Chris Bibey

Last week, I decided to make a few cold calls. Believe it or not, this is something I miss when I don’t get around to it as often as I would like. After a few calls, I got a business owner on the phone. What ensued was something I had never experienced before. With this call, I had to first get through the receptionist. She

More so today than ever before, freelance writers are in position to obtain new business through cold emailing. However, this is anything but a simple marketing strategy. In fact, it takes a lot of time and determination to make a success of this technique. Here are three potential cold email problems you are sure to face at some point in time. 1. No replies. Put

While most freelance writers despise cold calling, this is something I have grown to love over the years. In fact, I get a rush out of making cold calls from time to time. This may not be something I do every day, but here and there is fits nicely into my marketing plan. Recently, when working with a few members of my freelance writing course,

Yesterday, I spent the day out of my office meeting with potential clients. While it took up several hours, in the end it was well worth it as I closed a couple of deals. During my time in the car, driving from one appointment to the next, I began to think about what I really needed by my side and what I could have left

As a freelance writer, most of your time will be spent writing. That being said, you need to save time throughout the day for other tasks such as sales and marketing. Even though you may have enough work right now to keep busy, you never know when things are going to slow down. For this reason, marketing your services should be an ongoing task. But

Like many freelance writers, I do not enjoy talking about myself. That being said, there is a fine line between bragging on yourself and doing an effective job in the sales and marketing department. Are you comfortable with “face to face marketing?” In short, this is the act of marketing your services to potential clients in person. No matter the setting – from conferences to

As you continue to market your services, you will receive many of the same questions from potential clients. You are sure to hear the following from time to time: What sets you apart from other writers? Why should I hire you instead of another freelancer? These are legitimate questions – and you need to have legitimate answers. If you are unprepared for the above questions,

Cold calling is a numbers game. In other words, if you make enough calls you are eventually going to find somebody who is interested. This leads to one very common issue: compiling a cold call list that is big enough to keep you busy, day after day. Here are three tips that I have successfully employed: 1. Local phone book. Although phone books are pretty

Over the years, I have found that many small businesses are in need of freelance contractors. This holds true with many types of professionals including writers, designers, and internet marketers among others. Before you pitch your services to a small business, regardless of your method (cold calling, in person, etc.) you should ask yourself these three questions. 1. Do I know enough about the industry

A few weeks back, I showed everybody how to become more comfortable with cold calling. I strongly believe this to be an efficient and effective way to land new clients while introducing yourself to businesses on a more personal level. Cold calling is not for everybody. If you decide to give it a try, make sure you are doing everything right from the start. Here

At times, you may feel like your online marketing campaign is letting you down. Maybe you aren’t getting any inquiries through your website. Maybe you are sending out one email after the next, just to get shot down time and time again. Since this is a possibility, it is important to consider other methods of marketing your freelance writing services – such as cold calling.

There is only one thing better than landing a new client – landing two new clients. Over the years, I have found several ways to turn one client into additional work in a relatively short period of time. While these tips are not full-proof and may not work for you every time with every client, they are worth a try. 1. Ask for a referral.

As a freelance writer at networking events, it is easy to sit back and let potential clients ask all the questions. While there is nothing wrong with listening and answering questions, you should feel comfortable opening up and asking some questions of your own. Not only does this show more interest on your part, but it gives you a better idea of whether or not

To reach all your freelance writing goals, it is essential to market your services on a regular basis. From query letters to cold calls to cold emails and everything in between, the more time you spend on marketing the better off you are going to be. Year after year, I have found that my marketing success is an up and down affair. By this, I

Often times, a client will not want to work with you until you prove your experience. As you know, the best way of doing so is to show off some of your past work. Of course, this leads to one very important question: which samples should I send? Here are three tips to keep in mind as you sift through your portfolio, searching for the

Are you planning on attending a get-together where you will have the chance to meet face to face with prospective clients? This can be a bit intimidating, especially if you have never gone through this process before. Many freelance writers share your concerns. After all, meeting with prospective clients in person can be full of stress. Fortunately, there are three things you can do to

There are many methods of marketing your freelance writing services. From managing a freelance writing blog to attending networking events, your options run deep. In the past, direct mail marketing was all the rage. Freelancers, as well as professionals in many other industries, found this to be an effective means of drumming up new business. The question remains: is direct mail marketing dead or alive?

The main goal of attending networking events is to meet as many people as possible. During this time, you are sure to ask your fair share of questions. At the same time, there will be quite a few inquiries directed your way. Time after time, I am asked the same questions at these events. At first, I was not prepared for these questions and often

It is one thing to market your talent to potential clients. It is another thing entirely to present your fee schedule and agree on a price and other project details. When setting up your fee schedule for the first time, you need to do so with “marketing” in mind. What good is this info if you don’t have anybody to send it to? There is

As you network with others, no matter if in person or in another manner, you may be tempted to make promises. While there is nothing wrong with this, you must be extremely careful of what you say. If you promise something and don’t come through, there is a good chance that the relationship will end sooner rather than later. In the past, I made this

There is nothing better than meeting a potential client in person. Not only does this give you the chance to show who you are and what you have to offer, but you are also able to better assess the client’s needs. The first few times I met with potential clients face to face I was scared. From not knowing what to say to the worry

By attending networking events you can quickly grow your career. You will not land a new gig from every event, but the opportunity to do so is right in front of you. Every year, I attend anywhere from 5 to 10 local networking get-togethers. Some are better than others, but I learn something no matter the outcome. Unfortunately, I have made my fair share of

As you continue to attend networking events and attempt to spread the word about your business, you are sure to run into many unique situations. Along with this, you are going to make mistakes along the way. Time and time again, I hear people (not just freelance writers) apologize as they “work a room” and talk to others about their business. This is something you

The more you network the more job opportunities you will come across. As a freelance writer, it is important for you to consider all potential gigs. At the same time, you must know when to say “no.” Early in my freelance writing career I struggled with this. If you asked to work with me I said yes – no questions asked. While there is nothing wrong

You have many jobs as a freelance writer. One of the most important is marketing. You want everybody to know what you do. The more people you tell the better chance you have of landing new clients and making more money. Over the past couple of years, I have handed out hundreds upon hundreds of business cards. Are you doing the same? There is a

One of the best ways to land new clients and make more money is to ask for referrals. Believe it or not, your current clients may be able to send a lot of new business your way – if you play your cards right. Freelance Writing Referral Tips 1. Don’t jump the gun. Your client is not going to pass your name around to others

Are you looking to get in touch with potential clients from your local area? If so, you may want to think about joining at least one chamber of commerce. This may sound like a lot of work, but once you know what you are doing it can bring in new business on a regular basis. Here are three chamber of commerce networking tips: 1. Choose