Email Marketing Is Critical to Your Resume Writing Business

Yesterday's blog post hit a nerve, it seems. A mailing list can be a valuable tool for your resume writing business. Whether you're creating an opt-in incentive to build your list to help convert prospects into clients, or using your mailing list to stay in touch with clients after you've worked with them, I believe a mailing list is instrumental, and you should start one now.

You can take AWeber for a free test drive using the form below. Put in your name and email address and it will show you how easy it is.

Email marketing made easy.

Want to get an email marketing campaign up and
running in minutes? AWeber can help.

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Create an Opt-In Incentive for Resume Prospects On Your Website in Under an Hour

Right now, I'm running a Challenge for Bronze members of BeAResumeWriter.com -- and one of the projects (As outlined in my Dead Week post) is to create an opt-in incentive for visitors to your website.

It's a great idea to collect the email addresses of resume prospects, because it allows you to develop a relationship with them -- and the best way to get their email address is to provide them with an opt-in incentive (an immediate gift they receive for providing their email address).

Here's my step-by-step for it:

1. Pick one of the PAMs to use.

2. Re-name it. (Here's a free tool-- click on the FREE WIZARDS tab -- to help inspire you!)

3. Order a cover on Fiverr.com (it's $5.50) (if you're new to Fiverr, your first Gig is free using my affiliate link: https://www.fiverr.com/s/6hjwbp). I use Vikiana for my cover designs, but there are others on there. She's currently working 5 days out, so you might pick one that delivers in 2-3 days if you want to get finished faster!

4. Edit and format the PAM content. Insert the cover design (flat image) on page 1. Create a title page with your contact information (you can copy the format in my Special Reports, or just open the nearest book and use that format). Change the font. Add footers. Add design elements, if you'd like. (I recommend graphics from Fotolia.)

5. Save as a PDF.

It takes me about 45 minutes to create one, start to finish (not including waiting time for the Fiverr cover ...)

Then, set up an email list contact form and autoresponder to deliver the report.
This is easy to do in Constant Contact or AWeber.

Thinking of Buying -- or Selling -- a Resume Writing Business?

A couple of times a year, I hear from a resume writer who is thinking about retiring or selling his or her business. I recently interviewed a resume writer who successfully sold her business (and I'm thinking about interviewing the buyer too!), but the topic came up for me yesterday when I got a call from a business broker who wondered if I was interested in selling my resume writing business.

I told her I wasn't (My husband and I have created a business that fits our lifestyle, and that we love!), but I asked for more information about what she does, so that if you come across this post and you're interested in buying an established resume writing business -- or selling yours -- you'll have a resource to check out. (Note: I don't know much about this brokerage company other than what I read on their website, and from talking to my contact there.)

Linda, with Affiliated Business Consultants, says some of the main reasons why someone might be interested in buying a business include:

• They've moving to a different state
• They've lost a job and want the security of self-employment in an established business

I told her I sometimes hear from resume writers who want to sell. Their primary reasons for selling include:

• Retirement (there is a substantial segment of the resume writing industry over age 55 -- this will open up the possibility for business sales over the next 5-10 years)
• Health issues -- again, age is a factor in this one too. The resume writer might be interested in cutting back his or her business due to health concerns.
• Returning to the corporate world. I talked with a couple of resume writers in the last few months alone who are taking corporate jobs and consequently, are shuttering their careers business.

If you're thinking of buying or selling, contact Linda at 719-540-2200 extension 243. Or visit the Affiliated Business Consultants website at www.Bizsale.com.

The "Then What?" Question Strategy for Collecting Client Accomplishments

Sometimes when you're trying to collect accomplishments from clients, they can't think of anything that they would consider an "accomplishment." This strategy works with people at all levels of employment and is best utilized to get accomplishments out of people who aren't used to quantifying what they do.

I call it the "Then What?" question strategy.

Let's say you're writing a resume for a preschool photographer. I chose that by going to Monster.com and looking for the first non-sales job I found in Omaha, Nebraska, where I live. It's much easier to get accomplishments from sales people than from people in the "helping professions." I'm not sure if "preschool photographer" is a helping profession or not, but it's one where you might have a hard time getting accomplishments out of the client -- but also a job where asking the right questions can yield some good stuff.

So, I ask my preschool photographer client about her work, and she says that she takes photos of all the kids in a preschool class. I'll ask about how many kids are in the average class, and how long it usually takes to shoot a class. Then I might ask directly about an accomplishment — for example, "Tell me about what makes you good at your job." The client may say something like, "Well, sometimes the kids don't want their picture taken. They might be shy, or just not like photographers. I'm good at getting them to smile."

I'd say, "Okay, so let's say little Timmy is clinging to his teacher and doesn't want his picture taken. Then what?" She might respond, "Well, first I'd put him at ease. I keep a little box of puppets in my photography bag for that very reason. He might not want to hear from me, but he'll listen to Mr. Monkey."

"Okay, so you bring out Mr. Monkey. Then what?"

She replies, "Well, I put the camera down and put on Mr. Monkey — he's a hand puppet — and I have Mr. Monkey explain — in a funny voice, of course — that he wants to be able to remember what Timmy looks like, and could he get a picture of him? Sometimes that works directly, but sometimes I have to give Mr. Monkey to the child and have Mr. Monkey agree to get his picture taken with Timmy first."

"Great," I say. "So then what?"

"Well," my client says, "At that point, they're usually smiling … or sometimes laughing … because I'm still using my Mr. Monkey voice, and I can get a couple of shots off. And because we shoot all digital, I can see right away if I've got the picture. In three years of doing this, Mr. Monkey has never failed in getting me the shot I need. Sometimes it takes 5 or 10 minutes, but I always get the photo."

And from there, I'm able to write some strong, employer-oriented accomplishment bullets.

Want to learn more about the "Then What?" question strategy? Purchase my teleseminar, "Ask Better Questions, Write Better Resumes" or download the "Write Great Resumes Faster" book.

http://www.thenrwa.com/event-705185