How To Network With The Right People?

[wanna-succeed]

Hi guys,
I am finding it very hard to get the amount of work I desire. I am a talented writer, and the people I have written for have written great reviews for me, however nothing seems to stick...
I wish to get to a position where I wont have to constantly publicize myself for a tiny job.
I know there are some very high-end writers in here, and I was hoping you could give me some advice on how to attract the right paying customers. I am confident in my abilities, however I am getting rather discouraged.
I can't blame the bad economy for this, right?

Hoping you can help me identify my strenghts & help me find the right places/strategies to promote them, in order to gain the most traction.

Thanks

[bareket57]

True success, which is lifelong, has to be steadily grown and cultivated. First of all set up your own website and invest in your blogging. This is the way to show the world what you can produce.
A blog, which has engaging and interesting content, can be monetized. Adsense and other types of ads will bring you fast & easy money. However in the long run if you want to build your reputation as a writer then keep your blog ad-free, because Adsense etc. makes a blog look cheap. You can monetize your blog by offering subscriptions, promote your freelance services and selling products.
It's important you choose a niche which you are passionate about and have expertise. Don't fall into the trap of doing SEO tests of what sells the most – slowly build up yourself as an expert in your field and you'll find long-term customers who are interested in your niche.

Good Luck!

[wanna-succeed]

Thank you bareket, but that's not exactly what I'm looking for.
Are you a content writer? Have you got any experience with specialized content writing? However positive you advice may be, it does not directly pertain to my questions above.

[BradCarroll]

It would help a lot if you would make a site--even just a Blogspot blog or Squidoo lens--that has more samples of your writing. Try articles from 3-5 different niches (include the weight loss and make money niches). And make sure you have a page that tells potential clients how to get in touch with you, and what your rates are. Then include it all in your forum signature!

I know that's not exactly a full lesson in marketing yourself--but I do believe it'll help. Clients really want to see some samples of your work, and they want to see it in more than one niche. You'll make yourself a lot more marketable if you can show good content in some of the larger niches/markets (make money, weight loss, relationship, get-out-of-debt...one or two that elude me at the moment).

[bareket57]

You asked:

Originally Posted by wanna-succeed

Hoping you can help me identify my strenghts & help me find the right places/strategies to promote them, in order to gain the most traction.

Thanks

What I was trying to say is that a blog is a freelance writer's portfolio where he can show potential customers what he's capable of. It's not customer reviews which will convince a buyer but examples of your work. The blog platform (especially Wordpress) makes it possible for a writer to "wrap" his text in a presentable and aesthetic manner. Many literacy studies have proven that when a text looks good in print or on the screen then it has a more favorable impact on the reader. I'm a certified librarian and I know about these things first hand.

[Danielle Lynn]

In my experience, high end customers almost always come seeking you. They come to you because they saw your work and liked what they saw, they come to you from referrals from happy clients, they come when they read your blog and like your style.

So what Brad and Bareket said holds very true. Stop what you're doing and set up a blog today. Right now. Don't wait a moment. I highly suggest investing in your business and dropping $10 for a domain, and $5/month for hosting. It's worth every penny.

It will make you look more credible and professional, and it will give your prospects a place to come and look at what you can do.

From there, put up a portfolio, write blog posts regularly, and direct them to your site.

Hope that helps.

[wcmylife]

@ WS - when you say you are a talented writer, it will help if you specify what you are talented at writing. You maybe great with content writing when it comes to health and fitness but you would probably suck at writing a case study on cloud computing or vice-versa. Once you know what niche you specialize in, you then need to position yourself in that niche so that people are aware of what you do....find your niche, narrow the market and build your brand - dream big but start small.

[Avesel]

Are you talking about finding clients? Well, I generally look at what type of objective reviews/praises/press someone has received as well as recommendations from people I trust. That's how I find my suppliers.
In terms of how someone might find you, are you dealing with local or international clients?
If the answer is international, I suggest writing ebooks so that people download them and remember your name. Start massively promoting your blog too.

If you answer local, then attend networking events (ideas: Chamber of Commerce, local YMCA, Toastmasters). You'll usually hit it off with one or two people and they might introduce you clients. Move on from there.

[Alex Cohen]

A "well optimized site that attracts a lot of organic traffic" is not a good long-term traffic generation strategy for a business. Search engine algorithms change frequently.

In the top 10 today perhaps, but who knows where it will be tomorrow.

Alex

[Paul.Estcott]

Originally Posted by wanna-succeed

Hi guys,
I am finding it very hard to get the amount of work I desire. I am a talented writer, and the people I have written for have written great reviews for me, however nothing seems to stick...
I wish to get to a position where I wont have to constantly publicize myself for a tiny job.
I know there are some very high-end writers in here, and I was hoping you could give me some advice on how to attract the right paying customers. I am confident in my abilities, however I am getting rather discouraged.
I can't blame the bad economy for this, right?

Hoping you can help me identify my strenghts & help me find the right places/strategies to promote them, in order to gain the most traction.

Thanks

My first question is: how much do you charge?

Well, in this industry is very important to know how to sell your services. As far as I can see you are telling that you have some clients but the do not return, is that correct? Do you have a strong quality control before delivering the articles? I mean, reading again the articles before sending to client, making some small proofing if necessarily.

Also, are you sending emails to your old clients from time to time? Asking feedback on latest articles or just saying hello. These are small important tricks to keep them close.

Good luck!!!

[Steve The Copywriter]

Your own website and blog is a good idea - but may take some time to get noticed.

Why not write your own "sales package" and send it directly to your target clients?

Choose your potential clients who'll be the most lucrative.

You can follow them up, by telephone, or if that's difficult for you, by letter.

If your promo is excellent (and make sure it is) - you may be surprised at the quality of the response - high levels of income, repeat business and referrals.

[bareket57]

Originally Posted by Paul.Estcott

My first question is: how much do you charge?

Take care not to undercharge because in the long run it will adversely affect your professional reputation. If a customer finds you to desperate for work he will automatically look at you as a second rate copywriter. And … if you offer services via fiverr then don't give more than 200 words for $5. It's important to present yourself as a top professional right from the beginning.

[bareket57]

Originally Posted by Alex Cohen

A "well optimized site that attracts a lot of organic traffic" is not a good long-term traffic generation strategy for a business. Search engine algorithms change frequently.

In the top 10 today perhaps, but who knows where it will be tomorrow.

Alex

I couldn't agree more! Take care not to compromise the quality of your written text for the sake of squeezing in a few more keywords. If you establish yourself as a top professional than customers will find your by word of mouth. Bottom line: publicity by word of mouth is the best SEO in the end.

[bareket57]

Originally Posted by Steve Copywriter

Your own website and blog is a good idea - but may take some time to get noticed.

Your own blog/website is essential!!! It's more important than your C.V. 99% of my customers hire me because of my blog posts and never ask for references or my C.V. If you apply for a copywriting job then it's important to be able to give the URL of you own blog – the prospective customer will see you in an entirely different light if you have your own blog.

[Steve The Copywriter]

...Ok Ok - it's essential ...(lol)

(my problem is - I know next to nothing about all the tech stuff in making a website work)

I have to say to all my clients - I'll be delighted to write the copy for websites - but you'll need an expert to do whatever has to be done to drive traffic to it.

[wanna-succeed]

Originally Posted by Paul.Estcott

My first question is: how much do you charge?

Well, in this industry is very important to know how to sell your services. As far as I can see you are telling that you have some clients but the do not return, is that correct? Do you have a strong quality control before delivering the articles? I mean, reading again the articles before sending to client, making some small proofing if necessarily.

Also, are you sending emails to your old clients from time to time? Asking feedback on latest articles or just saying hello. These are small important tricks to keep them close.

Good luck!!!

Yes to all of your questions.
And I charge between 10-15$ per article up to 500 words, although people tell me I should charge more. I guess I haven't really promoted myself too much.
I think that when I get back home (2 days), I will finally get a War Room membership and start a writing thread in the warriors for hire section.
I have 3-4 top reviews from very credible warriors in this forum. Hopefully I can generate some serious following through the thread.
Anyone know how much it costs to put up a thread in there?
I think I will charge 14-18$ per article up to 500 words, with an additional 4-5$ for every 100 words above.
One more question guys - Is it OK to say that prices may be going up soon?
I was told by people that I could easily charge 40$+ with a little more experience & improvement, however I was wondering if I could increase the price per article by around 5$ if I get many clients. Is this standard?