Connections with our clients and writing markets form the cornerstones of a successful freelance business. When people remember YOU ARE THE WRITER, they hire you – but if clients forget your name, other writers get the job.

When starting out, I had a small handful of customers. Building and maintaining client relationships has increased my number of active clients, and I’m still connecting with new potential markets every month.

There’s no single secret. It took work, time, and trust.

Here’s how to spark and maintain lasting professional relationships with your client list as a writer.

Get to know more people

Most freelance writers know people. Get to know business owners, budding entrepreneurs, fellow writers, local and international bloggers, and marketing teams. Join the Chamber of Commerce. Anyone you know can be a potential client or referral route, either now or in the future.

I play regular contract bridge. I started corresponding with the team of Bridge Base Online some years back. Today, I write a daily column for one of Bill Gates’ favorite online bridge websites.

Connect over questions

Asking questions can establish a connection. Use questions to contact new markets, or probe clients that have been quiet for a while. Ask about submission periods, writer’s guidelines, or article rights. Ask about anything. Them answering matters more.

I’ve asked many copywriting agencies about their freelance use. More than once, they needed an extra copywriter on a very tight deadline. If I had not asked anything that day, would these jobs have come in?

Writers gift writing

I love corporate gifts but hate the idea of forgotten keychains or worn-out shirts as lost promotional opportunities.

When I wanted to do something special for a writing website three years ago, I sent them free promotional posts. We connected over gifted content, and today, they’re a paying client.

Offer clients something new

Suggest something other writers haven’t. Lead with tempting offers, like unique articles, discounted rates, or a new concept. When I cold-pitched MyCreditStatus a regular blog in lieu of an article, they said yes. It was just because I thought to ask.

Stay connected via email

Answer incoming messages religiously. Each new email that slips through is a potential client you’ve just lost. Older emails (from weeks to months) could do with following up. When people forget to contact you back, remind them that you’re still available to write. Jog their memory by saying hi.

Search your inbox for general keywords like “”proofreading,” “editing,” or “guidelines” and see what’s in there. Go far back. Answer the unanswered, and you’ll rekindle some writing connections and might find a writing gig.

Monitor your mailing list

Mailing or email subscriber lists track how much your name goes to inboxes outside of when you contact them. When customers unsubscribe or visit your website less, they require individual attention to hold onto their interest. Contact them personally instead, or run new content for better traffic.

I know most editors don’t have time to subscribe via email on my website. When something noteworthy happens, I’ll run a post about it – or tell the relevant editor the news.

Never get personal

It’s okay to say hello to a client, and fine to congratulate them. It’s not okay to visit their personal social accounts, and congratulate them on their wedding. Never get personal, and never be insistent, forceful, or accidentally unsettling. Trust goes out the window, and they’ll never open a message from you again.

Call customers

Before a phone or video call, the writer exists as a picture and some text in the client’s mind. It can feel like working with an AI instead of a person who writes stuff.

Set up occasional calls with clients instead of just sending another email. It helps to see there’s a real, authentic person behind writing their content. Adding a face or voice can boost customer trust.

Writing connections can’t be made and forgotten. Maintaining these connections with your customers is how a successful freelancer finds clients and retains the ones they have.

About the Author: Alex J Coyne is a freelance copywriter, language practitioner, and card player. He’s written for international markets including FundsforWriters, The Dollar Stretcher, and People Magazine. He also writes a regular bridge column for Bridge Base