Copywriting is a versatile and lucrative skill that can open up many opportunities for freelancers. Whether you want to write sales pages, blog posts, emails, or social media content, you need to know how to find and attract clients who value your work. In this article, we'll share some tips on how to find freelance copywriting work, from creating a portfolio to networking to pitching.
The first step to finding freelance copywriting work is to showcase your skills and experience in a portfolio. A portfolio is a collection of samples that demonstrate your writing style, tone, and results. You can create a portfolio using a website, a PDF, or a platform like Contently or Medium. Your portfolio should include samples that are relevant to your niche, industry, or target market, as well as testimonials from previous clients or employers.
Creating a portfolio can also be like creating a video of all the past results of the copies delivered to clients. Results speaks more than just work.
Network with other creatives.?Attend industry events, join online communities, and connect with other copywriters on social media. Pitch to potential clients.?Once you have a portfolio of your work, start pitching to potential clients. You can find clients through job boards, online directories, or by reaching out directly to businesses you admire. Don't be afraid to start small.?Even if you're new to freelance copywriting, there are plenty of businesses and individuals who need help with their writing. Start by offering small projects, such as blog posts or website content. Once you have some experience under your belt, you can start pitching for larger projects.
The first place to look at is your existing network. If you have worked in writing, marketing, or advertising, you likely have built up a network of people who might be interested in your services or who will be able to give you a referral. You can start to build up a resume and portfolio of work that will allow you to target bigger clients later on in your career. Places like Fiverr and Upwork are good places to start. Finally, you can consider freelance platforms that are designed to connect freelancers to clients, like WriterAccess. At WriterAccess, you can create a profile, list your specialties, upload your portfolio, and start searching for freelance copywriting jobs
A portfolio is a must-have in your professional toolkit. It's your tangible proof of competence and experience, showcasing your skills to clients and employers. It's not just a collection of work; it's your strategic asset, tailored to your career goals, and designed to make a strong first impression. Keep it dynamic, continuously updating to demonstrate your growth and validate your expertise.
Yes, a portfolio is critical to finding freelance writing gigs. The best portfolios I've seen are well organized, feature a freelancer's best work (specifically work that has created action, sales, results, etc, for the client), and are attractive to the eye. For example, I write in the agriculture space, so the design, color scheme, layout, etc are strategic in nature. I'm also finding that almost all editors and content managers are asking for portfolio links.
Another way to find freelance copywriting work is to network with other copywriters who can refer you to potential clients, projects, or opportunities. You can network with other copywriters by joining online communities, forums, or groups on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, or Reddit. You can also attend events, webinars, or workshops related to copywriting or your niche. Networking with other copywriters can help you learn from their experiences, get feedback on your work, and build relationships that can lead to referrals or collaborations.
??In the dynamic realm of marketing, talented copywriters have abundant freelance opportunities if they know where to look and how to market themselves. Strategies to Consider: ?Networking: Attend industry events and workshops. ?Online Platforms: Utilize sites like Upwork, Freelancer, and ProBlogger. ?Portfolio Showcase: Maintain an updated digital portfolio. ?Social Media: Engage actively, showcasing expertise on LinkedIn or Twitter. ?Cold Outreach: Approach brands or agencies directly with your offerings. Craft your personal brand as meticulously as you craft your words; it's your passport to freelance success.
Learn from the best in the field gives an edge to understand what are the do's and dont's in building your career in the field.
This is such an important feature of freelance writing...networking with other writers can open up a host of new ideas for content, new writer's platforms, jobs/projects, project management apps and software, and a lot more.
As an introvert, this is the hardest part of freelancing for me. But stepping out of my comfort zone and making my genuine voice heard is a must. Even just chatting with others online, offering insights and help when needed, and sharing how you can help them achieve their goals has helped me scale my business 4x, in less than a year.
One of the most proactive and effective ways to find freelance copywriting work is to pitch to potential clients who need your services. Pitching is the process of sending a proposal or an email to a client that explains who you are, what you can do, and why you are the best fit for their project. To pitch successfully, you need to do some research on the client, their goals, their problems, and their audience. You also need to craft a compelling and personalized pitch that showcases your value, your benefits, and your samples.
Best way to land new clients as a freelance copywriter is by doing the work before you have the job. Start by defining a clear and specific niche. Once you do, take a low volume personalized approach for how you reach out to potential clients. Find a piece of copy in their ads, on their website, etc. then do a rewrite and record a short 1min video explaining you’re reasoning behind the rewrite and how you can help them get better results. Then, when reaching out, send these videos via email and LinkedIn messages. Hope this helps!
When pitching prospects, don't focus on yourself and only talk about your skills, expertise, achievements, etc. Instead, focus on the prospect's needs. Explain how your services can solve their pain points. Clearly reveal the value you're offering. You can also offer value upfront, such as offering to edit their landing page, share a content strategy, etc. Doing this showcases your skills and increases trust, making them want to work with you on something bigger.
Pitching can be a scary thing to many freelance writers, especially those who are just starting out and are not knowledgable about the pitching process and want to make a good impression on a potential new client. Make sure to tailor each pitch to each individual prospect; do not use one pitch template and use it for multiple prospects.
The best way to pitch to others is to show them what they need, before they even know it. I'm not talking about cold pitching. That's just irritating. I'm talking about analyzing current assets and showing how you'd deliver value beyond what they asked for in their listing. Show them what you've done for others, and how you can do even more for them.
Another option to find freelance copywriting work is to use freelance platforms that connect freelancers with clients who are looking for specific skills or projects. Some of the most popular freelance platforms for copywriters are Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, and PeoplePerHour. Freelance platforms can help you find clients who are ready to hire, set your own rates and terms, and manage your projects and payments. However, freelance platforms can also be competitive, saturated, and low-paying, so you need to be strategic and selective about the projects and clients you choose.
Freelance platforms can be a great way to find freelance copywriting work. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Competition can be fierce.?There are many talented copywriters on freelance platforms, so you need to stand out from the crowd. Rates can be low.?Many clients are looking for the cheapest possible freelancer, so you need to be realistic about your rates. Scams are real.?Be careful of clients who ask you to work for free or who promise to pay you after the project is completed. Despite the challenges, freelance platforms can be a great way to find freelance copywriting work. Specialize.? knowledgeable in. Build a portfolio.? Network with other freelancers.? Be professional.?
In my experience, Upwork brought me my first-ever client. Today I have $10k earning with a top-rated profile there. Apply for various platforms and learn the tactics. As a beginner throw stones in all possible ways and experiment with things
I use Upwork and I have found good gigs through the platform. But it wasn't always like this. In the beginning, when I didn't have a portfolio, it was extremely hard to get any jobs at Upwork. Then I wrote on Medium for a couple of years, creating a body of work and a large follower base. I referenced that on my Upwork profile and, since then, getting clients is a lot easier. My advice is: use freelance platforms but if you want to be paid more than $5 per gig, make sure to build your portfolio to be able to prove your worth.
Here's a controversial opinion: freelance platforms suck. They're full of people looking to lowball you in a dog-eat-dog environment. I recommend staying away from them and leveraging your network and social proof to find more work. It may be slower at first, but once the ball gets rolling, it really rolls!
The final tip to find freelance copywriting work is to build your personal brand as a copywriter who is an expert, an authority, and a leader in your niche or industry. Building your personal brand can help you attract clients who are looking for your specific skills, style, or voice. You can build your personal brand by creating and sharing valuable content on your website, blog, social media, or newsletter. You can also build your personal brand by guest posting, speaking, or teaching on platforms or events related to your niche or industry.
Finding freelance copywriting work isn't particularly hard. What's hard is finding work that pays decently and isn't a scam. Therefore, finding work may not always be the best use of your time. Build your personal brand, so work finds you -- good work.
Do spec ads. Put yourself out there on LinkedIn. These two things can help show people in the industry your talent and thought process. You can also try to collaborate with other folks from the industry like writers or designers and create something together. This will help expand your network and build a good brand.
The most commonly asked question is also the most annoying - what makes you stand out from the others. While you may write as well as the next, what should set you apart is who you are, what values you hold dear, and how you let them influence your business activity.
Make yourself an expert in your niche by creating unique and valuable content for your website, social media, newsletter, or blog. Network with other writers in your niche, seek out guest blogging opportunities in your field, and look into LinkedIn for being a networking site and to reach out to other writers.
As a freelancer, networking is essential. Not with the intent to generate leads, but with the intent to build relationships that can be mutually beneficial. People in your network often lead to referrals down the line. You can also build a strong network for the purpose of collaboration, such as people in adjacent fields. As a website copywriter, I love to partner with web designers and developers. It’s the perfect opportunity for both people to find work. The best part is when collaboration happens. It makes a seamless experience for the client, and they get an overall better product.
Word-of-mouth marketing can go a long way in your freelancing career. You'll be surprised by how many potential clients come your way as a referral from a previous client. But how can you ensure more people are referring you behind closed doors? Aside from delivering quality work on time, the next best thing you can do is maintain healthy personal relations. Keep communications professional and respectable; don't pick arguments or ghost your clients. While people remember your work, they also remember your personality and the energy you exude.
Finding freelance copywriting gigs can be just as thrilling. It's all about knowing where to look and leaving digital breadcrumbs for clients to find you. A few places on the web: Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer.com, LinkedIn ProFinder, and Behance.
Initially work for your neighbors and family businesses. As a beginner, you need a portfolio and that can be earned through surrounding only. There is a big difference between pdf/word,google doc as a portfolio and sharing living links as a portfolio. Anyone would prefer the latter only.
Be open. Your freelance gig could come from anywhere so make sure your personal brand is on point - always. In my experience, three of the top places to get freelance work are - Platforms (like online freelance platforms) - Recommendations (like word-of-mouth referrals from your past clients so keep a good relationship with them) - Pitching (sometimes you may need to put yourself out there so maintain a good online profile and prove your expertise) But before you get started, BUILD A STRONG PORTFOLIO. It's pointless to have a good LinkedIn presence, for example, but not be able to show off your previous work.