Creative writing is a wide area of expertise where you can choose among different jobs depending on your skills and preferences. The job of a professional writer is becoming more and more popular with the emergence of new technologies and modern forms of content marketing.
In case you are still trying to find a profitable content writing job, you should consider writing for small businesses. What makes small business owners favorable employers is that they don’t have many employees like large companies. That means that they need to hire professional writers whenever they need new high quality content.
Let’s break it down and see how you can start working as a writer for small businesses.
What Type of Writing Do Small Businesses Need?
Let us first focus on the content itself. If you want to start a career as a professional writer for small businesses, you need to know what is it that they need.
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Promotional Content
Small businesses mostly need you to write promotional content, which will increase their audience, help them fight their competition, and stand out on the market.
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Website Content
Every serious business has a website which is the online presentation of their services, products, offers, business information, and other.
They need someone who’s going to write the content for each of their website’s page, keep it fresh and updated and make sure it’s informative and inviting.
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Social Media Posts
Social media is one of the most powerful marketing tools today, with nearly 3 billion active users globally. It’s no question that without a successful business social media page or profile, a small business can’t go very far.
They need writers like yourself to run their social media and make it entertaining, vibrant, and modern.
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Newsletters
Small businesses need to keep in touch with their regular clients and try to impress them over and over again.
The newsletters they send need to be properly written and add value to their overall experience with the business or its brand.
As a professional writer, you could write newsletters for businesses and contribute to their growth and development.
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Blog Posts
Blogging is another inevitable form of content marketing which can attract new visitors to the business’ website and help them reach more people.
Your job would be to write blog posts about the trending topics, use your SEO skills to ensure you rank higher in Google searches, and simply provide valuable information that the readers are looking for.
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Local Publications
Finally, small businesses need to be visible in local publications and make their way to the materials their customers are likely to read.
You’ll be expected to write articles which indirectly promote the brand you’re writing for.
Those are the types of creative writing the smallest businesses need and you’ll need to be able to cover if you plan to succeed as a professional writer.
Related: 25 Awesome Online or Offline Writing Jobs
Where to Look for such Jobs?
There’s no one sure-thing way for you to find and get a job.
The truth is, you’ll have to use several strategies, apply for as many freelance writing jobs available as possible and explore all your options. Here are some of the best places for you to look for a job:
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Local Newspapers
Your local newspapers publish opening job positions regularly. Check them out from time to time to see if someone’s looking for a writer for their business.
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Going through Social Media Accounts
Many small businesses will post about their content writing job opening on social media. Pay attention to the ads you run into or go through some business pages to see if they’re hiring.
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Sending an Introduction Letter to Local Businesses
If there’s a local business you’d like to work for, don’t hesitate in sending them an introduction letter. Include your CV and write about how you would contribute to their business.
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Word-of-Mouth
Ask around to check if some of your friends or colleagues know of a job opening.
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Online Job Platforms
Using a freelance platform to search for writing jobs online.
How to Position Yourself to Get Their Attention?
When you’re applying for a job, you have a very small window of opportunity to show how much you know and what are your biggest qualities. Here’s what you should do:
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Explain the Benefits
Tell them why it’s a smart idea to hire you and explain how investing in you will pay off quickly.
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Put the Emphasis on Quality
Let them know your number one concern is the quality of the written content since it will represent their business, and that you’re ready to deliver it. Consider presenting your best blog post or other piece of content as a sample.
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Mention the Importance of Customer Experience
Show that you’re aware that customers are every business’ biggest treasure, and explain how you would contribute their satisfaction.
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Focus on Businesses that Recognize the Value of High Quality Content but don’t Have the Time to Deliver
Let them know you’d take care of that part of their business strategy.
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Show Initiative
Look for the areas where they could improve and make suggestions.
Prepare yourself thoroughly and ensure you make a killer first impression on potential employers.
Related: 11 Content Editing Tools for Error-Free Writing
How to Prepare Yourself for This Type of Work?
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Define Your Target Audience
Choose a specific industry or niche for starters.
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Prepare a Portfolio
Show them your best work so far. If you don’t have a corresponding portfolio, you can always present some suggestions and writing examples.
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Keep up with the Industry News
Learn about the industry you’re interested in and stay updated on the latest happenings. For example, you can learn about new technologies, leaders, influencers, trends, etc.
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Learn How to Optimize Content
You need to learn everything about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and how to make your content better. This will influence its conversion rate, rank in Google searches and overall impact and success.
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Create Connections
Find a way to work and practice before you get an actual job. For example, working for non-profits can build your credibility and give you an opportunity to gain experience.
Conclusion
Working as a professional writer for a small business is a career you could pursue. It takes the right skills and a determined mindset to succeed, but it’s far from impossible. All you need is the right guidelines.
Hopefully, the guide provided above will help you reach your goals and start making a living writing for small businesses. Make the first step today and just go for it.
