How to Write A Business Plan for Web Writers

Any web writer wanting to operate a successful freelance writing business needs a detailed plan. The business plan not only sets clear goals and objectives but helps a web writer plan for success. Learn how to write a one page business plan and take your web writing business from concept to completion.

Instructions

1. Identify your mission and find your niche. Write one sentence that describes your purpose. Selecting your niche will help you create a concise mission statement for your web writing business. If your focus is SEO article writing for realtors and mortgage companies, your mission statement could read, "To help my clients reach the top of the search engines with quality mortgage and real estate articles that will help them increase their sales and brand recognition online."

2. Make a list of start up costs and monthly expenses. Managing cash flow effectively is the first priority of any successful business. Include detailed information about your projected expenses in your web writing business plan. Itemize your start up costs and yearly budget before you launch. Failure to identify every expense could skew your revenue model towards high sales, but low profits.

3. List your services. Create a minimum of seven products and seven services for your clients. As a web writer you could provide the following: press release writing, SEO articles, web copy, white papers and blog posts. Develop web packages for clients who wish to bundle their services. Plan to gain new web writing skills to expand your writing services each year.

4. Determine hourly and project rates. Research the current market rates for web writers with your skills and experience. A la carte writing services combined with package deals allows the client a variety of web writing options to choose from.

5. Define revenue goals. Your web writing revenue model is based upon the number of individual writing services and or packages that you can sell per month. Create weekly, monthly and yearly sales goal based on the list of services created in Step 3. Calculate the amount of revenue received minus your expenses to determine an accurate web writing profit model.

6. Create an online portfolio and website. Marketing your web writing services is a critical component of your web writing plan. Hire a freelance graphic/web designer to create a simple portfolio to showcase your work. When marketing your services online provide a link to your online portfolio in blog comments and forum posts.

7. Identify no-cost marketing and publicity tools. Include in your web writing business plan low-cost or free marketing strategies to promote your business. Join freelance web forums to promote your services. Create a blog to answer potential clients' questions. Write articles filled with keywords like "web writing," "SEO article writer" or "Web copywriting" to advertise your services for free.

Tips & Warnings

• Elance and Guru are websites where freelance designers bid on logo development and website creation for small businesses. If you don't have the funds to pay a designer, create a free blog on Wordpress or Blogger to promote your services.

Resources

• How to start a web-based freelance writing business
• How to run an online freelance writing business
• Find freelancers at Guru.com
• Find freelancers at Elance.com