How do you attract new clients?
A big part of the process is to identify, contact, and build relationships with potential clients (aka “prospects”) who may be able to hire you — either right away or sometime in the future.
That’s pretty basic stuff.
However, there is another group you should be focusing your prospecting efforts on as well; one that a lot of freelance writers and copywriters overlook: referral sources.
A referral source is simply another professional in your market who can potentially recommend your services to their clients, prospects, and other contacts.
An obvious example are freelance designers. There are probably dozens in your area, already working with the types of clients you’re hoping to attract. Chances are, they get asked frequently by their clients for recommendations: “Do you know a good writer for the new website you’re designing for us?”
Now, imagine if you had spent some of your prospecting time introducing your services to all those designers and, as a result, built some solid professional relationships, and even a few friendships. Chances are, you would get some of those recommendations. You would get calls and emails like: “Our web designer suggested we contact you. We’re looking for a copywriter who can help us to … ”
A call like that — a referral — has a high likelihood of turning into a new project. Think about it. That potential client is already predisposed to hire you because you come recommended by someone they trust; their web designer. The job is yours to lose!
One freelance writer you probably know (and I’d tell you his name but I didn’t have time to get his permission to do so) launched his business from scratch by picking up the phone and introducing himself to every freelance designer and design firm he could find in his city.
And graphic designers aren’t the only types of referral sources you should be cultivating. You could get referrals and recommendations from PR consultants, marketing consultants, list brokerage firms, email marketing companies, online video producers, freelance photographers, webinar service providers, and a myriad of other professionals and companies.
So how do you prospect for referral sources?
In much the same way you do potential clients. You find them, introduce your services to them, and stay in touch with them to build the relationships.
Here is a script you can use when contacting potential referral sources:
“Hi Rick. This is Doug Anderson. I’m a freelance copywriter and I noticed from your website that we both target the same market: Business-to-Business companies. I often get asked by clients to recommend a design firm. And I’m sure you get asked to refer copywriters from time to time too. Should we be talking? I’d be happy to buy you a coffee next time I’m in the area … ”
Using that script, or a variation of it, is an effective way to make initial contact.
Keep in mind, however, that the real key to cultivating referral sources is in building the relationships. That can take time. But when you consider that most successful professionals claim that their best clients have come from referrals, the effort is worth it.
