How To Find Clients?

I started by taking anything thrown my way, including the work most writers find less savory. This was five years ago, when there was a big boom in the penile enhancement market. That was a niche I became very established in, and I started getting referrals like crazy as a kind of 'Penis Expert'. It was terrible. LOL. I also did porn reviews during this time.

Eventually, while I was building a reputation, I started to slowly filter into other niches that I already genuinely knew, like beauty, news (mostly political) and travel. Once I broke into these niches, which I did by advertising my services to blogs for lower rates, things changed a lot.

While I was working for these sites, I learned a great deal about SEO, content and search marketing, and of course social media. That was the real turning point for me, as I could use this knowledge to apply for positions working with better known people as a ghostwriter.

I also provided very cheap (or free) articles to high traffic sites for a byline, and I use those as samples since my ghostwriting doesn't provide any I can use without infringing on the ownership rights of the client. I find them more useful than using my fiction writing, as my work is very much unprofessional as far as being appropriate goes.

My advice would be to take whatever work you are comfortable doing, and work your way up. It took me about six months to break into a decent niche, and about a year to start minimizing my workload and increasing my profits. You will find once you have a handful of happy clients, they will both throw you knew work and refer you out to others who need content written.

 

I started in oDesk and I took on all sorts of writing jobs (not quite as interesting as yours @oo87 ) but my rate when I started was much lower. I think this is key when you are building your reputation. You need to lower your rate and build your portfolio and feedback rating as you go along. You can raise your rates later on, and by this time, you'll have regular customers.

Have a good day!

 

Personally, I think the writing industry is largely based on reputation and recomendation. The comment that writers dont give work away isnt strictly true, I have a contact who is a writer who sends me work occasionally as he is so in demand he cant take anymore work on. Admittedly he is my brother and we are both in the same niche but most of his work has come from recomendations from previous clients. The problem comes largely when you are starting out because nobody knows who you are.

 

I give work away all the time. Hell, I gave work away this morning as I can't take on any more projects at the moment. I have a small collection of writers I will direct someone to if they need something done and I either can't handle it on my workload, or I don't know the niche.

 

You're not going to believe this but....I was just asked a few minutes ago to recommend some writers and I put you on the list.....sorry!
I NEVER recommend writers that I use as I don't want them to be too busy in case *I* need them. So when asked I just recommend who seems talented and has impressed me with their ideas and posts.
Didn't realize you were so busy!

 

LOL! That was very kind of you, actually. While my workload is full right now, it should be easing up in a few days when I finish an order. So if someone approaches me, I will happily look over their request and thank you for the referral.

 

Pretty much here on DP. I have only posted a few ad's over the years but I have got long term clients out of each one. Occasionally i'll write some articles and sell them.

 

I think you need to know your products very much, then you can find the target customer according to the features of your products.

 

My niche is very selective but as there are very few writers who do what I do I think its only a matter of time, this may seem very naïve but things are looking up already.

 

Hmmm, I *wonder* if one of my contacts, contacted you? I just thought I'd send some work your way.

 

Thanks Diva, much appreciated x

 

Thanks for posting this! I have been writing for 4 years, but find that I have yet to find a regular flow of work. i know finding the full-time gigs is almost impossible, and because I doubt my writing abilities so much, I feel that's the reason I never find the work or get lucky enough to be chosen. This is going to be such a huge help for me, so thanks for posting this!

 

One of the main ways to get regular work is to be confident in what you do. There are not many people who want to hire someone who doesn't believe that they can do the work to a high standard. Be more confident (easy to say, harder to do) in your work and let the confidence show; you'll find your jobs increase.

 

I agree. It's so difficult to find work when you're starting out because there are writers who are more recommended by the system in a way because they already have feedback and a bit of portfolio. It's as much risk for a new writer to take on a project as it is for the employer because you're more on the mercy of the feedback of the person hiring you.

Have a good day!

 

advertise, build your clients, and they'll reorder if you do good work. then build a name for yourself.

 

Those tips are really helpful aswell. I am thinking about creating a website for my services like you said, I think it is a good idea because you give examples of your work and if people find it impressive they will order them.

Thanks for the good tips, have a nice day!

 

I am an example of what you say, if you do a good job people wil contact you again, do not waste the time of your clients, remember time is more important than money, if agree to do something on wenesday do it on sunday, it helps a lot.

 

What I used to do here in England is bulkmailing and following up with a phone call. To get customers to open the envelope I'd handwrite on it things like: A fiver says you won't open this envelope. Five pounds was more money then. (You gave a £5-00 reduction off your regular prices.) In the letter that was in the envelope I would promise to call. Then when I phoned the secretary, I could say he was expecting my call. I got some good business that way. It can be hard but it works. Two other things I didn't use but I expect to as I probably shall be doing some cold calling soon. They are techniques given in Cold Calling for Chickens by Bob Etherington. (The book has a 90% rating on Amazon UK from 35 reviews.) It's too long to explain here but one technique in there I used accidentally once or twice and got through to some reallly top names: calling before the gatekeeper turns up to work, and at the time you judge they've gone home. The boss will pick up the 'phone. No he won't be annoyed. I talked to some top guys this way. Saturdays can be good too. That has worked for me also.