Stop writing for almost nothing. One of my pet peeves is writing gig platforms and here are the main reasons why: they cheat writers out of their hard-earned money and they also cater to low ball clients—many who refuse to pay for solid content. Many of these writing gig platforms charge writers an outrageous fee and offer underpaying writing gigs. I will not mention them by name, but you know who they are—the ones that offer to pay $5 for a 500 words article.

You may be starting out and maybe you just want some extra work but writing gig platforms are usually not going to be your best choice. Instead, I am going to discuss a few ways to get started as a new copywriter or get additional work—without a writing gig platform:

Network Online and Offline

Technology makes it easy to network online through social media. If you prefer face-to-face interaction, join your local Chamber of Commerce or other business networking groups.

Advertise Your Writing Services

You can do this easily and for free on social media. You can also post an ad on social media. The money you spend on an ad will have a far bigger return on your investment versus paying a writing gig platform.

Create a Newsletter

This is an easy and inexpensive great way to stay in touch with new and loyal customers. Popular newsletter software sites such as Mailchimp and Constant Content make it fun to create simple newsletters you can send to everyone on your contacts list. Build your contact list by networking online and offline.

Upsale to Loyal Clients

When you have created content to the same client, it is time to upsell. This is an excellent business model successfully used by leading organizations. Consider this—when ordering at McDonald’s, or any other fast food, don’t they almost always offer an additional meal item? They understand the concept that it is easier to sell more to a loyal customer than trying to get new customers. That is not to say you should not try to get new customers, but do not overlook the ones you already have. Always offer additional writing services that are relevant to your client. You would be surprised how often they say they were thinking of what you offered!

The Final Word

Get off the guinea pig wheel and make the money that you deserve. It is far better to be proactive than reactive. That is the difference between the writer who is making a decent living versus the one slaving away to barely make it. Read Pt. 2

Happy Writing!

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