Many people want to dip their toes into freelance writing. It's a wonderful opportunity to earn money, polish your skills, and grow your network. But the right way to get started remains a mystery to more folks than you realize.
Let's talk about the necessary steps.
Build a Portfolio
The first step to getting a freelance writing job is creating a portfolio. Showcase previous work on a website. This will help potential clients understand your writing talents and judge whether they want to hire you.
To get started, type "build a writing portfolio" into Google and look at the various options revealed. When I first started as a freelance writer, I used Copyfolio; they were great but slim on the features.
When I hired my freelance coach, he suggested I build a Shopify site. (It's the site you're on right now!) And it's been great. But if you're just starting out, look for something inexpensive.
Don't have many samples? Create some! Write blog posts, email campaigns, social media campaigns, and more.
Start Searching for Clients
"If you build it, they will come" isn't a mindset that's applicable in the world of freelance writing. Getting your website going is only the first step. The next step is to work on finding clients. There are several ways to do this:
Get on LinkedIn and search for people hiring freelance copywriters. One way is to enter "freelance writer hiring" into the search bar and click on "posts." This is because some people don't use the "Jobs" feature; they instead post their opportunity, and people are attracted to it like moths to a flame.
Be sure to send a connection request and a message. (Another hint: Look up the company's website. The person hiring freelance writers might be featured there, along with their contact information.)
Freelance Flow
There are some sources out there who collect leads for you. One of the ways I source leads is spending $10 a month on a newsletter called "Freelance Flow." I get daily leads sent right in my inbox. Find Brianna (Williams) Graham, MPH on LinkedIn to get started. Even getting one gig from it will mean the newsletter pays for itself multiple times over.
Network
I mentioned this in my previous blog post. Meet people. Professional groups are a fantastic way to do this; they often host networking events and other workshops where you can meet professionals. Create relationships, show your value and, over time, opportunities will come your way.
Keep Growing
Over time, you will hopefully have developed some "anchor clients" who continue to give you work every month. Ask them to share your name with others who may benefit from your writing services. Word-of-mouth is a great way to get freelance writing jobs. Once you have people's trust, it gets a lot easier.
Hopefully, this blog entry has been helpful to you. Stay tuned to www.ChrisAlexis.com for more great information on everything related to freelance writing!