How to Leverage Existing Clients to Get More Freelance Writing Work

Did you know that 80 percent of your work will come from 20% of your clents? Leveraging existing clients is not only smart marketing -- it's easier and faster too.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer
• Internet Access

1. Refer Clients to Your Clients
   
   
   
   In their quest to add to their client roster, many freelancers overlook this avenue of finding freelance writing work. Instead, they focus on marketing to new clients. But, leveraging existing clients to get more freelance writing work is one of the easiest ways to increase your freelance writing income.
   
   
   
   There is an old marketing stat that touts that 80 percent of your income will come from 20 percent of your clients. So, prospecting to your existing client base is just smart marketing.
   
   
   
   And, it’s easier.
   
   
   
   One of the best ways to get more work from freelance writing clients is to refer clients to them. Make a sincere effort to refer prospects to your clients whenever you can. Even if they don’t land the job, you automatically build good will this way.

2. Set Up a Leads Generating Network
   
   
   Setting up a leads generating network is an excellent way to leverage existing clients to get more freelance writing work.
   
   
   
   How would this work? You can do a formal network where you all have weekly meetings (in person, or virtually), or in informal one where you post a resource section on your website blog.
   
   
   
   Ask if they mind if you post their contact information in the resource section of your website. Tell them that you promote in via your newsletter, in your email signature and at networking events you attend. Most will be thrilled that you were proactive enough to include them in your marketing efforts.
   
   
   
   Doing this proves to clients that you have their best business interests at heart. They will thank you for it ten times over in referrals and more work.

3. Use Existing Projects
   
   
   When I ran my editorial outsource agency in New York City, I developed the habit of asking for more work with each project I turned in.
   
   
   
   If I completed a word processing job, I’d include a handwritten note of thanks and a request for more work, eg, “Thanks Sonja for thinking of me for this project. I appreciate you picking up the phone to call me first. FYI, my schedule is pretty clear next week, so if you have some work you’ve been dying to get off your desk, send it on. I can get you caught up! Best, Yuwanda”
   
   
   
   I can’t tell you how many times I received a response like, “As a matter of fact, I’ve been meaning to get around to getting this out of my inbox. Here you go. There’s no particular rush on this. Best, Sonja.”
   
   
   
   This is a habit I continue to this day. Get in the habit of asking for more work with every project you turn in. Sometimes clients are too busy to think ahead. Simply by asking, you assist them with this task.

4. Ask Directly for Referrals
   
   
   As alluded to above, to leverage existing clients to get more freelance writing work, ask directly for referrals.
   
   
   
   I recently sent the following email to a client:
   
   
   
   Here you go Tanya [I was turning in a recent project]. I tried for earlier in the day, but the time just got away from me.
   
   
   
   It's been a crazy week already. Speaking of which, in an effort to keep up and to really expand, I recently hired some new help, so am able to take on more work. So, if you can recommend me to others in your company, please don't forget to do so.
   
   
   
   The way this contact became a client is via a referral from someone else in her company. Although the previous contact did it without my asking, I continue the trend by asking her directly for referrals.
   
   
   Her reply:
   
   
   
   Hi Yuwanda,
   
   
   If there is an opportunity to refer work, I’ll definitely do so.
   
   
   You have to plant the seed that you want more, more, more. If you do good work for clients and are reliable, they will gladly refer you. It makes them look good.

5. Don’t Lose Touch
   
   
   If a client hasn’t called with a project in a while, many freelancers will never follow up. When you’re trying to leverage existing clients to get more freelance writing work, it’s important to stay in touch.
   
   
   
   Even if they never use you again, you’ll be a constant bug in their ear, making it easy for them to refer you if the opportunity arises.
   
   
   
   Leveraging existing clients to get more freelance writing work is one of the easiest, most cost effective ways to grow your client list.

[Yuwanda]

on 8/18/2008 Good luck Stacy. I do it at least once a quarter -- it almost never fails to generate work, or a referral. Yuwanda

[StacyP]

on 8/18/2008 What a useful article. Step #2 wasn't even a thought in my mind until you mentioned it. And I'm guilty of not doing step #5; I think I'll contact a few of my former clients right now.

Thanks for the advice!