You’ve in all probability already heard that you could make six figures as a contract author, however this will sound like a fantasy in the event you’re simply beginning your profession.
Whether or not you’ve been rejected from just a few low-paying jobs on Upwork otherwise you’re struggling to make various hundred {dollars} per 30 days, the prospect of constructing six figures as a contract author can sound like a fantasy.
Whereas these setbacks are discouraging, the important thing to changing into a six-figure freelancer is implementing a confirmed course of, enhancing your writing abilities, and persevering by means of any challenges.
Thankfully, loads of full-time freelance writers have achieved this success.
Constructing a profitable freelance writing enterprise that pays six figures isn’t easy, however in the event you comply with a confirmed methodology and are prepared to place within the work to degree up your writing abilities, it’s definitely potential.
So beneath, we’ll define a confirmed step-by-step information that actual six determine copywriters have used to construct profitable freelance writing careers.
Step 1: Choose a Area of interest
Many new freelance writers promote that they will write for any area of interest as a result of they worry choosing a selected writing area of interest will restrict their checklist of potential shoppers.
Nonetheless, employers need to rent specialists, and promoting your self as a generalist will truly repel potential shoppers.
For instance, if an actual property firm is seeking to rent a weblog submit author, they’ll search for somebody specializing in writing for actual property. So between the 2 writers beneath, the one promoting himself as an actual property specialist will certainly stand out to the hiring supervisor:
Whereas good writers can often create high-quality content material for a number of niches, it’s nonetheless finest to place your self as an knowledgeable in a selected area of interest. An added good thing about specializing in a selected area of interest is that you just’ll develop a community of shoppers quicker.
So what’s a distinct segment, and the way do you choose one?
There are three primary classes of niches:
- Content material Kind: Some examples of various kinds of content material embody emails, weblog posts, ebooks, ghostwriting (for books), social media content material, touchdown/gross sales pages, and video scripts.
- Enterprise Kind: Some examples of enterprise sorts embody SaaS firms, ecommerce firms, on-line programs, bloggers, and native companies.
- Trade: Some examples of industries embody pets, cryptocurrency, finance, actual property, digital advertising and marketing, journey, and healthcare.
So choose one specialty from every of the three classes above. Listed below are just a few examples:
- E mail copywriter for on-line course creators within the finance business
- Weblog submit copywriter for SaaS firms within the healthcare business
- Social media content material author for bloggers within the journey business
Whereas niching down shrinks your goal market (checklist of potential shoppers), it additionally shrinks the sector of competitors and means that you can cost extra as you possibly can place your self as a specialised knowledgeable.
For those who take a look at the examples above, the true property specialist fees double what the generalist fees.
Step 2: Create a Few High quality Writing Samples
Most hiring managers don’t have time to take a look at greater than two to a few items of content material, so that you solely want just a few items of top of the range content material related to your area of interest to win your first freelance writing gig.
For those who at the moment don’t have any writing samples that match the area of interest you chose, listed below are two wonderful strategies to create writing samples:
- Write a free pattern for somebody in your ideally suited goal market
- Create your personal weblog/e-newsletter/social media web page
We’ll focus on how you can execute each of those beneath.
Write a free pattern for an influencer in your ideally suited goal market.
Writing free samples for an influencer in your area of interest is a superb technique as a result of it helps you create optimistic relationships with potential shoppers whereas concurrently constructing your portfolio.
The important thing to correctly executing this technique is to jot down the content material without cost after which ship the accomplished model to the potential shopper.
Most newbie freelancers make the error of reaching out and asking if they will work without cost with out offering a accomplished pattern.
These emails are literally annoying for busy influencers which might be well-established within the business.
Nonetheless, in the event you ship the potential shopper a accomplished piece of content material, they’ll in all probability reply. Right here’s a fantastic e mail template you should use:
Even when they don’t publish the content material, you possibly can nonetheless add that pattern to your portfolio.
It’s additionally price noting that in the event you’re going to do work without cost, purpose excessive and attain out to well-established manufacturers/influencers in that business. If the model does publish your content material, it’ll considerably increase your credibility!
The truth is, even when you have already got loads of pattern writing items, doing free work for high-profile shoppers is an effective way to construct business credibility and create relationships with well-connected people that may flip into wonderful referral sources.
Creating your personal content material
One other choice to construct your portfolio is to create your personal content material.
For instance, if you wish to be a finance weblog author for SaaS firms, you can begin your personal finance weblog. Whilst you may not be promoting SaaS merchandise, you possibly can nonetheless goal the identical key phrases {that a} SaaS firm may goal.
This technique is superb for constructing your portfolio since you’ll discover ways to write nice weblog posts and how you can develop a finance weblog. As SaaS firms need to rent a author that may produce outcomes – not simply phrases – it will make you stand out towards different candidates.
The truth is, you may discover that writing your personal finance weblog is extra worthwhile than being a contract author for different finance firms.
Sadly, this technique isn’t at all times possible. For instance, this technique may not be real looking if you wish to be a social media content material creator for native companies however don’t personal a neighborhood enterprise. Nonetheless, you may as a substitute use the primary technique and supply to create free content material for a neighborhood enterprise.
Notice: I purposefully don’t focus on how you can construct a writing portfolio web site, as a result of within the subsequent step, you’ll see that the technique you’ll use to shut your first paying shopper doesn’t contain making use of to any job boards or submitting a portfolio. The truth is, spending time designing a portfolio is commonly a distraction from doing the arduous work of getting your first paying shopper. So as a substitute, we’ll focus completely on how you can create nice writing samples, and then you definitely’ll ship these samples as hyperlinks or Google Doc attachments in your e mail pitch.
Step 3: Shut Your First Paying Shopper
For those who’re simply getting began and have minimal writing expertise, you may really feel uncomfortable pitching shoppers, however the easiest way to grow to be a greater freelance author is to only do the job.
As well as, many purchasers are blissful to pay beneficiant costs for freelancers who produce respectable work, comply with directions, and cling to deadlines.
So upon getting three to 5 respectable pattern items, search out your first paying shopper. You’ll additionally really feel extra motivated to persevere upon getting your first paying shopper. We’ll focus on two strategies to get your first paying shopper:
- Ask for referrals
- Ship customized chilly pitches (with a twist)
Asking For Referrals
To search out your first paying shopper, begin by asking for referrals from the shoppers you labored with without cost whereas constructing your writing samples.
Assuming you probably did a superb job, these shoppers will probably be very happy to refer you to pals.
For those who really feel awkward asking, right here’s a precise script you should use:
You can even ask if that individual would contemplate mentioning you in Slack teams and different communities they’re a member of to unfold the phrase.
Once more, this is the reason working without cost for well-established business influencers with massive networks is rather more helpful than working without cost for any random firm.
Ship a Customized Chilly Pitch (With a Twist)
Chilly pitches can work, however most freelancers don’t know how you can make a compelling supply.
Potential shoppers typically obtain tons of of generic pitches from writers every month, so most emails are instantly deleted.
Listed below are two killer methods to make your chilly pitch stand out:
- Ship them a free piece of content material they will publish, and inform them you possibly can create extra content material prefer it constantly if they’re prepared to rent you.
- Pitch the potential shopper that you just’ll work with a selected content material advertising and marketing knowledgeable on a platform like Readability or Intro and execute every part the knowledgeable recommends. It is a win-win technique since you grow to be a greater author and may justify charging a excessive worth whereas the shopper will get a world-class knowledgeable to look over the execution of their advertising and marketing course of.
It’s additionally vital to ship your pitch to the best individual on the appropriate e mail tackle. For those who’re reaching out to a big SaaS or ecommerce firm, search for the content material advertising and marketing supervisor or (if there isn’t a content material supervisor) head/director of selling.
You’ll be able to simply search “advertising and marketing” or “content material” on the corporate’s LinkedIn profile to seek out the best individual, and Hunter.io and Verifalia are wonderful assets to seek out e mail addresses.
For those who can’t discover the individual’s e mail tackle, you may as well contact them instantly on a social media platform like LinkedIn or Twitter.
Whereas it could appear easy, these two methods are usually the best for getting your first paid freelance writing job.
Many more moderen (and even some extra established) freelance writers struggling to shut shoppers make the error of mass making use of to author positions on job boards.
Mass making use of isn’t a good suggestion as a result of swamped hiring managers often instantly delete any functions that lack personalization. For instance, you possibly can see that the job submit beneath has over 200 candidates.
As well as, making use of to jobs locations you in direct competitors with different functions, and lots of hiring managers received’t even see your software.
So as a substitute, refer again to your area of interest and attain out to firms that aren’t promoting that they’re actively hiring for a contract writing place. Whereas this recommendation could seem counterintuitive, it’s extremely efficient since you aren’t competing with different candidates.
The truth is, many firms are actively hiring new writers, however don’t actively promote the place exactly as a result of most job boards generate too many candidates.
One other widespread difficulty that causes many writers to surrender earlier than getting their first shopper is spending an excessive amount of time creating a elaborate web site or enterprise playing cards.
Most shoppers don’t care about these items – they only need somebody that’s dependable and may do the job. So your time is healthier spent sending compelling emails with hyperlinks to wonderful writing samples.
Step 4: Search Suggestions and Actively Make investments In Bettering Your Ability Set
As you’re employed with extra shoppers, you’ll discover that every one has barely totally different requests, so a key facet of a fantastic author is in search of preliminary suggestions and adjusting to your shopper’s needs (inside purpose).
It’s necessary to be decisive and personal your work (you don’t need to consistently trouble shoppers and ask them in case your work is suitable), however shoppers admire communicative freelance writers who take motion on suggestions.
Along with gathering shopper suggestions, probably the most profitable writers additionally search mentorship to degree up their freelance writing abilities. For instance, many freelance writers be part of content material writing programs, rent coaches, and take part in peer teams to enhance their abilities.
For those who’re curious about becoming a member of a membership group that provides you direct entry to content material advertising and marketing coaches, dwell interviews with business specialists, content material advertising and marketing programs, and a group of high-earning freelance writers, contemplate becoming a member of the Copyblogger Academy.
You can even use a platform like Readability or Intro to schedule one-on-one teaching calls with world-class specialists.
Lastly, contemplate making a aspect hustle the place you create your personal content material. For instance, in the event you focus on writing emails for ecommerce websites, you may begin your personal dropshipping web site and write emails to promote these merchandise.
We advisable this in step two as a way to construct your portfolio, but it surely’s price mentioning once more right here, as constructing your personal content material platform is an effective way to grasp the ache factors your shoppers face so that you could discover ways to ship higher outcomes.
As shoppers are paying you to assist them develop their enterprise, having your personal challenge is advantageous, as you should use it to run experiments and discover ways to enhance your abilities to drive extra gross sales. It will finally make you a greater marketer and make it easier to perceive how your providers match into the bigger development technique.
Step 5: Scale Your Profession
Getting your first few shoppers is one problem, however {most professional} writers will inform you that maintaining your shoppers and producing regular earnings over a number of months is the largest problem.
If you wish to rework your freelance writing enterprise from a aspect hustle to a full-time job, listed below are just a few methods to enhance earnings stability.
Be Dependable And Constant To Earn Referrals
First, at all times produce high-quality work, reply to shoppers inside 24 hours, and submit your initiatives on time. Abiding by these three guidelines is vital to each retaining shoppers and making a community of referrals.
The truth is, probably the most profitable freelance writers take a look at every new shopper as a brand new potential referral accomplice slightly than a one-time income.
After you have a number of shoppers and a few case research demonstrating your work, create a easy web site with shopper testimonials, case research, and your writing service packages.
You’ll quickly attain a ceiling the place you possibly can now not tackle further writing shoppers, however there are just a few alternative ways you possibly can proceed to scale your earnings with out overextending your self.
Improve Pricing
Growing pricing is the simplest development lever, and most shoppers received’t even bat a watch in the event you enhance your costs.
You can even type referral partnerships with lower-level companies/freelance writers and ship them shoppers that may’t afford to proceed working with you.
It is a win-win state of affairs as you possibly can earn a referral accomplice price and preserve a high-quality shopper base.
If most of your shoppers can’t afford to pay the next worth, you may need to contemplate shifting upmarket and focusing on bigger companies that may afford to pay extra.
Require Lengthy-Time period Contracts
The following choice to scale your earnings is to require long-term partnership contracts.
As churn is likely one of the vital challenges that many freelancers face, maintaining your present shoppers is an effective way to extend your annual earnings.
Supply Productized Companies With Distinctive, Confirmed Processes
Lastly, probably the most profitable freelancers spend lots of time studying extra about their shopper’s ache factors after which create distinctive techniques and processes to constantly resolve these ache factors.
For those who can present your shoppers that you’ve got a selected, documented methodology to resolve the precise ache level they’ve extra effectively than the common freelancer, you’ll be capable of cost extra and generate extra constant demand.
For instance, if that almost all of your shoppers battle with “content material mill” or “me-too” type content material, incorporate knowledgeable interviews into your writing course of and use that to show the way you’ll create distinctive content material. This alone is commonly greater than sufficient to make you stand out from the group and command larger costs.
For those who’re unsure what your shopper’s ache factors are, spend a while speaking to them or ask in Slack channels devoted to your audience.
Take Motion At present
One of many greatest errors aspiring freelancers make is spending an excessive amount of time studying about how you can construct a contract enterprise slightly than simply getting began.
This submit has all the knowledge that you must get began, so take motion right this moment, as expertise is the perfect trainer.
After you get began, search suggestions and degree up your abilities. You’ll be able to be part of the Copyblogger e-newsletter for extra freelance writing ideas or be part of the Copyblogger Academy to be taught from different like-minded freelance writers.
