There’s a cost to starting any business. Freelance writing or copywriting is no exception.
So if you have no samples or no experience, there’s nothing wrong with giving away your services in order to get both.
But only until you get three or four samples and a bit of self-confidence.
Contact your friends, family, colleagues, previous co-workers. Explain what you’re doing in simple terms. And see if they (or someone they know) could use a writer to improve their website or their sales/marketing materials.
Offer to do a project free of charge in exchange for permission to use it as a sample — and in exchange for a brief testimonial, if they really like the work.
No luck there? Join an active LinkedIn group of small business owners. Contribute to the conversation for a couple of weeks. Then, make a simple offer to do a pro bono project for three people in the group. Explain why you’re offering, so they understand your intentions.
Sound far-fetched? This is exactly how I got my first three samples. Which I then used to land my first few paying clients.
Look, getting started doesn’t have to be complicated.
Be resourceful. Get creative. Pay the price.
Enthusiasm, hard work and out-of-the-box thinking will get you far.
Tired of doing this all on your own?
Need a clear path for getting results faster, landing your first few clients… and showing everyone (including yourself!) that you can do this?
Here’s how we could work together to make that happen.
