The Top 8 Concerns Of Prospective Writing Clients

Hiring a solid freelance writer presents a daunting challenge for any business owner, especially if unschooled in the intricacies of the web. As the poor, oppressed wordsmiths on the other side of the proverbial stick, however, we naturally possess a biased perspective on the matter, seeing only the hardheaded and ungrateful clients we sometimes take them for.
But your biases can damage your business if left uncontrolled.
To succeed as a freelancer, get inside the mind of your prospects and see the industry from their point of view. Address concerns before clients bring them up (many will not have the gumption) and you will drastically improve your acceptance ratio. Empathy separates you from the pack.
So what concerns take precedence in a client’s mind when hiring new writing help?
1. Poor English
As bizarre as this might sound, a huge proportion of online freelance writers don’t speak or write English very well (and yes, I’m referring to writers of English content). I know it sounds absurd, but ambitious third-world (mostly) citizens seeking new ways to bring in extra cash somehow decided writing articles in English fits the bill perfectly.
Don’t get me wrong – I commend anyone looking to better their situation, but much more sensible options exist for these people, like web design or secretarial work, for instance…
“Professional” writers often send in articles full of grammar mistakes, spelling errors, and awkward phrasings, causing tremendous frustration to clients. Many more-experienced buyers even state in their bids that they only want writers from the UK or the US, though the statement rarely dissuades foreigner writers from bidding.
Confront the issue by just being blunt when bidding jobs, stating your status as a US or UK born, native English-speaking writer. Why let them wonder? After all, being an English-speaking writer in a market overrun by non-fluent writers creates a huge advantage in your favor.
I wish I was joking, but this is the actual condition of the market.
Also, put your address and location on all freelance writing profiles, as well as your website. If, like me, you run your online writing business from the road, maintain an address back home for this reason. You can even get an online number with an area code of your choice through Skype.
Of course, I explain on my website that I run my business from various global locations, as I don’t want to mislead clients, but the extra measures taken to maintain a U.S. presence ease their minds.
2. Fake Examples
These same non-native writers sometimes rely on fake examples to bypass the challenge of, well, lacking English writing skills. They steal these article examples off other writers, or in other cases they may even pay a better writer to provide them (typically not telling them the purpose).
Therefore, when you show a client work and it comes up as written by another author, a huge red flag goes up. So never use examples that are posted elsewhere under another name, which might be the case if you ghostwrite them for a previous client (by the way, you cannot use ghostwritten articles as examples without permission).
Also, when you submit articles to directories, publishers post them on their own sites (as that’s the whole point). But if a prospect searches for your example article, finds it in another location, and doesn’t take the time to read down to the resource box, they may get the wrong idea.
For further reassurance, tell clients you’re available for a chat via Skype or phone – they might not take you up on the offer, and I honestly prefer they don’t as it eats up my time, but the willingness shows you have nothing to hide.
3. Failure to Meet Deadlines
Clients deal with a lot of writers who cannot make deadlines to save their lives. For some reason, lack of punctuality is a defining characteristic of wordsmiths – even well-paid writers push due dates to the last minute.
I personally state in all bids that I understand and value the necessity for deadlines. Voicing your assurance helps a lot, and when stressed enough in marketing materials, punctuality offers an excellent unique selling point.
Follow through on your promise by turning in the articles a day or two early for the first couple jobs, and as you build trust with clients, their concerns will dissipate.
Not to mention word of a reliable writer spreads fast.
4. No Expertise
Being a qualified writer doesn’t make you qualified to write on every client’s behalf. Many clients would rather find an okay writer with expertise in their niche than the best writer out there. Always tailor your bids specifically for each job – don’t use a bland, template bid without personalizing it first, unless the job description gives no hint to the subject at hand.
Bid on jobs in niches where you really do have some insider knowledge, and explain why you’re the right candidate for the job; sell yourself. When you get the bidding right, your prospects, upon discovering you, should express excitement at their fortune in coming across the perfect candidate for the project.
Specialize in a select few niches and become that perfect candidate.