Eight Reasons Clients Hire Freelance Writers

If you’re a freelance writer, you’re essentially operating a small business, and like any small business owner, you need to market your services to potential clients. But your clients are writers, too. They learned to read and write in school, just as you and everyone else did. So if your clients can write, why do they need your services? Why don’t they just do the writing themselves?
Compare yourself to other types of freelancers. Not everyone has the artistic eye to be a graphic designer. And not everyone can comprehend computer languages to work as a freelance programmer. Likewise, photographers know their way around complex, high-end equipment, and illustrators have spent years practicing with pen and ink to make images come to life. Most every freelancer has specific talent, training, or expertise unique to his or her specialty.
But with freelance writers, the situation is different. Although literacy may not be universal (unfortunately), it is universal in the world of business. The ability to write is not unique. So if your clients can handle the writing themselves, why would they come to you? What exactly are you selling?
Knowing why your clients are hiring you is a key to satisfying them and earning repeat business and referrals. Not every client or situation is the same, but here are eight things that clients might be looking for when they hire you:
1. Good writing Sure, anyone who finished school can tap out words on a keyboard, but that doesn’t mean their writing is coherent, flowing, convincing, or communicative. You indeed do have an expertise. This is it.
2. Organizational abilities As a writer, you work with ideas. You can help the client figure out how to structure information, whether the project at hand entails a website, a brochure, or a report.
3. Your love of writing Your clients have the ability to write, but they might hate every aspect of the writing process. You’re a writer because you love it.
4. Proper grammar Spelling and grammatical mistakes in business communications can make a professional look unprofessional. Furthermore, many people are intimidated by grammatical rules. It’s a good thing you’re not.
5. Time Maybe your client could handle a piece of writing him or herself and do an excellent job at it, but that doesn’t mean writing is the best use of their time. They need to delegate writing tasks to you so they can focus on other aspects of their jobs.
6. Research Every writer knows that writing isn’t all about wordsmithing. At the foundation of great writing is knowledge. If you’re writing an article, you’ll need to research facts and talk to sources. Even copywriting calls for research into the product, the market, and the competition.
7. Fresh ideas Your clients live and breathe their business every day. They can become so enmeshed in a topic, they need an outsider’s perspective. It’s up to you to provide it.
8. Speed You’re undoubtedly a faster writer than your clients are so they’ll call on you for a quick turnaround. But if a deadline is unreasonably tight, don’t be afraid to add on a rush charge.