You heard about freelancing and said, “I’ve got skills! I can do this!” Then you started doing it and thought, “Screw me! I’ve got to sell my services? Marketing, promotion, networking? Can’t I just slap my portfolio on the web and let the clients come to me?”
Well, no. So what can you do?
You can get bold and pitch new clients. Or, if that’s too salesman-like for you, you can make friends.
I’m not talking about meetcha-for-coffee, manicure buddies. I’m talking about online pals you can banter with, bounce ideas off of, and maybe — just maybe — score a little work from. The trick to this is to choose your friends, and your social activities, wisely. There’s only so much time in the day, and eventually you’ll have to devote some of that time to doing actual work.
Understand that what seems to work for a lot of folks won’t necessarily work for you.
For example: Twittering time away wouldn’t benefit me, because my potential clients still think Digg is something dogs do. Many of my clients seem to type with their feet, and a good many still don’t know what a blog is. Sure, I could maybe get an occasional lead or two from someone I meet on Twitter, but I know myself well enough to know that with my addictive personality, I’d mostly be talking to the pen men and Brett, and typing in stuff like “just had my 15th cup of coffee before noon.” These guys are super handy, and I’m glad to know them, but I don’t see them sending me any lawyer blogging business anytime soon. If these were the only people I talked to, I’d have a belly ache from laughing, but no new clients.
For me, the networking that works to get me business is visiting lawyer blogs, leaving comments, introducing myself via email. I’ve gotten more business through referrals from one legal blog I stalk than I have through any other method. Getting to know other writers who blog for lawyers, and who create lawyer blogs, is also handy.
You’ve got to figure out what would work for you. Who would make a good pal? Where would that kind of person hang out? Blogs? Message boards? Twitter? Digg? The local bar?
What have you tried and found useful? What did you find was a waste of time?
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Amy,
Thanks for the link love
and a good post today. As much as I’ve enjoyed the chatter at MwP today about Twitter, and my first day dabbling with it, I have to agree with you.
My similarly addictive personality (and affinity for coffee) risks making it just one more time sink, and since I’m not nearly as far along with freelancing as you are, I’ll just have to keep it as a toy until I find a use for it. Seeing as the people I’ll be targeting might be similar in many ways to your market, I won’t find them on Twitter…
(but at least it’s one more way to bug James!)
LOL. Bugging James is always fun
And now it’s just so darned easy… will I ever get anything done!
I know I wouldn’t. I’d be twittering crap like “blogging about e. coli and new heparin deaths”. Cuz that’s what I do all day. Really cheerful!!!
For me freelancing is all about word-of-mouth. I love my clients because they loyally stay with me for years, and they recommend me to their friends.
I love your specialty. Blogging for lawyers is very niche. You could really establish yourself as an expert.
One of my recent articles on Travel & Remote Work for Couples generated some PR attention and invites for gust posts in the legal community (my fiancee I mention in article is an attorney).
I’ll poke around your site for more info. Hiring a writer to do your blog articles is a GREAT automation to add to any law firm.
Sterling - I’d love to email you, but I don’t know how to reach you. Shoot me an email at amy@lawfirmblogger.com if you get the chance.
Here in Indiana, we actually have a social network called Smaller Indiana. It’s a site for creative professionals, entrepreneurs, and small business people who live and work in Indiana. I have met several people out in the real world as a result of this site, some of whom I’ve even done business with.
Based on my experience on Smaller Indiana, I would recommend skipping the macro social sites and finding some micro sites instead. If you don’t have one, start one. Smaller Indiana lives on Ning.com, a social networking engine (i.e. you build your social network on their engine), and create the networking opportunities.
Erik - I am near Chicago, so we aren’t too far from neighbors. The networking you’re talking about sounds interesting for sure.
Great point Amy! I’ve been thinking about Twitter myself, but I’m highly concerned about adding anything potential disruptive to my already hectic schedule.
I’ll have to think about whether Twitter would yield any clients.
Just wanted to stop in and say (officially) that I *LOVE* this new theme. I’ll be back even more often than before (so watch out, you might get tired of me!)
Brett Legree’s last blog post..the road ahead.
Hey Brett - Your comment is WAY out of order… Not sure how I didn’t see it. But thanks! Glad you like it!
Hi Amy - that is strange, yes, as I had just posted it a few minutes ago and not at 8:42, I wonder what happened. Probably a side effect of me giving off radiation from work or something
Brett Legree’s last blog post..the road ahead.
Hi Laura. Pardon my delay in responding… My blog was someplace between blogger and wordpress when you left your comment.
I am the queen of disruption. I’m SO easily distracted it’s unbelievable. So believe me, I completely understand your concerns!!
Amy, this is so timely! While I’ve been bedded down with the flu the last few days I’ve been thinking about how to reach out for new clients. I’m guilty of having pretty much posted a web site and waited for clients to come to me. Luckily they did, but I want to take it to the next level. Today, I was also thinking about exploring Twitter just today. Are you and those pen men reading my mind or what?
Melissa Donovan’s last blog post..Tools of the Trade: 10 Items This Writer Can’t Live Without
@Melissa: I see I’m going to have to teach you the fine art of making aluminum foil helmets.
@Amy: Apparently my computer has me masquerading as you. Sorry about that, everything was still set with your information from earlier.
@Melissa: *points up* That was me.
Harrison McLeod’s last blog post..Do Older Generations Matter to the Internet?
@Melissa - Sorry you’ve been sick. The pen men read my mind a lot. Apparently, they also type under my name.
@Harry - I was getting scared that I was REALLY losing it. LOL
I’m still working on the “choose wisely” part. Good information though! Very helpful. Thanks Amy!
Grandy’s last blog post..The One about Grandy in the Trash
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