I as soon as recorded a podcast episode with Seth Godin the place we talked about storytelling. Throughout our dialog, he made some extent that I believed was fascinating with regards to discovering higher freelance writing purchasers.
Seth’s model of storytelling isn’t simply crafting a plot within the conventional sense — the traditional “The queen died, after which the king died of grief.”
He additionally appears on the implied tales in every thing we do. We inform a narrative with the tone of our voice on a podcast and the colour decisions on our web site. Our pricing, our response time, our About Me web page, our “Contact Me” kind … all of them come collectively to inform the story of your online business.
Find out how to discover freelance writing purchasers
Some companies inform scary or ugly tales. A variety of companies inform boring ones. Seth acquired me desirous about the weather that I consider inform a extra inviting story for a writing enterprise — the sort of story that pulls extra terrific freelance writing purchasers and higher income.
When you’re a skilled author, after all it’s essential write nicely. But it surely isn’t simply skill that makes a author profitable — it’s additionally sensible positioning. It’s the implied story that your online business tells.
Listed here are my ideas on 5 “story components” that enable you to appeal to the appropriate freelance writing purchasers, on the proper pricing, in the appropriate numbers.
Story aspect #1: Your Voice
For any enterprise, however notably for a author, the voice of your advertising is likely one of the most vital story components you will have.
What does that seem like in your website at the moment? Do you sound stiff and formal, or unfastened and conversational? Like tends to draw like, and the persona you place into your writing voice will have a tendency to draw these qualities in your purchasers.
The alternatives you make invite the sort of freelance writing purchasers you need
Ask your self what qualities your writing voice is conveying:
- Informally relaxed … or practice wreck?
- Reassuringly skilled … or uptight?
- Charmingly approachable … or sloppy?
- Attentively detail-oriented … or nit-picky?
- Creatively agile … or distracted?
These are all the time subjective. What may appear annoyingly uptight and controlling for me may really feel appealingly detail-oriented to you.
Since you’re a professional, you will have extra management over your varieties of tone in writing than common folks do. Use that ability to convey the sorts of qualities you wish to see extra of in your purchasers.
Story aspect #2: Your Website
Prospects at the moment don’t simply need wordsmiths — in addition they need content material advertising strategists. (Whether or not or not that’s the phrase they’d use.) Terrific freelance writing purchasers need writers who perceive how the net works at the moment.
It’s laborious to return throughout as knowledgeable and web-savvy when your website design appears 10 years outdated.
You don’t need to chase each design development, however you do want your website to look present, uncluttered, and contemporary.
Digital Commerce Companions is the company division of Copyblogger, and we specialise in delivering focused natural site visitors for rising digital companies.
Story aspect #3: Your Pricing
Value is likely one of the strongest nonverbal components of any enterprise story.
- American Specific tells a distinct story from Visa
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape tells a distinct story from Two-Buck Chuck
- Mercedes tells a distinct story from Kia
Now, Visa, Two-Buck Chuck, and Kia are all issues that lots of customers select and even like.
However belief me …
You do not need your freelance writing purchasers to consider you because the Two-Buck Chuck of copywriting
So as to become profitable as a contract author, you promote providers … which implies you promote your time. Hours of your life — the one factor you may by no means get any extra of. Promoting these hours at a reduction simply doesn’t make sense.
In fact, in the event you’re simply beginning out, you shouldn’t count on to command the identical charges as an skilled author. That’s why your first precedence is to work very laborious to get very, excellent, so that you spend as little time in “Two-Buck Chuck” territory as doable.
Crummy purchasers need low cost writers to supply generic CRaP that, in truth, nobody notably desires to learn anyway.
Terrific freelance writing purchasers need skilled writers to supply fantastic phrases that delight and serve their clients.
Two very completely different tales. The second is way more enjoyable.
Story aspect #4: Your Specialization
That is the place lots of good writers begin after they’re desirous about their positioning — and it’s an amazing story aspect.
None of us is sweet at every thing. What are you nice at? What might you turn into nice at?
After I determined to turn into a contract author, I selected to specialise in e-mail newsletters, autoresponders, and different content material that nurtured relationships with prospects.
I’m actually good at that sort of writing. I’ve lots of expertise with it, which permits me to work effectively. I take pleasure in doing it. And purchasers wished it. It was straightforward for purchasers to know that I’d in all probability do a greater job with relationship-building content material than an unknown author on Upwork would.
I discovered the intersection between what I favored to do, what freelance writing purchasers wished, and what I might produce effectively and nicely.
A lot of sensible freelancers concentrate on sturdy topical ecosystems, like healthcare or legislation or expertise. They keep in control, to allow them to write with authority on these matters. And so they command charges which can be considerably greater than a “jack of all trades” author can.
Story aspect #5: Your Professionalism
This one is actually old-fashioned … and actually vital.
When purchasers go away a question in your “Contact Us” kind … do you get again to them? How lengthy does it take you? Do you will have a strong course of to deal with these inquiries?
Are you hitting your deadlines? Each time? Placing in as a lot thought and take care of a consumer’s fiftieth piece with you as you probably did once you began working collectively?
Anybody who works with lots of freelancers will inform you:
Reliability is a matter. When purchasers discover a author who does what she says she’s going to do, each time, it makes a serious impression.
Reply to consumer inquiries rapidly. (This alone will make a big distinction in your income over a 12 months.) Comply with up. Handle your deadlines.
No bandwidth for brand new purchasers proper now? Arrange a fast ready listing in your website. Add a easy e-mail autoresponder to allow them to know you’ll join as quickly as you will have the time to present them your full skilled consideration.
If you wish to appeal to and retain terrific freelance writing purchasers, it’s essential deal with them just like the treasures they’re. It is going to get observed.
Your writing will be seen as a commodity or as a valued service. The cool factor is — since you’re an expert wordsmith and you’re good about advertising — you get to decide on.
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