How Núria Gets Referrals by Building Trust

Clients want to do business with people they know and trust—or people recommended by people they know and trust. That’s why referrals are the main way Núria Negrão, PhD, is getting the clients she deserves.

After freelancing for about two years, Núria was ready to diversify and expand her freelance business. Núria knew that she needed to focus on marketing. But she had to figure out what type of marketing would work best for her. And she needed some help in building her marketing muscle.

Finding What Works Best

Núria knows that there is no easy way to build and maintain a successful, sustainable freelance business. “Sending 5 cold emails a day is hard. Posting regularly on LinkedIn is hard. Reaching out to all your contacts asking for work is hard. Going to networking meetings is hard. We all get to choose our hard,” she says.

After recognizing that she was most comfortable participating in communities of freelance medical writers and doing other networking, Núria decided to focus her marketing on networking and LinkedIn. She is part of communities of freelance writers like WriteCME Pro and the Anthill. Núria also networks through the American Medical Writers Association and LinkedIn.

Building Marketing Muscle

Núria found help building her marketing muscle through Finding the Freelance Clients You Deserve, a step-by-step, online course that uses a proven process for freelance marketing. “The course demystified the process of prospecting and gave me a roadmap. Those two things are invaluable,” she says. Personalized feedback and coaching helped Núria optimize her LinkedIn profile and develop client-focused marketing messages.

Within about a year of completing the course, Núria had gotten four new clients, three through referrals and one from networking in general.

Developing a Strategic, Value-Focused Network

The referrals that Núria received didn’t just happen. “I only got the referrals because I put a lot of work into networking, building community with other medical writers, and providing value whenever I engage with other medical writers,” she says. “People like and trust me.”

These activities show that Núria is trustworthy and likeable, two things that clients look for when hiring a freelancer. “My main marketing is to show up, be friendly, and provide value,” she adds.

While networking is stressful and even scary for many freelancers, Núria learned that networking is really about getting to know other people, not trying to sell her services. She also learned that helping others without expecting anything in return works much better than aggressive, self-promotional networking.

Most of Núria’s networking is virtual, through communities of freelance writers and events of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA). Núria is a member of three paid membership communities: WriteCME Pro, the Anthill, and Nascent Medical LLC. She also belongs to Freelancers in Pubs, which is free.

She also loves going to conferences, like the AMWA annual conference. “Conferences always make me feel energized, filled with ideas, and hopeful for the future. They get me excited about work,” she says.

Along with getting referrals from networking, Núria likes getting to know other freelance medical writers. “It’s good to talk to people who are in the same boat as you,” she says. “They understand the struggles and can give you support by just talking and sharing stories.”

Showcasing Expertise on LinkedIn

While one-on-one networking is ideal, it takes a lot of time. By being active on LinkedIn, Núria expands her network and strengthens relationships with people she already knows. She also builds her authority, especially about two topics she is passionate about: (1) AI and AI in medical writing and (2) effective communication and teaching in science and medicine.

“Being active on LinkedIn allows me to be in front of clients and colleagues in a cost-effective way. It showcases my expertise and keeps me top of mind for people there,” she says.

As part of giving more than she takes, Núria uses her posts on LinkedIn to teach other medical writers about AI and AI in medical writing. She loves exploring AI and figuring out how it works, and then translating what she is learning in LinkedIn posts so that other medical writers can also learn how to use AI in their writing.

“People are interested in AI and AI in medical writing and there aren’t many voices out there explaining how this works. So, this has made it really easy for me to position myself as an expert,” says Núria.

Learn more about Núria’s LinkedIn activity

How 3 Freelancers Maximize Opportunities by Being Active on LinkedIn

Núria’s complete, client-focused profile and her big, relevant, network also help her build trusting relationships and rank higher when clients are searching for a freelancer. Profile completeness and relevant keywords in the headline are #1 in LinkedIn’s search algorithm criteria. Common connections with the person who is doing the search is #2. Relevant connections are people who work in your industry(ies), do similar work, or are related to you and your work in another way.

About Núria’s Freelance Business

Núria is a freelance CME writer and a speaker on AI strategy & implementation for medical writing and science communication. She specializes in writing and providing strategic content guidance on engaging and evidence-based continuing education content for health professionals, including needs assessments, slide decks, and enduring materials. Also, Núria offers conference and advisory board coverage. As a speaker about AI for medical writing and science communication, she helps medical writers get clarity on how best to use AI as a work collaborator to make a real difference with their work.

Course in Freelance Marketing Helps Núria Get the Clients She Deserves

Finding the Freelance Clients You Deserve gave Núria a proven process for growing her freelance business. “The most important thing I developed with the course was my marketing muscle. I developed a system for marketing and a habit for marketing that I maintain today,” she says.

The step-by-step, 7-week online course shows freelancers exactly how to find and impress steady, high-paying clients. Since 2016, my course has helped hundreds of other freelancers grow their freelance businesses too. It works whether you’re just getting started or are busy most of the time but know you can do better.

Núria knew other freelancers who had taken the course and had been able to build stable, successful freelance business. “That gave me the confidence to invest,” she says.