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Elna Cain

Freelance Writer & Blogger

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How to Be a Better Freelance Writer and Land a Freelance Writing Job

by Elna Cain | updated on May 9, 2018 | 13 Comments | 433 Shares

For many new freelance writers out there, finding that first freelance writing job is all-consuming.

You want to make money from this, and you want to ensure that the time you put into starting a freelance writing business is worth it.

I get you.

It makes sense.

But, there are little things you can do to show that you are a BETTER freelance writer for clients. This will help you become the go-to writer for clients and ensures you recurring freelance writing work.

And trust me when I say that clients are seeking that ONE writer that makes their life soo much easier. It’s the writer that is professional, easy to collaborate with, turns work in before the deadline, and goes above and beyond what is expected of them.

When you show that, clients will hold onto you forever because they know how difficult it is to find that writer.

So, if you want to be THAT writer, learn these little things to help you be the better freelance writer out there 🙂

1. Promptly Reply

One of the ways I grow my business is to outsource some aspects of my business.

One thing I look for is how prompt these other freelancers are. If I email an inquiry on Friday, will I not hear from them until Monday?

If so, I probably would have already found a freelancer by then.

Now, I know people work during the day, but if you can promptly respond within 24 hours (or sooner), there’s a good chance that clients will notice. And I also expect my freelance writing clients to promptly respond to my emails.

And they do!

Of course, you have to take into consideration the time zone your client is in (I have some clients in Tel Aviv, UK, Germany, etc..) and also know their schedule.

My Tel Aviv clients’ weekend starts on Friday and their workday week begins on Sunday.

Knowing this helps me know when to email them or submit my content to them promptly.

2. Offer Other Services

An easy way to grow your income as a freelance writer is to offer more services.

But, there’s a catch to that –

Don’t be a jack of all trades.

Clients aren’t seeking a health writer that is also a finance white paper writer who ghostwrites eBooks.

What clients are seeking is a writer that has more skills than other writers. This may mean:

  • You know how to use WordPress
  • You know how to source images
  • You know how to promote content on social media
  • You know how to edit or proofread
  • You know copywriting techniques

These are extra services on top of your writing services that you can offer to prospects.

So, if you are negotiating with a client about a project, you can sweeten the deal by offering these types of services. For my clients, I always ensure that I provide copywriting when I write and can offer images and screenshots for my posts.

I also recently provided a video tutorial for one of my clients, and he enjoyed it very much!

In 2018, there are other services you can offer like video or video script writing and even things like course creation or textbook writing.

3. Create a Zip File

Clients are looking for a professional writer, so when you submit your content, don’t just paste it into an email entry.

I like to share a MS Word Doc (or Google Doc) + a zip file of the optimized images I provided in the content piece.

This little thing wows clients! It’s these little things that make life easier for your clients. So, if that means you package your content piece all nice and pretty and make it easy for them to upload to their content management system, then you’ll be assured that more work will come to you.

4. Offer Content Ideas When Things Are Slow

Sometimes at the beginning of a new freelance writing job, you’ll get a lot of projects. Maybe for a few months, you write one blog post a week.

Then, things slow down.

One thing you can do during this slow time is to pop in after a while and suggest some content ideas for your client. While not every client needs more content ideas, there a lot of that would benefit from a list of 20 new blog post ideas.

And if a client knows that at the drop of a hat you can provide several content ideas for them, it’s just one other assurance that you are becoming your client’s go-to writer.

5. Share Your Client’s Posts

An easy way to become a part of your client’s marketing strategy is to share your client’s pieces on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

I like to do this and also tag the client or brand when I share their posts. And, if you spent time growing your social media followers, then when a client notices this, they will learn how valuable you can be for their marketing plan.

There Ya Go!

Five easy and simple ways to be the better freelance writer (and be the go-to writer for clients).

Tell me in the comments what little things you do in your biz to help out your clients.

I encourage you to become a highly-paid writer today and enroll in Write Your Way to Your First $1k.

Become a Highly-Paid Writer Today!


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Hi I'm Elna and I'm a freelance writer and mom blogger. I help people just like you become a profitable freelance writer. Within 6 months of starting my freelance writing business from scratch I was able to earn a full-time living as a part-time freelance writer while taking care of my twin toddlers. Check out my free email course Get Paid to Write Online and learn the steps you need to take to be a freelance writer.

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Reader Interactions

Comments Leave a comment

  1. Scott says

    September 27, 2018 at 11:05 am

    Elna,

    Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience. Your information has been such an enormous benefit! I am in the beginning stages of moving forward as a freelancer. My question is very simple: What WordPress theme do you have on both of your sites? I want to use something clean, yet professional-looking. I appreciate your time and response.

    Reply
    • admin says

      October 1, 2018 at 6:56 pm

      Hi Scott!

      That’s great you want to get started with freelance writing! As for my theme, this is a customized theme! You can try the Unwind theme by SiteOrigin. They have a freemium theme.

      Reply
  2. Ashley says

    August 2, 2018 at 9:48 pm

    I’m very new to freelance writing and these tips were very helpful. I have been trying my best to get a gig but I haven’t landed a single one. I will keep these tips in mind in the future.

    Reply
    • Elna Cain says

      August 5, 2018 at 10:07 am

      Hi Ashley!

      That’s awesome! Make sure to check me out on Facebook for even more tips and video Q/A’s! https://facebook.com/ecainwrites!

      Reply
  3. Emenike Emmanuel says

    June 14, 2018 at 9:32 pm

    This is an amazing piece, Elna.

    In those days I was into full-time freelance writing, there’s something I usually do… I study my clients to know what extra service I will upsell them with. It helped me a lot.

    Like you mentioned, sharing clients’ articles make them feel that you truly love their brand and wish them well.

    Keep it up.

    Emenike

    Reply
  4. Moss Clement says

    May 24, 2018 at 5:27 am

    Great article, Elna. Your tips are great and if one should implement them correctly, I will not say the sky is the limit because there are footprints on the moon. I try to be prompt not only when replying to emails, but also by delivering on time. This helps yo build trust with your clients and prospects. However, you also need to have a remarkable portfolio because it showcases your work, your expertise which will position you in the best possible light. Creating a portfolio doesn’t have to be hard.
    Further, having a regular working schedule is important. It is more like a framework that guides you along the way.

    Thank you for sharing, Elan

    Reply
    • Elna Cain says

      May 29, 2018 at 2:07 pm

      Hi Moss!

      Exactly. While I didn’t mention having a portfolio, it’s true that your samples need to speak for you when prospects come to your site. This goes hand-in-hand with being professional! That’s awesome you have set the bar and are prompt. Not many writers are!

      Reply
  5. Ty Leisher says

    May 21, 2018 at 12:32 pm

    Thank you for everything you’ve written Elna. It’s been inspiring to read everything and I’m only just getting started.

    Reply
    • Elna Cain says

      May 21, 2018 at 10:26 pm

      Hi Ty!

      Thanks so much! So glad this post resonated with you 🙂

      Reply
  6. Mercy Mmbone says

    May 17, 2018 at 2:40 pm

    I love your point 4.

    I know one of my long-term clients loves working with me because not only do I give them high-quality content, but I also come up with content ideas.

    The client simply tells me what niche they want content written in, and they let me work around the topics. They trust me to do this for them and that’s why I’ve been with them for years.

    Thanks for sharing this informative, Elna.

    Regards,
    Mercy Mmbone.

    Reply
    • Elna Cain says

      May 21, 2018 at 9:56 am

      Hi Mercy,

      Exactly! This is a perfect example of becoming the go-to writer for your freelance writing clients! Thanks for sharing your story!

      Reply
  7. Sarah omolo says

    May 17, 2018 at 10:40 am

    Hi Elna, It has always been great to hear and learn from you. Thanks for the positive encouraging words and advice

    Reply
    • Elna Cain says

      May 21, 2018 at 9:57 am

      Hi Sarah,

      Thank you so much! So happy you are motivated to become a freelance writer!

      Reply

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