How do you get started?

[htack210]

I would like to do technical writing as a side business, but I am not sure how to get started. Can any of you give me some pointers?

[dahmnait]

Hi htack, and welcome to the cooler. As for your question, I used my business contacts to put the word out, and gained some clients through them. I am currently working on my marketing plan for more business. However, it is a bit different because this is my full time business as opposed to a side business. (Meaning I have more time to devote to the business.)

I have a few questions, if you don't mind.

Do you have any experience with tech writing? Do you want to start your side business because you enjoy technical writing, or do you have other motivation?

Have you researched your local market to know the kind of businesses in your area? Do you know how they typically obtain their tech writing needs? This is important since it will drive how you market your business. For example, once I knew the types of businesses in my area, I was able to sit down and map out the type of writing needs these businesses would have. This allows me to fine-tune my marketing for the writing that will generate the most benefit for my future clients. Additionally, if I know how these businesses typically obtain tech writers, e.g., contractors through recruiters, full time employment, etc., I am better able to target their bottom line. (If that doesn't make sense, I will be glad to expound on it when I have more coffee in my system.)

Since this is a side business, are you going to be available to your clients during typical business hours?

Sorry if questions were not what you were expecting. I am not asking these to be rude (if they came out that way, I blame it on the lack of caffeine), but rather to help you pinpoint some of the first questions you should ask yourself.

[Good Word]

Hi htack, and welcome to AW!

What's your background and what kind of work are you doing now?

Btw, Tammy--good questions--the more background we have the better we can help.

[sulong]

Hi htack, and welcome to the cooler. As for your question, I used my business contacts to put the word out, and gained some clients through them. I am currently working on my marketing plan for more business. However, it is a bit different because this is my full time business as opposed to a side business. (Meaning I have more time to devote to the business.)

I have a few questions, if you don't mind.

Do you have any experience with tech writing? Do you want to start your side business because you enjoy technical writing, or do you have other motivation?

Have you researched your local market to know the kind of businesses in your area? Do you know how they typically obtain their tech writing needs? This is important since it will drive how you market your business. For example, once I knew the types of businesses in my area, I was able to sit down and map out the type of writing needs these businesses would have. This allows me to fine-tune my marketing for the writing that will generate the most benefit for my future clients. Additionally, if I know how these businesses typically obtain tech writers, e.g., contractors through recruiters, full time employment, etc., I am better able to target their bottom line. (If that doesn't make sense, I will be glad to expound on it when I have more coffee in my system.)

Since this is a side business, are you going to be available to your clients during typical business hours?

Sorry if questions were not what you were expecting. I am not asking these to be rude (if they came out that way, I blame it on the lack of caffeine), but rather to help you pinpoint some of the first questions you should ask yourself.

Tammy,
Okay, this is my second post to you. I realized that you already answered my first questions after I reread your response.
But now I want to ask you about your methods and tactics you use in your research, thinking that theory and practice may be different from each other.

In practice, how do you develop a list of “business's” in your area? Is this a list of people who acquired a business license at some(?) point and the info is obtained at some government office? Or perhaps its a list of brick and mortar places you observe while going from one place to another in your city? Or something else?

How long is your initial list?

Once you have a list, do you call them on the phone and ask them where they do their (writing related) business and why they choose that particular service suppler? Or maybe you send a letter or something and ask the questions and wait for a response? What method of first contact is appropriate (in your experience).

I hope these questions are not too armatureistic.

Thanks for your help

[dahmnait]

Hi sulong. I don't believe I have said welcome yet, so welcome to the cooler. You mentioned that this is your second post to me. If I missed an early post, I apologize. I try to catch any responses on posts I have made, but I can always miss one. Feel free to pm me if this ever happens. I hope these questions are not too armatureistic.Just so you know, I have only been in business for a couple of months now. I have worked for my family's business for the last 11 years and my bf is in marketing, so I have some good resources. However, I am still learning myself. I am more than happy to share what I have learned though. Hopefully more people will answer your questions. We can all learn from one another and they are great questions.

In practice, how do you develop a list of “business's” in your area? Is this a list of people who acquired a business license at some(?) point and the info is obtained at some government office? Or perhaps its a list of brick and mortar places you observe while going from one place to another in your city? Or something else?Before I even gathered business names, I identified the market types I wanted to target and the services I could provide each market. For example, a manufacturing company has different writing needs than a business office. As you complete the list you find that there are crossovers between markets. I then took my market lists and identified the key services, or the services that would provide the prospective client with the best return. My reasoning for this is to focus my marketing plan towards the individual markets and those services I can best prove will benefit the client.

As for how you find businesses, all of the above. I am going to check if there is a resource thread in this forum. If not, I am going to start one and I will start adding resource links there.Once you have a list, do you call them on the phone and ask them where they do their (writing related) business and why they choose that particular service suppler? Or maybe you send a letter or something and ask the questions and wait for a response? What method of first contact is appropriate (in your experience).This is a harder one to answer. It depends on your resources. What kind of budget do you have? How much time can you dedicate to marketing? I am hitting this a couple different ways, door-to-door and mailings for the moment. Mainly because I know I am no good selling over the phone. Additionally, I am selling my writing skills, so with a mailing they have a sample in hand. However, it costs money for printing and postage and both will take time.

I have the benefit of being involved over the years with many of the technical business in the area, either directly or indirectly, so I know their hiring practices. I don't have a strong handle yet on the other business types in the area, so I am working on those. I also check out the major job banks to see who is hiring and whether they are using recruiters or are hiring directly. Conducting phone surveys or mailings are a few other ways to handle this research.

Another thing, I strongly suggest a web presence. So many people find businesses via the internet that it is worth the investment. I don't have mine up yet, but I should soon.
How long is your initial list?As long as you want it to be.:) Seriously though, make sure you feel you can handle the volume. Too many will drive the time and cost up, too little may not net a return. I am focusing my canvassing on the local businesses and the manufacturing companies in the area. I will work my way out as I need or can.

I think I answered all your questions. If not, let me know. Again, I am still new to this and if anyone sees a way to improve my marketing, I am always open to suggestions or ideas. I hope that more people will answer this thread with different suggestions.

Good luck and let us know how it is going.

[writeperch]

Some (very) basics for tech writing.

I've been tech writing for 20 years. The BEST way to land that next gig is through networking. That's a catch-22, because the best way to network with other tech writers is from having worked with them. But I would say that 75% (or maybe more) of my gigs have come from a tech-writing acquaintance who knew about an opening.

But I also ALWAYS puruse the online avenues (monster.com, dice.com, hotjobs.com, craigslist, etc.). I do keyword searches on WRITER, WRITING, DOCUMENTATION, COMMUNICATION, etc.

I also search the local company websites (the companies I'd like to work for), they all have career/job pages.

Also look up your local STC chapter (that's the Society of Technical Communications). You don't have to be a member (I'm not!), but my local chapter has a jobs listing page on their website (google STC and the city you're from to see if there's a chapter near you).

And look for the contract houses (if you want to be a contractor). These are the places that find you jobs and then usually are the ones who issue your paycheck and take the taxes out and stuff. I find these through the help-wanted ads in the above mentioned websites.

[razibahmed]

Some (very) basics for tech writing.

I've been tech writing for 20 years. The BEST way to land that next gig is through networking. That's a catch-22, because the best way to network with other tech writers is from having worked with them. But I would say that 75% (or maybe more) of my gigs have come from a tech-writing acquaintance who knew about an opening.

But I also ALWAYS puruse the online avenues (monster.com, dice.com, hotjobs.com, craigslist, etc.). I do keyword searches on WRITER, WRITING, DOCUMENTATION, COMMUNICATION, etc.

I also search the local company websites (the companies I'd like to work for), they all have career/job pages.

Also look up your local STC chapter (that's the Society of Technical Communications). You don't have to be a member (I'm not!), but my local chapter has a jobs listing page on their website (google STC and the city you're from to see if there's a chapter near you).

And look for the contract houses (if you want to be a contractor). These are the places that find you jobs and then usually are the ones who issue your paycheck and take the taxes out and stuff. I find these through the help-wanted ads in the above mentioned websites.
Thanks for the detailed response, writeperch. It has given me a good idea about tech writing. Howeve, I am in Bangladesh and it is very difficult for me to network with others. I do not have Paypal either or any credit card. How should I begin?