Three months and 17 e-mails.
That’s how much effort it took to get my first blogging client. I know it sounds a smidge ridiculous, but it was a worthy and important lesson in patience and persistence.
You know what the waiting’s like. Some days you can’t get it off your mind. Others, you forget about it and move on. It’s just like the wait after you send out a traditional job application: hearing little or nothing is the torturous part.
Here’s how it went down, and the lessons I learned along the way.
The job was posted around Thanksgiving on the ProBlogger job board, and it sounded perfect. It was a very descriptive ad, and the company sounded interesting and willing to work with (and pay the right rate for) a good writer.
Lesson #1: Find a blogging client in an industry you know and love
If you’re just starting out, the best way to stay motivated when querying and working for a client is excitement.
I presented that in my application as what made me stand out.
I wasn’t just a writer looking for a paycheck. I loved the client’s business model and industry, so I would be just as excited as them about using blogging to grow the business.
Enthusiasm is also an important factor once you land the client. If the topic doesn’t interest you, you’ll find a million reasons to procrastinate and, unfortunately, not turn in your best work.
The exact name of the company wasn’t clear from their ad on ProBlogger. So I searched online using some keywords and abbreviations from the job posting to find the exact company. That might seem like a lot of work, but it actually benefitted me.
The important thing to remember is that you are in control of your destiny. Don’t allow the game of e-mail tag or the long wait to deter you. If you have the expertise and the drive to write on a certain topic, always try for the gig.
Lesson #2: Do your due diligence when looking at a potential client
You always get that sort of advice before a job interview, and this isn’t any different. Find out whatever you can about the company, preferably before you query.
I messed up and researched after I’d already sent my application email, so I did something a little unorthodox: I emailed them again after looking at their site, blog and social media presence. In that second email, I gave them a few ideas as to how I could contribute to the blog.
Ordinarily I wouldn’t have done this, but I mentioned in my second email that I wasn’t sure what the name of the company was. It was this message that piqued their interest and got a reply. I was pleased as punch with myself and replied back immediately.
Then, nothing.
Of course, it was the holidays, so it gets kind of crazy, but I expected to hear something from them. I even emailed them again to say I would be in their area and could meet with them in person.
To no avail. At one point, I got a “we’re interested, but not ready” reply but that was all.
This is the point where you have to turn stalker. If you really want the gig, keep track of your client’s new media movements. Use the downtime between email replies to check out everything they do.
See how often they post on social media channels. Also, look at the quality of their posts, particularly if they already have a blog. Do you see any needed changes? Jot those down and save your notes. When they do get back to you, you’ll already have a ton of ideas and suggestions for them.
Lesson #3: Don’t be annoying. But don’t give up.
There were so many times I wanted to call or email this potential client again, but didn’t. I usually emailed once every couple of weeks, keeping my messages ultra-brief and still conveying enthusiasm.
Admittedly, I wanted to scratch them off my list entirely. Were they serious? Had I wasted my excitement on a lost cause? It was frustrating at times.
Waiting is the toughest part for you, for me, for any freelancer. But you know, things happen and your prospects can’t always give you an instant decision. Try not to think negatively about the situation. Keep querying others and press on.
If they get back to you and say, “Hey, sorry. We’ve been busy,” congratulate them! And congratulate yourself that you’ve found a client who’s doing well enough to be busy. Take that as a positive in your favor.
I finally heard from them a few weeks ago. They were ready to select a blogger. They asked for my rates, which I’d told them in my very first email.
Lesson #4: Don’t budge on your rates
I know you want to be “the best deal in town”, but the deal isn’t only about your rates. Focus on being the best blogger you can be to attract the right clients.
When I didn’t hear from this potential client, I assumed that my rates knocked me out of the running. After such a long wait, I resigned myself to that fate. Then, out of the blue, I got an assignment from them!
If you’re new to the game like I am, it’s so tempting to ask for less than you’re worth. After all, you’re not sure how well you’re going to do yet. Though you want to equate the quality of your work with your rates, that’s not easy without experience.
But don’t obsess about it. Think about how much time and effort you will put into this blog. Think about the expenses you’re covering with the payment you receive, and calculate how much you need to charge to make a living. Then get down to the business of writing well for your client.
Today, I’m still a little shocked. I’m excited and nervous and hoping to prove I am as great as I’ve purported since 2012! And now, if I don’t hear from them in a while, I don’t fret.
I truly hope your assignments don’t take as long to arrive as mine did. But once you’ve begun the process, remember this story. Don’t give up until you see they’ve hired someone. I hope that blogger is you!
How did you get your first blogging client? What lessons can you share that will help someone starting out? Let me know in the comments.
Congrats, Willie, on your first blogging job! That’s so exciting.
I got my first client by sending out emails to various companies that I had carefully researched. All of them had marketing, social media, or blogging content that was outdated.
One responded and wanted to know my rates. I was sorely tempted to ask for less than what I knew the job was worth but I stuck to my guns and the client never blinked. In fact, he was delighted. I got an email within a few weeks and was hired that day.
Most days, I still can’t believe I’m living the freelance life. It’s a good one.
Congrats on getting featured on Be A Freelance Blogger, too! That’s also great news. Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂
Thanks Savannah! I still have a long way to go. It sounds like you have mastered it. Congrats to you!
Hi Willi,
I’m really awed with what you did on lesson#2.
Giving them a second mail was a wise decision ’cause you we’re not able to do your research prior to that.
Your recommendation to do a li’l ‘stalking’, if we can positively use this term in this context, can really help. It will show your prospect that you’re determined to clinch the job.:)
Excellent read Willi!
Cheers!
I have to correct my mistake: My sentence should have looked like this: ‘Giving them a second mail was a wise decision ’cause you were not able to do your research prior to that.’ 🙂
Thanks, Anthony. Now that I’ve been actively marketing and looking for freelance work for a few months, it has become easier to become more forward and accept rejection. The worst they can do is say no, right?
Yep! …and like they always say in Sales… the more NOs you get, the closer you are to a YES.:)
Thanks for the information, Willi. I’ve yet to get my first regular blogging gig so all this is very helpful.
Awesome! I hope you stop back by or contact me when you do and let me know how it helped!
Three Cheers for Williesha! Congrats on landing that first gig and good luck for landing many more 🙂
Thanks, Victoria!
Congrats! Just what I needed to see this morning…I’ve been wondering what I should do about a stalled conversation between me and an editor. Time to stop waiting on him, and fire off another email.
Yes!!! Do it. Never let a non-response stop you from getting a gig.
Great job, Willi!
If I looked up “pleasantly persistent” in the dictionary,
your name and picture would appear right next to this phrase. 🙂
Your post reinforces 3 very important points:
1. Know what you want – and go after it.
2. Stay focused, but cast your net wide enough
to include more than one client in your niche.
3. Clients with plenty of time on their hands most
likely aren’t busy enough to hire the best bloggers.
Silence doesn’t always mean a non-verbal “no”.
It’s impossible to see the full picture because we
only have one side of the information. Your example
proves that choosing to remain positive about
everything a client does is a wise path to the paid
gigs we all seek.
Trust me: clients notice and highly prize persistence.
It demonstrates that we see things through to the end.
Such character goes a long way in them feeling good about
assigning quality gigs to us. So don’t quit. Ever.
Absolutely wonderful job, Willi! I hope Sophie invites
you back!
Hahah thanks! 🙂 And you made some really excellent points. The only time you should take silence as an answer is when the guidelines or description specifically says so. And even then, it’s sometimes worth a shot just to send a quick email several weeks later.
And, yes, if there’s one thing I want folks to take away from this experience (besides persevering) is that a client who is doing so much business they can’t back to you means CHA-CHING! 🙂
Congratulations on landing your first writing job Williesha! How exciting!
I love that you kept trying and didn’t give up. This is what will make you successful – persistence and passion.
Thank you so much for the encouragement and for commenting!
Sticking to your real worth is heck of a task especially when you are getting dull response from your likely employer(s). Your firm belief in yourself is the only power that will not let you compromise on lesser than what you are; this is actually the spirit of blogging which we learn while being in this field of rise and fall.
Edson, wow! That’s a Tweetsbke comment right there. (Like, seriously I’m Tweeting this later.) I think the world of freelancing (and really any career) is “the field of rise and fall.”
Perhaps in a corporate environment where I’d have to interact face-to-face with someone I wouldn’t have had the nerve to do this for so long. It probably would have been unnecessary. But in a virtual world, you have to consistently keep your e-face out there or risk getting lost.
Whoops that’s “Tweetable!”
Your story is proof as to why I NEVER give up unless a client specifically tells me NO. If they don’t reply, forget or are too busy for my emails, I keep poking them until they reply. It takes a lot of guts and patience to be persistent, but like in your case, it definitely pays off. Thanks for the inspiration and reminder!
No problem, Carrie. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Inspiring story! Persistence is the key. I like the part where you messed up, but instead of beating yourself up about it you sent the second email saying what you should have said in the first!
Hey, Andrew! Yeah, I am still surprised this worked. Haha Not exactly recommended, but sometimes it’s best to clear it up right then. But I am fortunate to have a great client. I wrote this in April, and I absolutely love working with them still. I hope I get more like these.
Hi Willi
Well done on sticking with it! Congratulations!
Thanks for all the tips in your post.
Shan
Thank you! How did you land your first writing or blogging client?
Wow, Willi. Three months and seventeen e-mails? That is definitely persistence. 🙂 I’m glad it paid off for you.
Lesson #3 is where I usually have the most trouble (the waiting), but I think I handle it pretty well now than I ever did.
Really good tips here. Congrats!
I hate waiting haha. I think that’s why I’m advocating folks follow up! My “golden rule” is following up no more than twice. Obviously I completely broke the rule, but back in December, I didn’t known any better. 😉
Thanks for commenting, Leslie! You don’t have to wait! You take control of the conversation.
Nice going, Willi! I bet this will pay off for you ten-fold in the long run. The hardest part is just getting your foot in the door, right? And if I may ask, what industry did you apply for here?
My first gig came only after convincing the guy I actually could write even though I had no clips. He almost passed me up with an email that said “I’m looking for someone with more experience” but then came back the next day with a “just curious, but I’d like to see your samples anyway.” I can’t remember what I sent at this point, but I think my perseverance is what did the trick to getting the job!
Way to go, Bree!! I don’t think I’d have been quite as bold without clips. These folks are in the event planning industry.
Excellent post. One reason I haven’t tried is I have no idea what to charge. Can you point in the direction of where to find info on this. Cheers
What you charge is entirely up to you. Freelance Switch has a place to come up with rates that’s very detailed. I’ve also used the Bidsketch app.
Generally, I don’t charge less than $50 a post for blogs approximately 500 words. That’s a good starting point. Can only go up from there! Thanks for commenting.
I love your persistence, Willie! I think this trait will help you go far in this biz. 🙂
I got my first paid gig by writing for free (initially, of course). I was a writer for the Examiner back then and the founders of a local startup in my niche approached me and told me about what they were doing. I thought they were pretty cool, so I did a writeup about them.
After a few months, they reached out once again, this time asking if I would write content for their blog. I told them my rates and they said yes.
Fast forward 2 years later: I’m now very good friends with the founders and the best part is I’m still their go-to writer for their web content needs. 🙂
Wow! I don’t normally hear success stories from sites like Examiner. Great job!
Nice post Willi!
A lot of people see the “success” of freelance writers and think it’s impossible because they have put out limited effort and not seen the results that they think they want.
Truth is, the successful people work HARD, put in the groundwork, and reap the benefits years down the line.
They don’t get lucky, but make a concerted effort to actively market themselves and get jobs.
Hope more people will be inspired to go out and sing for their supper!
Daryl
Thanks Daryl! Honestly I had no idea it would be this tough, but there’s a lot of competition!
Hi Williesha,
Though you can’t do anything about shortening the waiting period before you are getting hired but the 2nd issue that you have pointed about setting your writing rate is a matter of knowing your real worth and winning the project or getting hired by asking your client to pay the real worth you deserve can be achieved through negotiation skill.
There are lots of effective negotiation skill that a freelance needs to learn about “How you can negotiate to ask the client for what you worth without losing that client”.
If you can’t decide your real worth and don’t know the skill of How to negotiate without losing the client then chances are there that you will lose the game even if you are hired. After all whats the point to work for low rate below what you deserve.
I have wrote a post on my own blog about Effective negotiation to win your deal without losing your client and you can learn a lot from it.
BTW, this article is worth reading for every new comer in this field who lose patience and give up soon without waiting for good news.
I am sharing this post on my Facebook wall to help other new writers to learn from your patience. Thanks for sharing such a good post.
Thank you so much for your insight and for reading. I really hope that, if anything else, writers base their rates on their taxes! Bare minimum. That requires nearly doubling what you have are before!
Hey guys, what am I worth? I’ve done so much research I’m intimidated about how to make freelance blogging and writing a career. Plus I have issues with money and though I have two master’s degrees in writing and am finally getting close to finishing my first book I work as a dog walker, which doesn’t pay the bills. I’m always doing work that while fun may not value my skill set. And I dream of the freelance life. Of being in charge of my own schedule and not having to leave the house every day and also being able to live wherever I want. I know I can do it but I don’t know how or the best way for me and I definitely don’t know how much to charge once I find that regular gig, which I need to keep myself calm about paying the bills. A regular gig that leaves me free enough to write books and the culture essays I really love writing. So. Back to my original question, how much am I worth? (Not to mention women often undervalue themselves in all fields.)
Signed,
Overwhelmed and stuck and probably in need of a therapist…
Short answer? You’re worth at least $50 per short-ish post. In a survey of Be a Freelance Blogger readers, that was the average rate earned, but more than 1 in 5 freelance bloggers have clients that pay $100+ per post.
Long answer? You’re worth more the more you deliver. Not in number of posts or words, but in value. So think about the value of your blog posts to a business – how will your work benefit them, and how will you explain that benefit to your potential clients? Because you’re also worth more the better you are at *explaining* your value.
P.S. If you really love writing culture essays, why not pursue that as an income stream?
Just stopping to say thanks for commenting. I won’t go lower than $50 per post unless pre-arranged.
Thanks Williesha! It’s a very comforting blog post for those of us on the hunt for jobs. Can I ask you to share hacks on how to point out the potential client’s website drawbacks? I don’t want to seem rude when I list all the things I don’t like there. Best!
I went back and found the old email I used and I just went for it. I talked about all of the topics I’d love to add and I padded it with parts about the website I loved. That’s the key thing is to to gush a bit while also making recommendations.