Once your freelance business is up and running smoothly you may decide it’s time to take it to the next level. You may want to grow. You may want to add contractors or employees.  You may want to increase your income.

To grow, there are many opportunities and avenues you can take.

Publishing

You might decide to publish. Publishing not only offers you another revenue stream, it helps you set yourself apart from your competition. It positions you as an authority in your industry. The marketing potential for a book is huge.

Partnerships Read More…

Posted under Build a Better Business, Freelance lifestlye

It is possible to have your cake and eat it too.

Create a work schedule that fits your needs. Consider:

• When you’re most productive mentally/physically
• When you can fit work into your day
• A good work/life balance
• How much work you actually have and how much time it actually takes (it’s easy to get distracted and let a simple project take twice as long as it should)

A working example – during the summer months when my children are out of school and prone to sleeping in I change my schedule to wake up at 5:00am, start work by 6:00am and finish up by noon. I do often spend about 30-45 minutes in the evening on admin tasks, social networking, and planning. That frees up my afternoon and evenings to spend time with my children.

During the school year I wake up around 6:30 and start working around 8:30 once the kids are gone to school and I’ve spent an hour on creative projects. I wrap it up around 3 or 4 when they get home.

Figure out what works best for you. Schedule it and stick to it.

Posted under Articles and Tips, Freelance lifestlye

So you want to be a writer. Excellent. Freelance writing for pay is an ideal lifestyle for many.

However, it’s not the right choice for everyone.

Here’s how to know if freelance writing is right for you.

#1 Do you enjoy writing?

If you answered, “Yes” with a shrug of your shoulders or “sure” then take a minute and pause. When you write for pay you’re going to be writing. All day. Every day. To write for pay and embrace it as your career writing needs to be your passion. You need to actually enjoy the process of writing, and rewriting.
If you answered with a “YES!” then you’re good to go!

#2 Are you self motivated?

Your clients will have deadlines and expectations. If you’re not able to get up each morning, sit down at your computer and write, it’s not going to work. However, if you’re able to tackle your writing projects, write well and deliver them on time then you’re ready to write for pay. Take a look at your habits right now. Are you motivated? Do you approach projects with energy? Or do you procrastinate?

#3 Can you manage your time well?

Here’s something many people don’t think about. If you get a $1000 project and it takes you fifty hours to complete it that’s $20/hour. However, if it takes you ten hours to complete it, that’s $100/hour. How can the same project take 10 or 50 hours? Focus. Time management.

If you’re checking email, surfing the web and chatting on Facebook in between pages it very well could take you 50 hours to finish that project. However, if you’re completely focused on writing it’ll take you much less time.

#4 How are your cash management skills?

Writing for pay is interesting. Sometimes you have a ton of work and everyone pays on time. Other times it can get slow. People may pay slowly. If you spend money as quickly as you make it, those slow times can be really stressful.
On the other hand, if you manage your money well then those slow times can be enjoyed. You can use them to build your business. To network. To work on personal projects. And you won’t have to worry about your next paycheck or the bills stacking up on your desk.

#5 Are you a good communicator?

One of the most important elements of a successful freelance writing business is to be able to hear what your client wants. This means good listening skills. It also means knowing what questions to ask. Good communication is essential for success. The good news is that you can set up your business to support your communication skills. If you communicate better in writing than on the phone consider an email system for communicating with clients.

So how did you do? Were you able to navigate these five questions with confidence? If you were, great! You’ll do well as a freelance writer. If you hesitated with some of these questions don’t give up. Simply take some time to assess why and create a plan to overcome these challenges. You can do it!

Posted under Articles and Tips, Freelance lifestlye

A few years ago I reached a decision point. My income had plateaued – but I still wanted more.

I had a decision to make:

• Write more
• Raise my rates
• Find other means to make money.

I didn’t want to write more. I was already working with a very full schedule. I did raise my rates in a few areas. However the most desirable solution was to find other means to make money.

I looked at the following three options and embraced each.  If you’re income has reached a plateau or you simply want to make more money without adding more clients to your list consider:

#1 Publishing.

One of the best ways to earn more money as a writer is to publish. You don’t have to get a traditional writing contract from a publisher. You can self publish. In fact, it’s a better idea to self publish. So what do you publish? Write and publish reports and/or ebooks on your niche topic.

For example, if you’re a writer for the health industry, consider writing a how to book on a popular health topic. You can then use this book as a calling card for your writing business. If someone asks you for a sample, you can say, “Here, you can read my book.”

You might also consider publishing a book or report on how to hire a health coach writer or how to find your ideal ghostwriter. These types of publications can be used to establish credibility in your industry. They also provide valuable information.

When you publish you not only make income on the sales of your books you also gain more high paying clients.

#2 Partnerships.

Partnerships can increase your income tenfold. In fact, a good partnership or two can open up a whole new world of opportunities. For example, you might create a referral partnership with a complimentary provider. If you’re a content writer you might receive inquiries for copywriting or virtual administration.

You could refer prospects to a specific copywriter or administrative provider in exchange for a commission. You’re helping your customers. You’re driving business to your partners. And you’re earning extra money.

You can also forge partnerships to create new businesses or products. In the first strategy we discussed publishing. We used the example of writing a fitness book if you’re a fitness writer. You might partner with a nutritionist when you write the book. Together you could split the profits and each generates income and business.

#3 Affiliate Income

Another great way to generate additional income as a writer is to affiliate. An affiliate is someone who earns a commission by promoting a product. For example, if you’re a health writer you might affiliate for Rodale. You could then write product review articles and place them on your website. Include links to the products and banner advertisements. Each time someone clicks on your ad or link and buys from Rodale you earn a commission.

As a health writer this type of affiliation makes sense. It helps establish your credibility because Rodale has a good reputation. It’s important to affiliate with companies that are related to your writing service/niche and that help boost your credibility.
There are many ways to boost your income as a writer. These three are just the tip of the iceberg. As you grow your business, keep your eyes open for new opportunities to earn and profit.

Posted under Articles and Tips, Freelance lifestlye