Competition within the freelance writing industry can be fierce. There are thousands of freelance writers out there applying for the same jobs as you. For this reason, you need to do something to set yourself apart. In other words, you need to give clients a reason to choose your services over those of another freelance writer. You may not land every job by doing so, but you will definitely increase your chance of success.
Why should a client choose you? You and you alone need to decide what you are going to offer, and how this will give you a better chance of success. Some freelance writers attempt to beat the competition by offering low prices. There is nothing wrong with this as long as you are comfortable working at a lower than average rate. Of course, this usually gets tiresome sooner rather than later because nobody wants to work for less than what they are worth.
I want clients to choose me because of my freelance writing experience and related expertise. The best way I can show this is by providing potential clients with samples, while also showing them some of the names and companies I have worked with in the past. Simply put, if you show clients that you have the background experience and skills you are bettering your chance of landing the gig. This holds true even if your rates are higher than others who apply for the position. Remember, not every client is interested in saving money. Many of them know they have to spend more to receive higher quality work.
If you are not giving clients a reason to choose you there is a chance that your freelance writing career will begin to sputter. No matter what, make sure you develop a unique selling feature that puts you above your competition.  Â
When I decided to become a freelance writer I was worried that I did not know enough to get started. To go along with this, I thought I would never pick up the right knowledge along the way. But of course, this changed soon enough and I found out that there were plenty of resources offering top notch information. Simply put, there are many ways to learn about the freelance writing industry. Even if you feel overwhelmed I can tell you from firsthand experience that things will get better. Soon enough your knowledge base will grow and you will know where to turn for the proper information.
One of the best ways to learn about the industry is through related websites and blogs. As I have said before, this is why I started my blog. I know how difficult it can be to collect the right information, and this blog is a way for me to give back to others. Of course, there are thousands of other useful sites and blogs that you will run into along the way.
Do you have a freelance writing mentor that can more or less guide you? When I started out I had somebody to help in this capacity, and it really helped to get me moving in the right direction. If you know somebody who is already working as a freelance writer, ask them to mentor you. For those of you who don’t know anybody, I would be more than happy to have you in my freelance writing course.
Some people never get started as a freelance writer because they are afraid of the unknown. There is a lot to learn about the freelance writing industry; there is no denying this. But remember, there are many sources for gathering accurate, reliable information. All you need is the willingness to learn!Â
As a freelance writer not having enough work is a tough spot to be in. For many, this is a regular occurrence because they find it difficult to locate and land new clients. There is no denying that every freelance writer has to deal with this situation from time to time. Fortunately, you don’t have to let it linger if you know what you are doing. Having a good grip on the industry, as well as your career, will allow you to minimize the time you spend without enough work on your plate.
If you are having a hard time finding work you need to own up to this. Many freelance writers are stubborn and will not admit that they need help. Does this sound like you? If so, break out of this mold and realize that admitting what you are up against is the first step in making things better.
Now that you know what you are facing it is time to devise a game plan. It is one thing to know that you are struggling to find work, but another entirely to do something about it. Simply put, if you are not willing to devise a plan and then follow it you are never going to make it as a freelance writer.
Through my experience, all it takes is one break to get the ball rolling down hill. For instance, if you are going through a drought and haven’t landed a new client in a long time you need to work harder than ever to change this. Once this happens you will regain your confidence, and hopefully use this to your advantage as you move forward. One client can lead to another and so on.
There is nothing wrong with admitting that you have hit a rough patch. Once you face this situation and devise a plan you are closer than ever before to getting back on track.
