A writer friend called me the other day about a project a contact had proposed. As I listened to my friend’s overview of the project, I got the same gut response she did — This project is, and always will be, a nonstarter. Not everything we writers deem to be a lousy business idea is…
Category: Client issues
Why Burning Freelance Writing Bridges Sucks
A short while back, I got an email from someone I’d done some projects for once upon a time. The note set me back on my heels. Let me back up — the fact that I got a note from this particular contact at all was a pretty major shock. This is a former client,…
Freelance Technique: Getting to the Meat of the Project
A number of years ago, I was hired by an association to rework their website. Turned out, the job was a bit bigger than just the website content. A bit more about that in a minute. The client wanted a rewrite of their existing content, so I went to the site. I read through four…
Writer Beware: Employee Syndrome
I got another marketing email the other day from a one-time prospect that will never be a client. That’s by my choice. The emails were what first made me reach out to this particular company, which is in my specialty area. They were signed up for the same conference I was hoping to attend. So…
The Freelance Client Balancing Act
You may have heard me whine talk about how busy my workdays have been lately. Because I’ve recently added two new clients to the stable, it’s been interesting trying to please them and keep up with the work that was there before they reached out. I was just able to keep up with all the…
3 Easy Freelance Value-Adds (that boost your earnings & reputation)
When I wrote the title to this post, my finger accidentally hit the Caps button. Freelance Value-ADD is not a disorder, but man, what an appropriate Freudian slip. Why? Because we freelancers tend to have attention deficit when it comes to marketing ourselves. We jump from the tried-and-true last thing that got us hired to…
The Freelance Grab – A Cautionary Tale
Totally different topic today, but one that some of the more established freelancers have had to deal with. Someone (a female) in my orbit is right now dealing with a grabber. The grabber in question has adjacent property to hers, and in every interaction over the last year has started with an ask. Each subsequent…
Freelance Writing and Why Rate Isn’t Everything
Here’s a freelance fact that may be somewhat unpopular (though no less true): That’s right. I’m saying that while what you charge matters, it matters equal to what you’re getting out of that client relationship. Confused yet? Let me explain myself. Suppose your lowest-paying client funnels monthly projects to you. Let’s say they’re in the…
Freelance Writing Guide to Managing Client Expectations
What’s the toughest aspect of your client relationship? Managing expectations. What’s the easiest aspect of your client relationship? Managing expectations. Both are true. Hear me out. In the 17+ odd years I’ve been running a freelance writing business full time, I’ve come to realize one truth: And it’s up to you entirely which way it’s…
3 Ideas for Successful Freelance Marketing (Yes, even now)
There’s an entire country of people who are about to do — or are already doing — what we do every day: Work from home. You already know the impact that’s having on businesses, particularly small businesses and those that were struggling before the pandemic. Some companies are scaling back drastically (Macy’s, Lush, Sephora, and…