| Short on cash? Not to worry. You can
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| | advertising club. Face-to-face networking
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| market your freelance writing services
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| | is one of the best ways to get the word
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| with little or no money. These 10
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| | out about your business. Put your
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| strategies cost nothing, or close to it.
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| | business cards in your pocket and always
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| They'll save you money...and put money in
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| | give two or three to each person (one to
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| your bank account, too!
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| | keep and one or two to share).
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| 1. Look in the business section of your
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| | 5. After you join an organization,
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| local paper for the names of people who
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| | volunteer and be active. Get noticed by
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| have been promoted, hired or rewarded by
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| | taking a visible role in committees or
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| their companies. Write a short
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| | events.
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| congratulatory letter (refer to the
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| | 6. Call 5 to 10 people you know --
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| specific achievement to make it
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| | friends, relatives, coworkers, folks at
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| personal), and enclose two or more of
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| | church, etc.--and talk to them about what
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| your business cards (one for the person
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| | you are doing as a freelance copywriter.
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| to keep, the others for him or her to
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| | Let them know you are available for work
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| give to others). By the way, your
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| | if they happen to hear of anyone who can
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| business cards DO include complete
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| | use your services. Sometimes we think our
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| information about what you do, don't
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| | "inner circle" knows what we do and can
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| they? If not, redesign them today! Just a
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| | therefore refer us to others. More often,
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| title, such as "Freelance Writer," is too
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| | though, these people have only a limited
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| vague. List what you can do (newsletters,
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| | idea of our capabilities. Change their
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| brochures, ads, etc.) and add a blurb
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| | misperceptions today!
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| that highlights the main benefit you
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| | 7. Start your own newsletter or e-zine.
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| offer.
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| | Make sure at least 75 percent of the copy
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| 2. Scan magazines and newspapers for
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| | is information people can use -- not
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| articles that are of interest to one or
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| | marketing hype about you. For example,
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| more of your current clients or "hot
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| | write articles on "Better Business
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| prospects" (people you've talked to but
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| | Writing," "The Top 10 Mistakes to Avoid
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| have not worked for yet). Clip the
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| | When You Write a Business Letter," or
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| articles and send them to the prospects
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| | "Advertising Copy That Sells." Show your
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| with an attached, handwritten note
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| | expertise in most of the newsletter, then
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| stating something like, "Hi, Alice.
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| | highlight the benefits of your writing
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| Thought you might be interested in this.
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| | services. Remember to add a call to
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| Please keep me in mind for your future
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| | action (what you want the reader to do
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| writing needs! Regards, Henry." This
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| | next, such as call you for a free
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| strategy gives you a reason to remind
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| | consultation).
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| your clients and prospects about you.
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| | 8. Contact a bookstore and offer to teach
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| It's a way to keep your name in their
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| | a free seminar about writing. Use a
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| minds. The use of snail mail and a
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| | recently published book as a resource,
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| handwritten note gives this tactic a
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| | and have lots of copies on hand for
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| personal touch. This is much more
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| | participants who are interested in
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| effective (and less obtrusive) than
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| | purchasing the book. You'll benefit from
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| sending interesting tidbits via e-mail.
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| | the free publicity and the store will
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| 3. Create an alliance with graphic
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| | benefit from the free promotion of the
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| designers. Writers sometimes need graphic
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| | book.
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| design work or have the opportunity to
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| | 9. Call four ad agencies and ask to speak
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| refer their clients to artists. And
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| | to the creative or copy director. Be
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| artists frequently need good copy that
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| | ready with a 30-second introductory pitch
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| their clients cannot or do not want to
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| | about your services and how you can
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| supply themselves. Contact local graphic
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| | benefit the ad agency. Ask for either a
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| designers and ask them about their
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| | meeting to discuss the agency's needs or
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| businesses before you talk about yours.
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| | permission to send a package with some of
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| Let them know that you may have an
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| | your writing samples.
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| occasional client who could use their
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| | 10. Try to get in the newspaper or on the
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| services. After the conversation gets
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| | radio or local TV. Many media outlets
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| going, you can mention your services.
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| | actively seek guests who have something
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| Follow up by sending a personal letter
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| | interesting to say. Develop a topic idea
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| and several of your business cards. (One
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| | that will showcase your talents as a
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| for the designer to keep, and the others
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| | writer while also making for a good story
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| for the designer to give to clients who
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| | or segment. Contact local reporters,
|
| may need you someday.)
| |
| | radio hosts and TV producers with your
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| 4. Join an organization, such as the
| |
| | idea.
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| Chamber of Commerce or the local
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| |
|
