How niche is your niche?

Opportunity cost is hard to measure as a freelance writer. We only have so many hours in the day to complete client work, do admin tasks, and actually market ourselves. As you try to figure out how to best use your time to find new clients, the answer isn’t always clear.

But when you do realize a missed opportunity, it’s important to rectify the issue as quickly as possible so it doesn’t happen again.

I recently had an experience where I also missed the chance to work with a great client simply because my LinkedIn profile was missing one keyword.

Identifying my near-miss on LinkedIn

I regularly check my LinkedIn stats to see who is viewing my profile and what kind of searches I’ve appeared in each week. This lets me know what kind of exposure I’m getting and also helps me tailor my profile to get the most hits. When numbers are down or I’m showing up in irrelevant searches, I tweak my profile.

A few months ago, I noticed an editor of a large online publication had looked at my profile but not messaged me. We were already connections and we previously worked on a different project together. When I clicked on his profile, I noticed he had started a new job with this new company.

This raised a huge red flag that he was looking for freelance writers - but didn’t contact me after looking at my profile!

The warm DM that got me the job

Instead of wallowing in the depths of despair, I decided to be proactive and message the editor. I kept it casual and upbeat (and didn’t even mention that I could see he viewed my profile!). Here’s what I said, with details removed:

He quickly responded (saying, “Great timing!”) and after a few exchanges about the project, I had a contract in my inbox that very same day!

I’m glad I was able to identify the almost-lost opportunity and still fix the situation.

Avoiding future near-misses

After wondering why the editor didn’t reach out to begin with, I went back to review my LinkedIn profile. I have a lot of expertise listed within the personal finance space, but I realized I was missing the specific area he was hiring for! I immediately added a couple phrases to cover my bases in the future.

That’s why it’s so important to track your projects and update your expertise regularly. It opens the door to as many incoming leads as possible so you can spend your days writing instead of looking for clients.

In addition to industries you write about, also include all the types of content you create as well. Set a calendar reminder to update all of your profiles and/or websites once a month with any new expertise you’ve recently developed.

Also be bold and take action when you do see an opportunity. It might not always pay off, but putting in just a few extra minutes can pay off! And the more you reach out to potential clients, the easier it gets over time.

Happy freelancing!

Lauren

When you’re ready, here are 2 ways I can help you with your freelance business:

1. Organize your business with my income tracker or pitch tracker.

2. Read The Fully Booked Freelance Writer to follow my exact process for keeping a full schedule (whatever that looks like for you).