I’ve been feeling like a rookie freelancer all over again.

It’s because I decided to get into a different freelancing niche. Let me tell you, it’s been difficult, slow going, exciting, unnerving, energizing and mind boggling all at the same time.

My Niche Journey

Sometime last year, I became restless and wanted to focus on working with a specific type of business and industry only. Since then, I’ve had a few false starts… and made a little progress.

By false starts, I mean I thought I had identified the perfect niche for me. I even registered a domain name so I could create a landing page targeted to that niche — only to change my mind after a few weeks.

Then finally, after several months of research, prayer and just waiting for inspiration, I decided on a niche. Almost as soon as I did that, I started getting a trickle of new projects from the identified niche. God, I take that to mean “Yes!”

Finding projects in the new niche has encouraged me to keep going, but I realize I still have a ton of work to do to make sure the trickle turns into a gushing river.

In this post, I’d like to share with you what I’ve been doing to get a foothold in this new market. I hope these ideas can help you to gain a strong presence in your own market, too.

Breaking Into A New Market

Watering holes

One of the most important aspects of market research is discovering their watering holes. Where do your ideal clients hang out?

It doesn’t make sense for me to use all my energy trying to get my ideal clients to read my blog, or connect with me in social networks. I need to go where they already are.

So far, I’ve been doing this by attending live events and being more active specific social networks. I’ve discovered that my new ideal clients are quite active in LinkedIn, a social network I had previously not been active in.

That’s changing now. I’ve been joining relevant LinkedIn groups and connecting with people (those who fit my profile of the ideal client and those who are influential to my ideal clients). I’m setting aside Friday afternoons to be active in group discussions and submit some useful answers. I may even create my own group (we’ll see about that!).

The important thing is to listen and find out what my new ideal clients’ pain, problems, and predicaments are, and what types of solutions they’re looking for. I also have my eyes open for their most frequently-asked questions in my field, how they work with freelancers, and what areas I can be most useful in.

General Research

Because the niche I want to work in is quite different from what I’m used to, I need to learn more about it. I’ve been doing this with the help of:

Books

I’m reading books to help me gain a general knowledge of my new niche. I’m also reading other books that help me bridge what I do know (the strategies) to what this market needs (how to apply those strategies in this niche).

Blogs

Blogs are much easier to consume than books, and can be just as helpful. Along with books, blogs are also great for identifying and connecting with influential people in this new niche.

Training Courses

Because my new niche requires a different kind of copywriting, I invested in a couple of training courses. I used one like a Bible when I had my first client in this niche. (By the way, if you’re looking for high-quality training courses for freelancers, I highly recommend the ones by American Writers & Artists Inc. View their catalog here.*)

Testing

Now that I have better knowledge about my new niche, I’m in the testing mode. I’m trying out promotional materials and buzz pieces, to see which ones will generate the best response.

What’s Your Experience?

Were you previously a generalist who then decided to specialize? Or have you ever switched from one niche to another?

How did YOU do it? And how long did it take for you to feel comfortable and confident in that niche?

I’d love to hear about your experience, and any advice you may have for me and other readers. Post a comment below.

PS: If you’d like to learn more about finding your freelancing niche, sign up for this free webinar I did with Steve Slaunwhite, copywriter and freelancing coach.

*Affiliate link – I am an affiliate for AWAI. This means that, if you purchase any of their courses through my link, I will receive a commission. While I only recommend products and services I believe in and often use myself, you should still do your due diligence before buying anything. Thank you!

photo credit: Ian Sane

As you may have deduced from my un-resolution post at Freelance Folder and this blog post title, I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. They’re so… common, and I would hate to be like everybody else (maybe that’s one of the reasons I’m a freelancer?).

Now if making resolutions works for you — if they get you to develop new, positive habits that improve your life — then go for it! Don’t let my personal preferences stop you.

But if you want to do something else, either in addition to or in lieu of, New Year’s resolutions, then I have an idea for you.

Kendall Summerhawk, multimillionaire business coach to other coaches (but that doesn’t mean we freelancers can’t benefit from her wisdom too) proposes the creation of a “Yes” list.

Write Your Yes List

A “Yes” list is a set of 5-6 questions you will use to filter prospective client work. When faced with a new freelancing opportunity, you must answer “yes” to each and every one of these questions for you to accept the project.

Your questions can cover:

• what type of work you want to do
• which clients you’ll work with
• how much you want to get paid
• how you want to work
• where you will work
• and anything else you want to include

My Yes List

To give you an idea, here’s my Yes list (with certain parts omitted, because I don’t want to reveal all in this post):

• Does it involve ___ or ____ type of business?
• Does it allow me to work at home with a flexible schedule?
• Does it make me feel fairly rewarded for my time, energy, experience and skills?
• Is it work I enjoy doing and am confident of accomplishing with a high level of quality and credibility?
• Is the project ethical, moral, and consistent with my religious beliefs?

How a Yes List Serves You

A Yes list helps you be more selective and focused on the types of clients and projects you like. If you’ve identified a niche and target client, your Yes list will keep you from getting off track. It can also help you consider other aspects of a project that are important to you, such as, in my example above, how a particular project sits with my personal beliefs.

Of course, if you’re just starting out or are otherwise desperate to make money, you’ll have a different Yes list. Maybe your list will be made up of just one question: Will I get paid?

The Yes list is very personal and customized. You put whatever you want in it.

Your Thoughts?

Do you like the idea of creating a Yes list? If so, what would you put in yours?

Share you list in the comments below, or let us know what factors you would like to include in it. Don’t worry, you can reveal as much or as little as you want!

photo credit: Xtreme Xhibits

Before we bid adieu to 2011, let’s take a look at the most popular posts in The Savvy Freelancer for 2011.

This list is based on the number of page views, as well as the number of comments on each post. I didn’t use any scientific formula, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Most Popular Polls

I published a number of polls for freelancers in 2011, and these three topped the list in terms of readership and engagement:

Poll: What’s The Biggest Mistake You’ve Ever Made as a Freelancer?

This question resonated with many Savvy Freelancer readers — which goes to show mistakes do help us learn and become better freelancers.

Freelancers: What’s On Your Christmas Wish List?

Understandably popular — who doesn’t want to dream about what they’re getting for Christmas? This will be a yearly tradition at The Savvy Freelancer from now on.

Poll: How Do You Communicate with Clients?

Who knew freelancers had such a wide variety of preferences when it came to communicating with clients?

Freelancing Poll: Would You Work for a Client Exclusively?

I was surprised by how strongly readers responded to this question.

Most Popular Guest Posts

LinkedIn Tips for Freelancers

Readers enjoyed this guest post from LinkedIn expert, Lewis Howes. And why not? It’s full of practical advice for using LinkedIn to find clients.

6 Simple Tips to Warm Up Potential Clients When Cold Calling

Savvy Freelancer reader Chris Vanasdalan wrote this piece for the blog — and attracted plenty of readers. Send us another post soon, Chris!

How to Walk Away from Any Conference with Clients for Your Freelance Business

This guest post from writer Thursday Bram is a personal favorite of mine as well. I used her advice immediately.

Most Popular Productivity Posts

Home Office Decluttering Tips for Freelancers

Aside from home office decluttering tips, I also shared a photo of my own home office in this post (disclaimer: Said home office is no longer as neat as portrayed in the post).

Roundup: Staying Motivated as a Freelancer

Granted, this post has links to excellent posts and articles to help freelancers stay motivated. However, I am fully convinced what made this post popular is the cat picture.

Are You Experiencing Freelancer Burnout?

Readers liked this post about the signs and symptoms of burnout, and what to do when you’re experiencing them.

Most Popular Management Posts

How to Find A Profitable Freelancing Niche

Strictly speaking, this is not a post, but a sign-up page for my webinar with Steve Slaunwhite. The high number of page views shows this topic is relevant to you, my readers. If you missed the webinar, you can still sign up to get access to the recording.

A Freelancer’s Dream Home Office

Another wish-list type of post. Obviously, freelancers like to dream and aspire for great things.

How to Increase Your Freelancing Income — Right Now

The title explains it all.

Most Popular Marketing Post

A Freelancer’s Business Card

In which I show my very first freelancing business card. (Admit it, you’re a bunch of curious cats)

Most Popular Personal Post

A Ghost Writer’s Dilemma

Quite possibly the only personal post I published in 2011, and this attracted a high number of comments.

What was your favorite post from this blog in 2011? Do you see it in this list? If not, post the link the comment below, and let us know why you liked it.

Happy New Year!

If you’re a freelancer, it’s easy to get freelancing advice. You can invest in books, coaching programs, and bootcamps for freelancers.

Even if you’re bootstrapping, you won’t run out of freelancing advice from blogs, free webinars (ahem), not to mention well-meaning friends and relatives.

The bottom line is, you can find a lot of guidance for freelancing out there. What’s critical is your ability to sift through all the information that is available, and make a judgement call on which advice is good, and which is bad.

In this post, I’m sharing the best and worst freelancing advice I’ve ever seen, read, or heard in 2011. Don’t worry, I won’t name names. And if you happen to be following the bad advice I do single out here, I hope by the end of this post, you’ll be convinced to change your ways.

The Best Freelancing Advice of 2011

Prepare a custom elevator speech before a live event.

I got this advice from Thursday Bram, who wrote a guest post in The Savvy Freelancer about finding clients in conferences. Her pre-game advice was to create an elevator speech especially tailored to the typical attendees of the conference.

By now, if you’ve been paying attention, you already have an elevator speech for your freelancing business. But did you know you can and should tweak it, depending on whom you are talking to?

I made the mistake of using my generic elevator speech in one networking event, for example, and ended up being confused for a web designer.

I’ve learned my lesson. I now have a custom-made elevator speech for that particular audience. I’m sure nobody will end up thinking of me as a web designer at our next event.

The Worst Freelancing Advice of 2011

Add a QR code in your email signature line.

A freelancer wrote in a blog that this was a great idea.

Um, no, it is NOT. Think about it. To be reading your email, a person is either already in front of a computer or a mobile device. If the reader is already on the computer, wouldn’t it be much easier for them to simply click on a hyperlink in your email? Than have to scan your code to get to the linked page?

And if they were on a mobile device, such as a smart phone, how would they be able to scan your code?

Scott Stratten of Unmarketing explains this so much more entertainingly than I can:

There’s a time and place for QR codes. Use them on physical objects, such as your business card, to make it easier for people to get to your landing page. If you want to learn more about using QR codes — properly — this article can help you get started.

How About You?

What’s the best and worst freelancing advice you heard in 2011? Share them in the comments below, and let’s get a good discussion going.

 photo credit: rhodes

It’s that time of year when we take stock of the past and give thanks for all the blessings we’ve received.

I know, this post is late for Thanksgiving, but it’s always a good time to focus on the good things that have come to us. It helps put things into perspective and makes us open to accept more of the positive.

The 10 things I’m most grateful for in 2011 are:

1. My clients

Of course, clients are what every freelancer covets, and I’ve got some of the best ones. A client who first hired me in 2008 became a retainer client this year. Another client I’ve had since 2010, and her resulting success amazes and inspires me. This year I’ve also gotten new clients who blow me away with their talents. I’m humbled to be writing copy for them.

2. Becoming a partner at Solo Masterminds

This year I became a partner at Solo Masterminds, formerly known as Mom Masterminds. This mastermind group of women entrepreneurs helped me get started as a freelancer — not just any freelancer but a freelance copywriter who actually earns an income. I consider them my sisters in business. We share everything with each other, even personal heartaches. What a privilege to play a more active role in this group!

3. Meeting business owners in person

One of my goals this year was to begin working with local businesses in my city. As a result, I’ve joined my very first networking group, the Women’s Economic Forum. I’m grateful for the hospitality the board members have shown me, the camaraderie I’ve seen among the members, and the extremely talented and generous members who inspire me with awe.

As an introvert, live networking events tend to terrify and exhaust me. However, I always find WEF events fun and relaxing. I’m happy to have the chance to get dressed up, put on makeup, and socialize with like-minded women sans husband and children.

4. Guest blogging at Freelance Folder and International Freelancers Academy

This month marks my second year anniversary writing for Freelance Folder. Also, this year, I became a contributor for International Freelancers Academy. I’m grateful for these opportunities to reach more freelancers. I’m grateful to my editor, Laura Spencer, for being so patient and helpful. I hope my writing inspires the readers of Freelance Folder and IFA to persevere and succeed in their freelancing business.

5. My first local and B2B clients

Almost as soon as I announced I was going to start working with local and B2B clients, I started getting them. The opportunities came from unexpected places, and for that I am grateful. They have encouraged me to continue going in the direction I’ve chosen.

6. Passive income

It’s always a good idea for freelancers to have multiple streams of income. After all, there will be times when projects — and therefore our income — are slow. I’m grateful that my other income sources, such as affiliate marketing and advertising on my other blogs, have increased significantly this year. Unfortunately, they’re still not enough for me to quite freelancing altogether but at least I know that if I ever had to stop working altogether, I can count on some of these other income sources to at least cover my costs (e.g., web hosting, Internet access, etc.).

7. Support from my husband and children

My husband has been a tremendous support in my freelancing. Since the beginning, he has been behind me all the way. He even picks up some of the household chores I neglect when I’m busy with client work. Do you know of any other husband who, after a full day’s work, would be willing to do the dishes or the laundry? Mine does and for that, he deserves a big appreciation in this post.

My children have also been very understanding when Mommy needs quiet time to chat on Skype with a client. They love being able to see me when they get home from school, often with a freshly baked batch of cookies. This experience alone makes freelancing worthwhile.

8. Flexibility of the freelancing lifestyle

I’m grateful to be able to attend school events at 1 in the afternoon, do my Couch to 5K workout any time I want, take naps when DS’s eczema has kept me up… pretty much plan my work around the rest of my life. It used to be the opposite. I had to schedule family time, fitness, hobbies etc around my office schedule. Not any more.

9. My webinar guests

I didn’t do as many webinars in year as I’ve done in the past, but you gotta admit, my lineup for webinar guests in 2011 were stellar: Pam Slim, Steve Slaunwhite, Jeanna Pool and Kenn Schroder.

Webinar subscribers always thank me for the excellent information they get from my webinars, but the truth is, I learn just as much as you do, if not more. I admire my guests, because they’re gracious enough to pay attention to me, even though I don’t have a gazillion subscribers. I know it’s because, as much as they want exposure, they also sincerely want to help freelancers succeed.

Kudos to them!

10. My readers and webinar subscribers

Last, but certainly not the least, I am grateful to you, my readers and webinar subscribers. You have grown to over 3,500 in number this year, even though I didn’t make a big push to build my lists this year.

Your personal stories and questions inspire me to continue building The Savvy Freelancer as a source of useful content for freelancers. Your emails, tweets, and other messages of appreciation fuel me to go on, even when client work is heavy and I’m tired.

Most of all, I appreciate you giving me your time and attention. By now you know that I always say, “Time is more valuable than money, because money you can earn again. But time, once spent, is gone forever.”

Thank you for choosing to spend your time reading this blog and my emails, posting comments, sending responses, attending my webinars, and letting me know how you’re getting along.

Writing this list has made me see what a good year 2011 has been for me as a freelancer. Sure, I had setbacks, frustrations, and disappointments. But looking at this list, I know the good outweighed the bad.

What’s on your 2011 gratitude list? Share them below and let’s celebrate the closing of 2011 together.

 photo credit: kelsey_lovefusionphoto

This time last year, I was inspired. I had a terrific idea for a client gift and commissioned the talented Willie Hewes to design it for me. The result was this:

A cute mug that says, “Other Moms have jobs, I have blogs!”

My clients loved it! Two even posted pictures on their Facebook walls as soon as they received it.

Granted, not all my clients are Moms (or even female for that matter) and one didn’t have a blog. I simply ordered mugs of a different design for them.

But now, I’m sitting here, two days before Thanksgiving, with no idea what to send my clients to show how much I love and appreciate them. I haven’t even bought Christmas cards, and I bet the deadline for mailing them out to make sure they arrive on time is close. (Bad freelancer, bad, bad freelancer!)

So I need your help. Yes, again.

What are YOU giving your clients for the holidays? What would you suggest I give mine? Send me your ideas in the comments below. Feel free to include links to where I can order them.

Thank you!

PS: If you’d like to send the Mommy blogger mug to your clients (or yourself, why not?), you can order it from my Zazzle store. It also comes in a T-shirt, and you can special order the same design to be printed on other items too.

All I ask is that you tell me what’s on your wish list this coming holidays — something(s) you want that you think will really help you succeed as a freelancer.

All I Want For Christmas…

To get things started, I’m sharing my own wish list below.

1. Blue Microphones Yeti USB Microphone

I love my Blue Snowflake microphone, but sadly, after years of use it is literally falling apart. Granted, it’s still working, but a new mic like the Yeti, with all its features, will help me sound better at Skype calls with clients — not to mention all those Savvy Freelancing Webinars!

2. iPhone

I thought that between my iPad, iPod Touch and several Macs that an iPhone would be overkill, and so I bought a Blackberry phone instead. Big mistake! I admit it, I’m sorry, and now I want an iPhone. This isn’t a frivolous wish, because freelancers are using their smartphones to find and get clients. Any smartphone will do, I suppose, but an iPhone makes everything a lot easier.

3. Amazon Gift Card

I’ve got a long Amazon wish list, many of them for books about social media, marketing, entrepreneurship, and finance. An Amazon gift card is the simplest gift to give this freelancer. Other people may think it’s impersonal to give gift cards, but if it’s for a store I regularly shop in, I would appreciate the shopping spree

Your Turn!

What do you want for Christmas? Let me know in the comments below (then send the link to your loved one, hint, hint!).

PS: Yes, the above are my affiliate links to Amazon.com. If you click on those links and end up buying anything from Amazon, I’ll get a commission — pennies, but they add up.

Now that we’re at the homestretch of 2011, I’ve been feeling a lot of pressure.

Emails, blog posts and even entire products are being created to help us “end the year big,” “sprint towards the finish line,” and “make it the best year ever.”

I usually just ignore all this, but lately I couldn’t help but wonder, “What’s the big deal?”

Truth be told, I’m too busy with the actual doing — the ending, achieving and making — to be bothered with this added pressure. Much less to begin a new training or coaching program!

In some ways, all these success messages only serve to distract us. They offer new solutions, strategies or tactics for freelancers and other business owners to make it big. But are they really new? Or is it just a marketing ploy?

Personally, between my computer’s hard drive and my bookshelf, I already have everything I need to achieve all my goals. What I do need is to focus my time and energies to actually do what I set out to do.

How about you? Are you feeling the pressure to make huge strides towards achieving your freelancing goals before 2011 ends?

What are you doing about it? Is the pressure helping or hampering your ability to just get things done?

Share your thoughts and experience below.

PS: It struck me that I chose the picture of a marathon runner for this post. Is it a coincidence that I just started the Couch to 5K running program? If you’re interested, you can read about that adventure here.

photo credit: familymwr

My birthday is coming up (hint, hint!) just passed and I’m taking this opportunity to do what I’ve been wanting to do for the past few months: close the Savvy Freelancing store.

Relax, this is good news for you, because starting today until November 8, 2011, you can buy any product from the store at 50% off.

That’s right. Both “The Savvy Freelancer’s Website Secrets: How to Create A Client Magnet Online” and “How to Make Money on Elance” are now selling at half price.

After November 8th, I’m closing down the store, and you won’t be able to buy these — at any price.

I’m doing this, because of increased demands from my family and clients. I also want to free up more of my time to keep writing useful posts on this blog and organizing helpful webinars.

Will I reopen the store in the future? Most likely, yes. And most likely, I will publish an updated version of some or all of these products. But I’m not making any promises!

Meantime, if you think you can use these, now’s the time to get them:

Click here to get 50% off “The Savvy Freelancer’s Website Secrets: How to Create A Client Magnet Online”

Click here to get 50% off “How to Make Money on Elance“

photo credit: timparkinson

I’ve just had a hectic morning. One where I didn’t even have time to change out of my pajamas.

And it’s all thanks to a couple of clients who suddenly needed things done. Right. Now.

I don’t usually have a problem with deadlines. And because I like to over-deliver, I always try to accommodate clients who need things urgently.

I do, however, ask for a few things:

• Reasonable lead time

Nothing is hardly ever an emergency, if you come to think of it. It only becomes one because we don’t plan ahead. I need my clients to give me fair warning when they get a sudden flash of inspiration… so I can plan my work properly.

However, when a true emergency arises, I am willing to do all I can to meet deadlines.

• All the information I need

I can’t get any work done, unless I have all the background information. If a client is going to take 3 days to send them to me, that’s 3 days I’m just waiting.

• Prompt feedback

Client says he needs a flier today but doesn’t give feedback on the draft until two days later. Obviously the flier will be delayed. I’m not a magician; I can’t turn back time.

I know lots of freelancers charge a rush fee, or an additional fee for projects on a tight deadline. This can be as much as 50% of the original fee.

However, I don’t like to do this with retainer clients, or those who give me assignments pretty regularly. Charging a rush fee makes me feel like I’m looking for any excuse to extract more money from them.

The challenge for me, of course, is communicating these expectations to my clients. I want to be accommodating, but I’d also like to preserve my sanity. I want to be truthful, but without sounding too demanding.

I think, next time, I will say something like:

I understand you need this by [deadline]. If you send me all the background materials today, I can send you the draft by [date]. I need to get your feedback on the draft by [day, time] so I can have the final output by [deadline]. Any delays in getting back to me with your comments and suggestions will mean a delay in the final output.

Sound good?

What do you think is the best way to handle this? How do you manage clients who have demanding deadlines?

photo credit: wwarby