Marketing 101: Finding the Clients

We’ve already established that we’re not finding work online. Just get that idea out of your head right now. So, that begs the next question – where are we finding them? Well, er… online.

Let me clarify – we’re not finding jobs online anymore. But the clients are there, and they are waiting for us to locate them and convince them they need us.

But you shouldn’t charge willy-nilly online and choose just any random client. You need a game plan, a process by which you will locate that client and subsequently pitch to them. And you need to understand that online is not your only hunting ground – everywhere you go, everything you read, everything you overhear is a lead. So is your newspaper. So is your phone book. So is your Chamber of Commerce meet-and-greet.

I must say right here that if you decide upfront to special in a niche area, your search will be infinitely easier than if you decide general is the way to go. By this I mean find an industry or a pocket of an industry that has always interested you. Like shoes? Did you know there are associations, publications and conferences all dealing with shoes? These publications target the wholesalers and retailers, so you’ll need to rethink your approach. It’s not enough to love buying shoes – you have to want to know the trends in selling and in marketing them in order to specialize in them.

Some of you may be interested in trade writing, such as writing for sales professionals or real estate professionals. Start with the publications in the industry of your choice. Scan the online ads on that site, and look for the golden nugget – the Resource Guide. Most trade magazines have these supplements that list tons of advertisers – all of whom are vendors who may need a press release, a media kit, a white paper, etc., etc.

Still, if you want to market more generally (remember, I warned you), you can start with advertising and marketing agencies. It may help to start locally, as you can stop in on occasion and meet with the management or owner. It makes you a known entity rather than an expendable Internet contact. For those agencies that aren’t afraid to work with remote consultants, you could score work in nearly any city in the world.

If you’re looking for magazine work, there is no shortage of places to look. I keep a Writer’s Market subscription, but even WM doesn’t contain all the markets available. Try this handy trick: in your search engine, type the words “writer’s guidelines” or “editorial guidelines”. You’ll be surprised at how many markets exist that you’ve never heard of or considered.

If you’re willing to brainstorm and identify specific interests that you could turn into a client list, you’ll have no shortage of possibilities, and no shortage of potential work.

Tomorrow: The Approach