The holidays are here. I know, I know, you're thinking, "No they're not. We have a couple of months yet."
But for freelance writers, the season for freelance writing opportunities is definitely here and now is the time to start marketing for those lucrative holiday writing gigs. Following is how and why.
This post was inspired by a reader who commented on the post, Opportunities in Freelance Writing: How to Land More Writing Jobs During the Busy Fall Season [http://bit.ly/djJ6NG]. He wrote:
Excellent post! Fall is a great time to market writing services to any cyclical businesses that have a lull after tax season; for example, accounting firms. They will be gearing up their marketing efforts for the next season and will need promotional materials like brochures and sales letters.
Online materials such as SEO content will also be in demand for companies trying to drive website traffic and push sales efforts.
And he's dead on. It's about thinking ahead for your clients.
Following are some things you can do to push clients along the sales cycle, ie, get them to hire you to do some writing for them this holiday season.
Freelance Writing Opportunities: 3 Ways to Landing Holiday Writing Jobs
Think Ahead for Prospects: Like you, prospective clients are busy running their business. They're so busy taking care of day-to-day tasks that they barely have time to think ahead.
Hence, by the time they get around to thinking about doing a holiday newsletter, brochure, article marketing campaign, etc., it's either too late or almost too late.
You can help them to think ahead. Imagine if someone offered you a week's worth of blog posts, or a "holiday article marketing campaign" and all you had to do was sign on the dotted line. If you could afford it, wouldn't you go for it?
I know I would! And a lot of prospects out there will too, which brings us to the next point . . .
Offer "Campaigns/Packages," Not One-Hit Wonders: When you market, always think long term. The holidays are an ideal time to offer package deals that lead to long-term work, not a one-off writing job.
So, offer holiday and post holiday content. What's the next major holiday after Christmas/New Year's - Valentine's Day.
So offer prospects an article marketing campaign or blog posting series that can take them "seamlessly through the New Year and into spring, stabilizing sales and generating leads on auto pilot."
See what I mean?
I have a few clients that I've been doing just this type of writing for for almost two years now. And remember, I only started SEO writing [http://bit.ly/akL7I3] in 2007.
Clients who give you ongoing work are your bread and butter. So when you market for freelance writing jobs, seek to develop this type of client base.
Give Concrete Ideas: Instead of offering a "blog posting series" or an "article marketing campaign, give clients concrete topics on which you can blog about. You don't have to write full posts or articles, of course, but give concrete ideas of campaigns.
For example, as it's the holidays, you could say something along the lines of:
We can create a "12 days of Christmas" campaign, or a Wish List for New Year's campaign for your blog. It'll keep readers coming back for more, putting your holiday marketing efforts on auto pilot. We can also manage the social media aspect of any content we create for you, sending it out to Twitter, Facebook and other popular social media sites - all for one low price."
This assumes, of course, that you offer social media account management.
3 Benefits of Marketing for Holiday Writing Jobs Now
The bottom line is to get proactive with your holiday marketing. NOW is the time to steer prospects into thinking about it. (i) Many of them are - and they'll appreciate your proactive efforts. (ii) And, for the ones who aren't, you'll seem like a genius for being "on top of your game."
(iii) A final benefit of starting to market for holiday freelance writing jobs now is that you'll beat a lot of your competition to the punch.
Many freelance writers just aren't proactive or forward-thinking like this. They're bogged down with the day-to-day operations of their business too. Hence, they miss the window of opportunity just like potential prospects.
Don't be one of the - start that marketing campaign now for holiday freelance writing gigs.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT ...
Inkwell Editorial's
Ebook Creation Tournament
What is this? Because I want to prove to you how easy it is to get that ebook outta ya, the week of October 12th, I'm going to write an ebook, write its marketing plan, upload it and get a sale within 10 days.
Create Your First Information Product to Sell
I challenge you to do the same!
The title of my ebook is, "How to Write an Ebook in 3 Days or Less, Market It & Get Your First Sale Within 10 Days"
I've been wanting to write this ebook for a while (it's on my list of 75 titles, a tally I keep of all the subjects I want to write about). This is the perfect opportunity to get this sucker out of me - finally!
All you have to do to take part in this tournament is let me know you want to participate [send email to info[at]inkwelleditorial.com] with "Ebook Tourney" in subject line].
I will act as your "accountability partner" of sorts. I'll email you every day letting you know what I did on my book, and you can email me back letting me know what you did.
You don't have to tell me the details of your book or anything else; just that you're making progress on a daily basis, and will complete your ebook - and its written marketing plan within 3 days. Then, you'll implement the plan and let me know when you get your first sale (the goal is within 10 days).
The tournament will run October 12th thru October 22nd. I'm going to keep a live page on InkwellEditorial.com detailing who participants are (you can remain anonymous) and the progress they're making. That way, we can all become accountability partners to each other.
Don't Start Writing Now!
Note: I've been thinking about writing this ebook for going on two years now. But, I'm not going to "cheat" and start before October 12th (not even an outline).
I want you to see that it's totally possible to start - and finish - and ebook in 3 days or less (I wrote the highly popular Backpage Sales Guide in only 8 hours), which is why I want you to start thinking about what you want your ebook to be about now. BUT, don't write one word until October 12th.
Scouts honor, ok?
Your Success as a Freelance Writer Is Important to Me
Readers like you give me so much encouragement day in and day out. Really, you make me feel smarter than I am, wiser than I am and more successful than I am. But you can do the same thing. I'm blessed to be a self starter. I want you to reap the fruits of being one as well.
So if this is the kick in the pants you need to get that darn ebook done, then I hope you'll join me in this tournament. Your success as a freelance writer is very important to me. I want to do everything I can to help you reach whatever your goals are in this arena.
So if you want to sign up, just let me know on/before October 12th and we'll (in the words of the rocker Pink), "Get this party started!" Again, just send an email to info[at]inkwelleditorial.com] with "Ebook Tourney" in subject line.
Note: there are no formal lessons or instruction for this course; I'm not teaching you how to write an ebook or anything else about the process. I'm motivating you to get down on paper the one you already have floating around in your head. You can learn the mechanics later (eg, how to convert it to a .pdf file, how to market it, whether or not to do a website for it, etc.).
###
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I've personally sold tens of thousands of dollars of e-products
(my own and affiliate products) doing this since January 2009.
###
P.P.S.: What's It Like to Live & Work Abroad as a Freelance Writer? Find out in the living abroad as a freelance writer in Jamaica series (
http://bit.ly/ctuM4K).
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