I as soon as recorded a podcast episode with Seth Godin the place we talked about storytelling. Throughout our dialog, he made a degree that I assumed was fascinating in the case of discovering higher freelance writing shoppers.

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 all the things we do. We inform a narrative with the tone of our voice on a podcast and the colour selections 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.

Easy methods to discover freelance writing shoppers

Some companies inform scary or ugly tales. Plenty of companies inform boring ones. Seth received me eager about the weather that I imagine inform a extra inviting story for a writing enterprise — the form of story that draws extra terrific freelance writing shoppers and higher income.

When you’re a skilled author, after all it’s essential write properly. However it isn’t simply potential that makes a author profitable — it’s additionally sensible positioning. It’s the implied story that your online business tells.

Listed below are my ideas on 5 “story components” that enable you appeal to the fitting freelance writing shoppers, on the proper pricing, in the fitting numbers.

Story component #1: Your Voice

For any enterprise, however notably for a author, the voice of your advertising and marketing is without doubt one of the most necessary story components you could have.

What does that seem like in your website immediately? Do you sound stiff and formal, or free 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 shoppers.

The alternatives you make invite the form of freelance writing shoppers 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 would possibly really feel appealingly detail-oriented to you.

Since you’re a professional, you could have extra management over your varieties of tone in writing than common individuals do. Use that ability to convey the sorts of qualities you wish to see extra of in your shoppers.

Story component #2: Your Web site

Prospects immediately don’t simply need wordsmiths — in addition they need content material advertising and marketing strategists. (Whether or not or not that’s the phrase they might use.) Terrific freelance writing shoppers need writers who perceive how the online works immediately.

It’s arduous to come back throughout as knowledgeable and web-savvy when your website design appears 10 years old-fashioned.

You don’t should chase each design development, however you do want your website to look present, uncluttered, and contemporary.

Story component #3: Your Pricing

Value is without doubt 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 a whole lot of shoppers select and even like.

However belief me …

You do not need your freelance writing shoppers to consider you because the Two-Buck Chuck of copywriting

As a way to earn a living as a contract author, you promote companies … which suggests 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 arduous to get very, excellent, so that you spend as little time in “Two-Buck Chuck” territory as attainable.

Crummy shoppers need low cost writers to supply generic CRaP that, honestly, nobody notably desires to learn anyway.

Terrific freelance writing shoppers need skilled writers to supply great phrases that delight and serve their clients.

Two very totally different tales. The second is far more enjoyable.

Story component #4: Your Specialization

That is the place a whole lot of good writers begin after they’re eager about their positioning — and it’s an ideal story component.

None of us is nice at all the things. What are you nice at? What might you change into nice at?

After I determined to change into a contract author, I selected to specialise in electronic mail newsletters, autoresponders, and different content material that nurtured relationships with prospects.

I’m actually good at that form of writing. I’ve a whole lot of expertise with it, which permits me to work effectively. I take pleasure in doing it. And shoppers wished it. It was simple for shoppers 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 shoppers wished, and what I might produce effectively and properly.

A lot of sensible freelancers concentrate on strong topical ecosystems, like healthcare or regulation or expertise. They keep on top of things, to allow them to write with authority on these subjects. They usually command charges which might be considerably increased than a “jack of all trades” author can.

Story component #5: Your Professionalism

This one is de facto old-fashioned … and actually necessary.

When shoppers go away a question in your “Contact Us” kind … do you get again to them? How lengthy does it take you? Do you could have a stable 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 shopper’s fiftieth piece with you as you probably did once you began working collectively?

Anybody who works with a whole lot of freelancers will inform you:

Reliability is a matter. When shoppers discover a author who does what she says she’s going to do, each time, it makes a serious impression.

Reply to shopper 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 shoppers proper now? Arrange a fast ready checklist in your website. Add a easy electronic mail autoresponder to allow them to know you’ll join as quickly as you could have the time to offer them your full skilled consideration.

While you wish to appeal to and retain terrific freelance writing shoppers, it’s essential maintain them just like the treasures they’re. It’s going to get seen.

Your writing could 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 and marketing — you get to decide on.