When Silence Is Golden
Posted on 15 November 2007 by Sharon
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get discouraged when I send off queries and get no response. Even if you’re an experienced freelance writer, there’s no guarantee that the people offering the work will get back to you. But, as I’ve learned recently, just because you don’t hear anything it doesn’t mean that your application has fallen into a black hole.
Beyond The Black Hole
Recently I got an email regarding an application I had made to write a web article. The client explained that his first pick had let him down, but that he had also prepared a shortlist of other possibles and I was on it. The catch? He needed the article in less than 24 hours.
I responded immediately (it was 11pm) and then spent much of the next morning trying to get in touch with the client so we could talk through the job. That proved really helpful given the short deadline. Then I got to work and was able to deliver a draft in less than an hour. Normally, I would have polished the work before sending it to the client, but with the tight deadline I thought it was better to get instant feedback. The client was happy and I got paid by the end of the day.
What I Learned
So, what did I learn from that experience?
- Even if you don’t hear back immediately, there’s still a chance that you can get the writing job.
- Sometimes there’s no substitute for talking on the phone. We didn’t have time to exchange emails till we’d clarified everything.
- Pulling out all the stops to help a new client will put me top of the list when he’s got another writing job.
Finally, I plan to strike while the iron is hot. A grateful and happy client means a good testimonial for my website.
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November 16th, 2007 at 12:10 am
Sounds like a very happy ending! I had my first conference call with a new client this week and it was much easier to do rather than several e-mails back and forth clarifying expectations on both sides.
November 16th, 2007 at 7:15 am
I love happy endings, Dana.
Sometimes we are so into high tech stuff that we forget that there’s some great low tech that works well, like the phone.
November 18th, 2007 at 9:50 am
I liked this post so much that I Stumbled it.
That “black hole” is often the stumbling (pun unintended) block of many freelance writers. It’s so discouraging to put yourself out there, only to be ignored or unanswered. We freelancers have to learn to be patient and to not take things too personally when we don’t get an answer back. I’ve personally learned to put my best foot forward, then move on to the next thing. You can either waste a lot of time worrying over ONE potential client, or you can send off the query, cross it off your list, and move on to the next one. 
November 19th, 2007 at 8:19 am
Ahhh, patience - that elusive quality! You’re right, Hope, you just have to put queries out and move on. Sooner or later something will come back to you.