Just as it’s important to write clearly and with focus, so is it vital to the success of your freelance medical writing business to focus your marketing efforts. There are a lot of places where medical writers can take their talent. In our opinion, using a shotgun approach that peppers the entire industry is not the best tactic when you’re just starting out. Narrowing your focus to a specific audience, client, or type of writing makes more sense because it enables you to build relationships with your customers and get repeat work.
Start by choosing one target market. Some beginning medical writers resist this advice. They don’t want to focus because they’re afraid of missing out on any opportunity to generate business and bring in cash. Thinking you have an unlimited number of prospects can be a comfortable illusion. But in reality you can’t be everything to everybody. It’s much easier to build a reputation within a specific niche.
Focusing your marketing efforts on a specific target enables you to reach your market with less effort. Think about it. People in the same niche go to similar meetings and talk with one another. Once you build credibility with one of them, your name and reputation will spread quickly. You can expand into different niches as you gain experience.
Photo Credit: Ben Sutherland via flickr.com/photos/bensutherland/205606714/sizes/n/in/photostream/