This week I’m taking time to reflect on 2022 and all the blessings this year has brought to my business and to my family. And near the top of my list is you, my friend.
Yes, you!
I’m grateful for you and your continued support of what we’re doing here at High-Income Business Writing. For being a loyal reader of my newsletter. For taking my podcast with you on walks, workouts and road trips.
For all your feedback and encouragement. For your great suggestions and success stories. For telling your friends and colleagues of our show and newsletter. And for allowing me into your email inbox. I know that’s a very valuable piece of real estate. So, I’m honored to have the opportunity to share ideas and encouragement with you every week.
Given the number of topics we’ve covered, you’ve likely missed a few podcast episodes or articles along the way.
So, my team and I have compiled a list of our top content from 2022 — the most listened to episodes and most read articles — and we’re sharing them here in case you want to catch up (or review) the highlights of the past year.
Enjoy!
Top 5 Podcast Episodes of 2022
#278: How ‘Original Research’ Projects Create a Wellspring of Profitable Writing Assignments
Not only do original research projects bring a handsome fee, but they also create a wellspring of new writing assignments that can keep you busy for months.
In this episode, Michele Linn talks about how she got into original research, what the work entails, how she finds and lands clients, and how much these projects command in fees.
Best of all, she explains how one original research project can quickly turn into many individual writing assignments that will keep you very busy for a good while.
#283: It’s Time to Get Comfortable Feeling Uncomfortable
It takes courage to prospect for clients, risk rejection and get the ball rolling.
Unfortunately, too many people today are turning their backs on courage and risk-taking and turning to conformity and perfectionism instead. That’s a recipe for a struggling business and a boring life.
In this episode, I share my thoughts on courage, fear, risk, and perfectionism — and encourage everyone to get comfortable being uncomfortable.
When Chrissie Zavicar explained the potential of LinkedIn newsletters for writers, consultants, and independent professionals, I saw the light and got really excited!
In this conversation Chrissie details the different ways you can use this and other new LinkedIn features … and why now is the time to give them a try.
#282: Are You Lowering Your Fee to Get in The Door?
Have you ever priced your work low to get in the door with a new client? Maybe you were hoping that once the client sees the quality of your writing and how great you are to work with, you could charge higher fees for future work.
In this episode I explain why this strategy never works, why it only opens the door to a whole new host of problems, and how you can better approach these price-sensitive clients and prospects.
#292: Recurring Revenue — How to Start Earning Steady Paychecks Without Going Back to a Day Job
Most of us love the freedom that comes from working for ourselves. But we also want the predictability of income that a regular, full-time job can give us.
Well, you can’t entirely eliminate variability in your income, but you can reduce it. When you do, you’ll make smarter decisions, which will help you create a truly sustainable business.
In this episode, I walk through five different ways to create recurring revenue, and I reveal what you need to do today to start earning more of it.
Top 5 Articles of 2022
Hiring a Junior Writer to Work for You
When you’re consistently at full capacity, it can make sense to hire a junior writer to free up some of your time.
This solution is the most common path writers consider when they get crazy-busy. It’s also one of the most difficult ones to pursue. But when done right, it can pay off in a big way.
Over the years, I’ve hired writers to work on a wide variety of projects. I’ve also worked with many of my coaching clients to expand their teams with junior writers. And in this article, I distill what I’ve learned about taking this approach to scaling your business.
The Power of Bundling Your Services
When a client needs multiple deliverables, it usually makes sense to bundle those services.
But there’s a right and wrong way to bundle. The right way will make it easier for the client to say yes. It will also make the project more profitable for you. The wrong way will only call more attention to your pricing and lead to cherry-picking and other annoying requests.
This article will show you how to bundle your services more effectively.
How to Stop Complex Projects from Going Off the Rails
Complex projects such as white papers, eBooks, original research reports, web copy, and messaging frameworks often involve multiple reviewers and decision-makers.
These projects can involve a lot of people with a lot of things to say. Their feedback can be confusing and contradictory. And it doesn’t take long for the whole thing to go off the rails.
This article explains how to deal with these messy situations when they happen … and how to even keep them from happening in the first place.
How to Handle Difficult Conversations with Clients
Growing a successful solo business requires more than writing or marketing expertise. You also need to be great to work with. And a big part of being great to work with is knowing how to have difficult conversations with clients.
If the conversation is important — and could easily go off the rails — you have to prepare for it. This isn’t something you want to make up as you go along.
In this article I share two powerful strategies for leading difficult conversations with clients more easily and with less stress.
How to Be Happier in Business and in Life
Happiness can often feel elusive. That’s partly because most of us have misconceptions about what happiness is and isn’t.
One of the most thoughtful commentaries I’ve heard on the subject is on the podcast “Naval” by Naval Ravikant. Naval was born into poverty in India before emigrating to the U.S. to become an incredibly successful Silicon Valley investor. So he draws from his own experience in a very genuine way.
In this article, I reflect on some of the lessons about happiness that we can draw from Naval’s experience — and how we can use those lessons to bring more happiness into our personal and business lives.
Here’s to a Great and Successful New Year!
Thank you once again for all your support this year. And stayed tuned for 2023, where we’ll strive to provide you with more of the answers, inspiration, and guidance you need to get closer to your goals.
I wish you a healthy, fun, and prosperous 2023!
By the way… whenever you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help you grow your freelance business:
1. Grab a free copy of my book.
It’s called Earn More in Less Time: The Proven Mindset, Strategies and Actions to Prosper as a Freelance Writer. The title says it all. 😉 — Click Here
2. Join my implementation program and be a case study.
I’m putting together a new implementation group this month. If you’re earning $5k+/month (or the part-time equivalent) from your freelance business … and you’d like to grow your income quickly with better clients … just email me at [email protected]
3. Work with me privately.
If you’re a 6-figure writer who’s trying to earn more in less time, with less stress, I might be able to help you get there faster than you think. Just email me at [email protected] and put “Breakthrough” in the subject line, and I’ll get back to you with more details.
