Every week I talk to about 50 companies about my freelance writing services. Companies usually know if and when they need writers. But for each of them, there is a company or person who doesn’t know how a freelance writer can help them. Let’s take a look at the different companies and people who employ me. This short list can help you decide if you should hire a freelance writer.
Freelance writers are sometimes employed by PR, marketing and graphic design agencies. Some of these companies have their own writers or creatives, some don’t. If they do, the author may receive a polite “thank you, but no thanks.” When the current workload is too great for employees, a company may decide to hire a writer. Most freelance writers can write copy for brochures, websites, advertisements and direct mail. Many of us can also write white papers, case studies, annual reports, press releases and more. If you run a small business, you know that the workload can be overwhelming. If you can’t keep up with the front-end, you may need to hire a writer to help with your communication and creative projects.
Small businesses don’t always know they need freelance writers or desktop marketers. Many freelance writers also design postcards, flyers, brochures, newsletters, and other basic marketing materials. In this case, small businesses with smaller marketing budgets can get more value for money by hiring freelance writers/marketers. Not only does it lower your costs, but you also help small businesses. If you run a small business and are not sure if you need a writer/marketer, here are some things to consider. Do you pay a marketing company a lot to keep them on hold? If this is the case, you can possibly switch to a writer/marketer who can charge per project. Do people around you know? If not, think about what you can do with some well-written, catchy postcards, flyers, or brochures. Do you want to sell more? Everyone does it right? A writer or marketer can help you set up a direct mail campaign. You can offer discounts, coupons, or anything else to attract prospects and convert them into customers. Once you have customers, you may want to send out a monthly newsletter. Your writer/marketer can write and design the newsletter content for you. If you don’t know how to market your business or have a small marketing budget, you may want to talk to a freelance writer/marketer.
Even large companies sometimes hire writers themselves. Of course, these companies may have their own marketing and communications department, or may already be collaborating with a company. But who writes newsletters, articles, newsletters and training materials for the company? Who writes annual reports, communication with regulators and other documents? If you are a corporate PR manager, PR manager, HR director, or marketing manager, consider how much time you and your employees spend writing publications and communications. You may be able to hire freelancers to write and let your staff do the most important tasks. Maybe your boss asked you for such publications, but you couldn’t get them because you didn’t have enough time or money. You can definitely move these projects around with the help of a freelance writer.
Entrepreneurs and others are becoming another source of business for freelance writers, especially in the Web 2.0 era. Digital records are becoming a very lucrative field. Sites like Clickbank.com give us the opportunity to write and sell books on everything from how to play online games to make money, raise kids, do crafts and other things we love. You may have great ideas for useful publications, but you can’t write them down. It’s okay to admit you’re not the best writer in the world. If we were all great writers, some of us would be out of jobs. If you find a freelance writer who has written e-books, white papers, and even print books (both fiction and non-fiction), he or she can help you organize your thoughts, help you structure and write your material. Intellectual property works here for both the writer and the reader, so make sure you agree on who owns the idea and the final product.
There are many reasons to hire a freelance writer, and I’ve listed some of them here. How do you find someone to write to? You might get them, like I try to do every day. Many of us have an online presence and advertise with online ads such as Google Adwords, so a search for ‘copywriter’ or ‘freelance write
Qualifications, skills and maturity to do the job. Also keep in mind that the provider with the lowest bid is not always the best.
Even if you’re not sure if you need a freelance writer, you should still contact someone. Even if it doesn’t work for you right now, it’s never too early to start a business relationship with someone with unique skills that not everyone has.
