A successful freelance writing business is very similar to a small business of any kind. You have to operate frugally, watch the bottom line, and market yourself. That’s why joining a small business group can really help you as a freelancer. You may learn a few things, and meeting new people is never a bad thing either.

What is a small business group? It’s any assembly of entrepreneurs who regularly get together to share ideas and network. Here are some reasons to join a small business group.

Learn How Other Small Businesses Run

If freelance writing is just another entrepreneurial venture, it stands to reason that you’ll learn a lot from how other small businesses run. Find out how other entrepreneurs deal with a slow economy, billing clients, or even hiring staff. Meeting other business owners may give you some ideas for how to improve your own bottom line.

Network Directly With People Who Might Hire You

Freelancers are always looking for new clients, and what better way to find them than in a small business group? You can get to know new people and offer your services up to folks who have expressed an interest in hiring writers. You can also find out how someone prefers to work by observing them in your small group. The interacting you do in this group can help you become a cohesive team down the road.

Find Out What Businesses Are Looking For and Fill a Need

A business owner might not come right out and say that he or she needs to hire a writer. What someone may say instead is that they are overworked, need to start a blog, or that their marketing material isn’t working for them. Find out the current needs are of a business and then determine how you can bring something valuable to the table.

Getting to Know Clients on a Different Level Helps a Working Relationship

Sometimes clients hire freelancers but the two never really have a chance to get to know one another. Seeing clients in a different setting can help you understand them just a little bit better, which will ultimately improve your working relationship. For example, if your client is constantly short with you and you don’t understand why, they may admit in a small group that they just don’t enjoy talking on the phone.

The better you can understand a client’s business, the easier time you’ll have in tailoring your services to fit their needs. When you can do that, you’ll develop a solid relationship that can survive a slow economy or a changing business world.

More resources on freelance writing:

• The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency as a Commercial Freelancer in Six Months or Less
• Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer: How to Win Top Writing Assignments
• 102 Ways to Earn Money Writing 1,500 Words or Less: The Ultimate Freelancer’s Guide

 

Image: Morguefile