Expand Your Services to Existing Clients
for an Income Boost
By Pam Foster

There’s a misconception in the freelance-writing world that to make a great living as a web copywriter, you need dozens of clients and a steady stream of prospective clients. You need to work super hard to keep bringing in new business all the time.

While it’s true you always want to be marketing and posting your own content to attract potential clients, something might be missing from your income-building plan.

Here, just as in most business circles, it’s much easier to expand your services with existing clients — those who already know and appreciate you — than it is to focus only on attracting new clients.

When you think about the vast number of marketing approaches any one client needs to use these days (15 or 25 or even more!) …

A smart strategy is to offer your existing client(s) MORE of your brilliant copywriting and content-writing services.

We call this the “bird in the hand” method, because it follows the old saying, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.”

A client you already have is worth a LOT, because they already know your skills.

Let’s look at an example.

You’re already blogging for Client A, who truly appreciates your exceptional writing. Now, Client A also needs copy for the following marketing channels that are important to compete in their industry:

• Emails related to sales (bringing in new customers)
• Social media posts and monitoring
• Online ads (Google and Facebook)
• Special report(s) geared to bring in new leads
• Landing page(s) designed to capture email addresses when prospects request that report
• How-to “explainer” video scripts featuring their products
• Monthly e-newsletter issues
• Regular emails to welcome new customers and upsell new products and services
• Case studies featuring the client’s happiest customers
• Web page updates and new pages (lots and lots of pages!)
• Perhaps even print materials such as postcards, trade show handouts, and direct-mail packages (yes, direct mail is still huge!)

See what I mean? All of these methods require content, and most need content each and every month throughout the year.

Who’s writing all those different projects? Perhaps you can offer to write some or all of them.

Keep in mind —

Your client(s) may not even realize you can write all this other important material. And, they may be less than happy with whoever is writing them now.

Quite often, someone in the company is trying to write marketing materials when it’s not really their skillset. I’ve often come across clients who tell me their “IT guy” is writing the web pages. That’s when I ask with a smile, “How’s that working for ya?” Some clients have laughed and said, “Not so much.”

And there’s the golden opportunity to offer more services.

As you can see … by looking at everything your client is doing, or trying to do … you can be a superhero by offering to help.

So, here’s an easy way to get that additional work and income for yourself …

When talking with your client, ask them flat out:

“I just wanted to make sure you’re happy with my blogging for you. Is it working well?”

The client will likely say, “Yes, it’s been great! We’re getting some nice traffic and leads from your posts.”

This is when you say, “Terrific! I noticed you also have a special report on your website … plus a landing page and some emails that go out when someone signs up. Are you happy with how that’s working?”

The client may answer in one of these different ways:

• “It’s not working as well as we’d like. We tried creating all the materials ourselves.” This is an ideal opportunity to leap upon in a calm, professional way. You offer to bring fresh ideas to the table to make it work MUCH more effectively.
• “It used to be great, but we’ve been running it for a couple years now, so it’s kind of outdated and not as effective.” This is your door opener! Offer to bring it up-to-date or try something totally new to reflect what’s going on NOW in the marketplace.
• And if they say, “Yes, it’s been working really well. We’re super happy with that campaign.” Fine, you can still offer to bring fresh ideas to the table to make it work even better.

Since the client already knows you and likes your work, this would not be an outrageous approach, right? It’s very possible the client is thrilled with your initiative; especially if you have a few ideas already.

That’s all you need to do! Offer to help improve your client(s) results with projects you’re not yet writing for them.

Try it and see what happens.

I’m guessing that suddenly your schedule will be full, and your income will have blossomed after asking a few simple questions to a client who’s already a fan of yours.