By Bryan Borzykowski
Freelance business journalist
SABEW President May 2019 – May 2020
• Create a list of story ideas in a Google Doc that you can pitch and repitch. If one place says no, then take that idea and find another outlet. Keep track of who you’ve pitched.
• Broaden your client base. A lot of companies are looking for help to write editorial-style content. Reach out to marketing departments or content directors at those companies. As well, don’t limit yourself to your area or even country. There are a lot of publications and corporations around the world who still need good freelancers.
• Reach out to friends and friends of friends asking if they’re looking for anything specific. It’s often a good idea to know what kind of stories someone may need before pitching – perhaps they’re working on a special section or need more ideas on a certain topic. Email them and ask how you can help. Even better, see if they might want to have a quick chat to see what they might need – “in-person,” whether on a call or video is always better than email.
• Don’t be afraid to follow up. Everyone’s busy and it’s unlikely you’ll get a response back that day. If the story is timely, follow up after a day or two. Otherwise, wait a week or two. If you don’t hear from them after two weeks, wait another two weeks and follow up again. (Nothing bad can happen from following up, other then someone saying no thanks.)
• Your best bet for getting new work is from the clients you already have. Keep going back to them with new ideas as much as you can, especially if they still have solid budgets.
• Don’t give up. Trust yourself and your abilities. People still need good writing and good journalism, even today.
