Jade Craven

1. Touch base with former clients

Deb wrote about this further in her post about finding work between gigs

Touch base with former clients: Just because your clients aren’t calling, doesn’t mean they don’t have projects. They might have several jobs piling up but haven’t had a chance to reach out. Call or email clients just to “touch base.” Even if they don’t have work, it will keep you fresh in their minds for future projects.

This doesn’t mean you have to know everything about them. It could just be an email to see how their project has worked out, or even a quick hello on twitter. Another benefit is that they may keep you in mind for friends who are looking for a freelancer.

2. Send thank you notes

In her post about business practices for freelance writers, Deb recommended sending thank you notes after job interviews.

Even if I don’t get the gig I think it’s a good practice. It keeps me on the potential client’s radar as being someone who goes the extra mile.Clients and employers are impressed by good manners and may tuck that thank you away for future reference.
Do you send thank you notes to clients after projects are completed? I do. I thank clients for the opportunity. Again, the good manners stand out. I’m not just someone who takes the money and runs. I thank clients for opportunities and I thank potential clients for their consideration. This is the difference between “save” and “delete”.

I have found that this extends beyond thanking after interviews. I have been doing a lot of product reviews and interviews, and have frequently got in touch with many bloggers to thank them for their help. This hasn’t directly led to paid work, but has led to some pretty cool guest post offers! It helps them remember you, but also shows how their help has directly affected you.

3. Treat bloggers as colleagues

Deb expanded on this concept in an interview on About Freelance Writing.

Bloggers aren’t competitors, they’re colleagues. It’s the ones who work together who do the best.

I admit – I sometimes feel like I am competing against my friends and peers. Many of use work in similar niches and covered very similar topics. Soon I realized that this was making me feel insecure and found ways to work together. I now review my friends products. Link them up to other friends services. They have since helped me in return. Not only can it help you grow, but you develop a stronger support network online.

4. Everyone is an expert

Deb talked about this in a comment on Daily Writing Tips

I honestly believe everyone is an expert on something. Some people are good with plants, others can clean houses. Some are good with numbers, others are walking musical encyclopedias. Everyone has a niche, even if it’s a niche not too many people know about.

I strongly agree with this. I’m working towards becoming an expert in niches that not many people are interesting – such as rail trails in the Australian state of Victoria. I do know that there is a demand for people who can do comprehensive reports on niche topics and are willing to pay highly to do so. Don’t ignore a topic just because its obscure. Find a way to relay the information to a wider audience.

5.  Attend conferences

Deb expanded on this in her post on why you should attend conferences

Unfortunately this year I didn’t get to do as much of this as I would have liked. I did speak at a session and attend a couple here and there but for the most part I was working the booth. When you attend a learning session or class at a conference, you’re learning from the best in the business. All the biggest names in the blog world spoke at BWE last weekend. In fact, the session about making money online featuring Darren Rowse, Brian Clark, John Chow, Jim Kukral and Jeremy Shoemakers was alone worth the price of attendance. Conferences aren’t all fun and games, don’t overlook the learning experience.

I am yet to attend a conference, but they are definitely part of my plans for success. They sometimes cost a lot, but can loads to help you brand and give you opportunities to network with people in a similar mindset. I now follow people on twitter who do a lot of speaking and see if they are doing any affordable conferences in my area.

6. Network offline

Deb discussed this further in her post about the importance of face to face networking.

It gives you a chance to work on your people skills: Networking is good practice. It allows you to try out your people and customer service skills. When you’re talking with others you can tell what works. You can read their expressions and body language to see what they’re thinking. When you network you learn a lot about your delivery and can tweak that to your advantage.

I now do a lot of offline networking. I meet people at tweetups and then arrange to catch up with people outside of that. I have learnt a lot about liasing with people, and also about what intrigues them. It is a very valuable way to brush up on your skills.

7. You WILL be googled.

Deb talked about this in a recent Freelance Writing Gigs post. Not only will people google you, they will also monitor your social media usage to see if you are saying anything negative about them. Be very careful with what you say online – especially something that can be searched later.

8. Sell an ebook

In her post about passive income for writers, Deb spoke about her ebook Beyond Blogging.

My ebook didn’t sell a million copies out of the gate, but it does sell a few copies a month. It’s already paid for the time spent writing it and more. With another ebook on the way, my earning potential will only get higher. Ebooks will continue to earn as long as I keep advertising. I know a few writers who earn between $1000 & $3000 monthly on ebook sales alone.

Many of my peers have talked about creating ebooks for other reasons. They are:

• People will take you more seriously
• It gives people the opportunity to work with you and create buzz
• It can advertise your writing skills in a different medium.

9. Make sure it’s worth it

Deb discussed this in her post about work at home mums

I’m always amazed that we’re so picky about not working in fast food restaurants or somewhere else that doesn’t pay a whole lot of money, but we’re not so picky about the jobs we take to stay at home. I know of a ton of writers who write for a dozen residual based companies each. They have no free time because they’re spending all their time writing hundreds of articles in hopes of earning hundreds of bucks. Apparently, this process takes less time than finding somewhere willing to pay the same thing for one or two articles.

This really resonated with me. In my early days of making money online, I would do a lot of work for little to no income. I have since found it is better to put my time into networking and learning, and find higher paying gigs as a result.

10. Pursue work other than writing.

Deb spoke about her experience in her post about working smarter, not harder.

My blogging and writing have taken me to a whole new level. I’ve had a few speaking engagements and clients pay to consult with me about writing, blogging and/or social media. I was even able to land a full time telecommuting job in community management for a while. Instead of thinking blogging is the only thing I could do, I consider the skills I use as a professional blogger and freelance writer and use them to pursue different avenues.

I started my blog because I loved writing. Before it had launched, I had a job in social media. I highly recommend checking out Debs ebook for further ideas.

11. Relationships lead to jobs

Deb wrote about this in her post on embracing social media as a search tool

With social media it’s all about relationships. The person who you’re talking to about technology today can be a person who is looking to hire tomorrow. If you know your stuff, the people who follow you in the social networks will remember you. Yesterday I learned of a couple of developers who might be interested in helping with a project, today I received several recommendations for business card designers. Who is recommending you?

I agree with this statement. I’ve spent over a year focusing on developing relationships. You will see how useful this has been during the first three months after my blog launch. You can direct people you have helped to lead a testimonial.

12. Stop competing with your self.

In a fabulous post, Deb stated that if you were the best person for a gig, you will be hired.

It doesn’t matter if 500 people apply for the same freelance writing job. The only thing that matters is that I will be hired if this potential client feels I’m the best person for the job. There are many different factors leading to a hire, including expertise, resume, customer recommendations and a well written introductory letter. This has nothing to do with everyone else who is applying, it only has to do with me. If I apply for a job with the mindset that I’m the best person for the job and have the ability to convince this employer of the same, what all the other writers are doing doesn’t matter.

I would like to add that if you don’t get a job, ask for feedback and ascertain how you could have improved your chances.

13. Don’t break your promises

Deb discussed this in her post on good customer service for freelance writers

Just because you agreed to a low rate doesn’t mean you should renege: It doesn’t matter if you’re being paid $5, $50, $500 – or nothing at all – if you agreed to do a job, and get it done by a certain day, you should deliver exactly as promised. Today’s low paying client might be tomorrow’s high paying client or an important reference.

One thing I regret is breaking some of my promises. This was due to illness, but I hid but rather than face this people. This really saddens me because working with these people could have been fun and led to interesting opportunities down the track.

14. Be loyal

Deb expanded on this idea in a post on freelance lessons she learned from her dog.

I ask you, is there anyone more loyal than your dog? He’s at your side, does everything you ask without question, and protects and defends you and your family. Now I’m not saying you have to defend your clients with a lot of loud barking, but when you’re loyal to them they show their appreciation with bonuses, raises, and referrals. Always meet your deadlines and turn in clean work. Don’t discuss your clients’ business with anyone but your client, and keep the lines of communication open.

Many of my online friends have appreciated my loyalty. I keep their secrets, offer help when I think they need it and find useful ways to thank them. They really do appreciate it and this has led to further opportunities down the track. Very much a win-win!

15. There’s no such thing as a silly question

Deb wrote about this when discussing what she had learned after a major server issue.

Because I’m technically challenged, I often feel really dumb about asking questions, especially when I feel as if most folks already know the answer. My experience this week with my former host left me feeling inept and foolish, not a great feeling at all.

I learnt this lesson long ago. I did find that finding good support early on is really helpful and is definitely worth paying for. Admitting that you don’t know the answer can be the first step to learning.

16. Research potential employers

Deb discussed this in her post about applying for freelance jobs

When you visit the job boards on a regular basis, certain names and businesses become familiar. This can be because they’re a good reliable name or they can have a high turnover rate. Research. Learn the best companies to work for – and the worst.

I recommend doing this. The blogosphere is a huge place and there are a lot of people who will be able to warn you of the places and employers to avoid. Things you can research include:

• Their pay rate
• How much support they provide you
• How other bloggers have gotten work with them.

17. Sometimes its not about traffic or selling ebooks

In her post about how honest should you be with your audience, Deb said

I think one of the reasons we have such a great community here is because we trust each other. Our honesty breeds that trust. Let me ask you this, would you rather trust a blogger who shows all sides of the story over one who paints a constant rosy picture if only to pimp ebooks and shill products?

I try to share my story online as much as possible. Being honest and sharing my failures has attracted more people to my site. This wasn’t intentional, but I found many people respected the honesty and wanted to learn from mistakes. Are there ways people canlearn from your errors?

18. Linkbait and Controversy only brings in short term traffic

Deb expanding on this in her live and let live guide to blogging

To bring in the good, regular traffic bloggers need to write good, sticky content. Content people can use and continue to use in days, months, even years to come. Do you really want to hear an annoying diatribe about another blogger or did you come here to learn about freelance writing and discuss these things with others? I’m thinking the latter.

I think linkbait can work, provided the post is really useful and sticky. This post is part of a linkbait series. But it also was well researched and took weeks to write. I really do believe it will be a good source of long term traffic.

19. Believe in yourself

Deb called this the single best writing tip.

No one single tip can make you better if you don’t believe in yourself. You’re going to try this and that, and you’re going to form opinions and take stances. Is your way best? Maybe. Maybe not. It doesn’t matter.

This tip is vital. You will have your attention being pulled in so many different directions during the early stages of freelancing. I recommend focusing on the journey and learning as much as you can during the process.

20. Do your research

This was one of the tips that Deb gave to writers before they get started.

The most important writing advice I can give to anyone is to do your research. Learn as much as you can about freelance writing. Visit some of the more successful writers’ blogs and read their work. What do they do that sets them apart from the rest. Learn good habits and business practices, read up on editorial calendars, work/life balance and the best places to find work. Know what you’re getting into before you start. It may not be easy, but at least you won’t be clueless.

Honestly – there is so much to learn before you start a business. I have been researching for two years and I still feel underprepared. In this case, I do recommend buying information products to accelerate your learning. I also recommend knowing how you want to expand your business. This means you can start researching the right teachers and information products in advance.

21. Look good and be prepared

Dec included this as one of the best ways to find freelance work

If you start your marketing campaign with nothing but a cutesy email and a PDF resume, chances are that you’re going to be jobless for a long time. Make yourself look good. Get a polished web presence that you can show off and have sleek business cards ready for any card dropping opportunity.

I agree with this. I’m in the prelaunch stage of my blog and have lost a lot of opportunities because I wasn’t prepared for their inquiries. It will be my first priority after the launch. I recommend people prepare before launching their projects.

22. Follow other writers

Deb expanded on this as one of her good practices for finding work.

No, I don’t mean cyberstalking here. But I often come across other writers on message boards and blogs and enjoy visiting their Web sites to see what kind of writing they are doing. It’s not unusual to come across someone’s blog and realize it is affiliated with a network that may be looking to hire new bloggers. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve discovered job opportunities just by checking out networks and publications other writers have been published in. Check out the bio page of your favorite book about freelance writing. Where else has the author been published? Look up those places and you may find a new list of places to pitch your work.

I do this. I follow other writers and check out what they are doing. I offer to help out with their projects, review their products and just follow their work. This is often (and unexpectedly) reciprocated through referrals and cool opportunities. It takes little time but it really works.

23. Stop waiting for the perfect opportunity

Deb included this tip in her ‘Top Ten’ list of things to do while waiting for a perfect writing gig.

Stop WAITING around for the perfect writing gig! Get online and check out the Freelance Writing Job board and start to look for writing gigs that fall in your niche. Check every day and search Google for legitimate leads. In the writing world, you should never stop learning or loving what you do.

I agree with this statement. Even if you don’t want to hunt, work on improving your skills or seek new connections.  Opportunities usually go to those who seek them – not those who just wait for them.

24.Learn About the Business

Deb discussed this in post on using your investigative skills to get a gig

You know how I’m always telling you to learn as much as you can about your potential employer? I already knew about this particular business, but after learning I was a candidate, I did a lot more research. When it came down to interview time, I was able to offer input and suggestions. I even followed the CEO on Twitter.

With my employer, I tried to learn a lot about them. I followed their clients and watched what they were doing. I asked questions and offered suggestions via DM. I did this out of genuine interest, rather than expecting work.

Imagine if you did this when applying for a job. People really respect this and it will demonstrate that you really know how to do your research.

25. Be firm

In a guest post on Successful Blog, Deb wrote about what she had learned from freelancing.

I learned to be firm. I think a freelancer has to be firm enough to make sure she’s paid on time but not so tough her first paycheck is her last. A freelancer has to know the customer is (almost) always right, but not at the expense of her dignity. I’m thinking it’s best to know how to catch flies with honey, because the other alternatives stink.

It can be tough being firm and it is one of the skills I’m not looking forward to learning. I am grateful to know of this in advance.