Clients set deadlines. Freelance writers agree to meet these deadlines. As a freelance writer you need to turn your work in on time. There is no way around this if you want to be seen as a professional who is worth working with time after time. There are some freelance writers who always miss deadlines. They are the ones who do not stick around very long.
Does this mean that you will never miss a deadline? Probably not. Even if you strive to meet every deadline, no matter how tight it is, something may come up that prevents you from doing so. In this case you need to make the right moves to ensure that the client gets what he wants, while also learning how to avoid the same problem in the future.
As soon as you know that you are going to miss a deadline you have to tell your client. It is better to do so before the deadline than afterwards. This at least gives the client a chance to adjust their schedule. Hopefully you will not put the client in too bad of a position by sending the work at a later date.
Admit that you are wrong, and explain your situation. This is one of the most important things to remember if you miss a deadline as a freelance writer. Your client does not want you to put the blame on them when this is clearly not the case. While making excuses is never a good idea, you should explain your situation so the client can at least see where you are coming from. For instance, a serious illness or death in the family is almost always a good reason to miss a deadline. But of course, you need to let the client know in advance, if possible, that you are dealing with extenuating circumstances.
Make it one of your main goals to never miss a deadline. If this does happen, do your best to resolve the situation and stay in the good graces of your client.Â
You never want to get labeled as a “lazy freelance writer.†And this is particularly something you want to avoid being called by clients. After all, if you are seen as lazy you are not going to achieve much success.
While it can be easy to settle in and become complacent from time to time, you do not want to become so lazy that it is hurting your career. If you feel this coming on, or you are already in this position, follow these tips:
1. Market your services in your downtime. You are going to feel most lazy when you do not have much to do. But as a freelance writer you can always find something that can keep you busy. One of the best things you can do during your spare time is market yourself to potential clients. This is one surefire way to end a lazy spell, and to bring in new work at the same time.
2. Keep in mind that you only get paid when you work. It is easy to be lazy when you work at 9-5 job because you will still get paid no matter what. But as a freelance writer the money only rolls in when you send quality work to your clients. If you want to get paid you better do your work.
3. Create your own projects. I strongly believe that all freelance writers should work on their own projects when they have time. For instance, I manage this blog as well as many others. In addition to writing, I also work on marketing, design, ad sales, etc. This can be a great way to not only stay busy, but to also earn some additional money.
If you are the type of freelance writer who is always running into lazy spells you should follow the above three tips.
I can still remember by first day as a freelance writer. I was scared of many things including not being able to find any clients. There is no denying that landing your first client can be difficult. It took me a week or so to find a client who was willing to do business with me. Fortunately, after that first client things began to speed up quite a bit.
If you are having a difficult time landing your first freelance writing client you should keep the following tips in mind:
1. Stay patient. Even though this is easier said than done, it is very important. If you get down on yourself and begin to give up you are never going to achieve success. You may get lucky and find a client on your first day as a freelance writer. Or you may have to work hard for a few weeks to achieve success. No matter what, stay patient and stick with what you are doing until something breaks your way.
2. Do not limit yourself on how you are attempting to find your first client. Some freelance writers only search online job boards. While this may work, they are missing out on other opportunities such as cold emailing, cold calling, bidding sites, etc. Be sure to keep all of your options open when it comes to your marketing plan.
What if nothing is working for me? How long should I wait before giving up once and for all? This is up to you. If nothing is working you need to make some changes. Again, don’t stick with one type of marketing if it is not working for you. Instead, change your approach to see what else is out there. It is your right to give up on your freelance writing career whenever you want. But remember, quitting now will only make it more difficult to jumpstart your career in the future.
Even though landing your first freelance writing client can be difficult, once you do so you will be off and running. Â
