An Interesting read

Came across this interesting article targetted towards freelancers and as to how to charge/ justify your charges to clients. I already abide by almost all of them but yes, it was a refresher to read it all again and remind myself that what I have as a talent of creative writing is something I should be proud of and cherish. I feel like attaching this blog post to all the clients who like "re negotiating" the price front.

Be proud of what you do and always work towards bettering it, that is the way forward!

Enjoy this interesting blog post.

Keep scribbling! :)

Ohh yes, the client too replied back... will be reviewing the documents on partnerex.com shortly. Has now asked me to work on a sumary for the business enabeler for www.partnerex.com. Lots of work here people!!

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ok, we move on...

I hear back from the client. Changes suggested. Will work on them sir!!

I prefer to write articles which have topics like features/ advantages/ benefits etc. in bullets. This not only makes reading easy but also aids in navigation throughout the article. The other benefit of incorporating points and bullets in a write up is that you can now highlight keywords and phrases and this way you will be able to convey your point more easily and efficiently.

Will work on the suggestions conveyed to me and then will post the final write up here.

In the meanwhile talks have been initiated with another prospective client for a writeup for his website. He wanted a sample article along with my quote which has been duly sent by me. The status quo see's us as always stuck on the quote! :)

Well I have tried my best to justify myself for that price as well as for an initial advance payment so let us see how long does it take( that is if we do) for us to move to the next stage of discussions. I demand an advance because I do not wish to be played smart once again.. ohh ok.. it looks like I now have another topic to write about wherein one of the client acted smart... In this profession of mine, people of different mindframes do I meet! :) I am louuuvinng it!

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Draft for 2nd weblink- PartnerEx

Sent the second draft towards www.PartnerEx.com

This one was for their product benefit web page. the client wished to include the benefits of the product here along with the expected clientele for this product.
I think I can still work towards making the demarcation between these two aspects more clear in the write up. Lets see what the client has to say.
The Write up that I sent....

PartnerEx wishes to redefine the ease and convenience associated with conventional team management tools by bringing in incredible customization options and allowing you more room space to play around in.
PartnerEx is a secure and easy management application which is completely apt for both internal and external teams who wish to indulge in information sharing and collaboration. Clients using PartnerEx can be incredibly benefitted towards their need to improve customer satisfaction and to bring about product improvement features.
Dynamic, user friendly, free of maintenance and incredibly customizable. Welcome to PartnerEx.

Product Features:

Ready to use – Immediate setup, NO installation, NO maintenance

Easy to configure, Easy to use

Easy to Manage Multiple Offices, Multiple Clients, Multiple Projects, and Multiple Teams

Customizable Dashboard and Reports

Document Sharing and Management

Incorporate Embed Dynamic Feedback on your website

Electronic Approvals and Sign Offs for regulatory compliance

Issue/Task assignment and tracking


Virtual Team management and a LOT More!
PartnerEx makes your business work your way. Whatever be your business need, PartnerEx has a solution. The right, befitting solution completely molded to suit YOUR need!

Independent Consultants and Consulting Firms – Consultants can make use of the incredibly customizable features of PartnerEx to manage their clients, projects, billing hours and track their assignments. Partner Ex can further aid them in effective help desk support, overseas manufacturing and fulfillment, joint ventures and any other business issues that might involve teamwork.

Individuals- Track your personal needs including your bills, your taxes as well as your shopped items. Customize PartnerEx to be your personal office and allow it to track your personal needs efficiently the way you want it to be.

Small and Mid-size business - PartnerEx can be conveniently used to take care of your business needs wherein it can aid you take care of your team collaboration needs, Project/task tracking as well as effective feedback management. The complete one stop team management solution is what PartnerEx can provide to your business need.

Will be back with the feedback and my further work..

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Are you ready to freelance? Good read....

Came across this interesting article on the twitter... It does address the web designers but then any one wanting to freelance anywhere can make it apply to their field too.. though basic, these tips do go about making a big difference.. When freelancing it is all about spreading the word around!

The Article is : Are you ready to freelance? http://tr.im/pzYe

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Feedbacks and rounds of edits

Heard from the client regarding the draft that i mailed him he said "this draft looks good.
can you also add a paragraph to each feature you see in the product."

Will work on the changes now and send the same to the client. Quick feedback from the client surely helps maintain the crescendo of work! Will post the final approved version of the draft here on the blog.

Am loving the challenge to work on this project as this area of writing in IT is completely new to me. A good client too plays a very important role in a project as he has the capacity to introduce in the workspace a sense of comfort and freedom. Glad to be associated with this project for PartnerEx.com!

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The Project is ON!

Client: www.PartnerEx.com

I started working on PartnerEx.com today evening and have sent the client the first draft for the Product description page. From the brief that I had from the client it was clear that PartnerEx wishes to emphasise on its customer friendly features; on its virtual workspace strengths; its user friendliness and its aim to cater to all kinds of business needs.The draft that I submitted to the client after going through the creative brief, the branding brief as well as the company brochure is pasted below:

PartnerEx, your customization friendly virtual Teamwork Management tool is designed to make the entire process of team management not only simpler but also in sync to your business needs. With PartnerEx, users can now easilycollaborate with each other on project information, track project data and communications, and enable a set of files to be shared between members of a group along with project management and feedback management tools . By using PartnerEx, team members have access to a shared workspace to collaborate, manage and synchronize client and project data. PartnerEx supports‘virtual office’ which keeps members engaged and connected regardless of geographic location or time zone.

Our specialized tools help you manage your user base with multiple access levels, multiple teams and multiple project. We provide on-demand tracking and reporting tools that are SOX-compliant and audit compliant, and we provide archival of project documentation.

Striving towards simplifying the challenge of coordinating multiple clients, multiple teams and multiple projects, PartnerEx truly stands by its goal of “One or ton, get it done”!

PartnerEx showcases a bounty of useful features which can make PartnerEx your primary tool of choice for internal and external collaboration. What makes PartnerEx fit into your business need is its excellentcustomizable features which makes it easy and straightforward for you to use and incorporate PartnerEx into your business.

Using PartnerEx is easy!
PartnerEx is not only extremely suitable for all kind of business needs but is also very easy to use and customize. You have the option of making PartnerEx work the way YOU wish it to work! Here, you invite team members and set the role for each team member. You (and not us) define the role and the access rights that you wish based on your specific business needs. Roles can be updated dynamically and at real time whenever your needs change. Simplicity and functionality govern PartnerEx. You just need to use it in order to experience the full potential of PartnerEx. So join in and start exploring!

Will post the feedback that I receive from the client on the same and my subsequent changes towards acheieving the desired look.

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Welcome back work

With parents leaving back today got back to my work.. lots to think about! Will be starting work on a client website from tomorrow... the website is that for a project management tool. Need to get myself familiarized with the website first so that I can describe it out in complete clarity. The concept is exciting for sure! A website which allows you to keep track of all your projects virtually and provides you the chance to seek real time reviews and feed backs from the client! I hope I end up a little knowledgeable on IT once done with this project... A sure bonus for my line of work... :)

Will be posting my drafts here along with the comments that I receive from the client for the same.. Till then let us enjoy the Sunday! :)

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Lets roll some ink now!

The new project is ON!! Yayy.. I got a final go ahead from their end today and will be starting on it from Monday once my parents return.. Ohh that reminds me... My folks are here visiting us!! Their first after my marriage so that makes it all the more special :)

Ohh now back to work, This project is bringing with it a lot of "Firsts" for me;
1. The segment that I will be working on is something which I have never tread before.
2. For the first time I will be taking the money for the project in installments. The client is one of a start up and he wishes to pay me as and when he has enough Liquidity. Am I comfortable? Well frankly, no, but then I feel that one bad experience should not stop me from trusting others. And also no matter how this deal finishes at the end all that I need right now is enough of writing avenues to work upon. This is because only writing more and more will get me any closer to being the best at it! Yeah, high aspirations I have from myself! :)

The company has discussed is an IT company and is offering a project management tool.
The client's brief for me on this project is simple: Keep it simple yet convincing.

The website desired by them is supposed to contain 4 web pages:
Home Page; Product's / Services offered; Features/ targeted segments and; Contact Us.

Since I had already sent a draft for the Home page to the client initially as a sample run therefore I have the basic skeleton ready to work upon.

Jotting down of random ideas and going through the websites of their potential competitors will be used by me to get a complete understanding of this particular segment being desired to target by the client and the kind of exposure that I should target for the same.

Will be here again with a step by step discussion of each step towards working on this website as and when I progress.. Till then lets keep the creative juices flowing people!

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Anchooo!

Hi there.. I have been away from the computer for a couple of days now.. naahh it aint the laziness creeping in but its just that the flu germlins decided to dig in their tents in me and so i am playing a good host to them! Yeah its the flu.. so the tissues are out... the steamer is out and so is bland and tasteless food.. I guess it is my stomach's way of letting me know that i now need to mind my eating habits!

Anyways.. heard from the IT guys... the presentation looks to be out of the list and now it is just the website that they desire from me... they plan to send me a detailed work plan for the same.. fingers crossed!

I hope to fight these germlins over the weekend and will be back victorious hopefully by Monday with my brain over flowing with blog updates!! Till then it is happy scribbling... Anchoooooooooo

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Handwritten fonts

Came across this link which lists some amazing hand written font styles at cousin's facebook profile so though of pasting it here too... I too have down loaded some of them for my use on my website which by the way is still under progress owing to the whole amount of work I am handling. The daily lot from Henrik, the travel articles, submitting quotations, networking on LinkedIn, answering to client mails as well as personell mails and in between all this there is a house to manage!! Multi tasking at its highest point is what I am handling at this point of time! Hail women power!


PS: The IT client discussed in the last post has entered the " will get back to you soon" phase as of now.. lets see if the 'get back' stage happens and if does then how soon! ;)

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A New Project on the Anvil... Is It?

Talks are on with a new client I got in touch with on LinkedIn. They are a start up venture in IT. They already have some content up for their website but it really needs some major tweaking and refining in order to make it work. I believe that a well written website not only helps in putting forward a good impression to the reader but also aids it in its branding. A mock draft was desired by them from me in order to access my line of thoughts on their project. They got back to me with a positive feedback on the same and have desired me to provide them with my charges for my services as well as a detailed plan as to how I will work on their project. The client has also expressed their desire to seek my services to prepare a power point presentation for them. My cost estimate provided to them is inclusive of that too.

I am hopeful that things progress forward towards completion and does not end up as one of those projects which just could not happen because we could not agree on a price. I just despise the thought of haggling with clients when they want me ' re consider' the price quoted by me. I quote a price after thinking and taking into consideration all aspects which would be involved from my end when I would work on the project and when asked to re consider no new thought is going to pop up in my head prompting me to reduce the price! Why does it never happen that a client says that you need to re consider your price and quote something higher????

I always demand 50% of the total payment as initial payment as the industry where I work runs on trust which I am sorry to say has had a battering with certain clients who either did not cough up the entire amount due at the end or very conveniently decided to abort the project mid way! Well it was my hard work in both cases which had to suffer a bruised ego.. It taught me lessons.. lessons that put your interest always first.

I consider it fair... I do your work as and when you want, you take care of my conditions as and when I want.. After all this industry is symbiotic and needs both the parties.. It just depends as to who acts as a host and who as the parasite!

PS: I will update here as and when I hear from the client regarding any developments on this project front.. the price front that is...I hope it is not again a case of unfinished business :)

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Who's vision is it anyway?

When I started writing a couple of years back it did not take me long to realize that when you take up an assignment to write for a client, you are his channel, his medium to aid him put his vision into words. I understood that the work assigned to me involved me to think from my client's point of view and rather not plonk on my vision! My work is to use MY talent to put the CLIENT'S thoughts in the best presentable form that I can manage to.


Over a period of time I have discovered that this task involves me to take care of several parameters so that I can hit the nail right on the head.

1. When ever I get a project I request the client to send me a creative brief which is nothing more but a brief snapshot of his ideas regarding that particular project.
2. Once I have the brief with me I follow it up with thorough research on the product including its features, its properties and the special points that need any emphasis on.
3. This is then followed by identifying the market segment to which the product is focused towards. This market segment could pertain to either a class of individuals or even towards a geographical segment.
4. It could also be a good idea to check out the websites of the competitors that your client's product may be having.
   
5. When done with my research the next step would be to arrange the info in acordance to he creative brief that I had discussed with the client.
   
6. Lastly, the next step that I would suggest and something which I do is to have an in depth discussion with the client and discuss with him your research and your vision and then try and get into sync with what the client has to say on the same.

Once you are done with all this the paper(or rather let us say the word document ;) ) is your battlefield and the words your weapons!! :)

Believe me, when you sit down to write with a clear vision in your head the task of writing will be a complete pleasure!!

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Understand Search Engine Optimization(SEO)

It is very much possible that almost all of us who are in the process of content writing have very often been confronted by the term SEO. So what exactly is SEO? I seriously believe that SEO is the ladder climbing on which your website can figure on search result pages of various search engines and reach the target audiences to whom you wish your work to reach. It is a process which will allow your web pages to crawl up fast and successfully on the search engines and thereby get maximum hits. Believe me, it is not at all a complicated process and is a conjunction of several rules which have to be kept in mind when you write the content for your website.

• The holy grail of SEO are the KEYWORDS! Yes, the keywords which can best justify the content in your work can help you make or break the visibility potential of your website. This calls for some very serious research to scout for all relevant SEO words. Google too has a very simple but surely reliable keyword search option which can help you narrow down the most effective keywords pertaining to your content.

• RELEVANT ORIGINAL CONTENT should not be neglected at all as this is what will make your content readable and make the readers come back again looking for more quality. As a good content writer it is the content that I would publish would stand as a testimony to my talent. Search engines also look at the genuineness of your content to check if you are a serious writer. Also, content which is simply copied and pasted from any other website will seldom make search engines favor your website.

• Building LINKS is also a reliable way to get many more readers to discover your content. With plenty of options available in the present times in the form of social networking websites, professional websites and other interaction platforms this task of linking has become very easy. i too have gone ahead and linked my blog as well as my website to my social networking sites as well as my professional web links too!
  

• Building META TAGS is also an option which is exploited by content writers in order to make their work feature higher on websites. Meta tags are description of your content written in its HTML code which is not visible on your website but is something which search engines like Google recognize and read and thereby enable your website to crawl up.
  

Surely it is your talent towards writing which will make it or break it for you but then if taken the aid of these simple SEO rules you are one step more closer towards improving the chances of your website being seen by a much larger audience.

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Start right now!

If you feel that you have it in you to pursue writing as a career or for that matter any other talent then the buzz word is START! Most of us hesitate to take the first plunge and wait for the right time. Believe you me the right time is NOW! It is just the first step which will be the most unsure. You have just got to believe in yourself and your talent. ohh yes and in networking! there is no better way to get hold of potential clients than by carrying out adequate networking. If you are just starting out then grab hold of all the articles and literary works that you have done so far just for yourself and make a portfolio for yourself. it need not be something artistic or flowery but something which define YOU. You have to identify your strong points and present the same in the portfolio or else the employer will be left confused as to what your strong points are all about.

The internet is full of networking sites which will come to your aid. There is no better and a faster mean of communication than that done by word of mouth! No wonder women are considered to be quick in networking! ;)

Once your profile is made start finding people of your interest and your field and add them to your network. Respect towards the other's profession is of utter importance. A small thank you note when accepted into someone's network can do wonders to your image.

It is seriously not that difficult to start a career in content writing on your own. All you need is to get uo and START NOW! Retweet

Tips for a good write up

There are many of us who think that they have the flair of writing good stuff but are confused as to how to refine and better this talent. Believe you me this is a very easy task and all that you need is to keep in mind are a few things which I have discovered working as a creative writer:

1. Write from your heart! the more you think about the content the more superficial it gets!
2. Simple writing with short sentences score much higher than a piece full of complicated words. After all your motive is to grab the attention of the readers and not to leave them searching for dictionaries.
3. The most important point that I follow blindly is to maintain a flow in your writing. the thought process should ideally follow one after the other. this makes the write up engaging and something which your reader will easily understand.
4. It is very important to understand what the client desires. you have to always remember that when working on a project it is the creative vision of your client that you are putting in words. As a content writer it is your job to understand the brief of the client and then polish it with your creativity.
5. MIND YOUR GRAMMAR!
6. Many of us keep on thinking and getting ideas while they write while others need to think about the skeleton of the topic and then proceed. The best idea for you in the latter scenario would be to jot down a few points on the topic and then start elaborating on them as you write.

There may be several other thoughts that you may be following to come up with that incredible piece of write up. Would love to hear about them from all you guys!

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