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There's little doubt about it, the economy is in a scary place right now. Businesses are circling the wagons and hunkering down in anticipation of tough times. It can be especially scary for copywriters and other freelancers who might be seeing what was just a very lucrative market drying up to a bare trickle.
However, there is a simple, inexpensive (as in FREE) way to get a targeted, qualified prospect list in your inbox every few days: job search sites.
That's right. From the ones we've all heard of, like Monster.com, Hotjobs.com and CareerBuilder.com to industry-specific sites like TalentZoo.com and CreativeHotlist.com, each one offers job-opportunity email alerts that match your profile. Just sign up, and they let you know when someone is looking to hire a copywriter. Even in a rough economy, you'll get at least a handful each week.
Sure, they might be looking for someone to hire full-time, but that doesn't mean they don't need someone to help them out while they're looking. And with the economy in this unstable place right now, that search could very well take them a long time.
There are four simple steps to pursuing these leads successfully:
STEP 1 - Sign up for e-mail alerts at multiple sites
These listings are usually placed by HR folks, and each HR rep has their own personal favorite. You might get some duplication in the leads that come your way, but there won't be much. And don't be afraid to step out into unusual territory; if you specialize in real estate and know of some real-estate-specific job sites, sign up and ask for alerts about any marketing-related jobs.
STEP 2 - Do a little digging before making contact
As I mentioned, the listing is likely placed by an HR rep, which means any contact info will take you straight to Human Resources...which, as far as freelancers are concerned is roughly the same as handing your contact info to the receptionist and asking her to place it in the waste bin for you.
Do a quick search online for the marketing manager or creative director for the company in question, and try to find an email address or phone number. This is going to be the person who makes the decision as to whether or not to try out a freelancer.
STEP 3 - Don't go hard-sell
When you make your call, don't start off begging for the gig. In fact, don't ask them for any work at all. You're cold calling, so start out simple. Just tell them who you are, and ask them if they every use freelancers to help out with their copy. If they say no, thank them for their time, and ask if you could leave them your contact info in case they change their mind. If they say yes, ask what you need to do to be considered for their next project.
STEP 4 - Keep on calling.
It can be hard to motivate yourself to find companies to cold call day after day. But these companies come to your inbox LOOKING for a copywriter. They need your help. So when the email comes, take a break from what you're doing and pick up the phone. Keep it up and pretty soon, your inbox will be giving you all the work you can handle.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1543120
However, there is a simple, inexpensive (as in FREE) way to get a targeted, qualified prospect list in your inbox every few days: job search sites.
That's right. From the ones we've all heard of, like Monster.com, Hotjobs.com and CareerBuilder.com to industry-specific sites like TalentZoo.com and CreativeHotlist.com, each one offers job-opportunity email alerts that match your profile. Just sign up, and they let you know when someone is looking to hire a copywriter. Even in a rough economy, you'll get at least a handful each week.
Sure, they might be looking for someone to hire full-time, but that doesn't mean they don't need someone to help them out while they're looking. And with the economy in this unstable place right now, that search could very well take them a long time.
There are four simple steps to pursuing these leads successfully:
STEP 1 - Sign up for e-mail alerts at multiple sites
These listings are usually placed by HR folks, and each HR rep has their own personal favorite. You might get some duplication in the leads that come your way, but there won't be much. And don't be afraid to step out into unusual territory; if you specialize in real estate and know of some real-estate-specific job sites, sign up and ask for alerts about any marketing-related jobs.
STEP 2 - Do a little digging before making contact
As I mentioned, the listing is likely placed by an HR rep, which means any contact info will take you straight to Human Resources...which, as far as freelancers are concerned is roughly the same as handing your contact info to the receptionist and asking her to place it in the waste bin for you.
Do a quick search online for the marketing manager or creative director for the company in question, and try to find an email address or phone number. This is going to be the person who makes the decision as to whether or not to try out a freelancer.
STEP 3 - Don't go hard-sell
When you make your call, don't start off begging for the gig. In fact, don't ask them for any work at all. You're cold calling, so start out simple. Just tell them who you are, and ask them if they every use freelancers to help out with their copy. If they say no, thank them for their time, and ask if you could leave them your contact info in case they change their mind. If they say yes, ask what you need to do to be considered for their next project.
STEP 4 - Keep on calling.
It can be hard to motivate yourself to find companies to cold call day after day. But these companies come to your inbox LOOKING for a copywriter. They need your help. So when the email comes, take a break from what you're doing and pick up the phone. Keep it up and pretty soon, your inbox will be giving you all the work you can handle.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1543120