I have been working as a full-time freelance writer for quite some time, but yesterday I experienced a first. A client that I have been working with for a couple of months sent me an email asking me to copy work from another site. At first, I thought that I may have misunderstood the email. In order to clear things up I responded to the client asking for some clarification. And much to my surprise, they wrote back asking me to plagiarize from several sources on the net.
As you can imagine, it took me a couple of minutes to gather my thoughts. This client had been good to me for over a month, and seemed to enjoy my work. So when he asked me to plagiarize, it took me by surprise.
Obviously, I wrote back to the client explaining the situation. I told him that I am strongly opposed to plagiarism, and that it could get both of us in trouble with the original content producer.
At this point, I have yet to hear back from the client. Even if he decides that he wants to continue without copying the work of others, I am going to turn down the offer. Sure, he is offering good rates, but it is not in my best interest to work with somebody who is dishonest.
What would you do if presented with this situation? Hopefully I am not the only one who would ditch this client. Even though the pay was good, it is important to draw the line somewhere. Not being able to trust this client will make a long term relationship next to impossible.
Are you looking for a way to increase your freelance writing income? Instead of spending all of your time searching for new clients, you should put effort into making more money from the ones that you already have. Believe it or not, this is one of the best ways to increase your earnings each and every month.
How can you leverage current clients so that you earn more each month? One of the best ways to do this is by making suggestions. Not only will this work to your advantage, but it will do the same for the client.
For example, I recently completed a project that entailed writing 15 keyword articles. While this was a relatively small job, I really enjoyed working with the client. He paid on time, communicated his needs, and was simple to get in touch with. When the project was done, I suggested that his website would perform much better with a revamped FAQ and About page. The client quickly agreed, and immediately sent me $100 via PayPal to complete the work. If I would have never made this suggestion, this $100 would have never come my way.
When making suggestions to freelance writing clients, be sure that you do not come across as pushy. While there is nothing wrong with offering help, you don’t want the client to think that you are telling them what to do. Not only can this annoy them, but it may also keep you off of their short list should they have future projects. As long as you are courteous and respectful when making suggestions you will be just fine.
The next time that you complete a project make sure you give this a try. This technique will not be successful with every client, and in some cases it may not be appropriate to suggest another project. But remember, if you never try this you are going to be stuck attempting to increase your freelance writing income by seeking additional clients. Never forget that your current client list is one of your biggest assets.
Are you afraid to ask other freelance writers for help? If so, you are missing out on a great resource for high quality information and leads. Early in my career I spent a lot of time sending emails to other freelance writers, and of course, talking to them on the phone. This is not to say that you should rely on others for every step and detail, but there is nothing wrong with asking for help from time to time.
What do I do when asked for help by a fellow freelance writer? This all depends on what I am being asked, and how much I feel I can assist. Just last week I spent an hour on the phone with a new freelance writer who I had never met before. She sent me an email asking for help, and I answered as many questions as I could while also letting her know that I would be glad to speak by phone if she would like. Within a couple of minutes we were having a conversation, and I hope that I was able to help in more ways than one.
Many freelance writers do not ask others for help because they have no idea how to go about doing this. If you are stuck in this situation, keep the following tips and details in mind.
1. Do not feel like you are bothering a freelance writer by sending an email. The worst that could happen would be that you do not hear back. From my experience, most freelance writers will do what they can to help others. With that being said, you want to make sure that you ask precise and direct questions. Not only will this help to ensure that you get the answers that you are looking for, but it will allow the recipient to help you out without having to read too much into your inquiry.
2. If you are friendly and respectful you have a much better chance of receiving a reply. As I have mentioned in the past, many “freelance writers†send me emails telling me that my income is nothing compared to theirs. But guess what? Two lines later they are saying, “By the way, can you tell me how you earn so much?†If you want a response, make sure that you are friendly; it will go a long way.
You never know what type of relationship you are going to strike up by sending emails to other freelance writers asking for help. I have met many people this way, and have sent plenty of work to those who have contacted me.
Remember, if you never ask for help you are never going to receive it!
