Getting Your First Writing Client and Then Some...

Hello Moms, your first client may be your most important one. 

They may also be the toughest client to get. 

As a freelance writer, clients want to see that you have experience. 

However, if you are new to freelancing then you may not have any experience to share. 

It is a frustrating circle.

The good news is that there are several ways to gain your first client and that valuable experience that you need. 

Let us talk about how to get your first clients and then help you step things up and gather even more valuable clients for your business.

Getting Your First Clients

#1 Freelance Job Sites

Job sites provide you with the opportunity to gain a freelance job. 

The downside to many freelance job sites is that they often do not pay well. 

However, if you are looking to build your portfolio and your experience then the fee is secondary. 

You can quickly get the experience that you need through sites like Upwork, Freelancer and others.

#2 Non-Profits

Non-profit organizations need help. 

Your valuable skills will benefit them and give you the needed experience.

And people who work for non-profit organizations are generally very good about paying it forward. 

When you do a great job for them, they may become your best referral source.

#3 Spec

Some freelance providers can benefit by doing work on spec. 

This means the client does not pay for the work unless they like it. 

If clients use your work, they pay you. 

It seems risky, but whether you get paid or not, you are getting material for your portfolio. 

Ask for referrals from people you know to get work like this.

#4 Getting More Clients As You Get More Experience.

How many clients do you want to have? 

Do you want a full schedule, 40 hours or more a week? 

Or, do you want just a few clients annually? 

Part of building a freelance business that meets your goals is to focus on marketing your business and getting more clients. 

Here are a few tips and strategies to get more clients for your freelance business.

#5 Network

Networking both online and off is a fantastic way to build a solid freelancing business. 

Online and off you can connect with potential clients and potential partners. 

Partnerships with other freelancers can be extremely profitable.

For example, if you are a web content writer, you might partner with a graphic designer to create complete website packages for your clients.

And when you know other business owners and build those connections, you never know where work or referrals will come from. 

And speaking of referrals, that is the next point.

#6 Referrals

Word of mouth is excellent. 

It truly helps build a freelance business because the testimonial for your business is coming from someone else. 

You can encourage word of mouth by offering a referral bonus. 

For example, any client that sends a new client to you gets a percentage off their next project. 

You can maintain your referral business and track referrals by simply asking each new client how they have heard about you.

#7 Showcasing Your Freelance Portfolio or Resume

One of the best ways to get more clients and to establish your credibility is to have a winning portfolio. 

You also must make sure your portfolio is available to view. 

The easiest way to accomplish this is to place your portfolio on your website or blog.

If you are a writer then you can easily post writing samples, but make sure you have permission from clients to do so. 

List the companies with whom you have worked.

If they have websites, then link to them. 

Your portfolio or resume helps establish credibility. 

It gives potential prospects some confidence that they can count on you to satisfy their needs.

#8 Build Your Website or free Blog with Blogger.

Many writers start with freelance sites and rely on their profiles from those sites, but do not get stuck there. 

Have your own website where clients can come to you when they need you, instead of you chasing down work all the time. 

A website allows you to showcase your specialty, grow your mailing list of potential clients and gives your clients an easy place to refer new clients to.

Make sure your website includes:
* Your portfolio
* Testimonials/References
* About Me Page
* Services
* Pricing
* Contact information
* Policies and procedures
* FAQs

But most importantly, make sure it shows why you are the go-to person for your type of writing service. 

Stand apart from the crowd and you are more likely to attract the precise client you are looking for.

As you have probably gathered, there are abundant opportunities for freelance writers online. 

You just must get out there and get them. If you are ready to start brainstorming on the writing markets you might explore, we have a FREE guide called 34 Ways to Profit from Your Writing, so get it now.

To your success, 

Jacqueline The Earn At Home Mom

How Much Should Freelance Writers Charge for Their Work?

• This is one of the most common questions from new freelance writers. 

• The rate a freelance writer should charge depends on so many variables, and many times, one writer’s rates can change daily, weekly or even hourly if the projects are different enough!           

• If you are struggling to determine what you should charge for your freelance writing work, there are a few factors you will want to consider.

  - Your Experience
  - The Venue/Client
  - The Time Required
  - Your Goals
  - Your Financial Situation       

  How long have you been writing? 

  What Is the client like? 

  Try to gauge how much your client has to spend, and use that as a basis for building your rate.

  Take a look at the project as a whole and try to determine how long it will take you to complete. 

  What are your career goals?

  Are you wanting to make $100K a year and work 20 hours a week, or are you okay with working 40 hours a week and making only $50K?          

  You will have to charge higher rates the more you want to make and the less you want to work.

  To figure out how much you should charge, determine your monthly salary goal and divide it by the number of hours a month you will work on freelance writing.      

  How much do you need to make to cover your bills and expenses?

  Figure out what hourly rate you will need to charge to make that amount. 

  With freelance writing, you can charge by the hour, per word or per project – whatever works best for you and your client.    

  The rate question is a complex one to answer but the Freelance Profit Academy can help you come up with exact rate figures. 

• Are they a small business or a big-budget corporation? 

• Where did you find the gig? 

• Was it on Craigslist or a job board that requires payment to post? 

• Learn more about this here: 

• It is recommended to charge per hour or project since sometimes clients can balk at an hourly rate even though they would pay you the same amount of money should you quote per hour or per project. 

• Consider all the factors before presenting your rates to make sure you will end up with the profitable side of the bargain. 

• Do not be afraid to ask for the high rate you know you deserve! 

• There are clients out there willing to pay it.                 

• This should be an even bigger consideration than your financial goals. 

• After all, you have to be able to pay that Internet bill to keep on working, right?

• Though you may not be charging the client hourly, you still want to make a profitable hourly rate once the project is complete. 

• Be sure to add in a little cushion for editing and revisions, too. 

• Those will probably take at least a few hours.

• More specifically, how long have you been writing the type of content your client or project requires? 

• Generally, the more experience you can lend to a project, the higher rate you can command.

• Make sure to use only your billable hours in your calculations as some work you may be doing could be related to your business but it may not be actual writing. 

• Only calculate your "writing" task hours when you are determining your target hourly rate.

• Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer.

• This is for you VIPs, only if you are able to handle this challenge and want to make a bit  more money. Discover how to set yourself up for a successful financial future.   (Moms, this is a BONUS link to help your mind work in a positive and financial winning way) 

         To your success, 

          Jacqueline The Earn At Home Mom