Question from a newbie re selling articles to members

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Janet
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 11:40 am

Question from a newbie re selling articles to members

Post by Janet »

Hi - I think I may have made a bad mistake!!!

I recently received a request in my CC inbox for an article on affiliate marketing. I wrote to the member concerned saying I had such an article and as they had asked to see it before deciding I sent it in the body of the email ( on CC)

That was 4 days ago. I sent a follow up email asking for feedback but haven't had a reply.

I guess this wasn't the right way to do it. Do you have any suggestions as to what I might do now ?

Thank you

Janet
Ed
Posts: 4686
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 2:15 pm

Re: Question from a newbie re selling articles to members

Post by Ed »

All articles must go through the CC review process first. Authors must include a full one third of the article in the content details of the submission form, but may include the full article.

Articles under review or already approved can be sent to the customer using the request system:
http://www.constant-content.com/help/re ... m_authors/

Thanks,
Ed
jak
Posts: 767
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:42 pm
Location: UK

Re: Question from a newbie re selling articles to members

Post by jak »

Hi Janet

I'm sorry but it does look as though you have given your article away. You will now know not to do this again. Unless you need to ask a question about a request, which is rarely necessary, you should not correspond with the requester until your article has been reviewed and accepted. Usually no dialogue is needed at all. When you submit an article, the submission form asks if it is for a request. If you tick this box and select the request, the article will automatically be offered direct to the requester who will read the content details before deciding whether to purchase it. If they ask to read it first, it means they want you to put the complete article in the content details rather than just a third or more of it. It also means that that if you don't put it all in there, they probably won't buy.

If you already have articles showcased here and think one is suitable for a request, click on Send message/Attach article. You will see a page with a box for a message and a link headed Submit Existing Article. After clicking that, you'll see an option for Document Look Up. This takes you to a list of your articles and you can select the one you want before sending a message offering it to the customer.

continued...
jak
Posts: 767
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:42 pm
Location: UK

Re: Question from a newbie re selling articles to members

Post by jak »

If the article you sent to this customer was already on the site and you don't receive payment for it, Google some text from it. If you do find it on the internet , let support know and they will deal with it. If your article had not yet been submitted, you may just have to chalk this up to experience.

Anyway, welcome to CC. I hope this doesn't put you off submitting your first three articles. I have found that I get the most sales here when I keep submitting regularly. Anything not accepted right away usually sells to someone else later.
Janet
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 11:40 am

Re: Question from a newbie re selling articles to members

Post by Janet »

Thanks for the advice - however I would have thought there was a process whereby that person could be contacted by CC for not adhering to rules. I sent the article in good faith on the understanding that it was to be paid for - thro' CC email system - so you would have thought (hahaha) that the person concerned would honor that. What about naming and shaming in the forum - whether I made a mistake or not this is unacceptable behavior. If someone had done that to me I would have got back in touch with them to advise them of their error

But yes accept I put this down to experience - but presumably the article is still my property??

Janet
Celeste Stewart
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Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2006 5:28 pm
Location: California
Contact:

Re: Question from a newbie re selling articles to members

Post by Celeste Stewart »

I wouldn't assume the customer will use the text just because it was sent. When the customer requested seeing the article in full, I take that to mean that she probably gets frustrated with submissions where the long summary only contains a sample. I'm willing to bet the article is safe and won't be used without payment as this is a regular customer, not some fly-by-night shuckster. I'm sure she'll let you know if she wants it. If she doesn't respond, consider it a "Thanks but no thanks" response.

Her request to see the full article is not out of line. She's just asking us to include the full text in the long summary as many of us regularly do.
Constant
Posts: 406
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 10:35 am

Re: Question from a newbie re selling articles to members

Post by Constant »

This is a great example of how the rules are set up to help and protect everyone involved in the CC community. Circumventing how the system works makes it impossible for us to help our writers or our publishers. Everyone loses.
Janet
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed May 20, 2009 11:40 am

Re: Question from a newbie re selling articles to members

Post by Janet »

Thanks to everyone for your sensible and helpful responses. I am happy to be able to report that the person concerned has now contacted me ( as you suggested Celeste) I am sure that now "all shall be well". I have certainly learned a valuable lesson re finding out the correct procedure and also how helpful and informative the members of the forum have been.

Thank you all again

Janet
Celeste Stewart
Posts: 3528
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2006 5:28 pm
Location: California
Contact:

Re: Question from a newbie re selling articles to members

Post by Celeste Stewart »

Glad it's working out.
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