Questions for the first client call

What Questions Do Freelance Writers Ask on The First Client Call?

Have you ever experienced this? You land a new client (hooray!), and during your first client call, you realize that your client doesn’t have a clue how to communicate what they want you to write.

Unfortunately, this scenario is typical for freelance writers, and it can be frustrating when you waste hours trying to get on the same page.

Here’s the good news. 

You can avoid this situation entirely by taking the reigns and leading your first client call. 

Here’s what to ask in your kick-off call:

• Who is your target audience?

• What tone do you want to convey?

• Will you give me a keyword and bullet points on what you would like to highlight?

• Will you send me 2-3 articles you like on this same topic?

• Can we start with one article, review it together, and go from there?

What questions do freelancer writers ask on their kick-off call?

1. Who is your target audience?

Before you write your article, you need to learn everything you can about your client’s target audience. Is the audience...

• SaaS professionals?

• Young women with a sense of humor?

• Educated business owners?

• Moms?

• Dads?

• Financial gurus with PhDs?

• Doctors?

Once you know who the audience is, also ask:

• What the audience already knows about the industry and topic

• What the audience’s primary pain points are

• How your client’s business solves those pain points

Learning everything you can about your client’s audience will inform the structure of your piece, the stats you use, the voice of the article, and more.

2. What tone do you want to convey?

Just as it’s important to understand the audience, it’s vital to understand the tone your client wants you to convey.

I usually juggle 10+ clients at a time, and all of them have different preferences for how articles should sound. Some want the articles hurried and to the point. Others want the articles to sound cheeky and fun. Some want an academic and professional tone.

I have no way of guessing how they want their articles to sound, so I always ask them.

It’s also helpful to ask clients to send a few articles that match the tone they are striving to achieve. This way, it’s easy to hit the tone nail on the head from the get-go, and you don’t have to spend time editing the tone of your post.

3. Will you give me a keyword and bullet points on what you would like to highlight??

When your client provides a broad topic with no direction on what you are supposed to focus on, you really could take the article in a billion different directions. 

Save yourself a headache, and ask your client to provide you with a few short bullets on key points they want you to hit. 

This will help you create a stellar outline that will blow your clients out of the water.

4. Will you send me 2-3 articles you like that are on this topic

It never hurts to double-down on finding out what the client really wants in an article. Asking the client to send 2-3 articles they like on the same topic will help you understand what type of content they like without the client having to work too hard to communicate it to you. 

5. Can we start with one article, review it together, and go from there?

I am not sure if every freelance writer asks this question on their first call, but I always do. I like to work on one project together to make sure the relationship is a good fit before committing to long-term projects. 

Focusing on just one article provides a low-pressure environment where you can work together, take feedback, and iron out any kinks before moving on to other assignments. 

It’s also a good way to ensure you’re not working with a PITA client and to make sure they are the type of client that likes to pay their bills on time.

Last word: Now that you know what freelance writers ask on their first client call, it’s time for some follow-up work. After chatting with your client, email them a more comprehensive content brief where they can fill out all relevant information.

What are the Freelance Writing Trends of 2022

I was part of my first ever Twitter Spaces earlier this week. I chatted with the founders of Peak Freelance, Elise Dopson and Michael Keenan, about Freelance Writing Trends for 2022.

You can listen to the full recording here.

Here's the condensed version of the trends we discussed:

1/ The Great Resignation + boost in e-comm/the digital world

With the recent boosts in e-commerce and the world becoming more digital, there are robust opportunities for new freelance writers.

Brands are investing heavily in content marketing and copywriting. (Approximately 82% of marketers are actively investing in content marketing.)

I can’t keep up with work. My colleagues can’t keep up with work. There is room for you!

Along the same lines, many content marketers are moonlighting. Jimmy from superpath published his report that says 32% of content marketers with a job also freelance. Freelance is hot right now.

2/ High demand for content repurposing & productized services

Brands see the value in repurposing content for different purposes and platforms.

I’ve had a ton of requests for taking podcasts, interviews, and webinars and turning them into blogs.

There are many opportunities for freelance writers to offer repurposing as a service.

Elise & Michael also talked about offering productized services. Freelancers can offer upsells like research services, editing, etc.

3/The rise of community support/value of a freelance community

Since the pandemic and as people spend more time online, the value of community is growing.

We are seeing the rise in the community across various industries—e-commerce, crypto, marketing, and — yes — freelance.

Freelancers with community support can avoid potential pitfalls.

Community access = easy advice on getting started, managing relationships with clients, and the opportunity to build friendships and a referral network.

4/ More freelancers building personal brands & it's paying off

More freelancers are building personal brands to get clients and network with other like-minded friends.

We're seeing more Twitter leaders, newsletters, blogs, and beneficial podcasts.

Growing a personal brand pays off in terms of more clients, consulting opportunities, speaking opportunities, etc.

And there you have it!

Why should you not do paid writing tests?

Let’s get one thing straight. Asking for freebies in the business world is lame.

Would I ask an accountant to do four hours of my taxes to see if it’s is a good fit? No. 

Would I ask a contractor to build part of my house to see if I like it? Nope. 

How about asking a doctor to perform part of a surgery to see if her approach is suitable? Yikes.

Freelancers and freelance writers hopefuls, this is what I’ve learned in my 9+ years of writing: My time is worth just as much as any other professional, and I don't have to do anything for free. That’s right. I don’t write anything for free. Ever.

Here’s what you do if someone asks you to write a sample piece for free.

Ignore people that ask you to write for free

I usually don’t engage with these types of potential clients because they are acting entitled and aren’t showing respect for the excellent work I do. They will most likely end up being a PITA client. A good client is a client that values the work you do.

Refer the potential client to your portfolio

Chances are, you already have loads of relevant work they can check out to see if you would be a good fit. 

Offer to send them a few samples of your previous work. If you have results of how those pieces preformed, that is a huge bonus.

Give them the skinny on how you work

Tell them how you would approach the project, what your turn around date is, and what they can expect from a working relationship with you. Then, ask when you can start and describe your invoicing process.

Offer to do a paid trial piece

Sometimes it’s nice to work on one project and see if it’s a fit. The only rule? You have to get paid. And, charge them your regular rates for the sample piece. None of this half-off or discounted rates business.

When they agree to hire you, send them a contract

Reinforce your business processes by sending a contract. You agree to send them high-quality work, and they agree to pay you.

Remember, you are fantastic at what you do, and you deserve to get paid. For everything you do.

For more freelance writing tips, subscribe to Content Connect!

How can I get a freelance writing website?

How To Start a Website or Blog With Bluehost

Get your freelance website or blog up and running right now by following these 3 steps!

1. Pick a domain name and purchase Bluehost hosting

2. Install WordPress

3. Pick a Theme, free or paid

Step 1: Get a Domain Name and Web Hosting

To get your website started, the first step is to pick a domain name. For bloggers and freelance writers, I suggest choosing your own name, a name that reflects your writing brand, or the name of your registered company. 

As soon as you have brainstormed a few different possible domain names for your website, you need to check to make sure the domain name you want is available at a decent price.

As a quick example, I recently started an online book club for women and wanted to call it girlfriendsbookclub.com. Unfortunately, someone had already snagged the domain name and it was only available to purchase for $1,000. I was not willing to pay $1,000 for a domain name, because that is absurd, so I had to be creative and search for other options. Another similar name was available, and it only cost $11.99, which is a reasonable yearly price for a domain name.

If a price is too high for a certain domain name, or if the domain name is not available, explore other options. 

For example, when I started my freelance writing business, I wanted the domain ashleycummings.com. Another Ashley Cummings already had that domain name reserved, so I brand myself with my full name and middle initial, ashleyrcummings.com. Over time, it has been a great differentiator and a great fit for me. As you pick a domain name, you’ll be able to settle on the right fit at the right price.

To check a domain name, you can use the services of one of the most popular web hosting companies—Bluehost. Bluehost is competitively priced and compatible with the most popular website platform, WordPress.

To check if your domain name is available, head straight to Bluehost, and enter your desired domain into the “new domain” box.

Once you press “next,” Bluehost will let you know if the domain is available or not. As soon as you find an available domain name, you can select hosting for your domain. 

If you already have a domain purchased, through GoDaddy or another service, for example, you can simply move directly to step 2 and pick a hosting package—Basic, Plus, or Choice Plus.

Once you select your domain name and package, Bluehost will ask you for some basic account information, your package request options, and ask for a payment method. 

As soon as you have completed these easy steps, you will have a domain name, hosting, and you will be officially ready to install WordPress.

As a quick after note, there are many add on features in Bluehost, but the only one I would suggest is to make sure you select automatic renewal, so you don’t risk losing your domain name in the future.

Action Item #1: Okay, this is the part of the book where I tell you to head over to Bluehost, purchase a hosting package, and select a domain name. There is no better time to get started than now. Go for it!

Step 2: Installing WordPress On Your Computer

Now that you have purchased web hosting through Bluehost, it’s time to download WordPress.

Here’s how to install WordPress from your BlueHost Account (2020 version).

1. Login to your Bluehost account.

2. Click on “My Sites” on the top left navigation bar.

3. Click “Create New Site.”

4. Select “Use WordPress.”

5. Name your site.

6. Select the domain you just registered from the drop-down menu. (Note: If you already have a Bluehost account, you will need to assign your domain first).

7. Bluehost will start installing WordPress.

8. You will see a screen that says “Congratulations, WordPress installed successfully.”

9. Write down your username and password, and then click on “Login to WordPress.”

10. Bluehost will log you into your new WordPress site. Once it’s set up, you will see the WordPress platform that is ready for you to customize.

That’s it! You officially know how to start a WordPress website or blog using Bluehost.

Action Item #2: Take the time to Login to your Bluehost account and install WordPress now. Hurry, I’m timing you! I bet you can do it in 5 minutes.

Step 3: Pick a Framework & A Theme

Congratulations! You now officially have a website for your freelance writing company. It feels good, right? You should certainly take the time to celebrate, because this is a huge step in making your way as a freelance writer <insert short dance party here>.

As you take a look at your new website, you probably notice that it’s not very attractive right now. While you have a domain, hosting, and WordPress installed, you’ll need to do a little work to customize your website, and make it pretty. Thankfully, there are places where you can download a framework and a theme to make it pretty. 

This last step of picking framework and a theme is the part of the process that will take more time, because it involves you making decisions on how you want things to look.

To pick a theme, you can either pick a free WordPress theme, or you can get all fancy pants, and pay for a framework and theme. I recommend going the fancy pants route.

As many bloggers and freelance writers do, I use the StudioPress Genesis Framework, and I recommend you using it too. The reason I recommend the Genesis Framework is because it’s simple, intuitive, and many themes are built around this particular framework. 

Once you have selected a framework, you can purchase one of the many lovely StudioPress Themes to beautify your website. To upload your theme, download the .zip file to your desktop, go to the “Appearance” section of your WordPress Dashboard, select “Themes,” click “Add New,” select the theme file you downloaded to your desktop, and press “Upload.” Then, all you need to do is select “Activate,” and your website will no longer look generic; it will look like you hired a professional designer to create your website.

Important Tip: As a quick side note, it’s difficult to understand the jargon when you are new to creating and downloading a website, framework, and theme. The analogy StudioPress uses is helpful in understanding the jargon. They say if a website were a car, WordPress would be the engine, Genesis would be the body and the frame, and a StudioPress theme would be the paint job.

There are many different parts of the WordPress engine that make your website work including plugins, widgets, and more. Thankfully, WordPress is fairly intuitive, and you’ll be able to customize your website as you go.

The Genesis Framework is the perfect frame or body for your website. It will keep your website organized and it’s a great basis for web designers to easily design themes and features that make your website look pretty.

Finally, when you pick one of the StudioPress Themes, you can customize the way your website looks, so it reflects your personality, niche, and style perfectly.

Action Item #3: Download the Genesis Framework and pick one of the StudioPress Themes that suits your fancy. Once you have completed this, you can spend time customizing the features of your personal website. Of course every website will be different, just make sure you include weekly website entries, an about page, samples of your work, your resume, and contact information.

Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post. If you sign up through one of my links, I will get a commission.