9.8/10 Writers I Meet Make This (Terrible) Mistake
By missing this huge window of opportunity — & not marketing themselves
I meet a lot of writers daily on Medium through my stories.
And I make it a point to reply to every response I get. I do not do it for the algorithm. I genuinely love connecting with people. It is something that keeps me going as a writer.
My daily dope to be high (on writing).
Before replying, I always check out the writer’s profile. And it is here that I see maximum people committing a grave mistake.
No contact information.
A (small-sized) HUGE window of opportunity.
If you write for yourself, this is not applicable.
But if you write with moolah/money, you need to smack yourself right now if you haven’t put your mail-id in your profile.
DO IT RIGHT NOW! [In a new tab. Don’t drift away from this story. I am not done yet.]
The mail id in your profile is a clear sign you are interested in working.
So, tell the world.
Your recruiters/prospective clients are busy people.
Unlike LinkedIn or Twitter, Medium doesn’t have a direct messaging system.
The channels to interact with a writer on Medium are restricted to the responses in a story, but people would hesitate to put such communications in public.
Yes, they can always ask for your email id there, but why make it so cumbersome for them?
The fact is — no one is indispensable.
Hence, expecting people to ask for your email id, wait for your response, go back, fetch the information and THEN send you a proposition — well, that’s a bit too much work.
Please don’t make them work for it, or else they might pass you by for someone more approachable.
Make it easy for your perspective client.
Why is the profile the best place to drop the contact information?
In direct view = Least distraction.
Suppose someone reads your story and thinks they want to work with you; the SAME page displays your email id.
Not only are you saving your prospects’ time in searching for your contact information, but you are also reducing the chances of your prospect getting distracted too!
Because we all know that with the amount of content we consume, getting distracted is a matter of seconds these days, and you don’t want that.
Will people spam your inbox?
I will tell you my personal experience — it’s a big NO.
Things that land up in my mailbox:
- Writers looking for consultations (who are hesitant to approach over the public response sections)
- Prospective clients who are looking for writing services for their blogs, etc.
- One ghostwriting service
- Several positive (and two critical) feedbacks from readers.
All in all, I have never regretted putting it out there. And neither should you.
Other ways to market yourself
When marketing oneself on Medium, the profile is the unchallenged winner — without a doubt.
But there are other corners too, where you can do some action.
The ‘About’ page:
Unlike the profile, this page has no restriction on character count.
So, this gives ample space to write about who you are, giving a more detailed picture of yourself. It is an excellent place to:
- tell your background
- mention achievements
- list the type of your work
- works people can contact you for
- list the platforms you are active on
I mention the consulting services here, and people get to know about it.
The Call to Actions:
This is again another space people choose to neglect.
Rather than leaving the option to your reader’s wish, prompt them to act NOW.
Your story is the playground where you play this match. It can be anywhere — beginning, within, or ending.
You can see smart writers use CTAs so cleverly to channel their readers. Try to be engaging and tap the potential of a well-written CTA.
[I will write a detailed one on this.]
Linking other platforms:
LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs here and lead your readers to your other abodes.
Why is this important? Because each platform is unique in its way. Each one function on different parameters.
It is a great opportunity to showcase to your readers/prospective clients your finesse in other social networks and your ability to adapt to different platforms.
My favorite is LinkedIn. It is a great platform to meet and connect with people one-to-one. Things happen fast over here. No doubt, it is the go-to place for lead generation.
Finally…
There is a saying in our India.
The peacock danced in the jungle — but no one saw.
This means something beautiful happened, but no one knew about it.
Writing is a critical part of the job, without a doubt. But putting the limelight on the writer in you is also your part of the job.
Many hesitate to put themselves out there for people to know. I can relate to it because I was in that space in my initial writing days.
But try to overcome that feeling. Go all in and market yourself some more.
And start seeing things happening — things you have been waiting for.
N. B: '9.8/10' seemed more catchy than ‘most’ — no accurate calculation involved.What will you say if I don’t walk the talk? So, find me here on LinkedIn!
And yes, I have some great freebies for you to hone your writing skills. Grab them here.
