How Can I Tell If a Freelance Client Will Pay Well?
A few months ago I asked on Twitter and LinkedIn what my friends would like to read about on the Web Writing Advice blog. One person said, “How can I tell if a freelance client will pay well?” Ohh, this is an excellent question, and there’s actually quite a bit to unpack here. So, here are my thoughts.
When I’m looking at freelance writing job posts, or preparing to reply to an email from a potential client, I channel my inner journalist.
The quick answer to this reader’s question is to ask lots of questions! Be an informed freelancer.
Initial Communication Matters
When I first start chatting with a managing editor or the person who might hire me, I ask how they collaborate with freelancers. Here are a few questions I that come up, and their answers help me understand more about them and their preparedness to work with a freelancer.
- Do you have an onboarding process?
- How do your freelancers submit/edit content?
- Do you have a sample assignment brief I may review?
- May I review your editorial calendar and writing guidelines?
- How often does your accounting department process freelancer invoices?
