Ardelia Lee is a content roadmap engineer and copywriter who helps small business owners create intentional, goal-oriented content that supports long-term business growth. She earned both a BA and MA in English Language and Literature from Sam Houston State University. After moving from Texas to Detroit, Ardelia landed her first client, a small news publication called Daily Detroit, by answering an ad on Craigslist. That partnership led to referrals, and soon she had developed her niche in content strategy and copywriting for businesses. When she’s not scheming with her clients, you can find her curled up with an obnoxiously long fantasy novel and a warm cup of coffee.
On this episode of the podcast, Ardelia gets down to the nitty-gritty of content strategy and reveals the common mistakes business owners make in that regard. She walks us through the steps she takes to develop working relationships with new clients and the Content Cleanse Challenge she is offering now!
Key Takeaways
Quality leads can come from a number of sources
- Don’t discount sites like Craigslist and Upwork when you’re looking to land those first clients
The benefits of juggling a dozen (or more!) clients at one time
- If you lose a client, it’s not a devastating blow to your income
- Ardelia thrives under the pressure of having several balls in the air
Ardelia’s ‘freelancer writer challenges’
- Getting into a new niche
- Realizing that you can’t take it personally when a customer asks for revisions
Ardelia’s advice for freelancers just getting started
- “Just keep at it”
- Find what you’re good at and go with it
Freelancers must devote time to both project completion and marketing the business
- Ardelia spends three to four hours/day writing and two to three hours/week marketing
Clients don’t know or care when you do the work, as long as you meet deadlines
- A mother with two small children, Ardelia works before her family wakes up, in the evening after her girls are asleep and on weekends when her husband is home
Ardelia’s onboarding process for new clients
- Exchange email with client to determine fit
- Follow up with Skype/phone consultation
- Establish contract
- Complete client questionnaire to determine audience, goals, etc.
Common mistakes business owners make re: content strategy
- Blog posts lack useful, relevant content that will help consumers solve their problems
The advantages of pricing by writing packages
- Freelancers can set income goals and take steps to book the appropriate # of clients
- Clients know what to expect and can budget ahead of time
Ardelia’s strategies for growing her business and business connections
- Adding video content and webinars
- Pursuing collaborations
Ardelia’s best tip for content creators
- Know why you’re creating the content you’re creating – be it to book clients, grow your email list or drive traffic to your website
Resources
Connect with Ardelia Lee
Ardelia Lee is a content roadmap engineer and copywriter who helps small business owners create intentional, goal-oriented content that supports long-term business growth. When she’s not scheming with her clients, you can find her curled up with an obnoxiously long fantasy novel and a warm cup of coffee.