If you’re a freelance writer you know all about marketing your work with the query letter. Don’t forget that you’re a business person as well as a writer. It’s important to run your freelance business just as you would any other home business. Keep good records, and work from a business plan. Set up a proper marketing plan too.
Don’t neglect your administrative duties, save your receipts, record all query letters, work sent out and payments received so you aren’t scrambling at tax time to find records of all your deductions and income.
Set up your marketing plan and devote time each day to some aspect of marketing and don’t quit if you get busy with writing. Even when you have more jobs than you can handle keep your name out there. You can always refer extra work to someone else and hopefully by doing so, you may get referrals from other freelancers when they get swamped and you’re scratching for work.
Here are some tips to get you going.
- News Releases: Get in the habit of distributing regular news releases. To create attention getting releases, find something newsworthy to say about your writing services or your book. Have you won an award? Are you giving interviews or doing a book signing? If you haven’t got anything lined up, why not brainstorm and create an event?
- Create an event: Don’t wait for new to happen, got right out and make it happen. Have a contest with your book or a service as the prize.
- Interview someone: Find someone who has done something newsworthy and do an interview about the experience. Interview anyone in the world through the Internet or find someone newsworthy in your local community. Submit your story to appropriate sections of the newspaper, a related online newsletter or query one of the print magazines.
- Get your business cards: Create your own unique business card with all your contact information and don’t forget to list your website address. ALWAYS carry a supply of cards with you wherever you go. When someone asks what you do, present them with one of your cards.
- Create a logo for your book or business: Brand yourself! If you aren’t artistic, it is well worth the money to have your logo created by a graphic artist. Use it on your website, business cards and all
- Network Online: Join discussion groups and forums: don’t go overboard or you’ll spend all day just surfing and chatting but do find discussion groups that will introduce you to fellow business owners online. Also seek out boards that are frequented by your target market. Don’t be obvious and blatantly advertise your wares, but if a signature is allowed, be sure to have a discreet tag line with your name and URL. Offer your expertise on the board and reply to questions from the group. Ask questions too, and always answer every message posted to you.
- Have your blurb ready: When someone asks you what you do, can you tell them in 75 words or less? Create a very short explanation of your writing services or your book that you can rattle off as you hand out your business card. Stress benefits not features.
- Develop a short workshop or seminar: Local service clubs are always looking for speakers, do something different and work up a short presentation about your book topic, or some aspect of writing. You may also find local businesses that will give you space to hold short seminars.
- Send out a newsletter: Publish a newsletter or ezine relating to your business or novel theme. Make sure it is not just all about you. Along with your company or book news, provide helpful tips or advice for your subscribers.
- Maintain a lively website: Create a website and keep it updated with interesting tidbits for your visitors. Offer chats and discussion boards to keep your visitors coming back if you have time to monitor them.
Of course, there are many ways to market, some are fun and some are not so fun. Do what you feel comfortable doing and read up on marketing techniques.
You’ll also gain by visiting websites of other freelancers to see what they’re doing on their websites. You may get some good ideas that you can adapt for your own marketing plan.