Dominic Kent

#hire-me - January 24, 2025 at 12:50 PM

Where are you based, Vlad? I know someone but only looking for UK.

#general - January 23, 2025 at 12:39 PM

It was what this course has evolved I think: https://britishcollegeofjournalism.com

I did it self-paced online from 2012-14. It was fun to learn about journalism and writing as someone without any real world experience, but I wouldn’t recommend to a seasoned writer.

#general - January 23, 2025 at 09:11 AM

Hey Nikolas, I did a diploma in freelance journalism before I got into content marketing.

In the real world, turns out things were quite different!

I offer freelance mentoring calls, too. You can book one here if you think it’s a good fit: https://www.theautonomousfreelancer.com/coaching

#freelance-talk - January 22, 2025 at 04:49 PM

I’ve never billed per word as there’s a weak correlation between how many words I write and how long it takes.

I simply have a price per blog post and a price per whitepaper. We might agree discounts for bulk buying but my customers know that a blog post is worth X to them over Y amount of time and will pay for the value of the end product, not the time it took me to create it.

Example: https://ucmarketing.co.uk/long-form-blog-posts/

I literally just wrote about this on my freelance site too: https://www.theautonomousfreelancer.com/blog/highly-successful-freelancer

There’s a link in there to Tom Hirst’s killer pricing freelancing projects Twitter thread as well

#freelance-talk - January 22, 2025 at 06:29 AM

Flip to pricing per article. If the words don’t take the time (I.e. I can write a 2,000 or 3,000 words post in the same time sometimes - but I’d like to be paid the same price for my deliverable that day) then make sure your article price reflects what you expect to earn for that output.

I’ve charged a rate per article my entire career. I earn X per day regardless of the time, word count, etc.

#freelance-talk - January 21, 2025 at 01:34 PM

It sounds to me like the time is warranted - but perhaps you're not factoring that into your costs?

#freelance-talk - January 21, 2025 at 06:31 AM

Curious what you’re prepping exactly. I take high res screenshots and offer a suggestion for alt text. Takes seconds per image.

#fantasy-premier-league - January 20, 2025 at 09:48 AM

Well how on earth did I miss this existed? Joining for the next game week if I can get the league code please?

#freelance-talk - July 25, 2024 at 09:11 AM

I'm with Joseph. I use both in tandem.

#freelance-talk - July 10, 2024 at 02:52 PM

If you have the ambition and drive to work on a personal brand, people will come knocking on my door. Here’s the deck I presented on a webinar to 400 freelancers: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vhJuzJbCj1ObObjl9Iuk_324lZrS2UZnPJUzp0mwuRY/edit#slide=id.gc6f59039d_0_0

#promo - July 10, 2024 at 12:33 PM

Not that I’m a pessimist, but today might be the last day you can get my blogging course for $24.

Sales runs until England get knocked out of Euro 2024 ⚽

https://domkent.gumroad.com/l/khHYb

#freelance-talk - April 03, 2024 at 06:48 AM

Each post will differ, but mostly my answer is "not a lot of time" because I only write articles where I deem myself a subject matter expert.

That means several things:
• I know what I'm writing about and don't need to research it
• I have connections in my immediate network that can help my via DM
• I know where to look for validating stats rather than starting fresh each time
To answer a few more specific Qs, asking people directly is often far more helpful than scouring sources online.

I still start every "cold" research element on Google (as opposed to ChatGPT etc).

HARO is routinely a waste of time. I find it's either open season for mass terrible replies if you're even slightly too generic but you get no responses when you're too specific.

For larger projects, I'll spend time on Reddit looking for deep dives on problems to get to the heart of the matter. I could also easily find myself knee deep in the replies of a Twitter thread.

#freelance-talk - March 31, 2024 at 06:12 AM

They all found me ❤️

And they did so because I shared what I do, how well I do it, and how I like to work.

Attractions laws apply to freelance careers as well as personal relationships.

#general - March 27, 2024 at 01:38 AM

@Joe Shrimpton

#freelance-talk - March 19, 2024 at 08:59 PM

Share your success: traffic, conversions, featured snippets

Share your content: blog posts, whitepapers as carousels, and infographics

Share behind the scenes: what you’re working on, why you’re doing it that way, expected results

#general - March 18, 2024 at 10:55 AM

You should probably post this in #promo instead of general 🙃

#general - March 14, 2024 at 11:04 AM

I’ve been here since the beginning and there’s a reason I’m still here.

I will say that sure sometimes questions go answered. But it’s the minority. Often, they’re questions in the wrong channel or even the wrong community.

#general - March 13, 2024 at 05:40 PM

@Ronnie Higgins might be a good guy for this

#freelance-talk - March 13, 2024 at 05:04 PM

🚀 Like this: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vhJuzJbCj1ObObjl9Iuk_324lZrS2UZnPJUzp0mwuRY/edit#slide=id.gc6f59039d_0_0

#freelance-talk - February 29, 2024 at 07:06 AM

PS you’re not alone: https://x.com/domkent/status/1759506263967244442?s=46

#freelance-talk - February 29, 2024 at 07:06 AM

Also, fun story. A different department contacted me for three blog posts and I took on the work.

After submitting the first blog post, all the red flag behavior reared its head again and I ended the relationship there and there.

Some businesses are toxic and not worth your stress.

#freelance-talk - February 29, 2024 at 07:05 AM

I lost a customer when they asked for two more blog posts and 6 social posts included in the price I quoted for a whitepaper and 2 blog posts.

Yes it hurt that I lost them so last minute, but do I want to be doing work for free? Absolutely not.

A few days later, I’m glad I lost it. Major red flag which would set the tone for the future.

#freelance-talk - February 29, 2024 at 06:56 AM

So tell them no. The only way they will learn is for you to push back, explaining why that’s not okay.

The more we (freelancers) let this slide, the more acceptable it becomes.

#freelance-talk - February 21, 2024 at 11:41 AM

Pricing this depends on the industry, your experience, and the quality of your skill set.

If it can be done by a good generalist writer, it will drive down the market value.

For example, I paid writers $300 an article for posts that had loads of completion and were easy to complete.

At the other end of the scale, I charge $2,000 for 2,000 word posts that are highly specific and I am one of a few people that could complete such an article to a high degree, balancing subject matter expertise and marketing knowledge.

#general - February 20, 2024 at 09:03 PM

I documented when we did this and realised it wasn’t the right strategy: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dominickent_successes-and-failures-of-startup-content-activity-6657986193290072064-ATB5?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

#general - February 19, 2024 at 02:31 PM

My approach and experience has clearly been a world away from Gabrio's. I've had maybe 3 bad days over the last 6 years and I don't accept calls because my inbound pipeline is full of people wanting to work with me. If I say yes to everyone, I'd never do any work.

Freelancing has genuinely changed my life. Richa, please have a browse of my website dedicated to my freelancing book: https://www.theautonomousfreelancer.com/blog

There are some great blog posts for newbies and veterans. Some are snippets from the book too.

I also put together this deck I presented at a webinar, which you're more than welcome to look through: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vhJuzJbCj1ObObjl9Iuk_324lZrS2UZnPJUzp0mwuRY/edit#slide=id.gc6f59039d_0_0

Happy for you to reach out in my DMs too. There is also the #freelance-talk channel which is a great place to ask for specific advice and #freelance-gigs where there are positions posted regularly.

#freelance-talk - February 19, 2024 at 07:59 AM

I did a survey last year and found that 52% of freelance marketers work 5 days a week and that 41% work 5-6 hours per day.

All the data here: https://www.theautonomousfreelancer.com/blog/state-of-freelance-marketing

#freelance-talk - February 18, 2024 at 04:49 PM

Since moving to freelance, it’s the other way around. 4 days a week and never more than 7.5 hours a day.

Sometimes only few hours. If my deliverable is done, I have the rest of the day to myself. I might do some more work but I might not.

#freelance-talk - February 17, 2024 at 06:52 AM

On the rare occasion someone wants to buy an hour of my time, I charge £200. This is usually for my industry expertise on a call to multiple people via https://www.guidepoint.com

It’s a bit different from what you’re asking but the only time I bill per hour. If someone wanted extra services on a content project, I’d weave it into total project fee rather than bill itemised.

#freelance-gigs - February 15, 2024 at 04:34 PM

It would be useful to all applicants if you added the rate.

#freelance-talk - February 15, 2024 at 10:02 AM

This is tricky, right?

Let me start by saying that a lot of SEO agencies aren’t very good. So you’re not alone in thinking this.

This happens especially when the agency has no knowledge or experience in the specific industry.

It’s also common when they’re focused on SEO and not the content output. “Include all of this because our software spat it out” is the laziest form of keyword research.

So you’re not alone and probably right to think this.

What can you do about it?

Several options:

1. Tell your client that the agency is doing a bad job. I would do this and explain that I will prepare an article that is best-prepared to satisfy search intent, rank high, and represent your company in the best light.
2. As above and offer to do the keyword research better, then write your article.
3. Do nothing and write an article as you would, ignoring the terrible brief.
4. Do nothing and write an article using the terrible brief. Depending on your client, where you are in your career, and your relationship with your client, any of these options are on the table.

For long term career growth, 1/2 are the best options. But if you have a rubbish client who isn’t clued up on content marketing and fully trusts the agency, they may well respond negatively to your constructive feedback. However, this could be a good sign to let them go and find a better client.

That said, if you’re not in a position to risk that, some people would opt for 3/4 to keep collecting the pay check so they have enough capital to then action 1/2.

I don’t know your personal circumstances but I would personally highlight the obvious floors (in a nice way, backed by data and case studies), offer the better alternative, and provide the final article.

Note: I have done this on many occasions and had both reactions. One client literally said “we don’t know anything about this and will leave it all to the agency”. I stopped working with them immediately. Another respected my experience and knowledge and fired the agency, resulting in more work for me.

I hope this helps a little bit. Happy to chat in more detail if needed.

#freelance-talk - February 12, 2024 at 02:49 PM

A brief Helps 10x. Even if you forfeit your time ahead of writing, it becomes a fill in the blanks exercise. Highly recommend.

#freelance-talk - February 12, 2024 at 02:05 PM

Totally depends on what else I have going on and how much I know first hand. I don’t have many days where I write less than 2,000 if it’s my sole objective for the day. Though, sometimes I write short form posts and call it a day there.

I don’t really focus on word count and just try to deliver the best quality first time. That shortens up editing time for both me and an editor.

I have been known write 4K in a day. It’s literally a flow stage at the point where I’m in the groove because I know the topic inside out. I’m just extracting from my mind rather than researching and writing.

That only happens through years of experience in a single industry though and I wouldn’t recommend it as a goal 🙃

Do what your comfortable with. If you feel it’s the actual writing that’s slowing you down, do you start from an outline? I find the process of having a structured canvas speeds up my blog posts writing by at least 2x.

The software I use also plays a part. I’m slow as heck on Word but fast on Google Docs.

#freelance-talk - February 07, 2024 at 09:40 PM

On finance, @Araminta Robertson is hiring freelance fintech writers. Not sure if you two should chat?

#freelance-talk - February 07, 2024 at 06:18 PM

Oo that's a good counterpoint. My "full time" persona led me to freelance. Are you operating different niches? Could get a little tricky and I wrote a blog post on juggling two niches: https://www.theautonomousfreelancer.com/blog/can-i-have-two-niches-as-a-freelancer

To answer your Q: I don't think faceless portfolios work except for in very specific scenarios. I know a copywriter who operates via an avatar and "nobody" knows who they are. That is in the metaverse space though.

#freelance-talk - February 07, 2024 at 04:19 PM

Even if you don't want a large roster of clients, being niche and having a personal brand is the way to attract a constant stream of people (that you can say no to if you like).

I ran a webinar a little while back. Here's the deck if you're interested: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vhJuzJbCj1ObObjl9Iuk_324lZrS2UZnPJUzp0mwuRY/edit#slide=id.gc6f59039d_0_0

#general - February 07, 2024 at 04:17 PM

I just read product led growth by Wes Bush and it's the best marketing book I've read in a long time.

#job-listings - February 06, 2024 at 03:24 PM

I write about call center and customer experience. Check out my Nextiva portfolio: https://www.nextiva.com/blog/author/dominic-kent

#freelance-talk - February 05, 2024 at 12:33 PM

What's your niche? Can you link your portolio?

#freelance-talk - February 05, 2024 at 12:33 PM

I rarely work more than the first week of December. It's my birthday, Christmas, and all the best sport in the UK! I make sure my rate and pipeline allows for this every year. It's a major influence to why I went freelance in the first place!

#freelance-talk - February 05, 2024 at 12:32 PM

Hard disagree. My door is being knocked on harder than ever and I'm giving out more referrals than any point in the last 6 years.

#promo - January 31, 2024 at 11:26 AM

Win a freelance mystery box!

https://x.com/domkent/status/1752627508808184229?s=46

#freelance-talk - January 24, 2024 at 05:02 PM

Same as Lizzie. Give them what they ask for: what you do and how much it costs.

#freelance-talk - January 24, 2024 at 05:02 PM

Yeah just give them your flat rate. To make the process even more straightforward, why not advertise your flat online so both parties are aligned from day one?

I never speak with a prospect until they've reviewed my pricing. Saves a ton of time when they can't afford me later on down the line.

Also, I echo what @Cassandra Jowett says about your business coach.

#freelance-talk - January 24, 2024 at 09:47 AM

I've only ever got a handful of freelance gig from a Slack workspace (this one actually). One I did apply for after seeing it was a direct match for my niche and experience.

The others have been people coming to me. By showcasing what you do, people know how good you are and in what circumstances. I ran a webinar on this a little while back. Here's the deck, which you might find useful: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1vhJuzJbCj1ObObjl9Iuk_324lZrS2UZnPJUzp0mwuRY/edit#slide=id.gc6f59039d_0_0

#freelance-talk - January 23, 2024 at 12:50 PM

hey Mariam, these read like you're a jobseeker. Period.

Give them a reason why you stand out and aren't just any other job seeker.

I also echo showcasing your portfolio samples instead of directing them to your LinkedIn.

I feel the biggest issue in these circumstances is targeting. Who are you sending these messages to? It doesn't sound like these companies are hiring, so I'd research companies who are and start reaching out to them instead.

#freelance-talk - January 22, 2024 at 10:11 AM

I wouldn't say forget about it after a week. I had a client send me a PO just this morning after not hearing anything positive for over 3 months.

What's not clear is the context and application process.

Did you apply to a job listing? If so, is there guidance on the listing?
Sometimes, especially with generalist gigs, the hirer is flooded with applications and it a) takes time to review them and b) they might not reach your application and have already found someone great

Are you applying on a site like Upwork? If it's not a quick response, I'd say to write a follow up then forget about it if you don't hear back soon.

Did you use cold outreach? You may never hear back from these. People get "spam" emails all day every day and the conversion rate is low.

Did someone approach you and ask about your services? This is most worth persuing as they came to you. Be patient but send a reminder after a week, asking if you can still be of help or if you need need to adjust the scope/quote.

#general - January 17, 2024 at 10:18 AM

What do you mean by more notes @Alexandra Cote?

#general - January 17, 2024 at 07:22 AM

Thanks for the feedback. I'm comfortable that our target audience gets the terminology.

Maybe I phrased the question badly, but I meant the actual appearance of the blog, rather than that specific blog post.

#general - January 16, 2024 at 08:03 AM

Hey Ahsan, I currently have a very big deal on my blogging course: https://domkent.gumroad.com/l/khHYb?layout=profile

(I should probably change it back soon as it was a Black Friday deal!)