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I used to think speed was a freelancer’s best asset. After all, time = money, right? After a few years of freelance writing, I learned that spending a little more time clarifying what the client wants and their goal(s) for each assignment helped improve my writing.
That would lead to fewer rounds of revisions and usually fewer edits.
Now, I try to slow things down enough in the beginning to ask better questions.
Sometimes, before a discovery call.
Other times, while clarifying a proposal and ensuring I have a clear idea of the scope.
Asking better questions of the client ensures they know why we are working on this project together, why they’re outsourcing the writing, and it provides clearer expectations for everyone. I find it lowers my stress while highlighting the professional experience clients get from working with my S Corp, DKL Content Services Inc.
Here, are few questions to consider to guide early conversations, how much you’ll charge for the freelance project, and understand whether they’re looking for a long-term relationship.
Who is your ideal audience?
What do you want them to do with this information? (Buy a product, keep reading more content, book a call, sign up for a newsletter, something else)
What makes you/your business unique and sets you apart from the competition?
Who are your competitors?
What are your goals for this partnership/relationship?
How will you measure success?
Do you have more content or copywriting needs beyond this?
Do you have brand guidelines, a style guide, marketing materials, and personas to share?
What makes this project important?
What would you add to help define the client’s scope, goals, and your working relationship?
Grab my Client Intake Questionnaire for a digital file you can make your own and modify to suit each client’s needs.
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What I’m Reading / Listening To / Recommending / Watching / Publishing
What I’m reading: The Mad Wife by Meagan Church
What I’m listening to: The 4 Ways Clients Will Pay You for Your AI Help by Ed Gandia
What I’m working on: New Product Detail Pages (PDP) for a sleep company, editing blogs for a CPG business, and writing blogs for an emergency preparedness company.
I’m part of Georgie Darling’s Empowered Freelancers Summit that kicks off April 20, with tons of helpful content prerecorded for virtual presentations going live all next week.
My presentation on “how to get referral work” goes out on Wednesday.
The summit is featuring some pretty big names, including:
Jessica Walrack of All Things Freelance Writing
Emily Reagan of ‘The Marketing Freelancer’ podcast
Lizzie Davey of Freelance Magic and ‘It’s Fine, I’m a Freelancer’ podcast
Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson of Freelancing For Journalists
And tons more.
(I’ve had the benefit of checking out some of the presentations already and you’re going to want to rewatch — and take notes!)
The sessions are FREE, but if you can’t watch all of them all day (‘cause you’re working on client work!), you’ll want to get the all-access pass. 👇
Freelance and Creative Jobs I Found
Here’s a roundup of creative, full-time, part-time, freelance, remote, and hybrid jobs in the editorial, copywriting, content writing, and creative fields. Good luck.
Part-time editorial assistant for Nova Science Publishers, $20/hr in person Long Island, NY
Copy editor for TEK Systems, remote, B2B experience preferred, $45/hour
Editorial assistant, Oprah Daily, FT, NYC, up to $62k salary (Great rate for that title!)
Copywriter for Kitsch LLC a jewelry company, FT, remote $90K + benefits
Senior Medical Writer for VML Health NYC or CT hybrid, up to $100/hour, freelance
Ready to get personalized feedback on your freelance business? I’m now booking APRIL 1:1 coaching sessions; it’s a 40-minute call + an edit of a 600-word piece of your choice. If you don’t see a time that works, just hit reply or email me to find a slot that I might be available.
Enroll in my Teachable “Get Paid to Write” online course. You’ll learn how to pitch, what to pitch to editors, and how to run a freelance business. Course students have gotten published in: Real Simple, Oxygen, MSN, Columbia Journalism Review, Livestrong, Robert Irvine magazine, Food Network, Centennial Publishing, and more.
Book a sponsored slot advertising in my newsletter in APRIL and MAY (Join brands like Morning Brew, Shortform, Fiverr, HUBSPOT, Get Response, Freshbooks, Found, Authory, and more)
Hire my freelance writing company, DKL Content Services Inc., to help with SEO content writing, GEO writing, video script writing services, ghostwriting, thought leadership, newsletter writing, and copywriting services for websites. I’m a NY State and NYC MWBE-certified business.
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