From time to time I like to ask my readers for suggestions. This time around I have a few important questions. Most importantly, do you monetize your blog? This is something I have been thinking about for quite some time, and for good reason. More and more people are asking if they can advertise on my blog in a number of different ways.
At this time I am strongly leaning towards monetizing this blog, as well as many others in my network. It seems that this is a great way to earn some extra money while also offsetting the costs of hosting, etc. That being said, I don’t want to go overboard by cramming in so many ads that it takes away from the content.
So do you monetize your blog? Do you shy away from sites that have advertising and paid reviews? In my opinion advertising is okay as long as the site is not loaded with ads and continues to offer valuable information.
Any feedback on this subject would be great. You can either leave a comment for everybody to see or send me a quick email. Again, I have been semi-monetizing my blog for a few months but it seems that I can now begin to earn a decent income by doing so even more. But before I get started I want to get some feedback from you!
Winning over clients is a good thing no matter how you look at it. The better your relationship with a client the more chance there is that you will work together long term. Unfortunately, winning over clients is not always as easy as it seems. This is particularly true if you are in the early stages of your relationship. That being said, there are ways that freelance writers can win over clients without going overboard.
1. Be prompt. No matter what you want to be prompt. You never want to miss a deadline, or leave a client hanging on for too long. If you receive an email from a client it is important answer it as soon as possible. It is not difficult to be prompt at all times. In fact, once you get into the groove it will become second nature. For me, missing a deadline is not an option.
2. Competitive pricing. This is an area that can be difficult to deal with because every client has different expectations when it comes to pricing. For instance, I have some clients who do not think twice about paying $.25/word for web content. But on the other hand I receive regular emails from potential buyers asking me to work for $.05/word or less. To go along with this they don’t have any problem adding that this is a “great rate†for what they need. By offering competitive pricing you will be able to win clients over and keep them happy month in and month out. But remember, your rates are your rates. You need to stick to your guns at some point and realize the difference between satisfying your clients and harming your chance at earning a solid income.
3. Do you respect your clients? If not, you are going to find it hard to strike up a long term relationship. No matter what comes up and what position you are in you need to show the proper amount of respect. Remember, when you respect your clients they will do the same in return.
As a freelance writer you want to form long term relationships with clients. By implementing the three tips above you should be able to win over clients and make them realize that you are an important piece of their success.
As a freelance writer you need to protect yourself as much as possible. It is unfortunate, but there are many people “out there†who will try to scam freelance writers as well as many other online professionals. One of the best ways to protect yourself it to request upfront payment. There are times when this is a good idea, times when it may not work, and times when you don’t have to even think about it. Do you know what you are doing in this area?
The best time to request upfront payment is when you are working with a client for the first time. This does not mean that your new client is trying to rip you off, but by requesting payment upfront you can put your mind to ease. Remember, the client may be as apprehensive as you so they may put up a fight if you request 100 percent of the money. To solve this problem you can meet in the middle by asking for 50 percent upfront and the other 50 percent upon completion.
Although it is a good idea to receive upfront payment there are some situations when this is not going to be possible. For instance, most magazines are not going to pay you upfront for your work. In fact, it may take a few months to receive any payment at all. And while this may be a hassle it is not as bad as it seems because most magazines want to uphold their reputation. For this reason they are not going to scam you. It could happen, but it is not common. And since you don’t have a good chance of receiving payment upfront anyway it is a risk you will have to take.
Once a client proves they are reliable you don’t have to continue being paid in advance. Instead, you can get on a schedule in which the client pays when you complete the work. But of course, if they want to continue to pay upfront you shouldn’t argue.
Payment upfront is a good idea when working with a new client. Once you establish a relationship you can forget about this and know that you will get paid for the work you complete. There is nothing better than having clients that you can trust to pay on time.Â
No matter who you are it is common to get distracted during the month of December. After all, you probably have a lot going on outside of work. This includes everything from buying gifts to planning for the holidays to meeting with family and friends and much more. And while there is nothing wrong with taking time for yourself during the holiday you don’t want to lose sight of the direction you are steering your career. Even though it can be difficult you must not lose focus at the end of the year.
Why is it so bad to lose focus in December? The reason for this is simple: January is right around the bend and this is the most important month of the year for most freelance writers. You want to get off to a good start in the new year, right? If you lose your focus in December you may find it difficult to regain your positioning when it is time to get down to work in the new year.
To ensure you don’t lose your focus follow these tips:
1. Have fun but don’t stop working. Just because I am staying on target and keeping focused does not mean that I am working 20 hour days. During work hours I am getting a lot done, but at night and on weekends I am having fun for the holidays. Remember, you can do both.
2. If you know you are losing focus do whatever it takes to fix the problem. You may need to put in some extra hours here and there, or cancel a shopping trip to get some work done. This may sound like a sacrifice but if you are losing focus it is important to do. If you let things get out of control you may have a difficult time starting the new year in the manner you would like.
There is no denying that losing your focus and slacking off is easy to do at the end of the year. I urge you to avoid this at all costs while still making sure you are having fun and spending time with friends and family. You can have the best of both worlds!
A few weeks ago I made a post stating that one of my goals for the end of the year was to reach 500 RSS subscribers. Yesterday this goal was reached, and I wanted to thank all of my readers for helping me get there. While this number is sure to fluctuate above and below 500 for the next few weeks, it was nice to see this nonetheless.
Now that I have met this goal I need to set another. After all, I need something to reach for in the new year. By the end of January 2009 I hope to see my RSS count at 600 or above. While this would be a huge leap, with the help of all my readers I am sure this is more than possible.
If you want to help me reach this goal you can do a few things:
Why is your RSS subscriber base so important? The higher the number the larger your regular audience. And for me, this is important because it means I am reaching more people. As you know, the overall goal of this blog is to assist as many freelance writers as possible. With each new RSS subscriber I am reaching one more freelance writer. If you get around to it any help would be appreciated. The end of January 2009 will be here before we know it!Â
So you want to become a freelance writer? Before you get too excited and start marketing your services it is essential that you setup both a bank and PayPal account. This may not be something you think about early on because you have yet to make any money. But you expect to do so soon enough, right? By setting up these accounts before doing anything else you will be off to a good start.
Why do I need a separate bank account? Many new freelance writers ask me time after time if they can use their personal checking account for their business. While this is possible in theory it is not something you want to do. Instead, it would be in your best interest to open a business checking account with the same bank. This will only take a few minutes, and in the long run it offers many benefits.
The main reason to open a business account is to keep your personal and business money separate. You should use your business account for depositing checks and PayPal money, as well as when paying expenses. Of course, you should feel free to “pay yourself†from this account when necessary.
You will also realize early on that a dedicated business account makes it much easier to stay organized. There is nothing worse than being disorganized as a freelance writer and this definitely holds true when it comes to your income. With separate accounts you will find it easy to track your income, pay taxes and expenses, etc.
As I have said many times in the past, PayPal is one of the best ways for freelance writers to collect from clients. While you will be hit with fees with most payments this is not something you should worry about. Instead, chalk this up as part of doing business. A PayPal account allows you to get paid quickly and efficiently without having to worry about collecting checks. To go along with this, you can link your PayPal account to your business checking account for easy transfers. At the end of every month I withdrawal all of my PayPal funds to my business account; it only takes a few days to complete a transfer.
Beginning freelance writers should definitely setup a dedicated bank account, as well as a PayPal account. This may not be as fun as finding new clients and taking on projects, but it is something you must do if you want your career to grow in the right direction. All in all, it is better to get these accounts setup sooner rather than later.Â
As you know, I am a big believer in setting goals. Goals can help you reach new heights, and eventually become a success no matter what dream you are chasing. As a freelance writer, it is safe to say that many of your goals should be based around your income. At the end of every year I take a close look at my income, and of course, I compare it to the goals that I set.
Fortunately, I met and exceeded all of my income goals this year. This means one of two things: I either had a great year or I did not set my sights high enough. I think it is a little bit of both. Even though my 2008 income goals were much higher than they were in 2007, looking back I may have been able to push myself even further. That being said, I am ecstatic that I exceeded my goals.
If you did not reach your income goals this year don’t get down on yourself. Every so often I come up short on some of my goals, and this holds true with every freelance writer. Instead of beating yourself up you should assess why you missed your goals, and then use this information when setting new ones. Remember, you want to push yourself to reach new heights but don’t go overboard by setting goals that you have no chance of achieving.
Now is the time to look over your income stats from 2008 so you can begin to set goals for the new year. Although this year has not yet come to an end, you need plenty of time to review the past 12 months and to prepare for the challenges that are awaiting you in 2009.Â
As a freelance writer you know how important it is to market your services at all times. By understanding how companies find freelance writers you should be able to properly position yourself for marketing success. As you can imagine, not every company searches for freelancers the same way. That being said there are a few ways you should be aware of:
1. Online ads. Some companies will place an online ad searching for freelance writers. Sites such as freelancewriting.com, Craigslist, and ProBlogger feature many of these ads, and in turn attract freelance writers who are searching for work. Through my experience you can find clients through online ads, but many of the bigger companies do not work this way.
2. Referrals. Some of my biggest clients have found me through other clients. For instance, a few months back a travel industry client passed my name along to several of their clients. In turn, I picked up a few projects that I was not expecting. For more information on gaining clients through referrals check out my post “Increase your Workload, Ask Clients to pass your name around.â€
3. Search online. Believe it or not, many of my clients found me through the search engines. This is one of the quickest ways for a company to begin their search for a freelance writer. Although I have several sites that bring in new clients, this blog is the frontrunner thanks to its reach and above average search engine rankings.
Of course, this is not the end all. Every company has its own way of finding freelancers, whether they are searching for writers, web designers, etc. By being aware of how companies search for freelance writers you should be able to better position yourself when searching for gigs and marketing your services.Â
Most freelance writers struggle to find new clients; this is not a secret. That being said, there are many effective ways to increase your workload. If you have a good marketing plan in place, and you have been achieving the desired results, you are moving in the right direction. But remember, there is always room for improvement. And for most freelance writers there is always room for more quality clients. One of the best ways to secure more work without having to market too much is to ask current clients to pass your name around. If they like you and what you offer they will be more than happy to do so.
How can I do this without coming across as pushy? This question is what holds so many people back. Believe it or not, this is easier than you may think. You could send your clients a simple email reading:
To client:
I wanted to send you a brief note to express how much I enjoy working with you. I am in the process of expanding my business, and was hoping you could forward my name to any contacts you have who may be interested in my writing services. If you get the chance any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
While this is only the barebones it should give you a good idea of what you can say. All you have to do is fill in the blanks and add a few personalized details. Â
Through my experience it is easiest to find new clients through current contacts. Not only does this make it easier to secure a job but you can also be rest assured, for the most part, that the new client is trustworthy. I have found that most quality clients associate with other companies and individuals of the same caliber.
By asking current clients to pass your name along to others you will find your freelance writing business expanding quicker than you ever thought possible. And remember, the more clients you have the more people there are who can spread your name around. Â
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could trust everybody? If this was the case your career as a freelance writer would be much less stressful. But of course, you know that this is not the case and never will be. No matter what industry you work in there are always going to be people who you cannot trust. And as a freelance writer you need to beware of bad clients who are lurking around every corner. I don’t want to sound paranoid, but there are people out there who will take you for all you are worth if you let them.
There are two types of bad clients that you may face as a freelance writer:
1. Those that don’t pay. I have worked with clients who say they will pay, but then receive the content and run. Of course, this does not happen nearly as much now that I ask for at least 50 percent pay upfront. By doing this you will quickly scare away anybody who is thinking about scamming you.
2. Clients that treat you with no respect. What is worse, a client who doesn’t pay or one who treats your poorly? In my book they are about the same, but I will say one thing: clients who are disrespectful can be difficult to get along with. I am lucky that all my current clients are easy going and professional no matter what they are up against. That being said, there have been clients in the past who wanted nothing more than to argue, day in and day out. These people are not worth your time when there are so many high quality clients in need of top notch freelance writers.
This is one topic that has been beaten to death; I am well aware of that. In fact, I have talked about this very subject many times on this blog. But even though every freelance writer knows there are bad clients many of them still fall prey to them. The more you think about this topic the less chance there is that you will get mixed up with the wrong people. Don’t be paranoid, but be smart about which clients you choose to work with.Â
