Every Freelance Copywriter Needs To Install Their Real Own Bat Phone
- Posted by Essays Blog in Essays Blog |
- July 21st, 2008 |
- Comments
Optional Description: Once you become busy as a freelance copywriter, you can’t afford to answer the phone every time it rings. And if you’re not yet loaded with projects, you’d be better to pretend you are. Otherwise, copywriting prospects may believe you are desperate for activity, and talk you down in your fees. At the same time it’s important to have open communication with those clients who are paying you money to compose copy. Here’s my single solution gleaned from overmuch time as a child, observance Batman.
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I recently installed a “Bat Phone.”
Remember the old campy Adam Westbound Batman broadcast? Whenever Commissioner Gordon called, a red phone in Wayne Manor’s library would start flashing.
Alfred would come along, pick it up, and have in that obsequious English-butler expression, “Yes?… One moment, please.”
So he’d go grab Bruce who’d be doing something heroic like commandment Dick how to bake no-fat brownies. They both race to the phone to find out which felon had broken out of Gotham City’s Prison.
To the bat poles!
Advantageously, I have cardinal paying copywriting clients who sometimes need to get hold of me ASAP. Often III or four times a week. I’ve not only been writing copy for their businesses but guiding their marketing.
At the same time I don’t deprivation to have to pick up the phone every time it rings — for anybody. It just becomes also disruptive. I don’t even deprivation to have to go and check the call display. Either my woman or my assistant can handle enquiries.
Simply put, I don’t deprivation to talk to anybody who isn’t paying me money for my time and expertise.
I’m also finished with free consultations. Works for any copywriters, doesn’t activity for me.
So, I called up the phone company and asked if they could activate an Ident-A-Call number. That artifact, when one of my copywriting clients calls, the ringer will channel different and I’d know it’s them.
The neat abstraction was that my area code just introduced a new III digit prefix. I was one of the first phone numbers to consume it, allowing me to superior the last four digits myself.
Advantageously, going with the Bat Phone theme, I cerebration (298) 398-BATP would be easy for my clients to remember.
I almost went done it, until I read it out to the medium lady…
“Is B-A-T-P available?”
Quiet.
“Bat pee?” she asked.
No, that won’t activity. Call 398-Bat-Pee!
I ended up settling with (298) 398-HELP* which isn’t as original, but easy enough to remember.
(*That’s not the real number, of course. I’m not revealing the Bat Number in a public email).
Anyway, my clients are glad I got it (as advantageously as my woman) as I tend to only check email and voicemail only once a day. It makes them feel that they are getting their money’s deserving and raises my perceived duration at the same time.
I’d encourage any copywriter to do the same… or to erect another barrier around you and your time. If you don’t respect it, nobody will. Let ‘em bootlick your time and they’ll bootlick the dollars you could have been earning with it.