Comments on: 5 Tips For Marketing Your Freelance Writing Business http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/ Freelance Advice and Freelance Jobs - FreelanceSwitch Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:44:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Sonya Carmichael Jones http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-23332 Sonya Carmichael Jones Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:33:56 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-23332 Hi writers! Here are a few things I'll add: 1) Specialize in a niche market. This could be an area in which you have special knowledge or hands-on work experience either from school or a former job. It could also be significant knowledge or skills you obtain from a hobby or personal interest. Then find companies and publications that cater to that same niche. Contact them. Yes, by cold calling (just ensure you know who to contact and how to get through gatekeepers). Another option is to send an introduction letter and include samples of your work. 2) Identify your target market. You can learn a lot by browsing job boards and newspaper ads, but you'll be more successful at securing paid work if you market your freelance writing services to a target audience. 3) Learn all you can about marketing. Attend a workshop. Read trade journals. Check out marketing books from the library. Pay attention to ads you see--particularly the words--and evaluate why they are effective (or not). Doing so will help you expand your marketing knowledge and increase your confidence about marketing altogether. Best wishes, Sonya Hi writers!

Here are a few things I’ll add:

1) Specialize in a niche market.
This could be an area in which you have special knowledge or hands-on work experience either from school or a former job. It could also be significant knowledge or skills you obtain from a hobby or personal interest. Then find companies and publications that cater to that same niche. Contact them. Yes, by cold calling (just ensure you know who to contact and how to get through gatekeepers). Another option is to send an introduction letter and include samples of your work.

2) Identify your target market.
You can learn a lot by browsing job boards and newspaper ads, but you’ll be more successful at securing paid work if you market your freelance writing services to a target audience.

3) Learn all you can about marketing.
Attend a workshop. Read trade journals. Check out marketing books from the library. Pay attention to ads you see–particularly the words–and evaluate why they are effective (or not). Doing so will help you expand your marketing knowledge and increase your confidence about marketing altogether.

Best wishes,
Sonya

]]> By: All Freelance Writing: Your Freelance Writing Resource: » Freelance Friday - June 6, 2008 http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-23255 All Freelance Writing: Your Freelance Writing Resource: » Freelance Friday - June 6, 2008 Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:35:12 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-23255 [...] 5 Tips for Marketing Your Freelance Writing Business [...] […] 5 Tips for Marketing Your Freelance Writing Business […]

]]> By: A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye » Blog Archive » So You Want to Become a Freelance Writer? Part 4: Advice from the Pros http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-23045 A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye » Blog Archive » So You Want to Become a Freelance Writer? Part 4: Advice from the Pros Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:03:42 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-23045 [...] 5 Tips for Marketing Your Freelance Writing Business -  Colin Galbraith offers marketing advice for freelancers. [...] […] 5 Tips for Marketing Your Freelance Writing Business -  Colin Galbraith offers marketing advice for freelancers. […]

]]> By: How Much Should I Charge For Freelance Blogging? | Blogthority http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-20063 How Much Should I Charge For Freelance Blogging? | Blogthority Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:01:22 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-20063 [...] 5 Tips For Marketing Your Freelance Writing Business at FreelanceSwitch [...] […] 5 Tips For Marketing Your Freelance Writing Business at FreelanceSwitch […]

]]> By: Freelance Friday - March 21, 2008 : All Freelance Writing http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-18708 Freelance Friday - March 21, 2008 : All Freelance Writing Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:40:48 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-18708 [...] Five Tips for Marketing Your Freelance Writing Business - FreelanceSwitch [...] […] Five Tips for Marketing Your Freelance Writing Business - FreelanceSwitch […]

]]> By: Kate http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-18412 Kate Sat, 15 Mar 2008 22:58:57 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-18412 A template query. I think not. As a writer I would be ashamed of myself to send a form letter to an editor, and they would spot it off the bat. Form letters only work for freelancers in certain professions where the topic of discussion (e.g.- web design and how your skills can improve a site) will stay the same with most of your clients. If what you're selling is POV (with an article or blog) then you have to make your query specific and relevent, or you'll never get any work from editors. A template query. I think not. As a writer I would be ashamed of myself to send a form letter to an editor, and they would spot it off the bat. Form letters only work for freelancers in certain professions where the topic of discussion (e.g.- web design and how your skills can improve a site) will stay the same with most of your clients. If what you’re selling is POV (with an article or blog) then you have to make your query specific and relevent, or you’ll never get any work from editors.

]]> By: How to market your freelance writing business | The How To Do Things Blog http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-18214 How to market your freelance writing business | The How To Do Things Blog Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:14:08 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-18214 [...] few more tips are discussed here. Technorati Tags: freelance writing, professional [...] […] few more tips are discussed here. Technorati Tags: freelance writing, professional […]

]]> By: Amrit Hallan - Content Blog http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-18213 Amrit Hallan - Content Blog Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:07:50 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-18213 You are absolutely right about collaborating with other freelancers. I often get plenty of writing assignments from web designers who either have no time to write themselves or don't have the required skill. You are absolutely right about collaborating with other freelancers. I often get plenty of writing assignments from web designers who either have no time to write themselves or don’t have the required skill.

]]> By: Frank http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-18142 Frank Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:29:59 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-18142 Right on Collin, Totally agree with you on all these points and especially number 2 : When was the last time you scanned your local or evening newspaper with your marketing hat on? As a freelancer (be it a writer, photographer, designer, etc), we are supposed to be our own accountants, marketers, developers and all those other qualifications that are necessary in running a business. So it goes without saying that wherever we find ourselves, we need to have our eyes wide open looking for opportunities. I once went to one of the main Optical shop in my country for my regular eye checkup and on looking around I realised that most of their in-house advertisements were out of date and substandard. So after my check-up, I asked to speak to the marketing manager and after a lengthy talk, I walked out with a contract to be in charge of their in-house marketing work Ofcourse you stand to get rejections at times, but what do you have to lose in the end? Right on Collin,

Totally agree with you on all these points and especially number 2 :

When was the last time you scanned your local or evening newspaper with your marketing hat on?

As a freelancer (be it a writer, photographer, designer, etc), we are supposed to be our own accountants, marketers, developers and all those other qualifications that are necessary in running a business. So it goes without saying that wherever we find ourselves, we need to have our eyes wide open looking for opportunities.

I once went to one of the main Optical shop in my country for my regular eye checkup and on looking around I realised that most of their in-house advertisements were out of date and substandard. So after my check-up, I asked to speak to the marketing manager and after a lengthy talk, I walked out with a contract to be in charge of their in-house marketing work

Ofcourse you stand to get rejections at times, but what do you have to lose in the end?

]]> By: Kuswanto http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-18038 Kuswanto Mon, 10 Mar 2008 04:24:53 +0000 http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/5-tips-for-marketing-your-freelance-writing-business/#comment-18038 This tips is working well, i have learn the hard way :-) , glad you write it down here. This tips is working well, i have learn the hard way :-) , glad you write it down here.

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