There are many reasons as to why you may not be earning as much money as you should. When you know why you are on the low end of the totem pole, you will find it much easier to reach the top.
Here are three reasons why you may be stuck in a rut and not earning as much as others in the freelance writing industry:
1. Are you quoting too low when a new client gets in touch with you? This is a common problem, especially amongst freelance writers who feel that they have to lower prices in order to garner business. This is why it is important to have a firm rate sheet in place from day one. When you quote a fair and reasonable price, you will find that plenty of clients want to work with you and that you are earning a nice wage.
2. You may be spending too much time on the projects that you accept. This is not to say that you should rush through jobs just to get paid, but you do not want to spend too much time on menial tasks when it is not necessary. You should have a good idea of how long a project will take when you accept the job. Additionally, make sure that you track your hours, even if only roughly, so that you stay on track from start to finish.
3. To become a high earning freelance writer you need to expand your client base from time to time. You can do this through an extensive marketing plan that includes everything from cold calling to managing a website and/or blog. As you gain more high paying clients, you can get rid of those that do not pay as well. Once you get this cycle started, you will see your freelance writing income climbing as the months go by.
Do you want to earn more as a freelance writer? If so, consider if the above is causing you any problems. As you can see, all of the potential issues listed are easily remedied if you put time and effort into resolving them. Â
First I would like to thank Chris for letting me make a guest post. He has been writing off and on for me for close to two years and he is an excellent example of doing what it takes to develop an ongoing professional relationship with a customer, leading to more freelance work. I know I can count on him for quality work delivered on time, and he is easy to work with. Any aspiring freelance writer would do well to pay attention to his advice and follow his example.
I was a full time freelance writer for more than a year before switching to full time Internet marketing, and follow this blog regularly. One area where I excelled that I feel may be of help to aspiring freelance writers is what I am going to tell you about today.
The tactic I used as a freelancer was to find a market where there was a great deal of money and start writing in it for anything I could get. In other words, I accepted low paying assignments to break into the market but I wanted a market that could financially support a high-end freelancer as I moved up. It helps if you find a market that interests you, but it is not required. I concentrated on this single market and built a name for myself. As I became better known, I was able to charge more for my freelance writing. When I left the market, I only had a handful of clients who I was willing to work with who kept me busy, always paid on time and were easy to work with.
I realize as an aspiring freelancer it is sometimes tough to find any work, much less work that pays well, but by focusing your efforts on one or two industries at the beginning you will have a much better chance to build a name for yourself. This is a type of personal branding, and is very important when you hope to make more than a few cents a word for your writing. Do not get in the trap of being the “cheap freelancerâ€. Always work to improve not only your writing, but also your rates.
Of course for this plan to work well, you must have the basics covered first. You have to write well, make your deadlines and be relatively easy to work with. Beyond that, the more specialized the knowledge is that you write about, the better. As you start to top out in one industry, consider adding a second industry to make a name for yourself in. Once you are well known for quality work in two or three industries, you can start to only work with the people you want to work with and receive higher payments for the work you do.
Wes Young is a full time Internet marketer, SEO expert, coach and consultant. He recently launched a series of free Internet marketing lessons, available atwww.internetmarketingcodex.com/free-lessons/
In previous posts I have talked extensively about the need for a freelance writing contract in particular situations. While this will always hold true, you need to make sure that the contract is mutually beneficial. In other words, do not sign something that is geared towards making the other party happy but does not do much for you. If you do, you will have to follow the contract, and will have no recourse if something goes wrong.
It is not uncommon to ask a client to make changes before signing a contract. In fact, many in the industry have come to expect this. You will find that most contracts within the freelance writing industry are pretty standard, but of course, there are always those details that will change from time to time.
Even if most freelance writing contracts look the same, you still want to read every word closely before signing on the dotted line. You may find that you need to ask for a change to the due date, payment amount, or delivery method; and that is only the tip of the iceberg.
Remember, do not sign a contract that doesn’t suit your needs just because you want to work on the project. Your client will probably be more than willing to change the wording and details to suit your needs as well as theirs. And if they do not want to make any adjustments, you are probably better off without them. The bottom line: a contract is meant to protect both parties.
