November 23, 2021
I don’t know about you, but I find it difficult to write about a subject that I know nothing about, have no experience researching, and frankly is one that I don’t have an interest in. (For example, car tires, farming practices, birdwatching, fish tank maintenance — okay, these are random, but they’re kinda snoozefests to me.)
So when I’m looking for new freelance content marketing clients in the B2C (business to consumer) or B2B (business to business space), I like to dive into to a topic I’m learning about and experiencing firsthand.
I find that the questions I have might be ones other consumers have that could be answered with freelance article ideas I pitch to editors, and the products and businesses are ones that weren’t top of mind to me previously.
In this week’s freelance writing tips blog post, I’ll show you how you can find new freelance clients by using what’s in front of you. (Got more burning Qs? Check out this freelancer FAQ for the solutions.)
Last year, when I was pregnant with my first child, I was asking my mom friends all the questions. Although I’ve written for some sites like Fit Pregnancy, The Bump, and Parents in the past, I was thinking about new article ideas based on the apps I downloaded (potential clients), the questions I have, as well as those I see posted on forums. I was also starting to think about the products I was going to need for rest of my pregnancy and the baby, so that had me thinking about new companies that I didn’t explore as potential clients.
Using this example, I might see if the following companies have blogs and if they do, reach out to a marketing manager to introduce myself and offer services: Motherhood Maternity, Graco, Playskool, Bobby, Carter’s, Buy Buy Baby, and well, the list goes on. (ICYMI, check out this simple content marketing exercise to find clients based on the brands you use daily.)
For this content marketing exercise, I’m suggesting you look at the companies associated with a product or service you recently researched. Perhaps you wanted to shop around with your car insurance policy, your homeowner’s insurance, pet insurance, or researched a new contractor to do work on your home. I just purchased a used car from a dealership and noticed a magazine sitting on the table while I was waiting to fill out paperwork. It contains human interest stories about how dealerships around the country were giving back. I snapped a photo of the masthead with the editors’ names and email address and vowed to reach out to see if they could use my writing services. Using the examples I mentioned above, many insurance companies have consumer-facing websites and blogs and could be on the lookout for their next freelance writer — you! (These freelance writing tips for beginners will help you land your first job — and higher paying ones.)
For this exercise, I recommend looking at companies you frequently buy from or subscribe to, as well as local utility companies, and businesses whose services you use monthly. That could be a daycare company, a gym, grocery store chain, gas stations, clothing stores, specialty shops and anything else that popped up in the past month. Write a list of the companies and research them to see if they have blogs, magazines, newsletters, or if they’re a part of an association that could be a potential B2B client. For example, maybe you noticed a charge at your favorite pizza shop. If they’re a small company, they may not have a blog or decent website (you could still reach out to offer to help them launch one or help with social media services), but, if you think big picture, know that there are pizza industry magazines that could use your freelance ideas. (Ready to send off your first pitch? Check out these article pitch examples for inspiration.)
No idea or company is too small or insignificant! Spend some time this week searching for new freelance content marketing clients and send out a few pitches.
If you plan to try any of these or have success with one of these exercises, leave me a comment below. Need some freelance support as you take your career to the next level finding higher-paying clients? Check out my freelance writing e-course offerings and one-on-one coaching services.
Tags: content marketing, content strategy, freelance writer, freelance writing, freelance writing tips, higher paying clients, six-figure freelancer
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