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Thank heaven I’m organized. Yesterday was yet another full day of work, and I was able to keep on top of the deadlines, plus handle a few requests from another company needing still more paperwork from me. By 2:30 I was wiped out, but happy to have tackled so much and to have done a good first pass on everything. More of the same today as I scare up two more interview sources. That’s somewhat surprising given that I usually have to beat them off when I put out a query.
Plus as I was finishing up a bigger project, another client got in touch. We’ll be talking next week about a good deal of upcoming work.
All this is coming a little late to count toward my November earnings totals. Remember how I’d rocked September, then had smaller earnings in October? November didn’t start strong. I did sit idle for about eight work days, so I spent the time marketing like crazy. While on paper I’m in the black, November doesn’t reflect that. Still, I’m happy as a clam.
Let’s get to it:
Queries:
When in doubt, shout. Knowing that most publications are often drained of budgets by now, I turned my attention to companies. Seven letters of introduction later, I’m now working with two new companies and am communicating with a third.
Job listings:
I answered one ad, and only because I had the experience the job desperately needed. Apparently though, per usual, experience is trumped by pauper-like budgets. Never got a call. Didn’t wait for it, either.
Existing clients:
One query, four articles assigned. Go figure. But the magazine editor is holding my first two ideas for a future issue, and she gave me two more articles for the current issue.
New clients:
As of yesterday, I now have five new clients. One came from my LOIs, one from the conference, and another from the fact that he was my interview source on a number of occasions. The fourth and fifth ones were referrals. Which brings me to that category.
Referrals:
I scored a new client through a referral by a long-time, wonderful client. The work is ongoing, not exactly what I’d hoped to do, but I was willing because I was sitting idle when I said yes. Now I’m not. The first project is about to hit my in box. That will be the deciding factor.
Another referral client was sent to me by her sister, a fellow freelancer. The project I thought was one-and-done may turn into other projects since I managed to please the client. Amen.
Earnings:
I was well under my monthly earnings, but I’m nowhere near worried. All this late-November work will be billed this week, which means December is going to look amazing. That rarely happens. My Decembers are usually my dry spells. Plus with the newest client getting in touch next week, I’m about to add to that total. Way to end 2011!
Bottom line:
Taking my own advice, I continued marketing every day. Since I was sitting rather idle, I did a lot of marketing to both new and existing clients. I was smarter about to whom I’d market. I knew from history that magazines are rarely able to buy freelance articles in the last quarter (though my one client proves this theory weak). Hence my shifting to companies wanting to get their communications pieces ready for prime time. It worked in spades.
I didn’t earn my targeted goal, but if I tallied what I would have billed for work scored this month, it would be well over my earnings goal.
How did you do last month? What has changed for you? What needs to change? What are you doing that seems to be working?
November was a very good month. However, over the course of my year, one client has come to equal 90% of my income. Not a good position to be in. The goal for the rest of this year and 2012 is to widen the client base significantly.
Good catch, Ronda. Never a great position to be in. I was just walking back from the mailbox thinking how three clients make up the bulk of my earnings, and I was wondering it that was enough.
Where else can you look?
Yes, the magic number of "how many clients is enough" can be tricky to pinpoint. My main field is tech. I worked for a tech company in the 90's and early zips. Many of those folks moved on to start their own companies. I haven't even begun to tap that network yet, so that is step one. Also, I started this whole full-time freelance gig to do more magazine writing. I have worked very little on that, so that will be step two. Part of this month's work is to flesh out a complete marketing plan to formalize my goals for 2012.
Definitely start with queries this month. Mags are getting their new freelance budgets in January. I suspect a few will start assigning now.
Sounds like you have a good plan, Ronda. Keep us posted on how it goes!
I need to get back to marketing every day. I lost some students from the year-long and other upcoming work, so that needs to be replaced. I've got one more chapter to write on one novel, and half of another novel to get to a publisher, and two novels that need final passes before going out on requested submissions. All that's great, but I need to fill in with some quick turnaround work.
I'm prepping for the indie press book fair on Saturday, too, and I've got a trio of short stories that need to go out in January.
Again, all good, but I need some short term cash coming in to cover the time until the longer-term project money comes in. I may pitch to do some script doctoring again.
What needs to change is I need to do the daily marketing. I keep letting that slip and it always bites me in the butt.
Been so busy this AM, I almost missed this. Glad I didn't so I have my monthly, "forced" come-to-Jesus discussion. 🙂
November revenue was above average, which was surprising with the 3-Day Walk and Thanksgiving. I also learned of a lost monthly blogging project for 2012. They're taking it in-house-good luck with that one. It was a good chunk of revenue. 🙁
That's the bad news. The good news was my visit to a San Diego client while I was there looks like it's going to pay off in a big way. They realized they were severely "underutilizing my talents" (their words) and said they were putting me in the budget for 2012. They asked for a proposal on white papers, case studies, additional ghostwritten articles, blogging and more.
If they spring for even a portion of the proposal, it will more than replace the lost income from the monthly blogging project. 🙂
As the line goes in the Sound of Music – "When the Lord closes a door, somewhere, He opens a window."
Sneaks up on you, doesn't it? I'm always surprised how quickly things shift when I don't market for a day or two.
Some magazines are already well into their 2012 budgets, Lori. It depends on if their budget is based on issue dates or the calendar year. (This is probably why I failed miserably last year when I suggested to a late-payer/former client that they should pay me by year's end to clear their books.)
Here we go….
Queries: Three queries of multiple ideas; two LOIs.
Job Listings: Zero.
Existing Clients: Nabbed a short profile and a feature with Favorite Editor. Meanwhile my Other Favorite Editors at another publication surprised me with four quick and fun assignments. An old client I keep in touch with said her freelance budget had finally been restored (after more than a year) and assigned me one of the two stories I'm working on now.
New Clients: I'm wrapping up my first feature for a new client, and hope she loves it.
Referrals: Zero.
Earnings: Remember, I don't count what I've invoiced, I count what's been paid. I took in less than 1/3 of my modest monthly goal. I would have been closer to half, but the Other Favorite Editors have gone to a direct deposit system, and my invoice (confirmed receipt and everything) somehow fell through the cracks. The accounting contact said the new system would pay faster, and when the typical 2-3 weeks passed and nothing was deposited, I asked her when I could expect it. She quickly found the problem and the transaction is supposed to go through today. Another factor in the abysmal income this month is that the slow-payer shorted me for a sidebar. He said it would be paid this week, so I better have the check by Monday.
Bottom line, I turned in seven articles in three weeks, and am working on two more so it's been a busy month. That, plus work I've already invoiced, should pay off in December and January.
Oh! And Lori will be proud of me: I didn't do a lick of work over the long Thanksgiving weekend. (Okay, I sent out my Santa Letter flier, but just updated the deadline date.)
Cathy, have you been "saved"? LOL Sounds like a super client meeting. It's funny – we think they know our entire skill set, but it's amazing how often clients don't. I had one tell me he had no idea I worked on the corporate side. I blame myself, for I've known the guy ten years.
Oddly Paula, the ones I work with usually budget the Jan, Feb and sometimes even the March issues into the previous year's budget. It just depends, I guess. And congrats on taking TIME OFF! :))
Can I hear an AMEN? 🙂
for Cathy: AMEN!
Aghhhhh, finally recovering from a cold that knocked my silly and from the loss of my calendar…
Been a better Nov. than I expected… and here it is already the last month of the year.
My November revenue was above average. I was so busy I didn't get to work on some of my other projects as much as I'd hoped, but now that our Atlanta house is FINALLY rented, and my husband has joined us, I'll hopefully have more time.
A PR writer friend and I are talking about collaborating on a project (we're in a similar niche) but it's just talking so far.
It's been a long time since I've done any magazine writing, but I have two ideas I've been sitting on for a couple of months, so I think I'll go for it.
I've been marketing consistently, but need to get back to marketing every day as well.
My November revenue was above average. But that was padded by revenue from a long-term project that just paid up for a couple of milestones.
What needs to change:
1. I need to market more. I haven't been doing enough of that because I didn't have the capacity to take on more work due to long-term project, but it's very risky to rely on one project to bring the majority of my income.
2. I also want to increase my income from fiction and self-published works because in the long-term, I want those to account for a big chunk of my 2012 income.
3. I want to increase the number of my retainer clients. This will mean steady work each month.
Halleluia, Sister Cathy!
Anne, I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. Nothing worse than trying to make it through a work day feeling like your head is falling off.
Kim, amen! I'm so glad you got that rented! How's the move been treating you?
Go get 'em, Damaria! I like that you're laying down a plan for moving into fiction. Good for you.
Oy! Just posted a comment, and I totally blew it. Can't even blame it on Blogger today!
Anyway, just noticed your post. Sorry to be late to the party.
November was only acceptable, in part because I was fighting extreme fatigue most of the time. I got no new clients, but my old clients helped me achieve mediocrity!
December's already boffo, so I'm fine with a down November.
Gabriella, I think you're excused – you just went through quite a bit! And since December's already looking fab, why not? 🙂
I think you already know my situation. Looking for work after a contract job ended suddenly. I really hate that. 🙁
I do, Becky. And I'm sorry to hear it's still a struggle. 🙁