Are you a freelance writer looking for your own little niche in the freelance writing stratosphere? Then this weekly SpecialtyBuzz segment is for you! Every Thursday I post an interview with a freelance writer who specializes in a particular subject matter or style of writing. Feel free to pick each SpecialtyBuzz writer’s brain about the interview and any questions you may have about getting started in his or her particular specialty.

Jennifer Mattern

Today’s SpecialtyBuzz specialist is Jennifer Mattern. Jenn is a business and public relations writer, and is perhaps best known in the general freelance writing world as the founder of former “Worthy Wednesday” pick AllFreelanceWriting.com.

Here’s Jenn on the basics of what you need to know about business and PR writing:

What is your specialty and how did you get started in that particular area?

My specialty area is business and PR writing. I have an educational background in that area which helped, but before going full-time as a freelance writer I ran a small PR firm. The writing aspect of that work (press releases, features, business blogging, media kits, etc.) led to the bulk of my business writing work when I decided I wanted to focus on the writing side and drop the consulting. Right now my primary services are blogging and press release writing. The vast majority of my work involves writing for the Web.

What are three things a writer needs to know before choosing to specialize in your area of specialty?

1. Copy and content are not the same thing. I’m always amazed at how many content writers just assume they can jump into copywriting without any training (and often without any understanding about what copywriting really is). You need a solid foundation in marketing and consumer psychology to be truly successful in any kind of marcomm writing (even if you’re self-taught).

2. You have to understand the true role of SEO. It’s not a be all and end all, but you have to understand the principles and you have to be able to apply them to anything from blog posts to press releases to Web marketing copy. It’s important that you pick up this information from top notch sources though — not e-books or most SEO blogs out there. A lot of the most common SEO advice given is actually terrible advice in the marketing / PR area, and you can’t sacrifice your marketing / PR value solely for SEO (if anything, keeping the focus on them nearly always improves rankings better than traditional SEO “tricks” — the fundamentals work for a reason).

3. You’re not going to get rich overnight. I see new writers wanting to jump into copywriting because they assume it’s where the big money is (and it is!). But you can’t do it just because you want the money. The money won’t always come quickly. For the record, you can earn quite well in Web content writing also, so if you truly prefer that style of writing then stick with it. Either way, it’s up to the writer to decide what to charge, who to target, and when to ask for more.

Does writing in your specialty require any particular training or could a layperson pick it up?

If you were willing to extensively research those marketing and PR fundamentals and you had a solid grasp of basic business you might be able to pick it up. Then again I’ve seen amazing marketing professionals who can strategize with the best of them but who can’t spit out converting marketing copy. In the end, while there are aspects you can learn (formally or not) you’ll either have the instinct for it or you won’t. Marketing and PR writing is about persuasion and influence. Blogging on the other hand could be picked up by just about anyone who can write informative or provocative content and who knows how to value themselves (biggest problem with wannabe professional bloggers is that they sometimes get sucked into believing that bloggers should earn far less than other types of writers – simply not true).

Are there any potential pitfalls associated with specializing in your area?

I can’t think of a single pitfall. It’s an excellent area to work in if you can cut it, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

What is the current market for writing in your specialty? Who is buying and who is selling?

Frankly, just about everyone is buying and selling. That’s the point. What company isn’t trying to sell something (whether that is a product or even an idea)? They need business, marketing, and PR writers to make that happen. It’s not just large corporations either. I actually focus on small and online businesses, some established and many just starting to build their Web visibility. The growth is phenomenal as more and more small to mid-sized companies enter the online playing field.

What do you enjoy most about your specialty?

I enjoy educating my clients actually. I’m so often impressed by how many of them don’t just want to hire a PR writer — they want to understand what PR tactics can really do for them. They’re open to learning. They’re open to trying new things. You can’t say that about every market or specialty, so in that sense I’m very lucky.

What do you enjoy least about your specialty?

While I shouldn’t complain about getting regular gigs (as in larger monthly contracts versus many smaller one-off projects), I’ll admit that sometimes some projects can feel a bit repetitive.

How would you suggest networking within your specialty?

First of all, writers need to remember that it’s not about being where other writers are. You need to be where the clients are. For me that’s relatively easy — I stick to webmaster and small business communities where those online and small business owners hang out. I’m not an association-joining, conference-going type. I find those things to be more distracting than anything else, and my networking (both in the PR industry and my client market) never suffered for it. My networking is done almost entirely online since I prefer Web-based work. In the end the absolute best networking tool though is your own writer platform — you visibility (your professional site, your blog, etc.). Then your network grows rapidly with little effort on your part. Clients and colleagues come to you.

What advice would you give to freelance writers interested in specializing in your area?

Focus on those foundations of business, marketing, and PR. Real world experience in those areas is priceless. If you want to get into PR writing you might also want to spend some time building your network of media contacts. Most importantly though, forget the hype and techniques everyone else is using (directory submissions, article marketing, SEO’d to death press releases, etc.) and focus on your client’s ROI. That’s how you’ll set yourself apart – not by jumping on any bandwagon.

Jennifer Mattern is a professional business writer and blogger, sharing no-nonsense business advice for freelance writers at All Freelance Writing and The Query-Free Freelancer. You can learn more about her business and PR writing services at ProBusinessWriter.com or follow her on Twitter @queryfreewriter.