To Save Time and Earn More Money … Specialize
Gordon Graham
I’ve been a professional writer for 35 years—but I’ve never seen anything like the massive opportunity for writers called “content marketing.”
This week I’ll be sharing a series of ideas on how you can better target, land, and keep B2B clients who need this type of content.
To start, here’s one for every writer: Focus. Find your niche. Specialize.
That will pay off for you in at least four ways:
1. Specializing helps busy prospects remember you.
Anyone who hires writers is super-busy, with too much to do and too much to remember. When you approach them as an “all-purpose copywriter,” your name will not stick in their minds.
But, if you approach them as a specialist who already knows their business, you’ll get their attention. And they’ll more likely remember you.
2. Specializing gives you instant credibility.
To break into writing content, play your best card: the trade you’ve been working in. Even without many samples, knowing the business is a powerful introduction. That tells your prospect he doesn’t have to waste valuable time explaining the basics.
3. Specializing cuts the learning curve.
With a specialty, you already know the jargon, the issues, and the trends. You can interview sources intelligently. You can write informed content. And you won’t have to spend days learning the basics of a whole new business.
4. Specializing earns you more.
By getting the attention of prospects and skipping any learning curve, you can close sales and start earning faster. That generates more dollars per hour. Who doesn’t want that?
Now that you’ve heard the benefits of specializing, how do you do it? Well, I believe there are three basic ways to focus:
1. Vertically, by writing for a certain sector.
In my case, I focus on enterprise tech, because I worked in it full-time before going independent. AWAI has lots of resources on how to find the best niche for you, based on your education, work experience, dreams and passions.
2. Horizontally, by writing a certain type of document.
I mainly write white papers, because these are challenging projects where I can really make a difference.
There are lots of things you can focus on, including these 12 popular types of content:
- blog posts
- case studies
- e-books
- e-newsletters
- infographics
- placed articles
- press releases
- slide decks
- speeches
- video scripts
- websites
- white papers
And, to help you find out more and get earning quickly, I cover all 12 of these in the AWAI Crash Course in B2B Content.
3. Both, by writing a certain type of document for a certain sector.
My “sweet spot” where I get the best results is writing white papers for enterprise tech.
See how you can focus vertically, horizontally, or both? And I urge you to do this, today … and get started writing B2B content in 2015.
Share your comments here.
And tomorrow, I’ll explain why not to bother trying to convince any prospect to publish the type of content you want to write.
Hey Gordon
Thank you for this amazing post - I didn't realize that you could segment horizontally.
Thanks again Kitto
Guest (Kit) – January 19, 2015 at 6:08 pm
Hi Gordon,
I am a COS member and just finished Steve Slaunwhite's B2B Companion Series. I am ready to jump into B2B and I hope this course will give me the boost I need to get where I want to be quickly!
I have lots of experience as an RN in the medical field, specifically Neonatal Intensive Care, so I hope to pursue writing B2B content for the medical field.
Thanks for offering this.
Guest (Karen Peckham) – January 20, 2015 at 12:01 am
If I specialize in the industry I have experience in, I may have a real challenge. CPA also stands for "Cheap People's Association". It's true accountants are not very creative and very black and white (hence why I'm no longer in that industry!). Should I specialize in service firms in general or try accounting firms anyway?
Patty DiMaggio – January 20, 2015 at 9:08 pm
Hi Gordon,
Good informative post..
I'm glad to see that you are giving a course. I took a course with you many years ago and enjoyed it.
I have been thinking of doing some writing part time. I'm in the process of trying to figure my niche and market.
Thank you for this.
Guest (Anne Borsohalmi) – January 21, 2015 at 4:57 pm
Hello Karen Peckham:
With the ongoing changes in U.S. healthcare, there's a lot of call for B2B copywriting there.
Every vendor is coming out with new offerings and trying to position themselves for the new era.
I've done several white papers for healthcare IT firms myself. You're in a good niche. Good luck!
Gordon Graham – January 27, 2015 at 10:06 am
Hello Patty DiMaggio:
I always advise to play your strongest card first. But you have to like your chosen sector. If you're tired of accounting, that will probably show when you contact prospects.
Better to find a niche you're excited about. That could be service firms, consultants to a certain industry, maybe firms that do accounting software or services? Maybe for small business?
If you're a CPA that's a good credential in any field, and you can position yourself as someone who understands "the bottom line" and can work easily with numbers. Many writers can't. Good luck!
Gordon Graham – January 27, 2015 at 10:10 am
Hi Anne B:
Great to hear from you!
With your background, I think you could write blogs or case studies or white papers, no problem. B2B technology is a very busy niche for copywriters.
All the best.
Gordon Graham – January 27, 2015 at 10:13 am