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Helping the Seemingly Helpless
Author: Jenn, Category: Work
Today I want to talk about something that really rubs me the wrong way - people who ask for “help” when what they really want is for you to give them a complete blueprint for success, or some step-by-step guide with guarantees. I’m talking about business today - specifically two types of people: those looking to become freelance writers and those looking to make money blogging.
I do both.
I write about both.
I give people tips on how they can successfully do both as well.
Still I get emails from people essentially saying they want to make a full-time income this way working from home, but have absolutely no idea where to start. Then they ask me to tell them how I do it.
Sometimes I feel for them. More often, it makes me want to scream. I used to try to help them. Now I generally just link them to one of my blogs and let them research everything I’ve already laid out there.
These folks frustrate the hell out of me, but they do get one thing right. At least they’re trying to learn - that’s much better than jumping into something like a new career while you’re clueless.
What they get wrong is that they expect someone to hold their hand through the process or tell them how to exactly replicate their own success.
What’s worse is that when I do tell people how to succeed at it (my blogs and such aren’t making me “rich” but I do very well - I’m working towards full-time blogging by the end of ‘09 if things keep going as planned). Here’s what I tell them:
- Choose a specialty or niche (both for freelancing and for blogging) based not only on what makes money now (as that always changes), but on what you know and won’t get sick of in a few weeks or months.
- Start researching the basics of getting yourself set up (for blogging that might mean getting a blog physically set up and hosted; for freelancing that might mean learning about the administrative duties you’ll be responsible for on top of client work).
- When it comes to freelance writing, learn how to set your rates properly from the start (and don’t accept ridiculously low rates just because others tell you that’s what new writers have to do - those people are clueless).
- Learn the basics of effective marketing before you get started. That does NOT mean learn the tactics everyone else is using - it means learn the fundamentals that serve as a foundation in understanding any and all potential marketing tactics, as well as helping you understand your own target market (if you don’t know who they are and what influences them to buy, click on ads, visit your blog again, spread the word, etc., you won’t make it very far).
- Start networking! This is true whether you’re writing for clients or managing your own blogs - networks matter. These are people that will link to you, refer gigs to you, and more.
- Work your ass off. If you don’t treat your blog or your freelancing as much like a business as possible, chances are that you won’t come close to the rewards you’re hoping to receive in the long run.
- Speaking of the long run, don’t expect to immediately get rich. It just doesn’t happen often, and you should never bank on being an exception to any rule.
Essentially, my response is to tell them that they need to educate themselves, build their networks, and work hard. Of course, that’s not what they want to hear. They think I have some magic want I can wave to make them an instant success. But like it or not, it’s good old fashioned work that builds a sustainable and solid income stream - even online.
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