8 Secrets of High-Income Freelancers You Need to Know
High-income freelancers and freelancers who struggle to make a living aren’t all that different. But high-income freelancers have figured out the secrets to freelance marketing. We know how to get the high-paying clients we deserve instead of taking whatever work comes along.
And once you know our secrets, you can do what we do—and become a high-income freelancer too.
High-income freelancers aren’t hiding anything from you. In fact, you may already know some of our secrets.
If you learn the things that high-income freelancers know and then do the things that we do, you too will be able to attract high-paying freelance work and build a successful freelance business.
Together, these 8 secrets are part of a proven process for becoming—and staying—a high-income freelancer. You can’t do one of them and expect to succeed. They work together to help you succeed faster and with less effort.
1. High-income freelancers have a moneymaking specialty(ies)
High-income freelancers specialize, because clients want to work with experts. And they’re willing to pay well for that expertise.
Moneymaking specialty(ies):
- Are growing
- Need your freelance services
- Have professional associations that make it easy for you to find and reach prospects.
Learn More About Specializing to Succeed as a Freelancer
Want to Worry Less and Make More Money? Be a Specialist
This is What Happens When Freelancers Specialize
2. High-income freelancers choose their ideal clients.
High-income freelancers don’t just hope that high-paying clients who treat us right will fall into our laps.
Instead, we go out and find our ideal clients, by developing prospect lists.
And the easiest way to develop a prospect list of high-paying clients is to use the member directories of your professional associations. You can also find prospects through:
- Leading company lists
- Online directories
Learn More About Finding the Right Prospects to Succeed as a Freelancer
Professional Associations: The Best Way to Get High-Paying Freelance Work
Free Tool: Direct Email Swipe File
3. High-income freelancers attract their ideal clients.
High-income freelancers develop marketing to attract those clients, including direct email.
Since direct email carefully targets the message to each client’s needs, it makes you irresistible to those clients.
Each direct email focuses on what you can do for the prospect and:
- Shows that you understand the prospect’s needs
- Uses language and values from the prospect’s website
- Briefly highlights how your expertise and experience can help the prospect.
Learn More About Using Direct Email to Succeed as a Freelancer
Why You Need to Use Direct Email: What 4 Freelancers Say
Free Tool: Direct Email Swipe File
4. High-income freelancers develop a client-focused LinkedIn profile.
High-income freelancers have LinkedIn profiles with a compelling headline and summary.
When we focus on the needs of clients and how we meet those needs, we attract our ideal clients. And we use the keywords that will help clients find us, including “freelancer” or “freelance [YOUR FIELD HERE].”
Learn More About Using LinkedIn to Succeed as a Freelancer
How to Supercharge Your LinkedIn Profile, with Free Checklist
Free Tool: Ultimate LinkedIn Profile Checklist for Freelancers
5. High-income freelancers develop a client-focused website.
High-income freelancers develop clear and compelling web content focused on client needs and a clean, professional design. We follow best practices for freelancers’ websites, which are different than other small businesses.
Some of the standard advice about websites doesn’t work for freelancers. Other standard advice can actually drive away high-paying clients.
Learn More About Developing a Website to Succeed as a Freelancer
How to Win High-Paying Clients with Your Freelance Website
How to Make your Web Content Awesome, with Free Checklist
Why You Need a Website Designer, with Free Template
How to Win More Freelance Work with Your Remarkable Home Page
Free Tool: Awesome Freelance Website Checklist
6. High-income freelancers develop a strong and strategic network.
High-income freelancers know that networking is an easy way to get referrals to new clients (along with referrals from satisfied clients, which come from doing great work).
So we join and actively participate in professional associations, including by volunteering, because that’s the fastest and easiest way to meet people and build strong relationships. When we network, we focus on giving more than we take.
Learn More About Using Networking to Succeed as a Freelancer
3 Easy Ways toGet More Referrals from Your Clients
3 Surefire Ways Volunteering Helps You Get Freelance Work
Why Other Freelancers Should Be Your Best Friends
7. High-income freelancers follow up.
High-income freelancers follow up with high-paying clients who express interest in our services but haven’t yet hired us, and with the clients we most want to work with.
Not following up is the #1 reason freelancers don’t get high-paying (or any) clients. Up to 90% of the time, prospects aren’t ready to hire a freelancer when you first contact them, and 80% of sales (in general, not specific to freelancing) are made after at least five marketing contacts.
So when we stay in touch with prospective clients regularly, high-income freelancers make sure that those clients think of us first when they’re ready to hire a freelancer. Follow-up isn’t about “selling yourself.” Most of the time, your follow-up should focus on giving people relevant information and resources.
Learn More About Using Follow-Up to Succeed as a Freelancer
How to be First in Line for Freelance Work
The Surprising Thing That Will Get You More Freelance Work: Follow Up
8. High-income freelancers do the work.
High-income freelancers do the work that’s necessary for freelance success.
You must be wondering what happened to my promise that you can succeed in less time and with less effort.
If you follow my proven process, then you will save time and effort. If you don’t you’ll probably end up doing even more work but not getting the high-paying clients you deserve.
Once you’ve done the work, you’ll have marketing that will attract your ideal clients and you’ll know how to find and reach those ideal clients.
So you’ll be able to succeed in less time and with less effort—for the rest of your freelance career.
But you need to put in the work. You need to be determined to succeed and to push through the obstacles that all freelancers face. You need grit.
Learn More About High-Income Freelancers Succeed by Doing the Work
9 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and What Happens When You Do
The Superhero Power You Need to Know About: Grit
The Easy Way to Become a High-Income Freelancer
If you’re ready to start your journey toward high-income freelancing, you can get the information you need by scrolling through and reading dozens of Mighty Marketer blog posts.
Or you can take the easy way out–and get all of the information you need in one place.
My book, 7 Steps to High-Income Freelancing: Get the clients you deserve, is a step-by-step guide to finding and attracting the high-income clients you deserve.
Get it on Amazon.
What Freelancers Say About “7 Steps to High-Income Freelancing”
“7 Steps to High-Income Freelancing is filled with actionable, step-by-step marketing advice for freelancers. With this one little book, my whole marketing plan is done,” says freelance writer “Annie” Kai Cheang, PharmD, MS.
Freelance writer Christina Sanguinetti found the knowledge and confidence she needed to build her freelance business in “7 Steps to High-Income Freelancing.” She called the book “an easy-to-read, essential handbook that is a must-read for both novice and experienced freelancers.”
“Lori’s marketing guidance provided a clear path for me to find and attract my ideal clients and bypasses the usual generalities,” says freelance writer Lisa Baker. This is a must-read for freelancers looking to attract reliable, high-paying clients.”
No Shortcuts to Success
“This book won’t get you where you want to go unless you work at it. There are no shortcuts,” says freelance writer Cyndy Kryder.
Cyndy is absolutely right. Getting the clients you deserve and building a steady, high-income freelance business takes work.
If you’re willing to put in the work, you will see results.
Pure Freelance Gold
“This wonderful little book is packed with insider tips—some of which I know from experience and a few that are brand-new. Pure freelance gold!” says freelance writer Genevieve J. Long, PhD.
Read more reviews of “7 Steps to High-Income Freelancing.”
Get “7 Steps to High-Income Freelancing” Now!
Start creating your high-income freelance business today. Get your step-by-step guide to finding and attracting the high-income clients you deserve on Amazon.
Formats:
- Paperback
- Kindle