May 1, 2023
If you’re a freelance writer who’s looking to build up their content marketing client list because you heard they tend to be higher-paying gigs—yes, content marketing clients are a big part of my six-figure freelance business—you might be wondering where to start looking for them. It’s one of the best ways to find freelance writing jobs for beginners, too.
Try this fun, 15-minute content marketing exercise that shows you the brands you interact with on a daily basis. You’ll realize that potential, high-paying clients are right under your nose, or in your drawers and on your shelves! Do this freelance writing exercise to find higher-paying clients a few times a week at different times of day to discover the potential clients’ whose brands you’re already a fan of. Content marketing writing is one of the top types of freelance writing you should know to earn a higher freelance rate in less time.
(Just getting started? Get my e-book designed for freelance writers who want to make great money in less time.)
Try this freelance exercise when you need to look for new, high-paying brand clients.
As you’re doing this content marketing client search exercise for freelancers, include as many brands and companies as possible that you touch, see, smell, eat, and use before you get your day started. If you need more inspiration, include clothes, makeup, shoes and the car you’re driving for ideas as you head to work and even advertisements you see or hear on the radio or TV.
Here are starting points for potential content marketing clients for freelancers based on products I’’m using and freelance writing niches I can look into. You might be surprised by how many of these companies have blogs, content marketing strategies, newsletters, social media content and content needs. (Learn more about the types of freelance writers brands want to hire.)
This is an example of my morning as a freelancer interacting with brands (linking to their blogs where applicable) for this content marketing client idea-generating exercise for freelancers:
My iPhone alarm goes off, or, I could use an app like Pzizz or Rise to wake me up. I use the bathroom and then let the dog out of his crate so he can run around the backyard. I could research products in my bathroom (Kohler) or my dog’s bed (from PetSmart). I put his collar on before letting him into the backyard while I make coffee (Cuisinart, and Coscto coffee—(yes they have a print magazine, Costco Connection). I might make eggs (Eggland’s Best) with cheese (Cabot) and pour half-and-half in my coffee (Land O’Lakes). I might pair it with a Trader Joe’s British muffin or have a portion of fruit, like grapes (Independent Grape Council). I let the dog back in, pour food in his bowl (Kirkland brand from Costco but there are tons of dog food company blogs…it’s a huge market). I listen to NPR’s Upfirst while making breakfast and later skim new headlines. As I make my way to the shower after breakfast, I often use Oil of Olay body wash, Pantene shampoo and conditioner or another hair product. I dry my hair with a Conair hairdryer, brush my teeth with Sensodyne toothpaste and use Listerine mouthwash. I might log my breakfast into MyFitnessPal, or use an app like Headspace to do a meditation. Looking broader, I have a doctor’s appointment (look into my health insurance company’s blog and other health insurance companies and hospitals), my dog has an upcoming vaccine appointment I received an email about (look into pet health insurance companies), and while scrolling my email I noticed marketing emails from Bed Bath & Beyond, GrubHub, PartyCity, Williams Sonoma and Cabela’s.
Spoiler alert? With the content marketing brands I mentioned above–they all have content on their websites. They all need good content.
See where I’m going with this content marketing client exercise for freelancers? Try it and jot down all of the brands you use and interact with on a daily basis to start there looking to see if they have blogs and content initiatives. Then, start looking for names of content marketing managers or content directors using these tips and jotting those down in a document as well.
Use an app like Google Sheets–one of the best apps for writers–when you track your outreach and note what happened during follow-up emails. Looking for new content marketing clients with this freelance marketing exercise helped me earn over $10,000 in three months one summer.
This can be an interesting freelance writing exercise to do, particularly if you’re experiencing a scarcity mindset or feel that there isn’t enough work out there for freelancers. (There is! You just have to spend time looking for it.) Do all of these companies use freelancers? Probably not. But some do and it’s worth introducing yourself to them so they can keep you in mind for freelance writing jobs.
You could simply concentrate on a niche market, like pet products and pet health.
I might pick through my dog’s toy box and contact the companies that make his favorite toys, as well as the dog shampoo company, dog treats, his bedding, travel harness, and more in order to take advantage of a hot pet products niche market.
Sure, this takes quite a bit of time to research blogs for these companies. But rather than searching the internet for freelancing writing jobs that hundreds or thousands of people are applying to, start with what you know and already use and you’ll be heading in the right direction when it comes to finding new, higher-paying freelance clients.
If you’re curious about what to do next after finding a company’s blog, my freelance writing online course ‘Get Paid to Write’ will help you find the right contact, research the company, write a great freelance pitch and hopefully get an assignment and build a relationship with this content marketing client. You’ll also get one-on-one freelance coaching help from me.
Have any questions? Email me: FreelanceCoachNY(AT)gmail.com for help.
Tags: article ideas, article writing advice, content marketing, freelance writing, freelance writing advice, freelance writing niche, freelance writing online course, freelancing, higher paying clients, making six figures freelancing, six figure freelancing, six figure income, six-figure freelancer, time management, work from home, writing tips
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