In 2011, more clients than ever have been calling me on the phone as opposed to communicating solely via email. Of course, I don’t have a problem with this. I would often rather take a quick phone call than send several emails back and forth – hoping to get everything out in the open.
This leads to a very important question: why do so many freelance writers avoid phone conversations at all costs? Here are three common reasons:
1. Scared of saying the wrong thing. With email you have time to think before answering or asking questions. The same cannot be said with a phone conversation. Instead, you have to “go with the flow†and “think on your feet.†This is one of those things that you simply have to get used to. With a little bit of practice you will settle in soon enough.
2. Don’t want to get caught off guard. Again, you never have to worry about this on email. On the phone, though, there is always the chance that a client will ask a question that you are not expecting. What will you do? What will you say? This is linked to the details listed in number one above. You are scared of what could happen if you are caught off guard.
While a valid concern, there is not much you can do. As long as you are open and honest and provide answers as you see fit, you are doing your job.
3. Fear that you will get sucked into a long conversation. This is a different type of fear. You don’t mind speaking with clients, but every time the phone rings you have to worry about how much time it will take out of your day. The best thing you can do is get to the point, without being rude, and then attempt to wind down the conversation as quickly as possible. Chances are that your client is just as busy as you. If they get the feeling that you are in a hurry the conversation will move forward at a much faster pace.
Do you avoid phone conversations due to one or more of these reasons? Don’t let this hold you back any longer. There are solutions to every problem.
As a new freelance writer you probably have big plans for the future. Among the most common is taking control of your career, earning more money, and having a more flexible work schedule. While it is great to dream big, you don’t want to get ahead of yourself.
In my freelance writing course, I always tell students to take small steps. It may not seem like you are getting anywhere, but soon enough you will look over your shoulder and realize just how much progress you have made.
I want to earn $10k/month as a freelance writer. This is something I hear time and time again. While possible over the long haul, you should not expect this to happen overnight. Instead, you must take small steps day after day.
Which steps should I take? This depends on many factors including your current standing as a freelance writer, your future goals, and the amount of time you are devoting to your career.
As you can imagine, a full-time freelance writer has a better chance of reaching his/her goals quicker than a part-timer. However, this does not mean that part-time freelancers are at a disadvantage. Instead, you will have to take smaller steps spread out over a longer portion of time.
During my first month as a freelance writer I earned $52 dollars. By month three my total eclipsed $2k. It would have been nice to earn this much during my first month, but doing so was not possible. After 90 days, I looked at how far I had come and realized that small steps, one after the next, helped me reach one of my first income goals.
No matter if you are new to the world of freelance writing or some other career, you have to take small steps in order to achieve big time success.
For several months, my freelance writing course was full. As you can imagine, this made me a very happy person – I love helping people who are interested in following the freelance career path.
However, late last week a spot opened unexpectedly. For this reason, I wanted to make a quick post.
I don’t expect the spot to stay open for more than a day or so at the most. If you have any interest, feel free to shoot me an email. As always, it is “first come first serve.â€
Looking forward to working with more of you guys and gals in the future!
