High-Income Business Writing Podcast
Ed Gandia
Ed Gandia, co-author of the bestselling book, The Wealthy Freelancer, reveals how to propel your writing business to the six-figure level (or the part-time equivalent). In this nuts-and-bolts, no-nonsense podcast, you'll discover how to get better clients, earn more in less time, and bring more freedom and joy into your writing business. Ed will walk you through the practical, "doable" systems and strategies he has developed in his own writing business — the same systems he has taught his private coaching clients. He'll also show you what's working for other business writers by bringing you real case studies from the field. And he'll share all this information in an honest and transparent way, with no hype or fluff. Topics covered include: getting better and higher-paying clients; banishing the feast-or-famine cycle; doing more of the work that excites you; how to raise your fees and rates; boosting your productivity; making your business recession-proof; discovering and leveraging your strengths; finding your niche; pricing content writing projects; pricing copywriting projects; writing white papers; writing case studies; writing web copy; writing articles; and much more.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 15, 2017 • 53min
#135: NY Times Bestselling Author Denise Kiernan on Maintaining High Productivity, Establishing Writing Rituals and Making a Living as a Full-Time Author
Denise Kiernan transitioned from journalism and commercial writing into writing books for a living. Denise is the New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II, as well as a number of other books. In this interview, Denise gives us a behind-the-scenes look into what it's like transitioning from a freelance writer to a full-time author. She explains what it's really like to come up with book ideas, pitch the best ones, land a book deal, research and write that book for months ... and deal with far-off deadlines, procrastination and negative self-talk. It's a fascinating glimpse into the habits, rituals and challenges of a successful author.
Sep 1, 2017 • 35min
#134: Surprisingly Simple (and Effective!) Tips for Getting Your Prospecting Done
Prospecting for clients is not on the list of things most of us love to do. We want to do it. We know we should do it. But we just don't do it as consistently as we should. Sound familiar? If so, I have some very practical and simple ideas today for getting your prospecting DONE...
Aug 18, 2017 • 37min
#133: How to Stand Out and Thrive in an Increasingly Competitive Freelance Marketplace
Freelancing continues to grow like crazy. More and more professionals are choosing to leave traditional employment for a more flexible work arrangement. And platforms like Upwork have enabled millions to offer their talents to anyone around the globe. So you have to wonder... Is this influx of new freelancers making it harder to command professional-level fees? The short answer: yes. But that doesn't necessarily mean that you're doomed to work for less. The key to maintaining and growing your income as a freelancer is to be very deliberate about how you differentiate yourself. And that's the topic of this week's episode. My guest is freelance copywriter and business coach Steve Roller. Steve is the author of the upcoming book The Freelancer Manifesto: 11 Big Ideas to Stand Out and Thrive in the New Economy. And in this interview he shares several smart ways you can sustainably differentiate yourself in this increasingly competitive marketplace.
Aug 4, 2017 • 37min
#132: Why You Should Do More of What Scares You
All of us are born with a great sense of wonder, courage and boldness. As toddlers, we have tremendous curiosity. And we're not afraid to explore and to express our creative spirit. But somewhere along the way, fear begins to rule our lives. Fear of looking stupid. Fear of rejection. Fear of criticism. Fear of failing. We begin to lose our confidence. We stop taking chances. We start playing small. At times, we may even start to feel like a fraud. Fortunately, there are many things we can do to turn this tide and regain our confidence. And one of them is to get into the habit of doing more of what scares us. In this podcast episode, you'll hear from writer and copywriter Leilani Haywood. Leilani explains how she deliberately does things that scare her in order to grow personally and professionally. And she talks about how this practice has enabled her to launch and grow a thriving freelance business.
Jul 21, 2017 • 53min
#131: How to Turn LinkedIn Into a Powerful Prospecting Tool
Over the past few years LinkedIn has become an incredibly powerful lead-generating and prospecting tool for freelancers. We've talked about it before on the show. And for Steve Maurer, LinkedIn has been an indispensable business-generating tool. Steve is an industrial manufacturing and safety copywriter. And he's figured out how to turn LinkedIn into his most productive and reliable lead generating vehicle. In this podcast episode you'll hear exactly how Steve does this...
Jun 23, 2017 • 35min
#130: Why Your Biggest Client Opportunities Are Slipping Between Your Fingers—and What to Do About It
Ever go weeks prospecting for clients without something to show for it? You "knock" on what seems like a ton of doors. But no one seems to be interested. And when you finally get a response, it's something along the lines of "I'll keep your information on file..." It's exhausting, isn't it? In this week's episode I explain why this happens... and what you can do about it.
Jun 9, 2017 • 46min
#129: Marketing to Millennials—What Writers and Copywriters Need to Know
Millennials tend to get a bad rap. The stereotype is that of a spoiled, unemployed and highly educated 25-year-old living in mom and dad's basement... playing video games, spending inordinate amounts of time on social media, binge-watching Netflix and just trying to "find their way." Sure, they may not have the spending power and wealth of Boomers. But it's also unfair to lump them all into one category and assume they don't matter. Because they do! And as a writer and copywriter, there's a good chance that you'll soon have to write for this demographic. In this episode you'll hear from my friend and colleague Kelly King of the 80-20 Agency. Kelly is a talented marketing strategist who has built a marketing firm that helps companies connect with Millennials. She'll explain how Millennials think differently... what their attitudes and values are... what they look for in a product or service... four common myths about this generation... and what writers and copywriters need to understand if they want their message to connect with them.
May 26, 2017 • 49min
#128: How Jeanne Noorman Overcame 20+ Years Out of the Workforce to Launch a Successful Freelance Writing Business
My guest this week is Jeanne Noorman. Jeanne faced a number of challenges when she decided to start her freelance writing business after being a stay-at-home mom since 1985. She had little in the way of a career she could draw from—and no professional network. Yet she overcame the odds and today is a thriving freelance writer. This is Jeanne's uncut story. You'll hear about her struggles... the number of times she thought about giving up... what she did to push through all the obstacles... and the five recommendations she has for new freelancers...
May 12, 2017 • 42min
#127: Hannah Glenn on Refining Your Niche as You Go, Taking Baby Steps to Success and the Power of Quick Wins
If you're starting out as a freelance writer or copywriter, you're going to love this podcast interview. My guest is Hannah Glenn, a Los Angeles–based freelance writer. Hannah went through my B2B Biz Launcher 2.0 coaching program a while back. And she's a perfect of example of someone who didn't rely on luck to get ahead. She had to work. And she had to work hard. A few important points you'll hear in this interview: You don't necessarily need to have a previous career in a specific field in order to work in that field as a freelance writer or copywriter. You will make changes and adjustments to your positioning and your niche once you get out there—even if you spend months pre-planning. Steady and deliberate action are key. So are baby steps. Serendipity only happens when you start taking action. Don't have samples? Or may your samples are not that impressive? That's OK, start where you are with what you've got! And get creative. Be resourceful! (You'll see what Hannah did.) And much, much more...
Apr 28, 2017 • 30min
#126: Grit—The Single Quality That Will Determine Your Long-Term Success as a Freelancer
I've been fascinated by why some people do consistently well and why others seem to struggle. And why so many fail despite the fact that they're smarter than average... have more financial resources than the average person... have better skills... a great personality... or great looks. After working with more than 300 freelancers at all levels (from newbies to six-figure earners), I've reached some very interesting conclusions...
