The Word Wrangler

How do you find jobs?

That’s probably the number one question that most freelancers ask, especially when they’re beginning their careers.

Many of us start out by hitting the biding sites like Elance or even trolling through Craigslist trying to find work. But the fact is that, while these are good places to gain experience, they’re not going to provide you with jobs that pay enough to keep the lights on.

They key to getting the good paying jobs is to go after them. You have to sell yourself and your services; sometimes even to people who don’t think they need you.

It’s not easy, but the more you do it, the better you’ll become.

Here are several ways I’ve gotten clients over the years.

Cold Calling

I know, those words probably make you cringe. I don’t like doing it either, but getting a chance to speak directly to the person who has need for your writing services is much more personal than an e-mail or postcard.

If you’re afraid of being a bother consider this: The people you’re contacting, marketing directors, advertising directors, editors, etc. are people who need writing services. It’s not like calling someone to sell them a new potato peeler. You’re offering something they need, and most of them, are used to dealing with vendors like yourself.

Peter Bowerman is a big proponent of cold calling and I am too. I used to make ten to twenty calls a day, which is low according to Pete. Most of the time the people you call will say no. That’s okay. Keep at it and soon you’ll get a hit.

If you want to succeed, you’ve got to put forth some effort.

E-mail

Some people frown on unsolicited e-mails, but I like it. The catch is to avoid the spam approach, which is getting a mailing list, and sending everyone the same material. The web is a great tool for finding companies that need writers. Marketing firms, advertising firms, PR firms and graphic design agencies all have regular need for freelance writers. And you can usually find the proper contact person on the company’s web site.

The point to remember is to personalize each e-mail. Make sure to get the contact person’s name and use it in your greeting. Also, it’s important to note that you shouldn’t be sending attachments with any of these e-mails. Most people are likely to trash an e-mail with an attachment when it’s coming from someone they don’t know. So, stick to introducing yourself and explain what you’re offering. Badda bing, badda boom - short and sweet.

If you take the e-mail approach it’s a good idea to follow up with a phone call a few days later to make sure they got it, and to make the contact more personal.

Again, it’s effort, but it’ll pay off in the long run.

Snail Mailings

Another way to put yourself out there is to assemble a small package to mail to potential clients. Like e-mails, you want to keep these short and sweet. Include your business card, a BRIEF letter introducing yourself and explaining why your services would be a good match for their company, and maybe a small brochure if you have one.

The points to remember is to personalize these mailings so it doesn’t look like junk mail. Also, keep it short. The people you’re contacting are very busy and won’t wade through your life’s history and ten pages of writing samples. You’re a writer. Learn to sell yourself in a paragraph or two.

As with e-mails, you should follow up with a phone call a few days later. Sometimes the person wants to hire you, but can’t get around to getting in touch because they’re buried in other work. Make their lives easier by going to them.

All of these ideas take effort on your part. Freelancing isn’t easy and there’s plenty of competition. That’s why it’s more important than ever to be a hunter and continuously go after jobs.

Being aggressive isn’t in most writers’ nature, but the ones who can manage to overcome their fears and passive tendencies are the ones that reap the biggest rewards.