Issue #4
March 8, 2006
IN THIS ISSUE:
  • Blogging for credibility, exposure… and bucks
  • Send us your questions, we'll send you answers
  • How to land more clients and spend fewer ad dollars
  • Are you good at persuading people?
  • Share your success stories, tips, and ideas
  • If you aren't using PDFs… you should be
PROFIT BOOSTER: Use a Blog to Boost Your Credibility, Exposure, and Bottom Line

Web logs (a.k.a. "blogs") started out as simple online personal journals. But these days, all sorts of folks are using them as a tool to increase their credibility and get information "out there" fast.

Even The New York Times makes use of blogs, which often include material and opinions not in their regular, published articles.

As a resume writer, a blog can help you increase your own credibility and exposure. Here's how:

Let's say somebody finds your website. But all you have on it is your name and contact info, a bio, maybe a testimonial or two. Well, that's not a lot to go on for somebody hunting around for the right resume writer to hire.

But let's say you also post weekly or monthly blog entries on your site - useful tips for somebody looking for a job. All of a sudden, you look more like a pro - like an expert who knows what he or she is talking about. And that credibility can help you land that new client.

Keep these simple rules in mind:

  1. Keep your writing clear and direct. Remember, your purpose is to use your blog entries to increase your credibility with customers.
  2. Make sure everything you write is of benefit to your clients (or potential clients).
  3. Include an interesting mix of current-events info along with your general advice and thoughts on job searches.

Savvy entrepreneurs and businesses are discovering that running a blog can help generate traffic to your site. All search engines (like Google) use programs that troll through websites and categorize the info. These search engines love content - especially with related keywords. The more frequently you update your Web pages, the more frequently search engines visit.

What's more, once you have this content created, you can then offer your blog entries elsewhere for free - to career and job-search sites, for example. At the bottom of your piece, you plug your blog. By doing so, you're increasing your credibility, giving yourself strong "outside" exposure," and positioning yourself as an expert.

And, at the some time, you're driving traffic to your site. Once somebody is there, of course, you sell them your services.

Here are a couple of blog resources to help you get started:

LET US ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS:

Please keep in touch – and allow us to help you succeed. Do you have a question about how to get your resume business started, how to grow your business, or how something "really works"? By all means – ask. In future issues we'll address your biggest concerns and lay out answers to help you succeed – fast. Contact us at: resumewritingsuccess@awaionline.com

HOW TO TURN EVERY SITUATION INTO A MARKETING OPPORTUNITY…
AND SPEND FEWER AD DOLLARS TO LAND MORE CLIENTS
By Julien Sharp

One of the attributes the most profitable resume writers share is that they are always working to generate new business.

Mind you, that's not the same as always paying to generate new business.

The most successful entrepreneurs in this industry are the ones who spend the least to land their clients. In other words, if you can land a steady stream of resume clients without paying anything to find them, then, naturally, each is worth more to you.

The secret? Think about every situation as a marketing opportunity.

I received a letter from a new resume writer recently… a man living in a large city in Texas. He had been working in a bank, but decided he'd had enough. He wanted to switch to being his own boss… as a resume writer.

He invested quite a bit of money in advertising - in the local paper, in his Yellow Pages… even in an Internet banner ad or two.

He was frustrated, he said, because while he got some response from the ads, he hadn't landed enough resumes to cover his outlay during those first three months.

I asked him what else he'd done during those three months, once he'd placed the ads. "Well," he said, "Once the ads were out there, I waited for the people to call, and then I wrote their resumes."

I then asked what he did when the phone was not ringing and when he was not writing resumes… did he do any networking for his business?

He replied, "I really don't have time for that. I run errands for my wife… I pick up my kids from school… I really need my time at the gym… I coach my son's soccer team, so I have practice and meetings for that… I'm a member of my local Kiwanis Club and I never miss a meeting. Anyway, I really can't fit networking into my schedule, so that's why I placed all of those ads."

What this new resume writer did not realize was that he had just listed at least five missed opportunities for networking:

  1. While running errands for his wife, he could have been distributing flyers at local businesses. He could tack his business card to the notice boards often found in grocery and drug stores. He could discuss what he did for a living while standing in line at the bank. You can see where I'm going with this.
  2. When picking his kids up from school, he could get there a little bit early to chat with other parents. Many stay-at-home mothers return to work when their children are in school all day, and they certainly need an updated resume as they begin their job searches.
  3. Most gyms and fitness centers have a "common" area where members can leave flyers or information. He could also spark up a conversation with the person on the treadmill next to him. You never know who might be looking to change jobs!
  4. Soccer practice and games - lots of parents, aunts, uncles, friends. In short, lots of sources for business.
  5. Kiwanis Club (or any service club)… is a great opportunity to gain business! These clubs are always looking for speakers on various subjects. Possible topics that he could offer as a speaker: "A look at the changing job market in our city" or "The best jobs for "over-60s." Once he has done a presentation or two, he will be seen as an "expert" in his field… and people refer to experts!

In contrast, a woman from California contacted me recently. She had just landed 20 resumes… a contract worth a few thousand dollars. And she hadn't spent a cent on advertising to do it.

How did she seal that deal? By sitting at the bar of a trendy Japanese restaurant… and keeping her ears open for opportunity. While waiting at the bar for her dinner companion, she sat next to a gentleman speaking on his cell phone. The bar was loud, but she did pick up the words "… my son just graduated from college." Her ears pricked up.

After the gentleman finished his call, she asked him about his son: Was he looking for a job? (He was.) Did he have a resume? (He assumed so, why?) She explained that she was a professional resume writer, and gave the man her card.

He asked her about her business, clientele, etc. He then handed her his card, and stated that he was the president of a legal recruiting firm… and they needed an expert to write resumes for lawyers and paralegals.

Soon after that, she received an order from his firm for 20 resumes.

She didn't "turn off" after hours. She was always tuned in, looking for potential opportunities - and she landed a huge account with absolutely NO advertising cost!

The bottom line: The less per-client you pay for advertising, the more per-client you keep in your pocket.

You don't have to be the most outgoing person on the planet to turn everyday exchanges into business-building opportunities. Remember, the service you're providing is a much-needed, much-appreciated, and genuinely respected one.

Don't be shy about telling people what you do. The more often - and regularly - you let people know you're out there, the more likely you'll be to land clients without paying a cent to find them.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Julien Sharp has been working with resumes for 20 years – writing, screening, and evaluating them. She's a member of the American Writers & Artists Inc. (AWAI) Board of Advisors and one of the creators of AWAI's Resume Program. For more information about this money-making blueprint or independence and financial freedom, click here: http://www.myresumebiz.com/rwss]

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SEND US YOUR GOOD NEWS, TIPS AND IDEAS

We love to hear about your successes. If you have good news to share – how you landed a new client, made the transition to full-time resume writer, or even a technique you've found works wonders, please tell us at: resumewritingsuccess@awaionline.com

FROM THE TECHNOLOGY DESK:
If You Aren't Already using PDFs, You Should Be

A PDF is a file saved in "Portable Document Format." You probably read them all the time using Adobe Acrobat Reader.

And, more than likely, you save your clients' resumes in that format so they have a version of their document that any potential employer can read. If you don't already provide your clients with PDFs, you should… starting now.

A PDF is important because you can never be sure that what you see on your screen is what your intended recipient is seeing on his or hers. You might be sending something from a PC to a Mac, for instance, and across platforms, formatting and graphics are often lost.

But when you send a PDF file, you can be sure that the recipient is getting a clean, printable file that looks exactly the way you intend it to.

Now, keep in mind that you cannot modify PDF files with the same free software that everybody uses to read them (the Adobe Acrobat Reader). So you will want to make all corrections in your word-processing software before you convert your final product to a PDF.

There are a number of ways to make that conversion. The most straightforward way is to purchase the full Acrobat software. You can learn more here: http://www.adobe.com/

But there are also various websites that will do the conversation for you for FREE. One that we use often – though by no means your only option - is: http://www.gohtm.com/

COMING NEXT ISSUE

In the next issue of Resume Writer Success Strategies, we'll tackle the tricky issue of pricing your products – a challenging issue for both neophyte and seasoned resume writers!

* ABOUT RESUME WRITER SUCCESS STRATEGIES *

Resume Writer Success Strategies is a FREE weekly newsletter from the American Writers & Artists Inc., available to AWAI members and friends.

© 2006 American Writers & Artists Inc.

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