8 Freelance Writing Biz Hacks

If only I had some quick hacks that could improve my freelance writing business! said every writer everywhere.

Today’s your lucky day.

As I slow my business pace in anticipation of an eventual retirement, I’ve had some time to reflect on how arrived at this point in my career. And I’ve been happy with what I see — where I am is exactly where I wanted to be. I have money in the bank, clients are coming to me (no marketing), and I can name my price.

Goal accomplished.

How that goal was met is the topic of today’s post. We all want that for our freelance business. We want to do things that improve our lot, not set us back.

There were some things I did that really worked. There were plenty more that didn’t. Another post, another time. For today, I want to share the things I’ve done over the years that really made a difference. As I pondered this, I realized it boiled down to one truth:

[bctt tweet=”The simple #freelancewriting moves are often the most effective for growing a business.” username=”LoriWidmer”]

For me, that’s my truth. The small changes netted me the biggest results. Here are eight ways I was able to achieve my goal for my freelance business:

1. Raise the rates.

That sounds so bloody simple. It is. I was able to earn one hell of a good living, weed out the bad clients, attract the good ones, and maintain a constant flow of work by doing raising my price. Getting over the fear of losing clients by doing so isn’t easy. Still, ask yourself why you’re hanging on to relationships that aren’t really that rewarding. If your client loves your work, they’ll stay. If they simply can’t afford you, that’s sad, but you need to do more than live check to check. Not convinced? Read this post on my a-ha moment on pricing.

2. Build consistent marketing.

I preached it here a lot. A lot. Any marketing you do is useless unless you keep doing it. My best move was to schedule marketing. Every week I’d send out emailed letters of introduction and every week I’d follow up on the ones I’d sent out the week before. That may be too little or too much for you, but the point is to build a consistent effort, not a slapdash one that you forget about or declare useless after one try. In hockey, if you keep shooting the puck at the net, eventually you’re going to score. Same with marketing. The more you do it, the better your odds (and the better you become at it).

3. Get an accountability partner.

Joy Drohan is my accountability partner and my friend. Without her, I’d still be making excuses to myself about why I didn’t do better. The reason accountability partners work: You are telling them what you did right and wrong. You’re reporting in every month. We email each other, which gives me a visual reminder of what I did and what I should be doing. Accountability, for me, kept my focus on what I was doing because now I had to tell someone about the results. That’s a huge motivator. So go on, partner up.

4. Seek clients; don’t apply for jobs.

The whole point of owning a freelance writing business is that it’s a business. Businesses don’t apply for work like employees would. Businesses try to attract their clients. They research their ideal clients, and they put together a pitch that shows they’ve done their homework. I started with exhibitors at an annual conference. That kept me knee-deep in clients for a decade or better. Some I still work with, in fact. Pay attention on social media and to who’s being quoted in articles. Then find a way to attract their attention, be it through networking or asking for a phone or in-person meeting. It’s not hard. It’s just different than filling out yet another online application, attaching clips, and competing with thousands of other writers …. ugh.

5. Partner with another writer.

Randy Hecht is my spirit animal (or I’m hers — either way). We started with a conversation online that moved to the phone and soon became one of those, “Hey, I have this client who needs more help” type of sharing. Through Randy, I’ve landed some very nice client projects, and I’ve hooked her up, as well. We talk shop a lot, which is also motivating. Having someone like Randy in your life can help you, too. You and your writing partner validate each other, talk each other through things, and boost each other’s knowledge and earnings.

6. Look three months ahead.

One of my bigger mistakes early on was to view my income in terms of those things on my desk at the moment. If I had four projects, I’d think, Wow! I’m swimming in work! Inevitably though, I would finish those projects and oops — nothing coming in for the next month. That’s when I decided to look ahead. I also started preaching that you market when you’re busy. And reach out to previous clients, current clients, anyone in your network. Check in. Ask how things are going and what they’re working on. Three months out is also the best time to pitch new clients. If you’re marketing consistently (see point #2), you’ve already reduced the chances of going without work.

7. Reevaluate often.

That means your business practices, your clients, your rates, you name it. Over the years, I have weeded out clients that presented too much work for the pay. I’ve raised my rates when I was too busy (and forgot to and paid the price). I’ve looked at what went wrong and how I handled it, then came up with ways to avoid the issue in the future. It all matters to your bottom line. Make sure what you’re doing is still what you want to be doing.

8. Change the perspective.

One of the biggest obstacles to your success is looking back at you in every mirror. If you continue to think of yourself as an employee or even as the hired help, you’ll be treated accordingly. If, however, you switch to thinking that your goal is to help your team win (your team being the client), then you’re in the right headspace to impress your clients and improve the product you deliver. I shed the imposter syndrome early, which helped me build relationships with clients and contacts — to the point where years later, they call me when they need help. You need to take yourself seriously as a writing professional. If need be, drop the word “freelance” from your vocabulary. Call yourself a consultant. You are there to help your client succeed in this project they’ve tapped you for. That’s where your head needs to be. And that will boost both your confidence and your success with your clients.

Writers, what moves have improved your freelance business?