Self-Promotion for Writers

Next time someone asks you what you do for a living, start your response with a quick pitch on exactly what you write. Some copy writers who specialize in marketing material even take this to a new level by stating “I’m in the business of increasing profits for my clients by improving their marketing materials”. If you try to give an interesting, open ended, response to that “so what do you do?” question, the person who asked will likely be intrigued and ask to hear more about your work. In some cases this could turn into a new long term client.

Self promotion also involves promoting yourself to your existing clients. This is an opportunity too often overlooked by freelance writers. A client who has already hired you, or a magazine that has previously published some of your work, will be more likely to hire you again. Instead of waiting for them to contact you, think of what your client may need and pitch it to them instead. Are you writing website content for a company that could use a press release? Pitch it! Do not overdo it though, pitch one idea at a time and if you receive a “no thanks” make sure not to pitch the same idea next time.

There are many ways of promoting yourself that go beyond the scope of this introductory article, but a good rule of thumb is to never let a potential networking opportunity to go by. If you are introduced to someone you have never met before, don’t be shy and ask them what they do first. They will likely shoot the same question back and open up the possibility of conversation. One of my students secured a big client this way, she was introduced to a friend of a friend who happened to own a marketing company. Two months later she was working on one of their biggest copy writing projects.

You never know where your next project could come from, and by maximizing your exposure to new and old clients you also increase the number of contracts you secure.