I am at the point in my career when I am ready to take the next big step. I have written for several websites, through QualityGal, WiseGeek, and multiple residual income sites. Most writers start out the same way. Build up your confidence, figure out what you want to do, and then go for it.
I have two goals. One, I want to build a residual income. Something to sustain the money flow if I am not working for a while, or so that I can take time off without worrying about not being able to meet expenses. Two, I want to find some private clients.
That’s a really big step for new writers. All of the sudden, you lose that safety net. There is no editor to gently (or not so gently) point out mistakes, and if you screw up, it might mean more than just a returned article. You might lose the whole account.
Scared yet? I sure am. But I know I don’t want to spend the next 30 years doing what I’m doing now.
There are a lot of ways to find clients. I’m going to go over six of them.
- Job Posting Boards. My favorite of these is Freelance Writing Gigs. Deb always has some good stuff posted. The best thing about these sites is that someone else has already done the work for you. Going around to a dozen different websites, trying to find listings, can take a lot of time– time that could be spent doing other things. Like writing.
- Forums. Not forums for writers, although you can sometimes find work there, too. I’m talking about forums for website owners, business people, cat lovers, and any other forum that is well-run and fairly popular. Don’t be spammy, though. Make real contributions to the conversation. And if it is allowed, put something in your signature about what you do. You never know who will be reading, and might be interested in looking for website content services.
- Think local. Join your local business association, take part in business showcases. Print off business card, and go meet people. Look at the websites of local businesses. See anything that could use some work? Maybe not many local places even have websites. That’s definitely true where I am. Call, email, or stop in person, and offer your services. Just do this in a tactful way. Many businesses don’t know that they need a website, much less why they would need quality content.
- Bid for jobs. While I have never done this (how do you beat $1.00 for 500 words?), I know a lot of people take this route. And if you don’t mind working for cheap for a while, this can eventually turn into a way to get decent pay. If nothing else, you’ll walk away with some decent testimonials and maybe a referral or two.
- Direct contact. This is similar to the idea of going local. Love to blog professionally, and think one of your favorite sites could use a blog? Email them your bio and information supporting your belief that a blog (or better content) could help their website. You have to be really careful here, though. Come of as sounding like a know-it-all, or accidentally insult the site that they already have, and your email will be deleted before the owner can even consider hiring you. Mention any past experience you have, and why you already enjoy the website.
- Get social. Go onto Twitter, and make some contacts. Be friendly and outgoing. Leave thoughtful comments on blogs. Really get involved, and build up a group of people who recognize your name, trust you, and know what you do. This is a great way to get some referral business, as well. Most business owners will hire someone they are familiar with, or someone a friend recommends, first, before the job ever makes it to the job boards. Sometimes, it all comes down to who you know, and who they know.
Do you already have private clients? How did you find them? Any advice?