12 Low Cost or No-Cost Techniques to Snag Lucrative Freelance Writing Assignments ASAP
by Beth Ann Erickson
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No matter where you live, landing lucrative writing assignments
doesn’t need to be difficult. The secret to a profitable
freelance writing career is to start small and build it from
there. Another secret… you must remember to promote your
business on a REGULAR basis. Don’t shoot off a few ads or
letters, then wait three months before launch another campaign.
Promote your business DAILY.
So here’s your first technique: Approach your local newspaper
editor. Ask if they need a freelancer to cover city council,
school board, and/or county board meetings. If they do, you’re
on your way earning a living as a writer because you’re about to
earn tons of clips. You’ll also start making valuable business
contacts. More on that later….
Armed with your local clips, you can start approaching bigger
freelance markets. Markets like small and mid-sized magazines
that are hungry for new articles. Start querying them and wait
for their response.
(Technique 2)
While you’re waiting to hear from your magazine queries, chat
with few of the mayors, city council people, school board
members, etc. that you’ve met at your meetings. Most of them are
business people. Ask if they need a freelancer to update their
brochures, write ads or direct mail letters, or if they need a
writer-for-hire for a project they have brewing. You’d be
surprised how many business people will take you up on your
offer after they’ve witnessed your diligence and accuracy while
covering their meetings.
(Technique 3)
Now target local businesses and contact them. Offer to write
their marketing materials.
(Technique 4)
To start attracting more commercial clients, run a small ad in
your local paper. As your expertise increases, place more ads in
surrounding papers.
(Technique 5)
Join your local Chamber of Commerce. You’ll meet even more
business owners who may need a freelance writer and you’ll make
invaluable contacts.
(Technique 6)
Send out a direct mail piece advertising your writing services.
If you’re not comfortable writing direct mail, you can put
together a newsletter. Target the businesses you’d like to work
with and make sure you contact them on a regular basis.
(Technique 7)
Another technique to keep the money rolling in as a freelance
writer is to keep lots of irons in the fire. Along with the
magazine queries and copywriting, always have a book in the
works and send publishers proposals for it.
Another idea: I know one local freelancer who has cultivated a
devoted clientele who has her write all their correspondence…
including Christmas letters. Your projects are limited only by
your imagination.
(Technique 8)
Make goals each day. Decide how many queries you’ll send out.
Decide how many sales letters you’ll mail. How many words are
you going to write in your book? How many new contacts are you
going to make this week? Make your goals… then follow through
with them.
(Technique 9)
Ask and you may receive. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you
want. If you’re a stringer for your local newspaper, ask the
editor if it’s possible for them to run a small ad promoting
your business at a discount (after all you’re a staff writer.)
If you write for local businesses, ask them to recommend your
writing services to their friends.
(Technique 10)
Never tell anyone your phone number. GIVE it to them. Print a
bunch of business cards and whenever anyone asks for your phone
number, give them your card instead.
(Technique 11)
Network. Make friends in the freelance writing. Give each other
leads and help each other become the best writers you can be.
(Technique 12)
Carry your latest project with you. If you’ve written a book,
bring it wherever you go. If you just finished a big copywriting
project, have it nearby. Got an article in the latest issue of a
magazine or newspaper? Better bring it with you…. Nothing sparks
a conversation faster than “What ‘cha been up to lately?” Then,
next thing you know, you’ve got a prospective customer.
(Technique 13)
I know, I know… I promised twelve strategies to start making
money ASAP as a freelance writer. But I got on a roll and
thirteen (I’ve heard) is an unlucky number so here’s one more
strategy.
Read. Read everything you can get your hands on. If you write
novels, read novels. If you write direct mail, read EVERY piece
of direct mail that lands on your doorstep. If you write ads,
read ads. Read what your competition is writing. Read what your
friends are writing. Make note of what “works” for you and what
doesn’t. Then write something better.
Read e-mags that will help you make your writing as sharp as
possible. Perfect your craft, become the best writer you can be,
promote your business, and you’ll have more work than you can
handle.
So there you have it. Fourteen fantastic strategies to land
lucrative writing assignments and make a great living as a
freelance writer. The possibilities are endless. Find out what
works for you, then run with it. You just may find yourself
earning a very nice income.
About the author:
Beth Ann Erickson makes it easy to launch a successful freelance writing career. Learn the secrets to writing irresistible queries. To receive your free e-book, "Power Queries" visit:
http://FilbertPublishing.com
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