Worthy Advice: Show Your Stuff

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Nice day yesterday. I got a little client work done throughout the day, and I managed to devote the rest of the day to both book projects. The fiction work is starting to sing. I’m taking my time with it, thinking through each word and making sure the phrases are exactly how I want to present the story. So far, I’m pleased with how it’s going. The story is coming out the way I’d hoped.

I was talking with one of my client contacts yesterday when I realized he didn’t know how well-versed I was in his industry. Not entirely odd as he’s a contact and not a client, but I took the opportunity to let him know I understood the topic he was speaking of, and I sent him a link to an article I’d written on that very topic. That opened up a nice conversation, which left him feeling maybe a little more confident that I could take his report and actually make sense of it. I showed him my stuff. How often do you do that?

Chances are you’re working with clients right now who aren’t completely aware of your skills beyond what you’re doing for them. I scored more work with an editor last year when I told her that I’d written on other topics, then I pitched those ideas. She loved them and assigned four articles I wouldn’t have gotten had I not spoken up. So yes, I know you’ve got something you’re not sharing, too.

How to tell them, though? Here are some ideas:

Offer it up. Look at their business or their article needs. Then pitch to them. Don’t wait for them to realize you’re the renowned writer of ink cartridge technology – send them pitches and your clips showing it.

Ask for more. Sometimes they’re giving you newsletter work when you could be solving their press release problems, as well. Ask them if they have any need for the skill you’re currently not using. That means researching their site and business a bit, but you should be doing that anyway.

Send your portfolio. Get back in touch with your clients by thanking them for the previous projects, and by sending them your CV, resume, portfolio (whatever you want to call it). In your note, call out the skills you think they’d benefit from.

Tweet it. Maybe your client isn’t advertising that he’s looking for someone to write white papers, so how can you know to tell him? Try tweeting current or past projects – “Working on a white paper project this week” coupled with hash tags that speak to their industry (#inktechnology, for example) can get those tweets right in front of them when they need you most.

Market that skill. Maybe it’s time you rolled out a postcard or brochure targeting those white paper skills. Send it to current and prospective clients. Don’t think they already know if they’ve already hired you. Remind them with paper.

How do you show your stuff?