Let's start the 5-Day $5K Challenge!

How to get clients if you're a freelance copywriter ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  Every freelancer has started with this exact problem: How do i get clients if i don't have clients to prove to new leads that i can do this? Even in-house copywriters who go freelance have the same concerns. Most if not all of their work was totally watered down by the reviewers / approvers involved in the great marketing machine. They may have a portfolio. But are they proud of it? Rarely. So take comfort in that, as you [embark on the 5-Day $5K Challenge](. Every freelancer working today has managed to move past that initial fear of "how will i prove myself without a portfolio i'm proud of." And you can too. However. You may need to get a little creative to land those first clients. I know I did. When I was starting out as a copywriter, I didn't even realize I was freelancing. I heard through the grapevine that the guy who ran marketing for a local petfood company was annoyed by his packaging editors. So I fired him off an email, in which I offered to try my hand at the task - after all, as I told him, I'd edited papers for students in university. (Truth: I'd edited my sister's papers. Never got paid a dime.) Was he in a desperate state? Probably. Did I take advantage of that? Not intentionally. I pitched a job I knew I could do, even if I hadn't done it before. And I landed the job. Charged by the hour. Made maybe $25 on that first job. But he loved my work. And he hired me again and again for his packaging needs for *years* after that. Takeaways for you: 1. Put your ear to the ground and go FIND your first clients, focusing on the people who have a deep and immediate need (so they frankly don't have the luxury of time to even think about asking for your portfolio). 2. Treat any and all related work you've done as portfolio work. Surely you've written or edited something for someone in an semi-professional capacity at some point. 3. Don't come close to overcharging, but don't do it for free either. 4. Actually be great at the work. Work harder at it than at anything. Because THIS JOB is the first piece you'll add to your portfolio. So make it good. Which brings us to... the first lesson in the 5-Day $5K Challenge. [It's about pitching your past leads and clients]( Which, on the surface, is NOTHING LIKE what I just described above. But the thing of it is: You can and should take what you learn in this lesson... and apply it to pitch anyone you know (even indirectly) who's in business or marketing to hire you to do X important but small job. There's no other lesson in the 5-Day $5K Challenge that will task you with pitching marketers in your network. So use this lesson to do just that. OR: If you already have past leads or past clients, [use the lesson exactly as described.]( Importantly: Do the work. Your business won't grow itself. One day, maybe. But not yet. Then hit REPLY and just tell me when you've done it. A thumbs-up is perfectly fine. Just a quick note to tell me - and more importantly to tell yourself - that you're doing this. I'll read your reply, and I'll reply if it sounds like you need me to. ~jo :)  [Click here to manage your subscriptions]( [Click here to unsubscribe]( Copyhackers, 10158 103 St NW Unit 200, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 0X6, Canada