Going above and beyond is about more than just doing what’s necessary to get a story. You need to be more than just a good writer in today’s journalism market. When you write a story, don’t stop at the minimum to get the job done. Think about what you’d want out of the article if you were a reader, and try to give them that.  Make yourself more marketable by expanding your technical skills. Knowing how to use more programs, do basic coding, and use creative software will help you get your voice out there and will make you more marketable. If possible, beat your deadlines. While you don’t want to rush your work, you do want to provide your publisher with a speedy product so that your article will be timely. You may have to give up your free time or miss out on fun events with friends in order to meet your journalism goals. Writing is usually a solitary activity, so it may be a sacrifice for you to miss out on that social time. You may also need to sacrifice earning potential or social connections if you write about polarizing issues. When you’re faced with sacrifices, ask yourself what’s more important to you. Ask, “Where do I want to be in five years? How will this sacrifice impact my five-year goal?” Journalists get information from a variety of sources, so you’ll need to know how to gather, assess, and organize information on your own. Research consists of more than just doing a Google search. You need to be able to find the information you need in print sources, by talking to knowledgeable individuals, and by sorting through relevant materials, such as letters, memos, or file documents. Being able to understand various topics, sniff out stories, and look at things from various perspectives are all necessary to be a good journalist.  Consider getting a degree in something other than journalism to make you a more informed writer. If you want to cover world events, consider studying languages. Read or watch the news, and stay plugged in to politics, current events, and pop culture. Anything can be relevant from a journalistic standpoint, so keep yourself open and learn the current trends. You’ll produce better stories and get your readers what they want if you know what’s going on. Before reporting information that you find, make sure that it’s from a reliable source. When possible, try to find a second source that confirms the information. If you receive facts from a source, independently verify that those facts line up. For example, if someone tells you that they knew the subject of your story when they were in college, make sure they were really in college together. While you will likely build relationships with some of your sources or the people you write about, make sure those relationships don’t influence how you portray them in your work. For example, if your best friend works as a police officer, then getting your crime information from them will likely be biased toward your friend’s opinion.  For example, don’t take payments from a source or a subject of an article. If you are writing an investigative article about a corporation, you’ll lose your independence if you allow them to hire you for freelance work during your investigation. If you have someone who gives you inside information about the local crime beat, keep a professional relationship with that person. If you start to get too personal, then you may unknowingly have a bias toward them. If you get too close to a source, you can always ask them to help you find a new one so that your information stays independent.

Summary: Go above and beyond what’s required. Make sacrifices. Conduct your own research. Expand your knowledge base. Stay up-to-date on news and events. Verify your sources. Maintain independence from your sources and subjects.


You're writing the letter to thank your customer for doing business with you, so it's no longer necessary to subject the person to advertising. Assume good rapport at this point. Make the customer feel like an insider.  Phrases like "we hope to do business with you again soon" sound like tag lines; best to leave these out. Don't say something you wouldn't say to an acquaintance. Don't include a product pitch, a mention of an upcoming sale, or anything else that could be construed as an ad. Even if you're mailing dozens of letters, it's better not to use a postage machine. That's a giveaway that this thank-you note is one of many, and it will make the customer feel less special. In fact, it may mean your thank-you note will end up in the junk mail pile. Again, the more personalized you make the thank-you note, the better it will be received. If you don't have time to address envelopes, have someone else do it. Even if you're not the person actually writing out the address, the customer will be impressed to see handwriting. Make sure your phone number and address are included in the correspondence, and give the customer warm encouragement to get in touch for any reason. If your customer does contact you, be ready to meet his or her needs promptly.
Summary: Resist the temptation to pitch your business again. Mail the letter with a real postage stamp. Address the letter by hand if possible. Provide your contact information and be open to communication.