🤑 Yes, you can make $2000+ on a single customer case study

Plus, my thoughts on Tinder, freelancing full time, and Inkwell's first official workshop waitlist 🎉

Hey, Inkwellers.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Tinder. Yes, the dating app. But no, not about dating. (Been there, done that — thank you Tinder for your service). 🎉

I’ve been thinking about their most recent global marketing campaign:

It Starts with a Swipe.

After a week of subway riding in New York City (sorry to miss you last week!), I think I saw every iteration of the marketing campaign.

“That’s great marketing,” I mumbled to my boyfriend. And I’ve been pondering why it’s great ever since.

But why is it great? Let’s break it down.

First, here is the description from Tinder:

It Starts with A Swipe^TM.” Created in partnership with Mischief, the campaign illustrates all the possibilities that Tinder delivers- from yes, a modern-day hook up, to relationship milestones like meeting the friends, or leaving a toothbrush at their place, to a more defined commitment and even meeting the parents.

Second, here are a few of the iterations of the campaign:

Here’s why I love it:

1. A clearly defined WHO (audience): People in search of relationships and connections (all sorts of relationships).

2. A clearly defined PROBLEM: Dating feels BIG and SCARY. Finding someone “to go to heaven with” feels like, well… a lot of work. But the copy “It starts with a swipe” reminds future Tinder users that it could be as simple as using your thumb to swipe right. You never know, right?

3. A clearly defined space for Tinder to FIX this problem: Tinder has always been considered a more casual app on the dating app spectrum. And this marketing celebrates that instead of apologizing for it. “We’re here to make dating easier… and we celebrate ALL stages of the relationship, from casual to “till-death-do-us-part.”

4. It’s whimsical, different, and diverse.

What do YOU think of this campaign?

The $2000+ writing assignment: Case Studies

One of my favorite projects to get from a client? A case study.

They’re fun, storytelling heavy, and lucrative. I’ve been writing case studies for almost a decade now, and they are still one of my favorite assignments to write for a client.

What's a case study?

A case study is a written story that demonstrates how your client's product or service solved a particular problem or challenge. It's a way for your client to showcase their success to potential customers and for you to showcase your writing skills.

It tends to be fun to write. because there is a beginning (who with a problem), middle (implementation of product), and end (results of said product on original challenge), storytellers tend to love this type of writing project.

How do I conduct a case study?

To conduct a case study, you'll need to interview your client and collect data that supports their success story.

• Start by identifying the client's problem and the solution that your client's product or service provided.

• Ask your client to provide data such as sales numbers, customer feedback, and testimonials that support their claims.

• Once you have the information you need, organize the data into a clear and compelling story.

• Focus on the problem your client faced, the solution your client provided, and the measurable results your client achieved.

• Be sure to use data and testimonials to back up your claims and make the case study as visually appealing as possible.

How do I charge a case study?

You can either charge a flat fee or an hourly rate. I charge hourly. Before you begin the project, discuss the terms with your client, including your fee and the scope of the project. Be sure to include any revisions or edits in your agreement, so there are no surprises later on.

Join Inkwell’s case study workshop

Want to learn how to write a kickass case study?

🎉 Drumroll… our first workshop! 🎉

I’m so excited to teach writers this awesome money-making avenue.

We don’t have all the details ironed out yet (time, date, etc), but the curriculum… is good. In this live workshop, you’ll learn the how-to’s of writing case studies, plus leave with a solid plan to land your first client.

If you’re interested in being notified of the launch, sign up for the waitlist here:

Here's what I'm learning about freelance life + some advice.

It’s been exactly six months since I was laid off from my job — which means I’ve been freelancing full time for half a year. What a wild ride it’s been (and a fun one!). Here’s some things I’ve learned so far:

1. I actually like and look forward to getting up in the morning for work. Since it's my name on my business, I am excited to be building something that's mine.

2. There is no better feeling than knowing that you'll be okay financially when you have something like a layoff kick you in the teeth. I knew that I could freelance until I found something else, or in this case, finish building out Inkwell Academy copywriting workshops.

3. Clients come and go. Even your best client can turn into your worst client overnight. So diversify, diversify, diversify.

4. You don't have to niche in industry, but it's helpful to get really good at a copywriting vertical. For example, people come to me for sales writing (emails, landing pages, web copy), and customer case studies. It's because I'm good at those things, and have gotten even better at them over time.

5. Asking your friends/previous colleagues to keep you in mind is so important. And on that note, tell people what you're doing so they know. You'll start getting soft referrals and those are gold, gold, gold.

6. A good portfolio of 2-4 samples is all you need to land great clients. You don't need fancy proposal documents, big pitch decks—none of that.

7. Always shoot higher than you think you should for rate.

8. Hourly rates work better for me, but when you're just starting out, I'd recommend per-project.

9. When you're trying to start out, there is no replacement for doing the work. So practice, practice, practice.

10. You may need to do a few low-price pieces to get your name out there early on. But don't let that undervalue you in the long run. Charge what you're worth.

Job postings:

• Small business copywriter (contract)

• Article copywriter at Study.com

• Freelance blog content writer - men’s fashion

Goodbye for now, friends ✌️

Until next time, Inkwellers.

As always, hit me up with any questions you have. If you’re interested in learning to write case studies, join Inkwell’s waitlist here to be notified of our first live workshop.

And of course, if you found this useful, please subscribe or share with a friend.