Finding clients is the real pain for so many freelance writers and frankly, the pain never really ends. Though, you can find ways to gain long-term work and cover yourself against the bleak dead income periods. In previous articles, I have talked about using various sites for sourcing daily work. Though many are low paid and you should also be focusing on the higher paid work once you create a portfolio.
Here are 4 tips on approaching copywriting agencies. Why? They have lots of clients... And what do you need, well, clients. Many retain a team of freelancers to work remotely and provide them with weekly content. If you Google ad agency, or copywriting agency, you will get lists. Also, try by location so add your city location in the search box.
However, just sending a letter requesting work is not enough. You must not seem like a Jack of all Trades as this puts agencies off. They want specialists, professionals who know their business.
1. As mentioned. Your specialism. Be clear in your cover letter on your best skillsets. Perhaps you write case studies well or can optimise product descriptions so much that Google loves your client e-shops. Perhaps you are a gardening expert or a superb web developer. Know your strengths and play to them and be clear on your specialist areas on your cover letter.
2. Attach an updated and focused resume. Your resume should show not talk about your freelance writing successes. Did some copy you write send funnels of traffic to a client, did another article attract lots of great feedback? Present how your work benefited your clients in terms of their results, and if they gave feedback, place the glowing review with the project details.
3. What are your rates? If your answer is: Oh, I will let the client decide. That is wrong. The wrong approach begins with not knowing the price of your quality. Decide on a per word or day rate and ensure this is clarified in your correspondence to agencies.
4. So, you have nice cover letter covering the above. Now, next, send the same cover letter to lots of agencies. Correct. Nope, that's wrong. Show some interest in the agency by including in your letter why you can be of service to them. Perhaps the agency specialises in IT white papers, or in lifestyle articles, just examples. Point is, why are you able to write for them, and why should they hire you. Each letter should be tailored to the agency focusing on the services they offer. If the agency only deals with direct marketing newsletters for B2B, pointless talking about your great article on mountaineering in the Alps.
So, hope that all helps. Be diligent about your professionalism and the results will come.
Best
Stephen Davies MSc
Admin
The busy freelance writer has work every day, I show you how to earn daily just by writing articles on sites paying up to $500 an article. http://thewritejobtoday.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/your-guide-to-daily-income.html