Beating the Competition
Competition.
It exists—no doubt about it. As a freelance writer, I have the daunting task of “cruising” Craigslist ads every day—sometimes three or four times a day. So far, I have found all my gigs through Craigslist, and definitely owe homage to both Craig and his developers. So easy to use—yet so functional! However, every other writer in this city is privy to the same wealth of prospective clients. Therefore, every time I apply for a gig, I know that I am competing with 50 or 60 other writers. So, why hire me?
I realized early on that I had to distinguish myself from the rest of the competition to be successful. So I relied on my background as a mechanical engineer to leverage myself as a good candidate for technical writing gigs. I also put a good chunk of money into printing quality business cards and a full-color brochure, while also creating a simple, well-defined website that potential customers could easily access. It’s amazing how many writers on Craiglist have none of these collateral materials! I then involved myself in various communities and social functions, where I would have the opportunity to network with other professionals. SEO optimization is critical for websites, as advertising costs are often too high for start-ups.
Right now, I’m working to make myself more marketable. So I have been freelancing for an advertising company that does a lot of work for Lexus and The Ritz-Carlton. I feel that with these names backing my resume, my age won’t necessarily come into question (I’m 25), plus the advertising agency experience is rounding out my background nicely.
So let’s review:
- Find your niche and fight to immerse in it.
- Invest in quality marketing materials—they say a lot about you and the way you do business.
- Pay the money to launch your own website (with a unique domain name) and optimize it for search engines.
- Spread the word about your company at social functions and networking events.
- Round yourself out by taking classes, reading books or seeking a mentor’s help in areas that you are weak in.
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