In this series, we have focused on finding your motivation as a writer, determining what you want for this year, and setting goals. Now let’s get down to specifics. In this blog, we’ll explore strategies and tactics for finding client-based work. We’ll finish up the series next week with a blog focusing on strategies and tactics for freelance writers (articles, blogs, etc) and those writing novels or nonfiction books.
Client Work Strategies and Tactics
Taking on clients is a great way to boost your business. Not only does it open up your potential sources of income, but clients offer a variety of benefits to any freelance business.
Here are a few perks:
Longer term contracts. Some clients are open to longer term contracts that guarantee regular money. This is a rare bonus for freelance writers.
- More opportunities than for magazine and blog work.
- Easier retention for future work.
- Better pay in most cases.
But how do you find clients? And what should you do to focus on finding clients to increase your business? Here are some steps to help you grow in 2022.
Increase Your Market Penetration
This is a fancy way of saying find more clients and take over a bigger piece of the market in your area. More clients means more work and a higher income. It is the most effective way to boost your sales and profits. It is not, however, the easiest course. It means honing your sales and marketing so you can compete against every other freelance writer in your area and beyond. I am increasingly competing against freelancers from less expensive markets. It is essential to stand out.
Finding and landing new clients means focusing your efforts on sales and marketing more than writing for a while, and then committing to sustained efforts to attract and retain clients as you move forward.
Not only will you have more work and clients to care for, you also will have to balance marketing with your work load. It’s a juggling act. Be sure to manage your time well.
- Set up systems to track your production calendar. I use Trello for this. It is free for the base version and fee-based for the expanded. It allows you to set up Kanban boards to keep you on track. Another option I use is Todoist ($). Todoist has sections for a daily to do list and Kanban boards for larger projects. It is a nice combination.
- Use Notion. If you are not familiar with Notion, go watch some YouTube videos. This program offers a lot of features and capabilities. There is a bit of a learning curve to set up databases and systems, but then it works for you. I use Notion for a variety of purposes, but mostly as a second brain system to house information and all the details of my life. I prefer a simpler system for my day-to-day tasks, but Notion offers many options to track those too. It’s up to you which system will work best for you.
- Write everything down in its smallest steps. Keep track of time spent on each step. Watch your daily calendar and task list so you don’t miss anything.
Here are some steps to take to find new clients:
Create a List of Potential Clients
This means researching companies in your area (and beyond) that might require your services, locating the hiring manager’s contact information (or tracking them down on LinkedIn), and creating a pitch tailored to that client’s particular needs. Focus on how you can help them ease their burdens (or pain points, for those of you who love business jargon).
Warning: Don’t add anyone to the list that does not:
- Fit your niche or need your services (which may be difficult to ascertain).
- You disagree with or would feel uncomfortable writing for—for example, if you are a member of PETA, you might not want to work for a meat packing plant. Keep your values in mind when selecting clients. You won’t be able to write convincingly about a subject you disagree with on a personal level.
- But be open to clients who might not appear a good fit at first glance. You never know where good clients are lurking. Be open to possibilities. As long as they are not directly opposed to your values and could use your services, consider them. I’ve had many great clients who were not an obvious fit for me. In some cases they were in an industry that wasn’t on my initial list of “good fit” subjects. In others, they seemed unattainable or outside my expertise. Don’t be afraid to stretch a bit, if you can do so effectively. It is the only way to grow.
- Do your research and avoid companies who are not rated well. These are the clients who are likely to be difficult or refuse to pay. If you can’t find reviews online, ask around. Know what you are getting yourself into before you pitch.
Work on Your Pitch
It’s not enough to have a single pitch about you and your services. You must be able to tailor your pitch to each client you are approaching. A shotgun approach won’t work in today’s market. Since the pandemic started, more and more people have entered the freelance world. There’s a lot of competition. You need to find a way to stand out and appeal to each client on your prospect list.
It’s fine to use a template for your pitch as long as it has customizable modules you can swap out and personalize.
Consider Your Rates
Take a hard look at what you are charging. Are you competitive in your geographic area and market? Are your rates in line with your experience? Don’t expect to charge the highest range for your area if you are just starting out. Likewise, don’t undercharge if you do have experience and a proven track record. Do your research and find out what is reasonable for your market.
Think Broadly
Don’t get locked into a single type of client or service, unless there is enough work to sustain your business being a specialist. Consider all of your options. Finding new clients often requires a bit of brainstorming to identify people who might need what you can offer. Look at other writers’ client lists for inspiration. Review companies in your area or online. Be creative.
Keep Scale in Mind
In most cases, you won’t be able to compete with larger companies doing the same kind of work. So focus. Look for smaller segments within the market you want to write for and pitch to those clients. This will take some legwork to find clients who could use what you do. Scale also comes into play when looking at the amount of work needed. If you take on a client who needs too much, you are locking yourself into one client. That would be more of a full-time situation than a freelance one and the IRS will notice. They are quite clear about the differences between employees and independent contractors (and you need to know the difference too). Manage your work load and expectations.
Protect Yourself
Protection comes in many forms for a freelance writer. Here are a few to consider:
- Diversify. Don’t lock yourself into one client because it will ruin you if they change course or let you go. Hedge your bets and have a few clients to sustain you so that losing one or having one pause work for a while won’t destroy what you’ve built.
- Keep a reserve. Always have money in reserve to sustain you when clients are late paying (or don’t pay), work is delayed or cancelled, you get sick (since you don’t have sick days), or any other disruption to work and pay.
- Have strong contracts. This is the only way to protect yourself in those cases when clients refuse to pay for one reason or another. It happens. Be prepared for it. Know when to pursue legal action and when to let it go and declare a loss on your taxes.
- Review your business structure and decide what level of protection you need. An LLC or Limited Liability Corporation offers protection for your personal assets. An S or C Corp structure offers more. Explore your options and choose the best one for you and your business.
Find Partners
Just because you are a freelance writer doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. You can find partners to divide the work and sales efforts. Some great options for partners include:
- Public Relations Agencies
- Marketing Agencies
- Web Development or Design Companies
- Production Companies
- Graphic Designers
- Other related professionals who serve the same clients you seek
Ask for Referrals
The best place to find new clients is to turn to your existing clients. Don’t be afraid to ask for introductions or referrals. Let your clients help you find new work. Most happy clients are open to helping. The key is to keep your current clients happy so they keep coming back (because it’s easier to retain a client than find a new one) and potentially open to helping you expand your business.
Use Social Media
This is a great way to find potential clients and approach them. It does take tact and understanding of the etiquette of social media sites. Don’t do hard sells. Be of service. Offer advice. Go slowly. Establish relationships first. If you aren’t sure how to market on social media sites, learn. There are many resources available on the subject.
Automate
The more you can automate your systems, the less time you have to spend on them. Create sales funnels for your website. Create systems to track your pitches, marketing plans, client communication, and any other aspect of your business. Automation is essential in freeing up time for the work. There are ton of videos, articles, and book on how to do this. Find them. Watch or read them. Learn how to systematize your work life. This will likely include using a Customer Relationship Management System (CRM).
In the final blog in this series, we will look at strategies and tactics for book writers and freelance writers seeking work writing blogs and articles—the more traditional freelance work.