Two Of The Most Powerful Ways To Market Your Copywriting Services
Keywords: Copywriting, freelance, marketing, networking
I want to share with you the two most powerful marketing methods I’ve found for the copywriter. And they are (drum roll please)…direct mail and… networking!
In my coaching program I have my students go through an intensive 24-session web/mail marketing program that gets them the high quality leads they need for financial and professional success.
However, as one of my previous students recently reminded me, networking is also a very strong marketing tool.
In fact, it was networking that got me my first clients, and it was direct mail that got me the right clients during the second phase of my freelance career.
Here’s what you need to know about networking…
Rule number one: Avoid the Chamber of Commerce!
Almost every copywriter I know (including me), automatically puts the Chamber of Commerce on the short list of good places to network. And almost every copywriter (myself included), is disappointed with the results.
Now I’m not saying the local Chamber is always a losing proposition; I have one past student who said Chamber networking paid off for him, but 99 percent of the copywriters I talk with agree the businesses found there are just too small (and usually clueless about direct marketing).
What’s more, the Chamber is comprised of many types of business, so niching is not possible.
It is much better to go to events and meetings that focus on marketing, like those of a local Direct Marketing Association and American Marketing Association. This is where you’ll find marketing directors, direct marketers, and marketing-related vendors likely to have a high interest in copywriting services.
When I first started my freelance career I joined the Oregon Direct Marketing Association and took every opportunity I could to get my name known.
I wrote the newsletter (and placed a free ad in the classifieds); I wrote the press releases and I accepted responsibilities for putting on the yearly conference. I even gave a speech on the proper elements of a good sales letter. And I put myself on the board.
All of this led to my first freelance clients: mini-cataloger and manufacturer Stash Tea, LawnPro, a small landscape maintenance firm, and an ad agency that locked me in a tiny room on site, as though to prevent me from making a personal call on their dime. Not the best clients, but it gave me my start.
Over the years, technology has made niche marketing the smart way to go, and for that reason I also highly recommend that you seek groups, organizations, trade shows, and associations that pertain to your niche.
Another one of my current students is niching into a very specialized area of the alternative health field. Within her unique niche she’s found huge trade shows she can attend, and is now making calls to vendors to introduce herself and let them know she’ll be stopping by their booth. The positive response she’s been getting has us both very excited!
Many copywriters find it difficult to network simply because they live remotely. For them, I like to point out online alternatives.
For instance, as a specialist in software who lives in California’s remote Palm Desert (near Palm Springs), I must seek online opportunities to network.
To this end I’ve participated in marketing forums on SoftwareCEO, a popular site for software execs. And I’ve also written articles for its newsletter.
I can report that networking on SoftwareCEO has paid off nicely, as a large chunk of last year’s income came from a client who saw my name there.
Online networking has another plus, and that’s that it’s an especially attractive route to take if you’re shy and have a difficult time of meeting people.
With online networking, all you have to do is answer a question, provide an opinion, or share a resource. It takes just a few minutes, you don’t have to dress up, or travel anywhere, and it doesn’t cost a thing!
In summary, there are many ways for copywriters to market themselves. Public speaking, writing articles, cold calling, running ads, and so on.
But most copywriters have neither the time nor the finances for multiple marketing efforts; most pick one or two methods that appeal to them, and work hard at making them effective.
One thing is sure: I wouldn’t be where I am now without networking. I found my copywriting mentor via networking and he taught me everything he knew.
With networking I made the connections that got me an agency job that changed the course of my career…and my life.
Reflecting on what networking has done for my career, I must wholeheartedly encourage my ambitious freelance friends to take advantage of its benefits.
I’ve often thought that in any business, it’s the people who make things happen. With networking, you can capitalize on this truism.
You can develop relationships that last a lifetime…gain experiences that greatly impact your career…and enjoy rewards far beyond your initial imagination.
I encourage you to find networking opportunities, both online and off. Network consistently and I guarantee that when you’re “fat and happy,” you’ll attribute some of your success to networking.
Master copywriter and coach Chris Marlow publishes a free ezine for copywriters who want to quickly build a profitable business. Visit:
www.FreelancersBusinessBulletin.com
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Find Out Where The High-Paying Freelance Copywriting Jobs Are (1)
Absolutely. But once you have the utmost confidence in your knowledge and talents, and if you trust the company implicitly (a nailed down contract is essential for any job, no matter who they are or what they pay)...then you can do a little "gambling" and increase your potential for income, to say nothing of "upping the excitement." Award-winning copywriter Chris Marlow publishes a free newsletter for freelancers who want to build a successful business.
How Copywriters Can Cultivate Quality Clients By Creating Powerful Newsletters (2)
Assuming you've decided on your newsletter's area of expertise, it's now time to build a title with strong elements...elements that will select your audience, reveal your positioning, and offer a benefit.
Two Powerful Tools Copywriters Can Use To Increase Their Productivity - And Profits! (3)
This forces me to put aside the fun but less important jobs, to focus on the most lucrative. My Daily Schedule also has two columns: the left hand column is for "Task"; the right hand column is for "Activity." The Task column shows what I should be doing at any appointed time.
How To Increase Your Copywriting Success (4)
There are some methods you can use and sources you can tap, and I reveal a few of the best here. However, It always boils down to looking in the right places for your particular specialty.
How To Easily Boost Your Productivity - And Your Income! (5)
It's ironic, to be sure. And as you strive for higher and higher income and greater and greater success, you'll realize that neither will come without strict time discipline on your part.
What Is Your Unique Selling Proposition? You're Leaving Money On The Table If You Don't Have One... (6)
Can you? There are many ways to differentiate yourself from the competition. I trade on my agency experience and "big name" clients. When I help my coaching students discover their Unique Selling Proposition, we start with a review of their experience and successes.
Eight Affiliate Internet Marketing Tips For Newbies (7)
Getting your website out their is the key to making money. If people are not seeing your business, they will not sign up. You can't just place one ad, and expect your business to be a success.
How To Deal With A Difficult Customer (8)
Even if you know for a certainty that he's wrong, begin by using diplomacy so that your customer can 'save face' if he's proven wrong. If he feels humiliated, you've probably lost any chance for future business with him.
Business Internet Marketing: Online Attention With Offline Techniques (9)
Once you determine what type of meetings are being held, inquire as to the subject of the meetings so that you can target those groups who will readily accept your presentation.
Spyware Programs Are Out To Get You (10)
The US net provider EarthLink said it uncovered an average of 28 spyware programs on each PC scanned during the first three months of the year. There are currently over 38,000 spyware and adware programs that are infecting innocent Internet users such as yourself through downloadable games, music, screensavers, pictures, pop-ups, emails, and the list goes on and on.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Where To Find The Best Copywriting Clients (1)
Now that's all I need to know in order to "qualify them" for my list. However, if you wanted to go deeper, you'd learn that Mountain Home Nutritionals doesn't mail the same package over and over; rather, it appears they test offers, as well as certain products.
How To Get 50% Of Your Freelance Fee Up Front -And A Whole Lot More! (2)
However, once they've received their copy, there is no incentive the rush the check. So I send a final Invoice "due and payable upon receipt," instructing the payment to be sent via regular mail.
Conquering Insecurity: Every Copywriter's Hobgoblin (3)
And I guess because of my own enthusiasm, so did my clients. Most of my early clients were small business, and it may be that they weren't that sophisticated either.
How Important Is It For Copywriters To Have An Agency Quality Website? (4)
This means that the copywriter should offer the art director some level of direction on look and feel (without overstepping bounds, of course). A clean, well-organized website that exhibits a "professional finish" will offer a sophisticated client some level of assurance that contacting you will not be a waste of their time.
Understanding Auto Depreciation - What The Salesman Won’t Tell You (5)
The standard rate of depreciation of automobiles in the U.S. market can be estimated at around 15-20% of the car’s value the prior year. A 1 year old car will be worth around 80-85% of the original cost, a 4 year old car will be worth around 80-85% of the 3rd year value, etc.
The Biggest Lie Potential Clients Will Tell A Copywriter (6)
WITH the Fee Agreement stipulation, I felt good about the ten percent discount because it was a fair negotiation in which both parties fulfilled their obligations. And it brought me a lot of work toward the end of 2004 that may have come to me sometime in 2005...or quite possibly never.
What Copywriters Can Do With Good Work That Was Never Used (7)
Keywords: copywriting, freelance, marketing, lead generation, website Freelancers who are trying to build their portfolios occasionally asked me, "What can I do with good work that was never used?" The good news is, you should use it in your portfolio, if it's work you're proud of.
How Copywriters Can Bounce Back After A Client Messes Up A Direct Marketing Campaign (8)
It doesn't cost us anything more." When the campaign pulled a 0.7% response rate, the marketing director was disappointed. But when I reviewed the campaign from beginning to end and wrote up my analysis, we were all reminded that the number one objective of the campaign was awareness; any response would be gravy.
Specialty Copywriting: How To Select The Right Niche Market For You (9)
By looking at David's unique interests, talents, and background, we determined that he should niche more deeply than just "publications." Today David is building a unique business as the copywriter for publishers, marketers, and organizations that sell fine foods, wines, and entertaining.
How To Price A Job Correctly Even When You're Totally Stumped (10)
When the client sees all that copy representing what I'm going to do for him, he's less resistant about price. Master copywriter and coach Chris Marlow publishes a free ezine for copywriters who want to quickly build a profitable business.
Permalink to Two Of The Most Powerful Ways To Market Your Copywriting Services