Why Clients Pay me $100+ to Write a Blog Post: 7 Blogging-for-Clients Tips Inside

I’m not a writer. I hate writing. My grammar sucks. To add on top of all that, English is not my first language – so my vocabulary is lacking.

People criticize me for my rubbish grammar and sentence structure. People cringe when I tell them that I am a blogger. People scoff when I tell them that I blog for others.

But you know what, I – and many others who have experienced similar things throughout their career – have something that others don’t: Being an underdog.

You see, being an underdog helps in many ways. It keeps me grounded; it pushes me to get better every day; it forces me to have more faith in the gift I have.

And yes, I believe that everybody has a gift; you have a gift – something that you might not know exist, or something that you know exist but you deem it worthless.

Just like me. Like I mentioned early in this blog post, I hate writing. Yet, I have this gift inside me that I can’t deny it: For some reasons, I am a good storyteller.

Of course, a gift of storytelling won’t get you anywhere if you don’t put it into practice. I am putting it into practice and I can tell you this: If you have a gift and truly use it, you will see great things.

Your gift + your personal experience = awesomeness

Just like I mentioned above, a gift won’t get you far if you don’t act on it. Fortunately, I have the chance to put my gift into practice: I failed my business.

Yes, I wrote that right: I failed in the past. A lot. The biggest one, I lost my offline business due to mis-management and the global recession in 2007. At that time, I never thought that I will take the online business route, but I had to do it – I nearly had no money, “thanks” to the crash.

It’s a blessing that I take the online route, but just like gifts, blessings ask for your action, and it’s not easy. Not easy at all.

I end up trying many things online: Build directories, do SEO for others, build blogs, build microblogging platforms – many things, but the worst of all: Running blogs.

When you have little money, you’ve got to do it yourself: Build the blog, and start blogging – on your blog and others to get yourself noticed. And at that time, I have no idea how to make money from my blog. It takes a lot of time, with no return on my time investment on sight.

So, I blog. I blog. I blog. And I blog.

To cut a long story short, it’s been 8 years since the day I started blogging and building blogs. And yes, a gift that I once underestimated – and the experience of going through near-bankruptcy and come up higher with another business, online, have opened many doors.

One of the doors opened is – surprise, surprise – blogging.

I blog for my own blogs and online magazines – occasionally; I hired pros and publish third party posts coming from some of the big name in business world (Robert Kiyosaki and Eben Pagan are two of the best so far.)

Not only that, I also blog for others. This is where things are becoming interesting: I was once paid $5 to write a blog post. It’s fine, but I expect myself to do more.

Then I see something else – beyond the blogging itself: I believe that I can help people with my blog posts – no matter how bad I write them, but if those can help others to solve their problems, it’s mission accomplished for me.

With that said, I “vow” that I never write on the subjects that I can’t add value to. When I write for clients, I also write for their readers, too. If I offer little value, I will fail – no matter how much I’m paid for it.

You can call me idealistic, but I think that it’s what the best professionals and entrepreneurs can do: Add more value.

Today, I’m paid $75-150 to write a blog post. I usually offer it as package (I do reviews and social media marketing for clients, too) – which mean I get more per client. Of course, my focus has always been my websites; but adding a new income stream is a nice addition, don’t you agree? 🙂

So, how did I do it?

I’m sorry to keep you waiting for this part – but I have to tell my story because I personally think that your “why” is more important than your “how.” Doing something for the right reason will give you the best results.

With that said, the first tip I can offer you is this:

1. Find your “why”

I’ve told you my “why” and if you ask me how to get started, I’d say: Start discovering your “why.” Why do you want to get paid $100 to write a blog post? Is it for the money, or is it for other reasons beyond money?

So, find your “why” today.

2. Start blogging for yourself

To me, the best way to get clients is to blog for yourself: Build a blog and blog away! Let the clients to have a look-see at your blog posts – to learn whether your style matches theirs.

3. Always tell your blog visitors that you mean business

I’ve heard an advice like this: “Just create great content, and don’t put on ads or sell anything until you get 1,000 visitors a day.” It’s a sound advice to some, but to me, it’s ineffective.

I’d do the contrary. To me, you need to tell your readers early on that you are doing this to add value to the blogosphere and sell your products/services. You need to tell your readers that your blog is a business, not a hobby.

When the time comes (read: Your brand is known and you get good readership,) prospects will start approaching you whether to advertise or to hire you as a blogger.

4. Introduce yourself – or get introduced

Just like in any other business, you need to reach out: You need to introduce yourself to potential clients (e.g. company websites that don’t have a blog.) Don’t spam, as it’s silly to do when you want to secure a client.

Another route would be to get introduced by someone else. You can join a blogger network, or better yet, get your existing clients to recommend a prospect or suggest you to their friends, partners, and colleagues.

5. Build a relationship

As a blogger, you are in the relationship business. You build trust by building a relationship with your clients and prospects. If you are in it just for their money, you are on the wrong line of business.

6. Over-deliver

Don’t just do what you are hired for. If you are hired to write, say, 4 blog posts a month for a client, consider to give bonuses – i.e. give 1 bonus post, do social media marketing for your client, deliver your posts before the deadline, offer tips and so on.

Believe it or not, simple things can get you far.

7. What to write: Tell stories and add value – use yourself as a case study

I tell stories – from my real experience. That’s all. And stories told from the first person perspective are the best.

“But I don’t have any experience in this stuff,” you said. Listen – you have more experience than you think you have.

Are you an undergraduate looking to blog in business topics? Fine – just blog about the lecture you have just attended to. Offer tips on how to ace your subject; offer tips on how to overcome boredom listening to boring lectures.

Are you a plumber blogging for a plumbing company? Blog about your daily work life. Offer plumbing tips. Offer ways on how your readers can do what you do themselves. And when the time comes, you’ll get clients doing it.

The bottom line: Tell stories, add value.

Takeaway

There are plenty of other tips, but those 7 should cover the basics.

Remember, if I can do it, you can do it, too: I don’t like writing, and my writing skills suck. But to succeed, you need the right motive – you need to find your “why.”

One last thing: When you write a blog post, always do these: Tell stories, challenge mindset and give answers to the questions that readers may have.

Good luck in getting clients!