Christine K. Bailey: Published Author & Freelance Writer

In the past several months, there have been numerous articles about companies choosing to work with freelance and contract workers rather than hire full-time employees.  Take, for instance, the article posted December 23rd at PR.com: Jobs 2010: Flexible Resources Says Part-Time and Freelance Will Make Up Bulk of New Hires.

As belts tighten and businesses look for new ways to save, consider just a few of the benefits of hiring a talented expert on a freelance or contract basis.

• Gain a high level of specialized experience without the commensurate salary
• Save money because there are no benefits or taxes to pay
• Use resources efficiently; hire them only when you need them
• Use your money more effectively; pay only for the time you use, not for time spent standing around the water cooler

Great freelancers are business owners, too and know how to put their customers first.  You don’t have to be a big company to appreciate the value of a freelance or contract worker.  Even as a sole proprietor and small business owner there comes a time when it’s more cost-effective and time-efficient for you to outsource.

Click here to find out how this freelance writer & copyeditor can help you!

This year, I have more than a couple of things on my to-do list.  Among them:

• Write travel apps for the iPhone: (Essential Sedona, Greater Phoenix Dining & Essential Greater Phoenix (with two other writers)
• Launch TempeParent.info for EastValleyParent.com
• Write the 2nd edition of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona & Central Arizona, Great Destinations, A Complete Guide
• Launch LitSisters Publishing with three other authors
• Establish Arizona Authors & Adventurers Travel Talk Program (first talk Jan 23 at Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa)
• Write & compile a book of original short stories, scheduled for publication March, 2010
• Launch www.arizonatravelandadventure.com with two other Arizona travel writers
• Finalize the layout and details of this Web site (www.christinekbailey.com)
• Continue writing articles for newspapers and magazines
• Continue to strengthen & build my commercial copywriting & copyediting client base

It doesn’t seem as daunting when I write it all out in a list.  Did I mention that most of them are due by March 30th?!

Here’s to gettin’ it done in 2010!

Today, I’m working on newsletters for two different clients.   Both clients are small business owners who need to maintain regular contact with their customers because their customers are repeat buyers.  By sending out monthly or bi-monthly correspondence to a targeted contact list, they keep their products and services in front of those who are most apt to buy them.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you develop and write your marketing newsletter:

1) Useful: be sure to include information that your customers will want to use.  For instance, if you sell scrapbooking supplies, consider including monthly tips or how-to’s about how to get the most out of your products.

2) Know your audience:  Consider the challenges and concerns your customers face and the types of expert solutions you can recommend to meet their needs.  If your audience is made up of small business owners you may consider providing articles about how to cut costs to weather the economy; however, if they’re mid-level sales managers your articles may reflect new ways to keep sales high.

3) Keep your information relevant: While the content should be useful, it should also support the value that you and your company provide.  For instance, if you’re selling tax accounting services to small business owners, write content that illustrates the how’s and why’s of doing business with a company like yours.  You can provide tips on picking the right CPA; a checklist about what they need to have come tax time; or an article on how to track expenses throughout the year so that April 15th seems like just another day.

If you would like assistance with developing and writing useful, relevant marketing content with your audience in mind, let me know.  We can come up with a plan together!

I’m looking at my list of things to do and I’m trying to organize about twelve major projects into bite-sized bits so that I can manage them all successfully.  The projects range from getting this Web site up and running to writing the 2nd edition of my travel guide.  Other projects include launching a travel Web site, practicing for our first ever Authors and Adventurers Travel Talk (scheduled for January 23rd at Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa in Sedona, Arizona); prepping for a book signing at Press Coffee at CityNorth in Phoenix this coming Saturday; and writing a travel application about Sedona for the iPhone.  And that isn’t even the tip of the iceberg!  There’s more…lot’s more and I plan to use this site to link the various aspects of my writing life to one central hub.  So, check back often for new links, project updates, tips on writing (fiction, non-fiction, travel and commercial!), working with freelance writers, and more.  The central theme?  Writing.  See you next time!