Freelance writer STANLEY BURKHARDT has a passion for animals. He loves animals so much, he crafted himself a new career. For the last eight years, Stanley has made a career out of writing for local veterinary hospitals -- and getting paid for it.
Burkhardt admits, "I am probably the first writer you have met who has written for veterinary hospitals. My opinion is that many writers don't see the profit or work potential in writing for vet hospitals, and don't attempt to secure work from this industry. The other reason is that writers try many approaches to secure work in this industry and fail."
Burkhardt has overcome these obstacles, and many more. Now he's ready to spill his secrets. He has penned an ebook, "Profiting on Puppy Love & Cat Care: A Freelance Writer's Guide to Writing for Local Veterinary Hospitals & Practices," in which he shows writers how they can craft a career out of writing for local veterinary hospitals, just like he has done.
Burkhardt says, "I think it's important to know that I had no experience or knowledge writing for the vet industry, when I first started out." If you harbor a deep love for animals and enjoy writing and researching, Burkhardt says you are already "halfway there to breaking into this industry."
The other skill is selling. "Selling is considered by many beginning freelance writers to be the 'curse' of commercial writing because it usually requires you to spend more than half of your time selling yourself to prospective clients - and swallowing many rejections - than spending time writing." In time, selling becomes easier. "Most of my work now comes from referrals and word-of-mouth," says Burkhardt.
Burkhardt has perfected the way he secures first-time clients in this industry; he advises to "use locality in your favor." He says, "Take a trip to your local hospital and see if it presently uses any types of print materials. If not, what kinds of print materials do you think this hospital can benefit from? If it has print materials, how can you improve these existing print materials, or what types of print materials would work better in place of these existing print materials?"
Burkhardt always attempts to arrange a meeting with the owner of the hospital. "I tell the prospective owner I'd like to meet with him for 20 to 30 minutes to discuss, in detail, how I'd be able to boost his profits and productivity, and how he and his clients will both benefit. I've never met an owner who'd refused to spend some time to find out how I'd be able to boost his profits."
After the first meeting, Burkhardt gives himself a few days to work on a proposal in which he outlines how he is going to meet the owner's needs -- whether it's solving a problem, boosting sales, or increasing productivity -- through various writing projects. Burkhardt will either mail his proposal to the owner or arrange a second meeting. Nine times out of ten, Burkhardt's proposal usually nabs him a first assignment from a first-time client. "I always pitch a newsletter as the first project. Once the owner sees how a newsletter contributes to the success of his hospital, I am usually given more writing assignments."
As a writer for five local veterinary hospitals -- two small in size and three big in size -- Burkhardt prefers to sell his services to the larger veterinary hospitals. "Larger veterinary hospitals have more needs to be fulfilled and more problems for you to solve...They're more likely to need internal and external materials that will help boost their sales and increase their productivity."
Burkhardt writes all sorts of copy for vet hospitals, but his favorite and most lucrative is writing newsletters. "Every vet hospital needs them. A newsletter can increase the hospital's sales by pushing products and services, create rapport and build trustworthiness with pet owners by showcasing the exceptional pet care and treatment the hospital offers, and constantly remind pet owners of the hospital's existence by writing information that is so useful and timely that pet owners take the newsletter home with them." Burkhardt charges between $300 and $1,500 per newsletter, depending on its complexity and size.
Burkhardt admits that writing for veterinary hospitals is not a top-paying industry, compared to writing for other industries. But he was never in it for the money. "I often wonder if copywriters who write for tar manufacturers, bottling companies, packaging plants, chip manufacturers, cancer-causing cigarette companies, or shady politicians have any interest in the stuff they write or they do it just for the money. I can't find interest in any of those things and have stayed away from such manufacturers and industries. I think the same is true if one is to write for vet hospitals. You must have an interest - at least to write for the long term. If you love animals, have a curiosity as to how hospitals treat and care for pets, and a sensitive spot to help people, then you can break into this industry and make a good living."
Burkhardt's ebook, "Profiting on Puppy Love & Cat Care: A Freelance Writer's Guide to Writing for Local Veterinary Hospitals & Practices" is a primer to break into this industry. His ebook sells for $9.95 at WritingCareer.com, an online ebook store, found at http://www.writingcareer.com/sbk001.shtml
About The Author
Brian Konradt is a freelance writer and graphic designer based in South Carolina.
tidy up service Glenview ..Have you ever had a student write to tell you... Read More
1. Set aside a time to write and keep it... Read More
The works you've written are numerous, ranging from short stories... Read More
You are the only one who knows what being a... Read More
Sit back, and imagine what it feels like to be... Read More
Open up your favorite calendar and circle today's date.Why? Because... Read More
Dave, I just got a contract for a book... Read More
Story Structure Templates are the fastest way to write screenplays.... Read More
If you are an aspiring writer, or you simply want... Read More
Your computer is a writing machine, a word processor, a... Read More
So, you want to freelance as an editor, writer, copy... Read More
Business etiquette is fundamentally concerned with building relationships founded upon... Read More
Today I took the dog for a walk and realized... Read More
How long should your chapters be?I can't resist... I have... Read More
The first and final rule of quality writing is this:... Read More
Short Story Writing Tips -We've established what a title should... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?Your theme has to be something you... Read More
The following rules are essential if you want people to... Read More
Have you ever written a letter to a friend? Ever... Read More
We've all seen those ads that grab our attention and... Read More
SALE, SAIL Sale is either offering something for purchase... Read More
People want information, they want it quick, frequently in short... Read More
Quite a few years ago, I enrolled in a Degree... Read More
The journey to having my first novel for children published... Read More
The urge to write fiction seems God given for some,... Read More
full-service cleaning Mundelein ..You are far more likely to successfully write and publish... Read More
William Faulkner, the great Mississippi writer, said, "The tools I... Read More
It turns out that "tips and templates on how to... Read More
So many clients come to me as a book or... Read More
PASSED, PASTPassed is the past tense of pass. Past means... Read More
During my 25-year career in a variety of professional positions... Read More
If you are like most writers, you're constantly searching for... Read More
Verb and SubjectIncorrect:"I bet you two had a fine time,"... Read More
It's important to have a space set aside in your... Read More
Self-examination sheds light on a writers motives, goals, and aspirations,... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?I have said above that if a... Read More
I've seen it time and again. One of the most... Read More
It's clich?, but true-a picture does paint a thousand words.... Read More
Ever wonder what an author's life is like? What that... Read More
For many years, I've been a tutor for students undertaking... Read More
In most aspects of business, we will be expected to... Read More
Having trouble finding a solution to a nagging problem? Try... Read More
People can't believe I did it, but I did. I... Read More
If you haven't realized the success you wanted last year,... Read More
Rejection. This scary word plagues virtually every writer this side... Read More
Sometimes a freelance writing career can feel very much like... Read More
Summer's here and the time is write for dancing in... Read More
A QUERY LETTER is written to an editor or agent... Read More
Most writers are familiar with first and third points of... Read More
My article this issue is an excerpt from a book... Read More
Writing |