A question that plagues many aspiring copywriters is how long it takes to land a client. The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. It really depends on the individual and their strategy for pursuing new projects.
Some copywriters land their first client within days of starting the job search, while others take months or even years to gain traction.
There are several factors that can influence how long it takes for a freelance copywriter to land their first client. We’ll look into these factors below, but first:
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How Long Does It Take To Get Started In Copywriting?
Copywriting is a skill that takes time to cultivate. It’s not something you can pick up overnight. Before you start actively looking for paying clients, you need to know the basics of writing copy and hone your copywriting skills.
How long this takes largely depends on how quickly you learn, but it’s safe to say that it’ll take at least a few weeks of full-time study.
From there, you’ll need to build out your portfolio and start setting up profiles on freelancing platforms, so that potential clients can find you. This process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on how quickly you work.
Once your portfolio is complete and you’ve set up your profiles, you can begin pitching clients. This is where the real work begins. You’ll need to put in hours upon hours of research to find clients, craft personalized pitches for each one, and then wait for a response.
This process can take anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on how many clients you reach out to.
Is It Hard To Get Copywriting Clients?
Every copywriter’s journey is different, but there are some common challenges that come up when searching for a copywriting job. Some of these challenges include:
- Competition: There are a lot of copywriters out there vying for the same projects, so it’s important to stand out from the crowd.
- Building trust: It can take time to build a reputation as a reliable, professional copywriter.
- Finding the right clients: It’s important to find the right clients that align with your values and interests.
- Being persistent: You may have to send out dozens of pitches before someone bites, so it’s important to stay consistent.
So, to answer the question: Is it hard to get copywriting clients? Of course, it can be difficult. Knowing this, it’s important to be prepared and have a plan of attack when starting out to become a copywriter.
The more time you invest in researching potential clients, creating strong pitches, and staying consistent in your efforts, the faster you’ll be able to land those first clients.
Factors That Influence How Long It Takes To Get Copywriting Clients
The timeline of landing copywriting clients will depend on a few key factors. The most important are:
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Your network: Who do you know? What kind of relationships can you leverage? Your network can help you find your first copywriting clients and open doors, so it’s essential to make sure your connections are solid.
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Your experience and skill level: If you have prior freelance writing experience or training, it’s much easier to land clients quickly. Clients are looking for copywriters who have the right experience and expertise to get the job done.
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Your target market: What services fit the needs of your target customers? You’ll need to identify a niche or specialty and focus on delivering value to that market.
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Your marketing strategy: Are you using social media, email marketing, content marketing, or direct mail? Each tactic has its own advantages and disadvantages. You’ll need to find the one that works best for reaching your target market.
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Your portfolio: Are you showcasing your best work? It’s important to have a professional portfolio that makes it easy for potential clients to see what you can offer.
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Your pricing: Are you offering competitive rates? It’s important to offer a fair price that reflects the value of your work.
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Your attitude: Being patient, confident, and persistent is key to finding clients. The right attitude will help you stay motivated and keep trying even when it seems like nothing is happening.
How Do I Get My First Client as a Copywriter?
Think of running a copywriting business as a marathon, not a sprint. You’re playing the long game; trying to build credibility and trust so that clients eventually come to you.
At first, you’ll need to contact prospects and make yourself known. You’ll send emails, network, write guest articles and connect on social media to showcase your work.
The grafting you put in now will pay off over time as you establish yourself as an expert in the field.
After landing a few premium clients, receiving great testimonials, and establishing a reputation for providing high-quality copywriting work, you can attract more paying clients with less effort.
That’s all well and good, but how do you break into the copywriting world in the first place? How can you win your first copywriting client?
Here’s our 5-step approach to getting your first client:
Learn Your Craft and Improve Your Copywriting Skills
Understand copywriting fundamentals, such as tone of voice, audience targeting, SEO principles, and effective storytelling. Without the basics, you won’t be able to write engaging copy for clients. Consume as much content as you can, and hone your skills by practicing.
Read blogs such as CopyBlogger, Copyhackers, and Copywriting.org to learn how to write persuasive copy that compels people to take action.
So, how long does this take? It depends on how quickly you learn and apply the fundamentals. But for most beginners, it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Choose Your Copywriting Niche
Narrow down the type of freelance writing you specialize in. Choose an area such as blog writing, direct response copywriting, web copy for marketing materials, or sales letters. You can even niche down further by writing for specific industries. Fintech, health, and beauty are some examples.
Choosing a niche immediately sets you apart from other copywriters and generalists. It allows you to position yourself as an expert in your field and compete with higher earners.
Plus, it makes it easier for you to find prospects by targeting specific companies in your niche.
This process should take no more than a day or two. Don’t linger too long on this step, as you can always narrow down your niche further or choose a different copywriting niche when you gain more experience.
Write 2-3 Great Samples
You know what great copy looks like (you’ve done your research, right?) so it’s time to start writing sample pieces and creating a copywriting portfolio.
Choose a few topics that are relevant to your niche, and write persuasive pieces of copy that showcase your skills. You can write a blog post, an email sequence, direct mail sales letters, or a series of product descriptions, depending on your niche.
Aim for 2-3 that really display your skills and creativity; you don’t want to do a lot of unpaid work. Look at your potential clients’ blogs or websites for inspiration. Read their recent content and see if you can improve it.
It’ll probably take a few hours to write copy samples, so plan for at least half a day for this step.
Create a Copywriting Website
Your website is your digital storefront and the first impression a potential client will have of you.
It needs to be visually appealing and easy to navigate, while also demonstrating your copywriting abilities and showcasing the type of work you do.
You don’t need to create an expensive website with all the bells and whistles. A simple website with a home page, portfolio page, contact page, and a few blog posts is all you need.
Buy a domain name from a website host such as NameCheap, Google Domains, or Hostinger. Your domain name should be your name or related to your niche, e.g., ‘techcopywriter.com‘. You can create the website yourself using WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace. It should take no more than a few days to get it up and running.
That said, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to create a great copywriting website. Sites such as NameCheap allow you to get a domain name and hosting for as little as $35.
Reach Out to Prospects
Your website is up and running, you have samples ready, and you know what niche you want to specialize in. Now it’s time to start looking for clients and cold pitching.
Create a list of prospects that fit your niche. Use Crunchbase or AngelList to find startups that have recently raised funding; they’re likely to be looking for copywriting services.
Once you have a list of about 20-30 prospects, use LinkedIn to find the appropriate contacts at the companies. Look for content managers, marketing directors, or even the CEO. Use tools such as Hunter.io or VoilaNorbert to find their email addresses.
Write a simple, personalized cold email that introduces yourself and your copywriting services. Include the samples you wrote earlier to show them what you can do. You can use tools such as Mailshake or Reply to automate the process and reach out to more prospects faster
Writing great cold emails takes practice, so don’t get too discouraged if you don’t hear back right away. Rejections are all part of the game.
Set reminders in your calendar to follow up with prospective clients, and be sure to respond quickly to any queries they might have.
This is the stage where patience and persistence will come in handy. It can take days or even weeks to land your first copywriting client. But the more you reach out and show them why they should choose you, the more likely it is that you will get a response.
Aim to send at least 10 -20 emails a day. Eventually, someone will give you a chance.
Final Words: How Long Does It Take To Get Copywriting Client
Landing a client takes time, effort, and patience. You need to establish yourself as a trustworthy, reliable, and skilled copywriter before anyone will take you seriously enough to hire you. That process doesn’t happen overnight.
Your copywriting career doesn’t have to take off in one big leap – you can slowly build and refine your skills over time. Keep learning and experimenting with different copywriting techniques and approaches, read up on industry trends, and stay connected to your network.
By taking the time to create a portfolio, set up a website, and put yourself out there, you can eventually land your first copywriting client.