I Turned a Simple Blog Post into a Pitching Opportunity
Seven opportunities for business partnering
Today, my business crossed several precipices. I can remember when I got my business bank account. I thought… this is big, right? I’m really doing this thing.
Then, I had to add accounting software. (I use Freshbooks.) Then expand my calendar. Then came the tax payments. Each step felt like a rung on a ladder…that I built for myself. After decades of “working for the man” and making pennies. Suffering. Struggling. Barely affording things like electricity and rent.
Today, I had to expand again. This time, I needed a project workflow management tool big enough to handle all my work orders. One that would also toggle over to a calendar so I could easily see all my orders, prioritize, update, set reminders for due dates, and add all pertinent information to each work order card.
I chose Smartsheet.
Yes, I still love my Artful Agenda, but let’s face it, without a back up plan or expandable features, it limits me too much. Needing more complicated software to manage my business felt like a real win today. I feel swollen with pride over this writing business that’s grown so much in so little time.
I am blessed and I know this.
That’s one precipice. Milestone. Whatever you want to call it.
The next was this…three clients in a row in less than a week said the same thing to me: name your price. That, folks, feels like a big win, too.
Also today, I had a great idea…and that’s what I am going to tell you about. And it may be a great way for you to find clients. Besides LinkedIn, which, in my opinion, is still the best place to find professional writing work.
First, you need to be using HARO for your blogging business. Find professionals who are out there looking for ways to build their businesses too. They want to increase traffic to their sites – so give them what they want.
Write an article that’s clearly in your “lane.”
Use HARO to gather professional quotes and info relevant to your piece.
Thoroughly vet each HARO pitch response. Check that they are who they say they are! Verify resources, websites, contact info.
Choose the professionals you want to work with for your article.
When you are done with your article…email the sources, each one you used, and pitch them.
Give them the information about the blog you just published, using their link backs and quotes. Provide them the title and link to your article.
Let them know it’s ok for them to share the link for the article with their reading audiences, on their company social media, and in their newsletters.
Thank them for helping you with their time and HARO pitch response.
Introduce yourself as a professional blogger and offer your services to them, should they want to partner with you in the future.
Provide your contact information.
If they reply asking about your pricing – be prepared with baseline pricing. Professional, unapologetic pricing.
After pitching SEVEN different companies today, I feel like my business has passed the point of…well…begging for work. No more of that. Now, it’s professional pricing. Professional partnerships.
I just wanted to share these things with you…as many of you are freelancers just like me. Or you dream of the day when your writing work will pay off. I am here to tell you that it can. You just have to play your cards right.
And choose…who your partners will be.
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I write one other newsletter for creative writers and poets. You can find that right here.
Love, in words,
Christina M. Ward