If you’ve followed my guide on how to become a well-paid dental writer, you’re well on your way to landing your first gig. Hopefully, by now you have at least one client under your belt and you’re bringing in some kind of income.
The question is… How do you take it to the next stage?
How do you double or even treble your current income?
Let’s find out what habits successful writers adopt using these 9 freelance writing tips…
Tip #1 – Niche down and specialise
Here’s the thing… With the rapid growth of AI, you’re pretty much dead in the water if you market yourself as a generalist content writer.
Why?
Because tools like Chat GPT are already better generalists than you are. It’s sad, and a little scary, but true!
Therefore, the quicker you can niche down and specialise, the more earning potential you’ll have.
Here’s the good news…
If you’re already marketing yourself as a dental content writer, you’re ahead of the curve. By honing your content writing to one specific area, you can charge more money for your services.
Moreover, if you have the skills to do something within that niche that not many other writers do, you’re on to a winner.
For example, I advertise myself as a specialist dental content writer and copywriter but recently I’ve been landing work assisting with clinical content – reports, studies, research, that kind of thing.
It’s a very small niche within dentistry but because it’s a service that not many other writers provide, there is little competition, meaning I can charge more.
So, first of all, look to niche down. Everyone calls themselves a medical writer, for example, but there aren’t too many dental writers around. Then, find a gap in that niche, learn all there is to know about how you can add value to a company or client and exploit the heck out of it.
Tip #2 – Don’t waste time on low-paying projects
You don’t have to look far to find a low-paying gig. You see them all the time on places like Upwork. It’s all too tempting to apply for a project because it appears ‘easy’. Inevitably, it often ends up being anything but.
Instead, have a clear understanding of market rates and what you need to charge to live and set rates that are competitive but also reflect the value you bring to the table.
Then, spend time targeting clients who understand how you add value and can help their business. If you aren’t sure how to do that, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
Here’s a recent post I wrote on the subject a couple of months back.
As a freelance writing tip to double your income, you’d be far better off using the time to market your services on places like LinkedIn and start building relationships with potential clients.
#3 – Build a strong personal brand
Building a strong brand is all about creating a unique image and reputation for yourself that stands you apart from other writers. Essentially, your brand is a good representation of who you are, what you do and what sets you apart from the competition.
Use this information to create a consistent image across various platforms. Including your website, social media platforms and content.
So, why is this important?
When you build a strong brand and deliver cohesive messaging you attract the right clients, establish yourself as an expert in your niche, and in turn, command higher rates for your services.
This is how you can double your income!
As an example, I advertise myself on LinkedIn as a specialist Dental Content Writer and Copywriter. This is also reflected across my personal writer website and much of my content. As a result, if someone reads any of my content or visits my site, they’re left in no uncertain terms as to what I do and how I can help because I demonstrate it in my posts, content and messaging.
This could be the subject of a whole new blog, so I don’t want to dwell on it too much but essentially, developing a coherent identity allows you to attract the type of clients who will value what you have to offer and should be willing to pay more.
#4 - Leverage existing clients
Here’s a question…
How many clients do you need to earn a decent living from freelancing?
The answer?
Far less than you think.
Okay, so that might seem like a bit of a cop-out answer but there are plenty of examples of freelance writers who earn in excess of six-figure sums working with just 3 clients.
Check out this inspirational post, for example.
The question is… how do they do that?
Well, point one is obviously to charge more for your services but the other is to change your mindset when working with clients.
Most freelancers are order-takers. In other words, the client tells you what to write, and you execute it and get paid – Simple!
However, there may be content needs that the client doesn’t know about that you can help with. That may be white papers, clinical evaluations, or long-form material that will help to increase the client’s position and stand them out from their competition.
In fact, most top-earning freelancers tend to be content strategists and consultants rather than order takers and this is how they operate with just 3-4 clients per month.
To put this perspective, if you’re already writing monthly blogs for a client, why not propose other ways that content can work for them?
Compile a content plan complete with timescales, fees and projected outcomes and present it to them.
Sure, it’s a little more upfront work for you, and there is a chance they’ll say no, but if your plan is convincing enough and they agree, you’ve just increased your income
#5 – Diversify income streams
A great freelance writing tip for doubling your income is to develop multiple income streams. Multiple sources of income can help you to mitigate the risk of relying on a single client:
Ideas can include:
- Offering editing and proof-reading services
- Creating and selling an online product – eBook
- Providing content/blogging planning services
- Social media posting
- Content marketing
The list is endless…
When you diversify income streams you automatically tap into other markets which, in turn, opens up further opportunities for work.
#6 Market
It can be hard to keep marketing while you’re busy with client work but I’ve learned this the hard way when I unexpectedly lost a client who gave me a lot of work.
It saw my income drop dramatically as I was left with just a few client blogs per month with nothing in the pipeline. This meant I practically had to start again from scratch.
Had I continued to market myself even when busy, I would have been able to quickly fill the client gap. That’s a good dose of hindsight, right there!
Besides, when you market constantly, you put yourself out there, develop relationships and have a ready-made contact list of people to tap into should the worst happen.
The moral of the story…
If you want to double your income, don’t rely on people trying to find you, instead, you’ve got to keep hustling. You’d be surprised how quickly you can earn more money when you constantly put yourself out there.
If you’re unsure how to do that, check out this post on 5 LinkedIn marketing strategies that get you clients.
#7 – Keep up to date with industry trends
One of the key ranking factors that Google expects from great content is expertise. Therefore having a good understanding of your field is one of the easiest freelance writing tips you could learn to double your money.
In dentistry particularly, technology and processes are always moving forward, so I make it my business to keep up to date with what’s going on in the industry. Whether that’s new technology for treating gum disease or a better process for placing zygomatic implants. This way, I can incorporate this knowledge into the content I write. That’s adding expertise and authority.
When you position yourself as an authority in any field or industry, you’ll be more in demand meaning you can charge more for your services to new clients. Essentially, it’s a win/win situation.
Ways to increase your expertise include:
- Reading industry publications/trade magazines
- Obtaining insights into industry trends by setting industry-related news alerts on your phone
- Participating in industry-related forums
- Talking directly to people in the know
When you start adding real value as a freelance writer and stay ahead of the curve, that’s when you can justify charging more for your services.
8 – Build a strong portfolio of work
Showcasing your work is about creating a portfolio of your best (and most applicable) work to date. This is an essential tool for attracting new clients and showcasing your abilities as a freelance writer.
If you don’t yet have a writer’s website (and you really should) there are other places that you can build a portfolio including LinkedIn and other online platforms like Clippings.me and Muck Rack.
As a top freelance writing tip, if you don’t yet have much client work to show, you can always write articles, particularly for your portfolio.
Remember potential clients aren’t particularly interested in whether you’ve worked with someone before, but that you can demonstrate experience and knowledge in your chosen field.
A strong portfolio of work is the best way to do exactly that!
#9 – Don’t give up
The final freelance writing tip for doubling your income is perhaps the one that has the most resonance—well, at least with me anyway, and that’s to never quit.
Look, I’ll be honest, running your own content-writing business isn’t always a bed of roses. You’ll encounter days when nothing goes to plan or a client doesn’t pay when they should or you’ve lost work because the client’s decided to take their content needs in-house. When you have these kinds of days, and you will, it’s hard to put it behind you.
At this point, it’s easy to say “Well, at least I tried”, close your laptop and go back to the 9-5. I’ve definitely considered it on more than one occasion.
But what if you got back on it the following day, ignored the self-doubt and believed in yourself?
What if you told yourself that you’re “Going to make a go of it no matter what” and didn’t give up?
That’s when good things happen.
You see, making money freelancing isn’t always about who’s best but more about who doesn’t quit.
So there you have it, 9 freelance writing tips to double your income.
Essentially, freelancing is a business and businesses need regular working habits to succeed and grow.
If you can adopt at least some of these habits, then you’re well on your way to doubling your income and earning more money.
If you’re yet to start your freelancing journey, then I have you covered.
Why not start by downloading my free guide on how to become a well-paid dental writer? Simply click on the link, download the content and you’re good to go!
Here’s to your success
Dale