In decades past, a freelance writer had very limited opportunities to write for clients beyond those in the local area. In days before the Internet was commonly used and even before it had been invented, freelance writing assignments largely were handed to writers from print media like newspapers and magazines. Often, freelance writers chose to work with local sources, although it was possible to submit pieces over mail and fax. Now, however, it is entirely possible and even common for freelance writers to work with clients located around the globe. A freelance writer may have projects underway with clients on several different continents at a time. As common as this is, there are still some benefits associated with working with local freelance writing clients.

Personal Relationship

You certainly can develop a relationship with a client over email, the phone, video chat and more. So it is possible to have a great relationship with a long distance client. However, when you work with a local client, you can take that relationship to the next level. You can sit down in a live meeting with your clients to really get to know more about them and what they are looking for in the pieces you write for them. You can meet over coffee in the morning, lunch around noon or drinks in the evening. This is simply not possible when you work with long distance clients.

Real-Life Research

Many clients today do engage you to write for their business. They may want you to write regular blogs about their company or services, Internet marketing material for their website, promotional content for a brochure they are developing and more. When a client is located in town, you can more easily visit their retail storefront or office to learn more about what they offer to clients and to enjoy immersing yourself in their corporate culture. Enjoying the full customer experience can allow you to write a more informed and accurate piece for your clients. Unless a long distance client is willing to fly you to their store or office, this is not possible when working with a long distance client. Your only opportunity to research more about that client’s business is to visit their website, talk to them over the phone and otherwise gather information in indirect ways.

Collecting Money

One complaint that many freelance writers share pertains to the difficult in collecting money from clients. Most clients do pay freelance writers for their services, but some freelance writers have had the experience of dealing with a client who refused to pay, who complained about the quality of the piece despite the fact that the article met their original specifications and more. It can be difficult to collect money in such situations. When you have the ability to walk into a client’s office, however, and sit down with them face-to-face, the experience changes. You can more easily make any changes that the client wants when you talk to them in person. Further, you can approach them directly for money when they are delaying payment.

There are numerous benefits that can be enjoyed when you choose to work with local clients. In most cases, it can be difficult to keep your days full working entirely with local clients. However, you can enjoy these benefits by working with at least a few local clients. Keep these factors in mind as you search for new clients to work with in the future.