How Delivering Newspapers Taught Me How to be a Better Freelancer

When my brother was 11 he had his own paper route delivering Newsday, the local Long Island newspaper door to door. My parents saw no reason why I, too couldn’t manage my own paper route, so shortly after I turned 12, I followed suit.

Having my own paper route meant that Newsday needed to be at my customers’ front door no later than 4:00 pm Monday thru Saturday, and no later than 9:30 am on Sundays. Essentially, it was my first small business venture. I needed to pay up front for the newspapers, which were delivered to my parents’ front porch every day. I had to assemble the Sunday Edition in my parents’ garage on Saturday afternoon, so it would be good to go for Sunday morning. I went door-to collect the balance due for the week at various times; after some trial and error, I discovered that evenings, after dinner worked best. Most of my customers gave me generous tips for a job well done. When it rained or snowed, I’d wrap the newspapers in plastic bags, so they’d stay nice and dry.

There was one Sunday morning when I was running late; it was summer, so I decided to cut across a customer’s lawn, I got stung, when I stepped on a hornet’s nest. I learned early on that cutting corners can be painful and usually isn’t worth it.

After delivering to the same customers for four years, Newsday’s Regional Manager promoted me by giving me my very own block. My patents were the best tippers, probably because they always got their paper first!

So here’s what I learned from my days delivering newspapers and how it made me a better Freelancer:

• People are creatures of habit. Most of my clients email me the same time, like clockwork to discuss current/new projects.
• Some clients will pay late; it may be because they’re on vacation the week the invoice is due; or they may be having a slow month.
• Doing stellar work keeps my clients happy and leads to many referrals!
• Whenever possible, deliver well before a deadline. Your clients will reward you with repeat business!
• Anticipate problems before they arise. Clients love Freelancers that can keep their websites purring like a kitten…

As a Senior SEO Strategist and Digital Content Manager, I can work with you to ensure your business attracts the customers it deserves.