Increase Your Chances Of Landing Private Clients

Writing for money with content sites such as Demand Media Studios is not the only online writing you should be going after. As I have mentioned before, you shouldn’t place all your eggs in one basket. Private clients pay much better than the content sites and the writing can be a lot less stressful. Job boards are available, as is Craigslist, to find people looking for freelance writers to create web content. Just as there are a number of people looking for writers, there are also a number of writers looking for private clients. You need to stand out from the rest and increase your chances of landing those private clients.
Create A Portfolio
Almost any ad for freelance writers is going to ask for samples of your writing. Your portfolio does not necessarily need to be published clips from newspapers or magazines. Remember, these clients are looking for freelance web writers. Create some articles at Associated Content, The Chronicle and other sites. Make the articles that you want to provide in your portfolio your best work. These are reflections of what you are capable of writing and the quality you can produce for a client to meet their needs.
Follow Directions
Read the ad thoroughly and follow the directions to the letter for applying to the position. If the Craigslist ad asks you to respond to a separate email address and you respond to Craigslist posting address, you are not going to hear from a client. Some potential clients don’t want attachments in the email and want samples in the body of the email. If you cannot follow the directions in the ad, how is a client supposed to expect that you will follow directions for their work?
Match Your Skills For The Client
Work is hard to come by, but trying to apply for a type of writing you have never done before is not the way to gain more work. If the ad is asking for somebody with extensive knowledge of iPads and you have never seen one before, don’t apply for the gig. Instead look for gigs that match your current skill set and continue your education and development to gain more skill sets. Most online ads are looking for people to write simple promotional articles or blog postings around a particular niche. There are those that are looking for someone to create white papers and press releases. Apply for those jobs that you know you can do well. Look for educational opportunities to increase your writing skill sets and broaden your scope of writing.
Don’t Ask For Any More Details
Some ads are going to be vague and others are going to have way more information than necessary. Do not reply to an ad asking for more information, even if the ad says, “For more information send an email to XYXineedawriter.com.” The reason is simple. They have a problem and YOU are the solution. Simply apply for the gig stating your qualifications as a writer and describe how you can benefit them. They need solutions, not another problem. Be that solution. Think of it this way: Out of 20 writers, 19 respond to the ad asking more questions and 1 applies for the gig. Who is going to be writing tomorrow and getting paid?
Apply Within 48 Hours
Jobs are added on a daily basis across job boards and Craigslist. Clients are quick to post jobs but often do not take postings down after the position is filled. Apply for gig the day the posting goes up or the day after. If the gig is 48 hours old, chances are good that the client has a writer in place. You are a freelance writer and a business owner. It is up to you to get the clients and get them quickly.