As of late, more and more clients have been asking me for help. In other words, they know that they need some content but are not exactly sure of how to move forward. Does this sound familiar? If not, you will more than likely encounter this situation sooner or later. The fact of the matter is that not every client knows what they want. And since you are the professional, they may lean on you for guidance. Are you ready to lend this sort of help?
Some clients need a bit of help, others much more. For instance, it is not uncommon for a client to ask you for a list of topics that suit their website and then to write the articles based around them. This is easy enough, right? In other cases, a client may want more than just a list of topics. They may want a total “plan†that covers everything from topics to types of articles and much more.
Should you charge for this guidance? This all depends on what you are being asked to do. I never charge clients that need help compiling topic lists or other related details. That being said, if things become more complex and in-depth, I may explain the situation to the client and ask for additional payment; these times are few and far between. If you are faced with this situation, and it will take up a lot of your time, do not be afraid to negotiate with your client. Most of them will understand that you are putting in extra time, and will be more than happy to pay you for it.
If you are asked to be more than a freelance writer, you should consider what you can bring to the party. By acting as a consultant you will be able to offer more benefits to your clients while also having the ability to earn more money.
No matter what type of marketing plan you have in place, there will probably come a time when you lose confidence in it for one reason or the next. The question is: what are you going to do when your marketing plan stalls? Are you going to give up, or will you make the necessary changes to ensure that your freelance writing career continues to move in the right direction?
Here are three tips that you can quickly employ if your marketing plan is letting you down:
1. Pinpoint the problem. What was working before that is not working now? In addition to answering this question, you will also want to consider what has changed. For instance, you may conclude that you are not generating nearly as many leads via query letters. This may be the case for a number of reasons including the letter you are using, the target market, and in some cases, downright bad timing.
2. Your marketing plan should not rely on only one method of lead generation. Some freelance writers only attempt to generate work through cold emails. Is this a good way to find new clients? It can be. But you should not rely solely on this method. Instead, make sure that you are always using at least three methods of generating leads.
3. Crank up the heat. Your marketing plan may be stalling because you have let up a bit. If you are only make two cold calls per day, double this number and see where that gets you. In many cases, all it takes is a bit more hard work to see your marketing plan producing results once again.
If your marketing plan begins to stall, use the three tips above. They will help to get you back on track to generating more leads, more clients, and more income.Â
Just as I set freelance writing income goals, I do the same when it comes to marketing. In my opinion, goals are very important if you are a freelance writer. They will help to keep your hungry, and of course, it is always a great time when you finally reach what you have been striving for. When it comes to setting marketing goals you should go all out. After all, the way that you market your services will have a direct effect on how much work you do and how much money you earn.
What are some marketing goals that you can set? For instance, you could set a goal based around making cold calls. Tell yourself that you are going to make at least two cold calls per day for the entire month. Is this is a daunting task? Some may say yes, and others may so no. But it is a good place to start. Of course, this is just one example. Your marketing goals should be based on the stage of your career, what works for you, and how much time you have available.
Even though you are a writer first and foremost, you need to market your services in order to keep a steady flow of work. By setting goals you will be less inclined to let your marketing strategy slow to a crawl. If you don’t have any marketing goals in place, take a few minutes to draw up a plan. Some basic goals will go a long way in helping your career to take off. Â
