As a author, you might be doubtless already utilizing social media to advertise your printed work—or you ought to be! And because you’re already a wordsmith, cobbling collectively intelligent and fascinating tweets, Fb posts, and descriptions for Pinterest and Instagram comes pretty simply to you.
Figuring out this, have you ever thought-about placing your writing abilities to work by providing social media companies?
Companies in all places are leaping into the world of social media, however tons of them simply don’t have the time or know-how. Whereas they could not all the time promote their want for a social media supervisor or content material creator on LinkedIn or Craigslist, you may simply establish 5 companies in your metropolis which are doing a poor job with social media. (In fact, you’re not restricted to native shoppers relating to social media, however they’re an important first choice.)
Begin along with your present shoppers, those who already know your work as a author. Merely shoot them a message letting them know that you’re now providing social media companies and ask whether or not they know anybody who wants this sort of help—or in the event that they want it themselves. In case your shoppers are keen to contact their networks, craft an e-mail to make it straightforward for them. Add an incentive by providing a free hour of labor in alternate for every referral.
To land new shoppers, attain out to a few of your favourite native eating places, retailers or bars. Identical to you may pitch an editor by main with a praise on their current work, you are able to do the identical while you contact a enterprise you already take pleasure in.
I’ve been in a position to land a number of new shoppers by gently stating a straightforward option to enhance their social media, like claiming their Fb self-importance URL, beefing up their Fb About web page, or including milestones to their historical past. Together with ideas like these in your pitch reveals that your stuff and provides worth for the enterprise—you’re serving to them out earlier than they’ve even employed you.
Discovering ongoing work along with your new shoppers
Signing a brand new social media consumer opens the door to the opportunity of taking up extra writing-based duties. Possibly you possibly can launch or contribute to their weblog, or write and distribute their month-to-month e-newsletter. Maybe they want some canned response emails, press releases or up to date web site copy.
Once you start new relationships with companies that always want content material advertising and marketing, you set your self up for regular gigs that don’t require pitching an editor or scouring a job board. And that’s a pleasant place to be.
Strategy pricing for this work in the identical means you do your writing companies. You could need to supply an hourly charge to begin out, however finally I’d advocate transferring to a month-to-month retainer bundle. That is principally your hourly charge multiplied by the variety of hours you anticipate spending on work for the consumer.
Webpage FX has an in depth charge sheet for his or her social media companies to offer you an concept of what you may need to cost. In fact, you may need to begin out with a decrease charge to land that first social media consumer, however you’ll be capable to increase it as you achieve expertise and consumer testimonials. The Write Life founder Alexis Grant additionally presents sources that will help you construct your social media enterprise.
Take into account that you’ll common not less than one hour per day (generally three to 4 hours), each day, creating content material and responding to buyer messages, so you should definitely add some cushion to your charge. Social media by no means sleeps, and further duties often creep in, so reevaluate the mission scope periodically.
