How Three Freelance Medical Writers Saved Time, Avoided Frustration, and Grew their Businesses

Trying to build a successful freelance business on your own can mean years of trial and error. It’s hard to know what to focus on, whether you’re doing the right things, or what you need to change to attract the right clients and build a stable business.

You know the value of the work you do, but explaining that value to prospective clients—and giving them a reason to hire you—can be much harder. That’s not surprising. Marketing is a skill, and it’s one most freelance medical writers and editors were never taught.

Key Takeaways

• Expert marketing guidance helped three freelance medical writers attract better-fit clients, improve their marketing, and grow their businesses.
• Addie Nagy gained seven new clients, move into continuing medical education writing, and secure higher-paying projects.
• Debbie Anderson improved her results by changing her marketing to focus on client needs instead of only describing her own services.
• Margaret Johnson gained four new clients within a few months of taking a freelance marketing course, with leads coming from referrals and LinkedIn.
• Freelancers can evaluate a marketing expert by reviewing their experience, free content, recommendations, answers to questions, and client testimonials.

Taking the Guesswork Out of Marketing

Expert guidance can help you build your freelance business faster and with far less trial and error. Instead of spending months or years trying different marketing approaches and wondering what works, you can focus on the strategies that make sense for your business, get feedback on what you’re doing, and adjust when something isn’t working. The right guidance can help you avoid frustration, use your time more effectively, and build the marketing skills and habits you need to attract better clients and grow your freelance business.

“I understood that the best way to build my freelance business was to seek our people who are considered thought leaders and have mastered what I want to know,” says Adrienne (Addie) Nagy, one of three freelance medical writers who used expert marketing help to grow their businesses faster.

Addie and Debbie Anderson, PhD, MS, had both been freelance medical writers for a few years when they realized they needed help. Addie launched Wordsmith Medical Writing Solutions with a single client referred by a former colleague. When that work slowed, she realized she didn’t know how to find steady, high-paying clients on her own. Around the same time, Addie decided to narrow her focus from general medical writing to continuing medical education (CME). She needed to learn how to market her more specialized services to the right clients.

Debbie was considering an online course in freelance marketing, but she wasn’t sure it was right for her. “I had been actively freelancing for five years, so I wasn’t sure if it would be relevant,” says Debbie, owner of DGA Medical Communications.

Margaret Johnson, PhD, sought expert help much earlier, during her first year as a freelancer. She had two clients, but they didn’t pay enough for her to make a living. Margaret knew she needed more clients and better-paying work, but like many new freelance medical writers and editors, she didn’t know how to market herself or build her business.

The three freelancers all worked with Lori De Milto, a freelance medical writer since 1997 and a marketing teacher and coach since 2014 who runs The Mighty Marketer. Using her proven marketing system, Lori helps freelance medical writers and editors attract the right clients and grow their businesses.

Addie participated in Freelance Flow, a 12-month coaching program that combines the course content with in-depth personalized coaching with ongoing feedback, support, and accountability. Freelance Flow enables participants to build a lasting marketing habits that will continue supporting their businesses long after the program ends.

Debbie and Margaret took Finding the Freelance Clients You Deserve, a step-by-step, 8-week online course with personal coaching.

Choosing an Expert You Can Trust

Addie, Debbie, and Margaret all took the time to make sure Lori had the experience, expertise, and approach that were right for them before they invested their time and money.

Here’s how they did this.

Follow the expert before investing

Debbie and Addie both read The Mighty Marketer’s blog and other free content. By following Lori for a while, they got a feel for how she thinks and teaches. They found that they were learning from the free content, which explained things clearly and presented what it takes to succeed realistically.

Confirm the expert’s experience

Debbie knew Lori from the American Medical Writers Association, where she frequently presents on marketing for freelancers. Belonging to relevant professional associations and sharing knowledge through presentations is one of the things she looks for in experts.

All three freelancers reviewed Lori’s LinkedIn profile and website. They looked at how long she had worked in medical communications, what she accomplished, and whether her experience was relevant to marketing.

Seek recommendations from other freelancers

Asking freelancers you trust about experts they’ve worked with is an easy way to find a trustworthy expert. That’s what Margaret did to find a marketing expert she could trust. She asked colleagues about what they learned, what changed as a result, and whether they would make the investment again.

Ask the expert questions

Before Debbie enrolled in the course, she and Lori had a conversation. “Being frank about my questions and concerns gave me more of an impetus to give it a try. It couldn’t hurt and I was interested in learning from someone who had a proven strategy,” she says.

Like Debbie did, ask any questions you need to feel comfortable with your decision before you invest. A credible expert should be willing to explain what their course or coaching program includes, who it’s designed for, what you can realistically expect, and whether it’s a good fit for you.

Pay attention to how they respond. If someone pressures you to buy, avoids reasonable questions, or makes you feel uncomfortable for asking them, they’re not the right expert for you.

Look for social proof

Testimonials and case studies can help you see what it’s actually like to work with the expert. Look beyond general praise such as “This program was great.” Strong testimonials and case studies describe specific experiences, changes, or results. All three freelancers feedback from past students helpful.

Growing a Freelance Business Faster

Addie, Debbie, and Margaret all developed marketing messages that clearly communicated their value to the right clients and used those messages to strengthen their LinkedIn profile, website, and outreach emails. They learned how to network in a way that builds genuine professional relationships and leads to future opportunities.

During Freelance Flow, Addie got seven new clients, most providing steady work and paying rates that reflected her expertise. She successfully transitioned into CME writing and moved from entry-level work into higher-paying CME projects. The accountability provided by monthly coaching sessions and assignment deadlines helped Addie keep moving forward even when she was buy with client work.

“Marketing is an awful lot less daunting and more doable than it seemed at the beginning,” she says. “I am so happy that I invested in marketing coaching.

Getting more clients by focusing on their needs

Debbie was already doing many of the things covered in Finding the Freelance Clients You Deserve. But her marketing wasn’t as effective as it could have been.

One of Debbie’s biggest breakthroughs was shifting to client-focused marketing. “I learned to focus on the perspective of clients and what they need instead of what I have,” says Debbie. “That was really important and a new way of looking at things.”

More clients hired Debbie after finding her on LinkedIn or visiting her website. The year she took the course was “by far” her best year as a freelancer. She continued to earn more than she expected with her client-focused marketing.

Building a business despite the COVID-19 pandemic

Within a few months of completing Finding the Freelance Clients You Deserve, Margaret got four new clients—despite the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing economic uncertainty. Most of these clients came from referrals from people she met at professional associations. The others came from LinkedIn. And she now knows how to continue to grow her freelance business.

“My confidence increased greatly, from 10% to 100%. Lori is a true expert who shares her knowledge generously,” says Margaret.

Save Time and Money with Expert Help

Investing in expert marketing help can feel like a luxury when you’re trying to build or sustain your freelance business. After all, when you’re a freelancer, time spent on marketing is time you’re not spending on paid client work.

But trying to figure out marketing on your own takes time, too. You may eventually find strategies that work, but the process can involve a lot of trial and error. It’s easy to spend hours researching what to do, trying different approaches, and wondering whether you’re focusing on the right things—all while you’re trying to find the client work that will keep your business moving forward.

Investing in a marketing course or coaching program can shorten that learning curve. Instead of piecing everything together on your own, you get expert guidance on what to focus on and how to move forward. You’ll use your marketing time more effectively, attract the right clients sooner, and feel more confident in your ability to build a successful freelance business.

“Freelance Flow was worth multiple times what I paid for it and has resulted in more confidence in my brand and in my services, as well as increased income,” says Addie.

Learn More About Growing Your Business with Expert Help

Save Money by Investing in Expert Help

Success Story: Margaret Johnson Finding Her Focus—and the Right Clients

The Proven Way Margaret Grew her Freelance Business in a Recession

Freelance Flow

Finding the Freelance Clients You Deserve

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FAQs

How did the three freelance medical writers grow their businesses?

They used expert marketing guidance to improve their positioning, client outreach, networking, and online presence. Addie gained seven new clients, Debbie had her best year as a freelancer after adopting client-focused marketing, and Margaret gained four new clients within a few months of taking the course.

How can freelance medical writers find better clients?

Freelance medical writers can improve their chances by clearly explaining the value of their services, focusing their marketing on client needs, strengthening their LinkedIn profiles and websites, and building relationships through professional associations and networking.

How can freelancers choose a trustworthy marketing expert?

Review the expert’s professional experience, free content, recommendations, testimonials, and case studies. Before investing, ask about the program’s format, target audience, expected outcomes, and whether the expert believes the program is a good fit.

What is the difference between Freelance Flow and Finding the Freelance Clients You Deserve?

Freelance Flow is a 12-month coaching program that combines course content with personalized coaching, feedback, support, and accountability. Finding the Freelance Clients You Deserve is an eight-week online course with personal coaching.

Is expert marketing help worth the cost for freelance medical writers?

The three freelancers described in the article said expert help saved them time, improved their confidence, and helped them attract more clients or higher-paying work. The value depends on the freelancer’s goals, financial situation, and willingness to apply the marketing guidance.

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Last updated September 16, 2026.

Lori De Milto is a freelance medical writer and marketing coach who has helped freelance medical writers and editors get the clients they deserve since 2014. Through her proven process, she teaches freelancers how to market with clarity and confidence so they can build stable, successful freelance businesses.