Getting More Clients – Look to Your Mail for Extra Business

By Robert McEvily

A great way to add new clients to your freelance writing business is by simply looking in your mailbox.

If you’re like me, you probably receive at least one or two promotional pieces of mail each day. Don’t just add favorites to your swipe file. Each piece of mail is an opportunity to gain a client.

From now on, take a careful look at each piece of promotional mail you receive. Is it a donation request from a non-profit organization? An advertisement for a new restaurant? A magazine offer? No matter the piece, it was written by a copywriter. And most of these pieces are controls. Proven winners.

You’ll immediately capture a company’s attention by offering to beat their control. All you have to do is contact them.

In many cases, the time-consuming contact research is already done for you. Most sales letters are signed by someone with a job title. Most include that person’s phone number, fax number, email address and the mailing address of the company.

In a short letter, introduce yourself as a freelance writer. Explain how you received their promotional piece in the mail. Tell them what you liked and didn’t like about the copy. (You can even include a marked-up version of their piece.) Then sell them on how you’ll improve their response rates.

If you prefer, just ask if they have other writing projects. Most companies have plenty. Sell them on why you’re the right person for the job. Sell your experience, your enthusiasm, or both.

You’ll be surprised how easily you can add a few clients to your roster just by checking your mail. Take a careful look today!

Robert McEvily is the creator and editor of Six Sentences.

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