Neglecting Your Freelance Writing Business

A good friend of mine is always irritated about the many unfinished projects in her home. She still needs a new kitchen counter top, the cracked tiles surrounding her fireplace need replacing and the home’s exterior needs to be pressure washed and panted. I think what irritates her most about these impending projects is the fact that her husband is a contractor by trade. He's extremely busy fixing up clients’ homes; especially as the holidays approach. His own house gets put on the back burner. I can relate.

Image is everything

Like many freelance writers, I spend my time perfecting my client’s marketing materials and neglect my own because my clients are paying me. My website content needs updating and that should be at the top of my list considering I send prospects there whenever I market or send out emails. I mean my website address is in my signature, on my business cards and all of my marketing materials for crying out loud.

Invest time in your own business

Yesterday I decided to just do it. Writing for pay is much more alluring, but investing time in sprucing up my own website and marketing materials is just as important. It’s a representation of what I do, what I’ve done for others (e.g. my portfolio page) and shows that I take what I do seriously.

I check for dead links, update information/rates, freshen up the content, add/switch samples and so forth. I’ve fallen behind on my blog posting there, but I’ll have that problem fixed by the end of the week. Honest.

Prepare for the new year

For many freelance writers, business may start slowing down a bit over the next month. This is the perfect time to perform maintenance on your website and other marketing materials so that you’re ready to go come 2010.