Mastering a talent like writing is not any simple feat and discovering ideas for touchdown a high-paying freelance writing job generally is a problem. Irrespective of in the event 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, unexpectedly. The place do you even begin? And the place do you discover jobs that truly pay you on your worth?
I’ve been freelancing for 15 years – eight of those had been whereas working a company 9-5, and the opposite seven have been fully full-time. Getting right here was an eye-opening battle on the planet of freelance writing, and I’ve actually realized a factor or two alongside the way in which.
With the intention to land high-paying freelance gigs, it’s vital to maintain just a few issues in thoughts to make sure that you stand out within the sea of one million rivals. Take into account that struggling, at first, is totally regular. Listed below are some strategies that may provide help to win your dream shoppers.
Ideas 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 pliability, the flexibility to work anyplace on the planet, and the number of issues that I be taught each day are only a handful of the priceless perks. Listed below are some tried-and-true ideas that will help you construct a stable, high-paying basis in your freelance writing profession:
1. Take a Freelance Writing Course
The primary approach to snag high-paying shoppers is to be one of the best within the biz. And the one approach to grasp your talent is to follow, be taught, follow, and be taught some extra. The writing world is consistently altering, and the extra you hone your abilities, the higher.
Contemplate taking a contract writing course to enhance your writing abilities, in no matter style you’re specializing in particularly, or simply concerning the freelance writing enterprise basically. 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. In case you use promo code GOATS25 and this hyperlink, you’ll obtain 25% off the course. Learn our full overview of the Knowadays Freelance Writing Course, and in the event you’re on the lookout for extra choices, see our record of the finest freelance writing programs on-line.
2. Study The right way to Pitch Your self
On this day in age, increasingly 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 just stand out when sending your cowl letter.
One of many greatest issues to remember, which could sound counterintuitive at first, is to focus your pitch on the corporate or shopper – moderately than your self. It may be tempting to create a canopy letter that explains why you’re an amazing match, your schooling, or your accomplishments, however doing that may ship your e mail straight to the trash.
As a substitute, use these accomplishments and schooling to explain the way it will profit them, the corporate. How can your abilities and expertise profit them particularly? Additionally, present them you’re an amazing match by giving particular examples of labor which might be much like what they’re on the lookout for.
3. Search Out a Nicely-Paying Trade
Once I first began freelance writing, I had goals of writing about tropical journey locations and being paid to go to those dreamy places. Though that might be potential if all the correct circumstances line up, it’s most likely unlikely, (hate to interrupt it to you).
You additionally may be annoyed by job postings that need to pay you $100 for a 3,000-word article, or $15 an hour to put in writing an extensively-researched article. Don’t promote your self quick!
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 be taught concerning the trade – belief me, it’s price it. You’ll have the prospect to leap from $150 for a submit to $150 an hour.
4. Increase Your Community
We’ve all heard the phrase, “It’s not what you already know, it’s who you already know”, and though it’s undoubtedly about what you already know… who you already know can undoubtedly provide help 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 mates, previous bosses, and many others. – and clarify what freelance providers you’re providing and if they might suggest your providers to anybody they know.
One other approach 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’d sound somewhat intimidating (and even ineffective) to ship a random e mail to an organization providing your providers, however you’d be shocked how effectively this may work – when accomplished appropriately. 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 may have frequent floor with the shopper, and use these factors to promote your self – how are you going so as to add worth to areas that may very well be perceived as “missing”?
One other essential factor to remember when sending a chilly pitch e mail is the significance of the topic line – it’s all the pieces. You would have essentially the most skillfully crafted e mail on the planet, but when your topic line doesn’t stand out, it will likely be deleted earlier than it’s even learn. Keep in mind, make it about them – not you.
6. Set up Your On-line Presence
Though it isn’t crucial, 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’ll be able to select to be lively on social media, resembling LinkedIn or Twitter. Or, you possibly can attain out to blogs within the area of interest you’re concerned in and ask in the event you can write a featured visitor submit. Nevertheless you will get your identify on the market, do it.
An vital 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, in the event you’re writing or tweeting about search engine marketing, clarify the way you’ve used it to profit shoppers previously, moderately than the way it might assist different freelancers.
7. Decide Your Content material Area of interest
Identical to discovering a distinct segment in your writing style, resembling tech or B2B, discovering a content material area of interest may help you earn extra money too. This could come within the type of weblog posts, case research, analysis reviews, 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 sort of content material is most desired, or deemed most vital, in that trade and grasp it.
When you may have a distinct segment specialty, it positions you as extra of an skilled inside the sector, and corporations are prepared to pay massive bucks for that experience. It additionally makes your portfolio look unbelievable.
8. Use Job Boards as a Software
Job boards may look like the apparent alternative when on the lookout for new shoppers. And when you ought to undoubtedly be scouring websites like ProBlogger, Certainly, or Superpath, for brand spanking new openings, there’s somewhat “trick” that may provide help to stand out within the crowd.
After you’ve discovered a possible shopper on a job board, and also you match no less than 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 e mail tackle. Then, ship them a customized e mail along with your curiosity within the job and your resume.
This works as a result of lots 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 e mail as well as. Ensure that to incorporate related samples and any spectacular previous shoppers which might be in the identical trade.
9. Be part of On-line Communities
One in all my favourite issues about working as a contract author is the large on-line neighborhood and unbelievable comradery. Becoming a member of these digital communities is a good way to fulfill new freelance mates, trade ideas, and share open jobs with shoppers.
By looking Fb, Reddit, or different channels for freelance writing communities, you possibly can share your providers, charges, and what your dream shopper may seem like. You’ll be able to even converse to different freelancers who’re doing the work you’d wish to be doing to realize perception.
What’s cool about these communities is that they’ll create actual friendships and bonds. I’ve ended up assembly different fellow journey bloggers internationally 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 utilize that to your benefit when accomplished politely. In case 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 might introduce you.
Being launched by a trusted and dependable ally can go a great distance and tends to construct extra belief proper off the bat. In actual fact, high-paying shoppers usually tend to rent primarily based on referrals versus different strategies.
In case you do find yourself receiving an introduction, be sure you 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 prime ideas for touchdown high-paid freelance writing jobs will assist launch your writing profession.
The freelance writing world is consistently altering, and new genres pop up yearly with rising developments and know-how. By adapting and evolving with the instances, you’ll all the time have a high-paying profession which you could be pleased with.
