Top 10 Tips for Landing More Freelance Writing Jobs in 2019

One of the areas that is quickly replacing 9 to 5 jobs or the rigour of having to answer to an overbearing boss is freelancing. Though called freelancing, it does not mean it is easy or not demanding but also requires skills and some level of expertise if you want to make something from it.

Although you will be working at your own time as a freelancer you still have to meet deadlines of clients before you get paid. The job done must be top-notch before your client can hand you any payment. So freelance jobs are very demanding and if I dare say even more than a full time job. In this piece I will be discussing ways to land more jobs as freelance writer.

Be Professional

Professionalism depends on the style that each person wants to bring to his business but of course there are industry standards. You can start by having a website of yourself where you basically talk about your skills, knowledge levels, experience and showcase your works and clients you have worked with. You might also take it to another level by drafting a condition of engagement that you will issue to clients before you begin any work. You can also have standard price list for different kinds of writing.

Have a Portfolio

This is very important because that they will prove to potential clients that you are able to do the work they are trying to offer you. Portfolio of course will include past jobs you have done for other clients and if possible the name of the clients you did the works for. A portfolio can be uploaded on your website, softcopy or physically printed to be presented to would-be clients.

Cold Pitch

This does not work all the time but it has worked before for many people. Pitching can involve emailing a company, individuals who you think might need your writing services or texting them or contacting them through social media. For a pitch to be effective, you have to appeal to the potential client and convince why he needs a writer to do a particular job for him. So that will involve doing a research into the company and knowing what they really need from a writer like yourself.

Work for Free

This might be so palatable but as one starting off in your writing career, you might need to work for free to show how good you are before you start collecting fees. Being able to write for free will involve having a strong passion for the skill of writing, if not you will struggle to keep up.

Have an Online Presence – Blog, website, Facebook page, LinkedIn Blog

Social media is more than just a place of engagement of socializing with friends online but can be used to make useful contacts that can help one’s career. By signing to any of them, you are allowed to post your skills and expertise and how you can be reached by potential clients. Social media is another proof that your network is truly your networth.

Join a Network

There are many platforms that have been created for freelancers and buyers (employers) to meet and negotiate. People simply post jobs on these platforms and different people are allowed to bid for it. Some of them include; Fiverr.com, PeoplePerHour.com, Justfrom5k.com, Freelancer.com and many more. For their services, these platforms take a percentage of the amount you make from buyers and clients.

Advertise Yourself

Now this is key for any profession one is going into or any skill sets you are trying to sell. You have to tell people about your writing. Tweet about it and ask for a retweet from some other people. That helps a lot.

Be Social

This can go on online or offline at networking events where you meet different professionals who one way or the other need each other’s services. There you can talk about what you, share business cards and exchange contact addresses and phone numbers. Online will also involve getting involved in engagements and other people’s posts, that way they will reciprocate same when you post stuffs.

Be Attentive to Customers’ Needs

Being attentive to customers’ needs will involve carrying out a personal research about them. This you can do through their different online profiles; websites, blogs, social media accounts and more. This way you can actually send proposals offering your services.

Deliver Top Notch Quality

There is no need going into writing if you can’t offer the possible best service. For any client to keep coming back or recommend you to another person, you must strive to deliver on time, present a good work, tie all loose ends and impress every client you get. That’s virtually the key to having repeat clients and staying in business.

With freelance writing jobs you can earn more than many people in paid salary jobs. As much as you are your own boss, you must also approach your writing as a business that needs to break even and make some profits.

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *