Mastering a talent like writing is not any simple feat and discovering suggestions for touchdown a high-paying freelance writing job could be a problem. Irrespective of when you’re a pure, a seasoned author, or a self-taught wizard of phrases, beginning your freelance writing profession might be thrilling, overwhelming, and irritating, suddenly. The place do you even begin? And the place do you discover jobs that truly pay you to your worth?
I’ve been freelancing for 15 years – eight of those have been whereas working a company 9-5, and the opposite seven have been utterly full-time. Getting right here was an eye-opening wrestle on this planet of freelance writing, and I’ve actually realized a factor or two alongside the way in which.
In an effort to land high-paying freelance gigs, it’s necessary to maintain a couple of issues in thoughts to make sure that you stand out within the sea of 1,000,000 opponents. Take into account that struggling, to start with, is totally regular. Listed below are some strategies that may enable you to win your dream shoppers.
Suggestions For Touchdown Excessive-Paid Freelance Writing Jobs
I couldn’t be extra grateful for my freelance writing profession and generally need to pinch myself that it’s actual. The flexibleness, the flexibility to work wherever on this planet, and the number of issues that I study on daily basis are only a handful of the priceless perks. Listed below are some tried-and-true suggestions that can assist you construct a strong, high-paying basis in your freelance writing profession:
1. Take a Freelance Writing Course
The primary strategy to snag high-paying shoppers is to be one of the best within the biz. And the one strategy to grasp your talent is to follow, study, follow, and study some extra. The writing world is continually altering, and the extra you hone your expertise, the higher.
Think about taking a contract writing course to enhance your writing expertise, in no matter style you’re specializing in particularly, or simply concerning the freelance writing enterprise generally. Data is energy, and it additionally equals greenback indicators.
The Freelance Author Course by Knowadays is accredited, self-paced, and provides 50 hours of tutor time. When you use promo code GOATS25 and this hyperlink, you’ll obtain 25% off the course. Learn our full assessment of the Knowadays Freelance Writing Course, and when you’re searching for extra choices, see our record of the greatest freelance writing programs on-line.
2. Be taught How you can Pitch Your self
On this day in age, increasingly more individuals are looking for methods to make an earnings on-line, and freelance writing is actually one of many extra standard avenues. When hundreds of individuals have their eyes on the identical job listings, it’s essential that you simply stand out when sending your cowl letter.
One of many greatest issues to bear in mind, which could sound counterintuitive at first, is to focus your pitch on the corporate or shopper – reasonably than your self. It may be tempting to create a canopy letter that explains why you’re an ideal match, your schooling, or your accomplishments, however doing that may ship your electronic mail straight to the trash.
As an alternative, use these accomplishments and schooling to explain the way it will profit them, the corporate. How can your expertise and expertise profit them particularly? Additionally, present them you’re an ideal match by giving particular examples of labor which might be just like what they’re searching for.
3. Search Out a Properly-Paying Business
Once I first began freelance writing, I had desires of writing about tropical journey locations and being paid to go to those dreamy areas. Though that could be potential if all the precise circumstances line up, it’s in all probability unlikely, (hate to interrupt it to you).
You additionally could be pissed off by job postings that wish to pay you $100 for a 3,000-word article, or $15 an hour to jot down an extensively-researched article. Don’t promote your self brief!
Beat the sport by specializing in a sure area of interest. For instance, the tech and cybersecurity industries are by far the highest-paying, however it’ll take time and dedication to study concerning the trade – belief me, it’s value it. You’ll have the prospect to leap from $150 for a put up to $150 an hour.
4. Develop Your Community
We’ve all heard the phrase, “It’s not what you recognize, it’s who you recognize”, and though it’s undoubtedly about what you recognize… who you recognize can undoubtedly enable you to land some high quality shoppers. Increase your private community can up your probabilities of discovering long-term, high-paying shoppers.
Begin by sending messages to your present contacts – former co-workers, household pals, previous bosses, and many others. – and clarify what freelance companies you’re providing and if they may suggest your companies to anybody they know.
One other strategy to develop your skilled community is to attach with different freelancers in social media teams, attend particular occasions which might be tied to your area of interest, and community regionally by merely pitching your self in informal dialog. You by no means know who has a hook-up!
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Chilly Pitch
It would sound slightly intimidating (and even ineffective) to ship a random electronic mail to an organization providing your companies, however you’d be stunned how properly this will work – when executed accurately. Chilly pitching is the time period for mainly “promoting your self” to potential shoppers with none immediate to take action, apart from your curiosity.
The key key in emailing a dream shopper is to personalize it as a lot as potential – to them, to not your self. Do your analysis and see the place you’ve got widespread floor with the shopper, and use these factors to promote your self – how are you going so as to add worth to areas that could possibly be perceived as “missing”?
One other essential factor to bear in mind when sending a chilly pitch electronic mail is the significance of the topic line – it’s every thing. You may have essentially the most skillfully crafted electronic mail on this planet, but when your topic line doesn’t stand out, it is going to be deleted earlier than it’s even learn. Bear in mind, make it about them – not you.
6. Set up Your On-line Presence
Though it isn’t mandatory, having a web-based presence as a freelancer can solely enhance your odds of getting new shoppers. The extra channels you’re part of – the higher.
You may select to be lively on social media, equivalent to LinkedIn or Twitter. Or, you’ll be able to attain out to blogs within the area of interest you’re concerned in and ask when you can write a featured visitor put up. Nonetheless you may get your title on the market, do it.
An necessary factor to recollect when creating content material (on whichever channel you select) is to cater it to potential shoppers, not solely to fellow freelancers. For instance, when you’re writing or tweeting about search engine marketing, clarify the way you’ve used it to profit shoppers up to now, reasonably than the way it may assist different freelancers.
7. Decide Your Content material Area of interest
Identical to discovering a distinct segment in your writing style, equivalent to tech or B2B, discovering a content material area of interest will help you earn extra money too. This will come within the type of weblog posts, case research, analysis experiences, or touchdown pages.
Specializing in content material that helps a enterprise earn income or achieve visibility goes to be far more profitable than content material that doesn’t. Ask your self what kind of content material is most desired, or deemed most necessary, in that trade and grasp it.
When you’ve got a distinct segment specialty, it positions you as extra of an professional inside the sector, and firms are prepared to pay huge bucks for that experience. It additionally makes your portfolio look unbelievable.
8. Use Job Boards as a Software
Job boards would possibly appear to be the apparent alternative when searching for new shoppers. And when you ought to undoubtedly be scouring websites like ProBlogger, Certainly, or Superpath, for brand spanking new openings, there’s slightly “trick” that may enable you to stand out within the crowd.
After you’ve discovered a possible shopper on a job board, and also you match at the very least 80% of their {qualifications}, it’s time to begin doing a little analysis. Go to the corporate’s web site and monitor down the HR or hiring supervisor’s electronic mail handle. Then, ship them a customized electronic mail along with your curiosity within the job and your resume.
This works as a result of tons of of individuals are going to fill out the appliance from the job board, however only a few will take the time to ship a customized electronic mail as well as. Make sure that to incorporate related samples and any spectacular previous shoppers which might be in the identical trade.
9. Be a part of On-line Communities
Considered one of my favourite issues about working as a contract author is the huge on-line neighborhood and unimaginable comradery. Becoming a member of these digital communities is a good way to satisfy new freelance pals, alternate suggestions, and share open jobs with shoppers.
By looking Fb, Reddit, or different channels for freelance writing communities, you’ll be able to share your companies, charges, and what your dream shopper would possibly appear like. You may even converse to different freelancers who’re doing the work you’d wish to be doing to achieve perception.
What’s cool about these communities is that they will create actual friendships and bonds. I’ve ended up assembly different fellow journey bloggers the world over due to these teams – it’s the magic of the web.
10. Ask for an Intro
Talking of gathering perception from fellow freelancers, you should use that to your benefit when executed politely. When you occur to know somebody who works for or is aware of the shopper you’re making an attempt to land, ask them if they may introduce you.
Being launched by a trusted and dependable ally can go a good distance and tends to construct extra belief proper off the bat. The truth is, high-paying shoppers usually tend to rent primarily based on referrals versus different strategies.
When you do find yourself receiving an introduction, you should definitely thank the one who launched you and return the favor everytime you’re ready to take action.
In Conclusion
Your freelance writing profession doesn’t need to be mundane, (or too demanding), and unfulfilling whereas being provided low pay. Your profession might be rewarding, enjoyable, and profitable with just a bit little bit of effort and analysis. Hopefully, these high suggestions for touchdown high-paid freelance writing jobs will assist launch your writing profession.
The freelance writing world is continually altering, and new genres pop up yearly with rising traits and expertise. By adapting and evolving with the instances, you’ll all the time have a high-paying profession which you could be happy with.