by Krissi Driver | Jul 19, 2022 | Business Tips, Freelance Writing |
Losing freelance writing clients is a real drag, especially when you're depending on them to make ends meet. It can be disheartening and might make you feel like it was something you did… like a sad breakup. But often, it has nothing to do with you.
Yes, losing clients really sucks. But as a freelancer, you'll have to learn to accept that every once in a while, it's inevitable. Things happen, clients change their plans or have their own unforeseen issues and need to pause or stop working with you.
While this kind of thing happens all the time and while there's not much you can do about it, it's still good to know what to do when you lose freelance writing clients.
Depending on the reasons your client offers for choosing to part ways or put projects on hold, you might be tempted to take somewhat drastic measures to try and keep them.
- Maybe you offer to drop your rate. (Hopefully just temporarily…)
- Maybe you offer a new service to take on more work than what you initially signed up for that may or may not really fall into your “wheelhouse” or what you want to be doing. (For example, maybe instead of just writing content, you offer to start planning, organizing, or publishing it.)
- Maybe you beg them to stay. (Don't do this… It's not a great look.)
There are several things you might do. And while I don't want to tell you to never, ever do these sorts of things, that's a decision you have to make for yourself.
But what I can tell you is that assuming a client will leave or pause for a while is a good mindset to have. Because it will happen. Someday. For some reason.
In light of that, here are 4 things you can do to be prepared for the worst â losing a client you were depending on.
1. When you lose freelance writing clients, it's important to stay consistent in marketing yourself.
When you first start your freelance writing business, you should be telling er'ybody! This is not the time to be shy and only tell your mom. Someone you know might know someone that needs a writer. And you could be that writer!
So don't stop consistently hollering about your business. When you're consistent, you will never feel like you're scrambling. But when you only post or remind your circle that you're a freelancer when you need work, you risk appearing desperate.
Instead, post a few times a week about your services and business on your social channels. (Or, if you're feeling really brave, make new profiles for your biz. đ) LinkedIn and Facebook (no, really!) are great places to post about your expertise and services.
Consider sending some emails to former bosses, colleagues, previous clients, or other professional contacts you have that might help you reach more potential people.
This is a great opportunity to market your services as “exclusive” and show that you don't work with just anyone. Don't be afraid to share that you just had a client spot open up and you're talking with businesses who need help. Make the most of what you've got.
2. Reach out to competitors or similarly-niched businesses and pitch your services to fill your client vacancies.Â
Now, I say this with a small caveat: Be sure you're not breaking any contractual agreements on this. If your contract specifically states that you will not work with known competitors of your client within a specific time window, do not do this. You could get into big legal trouble.
But if there are no such specifics in your contract, reach out! Give this a try.
Be careful about how you approach these potential clients. You shouldn't mention your client by name, but rather that you have extensive experience writing for that particular niche.
Ask your previous clients for permission to use links for content you wrote as part of your portfolio. Send those links to the client you're pitching.
3. Keep working on your own portfolio with your newfound extra time.
If you enjoy writing for your previous client's niche, keep doing it. Build a strong portfolio of example content you can publish on your own blog or other public profile.
If there are other niches you want to break into, now is a great time to write some examples. This will not only strengthen your writing (more practice = more experience) but give you solid evidence of your ability when you apply for future gigs.
If you're feeling really brave, start pitching your ideas to publications that might publish them. You'll not only have a more prestigious place showing evidence of your work, but you'll get an actual byline and may even get paid!
4. Scour entrepreneur-centric Facebook groups, freelance writing job boards, and LinkedIn for writing opportunities.
If you've been hanging out with me for long, you know that I share a few freelance writing opportunities every week in my newsletters. They come from all over the place and are for writers with varying levels of experience.
Now that you have some idea of where to look for writing gigs, get your search party hat on. Don't sit on your hards! Start looking for opportunities that fit your experience and pay a reasonable rate. Remember that you can also send cold pitches to potential clients you think youâd like to work with, too.
Losing a client might feel terrible in the moment, but it's certainly not the end of the world. There is so much work out there and there are clients who are looking for someone just like you. When you lose a freelance writing client, don't wallow in sorrow for long. Jump back on the horse, get out there, and find a new (and maybe better đ) client.
by Elena Choi | Jul 12, 2022 | Freelance Writing, Getting Started, Guest Post |
Everyone knows how Instagram works, but not everyone knows how to make the most out of it. Sometimes, itâs quite challenging to keep up with updates, write Instagram captions, and post content that will get the algorithmâs attention.
That said, itâs not surprising that many people overlook the importance of Instagram captions. After all, itâs mainly a visual social media platform and for many users, it stays that way â a place to share a funny video or a few photos with friends.Â
However, as a freelance writer, you can use Instagram to represent your (or clientsâ!) brand and get visible. This is where Instagram captions come into play.
Why Instagram Captions Are Important
The obvious main purpose of Instagram captions is to describe a picture or video. An Instagram post with no text can look dull and uninteresting. Adding an effective caption brings more context and life to your posts.
With that in mind, here are 3 reasons âevery business or brand should include relevant and strategic captions with Instagram posts.
You get a chance to tell your story.
Storytelling is a must when it comes to branding.Â
A well-written story inspires, encourages, and sells. It attracts the right audience, creates an emotional attachment, and turns people into loyal followers. A story makes you human.Â
The key, however, is to make sure youâre writing a relatable story for your audience that creates a deeper connection with them.
Captions give you the opportunity to show your unique writing and brand voice. This is a chance for you to stand out in the social media crowd and share your authentic values. All this creates space for a higher engagement and gives you a better understanding of your followersâ thoughts and needs. Which, in return, creates a better offer.Â
You become more visible.
Instagramâs search engine optimization (SEO) system works the way Google does. If your text contains searchable keywords related to your brand, you can easily get discovered through a simple search.Â
Not only that, but your posts will also appear in your target audienceâs feed if they like or engage with similar content. (This is especially true of Instagram reels.) Ensuring your posts include well-thought captions can give you a significant chance to stand out among other businesses and similar posts.
You get higher engagement.Â
A good photo attracts, but what makes people stay is your photo description. It makes them keep reading, follow, and engage with your content. The more time a user spends hovering on your posts, the better it is for the Instagram algorithm. That leads to a higher chance of attracting more eyeballs to your content organically (i.e. without spending money to advertise).Â
In addition, if youâve written a caption that invites engagement â maybe you ask a question or make a specific call to action like âsave this postâ or âsend this to a friendâ â your followers are more likely to engage and do as you ask.Â
No caption, no chance for much engagement.
How to Write Engaging Instagram Captions
So how do you write engaging captions that attract followers?Â
Letâs get to the juicy details.Â
Make your first sentence stand out.
When people scroll through their feed, they donât see your post as an entire text. They see only a picture and the first sentence at the top of your post. That meansâŠ
Your first sentence is extremely important.
I canât stress this enough: Your first sentence is CRUCIAL.Â
Remember that your goal is to write a sentence that will make people stop scrolling and start reading your post. Open up your caption with a hook thatâll catch your readerâs attention. It should deliver the main idea of the entire text, but not overwhelm or bore a reader. Keeping your first sentence simple, short, and on-point is the way to go.Â
From a followerâs perspective, itâs always nice when a brand asks for their opinion about products or services. This is a great way to do market research, invite engagement, and form a relationship with your audience at the same time.Â
Your primary focus should be on keeping your sentences as natural as possible. Nothing turns a reader off more than forced and robotic writing. Likewise, âfakeâ tones are always obvious and unappealing. You donât want to sound too sales-y or too laid-back, either.
Consider your brand voice: Is it funny and punchy or is it serious and precise?Â
Think about the ways your voice may affect your audienceâs decisions about the products or services youâre trying to sell. How do you want your audience to perceive you? What do you want them to feel when reading your content?Â
Keep your tone and style similar throughout all your written content to maintain your brand identity.
Donât âwater downâ your captions.
Prioritize quality over quantity when deciding on the length of your captions.Â
Instagram provides you with a limit of 2,200 characters per single post. Thereâs no right or wrong length for your captions, but use the space wisely.
Here are a few key points for writing the main body of your caption text:Â
1. Add all the important information you want your audience to know. The key is to keep it interesting for your audience to read. Donât be afraid to speak your mind, but keep your text readable and easy to digest.Â
2. Provide value through your text. This is the quickest way to win your target audience. After all, people come for the interesting and entertaining content but stay (and come back!) for the valuable information. Â
3. Do your research prior to posting. Before claiming expertise on a topic, make sure to proofread for any misinformation and controversies. Be sure you know what youâre talking about.Â
4. Donât forget to add keywords for better search engine optimization. You get discovered via the words you write in your caption and hashtags. Take the time to optimize your captions when writing.
Â
Add a question or a call to action in the end.
To engage your audience with your content â meaning keeping them reading and commenting on your post â add a question at the end of your caption. The question could be anything from asking their opinion about the topic to encouraging them to tell their story that relates to the content of your post. People like talking about themselves; give them a chance to tell their story.  Â
Another way to keep their fingertips in your comment section is to add a simple call to action at the bottom of your post. You can tell them to follow the account, leave a DM, or check a link in the bio. Itâs a simple way to boost both engagement and the click rate on your account. Â
Offering Instagram Caption Writing Services
If youâre looking to start a freelance writing career (or add a new service), writing for social media is something you can consider adding to your portfolio.Â
Many businesses lack excellent copy on their Instagram because theyâre not âgoodâ (or comfortable) writers or donât have time to devote to writing strong captions. There are plenty of business owners who are willing to pay someone to write captions for their brand!Â
If itâs something youâre interested in trying, simply add a spot on your services page with a short description of what youâll offer. Start working on growing your own Instagram following to prove your worth.
To increase your rate, keep track of the metrics of your own posts. Once you have some solid data, you can market yourself as an experienced social media content writer.Â
As a freelance writer, youâre already primed to write amazing Instagram captions for your clients. Itâs an incredibly valuable copywriting or content writing service. With experience and data to back up your expertise, you can build another lucrative side to your freelance writing business.Â
by Krissi Driver | Oct 11, 2021 | Freelance Writing, Getting Started |
Remote work jobs have taken on even more of an appeal in 2020 as many former full-time employees are making the shift to working from home or, better yet, working for themselves. Freelance writing jobs, in particular, are getting more attention from people now that the Great Resignation is at its height.
While there might be more competition out there today for remote work than there has been in years past, there are still plenty of freelance gigs out there for everyone. You just need to know where to look.Â
If youâre not having any luck checking the usual freelance writing job boards, donât fret. Here are 6 unexpected places you can look to uncover your next client.Â
1. Craigslist
I know, I know⊠This seems like a total joke. But Craigslist isnât just for finding good deals on used furniture â there are plenty of freelance writing and remote work jobs to discover there, too. Many potential clients turn to Craigslist to post their want ads, especially for one-off jobs that have a quick turnaround time.Â
The benefit of advertising on Craigslist for potential clients is that, unlike using an agency such as ClearVoice, they donât have to pay any additional fees to find a writer. (Thatâs also a bonus for you! You get to keep all your pay and not share a cut with the agency.)
The key is to check the boards of all the major cities, not just the ones you live closest to. Clients often post jobs where theyâll find the biggest audience, but you donât need to live in those places to apply to them as long as the listing is for remote work.Â
Beware the Red Flags
But like all things associated with Craigslist, itâs important to take every listing with a grain of salt. Watch out for red flags: There are definitely still scammers looking to take advantage of people â even in job listings.Â
Here are a few examples of red flags:
- Be leery of agreeing to submit any âtestâ pieces. Even if youâre okay with working for a very low wage (or for free) to build your portfolio, you canât be sure your âtestâ work wonât be the ârealâ work and get published without you getting paid.Â
- Donât pay the job lister anything! The whole point is the client should pay you at the end. Youâre not paying on Craigslist to be added to some kind of database â there are plenty of legit databases where you do have to pay that are not lurking in random corners of Craigslist.Â
- Donât give out your bank information â even once the work is done. Use a system thatâs secure to accept payments, like PayPal or Stripe.Â
- Donât start working without a contract or other legal written agreement. I cannot stress this enough â YOU NEED DOCUMENTATION TO PROTECT YOURSELF. If money is changing hands, you need a contract. If the client insists on using their own contract, read it through carefully and ask a trusted friend or mentor (or lawyer!) to have a look before signing anything. Be sure the terms are in your best interest.
If you get any weird vibes at all, walk away. Itâs not worth your time or energy if someone isnât willing to meet you halfway to protect yourself.
2. Facebook Groups
Facebook is an amazing resource for freelancers â not just for networking with other people in your industry but for finding gigs as well.Â
The key is to remember that this isnât an overnight solution. It will be really obvious if youâre only joining a group to hunt for clients without genuinely connecting with other members.Â
Hereâs how to make Facebook work for you: Join groups that are relevant to your industry and interests. Then you need to consistently participate in the discussions that are happening within the group. Youâll get your name out there by posting frequently in a meaningful way and answering questions. Other members will come to see you as a valuable resource in the community.Â
There will often be people looking for writing help in these groups and they may post job opportunities! Be sure to follow their application instructions in their post âto the letterâ and comment that youâre planning to apply.Â
Look for groups that are geared towards freelancers, entrepreneurs, people in your industry or writing niche (for example, gardening groups if you primarily write about gardening), remote workers, working women, virtual assistants, etc. Add value wherever you can and keep your self-promotion to a minimum unless someone asks for it or itâs a âself-promo day.âÂ
3. Twitter
If youâve been following me for any time at all, you know I am not a Twitter fan. Despite that, I have to admit it can be a decent place to find some interesting opportunities if you happen to be a freelance writer.
For example, editors of various publications use Twitter to call for pitches all the time. Follow the editors of websites youâd like to write for so youâll be the first to know when a call goes out. You can also follow your favorite freelance writing job boards on Twitter to stay up-to-date with the newest job postings all day long.Â
Twitter is also a great place to learn from other freelancers who have been in the industry for a long time and are killing it. Being where your âpeopleâ are will help you grow as a writer, too.
Hereâs a quick list of a few names and companies I follow on Twitter:
You donât have to limit your job search to websites that specifically target freelancers. While most people use job boards like Indeed, Glassdoor, or Monster to look for full-time, in-office work, plenty of clients (especially larger companies) advertise for freelancers there as well.Â
Most âtraditionalâ job boards have an option to select âremoteâ as the preferred location for your job search, so all you need to do is search for keywords relating to the work you do, like âmedical writerâ or just âfreelance writerâ if youâre not sure which niche youâd like to target.Â
Consider looking on actual remote work job boards, too, like We Work Remotely or Escape the City. Some of these, like Dynamite Jobs, actually will allow you to choose which part of the world youâre in and will filter jobs based on your choice.Â
One of my recent favorites is actually Superpath â a job board created by content marketers for other content marketers. They also have an amazing Slack community where you can ask questions and get updated about the newest job postings on the website. Itâs definitely worth checking out, no matter where you are in your freelance writing career.
5. Newsletters
Why check job boards every day when you can have new job opportunities delivered right to your inbox? There are plenty of newsletters out there that carefully curate legitimate, well-paid job postings for freelance writers and remote workers of all kinds. These newsletters do the research for you, so you can trust that the clients are reputable and the jobs are real.Â
Iâve already mentioned a couple in my Twitter lineup above, but there are lots and lots (and lots!) of others out there. I subscribe to The Freelance Copywriter Collective, The Writer's Job Newsletter (whom I also follow on Twitter), and Freelance Writing Jobs from Sian Meades-Williams (mostly UK-based, but that often doesnât matter!).
The Morning Coffee Newsletter is also a pretty well-known newsletter, as are The Freelancer Feed and Funds for Writers. I donât personally subscribe to these, but they may be of interest to you!
Avoid Newsletter Overwhelm
Like I said, there are so many job posting newsletters out there. It can be tempting to subscribe to all of them… But when youâve got a million job postings in your inbox, it can also be overwhelming.Â
And while all of these newsletters are a great resource, you usually have to act fast if you see something youâre interested in. Itâs likely youâll be competing with thousands of other subscribers for the same job openings.
Sonia Weiserâs Opportunities of the Week is a similar newsletter you have to pay for and there are other âpaidâ options out there, too. But the limited audience means you have less competition for the jobs that are featured. Itâs pay-what-you-can, so itâs a worthwhile investment no matter your budget.Â
Heck, I even share a few job listings from around the web in my own weekly newsletter! I want you to see how many, many, many freelance writing jobs there are out there and how different they are from one another. Plus, I send out a few tips! đ
The key here is to check out a few newsletters, see what they're like and what kind of jobs they send your way, and unsubscribe when you don't feel like they're right for you anymore. There's no harm in unsubscribing if it's not a good fit. You won't hurt anyone's feelings.
6. Cold Pitching
Just because you donât see your dream job posted on any of the usual websites doesnât mean itâs not available. Many freelancers have more luck with pitching the clients they want to work with directly rather than waiting for a posting to open up.Â
And frankly, this is how you make the most money â by going directly to the source.Â
This can work in two ways:Â
- You can pitch individual article ideas that, when published, are attributed to you with a byline â meaning youâre given full credit for your work and have an opportunity to share links to your website or social profiles â orÂ
- You can send a pitch to a company or small business to ghostwrite content for them on their website, blog, social media profiles, and so on.Â
The Truth about Pitching
Pitching to publications often doesnât pay much (or anything, depending on the platform). But having your name published and a link back to your website and social accounts is still incredibly valuable. Plus, you can publicly say youâre published on your own website and share your article on those same social channels with your followers!Â
The second option is trickier. While you may be reaching out to suggest helping make positive changes to a brand or small businessâs written content, no one wants to hear about what theyâre doing wrong. Thereâs a balance to this, but again, it can really pay off.
If youâd like to go the first route, most publications have guidelines posted about how to pitch them. Do your research first before you send a pitch. If you canât find any, however, thereâs nothing wrong with reaching out to their editors via email or social media with a well-crafted pitch.Â
You might be surprised at how many gigs you can find just by asking.Â
Although the most popular remote work jobs move pretty quickly, thereâs a huge demand for freelance writers if you know where to look. With a little creativity, you can land well-paying jobs in your niche without ever leaving home.Â
Not sure where to start with a freelance writing business? I can help with that! My 6-week freelance writing course, The Write Hustle, will teach you everything you need to know about setting your freelancing rate, designing your site, building your portfolio, finding clients, staying organized, and running your business. Check it out now!
by Krissi Driver | Jul 7, 2020 | Business Tips, Entrepreneur Life, Getting Started |
If youâre thinking about starting a side hustle or own a fledgling business, you might be so concerned with the day-to-day that you forget to plan for the future. But if you donât have a road map in front of you, how will you know where to go? Itâs important to set goals for your business to keep yourself on track, especially in regards to income.
Setting income goals for your business will help you achieve sales and find clients beyond what you ever thought possible. However, if you set random goals without strategic planning, youâll risk throwing off your trajectory.Â
Hereâs what you need to know about setting income goals for your side hustle.Â
1. Set business goals first.
Before you can set an income goal, you need to know what to expect from the business itself. Where do you see your side hustle a year from now? Five years? Ten years? Thereâs no shame in keeping a side hustle as just a hobby for a little extra pocket money, but if you want it to become your full-time job, you need to set some business goals as well as income goals.
In order for your business to grow over time, youâll need ways to âscale.â This is a term thatâs thrown around often in the entrepreneurial world and itâs often misunderstood. When weâre talking about âscalingâ a business, weâre not talking about starting or even growing a business. âScalingâ means being able to take on more work without sacrificing much in terms of income or in other areas, like time management or working yourself to death.
Brainstorm additional products or services you can offer in the future as your business expands. If you anticipate hiring other team members or contractors, how many, and when? Will you want to offer any special bonuses to your team? All of these will factor into the income goals you will need to set in order to succeed.Â
2. Check your history.Â
Next, take a look back at your businessâs sales over time, if any. How much money have you been making so far? What seems realistic to expect for next month or next year if things stay the way they are?Â
If your projected income based on your sales at this point isnât as high as you hope, donât worry. This is just an estimate of what you can expect if your business continues at the level itâs currently functioning at. Your goal should be to grow!Â
3. Factor in expenses.Â
For this step, weâll need to look to your past as well as your future. What have your expenses been so far? Donât leave anything out, no matter how small. Even the tiniest expenses can add up over time, costing you money and throwing off your estimates.Â
Now think about new expenses that you can anticipate as your business scales. Those new hires we thought about in step 1? This is where youâll need to think about how to pay them. If you want to rent a spot in a coworking space, how much would that cost in your area? Do some research and pull up realistic figures so youâll know what to expect.Â
4. Pick an end goal.
After you take those expenses into account, itâs time to think about the fun part: Profit! How much money do you want to be making from your side hustle per year in an ideal world?Â
Add your profit to your expenses and factor in some leeway for emergencies. Be sure to take year-end taxes into account, too, based on your countryâs taxation laws. Youâll need to pay taxes on your earnings every year.
Add all these things up and the final figure is the amount youâll need your side hustle to make each year in order to meet your goal.Â
5. Create milestones.Â
By this point, you might have an end goal so large that you canât imagine ever reaching it. Thatâs okay! Even the biggest goals can be achieved if you just put one foot in front of the other. The key is to divide your end goal into smaller milestones that are easier to achieve.
You can choose quarterly goals, monthly goals, or even weekly goals if thatâs feasible for your business. The key is to match up these income goals with your business goals so youâre growing your business over time. What can you do this week, month, or quarter to find more clients and boost your income?Â
6. Write it down.
Itâs no secret that actually recording your goals somewhere makes it more likely that youâll actually work toward and achieve them. In fact, itâs science.
Once youâve gotten much of the background information worked out, write down your goals. I would even go as far as encouraging you to literally write them somewhere you can see them. In this day and age, itâs easy to record something digitally on a spreadsheet, in a Google doc, or an iOS note. Iâm particularly guilty of this myself.Â
But physically writing things down helps us to better remember whatever it is weâre trying to remember and give it more power.Â
Putting these things somewhere youâll see them often will further reinforce those goals in your mind. Youâll be even more likely to put in the work needed to make things happen. Trust me â itâs made all the difference for me in my business.
While setting income goals for your business can feel overwhelming at first, the key is to do your research and use real numbers in order to project the final figure. No goal is too lofty to aim for.Â
As the saying goes, shoot for the moon! Even if you donât hit your goal, striving for greatness will lead to more success than you could otherwise achieve.Â
by Krissi Driver | Jun 23, 2020 | Entrepreneur Life |
As an American expat living outside the US, Iâve felt so powerless and unable to support âBlack Lives Matterâ movements.Â
As a foreigner living in South Korea, the laws about participating in protests is gray at best: Depending on the circumstances, I could risk deportation for taking part in protests â peaceful or not â and the threat of the pandemic has concerned me because of the impact it may have on my job.
I have agonized about what to do and how I can raise my voice and be an anti-racist and an ally for the #BLM movement. I want to be an advocate and I want to participate in an active way.
And the more I thought about it, I realized that though Iâm living far away, there are ways I can actively participate in this important time.
Over the last 2 or 3 weeks, Iâve come up with 5 ways I can support âBlack Lives Matterâ as an expat living overseas.
1. Ensure youâre registered to vote in the next election.
So many have (rightly) said in the last few weeks that the best way we can collectively effect change is by using our voices to vote in the upcoming election cycle.Â
This has never been more true than now.
For once, itâs so important to know who is on the ticket, what they stand for, whatâs in their public history, and whether or not they will truly be the voice of the people.
If youâre an American citizen, check whether youâre registered to vote at Vote.org. They say it takes 30 seconds to check if youâre registered or not⊠and theyâre right. I did it. Thankfully, Iâm registered and didnât need to take any additional steps.
If it turns out youâre not registered, register with your state the Overseas Vote Foundation. The instructions are straightforward (for the most part) and you can take the first steps to ensure youâll get an absentee ballot.
The one thing I felt was a little confusing when filling in my absentee registration information was which addresses to use. Be sure to carefully check the PDF with your regurgitated information for accuracy and update it immediately if you spot an issue, otherwise, youâll have to do it all over again from the beginning as the download link expires within 15 minutes to protect your personal information.
Hereâs my main advice on this point: DONâT. WAIT. Do it now. With mail taking longer to trek across the globe, none of us can afford to take our time. (I paid to send my absentee registration via express mail because it was the only option I had. It was expensive but I was glad to pay it.)
2. Call your state representatives to voice your approval or disapproval of bills working their way through Congress.
Sometimes we forget how easy it is to place calls back home.Â
You might ask, âWell, why canât I just send an email or a letter instead of calling? I live halfway across the world and my hours donât match up with Congressional business hours.â
In some ways, Iâm inclined to agree with you. In others, I disagree. Hereâs a great article from the New York Times detailing a few points but the one that sticks out to me most is that itâs far more difficult to ignore a ringing phone than it is to ignore an overflowing email inbox.
Calling isn't hard.
In the day and age we live in, itâs no more than a push of a few buttons and doesnât cost an arm and a leg to make a trans-Atlantic or -Pacific call. Even if you have to pay a bit more for it, itâs worth making a small investment to stay connected.
To keep your costs down, consider buying Skype credits to call and text internationally. The cost per minute is incredibly affordable and you can spend as little as $5-10 (before any VAT costs). This small credit top-up will be enough to cover dozens of calls to Congress.
Alternatively, you may be able to use your cell phone minutes included in your mobile plan from your host country. For example, I have 5 hours of talk time to landlines and cell phones in Korea included in my annual plan that I literally never use. However, I downloaded the OTO Global app for iOS (also available from the Google Play store) which allows me to call US mobile and landline numbers for free and pulls from my mobile plan minutes here in South Korea. Like Skype, OTO Global also sells credit packages to place calls all over the world.
If youâre not in Korea, chances are thereâs a similar app in your host country that will allow you to use your local mobile minutes to call internationally. Google it and see what you come up with before spending money.
How to Call Your State Representatives and Senators
Once youâve figured out how to call back home for a reasonable price, you can actually start calling the people who represent you at home. Here are step-by-step instructions for calling your state Representatives and Senators.
1. Start by determining who your state Representatives and Senators are.Â
If youâre not sure who your state representatives (both in the Senate and House), you can look them up via the United States House of Representatives online directory or the United States Senate directory.Â
I wasnât before I started writing this, honestly, who my Representatives in the House were. I know Ted Cruz is one of my state Senators because I voted against him in the 2018 midterms â I was a Beto supporter and bought a shirt to prove it!…Â Aside from that, I havenât lived at home for a while and have actually never resided at my âpermanentâ virtual address, so I had to do my homework.Â
Thereâs no shame in not knowing, my friend. But do your due diligence and get informed.
2. Find the right phone numbers to call.
The same websites where you looked up your Senatorsâ and Representativesâ names will provide you with the right numbers to call to reach their offices directly.Â
To make it super easy for you, click here to find contact information for your House Representativeâs office. Alternatively, click here to find contact information for your state Senatorâs office.Â
If youâre having trouble with that for any reason, you can call the capitol switchboard directly at (202) 224-3121. The switchboard operator will get you sent to the right place. (Youâll need to know who youâre calling for, obviously.)
3. Call your state Senators and Representatives.
This is a little nerve-racking, but once youâve done it once or twice, it will start to feel totally normal. There are a few things to remember when youâre calling:
Know exactly what youâre calling about.
State Rep and Senate offices field hundreds of calls every day so itâs vital that you know exactly what youâre calling about.Â
Have a script ready to help you make the right points.
There are a number of different sources for scripts and many associations who lobby Congress on the regular offer scripts or talking points for free, such as the American Psychological Association. You can also get scripts from organizations like You Lobby and 5 Calls, among others. Google, google, google to find more.
Ask to speak directly to the staffer responsible for the issue youâre calling about.
Letâs face it: Youâre not likely to speak directly to your Senator or Representative. Instead, youâll speak to the next best thing â their staffers. There are multiple people who work in your state Repâs or Senatorâs office and not all of them handle all the issues. Your best bet is to speak to the person in the office who fields calls and messages regarding the specific issue youâre calling about so your message doesnât fall on partially-deaf ears.
Donât request a call back.
According to Refinery 29, itâs better to say you donât need a reply from your Senatorâs or Representatives office so âthey can tally you down without having to go through the extra step of adding you to a response database.â This keeps phone lines open and frees up more time to tally down constituent concerns.Â
Still have questions about calling your state peeps? Check out this helpful article from Vice.Â
3. Support “Black Lives Matter” financially and donate to worthy causes.
This is obvious: Give away your money.Â
There are plenty of worthy causes out there and often, weâre bombarded with reputable opportunities and organizations where we can donate. Right now, though, the #BlackLivesMatter movement needs funds to continue the fight.
You can google âdonate to black lives matterâ for a long list of charities and organizations or you can simply go give some money right now to the actual organization behind the âBlack Lives Matterâ movement, ActBlue Charities. Alternatively, check out this extensive vetted list from New York Magazine for dozens of good options.
4. Listen to black voices everywhere you can.
PAY ATTENTION, FELLOW WHITE PEOPLE: Itâs not black peopleâs job to educate us on white privilege or race relations. We need to do better about educating ourselves.
Read books by black authors. (Thanks to our girl, Oprah, and her people for this list.)
Listen to podcasts by black podcasters like âGurls Talkâ hosted by Adwoa Aboah.
Follow black influencers with strong voices on social media, like Rachel Cargle, Johnetta “Netta” Elzie, Charlene Carruthers, and others.
If youâre an aspiring entrepreneur, start subscribing and listening to more black entrepreneurial voices like Rachel Rogers and Chloe Hakim-Moore.Â
This should not be hard. We all need to make an effort to diversify the voices we listen to on a regular basis. I am making this effort myself and have followed all the women Iâve listed above in an effort to open myself to more diverse voices and points of view (read: not white).
5. Talk to your family and friends about what youâre learning and doing to make a change.
A couple of weeks ago, I sat down and wrote my parents and sister a very long email about how I was feeling and expressing that I wanted us to talk about the #BLM movement as a family.Â
IÂ pointed out the glaring fact that we didnât talk about race in our home when I was a kid because we didnât have to talk about it.Â
I acknowledged that, unknowingly or not, we are very privileged as white people.Â
I want my little brothers â ages 16 and 20 at the time of this writing â to understand the role they play as young white men in society and that they subsequently have voices that carry in our society.
We need to talk about these things, white people.
We need to acknowledge that the society we live in was built on the backs of â and at the expense of â black slave laborers. We need to acknowledge how those that came before us intentionally put laws and hindrances in place to keep black people from getting ahead in society â from Jim Crow to redlining to segregation in schools and other public places. Watch this YouTube video for a quick history crash course.
And once weâve acknowledged the existence of these things, we need to start calling our Senators and House Reps and do what we can to change things.Â
We need to end police brutality. How? I donât know yet â but we need to work together to figure it out.
Yes, we need to listen. But we also need to talk. We did this â we created this mess. Now itâs time for us to whatever it takes to make it right.
Black. Lives. Matter.
The last few weeks have been so eye-opening for me. Iâve asked myself and those around me tough questions and having uncomfortable conversations. Iâm reading more and making an effort to listen more.Â
I am committing to calling my state Senators and Representatives more consistently (which is something Iâve never done before) about issues that pertain to #BLM and in an effort to end police brutality.Â
I may be away from home, but Iâve also started to realize Iâm not powerless even though I felt like I was. I absolutely can support âBlack Lives Matterâ as an expat.
I hope youâll join me in doing what you can â whether youâre an American, a Brit, a Saffa, or hail from anywhere else in our beautiful world. This is important. Letâs do something good together.
