Image by Mohamed Hassan

You could say I’m a freelance copywriter (just like a million others).

Or you could say I’m a copywriter with deep experience in the organic food sector.

Or I’m a copywriter specializing in email marketing for fashion brands.

Or I’m a copywriter focusing on high-conversion landing pages.

See the difference in the approaches? The second one talks just about niche—the organic food sector.

The next one combines media (email) and niche.

The last goes right for the money—high conversion—without addressing a niche.

Any of these are better than just “freelance copywriter”.

BTW, you can drop the word “freelance”. It’s obvious if you’re out looking for work, and there’s no benefit in using that word.

Communicate And Support Your Offer

Make sure you communicate your offer everywhere. For example:

Your social media bios and posts
Your website
The footer of every email

Then, support your offer on your portfolio and website. Where possible, include results and testimonials in your portfolio pieces. Go beyond just showing the work. Make sure viewers understand what they’re looking at and why it matters.

Who Are The Potential Clients For Your Offer?

This is where many freelancers struggle. They don’t define or know how to attract their best potential clients.

Who are your ideal clients? Simply put, they’re clients who need what you’ve defined in your offer and have allocated budgets to pay for your services.

Too many freelancers waste time trying to convince potential clients to buy their services. I never did that. Clients should know they need the services you offer. Now it’s just a matter of choosing you to deliver them.

I wrote about using LinkedIn to find your ideal clients here.

Do They Have Budgets For Your Services?

I’m biased. I always wanted bigger corporate clients who had budgets for the services I offered and, later, for the services of my agencies.

I see many freelancers constantly negotiating fees with clients. Why do clients do that? Because they don’t have adequate budgets. Or they don’t have defined budgets. They’d rather spend the money on something else.

My ideal clients had budgets that were dedicated to marketing communications. It was corporate money that needed to be spent.

Think hard about who you want for clients. Focus on working with clients who have budgets set aside for the services you offer.

Never Try To Convince Clients To Buy Your Services

Imagine trying to convince a potential client to set up an ecommerce website when they’ve never done this before.

Even if you’ve had years of experience building ecommerce websites, you’re trying to talk them into doing something that’s totally new to them. On top of that, you want them to do it with you.

If you try to push a rock up a hill, you’ll get resistance every inch of the way.

Sure, there’s an off-chance you’ll succeed, but it’s a lot of work.

Simple rule: I only wanted clients who knew they needed the services I provide. If they didn’t realize they needed a copywriter to help them, I wouldn’t try to convince them.

Where To Start? Clarify Your Offer First

Figure out how to define your offer. There are many ways to do this. Pick one that works for you. This is your “elevator pitch”.

It may take some time to put it into simple language. You should be able to do it in one concise sentence. Work on it until you get it there.

Communicate That Offer Clearly and Often

Look at all of your channels and adjust your messages so they’re consistent and easy to understand. Your potential clients should recognize themselves when they read your offer.

Then, look for your ideal clients. Once you’ve defined your offer, it’s easier to reach out to your network with a clear message.

There’s much more about defining your offer in both of my books.

New Book For Freelancers

I’ve just published How to Become a Successful Creative Freelancer. It’s the essential business guide for freelance writers, designers, developers, filmmakers, and photographers.

Whether you’re just starting as a freelancer or have years of experience, you’ll learn a lot from this book.

It’s broken down into easy-to-understand chapters with strategies and tips you can use today. Not just “what to do”, but also “how to do it”.

It’s available now in Kindle ebook and paperback on Amazon.

Want to Grow An Agency? The Agency Book is For You

If you’re looking for tips on how to build and grow your agency, you’ll want to read How to Start a Successful Creative Agency.

Available at Amazon (Paper & Kindle), Kobo (ebook), Apple Books (ebook), and Gumroad (PDF).

The book is packed with useful information to help creatives start and grow their business.

Testimonial: “Full of Useful Tips”

“Your book has been so helpful. I'm only a third of the way through but I've found it full of useful tips.”

Christopher Nowlan, Twitter

Want a Free Taste First?

Sure! Sign up in the footer below for a free PDF of Chapter 14, Working With Clients.

This chapter covers essential areas such as Clients vs. Projects, Corporate Clients vs. Small Business Clients, How to Create an Opportunity Document, Benefits of Finding a Niche… and much more.

Questions?

If you’re on Bluesky, I’m ‪@strotebook.bsky.social. Ask me anything.

On Twitter, I’m @StroteBook. D.M.s are always open.

On LinkedIn, I’m Andy Strote. Ask away.

Define Your Offer. What Do You Do For Whom?