Finding Your First Freelance Writing Client (A Comprehensive Guide)
Ask yourself some important questions before you even start looking.
A reader contacted me about getting started in the freelance writing business. She wanted help finding her first real, consistent client.
I loved her passion and determination to try freelance writing, so I wrote back. Our conversation gave me the idea to write this article!
Finding your first real client outside of Fiverr can feel a little daunting. Where do you even begin to look? Can you cold-email local businesses in your area?
Knowing how to find these clients is crucial for taking your freelance writing from side-hustle to career.
Let’s talk about finding clients so you can go from part-time to full-time and make that real writing money everyone is talking about!
1. Before You Begin
It is always important to be prepared before you start freelancing.
Don’t be like me. I jumped into Fiverr without knowing the differences between content writing, marketing, and blogging.
I also worked for scraps and peanuts, barely making $10 on each hour I worked.
That’s why you need to do a few things before you start looking for clients:
Ask Yourself Some Questions:
- What niche do you want to write in?
- What kind of businesses, blogs, or magazines do you want to write for?
- What rate are you willing to write for to get started?
- Do you have other skills that will help you stand out? (Graphic design, editing, marketing, photography, social media, etc.)
Many writers jump straight in and take any job they can find. However, you won’t hit your stride as quickly if you do every little thing.
Instead, focus your talents on one niche you enjoy and turn yourself into an “expert.” Utilize all your skills (writing, editing, marketing, etc.) and prove that you are an asset to your future client. Price your rates accordingly and only take jobs that you’re comfortable with!
For example, I love camping, boating, and the outdoors, so my full-time blogging and editing gigs are primarily in that sphere. Therefore, I reach out to camping and boating sites and blogs with my article pitch ideas, designed graphics, photography, and personal stories.
Because of my experience in that niche, I can charge a much higher rate for my articles and posts. I also know exactly who to reach out to and how to advertise myself.
If you have a topic or two that you love or a few sites you read all the time, reach out to them! Use your passion for the topic to write great article pitches or emails to show them how much you love their content.
Build a Portfolio:
Any blog posts, short stories, poems, podcasts, or other hobbies you might be doing in your off-time can be a great portfolio builder for future clients!
You may want to fine-tune your previous work into something that fits the niche that you want to write within, but adding preexisting work to your portfolio gets you off the ground way faster than if you began writing from scratch.
You can write for friends or yourself, but make sure you have something other than your high school essays to show future clients.
Have an Online Presence:
Many people hate building their brand online, but it can be crucial to appear like a professional, even before you land your first big client.
Pitching to clients is only the first step. It would help if you had something for them to look at.
Having your own blog or social media page, a polished LinkedIn, and an online portfolio can fast-track you to landing that dream client.
Not only will they see that you are serious, innovative, and creative, but they will also regard you much more highly as a professional when you have something to show.
Consider getting a domain name or getting your social media handle on several sites (Twitter, Insta, Facebook, etc.) before beginning your freelancing career. That way, your work is consistently under the same name all over the web.
Create a Business Card:
Business cards might feel outdated when you work online, but they’re perfect for carrying around and dropping everywhere you go.
Whether you leave them on the coffee shop bulletin board or leave them with the manager of your local bookstore, business cards are great for freelancers to make a quick splash.
Make sure that all your professional information (email, website, blog, social media page, etc.) is on the business card and is easy to read.
Get a graphic designer friend to help you, or try making it yourself in Canva!
2. Finding Clients
There are a lot of places to find clients online and in person.
Don’t limit yourself to one pool of clients, and think outside the box!
Fiverr & UpWork:
I would be remiss to exclude Fiverr and UpWork from this list because the truth is that most beginners get their start here.
When I was a junior in college getting my bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, I started writing on the side for a little extra grocery money. I would work and attend classes during the day, then write online through Fiverr and UpWork at night.
Let me tell you, I earned very little money through these sites in the beginning. However, I met my dream client through UpWork, and after getting a full-time offer from them to work off of UpWork and join their company, I never looked back.
If you are looking to land your first client, this is the shortcut way to do it. Just don’t expect to retain these clients.
Many Fiverr and UpWork jobs are one-and-dones, and the sites are built to keep you on them rather than network with clients off-site. You’ll also lose about 20% of everything you earn to those sites, so price accordingly!
However, I do still keep a Fiverr for research purposes. I like to see what freelancers are up to and try to see what rates I can get away with.
Freelance Job Boards:
There are a lot of freelance job boards out there.
Problogger is probably the most commonly used by writers looking for a quick gig outside of sites like Fiverr and UpWork.
You can also find many jobs through Facebook job boards like the Cult of Copy and Freelance Writers Community.
You’ll have to get accepted to these job boards by the administrators, but once you’re in, you’ll meet a lot of writers like you looking for jobs. You’ll also see a lot of job opportunities posted with open submissions!
Word-of-Mouth Networking:
- Do you have a professor who really liked you? Do they know some businesses you can reach out to?
- Do your parents know any small business owners or managers?
- Did you have a summer job at the local car wash?
Reach out to anyone you can think of that might be able to use your writing services. Offer to help them write ad copy for their social media pages or articles they can post in the local paper to advertise their business.
Learn how to rate your services and how you prefer to communicate with clients. This paid work is a great portfolio builder and can help you better understand the industry with people who already know and like you.
Also, they are also more likely to cut you slack if you get some things wrong the first time!
3. Approaching Clients
Now that you’ve found your clients, it is time to contact them.
Depending on the business, they may prefer in-person applications or online submissions. Make sure you do your research first before you approach!
Here are some things to be mindful of when approaching clients:
Be Careful with Cold Emails:
I bet you didn’t know that, in some places, cold-emailing is potentially illegal, did you?
Cold-emailing is sending unsolicited emails to individuals or businesses. In those emails, writers will pitch themselves and their services, then follow up later with more emails.
However, according to the CAN-SPAM (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing) Act of 2003, it is potentially illegal to cold email a business you have never communicated with. This is because you might be considered spam marketing by the business you contact, and you could get sued.
Note that cold emailing itself isn’t necessarily illegal, but your emails could be misconstrued and considered in violation of this act if you aren’t careful.
To be safe, it is always best to reach out to businesses through less dubious ways of communication.
Safely Emailing Businesses & Magazines:
Find the contact pages of businesses that provide emails of individuals that want you to reach out to them — particularly to ask about jobs or pitch your freelance services.
Most magazines and online publications will have a submission email that you can contact.
Other ways to find work are through the editor of a publication, the director of content marketing to a business, or the owner of a small business looking for content help.
Don’t just spam any email you find; make sure you know exactly who you are emailing when you send yours.
Finally, make it personalized! Don’t keep copy-pasting your email template to everyone you contact.
Local Connections:
If you have a lot of small businesses in your area, consider popping by and leaving your card with the owner or manager.
A lot of small businesses like to hire local help for their needs. This prevents them from enlisting pricey, far-away marketing and PR agencies.
Instead, a small business is much more likely to hire a local, friendly face!
If you struggle to meet your local business owners, consider contacting your area’s chamber of commerce! By becoming a chamber member, they can help you make connections and network through the grapevine of your talents and services.
Just be prepared for them to charge a membership price for that foot-in-the-door service.
Network!
Word-of-mouth is probably the greatest way to become “discovered.”
Networking is your strongest move whether you’re trying to sell books, get clients or land jobs. You can network the traditional ways through social media and LinkedIn or reach out to local freelance writing groups and job boards!
You can also ask previous clients who enjoyed your work to refer you once your contract has ended.
Try reaching out to writer conventions and events as well! Get tickets and attend lectures or talks, or you can even join a few freelance writing classes and make friends with your classmates.
You can also attend small business events like farmer’s markets and craft fairs. During some holidays, like the 4th of July in the United States, there will be large fairs, parades, and outdoor events where businesses set up booths to advertise themselves.
Going to these events armed with business cards (with links to your site and portfolio, of course) is a great way to shake hands and make a few friends. Maybe even land a gig!
4. Land the Sale
Now that you’ve reached out, how do you land the sale for your services?
Always Follow Up:
Well, first, you should always follow up. Never send a pitch and wait three months for an answer without reaching out again.
If you have to call or email the person hiring for the position, do it! Don’t be afraid to take up a little bit of space.
You want to show that you are motivated and eager to earn this position.
Make sure never to spam potential clients, but don’t let yourself fall off their radar, either.
Pitch Multiple Places at Once:
While you wait for that magazine or business to respond, make sure you are still pitching.
Don’t just put all your eggs in one basket.
While it can seem overwhelming to contact more than one business at a time (especially when you’re first starting), it will likely lead to more acceptances than rejections.
Just make sure that you are being personalized with your pitches. As I said, don’t copy-paste your emails or pitches to everyone.
Make Personal Connections:
Connecting with future clients is important to stand out from the other writers.
Do your research on the company and its story. Talk about how interested you are in their business and their mission.
Let them know that you want to help their business grow — to become part of that mission and help them succeed!
The more you care about them, the more they will care about you.
Final Thoughts
Finding your first client doesn’t have to be so overwhelming. There are so many ways to reach out and get involved as a writer.
Even if you are a beginner, you can make an impression and show off your skills with the right tools.
Price your rates fairly, personalize your emails, and always follow up!
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