The Golden Thread – The Week in Review
April 29 – May 5, 2007

Welcome to The Golden Thread Online, your free e-letter from American Writers & Artists Inc. Every Saturday, you will receive this recap of all the strategies, insights and opportunities we send to you and your fellow AWAIers each week. Whether it’s a message from a fellow writer about how he landed a new client … a technique from a Master copywriter for writing a control … an insight into how to succeed in a new market … news of a brand new writing job or business opportunity for you … you’ll find it here in this easy-to-access and always available “Week in Review.”

In This Issue:

• Success Story: Art Fahy, an Interview by Will Newman
  An AWAI member shares how a slow and steady pace has led to success in the fundraising industry.
• Quick Tip: Small-Business Development Centers
  Learn about business-building resources that can help you launch your career.
• Your Secret Power Over Your Client
  Will Newman shows you how to keep your clients coming back for additional projects.
• Quick Tip: A Quick Fix for Image Resolution Confusion
  Discover a great resource to answer your image resolution questions.

Success Story: Art Fahy An Interview by Will Newman

Art Fahy is a dedicated AWAI member who's taken the "slow and steady" approach to developing a career in the fundraising niche … building his writing skills while networking with potential clients. Recently it paid off.

We talked with Art in his Las Vegas home to find out more about his success.

TGT: Obvious first question: Tell us about yourself.

ART: I'm originally from the Philadelphia-South Jersey area. I've lived in Las Vegas since 1978, and have worked in the gaming industry here (except for a 2-year stint as a public speaker for Citizens Against Crime).

I met my wife here and we married in 1990. When she and I want to get away, we drive to Laguna Beach in California and veg out on the beach – which becomes important in my story later on.

TGT: Why did you decide to change careers?

ART: I enjoy the gaming business, but I decided to change for a couple of reasons. First was the desire to have more freedom and more control over my life.

My second reason for changing was that I wanted to take some personal responsibility for helping our environment. I saw the damage humans have done, and writing fundraising letters for environmental organizations was a way for me to do that.

So when I learned about copywriting from AWAI – especially fundraising – I knew this was where I needed to be.

TGT: Was the jump to a copywriting career difficult? Scary?

ART: I guess working for the casino industry as long as I have has made me very conservative when it comes to gambling, especially when it comes to my family. So I'm still working full-time there until I make the final jump to full-time copywriter.

That time's rapidly approaching.

TGT: Tell us about your success.

ART: Most of it has been in the last six months – and most of it has been due to contacts I made six months prior to that … and my willingness to do some pro bono work.

An example of what I'm talking about is with the Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach (and here's where those trips with my wife come in). On one of them, I had samples of my work with me. I showed my samples to the people at the Center and offered to do a brochure for them. At the time, they had two brochures: an 8-page education brochure and a 6-page rescue-and-release brochure. My job was to combine them.

I saw this pro bono project as a first step toward doing paid work for the Center. Plus, it gave me a real work sample in my portfolio to show to other potential clients. (By the way, just the other day I received the Center's latest mailing – with my finished brochure in it. Phenomenal feeling seeing my work like that!)

Another example is with the Community Food Bank of Clarke County. A while back, I made contact with the executive director. They called a couple of weeks ago, and now I have a paid assignment to write their fundraising letter.

I've also recently had assignments writing postcards and a phone script – again, because of contacts I made much earlier.

TGT: What do you attribute your success to?

ART: The AWAI Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting, The Golden Thread, Monthly Copywriting Genius, Bootcamp … and my amigo Malcolm Smith. I met Malcolm at Bootcamp. He critiques my copy and is a constant source of encouragement.

TGT: How have you marketed yourself?

ART: Word of mouth, letters, and cold calling. I made maybe 80 to 100 calls before I got a contract with the food bank. And I currently have 3 to 4 opportunities for paying jobs as a result of cold calls.

Brrr! I don't like cold calling, but it's been a huge steppingstone for me. Fundraising for causes I believe in is such a passion with me that it's worth it, knowing I'm helping to make a positive change for the future.

TGT: Any words of advice for our readers?

ART: Decide what you want. Stay focused. Be persistent. Ask yourself, "What are the rewards of doing this. And what are the consequences of NOT doing it?"

And take advantage of all the knowledge that AWAI shares with us regularly.

Quick Tip: Small-Business Development Centers By Will Newman

There is a great resource for getting help with the business side of copywriting … and it's free. I'm talking about the SBA's Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).

These centers offer assistance to small businesses and individuals in the form of counseling, training, and technical help. They can, for example, help you prepare SBA loan applications … and they can answer just about any specific questions you have about your business.

There's at least one SBDC in every state. For a list of the centers in your area, visit the Small Business Administration's website at http://www.sba.gov/.

Your Secret Power Over Your Client
By Will Newman

There’s a client I’ve worked with for a while who uses my copywriting services 2 or 3 times a year. He’s not my top client, but does use me regularly and likes my work.

Well, recently something happened with this client that I wanted to share with my friends at Inside Freelance Design.

I did a job for him, and nearly 8 weeks went by with no check in the mail. I was also having trouble getting him to respond to my e-mails.

I thought, “My gosh, he’s trying to cheat me!”

I was tempted to start sending him emails threatening a lawsuit. But I held off. I’ve been doing this freelance gig long enough to know that harsh words written or said to a client can never be taken back.

So I waited. I kept in contact … but did not nag. Instead, I sent links to articles related to his business. I would end these positive, helpful (I hoped) emails with a gentle reminder about the money he owed me. I grit my teeth when I sent those messages, but I knew I was doing the right thing.

Patience Pays Off

Last week, I received his check. And that same day, I got an email describing his next project, a contract for a good fee … along with an explanation for the delayed payment.

His start fee sits in my PayPal account as I write this. Do I believe the reason he gave me for the delay? Why not? I’m still working with him, and he’s eager to continue working with me on more projects.

This experience brings up an important point: No matter how skilled you are, there are always going to be other DM-trained designers eager to take your jobs. And, all other factors being equal, clients choose designers who are easy to work with.

They’re not looking for pushovers, but they want to work with people who understand the stresses of doing business and will not add to those stresses with aggressive, in-your-face behavior.

Your Mother Was Right!

Being polite and courteous makes clients love to work with you. So does offering to do a little extra work -- without asking for extra money. Mom’s admonition when you were a kid to “play nice” translates to “work nice” in the professional world. And when she told you to “watch what you say,” … well, that’s good counsel whether you’re 5 or 75. A gruff remark tossed out in anger or frustration echoes in your client’s ears forever.

A Few Pointers for “Working Nice”

1. Never send off an angry email until someone else reads it. This buys you time to cool down – and, if you’re lucky, the other person will convince you not to send it.

2. Do not call a client if you are really upset with them.

3. Smile when you’re talking on the phone, even if you’re upset. (See #2.) Smiling softens your voice and makes you sound more agreeable.

4. Before insisting that something is exactly as you said it was, check it out. Taking time to research a contentious issue is another way to buy yourself time to cool off. (And it keeps you from looking foolish in the event that you were wrong.)

5. “Please” can sound forced or sarcastic in a business setting. It’s sometimes better to say something like “I’d really appreciate if you could …”

6. “I’m hoping you can help me” can turn a potential adversary into an ally.

7. “Thank you.” And “I’ve really enjoyed working with you.” And “I hope to work with you again.” You love hearing things like that, don’t you? So do your clients.

Ours is a small industry compared to most. Word gets around if you’re a positive, client-friendly designer. Or if you’re not.

But let’s be frank. If you’re a designer who consistently produces winners in the mail, maybe you can afford not to care about how you treat your clients. Just keep in mind, though, that most of the really top designers – people like Lori Haller and Roger Parker- – are also some of the kindest, most considerate professionals you could hope to meet.

Maybe it’s a coincidence that they naturally happen to be endowed with great graphic skills. Or maybe it’s because people who are courteous and easy to work with get the most work and the most practice. And the most word-of-mouth referrals.

And that’s what success in this business is all about.

Quick Tip:
A Quick Fix for Image Resolution Confusion

When do you use 72 dpi? Is 600 dpi ever too small? How do you determine a photo’s true dimensions before you stretch or shrink it in your layout program?

Image resolution can be one of the biggest problems for new graphic designers, probably second only to managing color. But there is an easy, free resource that will help you cut through the confusion.

The royalty-free image site iStockPhoto has an article with clear, concise explanations at: www.istockphoto.com/article_view.php?ID=199.

And while you’re there, look around at the high-quality, inexpensive stock images.