Are you tired of bidding on jobs, only to be told you’re “too expensive?”
Are you having problems making ends meet, and “feast or famine” mode is burning you out?
Yup, I hear you.
Job sites like Upwork are an easy way to bid on multiple projects. BUT, there’s a downside…
Prospects are often flooded with responses. Plus, many folks choose content writers on cost — not experience. That means you have to lower your prices to compete. Or, take what you can get…and struggle in the meantime.
Neither option is good.
Consider finding SEO writing clients this way, instead…
Consider the type of site you want to write for, getting as specific as possible (for instance, B2B sites selling SaaS, periodontists, or healthcare risk management.)
Then, go online and find at least ten sites that fit your requirements. There are four things you want to look for:
1. What does the site look like? If it looks like a homemade site or a tiny business, cross it off your list. They won’t have the budget.
2. Does the company have a blog that hasn’t been updated in a while? Fantastic! You’ll want to dig deeper. Cross the company off your list if there’s no blog or if the posts read like they were written offshore.
3. How is the company’s SEO content? Are they leveraging all their SEO writing opportunities? Are their posts positioning in Google?
4. Does the company have a social media presence? If so, how often is it updated? Are folks engaged, or do the posts fall flat?
What’s your sweet spot?
Look for a company that has blogged and posted on social, but the frequency slowed down or stopped. These folks may have the budget — but what they don’t have is time.
That’s where you come in.
You’ll want to contact these companies with a short, friendly note and tell them how you can help make their content marketing lives easier. Yes, this means writing an unsolicited pitch email. (Scared? Check out Ed Gandia’s “warm email prospecting” system to see how easy it is.) It’s worth it.
Think about how this helps you
Let’s put it out there right now: You will get rejected. Most folks won’t email you back. It may not be the right time for the company to engage your services.
BUT…that’s OK. Why?
You’re being proactive rather than reactive.
Instead of bidding on jobs where 30 copywriters (or more) are lowballing the price, YOU control the conversation.
When you initiate contact, your prospect isn’t comparing you to the competition. There is no competition.
What’s more, when you’ve done your research, you’re talking to a client who understands the value of good content — and is prepared to invest. You won’t have to educate them about the importance of content marketing. You won’t have to work for $5/page.
Feel scary? I get it. I recommend trying out the process at least once and seeing what happens.
After all, wouldn’t it be nice to work a little less…and make a little more?
What do YOU think? Do you have a question for me?
Leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to hear from you!
