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The Project Writer Work Sample: Report |
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New Freelancers Discuss Strategies for Diversifying Clients Report for The Freelancer, March-April 2002 Group leaders Laurie Lewis and Dave Hall led a lively discussion at the New Freelancers Affinity Group meeting of January 16 on the theme "Strategic Planning: Build a Diversified Client Base." It was evident, from the high attendance and from the long distances participants had traveled to get to the meeting, that this topic was a compelling one. Twenty-five people - a few EFA old-timers and a large group of new freelancers - came from all five boroughs of New York, as well as from New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Their backgrounds included law, health care, computer programming, theater, fashion, home furnishings, financial services, medicine, and marketing communications. This variety of perspectives enriched the discussion of common issues faced by freelancers. The impact of the poor economy on freelancing was a major concern expressed by the participants, many of whom were in career transition. A show of hands revealed that most felt they were in a field that had been hurt by the economic downturn - a sobering realization, given the diversity of the participants' fields. Dave began the discussion of the main topic by describing a philosophy for diversifying clients that had been passed on by EFA freelancer Teresa Barensfeld. In this "garden method," a marketing consultant recommends that freelancers grow three "crops": radishes (small, quick projects), wheat (the bulk of your work, reliable and abundant), and fruit (interesting and lucrative jobs). A good "gardener" will seek a balance among the three crops. Next, Dave put up a diagram of a tree that represented all employers in the publishing industry. Each participant identified a core skill from a list of editorial services Dave gave us, and then picked a branch of the tree on which to locate the skill. This exercise helped to focus individual diversification strategies and to align them with the structure of the publishing industry. Is the current economy a good or bad environment for freelancers? Dave addressed this question with a case study - a hypothetical copyeditor who analyzed a day's want ads and found hidden freelance opportunities. Using real New York Times ads, Dave demonstrated how to look beyond the obvious and spot companies, whether they are hiring or laying people off, that might need freelancers. He also named some industries that are doing well in this unsettled economy. The rest of the meeting was devoted to specific topics of interest to attendees. One question that came up is, How do you convince editors to hire you when you don't have experience in their narrowly defined specialty? One suggestion was to first approach one of your target client's suppliers, such as an ad agency, rather than approach the client directly - it's easy for the supplier to just pass through the bill for your work with little pain. Other suggestions were to write a short piece in the new field to use as a writing sample; to do small volunteer jobs to gain experience in the field; and to join a professional organization in the new field and attend meetings. Some of the participants had a different problem. They were generalists with extensive experience and interests who reported little success when they tell a prospective client that they can do "anything." The consensus was that it's best to pick a narrower focus, be specific about what you want to do for a particular client, and resist the temptation to offer everything else. Many of the new freelancers were curious about which sources of leads are most fruitful. The more experienced freelancers observed that most of their work comes from referrals, many of them from other EFA members who have complementary skills. For instance, a copyeditor and an indexer would be a good partnership. While today's uncertain economy is a reality that all freelancers must face, there are still opportunities for additional clients and projects. The EFA new freelancers came away from the meeting with some tools and strategies for finding these opportunities. |
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All material ©2003–2004 Margaret Balch-Gonzalez The Project Writer, Providence, Rhode Island |
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