May 2010 - Men with Pens

Emotional Benefits: Are You Using Them Enough?

This post isn’t about how the education system is broken, or that students are bored stiff, or how it doesn’t respond to varying intellectual needs. This post is about why you need to use clear, tangible, emotional benefits to get your consumer to buy, join in, sign up or attend. Because if you can’t present people with good reason to do what you want them to do, they simply won’t. And so, the story begins. You may be aware that I have two daughters, one of whom has just turned 17. (The other one is

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When You Should Stop Slogging Through Writing

Written by Agent X

When I came to write my opening note for today’s guest poster, I realized that if I started by saying “I like Ali Hale” one more time, someone would probably shoot me. So I won’t say it. You can’t make me. I will say, though, that Ali’s post was coincidentally timed – though you’ll have to tune in next week to learn why. Until then, read and enjoy. The following is a brief, geeky digression. (Can it be called a “digression” before I even begin? Call it a prologue, if you want.) Back in my

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How NOT to Get the Freelance Job – and What to Do

Written by James Chartrand

After posting some open job positions here at Men with Pens, we received a slew of applications. People were really excited to have the opportunity to work with us. I even noticed a woman tweeting she’d wet her pants if she was hired. Kind of flattering. In most part, I had a lot of fun reading through applications and learning more about people. There are some interesting folk out there, from quietly professional to boldly courageous, and whether they fit the profile or not, it was nice to “meet” some of our followers and readers.

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Your Three-Step Blast-Away to Avoid Freelancer Burnout

Written by James Chartrand

People who work on the web commonly run their own business. All of it. They work on projects, they do their own customer service, their own customer management, their marketing and networking, their project scheduling, admin and bookkeeping. They have to stay on top of everything. The funny thing is that when you look at the list of your weekly tasks on paper, it seems like you should be able to get everything done. You have the hours available to you. You have the resources and you certainly have the skills. So how do you

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How to Wow Blog Editors (and Get Published)

Written by Agent X

Today’s guest post comes to us from Laura Spencer, a well-known crack writer, blogger and head editor at Freelance Folder, one of the blogosphere’s largest hangouts for freelancers. She responded to a post written last week about when your guest post is held hostage – and her comment was so well thought out that I asked her for her opinions on how to be a great guest poster. Here it is – enjoy! So, you’ve decided to incorporate guest posting into your marketing strategy. Good for you. Guest posting can be an effective way to

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Want a Peek Behind the Scenes?

Written by James Chartrand

“We never hear about what’s going on at Men with Pens.” Jeff (the gentle, kind soul that he is) pointed out that fact to me recently during a conversation on future goals, amazing plans, business ventures and ultimate world domination involving oceanfront property, beach houses and frosty daiquiris sipped to soft jazz playing in the backgr-… Sorry. Delusions of grandeur. They get in the way. Jeff had a good point. People are curious and they like being in the know. So exactly what is going on at Men with Pens these days? Allow me to

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How to Please Your Client Every Single Time

Written by Taylor

Photo credit Gualtierro Boffi I have the secret. The never-fail secret to making sure your client is thrilled with the web copy you write 99.999% of the time. Gather round me, children, for I am about to speak a word of power. Contained within this word is the secret to web copywriting that knows the heart and mind of your client – yea! Knows even their hopes and dreams and deepest desires for their online presence. Come closer. I shall whisper the word in your ear. Questionnaire. That was rather anticlimactic, wasn’t it? Yeah, okay,

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Why Web Copy Means More than Just Words

Written by James Chartrand

Photo credit S. Miroff Quick – look around you. What do you see? A coffee mug, a book, some papers, a picture on the wall, your calendar, pens… Just a bunch of normal, everyday stuff. Look again. See how many objects and items have words on them. The ad copy on a box of CDs. The opening sentence of a letter. The month on the calendar. The notes on a scrap of paper. It’s amazing how many words surround us all the time. Words are nearly omnipresent in our lives, from the features listed on

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Archives for May 2010

Blog Archives

Emotional Benefits: Are You Using Them Enough?

When You Should Stop Slogging Through Writing

How NOT to Get the Freelance Job – and What to Do

Your Three-Step Blast-Away to Avoid Freelancer Burnout

How to Wow Blog Editors (and Get Published)

Want a Peek Behind the Scenes?

How to Please Your Client Every Single Time

Why Web Copy Means More than Just Words

Working with
us is easy

Archives for May 2010

Blog Archives

Working withus is easy

Working with
us is easy