Looking for contact info for prospects yesterday, I realized that my usual ways of finding that info weren’t working. There were several reasons for that, but the running theme seems to be poorly written websites that assume you know who’s running the company.

That’s right — nowhere on the site, even in the Contact Us section was there a single name. Well, with one incredibly odd situation where the former owners’ names were there, but the new owners were referred to as “Kathy and Steve.”

This is where most freelancers would give up and move on. And who would blame them?

But I say that info is still out there. And if you’re tenacious, you can get it.

Why would you want to? Simple. These people need your help. Desperately. How can they compete in their industry with people who are putting more effort into engaging with their customers?

Here’s where I turn when the website doesn’t offer contact information:

Call.

I suggest you start with a call to the general number. Ask for either the number or the email of the marketing person or, if it’s a small business, the owner. There’s a chance that they’ll ask for more info or block, but there’s also a chance, when you explain what you’d like to send, that you’ll get that contact info.

Advertise With Us page.

That’s right. Skip right past that weak About Us page and that Contact Us form that may never get an answer. The Advertise With Us page is going to have one or more of these things:

• Salesperson name
• Email
• Phone number
• Media Kit

That media kit may contain another little gem — the name of the publisher or editor. If so, you can take that info and find an email or phone number, even if the website doesn’t offer it. How? Keep reading.

Internet search.

I found one contact by typing in a name and a company. Suddenly, there was the email address. Online directories often charge to reveal emails, but if you can locate anyone in the company with a published email, you’re halfway to finding your marketing contact.

Association or conference websites.

You’d be surprised how many of these companies with bad websites will attend trade shows or belong to associations. While you might not get to the member lists of an association (they are highly guarded, expensive-to-rent lists), you might be able to locate info on their list of attendees. One conference I used to attend would publish a list of exhibitors and how to get in touch with their salesperson. There again is a published email.

Social media.

Facebook, Threads, Twitter, LinkedIn, you name it, they could be there. Look on the website again. Any icons and calls to follow them? It’s likely then that someone in their company has a LinkedIn listing, a Twitter account, an Instagram presence. Go on. Follow on Instagram. Engage them in LinkedIn forums. Direct contact on social media may be the only way you can reach them at this point.

Articles.

It’s amazing how many people who closely guard their company email address will tack it on to the end of that industry article they wrote. Browse through articles written by the company. You may have to search by company name in a generic search, but it’s worth a shot.

Editorial calendar.

Some publications lump this into the Advertise With Us section, but others will put it under the About Us or Our Company page. I’ve seen it in both areas. Often, there will be a name of an editor listed. If you’re lucky, there will be an email/phone number, as well.

Sometimes your best effort is still going to turn up nothing. That’s when I suggest you do this:

Write a letter.

Type something up, put it on your best paper, seal it in an envelope and send it to the company in care of the Marketing team. The novelty of an actual letter that came in the mail is a memorable way to introduce yourself to your potential client. It’s also a little hint that reaching them electronically isn’t working. But you can save that for the conversation you’ll have should they reach out.

Writers, how do you find that elusive contact info? What works best for you?

I don’t care if you’re reading this on January 2nd or October 22nd — every single day of your working life is as good as any to turn the corner on your freelancing. If you want to use the calendar as a jumping-off point, be my guest. Just don’t get stuck in the thinking that it’s the only time to change your freelance writing career.

And what’s the one change you should make in your freelancing life that you’re probably putting off? Let me guess:

Raising your rate.

I’m right, aren’t I? You’re sitting there getting a little nervous and maybe feeling a bit exposed at the thought of having to inform your writing clients that your rates are going up.

I’ve been there, too. I get it. However, that trepidation you’re feeling? You need to be getting over that right now.

Every year, the cost of things we buy or consume goes up. We complain sometimes. Other times, we don’t notice. If that favorite restaurant raised the price of your favorite dish by one or two bucks, you’re going look at it from a value perspective; sure, it just went from $12 to $14, but no one makes a risotto like this place. In the end, you’ll see the value and pay it.

Guess what? Your clients go through the same process when you raise your rates. Or, in most cases, they barely notice. That’s if you’re working with clients who understand that great writing requires higher rates.

Many years ago, Anne Wayman uttered the simplest, most bang-on wisdom I’ve ever benefitted from:

“To attract better clients, charge more.”

Absolutely, Anne.

Oh, you’ll lose some clients. Some might even argue that you’re too expensive. It’s a shame to lose a client, but some clients are just never paying you what you’re worth. They don’t appreciate the value, or their budgets are ridiculously low and they simply can’t.

The latter client — you can decide if the relationship is strong enough for you to continue at your old rate. Sometimes a client’s projects are worth hanging on to, especially if there is ongoing work and the potential for special projects.

That’s your choice. Not mine. 

Getting back to rates, how do you raise your rate? Here’s the easiest plan ever:

Just raise them.

Okay, you want more.

• Decide how much you want to make
• Raise your rate to that amount
• Send the following note to clients: “Dear …: Just a quick note to let you know my per-word rate is increasing at the end of this month to $X.YZ”

That’s it.

Notice that the note to the client states a per-word rate. There’s a reason for that. When you’re first starting in freelance writing, you opt for an hourly rate. Understandable. Hourly is just easier sometimes.  Except when it becomes a penalty. If you’re charging per hour, you could be underselling your expertise. This post explains how per-word can be more equitable for you and more transparent for your client.

But Lori: How much should I charge?

That’s on you, friend. I don’t know your needs, your clients, or your specialty. I wouldn’t work for under $100 an hour or $1.00 a word myself (and those are my minimums), but I’m working in a specialized industry and I’m bringing 23 years of experience in that industry to the table. If you write about technology and have been for five years, for example, you too should be commanding a higher price.

Still in doubt about what to charge?

Ask a fellow writer.

Yes, you can ask me. We can have a conversation in email or on the phone. Or you can take to the forums and seek out those writers who are running successful writing businesses.

Pay attention to those who aren’t bragging incessantly about making six-figure incomes and those who aren’t bitching about being out of work/freelancing being dead. (There are some issues on both ends of that spectrum.) Stick with writer who understand how to attract and nurture client relationships and how to charge like they’re worth it

They are. So are you.

Writers, how long should you go between rate increases?
Do you charge hourly, per word, or per project? Why?
Side question: Serial comma or no?

There’s a whole lot being written and discussed right now regarding ChatGPT and other AI applications. Either AI is going to wipe out millions of jobs or AI is going to be the next version of cryptocurrency — pretty hit-and-miss in terms of its value.

No matter which camp you’re in, AI is going to impact your life in some way. However, how it impacts you depends on what kind of freelancer you are.

Let’s look at the different types of freelancers who will most likely be negatively impacted by AI:

• Piecemeal freelancers: They get their work from job listings, Upwork, and other paid/unpaid job sites. They’re not into marketing or they may not know how to market themselves.
• Good-enough freelancers: Those who park their careers on Upwork and such, those who are content working with clients who don’t pay much because it’s easier than fishing upstream.
• Happy-to-be-working freelancers: They’re never rocking the boat. The client may be demanding, but they pay eventually. Not much, but there’s a promised check there somewhere.

Why these freelancers could be the first to lose gigs to AI:

• There will probably be fewer job listings because clients who don’t pay much will want to save the money.
• Fewer gigs posted means more competition for actual paying gigs.
• Cheap clients are going to see a way out of paying at all and drop their writer.

Those who won’t have much to worry about when AI comes to town include this group:

• Relationship marketers: You’re a freelancer, but you’ve marketed to people, not just to win a gig. Building a relationship is the primary focus.
• Niche freelancers: Sure, AI could try to put together that in-depth thought leadership series of articles on an industry-specific topic, but it’s going to sound pieced together. Because it will be. Freelancers who have a niche and have built credibility in the niche will survive quite well.
• Freelancers with top-tier clients. Top-level clients know that brand and reputation are essential to business success and survival. No “Chat” anything is going to be able to nuance content in a way that meshes with the goals and messaging in a company. That’s a human trait.
• The freelance partner. A freelancer who has built a partnership is one who is invested in their client’s success. They’re not going to let words that could have negative meaning get through, and they’re going to be the first to point out potentially thorny issues with copy. They’re there to save their client’s reputation before anything hits print.

Which group are you in?

If you’re in the first group, fear not. There’s plenty you can do today to improve your freelance writing business and become much more immune to AI’s impact. Start here:

Build a Relationship. When you do business with people instead of nailing down one more gig, your entire business outlook changes. So do your results. People want to have a personal connection to those they’re trusting with their messaging and writing. Click on the link to learn how to build that connection. This link could be useful, too.

Actively Seek Clients. Spend that time browsing job sites on browsing the websites of your potential clients. It’s an easy switch, that the link I’ve dropped here will give you a pretty good outline for getting more active in your client search. This one gives even more guidance.

Build and Nurture a Network. The more people you know, the better your ability to score quality clients. Stay in touch with them, too. Here’s a link that gives you some pointers.

Never be Satisfied.  Be curious. Skeptical. Inquisitive. Take that advice someone gave you (even me) and turn it on its head. Does it make sense to you? Do you see yourself applying it? If not, drop it. Keep learning. Find new ways to improve your approach, your interactions, and your business acumen. You are the secret weapon to your own success.

Writers, how have you turned your freelancing career around? 
What defining moment do you recall from your own journey?

And now it’s winding down.

Just for a moment, look over your shoulder. Look back through each month and see not where you failed to meet a goal or had some issue that you couldn’t resolve, but see what you’ve done. Even that thing that nearly broke you didn’t.  You’re still here. That says plenty about who you are as a freelancer.

If you’ve been following along with these Freelance Game Plan posts, you’re probably hoping this last one will be the one that puts you over the top, that redefines your business and gets you to that place you’ve been dreaming of — your writer’s Valhalla.

If so, you’re about to be disappointed.

That’s because a post can help, can give you something that will work, but it cannot do the work for you. That, my friend, is all up to you. And guess what? You can do it.

Yes, you really can.

I know because I did. I was that same struggling writer with those same doubts making those same mistakes. If I can get beyond all that, you can, too.

Today’s post will give you one more thing that may help. But it’s also going to go over where we’ve been. Maybe one of them is right for you. Or maybe more. It’s up to you to decide what fits and how you apply what you read here. If you don’t like it as presented, tweak it. Make it fit. Just make sure once you do, you follow through.

In fact, that’s today’s Freelance Game plan strategy:

Follow through.

Consider this the writer’s version of lather, rinse, repeat. That thing you are trying — tweets, LinkedIn articles, networking — is better when you do it more than once.

That’s your challenge for this month: Follow through on everything you do to market or network. It could look like so:

• Emailed queries
• Phone calls
• Idea pitches to clients
• Late invoices
• Sharing tweets
• Interacting with prospects on LinkedIn
• Updating the blog
• Finishing that manuscript

Or whatever you’ve started. Just follow through. Make a chart, get a piece of paper, open a Word document. List that thing you need to follow through with. Then make a column of dates — four dates for the five weeks in December (bonus this month — you have five weeks). Every week, do that thing you need to follow through on. Put a big X or a DONE next to that date.  Pat yourself on the back — you’ve just followed through on something you’d started.

If you’re ambitious (please, be ambitious), make a list for all the things you need to follow through on. Repeat.

[bctt tweet=”Your #freelancewriting success could be boosted with one thing: following up.” username=”LoriWidmer”]

That’s one way to improve. But we’ve gone over eleven other ways this year. Let’s recap. (These are all clickable links, by the way.)

January: Finding Clients

Yes, you can find clients any time of year. Even now, when everyone is in holiday mode. Maybe especially now. January comes and companies hit the ground running with projects. Wouldn’t it be great to be on board with them before January?

February: Compete with Other Writers

Admittedly one of my stranger ideas, but it works. Don’t compete for clients — compete for results. Find that one writer to emulate, then use them as your template to better earnings and business dealings.

March: Embrace the Octopus

Okay, maybe this one was a bit stranger, but in defense, it’s a great idea (and borrowed from Diane Parkin Wordsworth). To avoid the “Holy shit” financial crunch that comes when a client or two disappears, shoot for eight (as in eight arms of an octopus). The more clients you have, both regular and occasional, the better you’ll weather those times when contacts leave companies and budgets dry up.

April: Testimonials and What They Teach You

This is a twofold assignment: Get testimonials from your clients, and then read them to understand why they continue to hire you. Right there is your sales pitch for the next client.

May: Market a Mini Niche

When work dries up, try marketing your niche. Don’t have one? Bet you do — just look into your past projects. They’re right there, waiting to be discovered.

June: Plan Ahead

Any time of the year is the right time to review where you are, where you want to go, and how you will get there. The best time to plan is now, and here’s how you can do it.

July: Build a Freelance Network

You get by with a little help from your friends. And strangers are just friends you haven’t met. (I promise that’s the last of the sayings). Building a network can serve as a pipeline to steady work and better name recognition, which is important if you’re a solo business owner. The trick to building a great network is to stop selling. Really.

August: Giving Yourself a Raise

This was singularly my biggest mistake this year (more on that in another post). When you raise your price, you get more for your effort, you communicate your value (and you are oozing with value), and you trim that client list to a pretty sweet list of favorites.

September: Simple Freelance Systems

This is a favorite post of mine because it gives you a way to create order around chaos. That’s important when you’re busy and when you’re idle, as well. Feeling organized gives a sense of accomplishment. So do tools that make your life infinitely easier.

October: Create a New Routine

Building a better freelance writing business starts with a good foundation. Here’s how to create a routine that can actually improve your business outcome.

November: Planning Your Next Year

Set earnings goals, find an accountability partner, juice up your marketing, and find new direction. Also, you can pretend today is November, or March is November. Any time you want to plan ahead is the right time.

Writers, what changes did you make this year? How did that impact your business?

I’m a big believer in every day being your best chance to plan your future. You could start today and plan for what next week, next month, next year, or the next decade will look like.  And I contend that you should.

Right now, let’s plan something. Since we have two months left in the year and, at this desk at least, many clients are wrapping up projects and not starting new ones, let’s look to January and beyond.

[bctt tweet=”This month’s #Freelance Game Plan: planning your #freelance writing success for 2022.” username=”LoriWidmer”]

Every smart freelancer I know plans well in advance for their next projects, next clients, next earnings goal. Let’s start with that last one, because I think it’s going to be the thing that could be your game-changer.

Earnings Goal

What do you want to earn in 2022? Not what you think you will — what do you want to earn? If you’re at $30,000 a year, go on. Write down $50,000. You’re not that far off. Or hey, shoot for $75,000.  Why not? Start thinking positively, and stop building mental roadblocks between you and where you want to be.

Now break that goal down into 12 increments. That’s your earnings goal per month. I suggest that as your target instead of the larger number or even a weekly number. Weekly numbers are too erratic. One week you make $1,000 the next you make $400. Give yourself a 30-day window for those earnings.

Oh, and you’re giving yourself a raise. If you plan to shoot higher in earnings, make it a little easier on yourself by raising your rate.

Once you figure that out, you move to the next step, which is:

Accountability

Today, get yourself an accountability partner. Ideally, this will be another writer. It could be a friend, but try to stick with someone who’s freelancing in some fashion. At the end of each month, you will call this person or send an email detailing:

• The projects you’ve worked on (number of or type — up to you entirely)
• How/how often you’ve marketed
• Your earnings (I count invoices sent — you might choose invoices paid or some other method)
• Your plan for next month (an example: “I need to reach out to more potential clients, so next month, I’m hoping to send out six more pitches”)

Your accountability partner, by mere existence alone, will propel your results in ways you cannot believe. When Joy Drohan and I became partners, I saw my business results improve because now I had to tell someone what I’d been up to. Sitting around didn’t look so go on paper.

Marketing

I’ve gone on about marketing here for quite a few years. Rather than repeat, I’ll just leave these links to marketing posts that can get you started or help you improve.

Find a few marketing methods that appeal to you. Email, social media, snail mail, phone — whatever it is, make it something you know you’ll do. If it gives you agita to even think about doing it a certain way, that’s not for you. Please, in all of this, remain true to who you are.

Make a marketing schedule. Every day, reach out in some way. A retweet. A comment on a LinkedIn forum. An email pitch. A client follow-up. Every day is the right day to market. And don’t forget — networking is also essential to your survival. Meet people in your chosen area of concentration. Join groups. Take part in conversations. Be seen in those circles. Don’t sell on the first date. Networking should be about making connections. Marketing too, but there’s a sales element to marketing, though again, not on first contact. And please, do not be the person who does this: “I saw you looked at my LinkedIn profile! Are you looking for a writer?” That’s just creepy.

New Directions

You may write about the environment today, but think it would be neat to include a more corporate slant, such as green construction, sustainable products, reducing manufacturing carbon footprint more affordably. Whatever you want to do next, plan it. To make it part of your 2022 freelance writing plan, nail down these things:

• The focus
• The client
• A list of potential clients
• Your pitch to them
• Relevant, related work that shows your experience (if you don’t have this, skip this bullet)

That’s it. You’ve just mapped out your new area of concentration.

And with that last step, you’ve also mapped out where you’ll start on January 2, 2022. And every day.

Know this, too — your plan is a living plan. It’s going to change as your needs, desires, and goals change. Let it. Improve on it as you go, and keep your focus on doing what’s right and best for you. Your freelance writing career — and business — will reward you for it.

Writers, how far out do you plan for your next year?
Do you plan more long term or short term? What works best for you?

You know those moments where you have no work in front of you and you want to be doing something, but you feel more like you’re twisting in the wind?

You do? Good. You’re normal.

I’m a person who lives by a routine. And why not? Routines set the cadence of your day. They keep you grounded when things are flying at you from every direction. A routine can keep you from overbooking, from losing your place, from working well past quitting time. Not that you won’t succumb to the pressure on occasion, but on other days, it’s that little reminder that you can stop working and get away from the screen.

Could you live without that first cup of caffeine each morning? No? Then why not make a routine for your work day that you can rely on just as much?

Maybe you have a routine already, but you just don’t feel you can get anything done. Maybe what you have, then, is more of a direction and less of a formal schedule. And maybe formal would work better for you.

[bctt tweet=”How can you change your #freelancewriting routine to improve your business?” username=”LoriWidmer”]

So let’s look at a hypothetical scenario to see how adopting — or changing — a routine might work for you:

Ellie is a five-year freelance veteran. To date, she has gone through the usual beginner struggles, but has managed to nail down some ongoing client work. Lately her work has been steadier, but there’s a lot of hit-and-miss work and not a ton of regular work.

She finds herself idle for days at a time. Last month, Ellie worked on four projects, which brought in $4000. While she was happy with this, she wants more stability, and she wouldn’t mind having a few more regular clients and fewer of the one-off clients.

Ellie has the right idea on that last point. The one-off clients, while they do provide you with a paycheck, are just as much work to locate as the regular ones. So ask  yourself: which is better? Getting one client that pays you once or getting another client who gives you steady work for a year or more?

So with all that free time, Ellie can create a new routine that helps her find that steady work.

A slow-day routine.

It could look something like this:

The foundation-building routine: Ellie wants to create a list of clients, or a list of industries for which she would like to write. She’s going to find at least 10 potential clients from Twitter or LinkedIn or articles she reads, and that’s going to be the client she researches and pitches her services to.

While she’s at it, Ellie will look at the projects and industries she’s already familiar with. She’s going to ask herself what other industries share the same or similar interests. She writes about travel for consumer publications. But now she’s thinking that writing for a trade magazine could open things up for her. So she lists the travel-related trade areas she could concentrate on.

• Hotel, resorts, RV parks
• Camping equipment manufacturers, RV manufacturers, trailer manufacturers
• Charter companies
• Hospitality management

Wow, right there, if Ellie lists ten potential clients from each of those areas, she wouldn’t have to repeat this exercise for years.  But every time she gets a slow period, Ellie is going to turn to those lists and pitch to those clients, or research them and find the names/contact info and reach out. When the list depletes, she repeats.

The pitch/follow up routine: Ellie may hate follow up, but that’s why she’s making it a routine. The more she does it, the less averse to it she’ll be. She’ll start her routine with creating a good pitch that she can easily personalize (with her background usually the only thing that doesn’t change). She’ll also create her follow-up script, and she’ll decide whether it’s phone or email she’ll use for follow-up, or maybe both.

When she finishes a project, she’s going to pull out her foundation list, and she’s going to send one pitch. And if she has time, she’s going to follow up with one of her previous pitches.

Ellie doesn’t want to wait until she’s idle to pitch, though. And that’s a good decision. So she’s going to make the first five minutes of her day, or that five minutes before lunch, her time to pitch to someone. She’s created a recurring calendar appointment for it, too. That way, it becomes more important, and she’s more likely to stick with it.

The networking routine: Ellie isn’t going to forget about networking, either. Those times after the pitch routine and the foundation list are completed, she’s going to use social media wisely. She’s going to check in with other freelancers, because a writer needs colleagues and friends, but she’s also going to interact with potential and existing clients online. She’s going to start or enter conversations and, instead of being a salesperson, she’s going to be interested. And she’s going to be a resource where she can be.

She’s also intent on staying in touch with clients, both current and past. So she’s going to send a few “How are you?” emails, a few tweets asking how they are, or retweeting something they’ve shared, sharing her own comments. She’s going to interact, not sell.

—

Three different routines that Ellie can take on. Three different routines that can be used separately or together. And guess what? These are three routines that you can start using today.

Whatever Ellie does, she’s going to do it consistently. Hit-and-miss gets her the same results she’s had so far. She’s wanting more than that. She’s ready to get serious.

Are you?

Writers, what routines do you have in place for when things are slow?
What are your favorite methods for finding quality clients?

But it’s a new month and the crisis is over for now. And since I’m pretty much landlocked for the next few days (all roads but one are flooded, and everything beyond it is flooded right where anyone might need to go), it’s time to focus on improving our business results. Today’s topic will give you back part of your work life.

[bctt tweet=”Ease your #freelancewriting workload considerably with these tips and tools.” username=”LoriWidmer”]

We’re going to concentrate on things that give your life structure and ease your workload. Let’s start with the obvious:

Routines

I don’t know where I’d be without my routines. I have my start times, end times, and break times. That, my friend, will keep you focused on work while you’re working more than just showing up whenever. If you’re disciplined and showing up whenever hasn’t been a problem for you, go for it. But if you struggle to get it all done, but can’t help talking on the phone or running errands when you could be finishing that project, you have a problem.

Pick the best time for you to start work. I sit down at 8 am. That’s my best time. I read emails and answer a few before my mother calls at 8:30. After talking with her, it’s all business until lunchtime. My husband jokes that if I’m standing up to go get lunch, it must be 12:02. I’m unconsciously punctual. My quitting time is 3:30. It’s when my brain stalls and I can’t write anything else without having to rethink it all.

Build a schedule based on what work times are best for you. Maybe you love working at night, or maybe working when the kids are in school is your best times. Whatever fits you, do it. Make it a habit.

Tools

There are so many tools out there for writers. While I can’t guess which tool you need or what kind of writing you’re into, I can give you two of my favorites, which are just generally fantastic for whatever freelancing you do.

Otter.ai: I’m telling you this because I care: If you don’t have an Otter.ai subscription for your transcribing of interviews, you are seriously wasting hours doing it yourself. For 99 bucks a year, you get a fairly unlimited amount of uploads per month (I have tons of interviews and have never maxed out the limit, if there is one). It transcribes a 20-minute interview in 5-10 minutes. From my own experience, it’s 90-95% accurate, even with thick accents. And it saves me two hours per interview. That means my clients can give me more work, I can make more money, which leads to more work ….

Microsoft Office 365: I’m a hard-core Office fan. Having it online means everything is accessible from any device I have. Cloud storage makes life so much easier, and being able to use Word from anywhere is ideal as I look to travel more in the future. If you hate Office, then look to Open Office or Google Drive.

Set schedules.

At the end of my day, I spend five minutes figuring out what tomorrow will bring. I use Microsoft To Do app to make notes on what I need to do first, if the day is particularly busy or I have appointments outside of the house.

Here are some things you might want to schedule into your workweek:

• Going over invoices/filing them
• Filing papers
• Answering emails
• Returning calls
• Scheduling personal writing (make this a priority)
• Cleaning your workspace once a week (I usually do this on Fridays so I can return to a clean space on Monday)
• Anything else that tends to take a back seat

Limit meetings.

The majority of my interviews are 20 minutes tops. No one needs more than that for an interview. Set 20 minutes (not 30) and stick to it. Your next call is coming in five minutes, so you have to hang up now, right? If you think the interview subject will be a problem from the get-go, mention at the beginning that you have a “hard stop” at the 20-minute mark. That often helps everyone to focus.

Plus, limit meetings to what’s necessary. How many of us have been asked to attend the next meeting to decide what wasn’t decided at this meeting? Beg off them. Ask for someone to record it, citing your prior commitments and not wanting to hold things up for everyone else. Or just charge for it and know that the longer they talk, the more they’ll be paying. Also, feel free to suggest emailed responses to any follow-up questions. I know people are addicted to the “hop on a call” garbage, but it’s a time-waster for everyone.

Limit your access.

Not long ago, I was a participant in what turned out to be a number of scheduled meetings that the organizer missed. And of course, on the day of the deadline for the item involved, there was this rush to get me on the phone, this “Hey, accommodate me” type of panic that meant I’d be writing the item after hours. Mind you, if I had I’d have charged double for it, but as it happens, I had three other appointments and frankly, I’m wasn’t moving them because these clients were much more conscientious of my time. They had deadlines too, and it wouldn’t be fair to put out three people because one wasn’t getting their act together. No surprise, the project never happened. And I parted ways with the client, for it wasn’t the first time it had happened.

While it’s nice if you can accommodate a client in a pinch, it’s not required that you shift your entire calendar to do so. If you can and you decide to, great. Just be extremely aware of future fires you’ll be expected to put out in much the same way.

Invoice and file smarter.

When I have a runaway schedule, it’s damn tough for me to stop, add up those invoices, and get everything sent off and filed. My best plan would be to create a new invoice at the start of the month, then add to it after finishing each project for that client (some of my clients send multiple projects). That’s if I could get my act together enough to do that. I don’t. So here’s what I do instead:

Each project is named with the title, the initials of the client, and the month/year it was completed. So it would be “Cyber Threats AW 9-21” if I was writing an article on cyber threats for Acme Warehouse this month. That goes into the Acme Warehouse folder. At the end of the month, I open the folder, sort by date, then tick down the list, adding to the invoice. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than weeding through emails to see what the hell I sent to whom and when.

Filing is another matter: Does each client have its own folder? If not, set it up right now. If you like, put this year’s date on it. I don’t, as I tend to refer to older topics with a few clients, reusing facts or quotes as needed. And everything is on the cloud, as well as backed up to my local NAS.  Plus, should something fail or be compromised somewhere, you always have your Sent emails as a last resort.

Writers, how do you make your workload easier? Any specific tools or tricks you use?

Am I where I want to be in my freelance writing career?

Think back to January. What were your plans? To get more clients? To work more? To work less? To earn more? What was on your resolutions list?

Didn’t quite hit that target? Don’t despair. Today is your new start. Right now. In fact, you’re about to do something that will guarantee a boost in income, starting today.

You’re going to raise your rates.

No need to hyperventilate. Raising your rates is easy. Convincing your current clients to stick with you isn’t difficult, either.

First though, we need to acknowledge that raising your rates for some clients may not work. Here are cases in which your rate will remain the same:

• Magazine work
• Work contracted at a negotiated rate

That’s pretty much it, really. Magazines set the rates they can pay. Budgets are tight in publishing, so there’s not much chance of changing that (though you might be able to wiggle a few more coins out of them if you’re a trusted freelancer). Any work that you’re doing in which you have a contract that states your rates, well, that’s not going to work. However, make sure that your contract period is not stretching into infinity. You should not be paid the same amount today as you were paid in 2000. That’s just not fair. That’s when I’d ask to renegotiate.

But for those clients where your rate isn’t locked in, you can raise them. And if it’s been three or more years since you’ve raised your rates, you’re overdue.

Here’s how to raise your rates:

• Send a note a month or two in advance, letting them know you’re raising your rates
• Tell them when your new rate will take effect
• Offer them the opportunity to book you for work prior to the new rate going into effect

That’s it. Will you lose clients? Possibly. If you’re working at really low rates now, you’re already working with people who are happily underpaying you. Don’t feel too badly about losing them. Besides, like attracts like — you’re probably stuck in a situation where every new client has the same “How cheaply can I get this done?” attitude. Raising your rate cures that.

Raising your freelance writing rate does something even better — it attracts better clients. I’m serious. I remember one gig that a friend of mine had referred me for back in 2007. When I gave a rate to her in email (I think it was $95 — I was trying to appeal to their budgets), she called me and said “You meant to write $125 an hour, didn’t you? Didn’t you?” Yes, I guess I did. And from that point, I realized that unless I raised my rate to something that clients would take seriously, I wasn’t going to land any big clients.

[bctt tweet=”Raising #freelancewriting rates to be competitive attracts much better clients.” username=”LoriWidmer”]

That’s the weird part, too. If you’re priced too low, big clients don’t see you as a professional. They’re often used to working with contractors who charge much more ($250 an hour usually), so you coming in with a $95/hour rate is going to make them wonder what planet you’re from.

And the second you raise your rates, you do attract more clients. Maybe it’s because it does something internally — it makes you take yourself more seriously.

So raise your rates right now. The next client pays more, and your current clients will be paying more in a few months. Yes, you can negotiate with them, and you may decide that working for them is worth more than a raise. That’s up to you. But don’t shortchange yourself because you’re afraid to lose clients who might be worth losing after all.

Writers, are your freelance rates where you want them to be?
What is your target rate or annual earnings goal? How close are you to that? How might a raise help get you there?

At this point, you have six Freelance Game Plan posts to consider to help you make more money freelancing. This is number seven.

Despite the title of this post, what I’m about to share with you isn’t hard. At all. In fact, on some level, we all network daily. We just don’t recognize it.

Since July is usually a slower work month for many freelancers, it’s a great time to concentrate on how you’ll build or expand your network. And yes, you need a network. You have one already. I’m part of your network. You’re part of someone else’s network. If you’re on Twitter chats or Facebook pages or LinkedIn groups, you are already part of one or more networks. So let’s take the stigma out of the word (it sounds very corporate, doesn’t it?) and call it what it is — making connections, acquaintances, friendships.

[bctt tweet=”A #freelancewriting network is the lifeblood of a healthy freelance business.” username=”LoriWidmer”]

First, let’s talk about what networking isn’t.

• It isn’t self-promotion.
• It isn’t asking for favors.
• It isn’t sales.
• It isn’t pestering someone for work.

Honey, the secret to networking is this: It’s about being present, being confident, being helpful, and being useful.

We can do that, right? Right. Here’s how to build your network:

Assume everyone is worth knowing.

Don’t discount anyone in your presence, even if they look like they can’t be of any value to you. Networking isn’t about immediate payoff, nor is is about a one-way relationship. It’s about connecting. Every single connection you make holds value (though I will argue that the value in some connections is that they remind you how not to network or behave). I’ve made close friends of some of my connections. The goal was to know someone. Now I work with three of them — 21 years after I first met them. Those connections matter. Friends give work to friends.

Even those annoying connections can matter. One particular person I’d met while on a contract job was singularly the most annoying human on the planet. I exercised patience. I didn’t get upset with him, but just went silent when it was obvious he wasn’t going to stop talking. When we parted ways, I danced at the thought of never crossing paths with him again. Imagine my shock when he sent an email a month later, referring me to a very good client. I felt a little guilty for all the bad thoughts I’d harbored about this guy, but it taught me that you don’t have to necessarily like every connection. And that’s okay. Just don’t burn bridges if you can help it.

Not every connection will be worth keeping, like the ones who treat you like dirt from the start, or show no ability to understand or honor boundaries, or insult you or behave like jerks …. stay cordial. You don’t have to keep them in your orbit, but leave them with a professional impression.

Reach out to people you already know.

Your teachers, friends, other writers (successful ones help you in many ways, including ways you can emulate), former coworkers and bosses, family, interview sources, you name it. Remind a few of them, as appropriate, what you’re working on or some aspect of your daily work that they aren’t aware of. For example, my uncle thought I wrote fiction and poems. When I told him I wrote for the insurance industry and trade pubs, he was surprised. He also knew of a few people and places I might reach out to.

Talk about project successes — in small doses.

Imagine sending this tweet: “Just finished my fourth case study this week for a #healthcare client. Off to get some coffee!” What have you done there? You’ve alerted anyone who follows that hashtag that you write for their industry and that case studies are something you write. You’re not begging for work. You’re going for coffee.

I would say posting something like that every day would be overkill (and annoying), but once in a while, like a few times a month, isn’t a bad way to talk about your project success without bashing people over the head with how brilliant or successful you think you are.

Join a group, follow a hashtag.

Just like you use the hashtag for occasional promotion, you can follow and learn about your target clients. Follow. Share. Join the conversation.  Attend the Twitter chats. Make friends. Easy-peasy.

Start a conversation.

So many of my opportunities have come from thanking someone for a press release, befriending the contact person for my interview sources, sharing a commonality with someone in a forum or group…. Get out there and talk to people. Remember, everyone who crosses your path has value as part of your network. They may never funnel work your way, but they’re a form of support group, and you are to them, as well. Be genuine, be yourself.

Do something for someone else.

This bears repeating: Networking is not a one-way street. It’s a participation activity, a collaborative effort. That connection you find for that contact who needs a writer specializing in something you don’t do? That’s doing something for someone else. Recently, a contact of mine asked if I knew anyone who could promote their company. I passed along the name of someone in my network. Be generous and help others often. It costs you nothing, and it builds your image as a valued resource.

That’s it. These few methods can help you build or expand your network. But don’t stop here — think of other ways to introduce yourself to new people and to establish a connection. If you’re in front of people, the opportunity is there.

Go forth and mingle.

Writers, how have you built your current network? 
What has netted you the most success in networking?

And a dearth of work as companies and clients go into vacation mode. Not all clients do, but enough people shift their brains to Relax Mode that it’s noticeable depending on the clients you work with. In the past, I saw work drop off from July through Labor Day (early September here in the states).

That was in the past. These days, the work is steady right up to Christmas week. So something changed, right? Right — my approach. And that’s the topic of today’s post. The plan going forward.

I saw an interesting conversation on Twitter a few weeks ago about how people approach work during the lean times. One poster lamented — rightly so — that too many companies are doing one-off types of tactics — selling in the moment rather than thinking beyond their immediate situation. What are they missing?

A long-term strategy. You know, a plan.

Part of that conversation included a poster who said they have a five-year plan. Know what it was? To continue doing the same thing. To be happy in her work, not stressed and overworked.

That’s a plan. It’s a noble one. And while the poster didn’t say it, I suspect she has other minutiae as part of that plan. Like earnings increases, or expanding into new areas. Something.

Or maybe she really is content to just be where she is. Good for her.

But is that good for you? Only you can say.

Either way, your future is what you make of it. Right now. Yes, five years passes quickly. One year goes by without notice anymore. How do you want to spend that time?

The answer that helps you grow? “Working strategically.”

[bctt tweet=”Planning your #freelance future now makes the journey infinitely easier.” username=”LoriWidmer”]

So thinking five years out may have your head swimming. Can’t imagine what it will be like? Then start smaller. In fact, I encourage you to plan out the next 12 months before diving into the next five years. Start with these items:

• The money you  hope to be making this year
• The clients/projects you’d like to take on
• Three things you can do to get these kinds of projects/clients

Those three things can be anything that you enjoy doing that could be considered marketing. Could be Twitter, email, phone, whatever you like doing that puts you in front of potential clients. Just list them. You don’t have to know what to do about it yet.

Now let’s look at those items you’ve mulled over. Let’s start with money. You’ve decided your yearly goal. Now, divide by 12. That’s how much you have to earn each month to reach that goal. I don’t break it down weekly because honestly, you’ll drive yourself nuts with constantly tracking it, missing some goals, and giving up out of frustration. Monthly is far enough out that you only have to track invoice totals.

Now, about those clients and projects:

Let’s say you’ve decided to concentrate on writing for the entertainment industry. Who buys entertainment writing? Those are your target clients. Write down as many as you can. Got a nice list going? Then start going down that list, one by one, and heading to websites to find out more about these people or companies. Feel free to scratch off ones that don’t interest you, or ones that don’t seem viable. This list isn’t permanent. In fact, none of your business planning should be. But we’ll get to that.

You want to write for more magazines. Or you want to write more for the industry itself — those companies that feed the entertainment industry (production, film, lighting, sound, film editing, costume design, you name it). Find associations that support these various trades. List them. Look for magazines that cover these areas (the associations often have magazines, so don’t overlook that). List them. Then do your homework. What do they need, what can you offer, etc.

Got it? Let’s move to those three things:

I don’t care if it’s you spending five minutes a day on LinkedIn forums or 30 minutes a week on sending email pitches — your next task will be the same.

Make a bulleted list of how you’re going to do those three things. Something like this:

• Send two tweets per day using these hashtags (whatever they are)
• Write one letter of introduction per week/follow up on one every week
• Comment on/share two items on LinkedIn on Tuesday and Friday

Do that 11 more times, making sure to increase your activity as you go along (maybe send two LOIs per week, then three, for example).

There. Your next 12 months have been planned.

I mentioned before that your business planning isn’t permanent. It shouldn’t be. Nothing you write down today has to be followed to the letter tomorrow. Look, things change. Opportunities show up. Ideas do, too. Write that list knowing you can amend it and add to it. Also, you can subtract from it those things you’re doing that aren’t working. Hell, you can even remove the projects/clients you’d like to target and replace them with others.

[bctt tweet=”A successful business plan is one you change as your #freelance business focus changes.” username=”LoriWidmer”]

How this relates to keeping work flowing:

If you plan ahead, you will see fewer gaps in your work schedule. You’ll get used to looking three months ahead. You’ll see June coming way back in March, and you’ll increase your marketing activity. You’ll get used to making adjustments to what you’re doing, and you’ll become really good at spotting opportunities, and you’ll learn what works best for you.

But you have to start. So give it a shot. Start with that simple exercise, wrap some details around it, layer on a manageable plan, and watch your efforts start to pay off.

Writers, how far in advance do you plan your activities? What works best for you?
How have your own strategies changed over the last year?