There are hundreds of content providers on the internet competing for business. If you blend in with the crowd, you will have a hard time landing clients and a hard time asking for the rates you deserve. However, if you learn to stand out, not only will you be booked full of clients, you will also be earning much more per article and per hour than other providers.
Start with a Unique Selling Point
Find a gap in the market. Browse the different places you plan on marketing your services and look for the number one frustration that buyers have with content providers. Craft a USP to combat this. For example, if people are unsatisfied with the average turnaround times, then your USP might be a guaranteed 48-hour turnaround. If the market is unsatisfied with the quality of the content, then your USP might be a “don’t pay until you’re satisfied” policy. Whatever it is, make sure it’s unique and addresses a core frustration. This can work wonders for your business.
Have First Class Samples
Content providers who don’t have samples are at a huge disadvantage. Even if you haven’t landed your first few clients yet, write out ten pieces for the sole purpose of having samples. Give these samples your best effort. You might not be getting paid for them yet, but they will make a big impact on your future business. Put these samples in your ads and on your website, and make sure your website looks first class as well.
Pick a Specialty
Most writers online are generic writers. They write about anything and everything. However, writers who stand out tend to pick a specialty. This allows them to get to know a market, its people, its problems and its solutions so they can write articles like an expert. Because they are more knowledgeable, they can often charge more for their services. A specialty can still be a rather general broad topic – for example, fitness or real estate or internet business. That allows the writer to have a broad enough topic to still get a lot of clients, while being narrow enough that they can get to know the field.
Delivering on Time, Quality Content
Believe it or not, just by consistently delivering quality content on time, you will stand out. Many webmasters have a hard time finding content providers that they can rely on. Never be late on an article. After you have written something, let it sit for a day before coming back to proofread it. Always spell check. Use powerful language and write with enthusiasm.
If you follow all these tips, you can quickly put yourself in the top two percent of writers who will be overbooked with clients and can charge much more than the average writer.
