How Can More Clients Find Me?
By Pam Foster

Happy Wednesday!

I hope you’ve had a chance to check out the first two success questions you’ll want to be able to answer as a professional writer: 1. Who’s your ideal client? and 2. What do your clients expect from you?

Today’s question is probably THE most burning question in the freelance world today.

Question #3: How can I get more ideal clients to find me?

Notice that I didn’t ask, “How can I find more clients?”

A lot of copywriters ask that question, especially when starting out.

But your mission is to be FOUND by more of your ideal clients. Consider how wonderful it will be when new clients call you out of the blue instead of you spending precious time chasing after potential clients.

So what steps can you take to attract a steady pipeline of ideal clients to you?

First off, believe that MORE clients, not fewer clients, will find you when you offer writing services to a specific niche market.

I’m just one example of this truth. When people type “pet copywriter” or “pet seo” into Google … there I am.

But other niche writers do very well in Google search results, too, when a potential client types in “[niche market] writer” or “[niche market] copywriter”:

• Insurance Marketing – Insurance Copywriter (Heather Sloan)
• Aviation Marketing (Paula Williams)
• Fitness Copywriter (Nicola Joyce)

Clients also hear about me regularly through word of mouth. As the go-to “pet copywriter” for the industry, my name has gotten around.

So once you‘ve identified your chosen niche, use the following online marketing tools to begin marketing yourself to potential clients.

Tool #1: Your Website

Create a simple 5-page website (Home, About Me, Services, Samples, and Contact) with messages that tell prospective clients how you can solve their specific communications challenges. You can use WordPress, Weebly, or other free or inexpensive online software to create a site very easily.

• Home: What you offer to help clients succeed.
• About: Your background, experience, business memberships, etc. Everything that qualifies you as a skilled niche market resource. Make sure you list them with language that’s all about the benefits for potential clients, such as: “You can count on me to understand your target audience (eco-conscious consumers) because my family lives an eco-friendly lifestyle.”
• Services: Include information on the types of writing specialties you offer, such as web content, SEO, emails, case studies, white papers, emails, articles, ghostwriting, public relations, resumes, consulting, etc.
• Samples/Clients: Include relevant niche-focused samples. Don’t worry if you don’t have a big pile of samples. Clients rarely need to see more than 2 to 5 samples to feel you’re qualified to work on their niche projects.
• Contact: Make it easy for clients to reach you via phone and email! Invite them to connect with you on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter if you’re active on those social sites.

Tool #2: Your Blog

You can also start a blog that provides marketing tips for that industry.

Each week, write one or two blog posts that talk about marketing trends in your niche market, helpful ways your prospects can fine-tune their website messages or sales content, how to stand out from their competitors, how to start a dialogue with customers, etc.

Everything you learn through AWAI as a skilled writer is of interest to your niche market prospects. So educate them!

Tool #3: Your Alliances

Offer to partner with a web company, printer, graphic designer, or other resource that works within your niche market to provide a “full services” marketing package.

These partnerships can be a fruitful source of referrals for you. Several times a year, I get invited to bid on projects with my alliances.

Tool #4: Your LinkedIn Connections

Be sure to connect with everyone you know in your niche market via LinkedIn.com. It’s free, and it has been a very powerful source of work for me.

Plus, college friends, colleagues from past jobs, local business people you know … these can all be great referral sources for your business too. Connect with them and let them know what you’re doing these days!

Tool #5: The AWAI Jobs Board (DirectResponseJobs.com)

Each week, AWAI adds dozens of jobs for writers. These include full-time jobs and freelance projects in all kinds of niche markets.

Visit this site each week to see if anything is posted in your niche market. If so, go for it!

These are all simple ways to set yourself apart from all other writers so you can attract new clients on the web. AWAI has an extensive library of articles and programs to help you get up and running fairly quickly.

Once you dive in, you’ll soon be found by more clients for your writing services. And if you have any questions about finding a niche market that’s right for you, please post them below.