Where do you copywriters find work?

Ron,

Do you currently have your own website to use as promotion?

If so, you could always start out with Adwords, Bing, Facebook, etc...

But I'd also recommend doing what I've done over the years... which is build a platform and put out amazing content for others. Put out the best info you can, and offer great advice, for free, wanting nothing in return.

You'll find that attraction marketing like that will bring forth prospects and clients who line up with your values.

Honestly, getting clients is no different than getting customers in ANY business.

You gotta market yourself, get the word out, and also produce results.

Once you start producing results... you'll find the work comes to you.

This is the key.

One thing, though: as you start out, sometimes it will seem like the whole world will want you to work for peanuts. I strongly advise sticking with your price once you've set it. The only possible exception that I take to that rule personally is if I want/need testimonials. Even then I don't work for free.

If you have a real skill, finding clients isn't hard. Just look to give value where you can, if you can afford to do so. Word of mouth is stronger than ever which suggests to me that sites like LinkedIn are a good place to start.

Calling businesses and agencies can work great. It's not much fun and is time consuming, but there's no faster way to get work. Sending out letters can also work really well (and uses your skills.)

I agree with Shawn too, setting up a website is a good idea. Bring traffic in with great content. This is a good longer term approach.

I've also been experimenting with landing pages and adwords for some new services I want to offer, and that's been working really well so far.

Do as much as you can to get leads, experiment, do great work, and before you know it you'll have more than enough to keep you busy and financially stable.

This forum is a great place to find work.

Ross

Marketing your copywriting services is no different than anything else.

You've gotta position yourself just right.

Who is your ideal client?

Blueprint your avatar.

Start talking with that person.

Create your own website and/or WSO - so you have a platform to have that conversation.

Drive traffic.

Test different messages.

I disagree that you need to produce results to get clients chasing you.

You don't.

If you know how to market yourself, you'll persuade prospects into believing you can do the same for them.

Of course, it goes without saying:

If you have some awesome results you can boast - that aren't NDA protected - pimp that shit out.

Mark

Thanks guys, I was sort of looking for a short answer, but I guess there isn't one! I don't have a personal website and I'm a 5-star writer on eLance, maybe I should just create a site and make that my main thing? Who knows, plenty of ideas to throw around!

Thanks again.

There is no stable environment to earn with your writing skills.

-- What do you mean you don't have a website? You are a professional writer, yes? Put up a Wordpress or an HTML site with your bio, samples, testimonials, a contact page, etc. Use the book, "Do The Web Write" as a guide. Look to other writer websites for template ideas. Don't know how to do it? Hire a Wordpress savvy Warrior to help you.

-- WF is the biggest marketing site on the Web. Open a WSO or Warriors for Hire ad. Change your Warrior sig to point to the ad. Use all the testimonials you can from Elance in the ad. Get involved more. Start posting. Look around the site. Post in sections you have expertise like Social Media or SEO. People will go to your ad and contact you for work, or something is wrong with your pitch. Rewrite it and go again.

-- Pick up the phone. Call the marketing directors at the top 1000 businesses in your town or province. Keep it simple. Here is a suggested script modified from Peter Bowerman's "The Well Fed Writer":

Good morning my name is ____________ and I'm a local freelance writer making contact with area banks (insurance companies, software firms, etc) to determine whether you have any current or occasional needs for a good freelance writer to help create marketing material: web copy, sales letters, emails, etc. Who might be the best person to talk with?

Of the marketing directors you call that use outside freelancers, only 5-10% will need someone in the next 90 days. You'll get assignments just finding them.

The other 90+% that might hire you will not need you until 90 days to 18 months from the day you call. You'll lose those sales unless you keep in contact with them over that time period. That means a call, postcard or letter a minimum of every 90 days.

Elance is great, but now you can leverage those ratings and testimonials into bigger and better clients, more returning clients, more interesting assignments, more money per order, more income per year and better seats at the (Canadiens/ Maple Leafs/ Canucks/ Fill in your favorite team) games.

Have you try promoting your services on craigslist or other classified ads sites? Craigslist is also a good source to find freelance jobs.

You can find work as a copywriter on forums and freelancers sites like odesk and the others.

Another way to find work is sites like iwriter and hirewriters..

Tried Craigslist, had a great little speech about how I was a 5-star writer, etc etc. No bites. I've got a 100% recommendation from everybody I've ever written for, and a lot of the money was repeat jobs. I guess I was just looking for a way to find new clients.

Thanks again guys! Cheers!

I noticed you say you're a five start writer, what does that mean? Are you specifically a copywriter or an article writer? That's a huge difference right there.

That being said if you're a copywriter, another place to see listings is at Copywriting Jobs - Direct Response Jobs (Someone started a thread about this a few weeks ago but I forgot who).

Many top guys will go to events to rustle up some business. Personally for me I spent a lot of time developing relationships with the right people. It's not overnight by any stretch, but it's well worth it in the long haul.

There are many ways to get clients...

helpful hints....

only work with people who already use copywriters...if you find yourself in a situation where you have to explain what a copy guy does...hang up the phone.

Clients love to feel that you understand their business/product, So if you have knowldege in some area, use it.

Build a list, of prospects.

ask for referals

decide who you want to work with and target them.

having results does really help...in my opinion.

Read Peter Bowerman's book.

Can I offer some important advice that's a few levels up from the actual work?

Jettison the mindset of lack and "competition" you're revealing above.

There's so much more money and work to go around than you realize... more than anyone can possibly manage all by themselves.

The best leads and work usually comes through referrals - from both clients and colleagues.

Some of the many talented writers who hang out and post here have gotten loads of leads, referrals and $,$$$ from me over the years. And that's a direct handing down of the help I've gotten from others when I was starting out. They get what I got - it's up to them to do with it what I did.

More importantly, trusted relationships develop. They know, and I know, we've got a group of talented people in our corners who believe in our abilities and are there to make sure we don't fall down the wrong rabbit holes (or help us dig our way out when we do).

So - what can you do - starting now - to become more useful to the folks who are getting the work you want?

Great informaion guys, I'm really soaking up some great stuff here. Just got a project from a client on eLance (a non-low baller!) and have $600 sitting in an escrow fund WAITING FOR ME!

I guess eLance isn't too bad, but I'm definitely going to be giving Craigslist another try.

Thanks everybody, appreciate it.

The question should not be where to find work
but how to find work. Market
yourself the way a normal business markets itself.
Don't get sucked into buying lots of ebooks and courses
which you don't need. Just find one really good one,
read it and follow the advice given.

I think Ryan Lee's post this morning can help a LOT of copywriters make the shift needed to land more gigs...

You Are a Marketer | Ryan Lee | Continuity Income | Internet Marketing

The only 2 things you need in this business to succeed... is continuous marketing and then trying to produce results. The rest will happen naturally if you put most of your time and effort into those first 2.

Hirewriters.com will hire plenty of writers.

I got my start locally. Check with local businesses, especially in high competition industries. See if they have use of your skills. You may not be able to charge much to start, it really depends on the business and the area, but you can build a portfolio pretty quick if you are persistent.