A Note from Julie, the Greenhouse Curator:

When the days get shorter and the air turns cooler, it’s time for Operation Thanksgiving Cactus at my house. My goal is to encourage this plant to bloom around Thanksgiving (it is a Thanksgiving cactus, after all).

 

Each evening at 6 p.m., I move the plant into a dark, cool closet, and I bring it back out to bright, indirect light at 8 a.m. the next morning. Apparently, this dark-and-cool routine convinces the plant that it’s time to bloom. Can you spot the tiny buds at the tips of the leaves? Operation Thanksgiving Cactus is working! 👏🏻

I can’t control exactly when my Thanksgiving cactus will bloom, but I can create the right conditions that make flowering much more likely.

Getting clients for our proofreading or editing business is the same way. We can’t make people hire us, but we can adjust our environment and actions so opportunities are more likely to show up.

 

Below, I’m sharing Part 1 of Ten Ways to Encourage New Client “Blooms.” Next week, I’ll share Part 2. I'll also include another photo of my Thanksgiving cactus (hopefully with even more blooms).

🪴🪴🪴

1. Make it clear what you offer.

Update your social bios (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook) so it’s clear who you help and what kind of proofreading or editing you do. Include keywords clients might search for. For example, “transcript proofreading,” “fiction editor,” or “grammar perfectionist for creatives.” Put your contact link in a prominent place.

 

Pin a post or story highlight that shows what you do, who you serve, and how to reach you. Add a few before-and-after examples or short testimonials to show your work in action.

 

Reach out to a few people you’ve recently connected with on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook. Check in or comment on something they’ve shared. Small, genuine conversations often grow into opportunities later.

 

Send a quick note: “I hope your projects are going well! I have a few openings next week if you’d like to send anything my way.” Mentioning something you enjoyed about their past project reminds them why they liked working with you.

 

Add a line at the bottom of your emails or posts: “If anyone in your circle needs a proofreader, I’d love for you to share my info.” Clients who’ve enjoyed working with you are usually glad to recommend you.

Getting clients isn’t about pushing. It’s about preparing. When you clarify what you offer, stay visible, and reach out with genuine interest, you’re creating the right conditions for new growth.
 

Which of these five could you try this week? 🌱

Whether you subscribed to The Leaflet recently (welcome!) or you’ve been a subscriber since the very first issue, I wanted to remind you that past editions of this newsletter are available here: The Leaflet Newsletter Archives. It’s become quite a collection (more than 100 issues), and I’d love for you to explore them.

 

Thank you for being part of this community. I love hearing from readers, and the kind notes that land in my inbox each week mean more than you know. Your encouragement keeps The Leaflet growing. 🌿

Here are three posts I enjoyed reading on LinkedIn recently. Click the links below to read them.

Here's your friendly reminder that the phrase is “pass muster,” not “pass mustard” (or even “past muster” as we see in this screenshot). According to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, to “pass muster” is to gain approval or acceptance.  

Catch of the Week screenshots come from my transcript proofreading. I can't change what a person said, but I can make sure words are spelled correctly and punctuation marks are in the right spots. If you're interested in learning more about transcript proofreading, I wrote an article about it here.

Amber from The Edit Derr

 

 

My Parallel Peperomia is growing a new stem! It's a happy surprise in this season of cooler days and fewer hours of daylight. 🪴

Let's keep growing together!

What did you think of today's email? I'd love to hear your thoughts, questions, or feedback. Email julie@theproofreadergreenhouse.com

 

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