If you put the word freelance in front of any other word, it means one thing: you’ll be doing your own marketing. As a freelance copywriter, you can sit back and accept pennies for payment, or you can get out there and hustle market your services. Here’s a crash course on “marketing on steroids”:
1. Make your own luck
One of my favorite movie lines is delivered by the loathsome, yet successful, Cal Hockley in Titanic. “I make my own luck,” he sneers, as a shivering Rose watches from afar. I believe in this theory and know of some very famous people who subscribe to it as well. Lesson: you can’t sit around waiting for the phone to ring. There are websites where you can get a byline, which can serve as an online portfolio to showcase your talents. Sign up and start writing.
2. Be everywhere
Your light doesn’t belong under a bushel. Get online and prove your authority everywhere you can. If gardening is your area of expertise, Yahoo Answers and Quora should be on your daily hit list, along with gardening blogs and gardening forums. Answer questions. Ask questions. Link to your Google profile every time. Make your name show up whenever anyone types in a gardening keyword. The more your name is associated with your area of expertise, the more chances you’ll have at being paid to expound on it.
3. Get certified
As a freelance copywriter, you’re probably curious about things in general, and perhaps you’re a little bit knowledgeable about a lot of different things. But if you gain some credentials, you’ll find out a secret. Niche experts earn a lot more than generalists. Why not get certified in some areas that you’re especially interested in? When you do, you’ll find that people in need of experts in your field will be contacting you, instead of the other way around. There’s never been a better time to go back to school and earn actual credentials for the things you know. Even if you have to take time off writing to do so, the rewards can be worth it.
4. Shine a light on what matters most to you.
Don’t settle for being a cookie cutter. If all you’re selling is quality content, delivered on time, your competition is going to be fierce. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of freelance copywriters out there peddling the same thing. Make yourself unique by shining a light on the things that matter most to you. On your profile page, mention the fact that you won last year’s photography contest in your hometown, or that your home is a foster home for stray cats. Sharing personal interests helps to round out your page and helps potential clients see you as unique and individual.
As a freelance copywriter, you need to take the reins in marketing yourself and your services.
Kate S has been a professional freelance writer for over 25 years. If she gets an idea, she will want a pen and paper. If she gets a pen and paper, she will want a laptop. If she gets a laptop, she will write an article. If she writes an article, she will write a book. To be continued…
