How to Become a Profitable Freelance Writer During the Recession

There's no denying that we are in a recession. Recessions are bad for corporate America and great for freelancers. Why, you ask? Recessions are profitable for freelance writers because corporate America is cutting down on fulltime staff and turning to none other than freelance writers to complete the tasks of their former employees on an as need basis.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. 
    
   Freelance writer phone

   Make a call. Sometimes all it takes is showing up at the right place at the right time. Call a local company that you know is making drastic employee cuts and call to inquire about their standing with freelance writers. Are they interested in forming a business relationship with a freelance writer? If so, you're in! If not, keep it moving, there are tons of other companies to target.

2. 
    
   Freelance writer's business card

   Network with the big boys. Now is a good time to get in with the big boys because they are vulnerable. Hang out in places that the big corporate dogs hang out, start talking business (casually please, don't make it a blatant sales pitch) and pretty soon you'll start landing high paying freelance writing opportunities.

3. 
    
   Freelance writer radio advertisement

   Buy some radio time. Yes, it may be cheesy, but there's a reason radio advertisements are still around; they're effective! Write a script that will make your target audience (business in trouble) think that passing up your offer will be the biggest mistake of their lives. Radio advertisements allow freelance writers to reach a large audience within a short amount of time and for minimal effort, give it a shot.

4. 
    
   Busy as a Bee

   Keep busy. As a freelance writer, you need to market your services as often as possible so that your seeds of opportunity don't dry up. Keep marketing often and eventually (sooner rather than later in most scenarios) you will see that your freelance writing income is increasing even through such a terrible recession.

Tips & Warnings

• While marketing is important,you need to make time to complete your accepted freelance writing projects.

[sunnyglitter]

on 9/24/2009 These are great tips. It is definitely a great time to be a freelancer!

[KathleenRoberts]

on 9/11/2009 How silly to think that radio will make someone look desperate. It's simply advertising your business--just like every other radio commercial does. Treating your freelance business as a real business is a smart thing to do. And real businesses advertise.

I'd rather decide to use someone services because I heard their ad and decided to call them than have them call and bother me. Few things are more annoying than a sales pitch from someone calling on the phone. To me, that looks desperate.

[ceholmes]

on 7/20/2009 Yes! excellent points, I am looking into freelance writing, thanks for sharing this! 5* and recom!

[FreelanceSally]

on 7/6/2009 Steven, I completely disagree. Radio time is just as effective as cold calling. In the time it takes you to make one cold call, why not reach over 100 potential clients through through one short radio advertisement. If you don't like the tip, don't follow it. But, discouraging others from trying a marketing tactic that might bring business their way isn't the right way to go.

[stevenservis]

on 7/6/2009 For the sake of those who might be oblivious to getting started as a freelancer, I suggest not following step 3. The best advertising a freelancer can do is picking up the phone and giving some companies a call. Buying radio time could ruin the credibility of the a fledgling freelancer by making the freelancer look like a desperate self-promoter with no experience. Clients are looking for an outstanding portfolio, and it is a proven fact that a person has to be exposed to an advertisement numerous times before it makes it into a person's evoked set. However, a sales pitch pushed by an actual person is quite effective, even if the product is sub-par.