Freelance Writing – Paths to Success: Part Two

Approaching external agencies for work

When embarking on a freelance career, there are so many options open to the new freelancer that it can be hard to know which way to turn.
However, the good news is that if you are willing to work hard and can provide a strong portfolio of well-written and researched work, the opportunities can be almost limitless.
These days the Internet is the medium of choice for almost everyone.
Whether it be writing, editing or proofing publications it can, of course, generally all be done online or via email through PDFs or similar.
That is all very well if you already have clients and a readily available pool of work.
However, if you are just starting off, the name of the game is to push for new clients.
Getting your name (and services) known and established in the marketplace, is paramount.
Experienced freelancers are well aware of the opportunities available – but if you are a newbie, the possibilities may not be so clear and may even appear a bit daunting.
A freelancer is defined as ‘a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them’.
One proven way to obtain work and new clients is by submitting your name and work proposals to a freelance organisation or agency.
You may have specialty areas you wish to focus on whereby the agency will only forward your details and work credentials to prospective employers in those areas.
When an employer approaches an agency with a work submission, it usually receives many applications – so you need to make your proposal stand out.
This can be done by producing a smart and effective proposal that covers all aspects required by a prospective employer.
Some organisations/agencies available to pitch for freelance work include:

99designs
AirBnB
Elance
Fiverr
Freelancer.com
Guru.com
ODesk
PeoplePerHour
TaskRabbit

Some of these cater for a range of freelance areas, not just writing, and may provide work opportunities in many other areas including graphic design or photography.

Mike Peeters is CEO of Mike Peeters Media