This post was going to be about something else. It was going to be advice on how to level the client/writer relationship so that you’re protecting your freelance writing business and positioning yourself as a formidable professional.
Funny how things morph, isn’t it?
As I started writing, I realized that all of the things I was about to tell you — things that have worked for me — could also be considered a pretty solid guide to building and maintaining a successful freelance writing business. It started with a comment on Threads.
A fellow writer was lamenting how difficult it was chasing payments from clients. We’ve all been there, right? Some clients drag their feet, forget, or have no intention of paying. The lament got me thinking about my own payment issues. That’s when I realized I’m in a damn good spot right now — my clients all pay on time. Well, with the exception of one long-time client who is having serious issues with their payment processing software. But they continue to help me and talk with me as they’re sorting it.
That’s a good place to start a concise guide to building success into your freelance writing business.
Put an invoice process in place and stick to it.
As I mentioned to the writer who was posting about it, don’t be afraid to burn a weak bridge. A client who isn’t paying you isn’t holding up their side of the agreement. If you have to chase payment, your concern should no longer be about preserving the relationship. It’s now shifted to getting payment out of someone who owes you.
My system is simple: 1) first invoice at project completion; 2) second invoice at 30 days, late fee attached (and spell out late fees in any contracts), and; 3) third invoice with collection/litigation notice. And damn right you’ll follow through on your promise to collect through other means. Since I’ve put that system in place, I’ve had just one person fail to pay.
Consider yourself a consultant.
You can call yourself a freelancer as much as you like — I call myself a freelancer. But remember that you are also a small business owner. Plus, you are a consultant who brings more than writing and/or editing to the job. You have soft skills, specific knowledge, and an eye for what may help your clients achieve more. For example, that client who is putting out a brochure may need to refocus the content to reflect their mission statement (and so many companies don’t do that). You are in a consulting role. Be their best advocate.
That can shift your mindset in a remarkable way. You’re no longer “just a freelancer” — you’re now a trusted partner who has their best interests in mind with every project you do.
Revisit your rate.
This I cannot beg you to do enough. So many freelancers undercharge to the point of poverty. Don’t. You have skills. You have experience. You are needed. All of that comes with a better price level than you’re probably working at right now.
Every year (December works, but hey, feel free to do it any time), look at what you charge. Look at the work you do. The goal is a balance between the hours worked and the money being earned. If you feel overworked and are still wishing for more, make it happen. Raise the rate. Amazingly, higher rates attract serious clients. Didn’t believe it myself until it happened.
Post where your clients are.
For me, that was LinkedIn and, until it became the fourth gate to hell, Twitter. Find where your current clients talk and interact. That’s where you’ll find your future clients, too. LinkedIn, for me, got me the most mileage of any social media site. But Twitter got the conversation going with potential clients.
Join the conversations. Ask smart questions. Share relevant links. Don’t forget to share the work you’ve completed or the success of current clients.
Add accountability.
There is one thing you can do right now that will deliver one hell of a boost in your results month over month — adding accountability. Right now, think of a person you can team with or report to at the end of every month. Ideally, it would be another writer, but it doesn’t have to be. You’ll be telling this person how much you’ve earned that month, how much marketing you’ve done, and anything else that shows your marketing and work results. For reference, see my old Monthly Assessment posts.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that holding yourself accountable to someone else boosts your income. Once you force yourself to focus on what you’re doing each month, you start to focus on, hey, what you’re doing each month. You correct your efforts as you go, too.
Embrace the octopus.
I can’t tell you the right number of clients for you. I can just say that if you follow the Income Octopus Method (simple, I promise), you’ll find your magic number and you’ll avoid that “Oh shit, I’ve lost most of my clients” dread. For me, eight was the right number. Five of them had regular work for me while the rest had occasional projects. If one disappeared, I still had plenty of work and clients to fill in the income gap. Plus, I could always take a one-off or another occasional client project on and still manage the workload.
Try it.
Market every day.
You regular blog readers saw that coming, didn’t you? Until you get your freelance writing business to a point where you have clients reaching out to you, you’ll have to market. Try more than one way to reach potential clients. I mentioned social media. Add email to that, snail mail, guest posts, any method you can dream up that will put you in front of clients who may want to hire you.
Market to the relationship.
Stop trying to get work. I’m serious. Start trying to build relationships. People buy from people they like. If that sounds difficult try these steps. I promise you, it’s not hard. It just takes a little more focus on the client, which honestly you should be doing anyway.
Branch out.
If you’re writing great articles for a client on the corporate need for remote work, why not turn that into consumer-focused articles on remote work success? You could also contact hiring agencies, remote agencies, even job sites to transition your skills and retool them to fit their specific needs. You don’t need to keep taking projects in the exact same field when there could be even more opportunities if you look further afield.
Say no more often.
Get yourself to a point where you’re comfortable turning down work. It’s hard at first — what if I starve? You won’t. In fact, if you refuse a job that doesn’t fit, you’ll avoid headaches. Say no to something that doesn’t feel right.
Also, don’t be afraid to slow things down if someone is giving you an I need it ASAP type of offer. One offer I remember was for a gig writing for a Dutch company paying $15K. Sounds great, right? When I slowed down and looked deeper, $15K wasn’t enough. The two-week onsite meeting requirement (in The Netherlands on my dime) plus the multiple months of team meetings meant the writer would be grossly underpaid. Examine every detail.
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