Let me relate something that happened recently.
When opening up my inbox, I discovered a message from a ghostwriter for hire. He was polite in touting his writing wares to supply posts for one of my blogs. As a “Jack of all trades,” he offered to write anything I wanted — for free – with the only stipulation being that he would place a specific link somewhere in the text.
I deleted the email without a reply.
Promoting Your Ghostwriting
Promoting ghostwriting services is a valuable asset to the online community. More and more businesses are creating blogs as a place for readers to learn more about their services, gain important information, and have the ability to interact with the business professionals in a conversational manner.
There is nothing wrong with promoting yourself. You can find reliable clients who need writing professionals when they themselves can’t keep up with making blog posts while trying to deal with business operations. But as a ghostwriter, you need to know how to promote your services to get your Internet foot through the virtual blog door.
Which Blogs Need A Ghostwriter?
Not every blogger needs your services. A personal blog that talks about family and shares sports stories will not be interested in obtaining a ghostwriter or want to pay for one. So eliminate all those personal blogs that show photos of the kids or YouTube videos of cute furry kittens and hamsters.
That narrowed down the list. Now, you have to decide which business blogs need a ghostwriter for hire.
Know More About The Company
Many freelance writing job boards have ads for ghostwriters. Seek ones that are about a topic you know about or have a professional interest in. Research is always good, but if you plan to do this as an ongoing basis for the company, you’ll need to come up with fresh content constantly. Knowing firsthand about the topic matter makes ghostwriting for the client much easier.
So haunt that company like a specter in the night. Know all the ins and outs about the company, flitting from link to link on the business website as you peek in their closets to find out all the service hats the client wears. Then craft your proposal based on the information you learned.
Speaking of Proposals
You have to create a compelling case to get hired for your ghostwriting. Tell them the reason why you are contacting them, how you can help draw readers to their blog, and what your knowledge is concerning their business. Have a writing portfolio available and online writing clips so that the company can get a feel for your voice and writing style.
And throw out the one-size-fits-all form proposal. Tailor every proposal to the particular client.
Don’t Have Ulterior Motives
Saying you’ll ghostewrite for free so long as you can slip in a link on occasion to another website just doesn’t work. No company wants readers to be redirected away from their blog to another site where the writer gets paid for ad hits. To be a professional ghostwriter for hire, you must focus your services strictly on the current client.
Michelle H is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
