1.      Marcia thought the blog was good enough for it to be the first one she mentioned.
2.      Writing in the voice of a different gender is a writing challenge. It was gratifying to pass the test.

Actually, I ghost most of my clients.

When you’re a content writer, that means you write on behalf of those folks.

Though to the people reading the content, you are (fill in the client’s name).
I bring up lawyers because the other day I was reminded of a 1-1 with a business broker, Marcia Rosman.

I asked Marcia about referral sources, and she mentioned divorce attorneys. She had done a number of deals with divorcing couples who owned a business together.

“There are many divorce attorneys out there,” I noted. “How do you sift through them all?”

Marcia replied, “I read a lot of divorce attorney blogs.”

“What a coincidence,” I said. “I happen to write a blog for a divorce attorney.”

Marcia nodded and offered this tidbit that I wear as a badge of honor to this day:

“I read a really good one by an attorney up on the North Shore. She does collaborative divorce.”

That sounded way too familiar, so I asked:

“That attorney’s name wouldn’t by chance be Susan Lillis?”

“Why yes,” said Marcia, seeming a bit surprised that I knew.

“I write her blog,” I said proudly.

Marcia’s jaw dropped a little.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

As a writer, this compliment is twofold:

At least with one reader.

Some business owners are reluctant to hire a freelance writer. They think nobody knows my business like me. How can somebody write about it?

That’s partly true. Yet in working with clients, you develop a working knowledge of their product or service. Then it’s a matter of a conversation for each writing project. In Susan’s case, it was a monthly call that took about 10-15 minutes. I’d ask questions, she gave answers. Then, I’d put the draft together.

That was it.

Then it was a matter of posting to her blog and LinkedIn.

Readers like Marcia were kind of a bonus. The value of putting out new content improved Susan’s SEO and helped her practice. So, her website wasn’t stagnant, like many attorneys at that time and probably some now.

So, yes, I do ghost attorneys and many other clients. These are collaborative efforts where it’s my job as the writer to research the content and pick the client’s brain for their expertise—you can’t fake law school and decades of a legal practice.

Finding the right voice, well, that’s my gift. Yet it comes from the collaborative process and having the writer’s ear/gift/curse.

Guilty, as charged. And happy to talk to you, lawyers, dentists, franchisors, commercial movers, professional organizers, insurance company presidents, manufacturers, construction management professionals, authors, photographers, business coaches, recruiters, nonprofits, or any of the other businesses I’ve ghosted over the years in your network. Just drop a line.