I know it’s been quite awhile since I’ve written. But now I have quite a bit to write about.
Last time I posted, I was starting my Copywriting course. Well, I have completed and received my certificate, which it’s smiling down at me from over the computer. This was completed by the end of last year. My instructor even left a wonderful testimonial on my Linkedin profile.
Side note: I hated school but let me say this, when I took classes that I enjoyed and knew the outcome of where they can take me, it was all worth it.
Fast forward to 2010: The beginning of this year I started a coffee blog, Daily demitasse just as a hobby and to educate others looking to get into the industry or for enthusiasts that want to learn more. I knew I didn’t want it to be a typical rambling blog of the general and cliché’ answering of questions and coffee reviewing. That was all I knew about my blog then. i was still figuring out the best way to go about writing-tone, style, topics. So in a way, I was finding myself and at the same time creating a niche.
I began with five posts, a Facebook fan page and a twitter account I had no idea what to do with. At the same time, I had been figuring out my writing niche for copywriting. I had already done some web copy for a client and setting up both my blog and portfolio sites. I realized how much fun it was and the demand. OK one niche known, but what else? Then, i started learning about how useful social media (SM) was and that the only cost was my time. So, I set up an account with seven different SM platforms to “get me name out there.”
I continued writing a coffee post here and there and decided that the coffee industry will be my main niche. I dubbed myself “The Coffee Copywriter” and made a new page on my blog about it and started another facebook page and twitter account to appeal to another audience, the business side of the industry.
Not long after getting addicted to Twitter, I began to “make friends” with other coffee bloggers and started commenting on their sites. This does a couple things- 1) get my name out there, 2) show I know what I’m taking about, and 3) that I care what they have to say. This equals building trust and relationships to hopefully, when they need my services or someone they know would need my services, I get word-of-mouth marketing and a great client. I also met, my now, client/mentor.
By February, I had been tweeting quite a bit, useful tweets, and one day I find a message on my facebook page from a Publisher of coffee Trade Journal, Coffee Talk. She asked me to write a couple articles for their March issue. Opportunity alert! Of course I said yes.
I will admit the process was very stressful since I didn’t completely know what to expect. But when it was said and done, it was one of the best learning curves I’ve had. The deadline was the day before my birthday, Feb. 23rd, and the best birthday present I could of given myself.
March 2010: This month has been a whirl wind.The articles have gotten a great response and gave my ideas for future blog posts and even was what I needed to help me refocus my blog. I have met some wonderful people I may not have been otherwise. And there are a lot of great opportunities- projects and ideas- to continue going into April.
Be sure to keep up with what’s going on over at http://dailydemitasse.com or on twitter @dailydemitasse and @coffeecpywriter.
Cheers!
~Jen