Category Archives: Running the Biz

Ed Gandia

#238: Jude Charles on the Power of Video Storytelling

We work in a copycat economy. So it’s gotten harder and harder to differentiate yourself in the market. It seems like everyone can claim that they’re a great writer. They do excellent work. They deliver on time. …
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Ed Gandia

#237: Is Warm Email Prospecting Still Effective?

Every few weeks, someone will ask me whether warm email prospecting still works. Based on what I hear from freelancers all around the world, in dozens of different target markets, I can tell you this: Yes, warm …
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Ed Gandia

How to End Prospect Discovery Calls

A discovery call is your first conversation with a prospect. The call where you learn more about what they need. And the most important element of this call is how you wrap it up. Because the last …
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Ed Gandia

The Freedom Triad

If you’re good at what you do as a writer, copywriter or marketing consultant, you’ll eventually reach an income ceiling. People often top at around $12-15K a month when they stick to their existing model. Fortunately, you …
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Ed Gandia

#236: Adding Priceless Value to Your Clients

I recently watched the docuseries “Soundbreaking: Stories from the Cutting Edge of Recorded Music.” It was fascinating. And if you love music, I strongly recommend it. One of the many insights I walked away with was the value …
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Ed Gandia

#235: Selling with Your Wallet

A coaching client of mine recently quoted a brochure project for a client. This wasn’t your typical brochure. It was a specialized, story-based piece of marketing for a $25 million property. My coaching client proposed some new …
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Ed Gandia

How to Shift the Conversation from Fees to Value

For years, the first question prospects asked me was “What are your rates?” This opening question is a drag. It immediately shows that the client is more interested in your pricing than your expertise. And it puts …
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Ed Gandia

How to Get Steady Work from Clients by Helping Them Make Their Content Marketing Easier

A key ingredient in growing a successful writing business is to improve your income predictability. Which means working with clients that have a steady need for copy and content. And you can help make this happen …
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Ed Gandia

#234: How to Get More of What You Want in Your Business

Zig Ziglar was a popular salesperson and motivational speaker for many decades. He used to tell a powerful story about two railroad workers. And that little anecdote had a big impact on my attitude and work …
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Ed Gandia

#231: Try This Powerful Question When Pricing a Client Project

A few years ago, I shifted my thinking on how I price my work. And it’s had a huge impact on the growth of my business and income. For most of my writing career, I would ask …
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Ed Gandia

Staying Focused and Productive When the World Is in Turmoil.

It’s challenging to get work done with everything that’s going on in the world. Seems like every breaking news alert brings our work to a halt and puts us into an emotional rollercoaster. But no matter how …
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Ed Gandia

Placing Yourself in a Higher Value Category

Your overall happiness in your freelance business largely comes down to value. In particular, the value you provide to clients, how you present that value and how you think about that value. When you place yourself in …
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Ed Gandia

#230: Developing Your Own Personality Brand — Why It Matters and How to Get Started

We’ve all heard the expression “you are your biggest asset.” So why do so many of us feel reluctant to let our personality shine in business? Maybe it’s because we don’t know how. Or worse, we fear …
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Ed Gandia

The Success Triad

If you want to survive and thrive in this difficult economy, you need to change some elements of how you think and what you do. Specifically, you need to adjust your critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and …
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Ed Gandia

#228: A 12-Month Financial Action Plan Anyone Can Follow

We don’t talk enough about money in the U.S. But as self-employed professionals, few things are more important than mastering our personal and business finances. Because when we’re stressed about money, it puts undue pressure on our …
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