How do I Grow my Freelance Writing Career?

Are you looking to start and grow your freelance writing business? Every freelance writer dreams of getting high-paying writing jobs and have their writing career take off right off the bat.

However, things are different in the real freelance writing world.

You have to juggle between learning, getting clients, and working.

And this can be an uphill journey, especially when you have no prior freelance writing experience. 

So, how do you scale up your content writing business as a Kenyan writer?

Here is the thing, when developing your freelance writing business, you need strategies to keep you going for the long overhaul. 

When you have solid systems, you will overcome the feast and famine cycles and have a fulfilling and sustainable writing career. 

Below are solid ways to help you scale up your freelance writing career.

How to grow your freelance writing career.

#1→Develop systems and streamline your freelance writing business

One of the most crucial aspects to supercharge your freelance writing business is having a solid strategy.

And by a system, I mean tools and programs to help you market your writing services, onboard new clients, write and deliver projects. 

As a newbie, chances are you are having a hard time getting and keeping clients.

Technically, you are in the learning stage, and at the same time, you want to start earning ASAP! 

Create systems to help you focus and be more productive while generating leads using minimum efforts. Here is what you need to do;

• Create a marketing strategy for your freelance writing business.

If you didn't know, being a freelance writer means that you have to wear many hats.

You are the boss, a marketer, an accountant, an admin, and anything in between.

Leverage easy ways to market your freelance business like creating and optimizing your website, building an email list, starting a blog, and guest blogging on other authoritative blogs.

It makes it easy for potential leads to locate you when you have a writer's website.

You can use an email list to warm up your leads, and guest writing on other sites is an excellent way to be on your client's radar. 

#2→Learn new skills related to your writing business

Content writing is dynamic, and new things come up time and again.

From search engine optimization to how people consume content, you should expect changes in creating content for your audience or your client's audience.

Embrace learning and find time to acquire a new skill, whether SEO, graphic design or anything to propel your writing business. 

You can charge high fees when you have in-demand skills, which means your business is on the right path to success.

And you can land retainer writing clients, so you don't have to keep going back to hunting for writing jobs. 

Here is my case; I have a client that I help with content writing, and once in a while, I help her create infographics to go with the content I write. 

Focus on learning new skills that you can offer alongside your writing services.

For example, you can learn web design and management, email copywriting, or social media management. 

What's more?

When you have invaluable skills, your current clients can refer you to their friends who may need your services, which is a brilliant way to grow your freelance business. 

#3→Focus on a profitable writing niche and be a pro

Another way to help grow your freelance writing career is to focus on a profitable writing niche.

The freelance writing industry is broad, and specializing in a specific area will put you in a position to charge the top dollar.

You can niche down in terms of the type of writing you do and the industry you write for.

There are different types of freelance content writing niches, and it includes copywriting, case study writing, grant writing, technical writing, video scriptwriting, podcast writing, white paper writing, and much more.

Focusing on a niche in terms of industry, you can be a finance and investment writer, SaaS writer, health writer, e-commerce writer, writer for tech companies, legal writer, and more. 

Specializing in a niche gives you a competitive advantage over other freelance writers, and it means that you can bring in the business results that your clients need. 

To choose your niche, you can consider your background, field of study skills, and work experience. Let people identify you as a specialist and a general freelance writer. 

#4→Build meaningful relationships with the gurus in the industry

Just like other careers, freelance writing thrives when you have a solid network of successful writers in your arsenal.

As you start, focus on creating professional connections with successful content writers.

The gurus know the trade rules, and you can leverage their network to get more writing jobs.

Some can even refer or outsource work to you when their hands are full. 

But how do you identify successful freelance writers?

Many successful freelance writers have blogs or Youtube channels where they create content about freelance writing.

You can find others through authoritative blogs, social media, and publishing platforms like Medium. 

For example, Johanna Wiebe is a successful copywriter running a blog.

Elna Cain is a successful freelance blogger running several blogs about freelance writing and blogging. 

Some ways to build relationships with the gurus in the industry are by following and engaging with their blog content, following them on social media, and connecting on LinkedIn.

You can also join their email newsletter, and sometimes it can be through purchasing their products or services. 

#5→Be an asset to your clients.

Another best way to grow your freelance writing career is to establish yourself as an asset to your clients.

Be a professional writer that is responsive, reliable, always on time, and exceeds expectations.

Consistently deliver nothing but quality work and focus on making your clients happy with your services. 

What is the deal?

A happy client will always contract your writing services time and again and refer your services to others.

Also, if your client is satisfied with your work, they can hire you for the long term, which means consistent income and opportunities for career growth. 

Be a reliable writing service provider, and your current clients will do the leg work to market your services. 

Start and grow your freelance writing career.

Are you set to kick start your writing career?

The most crucial thing to remember is that consistency and the zeal to learn new skills are critical to a successful writing business.

As you set up your office and get the tools to use for your writing business, remember that you need to ace the writing landscape for a sustainable writing career. 

Hopefully, the above tips will help you grow your writing career to the next level.