How to Cut Your Time Writing Emails by at Least One-Third (Part 4)

By now you have probably realized why developing effective communication skills through email is crucial to keep your career as a freelancer growing. Let's continue this five-part series as I explain the next template:

A template referring a potential client to another professional freelancer.

There will come a time when you will be swamped with projects that are more than you can handle. The key here is to express clearly to a potential client that you're declining the project but you're giving them the option to have another professional freelancer who's just as competent and reliable referred to them.

Once you've had three, four, five or more years of freelancing experience tucked under your belt, you will find that it's a huge advantage to team up with fellow freelancers in your field.

For starters, you can help establish each others' careers quicker and with greater ease, because you can fill "gaps" in each other's work history. After you have referred a potential client to another freelancer in your professional network, you can ask him to return the favor should there come a time that he would need to decline a project.

If your network is made up of freelancers who are charging rates within the upper bracket of the pay scale, you can decide to charge each other a commission every time someone has successfully referred a client, which means that the client has ended up satisfied with the job and left no outstanding balance.

Here's how you may phrase your email:

I have read your email requesting for a price quote regarding my copywriting services. I'm afraid I would have to decline your offer because I'm simultaneously working on two projects and can no longer accommodate a third one. However, I can refer you to (state name of freelancer), who's had (state number of years of experience) in writing advertising copy. You can find out more about him and view his portfolio through his web site (provide links) and contact him if you're interested.

Stay tuned as I round up this series in my last installment.