Freelance copywriters unaware of effective client acquisition strategies often find it difficult to land new clients.
To be successful, you need to have a solid client acquisition strategy in place. This post outlines 12 strategies you can use to attract new copywriting clients.
The Importance Of Client Acquisition
Clients are the lifeblood of any business. Without them, a company cannot survive. The same is true for freelance copywriters. To make a living as a freelance copywriter, you need to have a steady stream of clients coming in through the door.
But acquiring new clients can be difficult. It takes time and effort.
And the whole idea of marketing your copywriting services could make you sweat bullets, if not entire cannonballs (!)… Especially if you’re a little new to the game and nervous about whether you’ve got the chops.
Relax!
To make this process not quite so daunting, here are some of the best client acquisition strategies I’ve found to keep your deal pipeline full…
Or even overflowing! 🙂
12 Client Acquisition Strategies For Freelance Copywriters To Choose From
1. Friends & Family
Getting copywriting clients through friends and family can be a great way to get started as a freelance copywriter. This is because you already have a relationship with these people, so they are more likely to trust you and your work. Additionally, friends and family are often more likely to refer you to other potential clients.
2. Phone Contacts
One of the easiest ways to get new clients as a freelance copywriter is by tapping into your phone contacts. This is a list of people that you have spoken with on the phone, either through work or personal calls.
These folks already know who you are and what you do. You just need to reach out and let them know that you’re available for freelance copywriting work.
3. Email Contacts
Similar to your phone contacts, your email contacts are people that you have communicated with via email in the past.
Reach out to these folks and let them know that you’re available for freelance copywriting work.
4. LinkedIn Connections
LinkedIn is a great platform for connecting with potential clients. This is because LinkedIn is full of business professionals.
Reach out to marketers and business owners in the industry you’re most interested in. So if you’re passionate about pets, look for leaders who sell pet products or services to consumers (B2C) or other businesses (B2B).
In many cases, if you can identify a way to help them, they’ll be interested in having an exploratory conversation with you.
5. Facebook Friends
Facebook can also be a great platform for client acquisition, although it’s often overlooked by copywriters.
You can often connect with client prospects by looking at the Pages your friends have liked. These are companies and organizations your friends support. They’re more likely to need freelance copywriting services in areas you can write about because you share similar interests.
Additionally, you can use Facebook’s search function to find groups related to an industry or topic you have an affinity for. These groups can be an excellent place to find marketers looking for a copywriter who shares their interest in a particular subject.
6. Email Signature
An email signature is a great way to promote your freelance copywriting business to people you already have a relationship with.
When you send emails, whether for work or personal reasons, include a link to your website and a brief message about your services.
For example:
Tanya Smith
Freelance Copywriter
www.TanyaSmithCopy.com
7. LinkedIn Sales Navigator
As a freelance copywriter, one of the best ways to attract new clients is to join LinkedIn Sales Navigator. By creating a profile and showcasing your work, you can attract the attention of businesses and individuals who need a skilled writer.
Additionally, LinkedIn Sales Navigator offers several features that can help you to find leads and land new clients. For example, the platform allows you to search for potential clients by location, industry, and company size.
LinkedIn Sales Navigator also provides access to valuable insights about potential clients, such as their job title and role within their organization. By taking advantage of these features, you can quickly expand your client base and grow your business.
Once you’ve identified potential clients on LinkedIn, you can start sending them personalized messages. Don’t be pushy, just let them know what you do and that you’re happy to help.
With Sales Navigator you can keep track of your interactions with potential clients, making it easy to follow up and close deals.
If you’re looking for a way to attract copywriting clients, LinkedIn Sales Navigator is worth checking out.
8. Local Meetups
Meeting prospective copywriting clients in person can be a great way to get started in the business. Not only does it allow you to build rapport and relationships with potential customers, but it also gives you a chance to show off your skills and samples in a face-to-face setting. While online portfolios and social media are important tools for marketing your business, there’s no substitute for meeting someone in person.
Local meetups are a great way to connect with potential clients in your area. There are often meetups specifically for businesses and entrepreneurs, which can be a great place to start. You can also search online for meetups that might be relevant to your industry or target market.
Attend a few meetups and see if there’s anyone you’d like to connect with further. If so, exchange business cards and follow up after the event. Meeting potential clients in person is a great way to get started in the copywriting business.
9. Related Service Providers
As a freelance copywriter, your livelihood likely depends on landing clients. But how do you connect with companies that need the specific copywriting services you provide?
Every business needs copywriting, from product descriptions to website content to email marketing campaigns. However, finding quality copywriting can often be a challenge for these businesses.
That’s where the vendors, contractors and related service providers they’re already working with come in. By making a simple introduction, they can help their clients get with you to provide the high-quality content they need. In addition, you can offer to partner with these service providers to offer discounts and bundled services that can add value and save businesses money.
As a result, working with a vendor, contractor or related service provider in your chosen industry is an excellent way to attract new copywriting clients without breaking the bank.
10. Product User Groups
As any good copywriter knows, the key to attracting ideal clients is understanding their needs and desires. And what better way to do that than to join a product user group? These groups provide a great opportunity to interact with potential clients on a personal level, learn about their pain points, and see how they interact with the product.
This information can be invaluable when it comes to crafting effective copy that resonates with the client’s needs. Additionally, joining a product user group can also help build relationships with potential clients and create a network of contacts that can be helpful down the line.
Product user groups attract individuals who are passionate about a certain type of product and want to learn more about it. This makes them ideal copywriting clients because they are already interested in the subject matter.
Furthermore, product user groups tend to be well-organized and have clear communication channels. This makes it easier to get in touch with potential clients and pitch your services.
Finally, product user groups typically hold regular meetings, which provides an ideal opportunity to network and build relationships with potential clients. Product user groups can therefore be an excellent way to attract ideal copywriting clients.
For all these reasons, joining a product user group is a great way to acquire your first (or next) copywriting client!
11, Conferences and Trade Shows
Industry conferences and trade shows can provide excellent opportunities for copywriters to acquire new clients. By networking with other professionals in the field, you can build relationships and gain exposure to potential new clients.
In addition, many conferences and trade shows offer educational seminars and workshops that can help hone your skills and learn new copywriting techniques.
Attendees of these events often include decision-makers from companies who need copywriting services. As such, conference and trade show attendance can be one of the best acquisition strategies for your freelance copywriting business.
12, Google
Experienced copywriters often find their clients through word-of-mouth referrals or by networking with other professionals.
However, copywriters who are just starting may not have a large network of contacts. Luckily, there’s another way to find copywriting clients: through online search engines like Google.
To find prospective copywriting clients with Google, all you need to do is use the right keywords. Of course, you can search for terms like “freelance copywriter needed” or “copywriting agency.” By using these keywords, you can find potential clients actively searching for copywriting services.
Another less obvious but often far more effective strategy is to search using keywords identifying the type of companies you want to write for. So, for instance, if you’re interested in writing for the alternative health industry, you might start your search using terms like “alternative health products” or “natural health care”.
Jot down companies that look interesting to you to create a list of companies to reach out to. You now have a market you can connect with who you already know you’d like to write for. It also makes you stand out since you’re not competing with other copywriters responding to a company’s copywriter recruiting efforts.
Once you’ve built this list of potential clients, you can reach out to them and pitch your services. With a little effort, Google can be a great way to build a targeted list with which to start building your copywriting business.
Choosing The Right Client Acquisition Strategies For Your Freelance Copywriting Business
As a freelance copywriter, client acquisition is one of your most important tasks.
But with so many client acquisition strategies to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you?
The first step is to understand your goals. What are you hoping to achieve? Are you looking to attract more high-value clients? Or are you hoping to increase your client base by offering lower prices? Once you know what you’re aiming for, you can begin to narrow down your options.
There are a few key things to consider when choosing a client acquisition strategy. First, think about your target market. Who are your ideal clients? How can you reach them? Second, consider your budget. How much are you willing to spend on marketing and advertising? Finally, think about the long-term. What kind of relationships do you want to build with your clients?
For example, if you’re offering high-end copywriting services, such as long-form sales copy, you’ll probably have more success with an exclusive clientele. In that case, a targeted marketing campaign may be the best way to reach your ideal clients.
By taking the time to assess your needs and objectives and consider all of the factors involved, you can develop a client acquisition strategy that’s tailored to the long-term vision you have for your freelance copywriting business.
How To Get A Professional Perspective On Your Copy
One of the greatest challenges for beginning copywriters is a fear their copy isn’t good enough.
Here’s a little secret: Even the best copywriters suffer from self-doubt at times. How do they handle it?
They get someone else to look at it with a critical eye.
Having an experienced pro go through your copy line by line and from a 30,000 view can give you fresh ideas and catch blunders that could otherwise hurt your results.
If you’d like a fresh set of eyes from an experienced and successful copywriter to help you get the best results from your sales page, email campaign, webinar or video script, consider investing in a copy critique.
As Ben Franklin, one of America’s most prolific and beloved writers famously said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
