My Top Tips For Starting A Freelance Writing Business

 I recently had the honor of talking to Shawn Dean of the Certifiably Unemployable podcast (have I created a self-fulfilling prophesy now?).

We covered a lot of ground during our forty minute conversation (feel free to watch it, above).

I wanted to use this post to expand upon some of the ideas we discussed relating to founding a freelance writing business. Maybe even one that can go on to flourish during these strange times.


1. Referrals And Relationships Are Key

There are a few ways that you can use to acquire clients as a freelance writer. Remember that client acquisition is far more expensive than client retention (although if you’re moving up in the rates tables then you’ll probably need to do a bit of both). So it makes sense to retain and possibly upsell and cross-sell your existing client base before looking at ways to get new people in the door.

You can use:

  • Outbound marketing techniques such as cold calling
  • Inbound marketing techniques such as blogging and podcasting (this is my big focus this year)
  • Referrals. As Shawn pointed out, being proactive about asking for these is absolutely key. Freelancing isn’t for the gun-shy
  • Paid advertising

But, while I’ve landed clients through both inbound and outbound means, the most consistent success I’ve enjoyed in the five years I’ve been doing this to date has been through referrals.

Find a client, please them, and then ask if any of their friends/network might be looking for freelance writers too (replace ‘writer’ with whatever it is that you do).


2. Inbound Referrals Are Particularly Good

All referrals are good and useful. But I think that one type of referral is particularly under-utilized and that’s something which I call the ‘inbound referral’.

This mechanism works really well if you’re freelancing for medium size organizations.

Small seed-funded startups are usually simply too small for this. But if you’re dealing with a client of some stature, then you should ask your point of contact if anybody else within the company might require your services.


3. Freelancers Are Eminently Forgettable. It’s Our Job To Change That

I once heard an adage that the only thing in an office more forgettable than yesterday’s lunch are freelancers.

As hard as it might be for freelancers to here, I believe that there’s a large ring of truth to it.

The reason why this is so hearkens back to my first point: relationships are central.

Picture yourself in an office environment. More than likely, you already work in one. You see your close work colleagues every day. You might see on-site contractors from time to time. But what about freelancers that you hire through a remote marketplace?

The gritty reality is that face to face relationships humanize the other party. Conversely, we tend to dehumanize those who we do not physically encounter in our world.

It is in freelancers’ best interests to be seen as something other than disposable, outsourced labors by the companies that they work for. To make themselves memorable as more than “that guy on the internet who helps us with X”.

Of course, freelance work will often be temporary or project-based in nature. And freelancers should always be working on pipeline so that they’re not overly dependent on any one account.

But it behooves freelancers to do everything in their power to keep the working relationships they have open to them warm.


4. If You Have Experience To Offer, Your Timing Can Be Good

Of course, these are not typical times.

On the one hand, layoffs are forcing many to consider setting up shop as a freelance writer in time for dinner.

On the other, companies have been forced to enter into a remote-first reality. And reaching customers through the internet is often now just about their only way of connecting with them.

I’m no economics genius, but that to me signals:

Demand for freelance talent: ↑

Supply of freelance talent: ↑

My feelings are that if you can pick the right niche and have good experience to offer that you can make this dynamic work for you. The field is even more competitive than it was previously, but it’s still possible to land good work.

To paraphrase Charles Dickens: it’s both the best of times and the worst of times to be starting a freelance business.

To listen to the podcast interview, visit this link.