I know how much freelance writing advice you’ve probably already read online.
A shit-ton.
(Super scientific measurements up in here, y’all.)
So, you might be thinking:
Ugh. Another post about how to win freelance writing clients? I mean, I GUESS I’ll read it.
That’s right.
I can smell your doubts all the way from my desk here. I see you shaking your head.
And I get it.
There’s lots of conflicting information online.
But the thing is…
Cold emailing WORKS for freelance writers.
I know firsthand because I made over $800 the very first month I did it, and I was pretty much a clueless newbie.
But why is it such a great way to land freelance writing clients?
And why should you cold email when there are so many other options out there?
Well, first of all:
Cold emailing helps you get away from content mill sites and bidding sites like Upwork.
I bet that you’ve been told that content mills and bidding sites like Upwork are “a great way to gain experience and build your portfolio.”
I only have one response to that:
HELL. to. the. NO.
Why?
Because the pieces you write for content mills aren’t going to be high-quality — no matter how good of a writer you are.
Mills typically just want writers who can churn out low-quality SEO content fast.
And that kind of portfolio piece isn’t going to lead you to better-paying clients in the future.
As far as gaining experience…
I don’t believe in good writers starting out working for a measly 2 cents per word, which is what you’ll find most “clients” on Fiverr and Upwork offering.
If you can write well, then you can write well.
And it’s time for you to stop wasting your time and talents working for low-paying clients on bidding sites who don’t respect you or your work.
Because you DON’T need a ton of experience — you just need to be able to deliver what the client wants. (Always remember this!)
Cold emailing allows you to grab your career by the balls.
One of the most frustrating things about sites like Upwork and Fivver is that they take you out of the driver’s seat when it comes to your freelance writing career.
You can’t demand high pay — you have to settle for what you’re offered.
UGH. (I don’t know about you, but I didn’t become self-employed so I could be someone’s bitch.)
On top of that, site like Upwork take some of your hard-earned money in exchange for linking you up with clients.
Wouldn’t you rather get your own clients and pocket that cash?
I know I would.
Cold emailing puts you in control by allowing you to pick the clients you want to work with. No more racing to the bottom or competing on price all day long.
YOU get to call the shots when it comes to who you’re going to work with how much you can charge.
That’s not something that happens with content mills, bidding sites, and even some job board gigs.
Related reading: How I Used LimeLeads to Make Over $800 in One Month as a Newbie Freelance Writer
Cold emailing is not nearly as scary as you think.
I get it — the thought of sending cold emails might freak you out a little.
Actually, “freak you out a little” is an understatement:
You’re fucking terrified.
Because… what if you get rejected?
I’ve got some news for you, my friend:
Even if you’re a great writer and you send out lots of amazing cold emails, you’ll get rejected sometimes.
People won’t respond to your emails at all. Or they’ll give you a “no thank you.”
But you can’t let that hold you back.
Because really… why waste time and energy giving a shit about someone not wanting to work with you?
You need to focus more on the people who DO want to work with you.
(And trust me — if you’re a good writer and market yourself the right way, there WILL be people who want to work with you!)
And as far as it being easy?
It’s not as hard as you think.
You don’t have to create a totally new cold email for every potential client. Yes, you need to customize certain parts and spend time on every email.
But you start with the same basic template.
Now, I’m not going to sit here and act like cold emailing is the most exciting thing since your 21st birthday.
It gets a little tedious.
…But c’mon. You’re starting a business here!
And frontloading tedious work (like cold emailing) can set you up for long-term success.
Cold emailing way is the best way to land high-paying freelance writing clients — even if you’re a total newbie!
A lot of the best methods for finding freelance writing clients involve marketing yourself by building an online presence or a clientele over time — not right away.
Here are 3 examples:
– You should use social media to land clients, but it can take a while to build a presence and make connections.
– You should ask current clients for referrals to land new clients, but you can’t do that until you have a clientele already.
– You should use SEO strategies on your freelance writer website to attract your target audience, but SEO takes time to kick in.
But cold emailing?
You can start doing that right away, regardless of your experience.
When I started out, I didn’t have some amazing online presence. And I didn’t have a bunch of impressive experience or crazy connections.
I just did the best I could.
I picked my niche, put together a website, self-published some writing samples, and cold emailed my little heart out.
And guess what?
It worked.
The very first day I sent out cold emails, I sent 17 of them.
2 of the people I emailed ended up becoming high-paying clients.
So, my friend, I don’t want you to underestimate the power of cold emailing.
And definitely don’t think that you’re incapable of making cold emailing work for you – even if you’re totally new to freelance writing.
…I really mean that, by the way.
If you’re a good writer who’s willing to learn marketing, you can do this.
Here’s a FREE guide to help you:
Check it out, and start cold emailing ASAP.
You GOT this!