If you’re like me, you’ve probably considered becoming a freelance writer in the business industry. But if you’re also like me, that’s about as far as it’s gone: The thought has fluttered around your mind and then vanished into thin air.
However, I’m now convinced that making the jump to working as a freelance writer or any kind of freelancer within the business sector is not only possible but also one of the most rewarding career moves I’ve ever made.
My day is my own; I can work in pajamas or on a beach in Panama, and no one can tell me what to do. (I’m still figuring out how to be my boss.) Here are some tips for making this lifestyle a reality:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Explore the business industry to identify potential niches. |
| 2. Build a strong portfolio showcasing relevant writing samples. |
| 3. Network and connect with businesses seeking freelance writers. |
| 4. Research industry trends and topics to stay relevant. |
| 5. Develop excellent communication skills for client interactions. |
| 6. Deliver high-quality work to build a positive reputation. |
| 7. Stay organized and manage time effectively for multiple projects. |
| 8. Continuous learning and improvement are key to success. |
Define Your Goals
Now you have a list of all the things you want to do and be. The next step is to take a closer look at each goal and think about how it can move forward.
Define your goals:
Write them down on paper or type them up in an Excel spreadsheet, then organize them in a way that makes sense to you. It could be by priority, by type of writing (industry, travel), or some combination thereof.
Set a timeframe for each goal: When do you want to accomplish this? In which month? Next year? How long will it take? This will help keep you focused and motivated when life gets busy or boring or frustrating and trust us when we tell you life gets all three.
If nothing else, knowing exactly what needs doing will give everyone involved yourself included a sense of purpose and direction while they wait patiently for their time under the spotlight (or at least until there’s enough sunlight). Make sure everything is measurable:
Whether your goal involves writing five articles per week or building an audience from scratch, make sure there’s something concrete happening over time so that both parties (you and those paying) know whether progress is being made toward achieving the said goal(s).
For example: “I want more than 100 followers on Twitter by December 31st” versus “I want more than 100 followers.” The first one tells us exactly how many people need us most; the second doesn’t tell us anything about its success rate because it doesn’t mention what kind of follower count would qualify as “success.”
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Do What You Love
If you want to be a freelance writer, it’s important to do what you love.
Before we go any further, let’s discuss why this is so important. First of all, when we do something that brings us joy and fulfillment, the time flies by because we’re enjoying ourselves.
And if our work is enjoyable enough, it becomes therapeutic it can help us cope with stress or anxiety and even make us happier overall. Plus (and this is an oft-neglected point), when you do what you love, chances are good that other people will enjoy it too!
Your friends know what makes your heart sing; they’ll tell their friends; those friends will tell theirs…the point is: passion projects have momentum and eventually they’ll catch on nationwide (or worldwide).
Make A Plan Of Attack
Once you’ve assessed the market and determined the niche you want to fill, the next step is to make a plan of attack. Here’s what I’d do if I were just starting:
Find clients. Write down your skills, strengths, and areas of expertise in your business field so that when potential clients come knocking, you can be prepared with a list of services that are right for them.
Build a website or portfolio site (if you haven’t already). This is essential because it’s how potential clients will get their first impression of who you are and why they should hire you!
It should showcase not only your writing work but also any other creative projects or experiences that relate directly back to writing in general – like blogging about topics relevant to your field or creating graphics for social media posts (which shows off another skill set).
Start With The Why And List Of Your Desired Clients
The next step is to define your goals. What is yours why? What are your desired clients? Do you want to be a career writer, or do you want to write as a side gig while working another job?
Are there any companies that you wish would hire someone like yourself, but haven’t yet reached out to?
What are the points of differentiation between what you offer and what other writers offer in the same industry space? How will this help set yourself apart from other writers who might be competing for the same clientele as you?
If possible, try to get an idea of who your target market is going to be so that when it comes time for pitching yourself and selling yourself as a freelance writer (more on that later).
It will feel more authentic and genuine when selling yourself into their world as opposed to just selling any old thing without knowing who they are or what they’re looking for.
Again keep this list relatively short; if necessary add more details later on down the road once we start building up our portfolio with some sample articles first.
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Cultivate A Writing Habit That Works For You
As a writer, your schedule is one of the most important things to consider when you’re looking to make money from freelance writing. It’s also one of the easiest ways to keep yourself accountable and motivated.
Find a time of day that works for you and stick with it. For example, if you know that you’re the most productive first thing in the morning or after work, set aside those hours as your designated writing times.
If mornings are already booked up with other responsibilities, try going out for lunch at an outside table or getting up an hour early so that there aren’t any distractions around while writing (or whatever other activities might be keeping you from focusing).
Even if it means missing out on something fun like socializing with friends or checking Facebook every five minutes you know what? Those things can wait!
You need some downtime anyway; otherwise, there’d be no point in trying to recharge your batteries each evening by turning off all electronics for an hour or two before bedtime.
So that they don’t interfere with good restful sleep later on down the road when stress levels begin creeping back up again due to lack of exercise/fresh air exposure during daylight hours spent indoors away from nature’s healing effects (etcetera).
Research And Build A List Of Potential Clients
The first step in becoming a freelance writer is to decide who you want to work with. This can be done by looking at your own experience and what you love doing, or it can be as simple as going through Google and searching for “business” jobs in your area.
The key here is not just finding people who need writing, but also finding opportunities where the client has a budget for your services, a need for your services, willingness to pay for them, and will refer others if they are happy with their work.
Find Out Your Point Of Differentiation
Most freelancers are in the same boat as you they have a skill set, they know how to use it and they’re looking for clients. The difference between you and other freelancers is your point of differentiation.
You need to decide what makes you unique. What can you offer that others can’t? How will the client benefit from hiring someone like you? What do they get out of working with someone who knows how to do what you do?
For example:
If my goal was to write about business for an audience of entrepreneurs, I would be able to help them with their content marketing strategy.
Because I’m well-versed in SEO (search engine optimization) and know how to create engaging copy that converts visitors into leads and customers.
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Write Some Killer Samples
Write some killer samples. If you’re hoping to work as a freelance writer in the business industry, you should have a few articles that show how well you can write and how well your writing style matches up with the style of the industry.
You need to be able to show that you can write the type of content that clients want and also make it clear that your writing will help them sell more stuff.
Your samples should be relevant to what people are looking for in this space. You might write something about management, sales tactics, or marketing strategy whatever it is that’s hot right now in this niche market!
Bring Your Portfolio Online
The best way to make sure your portfolio is consistent with your brand is to keep it on a website or app that lets you upload and organize all of your work.
If you have a strong portfolio, people will want to hire you because they know what kind of quality they’re getting. It’s also important that you can share your portfolio with others in the industry, like employers and clients.
Make sure the site has an intuitive interface so that anyone visiting can easily find their way around it this isn’t just for clients who may need advice from time to time, but also for colleagues (who might be looking at each other’s work) as well as job seekers themselves!
Join The Conversation On Social Media And Forums
Social media is an excellent way to connect with other writers and stay up-to-date on industry news. You can also use social media to market yourself, whether by sharing your latest articles or writing samples or by promoting your services as a freelance writer.
Additionally, social media has become an integral part of most businesses marketing strategies.
As such, businesses are increasingly using social media platforms for hiring purposes as well as for customer service which means that if you want clients to hire you, you must have a presence on these platforms!
Don’t be afraid to branch out beyond the business industry: while it may seem strange at first glance (and might even feel like a waste of time).
Connecting with clients outside of the business industry will not only broaden your list of potential employers but also give you exposure to those companies and any others that share similar interests or values!
Land Your First Client
If you’re serious about getting your first client, there are several ways to find one. Some will require more time or effort than others, but it’s worth putting in the effort if you want to build a successful freelance writing business. Here are some ways you can land your first client:
Ask for referrals from existing clients. If you’re already working as a freelance writer and have been for some time, chances are that many of your current clients will also be happy to refer business to other writers they know and trust.
That’s because when a client is happy with the work done by their preferred writer, they’ll often recommend them to colleagues who may need similar services (or sometimes even return themselves).
Use social media networks like LinkedIn and Twitter to connect with other writers online and especially those who work in industries related to yours!
Many businesses have teams dedicated solely to content production so look out for these groups on LinkedIn or Facebook groups that share similar interests as yourself;
This way it’ll be easy for them to see what kind of experience (and expertise) you bring concerning creating content and hopefully get excited enough about this information so much so that they decide right away whether or not hiring someone like yourself would make sense based solely off what he/she has provided thus far through social media platforms alone!
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Get Clients Through Referrals (And Keep Them Coming)
The best way to find clients is through referrals. If a client like your work, they’ll tell their friends and colleagues about your services. This can help generate new business for you and build your reputation in the field.
You can get referrals from people you know coworkers, friends, and family members which often results in loyal clients because they trust those who referred you to them.
But it’s also possible that there are people out there who aren’t aware of your work because they don’t know any freelancers or writers personally but still need assistance with their company’s marketing strategy or social media presence.
In these cases, all it takes is one good conversation with someone who does know something about marketing (or just has an open mind), and suddenly the world is full of new potential clients!
Focus On Clients That You Can Help. Use Social Media To Connect With Other Writers, Stay Current, And Market Yourself
In the business world, you must remind yourself that your clients are looking for someone who can make their work easier. You’re not just another writer; you should be able to provide value beyond just your words.
If someone comes to me looking for help with their marketing strategy and needs a blog post on sales techniques, I know how to write that blog post. It’s easy because it’s what I do every day!
But if someone comes to me looking for help with their marketing strategy and needs a blog post on social media strategies, I’m going to suggest they find another writer.
That’s not my area of expertise and even if it were, I’d want them focused on what they need rather than having them waste time trying to learn something new while they try getting my services (which aren’t cheap).
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Conclusion
We talked about what a freelance writer does, how to get started as a freelance writer, and how to build and maintain relationships with clients.
By now you should have a better understanding of how you can use your writing skills to help businesses communicate effectively with their target audience.
If you’re still not sure where to begin, check out our guide on how to create your first proposal for a client or find an example of what other writers have done in the past. When it comes time for you to write your blog posts, we recommend finding inspiration from
Further Reading
Indeed – How to Become a Freelance Writer: A comprehensive guide on starting a career as a freelance writer, covering essential steps and tips for success.
Eleven Writing – How to Become a Freelance Writer with No Experience: Learn how to break into freelancing even if you have no prior experience, with practical advice and actionable steps.
MasterClass – How to Become a Freelance Writer: Expert insights and strategies from seasoned writers to help you kickstart your freelance writing journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Become A Freelance Writer?
Well, this is the most common question we get at [company name]. The first step is to do your research! Find out what publications are looking for writers in your area of expertise, and what kind of content they’re publishing.
You can start with our list of top publications and reach out to see if they currently have any openings. If they don’t, keep checking back new opportunities are always popping up!
What Should I Write About?
There are two ways to approach this question: what you love doing, or what you’re good at doing. If you love writing about something that isn’t related to your day job (and it doesn’t feel like work), then go for it!
But if you’re more comfortable writing about something related to your current job, that’s fine too. It’s all about finding topics that excite you and making sure that people find them interesting enough to read!
How Much Money Do I Make?
While there’s no way for us to predict how much money someone will make as a freelance writer it depends on their experience level and the type of content they produce our average writer earns $15 per hour
How Do I Become A Freelance Writer In The Business Industry?
You can start by writing a cover letter and resume, applying for jobs on job sites like Indeed or Monster, and reaching out to companies directly. You can also try writing an article or blog post on topics related to your field of interest.
How Much Does It Cost To Become A Freelance Writer?
It depends on how much you work and how much experience you have. If you’re just starting, you may end up making around $25 per article. As you gain experience, this can increase up to $100 per article or more depending on your niche and experience level.
What Kinds Of Jobs Are Available?
There are many different kinds of jobs available as a freelancer including web content writing, article writing, blog post writing, e-book writing as well as many others!
These positions are usually full time or part-time with benefits such as health insurance or paid vacations depending on where they’re located within the U.S.,
Canada or overseas countries like England where I’m currently living now while working remotely from home while raising my kids on my own without any help from anyone else except myself so far which is why I know what it feels like
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.