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How do you target clients? How do you approach them?

by The Copy Warriors
13 replies
Okay, I know a lot of people on here are internet marketers who want to learn copywriting to promote their own business.

This thread is for people who make a living through copywriting.

I've been doing some copywriting work online (through one of the freelancing sites), and I'm only getting RAVE reviews from clients.

In fact, the reviews I'm getting have been so good that I'm starting to think that I should start targeting bigger institutional clients who can afford to pay better money. If the people I'm working with now are so amazed with the work I'm doing for them, I almost suspect I'm selling myself a little bit short.

So I think I've got enough samples under my belt now to start targeting bigger clients outside of the systems I work in now.

My question to seasoned copywriters is, how do you target them?

I have heard the advice, "take an established business' copy, rewrite it, and tell them what you'd do differently."

The thing is though, if I just did that with every business in town, I'd waste a lot of energy writing up hundreds of unpaid samples that go nowhere.

So I'm assuming that in order to follow the "take sample, rewrite, approach potential client" formula, you need to know a thing or two about how to identify the types of clients who are likely to need your services.

So how is it that you identify these types of businesses? Are particular types of businesses especially likely to hire a copywriter? If so, which ones? Once you know which businesses you want to target, how do you approach them?

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies,

andy
#approach #clients #target
  • Profile picture of the author KingOfContentMarketing
    Here are some resources:

    http://www.warriorforum.com/copywrit...right-now.html

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    Yes, You CAN Build a Super-Profitable Copywriting Business! | MakepeaceTotalPackage.com

    Yes, You CAN Build a Super-Profitable Copywriting Business Part II | MakepeaceTotalPackage.com

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    • Profile picture of the author ThomasOMalley
      I highly recommend you read Steve Slaunwhite's How to Start and Run a Copywriting Business and the Wealthy Freelancer.

      Both books give you excellent info. on targeting your prospects and how to market to attract clients.
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      • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
        Look at the usage reports published by list brokers in the category (niche) you want to write copy for. A usage report shows what companies have bought a particular list. Those companies hire copywriters.

        Alex
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        • Profile picture of the author MikeHumphreys
          Andy,

          There's one question that you're not asking. How do you want to get the types of clients you want?

          Do you want to find them through networking? Direct mail? Blogging? Pay-per-click? Referral Systems?

          All of these methods (and more) work IF you use correctly.

          Identify what your marketing, networking, and salesmanship strengths are and then play to them.

          The other thing is, don't treat your business marketing as an intermittent thing. You need to market your copywriting business on a consistent regular basis.

          Best of luck,

          Mike
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          Kickstart Your Copywriting Business: How To Get Loads of New Clients FAST!

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          • Profile picture of the author The Copy Warriors
            Originally Posted by MikeHumphreys View Post

            Andy,

            There's one question that you're not asking. How do you want to get the types of clients you want?

            Do you want to find them through networking? Direct mail? Blogging? Pay-per-click? Referral Systems?

            All of these methods (and more) work IF you use correctly.

            Identify what your marketing, networking, and salesmanship strengths are and then play to them.

            The other thing is, don't treat your business marketing as an intermittent thing. You need to market your copywriting business on a consistent regular basis.

            Best of luck,

            Mike
            right now I'm focusing on a combination of freelancing sites, networking and blogging. can't afford PPC.
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            • Profile picture of the author MikeHumphreys
              Originally Posted by Andy Button View Post

              right now I'm focusing on a combination of freelancing sites, networking and blogging. can't afford PPC.
              I've had good luck getting great clients through all of those methods.

              My experiences with freelancing sites is it's mostly non-institutional clients looking for copywriters there. A lot of the major mailers I've talked to are reluctant to take a chance on an inexperienced or cheap copywriter. They may not want to spend $100K to hire a Bencivenga or Kennedy level copywriter either but they want to feel confident that they're making a wise decision to hire a freelance copywriter instead of moving the assignment over to one of their in-house copywriters.

              Without seeing your work, I don't know if you're ready to go after "big fish" clients or not yet.

              What I do know is that marketing managers/directors frequently talk with each other. If a marketing manager hired a freelance copywriter that kicked a$$, then they're likely to mention to a business friend who needs a copywriter. I've gotten referrals this way myself.

              On the other hand, if a marketing manager hires a freelance copywriter who delivers bad copy or is a complete nightmare to deal with, then that copywriter is pretty much blackballed for life. I've had a marketing manager tell me her company had this "One Strike" policy before I ever agreed to take on their project.

              So my advice is to think more long-term. Don't worry about landing big fish clients.

              Keep honing your chops and focus on picking up high-quality client projects, regardless of the size of the client's business. Focus on finding projects that are positioned to succeed before you write a word of copy.

              For example, it's always better to work with a client who has strong marketing skills or strong marketing people in place already because you won't need to teach them marketing as part of the entire project. You'll be able to focus on working together as a team (with you delivering the great sales copy) to create a winner for your client instead.

              Build upon your successes and before you know it, the "bigger fish" clients will seek you out. Some of my best-known clients are ones who sought me out or found me through their own research or networking efforts.

              Anyways, gotta run.

              That's what has worked for me to date and I believe it could work for you as well.

              Take care,

              Mike
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    • Profile picture of the author The Copy Warriors
      Originally Posted by Joe Ditzel View Post

      here are some resources
      THANK YOU!!!
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  • Profile picture of the author max5ty
    Why do those starting out as a copywriter want someone else to foot the bill for their experience?

    Sell your own product.

    Go online and look for something wholesale where they'll drop ship it...go to a local wholesale store like odd lots and buy up a product to sell.

    Write your own campaign.

    Make a small fortune.

    Gives you a heck of a resume...
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  • Profile picture of the author abugah
    Here is what I would do:
    1. Decide on the niche to specialize. It makes sense to stick to one industry. You will master it faster and get more respect.
    2. Make a list of twenty or thirty industry top players in your niche and join their mailing lists. This will give you the best education. You will regularly receive copy written by other top copywriters who are paid top dollars. I guess these are the copywriters you want to ‘topple’.
    3. Find out the people who hire. This takes time, be patient. The people who hire are always looking out for copywriters who can bring a different approach and will be ready to pay attention.
    4. Write a sales letter to the people who hire selling yourself. You can do it the Gary Halbert style of attaching a dollar or anything that attracts attention. I mean you are copywriter and can persuade anyone. By the way, snail mail is better than email.
    5. Analyze your response rates. Refine your pitch and send more letters. I see no reason why you cannot get your dream position.

    Meanwhile, read all those resources Joe Ditzel has recommended above.

    Perhaps if you have the money, pay one of the top copywriters to mentor you. I think it is anything from $3500 non-refundable. There few who have time to mentor, but if you search hard enough, you will get.

    Last word of advice…

    Rewriting letters that are not paid for is not a waste of time. It is a way of improving your writing and this is priceless.
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  • Profile picture of the author vivi62
    I think Max5ty has some good ideas or you could just concentrate on list building techniques after all the money is always in the list,personally I created a list of 300 in 3 weeks.
    Best wishes
    vivi62
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    I've gotten some decent work though elance. The key there is to keep filling the funnel with new proposals, and only bidding on projects:

    * of high value
    * posted by clients with a good award ratio (ie. they award a minimum of 40%--if I like the job--and typically 60% or higher of the jobs they post)
    * and by clients who have proven that they like to buy online (by purchasing $5000 or more through the system).

    Using these criteria, I typically win one $1000+ project a month and don't waste my time competing for $50 against the horde of unskilled writers.

    However, I get more and even higher-paying work by establishing myself as a knowledgeable person in a visible area with a lot of traffic. Then people approach me privately, with no competition; and that's the way I like it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel Scott
    To add to what Mike said...

    Don't ask how YOU can find the clients you want...

    Ask yourself what you can do so the clients you want come to you.

    In my experience this is a very referral-based industry... the best clients I've had come from referrals.

    Get really really good, then prove to everyone how badass you are. If you can do that, you won't have problems finding clients.

    -Daniel
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    Always looking for badass direct-response copywriters. PM me if we don't know each other and you're looking for work.

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  • Profile picture of the author Increase Media
    Daniel and Mike are correct. Get people to come to you. Referrals is usually an automatic sale simply because the person takes the word of a friend.

    However, if you need help getting clients to begin with, start off getting the names and addresses of businesses who have recently filed for a business license. This is usually published for free at most community newspapers. More than likely if the business filed for a business license, they'll need content, web design, etc.

    Contact them, do good work for them to build a good relationship and a referral is almost sure to come.
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