Make a big splash once or twice a year. In other words, get noticed.
As freelancers we tend to be pretty invisible.
Our clients and prospects think about us only when they need us.
Unless they have some work that needs doing by an outside contractor – people like us - their attention is more likely to be focused internally, on their own company and colleagues.
How do we get around this? What steps can we take to become more visible?
The first step is to make yourself worth paying attention to. Many of us, myself included, write e-newsletters and blogs, hoping to retain the ongoing and long-term attention of our prospects.
That works up to a certain point. There is no doubt in my mind that much of my own freelance work came to me as a result of people reading my newsletters and articles.
But there is something a little monotonous about a constant, predictable flow of newsletters and blog posts. How many newsletters and blogs do follow consistently? Do you read every newsletter from beginning to end? Do you read every post on a blog?
And even if a prospective client does read every one of my articles, there is a danger that he or she will start to perceive me more as an author than as a freelance copywriter for hire.
I think we need to shake things up a little. We need to make a splash from time to time. We need to wake people up so they can take a fresh look at us.
I track my own visibility by using Google Alerts. I set an alert to let me know when a web page or blog post references my name.
If a few months go by and the vast majority of references to my name occur within my own articles and blog posts, I know that I’m becoming a little invisible.
If my name is referenced a lot by other people, then I know I am doing a lot better.
So how can you set about making a splash?
Do something significant a couple of times a year.
- If you get a big new client, make a noise about it.
- Create and publish something. Make it substantial and/or interesting. And make a big noise about it.
- Speak at an event. And make a big noise about it.
- Reach 10,000 followers on Twitter. And make a big noise about it.
The idea here is to make the noise.
Sending out e-newsletters and writing blog posts is great. But it is the same note being played in the same way, week after week.
Jazz things up a bit. Make people sit up and notice you, outside of what you normally do and say.
Get noticed. And new work will come.
If you would like help in getting noticed, learn more about my coaching service...
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