The Versatile Freelancer – Don Hauptman

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You may be able to turn your copywriting knowledge and experience into thousands of dollars in additional income — this year and every year!

In a new e-book, just published by AWAI, I show you how … step by step!

– Don Hauptman,

Copywriter, Critiquer, Consultant, Trainer, Speaker

Dear Reader,

Think about all the valuable knowledge and experience you possess.

Take it from me. Few people have that level of expertise or specialized skills. There’s a market and a demand for it.

All of this spells opportunity—for you. You can share what you know … and get paid for it!

How much? How about $2,000, $4,000, $7,500, $10,000? And not just once but repeatedly and consistently. I did it, and I’ll show you how to do it, too!

The opportunities are everywhere, and the potential benefits are huge. What’s more, the rewards go way beyond money, and include numerous other advantages I’ll tell you about below.

What, specifically, are the professional activities I’m talking about?

Critiquing. Consulting. Training the staffs of client companies. Speaking at industry events. And more.

All these activities are linked by a common theme: communicating what you know—and being well compensated for it.

Not sure you can do these things?

Well, consider what a friend once told me: “To be regarded as an expert, you don’t need to know everything about your subject. You only need to know more than your audience.”

By branching out into these lucrative and fun areas, you’ll reap enormous returns. In fact, it could be the single best career decision you’ll ever make!

This Information-Packed New e-Book Shows You How, Step by Step

My name is Don Hauptman. For more than 30 years, I was a full-time freelance direct-response copywriter. Throughout my career, I did all of these things, and I was paid well for them.

Now I’ve written an e-book, just published by AWAI, that shows you how to achieve the same success. It’s called …

THE VERSATILE FREELANCER:

How Writers and Other Creative Professionals

Can Generate More Income by Seizing New Opportunities in

Critiquing, Consulting, Training, and Presenting

 

The Versatile Freelancer is not a book of theory or guesswork. It’s practical, real-world guidance, based on what worked for me—and for many other equally successful freelance professionals.

I recently retired in order to pursue other interests and passions. As a result, I no longer have any “trade secrets” to protect. I’m free to reveal everything. And in this book, I do!

I share all my tips for critiquing, consulting, training, and speaking. I give you my planning documents and agreement letters and publicity tools. I explain what to charge for these jobs, how to prepare for them, how to conduct them, and how they can generate still more business and revenues for you in the future.

Most important, I tell you how to land these plum assignments! Where to find clients. What they want from you. How to get them to hire you for these jobs.

All with specifics and details …

Actions to take. Mistakes to avoid. Plus first-hand reports of my own experiences with client companies. And those of other freelancers who successfully made the leap into one or more of these exciting new career paths.

In The Versatile Freelancer, I hold nothing back. This book is complete, comprehensive, all you need to know. It’s packed cover to cover with sound advice and insider information that you’ll find nowhere else.

Let me say it again: Everything you need to know to capitalize on these great, well-paying opportunities is in this book.

Do you have any hesitations about speaking? Well, fear not! You don’t have to be an eloquent orator. I’m certainly not—yet I spoke, trained, and consulted successfully for 30+ years.

I did it all. I won’t suggest that you do anything I haven’t already done myself.

Whether you’ve spoken in public before or not, whatever your level of presentation skill or experience, you can make this transition. The Versatile Freelancer is filled with terrific tips and advice to help you become an effective presenter. (And by the way, some of these activities require only writing, phone calls, or informal meetings.)

In The Versatile Freelancer, you’ll also meet many other people who have achieved success in these fields … and who candidly share their stories and advice.

Copywriters. Graphic designers. Photographers. Travel writers. Book editors. Career counselors. Experts on management, leadership, salesmanship, customer service, and other topics. And more.

So here’s the bottom line …

I’ve done it. They’ve done it. You can, too! The potential rewards are gigantic. Let me tell you just a few of them …

The Multiple Advantages of Making the Move

By diversifying into some or all of these new professional activities, you can add thousands—or perhaps tens of thousands—of dollars to your income each year. That alone should be enough of an incentive to consider them!

But as I said above, the rewards you’ll realize go way beyond money. For instance …

• You can often do these things a lot faster and more easily than your primary work. Think about it. You might spend several weeks on a single assignment. But many critiquing and consulting jobs can be wrapped up within a day or two. You do it, get paid, and move on.
• You’re stimulated creatively. These activities are different, exciting, fun—and a re-energizing break. They help you avoid the writer’s block and stress and burnout that so often strike creative people. What’s more, you experience all kinds of synergies, contacts, and other benefits, often unexpected.
• You can travel everywhere—and get paid for it. These gigs can take you all over the U.S.—and even around the world, expenses paid, plus a fat fee. For such jobs, I traveled throughout America—and to Canada, England, France, and Germany. Feel free to tack on a few extra days for a vacation!
• You generate new assignments. Speaking at industry events is a form of self-promotion—one of the best, in fact. It gives you exposure, visibility, credibility. It positions you as an authority, enhances your reputation, brings you new business.
• Your risk is minimal—or even nonexistent. Branching out into these sidelines requires little if any investment of time or money, and involves almost no risks.

And there’s more! You win applause and adulation. You experience the satisfaction of helping others. And this kind of career diversification can even help “recession-proof” your business, as I’ll explain a bit later.

Opportunities Are Everywhere

At this point, you may be asking …

“Who would hire and pay me for critiques … or consultations … or training … or speaking?”

The answer: Just about everyone!

Many large companies have programs for training their staffs regularly. And owners of smaller companies and solo entrepreneurs know that they can benefit from a critique or a consultation.

As a copywriter, I found these opportunities all over the place. Many people eagerly seized the services I offered. Why? Well, one reason is that they couldn’t afford, or didn’t want to pay, the far higher fees I charged to write a direct-mail package.

And here’s still another opportunity: You can speak at industry meetings—including conventions, conferences, seminars, trade lunches, and more. Hundreds of these events take place every day. Speaking to industry groups enhances your reputation, boosts your visibility, and generates new business. Indeed, this is one major way I built my own career.

“But come on!” you may be scoffing. “Don’t these assignments come along only occasionally?”

Not at all! One client hired me to do critiques multiple times. Other companies invited me back repeatedly to deliver presentations for new staffers. I spoke at one important annual trade conference almost every year for decades.

In The Versatile Freelancer, you’ll find case studies of my experiences with actual clients. You’ll learn exactly what I did for them—and the results, in their own words.

Now let’s take a closer look at each of these professional activities—and how The Versatile Freelancer will help you seize the opportunities they offer …

Critiquing: An Easy (and Profitable) First Step

If you’re good at what you do, you can be a good critiquer. It’s really as simple as that!

After all, you know better than anyone what works in your field or specialty. You just need to communicate that information to your client.

For critiquing a single direct-mail package, I charged (and got) between $2,000 and $4,000.

But you don’t need to be a copywriter to do it. I’ll introduce you to a designer, a photographer, a book editor—all of whom regularly do critiques and are well paid for them. And critiquing opportunities for other freelancers abound.

What’s more, these assignments don’t take long. A big advantage is that you can probably do them a lot faster than your usual jobs.

Here’s a preview of the great advice you’ll find in this chapter of The Versatile Freelancer …

• How one pro discovered a great opportunity for paid critiquing … where she least expected to find it. Page 31.
• The quick “mother-in-law” test that can instantly tell you if the piece you’re evaluating is on the wrong track. Page 22.
• My 9 key points for critiquing. Page 20.
• “Wait a minute! Don’t people tend to react badly to negative comments about their work?” Not true! Find out why. Page 34.
• The ingenious critique marketing technique that one highly paid freelancer calls “a major cash-flow generator.” Page 33.

Plus: This fact-filled chapter tells you exactly how I did critiques, with actual examples from my client reports. A case study of a major critiquing assignment. My terms and conditions. (One clause of my agreement specifies full payment in advance—and I always got it!) How to set limits and protect yourself. And much more.

Consulting Can Be a Lucrative Sideline to Your Career

Can you expand your business into consulting? I’ll bet you can. Think about what you know … and the people who would be willing to pay you for it.

For consultations, I charged between $4,000 and $7,500.

Why did clients hire me as a consultant? Here’s what I often heard:

• “We want you to show us how to improve our marketing.”
• “Explain to me and my direct-mail guy how we can write packages ourselves that will pull better.”
• “Spend a day with us as a coach.”

Whatever your own specialty, don’t you have valuable advice to share—advice that people would eagerly pay you to learn?

If I could do it, you can, too! The Versatile Freelancer shows you how. Here’s just a sampling of what you’ll learn …

• You probably have more “consultant-worthy” knowledge than you think you do. Here’s why. Page 44.
• The two biggest “secret weapons” of every successful consultant. Page 44.
• A simple technique that made life easier—both for me and for my clients. Page 51.
• He quit his job, immediately became a consultant for his former employer, and got paid twice his previous salary—for one-fourth the work! Find out how he did it. Page 48.
• What if a client has problems and questions that are outside your experience and expertise? No problem. Here’s how I handled such situations. These solutions will work for you, too. Page 50.
• “Say, don’t people try to exploit and ‘pick the brains’ of consultants—without paying them?” The answer may surprise you. Page 51.
• How about the client who ignores your advice? Yes, it sometimes happens. Here’s how one successful consultant deals with the problem. Page 52.
• The surprising path one freelancer followed to become a consultant. And now she’s also a wildly successful speaker, author, columnist, and local celebrity! Page 40.

Plus fascinating and useful profiles of successful consultants, a case study of a consulting assignment of my own, my simple 4-step approach to consulting, the research and preparation methods I used, and much more.

Be a Well-Paid Trainer at Client Companies

In a way, it’s almost a “hidden” market. If you don’t know it exists, you can’t cash in on it.

Companies regularly invite outside experts to train their employees—and compensate them handsomely.

For an in-house training seminar, I charged between $5,000 and $10,000.

You might assume that only huge corporations hire people for this purpose. Not true! I’ve done in-house training for numerous companies, large and small alike.

Consider the plight of a typical client. The boss may not be able to hire an outsider for every project. The budget is just too tight. Or the job may need to be done quickly. So such tasks will often fall to an employee. That company’s problem equals your opportunity!

I was called in to teach staffers like these to be better copywriters and marketers. It’s likely that a similar demand exists for corporate training in your specialty, too.

Can The Versatile Freelancer help turn you into a highly paid trainer? I’ll do my best to make that happen. Here’s a preview of what you’ll discover in this chapter …

• The simple steps I took to ensure a smooth, successful, problem-free training presentation—every time. Page 58.
• The freelancer who received a lucrative corporate training assignment—teaching the most unlikely bunch of students he could have imagined! Page 68.
• Typical questions my “students” asked me. Page 66.
• You may think “everyone knows” the basics and fundamentals. But you’d probably be surprised to learn how much people don’t know—and will pay you to learn! Page 58.
• What it’s like to speak and train at a company overseas, with a different language and culture. Page 63.
• The qualifications and skills executives look for when they choose someone to train their staffs. Page 63.

Plus detailed accounts of my experiences as a trainer for client companies, how I handled each assignment, what these companies wanted, what I delivered, the results, and more.

Speaking at Industry Events Can Enhance Your Reputation and Build Your Business

Every industry regularly holds numerous meetings: conferences, conventions, seminars, workshops, breakfasts, lunches.

These events need speakers—lots of them. What’s more, sometimes the sponsor is desperate to fill an opening with a qualified presenter. Why not you?

Whenever I spoke at such gatherings, I received a warm reception, an attentive audience, and enthusiastic applause. It was flattering to be treated like a star. What’s more, these appearances often led to new business. I met people who became my clients for years and even decades.

How tough is it to become a speaker at such events? Not difficult at all. The Versatile Freelancer will tell you all you need to know …

• Why speaking is a great self-promotional, business-generating strategy—beating all the others hands down. Page 72.
• A great way to find your first speaking opportunities—a tip from a highly paid professional speaker. Page 78.
• To promote yourself in a talk, don’t promote yourself! Here’s why. Page 76.
• The single best speaking tip I ever learned. Page 80.
• How I discovered a surprising venue for a presentation to highly qualified prospective clients—proving that hidden opportunities lurk everywhere. Page 75.
• A terrific way to meet prospects, who are ideally suited to hire you, one-on-one at conferences. Page 87.
• The photographer whose 35-year career as a teacher and trainer began … in prison! But it’s not what you’re probably thinking! Page 93.
• To promote your own business, talk about the work of your competitors. Here’s why. Page 82.
• A somewhat daring approach I often used, why it works so well, and why you might want to try it, too. Page 84.
• This common error is frequently committed by newbie speakers. Don’t make the same mistake! Page 89.
• “Not everything I plan to say will be useful or relevant to every audience member. Isn’t this a problem?” Nope. Find out why. Page 81.
• Want to stage your own seminar, workshop, or other event? Don’t take the usual dangerous route! Here’s the cost-free, risk-free way to do it. A travel writer pulled off this coup with stunning success. Page 96.
• Does it make sense to speak for no payment? Yes, because it can make you money! It’s not a contradiction. Here’s the explanation. Page 72.
• A great “unknown” speaking opportunity. Page 98.
• How proven advertising principles can help you deliver a spectacularly effective presentation. Page 79.

Plus my own speaking adventures around the world, details on presentations I delivered successfully, what should—and should not—be in your talks, profiles of well-paid professional speakers who share their excellent advice, and more.

Be a Top-Notch Presenter—Whether or Not You Have Previous Speaking Experience

If you have any fear or hesitation about speaking, you’ll be well on your way to a permanent cure after reading this chapter!

This part of The Versatile Freelancer will turn you into a confident and successful presenter—whether you have public speaking experience, or none at all. And even if you’re already a top-notch pro, I’ll bet that this chapter will give you some useful new ideas.

You’ll discover tips for becoming an acclaimed and applauded speaker—one whose presentations attract new clients, who gets invited to speak again by the same organization, and to present at events sponsored by others.

Here’s a sampling of the advice that will show you how to “knock ’em dead” …

• A simple formula for creating an effective presentation. Page 103.
• 3 easy, painless ways to get started, even if you’re terrified of speaking. These “get your feet wet” solutions worked for me and for many of my friends and colleagues. Page 102.
• Why my own presentations were always well received—even though I have a lot of speaking faults! Page 105.
• How to use humor effectively, so you hear appreciative laughter instead of stunned silence. Why telling a joke is the worst thing you can do. The ideal method for finding and incorporating humor that works. My own experiences (successful and not!) using humor. Page 124.
• 6 simple words that helped me conquer my own stage fright. Plus techniques that work for others, from Broadway performers to first-timers. Page 107.
• A nifty technology for presenting visuals, but which few people use—or even know about. Just ask for it. Page 114.
• The Q&A: What to do if no hands shoot up. Two words you should never say to questioners! One of the most common—and wrong—ways to begin the Q&A period. How to handle a question you can’t answer. Page 119.
• My own “pre-talk checklist.” I’ve used it for years to avoid disasters. Now this indispensable tool is yours. Page 115.
• Why you should always have handouts to distribute. How they can benefit you. What constitutes a good handout—and a bad one. Examples of my own successful handouts. Why you should duplicate them yourself, even if the sponsor offers to do it. A devilishly ingenious handout strategy—that can pay off big! Page 126.
• Don’t let yourself be sabotaged by the person who introduces you. Skeptical? It happens more often than you might guess! Here’s how to get off to a flying start … by controlling your introduction. Page 118.
• How to handle audience troublemakers. It doesn’t happen often, but it pays to be prepared and know what to do. Page 120.
• Emergency Rescue: How to handle a technical problem, gaffe, or blooper. Page 122.
• What I always incorporated into my talks, and why it always worked so well. Page 106.
• One of the most important tips for speakers—but one that many don’t follow. It’s easy, so don’t overlook it! Page 112.

Plus how to dress, how to lose the “pause fillers” (er, um), how to avoid “hiding” behind the lectern, how to use visuals effectively without boring your audience, and more.

How to Get Paid What You Deserve

I haven’t forgotten compensation. That’s important!

In The Versatile Freelancer, you’ll find such crucial guidance as …

• What should you charge? Can you bill for expenses? My fees for all of these services. What other pros charge. Page 135.
• Why it’s often easier to estimate the time and costs for these projects than it is for your usual assignments. Page 135.
• If your consulting or training makes your clients independent and self-sufficient, do you risk losing business? No! Find out why. Page 68.
• Negotiation techniques. How to deal with price resistance. Should you ever “cave” and accept less than your full price? 4 strategies to handle the resistant prospect—and get what you’re worth. Page 140.
• Contracts and agreements. Do you need a formal document? If so, what should it say? To protect yourself, include these terms. Page 142.
• Should you ever accept work on a retainer basis? Page 139.

Do you understand what’s really happening when someone challenges your fee? The problem may be something else entirely. The Versatile Freelancer explains the psychology at work here.

You may be surprised to discover how often you can get the prospect to agree to your full fee … if you do it right. Indeed, many people I interviewed for this book told me that they began to succeed only when they raised their rates— sometimes doubling or tripling them! You can do it, too!

Valuable Tools You’ll Find Exclusively in

The Versatile Freelancer

The Versatile Freelancer contains numerous practical tools that you can put to work right away … to make your business expansion strategy fast, easy, and profitable!

You’ll find the professional documents Don created, tested, polished, and used throughout his career:

Critiquing checklist. Terms for a critique. Structure of a consulting report. Agenda for a company training seminar. Pre-presentation checklist. Sales piece for generating speaking engagements. Letter of agreement for consulting or training. Announcement for an industry presentation. And others.

Plus a Bonus Section with still more helpful tools:

• A handy worksheet to help you identify the best opportunities for each of the professional activities explained in this book.
• A questionnaire for obtaining the information you need from clients.
• A great planning tool for analyzing your career and business, then choosing the best marketing strategy and self-promotional techniques.
• An outline to help you create a successful presentation quickly and easily.

You’ll find all these great professional tools nowhere else!

If you decide to explore further, a Resources Directory leads you to recommended books, websites, organizations, people, and more.

… and Still More Great Ideas, Tips, Opportunities!

We’re not done yet. There’s much more in this remarkable book.

The Versatile Freelancer will show you …

• How to get all the gigs we’ve been discussing: Critiquing. Consulting. Delivering in-house training seminars. Speaking at industry events. And more. One of the most unlikely sources may be your best bet. Page 131.
• How to market your new services. Spectacularly effective self-promotion techniques. Why these approaches are far better than advertising your services or cold calling. It’s proven! Page 153.
• How to get strong testimonials for yourself as a speaker. Why you need them. What makes a powerful testimonial—and an anemic one. Why good testimonials can be so tough to obtain, and how to overcome the obstacles. Page 147.
• Do you need a brochure? Probably not. Consider these alternatives. Page 133.
• A simple but extraordinarily effective technique I employed to get bookings at industry events. Page 135.
• Generating publicity for your presentation. Don’t leave it all to the sponsor! Quick and easy ways to build an audience. Attending a company training session is mandatory for employees, so you don’t need to promote it, correct? Not true—and here’s why. Page 144.
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