Today’s guest is Kelly McSweeney, a content marketing writer. Kelly works from her home office in Massachusetts with a small dog by her side. She has been a self-employed writer for nearly eight years, with clients that include research institutions, big tech companies and marketing agencies. Kelly explains cutting-edge science and emerging technology to intelligent, curious audiences. In recent years, she has added writing video scripts and moderating webinars to her services, which is today’s topic.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The micro services freelancers can provide as a part of the video creation package.
• How Kelly learned the unique style of writing video scripts.
• How script writing is more collaborative and creative than writing articles.
• The length of projects and time involved.
• The different types of videos.
• Working with a video producer (whether freelance or from an agency).
• How to charge and the challenge with a longer pay cycle.
• What to consider when creating the scope of work.
• How to find clients.
• What moderating webinars entails.
• The qualities a good moderator needs.
• How generative artificial intelligence is affecting content marketing.

Biz Bite: Use mind mapping to brainstorm.

Resources:

• Support Deliberate Freelancer at Buy Me a Coffee
• Deliberate Freelancer Facebook group
• Kelly’s website
• Kelly on LinkedIn
• Episode #106 of Deliberate Freelancer: How to Use Video to Connect with Your Audience, with Anita Kwan
• Connect with Melanie on Threads @MelEdits_DC
• Connect with Melanie on LinkedIn

Today’s guest is Annemie Tonken. Annemie lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She has been a professional photographer since 2010 and is the owner of Megapixie Photography.

She also teaches creative entrepreneurs how to run profitable, sustainable businesses they love, by focusing on how they can develop helpful business systems and strategies. And, she’s the host of a business podcast for photographers called This Can’t Be That Hard and the creator of the Simple Sales System, which is used by thousands of photographers worldwide to create in-person sales-level income and service in an automated way.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How she became a photographer and later focused on family photography.
• How a surgery left her income and business vulnerable — and she vowed to change that.
• Her lightbulb moment that led to her membership program.
• Why we should think creatively about the business side — and not just the creative services we provide.
• The importance of listening to the challenges many of your clients continue to have.
• Tips on how to set up and sell your own membership program.
• Why this is a good model for branding photographers and writers, too.
• How to adopt this model to service businesses beyond photography.
• What freelance photographers struggle with and how Annemie responds.
• The three phases of business Annemie thinks about.

Biz Bite: Conduct an audit of your business systems — with the goals of automation and outsourcing.

Resources:

• Support Deliberate Freelancer at Buy Me a Coffee
• Deliberate Freelancer Facebook group
• Annemie’s This Can’t Be That Hard website, podcast and courses
• Annemie’s This Can’t Be That Hard Instagram account
• Annemie’s photography website
• Connect with Melanie on Threads @MelEdits_DC
• Connect with Melanie on LinkedIn

Today’s guest is Abby Nieten. Abby lives in the Indianapolis, Indiana, area, with her husband and three sons. A year ago she launched her freelance business, Shining Waters Editorial, where she is a copy editor and proofreader specializing in business content and nonfiction manuscripts.

Abby also recently launched a monthly newsletter called Stream of Confidence, which is for authors, writers and other business professionals who want to create and publish content that impacts other humans. It offers a steady stream of encouragement, inspiration, connection and quality assurance tips to help you publish your work with confidence.

In today’s episode, Abby and I talk about:

• How a layoff led to her freelancing career.
• Feeling undervalued and burnt out in the corporate world.
• How she prepared for freelancing while still working full time.
• How she’s getting clients.
• Trying to figure out pricing.
• Four pivotal lessons she’s learned over the past year.
• Why she wishes she had taken a break between being an employee and starting her freelance business.
• Just do it — you don’t have to wait until you build the perfect structure and business plan before you start freelancing.
• The challenge of finding the right client mix to provide more stability.
• The importance of keeping a “sunshine folder” of evidence of your good work.

Biz Bite: Explore the technology you’re already paying for before buying the new “shiny object.”

Resources:

• Support Deliberate Freelancer at Buy Me a Coffee
• Deliberate Freelancer Facebook group
• Abby’s website: ShiningWatersEditorial.com
• Abby’s Stream of Confidence newsletter
• Abby on LinkedIn
• Connect with Melanie on Threads @MelEdits_DC
• Connect with Melanie on LinkedIn