by Catherine L. Tully
Guess what? I get the bulk of my work from regular clients. I’d say it makes up 2/3 or more of my monthly income. Getting repeat business isn’t as hard as you might think if you are willing to do some work for it.
Nearly any writing job carries with it the possibility for more income down the line. It’s all in the way you approach it. If all you see is one job and then the end of the road…that’s all you’re going to get. You have to be willing to think a little differently. Here are some of the things that have worked well for me:
+ Go above and beyond. Don’t just meet a deadline–turn your work in early. If the editor mentions the possibility of a sidebar, then do that too. The more proactive and timely you are, the more the editor will want to work with you again in the future. First impressions count for more than most writers realize…
+ Ask directly for more work. I am constantly shocked at how many writers don’t do this. Once you have completed a project, take the time to ask the editor if they have something else for you. This isn’t pushy…it’s smart business. They probably aren’t going to offer, but if you show interest, they’ll keep you in mind.
+ Touch base. Even if the editor says that there is no additional work at this time, touch base in a few months and see if they have work then. Don’t be a pest, but keeping in touch can be a great strategy in terms of getting more work.
+ Be personable without being personal. Have a personality. Show an interest in the editor as a person. Don’t try and cozy up to them, they’ll be able to tell. Just be friendly. Some writers are afraid to show a little bit of themselves to a client for fear it will be seen as unprofessional. This couldn’t be farther from the truth.
+ Make sure your work is error free. Proofread your copy. I’ll say it again…proofread your copy. Clean, error-free copy is worth its weight in gold in the eyes of an editor. Make sure you are not making them do extra work because you didn’t do your job.
I can attest to these being essential, both from my years behind the editor’s desk as well as the subsequent years as a freelancer.
My key client-retention strategy has always been “Be low maintenance,” which is directly related to your first bullet. As an editor, I always appreciated the people who were self directed, who didn’t bug me on the phone all of the time, and who would make smart decisions without me doing any handholding.
Excellent point Jake! I couldn’t agree more…
The tendency is to want to ask a lot of questions, but I have found that being proactive and trying to handle things well without doing that gets me better results. Naturally if I just can’t find an answer I’ll ask, but usually if you dig a bit you can come up with what you need.
It’s funny that one of your points is to proofread, when you misused ‘your’ in this article.
See what I mean? : )
If that had been copy I was turning into a paying client I’d be embarassed. Through the magic of WordPress, it now fixed.