Beginners Guide - Does A Freelance Writer Need Business Cards?

So, you have decided to take the leap and give this freelance writing thing a try. Great! But, if you think writing is all you need to do to make it, you better think again. If you’re a writer then the easy part is obviously creating great articles and stories, but how are people supposed to find them? This is where self promotion comes in, and you will spend a ton of time doing this. For this Beginners Guide we are going to focus on one of the easiest ways there is to promote yourself, business cards.

I know you’re thinking who uses them anymore? The answer to that, writers like you who want to, and are committed to, making a name for themselves. Business cards are among the cheapest and easiest ways to add an aura of professionalism to your image. You can’t carry your laptop around with you all day showing people your work, so your card acts as a flyer that you cancarry that tells people hey I’m a writer, check me out. Think about it, it literally takes a second to whip out a card and give it to a prospective client. Whomever it is that you are trying to get to view your work will likely take you more seriously if you have a business card handy then if you were to scribble your name on a piece of paper and hand it to them. Chances are if you don't take yourself seriously as a writer, neither will they. This could be the difference between you being hired or not.

There are many places that you can order business cards from that have reasonable prices. However, I recommend Vistaprint.com because I have always used them and I am always pleased with the results. They have cards starting out at $5.00, skip these ones. They look really cheap and are pretty flimsy. Go with the premium business cards, they start at $19.99 for 250 cards but they usually have deals where you can score them for $10.00 for the same amount. These cards are very professional looking and a lot more sturdy, which will be more impressive to your future readers or clients.

So, now you know you need business cards and how great of a promotional tool they are. But, what exactly should you include on them? Below I will go over the things that should be included on your personal business card.

• First of all, skip the old fashioned black and white cards. You are a writer, be creative; your cards need to make people want to find out more about you. Use attention grabbing colors and layouts, just make sure they are easy to read and the font is big enough to see.
• Your name and occupation. Use a larger font for these, so they stand out. For your occupation you will list freelance writer. Unless, you write for a particular niche, for example; if you are a sports writer, then list freelance sports writer.
• Your email address and the URL to your website should come next. Some people decide to list their phone number as well, but I don’t. If you don’t have a personal website (if you have been following my Beginners Guide then you know you should ) just add the URL to the site or sites that you have a writer’s profile set up on.
• I strongly suggest adding a professional looking photograph of yourself on your business cards. Some writers decide not to, but people are less likely to throw away a card that has your picture on it versus one that doesn’t.
• You don’t want your card to look too cluttered or no one will take the time to read it, so the things I have listed above are enough to get someone’s attention. Other things you can add, if you want, are services that you offer and your address.

Once you get your new business cards you're going to want to show them off! Just getting the cards will make you feel confident and more like a real writer. Take a stack and put them in your wallet or purse to have on hand. Leave them everywhere! Really. You want to make a name for yourself and the only way to do that is to let people know who you are and what you do.

Leave your cards at :

• Libraries
• Book Stores
• Newspaper offices
• Restaurants
• Hair salons
• Any business that you frequent
• With family and friends to pass out

The idea here is the more cards you get out in circulation , the better the chance of them landing in someone’s hand who needs a writer. Even if you don't get hired, you are still getting your name out there letting people know that you're a serious writer, and this will get you hired somewhere down the road. Furthermore, many people will become curious and check out your site to see what you are all about. This my friends leads to page views, and the majority of us rely on page views to make our money.

Go ahead and pass your cards out, give them out every time you get an opportunity. Everyone knows someone who knows so and so and that person may be looking for you!