Starting Your Own Freelance Copywriter Business by Lee Su Jung

Probably all of us who work for other organizations helping other people make money, dream of becoming an independent entrepreneur one day. However, the risk factor always becomes a hindrance as a fixed job gives us a sense of security that a business will lack, at least in the initial stages. However, as we can see with the recent global economic meltdown that the sense of security is quite false as more and more people are being handed over the pink slips.

Therefore, you can as well try to start an online business, which you can operate from home and for which you do not need to invest a lot of time and money in the initial stages. Let us today look at one of the best online business opportunities available in the market, namely the freelance copywriter business. Below, I have given a few tips how to start a business such as this.

Gain experience

The first thing that you need to do is to gain experience by doing freelance copywriter jobs yourself. This way you will be able to gauge the market, know that kind of articles that are in demand and learn what writing-styles sell well. You will find numerous freelance proofwriting and copywriting jobs on Internet. You can start doing them part-time to build up a small capital as well as to gain experience.

Create network

While working as a freelance copywriter, start networking with other writers and if possible with the clients who publish your works. You can join online forums of writers to interact with experienced copywriters and people related to copywriting business. Make your intention of starting a copywriting business known to people with whom you have built good rapport so that you can contact them if needed.

Create a website

Create a good website of your own and include an e-commerce page where your future clients can transact money. Give the site a clean, respectable and international look so that it attracts content publishers. Promote your content writing business and provide a lot of sample articles and testimonials. An attractive website goes a long way to ensure that the visitors to your site will offer you jobs.

Market your Business

SEO is the most cost-effective way to market your business which will increase the visibility of your website on net. Start article marketing through websites, which publish articles free of cost. Create interesting blogs on how to find a freelancer copywriter to attract visitors and direct them subtly to your sites.

Expand your business

Employ other part-time copywriters, preferably new ones to do freelance proofwriting or copywriting for your clients because it will be increasingly difficult for you to take care of all copywriter jobs. Start to automate your business slowly.

"Find my FREE REPORT at http://freelancejobsreviewed.com/ and get the facts about Freelancing and how it can bring you a nice income without a lot of hassle" I hope you can get this in!

2,000 Food Bloggers Flock to Foodbuzz

Foodbuzz has surpassed 2,000 food bloggers in its online food community. These partner food blog websites, when combined with the foodbuzz.com "hub" website, reached 6.7 million people per month according to third-party traffic measurement service Quantcast. This ranks Foodbuzz as the third largest online food property after less than two years of operation.

"Our goal is to be the number one online food community by promoting the talent, enthusiasm and knowledge of food bloggers around the globe," said Ben Dehan, founder and CEO of Foodbuzz. Of the top three properties, Foodbuzz is the only true community that combines social networking for foodies with food content search for everyone. "Both our monthly users and page views grew over 1000% in 2008, and we are on pace to reach the number one spot within the next 12 months," said Mr. Dehan.

Foodbuzz digs deep into the "long tail" of food publishing to discover and promote thousands of small, yet high-quality, food bloggers. "We are providing a platform for food bloggers to pursue their passion in a community that nurtures and encourages the sharing of quality food and dining content daily," said Ryan Stern, Director of Publishing. Foodbuzz offers these bloggers a compelling solution for building their traffic, connecting with like-minded foodies, and making money. Foodbuzz has exclusive advertising relationships with partner bloggers which provide brand advertisers the reach and share-of-voice they need to effectively engage the food community.

Website: http://www.foodbuzz.com/

VOIS Launches 24/7 Meet Market for Employers and Freelance Professionals

Today VOIS, Inc. (pronounced "Voice") launched a new social sourcing website (at http://www.vois.com/) aimed at slicing through the malaise and red tape of the traditional recruitment and employment model.

Vois.com aims to be the first social commerce site that leverages the power of social networking to help a global audience find and offer immediate work. With VOIS, members can post work, find work and network -- all without ironing slacks or visiting Kinkos.

What's this all mean? Basically, Vois.com combines the super-charged social connectivity of Facebook with the job search savvy of a Monster.com. From the professional's perspective, you get to build rapport with peers, form virtual cross-functional teams, and then bid on and tackle both temporary and permanent projects. You can also fly solo as a freelance contractor with a skill set and a dream. Meanwhile, employers have on-demand access to individuals and teams to supplement bandwidth when needed.

Of course, VOIS is more than this; instead of encouraging anonymous, cookie-cutter relationships within virtual closed-in cubicles, the social commerce platform is more like an all-access networking mixer minus the watered down drinks. Buyers and sellers are encouraged to get to know more than each other's online handles and hourly rates through chat rooms, internal messaging, robust profiles and even a trusty rating system.

While standard freelance marketplaces typically take between 8-20% of the provider's payment by notoriously nickel and diming users with fees and fine print, VOIS is adhering to a "Freemium" model. This model offers a free version of its website to any member but is supported by paid credits of its most frequent users.

New Career Site to Focus on Green Jobs

With the Obama administration focusing on green job creation, Great Green Careers (http://www.greatgreencareers.com/) gives job seekers a new way to connect with employers in the green sector. The employment Web site focuses primarily on U.S.-based green careers in the energy, environment, skilled trades and transportation fields.

Ogden Publications, the largest and longest-running publisher in the green community, plans to officially launch the site April 22 to commemorate Earth Day. More than one-third of Ogden's sustainable-lifestyle audience currently is employed in green occupations.

Great Green Careers serves as a complete resource for people who want to break into the green job market. Job seekers can view open positions, post their resumes and apply for specific listings on Great Green Careers, all at no charge. In addition, the full-service job board lets job seekers create a search agent that notifies them by e-mail if a job related to their field or interests becomes available. The job seeker "Resources" area provides applicants with resource links and job search articles. For most job postings, clicking the name of the employer will reveal additional information via a "Company Profile."

Companies who post jobs on the site can search the resume database, giving them unique access to a concentrated pool of people who are interested in specific areas of the green job sector. Employers can also set up 'resume agents' that automatically e-mail them the best resumes matching their needs. They can then track applications to their job postings, create and update their company profiles, and utilize Great Green Careers' Employer Resource area, which is full of useful research and links.

Website Providing Answer for Tough Economic Times: Start a Business

Internet entrepreneur Lawrence Krakow didn't take the economic downturn lying down. He started his own business and now wants to help others realize their dreams of home business ownership.

Lawrence recently launched http://www.alwaysebiz.com/ and an informative blog to help those who are looking to make money online find success. These businesses are the perfect way to either replace lost income or supplement your existing income in these though times.

"People need to take the future in their own hands and not wait for others to lift them up from financial difficulties," Lawrence states. "I broke away from the financial collapse unscathed and now I can help others do the same."

Many of the businesses featured on his site involve affiliate marketing. The businesses combine the best affiliate programs on the Internet, which results in several streams of residual income coming in. With the free traffic-generating website, anyone can be ready to do business in just 24 hours. No business or marketing experience is required because these businesses come with unprecedented educational and professional support.

One of the best educational resources offered by Lawrence is his free informative daily newsletter, Home Business Tips. The newsletter, a $147 value, is delivered to subscribers via e-mail for a year. The newsletter can help anyone gain leverage in the home business market with its valuable tips.

In addition, Lawrence is also offering visitors to his site a free copy of Stone Evans's "Dotcomology: The Science of Making Money Online." Stone Evans is one of the most successful marketing executives working on the Internet today. The 325-page e-book, which can be downloaded from the site, is packed with proven strategies for making money online.

Creating Wealth With Freelance Writing by Kathryn Lang

A job must have security to be a real job. It must include health insurance, vacation, guaranteed raises and retirement - heaven help you if there is no retirement. Even freelancers tend to fall into the trap, or at least I did. Granted, I wasn't looking for jobs with retirements, but I was searching for those freelance writing gigs that would provide a regular income.

The truth is that all freelancers, regardless of industry, have the right idea. Create your own wealth opportunities and then you will be in control of your future. Instead of focusing on the writing gigs that will provide the freelance income you desire, create those writing opportunities for yourself.

Creating Freelance Writing Wealth

1. eBooks - the future is in electronic books. The advent of the Kindle and other electronic reading devices has made this process even more likely. Freelance writers can now create books to sale over the internet and all the income will be profit (less what the government takes because the government will get theirs). I recently took a teleseminar with Maritza Parra and Jeff Herring that really set me on fire for writing eBooks.

2. Seminars - there is always someone who knows less about a subject than you know so teach them. Become an expert in a field or choose a subject where you are naturally an expert and then share your knowledge.

3. Classes - schools, community colleges, libraries and community centers are always looking for teachers to host classes. Now can be particularly hot for libraries because they are setting up their summer programs. Send out letters and resumes and let them know you are interested in teaching some classes.

4. Online teaching - there are plenty of opportunities to teach online through websites. The addition of teleseminars has made that even more of a possibility.

5. Tutor - parents pay good money to help their students learn. Host a tutoring group and increase the income exponentially.

The more creative that you get with your freelance writing opportunities then the more control you will have over your freelance income.

Kathryn Lang is a freelance writer working for several companies around the globe. You can view some of her links at http://www.kathrynlang.com/. She also has a website with tips and resources for writers at http://www.successfulfreelancewriter.com/

How to Start a New Business Doing Freelance Work by Dustin Heath

If you like the idea of working for yourself? Most businesses will require you to carry inventory or buy a lot of supplies. If that's not something you want to deal with then you may want to learn how to start a new business by doing freelance work. Freelance work can usually be completed using things you already have in your home. If you do have to by any equipment the start up costs will be very minimal.

First, you should decide what type of freelance work you would like to do. There are many options out there. You could be a graphic design artist, a writer, a photographer, or even a virtual assistant. Most freelance work will only require you have a computer and access to the Internet. However, you will need more equipment to be a freelance photographer and you may need some specific software programs.

Once you decide which direction you would like to go in, you need to build a portfolio. This is pretty simple. If you are going to be a photographer, start taking pictures. If you want to be a writer, start writing. What you are doing is compiling samples of your work to show potential clients. You will also need a resume. Since you have yet to have your first client, your resume should focus on any skills or experience you have pertaining to your field. Remember you are just learning how to start a new business, perfection takes time. The only thing left to do before the work starts is to setup some sort of checks and balances where your finances are concerned. A good rule of thumb is to set back 20% from each job for taxes and track all of the work you do.

After your resume and portfolio are complete, it's time to land that first client. Remember, the first client is the hardest one to get. You should prepare yourself for rejection in the beginning and you may even set your rates a little bit lower until you gain experience. If you are still not confident, you may consider doing a couple of jobs at no monetary cost. This means you would take on a small job in exchange for being able to list the experience on your resume and a reference if they like your work. Learning how to start a new business with freelance work isn't difficult. Once you land that first client though, you're in business. Now go out and land some more!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dustin Heath recommends that you visit http://www.bizoppez.com/ to learn how you can start your own home-based business earning multiple streams of income with a Plug-In Profit Site - Complete Money Making Site Setup FREE!

Sick of Corporate Stress? Try Freelancing by Diana Schneidman

If you've spent any time online learning about the benefits of becoming a freelancer, consultant or some other type of entrepreneur, you are well aware of Johnny Paycheck's example and why you should tell them to "shove it."

Writers expand on the pleasures of self-employment: wear what you want, do what you want, sleep when you want, amuse yourself when you want, and ideally, have enough money to pursue all these pursuits and more.

Anything is better than your last job, whether you are now drop shipping Chinese-manufactured exercise equipment or selling old stuff from your basement on eBay, they argue. You just may be able to afford a second (or third) home and still have spare time to coach your child's T-ball team.

But lately there is an even more compelling justification for self employment: the commonplace, yet extreme, dysfunction of many corporate workplaces.

Now I don't have numbers to support my theory-I can't even suggest ways the Departments of Commerce or Labor would measure it-but the anecdotal evidence is pretty convincing. The atmosphere in the modern office is highly toxic. Psychological cyanide is billowing out the A/C vents and saturating those long gray hallways and gray cubicles.

What a time and energy drain the typical office has become.

Today, the very best part of freelancing is removing yourself from omnipresent corporate stress!

Let me reminisce about the early 1990s. The receptionist would get a call at 10:30 that everyone must be back from lunch by 1 for an ad hoc staff meeting. Right at 10:30 work would come to a complete stand-still and we'd gather to speculate about the big message.

Often if was merely that a different executive was being rotated in to head our department. We'd think that was big news, but it pales in importance to the major layoff notices coming down more recently.

Well, the stress is huge lately, in case you haven't noticed. Corporate employees are falling apart from the craziness.

If you've been working inside this environment, you know what I mean. It's the insanity that makes unemployment seem desirable. It is the underlying cause of silly arguments, temperamental blow-ups, withholding of critical info and most important, conflicting and impossible demands on staff.

The best thing about freelancing is that you can limit exposure to tension to 10 minute blocks of time, all of them by phone. We commiserate when the client is pressured or fearful, try to distill meaningful input, and convince them we know what we're doing and the results will be fine.

Then we hang up, go about our work, and thank God we don't work there. Or we sit back with our coffee, turn on Oprah or go for a walk. But mostly you smile, knowing it is their problem, not yours.

Or perhaps it is your problem. Your contact's job may be in jeopardy, and in turn, you may lose out on future assignments if they are let go.

There's a solution for this too. As a freelancer, you are always looking for the next assignment. So simply redouble your efforts, just in case.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Diana Schneidman helps unemployed and underemployed people who want to start earning money quickly as a freelancer or consultant. She has successfully practiced freelancing and editorial consulting in marketing communications and market research for the insurance and asset management industries since 1992. Access her free report that reveals "Two Secrets to Start Getting Freelance and Consulting Assignments Quickly and Two Dangerous Questions Guaranteed to Lock You Up in Analysis-Paralysis Prison" and other free information at http://www.standup8times.com/

How to Find Work Through Freelance Sites by Peter Fo

A freelancer is an independent service provider. Have you been in search of a freelance Job? Are you thinking you have the expertise and authority to work on your own? Or, wanna be your own boss? Or, you're worn-out working for someone else.

Well freelance jobs are the solution for all these questions. Freelance jobs are for the people who are looking for a new lifestyle. With a personal computer, reliable internet connection and skills you can work from home as a freelancer in any area, in any part of the world. Freelance jobs are also a viable option for the companies working with freelancers because they are not accountable for employment/tax costs. You just need to ensure that your home environment suits with the kind of job. Companies want their freelance workers to appear to be working in the companies' offices.

Freelance jobs are not very difficult to found. You just need to do is to gather round the correct data and information. There are also countless merits for those individuals looking for freelance work. You can work with flexible hours avoiding the time wasted for transportation etc. Most of the times, your earnings are higher than traditional offline jobs. Secondly, you are not at the mercy of one employer. If one company goes out of business, you can just substitute that project with another buyer.

Writing/designing: If you're to find a job listing for writers or freelance designer job, there are tons of opportunities on the internet. You can explore the internet world and locate the right organizations hiring freelancers of all types. Freelance writing and freelance designing jobs are valuable services to many businesses. You just need provide the buyer the accurate and professional work.

There is a wide variety of job openings and wide range of pay. Low paying freelance jobs range from $5 per article to $200. High paying free lance jobs range from $500 to $5,000 per assignment.

Web Developers: With technological advancement in telecommuting, freelance jobs became possible and widespread. Freelance job opportunities have moved further than just content writing and designing. Other freelance job openings are coming especially for web developers. These type of freelancers offer programming services to create interactive and database driven sites. Web developers' work with web based soft wares programs like HTML, DHTML, Javascript, ASP.NET, PHP, SQL and many more. Web development is a workable freelance job just perfect for work at home.

The bottom line is, online freelance job opportunities are is growing rapidly day after day. You can hit upon a number of diverse freelance jobs, including writing and copywriting graphic design, SEO jobs and translation jobs. There are more and more like freelance photography, data entry jobs, etc. The freelance market is jam-packed with great new work opportunities. You just need to make a decision what kind of freelance job is the best for you and then start your freelance research.

Peter Foo is an entrepreneur and has contributed articles regularly on various topics in business & recruitment. He is a founder & CEO of http://www.freelancehot.com

Facebook and Blogger Continue to Dominate New Media

Comscore, a global internet information provider, has released its ranking of the top websites in the New Media, and Facebook continues to rise in status and is predicted to surpass Blogger in unique worldwide visitors, as reported by TechCrunch here.

Facebook's meteoric rise in 2008 brings the popular social networking site to a little more than 200 Million unique visits, an increase of 116%. Blogger, the Google-owned bloging platform (blogspot.com), continues to hold the #1 spot at 221 Million.

As a portion of the overall statistics for web traffic, the market share of sites Comscore classifies as "social networking" is impressive. Out of a total 996 Million unique internet users worldwide, an estimated 69.4% of them are somehow active in social networking or new media.

Behind Facebook and Blogger, Myspace and Wordpress held steady or climbed slightly. Microsoft's Windows Live Spaces fell 22% to approximately 87 Million users.

The split between two blogging platforms and two social networking sites occupying the top slots in these traffic rankings indicates the interest of users who have embraced the new media. It appears that blogging and connecting with friends are the two services in highest demand. The blogging sites serve the needs of creatively-driven people who want to post original content on the web, either in the form of journal-like personal narratives, or in forms of commentary and reporting that some have referred to as "citizen journalism".

On the other hand, Facebook and Myspace serve the needs of user who want to form social connections on the web, whether it be around common interests, causes and activism, or real-life, off-line relationships.

Photo-hosting sites like Yahoo-owned Flickr, and sites where users share content like Tagged and Imeem appear further down the list. Link-sharing sites Digg and Reddit do not appear in the top 20.

OnWired Launches YourWebJob.com for Job-Seeking Web Professionals

Earlier this year, OnWired, a Cary-based web design firm, needed to hire a project manager. OnWired owner Tony Chester visited many of the popular sites featuring job listings for creative web professionals, assuming they would help him connect with some qualified applicants. What he found surprised him: those sites catered almost entirely to designers and developers, but apparently not to those job seekers with more specialized skills.

As a result, Chester decided to build a job site that would cater to a wider audience of job-seeking web professionals: project managers, copywriters, SEO experts, usability folk, social media gurus, and yes, even designers and developers. His team quickly went to work, crafting a unique design and building the application using Drupal, an open-source content management system. YourWebJob.com was launched.

"With so many people searching for employment right now, it shouldn't be so difficult to find talented job applicants," Chester said. "Call us good samaritans if you'd like. Somebody had to create a place for project managers and copywriters to find their next gig. Who better than us?"

Since the launch, Chester's team has been busy helping YourWebJob.com to get a little exposure in the industry. The site is already featured on MashedJobs.com, KillerStartups.com, and marketing guru Guy Kawasaki's Alltop.com.

A Career As A Literary Agent by Tony Jacowski

Contemporary authors look for a literary agent can provide them with significant guidance related to publishing. They need a person who will not only be their representative, but will also fortify a long-lasting career.

This might sound like a luxury, but it is difficult these days to grab the attention of a literary agent. However, it is this very theory where the key of being a successful literary agent lies. A successful literary agent always responds to the needs of writers. Many writers leave their agents because of the lack of attention they receive.

Apart from paying the required attention to an author, a literary agent has other jobs to do as well. They first have to deal with proposals and to decide which author they should represent. A literary agent also offers editorial and career advice to authors.

An agent also has to manage intellectual property rights. The literary agent sends out manuscripts and proposals for consideration. It is the job of literary agent to negotiate deals with a producer/publisher on the behalf of an author. They also have to keep the producers updated on the works of the author.

An important part of a literary agent's job is to build up contacts within the industry.

Earnings and Eligibility

Commission for a literary agent can be 10% to 20% of the author's total earnings. A literary agent's work is mostly office-based, but he also has to be out and about to meet people and secure opportunities. A nice way to create new contacts is to attend receptions, openings, and trade exhibitions.

Literary agents are expected to have good communication skills as well as business acumen. Graduates can opt to be literary agents. Such people also gain experience as rights managers, personal relations officers for sales, subscription rights or as commissioning agents.

A literary agent can work in large and structured agencies, in mid-sized firms or as an independent contractor. Some agencies represent estates - families of deceased authors. Agencies may also have foreign rights.

Agents can specialize in a particular genre or writing style, or simply writing in general.

A Day in the Life

A typical day for a literary agent from a mid-sized firm would start off with dealing with foreign publishers and drawing up contracts with them. This is because of the time difference between the two parties. Later, they review correspondence from local publishers that were sent in the mail.

Literary agents usually go to lunch with the editors of publishing houses, so that they can sell manuscripts. It is usually the editors who take the agents out for lunch, and it is usually at the end of the main course that the sales pitch is made. Until then, they might make small talk or discuss various projects.

After returning to office they make calls to or attend to calls from writers and negotiate with publishers. It usually takes editors some time to evaluate a project. If a certain book seems to be perfect match for a particular publishing house then an exclusive offer is made. Once an offer is made, the process often proceeds rather quickly.

The evening is usually spent attending book parties. In the absence of parties, evenings are used to read scripts. The weekends might also be consumed with reading manuscripts.

If you like people, have a knack for writing and can sell, then a career as a literary agent can be both lucrative and personally rewarding.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution's Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for six sigma professionals including, lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

5 Tips on How to Find a Job by Marketing Yourself Online

TheSOCExchange.com has launched a career portal that leverages the online marketing tools the platform offers to its sellers for use by job seekers to market their skills and expertise.

The SOC (pronounced "sock") Exchange's career portal allows resumes to be posted and jobs to be searched for free but also offers a collection of easy-to-use digital marketing tools like blogs, RSS feeds and an email campaign manager, along with a customizable website and URL that job seekers can use to build an online presence and catch the attention of prospective employers, all for $1 per month or $10 per year. For the same price, companies are given access to all marketing tools to define corporate identity, stay in touch with promising candidates, search resumes and post an unlimited number of jobs.

"With the US unemployment rate at 8.1 percent and rising, competition for jobs is only going to get fiercer," said The SOC Exchange founder, Franco Lagudi. "Landing a job in this market, whether you want a full-time job or you are an entrepreneur, is like making a sale -- you have to market yourself so that the right people know you're out there and then convince them you are the right choice. The online marketing tools built into our platform are designed to help people sell product and they'll work for job seekers who want to sell themselves."

Franco offers the following tips on how to use online marketing to find a job:

* Build a network: Your best advocates will be your family, friends and contacts so they all need to know that you're looking for work. With the proliferation of online social media tools, it is now easy to communicate with large groups of friends and to make new contacts online.

* Build a web page: Not all your contacts will know how good you are at what you do, so it's important to tell them and have an easily accessible web presence allowing people to get more knowledge about what makes you great.

* Communicate with your network: People will refer the first qualified person that pops into their head so remind them regularly that you are looking. The best way to stay top of mind is to maintain a steady flow of communication without seeming desperate or annoying your friends. Ask them to follow your blog or your email newsletters, create content that might be interesting to them and artfully weave in ways to talk about your search, how it is progressing and what your workplace accomplishments have been. That way, you can get them to keep coming back to your 'SOC site' so you will be the first person they think of when they hear about an opportunity.

* Keep learning: Continue to look for ways that you can become better at what you do. If that means figuring out what Twitter is all about or reading journals that cover your industry, stay on top of the game and build out your expertise and capabilities. Express the things you are learning with your online communications tools.

* Get recommended and recommend others: You never know where that next lead is going to come from so do your best to help others in their searches and they may repay the favor. If you know of any other people who are looking for work and you come across an opportunity that is not right for you but could be for them, pass it along! Chances are they

Website: http://www.thesocexchange.com/