Working with a freelance writer requires trust, commitment, and open communication both sides. It also requires understanding.
When I work with a client, I do my best to understand where they’re coming from. I want to understand their goals, their mission, their values. I want to know what I can do to make their job easier.
Hopefully, your freelance writer does the same (or if you’re a writer yourself, you take this approach). But I hope that this goes both ways — that while I’m trying to help my clients do their job, they’re trying to help me do mine.
So, for anyone looking to make their relationship with their freelance writer run a little smoother, here are 5 things we want you to know.
The More You Give Us, the Better
If I had a nickel for every time a client prefaced something by saying, “This probably isn’t important,” I’d have enough money to retire at 25.
Whenever clients apologize for oversharing or worry that they’re giving me information that I can’t use, I want to shake them. Every piece of information about the company gives me the big picture. While, no, the information about how your company was founded might not make its way into the blog post itself, it will help inform my image of your company, your voice, and your values.
It also shows me that you have a clear vision and enthusiasm for what you do and for this partnership that we’re creating together. And when you have enthusiasm, I’m able to match it!
I’d much rather have a wordy client who gives me clear direction than a reticent one who doesn’t really know what they want. So share away — if it’s important to you and relevant to your business, I want to hear it.
Feedback is a Two Way Street
Let it be known: I love it when clients give me feedback and tell me how to improve the next time around. There are a lot of little things that are difficult to pick up on intuitively, so when you let me know that something I’m doing just isn’t working for you, I’m able to fix it.
That said, if your freelance writer is telling you that something you want just won’t work, it pays to listen to them. Most of us have been doing this long enough to know what we’re doing, so we have a pretty good grasp of what works and what doesn’t.
That doesn’t mean that you should take a freelance writer’s word as gospel — just that you should consider their suggestions.
There’s a difference, of course, between a professional opinion that should be listened to and one that just doesn’t align with your goals. If a freelance writer isn’t budging on something — if, for example, they insist on focusing on SEO when you care more about content — that’s a sign that you two just aren’t a good fit for each other. Trust your judgment and don’t be afraid to shop around if you need to.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
Nothing is more frustrating than having a simple question, and not knowing the fastest way to get ahold of a client.
If the lines of communication aren’t open, it’s very hard to complete a project in a timely fashion. A lot of the time, especially when we’re writing something personal about you, we’re going to want to be able to ask you questions.
Whether it’s email, text, or a program like Slack, you should let your freelance writer know up front how you want them to contact you, and what response time they can expect.
If we know how to get in touch with you and when it makes it much easier to stick to deadlines. Most of us are more than willing to be accommodating of non-traditional schedules, as long as we know about it in advance.
A Little Respect Goes a Long Way
Let’s get real for a moment: I’ve worked for some truly indifferent clients in my time. Clients who clearly didn’t care who would be reading my work or why. Clients who seemed to only be hiring me to check “content marketing” off a box. Clients who had no idea how much my time was worth, and didn’t care to find out.
I’ve also seen some ridiculous job offers. People promising “exposure” for unpaid work. People expecting you to be exclusive while working for far less than minimum wage. People who want you to work completely unreasonable hours without offering anything in the way of reasonable compensation.
Every freelance writer I’ve talked to has experienced something like this. It’s part of everyone’s journey and something that we all carry with us — for better or for worse — when interacting with clients.
That said, a little respect goes a long way. Simply acknowledging our work and showing respect for what we do goes a long way towards creating a lasting, mutually beneficial relationship.
Referrals are Worth Their Weight in Gold
Finding clients as a freelance writer is a full-time job. Especially when we’re in our first few years of business (which I am), a lot of us struggle when it comes to finding and keeping clients.
So if you like what a freelance writer does for you, let your peers know. Suggest them to people you know who are looking. Even writing them a recommendation on LinkedIn means more to them than you can imagine.
Obviously, some freelance writers aren’t looking for clients. If you aren’t sure, asking them before referring them directly to someone is a good way to go. But even doing that will show them how much you value their work, leading to a happier freelancer.
And at the end of the day, a happy freelance writer is a more productive one. Taking the time to consider their needs means that they’ll be better equipped to handle yours.
I’m lucky enough to have wonderful clients that I genuinely enjoy working for. If you’d like to join them, you’re more than welcome to contact me!
