New Year, New Marketing Ideas

January is traditionally the busiest month for resume writers, according to the Resume Writers' Digest Annual Industry Survey. So if your phone hasn't been ringing (or your emailbox "binging"), here are some ideas to help you attract new clients right now.

• Re-evaluate your marketing plan. Wait. You do have a marketing plan, right? A written document that outlines your vision for your resume writing business, your goals and objectives, who your ideal target customer is, and the "5 Ps" (what Products/services you'll offer; your Pricing strategy; your Place/distribution plans -- i.e., whether you'll work with clients in person or virtually, or both; how you plan to Promote your business, and People involved -- you, and/or subcontractors or virtual assistants who will serve your clients). You'll also want to outline the marketing tactics you plan to use (including your marketing budget) and a schedule for implementing the tactics.

Every few years it is necessary to take a look at your marketing plan with new eyes. If you're not as busy as you'd like to be, you should evaluate your marketing plan every few months. What are you doing now? What's working? What's not? How can you revamp your existing marketing tools (articles, blogging, public speaking) and employ some new ones (social media, teleseminars/webinars)?

• Become a social networker. Speaking of social media, Twitter and Facebook are becoming valuable tools for a lot of resume writers, who have used the social media sites to position themselves as expert resources for clients, recruiters, and the media.

• Advertise your business on your personal Facebook page. I came across a resume writer last week who just made the announcement that she was no longer going to post any business-related posts on her personal page. Huge mistake! Facebook has just changed their algorithm again, and it's resulting in less visibility for Business Pages. The new "Subscribe" feature also makes it easy for "non-friends" to follow what you're up to -- and posting business content on your personal profile is what they're usually looking for! Post links to new content on your website and other promotional links that friends and family can view and share. But don't neglect your fan page for your resume writing business. It's still a valuable tool. Encourage current clients to sign up and tune in for special information or offers that they won't find anywhere else.

• Don't neglect offline tools. For many resume writers, a significant portion of your business is still local. Just because more and more clients are finding you online doesn't mean that you should neglect offline tools, like direct marketing, flyersm and promotional items.

• Video marketing. People love to watch informative videos online. You can take what you know and turn it into a visual presentation that immediately gives new clients a picture of who you are and what you do. I am loving doing "Desktop Demos" -- on my Mac, I just use QuickTime and a USB headset/microphone to do a quick video. It saves as a .MOV file, and I upload it to YouTube so anyone can view it. Easy!! Check out this video I did last week on how to use BeAResumeWriter.com's Pass-Along Materials.

If you have an iPhone, it's also easy to record and upload a video to Facebook. Possible topics: share job search tips, give an update on the job market in your local area (who is hiring; who is not!), walk people through a before-and-after version of a fictionalized client's resume....

• Create a press release. Are you about to offer a new service or product? (LinkedIn profile development, your new career membership site, salary negotiation coaching), Create a press release that will attract new clients to your business. Use a press release service and be sure that your content is SEO optimized. (Want more ideas on how to use the media to attract new clients? Check out the recording of my teleseminar on "Feed the Media" in the Free Level Resources section of BeAResumeWriter.com. Not a member of BeAResumeWriter.com? Click on the "Become a Member" tab and apply for your free membership)

• Take a fresh look at your website. Are you making it easy for prospective clients to understand how they should work with you? You need two things on your website: A clear "call to action" that tells clients exactly what you want them to do to start working with you (call? send their existing resume?) AND you need a way to capture information about folks who visit your site but aren't ready to start working with you yet. (A free report delivered via autoresponder usually fits the bill.)

These are just a few ways you can attract new clients for your resume writing business.

Using Social Media to Maximize Your Content Distribution

When does 1+1=3?

When you can leverage individual efforts to create greater effect. Marketing efforts are more powerful and effective when they work together. For example, if you have a social networking account you probably have social networking buttons on your blog or website. You invite people to share on Facebook, for example, and like your Facebook business page too.

Your content marketing strategy is probably your most important and effective marketing tactic in your strategy. (See last week's blog post about creating a content strategy.) Content, after all, is what drives visitors to your website. It makes sense to blend your content marketing efforts with your social media efforts for a really powerful strategy.

Here are a few ideas or strategies to integrate your content marketing and social media efforts.

1. Linking. Each time you publish an article or blog post, link to it from social networking sites. You can try different approaches to test which works best. Does a straight headline with a link work? Or does your audience prefer a teaser paragraph and a link? Some marketers have found that asking a question works best to motivate click throughs from social networking sites.

2. Publish full articles. Some social media sites provide room for full articles. For example, LinkedIn and Facebook Fan pages both give you room to publish an abundance of content.

3. Include social media buttons on your site and in your content. If you have a blog, there are plug-ins that you can add to integrate social media buttons at the top of each blog post. You can also include a call to action in some or all of your posts. You can include a signature that says, "Like this post? Share it on Facebook."

4. If you're using article marketing to drive traffic to your site, you can link to those published articles from your social media accounts. You can also include a "Follow me on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn" or whatever sites you use. This helps broaden your audience and your awareness.

5. Use content to grow your social media connections. Each article or blog post should ideally have a purpose. You may want to promote an affiliate link. You may want to drive traffic to your opt-in page. You can also use content to build your social network following. Include a call to action at the bottom of your article or blog post and link to your profile.

There is tremendous potential here. You can also use social media comments or questions to create content for your site. You can also integrate them both into your email marketing strategy too.

Remember that each marketing tactic is more powerful when it is integrated with your other existing marketing tactics. Plan your content. Plan your social networking strategy and then plan how they can work together.

Email Marketing for Dummies

I am a huge advocate for resume writers building and using an email list. John Arnold’s book, “E-Mail Marketing for Dummies” may be the perfect source for learning how to start e-mail marketing and excel at it.

The book, which has a cover price of $24.99 (but sells for $16.49 on Amazon.com), helps you develop a strategy for marketing with e-mail. Learn how to build an e-mail list, create messages which reach those on your list and produce results. You’ll also discover how to track those results. Along with technical advice for building a list, you’ll also have the benefit of legal guidance that will keep you from inadvertently crossing over into spamming those on your e-mail list.

This easy-to-follow guide will show you how to incorporate an e-mail list into your total online marketing plan. Find out how to create messages that say “Open and read me,” how to include social media sources such as Facebook and Twitter, target your e-mails so they are relevant to your readers and track which emails get the most clicks through to some type of action.

384 pages long, “E-Mail Marketing for Dummies” is a one-stop place to get all the advice you need to be set up a successful e-mail marketing plan, increase your business, track the effectiveness of each campaign and finally find a method of marketing that can be the difference between online business success or failure.

If you are looking for one book that gives you the information you need for developing an e-mail marketing campaign for your resume writing business, this one is a book you’ll definitely want to read.

Beyond Marketing - Why Social Media is Important for Resume Writers

Most resume writers understand the value of using social media to market their resume writing business. They create Facebook pages, LinkedIn profiles, and dutifully fill out their Google business listing — all in the hope of expanding their marketing efforts. However, did you know there are many more benefits of social media than marketing? With proper use and deployment of social media, any business can do all of the following and probably more.

• Find subcontract writers and freelancers. Looking for subcontract writers? Or someone to handle a one-time project for your resume writing business? Use social media to help. Create a detailed listing of what you're looking for and post it on your social media accounts. Ask your friends and followers to share. It's more than likely that the person(s) who answer a call like this will be more compatible than using a huge impersonal job board.

• Create more sales. You may think that sales and marketing are the same thing, but they're not. Marketing is increasing your reach so that you can get more leads, but sales are different. Social media can increase sales outside of your marketing efforts just because your clients might share with others the positive experience of working with you on their career marketing efforts. And if they like what you are talking about on social media, they might like to buy from you more.

• Reward customers. Provide discounts, special incentives, and targeted career content for your customers using social media to "check in" or when they communicate with you via social media. People love getting free things, so take advantage of that by using social media to encourage more interaction with your customers and between your customers.

• Brand your business. It's important that you brand your resume writing business across all social media accounts as honest, relevant, and even generous. (For example, be sure to mention when you volunteer your services by speaking to organizations or participate in job fairs!) Be aware of how consumers, as well as your referral sources and other resume writers, view your business via all your social media interactions. Listen to your customers and be perceived as a company that does so. Demonstrate these things as often as possible as a way to brand your business on social media.

• Connect with your customers. You can set up private closed groups using Facebook that only your clients can see. It's a great way to increase your connection with your clients and to build a community. Encourage your clients to support other jobseekers in their job search.

• Easy project collaboration. Another use for private Facebook groups is easy project collaboration. In Facebook groups you can upload documents and communicate easily in one spot about various projects, without ever having to have a face-to-face meeting — but still be able to keep excellent records of the events and ideas as they unfold. I know of one group of resume writers that is working on a book project through a Facebook group.

By being involved with social media, you can increase your profile among prospects while building a stronger connection with clients. Use social media to form a connection with your community. Your resume writing business can be an integral part of your community in every way that it can. And those are benefits that extend beyond using social media only for marketing.

Free Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit

Robert Middleton has been a contributor to Resume Writers' Digest for many years. Now he's sharing a special resource with my readers: A Free "Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit."

This Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit will remove the frustration and struggle you may experience with marketing your services. It shows you how to start playing "Marketing Ball." If you have clients and want more of them, the Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit will make it a whole lot easier.

The Start-Up Kit includes an 85 minute mp3 Audio Tutorial and 22-page Workbook - everything you need to build a client-attracting marketing plan.

It's a step-by-step guide to attracting more clients. No matter what kind of self-employed professional you are, this Marketing Plan Start-Up Kit will help you become a better marketer.

To receive your free kit, click here.

Using Content Marketing In Your Resume Writing Business

One of the best tools resume writers and career coaches have to market their careers industry businesses is content marketing. Sharing information and ideas with jobseekers can help them become prospective clients for your resume writing business.

Content marketing is getting more and more important every day. People today are finding more and more content through social networks and less and less through search engines. That means that creating content people want to share is becoming ever more important.

Here's how to use content marketing to your advantage.

Build Your Personal Brand
At the end of the day, the only thing that you have is your reputation. But a lot of people -- including resume writers -- fail to consciously build their personal brands. Yet this is truly one of the most valuable assets you have -- and it's one of the best ways to grow your resume writing business.

By creating high quality, unique content for a certain market, you establish yourself as an expert. If you want to target a special niche of clients -- for example, sales executives, or equine professionals -- you can tailor general job search information to the specific needs of this audience, and increase your "know, like, and trust" factor with these folks.

Build Trust with Prospective Customers
Jobseekers looking for help with their job search are more likely to trust someone who provides a lot of quality content rather than a website that just says "buy, buy, buy."

There's something about consistency that really builds trust. Anyone can put up a website to start selling resume writing services, but if you're producing high quality content for six months, people will instinctively trust you a lot more. They'll think you'll still be around to help them six months down the line.

Build Your Platform Before You're Thirsty
One of my favorite books is Harvey Mackey's "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty."



The same is true for resume writers -- build a list of prospective clients before you need them! Your platform is your list of clients and prospective clients who are interested in what you have to say. Let's say you want to launch a LinkedIn profile rewriting service. If you haven't been publishing content and building your mailing list, how will you find people who want this service? It would be very hard. But if you've already been publishing content for months, you'll already have a reader base you can use to launch your new service!

The "Secret" to Good Content Marketing
Great content marketing is really as simple as focusing on providing good content, consistently.

Good content should be compelling content. One of the best ways to create content is to use examples from your work with clients. People can relate to the struggles of your clients -- and learn from the lessons you teach them of how you helped those clients with their specific challenges.

Don't be disappointed if it takes some time to build up your reader base. That's how it works: reputations take time to become established. Fortunately, once your reputation is established, it also builds momentum and can grow very quickly. It's not an overnight technique; so the sooner you get started, the sooner you'll start reaping the benefits.

If you're interested in content marketing, check out "Using Content to Capture New Career Clients" (teleseminar recording and transcript) and the "Resume Writer's Guide to Article Marketing" (which is the July special report for Bronze members on BeAResumeWriter.com).

Introduction to Affiliate Marketing for Resume Writers

I get a lot of questions from resume writers about how to avoid the "Time for Dollars" Trap -- that is, how to unlink your income from billable hours. Affiliate marketing is one way to start this journey.

You may be doing affiliate marketing without even knowing it. For example, if you write a resume and refer your client to Bob Bronstein at Profile Research to research employers and distribute the resume and cover letter, you’re engaging in affiliate marketing. If your client mentions that you referred them to Bob, he will send you a check for a percentage of the order. That’s affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing is a revenue sharing opportunity between two companies. Business one (the “advertiser”) pays business two, the “publisher” (that’s you) for sending new customers to them. They may pay you for “traffic” — which is visits to your site; they may pay you for “leads” — which are qualified customer names who may end up purchasing their products or services; or they may only pay for sales, or when a purchase is actually made.

You can choose to be an affiliate for an individual company (on their website, look at the very bottom of the page and you might find a link for “Affiliates”) or join an affiliate network. Affiliate networks connect advertisers with publishers. Companies that offer their affiliate programs through networks often are making a significant commitment to their affiliate program, because they’re paying anywhere from $500 to $6000 or more to be a part of that affiliate network. Advertisers that also have a dedicated individual to serve as their affiliate relationship manager are also more committed to the success of their affiliate program — which means more support for you.

You can also work with individual providers. Profile Research is an example of this. Bob tracks the business you refer to him without the use of an affiliate network, and without a formal affiliate program. If you are a resume writer, you might also set up this type of relationship with a career coach, if you don’t offer career coaching yourself. The client mentions they were referred by you, and the career coach might pay you a flat fee or percentage of the client’s order. The same might be true if you are a career coach who refers to a resume writer. (If you're interested in pursuing this type of informal relationship, I suggest the "Developing Strategic Alliances and Partnerships with Recruiters" Special Report, which also covers developing referral relationships with other third parties, including career coaches.)

There is also a third type of affiliate program. I mentioned the terms “advertiser” and “publisher” to describe the companies. The placement of ads on your online content is also a type of affiliate marketing. The most common of these relationships is with Google’s AdSense program. Any business can purchase ads through Google’s AdWords program. If your website or blog matches the demographics of the customer the advertiser is looking to reach, his or her ads will appear on your content, and you’ll get paid for people who look at the ad … and you’ll get paid more when they click on the ad.

P.S. One of my most popular blog posts was an interview I conducted with Steve Shellist with ResumeSpider.com on affiliate marketing for resume writers. Check it out here.

Here's What You're Missing...

If you’re not a member of BeAResumeWriter.com, here’s what you’re missing right now… (for only $10/month you get EVERYTHING on this page)…

Latest and Greatest Learning Opportunities
First, there is a monthly training webinar that you’ll get the recordings for -- AND transcripts -- as part of our "Expert Interview Series." Here's the recordings currently available on the site:

• "Building Affiliate Relationships to Grow Your Resume Business"
• "The Employment Game: How Are You Preparing Your Clients" with Janine Moon
• "Feed the Media: How to Get Publicity For Your Resume Writing Business"
• "Using Content to Capture New Career Clients"
• "Five Keys to Generating New Business With Online Marketing" with Mark McLaren

Click here to get access to the recordings of all the teleseminars above -- PLUS, keep reading to see what else you'll get!

AND...

Each month you'll get a new Special Report, helping you be more effective in your resume writing business:

• Write Great Resumes Faster (sells for $14)
• Resume Writer's Online Marketing Guidebook: 21-Step Guide to Taking Your Resume Business Offline to Online (sells for $14)
• Maximizing Your Cash Flow: Subcontracting and Referral Relationships (sells for $10)
• Making Money Writing E-Books
• Referral-Based Marketing Strategies: How to Generate New Clients For Your Resume Writing Business
• Website Traffic Secrets for Resume Writers
• Time Management and Productivity Strategies for Resume Writers
• Emotional Marketing: Connecting With Resume Clients

(The previous month's report is removed when the next month's Special Report is added. You can purchase some of the previous reports separately -- see the links above.)

Plus additional BONUS special reports each month (these are changed out monthly). Currently, the bonus special reports available are:

• "Using Google Checkout In Your Resume Writing Business"
• "101 Productivity Principles For Getting Things Done"
• "Advanced Features of Microsoft Word: Document Review"
• "Twitter Tracking & Analytics"
• "Practical and Creative Online Business Branding"
• "Membership Sites and Partnerships"
• "Offline Advertising and Promotion"
• "Marketing Ideas for Business"

Click here to get access to this month's special report -- "Emotional Marketing: Connecting With Resume Clients" and the bonus special reports listed.

AND...

You'll also get access to Pass-Along Materials -- brandable, ready-to-go content you can use with your resume writing clients. These are articles, checklists, and special reports provided in Microsoft Word format that you can simply stick your name on and use "as is," or edit and/or rewrite into new content. These resources will help your clients be more effective in their job search, but you don't have to take hours and hours to write them. Each month, you have access to a unique PAM content package.

Here are the topics addressed:

• "Do You Have Any Questions for Me? The Question Every Candidate Should Be Prepared to Answer In An Interview" (October 2011)
• "Getting Started With LinkedIn In Your Job Search" (November 2011)
• "Jobseeker's Guide to References" (December 2011)
• "Job Search Advice: 365+ Ready-To-Go Tweets and Facebook Posts" (January 2012)
• "Jobseeker's Guide to Salary Negotiation" (February 2012)
• "Jobseeker's Guide to Online Reputation Management" (March 2012)
• "Getting Started With Facebook In Your Job Search" (April 2012)
• "What To Do Next With Your Resume" (May 2012)

(Previous Pass-Along Materials packages are removed when the next month's PAM content is added. You can purchase some of the previous PAMs -- see the links above.)

Click Here to Join BeAResumeWriter.com and Get Access to the "What To Do Next With Your Resume" Pass-Along Materials Report. I've Nicknamed it, "You've Got Your Resume: Now What?"

You'll also get access to the ENTIRE BACK ISSUE ARCHIVE of the Resume Writers' Digest newsletter. This is literally hundreds of pages of great articles and information dating back to 1999, including recaps of conference sessions on resume writing, marketing, and business management.

On BeAResumeWriter.com, you also get access to "Business Forms & Templates" you can use. Here's a quick list of what's available (new forms are added regularly!):

• Resume Critique Form
• Instruction Sheet for Final Files
• Company Profile Sheet
• Backup Resources
• Resume Writing Business Checklist
• Subcontractor Tracking Form
• Business Expense Budget
• Monthly Trending Report
• Promotional Calendar Template
• Conference Budget Form
• Conference Quick List

You'll also have access to an Enhanced Membership Directory -- and your listing on BeAResumeWriter.com is searchable by prospective clients looking for a resume writer. (You'll find a link to the BeAResumeWriter.com Directory of Professional Resume Writers on Google.)

Have you heard that blogging can build your business? Check out our 10-video series on "Building a Better Business Blog" -- currently available for Bronze members. Previously, we had a 10-video series on "Web Marketing Intensives." These resources are changed out periodically.

Speaking of "resources" -- check out our Public Relations Resources. Building on the information offered in the "Feed the Media" teleseminar (available for download or streaming audio on the site), you'll have access to:

• 12 Timely News Release Topics
• 25 Reasons to Send a News Release
• News Release Ideas from A to Z
• Sample News Releases

All that ... for $10/month. Seriously -- is there a better value for your dollar?

JOIN TODAY.

Guest Post: Clarifying Social Media Strategy with the POST Method

By Christine Gallagher

It sounds simple, but before you implement a new marketing strategy in your business, you need to first know what your objectives are. That is, what is it that you are trying to accomplish? Social media is no different. It's not enough to want to add it to your marketing mix because "everyone else is doing it."

Luckily, Forrester Research came up with a handy little acronym, which my colleague Amy Miyamoto and I also included in our Social Media Made Simple webinar series. It's called the POST Method, and it's a really easy way to frame your social media strategy. Here's how it breaks down:

P: Who are the PEOPLE you would most like to attract via your social media presence on sites such as Twitter and Facebook? For example--mentors, colleagues, strategic alliance partners, raving fans, potential clients, local connections? Or a combination of these?

O: What are your primary OBJECTIVES for your Social Media presence? For example, is it to get found by those who are looking for your services or products, finding and interacting with current and potential clients and customers, building a community around your business, creating awareness of your content and offerings, building relationships with potential strategic alliance and referral partners, learning from mentors?

S: What Social Media STRATEGIES do you plan to implement? Will you have a Twitter profile, a Facebook Fan Page, a LinkedIn profile, join a Facebook Group, start a blog? Which ones have priority over others?

T: What TECHNOLOGIES will you use? For example--Hootsuite, Twellow, Ping.fm, Twitpic, YouTube, Bit.ly for link shortening? (The ones you determine to be of highest priority to you will influence the kinds of actions you take on the social media sites you have a presence on.)

Finally, for bonus points, you could also include "M" as in "how will you MEASURE your results?" Understandably, businesspeople still want to know the ROI of their activities--and although this is not as cut and dry to measure in social media, there are still certain numbers that you can look to: your number of newsletter or blog subscribers, number of followers and fans, your website traffic, the amount of comments on your blog, how many purchases made, etc.

The POST method is a good basic structure for starting to define your social media plan, objectives, and priorities. By identifying all the relevant parts of the structure you are creating a clearer vision and purpose--as well as implementing goals, strategies, and tools that will best enable you to effectively reach the ideal people you are looking to connect with through social media.

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Christine Gallagher is founder of ShesGotClients.com, a company dedicated to teaching women entrepreneurs all over the world how to use authentic relationship marketing and online strategies to attract raving fans, enroll more clients, and enjoy more income and freedom in their business, all while sharing their gifts and their message in a much bigger way.

Christine created The 6 Simple Steps to Kick Start Your Social Media Success System(TM), a real-world, step-by-step "roadmap" that teaches entrepreneurs how to consistently bring in new clients and customers using the Internet.

Through her coaching and training business, Christine helps entrepreneurs maximize their profits using an integrated social media and online marketing strategy, and teaches them how to stop trading dollars for hours by using online information marketing techniques.

Christine was recently featured as a social media marketing expert in the book Get Scrappy: A Small Business Owner's Guide to Marketing On Less, as well as profiled as one of "16 Brilliant Business Minds on Twitter" by The Huffington Post. Her blog was also recently chosen as one of the top 50 small business blogs by Konector.com, and her newsletters, products, and online reach now educate and inspire over 18,000 people every month.

Learn more about Christine, her products, programs and courses at ShesGotClients.com

Sign up for Christine's "Get Out There" Ezine. Click here.

Finding Your Voice as a Resume Writer and Business Owner

As resume writers, we talk a lot about communicating our client's "voice" in their resumes and career communication documents so that it "sounds" like the client, not like us.

But what is YOUR voice as a resume writer and resume business owner? What is the point of view that you use in your client communications and content marketing? It's important to figure out your voice so that you can create a coherent and professional communication strategy. Here's some ideas on how to do just that:

Figure Out Your Core Values
What is it that you want to say to the world? What is it that you feel is important? Do you want your resume writing business to be a beacon of light to your audience, shining down on them, creating joy and happiness? Do you want your business to be a wake-up call and teach lessons for your audience? What do you want your audience to think about when they think of your brand?

Get to Know Your Jobseeking Clients and Prospects
Marketing is all about what's in it for them, not what's in it for you. If you can remember that, for every piece of content you create, you;ll be halfway there. Every story you tell — through the articles you write, videos you create, or press releases you send out — should all be focused with your target jobseeker in mind. The best way to do that is truly understand who your ideal client is by studying them and immersing yourself in everything there is to know about them. How you speak to your audience will be directly related to how well you know them. You'd speak to a stay-at-home mom returning to the workforce differently than you'd speak to a senior executive. So your voice has to be appropriate for the prospects and clients you want to work with.

Identify the Value You Offer Your Audience
You're not just writing resumes. You're helping clients identify what sets them apart from other jobseekers, and then creating interview-winning career communication documents that clearly communicate their value. Keep your value in mind as you work to identify your voice.

Differentiate Your Resume Writing Business From Your Colleagues
No two resume writers are alike, but for jobseeker prospects, it may be hard to tell us apart, unless you communicate your value clearly. How do you express your values to prospective clients? How will you deliver your resume services? What sets you apart? How can you deliver more value to clients while also sticking to — and expressing — your core values?

Decide If Your Voice Is Casual or Formal
Once you combine all of the above, you will need to decide if your target audience will respond better to a casual or formal voice (or someplace in between). How you speak to your audience is a very important factor in determining if they will understand your message.

Determine Acceptable Lingo and Terms
Once you've decided whether your voice is casual or formal or someplace in the middle, you can come up with the type of terms and lingo youíll use throughout your content marketing, regardless of format.

Create Documentation as a Guide
Whether you will be creating your marketing content yourself, or getting help, creating documentation to guide you through the process will help. Be specific about which font to use. Write down the type of words you want to use, too. The terminology, lingo, and jargon is important because it will mean something to your audience and help you get your message across in a way that will produce the results you desire.

Don't Try to Be Someone You're Not (Be Authentic!)
Resume writers who provide personal branding services know that it is important for the client's voice to be authentic. The worst thing you can do as you're creating and developing your voice is to try to be someone you're not. If you are not generally formal, don't even try to be formal. If you'd feel fake being casual, don't do it. Be yourself. If you've chosen your target audience well, it will be easy for you to be who you are and market to them in a successful way using content.

Content marketing is the most effective form of marketing today, bar none. Finding your voice will help make everything easier. You'll be able to not only create content easier, you'll also have a guide to help keep it consistent across all marketing channels.

What are your thoughts about finding your voice as a resume writer and resume business owner?

Why Content Is So Important to Attracting Resume Clients

From cave paintings to John Deer and even Jell-O, content marketing has been around for literally thousands of years. Anytime someone wanted to get the information out about anything, they could turn to content for the answers. Cookbooks are a great example of content marketing before the Internet. It was a list of products to buy. When combined in a particular way, it was delicious.

You could say the same is true for content marketing even today.

These days, content marketing is extra important because it's how you will get people to visit your website. It's also how you'll teach people about the issues that are important to them as a jobseeker, and hopefully turn them into a client.

• Digital Search Content. All content is fodder for search engine traffic. Search engines use the information on your blogs, websites, and social media to send your customers your way. They do this with the terms used in the content or in the "alt" descriptions.
• Social Media Content. Everything you put on social media is content. It doesn't matter if it's a meme, an image, words, a video, or something else; it is considered content. When you realize all that content encompasses, you quickly realize that yes, it is very important. It's not just a blog post or text; it is everything.

Content marketing can take on many shapes and forms. Some of these include:

• Blogs. These need to go out on a regular basis to help your visitors find your website. You can also write original guest blog posts sometimes to bring other audiences to you.
• Newsletters. These can be sent via email on a regular basis to keep your subscribers engaged and active.
• Magazines. Today, you can create an online magazine to help with marketing and informing your audience. Or seek out digital or print magazines that reach your target client.
• Podcasts. This is another way to put out information without having to type it. Instead you can record your thoughts and upload them to be listened to later. There are only a few podcasts on career topics, which is very surprising to me. There should be more. The breakthrough one will be the person who creates a call-in Q&A-type show like Dave Ramsey has for personal finance.
• Videos. YouTube is a great example of the power of video to get the word out about anything and teach others something that requires visuals.
• White Papers. These are long research documents that often compare and contrast the solutions to a problem discussed in depth. They are great for educating a wide audience without overtly advertising your solution. There's not enough independent research about career issues. Maybe you can be the person to change that.
• Ebooks. Using books to build your expertise is a great way to teach an audience about something that requires a lot of information. Today, publishing on Kindle is simple and free.
• Online Presentations. You can post PowerPoint slides on SlideShare.net and other presentation sharing sites as another way to keep your audience informed. Repurpose content by creating a short online presentation with its key points.
• Webinars. Growing in popularity due to their live nature and the way the audience can interact with the hosts, webinars are a very effective form of content. (Teleseminars are also still growing, due in large part because they don't require the user to understand technology. All they need is a phone.)
• Infographics. Often used on social media, infographics are a great way to help your audience picture important data visually.
• Games. If you can create an online game that teaches or markets some aspect of the job search to your audience, then you will have some really awesome content that gets results. (Let me know when you create this. I would love to promote it!)
• Branded Tools. Whether it's a job search app, a WordPress plugin or something else, creating a tool that your audience can use daily (even if ití' an old-fashioned planner) provides the type of content that will remind them that you're there.

As you see, content encompasses almost everything you do to market your resume writing business, inform people about your career services, and interact with people. That's why content is king. Content is the most important asset you own when it comes to digital marketing.

How to Get New Resume Clients from Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Ask any resume writer who has been in business for any length of time how they get many of their clients, and the answer is often "through referrals." But do you have to wait until you've been in business for a couple years before you generate significant business from referrals? Is word-of-mouth marketing something that happens by accident? Years and years of marketing research has shown that it's not. In fact, word-of-mouth marketing can be consciously created — if you understand what drives it.

© sharpshutter22 - Fotolia.com

Here are some of the most important factors that drive word-of-mouth advertising.

Something That Is Really, Really Different

If something is really, truly different, people are going to talk about it. Things that have never been done before are hot topics of conversation. You may be thinking to yourself, "There's nothing 'new and unconventional' about resume writing." But that's not true!

More and more clients are finding new ways to network their way into a job through social media -- LinkedIn, Branchout, Twitter, Facebook -- and you helping to position them for those opportunities is something worth talking about!

What if your product isn't 100% original? You can still do something unique. For example, a cake company isn't anything new, but one cake company generated a lot of buzz by baking the largest cake in the world.

Extraordinary Customer Service Interactions
Another thing that tends to drive word-of-mouth marketing is customer service. And not just "regular" customer service — but going above and beyond for your resume clients.

You can find examples of extraordinary customer service across all industries — Like when someone spilled coffee on an executive's suit on a Southwest Airlines flight and a flight attendant offered his own suit so the man could go to his meeting well dressed, the story spread like wildfire throughout the internet.

Another example is a restaurant whose waiters constantly insult customers. It's their brand. It's actually funny and customers go to this restaurant just for the unique experience. (Think "The Soup Nazi" from Seinfeld.)

The examples go on and on. But how can you extend this to your resume business? If you can't think of "extraordinary," try for "out of the ordinary"! What can set you apart? Like, returning calls from prospects and clients within two hours. Or delivering a first draft (with no rush fee) in 72 hours. Offering free updates and changes for the first 90 days (yes, you can charge a premium for your services to offset the no rush fee and free update services). Or using BeAResumeWriter.com Pass-Along Materials to provide job search support beyond the resume itself.

This kind of service will help you stand out -- and inspire your customers to spread the word!

"I Think Person XYZ Could Really Use This"
Another core thing that drives word-of-mouth is the "I really think Susie needs this" mentality. Friends are always on the lookout for friends. This is particularly useful in the marketing of your resume services. If you share content that is timely, relevant, and useful, it's likely to be passed along. The individual reading it is likely to think of an unemployed or underemployed friend and share the article, blog post, or special report with them. And that builds your "know, like, and trust" credibility with prospective clients. You're getting an endorsement, really, from someone they trust.

Try to create content that will appeal to different kinds of people that still have a common thread. For example, your articles and blog posts can be targeted to jobseekers that are entering (or re-entering) the job market, looking for a better position, changing careers, or have been downsized. All of these are resources that help those who might need a resume writer -- but they are targeting very different people.

Different Formats
Different people like to share different kinds of things. You've probably noticed this on Facebook.
Many people like to share and talk about videos. Still others love funny graphics or cartoons, while others will only share strictly educational material they think friends will love. (Infographics are especially popular, for this reason.)

Don't just appeal to one kind of person. Create your word-of-mouth marketing so that it will appeal to a wide range of people.

These are some of the main factors that drive word-of-mouth advertising. Word-of-mouth can absolutely be planned. You don't have to hit all of the hot buttons discussed above, but to succeed you should aim to address at least one or two of them.

What is a "Fair" Referral Fee for Resume Writers?

I got a couple of questions from a resume writing colleague today about referral fees, and I wanted to share my answers in today's blog post.

Securing Referrals Special Report

* Can you please advise what is the prescribed fee amount/percentage range that one should offer another career professional for a referral (career service) that would be fair? (Is there any minimum and maximum offered?)

Referral fees are negotiable. 15% is the most common referral fee, but I've seen anywhere from 10-25%. 

One thing to consider when you're deciding what percentage to pay as a referral commission for being sent prospects from a colleague is: What is the QUALITY of the referral? If someone sends a client to you who is pre-qualified and pre-sold (meaning they're a good fit for you and they're ready to buy from you based on what the referring person said), that's worth it.

There's a mathematical way to figure this out, for the most part. You can add up what you're spending (in money and time) each month, and divide it by the number of clients you secure yourself. For example, you might spend 1 hour/week on marketing and $100 on your marketing (website, paid ads, etc.). Let's say you value your time at $75/hour. So that's $75 x 4 = $300/month (time) + $100/month (hard costs) = $400. Let's say you secure 6 new clients/month. So divide $400/6 = $66 (cost to acquire one client).

Let's say that referral partner sends you a client that pays $500/project. Your 20% referral fee would be $100. But remember, unlike your own marketing costs, you only incur this "marketing expense" if you secure the client. With your other marketing costs, you spend $400/month and might get 0 clients out of it. (Or, things might go really well, and you get 10 clients out of it!). But the advantage with referral commissions is you only pay them when you're making money (the other 80%). 

* Are referral fees always required or mandatory? For instance, I offered a referral to a resume writer once for a client that I was not able to take due to other deadlines. However, I did not charge a referral fee upon the client retaining her service. 

No, referral fees are not always required or mandatory. As the referring person, you can always request a referral fee, but it's not mandatory. HOWEVER, thinking of that resume writer, wouldn't you be MORE likely to send clients their way if they HAD sent you a 15% referral commission (even if you hadn't asked for it?) Or even some kind of thank you?

* Are referral fees based on certain factors, or more on the negotiation or agreement between two career professionals what is suitable?

Just like with subcontractor fees, I believe that the more "work" one party does, the higher the compensation should be. For example, subcontract writers who have direct client contact (including conducting intake interviews) should make more than subcontract writers without client contact (and who work from questionnaires). However, because there is no standard in the industry, this isn't always equivalent.

In an "ideal" world, I think it would be:
10% referral fee -- pass along the name of a colleague

15% referral fee -- "normal" amount of selling -- give name/contact info and some information about the resume writer to convince the client they're a good fit

20% referral fee -- going above and beyond -- information about why this resume writer would be a good fit plus introduction of client directly to resume writer

The reason why I generally think referral fees should be 20% and under is that now you're getting into the "subcontract" rates territory. When you'd pay 20% to another writer to create the actual content for the client (again, subcontract fees are generally 20-35%), I think that's the top level. But I have seen some writers who offer 25% referral fees.

In the affiliate marketing world, referral commissions can be up to 75%, but usually these are for set programs (webinars, courses, group programs), not custom services.

If you're looking for more information about eliciting referrals from colleagues, check out this special report:

Securing Referrals: How to Get More Referrals From Other Resume Writers

If you're interested in learning more about subcontracting as a resume writer, check out:

Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor

Results Part II: 2008 Resume Writers' Digest Subcontracting Survey

The first part of the survey results can be found here.

Why Writers Subcontract
While income is one of the primary reasons cited by survey respondents, it's certainly not the only reason. Reasons given in the 2008 subcontracting survey include:

• Flexibility/Convenience. One writer likes the flexibility of working "off hours." Another says, "Local clients for my own business want to meet, which is difficult for me with two small kids." Subcontracting "allows me to work from home." "I can control the work flow -- and take breaks from work easily." Another says, "I like being able to accept/reject projects at my discretion."
• The Opportunity to Focus on Writing, Not Sales. "I'm not a great salesperson, so I like having that part already done," says one respondent. Subcontracting offers "less client contact, less stress, and a steady pipeline of work," volunteers another. "I can focus on the work instead of seeking it out -- I can better concentrate my efforts." "To avoid or eliminate it altogether: client contact/management, billing issues, and sales and marketing." One writes, "I hate dealing with clients directly." Another says, "I don't like marketing myself."
• To Get Additional Experience. "I subcontracted to learn resume writing and to do sales before I set out on my own. Now I subcontract just to fill in lulls in my business." Writes another: "I did it to get started and hone my skills in a part-time writing business in retirement."
• To Experience Diversity of Projects. "I do all kinds of business writing, and the bulk of my work right now is either technical writing or marketing communications. This is a good way to stay involved with resume writing without having to do any marketing," says one writer. "I enjoy the variety of projects."
• The Volume of Work Available. I subcontract "to supplement my workload," writes one. "Because it provides steady work," says another. "It keeps me busy." "Steady work is nice, because I live in the middle of nowhere."

Subcontracting can be a good alternative to a local market area that doesn't supply a viable source of clients. One writer noted, "I cannot charge as much as I could like to locally. I live in a very depressed area -- I make much more subcontracting than I could from local clients."

It can also be a bridge for resume writers starting their businesses (although many firms prefer writers with some experience).

"I'm new to the field, need to work from home, and subcontracting is a feasible solution," says one writer. Another writes, "My website sucks and my SEO (search engine optimization) skills suck and I need to work."

The economies of scale large companies have to offer helps them attract clients, one resume writer pointed out.

"A large, national company can afford huge marketing and promotional campaigns, bringing in thousands of clients per year, [while] a small individual operation ... can only afford a telephone book ad and some Google 'pay per click' marketing," she writes. "I wouldn't bring in enough customers on my own to make the money I want to make. Subcontracting is two-thirds of my salary."

You can read more of the results here.


Interested in subcontract resume writing? Purchase the "Making Money as a Resume Subcontractor" special report from Resume Writers' Digest.

Five-Part Series on Affiliate Marketing: Your List

This is the first in a five-part series on Affiliate Marketing, building on our "Introduction to Affiliate Marketing for Resume Writers" post last week. The first post focuses on your list.

Those in the affiliate marketing world believe the list is the Holy Grail. But it’s not just the size of your list that matters. Frankly, the quality is more important. If I gave you a phone book, you’d have a list. But it wouldn’t necessarily guarantee you any sales, whether for resume writing or affiliate marketing products. Sure, you could probably get 1% of the folks you contacted to buy, but the return on the time and money you’d have to invest to make that happen probably wouldn’t justify the effort.

On the other hand, what if you could get 20% of your existing resume clients to purchase a resume distribution service or recruiter targeting service?

A few years ago, I conducted an interview with Steve Shellist, of ResumeSpider, which bills itself as the “E-Harmony” of job search. He gave this example of the kind of revenue that a resume writer could expect promoting ResumeSpider:

If you write 5-7 resumes per week, and convert 5-6 of them each month to become ResumeSpider clients, you will earn $100 to $120 per month (based on a $65 average sale price, resulting in a $20 commission per order). But remember, they don’t have to be one of your clients to be a client of ResumeSpider — meaning, every visitor to your website is a potential sale. You can easily double your affiliate profits if you have a web site that gets decent traffic and you promote ResumeSpider visibly to visitors.

If you’re the type of writer that generates a resume each day (and/or you get 5-10 job seekers looking at your website each day), you could conceivably convert 20% of them into affiliate marketing product users … and you’d make that $100 per month goal.

Next up in the series: Establishing your online presence.

Resources for the Resume Writer

I came across some good resources in Susan Friedmann's book, 'Riches in Niches' and thought I'd share them with you!

Media Resources:
How to Give a Good Interview
Media Toolbox
Instant Media Training

Radio Resources:
Radio Locator
Radio-TV Interview Report
Radio Interview Performance Tips
Tips for Being Interviewed on the Radio
Public Relations and Publicity Articles
How to Be a Well-Dressed Guest on TV
Publicity Tips from the Experts (transcripts of expert teleclasses)
PR News & Tips

Marketing & Public Relations Resources:
Marcia Yudkin's Handpicked Resources for Marketing & PR
Marketing Using Tips Booklets
Tradeshow Resources
Book Marketing Articles
Niche Sites to Go
37 Ways to Promote Your Website
Affiliate and Web Marketing
Promoting Your Writing (Book Promotion)

Public Speaking:
Articles on Public Speaking
Tips for Speakers

Networking:
Find Associations
Associations & Societies
National Council of Nonprofits

Writing:
Writer's Weekly
Librarians' Internet Index
Collaborative Writing Software

Blogging and Podcasting:
Executive Blogger's Guide
Marketing Blog

Workshops & Seminars:
Preparing and Delivering a Seminar
What Makes a Good Workshop?

Online Learning:
Using Teleseminars to Boost Business
Selling Informational Products

Exit Strategies:
Exit Strategies for Your Business (Entrepreneur Magazine)
4D's of a Business Exit Strategy

Business Information:
Business Ideas
Resource Information for Entrepreneurs
SCORE Counselors to Small Business
Small Business Resources
High Growth Industries

No More Feast or Famine in Your Resume Writing Business

On yesterday's call for "Make 2014 Your Best Year Yet," I got a question from Laura in New Jersey about how to handle the "feast or famine" aspects of running your own resume writing business.

Laura: I’m a new résumé writer. I’m going into my third year. And many of my clients are getting jobs and getting hired and I’m so excited. But my biggest goal is just getting more business. That’s the key for me. I can do the work. It’s just getting the business and that’s, I guess, my biggest dilemma, my biggest goal.

Me: I talked earlier in the presentation today about CJ Hayden’s program, “Get Clients Now.” 

She has a book that you can work your way through, or I’ve actually been through her coaching program for it that’s a four-week class. And you put together a 28-day action plan that’s oriented around marketing activities like speaking and writing and referrals and those sorts of things. And like I said, her emphasis is on taking specific actions and doing them repeatedly because they’ll lead you to results. And that’s probably one of the biggest challenges we have as resume writers is that it’s kind of “feast and famine.”

So you’re like “Okay, right now it’s December and I need clients. I’m going to start working on these marketing things.” And then all of a sudden, we’ll get calls on Thursday, January 2nd, and your phone is going to ring off the hook for about 35 days with people who have New Year's Resolutions to get a new job, and you’re just going to be writing and consulting with clients and doing drafts and all this stuff. And then you’re going to get to the middle of February and there is a drought. And then you’re like “Okay, I’m going to get back on track with my marketing here” and then all of a sudden all the new grads come in April, wanting their resume. So C.J. talks about really creating the systems in place so that you’re just doing even 10 minutes of marketing a day to help even out that feast and famine cycle.

Laura: In other words, instead of waiting for the drought, market as you go.

Me: Exactly. She talks about creating a pipeline of prospects. And one of the big programs that I want to put together for 2014 from my side of things is list building because I’ve talked about this on a couple of previous calls and it’s one of my staples that I really emphasize to resume writers — building an email list of your clients and prospects so that you can turn on that pipeline when you need more business and then you can kind of turn down the volume of the flow. You always want to keep your pipeline flowing so that you constantly have existing clients coming back for updates and making referrals of new clients, but you want to have a steady flow of leads and prospects that are coming your way, and one of the easiest ways to manage that is to get them into your email system and provide them with information.

Obviously one of the biggest benefits of the BeAResumeWriter.com Bronze membership is the content that I give you that you can use with these clients. And I have a lot of the Bronze subscribers who don’t put this stuff out publicly to the world. They’re not putting the content on their blog or their website. What they’re doing is packaging it and sending it to their existing email list. It might be excerpting it or it might just be putting a cover on it and sending it out as an e-book, but using that content to keep in contact with your prospects and your existing clients and the people that they have referred.

And again, C.J. talks about this a lot. You’re more likely to get business from people who know, like and trust you. And one of the biggest ways to do that is through content marketing because it establishes your expertise and it gives you a reason to be contacting you via email. I know that it’s hard to think, when you’re looking at your email box, “Oh my gosh. There is so much stuff in here.” But aren’t there some people that you really look forward to seeing what they have to say? And so, being that kind of person is going to help solidify that pipeline so that you’re keeping in contact with the existing clients and the past clients, you’re encouraging them to make referrals, and if somebody contacts you but they’re not ready to start working with you right away or maybe price is a barrier initially, putting them on that email contact list helps you develop that reputation as a credible expert and a trusted authority so that when it’s time for them to pull the trigger and actually have somebody work with them on their resume and LinkedIn profile and all that…

Laura: They’ll remember you.

Me: They remember you — "top of mind marketing." So I think you really might benefit from CJ’s book. And like I said, if you need a little bit more hands-on instruction, then you go through the course with a trained facilitator and a group of accountability buddies. I didn’t really talk a lot about accountability buddies today, but that’s a big part of it too is just having somebody on your team who is going to keep you accountable. That might be a colleague or it might be a friend or a family member — somebody who you can put this stuff out there to and have them make sure that you’re on track for your goals.

Laura: Thank you very much. And I do use the Pass-Along Materials. I put them in a binder when I send [the finished] resume out to them, but I’m thinking now maybe that should be an email marketing project.

Bridget: I would say digital use of it is probably more cost-effective. I love the value that you get when you send it out hard copy because it really has a high perceived value, but just from the standpoint of making them accessible to more people since you’re only sending them out to folks who are getting the finished documents, you might consider putting them in digital format too so that you can just either give them access to a special page on your website where they can look at [them] or excerpting them in the emails or just having a special folder on your computer where you’re like “Okay, I’m going to send people a link to this Pass-Along Material this month.”

Resume Writers: How to Get Better Results from Social Media Marketing

I see a lot of my resume writing colleagues doing social media marketing very well.

Like Julie Walraven, of Design Resumes, who reminds friends and followers on her personal page about the work that she does.

She’s also very transparent about challenges in her work — especially technical issues. Julie is also is quick to recognize partners, which amplifies her reach when she tags them, but also helps them feel good about working with her!

Or Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, who shares helpful hints on her personal Facebook page while also talking about the in-depth branding work she does with clients. She does an excellent job highlighting her work on her personal page without being sales-y. (And uses hashtags very effectively.) Jacqui also is quick to praise and share, tagging colleagues and other pages.

Some of her posts are just fun, and give her friends and followers an opportunity to interact. (In this case, there were several “I feel ya” and “Truth!” comments.) We’ve all been there!

Jacqui is a prolific writer and blogger too, and showcases links to her recently published work on her business page, CareerTrend. It’s a great resource for her target audience of executives.

Nickquolette Barrett, of iRock Resumes, also does social media marketing effectively. She particularly does Facebook Live and video well. Here’s a post where she shared some interviewing tips with her audience after participating in a hiring event. (Make sure you ensure the privacy settings for these posts are PUBLIC so they can be shared by your audience!)

Nickquolette also does a great job of branding the tips that she shares on her business page for iRock Resumes. (And incorporates in relevant hashtags!)

Brenda Cunningham, of Push Career Management, uses Facebook Live in her weekly “Open Phones” offering. Her branded graphic on her business page is attention-getting.

These resume writers are gaining visibility and engagement — building their “know, like, and trust” with people who already know them — people who are either in a position to use their services themselves, or refer people they know.

But social media marketing is something that can be intimidating to resume writers.

If you want to do more on social media, I have two recommendations:

• Currently, Bronze members of BeAResumeWriter.com get access to 30 Ready-To-Use Social Media Graphics each month. These are seasonally specific images that are pre-sized for Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Each graphic includes an accompanying quote, or you can swap them out for different quotes. (You also get more than 300 inspirational quotes as part of your Bronze membership — they’re called “Positive Encouragement for Jobseekers” and can be found on the download page for the Ready-To-Use Social Media Graphics in the Paid Members section of the site.) I recommend branding them with your logo in Canva or PicMonkey before posting online.

Here’s an example:

(Original file, Facebook format)

After three minutes of work in Canva:

Easy. Then upload the graphic to either your personal Facebook page, or your Business page. (I uploaded it to my BeAResumeWriter.com Facebook page).

• Check out Angie Gensler’s Social Media Calendar. I purchased this last month and am starting to implement her ideas (and the accompanying images) into my social media marketing. She offers a free Social Media Cheatsheet you should check out.

Engaging in social media marketing takes just minutes a day, yet it can help you be the first person people think about when they need career services themselves, or know someone who needs help. Take inspiration from our colleagues who are doing it well, and give it a try!


Please note this post contains affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you click them and make a purchase. This is, of course, at no cost to you. Please read my disclaimer for more information.

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