All successful freelance writers have a marketing plan. That being said, changes may be needed on a regular basis. Although you do not want to be quick to jump ship, there may come a time when you need to abandon your marketing plan. Here are three times when this makes sense:
- If your marketing plan has failed you for an extended period of time. Have you gone several months without finding a new gig? Are you worried about what the future holds for your plan? If you have not been achieving the results you are after, now may be the time to think about making a change. You don’t have to take on a total overhaul – but some changes are probably necessary.
- When you are attracting the wrong types of jobs. Some freelance writers have a lot of success with generating new clients. The problem is that they are not getting involved with the types of projects they enjoy. While a new client is always a big deal, the project must fit your wants and needs in terms of type, topic, and of course, pay rate.
- When you feel like there is something better out there. At some point you may get tired of what you are doing. Maybe you are making hundreds of cold calls per week, and are quickly growing bored with this. If your heart is not into a particular plan you are not going to give it your all. In turn, your progress will suffer. Don’t be afraid to search for something better.
Are you in one of the three positions detailed above? If so, you may want to think about abandoning your marketing plan and starting from scratch.
Amen, Chris. I’m of the mix-it-up-from-time-to-time variety, which may be why I’m not idle. I couldn’t agree more with all of these, especially number 2. If the clients don’t measure up to the pay scale you need, that’s not your best marketing plan.
Agreed. If you’re not getting gigs paying what you want or need to earn, the problem is rarely with the market — it’s with your lousy targeting. In that case the marketing plan needs to be overhauled.
That said, I think it’s equally important to note that you shouldn’t abandon your marketing plan just because you’re not seeing immediate results. If you’re constantly changing your specialty, target market, branding, etc., you’re probably not giving any single one your all for a long enough period to get started. In that case, abandoning your marketing plan just sends you back to the beginning, and until you break that habit and stick with something you’re never going to reach your goals.
I like to build on current marketing plans – I never scrap anything completely, just modify to suit the market I’m seeking. Different services target different markets and you have to be ready to hit each with what is necessary to land gigs. I’m another get-bored-fast girl so I’m always growing – not moving or changing – just growing up and out into new areas.
Speaking of misaligned prospects, it looks like I have to fire a client today who requested a rework and revisions of his existing company materials and REALLY meant a complete redo consisting of entirely new content and references. His revision request on my revisions? Start from scratch without using the template he provided originally so that it’s all brilliant and new. I feel a full refund and polite decline coming on! Beware the creeping client requests!
You’re far kinder than I. I wouldn’t give them a refund. I’d remind them of the work contracted, note that the work they paid for was already completed and that I’m willing to make minor revisions to that, but anything more extensive because of their changing plan would be billed as a new project (writing rates; not the editing rates they paid previously).
Thanks for pointing out that if your heart is not into a particular plan you are not going to give it your all.
And you are so right on about there may come a time when you need to abandon your marketing plan
Now, if I may, I’d like to add the following that relates to plans and planning.
No marketing plan or calendar should be set in stone! No matter how effective your plan may be, chances are, it will have to be altered at a given time; due to what your competitor(s) is doing.
We have all been in a situation in which, we feel heavy frustration from the fact that we have to change the plan – that we once considered our ‘baby’ – in order to counter what it was that another company was coming to battle with.
Even the actions of your clients, future clients or suppliers can take you by surprise – to the point of startling you – and force you to change the way in which you had set out to do things. In other words, you must be ready for anything. You must have flexibility. You must expect the unexpected!
Now, don’t feel as if you have to be a psychic. Don’t feel overwhelmed at the thought of needing a business and marketing plan so flexible that it takes away from the overall aim and goals that made you ‘hungry’ to run your particular business in the first place!
There is an easy way to be sure that you can continue to have success in the future – if you just start off with flexibility in mind! The best way to do so is to have a marketing calendar that is flexible and built to adjust itself when the time comes to do so.
With that said, if it’s OK with you, may I introduce https://www.FastMarketingPlan.com. Created for you, the business owner who’s too busy putting out fires and wants a fast and easy way to create a marketing plan & calendar in 7-minutes or less. There are a bunch of marketing plan templates to help your get started fast. Anyway, check out Fast Marketing Plan for a buck for 21-day, you’ll be glad you did.
Sandy Barris
VP Marketing
Fast Marketing Plan.com
https://www.FastMarketingPlan.com
P.S. Here’s the best part… Every Monday Morning you’ll love getting E-Mail Reminders with your marketing strategies and tactics you’ve planned for the week.
P.P.S. While in the Fast Marketing Plan site, click the “Make Money” link in the lower right and you’ll start making 50% ongoing monthly income from everyone you refer.