Do You Follow Best Practices?
By Rebecca Matter

“You literally have best practices for everything,” my husband teased this morning as I showed him the “best way” to mix the Carnation Instant Breakfast® he was preparing.

Pour the powder in the glass first, then add the milk and stir it with a butter knife.

The result is a completely mixed breakfast shake, with no powder residue along the glass and no milk splashed on the counter.

Why would you do it any other way?

It just makes sense to do things in the most effective and efficient way possible. I want the best possible outcome, with the least amount of time wasted.

And that’s why I always look for best practices with almost everything I do in life.

Since a huge passion of mine is cooking, I’ve researched and developed best practices for almost everything I do in the kitchen.

I’ve got best practices for writing, which change based on the type of writing project I’m working on.

I’ve got best practices for being productive …

Best practices for planning and then packing for a trip …

Best practices for building a website …

I guess my husband was right! (But don’t tell him I said so.)

Following best practices for things is a surefire way to get from point A to point B most efficiently. And when it comes to moving from where you are now (point A) to living the writer’s life (point B), wouldn’t you rather be there sooner than later?

Keep in mind, one person’s best practices may not be the best for another person.

But by studying what successful people do and how they do it, you’re able to take a big step towards doing those same things efficiently and effectively. And from there, it’s just a matter of tweaking things so that they work even more efficiently and more effectively for you, ultimately ending up as your own set of best practices.

So this week, I’d like to share with you some best practices I’ve come up with that will help you get ahead in your own freelance business, which will ultimately move you closer towards your point B – the writer’s life you’ve always dreamed of.

The first one involves working with clients.

I chose to start with this one because I’m coming off a challenging week of dealing with a few writers who could have used this list.

Some of my tips may surprise you and cause you to say, “Who would do that?!” But I can assure you; even the most seasoned writers and freelancers break these best practices from time to time.

But if YOU can follow them, you’ll be able to compete with them and become a writer that clients will want to hire again and again.

Read my article, 5 Tips for Increasing Your Competitive Advantage Over Other Copywriters, and then share your thoughts when you’re done by adding a comment underneath it.

And if you have any “best practices” you use on a regular basis, I’d love for you to share them in the comments below. Whether they’re writing focused or not. I always like to pick up new tips, and maybe we can create a list of best practices for life!