Freelance writers have quite a bit of competition, both for online and offline writing jobs. You may wonder how to gain more freelance writing assignments. By following some of these suggestions, new writing jobs may be in your future.
If you look around, you probably notice a number of buzzwords used in advertising. Those would include free and save. Advertisers expect campaigns with those words to bring in additional sales for those products. You can use the same type of tactic when freelance writing; you can use some client buzzwords to bring in more writing jobs.
YOU – This is by far one of the most powerful words you can use. It speaks directly to the reader and uses the advertising theory that potential customers want to know “what’s in it for me?” Why not take a page from an advertiser’s playbook and use the same idea when writing queries?
Using “you” in every query sent off allows you to speak directly to the prospective client and tell them how hiring you can benefit them. It makes the query personal rather than something you might send off to multiple businesses at one time. Explain to them how they can experience more free time because they’re not bogged down with writing blog posts, articles, or other content for their business.
Be sure to use “you” more than “I” or “me” when first contacting a potential client. It’s easy for writers to list their accomplishments, but the client wants to know how you can meet their needs rather than going on about yourself. Provide a link to your website or blog, but spend the most of the email explaining how you can benefit them, not the other way around.
EASY – Explain to prospective clients how hiring you as a freelance writer will make their job “easier.” One of the main reasons freelance writers are hired is because they either don’t have time to do their own writing, or they don’t have the man-power to do the work. Of course, they many have other reasons for not doing the writing themselves, but letting them know you can help get the job done with few complications will make them take notice.
Besides a query, how can you let potential clients know you can help? Here are some ideas:
- Make getting information about your services simple on your website. Provide a valid email address or short form where they can ask for a quote. When you do get their information, respond as quickly as you can.
- Explain how easy it is to work with you whenever you communicate with them. Make the process as simple as possible. Ask them what their needs are and how soon they need them returned. After receiving their information, depending upon the type of work they need, get back to them right away with a quote and when you expect to get the work back to them.
- Keep contracts to a minimum unless the prospective client requires one. The fewer items the client has to contend with, the easier working with you will seem. Easier often results in more freelance writing assignments.
Take time to research the company you’d like to write for. If you understand the company, what they do, and their market, companies are more likely to hire you because you identify with their goals.
When you make your query more about the potential client and less about you, you’ll have learned the secret to how to gain more freelance writing assignments.
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I DIDN’T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE TO GET RICH AS A FREELANCE WRITER
The problem was, I was in the wrong writing business. Instead of making a few hundred dollars a week writing articles for magazines and newspapers like I used to do, I now pull in, on average, $2,500 per week writing simple letters.
Here’s how I learned the secrets of this little-known freelance writing market:
Posted under Articles and Tips, Freelance lifestlye
This post was written by Annette Elton on November 5, 2009
