After three years of working in a cubicle, I became a full-time freelance writer in 2010—and from the first day I left my office job, I’ve been learning what it means to write from home.
While I started with multiple clients, today, I write predominantly for one Chicago-based marketing agency, a routine that gives me increased stability and more consistent hours (a freelancer’s dream come true!). And after years of writing for this marketing agency, I’ve also seen what it takes to succeed in this role.
Are you interested in freelancing for a marketing agency? Do you wonder what’s involved if you do?
If so, here are some tips from my experience. These are the habits to practice when you’re managing one single client instead of a handful of them, writing regularly in one style instead of many different ones, and reporting to one company instead of juggling dozens of contacts.
To succeed as a marketing agency writer, you need to:
Be Responsive
The first few weeks and months you spend writing for a marketing agency are no different from the first few weeks and months you spend writing for any client — you’re in the trust-building stage.
Until the agency has worked with you a while and has faith in your work, you need to work extra hard to communicate your commitment.
Always respond to questions, and always respond as quickly as you can. If you’re going to be out of town, alert your manager. If you have a question about something, communicate it. Thank colleagues for help. Tell someone when he or she has done something well.
The more responsive you are, the faster you earn the agency’s trust and build a relationship that can last for years to come.
Be Ready to Wear Different Hats
While, this week, the bulk of my daily writing is blogging, previous weeks have involved brainstorming topic ideas, writing SEO content for websites, crafting newsletter copy, ghostwriting, and reorganizing existing content submitted by an agency client.
Because marketing agencies perform so many different services for clients, they typically have many different content needs. So to be as successful as possible in your role, you have to switch easily from a few hours of researching B2B blogs to a few hours of writing about gum disease.
Adjust to Changes As They Come
Just because you write for one marketing agency doesn’t mean you won’t deal with change. In the time I’ve spent writing for one agency, I’ve changed managers multiple times due to shifts in procedures or personnel.
If you’ve spent any time at all as a freelancer, this won’t shock or surprise you, but after you’ve written for one client for a while, you might be surprised how comfortable you become.
Protect yourself from frustrations by knowing changes will occur and by being ready to roll with them. This is a valuable skill for any writer, no matter where or for whom you write.
Expect to Learn New Things
When you write for a marketing agency, you write for various marketing agency clients — and those clients could work in almost any industry and field. So while no agency will expect you to be an expert on both metal fabrication and cloud computing, it will likely expect you to be willing to learn.
In order to write about something, you have to learn about it, so in your work for a marketing agency, expect to learn new things. It comes with the territory.
Likewise, just because you settle into a stable contract gig doesn’t mean you should get lazy—keep reading about writing and growing in your craft. This not only benefits your marketing agency; it benefits you.
Do Good Work
This last tip applies to all freelancing, whether it’s for a marketing agency, a local business, or a big-name brand, but it’s one of the most important tips I can give. None of the above advice matters much if clients don’t like your work, so make delivering good work your top priority.
When you complete an initial project, ask for feedback, and pay attention to critiques. If there is something you could have done better, note it, and use it to inform your next assignment. Make it clear to the agency that you’re after successful results, and you make it clear you want to stick around.
Your Thoughts
Have you done any writing for marketing agencies? What did you learn from the experience?
Looking at the tips outlined above, how could you improve the way you write for clients, whether they’re marketing agencies or not?
Alexandra says
Great article! I’ve considered trying to land some work with a marketing agency for the stability and the variety of work. These are great tips to succeed. Thank you 🙂
Shanna Mallon says
Glad you enjoyed it, Alexandra! Hope these tips are helpful for you!
Diana says
Excellent post, Shanna – thanks, Sophie, for hosting this guest author!
I am a freelance marketer, not a blogger per se, but occasionally i write content for clients, too. I have never worked with an agency primarily because i like to deal with the clients directly.
I have once tried working with a “middle man” (like an agency) but i had more negative experience than positive. For instance, if the client doesn’t have a clear brief, it’s hard to write what they want simply because you don’t know what they want. And if the agency doesn’t cover that aspect for you – you are stuck.
Your tips are great though – and they are pretty much valid for all type of freelancers; if not working with an agency – then the advice is applicable for working with clients. Great write-up – buffered it! 🙂
Shanna Mallon says
That makes a lot of sense, Diana. Thankfully, I’m blessed to work with an agency that has it together, and their communication with the client has made my job a lot easier. Good to remember that each agency is different, though. Thanks for that thought!
Stephen Monday says
Hi,
Yes I have considered writing for some private agencies for the same reasons Alexandra posted. Steady work, more work, stability, etc. You made some great points of advisement in this article and I agree with all of them.
After all: all a freelance writer has is their reputation online; therefore it would be wise to put your best work forward in every clients project.
Shanna Mallon says
That’s another good point, Stephen. Especially in the world of Google Authorship and Internet searching, writing online is like advertising your work, as well.
Daryl says
Hey Shana,
Quick question. Now, before you become a marketing agency writer, how do you actually get a shot to work with them in the first place?
Shanna Mallon says
Ha! Well, Daryl, that’s probably fodder for another post, but some good tips are building a portfolio, connecting with agencies, networking, etc., to get your foot in the door. Once you’ve established a relationship, the process becomes much simpler.
Jane says
Great article. I am busy pitching agencies at the moment, for exactly this reason: a potential steady inflow of work. I spent last year working for a single agency, but they’ve reverted to in-house writers for the time being, so one thing I would add is: even though you have a steady gig, don’t stop marketing yourself!
Shanna Mallon says
Good advice, Jane! Thanks!
Patrick says
I’ve been on both the agency and the freelancer side, and Shanna’s advice rings 100 percent true.
One more addition: freelancers should also check how the agency wants to set up the arrangement–whether you work in the background and the account manager handles the client, or if the agency wants you to work directly with the customer!
Shanna Mallon says
That’s a good point, Patrick, because it can work either way. Thanks!
Kathleen Krueger says
I work with multiple internet marketing agencies, mostly writing blog articles for their clients. Direct contact with the client isn’t really necessary for these. However, I write website content for another marketing client and includes me in conversations with the client when possible to make sure concepts are clearly communicated. He has also used my writing as a push for the value of professionally written content versus the “we’ll provide our own content” argument, by paying me to write one of their web pages to include as part of his presentation.
Sherrie Hurd says
Hi there! I am so in love with freelancing and am striving to reach a higher level. I see that there is so much to learn and I am in that process where I am trying to get used to change and my adaptability. It seems as though as soon as I get comfortable, something changes and I have to roll with the punches. I haven’t been the best with this in the past but am trying to become more adaptable to this way of life. I think I shall learn much from this site! Thank you!
BM Master says
Your experience definately shows in this well written article on what it takes to be successful. Thanks for writing about the pros and cons of what it takes to succeed. I enjoyed reading the article.
Kimberly Jones says
Great article! Can you maybe share something about how you landed this one-agency gig? I am a freelance writer who has a couple agencies on retainer, as well as several per-project clients, and magazines I write for somewhat regularly. However, much of my business is still one-off jobs. I am always interested in hearing how people get great clients. Thanks!
Shanna Mallon says
Hi Kimberly, I currently write for an agency that I started as a freelancer with–Small projects grew into bigger ones. Best wishes to you!