Comments on: 4 Ways Writers Can Impress New Clients

By: lwidmer

lwidmer — Mon, 15 Aug 2016 16:54:13 +0000

Keri, it’s a game changer, isn’t it? And it shouldn’t be — we should all be doing that. But it’s a relatively simple move we can all do that will impress mightily.

Eileen, terrific idea. It’s a great tool for a new client interview, and also for magazine article interviews (one I use a lot is to add industry jargon to my questions).

By: Cathy Miller

Cathy Miller — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 17:22:36 +0000

Great additions by Keri and Eileen. I do the same. I call my pre-review of the client, doing my homework. The website is the first place I go. I also check LinkedIn as most have company pages and you can get a good idea on what they are writing and sharing in terms of information.

Like Eileen, I have a niche that allows me to showcase my knowledge of the industry. And it doesn’t take something real technical to accomplish that.

To give you an example, I recently acquired a new client who had a marketing agency writing some industry articles for them. The problem was, the agency was not an industry insider or specialist in that area. They used some terms used in the press and political arenas that can actually be quite inflammatory in our industry. When I commented to the not-yet new client that the use of a specific term was like lighting a match, her response was, “I could kiss you for that comment alone.” 😉

By: Eileen

Eileen — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 16:54:18 +0000

I ask industry-specific questions. While their answers are helpful to me, it almost doesn’t matter how they answer. My questions are designed more to show the prospect that I’m an industry insider. It’s clear by my questions that I’m an expert, not a generalist. Clients have often told me this is the main reason they hire me.

By: Keri Engel

Keri Engel — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 12:28:39 +0000

Good point about asking smart questions, Lori! It’s funny that prospects often seem surprised that I’ve actually looked at their website & done a bit of research on their business before hopping on the phone. I guess this is something a lot of freelancers neglect?? Just takes a few minutes, but it does really work!