You’ve finally done it: You’ve quit your job and are ready to live that digital nomad lifestyle as a freelancer.
Thrilled, you check your email, only to find your inbox empty. Where are all those clients who are supposed to be excited to work with you?
With 53 million Americans working as freelancers, you can’t afford to make beginner mistakes like assuming that your ideal clients will come to you.
And if you’re just starting your freelance writing business, you need to know what to avoid before you make mistakes that will send your fledgling career plummeting downwards before it even begins.
Thankfully, you can know what to avoid by following a few simple tips. Keep reading to learn about the top 5 mistakes beginning freelance writers make so you can set yourself up for success!
1. Getting Stuck in Analysis Paralysis
If you haven’t started your freelance business yet or are having trouble getting your marketing strategy started, then you’re probably stuck in “analysis paralysis.”
This happens when you plan out every detail and spend so much time thinking through all the options that you don’t start anything.
2. Not Niching Down
You may be tempted to write about everything when starting your freelance business as you think you’ll get more clients this way.
Niching down not only gets you higher pay, but you establish yourself as an authority in your field. This makes it far easier to get clients, especially consistent ones.
3. Assuming Clients Will Come To You
The best way to market your skills as a freelance writer is to show the client the benefits your writing can give them.
So instead of assuming that clients will come to you, focus on finding your ideal clients and pitching to them.
Personalize your cold emails, book speaking engagements at industry events, and reach out to companies looking for help on social media.
4. Undercharging
While a wage like $20 per hour might have been great when you were working at your 9-5 job, this won’t cut it for your freelance business.
The reason is that you need to factor all your other tasks into your freelance writing rate. This includes the time you spend marketing, bookkeeping, contacting clients, and doing revisions.
5. Worrying About What Other People Think
While you want to do everything you can to make your clients happy, keep in mind that your writing may often reach a large audience.
If criticism is coming from clients or editors, then you want to work to improve. But if it’s coming from commenters and isn’t constructive, then you can’t let these negative comments get to you and stop you from writing.
Avoid These Mistakes in Your Freelance Writing Business
Having control over your own schedule, working from anywhere, and having the freedom to choose your ideal clients are some of the top benefits of owning a freelance writing business.
And when you know which mistakes to avoid, you won’t have to write and pitch for hundreds of hours without making a penny.
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