To compete as a freelancer in a down economy, you have break out of the ordinary.
As a freelance writer or copywriter you have no doubt noticed that it’s a little harder to get work during a deep recession.
Companies cut back on their spending, and that includes their spending on outside contractors.
So what can you do?
Well, my best advice for you is NOT to do what everyone else is doing.
The key to finding work during an economic downturn is to be noticeable. And you won’t be noticeable by hanging out with a crowd of other freelancers, all trying to get new work in the same old ways.
To illustrate what I mean, I’m going to imagine that I’m a travel writer looking for new work.
Ordinarily I might do what I have always done, which is to submit proposals to countless editors of travel-related publications, both online and offline.
But right now, I’m guessing those editors are being bombarded with requests from freelancers.
So I’ll put my thinking cap on for a moment. Hmmmmmm... (Sound of me thinking.)
Well, crazy people are visible, so maybe I’ll grab my backpack and start some world travels. And on a 10 x 8 card I’ll write “I write travel stuff.
nick@nickusborne.com”
Then I’ll get my photo taken holding the card up at various recognisable locations around the world. Then I’ll post the photos to Flickr.com. And instead of writing the usual begging letters to editors, I’ll send them links to the photos.
Fun idea, and I’d probably do it if I were in my twenties. Little tougher when you’re in your fifties with a family and various dogs, cats and fish.
OK. So I’ll get on Twitter and find people who already live in Paris, Honk Kong, Sidney, London and Rome. I’ll tell them about my plan and ask THEM to write out my message on a 10 x 8 sheet of card.
Slightly different message: “Nick writes travel stuff. nick@nickusborne.com”
And I’ll go super-crazy and see just how many people I can get involved. Maybe I can get people sending me photos of them holding my card in over 50 locations around the world.
Now I have something worth talking about, and I haven’t even had to leave my desk.
Now I have a really fun Flickr page with dozens of these photos from all over the world. And I’ll tell all my followers on Twitter. And I’ll write about it on my blog and my website. And I’ll probably get a press release out there too.
Here’s the best part...although I’ll be sure to let all those travel editors know about my project and show them my photos, I probably won’t need to. If I spread my idea well enough, they’ll hear about me from some other source. And then they’ll contact me.
And that’s when you know everything is OK with your freelance business – when you don’t need to approach your prospects, because they approach you first.
You may not be a travel writer, but what kind of different “sideways” idea can you come up with to break out of the ordinary?
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