How to Onboard Freelance Writing Clients: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

An intake survey allows the customer to complete basic information about their background and what type of project they’re looking to complete.

Generally, freelance content writers may want to ask:

• What type of writing do you require (blog post, email newsletter, website copy, etc.) 
• What are your company goals (increase brand awareness, drive traffic and sales) 
• Who is your target audience? 
• Name a competitor or another company with a writing style you want to emulate. 
• What is your budget for this project?  

Some questions you’ll want to ask in this discovery call include: 

• What is your company all about? What product or service do you deliver? 
• Do you have any buyer persona research that describes your target customer? If not, who is your ideal customer and what are their desires and pain points? 
• What are the exact deliverables are you expecting to gain from this project? (4x blog posts, email drip campaign, etc.) 
• How quickly do you need this turned around?  

Within it, you’ll want to address:

• Writing process. Describe the process of working from beginning to end.
• Rates. Break down your freelance writing rates, whether that’s a flat fee, amount per word or hourly. If you charge flat fees, you could display your prices on a table, like so:
• Payment Process. If you charge a payment deposit upfront, state that. Then specify how you will collect the remaining payment. 
• Final quote. Drawing on the client’s specific needs, provide a quote for the different services you intend to deliver.

Break down your freelance writing rates, whether that's a flat fee, amount per word or hourly. If you charge a payment deposit upfront, state that. Then specify how you will collect the remaining payment. Be sure to specify your net payment terms. For instance, if you allow net 30, that means the client has 30 days to make payment from the date the invoice was issued.

If you haven't heard anything after three business days, send a follow-up email. Gmail has a useful "snooze" feature that reminds you to follow up on an email. In your proposal, consider mentioning that the quote expires after seven business days to respond to your proposal. 

People are more likely to remember hard dates over something "they'll get to when they have time"

The client accepts your proposal, great! The next step is to transform that proposal into a signed contract. 

Your contract should cover the essential terms you outlined in your proposal. It should also include a place for you and the soon-to-be client to sign. 

If you’re writing blog posts, consider adding the following in your outline: 

• Primary and secondary keywords 
• Target audience and writing tone 
• Main points 
• Key takeaway / Meta description 
• Competitors ranking for the same primary keyword  

Freelance writers use contact forms with specific questions about word count and budget.

• If the project seems like a good fit, they might hop on a call with the client to gather more information. 
• If the client is agreeable to the terms, the freelance writer typically sends a contract to finalize the terms. If the project seems like a good fit, they might hop on a call with the client to gather more information.

Writers can find freelance writing jobs through job boards, such as Problogger and Blogging Pro. 

Cold emailing and referrals are other ways to secure paid writing projects with clients. 

Clear communication and documentation are key to maintaining client relationships.

Signing off on a contract and outline, for instance, are common ways to set expectations for both parties.