Are you finding it difficult to land new clients? Is this something that you are struggling with? If so, your career as a freelance writer has probably come to a halt. The only way to grow and to earn more money is to find new clients. Those who are having trouble with this should look at one thing: their marketing plan. If you want to land new clients you should start with a new marketing plan. This can go a long way in breaking out of your current funk and eventually moving forward with a more successful career.
To start, take a strong look at your current marketing plan to see what is working and what isn’t. For instance, if you are having some success with cold calling you should keep this in your plan for the time being. At the same time, if something isn’t working for you, such as sending query letters, you can leave this out and replace it with another option. You should always be tweaking your marketing plan so you can learn what works, what doesn’t, and what you have yet to try.
It is very important to track the success of your marketing plan. Everything you do should be recorded. If you know that 25 cold calls usually results in two new clients you can ramp up your production to see if this ratio holds true over the long haul. If you are not tracking your marketing successes and failures how will you know what is working and what is not?
There is no good reason to rely on a marketing plan that is not turning up results. Instead, review your current plan and then see what changes you can make to better your chance of success. You should always know what is working, and then rely on this until a change is needed.Â
One thing that many new freelance writers forget is that they are responsible for more than just writing. They are also in charge of every other aspect of their career including accounts payable and receivable. It is very important that you keep all of your invoices organized. This is something that many freelance writers look over, and in the long run it ends up getting them in trouble.
The way that you organize your invoices is up to you. Personally, I like to keep both electronic and paper records for every invoice that I send and receive. I know some freelance writers who do not like to keep paper records. There is nothing wrong with using your computer as your primary mode of organization, but if a crash happens you may find yourself in deep trouble. This is why I print out every invoice no matter what.
Staying organized is relatively simple if you have a system for doing so. I have folders on my computer for sent and paid invoices, as well as a filing cabinet which holds pretty much the same information. Once you have a system in place that works for you, staying organized is very easy.
Don’t overlook the importance of keeping your invoices organized. I know that you want to spend most of your time writing and marketing. But remember, you cannot have a successful career unless you take care of all the details; even those that are not very much fun.Â
Did you ever notice that you face “hot†and “cold†times as a freelance writer? When you land one client another three are lined up to do business with you. But when you are in the middle of a drought it seems like nothing will ever change. Right now, I am facing one of those hot times with my freelance writing course.
Over the past few months I have kept the class full, and have been very happy with the progress that the majority of my students are making. Fortunately for those who have been asking, I have decided to let a few extra people into the course for the month of May. As each month goes by I become more efficient at running the course and dealing one-on-one with every member. For this reason, I am comfortable with allowing five more members to join.
Are you interested in taking one of the open spots? If so, contact me today to get started. With quite a few people on the waiting list I am confident that all five spots will be gone within 24 to 48 hours. Of course, if you have any questions I would be glad to answer them.
Even though “hot times†bring a lot more work it also means that I am helping more people and having more fun. I hope to have a few of you guys and gals as members starting in early May!Â
