How to get freelance writing jobs and freelance copywriting clients are two of the biggest questions asked in the copywriting industry.
Since you are reading this, I’ll bet you are dying to know the best places to find gigs like this.
Copywriting is an art, and so is getting freelance copywriting jobs.
Since I’ve already covered how to acquire clients in a previous post, I will show you how to get freelance writing jobs in this one.
So, dive in because there are a lot of opportunities for you to make money.
Craigslist – An OK Place to Start Looking for Freelance Writing Jobs
Craigslist is one of the sites I used when I started freelance copywriting. One of the reasons why it is a good place for a junior copywriter to start is that it is hard.
Yeah, you read that right. It is hard, and you should start there.
Why?
There are a lot of writers on Craigslist looking for freelance writing jobs, making it competitive. If you get your first clients from there, other job sites will seem easy.
Usually, you will not make much money with these listings, but there are exceptions.
If you land a few cheap-assed writing gigs from CL, you will gain valuable experience from them. You will be able to build your portfolio and get testimonials.
And that is a good thing, right?
How to Find CL Writing Gigs
When you first jump onto Craigslist, you’ll see a search box. You will need to choose a state to do your search in. Each state will have a listing of the major cities in those states for you to choose from.
Click on the cities and scroll through the headings. On the bottom left of the page, you will find a section called Gigs. Under that, you will see a link labeled Writers.
Usually, you’ll find a long listing, but don’t get too excited. Craigslist allows the same people to list the same ads every day. Some people list the same gigs constantly, so look at the dates.
I found this same writing gig posted in every city on Craigslist:
Craigslist Has a Lot of BS
If you see the same brief ads listed constantly, that should be a red flag. There are all sorts of scammers on CL, and you need to be careful.
They will hire you and tell you to rewrite and rewrite your copy. They are repurposing them for different sites, so you are writing your ass off for them.
By the time you finish the contract, you’ve written fifty 100-word posts for $100.
Also, they might be advertising writing services on a site like Fiverr and subcontracting you to do it for them.
Don’t fall for this.
What you need to do is look for the right kind of listings on Craigslist.
How to Locate Good Copywriting Jobs on Craigslist
Cities in rural states like Kansas have few listings for copywriters. So, you should perform searches in places like Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, etc.
These are the areas that have businesses that are always looking for writers.
Once you target the best cities, look for posted gigs on CL that are very detailed.
Here is an example of what I mean:
Once you get used to bouncing around Craigslist and learn how to use it, the process will get easier but don’t get too comfortable.
Craigslist is usually for bargain-basement patrons, and you may start thinking this is the only money you can make. Like the ad above, not everyone is looking for cheap help, but most are.
I once had a guy who lost his mattress company to his ex-wife.
As it turns out, he wanted me to work for nothing until he got back on his feet.
“Sorry,” I told him, “I’m not gonna do it.”
If he has the money to pay for his cell phone carrier, he has the money to pay me.
My advice – do not take a pee without getting paid.
Also, if the same person wants you to do more work for them once you finish a project, raise your rates by 15%.
The Pros and Cons of Using Craigslist
Pros:
- You can get your feet wet
- Easy to apply for jobs
- You will learn how to deal with a wide variety of clients
Cons:
- Lots of potential scammers
- Very competitive
- You may get used to finding cheap jobs
- Vast pages to filter through
- Non-marketers who do not know what they are doing
My opinion: Get your first clients on Craigslist and get out as soon as you have some portfolio pieces and experience working with clients.
Upwork A Place to Learn How to Be Professional
Upwork was another site I used to get my first clients. It is an online platform that hooks up businesses with freelancers.
It is a great place to get started, but because it is a global business, it is very competitive.
The way it works is simple; companies post jobs, and freelancers bid on these jobs against other freelancers in their industry.
Over the years, Upwork has become very structured, and you will have to register and get an account to get gigs writing the clients who use them.
A junior copywriter going through the process of pitching clients on their platform can help you land your first pro-level copywriting gigs.
Attracting Clients on Upwork
Having an Upwork profile is a lot like having a LinkedIn profile because you have to build a professional-looking one to attract clients to your offers.
Of course, you will need a profile that explains why a business would hire you over other copywriters in your niche.
While crafting the section of your profile, list all applicable skills and how you can use them to help clients achieve their business goals.
Like LinkedIn, Upwork has tests you can take to verify that you know your craft. So, if you want to brag about your SEO skills to write blog posts, you can take one of Upwork’s SEO tests to certify it.
For someone just starting in copywriting, you may find Upwork intimidating because of all the hoops you have to jump through to get started.
You will need some writing samples available for prospective clients who will ask you for them, and if you don’t have any, you will need to write some for the category you are trying to approach.
You do not want to have writing samples as an email copywriter and approach businesses that need blog posts written. It would be a good idea to ensure that whatever category of copywriting you pitch to clients, your samples will match them.
One Problem with Upwork
The clients you will be working with on Upwork are not yours; they belong to Upwork.
One of the most important aspects of freelancing is generating a client list.
In the professional freelancing world, your past clients are your greatest asset, but when you operate in Upwork, the clients you work with belong to them.
The only way you can communicate with clients is through Upwork’s system, and if you contact any of them outside of Upwork, you will get banned. This is a big drawback for copywriters who want to build a business long-term.
Pros and Cons of Writing for Upwork
Pros
- The clients are more professional and established
- A systematic way to do freelancing
Cons
- Competitive
- The clients belong to Upwork, not you
LinkedIn – a Place For All Levels of Copywriters
When it comes to getting freelance copywriting jobs, LinkedIn rocks because it is loaded with them. (This section of my post is probably going to be the most important advice, so pay attention.)
As a matter of fact, Carol Tice, the owner of the incredible site, Make a Living Writing, states:
“…of all the types of social media out there you can use to promote your freelance writing, LinkedIn is one of the most useful. It’s a powerful way to find freelance jobs so you can make money writing.”
Another thing Ms. Tice points out is that unlike other social media sites, LinkedIn is all about business. Over 700 million business people are on LinkedIn every month, and that means there is a lot of opportunities for freelance copywriters.
I’m a Living Example That LinkedIn Works
The thing I like about using LinkedIn for getting freelancing gigs is if you know how to pitch clients the right way, you can get gigs. And I’m not just talking cheap assed contacts, but professional level companies and clients who pay well.
As a matter of fact, it’s the only social media site that I use regularly, where I get approached for work rather than pitching all the time.
You will want to enhance your LinkedIn profile regularly.
I know an A-list copywriter/movie director named Alan Forrest Smith, and every time I visit his website, it is different.
He upgrades it monthly, trying to find the secret sauce that will grab more attention from his visitors.
But hey, experimentation works.
You can do the same thing with your LinkedIn profile.
If you don’t think it’s bringing in enough views, it is easy to change it up.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Have a professional picture of yourself
- Get a banner that grabs attention and is focused on what you do
- Write a keyword-rich headline that describes what your expertise is
- Display some of your work in the media section
- Write up a good summary of what you can do for clients
Decide on Your LinkedIn Strategy
You should set up a strategy for using LinkedIn, or your efforts will die a horrible death.
It is vital to know who you are targeting and how to approach them because, without a clear picture of who you want to target, your marketing arrows will fly out into the woods.
Having a clearly defined target market will make the job much easier.
I’m not saying you can only pitch one niche, but you shouldn’t try to hunt every random beast, either.
For example, I have written blog posts for software companies and transitioned to writing email campaigns for self-help coaches and businesses.
Because LinkedIn is a massive site with a search engine geared toward businesses, it’s easy to become distracted.
So, before you start reaching out, writing posts, or anything else, decide who you want to target first.
How You Can Start Networking
Once you have a bead on your target market, you can start approaching people.
Many freelancers want to connect with marketing and website managers, but I like to target the owners. I also like to connect with other writers, bloggers, and top dogs in the self-help arena.
Oh, and by the way, check out their businesses.
One-person operations are usually not great businesses to approach because they probably don’t have much marketing money.
However, if they have a staff and a volume of marketing assets, it will be worth connecting to them.
Once you know your target market, you can reach out to them.
One tactic I like to use is to check out their profiles.
LinkedIn will let you know who is looking at your profile, so people will see that you are looking at them and sometimes ask you to join their LinkedIn network.
Otherwise, you can send them a request asking them to connect.
But wait!
Do not send them a pitch in your initial message or network request – let them know what you do and politely ask them if you can join their network.
Over time you can send out messages about your services or invite them to read a post you wrote relevant to their industry.
Find Your Key Players
Once again, you should reach out to people with the money to pay you, and for me, I focus on shakers and movers in the self-help or business coaching industry.
One thing I have benefited from in life is that I am an extrovert.
I love public speaking and being in front of a crowd, and I am fearless when approaching prospective clients.
I’m not bragging, but admitting that I am weird.
Many people fear sending a pitch to someone like Tony Robbins or Jack Canfield, but I don’t care.
The only reason why I wouldn’t approach Jack or the Tone Man is that they are hard to reach, but I regularly pitch to CEOs, founders, and owners of large corporations.
What are they going to do – tell me to get lost?
Oh, well…Next!
I recently got a gig writing a blog post for the CEO of a well-established SAAS company, and it took me four times to go back and forth with this professional before getting hired.
So, don’t hesitate to approach big-time players, but don’t bother them too much, and use some professional courtesy.
Send Cold Email Pitches
Ok, here is where the rubber meets the road.
Once I have identified the key players on LinkedIn, I’ll look at their profiles.
In their profile section is a link where you can look at their contact information, and sometimes you can get their email addresses from there.
Usually, they will not have email addresses on their profiles, but they almost always have a web address.
If they do not have a website, chances are they are not serious about their business, and you should blow them off. You want people in your target market to be on fire about promotion and marketing their businesses.
Also, if you look at their About Us page on their website, you can find their marketing manager’s names.
Once you know their website address, there are ways you can find out what their email addresses are.
Note: I have a video on how to get prospect’s email addresses and then contact them. You can watch the video here: How to Get Copywriting Clients.
You will need this password to watch it: elmondo
(The process would take an entire post, so I made a video explaining it instead.)
One thing that is important about sending out cold pitches through email is you must be persistent. CEOs of companies, managers, editors, and professionals at these companies are busy.
And that is a good thing because those are the kinds of people you will want to work with.
I keep following up with them until they tell me to stop sending them pitches. My first pitch is the longest, and the rest are short and polite reminders.
Sometimes after sending 5 or 6 emails from me, I will get hired. So, be persistent because there is a lot of money in persistence.
Using the LinkedIn Job Board
You need to figure out what kind of companies you want to work at before you start searching on the LinkedIn job board. If you do not know how to identify a type, you can use Amazon’s search engine to help.
On the front end, you should know the industry you want to write in and the kinds of projects you are good at.
Once you know what kind of job you want, perform a search for companies that have those kinds of gigs. For example, if I were looking for an email copywriting job with a tech company, I would plug in “email copywriter” and then look for remote jobs first. (There are a lot of remote gigs on LinkedIn, and I like the idea of saving gas and mileage on my car.)
LinkedIn has filters you can use to find jobs, and you can look for remote ones or use the mileage filter to get employment close to where you live.
Why Am I Telling a Freelancer to Use a Job Board?
Yes, I know I told you that this is for finding freelance work, but you can still approach editors and owners on the job board for freelance work.
I usually tell the hiring person I can do the writing work for them while they continue looking for a full-timer.
And here’s a good tip: respond to older job posts.
(I got this idea from two very professional copywriters.)
Sometimes, businesses can’t fill the position or still need help after hiring a staff writer, so they hire freelancers.
Another benefit of approaching companies is you will be networking with professionals who are editors.
Even if the companies you approach are not hiring, staying in touch with other professionals is good marketing for a copywriter.
The Warrior Forum a Massive Opportunity
Have you ever heard of the Warrior Forum (WF)? It’s a place where thousands of entrepreneurs congregate daily.
Now, there is a price for getting in; it is $10 for a lifetime membership. (I know you’re freaking out at the high cost, but trust me, it’s worth it.)
But the WF is an incredible place to meet businesses of all kinds.
And guess what?
They have a large job board.
Now, I want to caution you – if you start approaching people on the Warrior Forum for gigs, you will meet some serious entrepreneurs.
The WF is a down-and-dirty arena, some people are inexperienced, and some are hyper-entrepreneurs.
There are two ways you can get gigs on the WF.
One way is to use their job board and apply to people who need copywriters, and the other is to look at the services section and send cold email pitches to them.
The Warrior for Hire Section
Before you do a thing, make sure you always read the section rules. This section is for people who are trying to get gigs in these categories:
- Web designers
- Web programmers
- Content writers and content marketers
- Webmasters
- Article writers
- Video experts
- Marketing experts
- SEO specialists
- Blog writers
I know it doesn’t say copywriters, but these are just guidelines, and copywriters can hang their shingles out here too.
But if you get queasy about whether or not you can do it, you can message the owners, and they will tell you it’s OK.
The listing fee for advertising your services is $20, and the bump fee is an additional $20.
(Bumping means that after your thread moves down to page 3 of the ads, you can bump it back to page 1 for $20.)
How to Advertise Your Services on the WF Job Board
When advertising your services on the WF, you can write as long a thread as you want, and I have seen ads that are 2000+ words and some that are 50.
If you pay $20, why not make it as thorough and professional as possible?
So here’s what I think you should do. Create a professional profile for yourself.
At the very least, you should have these sections in your promotion:
Services
A lot of people list everything they can do under the sun here.
Keep it focused on just one or two things.
Example: Email marketing, blog post content.
I wouldn’t list more than 3, but I think 2 of them would be enough.
Market
Once again, don’t go crazy and list a hundred businesses you can write for; be specific.
Example: Self-help coaches and business coaching services
The two industries I listed are intertwined, narrowing it down to the coaching niche.
Rates
Do not list any.
Why? Because it wreaks of being a beginner.
How will you know how much work a business needs until you work with them? Not only that but if you are going to write a landing page for a client, you should charge a lot more for that versus a blog post.
Let’s say you write a successful landing page for a client, and it pulls in $100,000 in revenue for their business. You only charged him a standard blog post rate of $300. Well, you just screwed yourself royally.
Get it?
Believe it or not, I have seen the stupidest mistakes in the rates section of an ad.
Example:
“I’ve been in the copywriting game for 30+ years…”
Later on in the advertisement:
“My fee is $500 for a landing page.”
You have been a direct response copywriter for over 30 years, and it’s only $500 for a landing page? Really?
Graphic Examples of Winning Ads on the Warrior Forum
One good way to learn how to write an advertisement for your freelance writing job is to copy the successful ones you see on the WF.
It is easy to find successful listings by looking for the ones with the most viewers.
In this case, the copywriter has 1.2 thousand views. He has been doing business on the WF for a long time because he has hundreds of testimonials from happy clients displayed below his ad.
I didn’t post the testimonials here because there were so many of them, but you get the idea.
Some of the more popular ads are graphic ones like this example from TextBoss:
As you can see, it’s a good idea to look at what the more prominent copywriters are doing. Also, it would be a bad idea to copy and paste their profiles onto your own; write them yourself.
Conclusion
Are you ready to go out there to kill it and bring it home?
I hope I have given you some practical information that you can use to get started making money as a freelance copywriter.
You must earn your stripes in this business because it is not as easy as some people will make you believe.
(Many of them sell courses and advice to newbies, and they will sometimes tell you anything you want to hear.)
Remember, you are in the sales business because you are selling your services.
So you must learn how to market, pitch, and approach prospects every chance you get.
But guess what?
You will get better over time, I promise you.
So take action and get started right now.