To be a professional writer means being paid for one's work. To make a worthwhile income from writing requires the writer to find paying markets before starting work.

Making Money From Writing Needs a Professional Businesslike Approach

Above all else freelance writing is a business. If a would-be writer wants to make money they have to produce what the market will pay for; not simply write what takes their fancy.

Pricing for Profit – It is a Key Decision

Pricing strategies are a key marketing decision for any business. Price says a lot about how the business sees itself and its customers.

The price chosen will affect, amongst other things, whether all costs are covered and how the product is perceived by customers. Is it a Rolls-Royce or a Lada? It will affect the market share that the product will achieve and the profit that will be made. Pricing for profit is not simply a case of taking costs and adding a big mark-up.

Turn Customer Complaints into Praise

Most business people are afraid of customer complaints and react inappropriately when the customer complains. Complaints, properly handled, actually provide an opportunity for building a brand reputation for quality service and for improving the product itself.

Customers’ Perception of Quality is Reality

Customers frequently have a different view of quality to the supplier. They take the intrinsic technical quality of the product and service for granted and place more emphasis on the “peripheral” service issues such as delivery, availability of sales staff, and how quickly the telephone is answered.

Similarly many of the complaints will be about these issues and managers should use the complaint as a spur to improving performance in such areas. They can be seen as an ongoing customer satisfaction survey and be used accordingly.