From time to time I receive client requests that just don’t make sense. Whether it is me being dense or the client not being clear the fact of the matter remains the same: some sort of clarification is needed. If you do not understand what is being asked of you it is very important to clear things up before you move forward.
I don’t want to ask for clarification because it makes me look dumb. Nothing could be sillier than this. You should never use this excuse because it does not make any sense. Your client would rather have you admit that you are lost than to complete the job based on the wrong specifications. You don’t have to be rude or make yourself look bad when asking for clarification. Instead, explain that you do not totally understand what is being asked of you. Believe it or not, 99 percent of clients will do whatever it takes to make you better understand.
Try this tip: call the client instead of using email. No matter how hard I try there are times when I do not understand what a client is telling me. In this case, I get on the phone and ask the appropriate questions. It is a waste of time to send email after email when a quick phone call will allow both parties to get on the right track. Don’t be afraid to call your clients – this will show them just how much you care.
Anytime you are confused you need to ask your client for clarification. This may come before a project starts, or maybe as you are completing the job. When you know what is being asked of you it becomes much easier to complete the project with 100 percent success.Â
So, you want to increase your freelance writing income? How many times a day do you think about this? Most freelance writers, including myself, are always looking for ways to take their income to the next level. The question is: what are the best ways of doing so?
Instead of overcomplicating things, I want to show you a few simple ways to increase your freelance writing income:
1. Take on more work. If you are being paid for more projects it goes without saying that you are going to earn more money. This may not be the ideal way of earning more money, but it is the method that most freelance writers turn to.
2. Ask for more money. Instead of finding new work you can simply ask your current clients for a pay raise. Some are afraid to do this, but it is not nearly as bad as you may think. On top of this, you may be surprised at how many of your clients like you enough to increase your pay rate.
3. Add other income streams. This may not be directly related to freelance writing, but it is definitely something to keep in mind. For instance, many freelance writers earn additional money by selling their own products, such as ebooks, through blogging, or with programs such as Google AdSense. Just because you are a freelance writer does not mean you have to avoid earning money in other ways.
Yes, these tips are very basic. That being said, they can really help you increase your freelance writing income. I hope you now see that earning more money is not a big secret or something that only a select few freelance writers can do.Â
Are you the type of person who enjoys working weekends? If so, even you may get annoyed if a client tells you that you have to do this. Believe it or not, I have heard many stories about freelance writers being “forced†to work on both Saturdays and Sundays. To me, this sounds a bit ridiculous for several reasons.
To start, why do you have to work on the weekend? Does the client have a good reason for this? If there is no pressing need I cannot understand why this conversation would have to take place. Of course, if your job is to cover breaking news stories you may have to be “on call†on the weekend.
Why are you listening if you don’t want to? One of the top benefits of a freelance writing career is that you are your own boss. If you don’t want to work on weekends you should feel comfortable discussing this with your client. You may find that a simple discussion can solve your problem. In other words, it is not always as hard as you think to open your client’s eyes to your point of view.
If you enjoy working on the weekends, which I do from time to time, this may not sound like a huge deal. On the other hand, some freelance writers simply won’t do work on their days off – and I cannot blame them.
My best advice is this: if a client asks you to work on the weekends you should strongly consider your answer before giving it. If you decide against this explain your reasoning to the client and see if you can work out a solution.Â
