First, you need to know that no one is going to laugh at you. Not clients, not writers here (if they do, I box their ears!). You write for Patch, so you have clips already. I get that they're not paid (or grossly underpaid), but so far Patch doesn't seem to have the same stigma as the content mills.

You ask a very broad question. All companies need something at some time. See? Tough to answer. I suggest this — since newsletters are your focus right now (things can and probably will change at some point), try reaching out to local companies. You already have the local writing experience (thanks to Patch), and you can put together some of your best articles in a portfolio and present them to potential clients.

Clients who need newsletter usually need one of two types — business-facing or customer-facing content. Let's use the example of an insurance agency. They need a newsletter for their customers to give them helpful advice, fun news, and to mention new products. They may also need a newsletter for their agents or for local businesses. For agents, they want to know how to sell more insurance, improve their customer service, get more training, etc. For businesses, they want to capture their commercial insurance business — maybe contractor business, for example.

They need you because they're not writers. Remember that. You have something they don't — concentrated skill in writing. Using the same insurance example, you wouldn't just buy insurance without thinking. Same with writing. They may want to or think they know how, but they lack either skill or time to do it.

Does that help?

I also find a lot of my initial ideas for whom to contact out of phone books — when I travel, I take a look at the yellow pages and copy out companies who do the kind of work in which I’m interested. And then I go back and write to them.

Someone I know always suggested including TWO copies of the business card (which is irrelevant if you include a Rolodex card). That way, they can keep one and hand one on to someone else on staff.

Devon Ellington
Ink in My Coffee
http://devonellington.wordpress.com