Katie Mittelstadt

#local-twin-cities - January 27, 2025 at 04:18 PM

Just seeing this now!! Hi, all!! 👋

#CJE3XC0H3-announcements - January 21, 2025 at 06:30 PM

Twin Cities / Minneapolis? Anyone else here besides @Deborah Carver and I?!

#general - August 16, 2023 at 01:32 PM

@Ilija Jakovljevic Ah, yeah, I can't speak to copywriting unfortunately!

#general - August 10, 2023 at 02:44 PM

For example - I manage content programs for a client of mine that is in B2B SaaS. If a writer sent me samples in beauty, travel, etc., it would be a very hard sell for me. I would want to see some evidence of success with writing about technology (even if in a very different tech segment)

#general - August 10, 2023 at 02:43 PM

I think niches are helpful not only for clients finding the right writers, but also for you. It helps you narrow your focus, build some credibility, and get more clients where you've had the most success.

That said, I keep my "niches" fairly broad, but they are driven by where I have the most experience — B2B consulting/professional services, B2B tech, health technology, healthcare

I don't think you need to be a super deep expert in a very narrow topic within a broader industry in order to be a solid writer for that very narrow topic, but I do think having some level of specialization is helpful

#CJE3XC0H3-announcements - June 09, 2023 at 03:40 PM

And to expand on @Jason Mountford’s comment - I can see this is going to be a HARD decision. Totally empathize with what you’re going through

#CJE3XC0H3-announcements - June 09, 2023 at 03:36 PM

@Sonali for sure. I bet that’s weighing heavily on Jimmy

#CJE3XC0H3-announcements - June 09, 2023 at 03:32 PM

@Jimmy Daly (Superpath) I’m working on a client project right now navigating this balance. It’s a group for senior women in PE, and some people don’t want to exclude less senior women BUT we’ve ultimately landed on messaging that makes clear who the group is for. Unfortunately that means some people are left out, but it’s also a stronger brand position and message

#CJE3XC0H3-announcements - June 09, 2023 at 03:31 PM

Also, you may lose members initially, but as quality improves with payment, I think you’ll gain people back who see the value

#CJE3XC0H3-announcements - June 09, 2023 at 03:29 PM

Totally understand @Peace Akinwale’s point BUT at the same time, I believe the intent of Superpath is to be for people with more experience. So while I never feel good about excluding people, if Superpath’s goal is to be for people with more experience, maybe that aligns with charging for the community

#freelance-gigs - April 21, 2023 at 04:27 PM

@Jillian Wood I love that idea!!!

#freelance-gigs - April 20, 2023 at 07:55 PM

Hi, Jenna! I do a mix of content writing & content strategy. I have had several projects transition from content writing --> content strategy because after I start, I realize they need a lot more than a writer, so I propose a way (strategy) to help them produce better content that's more aligned with their brand and objectives. The types of clients that have transitioned for me have been smaller companies or startups where I am working directly with the CEO/founder/other internal SME.

#freelance-gigs - April 20, 2023 at 07:52 PM

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I think content mills will be the first players to transition to fully AI-written content. Is there anything you could be doing to reposition your services that could help you land some higher quality clients that may be less likely to hand everything over to AI?

#freelance-gigs - April 18, 2023 at 08:48 PM

If I'm pricing based on a project fee or deliverable, then I always try to account for meetings like this when I'm pricing. And I often add an additional 10% to account for the unexpected (e.g., needing to meet to get better alignment on something). To be clear, clients don't see this added 10%, it's just part of my math when pricing.

If you already have a scope signed, and you've started the project, I would personally eat the cost this time around and apply this learning to your next scope. Also make sure that your SOW is super detailed when it comes to your deliverables.

However, if you think that you are being pulled in directions that are out of scope, then you should certainly address that with the client and have your scope on hand to remind the client what they are paying for or propose a new scope for the additional project.

#freelance-gigs - April 18, 2023 at 05:57 PM

@Vlada Korzun Do you mean before a scope is signed? Or after?

#freelance-gigs - April 13, 2023 at 01:24 PM

@Anna Burgess YangLove how simple & clear yours is

#freelance-gigs - April 12, 2023 at 07:13 PM

@Jillian Wood Thanks! I love how you've positioned yourself as not just a great content producer but also great at knowing what companies actually need to do.

#freelance-gigs - April 12, 2023 at 06:58 PM

@Jillian Wood Here's mine, which needs some updating. Disclaimer: You will see hands writing on paper photos 😂

https://www.stadtcommunications.com

#freelance-gigs - April 10, 2023 at 07:22 PM

@Neil Mathew for real?! That’s amazing context

#freelance-gigs - April 07, 2023 at 12:20 PM

Related to this question, I’m curious if people are asking their current clients if it’s okay to use AI to support their content workflow? Like, do I need to ask a client if it’s okay if I provide chatgpt with a link to their content to summarize it into bullets that I can then use to craft email copy?

#freelance-gigs - April 06, 2023 at 10:31 PM

50-100 weekly posts!!

#freelance-gigs - March 29, 2023 at 07:37 PM

Thank you, both! This brings up another question that I've been wondering about that I'm going to ask to the larger group about bylines in general

#freelance-gigs - March 28, 2023 at 11:48 PM

I meant copyediting, not writing! Sorry, it would be much more time than that if I were also doing a lot of writing

#freelance-gigs - March 28, 2023 at 10:58 PM

Hi, Jen! I’m doing exactly this for a client right now. I’m retained at 40 hours a month and sometimes work more than that. I also do some pretty heavy copywriting as part of this and a variety of other ad hoc tasks.

#freelance-gigs - March 28, 2023 at 10:56 PM

Question for the group: do freelancers here use tools like Authory for ghost writing?

#freelance-gigs - March 17, 2023 at 02:03 AM

@Jimmy Daly (Superpath) Just filled it out! One thing I noticed - I added Other areas of expertise, but the areas that I added to the field aren't showing on my page

#freelance-gigs - March 10, 2023 at 06:38 PM

@Sam Lauron - I was doing this for a client (I work as a freelance content manager for them), but I found a VA to take over this task for me. I very much do not enjoy this part of the workflow, haha

#freelance-gigs - March 09, 2023 at 06:01 PM

I personally don't add clients as employers on my LinkedIn profile, but I have seen some people do that with the "Contract" designation (like Kent).

I take a similar approach to Marissa where I include relevant info in the description under my company as the brand. See below. I've also seen people list out "Current & past clients include:" and then include a list of clients.

Recent projects include:
- Content strategy, editorial planning, copyediting, and freelancer management for machine learning company
- Content strategy, editorial planning, and ongoing content writing for B2B software company
- Ongoing blog and long-form content writing for a strategic communication agency
- Brand positioning, messaging, and website copywriting for digital marketing agency
- Brand positioning and messaging for a healthcare startup
- Editorial content planning and content writing for professional services organization
- Marketing communications campaign support for medical device product launch

#freelance-gigs - March 09, 2023 at 05:56 PM

Are you working more like a long-term independent contractor than a freelancer? As in - are you pretty much full time with one client?

#freelance-gigs - February 09, 2023 at 09:48 PM

@Tolu Alabi Please do!

#freelance-gigs - February 09, 2023 at 08:24 PM

I'm looking for a freelance marketing admin to support a client of mine, primarily with adding and publishing content to the client's CMS in Netlify. Other tasks may include social media scheduling/publishing and email production. Does anyone here have any recommendations? Do virtual assistants do this type of work? Thanks!

#freelance-gigs - February 09, 2023 at 12:10 AM

I do exactly the same as @David Johnson-Igra!

#freelance-gigs - February 03, 2023 at 08:47 PM

Hi, @Hannah - Who is your target audience? And yes, I do believe you're significantly undervaluing yourself and your work. Have you ever considered taking pricing off of your website altogether? You could at least do it in the short term as you figure out what you want to start charging instead. I don't include pricing on my site because scope and deliverables change too much for me between clients.

#freelance-gigs - February 02, 2023 at 05:04 PM

Yesss, definitely lean for that higher price tag with an established tech company!

#freelance-gigs - February 02, 2023 at 04:17 PM

Completely agree with @Kaleena Stroud. @Melissa Zehner, what type of business is it? While it shouldn't impact pricing, I've found that certain types of businesses will always pay more for this type of work.

#freelance-gigs - February 02, 2023 at 12:19 AM

I’d personally charge significantly more than $888. It would take me some time to sit down and scope it, but I just wanted to share this because if you were planning to charge a lot more than that, you absolutely should.

#freelance-gigs - January 18, 2023 at 03:39 PM

@Julie Simpson Smart to refer it out! Are you open with friends and family when they ask that you don’t work with friends & family?

#freelance-gigs - January 18, 2023 at 03:23 PM

@Julie Simpson Such good advice. Timely for me personally as I’m taking on a project with a family friend that already has some red flags 😅

#freelance-gigs - January 11, 2023 at 06:58 PM

Building off of @Harrison Kelly’s point — calculate your rate, get comfortable with telling it to people, and don't veer from it unless there's a really compelling reason to do so. (For example - you want to offer a discount for a significant amount of retained hours.) The more you cut your rate just to get clients, the less time you'll have available to find better clients and work with better clients. Plus, clients who nickel and dime you on rate are usually THE WORST clients to work with when it comes to the actual work.

That said, just because you know your rate, try to use project based pricing more than hourly engagements. Price based on the set of deliverables you're delivering. Add up how much time you think you'll spend completing the deliverables, multiply that time by your rate, and add 10% to it to get your fee.

Make sure to get super detailed in your statements of work when pricing based on project, detailing what exactly is included in the fee, including how many revisions.

#freelance-gigs - January 06, 2023 at 12:43 AM

I’ve never had a request for this, and I wouldn’t be comfortable with it. But I definitely think if you take on this work with this client, that a company-issued device is required.

#freelance-gigs - November 30, 2022 at 08:40 PM

Hi @Larry Barker - I don't have immediate availability but would love for you to add me to the list! I work with a lot of early stage B2B companies.

I also offer brand messaging/positioning which is often something these businesses also need

reach out any time: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiemittelstadt/

#freelance-gigs - November 14, 2022 at 01:59 PM

@Mandy Bray This works perfectly - thanks so much! It also lets me download as a PDF

#freelance-gigs - November 04, 2022 at 08:37 PM

@Harshala Chavan Thanks! That doesn't always work for me with retaining the graphics on the page

#freelance-gigs - November 04, 2022 at 08:01 PM

Question for fellow freelancers! What tool do you use to capture PDFs of your work samples? I'm currently using FireShot, but I'm not loving it as much as I used to. Thanks in advance!

#freelance-gigs - November 02, 2022 at 04:03 PM

Hello! My client (a tech startup) is looking for a freelance graphic designer for what I expect to be just a few hours a week. The scope of the work right now is narrow — they would like the designer to create graphics to support blog posts, social media posts, and other web content.

An important thing to note is that this is an early-stage startup that is not yet investing significantly into their visual brand. (But they understand the importance of it and will likely consider it after their next round of funding.) They're looking for someone who can come in, work without a brand guide, but start to apply more consistency to their visuals.

Preference for designers that have worked with early-stage startups in a similar way — and also have some experience in the tech world.

Any recommendations?

ETA: If you're a designer yourself & you're interested, please send me a link to your portfolio and provide details about relevant experience.

#freelance-gigs - October 26, 2022 at 02:05 AM

No! I've worked with quite a few startups, but this would make me nervous.

#freelance-gigs - October 20, 2022 at 06:02 PM

I much prefer to lead my own interviews. I also think it’s part of the reason people hire me. I excel in thought leadership content and a big part of that is leading strong SME interviews.

#CJE3XC0H3-announcements - October 12, 2022 at 03:10 AM

@Nick Moore I agree that the $350-700 range for a 1,200 word B2B SaaS article seems low. That surprised me, and I do charge more than that.

#CJE3XC0H3-announcements - October 07, 2022 at 11:33 PM

love the article, @Camden Gaspar!

#general - September 28, 2022 at 01:43 AM

I think I’ve pretty much always used first name, even for the brand that had the most formal brand voice