I certainly hope that you don’t wear jeans with holes in them and your favorite tee shirt. I hope you don’t slouch and talk to the interviewer like you would talk to your friends at a party. If you get my drift, you have to carry yourself into an interview showing respect and that includes what you wear and how you act.

It’s the same game in this online explosion. Just because you might be sitting in your shorts and sandals writing a project proposal doesn’t mean your proposal can be lacking in professionalism. You have to put your best foot forward and there are definite signals that will have your proposal flagged for the can or chosen for further consideration.

Content

The first thing in writing a project proposal is to identify what the client wants. Freelancers make the mistake of thinking that a template project proposal is all they need. I have to admit that it gets tedious writing the same things over and over. But, a good client does not want a template project proposal. They want to see a proposal that identifies their needs.

It’s ok to have a well-written template in place. But, read over the project and identify the specific goals and strategies of the project. If they want a how-to manual on building shelves, it doesn’t do you any good to tell the potential client that you’ve written books about baseball. This by the way is first hand experience.

If you can make writing a book about baseball relevant to the potential client’s needs, then add it in that way. Don’t simply mention the fact. Make it relevant. Let the client know why you are telling them that you wrote a book about baseball. What does it have to do with building shelves? It’s not hard when you think about it. But, it is crucial. Modify your template so that it addresses every single need the client has raised.

Outline

After you have identified all of your client’s needs, follow the outline of your project proposal. There are different project proposal outlines and this isn’t the end all to be all outline for everything. But, it is a good outline to follow for your template and modify per proposal that you write.

First, introduce yourself and make it very clear what project your proposal is addressing. Some clients will have many jobs out at once and it serves you best to indicate which project you want. After you have introduced yourself start listing your experiences as they relate to the client’s needs. Every experience you have ever had will not be appropriate for every proposal you write. So you have to think it through.

List your best experiences that are relevant. Normally, a client will be happy with two or three jobs that you have done showing the experience you need. Don’t simply list them in order. Talk about them a little. Explain the relevance and the technical experience involved. Make the client understand your expertise.

Now, it’s time to tell the client how you will do the job. They like to know that they are in competent hands. They like to feel safe that you know what you are doing and you have a plan for them. Think about them. Quit thinking about yourself. That’s the toughest thing to do.

When you are writing a project proposal, it is all about the client. It has nothing to do with you. There are details that can be discussed later. So, they have no purpose in your proposal. Wrap your brain around your client’s needs and you will most likely write the proposal so that your words reflect that you understand what they want and you know how to give it to them. There is so much more about writing the dynamite project proposal, so I’ll see you next time and we’ll continue.

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If you are competing in the freelance market, you will need to know the basics of a professional project proposal. No matter where you find yourself, you have to carry your business presentation in a very high manner. You cannot afford to drop your professionalism just because everyone else around you is wasting their efforts.

GetAFreelancer.com

For instance, I view GetAFreelancer.com as a site where you get to cut your teeth in the professional freelance market. There aren’t that many “Professional” writers bidding for projects and you get to see how terrible amateurs write their proposals. But, GetAFreelancer.com is where you can learn the building blocks and build your resume.

You’ll see plenty of jobs that require one hundred articles a day that are completely error free and can pass copyscape.com. They pay about a dollar fifty an article and they won’t pay at all if you don’t meet the deadline. But, there are also some pretty decent writing jobs where you can work with great clients and build your resume with legitimate work. Then, you’ll be ready for a step higher.

Guru.com

Guru.com is a site where you have to know what you are doing. You won’t get awarded a project unless you really impress the potential client and that means several things. You have to write your proposal error free. You have to be very expressive and explosive with your words. Plus, you have to price yourself exactly right. A potential client doesn’t mind paying a higher price if you are worth it. But if you are a great writer and you underbid others, then you will be getting most jobs.

You’ll find screenplay and novel projects. Sometimes, you’ll be required to travel and all expenses will be paid if you negotiate properly. I’ve been on trips to San Francisco, California USA and I’ve written books for therapeutic clinics in New Jersey USA. At this time, I have a proposal submitted for a book deal that would take me to Beijing, China. Now, that’s worth putting my best foot forward to get.

The Mark of Excellence

Once you’ve built your resume rather impressively and made a few key contacts, then you’re stepping into another level entirely. The kind of ghostwriting experiences where you get calls from the representatives of presidents, CEOs and retired athletes. They don’t have time to write their own books and don’t really care to engage themselves into that kind of activity, but they want a book with their name on it and you were the one they chose. I’m still working on getting there.

If you think about it, you’ve just been given several good examples why your proposals should always be professional. First of all, even when you are submitting a project proposal to a potential client who simply wants a brochure, you have no idea where that relationship can lead. If you do a great job, you might get ongoing work. You might also get referrals from that one client. Of course, one day you might get a call from the right-hand man of a business mogul based out of Tokyo who heard of you.

So, let’s cover what it takes to put a professional project proposal together! We’ll see you next post.

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