Freelance writing is a great home business in which your ability to make a high income depends your business skills and your organizational ability. Let’s look at three essential tools to help you.
1. Your “Name” Web Site
Your “name” website is your most essential tool. It’s the way in which your writing clients will discover you. If you haven’t yet built a website, please realize this is not an optional extra. It’s essential. It’s no longer possible to run your business without a website.
By “name” website, I mean a site which promotes your name. If your name’s Thomas X. Browne for example, your site would be thomasxbrown.com.
Here’s what your website does for you:
* It engenders trust — when an editor or a business owner is looking to hire you to write the first thing they want to know is whether you’re competent. Your website displays your competency;
* It’s a way for new clients to find you. Once your website has been online for a year or so, you can expect to get at least 10 to 20 enquiries every day for your writing services. At that stage, you’ll be able to cherry pick the writing jobs you want to accept.
2. Contact Management Software
Contact management software is essential. You need to stay in touch with people once they’ve hired you. Some of your clients might only need your services once a year, so staying in touch with them is good business practice.
There are many contact management applications available. Some are free and some are commercial. Choose an application and stick with it. Your contact management software will become more valuable to you over time.
3. Task Management Software
You can’t run your business without a contact manager, and task management software is equally as important.
(Bonus Tool) Voice Recognition Software
The more you write, the more you’ll sell. Voice recognition software is amazingly accurate these days. Once you’re booked solid with clients your investment in such an application will pay for itself within its first hour of use. I couldn’t write half as much as I do without using voice recognition software — I commend it to you.
Freelance writing is a business like any other business and you need tools. The three essentials I’ve mentioned need to be part of your tool kit.