When you work as a freelance writer it is safe to say that you want to spend most of your time writing and marketing your services. But do you ever take the time to think about your finances? From your business finances to your personal situation, you need to keep your money organized at all times.
Note: finance related issues can quickly spill over into your career, holding you back from reaching your writing goals.
Basic Tips for Beginners
1. Read as much as possible. A lack of knowledge is no excuse for making poor financial decisions. From online advice on your favorite site to reading books, there is a lot of information out there. Where are you going to pick up the knowledge necessary to better your financial situation?
2. Stay organized. Early in my freelance writing career I found it difficult to keep my business and personal finances separate. As I began to better organize my money, I found this to be a much easier task. From financial software to the use of spreadsheets, there are many things you can do to keep organized.
3. Get help. Do you have a financial planner? How about an accountant? You may not need professional help from the very start of your freelance writing career. However, as you begin to make more money and your financial situation becomes more complex this becomes a necessity.
There is nothing better than being dedicated to your writing career. Just make sure you are not neglecting your finances along the way.
Over the past few months, I have noticed one thing to be true: the popularity of freelance writing is on the rise. I base this observation on a number of factors, including the large number of inquiries I have received for my freelance writing course. In short, more people than ever are interested in learning how to take their love of writing and turn it into a full-time career.
In my opinion, there are a couple of reasons for this:
1. Lack of “traditional” jobs. Let’s face it: the job market is down and unemployment numbers are quite high. For this reason, more and more people are finding it difficult to land a position – even one that they are not 100 percent interested in.
2. Interested in flexibility and less stress. When you work for somebody else you are always under their thumb. From your hours to your pay and much more, you have to do what you are told – and sometimes that isn’t even enough to keep your job. Along with this, the stress that is placed on you can become unbearable at times. As a freelance writer, you have more flexibility since you are in charge (for the most part). Along with this, once you get on the right track your career probably won’t be as stressful.
On the surface, it may appear that a career as a freelance writer is all “fun and games.” Although this is a great path to follow, there is still a lot of work involved. Remember, running your own business is nothing like working for somebody else. Writing will only be part of your job. To go along with this, you will be in charge of everything from sales and marketing to collecting payments.
If you want to become a freelance writer – full or part-time – I encourage you to follow your dream. Just make sure you know what you are getting into before you take the leap.
Most freelance writers are not “natural sales people.” Early in my writing career, I continually made the same mistake of never asking for the sale. Instead, I sat back and hoped for the best. While this worked out many times, there were surely situations in which I missed the boat.
Once you have a conversation with a potential client – via phone, email, or in person – you are in position to follow-up with a variation of this question: are you ready to move forward with this project?
At first, you may be intimidated and not want to ask for the sale. However, this will become second nature after you do so a few times.
Here are several tips that will make this easier on you:
1. Be confident at all times. The worst thing that could happen is the other party saying they need more time to think about it. In this case, you can wait a few weeks (approximately) to see if the person gets back to you. If they don’t, it is time for a follow-up.
2. Ask for the sale while explaining some of the benefits of moving forward immediately. For example, you could say: Are you ready to move forward with this project so that you have the material ready by the end of the week? In this case, you are doing two things: asking for the sale and adding another benefit. When adding a benefit, try to include something that will intrigue the client – this information should be based on your initial/past conversations.
3. Don’t come across as a used car salesman. The last thing you want to do is use high pressure tactics in an attempt to receive the contract on the spot. Hearing no does not mean the deal is dead – it just means the deal is being put off for now. You should respect this.
When you get into the habit of asking for the sale, the number of jobs that you close is sure to increase.
