How to Find Your Next Client on DirectResponseJobs.com
I recently landed my third job through DirectResponseJobs.com (DRJ), AWAI’s member-only job board for freelance and full-time copywriting and graphic design jobs. And today I’m going to help you do the same thing.
When I first discovered DRJ shortly after last year’s Bootcamp, I admit I was a little skeptical. Can it really be this easy, I wondered?
Well, the answer is yes … and no.
Yes … because DRJ indeed brings clients who are in need of copywriting and graphic design services right to your doorstep through daily and weekly online postings. On any given day you’ll find a variety of jobs being offered for both freelance and full-time positions. Jobs offered might include complete website makeovers, email campaigns and simple landing pages, to direct-marketing booklets, magalogs, and other needs for print-based material.
Sounds like a virtual cornucopia of opportunity, doesn’t it? No cold calling, no handing out business cards at networking events. No asking for referrals. What could be easier? Heck, just shoot off responses and wait for the jobs to roll in, right?
Uh, no … it’s not quite that easy. But it is a simple process, and I’ll share with you what I’ve learned to substantially increase your potential to land those lucrative jobs.
Applying for a job on DRJ is not unlike walking into a job interview. You want to look your best, have some knowledge of the company you’re interviewing for, and be ready to offer constructive suggestions that will increase your perceived value to the organization.
The following recommendations are really born from common sense, but you’d be surprised at how many people lose their business acumen when it comes to e-communication.
Don’t make the same mistake. Follow these guidelines and I guarantee you’ll elevate your chances of success and be viewed as a professional rather than a “wannabe.”
Here are some things that will help you land that next job:
-
Follow the directions. If you’re going to apply for a job, follow the directions in the job posting to the letter. Sometimes they’ll request links to your work, and sometimes just a letter of inquiry. Sometimes they’ll request a specific writing sample … say, a two-paragraph landing page with a strong call-to-action. Whatever it is they’re looking for, that is what you must provide.
Remember, this will be their first indication of how well you follow instructions. If you blow it at this level, you can forget about getting a shot at the project or position.
-
Do your homework. Always review the client’s website prior to responding to the ad, and craft a brief comment on it in your inquiry letter. It shows them that you’ve taken a little time to learn about who they are and what they do.
If a company is looking for a writer to provide website copy, for example, you could make note of an existing headline on their home page and suggest how it might be strengthened by making it more urgent, useful, unique, or ultra-specific. (Ring a bell? It should … it’s AWAI’s “Four U’s” of building strong headlines!)
Also, if a contact name is provided, make sure you address your response accordingly. Your efforts will go a long way in showing the client you’re taking an active interest in them and not just shooting from the hip and hoping for the best.
-
Don’t be a pest. Email your interest in a position and move on. Remember, the number of responses they’re receiving may overwhelm the client. Give them some room to breathe. If they request additional samples or materials from you, provide them, along with a brief acknowledgement note, and let them take it from there.
More often than not, you won’t hear back from the person you responded to if the job was awarded to someone else. Don’t take it personally … it’s just the nature of the beast. Other times you might receive an email informing you of that disheartening piece of news. No biggie. When that happens simply respond by thanking them for their consideration and request that they keep your contact information on file for any future opportunities.
-
Be persistent. Look for new postings every day, and understand that most of the leads you follow up on will not turn into paying jobs. This is okay. You should be following up on more leads than you can handle anyway, because ultimately it’s a numbers game. Just keep applying to enough postings, and the work will eventually follow.
- Acknowledge the opportunity. Obviously, if a company is looking to fill a full-time, in-house position and you’re only looking for freelance work, don’t apply. But you now know that company has a need for the type of services you provide. Consider this to be a “golden nugget” of information for landing future work.
There’s no reason why you can’t contact the company and try to talk to the person who posted the ad on DRJ. Be honest with them … let them know you saw their ad, and although you’re unable to commit to a full-time, in-house position, you’d like to be considered on a freelance basis for the type of work that was posted. Offer to send in some samples for their review and ask if you can keep in touch with them every couple months or so.
I haven’t met anyone yet who denied this type of request. And sooner or later, when the company gets in a bind, you just may be the one they turn to for help!
Adhering to these guidelines will label you as a professional and eventually lead to paying gigs through DirectResponseJobs.com. All you need to do is be diligent, remain professional, keep honing your craft, and above all, have fun!
How to Land Clients in 21 Days with Just Your Computer
How do I land my first client? It’s a question every aspiring freelancer asks eventually. Now, there’s a proven system for landing clients that removes the guesswork. Best of all? No cold calling. Learn More »
“What routine? That for me is one of the joys of freelance copywriting – not being tied to a desk at certain hours of the day.”
If yes, you could be in big demand, earning big money, writing just a few hours a day from anywhere in the world you choose to be.
Get Nick Usborne’s step-by-step system for creating money-making information websites.
In just 6 hours and 35 minutes, you can be in business earning $60 – $150 an hour writing simple resumes.
Learn the secrets behind succeeding in this in-demand career.
The work is plentiful … the pay scales are generous and the competition is scarce!
Get the answers to the hundreds of questions and concerns commonly asked in specific, step-by-step details.
Use this eight-step plan to make the leap from aspiring copywriter to professional copywriter this year.
Let your fellow AWAI members show you firsthand the easiest, most powerful way to land your first client … BEFORE you finish the program.
Writing for the web is a huge opportunity for copywriters. Let web expert Nick Usborne show you how to write blockbuster web copy in record time … even if you're a complete internet “rookie”!
It’s an opportunity to make $50,000, $75,000, $100,000 a year or more … working just a few hours a day.
A once complicated profession is now something you can do on a standard computer – even if you have little or no “artistic” ability.
It’s one thing to have a website. But if your website can’t be found by the search engines, it may as well not exist.
The Internet creates new income possibilities every day. The biggest among them: online video marketing.
Get the very techniques top-performing copywriters use to rattle off one groundbreaking control after another.
In his new book, Michael Masterson teaches you his very own formula for powerful persuasion and how to apply it to direct mail sales letters as well as online promotions.
Guest, Leave a Reply
Please Note: Your comments will be visible by everyone.