Freelance Game Plan: January

Welcome to 2021. It already looks better, doesn’t it?

That is, unless you’re trying to kickstart your freelancing business. However, I have good news for you:

[bctt tweet=”You can find #freelancewriting clients any time of year.” username=”LoriWidmer”]

Fact: clients need freelance writing help any time of year.

Another fact: finding them isn’t always easy. But once you figure out what works for you, it can be.

I’m fortunate to be friends with plenty of successful freelancers. I’ve had the opportunity to see how these writers build their businesses, find new clients, and increase their earnings potential. I’ve had some successes myself, too.

So let’s look at some of the things you can do this month to attract new clients.

Use social media strategically.

First, pick your platform. For me, LinkedIn gives me a ton of bang for my buck. Because my intended audience is in a specific industry, I can get content in front of those groups easily on LI. I had started posting a few things on LI, and within two weeks I was getting inquiries.

The strategic part — figure out where you’re going to reach the clients you want to work with. Then make sure you keep your online appearance appealing. I’d avoid politics (please, avoid politics — we’re all sick of it), and I’d not be griping in public about rotten clients or people who did you wrong. Those things stick around forever. Have fun, but have fun with a plan in mind.

Part of the strategy includes knowing when to back off, too. If you’re drowning in well-paying client work (well-paying is key), ease up on your LI presence a bit. Maybe alternate months in which you post just so you’re not too overwhelmed. However, if you’re getting work from fewer than four clients, get busy. I don’t know what your client sweet spot is, and that’s going to depend on what type of work you do, but for me, seven to nine clients is about right. (And not all of them are giving me projects regularly, so there is less overload.)

Put yourself in the client’s path.

This expands on the previous point a little, but it’s going just a little farther. For me, it was fairly easy for me to reach out to conference exhibitors in the past and ask to meet at an upcoming show. That’s not happening anytime soon, so now I would just put myself in front of them where they hang out — forums, their website blog, in discussions during webinars, and even on Twitter chats. Especially Twitter chats, for you’re simply joining the conversation, and they get to see you in the moment.

It also doesn’t hurt to send out an email asking if your client prospect would mind receiving an occasional email with some handy marketing/writing advice. It helps to have a warm lead here (having already been in touch in the past), which makes the request less of a sales pitch. One writer I know shares alerts with current clients or with contacts with whom they’ve developed a rapport. No pitch, just send it over and add “Did you see this?” or “I thought this might be something you’d like to see since you’d mentioned ….”

Another good way to get in front of them is to send out a letter of introduction. Or a connection request on LinkedIn with a personal note saying something like “I saw we work in the same industry, and would enjoy connecting to share ideas.”

Reach beyond your current borders.

Another writer I know realized the bulk of her clients were within one very specific area of her industry. She tweaked her marketing approach to reach beyond that client pool and is now targeting similar clients in other areas.

Same here. Insurance and risk management writing is my thing. While the latter touches on every single industry (amen for job security), insurance seems really specific. Except it’s not. It’s workers compensation. It’s ergonomics. It’s managed care. It’s life settlements. It’s commercial insurance issues, which can include environmental, hazards, flood, hurricane, wind, hail …. and every one of those risks have companies that address those problems for those insurance customers. And those companies have other customers, too. And I’ve not even mentioned the personal side of insurance.

Your area of expertise has those same tendrils that reach into related areas. Now is the time — particularly now, as the economy hangs by a toehold — to look at where your skills will transfer easily.

Ask for referrals.

Those clients who work with you do talk to others, or they move from and to other companies. Keep those relationships going, even if it looks as though that new place may not need freelancers. You never know how long a person will stick with a job or how convincing they are at getting freelance help. Plus, they’re people. Don’t treat them like wallets.

Add another magazine gig to your lineup.

Especially if you do specialized work, your chances are good to come across an editor starving for a new voice or ideas. Reach out to one today, and be sure to include a few article ideas. Don’t forget to research that publication to make sure your ideas are on the mark.

Bonus tips:

Beef up your online profiles.

Simple thing, yet many freelancers forget to make their online presence as appealing as possible. Have a friend go over your profiles. Are they presenting your skills in the right way? If not, fix it. Pretend you’re writing that profile for a client (who happens to have your name and skill set). Now, make them look good.

Write bylined articles.

Just last week, someone connected with me on LI because of an article I wrote. He wants to talk about the article, which reflects his own business.

Those bylines matter. That’s not to say any byline will do — don’t work for free, and certainly make sure you’re working for a well-read, legitimate media outlet. If you haven’t heard of it, there’s a pretty strong chance neither has any client. Look at circulation numbers (they’re usually found under the Advertise with Us section). Find those outlets that are attracting the most discussion or the most visitors.

Also, consider your own blog, but only if you intend to maintain it (hanging my head in shame here). A few posts a month, blasted out over social media with the right hashtags, could attract plenty of attention.

Start now for February.

All the successful freelancers I know start well ahead of time. Why? Because the client you get today may not bring in any earnings until next month. I know one freelancer who looks three months out, which to me is a fantastic way to keep revenue coming in steadily. It’s rare that a freelancer planning this way will find themselves in a financial bind. It does happen, but this kind of move reduces the chance of low earnings.

Writers, what do you do to increase your client list?
How are you planning to improve earnings this month?