Securing a client who is willing to pay you at least $250 a week for content creation is a very lucrative opportunity to come across. How lucrative? Even with four weeks off, $250 a week adds up to $12,000 a year. Add this client to several other clients, and you very well may find yourself making close to $1,000 a week as a freelance writer.
This article is all about how to find such good clients. Is it really possible? Sure it is because I know firsthand. And it all starts with marketing yourself the right way.
I’ve been in the freelance industry for about four years. My first three years seemed to drag on forever, however, being that my income wasn’t heavily relied upon, it wasn’t a big deal that I only made $200 a week writing content (working 10 to 20 hours a week).
However, once I started marketing myself, I took notice to the fact that the life of freelance writer truly is one that can put a lot of food on the table. In fact, earning more than $50,000 a year while working only 30 to 40 hours a week isn’t that difficult.
Here are my top tips for securing private clients.
Tell EVERYONE that you’re a writer
No one is going to ask for your services unless you let them know that you are a writer. Advantageous ways to spread the news that you’re in the writing industry includes handing out business cards, adding the title Content Creator to all of your social media profiles, and of course telling your friends and family to spread the word that you are passionate about creating content. Before you know it, you’ll have people right and left asking you about what it is that you do.
Tell your doctors that you create content
When you go to the dentist, make sure to tell him or her that you create content. Also, make sure to bring up the fact that you noticed he or she doesn’t have a blog. The medical industry is busting open at the seams with a high demand for content creation, and you will likely secure clients if you inform your physicians — dentists included — of the many benefits that they can gain from letting you manage a blog for them. And trust me, medical professionals pay the big bucks for content creation. I currently have a client who’s a doctor who pays me right at $250 a week for 10 articles, with each article only taking about 30 minutes to write.
Get social on social media
If you have social media profiles, it’s time to start connecting with people who are in need of your services. But I don’t know anyone who needs content. Yes you do. Think about it for a minute. Who are the people who are most often looking for content? Marketing managers of course. By connecting with marketing managers, you can easily come across several who are in need of content creation services. I once reached out to a marketing manager on Google+ by saying hi and told him that if he was ever need of content, I could be of assistance. He immediately responded and said he was interested. This client now pays me about $200 a month for four blog posts. I’ve also had people on Twitter contact me about my services after simply shouting out to them via the private message feature on the platform. All in all, it never hurts to say hi to your connections on social media, even if you don’t know them personally. Want to learn more about how to find clients on Social Media? This eBook is well worth the read.
Create your own website (or have someone create it for you)
Personally, having my own website has not led me directly to securing any clients, however, it has been of major benefit. When people contact me on social media platforms about my content creation services, instead of sending them a lengthy message, I send them a link to my website. It’s on my website that they can read about my services, view my affordable fee schedule, and they can also take a look at my writing samples and portfolio. I truly believe that having the website helps potential clients to see that I’m professional about creating content, and this in turn converts them into current customers.
Don’t give up on content mills
I absolutely love writing for content mills. It takes the headache out of having to market myself 24/7, and best of all, I can rest assured that there will be no discrepancies in receiving pay for the articles that I complete. I’ve yet to have a private client who hasn’t paid me for my work, but sometimes, and this is only with a few clients, receiving payment can take longer than agreed upon. You don’t have to worry about that with content mills. You most likely won’t be able secure private clients via content mills, but this isn’t always the case. Take for example Ebyline. This site allows you to contact clients outside of the platform. And it’s because of this that I was able to secure a client who orders multiple articles a month. Before you go contacting clients that you’ve met on a content mill site, make sure that it doesn’t go against the site’s terms of service.
Be personable and always maintain open lines of communication
As a freelance writer, you’re not a robot who spits out words. You’re a real person, with a real life, so make sure you’re personable with both existing and potential clients. And most importantly, always maintain open lines of communication. Let clients know that you are willing to make revisions and that you are ready to meet their specific needs. Also, when you receive a deadline for a project, make sure to turn your content in on time. If you need an extension, ask for it (most clients are very understanding…after all, they are real people too). Above all, if you feel you need more clarity in terms of completing a project accordingly, ask the client to shed light on the content he or she is in need of.
The Takeaway
The life of a freelance writer is definitely unique. I enjoy the freedom to complete my orders according to a schedule that works for me, and when it comes to paying the bills, the income is quite attractive. Do keep in mind, though, that building a successful career as a writer takes a lot of effort, time and patience.
