Position Yourself as a Marketing Expert: Interview with Mistina Picciano

Before starting her copywriting firm, Market It Write, Mistina Picciano worked as Vice President of Communications at Guardsmark, a $500-million security services firm. But she was tired of the corporate grind and wanted to incorporate her career and her role as a mother.

“Back in college, I knew I ultimately wanted a mobile job that would accommodate a future husband and the ability to be available for children,” recalls Mistina. After more than a decade in the corporate arena, the time was right for her to take the leap. And since then, she’s experienced amazing successes, writing for clients including Pfizer, FedCap and eHealthSolutions. And in the next year or so, she’s planning to add full-time staffers. We talked to Mistina about what it takes to build client relationships long before contracts are signed.

How did you leverage your corporate-world experience when you started your freelance business?
My previous employer emphasized the importance of a professional image at all times. Even though I had a small start-up budget, everything I sent out–from business cards and stationery to proposals and client projects–had a consistent, polished look and feel. Also, I was used to working 12-hour days, so the time needed to build the business didn’t shock my system.

What’s your typical day like?
These days, my schedule is divided between client work (50%), networking (25%), business strategy (15%) and professional development (10%). I’m very involved with all client projects, but I’m developing systems to support growth and quality, with the help of a business coach and peer mentors. When I’m not at my computer in Jersey, I’m in Manhattan, meeting with clients and networking with like-minded business owners.

What, in your opinion, is the single best-kept marketing secret? How have you implemented it in your business, and what were the results?
Know who your clients are and who they aren’t. Once I started to identify the types of clients that we had the best relationships with (ex. size, industry, etc.), I invested my energy in trying to meet more of these businesses. For prospects that weren’t a good fit, I referred them to other service providers. Two years later, 90% of our clients fall into the “dream client” category, and we’ve continued to grow, despite the recession.

You mention landing large clients–give our readers the nuts and bolts of doing that. How do you approach the big guys–and how do you compete against a do-it-all agency?
Since Market It Write is a copywriting agency, we try to identify businesses that prioritize content. Professional service firms, like law firms and consultants, are often a good fit because they need help educating their prospective clients. I spend a lot of time at industry-specific networking events to develop personal relationships, which take time to cultivate. As we begin to work together, clients trust Market It Write to handle other areas for them, including design and programming. They know that we work with outside partners, and they also know that we’ll manage the project with the same attention to detail as we do copywriting assignments.

Speaking of that, I’m a copywriter too, and sometimes it’s hard because people want full-service marketing firms. How do you close the sale when you can’t offer design and other services that exceed your skill set?
Develop a strong network of support partners. When I launched my business, I started building relationships with other creative professionals like graphic designers and web developers. These creative professionals frequently brought me into projects, and I did the same. Think of yourself not as a copywriter but as a marketing expert who specializes in copy. Clients typically bring me in as a marketing consultant, and the other pieces come into play as needed. (One advantage you have is flexibility. For instance, you can recommend designers based on the client’s budget and corporate personality.)

Tell me about a current project. How did you land the client? What challenges have you overcome?
We’re in the midst of a website project for a global consulting firm based in Europe. This project came our way from a graphic designer that I’ve known for years—our first collaboration. We typically manage client communication during the research and copywriting phase of a project. Because this is part of a larger branding initiative, we’re working through the project manager for the design firm as the single point of contact. We arrived at this solution after an earlier gap in communication resulted in my attempt to coordinate a meeting that had already been settled with the client. (Oops.)

What is your biggest regret pertaining to your freelance business?
I would have started hiring writers much, much sooner.

And so we don’t end on a negative note, what are you currently working towards with your business? How do you market it?
We’re revamping our website to create a more inviting online resource for clients and prospects. The new site will feature web videos and a more user-friendly design. We’re using a range of marketing tools: social media (specifically, Twitter and Facebook), in-person networking, email marketing, research calls, and snail mail.

Sounds exciting—thanks so much for your time!