IN TODAY’S ISSUE:
- Do you like our new digs?
- What I’d do if I needed cash quickly
- Two weeks to write a nonfiction book
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Happy Thursday, everyone!
No, no, your eyes do not deceive you. Things are looking a bit different around here today. Even though spring has not quite sprung in the UK, I decided it was time for a bit of a refresh. (You know I like to keep you on your toes.)
Seriously, though, I’ve been observing how people interact with the newsletter and I’ve been listening to your feedback. So I’ve reorganized and trimmed to keep what you love and got rid of the sections very few people read or engage with. Let me know what you think!
This week has been a whirlwind of writing deadlines, coaching calls, and website updates. I’m increasingly obsessed with simplicity, both in the business and in my life, and so I’ve been making changes wherever I can to remove confusion and make everything easier to navigate. My first point of call has been our articles section, which is now divided into five categories and 17 subcategories. I guess it wasn’t a surprise that “Pitching and Marketing” is the longest section!
I’ve decided this summer is going to be one of masterclasses and in-depth guides, so you can look forward to more of those in your Inbox soon!
Now I’m off to demolish another deadline.
Enjoy the issue!
Natasha Khullar Relph
Editor, The Wordling
HOW TO INCREASE YOUR INCOME TODAY
In the last few weeks, I’ve been getting on Zoom calls with freelancers and journalists and giving them specific tips and strategies to increase their income within the next 30 days.
You may not know this, but I started writing professionally when I was 19 years old. I’m 42 now and have made an income with my writing every single month for the last 23 years without fail (including while I was on maternity leave). While most people see freelancing as an unreliable source of income, for me, it’s my backup. When times get tough in business or publishing, my first thought is, “Well, I can always find new clients.”
And so, if I were to find myself short on cash today and needed to bring in money quickly, here’s what I would do:
1. Get in touch with former clients
Lost a client during the pandemic? Get in touch today and ask if they’re working with freelancers again. Connected on LinkedIn with an editor who just changed jobs? Ask if the new role includes working with writers. You see where I’m going with this? Someone who has worked with you and enjoyed working with you is more likely to do so again, but not if they don’t know you’re available. Tell them you’re available.
2. Ask friends for referrals
Reach out to your freelancer friends and ask if they have any clients they can recommend you to. Don’t just blast out a “looking for work” message on social media. Make it personal. Email or DM them individually. Further, make it easy for them to refer you. They don’t know your background and skills, you do. I would treat this email as an LOI where you detail what kind of work you’re looking for, what you’re good at, and why you’d be a great person to refer. Again, make it easy for them. They should be able to forward your email to a client without changing a thing.
3. Make an offer that’s super attractive
If you sell books or products directly, come up with an offer that’s incredibly attractive for your readers or followers. When you’re short of cash, I don’t recommend discounting. Instead, bundle up a series of books, offer a bonus course or training with a purchase, or sweeten the deal with a group coaching call or two. By the way, if you’re in Wordling Plus you have access to an incredibly detailed training that lays out the exact steps to do this, with email scripts and templates. I used it to 4x my book sales in 10 days.
4. Double down on your best marketing strategy
Look at all the work that’s on your plate right now. Where did it come from? In the last 3-6 months, what has been the biggest growth channel for you? Pitches? Meetings? Referrals? I want you to take that strategy and double down on it. Reverse engineer the process, though, so you know exactly what you need to do to get results. How many referral emails resulted in a new client? How many pitches? How many meetings?
This is what I call strategic hustle. For example, I know I can get 1-2 assignments for every 5 pitches I send. Great. So if I wanted to get 4 assignments within the next month, I need to make sure I send out 20 pitches. And if I were really short of cash, I would send out five pitches a day until I started landing the assignments.
Why do I have such a high success rate with my pitches? I have a specific process I’ve mastered and refined over two decades. (Of course). To learn it, go here.
RESOURCES FOR YOUR WRITING CAREER:
? [MASTERCLASS]: I’ve been getting so many emails about this masterclass and how much it’s helped people. In addition to the biggest mistakes writers make when trying to build multiple streams of income, I lay out a clear and effective one-year plan for making it happen. Free to watch for now.
? [ARTICLE]: I’ve written eight nonfiction books, some in as little as two weeks. This is my process.
? [BOOK]: Speaking of books, have you checked out mine lately? I can help you start your career as an international writer, get going in content marketing, make six figures, and oh, just shut up and write.
Share this newsletter with a writer or freelancer friend who’s lost a client and needs to drum up work quickly. ?