Freelance writing is a profitable business when carried out with a proper, regular and committed structure.
Building a strong and repeated client base takes time, patience and a few relatively straightforward ways that are all too often left by the wayside.
These five ideas can assist freelance writers in capturing and building a strong client base in a wide open market.
1. Writing Beneath Your Level
Freelance writers who choose to write at a lower level of expertise can often capture a market of budding business who may just be starting out or who are new to content marketing.
Often, a company that has never used content marketing will not start out with the most expensive package. They want to see what the hype is all about, what the article looks like, contains and so forth.
Choosing to write lower than your level gives you the opportunity to connect with fresh, new and potentially loyal clients that can grow with you.
2. Adhering to the Word Count
Articles may often require minimum and maximum word counts. While these numbers are important, it is equally important to understand that a freelance writer should never automatically chop off a thought or topic because they will not get paid for anything over the max word count.
Always be sure to adequately complete the item or article. On the flip side of this argument is the fact that some may abuse the word count by adding unnecessary words (fluff) to maximize their earning.
Clients notice this practice and will often choose not to work with freelance writers who continuously engage in this practice. It is in poor taste and extremely unprofessional.
3. Maintaining Contact with Inactive Clients
If you have been slow in work or have not worked with regular clients for a while, reach out to these past clients.
A simple “Hello just stopped in to see how things have been going for you. I hope all is well” will surprise you at how much business this will garner you both immediately and within days of the communication, as well as in the future.
Clients remember your hospitality much more than you may believe and appreciate that you have recognized them enough to think of their well being.
Yes, there will always be that one that says no thank you, I will contact you… Make a note of these so you do not contact them again.
4. Improving Overall Quality
Regardless of your writing expertise, you want to put out your best articles regarding grammar. These conditions include sentence structure, spelling, type of article, punctuation and more.
One of the most successful ways of ensuring a top quality article is through the purchase of a grammar check program.
There are programs on the market such as Grammarly that can scan your content as you type for all of the above checks and more.
A search for these programs can sometimes lead you to a free version, however, keep in mind that many of the free versions do not always provide the best and most comprehensive products.
A high-quality product is well worth the money, it can often lead to a better rating and more job offers.
5. Acknowledging the Clients
Once a job has been accepted or rejected, take a moment to thank the client for the opportunity to work with them on that particular job.
Even if the article ends up with no monetary exchange, you want to kill them with kindness and perhaps win them over for the chance to work with them on another project.
This practice allows the client to see a different side of you. A freelance writer is a human being and deserves the same level of respect that any in-person encounter would receive.
Finding ways to maintain, increase and capture a share of the market share for freelance writers takes a great deal of commitment on the part of the freelance writer.
The level of success for any freelance writer depends on the amount of time and effort they are willing to spend to their business.
Do you have any tips and tricks to get ahead in the freelancing game? Let me know in the comments section below.
