[Contest Ended] 26 Ways to Win a Free Amazon $50 Gift Card and Find New Content Marketing Clients
This contest has ended and is no longer accepting entries.
Note from Jennifer: If you are new to the blog, WELCOME and thanks for visiting! If you like what you read, be sure to subscribe to my blog (blue box on the right side of the page) so that you can receive emails with my latest blog posts once or twice a week filled with practical ways to make more money as a content marketing writer. I have a policy to never sell anything to writers, so you will never get sales emails from me – just ideas and information.
** Be sure to check out numbers 27 through 31 which I added after the original post! Great new ideas.
I expected 2016 to kick off with a bang – which for us freelance writers means plenty of high paying work. But it hasn’t. I’m plugging on away on one of my anchor clients and have a trickle of articles on my plate. But three large (and well paying) projects which I expected to make up the majority of my 2016 are on hold, possibly indefinitely. And taking December off for a much needed vacation and time with my family didn’t help the situation.
Many writers have told me they are having a slow month so far. And I’ve tried to remind myself that January has been my lowest month of the year income-wise for the past seven years. But then I woke up at 4 a.m. Thursday night in a panic (as I do pretty much every January) and decided that my previous success was a fluke and that my career was over. Then a few anxiety filled hours later I’ve realized that I’ve got this. I know how to do this.
The secret to getting out of the January slump, isn’t really a secret – its back to basics marketing. And since I know that I am not the only one short of their monthly income goal this time of year, I decided to turn this into a contest. And maybe selfishly to give me comfort that I am not alone with my slow January.
So here is the deal – When you complete one of 26 marketing tasks below, post in the comments along any tips you want to share. You will get one entry in the drawing for a $50 Amazon Gift Card for every task you complete. So, 15 task means 15 chances for an Amazon shopping spree. And most importantly you will be on your way to a record-breaking income in February and beyond. The contest will close January 31st at 9 pm EST.
- Touch base with 5 (or more) previous clients. In my experience, this is one of the most effective ways to get work quickly since these editors know your work and already trust you.
- Update your LinkedIn profile. Many of my highest paying clients of 2015 found me on LinkedIn by searching for my niche. Take an hour and look at your profile. Update your niches, add new brands/publications/agencies you worked with in 2015 and make sure that your summary will speak to the type of client most likely to hire you.
- Follow up with every single LOI and Pitch that you have sent in the 6 months. I cannot stress this enough. If you are not following up, you are losing out on work. I get 75 percent of my new clients through following up, sometimes even after 18 months of regularly following up.
- Follow up with every single pitch or LOI you have sent in the past year. Same as above, but go back a little further in your in-box. If only do one thing on this list, I highly encourage you to do this one.
- Write a LinkedIn recommendation for a former editor that you would like to reconnect with. Everyone loves to get recommendations, especially unsolicited. This is a great way to reconnect without asking for work
- Edit your Letter of Introduction. Better yet, have a writer friend edit it as well. Most writers, myself included, have several base LOI’s for each niche then customize it for each client. But I know that mine is a bit dusty. So do the same thing you did for your LinkedIn profile – add new clients, services and jazz it up as needed.
- Send out 10 Letters of Introduction to Content Marketing Agencies. Check out my post for ideas on how to find agencies. If you send out more, you can get 1 entry for every 10 LOI’s.
- Send out 10 LOI’s to businesses in your niche. Use my step-by-step method for brainstorming brands for your niche. You can use LinkedIn as well as Google to find companies to market to. Be sure to also look at the advertisements of magazines in your industry to see which companies are advertising to travelers, computer programmers or retirees. Every single one of these are most likely potential clients for you. For this one as well, you can earn 1 entry for every 10 LOI’s.
- Put a date on your calendar to follow up in 2-3 months with all pitches that you send this month. This way you can’t forget to follow up.
- Sign up or Update Your Profile on either Contently, Skyword or Ebyline (Bonus for doing all three). I have worked for all three, but don’t recommend writers count on this as a source of work since it can be hard to break in and work can be sporadic. But if you don’t have a profile, you definitely won’t get work.
- Contact 5 local businesses, either agencies or businesses, to see if they use freelance writers. Even though it is totally easy to work with writers located anywhere, I have found that clients really like working with local writers. So don’t neglect marketing to your own backyard.
- Send out LOI’s to 5 association or trade publications in your niche. Did you know that there is association for everything under the sun? I am positive that there are many associations in all of your niches. And most all of these groups put out a monthly publication for their members and many use freelance writers who have experience in their field.
- Follow up with 5 contacts you have met in real-life in the past year. Go through your business cards, notes and LinkedIn connections and reach out to everyone you met at a conference, Meetup or networking event. I realized at 5 am last Thursday that I had a ton of people that I met last year at Content Marketing World that I never followed up with.
- Research local networking events in your niche, freelance writing or content marketing. Make plans to attend one. With a quick search, I found several Meetups and networking events where potential clients will be this winter and spring. I vow to get out of my warm house and meet them.
- Add new clips to your website. I am often so busy creating content, that my website is months out of date with new clips. And if you don’t have a website, get moving on creating a website.
- Update the About Me Section of Your Website with new clients, experience and services. I am embarrassed to admit that I recently realized that mine was at least year out of date.
- Connect or reconnect with 5 freelance writers. Freelance writers know which editors need writers and even have their emails. Many writers view other writers as competition instead of colleagues.
- Spend time evaluating your current social media strategy and take steps to improve your presence in 2016. I stink at social media and am actively working to focus on building a good social media presence. Clients want writers who have a solid social media following in the industry and are willing to actively promote their work.
- Research conferences for 2016 and commit to attending at least one. It can be a writing conference, an industry conference or a content marketing client. I plan on attending the Raleigh High Five Conference, ASJA National Conference in NYC and Content Marketing World. I always learn new skills, make new contacts for clients and find a new energy for my career. I found this great list of big and small content marketing events across the country in 2016.
- Do your taxes. Yes, this technically won’t get you more work. But by the time the work is rolling in, you won’t have to take time out from paying work to complete this necessary evil.
- Update your email signature. Your email signature is free advertising. Make sure that you are making the most use of this real-estate. Some savvy writers will even include links to their last story in a high profile pub in their signature.
- Go to LinkedIn alumni group and find 3 people from college to connect with. Another writer shared this tip, and I thought it was brilliant since your college roommate could now very well be a marketing manager at a top company.
- Find a consumer or trade publication in your niche and make a list of advertisers. If someone is advertising in the pub, then they are most likely a potential client. This is a great way to find new companies in your niche.
- Find 1 new productivity enhancing tool and integrate it into your business. There are so many cool apps and tools that can save you time, which translates into more money. But when you are swamped with paying work, it’s hard to make the time to get up and running. Check out this Fast Company article if you need ideas for the best tools for freelancers.
- Connect with 3 former co-workers (email, phone or LinkedIn). I realized last week that I have connections in the tech industry that are now spread over many different companies that could turn into potential clients.
- Help another writer. Find a writer who is starting out that could use some advice. Spend 15 minutes on the phone brainstorming market ideas, review their LOI or share an editor contact. I am positive that many other writers have helped you along the way. I strongly believe that as writers we are all in this together.
***** Here are three more marketing ideas contributed by readers and a few I thought of later. You can get an entry for each and if you come up with a marketing idea yourself post in the comments and I will give you an entry as well.
27. Google “Top NAME-OF-MY-NICHE companies” and find 5 new companies that you haven’t targeted. (Another entry if you send out LOI’s to each of them). Thanks Holly Browne for this tip.
28. Join American Society of Business Press Editors (free). Post your contact information on their Freelancers list. (Thanks Heather Larson for this one. Brand new idea to me.
29. Get a magazine that your target audience reads and look at the advertisers. Write down 10 new potential clients. Everyone who is advertising is a potential client. For example, if you are are a travel writer look through the ads. Every business who is advertising is looking to attract travelers so most likely could use travel content. This works for pretty much every niche. Be sure to also think of B2B, such as magazines for travel agents and tour operators.
30. Email a writer friend and let them know that you are looking for work. Now, this should only be done with someone you have a relationship with, not a stranger, but my writer friends and I do this all the time. Send a quick email letting them know that you are looking for more work and to let you know if they run across a lead that would work for you. This works well for both writers in your niche and other niches.
31. Send a writer friend a lead that is a fit for their niche. One, this is good karma. But it’s also good marketing. If you send out leads to writer friends that don’t work for you, then what do you think that they will do when they run across leads that work for you? Bingo! My best clients have come from writer referrals because they are already vetted (decent pay, nice people).
Share your marketing tasks here and I put an entry in for every item you complete. If you complete more than one (which you hopefully will), please reply to your first post so that I can keep things organized and I don’t miss any of your entries. Remember the winner of the lottery receives a $50 Amazon gift card.
And if you have any tasks to add, please share then and I will update the list!
Excellent post, as always, Jennifer. (sorry, for some reason, I can’t get the comment box to accept capital letters!) I had a very slow November, which was unusual. I also had a slow December, which is to be expected. January has started slowly but I have work lined up for a couple of months, so I don’t feel as insecure about the new year as I usually do. I’ve ticked off several of your tasks already–1, 2, 19, and 26. I like your other ideas too and will try them out. thank you!
Hang in there…you are a pro and it will pick up. It’s hard for us to trust that the work will come when it’s slow, but the marketing (driven by anxiety, I suspect) is what keeps us at the top of our game. Trust me, I’ve been a successful freelance writer for 25 years (yet I have the same twangs of insecurity on a quarterly basis myself)! all the best to you.
Whoo Hoo! You have the first four entries into the contest. Be sure to reply to this comment when you do more tasks. I’m really glad you like the ideas. Let me know if you have any other marketing ideas that might work for others and I will add them to the list.
Thanks for the kind words. I know it will pass. And it’s really nice to know that I’m not alone. I hope that your client’s pick up as well. It’s funny how some months, like your November, are slow for no apparent reason.
Jennifer,
This is such great information, as usual. I really appreciate all you do! Question: On your website you call yourself a Content Marketing Writer but don’t mention journalist until the bottom of your “About Me” page. Wondering why you don’t call yourself a “Content Marketing Writer and Journalist.” I’m wondering because I do both, too, and right now I’m putting them both together, although I wonder if my journalism prospects would be offended and not hire me because of the content marketing…..
Thank you for the kind words. I hope you will participate in the challenge.
Yeah… I struggle with what to call myself. I started marketing myself more as a content marketing writer lately since most of my income comes from that. But I would like to do some more journalism in 2016, so I may want to change that. However, my experience is that you have to seek out more of the journalism though pitches, but that the cm stuff comes to me more often so I have geared my marketing (LinkedIn and website towards that).
However, I think that everyone should call themselves whatever feels authentic to them and feels right to their own business.
As far as journalism clients not hiring you because of content marketing…. The only two outlets that I have heard of having an issue are some editors at the NYT and WSJ. My experience is that very few editors really care as long as you aren’t using former or current clients as sources. Most editors and pubs do sponsored content or content marketing so they understand the realities. Watch for a post next week that talks about doing both.
I love the idea of a contest. Must be my competitive nature. hopefully it will get us all more work. Here’s something I do occasionally. Google search for “write for us.” you have to wade through miles of junk, but sometimes there’s a gem in there, too.
Great idea! Do you search for your niche in addition to “Write for us”? I will add it to the list! I hope you participate in the contest!
I’m working my way through some of these and spent this morning following up on queries and LOIs from the past six months. I have already received one response that an editor is now looking again and requesting some clips.
One down, 25 more to try.
That’s great that you already got a response! I did the same thing on Monday and got a new client from a huge tech firm through an Agency. Keeping my fingers crossed that you get more. And you have one entry in the contest!
I also went further back and followed up on LOIs and queries for the year. I have heard back on one possible – need to check back in with her. Incidentally, she noted in her message that it’s always a good idea to check back in periodically with editors as you never know when they might need someone.
As for email signatures, I picked up the tip from someone last year to update it at the start of each month with a recent clip. It gets those clips more traffic, which pleases editors, and it draws more interest in my work.
I have now updated my LinkedIn profile and done several other things to it to make it more search-worthy. Plus I just finished following up on pitches and LOIs for the past six months.
So far, crickets, but that can’t go on much longer.
Awesome! I’ve got you down for two entries – let me know if it is more! Keeping my fingers crossed that you hear something! Post when you do.
Thank you for providing an incentive for me to start getting things in motion for 2016! I’ve already done 1, 3, 6, 9, and 15, and will comment again when I’m able to push further into the list.
HI Clair,
Thanks so much for participating in the contest! You are on a roll! Post if you do more marketing so I make sure you get all the entries you deserve. And most importantly, let us know when you get a new gig!
I’m Jean Thilmany with my first entry …. I contacted 10 content agencies. I googled content agency plus my niche (or one of them) and have at least gotten replies from three agencies (“we’ll keep you on file”). Tomorrow I plan to do the follow ups for another entry. Thank you so much Jennifer.
Jean, That is fantastic that you got so many responses from a cold email. You should also make sure that you do the task of putting it on your calendar to follow up. I have gotten a good bit of work by following up with agencies that respond with we will keep you on file.
One of the questions I get a lot is how to find the person to send it to. Can you share what you did to find the contacts at these agencies?
I am always doing number 26, and this week I’ve completed 17, because I just sent out a book proposal and manuscript to an agent. I needed help. The people who helped me, I’ve helped as well. It’s the best way to work. We’re in this together. And this list is rad! The next thing I need to do is work on my social media. Links need to be updated.
Thank you for writing this post.
Jackie
AWW, I knew I liked you. Now I know why! Yes, I couldn’t agree with you more. I wouldn’t be where I was without lots of people helping me. There is more than enough work to go around since we all have different strengths and specialties. I’ve got you down for 2 entries so be sure to post if you do your social media or any others! Thanks so much for participating!
As of today, I’ve got 4 tasks done – #1, #9, #19 and #25.
What a great list! I’ll be working on a few more of these tasks next week.
WHOO HOOO! I’m so glad you are participating! Let us know if you get any work from this!
I’ve spent time updating my LinkeIn profile .. I worry now it looks to search-wordy but I think I did okay at striking a balance.
Put you down for another entry!
Hi, Jennifer. I love the idea of a challenge. It got me off of my rear this past week and I’ve already completed, 2,6,9,10,12,15,21!
I hope to do more!
Wow, you are on a roll! Post if you do any more. And let us know if you get any work from these efforts!
Yup, I’m off to a s-l-o-w January start as well. What an awesome list! Thanks, Jennifer!
I’ve completed #2, #8 and #9.
And one tip that’s worked to help me find companies to target is GOOGLING “Top NAME-OF-MY-NICHE companies.” Sometimes you luck out and turn out a top 25 list by a trade pub or something.
Best of luck to everyone!
Love this tip! I”m going to add it to my list! And put you down for your entries. Let us know if you hear back from anyone adn get work. Keeping my fingers crossed.
This isn’t on your list. Join the American Society of Business Press Editors, which is free. Then you can post a summary of what you do and contact information in their “Freelancers” list. Yesterday there were only 35 listed.
I couldn’t complete this because there was something wonky with my Linkedin URL, but I’m throwing it out there for the rest of you.
I”m adding this one and you get a point for the idea as well! Fantastic idea! Thanks for sharing!
Great idea, Jennifer!
Just checked off task #26 by helping a fellow ghost with a client sitch.
YEAH! #26 is my favorite! I almost put that was worth 2 entries, lol.
Does anyone have any sizzling tips on how to find email addresses at content marketing agencies? I’m finding this extremely difficult. I’ve never found one on LinkedIn. I have figured out the email formula if they list at least one employee’s email on their site, but that’s very rare.
I thought I had a post on this! I guess I don’t! I will write one. If I can’t find one then i will try the three most common formulas I find at agencies – firstname@company, firstinitiallastname@company or firstname.lastname@company until one goes through. I have best luck finding a person’s email on the press page or sometimes agencies have staff bios that have clickable links with email. I will also sometimes google for press releases and find an email that way.
What a great refresher and motivator! I just added a handful of reminders to my calendar inspired by your notes. Have you been to the High Five Conference before? I had not heard of it. I bookmarked it for ’17. Would love to get together at some point and grab a coffee!
Hi Tara, Yes, we need to get together! Are you going to the High Five conference this year? I heard several of the speakers at Content Marketing World and they were fabulous.
Have you done any of the marketing challenges? I want to make sure that you get all the points you’ve earned!
Jennifer, I’m inspired by your post! Going to take your challenge and I just did my first step. I updated by LinkedIn profile and I really like the changes. Now I’m feeling energized about taking more steps and following your suggestions. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks for the butt-kicking to get me going on this Monday afternoon! 🙂
You made my day! Thanks for the kind words! Glad I could kick your butt even from across the country!
I love #5! Just wrote a LI recommendation for an editor of mine that I wrote for when she was at a women’s magazine. She’s now an editor for a content-marketing company and I have written for her, but not for some time, as the company lost the client that I was writing for. Seems like a nice way to reconnect a bit, plus I should have written a letter of rec for her a LONG time ago. She’s wonderful. Thanks for that suggestion.
I’ve decided to print out your list here and circle them as I complete them. To do the whole list will take me way beyond the end of the month, but they are all GREAT suggestions. You are lighting a FIRE under all of us, my friend! Thanks.
That’s awesome! I need to do that one as well! I’m so glad you are finding this inspiring. I put you down for a point. Be sure update everything you do by the end of the month!
I just researched and then registered for a content conference in September. It was pricey, but I think will be worth it. One more entry for me!
Jean
Are you going to Content Marketing World? I will be there. I’m speaking on a panel. I went last year and it was worth every penny.
In response to whom I sent a letter of introduction to at content agencies, I try to look on LinkedIn to see if they include “working with freelancers” or writers in their job description. Often it is VP of marketing or content director or something like that. All that, plus trying to find the correct email address, takes a fair bit of time. Often it takes me several hours to send out even five letters of introduction. But in sculking around LinkIn and Google in this fashion I get other ideas of agencies and places where I could send introductions.
This is a FANTASTIC idea! Thank you! Do you mind if I share it (and give you credit with a link) in a future blog post?
I also completed number 9. Thank you Jennifer for reminding me to do such a very simple task.
Jean
Yep, that one is an easy way to get a point, but OH SO important. I honestly think that not follow up is the biggest mistake that freelancers make.
So far I’ve managed #3, #7, and #17. Will try for more tomorrow! These are all such great ideas!
You are on a roll! Be sure to post any more you do! Congratulations!
Jennifer, thanks so much for this motivating task list! I’ve done 9, 10, 19, 21, and a bit of 26. Taxes (#20) are on tap for Groundhog Day. I’d love to see the Fast Company article on productivity tools for freelancers (#24), but the link wasn’t working. Would you mind posting that link when you get a chance? I have a LOT more to do—so hopefully I’ll be commenting again. For now, cheers to a speedy recovery from the January slump!
Here it is – Sorry about that http://www.fastcompany.com/3052658/hit-the-ground-running/15-apps-that-make-freelancer-life-easier I fixed the link above! WHOO HOOO. You are on a roll!
Awesome–thanks! I knocked out 3, 9 and 14 today. 🙂
Yay…13, 18, 24, 25, 28 + 29 = done! Thank you, thank you, thank you for this fantastic to-do list. I will keep cranking through it until I complete it–hopefully in February.
I’d love to find a writer friend to review my LOI and in exchange I’ll review his/her. A fresh set of eyes never hurts. Who’s in?
Leah
Great idea, Jennifer! I am in this mode right now already, and I see I’ve already done quite a few of these this month. I:
• Updated my LinkedIn profile
• Put a date on my calendar to follow up on all pitches sent this month
• Updated my Contently, Skyword and Ebyline profiles (all 3!)
• Added new clips to my website
• Updated my website’s “about me” section
• Connected/reconnected with 5 freelance writers
• Updated my email signature
• Helped another writer
• Emailed a writer friend that I am looking for work
• Sent a writer friend a lead that fits their niche
Great post, and thanks for the fun and helpful contest!
Great idea, Jennifer! I am in this mode right now already, and I see I’ve already done quite a few of these this month. I:
• Updated my LinkedIn profile
• Put a date on my calendar to follow up on all pitches sent this month
• Updated my Contently, Skyword and Ebyline profiles (all 3!)
• Added new clips to my website
• Updated my website’s “about me” section
• Connected/reconnected with 5 freelance writers
• Updated my email signature
• Helped another writer
• Emailed a writer friend that I am looking for work
• Sent a writer friend a lead that fits their niche
Great post, and thanks for the fun and helpful contest!
And I just edited my LOI!
Well, I waited until the last minute but I was able to:
* follow up with five previous clients
* follow up on LOIs from 6/12 months ago
* update my LinkedIn Profile
I printed out this article and intend to continue to use it as my “to do” list in February. Thanks, Jennifer.
Leah
I know I’ve missed the deadline, but I’m on the West Coast and wanted to weigh in anyway!
This was a wonderful motivator for me. Thank you 26 times over for so generously sharing your ideas, Jennifer!
I started the year knowing that two of my corporate clients were no longer clients because they decided to bring the work I’d been doing in house. So I was very motivated to get cranking!
I signed up for Skyword (No. 10) and wrote a recommendation for a former editor (No. 5) as well as looked into attending CMA this year (No. 19) — I’m leaning toward doing it.
I printed out your list and made some notes about the steps I want to take next … it’s tremendously helpful to have that list for reference when I want to focus on marketing but need some inspiration.
Thank you so much!!
[…] and miss out on a high paying gig. And since many of you are dusting off your LOI as part of my January Marketing Contest (I thought now would be a great time to talk about LOI’s again. For each marketing task you […]
[…] from Jennifer: Want to win $50 from Amazon and get new clients? We have a marketing challenge going on until January 31st to help everyone beat the January slump. Come post your marketing efforts and get an entry in the […]
[…] that January is often a slower time for freelance content marketing work. Last year I launched the January Marketing Challenge and it was one of my top posts of the year. Throughout the year, I heard writers were using the […]