5 Ways to Spot Fake Social Media Influencers

5 Ways to Spot Fake Social Media InfluencersCredit Georgejmclittle/Shutterstock Social media influencers can do wonders for your small business. These individuals have a large and engaging following on social media. If you find the right influencers, they can legitimize your company, increase brand recognition and boost sales.Social media influencers include bloggers, experts in their fields, celebrities and more, said Justin Lavelle, chief communications director of Been Verified. Influencers write about your products or brand and are typically compensated with money or samples.However, not all social media influencers are genuine. Ratherbeibei than organically building a trusting following, some influencers buy followers, comments and likes. Business News Daily talked to social media experts about social media influencers and how to spot a fake. Heres what they said.Whats a social media influencer?From popular food bloggers to reality TV stars, it seems anyone can be a social media influencer. But the best influencers have a large following of people who care about what they say, use and recommend.Editors note Need social media managementfor your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you with free information.A social media influencer is someone who has amassed a following via creative content and storytelling and can influence consumers through social platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, etc., often with the intention of affecting and influencing various purchasing decisions, said Beca Alexander, founder and president of influencer casting agency Socialyte.Brands pay social media influencers to create content and endorse their products or services. Social media influencers basically verify your credibility within your target demographic, said Lavelle. Traditional advertising doesnt build trust like social media influencers do, especially when talking to millennials.The most effec tive social media influencers are very active in their community, said Shellie Wass, social media account manager for Slice Communications and social media influencer for her dog, Oliver the Love Pug.Influencers are engaging with their commenters, they are participating in discussions around their endorsements, and they have their own personal aesthetics that can leverage a brand, she said. Companies should be seeking out influencers with a dedicated community that will help to expand their reach.How to spot fake social media influencersJust because an account has a lot of followers doesnt mean it has an influence over itsaudience. Unfortunately, fake social media influencers are on the rise and if you do business with a fake influencer, it could seriously damage your brand.A fake social media influencer is someone who acquires their followers and/or comments and likes in an inorganic manner (e.g., via purchase, loop giveaways, comment pods, etc.), thus lacking a genuine influence over their audience, Alexander told Business News Daily.Thankfully, there are ways to spot fake influencers from those with a genuine following. Heres how.Look for sudden spikes in followers or engagement. You can identify a fake influencer by observing a major spike in following/engagement, particularly overnight or within a short period of time, said Alexander.Is the influencer active on other social media platforms? Genuine social media influencers are visible across several social media platforms YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc., Lavelle told Business News Daily.Look at engagement. You can identify an influencer who buys his or her engagement by observing an excessive amount of non-engaging or redundant comments (e.g., emojis, comments from the same person, etc.) on most photos, Alexander told Business News Daily.Calculate the influencers engagement rate. Calculate their engagement rates this refers to the percentage of likes, comments or shares received on posts compared to the total number of followers, said Lavelle. Fake influencers pay for followers many whom are bots. These followers usually dont engage with content, and if they do, it looks like spam. Fake followers cannot have real engagement, so their comments look like spam, he said.Check for earned media. Check to see if they have any earned media, said Wass. Earned media shows that they have a large reach and not just a large follower count. Saige Driver Saige received her Bachelors degree in Journalism and Telecommunications from Ball State University. She is the social media strategist for Business.com and Business News Daily. She also writes reviews and articles about social media. She loves reading and her beagle mix, Millie. Start Your Business Business Ideas Business Plans Startup Basics Startup Funding konzessionsverkauf Success Stories Entrepreneurs Grow Your Business Sales absatzwirtschaft Finances Your Team Technology Social Media Security Build Your Career Get the Job Get Ahead Office Life Work-Life Balance Home Office Lead Your Team Leadership Women in Business Managing Strategy Personal Growth Find A Solution HR Solutions Financial Solutions Marketing Solutions Security Solutions Retail Solutions SMB Solutions About Us Contact Us Partner with Us Copyright Policy Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Personal Information Advertising Disclosure Sitemap 200 Fifth Avenue, Second FloorWaltham, MA 02451infobusinessnewsdaily.com Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) All Rights Reserved. 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How to Use LinkedIn Groups A Comprehensive Guide - Jobscan Blog

How to Use LinkedIn Groups A Comprehensive Guide - Jobscan BlogPosted on July 23, 2019July 17, 2019 by Landre Larouche LinkedIn is an essential tool for job seekers as it allows you to promote your personal brand, stay on top of your industry, and connect with people who share your interests. LinkedIn groups are a powerful way to do all these things at once, making your LinkedIn efforts as effective as possible.LinkedIn groups are particularly helpful to connect with people in your space, publish and read content related to your profession, and extend your reach beyond your connections. If you want to promote your personal brand to the right people, LinkedIn groups are instrumental. Groups are created for people to gather around a specific area of interest, allowing you to target a specific segment of LinkedIn users and grow your audience and engagement rate.If you are new to using LinkedIn groups, this guide will provide you with everything you need to get started and begin reaping the fruits of this feature.How to search for groups on LinkedInTo search for groups on LinkedIn, click the search bar on the top of your homepage. Type in one or multiple keywords related to your area of interest.The keywords may be an industry, a role, a product. For exampleMarketingAccount ManagerSoftware as a Service (SaaS)Then, hit the enter/return key.On the upper left menu bar, click more, then on groups. You are now able to see which groups exist for the specific keywords you have entered.How to join groups on LinkedInTo join a group on LinkedIn, visit the group page you are interested in and send a request to the groups administrators. Below the banner picture, logo, name, description, and number of members is a blue button that reads Request to join. Make sure to read the description and understand the groups rules before sending your request.Where are my groups on LinkedIn?Access your groups directly by going to linkedin.com/groups/.You can also see your LinkedIn groups on the left side of your homepage. Below your profile summary is a menu with your recent interactions, groups, and hashtags. Click any of these groups to directly access their feed. Click show more to open the list. Click see all to go to the page where you can see all your LinkedIn groups.How to create a group on LinkedInTo create a group on LinkedIn, go to linkedin.com/groups/ then click Create a new group.You can also access this page by clicking the work button located on the top right ecksto of your homepage.Once on the main group page, click create a new group on the top right corner of the page.Give your group a title, write up a description, and set the rules as well as the privacy settings.How to leave a LinkedIn groupTo leave a group on LinkedIn, first access the group by clicking on it on the left side menu of your homepage. Once on the groups feed, click the menu on the top right corner. Scroll down the list and click leave this group. A confirmation will pop up to confir m that you want to leave the group.How to use LinkedIn groups in your job searchLinkedIn groups effectively help you sort out the people you engage during your job search. An effective job search involves connecting and building relationships with people who work for companies where youd like to be employed, letting the world know that you are looking for a position, and accessing as many relevant job postings as you can especially those under-advertised.Look for the groups where you are the most likely to share common points with other members. Make sure you bring value to these groups and that you can become an integral part of the community. People are more likely to engage with you and help you if they relate to you. There are plenty of groups specifically focused on job postings. For example, if you search accountant jobs in groups, youll find tons of groups where you can see under advertised postings.What the experts say about LinkedIn groupsWhile experts agree that LinkedIn groups are not what they used to be 4 or 5 years ago, they say you can still leverage them to engage people in a way that will prove effective to your job search. Luiz Carlos de Oliveira Junior, director at WHY Consultoria in Brazil, says you need to focus on large groups with high engagement rates and to know your purpose.Luiz is a member of over 50 groups as his purpose is to increase his networks size. If you are a job seeker, he advises picking 1-to-3 groups that fit what you are looking for and participate actively. Publish content, interact with members who like and/or comment on your content, and show respect and consideration.Pick 1-to-3 groups that fit what you are looking for and participate actively.Luiz Carlos de Oliveira JuniorThere are two rules, Luiz says, be polite, be a giver.Bruce Johnston, a LinkedIn coach based in Ontario, Canada, suggests starting with your school alumni groups and to get into the areas that interest you from there.You can also send free message s to fellow group members, he says. So you should find someone interesting in the group and ask them a sincere question about what they do. He adds, There are few people who dont like talking about themselves Its all about active and targeted networking.Example Job Seeker LinkedIn GroupsThere are several LinkedIn groups you can join as a job seeker. Some are aimed at specific roles and positions while others are more general. Here are some examplesThe Job Seeker Networking Group Find a Recruiter (42K+ members)MBA Highway MBA Job Search Career Network (46K+ members)PHARMACIST CAREER NETWORK (14K+ members)Veteran Mentor Network (135K+ members)Facebook Commentswpdevar_comment_1 span,wpdevar_comment_1 iframewidth100% important

Modern Job-Hunting a Not so Perfect Game of Perfect Information

Modern Job-Hunting a Not so Perfect Game of Perfect Information A recently held Philadelphia job ritterlich for ex-offenders got canceled when its doors opened and it became clear that the 3,000-strong crowd of job hunters was about to overwhelm the venue and plunge the ritterlich into chaos. Only then did it become obvious that the turnout estimate based on the previous years attendance figure1,000 job chaserswas wildly off. A key contributing cause of the fiasco? As Homer Simpson might put it, Too much informationMore precisely, it was a problem of too many people with too much informationa situation nonetheless idealized and celebrated in classical theories of pure capitalism as the perfect information condition. This means that all the players (in this case, the job hunters, the fair sponsors and the participating employers) have the same information about the market, the other players, the ru les of engagement, etc., and that the information is complete.This is pretty much as it is for chess players, in virtue of their all having the same knowledge of the permitted moves and positions of all the pieces, which are equally and completely visible to them on the chess board. Knowing your opponents every move in advance would amount to having mora perfect information, but then it would make chess more of an exercise than a game, even assuming you made no stupid moves yourself. (Note The theory of perfect competition assumes all the players are rational, which presumably means not stupid.)In connection with any game of perfect information, you may be forgiven for asking this awkward question Isnt it possible for the players to know too much, to have too much informationeven though, or because, they all have it?Imagine a version of straight poker (five cards, no draw) in which each player knows every card every other player holds. Wouldnt that be too much information, at least to the extent of making the game pointless, if not impossible?Blame What We KnowThat perfect information was the root of the attendance spike is clear from what Everett Gillison, deputy mayor for public safety had to say about it He explained that 25 employers were on hand for this years planned fair, for which, in the previous year 1,000 people showed up, with 435 people getting jobs. He added that, after that success, this time, word of the fair quickly spread on social media and snowballedheadlong, toward an ever-closer approximation of a state of perfect information.In the pre-Internet, pre-cell phone era, awareness of the job fair would have diffused and rippled much more slowly and imperfectly through the job pool, e.g., by word of mouth, notices read on bulletin boards or newspapers. In those days, the reality of imperfect information pretty much guaranteed each job hunter that not everyone with similar job qualifications and ambitions would know about any given opening. Thes e days, to post a job or to hold a job fair amounts to triggering a flash mob, as the news spreads faster than wildfireindeed, at the speed of light and electrons. The described job-fair chaos suggests that perfect theories of perfect capitalisms idealized notion of perfect competition are far from perfect. In the real world, as the failed job fair evidences, not only is a little knowledge a dangerous thing a lot of knowledge (in terms of both the quantity of information and the quantity of minds possessing it) can be just as, if not more, dangerousassuming chaos of the kind that ensued at the fair is not a good thing. The Flash-Mob Model of Job HuntingIn classical perfect-information scenarios, the egalitarian, instantaneous diffusion of market information is presumed to ensure efficient, effective, open and fair competition, e.g., no skewing of economic advantage because of privileged insider information and no misallocation of talent because of ignorance of opportunities. Well, t he flash-mob model of 21st-century job hunting may be fair, but it is hardly efficient and effective. (Note In case youve never heard of or seen one, a flash mob is created through coordinated communication e.g., by means of social media or cell phones, among a large number of people, for the purpose of congregating at a specific time and place for a specific purpose, not necessarily, although frequently, frivolous or nefarious.)The argument that the flash-mob models defects are self-correcting because everyone in the job mob instantly and equally is informed of the cancellation and planned rescheduling of the job fair is not compelling. Using perfect information to correct a perfect-information-induced catastrophe seems terribly wastefula failing that is and should be anathema to idealized capitalism. This failure of perfect-information dynamics makes a case for the good old days, when the ignorance of other job seekers in a tight job market safeguarded orderly hiring, to the degr ee that at least somebody got a job offer, instead of getting jammed up and turned back at the swarm-packed door. This modern phenomenon and deficiency of perfect information-driven recruitment has its parallel in modern law enforcement In bygone eras when not only the good guysthe police, but also the bad guys had only imperfect information, a convenience store manager could depend on having only one or maybe two shoplifters at a time, filching a couple of items. Now, in 2013, that shop owner has to brace himself for a coordinated flash mob of fifty cleaning the stores shelves like locusts on a field trip, having a field day, in somebody elses field. Clearly, the old ways and days of imperfect information made things more manageable, more orderly. To keep up, modern law enforcement agencies are striving harder to make their game more like a game of perfect information, e.g., ubiquitous CCTV cameras, monitoring of social media, communications interceptsperfect, at least for themselv es. Apparently, although the other players, the perps in flash mobs, also have comparably perfect information, e.g., know about the cameras and the rest, they are not only fearless, but are also brazen or dumb enough to post their own videos of their crimes on YouTube or Facebook. (So much for the rational player models and theories.) Such is the tangled techno-psychological relationship between perfect information and those who, despite in fact knowing better, try to pull off the perfect crime.Making Imperfect Perfect Information More Perfect an Oscillating ModelIn defense of perfect information, it could be claimed that the problem at the failed job fair was not too much information, but, instead, too little. If the job hunting ex-offenders knew, in real time, exactly how many people were planning to show up at every moment before the fair, how relatively few employers would be there and how cramped the space would be given the projected crowd size, they would have the informatio n needed to make a more informed decision about whether to bother to attend. Now, this could get complicated, as some job seekers, becoming discouraged, drop out, to be replaced by others who learning about the dropouts, then decide to attend, thereby swelling the ranks of the job seekers once again, some among whom then become discouraged, drop out, cueing others to attend, etc. What Ive just described is a dynamically oscillating system with negative feedbacka system that tends toward an equilibrium value by oscillating around an average projected attendance. Thats about the best that can be expected under such more perfect information conditions. In the basic perfect-information model for a tight job market, it would be 100% certain that 100% of the job hunters will show up in a huge flash mob scrambling for whatever jobs are availablein toe-to-toe fierce, staggering and chaotic competition, if their huge numbers dont cause a shutdown of the process.In the second, the oscillating model, although things wouldnt be so hectic and frantic, theyd be very stressful throughout, e.g., because of the unceasing vigilance, monitoring, instantaneous adapting and re-planning required. However, neither of these perfect competition models can offer the comforting assurance the old days provided. That was when knowing that finding out about a job didnt mean everybody else did too. Back then, the imperfect information that employers as well as job hunters had improved your odds For not only did far fewer job hunters know about the employers and the jobs, but also, employers knew of far fewer job hunters. In many cases, perhaps the biggest challenge then was just to find out about the job. Now, the comparable challenge is to find one before everybody else finds it.or at least to find the end of the queue, if theres an end to be found.

Federal Jobs DO Pay More

Federal Jobs DO Pay MoreFederal Jobs DO Pay MoreFederal Jobs DO Pay MoreWell, the word is finally out. I had known this for quite some time anecdotally, and now the numbers are being reported to show that yes, federal workers are very well paid, and, in many cases, are better paid than their private sector counterparts.According to a recent article in which USATODAY analyzed data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 180 federal salaries were better than private sector levels. In contrast, only 36 private sector salaries exceeded federal pay.Add to that the fact that federal benefits averaged $40,785 per federal employee in 2008 vs. $9,882 per private worker, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.At a time when job news is grim, this development makes a $600 federal resume a good investment.Check out the USATODAY article to see specific job salary comparisons between private industry and the federal government. Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics website to see find more sal ary data for your field.

Colleagues know how to push our buttons just like family does

Colleagues know how to push our buttons just like family doesColleagues know how to push our buttons just like family doesWe all know about work spouses, the extra close co-workers who can finish our sentences, empathize when were having a bad day, and share the best and worst part of our arbeitszimmer experience, but sometimes the work dynamic can start to mimic other elements of a family dynamic - and not always in a good way. Carolyn Thompson, Managing Principal of the Merito Group, puts it this way The bossy sibling will always be the bossy one. The martyr who relishes publicly sacrificing themselves on behalf of others will always do that and expect to be recognized for doing it. The people we grew up as are still with us in the workplace.If youve ever rolled your eyes at the infuriatingly oblivious attitude of the office brat, or wondered how youve suddenly been designated the office mom, it might be time to take a closer look at the potentially unwelcome family dynamic of you r professional life. A few years back, Anna Urnova, a student in an executive coaching and consulting program, wrote her masters thesis based on the premise that our family dynamics may affect our future group dynamics, specifically in the workplace. While Arnovas control group was hardly scientific she asked 10 executives to tell her about their most memorable work team experiences and childhood family story - she looked for parallels and themes in the data which showed the ways family system dynamics influenced the way unterstellung individuals then related to others in work teams.Family archetypes in the officeBut it isnt just theory. Even just by looking around, its easy to see how colleagues take on - or are assigned - family roles like the patriarch, the mother, the sibling rivals, and the black sheep.In 2014, Sonya Rhodes, PhD, and Susan Schneider, authors of The Alpha Woman Meets Her Match, wrote about the ways work relationships sometimes mimic family relationships A c olleague may bring out old feelings you had about your siblings. If youre an older child who is dutiful and has a notable opposition to colleagues who slack off like your younger siblings this is why.Many women in positions of authority, no matter their age or stage, can somehow almost be forced into the category of work mother - whether they want to fill that role or not. Its strange that grown adults with free will will see any woman in authority as a mother, but its also a testament to the power of those patterns formed in childhood.In their article Rhodes and Schneider explained it as the psychological theory of transference where, without realizing it, the female boss relates to her subordinates as the older sister, or mother. The reverse is very much true as well employees will project their feelings toward their mothers - whether they were nurturing or competitive - onto the most senior female in the office.The father figure in the officeSimilarly, men in the office are se en as fathers - and anyone with daddy issues, in the words of Forbes writer Jenna Goudreau - is likely to try to work them out on colleagues. As Goudreau writesMore often, however, the behavior is subtle and insidious. Weliky says her clients first notice their own negative emotional reactions. Many report feeling patronized by a managers tone of voice (like a pat on the head), noticeably cower in the bosss presence or consistently worry they will get in trouble.And this will ring familiar to many who have been baffled by office power dynamicsWeliky believes women are especially vulnerable to the father-daughter dynamic at work because of the way they were socialized and (still-present) gender stereotyping. More likely to be pleasers who seek approval from an authority figure, they may apologize too much, avoid eye contact, allow condescension or not verbally assert themselves. Two men, she says, are more likely to become buddies or lock horns in a power struggle.Its one thing if thats your choice, but what do you do when a family type role has been forced on you in the workplace - and youd like to break free of that unwelcome dynamic?One of Goudreaus sources says knowledge is powerHeres the way out Once you observe the patterns, they begin to loosen. Understand where they started. Then transform them.But theres a lot more to it.Getting out of your office role draw boundariesAmy Baxter M.D. a former emergency pediatrician and pain researcher, segued into the entrepreneurial life when she created Buzzy, a palm size pain blocker meant to numb the pain of a needle, especially for children. Dr. Baxter uses the work style she developed while working in the E.R. in her business life as well Keeping a clear work friendship barrier is really important is one of the ways she keeps things clear and professional at work. She expands by saying, you want to have a culture where you feel comfortable hanging out with each other outside the office, but not a web so you fee l responsible for catching each others out of the office drama. Dr. Baxter says as a woman in business, shes learned one particular lesson thats always stayed with her Never keep a jar of candy on your desk. Youre not there to feed them. Youre not there to give them treats when theyre feeling bad. Dr. Baxter explains that its a natural female thing to nurture, but theres a pleasure in keeping things professional and productive. (Part of that pleasure is not having to field emotional crises all the time).Dr. Baxter admits I think that because my leadership style in the company is similar in a trauma bay, I dont exude the warm, fuzzy, lets chat about it vibe. She explains that the only person she ever had to fire was someone who among other things, sought relationship advice which was out of the scope of a boss subject. When working with family, watch the dynamicsSometimes the family dynamic works though. Stephanie McTigue, the owner of CoFi Leathers, creates high fashion handbags and boots and keeps things all in the family. McTigue consults with her husband, in the guise of a financial advisor, her father (and former partner) as a leather consultant, her mother as a sales professional and her sister as a copywriter. McTigue uses her family rules as business rules. One struggle for McTigue was the idea of keeping emotions out of the boardroom When working with family members, everyone knows each others hot buttons, she said. We were all trying to have an equal say in the direction of the business and how to make it grow.For that reason, McTigue found it crucial for both family members and employees to define their individual roles. As to the notion of becoming the work mom, mother of two McTigue doesnt necessarily see it as a bad thing. I aim to help my kids identify their strengths in life. I support them in being independent, talking openly to me about issues, approaching me with their wants/desires in a constructive way, and implementing their strengths to t ackle what they are good at. I hope that I foster these same characteristics in my employees. She also provides positive feedback on a job well done and encourages her team to have a work/life balance.Employees are different, but theyre not children - even if some behave that wayThompson explains that even among adults in an office environment, some employees actually need more mothering and hand-holding, and some need less, but of course it depends on how hard theyre leaning on you to provide something that might not interest you.For women in the office, Forbes points out that if someone flips out over small, voreingestellt corrections or other day-to-day work that others take in stride, its worth examining whether parental patterns and the fear of earning love is shaping the employees behavior First, notice if your reactions are overblown. If you get very upset, panicky or teary over a bosss offhand comment, there may be real issues with your own father that need to be worked thr ough outside of the office. Weliky says that women who experienced absent or distant fathers may continue to seek approval from men or have lower levels of confidence later in life.She also says sibling rivalries and work ethics are visible in the office Some (employees) expect an award for coming to work every day on time and others are striving to win the sales contest. Every employee and every manager is different. And sometimes that means that even the reluctant office mom might need some cheering one Managers and executives need recognition, too. Just because they are the leaders doesnt mean they dont need a thank you or an attaboy once in a while.The key feature for managers and employees alike, however, is that its about finding your own balance and comfort zone. Remember that the office isnt family if only because everyone is there not out of love, but because they are getting paid to be there.Its especially important to make sure that people dont use managers as an emotiona l garbage can to unload all their frustrations constantly. That can wear down managers energy and time, and, after all, that kind of venting is what real family and friends are for. While its okay to mentor your employees, Dr. Baxter admits thats a different thing than being a constant listening ear to make someone feel better - aint got no time for that.

3 Bad Habits Successful Jobseekers Will Never Have

3 Bad Habits Successful Jobseekers Will Never Have3 Bad Habits Successful Jobseekers Will Never HaveINBOX Hi, Jewel. Im getting more than a little frustrated because I keep on getting interviews even 2nd interviews but time and again Im given some excuse about why I wasnt the person hired. How can I know what the problem is?Job search need not be an emotional roller coaster, with you constantly going 2 steps forward, but 1 step back. Interviews are great. Interviews that dont ultimately bring you around home base are frustrating.Lets talk about what you may be contributing to your own frustration, and, more importantly, how to fix itYour job search can and should actually just be a straight line that goes from Point A to Point B. Our new online job search training shows you exactly how to triple your responses, get off the emotional roller coaster, consistently get interviews, and turn those interviews into offers. Join us for The Perfect Job Game PlanYoull find out the simple, cle ar things you can do immediately to get off the long and winding road, and jump into the nicht weit davon entfernt sein lane. Make sure to register today.

5 Ways to Win More Freelance Writing Gigs

5 Ways to Win More Freelance Writing Gigs5 Ways to Win More Freelance Writing GigsYouve hung out your shingle as a copywriter and youre ready to live the freelance dream. All you need are a few more good clients, but how to reel them in? Here are five ways to stand out from the pack and attract more freelance writing gigs.1. Be more than just a writerMany clients think writing is a commodity they can purchase from the lowest bidder. The easy way to escape this mindset is to emphasize your unique attributes and skills. For example, Ive done a lot of work for the creative industry. That makes me much more valuable to designers because I understand the tools they use and common challenges they face. I can produce higher-quality work for them in less time because I already get it.Many copywriters are afraid to specialize because they worry about closing doors to other work. While thats true to a certain extent, its elend a big deal if you use it to pre-qualify clients. Build a specializa tion or two around markets that can provide you with the type of work that most interests you, and the jobs that get shut out will be the ones you didnt want in the first place. And dont worry, you can always add or change specializations later. Ive done it three times2. Be proactive and help your clients see the big pictureDont just write for your clients - think on their behalf. Listen to what theyre saying and make sure its reflected in the copy. Suggest solutions to problems before they occur. Look for other ways to make their lives easier. Embrace a customer-service mindset.These things sound simple, but if you do them youll outperform many writers who are content to do just enough to send an invoice and move on. Clients will love you for this - especially if theyve been burned by a lazy writer in the past - and will be more likely to recommend you to others with freelance writing gigs.While the goal here is to build your value and credibility rather than to sell more writin g work, you can sometimes do both. For example, I advised a client that her topic idea for a blog would work better as a series of three, and that we could later combine them into a white paper to drive subscriptions to her newsletter. She welches thrilled, and I got four assignments instead of one.BECOMING A FREELANCER? WORK WITH US3. Leverage your solo superpowersBeing a small player isnt a disadvantage, so dont try to pretend that youre a big creative agency with only one employee on the Team page of your website. You can do things some larger organizations cant (or dont), like providing personal attention, responding faster to market changes, and throwing in other human touches - like actually answering your phone.A few years ago I beat three creative agencies for an ongoing job by showing that I understood the clients highly specialized field. Im sure the agencies had several copywriters with similar expertise, but it was easier for me to convince the client because I was the only wordsmith they met face-to-face. Being the little guy is your competitive edge with clients like these, and Ive found that theyre some of the best people to work for.Dont overlook anotlageher value you can provide as a freelancer, which is offering your perspective as a trusted and objective resource. As I was writing the previous paragraph, my email lit up with this message from a regular client whos grappling with a new product launch Can you read this brochure copy and write a more consumer-friendly description? I think were too close to this to do it right.In my opinion, thats the power of small in a nutshell.4. Forge connections with other freelancersForming relationships with other freelancers makes good business sense at any stage of your writing career. Graphic designers are good matches because they regularly need copywriters and are quick to send repeat business to the ones they like working with. Design partners also expand what you can offer if a client needs more t han writing.Strange as it may seem, other copywriters can also send jobs your way. I have referral agreements with several colleagues who specialize in other fields. I send them about as many freelance writing jobs as I get in return, and we all come out looking great because we can still give clients a solution when were not able to provide it ourselves.Ive also stepped in temporarily for writers whove gotten too busy, gone on vacation, or taken time off for maternity leave. One fellow writer even offered to transfer a client relationship when she downsized her business. Im a firm believer that theres plenty of work for everyone, so it pays to think of other freelance writers as partners and colleagues, not competitors.SEARCH COPYWRITER JOBS5. Create a marketing plan and stick with itBuilding a thriving copywriting business takes time. Diligence, perseverance, confidence and ongoing self-promotion are your best allies. Whether youre just starting out or hitting a mid-career slump, keep making calls, sending out email newsletters and attending networking events. The freelance writing gigs are out there, and it will all pay off eventually if you do quality work and commit to building your brand.Think a freelancing career could be right for you? Read our post, What is Freelance? Myth Vs. Reality.Tom N. Tumbusch writes copy that creates action for creative professionals and green businesses.