Complete Beginner's Guide To Copywriting: Generating Leads And Creating A Client Base

Don't get lost in the anxiety and confusion of landing your first client. Allow me to help. 🧏🏽‍♀️

You have all the back end set up and now you're ready for clients, but are you?

Finding clients to pitch your newly minted copy business to can be a pain in the you-know-what. Starting a freelance company is easy, but making money doing it takes a few key characteristics and skills

You may be the best copywriter in the world already, but you've fallen into a slump. That's perfectly fine as this article is also for those wanting to brush up on their skills and possibly learn something new.

The hottest website, the sleekest samples, the flashiest business cards - all these things are not enough to land clients, and without the skills necessary to convert prospects into cold hard cash you don't have much of a business.

I recommend holding off on a website and business cards until you can land your first sale. No one is saying you can't do this, but in the beginning it's a waste of time.

Are you excited to discuss the keys you need to unlock that first lead and make your first dollar? You came to the right place copy cat.

Where you start is not with your prospects, it's with your pitch.

I come from a family of small business owners, and one thing I've learned throughout the years which has helped me land clients even in line at the grocery store is:

"Never leave your house without a good pitch."

You might be thinking,

"Oh, but Kelin, I plan on using Upwork and Fiverr. I don't need a pitch. I'll just type a few sentences to my prospects and the rest will be history." Your shot at getting those projects will be the only thing that will be history.

Whether you are pitching in-person, online, on the phone, or through divine intervention, let me tell you that you need a pitch. What do I mean by that? I'll tell you.

Let's say that you are pitching to me and you come into the meeting without anything prepared. Instead of asking me questions about my business you talk about your skillset. Rather than repeating back to me what I'm saying, you dart from one point to another. Instead of solidifying what work I need done, you tell me what work you think I need done.

This would be an awkward meeting, and trust me I've been there. Maybe you have as well and that's why you're here. Let's fix your approach.

When entering a meeting with a prospective client, talking to someone in the grocery store, or even having a zoom meeting with someone from Upwork, here is what you need to have ready:

• Make sure you ask the client about what they need help with most - this is the most important question. If they don't know, that's okay - let them know you can look at their project and help them figure it out.

• Their product, brand, or business is their most prized possession. Don't you like to talk about your favorite things? Ask them questions about their project. What does it provide? How is it made? What is it for? How long has it been around? How well is it selling now? What are their future plans for it? And so on. These questions not only get the client to connect to you and gush at the fact that you are into their brand, but also gives you valuable information you need in order to help with their copy needs.

• Find out who the target audience is. This is crucial as you will need to utilize SEO tools and tailor your copy to their niche group. If you don't know the audience, how do you know who you're selling to?

• Repeat back to them all the information you have gathered in your little meeting. Let them know you are listening and that you care. Don't put this off until you draft up a proposal, as there might not be one if you don't show a basic understanding of the client's goals.

• Lastly, tie everything together by telling them how you can fix their problem in simple language. Let them know your going rate. I recommend keeping your prices low at first as this will help you make deals ($0.50 to $1.00 a word - are pretty standard prices). And don't forget to mention that sales tax will be included.

The hardest part is having confidence. These are the basics so as you develop your niche and grow your business you will be able to streamline your process to suit you and your client base's needs.

Okay, I know - you need your first prospect before you can even pitch to anyone. I didn't forget that!

Where on this big blue earth are all of the copywriting jobs?

If you're asking this, great question. Being a beginner, some might think that clients fall out of the sky like that song "It's Raining Men" - they don't. But they are all around us.

When you are first feeling the hunger and desire to find clients keep it simple. You're not going to be pitching your million-dollar copy idea right away, you need to build your skillset.

There are some valuable places to look at first, and one place that continues to work for me and is a great place to start is your local market. The proximity of small businesses in your immediate area gives you the opportunity to walk in and discuss what's wrong with their copy, and allows you to make some of the easiest early sales.

Go onto Google Maps and look up some local small business websites. Evaluate them as if they are already one of your clients. Find something that the business needs help with ASAP and get to work drafting a proposal letter you can either bring with you or send over to them if they are not meeting in person.

Be personal, don't get too formal with your language, and stick to the tips up above. Except here you will be presenting to them what you know they need help with. You will find work this way.

If you cannot go out and visit clients due to COVID and you still want to build your business then start with Upwork (forget Fiverr, it's a bit more complicated), and use social media like Linkedin, Reddit, and Facebook. Start a simple portfolio website if you have the time or get someone to help you.

Most of all, please don't make the mistake of charging too much. I don't recommend working for free, but if you need the experience and the clients are nice enough, work in exchange for a testimonial. If you are charging $0 to get your foot in the door make sure you at least get client feedback for your portfolio website!

I feel so good helping you.

I did my pitch, landed a client, now how can I keep them coming back for more?

This here my friend depends a lot on you. This is your business so you control all aspects of it. If a client didn't like your work, communication, or process, it's time to reevaluate your services.

Let's start with the work. You can't deliver something that doesn't deliver what your client paid you for. If they need lead capture, client engagement, referrals, B2B relationship facilitation, increased product or service sales, or more traffic to their website and you can't deliver, then you're as good as grass.

If you deliver work they can count on, then you'll probably retain them for future work if you maintain that relationship.

Communication is key for retaining clients. If you are cold, rude, not prompt, a bad listener, or you just can't get along, then heck no, that client will simply try the next copywriter they can find. Watch some videos of effective communication with clients. You need to be someone they like and can rely on if you want to rely on them for future work.

Your process may not be perfect yet, but that's expected. A client may not know that. You can either be upfront with them about it or not. But if you're not, make sure you have your britches on properly and are ready to go. If you have to keep resending your emails because you forget something, or deliver your copy in a format the client cannot read (Check out my other blog post on this Complete Beginner's Guide to Copywriting: When You Know Absolutely Nothing, But You Need Answers Now), or your process is confusing or sloppy, clients will be pulling out their hair wondering why they are working with you. Take your time, breath, and get organized by reading my other copywriting beginners guide.

There you have it, ladies and gents, you can find and keep new clients as a new copywriter. Don't tell anyone I told you. 🤫

It was so fun putting this together. I didn't know half of this practical information when I was starting out. Now that it's in one place for you to reference you'll never have to worry again.

Don't forget, we are all just trying our best. Get stoked because you got this!

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