Writing one keyword article may not sound that exciting. Additionally, it may not be the most profitable job that you accept this year. That being said, you can take a job for one keyword article and turn it into something much more if you know what you are doing.
Here are three things you can do to grow your business by taking a small keyword article project and converting it into many others:
1. Suggest other topics to your client. For example, you may be hired to write one article on cancer. While this may be all that the client wants at the time, suggest additional topics such as different types of cancer, symptoms, treatment options, etc. You may earn yourself additional work on the spot. If not, the client will definitely keep you in mind when they decide to expand in the future.
2. Offer a bulk discount. If you charge $20 for one keyword article, tell the client that you would be happy to do another 10 for them at a rate of $15/each. If they were thinking about ordering more articles in the future, this price break may be all that they need to move ahead right now. Of course, you want to make sure that the discount you give still allows you to earn an hourly wage that you are comfortable with.
3. Ask if you can do anything else. As I have said before, simply asking for more work often times results in additional projects. You may not get another keyword article assignment, but maybe another project that fits into your freelance writing career. Remember, it never hurts to ask.
If you are hired to write one keyword article this may only be the start. From there, use the three tips above to take this small project and turn it into something larger and long term.
Yesterday, I wrote a post on freelance writing and keyword articles. Today, I am going to move onto another type of writing that I do a lot of, sales letters. Although creating sales letters can be difficult, if you get good at these types of projects you will most definitely be able to find work. After all, every company in the world is trying to sell something. No, they do not all use sales letters, but a large number of them do.
What is a Sales Letter?
Generally speaking, a sales letter is exactly what it sounds like. This is a letter that you put together for a company that is trying to increase sales through direct mail or email. In many cases, you may even be asked to create one letter for a direct mail campaign and another for email marketing. This has happened to me more times than I ever imagined.
When writing a sales letter, the main thing that you need to keep in mind is that you are trying to push a product or service. In other words, this type of writing it not the same as a basic keyword article. Instead, you will turn into a salesman/freelance writer. Of course, you will be able to get direction from your client. Some clients tell me to go over the top with the sales pitch, and others tell me to keep things more laid back. Make sure that you gather as many details as possible from your client before starting.
Sales Letter Payment
Are you searching for freelance writing jobs that pay a lot of money? If so, sales letters will probably suit you just fine. When compared to other types of projects that I accept, sales letters are always among the highest paying. For a 500 to 750 word piece I have been paid in upwards of $1,000. And when this rate is compared to others in the industry, it is quite low. I know several top notch writers who charge $3,500 + for a single sales letter. I am not yet to that point, but as you can see, there is room for growth and big earnings.
How to Find Clients
If you are interested in writing sales letters, you need to find clients who hire writers for this task. Most will agree that this is the most difficult part of breaking into this niche. There are two things that I do to increase the amount of sales letter jobs that I bring in:
1. Cold call and cold email as many prospective clients as possible. Although I feel that cold calling is the better of the two options, I put time into both. Remember, you are going to get turned down time after time. But it only takes one client to get started and to make a nice chunk of change.
2. Network, network, network. If possible, network with business owners and high level executives. These are the people who hire writers for sales letters. Once you establish a reputation, your name will begin to make the rounds. I receive a lot of sales letter inquiries from people who have been referred by current clients. Get your name out there!
If you are looking for a way to increase your freelance writing income, consider getting involved with sales letters. As you can see, these pay good money and there is a demand for writers who can create quality letters that bring results.
Time after time I receive emails asking what type of freelance writing projects I take on. These emails come from other freelance writers as well as clients who are interested in hiring me. In order to get a better idea of the type of projects that are available to writers, I am going to put together a series of posts detailing some of the more common options.
Keyword Articles
What are keyword articles? These articles are general in nature but are based around a specific keyword. For instance, a client may ask you to write a 500 word article with the keyword of “web design†at a density of two percent. This means that they want the phrase web design to appear approximately 10 times in the article. Keyword density is something that every webmaster has a differing opinion on. Some will tell you that a low density, such as one percent, is best. On the other hand, I have had clients request a keyword density of up to 10 percent. As you can imagine, it can be difficult to naturally insert a keyword that many times into a relatively small article. That being said, I provide what the client wants; even if I don’t agree with it.
Keyword Article Payment
How much money can you earn writing keyword articles? Before I get to the answer of this question, you should know that these projects can be relatively easy to come by. One of the first good paying projects that I received was for 10 keyword articles on cancer. For each 400 word article, I was paid $20. This may not be a lot when compared to my current level of income, but back then I was ecstatic.
Now to the question of payment: the amount that you receive for writing a keyword article depends largely on the client you are working with. I have some clients that will pay $50 or more for a single keyword article of 500 words. At the same time, it is not uncommon to come across buyers who are not willing to spend more than $4-5 for one of these articles. By having a rate sheet, you will be able to avoid jobs and clients that do not suit you. For instance, you may set a rate of $25 for 500 words, $22.50 for 400 words, and $20 for 300 words. That is just an example; you will want to base your rates on your skills, how much work you are trying to bring in, your target audience, etc.
Freelance writers who are skilled at creating keyword articles can earn a lot of money. No, you are not going to get rich off of these articles, but you can increase your freelance writing income by adding these projects in addition to others.Â
Every so often, I speak with freelance writers who earn additional income through other business ventures. Although I am not the type to stray too far from the writing industry, there are several opportunities that present themselves time after time.
What types of services can you offer in addition to writing?
1. For one reason or the next, many freelance writers also dabble in photography. And from the ones that I have met, they are quite good at what they do. This is something that I have considered in the past, but up to this point have yet to move forward. Several years ago I took a few photography classes and fell in love with this creative activity. Unfortunately, I have yet to look into this because my freelance writing workload has been so heavy.
2. Blogging and freelance writing are natural partners. If you like to write there is a good chance that you will like to blog. As you can tell, this is something that I enjoy. Since starting this blog over a year ago, I have only missed posting on one day (from what I can remember).
3. In addition to ghost blogging for others, you can offer to manage blogs as well. I do this for many clients, and find it to be a lot of fun. What goes into managing a blog? This all depends on who you are working with, but it can include anything from uploading new posts and images to marketing and building a community.
By offering services in addition to writing, you will be able to increase your income while also adding some diversification to your life. Although I have yet to make any major leaps in this area, you never know what the rest of the year will bring.Â
This past week I spoke with several freelance writers via email who expressed a disinterest in talking to clients and potential buyers on the phone. When it comes down to it, this is a fear that you definitely want to get over sooner rather than later. In most cases, freelance writers will be able to communicate via email; this is a given. But with that being said, phone calls are necessary from time to time. I have definitely found this to be the case when working with corporate clients. After all, there are times when a quick phone call is much more effective and efficient than several emails.
Why are you afraid to speak with clients on the phone? This is a question that you need to answer if you are in this position. Some writers don’t like using the phone to communicate because they are not comfortable selling their services “in person.†Remember, you provide a valuable service and the person on the other end of the phone is interested in hiring you. This is not to say that you should go overboard selling yourself, but you should not be intimidated or embarrassed in the least bit.
Other freelance writers have expressed to me that they do not know what to say when speaking with a client on the phone. When it comes to email communication, you have time to read over every word and then formulate a response; no matter how long it takes. But when speaking on the phone, you do not have this luxury. Simply put, practice makes perfect in this area. The more clients that you speak with on the phone the more comfortable you will become answering questions on the spot.
Even though I speak with clients on the phone a few times per week, 90 percent of my communication is still completed via email. You may not find yourself on the phone a lot, but you definitely want to be open to this idea; it can help you to expand your business.Â
Setting up a freelance writing office can be a lot of fun. After all, this is one of the first things that you will do when you decide to follow your dream of becoming a writer. Generally speaking, there is no right or wrong way of setting up an office. You will want your space to suit your needs, as well as those of anybody else living in your home.
Here are three tips to keep in mind when setting up your office:
1. Make sure that everything is within reach. While this is not always 100 percent possible, you will at least want the items you use the most right by your side. Personally, I do not like to leave my seat during the day if I am in a groove; this only gets me off track. For this reason, I have my most commonly used items within easy reach. This includes office supplies, references books, and my business phone.
2. Your freelance writing office should be comfortable. If you are like me, you will be spending a lot of time in your office. Not being comfortable is a sure fire way to lose concentration and decrease production. I believe that comfort starts with a quality chair, as well as a large desk. When I started my freelance writing career I was working on an old desk with little to no space for anything but my computer and printer. After upgrading to a large, “L-shaped†desk, I found it easier to stay comfortable while also keeping items within reach.
3. If possible, set up your freelance writing office in a dedicated space. In other words, try to avoid using your kitchen table (or other common area) as your space for freelance writing and related tasks. You may have to get creative to find a dedicated space. While I have a separate bedroom that I use for nothing but freelance writing, others do not have this luxury. If this sounds you, look into converting a basement nook, attic, or maybe even a closet into a freelance writing workspace. I have seen all of these options work out nicely.
Remember, your freelance writing office should be set up with your preferences in mind. As long as the space works for you, nothing else matters!
There is a big difference between a freelance writer, and a firm that chases as many clients as possible and then subcontracts the work. Personally, I do not believe in subcontracting. If I take on a job from a client, I give them my assurance that I will be working on the project from start to finish. To go along with this, the concept of subcontracting has never appealed to me. This is not to say that I have never hired another writer, but if I do, it is for special circumstances and my client is always aware of this.
There are many reasons that I am against subcontracting:
1. I like to do my own work! This is the number one reason that I will never look into subcontracting on a regular basis. Many people get involved with the freelance writing industry as a way to make money. While everybody likes to get paid well, I also enjoy the work that comes my way.
2. You never know what you are going to get when you hire subcontractors. And guess what? If the work is not up to par, it is not the subcontractor that the client is going to come after, it is you. If you must absolutely hire somebody to help you with a project, make sure that you carefully check their background, skills, and samples. There is nothing worse than receiving sub-par work, and then being on the hook with your client.
3. You don’t make as much money. Take for instance a project that entails 10 keyword articles at a rate of $25 each. If you were to complete this job on your own, you would earn $250. But if you contract this work out for half of the amount, or $12.50/article, you will only earn $125. Are you willing to give up a large chunk of your profits just so you don’t have to do the work?
There is nothing wrong with operating a freelance writing firm that hires subcontractors. In fact, I have several contacts who earn a lot of money doing business this way. But personally, I enjoy the writing process too much to hire subcontractors.
Over the past few days I have received five to ten emails asking the same question: what type of freelance writing work do you do? I assume that the majority of those asking this question believe that by taking on the same projects they will be able to earn more money. While this is true to a certain extent, the clients that you work with are just as important, if not more so, than the projects that you accept. In other words, some freelance writing clients pay much better than others.
Although my workload changes from month to month, here are three of my most common gigs:
Feature Articles
I have said time after time that Writer’s Market is a great way to find publications that accept freelance writers. Although I have not queried many magazines over the past few months, I plan on picking up the pace in the weeks to come. For an idea of what kind of features I write, check out my article Are you too Trusting? in Insight Magazine.
Corporate Blogging
Over the past few months I have began to pick up more and more clients in this area. Companies are looking to form a web presence, and for this reason many are hiring bloggers. At this time I work with several large companies in this capacity. My duties include everything from writing content to uploading images and increasing traffic.
Keyword Articles
As long as there is an internet there will always be a need for quality content. Keyword articles make up a large chunk of my business. Clients buy these articles in bulk hoping that they will help their sites to rank better in the search engines. Keyword articles can be a lot of fun if you enjoy the topic that you are researching and writing about.
Of course, I work on many other types of freelance writing projects as well. Generally speaking, I have experience in many areas and tend to accept jobs within all of them as long as they meet my specifications. What type of projects do you guys and gals prefer?
Starting a freelance writing career can often times be difficult because those around you may not agree with this choice. When it comes down to it, many people do not understand what a freelance writing career entails or how much money you can earn through this type of work. That being said, if you explain your ambitions and how you plan on achieving success you may have an easier time getting those around you to understand what you are doing.
When I first started my career as a freelance writer I heard the same questions time after time: can you really make money as a writer? Aren’t there a lot of creative types who have a hard time making ends meet? After hearing so many people put down my idea of becoming a freelance writer, it would have been easy to agree with them and stay stuck in an office job the rest of my life. You need to realize that there are always going to be people telling you that what you are doing is wrong. If you listen, it is safe to say that you may miss out on your dreams.
Instead of simply cutting the doubters out of your life, you would be better suited to explain what a career in freelance writing is all about. Not only do you want to tell them what you would be doing on a daily basis, but you should also let them know that this is a legitimate career that offers many opportunities. You will be surprised at how many of these doubters change their outlook on the freelance writing industry after you show them the details.
Remember, a career in freelance writing is not exactly common. For this reason, there are always going to be a lot of people who are not sure of this path; including your friends and family. If you want to move on with them on your side, take the time to explain your freelance writing ambitions as well as the basics of the industry. Â
In April, my freelance writing income totaled $5,842.42. This was far from being my best month ever, but when compared to my goals, I was satisfied for the most part. Going into May, I was relatively confident that I would be able to exceed $7k thanks in large part to several new clients coming on board.
Despite concerns about a slow down early in 2008, May proved to be quite profitable. So how did I do last month?
Number of Completed Projects: 22
Payment by PayPal: 18
Payment by Check: 3
Payment by Bank Wire: 1
Total Income: $9,260.91
As you can see, I earned approximately $3,400 more in May than I did in April. What was the reason(s) for this jump in income? As mentioned above, I managed to land a couple new clients that offered a lot of high paying work. To go along with this, I completed 22 jobs in May compared to only 11 in April. In most cases, when I complete more jobs I earn more money. This is not the case for all freelance writers, but for me, it usually holds true.
Will I be able to earn more than this in June? Like always, this is a question that is hard to answer. While increasing my income from month to month is always a goal, as long as I stay steady above $4,500 I’ll be happy. Although it is hard to say what the future holds, I am confident that reaching $7k to $9k in June is more than possible.
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