Freelance writing isn’t always the easiest way to make a living. Moving from project to project demands concentration, adaptability, and an abundance of stamina. There is however one important element that many people overlook. The difference between finding your niche and making the decision to focus on a writing product.
The term “writing product” refers to a very distinct sub-category of writing.
A few examples are:
- SEO (search engine optimization): writing content to increase web traffic
- Short ad copy: writing for promotional purposes (e.g.: slogans)
- Resume writing: creating resumes
Specializing in writing products demands many of the same skills used in any writing field. But it also involves intimate knowledge of formats and industry-specific information and vocabulary. Writers who specialize in products have the advantage of perfecting their craft while appealing to a very particular target market.
Why Should You Specialize?
That old saying “Jack of all trades, master of none” is certainly something to ponder when your livelihood is writing.
To be an expert—a master—in your field, your only option is to specialize. Finding your niche is a move in the right direction. But unless you settle on one specific writing product, freelance writing may be a hard and unrewarding road to walk.
So, what are the benefits of writing product specialization?
1. Refine And Hone Your Skills
If as a writer, you’re having to use different styles from job to job, it’s very easy to lose focus, resulting in mediocre pieces that don’t impress anyone.
Different products require different and distinct approaches. By sticking to one in particular it’s possible to perfect your skills and become an expert in your chosen field. Writing resumes demands a very different approach from SEO or contract writing. Likewise, specializing in SEO requires a totally different mindset to writing generic blog content.
When choosing your specific path, it’s best to pick something that interests you—and that you’re reasonably good at. It’s very rewarding to work your way up to being an expert in your field.
2. Withstand Market Fluctuations
Many professionals suffer when the economy takes a downturn. But by specializing in a product rather than a niche, you can ride the dips far more successfully.
In rocky financial times, people will be more careful in their spending habits. However, if you’ve built up a solid reputation, clients will still have confidence in your ability to produce excellent work.
The past couple of years have seen many people lose their jobs. As a result, there has been an influx of people trying to make a living with freelance work—including writing. This might suggest that there’ll be less work available, but customers are far more likely to stick with already established writers.
3. Work Efficiently
Dedicating yourself to one specific writing product not only hones your skills, it allows you to work faster and more efficiently too.
Switching between styles might be good if you want to practice multitasking, but that often comes at the expense of your productivity. When you focus on a single writing product, you don’t need to perform mental gymnastics between tasks or projects. This momentum can set you up for a well-organized system in which jobs are streamlined.
Having a clear idea of your daily work schedule and where your focus is needed most allows you to move through tasks with ease.
4. Simplify Your Marketing
Marketing your business, skills, and services is a massive part of success in the freelance field. Ineffective marketing leads to few clients, which in turn leads to low income and the unpleasant task of trying to find work elsewhere.
Simplifying your marketing strategy is a huge help in attracting more clients. Focusing on a particular product makes that far easier to achieve.
These days, marketing is spread across a few platforms:
- Your website
- Business pages on social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- Business cards
The fact that you need to maintain more than one online profile makes it hard to compile a clear portfolio containing many different styles. Focusing on one product makes creating marketing material much simpler.
5. Get Client Referrals – And More High Profile Clients
When clients realize that you’re highly skilled in a particular writing product, they’re far more likely to promote you through word-of-mouth. This is an excellent method in growing your business and building a comprehensive network of returning customers.
Another bonus of word-of-mouth referrals is the potential to reach high-profile clients who are willing to pay an attractive rate. Often, high-profile clients don’t advertise jobs, they rely on recommendations instead.
6. Find Work Opportunities Easily
Focusing on a specific category of writing allows you to search for more work opportunities while avoiding the effort of wading through hundreds of job ads.
If you know that your area of expertise is writing short ad copy, then you can streamline job searches to get appropriate results every time.
You’ll also find it far easier to set your rates if you focus on one product. This makes quoting clients quicker and easier, and it streamlines your invoicing process, too.
7. Build Your Reputation
Cultivating your reputation is easier when your specialty is one particular product, rather than several different ones.
Enhancing your skill set, marketing strategically, and building up a client base are vitally important in establishing a reputation for reliability and quality work.
Work Your Way Up
Before you decide what your focus is, think ahead and ask yourself a few questions about your ambitions. If you can commit to your chosen specialization, you can become a successful product writer with a bright freelancing future.
Wordplay ninja, article alchemist, and knowledge inquisitor. Melanie Robles is an experienced freelance writer and editor covering a variety of topics. When she’s not consumed by the creative vortex, she spends her time exploring new fields of knowledge to broaden her horizon.
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