When it comes to your writing business, never assume someone isn't a potential client or can't benefit your business in some way. To illustrate my point, here's a quick story.
A few years ago, I was headed to lunch with a financial planner I'd met a few days earlier at a networking event. I already had an advisor that I trusted and didn't intend on making any changes, but I'd always believed (and still do) that it never hurts to get to know people.
At a minimum, perhaps I could toss a lead or two his way. And vice versa!
Apparently, he wasn’t as open to getting to know each other. He called to cancel before I could get to the coffee shop we were meeting at.
"I'm sorry, man," he said. "A new client just called, so I need to go meet with them instead."
Clients take priority. But how did he know I wasn’t one? And even if I wasn’t, assuming I couldn’t help somehow was a mistake. He was so fixated on only making time for what he felt was a better prospect that he failed to recognize the opportunity standing in front of him.
I caution freelance writers all the time about making this same mistake as a business owner.
4 Reasons Why Making This Assumption Can Hurt Your Writing Business!
1. Just because someone isn't a client now doesn't mean they won't be later. Staying open-minded and relationship-focused means they will come to you first when they need you.
2. Even someone who isn't a client can still be that voice in the community or on social media, referring your services and promoting you as a trustworthy business owner.
3. That person could also have a large circle of influence. They’ll introduce you to power players you wouldn’t otherwise meet.
4. I genuinely believe we can all learn from each other – even if we are in different industries. If you’re close-minded, you limit your opportunities to learn and grow.
I firmly believe in leveraging all opportunities that help my writing business grow. I also love helping others do the same while creating more value for the communities and people we serve. This includes promoting local small businesses, volunteering time in the community, and attending networking events. I also try to offer advice to new business owners.
Quite frankly, it's the only way we get better together.
Want More Writing Business Tips? Call Edit This!
I feel an incredible sense of responsibility to share with other writers and editors who are just starting out on their own what worked for me, what didn't, what I wish I did differently, and everything in between. This way, they can start their writing business faster and with more confidence than I ever had all those many years ago.
A writing consulting and coaching professional works collaboratively with a writer to help take their passion for writing from a hobby to a successful freelance writing career. We aren’t your editor, writer, ghostwriter, or second set of eyes, and we won’t take the steps toward small-business ownership for you. But we will coach you through getting that business started, including giving you practical advice, actionable step-by-step instructions, accountability and structure, and anything else we can do to help you overcome obstacles that may pop up.
Everything starts with a FREE 30-minute call. From there, you’ll have three 45-60-minute phone, Zoom, or in-person sessions per month, where we provide customized step-by-step instructions to keep you on track and turn your hobby into a successful writing business.
There are hundreds of ways to flex your creative writing muscles and build a successful freelance writing business. And we want to help.
Thank you for reading!
STEVE GAMEL is the President & Owner of Edit This®, a writing and editing services company in Denton, TX. He is also a consultant and coach and the author of Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion for the Written Word. Steve handles anything involving the written word. Give him a call today to help give your business a clear voice.