FreelancerPro Interview: Being Content Rich

Interviewing other creatives is always interesting; I like to see where they draw inspiration from, how they built their business and what keeps them ticking.

So when I came across copywriter Jon Wuebben—who has also written a book on his craft, along with creating a few other ventures—I knew he would captivate the freelancers that read our blog. Read on to learn more about how Jon has created several businesses and published a book, all while keeping his eye on his clients.

To call you a jack of all trades would be an understatement—you do a ton. From running Custom Copywriting to Heartflicks Video Memory Productions, you stay busy. Tell us about all the companies in Telegent Media and how that umbrella evolved.

It all started with a dream as they say, and an interest in writing. I read Bob Bly’s The Copywriter’s Handbook and that changed everything. He provided the template for starting a copywriting business, which is what I did. We started doing copy for agencies, but switched over to the world of SEO within a year. That was a good idea. Everyone wanted optimized web copy. We partnered with 15 of the largest search marketing firms and wrote copy for their clients.

As we continued to grow, I wanted to evolve the business to include other passions of mine…and my wife’s. That’s what gave germination to Heartflicks Video Productions— my wife, Karen, is a fantastic video editor and so we decided to build a business around it. This one is still in the early stages, but it’s going to be great.

I have always loved books, and wanted to write one someday. So, that’s what inspired the start of Encore Publishing. My other guru, is Dan Poynter, who wrote the Self-Publishing Manual. We used this platform to publish my new book, Content Rich: Writing your Way to Wealth on the Web, which is doing very well with hundreds of freelance writers who want to learn to write for the web. We brought life to Telegent Media to be the corporate entity for all these businesses. It’s been a lot of work, but also a lot of fun starting them.

Poynter and Bly are definitely the most solid resources for those into self-publishing and copywriting, respectively. So, to continue, how did you grow these businesses? How many people do you employ?

Web content is the heart and soul of what we do and drives the growth of everything else. Partnering with other marketing firms and agencies proved to be a smart decision. We work with 20 writers around the country.

Impressive. Tell us about your background as a copywriter. How have you evolved in this competitive arena?

I have always loved writing, especially business writing. So, I just learned as much as I could. I’m an obsessive researcher. If I want to learn something, I go out and just do it and get really immersed in the topic. The way we have evolved is by not only doing the SEO copywriting and doing it well, but by going out and speaking about the topic to anyone that will listen. You have to get out with the people! Social media exposure and blogging is also highly recommended.

What did you do to attract clients for your Telegent Media? Was it a matter of time to get customers come or did you take a more proactive approach. What do you do when you notice a dip in business?

We are ranked high in the search engines for keyword phrases like “web copywriting”. This is very important—it helps with the dips. We also make cold calls to others in the industry that can use our services. That’s something not everyone does, but it makes a difference. We also promote our portfolio. The more you do, the easier it is to prove to people you know what you are doing and can help improve their business.

What’s your typical day like? What do you like most about having freedom over your career?

As they always say, there is no typical day, but I usually write early in the morning and late at night. The middle of the day is spent making calls, handling emails, taking care of administrative stuff, and sometimes doing nothing. The best thing, I think, is being able to chart your own destiny.

Why is good copywriting so important?

Because Google tells us it is.

Haha. Good one. But you’re spot on!

It’s important to the search engines. Plus, connecting with people will always be a factor. How you communicate on your website is critical. And finally, there is a lot of bad copy out there. It can be easy to stand out sometimes.

Bad copy stands out very well! So what would you say to a business owner who wants to write the copy for his website himself? Do you think anyone can craft compelling copy or is it best to hire a pro?

Yes, you can do it. But, it helps to have a natural affinity or talent for writing. Having said that, it always helps to have a pro, if you can afford it.

What advice do you have for those looking to become copywriters? What pitfalls can they avoid?

You need to do more than write. You need to promote. Writing attracts lots of introverts, who may not be inclined to want to talk to people on the phone. But, you have to. It’s part of the deal. And it can be a nice change of pace from the writing thing. The pitfalls would be not having a good website, not willing to promote yourself and turning out sloppy work.

Well stated! So let’s talk about your ebook, Content Rich: Writing Your Way to Wealth on the Web. Tell us how you came up with the idea for this, and why you chose to make it an ebook. How did you market the book? What obstacles did you encounter, and how did you overcome them?

Content Rich is actually an e-book, an audio book and a standard hardcover book. As I alluded to in a previous question, I always wanted to write a book, but I wanted to do it right. I realized there wasn’t a good book out there that discussed all the forms of web content—blog postings, PPC ads, newsletter copy, etc. So, I wrote the book. And writing it was the easy part.

Marketing it is tougher. A challenge, but it’s been fun as well. I basically do everything I can…that’s affordable…to get the word out. Blog reviews have been a good idea. Book signings are good, too. A key part of our strategy was partnering up with a great distributor, Greenleaf, which has been invaluable for getting the book in stores, working with Amazon, etc.

Many of our readers want to publish books and ebooks. What do they need to know about the process aside from writing the content for the book?

Maybe we should save that for another blog post! It’s a big topic to cover in one question. My first recommendation however would be to read Dan Poynter’s book The Self Publishing Manual and to take his class. This was a great first step for us!

That’s a great start—and maybe we’ll take up this conversation about publishing ebooks in the future. Thanks so much for your time. All the best to you!

Kristen Fischer is a copywriter, editor and author living at the Jersey Shore. Check out her Creatively Self-Employed blog at www.creativelyselfemployed.com/blog.htm.