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Aside From Technical Writing...
What in the World Can You Do?
Presented by
Jack Massa
Guidance Communications Inc.
© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.
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What’s Up with this Title, Dude?
• Aside from Teaching English...
• What Color is Your Parachute?
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So, more about me...
• Successful Businessman (Who me?)
• 2003 Income down 48%
• So how can I stand up here and dare to
give advice?
Chutzpah!
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By the Numbers...
• Three ways to make money as a writer
• Ten jobs you can do
• Four Pillars of Your Marketing Plan
• Five-Step Plan for Controlling Your
Destiny
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Three Ways to the $
• Sales – Help Increase Revenues
• Support – Help Decrease Expenses
• Content – Create Product to Sell
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Sales
• Sales – Help Increase Revenues
• Copywriting/Commercial Writing/
Marketing Writing
• Writing skills are paramount
• Every organization needs this
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Support
• Support – Help Decrease Expenses
• Product Documentation/Online Help
• Corporate Documentation: Policies and
Procedures
• Training
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Content Creation
• Content – Creating Product
• Magazine, newspapers, trade
publications, books
• Research and writing ability are superimportant
• Actually pays less than the other two
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By the Numbers...
• Three ways to make money as a writer
• Ten jobs you can do
• Four Pillars of Your Marketing Plan
• Five-Step Plan for Controlling Your
Destiny
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Ten Jobs You Can Do
Disclaimer!
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Ten Jobs
Engineering Writer
Market: Large or small engineering firms
Tasks: Write, edit, manage publications/proposals
Required: Writing, editing, interviewing SMEs,
publishing tools
Plusses: Engineering or science knowledge
Pay: Roughly similar to tech writing
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Ten Jobs
Corporate/HR/Training Writer
Market: Large organizations, writing often
freelance or contract
Tasks: Write and edit, policies and procedures,
training manuals, employee handbooks, etc.
Required: Writing, editing, interviewing SMEs,
publishing tools
Plusses: HR or training background, degree in
instructional design
Pay: Roughly similar to tech writing or a bit less
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Ten Jobs
Corporate Communications
Market: Large organizations, marketing/PR firms
Tasks: Write and edit brochures, speeches,
scripts, newsletters. Manage publications.
Required: Writing, editing, interviewing.
Sometimes a PR or marketing background.
Plusses: Marketing or PR experience.
Pay: Roughly similar to tech writing. More at the
high end
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Ten Jobs
Marketing/Commercial Writer
Market: Marketing/PR companies. Or freelance to
any client.
Tasks: Write brochures, web copy, speeches,
scripts, newsletters, ads, stories, etc.
Required: Writing skill, creativity, tenacity
Plusses: Marketing experience
Pay: Hourly rates generally higher than tech
writing
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Ten Jobs
Medical Writer
Market: Research facilities, biomedical companies
Tasks: Write and edit brochures, reports, articles
for doctors and researchers
Required: Writing, editing, interviewing. Often
need some medical or science background.
Plusses: BS, PhD, MD
Pay: Same as tech writing to much higher
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Ten Jobs
Trainer/Instructional Designer
Market: Large and mid-sized companies of all
types. Small training firms.
Tasks: Analyze needs; design, develop and
deliver training.
Required: Writing/design skills. Demonstrated
ability creating and delivering training.
Plusses: Experience. Instructional design degree
or certificate.
Pay: Comparable to tech writing
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Ten Jobs
Project Manager
Market: Contract market, large IT projects
Tasks: Organize and track schedule, hire,
troubleshoot, write reports
Required: Organization and people skills. MS
Project.
Plusses: Demonstrated experience. Certification.
Pay: Somewhat higher than tech writing
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Ten Jobs
Web Designer/Developer
Market: Large to mid-size companies. Freelance to
small businesses.
Tasks: Design, code, test websites.
Required: Tools and coding skills, creativity,
knowledge of web architecture
Plusses: Demonstrated experience. Back-end
programming skills.
Pay: Generally lower than tech writing (except for
serious developers)
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Ten Jobs
Usability/HCI Consultant
Market: Tech vendors or large consulting firms
Tasks: Consult on user interface design, test
prototypes and beta products
Required: HCI knowledge and experience
Plusses: Related degree; people and
management skills; flexibility
Pay: Generally a bit better than tech writing
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Ten Jobs
Freelance Writer (Content)
Market: Magazines, newspapers, book publishers
Tasks: Think up, pitch, and write compelling
content
Required: Imagination, tenacity, nerve, and a feel
for the market.
Plusses: Same as above
Pay: Miniscule, but the sky is the limit
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By the Numbers...
• Three ways to make money as a writer
•  Ten jobs you can do
• Four Pillars of Your Marketing Plan
• Five-Step Plan for Controlling Your
Destiny
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Your Marketing Plan
Why Market Yourself?
“To be successful over the long haul,
you must consciously and
consistently market yourself,
whether you want to be a
freelancer, a contractor, or a
full-time employee.”
-- Jack Massa
© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.
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Your Marketing Plan
Jack’s 5-Minute MBA
• “Everyone is in Sales and Marketing.”
• “Marketing is more important than expertise.”
• “Marketing is simply controlling the
messages that you send.”
• “Marketing is Chinese water torture. It
is all about consistency and frequency.”
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Your Marketing Plan
Jack’s 5-Minute MBA
Before you can market...
• What are you selling?
• Who needs it?
• How much are they willing to pay?
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Your Marketing Plan
Jack’s 5-Minute MBA
Two factors in buying decision
• Perceived value – What’s in it for me?
• Price – How much will it cost me?
Avoid being a commodity!
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Your Marketing Plan
Jack’s 5-Minute MBA
How to avoid being a commodity
• Develop unique expertise
• Develop a unique niche
• Develop relationships
Business is all about
relationships!
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Your Marketing Plan
What Color is Your Parachute?
• There are always opportunities
• Research the field and companies
before you apply
• Find jobs before they appear
• Meet people in the field, because...
Business is all about
relationships!
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Four Marketing Pillars
1. Networking
• No such thing as too much
• Umpteen opportunities
• Learn to work a room
• Help the other person
• Meet as many people as you can...
Business is all about
relationships!
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Four Marketing Pillars
2. Telephone Techniques
• Warm calls before cold calls
• Have a script and practice
• Voicemail: Try three times
• Always ask for a meeting, because...
Business is all about
relationships!
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Four Marketing Pillars
3. Pro Bono Work
• Build your portfolio and your contacts
• Every organization can use a good writer
• “You must give before you receive”
• Helps you make friends, important
because...
Business is all about
relationships!
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Four Marketing Pillars
4. Your Sales Call/Interview
• Be prepared
• Ask leading questions
• Study Consultative Selling
• “Probe for the pain”
• Present your solutions
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By the Numbers...
• Three ways to make money as a writer
•  Ten jobs you can do
•  Four Pillars of Your Marketing Plan
• Five-Step Plan for Controlling Your
Destiny
© 2004, Guidance Communications, Inc.
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Control Your Destiny
Control Your Money
• Examine your beliefs
• Examine your expenses
• Save 10% of what you earn
• Give away 10% of what you earn
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Control Your Destiny
Control Your Career
• You must face your fears... Chutzpah!
• Understand the purpose of failure
• Set goals: 1-Year and 5-Year
• Make a plan and check it often
• Working in the business vs working on
the business.
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Control Your Destiny
Five Steps to Destiny Control
1. Know and love yourself money
2. Know and love yourself work
3. Set goals: Where do you want to go?
4. Plan: How will you get there?
5. Work your plan EVERY DAY
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So
Aside From Technical Writing...
What in the World Can You Do?
Anything you want to!!!
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Questions or Comments
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Door Prize!!!
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My Contact Info...
Jack Massa
Guidance Communications Inc.
770.621.0526
[email protected]
www.guidancecom.com
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