What Every Freelancer Should Know About Relationship Marketing

Remember that saying “We’re going to hell in a hand basket.”

Welcome to hell. Not so comfy in that basket, is it?

The world is upside down and contorted in ways we never thought could happen. That includes the working world. Companies everywhere are seeing unprecedented losses thanks to statewide orders to shut down. I saw one company just yesterday announce that they’re letting go of a number of their employees and franchises.

Expect that to repeat.

And now more than ever, we freelancers have to navigate our marketing plans artfully and thoughtfully.

In this week’s #FreelanceChat, Michelle Garrett hosted our very own Doctor Freelance, Jake Poinier, who went over the finer points of marketing in this new reality.

One of Jake’s comment stood out to me. He was talking about reaching out:

even if it’s just to say “Hey, how’s it going?” Be authentic, offer help if it’s appropriate.

Right there is how we writers can build a client base during the toughest of times —

Relationship marketing.

That is, putting the focus on building the relationship, not making the sale.

Why I love this kind of marketing — why it’s been my go-to process for most of my career:

• The focus is where it should be: on the person.
• It’s the beginning of a conversation that continues.
• It’s a friendlier relationship than you’ll ever have in a transactional approach.

Here’s where to start:

Meet the client where he or she is.

This past week, I’ve had more one-on-one conversations with contacts than I’ve tried to have in the 17 years since I started freelancing full time. Contacts were sharing and we were bonding over how COVID-19 was impacting our separate locales. I asked one question: “How are things where you are?”

Even without a pandemic, freelance writers can build that same relationship by showing interest in the contact in front of them. Where is he or she located? What’s going on in his or her life right now? What accomplishments have you read about that you can commend him or her on? Wherever their focus is, find it and make it part of the conversation.

Show your compassion.

I had a great initial call with a potential client two weeks ago. But as anyone living this current nightmare knows, two weeks in a rapidly changing landscape is an eternity. Despite everything aligning with their needs and my skills, they had to consider what is surely now a tighter budget (isn’t everyone’s?). And they had to tell me.

And I told them I understood completely because I do. What I did in that instance, you can do, too. I expressed my sympathy toward what they and the whole world are going through, and I left them with an “I’m here if you need me” assurance. Because I am. Things are fluid right now, and we as freelance writers need to be, as well.

Reward client loyalty.

My current clients are still working, and are overwhelmed due to their business focus. Yours may be, too. Reach out and offer help. If they’re strapped for funds to hire you, you might consider helping at a vastly reduced rate (payable post-pandemic) or a freebie or two to build good will. You know your clients best, and you probably have clients who are not going to take advantage of your generosity.

Go beyond your paycheck.

Go on, help them out with something. Send them that article about that topic you were just discussing. Send them a few more ideas for their blog (without the expectation of writing them). Refer potential customers to them. Retweet their company news with targeted hashtags (not all clients use all the hashtags or even know them). Go out of your way to help them make connections or just to make them look good. These are people you like, so show it. That’s part of being in a relationship — doing for someone else out of respect and caring.

Writers, what tools are in your relationship marketing tool kit?
What one thing do you do that resonates well with your clients or prospects?
What advice can you give to other writers on how to market through the relationship?