Vblogging is considered the new hotness for social media, because videos give people another way to consume content and search engines love them. I’m experimenting with vlogging, so I hope you’ll check out the video above and leave a comment with any feedback or suggestions for future video tutorials.
That said, I know some of you prefer reading, so I’ll sum up some of the main points below.
Many writers struggle to find decent-paying clients, so they look to bidding sites, content mills, and job boards. Occasionally, they’ll find a gem, but most of these projects peanuts. That’s why I encourage you to use your network instead! Here are the five groups in my network that I often use for finding freelance writing projects.
- Past employers
When you leave your full-time job, you can offer to train your replacement or perform some of your old responsibilities on a freelance basis. That makes for a smoother transition and gives your employer the option to use your expertise on occasion without paying a full-time salary and benefits. When I left my last full-time job, freelancing for my previous employer gave me more stability and allowed me to stay on good terms with my boss as I transitioned to full-time freelancing. If you don’t negotiate freelance terms before leaving your job, you could always reconnect with your employer via LinkedIn and let them know you’re available for freelance projects. - Agencies
Marketing and advertising agencies, consulting firms, and copywriting companies sometimes need outsource expertise to meet their clients’ needs. Often, agencies set up subcontracting agreements, so they’ll serve as the point of contact for the client and pay you out of the money they client pays for the project. That allows you to focus on the work rather than finding the work or communicating directly with the client. Also, agencies can sometimes land bigger clients than an individual writer could land on her or his own. - Creative staffing firms
In the past, I’ve been critical of creative staffing firms, but recently they’ve approached me with some much more appealing gigs. Like agencies, they can sometimes land bigger clients than you’d get on your own and they take care of some of the business development for you, but creative staffing firms aren’t actually doing any of the work, they’re just recruiting for their clients. I’ve gotten some interest from recruiters through my listings on LinkedIn and CreativeHotList.com, so I think those can be a good place to start. You can also ask other freelancers for referrals or refer freelancers you know, as some creative staffing firms offer a referral bonus. - Current clients
Assuming you deliver what the client wants, it’s easier to convince them to hire you again than it is to find a brand new client and gain their trust. I’ve found that the best way to land repeat assignments is to do your best work and suggest ways you can work together in the future. Maybe you’re blogging for a corporate client and you notice they don’t have a Facebook page or a Twitter feed to promote those posts. Look for holes and position yourself as the person to fill them. Also stay in touch via LinkedIn or email so you can stay on their radar. - Other freelancers
A lot of people see other freelancers as competition but your freelance friends can be a great source of referrals or partnerships (not to mention commiseration). You might get a referral from another writer who is too busy to take on more work or who feels that the client’s needs are outside their area of expertise. Or if the freelancer wants to stay involved with the client, they might suggest a subcontracting arrangement so they can oversee the project. Also try to find freelancers in related areas that you could partner with. I sometimes refer graphic designers or photographers to my clients and sometimes they’re in a position to do likewise.
Ultimately, it comes down to building your network and being generous with referrals and information. It won’t happen overnight, but these relationships can pay off months or even years later, so keep at it. If you build a strong network and consistently deliver high-quality work, then you may find yourself offering more frequent referrals and able to choose the work you love because you’re so busy.
Great tips! I've always been a good networker and this is great info for both the beginning freelancer and wonderful reminders for the seasoned ones!
Especially in this economy, people ask about this all the time … the truth (for me) is that much of the work I'm getting NOW comes from people I've known and/or worked with for 10+ years or from 10+ years ago, including a few new clients I've gotten specific referrals and then work.
I am so impressed with the way that you are always on the cutting edge of ways to communicate with your audience. Way to Go, Susan! (And I found this from your Google + post, so you're on the cutting edge of social networking, too.). I'd love to learn more about how to do a v-log. This one is like a power point presentation, but I'm sure there are other formats you can choose to use.
Hi Susan: For me, by far the most important tool for helping me get freelance gigs has always been my membership in professional associations. I see you don't even have that on your list, but for me, being a member of professional writers associations such as the Professional Writers Assn of Canada has netted me the bulk of my work. Some of it comes via referrals and leads from fellow members, some comes via my listing in the online directory of members our assn makes available to the world and some just from tips I pick up on the members-only listservs. Membership definitely pays for me.
The video turned out great! I haven't ventured into vlogging territory yet, but it's on my list.
And excellent tips, too.
Thanks for the video
Thanks to everyone who weighed in!
@Vera: Aww, thanks! I've seen others use this format and I've also seen videos that used a webcam to have the "expert" simply talk to viewers about the topic. I've also seen a hybrid of that where the video uses a PowerPoint but there's a small icon with the speaker's face moving. Screencasting software also allows me to capture other things on my screen, so for instance I could demo how to add photos to a blog post or how to use StumbleUpon and intersperse that with PowerPoint. For your blog, a narrated photo slideshow might be cool.
@Wizardofwords: Excellent point! I've gotten some wonderful projects from my ASJA and Freelance Success memberships. I would partly lump those with other freelancers. Not the job postings for members, but certainly the referrals and tips I get from other members would probably fall into that category.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for the great post! I'm looking to build up my business and your tips will definitely come in handy.
I got connected to my first client ever while walking my dog. Jaques is an artist who lives in my neighbourhood and one day we started chatting while we walked our dogs. I told Jacques that I am a writer and he said he had a lawyer friend who was looking for a writer. Since then I've been keeping business cards on me at all times because you never know who you'll bump into!
Erika.
Congrats on your video post – very nice! I'm most impressed, Susan!
Excellent advice. I don't advertise my editing services (because I take very few clients and have a waiting list) but I find that the best ones come through networking. One of my favorite clients is someone I met at a tot shabbat years ago.
I agree–great advice here. I've found success with Creative service groups in the past. Often they could open doors I couldn't by just blindly sending your resume in. I did find that I needed to meet one-on-one and explain to them exactly what I did or else they weren't sure where to place me.
Great presentation and really helpful tips!
Great advice. I just landed two assignments from a new outlet after another writer asked if she could republish some of my photos for the same site, which I'd never heard of.
So, yes, friends and colleagues help. But also, especially in this economy, seizing every opportunity, no matter how small, that comes your way.