Hello Fellow Readers & Knowledge Seekers,

How are you?  Well we’re winding down to the end of this short course. But we still need to go over a few things, so today we are going to jump right in and talk about how to promote your business and build up your reputation as a capable and reliable writer, so you can attract more clients.

Because ghostwriting is often a feast or famine business, you should always be looking for new clients even when you have a full workload. When it comes to attracting new clients it’s important to hone your skills and focus on building a reputation for being a dependable writer, but that’s not all you need to do.

It goes without saying that the best way to build your reputation is to make sure that you always deliver quality content and meet your deadlines. In fact it’s better to turn clients away than disappoint them. So never take on a new project unless you’re completely confident that you can finish it on time without compromising the quality of your work. But unfortunately, being an excellent writer who always delivers on time isn’t always enough. You’re going to have to put on your marketing hat and tell people about your business if you want a steady flow of clients knocking at your door.

Self-promotion is where many talented ghostwriters fall short. Because the nature of this business is built on the fact that we fade into the background, so our clients can shine in the lime light, we’re reluctant to promote our services and that just won’t do, especially when you’re trying to pay the bills.

You have to promote yourself, because nobody else will. Not even your clients. In fact it’s just the opposite. If they like your work they won’t share your name with anyone. They will guard you like you’re a national treasure and happily take the secret of your existence to their grave. 

Even if you’re working from a freelance website as we discussed in lesson two, it’s still important to market your business and set yourself apart from the competition. To do this, put yourself in the clients shoes and think about why they should hire you. What are your specific skills? What topics do you specialize in? What is your USP (unique selling position)?

When you can answer those questions you can create a marketing plan that will help bring in consistent clients that are a good fit for your business. While you may be hesitant when it comes to marketing your talents it’s a very important task that shouldn’t be ignored or pushed to the back burner.

The cornerstone of your marketing plan should include a website to let people know who you are and what you have to offer. A solid resume and good portfolio that includes a variety of your writing samples for potential customers to review.

You’ll also want to set up a system for collecting leads, like an email list, push notifications or at the very least a contact form. So that you can follow up with people who may be interested in hiring you and collect testimonials from happy clients. This type of social proof can really boost your credibility. And while we’re on the subject, a social media presence is also a good idea because it allows you to connect with consumers in a way that is comfortable for them. 

You can be the best ghostwriter in the world but you won’t make any money if potential clients don’t know you exist, so you have to be visible and easy to find, so don’t be afraid to put on your marketing hat and tell people what you can do for them, for a price of course!

I hope today’s lesson was helpful to you. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the last and final lesson . There will be some great stuff for you to read about..

Until then,

Don Dousharm (Book Shop Digital) admin@bookshopdigital.com