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Where to Get Clients for Copywriting/Proofreading/Ghostwriting?

by WCman1976
6 replies
Hi everyone,

I have been doing freelance work via Fiverr and Upwork that has included a mix of ghostwriting novels and screenplays, proofreading/editing, and copywriting (usually in the form of 100-300 word product descriptions), as well as writing articles. (I currently have a recurring gig writing martial arts articles for a new site called Playrs Club.)

I would like to strike out on my own so that, instead of getting paid the WAY below market rates found on Fiverr and Upwork, I can earn enough to make an actual living at this...or at least, a point where I can earn enough income to not need to do two jobs or work overtime at my day job.

A lot of the courses I have read out there on this topic are ridiculously vague when it comes to how you can land clients willing to pay the big bucks. Does anyone have any advice/tips/guidance? Thank you!
#clients #copywriting #editing #ghostwriting
  • Profile picture of the author 1Bryan
    Originally Posted by WCman1976 View Post

    A lot of the courses I have read out there on this topic are ridiculously vague when it comes to how you can land clients willing to pay the big bucks. Does anyone have any advice/tips/guidance? Thank you!
    There's a reason for that. It's easy to learn about the mechanics of copywriting and then crown yourself a guru with an ebook or course for sale. Harder to actually get and maintain client relationships. So most just do the easy thing - they go right to being a guru without much real in-the-field experience.

    That said, the easiest way is an oldie but a goodie ...

    Go directly to the folks you want to write for.

    And DON'T make it any more complicated than that.

    Anything more complicated than that?

    Ain't it.

    It really is THAT simple.

    The only thing blocking you from writing for whomever you'd like to write for -

    Is trying to make it any more complicated than going DIRECT.



    (Just don't limit yourself to ONE single dream client. Give yourself some odds.)
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Agreed with Bryan.

    Make your own list.

    By going through freelancing sites all you do is turn yourself into a commodity.

    By creating your own target market, you'll probably find you're the only writer contacting them. Pretty straightforward to stand out when you're doing that.

    I've answered this question before, and if you're looking for the 'Easy' button and feel you don't have to do any work to land these clients, then you won't get them.

    http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...riter-how.html

    I also interviewed Bob Bly:

    http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...d-clients.html

    And this is my warning for newbies:

    http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...pywriters.html
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    • Profile picture of the author WCman1976
      Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan View Post

      Agreed with Bryan.

      Make your own list.

      By going through freelancing sites all you do is turn yourself into a commodity.

      By creating your own target market, you'll probably find you're the only writer contacting them. Pretty straightforward to stand out when you're doing that.

      I've answered this question before, and if you're looking for the 'Easy' button and feel you don't have to do any work to land these clients, then you won't get them.

      http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...riter-how.html

      I also interviewed Bob Bly:

      http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...d-clients.html

      And this is my warning for newbies:

      http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...pywriters.html
      Well, I DO know I have to work to get them. What I did not know was where to go, how to search for them. "The internet" is obviously one answer, but I have been having a hard time figuring out exactly where the clients lie on the world wide web.

      Thank you for the links to the articles. I will be taking notes on them shortly.
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      • Profile picture of the author angiecolee
        Originally Posted by WCman1976 View Post

        Well, I DO know I have to work to get them. What I did not know was where to go, how to search for them. "The internet" is obviously one answer, but I have been having a hard time figuring out exactly where the clients lie on the world wide web.

        Thank you for the links to the articles. I will be taking notes on them shortly.
        I think you're making it more complicated than it has to be.

        Bryan's advocating keeping it simple. And it involves making hard decisions. Which companies do you like? Who do you wan to work with? What kinds of copy do you want to write?

        Then you literally take the list of companies you think you'd like to work with (because they could be horrible jerks or any number of reasons you would NOT want to work with them, but you don't know until you reach out), and you make phone calls, send emails, and get yourself to networking events to figure out who you need to talk to in order to get work. Build a relationship from there. Constantly remind them you're a valuable asset.

        Think of it this way:

        You're a job searcher. You could spend a lot of time firing off resumes to every job even remotely related to what you want to do, trying to get a foot in the door. It takes a lot of time, especially altering the cover letters to be job specific. It's very passive - you wait for people to find you valuable and reach out to you.

        OR

        You make a target list of jobs you want to do at companies you like. You figure out who makes hiring decisions and go about trying to develop a relationship with only those people. It takes a lot of time, because relationships don't happen overnight. It's very active, because you're diligently pursuing work with places you find exciting.

        Which one do you think is going to be the most enticing job offer? The one you blindly fired at? Or the one you took time to tailor and learn more about?

        The answer really is that potential clients are all around you. I even met one on a date once. You have to go find them, or accept status as a commodity on sites like eLance and Guru.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
    Originally Posted by WCman1976 View Post


    A lot of the courses I have read out there on this topic are ridiculously vague when it comes to how you can land clients willing to pay the big bucks. Does anyone have any advice/tips/guidance? Thank you!
    One of the replies said, "Go direct". Duh, that's a big help. Not.

    Another reply suggested compiling a list of companies and contacting them. That won't work if you're inexperienced and have no formal copywriting training.

    IMO, your best bet is to use social media.,, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter. Each one has groups (Twitter has lists) of people which include buyers of copywriting work.

    There are free methods you can use which essentially boil down to establishing credibility through posting valuable content. Or you can buy ads on each platform.

    Search the WSO section here... no doubt there are courses which teach how to get leads from each of the social media sites I listed above.

    Make sure any course you buy includes tips on positioning... very important when you're first staring out as a copywriter.

    Alex
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    • Profile picture of the author 1Bryan
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  • Profile picture of the author Halukcan Buzz
    Can you send me one sample of your previous copywriting work? It would be greated it is a clickbank product!
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