What sets you Apart from other Writers?

As you continue to market your services, you will receive many of the same questions from potential clients. You are sure to hear the following from time to time: What sets you apart from other writers? Why should I hire you instead of another freelancer? These are legitimate questions – and you need to have legitimate answers. If you are unprepared for the above questions,

How to Compile a Cold Call List

Cold calling is a numbers game. In other words, if you make enough calls you are eventually going to find somebody who is interested. This leads to one very common issue: compiling a cold call list that is big enough to keep you busy, day after day. Here are three tips that I have successfully employed: 1. Local phone book. Although phone books are pretty

3 Questions to ask yourself Before Pitching a Small Business

Over the years, I have found that many small businesses are in need of freelance contractors. This holds true with many types of professionals including writers, designers, and internet marketers among others. Before you pitch your services to a small business, regardless of your method (cold calling, in person, etc.) you should ask yourself these three questions. 1. Do I know enough about the industry

The Importance of Connecting with Other Freelance Writers

Are you the type of freelance writer who avoids others at all costs? Do you work, day after day, from the comfort of your home office without any client and/or colleague interaction? This is very common in the world of freelance writing. That being said, it does not make it right. Over the years, I have found that connecting with other freelance writers, even if

Are you making these Cold Calling Mistakes?

A few weeks back, I showed everybody how to become more comfortable with cold calling. I strongly believe this to be an efficient and effective way to land new clients while introducing yourself to businesses on a more personal level. Cold calling is not for everybody. If you decide to give it a try, make sure you are doing everything right from the start. Here

Three Ways to Become More Comfortable with Cold Calling

At times, you may feel like your online marketing campaign is letting you down. Maybe you aren’t getting any inquiries through your website. Maybe you are sending out one email after the next, just to get shot down time and time again. Since this is a possibility, it is important to consider other methods of marketing your freelance writing services – such as cold calling.

Freelance Marketing — Moving Beyond Job Boards

This article is a part of a five post series for Demand Media Studios writers and others interested in leaving content mills and other low paying freelance writing jobs behind.  In our last post we talked about marketing your freelance writing services and how you should focus on basic market research, specialty target markets, and creating a marketing plan instead of aimlessly trying new ways

Freelance Marketing – Market Research and Planning

This week we’re running a five-post series for writers looking to leave content mills like Demand Media Studios behind them. Yesterday we took a look at three types of freelance writing jobs you can pursue, starting today. If you’re considering a change to grow your business, you should start there and narrow down your specialty area. Once you have a freelance writing specialty in mind,

How to Turn One Client into Two

There is only one thing better than landing a new client – landing two new clients. Over the years, I have found several ways to turn one client into additional work in a relatively short period of time. While these tips are not full-proof and may not work for you every time with every client, they are worth a try. 1. Ask for a referral.

Does Your Networking Come Across as Stalking?

Some freelancers are natural networkers. They have no problem introducing themselves to clients and colleagues, and they know how to build real relationships that benefit both parties. Other freelancers don’t have the same social skills. In general, that’s okay. I’d like to think we’re a fairly welcoming bunch overall. But every now and then someone takes networking or marketing too far, and they come across

Networking Events – Three Questions for Potential Clients

As a freelance writer at networking events, it is easy to sit back and let potential clients ask all the questions. While there is nothing wrong with listening and answering questions, you should feel comfortable opening up and asking some questions of your own. Not only does this show more interest on your part, but it gives you a better idea of whether or not

Freelance Writing Marketing: An Up and Down Affair

To reach all your freelance writing goals, it is essential to market your services on a regular basis. From query letters to cold calls to cold emails and everything in between, the more time you spend on marketing the better off you are going to be. Year after year, I have found that my marketing success is an up and down affair. By this, I

Which Samples Should I Send?

Often times, a client will not want to work with you until you prove your experience. As you know, the best way of doing so is to show off some of your past work. Of course, this leads to one very important question: which samples should I send? Here are three tips to keep in mind as you sift through your portfolio, searching for the

What to do the First Time you meet a Prospective Client

Are you planning on attending a get-together where you will have the chance to meet face to face with prospective clients? This can be a bit intimidating, especially if you have never gone through this process before. Many freelance writers share your concerns. After all, meeting with prospective clients in person can be full of stress. Fortunately, there are three things you can do to

Direct Mail Marketing: Dead or Alive?

There are many methods of marketing your freelance writing services. From managing a freelance writing blog to attending networking events, your options run deep. In the past, direct mail marketing was all the rage. Freelancers, as well as professionals in many other industries, found this to be an effective means of drumming up new business. The question remains: is direct mail marketing dead or alive?

Three Questions to Expect at Networking Events

The main goal of attending networking events is to meet as many people as possible. During this time, you are sure to ask your fair share of questions. At the same time, there will be quite a few inquiries directed your way. Time after time, I am asked the same questions at these events. At first, I was not prepared for these questions and often

How to Setup and Present your Fee Schedule

It is one thing to market your talent to potential clients. It is another thing entirely to present your fee schedule and agree on a price and other project details. When setting up your fee schedule for the first time, you need to do so with “marketing” in mind. What good is this info if you don’t have anybody to send it to? There is

Networking Promises: Watch what you Say

As you network with others, no matter if in person or in another manner, you may be tempted to make promises. While there is nothing wrong with this, you must be extremely careful of what you say. If you promise something and don’t come through, there is a good chance that the relationship will end sooner rather than later. In the past, I made this

How to Ask for the Job in Person

There is nothing better than meeting a potential client in person. Not only does this give you the chance to show who you are and what you have to offer, but you are also able to better assess the client’s needs. The first few times I met with potential clients face to face I was scared. From not knowing what to say to the worry

Network through Connections with Editors

Over the past five years I have worked with 100+ editors. Some work for large national publications, and others “wear many hats” for smaller operations. While every relationship is unique, one thing always remains the same: these are great connections to have. Time and time again I land new gigs based on a referral given by an editor in my network. Sometimes they pass contact

Three Networking Mistakes I will never make again

By attending networking events you can quickly grow your career. You will not land a new gig from every event, but the opportunity to do so is right in front of you. Every year, I attend anywhere from 5 to 10 local networking get-togethers. Some are better than others, but I learn something no matter the outcome. Unfortunately, I have made my fair share of

Why Your Books Are Your Best Marketing Tool

Writers of all kinds often say that they love writing but hate marketing. But that’s frequently because they confuse marketing and hard selling — “Buy! Buy! Buy!” In reality, the hard sale is only one small part of marketing and whether you realize it or not you probably market your books every single day. When you set up your author website you were marketing. Every

Networking Advice: Never Apologize

As you continue to attend networking events and attempt to spread the word about your business, you are sure to run into many unique situations. Along with this, you are going to make mistakes along the way. Time and time again, I hear people (not just freelance writers) apologize as they “work a room” and talk to others about their business. This is something you

Networking and Saying “No”

The more you network the more job opportunities you will come across. As a freelance writer, it is important for you to consider all potential gigs. At the same time, you must know when to say “no.” Early in my freelance writing career I struggled with this. If you asked to work with me I said yes – no questions asked. While there is nothing wrong

How You (Yes You) Can Create a Rockin’ Author Website

We recently looked at some of the reasons many author websites suck and I shared a few good author website designs with you as inspiration. Today let’s move on to some tools and resources that can help you improve the author website you already have or build a beautiful new site to promote your books. [box type=”info”] Note that the information below is for those

Inspiration: 5 Author Websites That Don’t Suck

We already looked some of the reasons many author websites suck. And I promised I’d highlight a few decent examples that would inspire you to improve your own Web designs (or at least finally set up a site — I’m amazed by how many indie authors neglect them altogether). This post was supposed to be that list. But let me tell you, it wasn’t easy

Why Author Websites Suck (and Why Yours Doesn’t Have To)

Authors are notorious for having poorly-designed websites. That’s not to say all authors have dated, crappy sites littering the Web. But more in this group do than most others I’ve come across. Sometimes author site designs are downright frightening, looking like someone formatted some text in Word and slapped it on the Web in the mid to late-90s, never to update it again. The saddest

Why Your Own Blog is a Better Marketing Tool Than Cheap Client Content

It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of either content mills or extremely low-paying private clients (like the webmasters on bidding sites willing to pay a whopping $1-5 per article). As far as I’m concerned it’s an irresponsible business move to take on these kinds of gigs without pursuing something better early on (and an irresponsible move I made myself back in the day —

Are you handing out Business Cards?

You have many jobs as a freelance writer. One of the most important is marketing. You want everybody to know what you do. The more people you tell the better chance you have of landing new clients and making more money. Over the past couple of years, I have handed out hundreds upon hundreds of business cards. Are you doing the same? There is a

How to Use (and Not Use) Twitter to Find Freelance Writing Jobs

I made the mistake on Twitter yesterday of searching for “freelance writing” to see what people in the community were talking about. Wow. Just wow. I can’t remember the last time I saw so much spam and so many crap freelance writing jobs in one place. So it got me thinking about finding jobs on Twitter — more specifically finding good freelance writing jobs while