Working as a freelance writer often means that you’re chasing the next job.

You want to make sure that you always have enough work. You also want to ensure that you’re earning enough to put food on the table and pay your bills.

However, bidding for new work and promoting yourself can be time consuming, so you need a way to keep the work coming with much less effort.

One way to do that is to get repeat work from existing clients. This means that you don’t have to sell yourself again, as you’ve already got a track record with that client. A satisfied client is always more willing to consider hiring you again. You might think that this is a difficult goal, but actually nothing could be simpler. All you have to do is ask. Here’s how I do it.

Please Sir, May I Have More?

First, I remind the client that I did a great job last time and ask if there’s any more work available. All they can do is say yes or no, and you win either way. If they say yes, then you’ve got a new writing job. If they say no, then at least they will remember that you exist. Sometimes when I do it, I get a promise of future work, even if there’s nothing available at the moment, and so far the client has always followed through on that promise. On average, I send out a few emails every three to six months — enough to remind them that I exist without hassling them.

The second strategy I use is to ask happy clients to recommend me to others. I find the best time to do this is when you’ve completed the first successful job. This is when clients typically say that they’re happy with a piece of work. In my email, I usually acknowledge their praise, say that I’ve enjoyed working on the project and invite them to pass my contact details on to anyone who needs a similar service.

Whether I’m chasing more work or a referral, my rule is that it never hurts to ask. So far, it’s paid off.

About the author: Sharon Hurley Hall is a born again blogger who has been writing for more than 20 years. She is a freelance writer and ghostwriter who specializes in ebooks, SEO articles and blog posts. Sharon runs the freelance mentoring blog, Get Paid To Write Online.

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