The Fast Track to Freelance Success Includes Networking and a Strong Portfolio

If you are entirely new to writing, first thing's first. Educate yourself. Make sure you know what good writing is; brush up on the basics and expand your vocabulary. When I say expand your vocabulary, remember that you should write in a way that the common man cannot understand you; I say this so you will be more capable of clearer thought and expression. Pay very close attention to what you read in magazines and online. Study writing that has been published and get to know what is good. Sign up for some newsletters published by writing websites and check the calls for submissions and job boards on those sites regularly. Invest in a few books about the types of writing you are most interested in.

Diversify. Learn how to write for business, and offer a broad array of services. My service list includes brochures, flyers, newsletters, web content, press releases, sales letters, copywriting, training manuals, employee handbooks, editing, research, and even life stories. If a client hires me to write a newsletter or other marketing piece, I offer to do their mailing for them. Be creative in what you can offer. How-to writing books are available for these topics.

If you do not have published pieces to offer as samples, (many prospects naturally will want to see your work) ask business people you know to let you do some work for them and charge them a nominal fee, or just charge for the printing. Do this just in order to form a portfolio of your work. Or, you can create mock samples. It is favorable, of course, if you have some actual work to share. In order to compile samples, it might be worth your time to do some work for free. But only do this long enough to establish a portfolio! I also recommend, if you are to write for business, an investment in some sort of publishing software.

Join one or two (more, if you feel very ambitious) networking groups. Feeling too shy to present yourself to others? Most writers truly are introverts, after all, and often times are not the best public speakers. (I hate to generalize, but we have a reputation.) Let me say this; you can overcome that, and it isn't as difficult as you think. I'm terribly shy in person, and it was helpful to me to openly admit to the group that I was a nervous speaker. What I have found is that in these groups, members truly do want to help each other. After all, if someone helps you and provides referrals to you, it is likely you'll want to reciprocate. Make sure you have plenty of business cards to distribute. A simple card is affordable to have printed at your local office supply store. A quick online search will help you in finding contact information for a local BNI (Business Networking International) chapter or for your local Chamber of Commerce. When you get comfortable in the networking arena, (actually, it is quite fun) always remember to ask for referrals. Send information about your business to your networking contacts via email or mail, and remember, always ask for referrals.

Pay attention to what professionals say about their businesses. Listen more than you talk; when you take an interest in what others do, you may realize a need you can satisfy. This is the underlying concept of the consultative sales approach. I highly recommend becoming familiar with this concept, as it will be invaluable in promoting yourself. When you learn to listen to potential clients (consider anyone you meet in networking a prospect) you'll easily be able to realize a need you can fill, and in learning the consultative sales approach, you'll find more success in landing jobs. Several books about this sales method have been written, and there is a plethora of online materials available. We're all salespeople after all, even us writers who might cringe at the thought. I spent thirteen years doing it until I could write full-time, and am grateful that I did. Now not only am a more efficient in marketing myself, but I'm much better at writing for business.

If it all still seems too much to tackle, try to put things into perspective. How long will it really take to be awarded paying jobs if you follow these steps? In part it depends on where you stand right now in your level of experience. If you are a novice writer and you have to start at the first step, don't be discouraged. It might take some time. If someone told me that it would be five years before I would have any steady success, I may have been impatient and disheartened; and, I would still be sitting in a carpeted cubicle.