Comments on: More on Finding Work

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:19:58 +0000

Allena, I don't see anything wrong with subbing the work as long as the clients know they have a team working on their projects. Beyond that, it is easy to be safe – hire people you know and trust, for one. And make sure the deadlines are long so you can regroup if need be. Am I close? 🙂

By: allena

allena — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:22:06 +0000

So as not to discourage newbies, the 100K is gross to date not net to date :)

Thanks for the link.

I have found a lot of work using my resume, so I agree with that and am not apt to change it.

I did have a debate with a person at About.com who said he'd never take large writing contracts and sub them out to a team, whereas, that's where I've made about 70K of this year (writing AND translation). I can understand the feeling of loss of control, but the profit is just worth it, and there are ways to be very safe about the practice.

By: Lori

Lori — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:06:14 +0000

Ashley, I won't say it's THE way to go – it's one way to go. If your current approach doesn't net any results, try a media kit. If that doesn't work, try something else. The main thing about a marketing approach is being willing to try different things at different times. For a long time, my emailed magazine queries were totally ignored. Then later this year, they're hitting at an almost-perfect rate. It just depends on who's listening and when.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:55:59 +0000

This is a great post. Many of your tips are things I've been doing — approaching businesses with what I can do to help them improve. I've been using email, though. Do you think a snail mailed media kit is the way to go? I hear many differing opinions – email, calling, mailing. I guess the trick is to do a variety and see which works best.

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:55:17 +0000

Kim, I have to agree! Corporate levels of bureaucracy are often ridiculously difficult.

By: Kimberly Ben

Kimberly Ben — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:51:35 +0000

This post and discussion are really important for emerging freelancers and those who feel "stuck" in their businesses.

@ Devon: I also like working with smaller businesses and associations. Corporate clients tend to involve so many layers of bureaucracy to arrive at a seemingly simple decision that it's positively maddening!

@ Lori: I have a media kit, but yours is much more complete than the one I send out. Great ideas as
usual.

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:40:56 +0000

Let me rephrase, Eileen – I include a list of my published works with links. You're right – resume isn't the right word there.

Actually, I've found that there are companies that don't have press releases because they don't know how to put them together. A current client has hired me to put out their first releases. And they're paying my rate without question. Much of the time (not all of it – I've run into the very thing you talk about) they do value it, but again, don't know where to turn for help.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:15:48 +0000

If you specialize, get the industry's trade publication(s). That will give you plenty of leads for potential clients. Bob Bly suggests you target every company in the trade pub that has a full page ad - they're the ones who can afford to hire you.

I build my lists by hand, make a phone call to get the right name to send to, and send lumpy mail with a soft offer (a free report). I haven't had to do this in 3 years, because my last go-round was so successful.

I do have two philosophical differences with you, however, Lori. You wrote: "Look at their news releases, publications, etc. Do they have any? No? Then you've just found a potential client." I believe the opposite to be true. Your greatest chance of landing work is from someone who already understands the value of good copy and uses it currently. It's much harder to educate someone and sell them on the idea from the beginning.

Also, you include a resume in your media kit. I'm of the mindset that resumes are for people who want to be hired as an employee. We aren't employees, we're consultants. That's why I use a bio instead of a resume. It's a nuance of positioning that, in my mind, can make all the difference in a client's perception of me.

If there were one thing I wish new freelancers could understand, it's how much copywriting work there really is out there. Yes, you have to sell yourself, but there are enough good clients out there who value what a good copywriter brings to the table to keep us all busy for centuries to come.

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:07:28 +0000

Mine aren't the typical corporate clients either, Devon. I had a few, but mostly my clients are smaller groups, associations, and small businesses. I don't have too many individual clients, though I am working on one right now (remember the man at the restaurant?).

I like associations. So far. The one I'm working with is a great group, so my experience is tainted by that.

By: Devon Ellington

Devon Ellington — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:17:13 +0000

I tend to stay away from a lot of the corporate-type clients and leave that to those who enjoy the work. My clients are usually small businesses and non-profits, like museums and historical societies. Yeah, the budgets are smaller, but I enjoy the work. I can still get a good rate and have a good experience.

If I'm enthusiastic about the company, I can enthusiastically communicate that to other potential clients.