Hey there freelance writer,
One of the best ways to get better at any skill is by learning from someone else. That’s why mentorships are so hot right now. They give you the chance to avoid common mistakes and reach success sooner.
But, not everyone can afford to hire a mentor. Big name copywriters charge hundreds or even thousands of dollars to mentor newbies.
And when you’re new to freelancing you don’t have that kind of money. I want to help you build a thriving freelance writing business ASAP.
Without the crazy high fees of a mentorship.
So, I’ve created a new blog post series to help you learn from the pros without charging you a cent.
Because we all need help when we’re getting started in this (sometimes scary) freelancing world.
Recently, I had the chance to connect with an incredible writer named Blair Sharp. She shared valuable insight with me about what it takes to make it as a freelancer.
If you aren’t connected with Blair on LinkedIN, you’re missing out. She gives freelancers valuable tips packed with personality for better content writing.
Keep reading to learn how she “hacked” LinkedIN by being herself and meeting new people.
Can you tell me a little about yourself?
Sure! Hi everyone, I’m Blair Sharp. I work part-time as a psychometrist and I write content online.
I haven’t heard of that job before. What does a psychometrist do?
Most people haven’t! A psychometrist tests people’s thinking ability. We test all sorts of things like memory, attention and problem solving skills.
After the test, I record the results and a neuropsychologist reads them. It’s a repetitive job and I’ve been doing it for a while now so it’s pretty easy, I like easy.
Are you a copywriter or a content writer?
I’m a content writer. When people think of copywriting they usually think of selling right away. As content writers we use persuasive content to inform readers and move them to action over time.
Got it. Since you work in healthcare, do you stick to writing in the health niche?
Mental health is very important to me so I write about it a lot. I quit drinking in 2018 so I enjoy writing about sobriety and addiction.
I feel like people who have gone through stuff have better stories. Using your life experiences to fuel your writing helps you connect with the reader more.
I also write about other topics like adhd, healthy sleep habits and lowering stress.
It’s great that you’re able to combine your passions with your creative freelancing work.
That’s always the goal right? Writing about topics I’m into makes it so much more fun. Writing comes easier for me that way too. For example, I write about parenting a lot because I enjoy talking about it.
Can you talk to me about your freelance journey? What got you started and how did you end up here?
That’s a long story! I’ve always been a creative person. I like to say I was born with a BIG imagination. I was an artistic child and I had a knack for storytelling.
As I got older I stopped writing and started partying with my friends. I had a lot of fun in my early 20s and that took up most of my time. So, I didn’t start writing again until 2019.
2019: Back then I decided to start writing again as a hobby. I’d quit drinking the year before so I had more free time on my plate. I volunteered to write for a local parenting blog in my city.
Since I hadn’t written anything in years I thought it would be fun to give it a try again. I was able to choose what I wrote about and I really enjoyed that.
Once Covid hit I started writing content people could use as resources to help them get through it. That was the first time I got paid to write.
2020: In December 2020 I started an alcohol-free instagram account and it blew up.
I did brand collabs with non-alcoholic drink brands and things took off from there. That brought more writing opportunities to me like guest blogging.
Most of the projects I worked on were still volunteer back then but I enjoyed what I was doing.
2021: Then in 2021 I reached a big milestone in my writing career. Some of my work was nationally published on a parenting website called Scary Mommy. I was thrilled!
After that happened I felt like I “made it” ya know? So, I decided to start taking my writing more seriously. I made a website and posted my writing portfolio online.
I started pitching to businesses and stayed open to any opportunities that came my way. I got a few big names under my belt like Insider and parents.com.
2022: Since writing was going so well I decreased my hours at my day job. Finding new clients became exhausting after a while though.
So, I decided to look for regular writing work. I started reaching out to therapy and treatment centers looking for retainer gigs.
Believe it or not, one of the first pitches I sent brought me a great retainer writing client I still work with today.
The day I reached out was the same day their old content writer was leaving. Timing is everything. I spent the rest of the year racking up more projects and retainer agreements.
2023: Business is going well. I put in my request to drop to part-time at work recently for more writing time.
That’s awesome! So is your plan to freelance full time?
People ask me that question a lot. Becoming a full-time freelancer was never my plan but it seems like I’m headed there anyway. I have more writing clients than I’ve ever had before so balancing both can be challenging.
But, I’m in no rush to leave my day job. I like what I do and it’s nice to have variety in my work.
Freelancing full-time scares me a little. To give up the security you have with a traditional job is a huge leap. I’m not a big risk taker so we’ll see what happens next for me.
You have a large following on LinkedIN. What helped you reach so many people with your content?
I have no idea. I wish I could bottle it up and sell the formula…
Seriously though, when I first started on LinkedIN I did a ton of research about it. I learned about the best way to set up my profile, banner and section.
Other than that, I feel like my personality translates well over social media. People forget to put enough of themselves into comments and posts.
And don’t forget to engage with other people’s content. With LinkedIN the magic happens in the comments. You’ll drive more traffic to your profile by being visible on other people’s posts.
What makes the perfect LinkedIN post?
I don’t think there is a recipe for the perfect post. I mean we’ve all had posts we put a ton of time into that fall flat. It depends on who you are and what works for you. I don’t put a lot of strategy into my posts.
I will say that a few keys to a successful LinkedIN post are:
Remember, posting on LinkedIN isn’t your job, don’t spend a ton of time trying to make the perfect post (I sure don’t).
What should freelance writers write about?
Writing about writing is very popular on LinkedIN. So posting tips other writers can use and stories about your own experiences work well.
And don’t forget to add a little bit of who “you” are in each post. That’s what helps me connect with people on social media. I make sure people can see my personality through my posts.
For example, if I made a post and the hook read: “5 things I do to keep me on track when working from home”. I’d give practical tips for the first 4 things and the 5th one would be something funny like “Eat cheese”.
Show your personality to make more friends and connections.
What is the best way for freelancers to get more clients?
In my experience the best way to get more clients is by having a personal brand established. One of the first clients I reached out to was already following my alcohol-free instagram.
So, they already knew how much engagement I was getting on my posts. When a brand sees people engaging with your profile they’re more likely to want to work with you.
“Build a personal brand before you need it.”
Other than that I’ve had success with cold pitching via email. The key to writing an email that gets a response is focusing on how you can help the client you’re writing to. Avoid going on and on about yourself in the email, focus on them.
Research the company before you reach out to discover ways you can make their lives easier. And don’t forget to include links to published work you have, your portfolio and website if you have one set up.
Send examples of your work that line up with the content the brand already creates. That makes it easier for clients to see you writing for them. And always send your best work!
How often do you follow-up with clients who don’t respond to your emails?
I haven’t had to do a lot of follow up because I usually have a high response rate.
That’s impressive! Any advice for new freelancers or others thinking about taking the plunge?
Just keep going. Dealing with rejection can be tough but it’s a part of the process. Everyone goes through it. Keep pitching and eventually you will get a yes.
The best thing you can do is get your work published. You don’t need a journalism degree of writing background to get published (I didn’t).
Clients want to see that you can write. So, if you haven’t had any paying clients yet you should look into guest blogging.
Google search guest blogging in your area. You’ll find tons of websites and other creators looking for writers to add content to their blogs.
Clients won’t know whether you got paid for the writing or not. All they care about is seeing your work published online somewhere else. It makes a big difference.
Any tips for freelancers who still have a day job?
You need to strike a balance between your freelance work and your day job. There will come a time when you’re so busy doing both that you’ll feel overwhelmed. So pace yourself and don’t take on more than you can handle.
I always recommend saving 3-6 months of your living expenses before making the leap. The best way to do that is finding clients who will pay you more for your work.
Most people will need to take lower paying jobs to get started but don’t get stuck there. Keep searching for clients who can afford you.
Be patient with yourself. Lots of people want a fabulous freelance writing career overnight but it doesn’t work like that. Everything I’m doing now started with the instagram profile I made 3 years ago. Good things take time.
If you plan to make enough money writing to leave your day job here’s one last helpful tip: Figure out exactly how much money/how many clients you need every month to cover your expenses.
Breaking the goal down like this can make it seem less scary and more achievable.
If you want to learn more about Blair or connect with her on her socials follow the links below:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairsharp/
https://www.instagram.com/sobrietyactivist/
A few takeaways from Blair’s interview:
That wraps up our blog post for this week. I hope you enjoyed learning from Blair as much as I did.
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Yours for better freelance writing,
Brandon Davis