Have you ever faced this situation: you send a query letter to an editor, hope to hear a reply soon, and find yourself in the same position after a couple months? This is very common among freelance writers.
While I don’t make it a habit, there are times when following up on a query letter makes good sense. Whether or not you do this with every letter is your decision. Personally, I only follow-up when I am deeply intrigued by the prospect of writing for the publication.
If you are interested in following up on a query letter, follow these tips:
1. If possible, use email. As you probably know, editors don’t have the time to field phone calls from every person who sends a query. You have a much better chance of receiving an answer when you use email. It may take some digging, but if you search online and in Writer’s Market you should be able to find an email address.
2. Get to the point. The last thing you want to do is write a page long email, hoping that the editor reads the entire thing. Instead, only include basic information such as your name, contact details, and a brief overview of your query. As long as you provide your name and the title of your proposed piece the editor usually has enough information to identify you.
3. Don’t waste too much time on the follow-up process. There are thousands of publications looking for freelance writers. The more time you spend on follow-ups the less time you are spending on sending new queries.
One follow-up note is enough. If an editor doesn’t respond it is time to move on.
There is no easy way of saying when you should follow-up on a query. Most publications state how long it takes to respond, so make sure you wait at least that long.
As a freelance writer, there are a few situations you never want to face. One of them is having an angry client. But no matter how much you try to avoid this, at some point somebody is going to get angry with you.
While it is never fun to deal with an angry client, there are some things you can do to better handle this situation:
1. Determine the problem. Your job is to find out why the client is angry, assess the problem, and then find a solution. There is a good chance that you can quickly solve the problem once you know why the client is upset.
Don’t let your client berate you without giving you a reason why. Remember, you cannot fix the problem until you know what it is.
2. Don’t get angry yourself. Your natural reaction may be to scream at the client, defend yourself, and show that you are not going to take any more heat. While there is nothing wrong with defending yourself and showing your stance, you don’t want to become angry. This is going to make you look bad – two wrongs never make a right.
3. Don’t quit on the project. The last thing you want to do is tell the client you are moving on without finishing the job. In this case, you will anger them even more while making it very difficult on yourself to get paid for the work already completed. Even if the relationship is strained, see the project through to the end.
If all else fails and you are still stuck in a bad spot, you can reach out to somebody with a dispute resolution degree.
Hopefully you won’t have to deal with this situation often. If a client does get angry, follow the advice above. It can help you escape a bad position.
Like most freelance writers, you probably enjoy the writing process more than any other part of your career. Unfortunately, there are other things to consider. If you focus too much on writing and not enough on the rest of your business, you may begin to experience issues.
In this post, I want to talk about servicing clients. It is one thing to land a new gig and complete the job. It is another thing entirely to make the client feel like they are wanted. In short, you want every client to feel like they are your number one priority.
There is a fine line between giving the proper level of service and going overboard. To make this even more difficult, some clients need more attention and “hand holding†than others. This is a judgment call that you have to make as you start a project. Answer this question: how much attention do you think the client will command?
With every client, I attempt to stay in touch as often as necessary. Even if a project is not due for a couple weeks, I like to check in every few days to offer progress updates and ask if there is anything else I can do. It only takes a couple minutes to type a quick email or make a phone call.
Also, make sure you are prompt in replying to any emails or phone calls that you receive. If your client gets in touch it means that they have something to say. This could be anything from a basic checkup to asking if you can help with another project. It is essential that you make yourself available at all times.
If you spend more time servicing clients you will quickly realize that your job is less stressful, and that every project gets completed in a timely, efficient manner.
Don’t leave your clients hanging. Let them know that you are available at all times.
More so today than ever before, businesses and webmasters in need of a writer are negotiating. They don’t want to pay the writer’s “standard†rate. Instead, they want to haggle, back and forth, to get the best possible deal.
Some freelance writers are not open to negotiations. They set their rates, trust that they are on par with the industry, and stick to their guns. Others are open to negotiating.
While there is no right or wrong way of deciding if you should negotiate, if you opt for this there are a few tips that can help you land the best possible terms:
1. Do not throw out the first number. Just like buying a car, don’t get ahead of yourself and start tossing rates around. Instead, ask the potential client what they are willing to pay and go from there.
If you throw out the first number you may be leaving a lot of money on the table.
2. Be flexible and expect the same from the buyer. There is nothing wrong with being flexible as you negotiate. In fact, if you are not open to being flexible you are not cut out for negotiating. But remember, this is a two way street. Make sure you are not the only person willing to adjust.
3. Do not feel pressured to reach a deal. It would be nice to reach a deal with every person that you are in contact with. Unfortunately, this is not the reality of life as a freelance writer. Do your best to negotiate a good deal, but if things don’t work out feel free to walk away.
4. Do not burn any bridges. Time and time again I negotiate with clients and walk away without a deal. More than half of the time the client comes back a few days later to start the project. This is why you should never burn any bridges. If you anger somebody during the negotiation phase they are not likely to work with you in the future.
The next time you find yourself negotiating with a potential freelance writing client, use these tips to your advantage.
There is nothing better than a client that finds you, loves what you offer, and hires you on the spot. Unfortunately, the process does not always unwind this way. Instead, you are going to encounter “on the fence†buyers time and time again. These are people who are potentially interested in doing business with you, but unsure of whether or not they should move forward.
Here are three tips I use to tip these buyers in my favor:
1. Pinpoint any issues. Let’s face it: there is a reason why the person does not want to pull the trigger and hire you. Are they worried about your experience? Do they have pricing concerns? Once you learn more about their reservations you can make an attempt to ease the tension and finalize the deal.
2. Offer to have a phone conversation. Time and time again this works for me. If you have yet to speak on the phone, a quick conversation can go a long way in forming a relationship and helping both parties better understand each other.
3. Don’t put too much pressure on the buyer by continually asking for an answer. There is nothing worse than a job dangling over your head, never knowing if you are actually going to get started. But if you become overbearing and ask for an answer, day after day, the deal will die sooner rather than later.
When a buyer is on the fence and you are looking for help to close the deal, follow these three tips.
When it comes to marketing your freelance writing skills you may want to consider cold calling. You may not be familiar with this process, but that doesn’t mean you should run and hide. Instead, learn as much as you can about cold calling including how this can help you increase your workload and profits.
Making your first cold call can be downright terrifying. No matter if you are selling freelance writing services or something else, there is sure to be some level of fear deep down inside.
Fortunately, once you make a few cold calls you will begin to lighten up. Soon enough this will feel like second nature – even when you get hung up on.
Cold Calling Tips
1. Prepare a short script so you don’t get confused as the call starts. Try something like this:
Hi, my name is xxx xxxx and I am a freelance writer based in xxxxx, xx. I produce content for several businesses in your area, and wanted to see if this is something your company may need at the present time.
Easy enough, right? Once you receive a response, yes or no, you can move onto the next phase of the conversation.
2. Don’t take a hang up personally. The more cold calls you make the more times you will be hung up on. This should not stop you from continuing forward. While more calls lead to more hang-ups, it also leads to more clients.
3. Keep track of who you call and what they say. This is important for many reasons. To start, you do not want to call the same person time and time again. To go along with this, some people will want you to call them back at a certain date and/or time. It is important to be as organized as possible to ensure that you maximize your time and never miss out on an opportunity.
When you finally get enough courage to make your first cold call, follow these three tips.
While the title of this blog post may sound a bit silly, it is a question that I get all the time. Many freelance writers think that editors are “out to get them.†This is not true, but it is easy to see why so many believe it to be the case.
When you sign on with a magazine to produce an article, regardless of the topic or length, you are going to work with an editor. Generally speaking, you will agree on the overall concept and from there you are free to get started.
Don’t expect many pieces to get approved the first time around. Instead, your editor is sure to send back some changes along with advice and criticism.
Some editors are fun to work with. Even when changes are needed, they are friendly and helpful. Others, though, are nothing short of a pain in the neck. No matter which type of editor you are working with, one thing remains true: you have to do whatever it takes to get the piece approved.
It is a shame that many freelancers shy away from querying magazine editors because they believe the myth that editors are evil – or at the very least standoffish. You are going to run into rude editors, but even they have to rely on freelancers, like you, from time to time.
Just like any other industry, you will find editors that are friendly and editors that seem to put you down every chance they get. Don’t let a few bad apples spoil your career. Not all editors are evil!
It may not happen often, but there could come a time when a client wants to meet in person. As a freelance writer there is a good chance that this will freak you out. After all, you are used to staying at home and communicating via email, instant messenger, and an occasional phone call.
Over my many years as a freelance writer, I have only met with a few clients in person. I do this maybe once or twice a year.
If the client is local, you don’t have anything to worry about. Put on your best clothes, get prepared, and make the most of the trip. This may be scary at first, but I have found in person meetings to be a lot of fun. It is not often that freelance writers have the chance to get out and meet people!
What if the client expects me to travel a far distance for the meeting? This is a problem that you may encounter. There are two things you can do:
1. Ask the client if it is possible to “take care of business†over the phone, through an online conference, or via another method.
2. Kindly suggest that the client pays for your travel expenses. This can be difficult to do, but if you put it the right way there is no reason to be intimidated. I have done this twice, and both times it was a huge success. Not only did they pay for my transportation to and from, but I got a bit of extra cash for food and lodging. Does it get any better than that?
If a client suggests a face-to-face meeting your first reaction may be one of fear. Even if this is new to you there is nothing to worry about. Follow the above advice, and do the best you can to make the most of your meeting.
Since the beginning of the year I have had more interest than ever in my freelance writing course. Just this year alone, a handful of past students have made contact to let me know they are now working as a full-time freelancer. This is like music to my ears.
At this time, I have two openings. One person transitioned into a full-time freelancer after three months of mentoring. The other decided to head back to the corporate world.
If you are interested in joining, shoot me an email as soon as possible. If the past is any indication, these spots will only stay open for 24 hours at the most.
I am looking forward to having a couple more readers on board!
Just because you are a freelance writer does not mean you can avoid the job interview process. In fact, you will go through this more often than you ever imagined. Every time a potential client gets in touch with you they are more or less performing an interview. They want to see what you have to offer, what type of person you are, and of course, whether you fit in well with what they are trying to accomplish.
Here are three common phone interview questions that you will hear time and time again. Be prepared for these so you don’t stumble:
1. Can you tell me more about your experience as a freelance writer? On the surface, this sounds like a straight forward question with a simple answer. While true, you must make sure your tailor your response to the type of client you are speaking with.
For a web content position you will want to speak about your experience in this area. On the other hand, if you are interviewing to create newsletter content you have to talk about experience related to this function.
Targeted experience shows the client that you are the right person for the job.
2. How much do you charge? If you are anything like me, answering this question is never easy. As you know, you don’t want to throw out the first number that comes to mind. If your number is too high you could lose the job. If your number is too low you could end up working for less than your normal rate.
My advice: ask the client for a general idea of their budget. From there, tell them you will follow-up with an estimate. This gives you time to put your thoughts together.
3. Do you have any references? This is a tough one for new freelance writers. In short, you have to be honest. If you have references you definitely want to supply them. If you don’t, explain that you are new to the industry and don’t yet have any solid references.
No matter what, make sure you offer to email a few samples. This will make the client feel better about your past as well as your ability to complete the job.
Anytime you interview with a potential client on the phone these three questions are sure to come up. Make sure you are ready for them.
