There are many businesses that take a lot of money to start up and sustain. Fortunately, freelance writing is not one of them. There are definite costs involved with being a freelance writer, but none that should scare you away from moving forward. Even though I spend money here and there, there are not any expenses that are so large that they hold me back.
You will spend the most money when starting your freelance writing career. This is particularly true if you have to purchase new equipment such as a computer, printer, desk, etc. If you already have all these items you should use them as opposed to buying new. Minimizing your expenses as a new freelance writer is very important, and using equipment that you already have is a great way of doing so.
Of course, this does not mean that you will never spend money once you are established. In fact, I spent quite a bit last year on my business but most of the expenses were not 100 percent necessary. For instance, I spent several thousand dollars on design and coding work for my blog and other projects. I could have avoided these expenses, but in the long run they will help to better my business and increase my income.
While you will spend money as a freelance writer, this industry does not call for large sums in order to stay above water. Once you have the proper equipment and an idea of how to control your career you can keep your expenses to a minimum. In turn, this means more money in your pocket. And that is what you want, right?Â
Most freelance writers take on a variety of projects. Some of the most common include online content, feature articles, marketing copy, and sales letters. While all of these are common, I have found the sales letter market to be quite lucrative. To go along with this, writing sales letters is always a lot of fun. Even though I enjoy every project I take on, these types are among the most exciting for a number of reasons.
If you are thinking about breaking into the sales letter writing market you should keep the following details close by:
1. Contrary to popular belief, there is a large market for sales letter writers. Many freelance writers are under the impression that there are not a lot of these jobs to go around. While you may have to do some extra work to find them, they most definitely exist. Companies in almost every industry need sales letters from time to time. Who do you think wrote the letter that accompanies the latest credit card offer? How about the note from the local furniture store telling you about their next big event? It takes time and marketing determination, but if you stick with things you will begin to land sales letter writing jobs soon enough.
2. You want to make a lot of money, right? While not every client will pay a lot for a good sales letter, most of them realize that they have to spend more in order to receive high quality copy that converts. I have been paid anywhere from $500 to $1,500 for one sales letter. And guess what? Those who specialize in sales letters will tell you that I got ripped off. I am aware of several freelance writers who charge in excess of $2,500 per sales letter.
3. It is fun! I have found sales letter writing to be exciting most of the time. Not only do I get to learn more about the industry and company I am writing for, but adding a “sales tone†to my work is something I enjoy. After writing so many fact based articles for online clients and magazines it can be fun to mix in a sales letter.
It is my hopes that the above three points will get you excited about breaking into sales letter writing. As a freelance writer this is a great way to add variety to your day, while increasing your income at the same time.
As a freelance writer I am willing to work with quality clients no matter where they are located. Even though most of my work comes from the United States, I have several clients in other parts of the world as well. This includes Australia, England, Ireland, and South America among other areas. While there is nothing wrong with having international clients you should realize that this will present some problems that you need to become comfortable dealing with.
1. The time difference. This may not be a big problem, but it is something to take into consideration. For instance, when I am working some of my clients in Australia are sound asleep, and vice versa. As long as you discuss this time difference up front you should not run into any major problems.
2. The language barrier. I have some freelance writing clients in other countries that speak great English, but others who can be difficult to understand. Again, this may seem like a big problem but it is not nearly as bad as you may think. Since most communication is done via email I can usually make out what a client wants, even if they do not speak/write the best English. When speaking with these clients on the phone things can be a bit more difficult. Keep this in mind: you may have a difficult time understanding a client and they may have the same problem with you. The thing to remember is that you need to work together so both parties get what they want.
I have found working with international freelance writing clients to be a lot of fun. Don’t limit yourself to clients in your home country. There are opportunities to be had from one side of the world to the next.Â
