A few dental procedures gone wrong had made me wary, if not downright fearful, of dentists. So I need a professional who is compassionate toward patients with dental phobias and anxieties. I’m looking for a dentist with an extra-special skill set.

Since I’m one of those technology-savvy generation Xers and because I am also an internet professional, I launched my search online. Google gave me plenty of options, and I got busy perusing the many dentists within a fifteen-mile radius. Within minutes I had about a dozen potential dentistry websites opened, and I got busy reading through them to see which one would tell me what I wanted to hear: We are sympathetic to your fear of dentists. We won’t hurt you.

I happened across one such dentist early in my search. The text on his site was friendly and comforting. There was even a photo of him. He looked like a nice guy and not at all like the demented dentist from Little Shop of Horrors. But I wanted a list of dentists to choose from. So I kept his site open and continued my search.

A short time later I found another one that looked pretty good. As I started reading through this other guy’s site, I got this weird feeling. Haven’t I read something like this before? Haven’t I just recently (in the past few minutes) read these exact same words in this exact same order?

Two dentists. Same city. Same exact copy. Bad for business.

Good Marketing vs. Bad Marketing

I realize that small businesses have budget guidelines they must follow and sometimes they have to take shortcuts. But using generic copy on a website is never a good idea.

First of all, it was a little creepy. I mean, why would two different dentists have the same exact message? I’m not talking about similarities where one dentist says “Scared of dentists? We understand.” and another says “We understand that you’re scared of dentists.” I’m talking about the exact same copy, down to the periods, commas, and conjunctions.

At one point I had both of these sites open and was clicking back and forth between them, trying to sort it all out. My first concern was that these two dentists had been duped by the same copywriter. I quickly deduced that they had indeed used the same copywriter, but it wasn’t an actual copywriter; it was a copywriting service. Except the copywriting wasn’t a service; it was a product.

The clues let me to an outfit that was selling generic website copy to professionals. Even worse, the professionals were buying it.

Let’s Get Personal

In some situations, discovering duplicate copywriting on two different websites might not rattle me one bit. I probably wouldn’t have thought much of it if I had been searching for a mechanic or a home inspector, professionals who offer relatively generic services. But I am searching for a dentist. I’m going to let this person medicate me, drill holes in my teeth, and then fill them up with strange substances. He might even pull a tooth, and he’s certainly going to do whatever it is that dentists do to give you a sparkling smile. And if the same text on his site is on several other sites, well, then I know the words do not convey his unique message and don’t represent him specifically. It’s just out-of-the-box text. And for all I know, he might not mean a single word of it.

Now, maybe the cost of losing one perspective customer was worth the savings that these two dentists enjoyed by buying canned copy rather than hiring a copywriter. But I doubt I’m the only individual who noticed the duplicate copy and I also doubt that I’m the only person who was completely turned off by it.

I realize that because I’m professional website copywriter, I have a special way of looking at this situation. And because I don’t sell generic text, one would expect me find such practices… well, distasteful. But I’m also a customer, a client, and a patient. Especially as a patient with some measure of dental phobia, I am anything but comforted by this plastic messaging.

When is Generic Acceptable?

Businesses are always trying to find a way to make a buck. I guess someone, somewhere thought it would be a good idea to write some web content for professionals and then resell that same content over and over. The idea is probably profitable for the person who thought up that scheme. It probably also seemed like a good idea to all of those professionals to whom they sold generic copy.

Some products and services can definitely get away with being generic. Website templates and stock photos are a good example of marketing materials that could be considered generic but are often employed, even by big businesses with large budgets.

But website copywriting just can’t get away with being generic. There’s a difference between a generic photo used for business and generic words used to speak to your customers. My own reaction was something like, “You don’t care enough about your patients (or your work) to send a more personalized message, and now you expect me to let you inside my mouth with pointy tools?”

Entrepreneurs and professionals need to be cognizant that marketing copy is a direct form of communication. While imagery and design can be powerful, language allows you to speak to your customers clearly and personally. There’s nothing clear or personal about canned text.

Last Words: Generic Website Copywriting and the SEO Effect

There’s one more consideration that I want to quickly address and will discuss at greater length in a future article: SEO (search engine optimization) and duplicate content. Because not only did these two dentists engage in online marketing tactics that have a distinct capacity to discourage (rather than encourage) new patients, this generic copywriting strategy could also have a detrimental effect on their search engine traffic.

Most SEO specialists agree that duplicate content across different websites is frowned upon by search engines. In other words, if a search engine sees that two sites are using the exact same copy, they both lose points and fall back on the search engine results page. This means that in addition to scaring off perspective clients, the copy that these two dentists were using could also be hindering the amount of traffic they attract to their websites. That means less visitors and less customers.

Like I said, generic website copywriting is just bad for business.

I’m sure that the two dentists have successfully brought in new patients from their websites. But they’ll never know how many potential patients they have lost.

Custom, Personalized Website Copywriting

Scribizzy provides website copywriting services to entrepreneurs and professionals who want to establish an effective online presence. Our copy is organic. It contains no preservatives and is hand-crafted, not canned. Get a quote online.

Why should I do such a thing?

For starters, I think it’s only fair that my clients understand what I do for them, what they’re paying me for, and how I treat their project.

Also, I’m discomforted by the idea that some small businesses are paying for website copy that’s thrown together in a matter of minutes. That gives me the shudders. If you hire someone to write your copy and pay a fair rate, you deserve quality service. You deserve someone who will put time, effort, and energy into your project.

I’m a methodical person, and I use methodology to my advantage in the services that I provide. Over time, I’ve developed a process that allows me to tackle website copywriting projects in a way that is both efficient and effective. Basically, I follow a series of steps, but they are flexible and allow room for creative thinking and word play. I find that using this process makes the work flow more smoothly while simultaneously making it more fun. Yep, I love what I do.

Because I know which steps I need to take and the order in which I need to take them, I can focus on creating quality content instead of worrying about how I’m going to get it done.

Here’s how I do it:

Step One: Understand the Project

The first step in any website copywriting project is simple: understand the clients’ needs. I need to know where the copy will be published, whether there are any space limitations, and if I should be using any keywords for SEO. I also need to establish the desired call to action. In other words, when website visitors read the copy, what should it encourage them to do next?

Step Two: Get to Know the Client’s Business

I can’t write a single word until I have a good, thorough understanding of my client’s business. It’s not enough to know that they sell carburetors. I need to know what kind of carburetors they sell, whom they are sold to, how much they are sold for, and whether or not they offer carburetor installation or just the actual carburetors. I also like to know how the business got started, who runs it, and their mission and philosophy.

Step Three: Collect and Review Materials

Before I start writing, I usually collect all my information into a single file. Sometimes it’s just a Word document filled with notes, links, and other tidbits that I’ve copied and pasted from email communications with my client. Just before I start composing, I like to go over everything so it’s fresh in my mind, and so I’m ready to write the outline.

Step Four: Outline

I love outlines. Some writers refuse to outline, and that’s okay too. But an outline usually only takes a few minutes and provides a road map for the rest of the project, which means I can travel through it quickly without losing my way or getting off track. Basically, it allows me to complete the work much faster, and this is a saving that I can pass to my customers.

Step Five: Draft Copy

The outline is like a skeleton. When I start drafting, it’s much like filling in the skeleton — putting meat and muscle on the bones. This is where I get creative and have fun choosing the perfect language, images, and style to properly convey my clients’ message. This where I get to tell their story. It’s also the most challenging and time consuming step, but so very rewarding.

Step Six: Revise, Edit, Repeat

In order to let the light of creativity shine while I’m composing the rough draft, I cannot get hung up on technical details. If I’m worrying about commas and apostrophes or spelling and grammar, I cannot keep my attention focused on crafting sentences that compel website visitors. So, once the draft is done, I go through it several times to clean it up and make sure it’s technically correct.

Step Seven: Polish

Here’s a little writer’s trick: After you have revised your copy, let it sit for a few hours, preferably overnight. Then, come back with fresh eyes and give it a final polish. Inevitably, you will find some unnecessary word that can be cut, some gap that needs to be filled with a catchy adjective, or even an empty space where a comma should be. Polishing leads to website copywriting that sparkles and shines!

Step Eight: The Send-Off

Once the copy is buffed to perfection, it’s ready to get sent off to the client. This is always a good feeling, the delivery.

Step Nine: Revisions

Everybody has personal preferences, and I’m no mind reader. Sometimes, in the initial project plan, a small but important detail gets left out. Like including a phone number in the website copy. Or using a special phrase (a tagline or slogan, perhaps) in the text. Maybe I used a word that rubs the client the wrong way. We all have our language peeves, and small business owners are no exception. I always invite clients to request a round of revisions to the final copy. This is usually a quick process and involves going through and changing a few words or adding a line or two. Most of the time, revisions aren’t necessary at all, but I still like to give everyone the option.

That’s it. My entire process. It might sound long and tedious with all those predetermined steps, but it’s a clean and proven way to provide the very best copy possible.

Website Copywriting

Are you doing business online? Want to hire a professional for your website copywriting? Please visit Scribizzy’s Website Copywriting page or get a quote online.

You can also hire a website copywriter like me to write it for you. Either way, you should know exactly what goes into crafting a home page that is both effective and purposeful.

Think for a moment about the role your website has in contributing to the success of your business. Think about how your site works toward helping you achieve your goals. Your home page is your store front, your magazine cover, business card, brochure, and television commercial all rolled into one. It is your number one marketing tool, and it has an enormous job to do.

The Purpose of a Home Page

The visitors that come to your site are like window shoppers. They’re standing there for just a moment, checking out your sign, peeking at your inventory, and wondering if they should step through the door. You have that one moment to capture their attention and convince them to come inside.

Each home page is unique but they all have one common purpose: convert visitors into customers. A customer can be defined in many different ways — someone who subscribes to a newsletter, a person who purchases a product or service, or anyone who signs up as a registered user — these are just a few examples of someone who is considered a customer.

A website copywriter has to understand how to dress up that window so people want to come in and become customers. If you can do that, convert visitors to customers, then you’ve written a killer home page.

The Four Cornerstones of a Killer Home Page:

So how do you get passersby to come in? Start by applying the four following website copywriting techniques:

1. Define your Offer – Tell people what you offer on your website by clearly describing your product or service.
2. Identify a Need – Explain why visitors need your product or service. Tell them how it solves a problem or fulfills one of their desires.
3. Make a Promise - It’s not enough to tell people what you’re selling and why they should buy it. You have to give them a reason to buy it from you. In this step, make a promise that makes your offer the most attractive one on the market.
4. Issue a Call to Action - Lead the visitor to the next step using links, buttons, or clickable images. Take them to a registration page, catalog, or to the online store. Direct that traffic! This is where the conversion from visitor to customer happens.

To put it simply, you tell people what you’re offering and why it will make their lives better. Then, you explain why yours is the best place to get it and nudge them toward the cash register.

Website Copywriting That Makes People Want to Come Inside and Buy

Once you’ve established your four cornerstones, you’ve got the foundation for your home page, and all you need to do is develop the structure. Laying the groundwork is as easy as pouring cement, but building rooms and hallways, putting up windows and doors — doors that customers will want to walk through — that’s the tricky part.

Good website copywriting is a specialty all its own. There are specific techniques for writing a killer home page, an intriguing About page, or a compelling Product or Services page. And then there are skills that apply to all of the written content on a website.

Truly great website copywriting achieves the following:

• It is clear, concise, and compelling
• It speaks to customers in a language they can understand
• It incites visitors to take some action so they become customers
• It focuses on benefits for the customer rather than features of the product
• Good website copywriting always maintains the company brand and image and adheres to the company mission and philosophy

There are plenty of other factors too, like search engine optimization (SEO) keywords, which draws visitors to a site organically through search engines. When keywords become part of the equation, website copywriting becomes SEO copywriting, and that requires even more skills, because specific words and phrases have to worked into the text and formatted accordingly.

Finally, truly excellent website copywriting always looks good on the screen. It’s aesthetically pleasing. This is particularly significant on a home page because it’s more than likely that’s the first page a visitor will see, and we all know how crucial first impressions are.

A website copywriter has a job that combines the skills of writing, marketing, and design with an understanding of how people use the internet and respond to web content. Anyone can write a home page, that’s the truth. But writing a killer home page, that just might require a specialist.

Scribizzy offers a full suite of website copywriting services, and you can even get a quote online!

Interestingly, our rates were pretty much the same.

The whole conversation got me thinking: Do you really want your entire business represented by something that took all of twenty minutes to write? That’s not a whole lot of time to invest in a home page, which is basically your core marketing tool.

My colleague wanted to know how I could possibly spend three hours or more writing a single page of website copy.  So I told him, and now I’m going to tell you.

What is Website Copywriting?

Website copywriting is nothing like writing articles for online distribution, blog posts, or press releases. Most other types of web writing require a basic understanding of a single topic, and many of these topics are quick and easy to research. From a writing perspective, such material merely involves imparting information in a straightforward way.

Website copywriting, on the other hand, requires a fairly diverse skill set and a considerable investment of time for gaining facts and knowledge that need to be communicated in the copy. It has to speak to a well-defined audience in a language that audience can understand.

And it has to sell.

After all, when visitors arrive at your website, they need to know immediately what you can do for them. How are you going to make their lives better? Are your products and services what they need, and if so, how do they go about obtaining them?

The Knowledge

Before writing a single word, a good website copywriter will get started by establishing a clear and thorough understanding of a client’s business. It’s not enough to know what the client is selling. You have to know how long they’ve been selling, how much they sell for, all the varieties of products and services that they offer, and most importantly, you have to know who their target customers are.

I start out with a simple questionnaire that covers business basics. Here are just a few of the questions I ask:

• What do you sell?
• How do your products or services help people?
• Why should customers buy from you?

Once I understand what the business is offering, I need to get a grasp on the company’s brand. Some businesses project a cutting edge image while others like to stay traditional. One website wants to be sophisticated, another wants to be down home. Understanding the tone that a website needs to set is one the most basic elements of good website copywriting and is crucial for making sure that the copy supports and promotes the company brand and image.

But the most important and often overlooked element of website copy is the customer.

One of the biggest mistakes I see in website copy is a home page that lists all the details about a business without ever communicating how it will benefit a client or customer. I’m thinking in particular of sites that offer technology services, which often talk about different types of code, hardware brands, and software solutions, but never quite explain how all of this is relevant to the buying public. I’ve even seen sites for businesses that create websites, but a person without any IT or development knowledge would never know that these businesses create websites because they’re so overladen with tech jargon.

That’s why a good website copywriter sits down and takes a long, hard look at a business before typing a single word. A big part of this job is acting as an interpreter. The website owner tells me what he’s offering, and I translate it so his target customers will understand and think “That’s just what I need!”

The Skills

Writing is comprised of a huge set of skills. You have to know the rules of grammar, spelling, and punctuation (and know when those rules should be broken). You need the ability to craft a compelling sentence in a voice that resonates with readers. You have to know your readers and speak to them in their own language. And you have to be able to hook people, to keep them turning pages to read more.

Copywriting is a very specific type of writing. It’s designed to sell. Copywriting identifies not a reader, but a customer. It can be as straightforward as listing the benefits of a product or it can get creative, telling stories and playing on emotions in order to intrigue people into buying.

Even more specialized is website copywriting. To do this type of writing, one must possess all the skills of writing and copywriting, plus understand how people use the internet, how they read web pages, and what compels the average website visitor to scroll, click, and buy. You must know the business about which you’re writing and you absolutely have to be able to play the role of that business’s customer.

The Website Copywriting Process

I keep a questionnaire template on file and customize it for each client. Usually, the basic questions I’ve developed will suffice, but sometimes I need to gather extra details, especially when dealing with a type of business that I’m not familiar with. It’s my job to learn my clients’ businesses, so I keep asking questions until I feel like I’m a member of their team.

Once I have the information I need, I start picking through it, pulling out the bits and pieces that are most essential to the page of copy that I’m writing. This differs from the home page to the about page, so I’m always focused on the objective of the page I’m writing. Is its purpose to captivate visitors on their first visit? Does it need to communicate the company’s mission and philosophy? Should it highlight the products or services, or should it describe a particular product or service in detail?

This is a great way to build an outline. Eventually, my notes get molded into a comprehensive list containing the core details that need to be addressed on the page. This might include SEO and keywords or language that I need to use to convey the right tone. It may also include link placement and making sure that the text guides the visitor to take some action – usually filling out a form or making some type of purchase.

Next, I go through this list and start fleshing it out, filling in words, crafting sentences, and forming paragraphs until I have a nice, sturdy first draft.

After the first draft is complete, the revision process begins. This, for me, is an exciting step because it’s when I start to see what the final copy will look like. It involves checking for grammar, spelling, and punctuation to ensure the text is mechanically correct. I also have to make sure that the copy looks good because website presentation is highly visual, so the copy has to present in an aesthetically pleasing way.

At last the revisions are complete. To finalize the copy, I read it aloud, slowly, several times so I can absorb the tone and readability. Each time I proof it, I make minor changes and corrections until it’s completely polished and ready for publication.

That’s Why It’s Not a Twenty-Minute Job

As it turns out, my friend who writes a page of website copy in twenty minutes was timing his writing, and only his writing. Once I started talking about the research, outlining, and polishing, he nodded along enthusiastically and said that he does all that stuff too, but the actual writing only takes twenty minutes.

Here’s where writers start to debate. Is the research included in the writing process? I say so, since it’s an integral part of getting the job done. If you do all your your prep work, take notes, and spend enough time sitting there thinking about what you want to write, you could probably type out the copy in ten minutes or less.

But website copywriting is not the same as typing. It involves asking questions, conducting research, developing a plan of action, and then executing that plan. It has to be topped off with revisions, editing, proofreading, and polishing.

With every project, you go in with a blank page and come out with carefully crafted copy that compels website visitors. That takes a lot more than twenty minutes.

At least it should.

Need compelling copy for your site? Learn more about about Scribizzy’s website copywriting services.

You only have a few seconds to make a good impression. Website visitors want information and they want it fast. The text on your site has to describe your offer, explain how it benefits people, establish why you’re the best provider, and persuade visitors to take action – order products, purchase services, fill out a form, or subscribe to your newsletter.

Plus, it has to look good. Website copy is not just about written content. It’s also about presentation. Visitors should be able to scan a page and quickly find the details they want.

Scribizzy specializes in writing for the web, and our goal is to help you convert visitors into customers. We offer a range of website copywriting services:

• Home page
• Static pages (About, Products and Services, Contact, etc.)
• Confirmation pages and forms
• Sales pages
• Blurbs, Taglines, and Slogans

We can also help you with content development, and we offer SEO copywriting to help your site draw more traffic through search engines.

Want to learn more? Visit our Website Copywriting page or get a quote online.

You Say You Want Web Content Writing

When you’re doing business online, it’s essential that your written content is fresh, compelling, and written specifically for your target audience. Good website copywriting can make or break a website. It can turn a casual visitor into a loyal customer or convince a shopper to buy.

Hiring a professional to do your website copywriting is a pretty good idea but what if copywriting is not the service you really need?

Tell Me What You Really Want

I get requests from clients all the time for website copywriting projects that aren’t copywriting projects at all. Here are a few examples:

• How much will it cost for you to rewrite my home page? I need to get more traffic to my site.
• I’d like to get a press release published on several major media sites. How much will that cost?
• People who visit my site aren’t buying my product. Can you review my site and give me a quote to rewrite all of it?

Before you hire a website copywriter, you need to do one simple thing: identify your primary objective.

Now, Let’s Figure Out What You Need

In the examples above, written content was not necessarily part of the business owners’ true goal. Let’s take a closer look at each request.

How much will it cost for you to rewrite my home page? I need to get more traffic to my site.

You don’t want a new home page; you want more traffic. A freshly written home page might help you get more traffic, but this request has more to do with online marketing and search engine optimization than it does with website copywriting.

To draw traffic, you usually need to do one of three things. First you can pay for advertising or use search engine marketing (SEM). Second, you can find ways to get links to your site from other sites. Finally, you can optimize your site so it draws people who are looking for your product or service using search engines. This is called search engine optimization (SEO).

Note that search engine marketing (SEM) and search engine optimization (SEO) are two different things.

SEO in particular is closely linked to website copywriting because the copywriter must use keywords in the composition of the text. However, SEO is its own field of study, and I’ll talk more about what SEO is and how it can help you get more traffic in an upcoming post.

I’d like to get a press release published on several major media sites. How much will that cost?

Every time I get this request, my first question is always, “What’s the news?” And the answer is almost always “We want to tell people about our site.”

A press release is a news item and is usually a time-sensitive announcement. If your website sells eyewear, then a press release probably isn’t right for you unless your sunglasses allow people to travel through time or your spectacles give a wearer the ability to fly. That’s news!

You can create news, of course, and then a press release will be entirely appropriate. Running a major promotion or special could be newsworthy. A new product or website launch may also be newsworthy.

Interestingly, this request isn’t really for a press release. Like the first request, what this client actually wants is more traffic. There are a lots of ways to get traffic and a press release is only one of them.

People who visit my site aren’t buying my product. Can you review my site and give me a quote to rewrite all of it?

The real question being asked is this: why aren’t people buying my product?

It may have nothing to do with the written content and everything to do with the type of traffic the site is attracting. Or, maybe it’s not so much that people aren’t buying – they just haven’t found the site at all.

What you want to know is:

• How many visitors are coming to the site?
• Who is visiting the site? Where are they coming from?
• Why aren’t they responding to the call to action?

When people aren’t buying your product or hiring you, the first thing you ned to do is check your traffic statistics to see how many people have stopped by. Your stats should tell you how long they stay on your site and which pages they read during their stay.

Next, you want to know the source of the visitors. Are they coming in through links? Social media? Search engines? Maybe the traffic you’re getting isn’t your target customer base.

For example, let’s say you’re a florist named Kate Tomlin and you grow your own lilies, so that’s the flower you feature most on your site. Due to the combination of the words “lily” and “Tomlin,” you often get search traffic for “Lily Tomlin.” In fact, you get a lot of it.

Rewriting your home page is not going to make these visitors buy your lilies because they’re not looking for flowers, they’re looking for the actress Lily Tomlin.

When Website Copywriting is Appropriate

A really good website copywriter should be able to tell you if you’re ready for copywriting services and many web content writers provide SEO copywriting and a host of services that are designed to help you get more traffic or increase sales.

At least, that’s what I do.

photo credit: Dave Malkoff

This post was originally published on Writing Forward (May 5, 2008). It has been slightly updated for republication here.

Freelance writers live in their own special universe. It’s a universe full of words, clients, and bottom lines. Many people dive into this universe headfirst and find out fast that it’s sink or swim. Doesn’t it sound tempting? Setting your own hours, having control over your income, making business decisions, trying to find clients, and establishing yourself as a worthwhile contender in the galactic enterprise that is your one-person business.

Make no mistake, freelancing is a business. Visions of lounging on the sands of your own private island quickly evaporate into late nights spent staring groggy-eyed into a computer screen that has become the center of your world. But there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and the light is success. Before you reach the light, before you even step into the tunnel, you have to ask yourself, are you cut out for freelance writing?

Skill

Some people will argue and claim that skill is not really a requirement for freelancers. Have a look around the web. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are fairly optional here. Proofreading is unheard of, and most web writers seem to have never discovered the editing process. That’s fine. They can peddle $1 articles at the bidding boards. If you have serious writing skills, you can actually earn a livable wage as a freelance writer.

Drive

You’ll need someone who can pilot your space shuttle into the freelance universe and guess what? If you’re freelancing, it’s going to have to be you. This is a business, not a hobby, and it requires a considerable amount of ambition. You’ve got to want it. Bad. You won’t have a boss or any coworkers asking how that project’s coming along but you will have endless distractions and temptations vying for your attention. If you can’t commit your energies, then your ship’s going to crash.

Sacrifice

I bet some people slip into freelancing and never notice a change in their work hours. Don’t ask me where these people are. I’ve never met them. You can call yourself a freelancer until the sun spins out of its orbit, but what you really are is an entrepreneur and you know what entrepreneurs do? They work hard, long hours. They give up social activities and hobbies so they can throw their energies into the business and make it succeed. Is the sacrifice forever? I don’t think so, but expect to have very little free time during your first year or two.

Educability

Perfect! I thought I was making up the word “educability” but it turns out that it already exists. And that’s my point. You have to be willing to learn. You have to be willing to grow. I’m now in my second year of freelancing. I love it and one of the things I love most is that every single day I learn new things. I learn new stuff about writing, about people, about business, and about the universe. I learn what works, what earns money, and what kind of limits or goals I need to get myself to the next level. Much of freelancing is trial and error, especially in the beginning. Learn and live. Live and learn.

Flexibility

Some freelancers still probably operate in the real world but most of us are living and working on the Internet. The Internet changes at a rapid pace and if you’re a web-based freelancer, you have to be able to keep up. Sometimes this means adjusting your rates. Other times it means offering new services. Usually, it means updating your website so it doesn’t look like an antique UFO from the 1990s. If you like a fast pace and think you can keep up, then freelancing online might be right for you.

Acumen

Not just any acumen, you’re going to need business acumen. Can you balance a checkbook, manage a spreadsheet, keep track of your income and expenses? Do you know what marketing is? Can you negotiate? Pitch yourself? Convince a client they need your services? Do you know the difference between being in the red and being in the black? Can you always have a backup plan? Sure, you can start freelancing and learn the business stuff as you go, but it’s good to have an advance grasp on the basics.

Spine

People will try to take advantage of you, so you’re going to need a spine and some thick skin. Aliens will ask for special discounts. People who make five times as much money as you will ask for special discounts. Space invaders will steal hours and hours of your time going back and forth ironing out project details and then they’ll never sign the quote because they found someone else who offered a better discount. Negotiating a little is fine but if you agree to give everyone from ET to R2-D2 a discount you’ll find yourself working for pennies and then you’ll scratch your head wondering why you don’t have enough money to pay rent even though you had plenty of work all month. Can you say no?

Love

Okay, so some freelance writers probably don’t love freelancing. Or writing. But I do. People ask me how my business is going and I tell them I’m exhausted and overwhelmed. I’m working longer hours than ever before and until recently I was making much less money than ever before. But I absolutely love it. This is a big, wide open universe and it suits me perfectly. If you don’t love business, or writing, or working on a computer all day, then you probably won’t be happy doing this. And that is really the goal, right? To find happiness.

What are some other qualities that a successful freelancer needs? Have you thought about quitting your job and taking the plunge? What’s holding you back?