Finding and keeping freelance clients
1 min read11 pages below
This branch covers developing and maintaining a freelance medical-writing client base, divided by the relationship task: understanding demand, positioning, client fit, networking, approaches, marketing, intermediaries, retention, boundaries, workload and departures. It leaves setting up and running the business, pricing and contracts, project delivery, online profiles, specialisation, sponsor partnerships and retirement to neighbouring concerns.
- Why a client hires a freelance — capacity, time, budget, selection criteria and the balance of subject knowledge with writing skill
- Positioning the practice and the materials that carry it — position, brand, bios, directory entries, marketing materials and samples
- Which clients fit the practice — preferred clients, opportunity assessment, project mix, concentration and competing products
- Winning work through referrals and networking — contacts, trust, events, peer groups, introductions and referring work
- Approaching a prospective client — research, contacts, introductory messages, meetings, follow-up and proposal effort
- Choosing and using the marketing channels — channel selection, measurement and time allocation
- Working through agencies and recruiters — access, fees, expectations, selection and intermediary relationships
- What keeps a client coming back — quality expectations, rehiring, communication, feedback and contact between assignments
- Boundaries and conduct in a client relationship — availability, calls, proposals, provisional bookings and professional conduct
- Keeping the workload sustainable — capacity, declining work, workflow fluctuations and work–life balance
- When a client relationship fails — grounds for departure, unethical conduct, professional commitments and unpaid work