When you first started looking for freelance jobs online, you likely went for the first paying client who would have you. Now that you have some experience under your belt, you may crave a little variety. This could come from the pursuit of private clients or the addition of content brokerages to your clientele. This guide helps you to consider the pros and cons of both directions, ultimately leading you to the best use of your time and talents.
Being Your Own Boss
Many writers get into the business of freelancing because they want to be their own bosses. In theory, being your own boss means that you have no one hanging over you, telling you what to do and how and when to do it. In practice, being a freelance writer who seeks work solely through private clients has to do a great deal of additional work in order to achieve it. It can be both boring and stressful, like being eaten by a shark while waiting in line at the DMV. Content brokerages serve to help match writers with clients who need great content. The brokerage also usually provides some assistance in interacting with clients. However, content brokerages also typically take a fair bit of your earnings, ranging from 10-40 percent, off the top for this service. If you got your own private clients, you could:
- keep all the money you earn (except what you pay in taxes)
- negotiate terms that work best for you
- create long-lasting relationships based on mutual respect
These benefits are great, but you also have to do it on your own. Every time you want to pursue a new private client, you will have to go through the process of selling your services from scratch. If you have a flare for sales and the kind of charm that makes birds sing for you, this could work out delightfully. If not, you might be better off seeking clientele at a content brokerage.
Support and Stability
You would be completely insane to put all of your income on the whims of one private client. What you may not realize is that it can be just as risky to perform all your work on one content brokerage website. You have been at this long enough that you at least know the names of several businesses that offer freelance jobs online. If you are lucky, you have only heard of one or two that went under since you got started. The unlucky souls who relied on those sites for the bulk of their income had to find something else in a shocking hurry. There are dozens of content brokerages available for you to choose from. Take the time to scope out each one, and select the ones with the best business plans, with administrators who support their writers as human beings. This process will help you determine which firms will make you unhappy, and which ones have staying power.
As it turns out, being a freelance writer means being a writer, manager and salesperson all in one. For greater freedom, consider reaching out to private clients. To take advantage of support and the stability of regular income, check out a new content brokerage. The choice is yours.
Writer Bio: Holly S is so talented at writing marketing materials that she always wants to buy what she sells.
