How To Win Copywriting Clients!

Another post. Another chance to gain a little inside knowledge from an experienced copywriter. Today, I'll be dealing with those young copywriters who often approach me for a bit of friendly, professional advice. Bless their little souls. How do I win my first client? It's a question I'm often asked, and one which is simple to answer.
If you're just starting out I'd recommend you target small start-up firms and one-man bands. Networking on small business forums is a very effective way to do just this. For a reasonable price a good business forum will allow you to advertise with them. You'll need to design your own banner ad first and perhaps even include your very own animated GIF to help stand out from the competition.
Pay per click is also worth a look if you have a decent marketing budget. Start off with maybe ten pounds per day and see what sort of response you get. You can select your own key words and play around with them to see which are the most effective.
However, a great looking website is the key to building genuine interest in your copywriting services. Don't skimp on this either. You'll need to invest a decent amount of cash to make it commercially viable. Once you have your website designed you can then upload your portfolio and away you go!
Along with your website you'll then need to create a blog. A well written, informative blog will help to attract potential clients by raising your Google rankings. You could also include a YouTube video. Building partnerships with web designers is another way to win new business. Don't be afraid to cold call these good people. Web designers often have clients who need content written for their sites, and you could be the first point of contact for these prospects if you put the effort in.
A good idea would be to join your local chambers of commerce too. Pay to have to have some business cards designed. Go to your chamber's events and start networking. If you do this once a week for a good few months you will win new clients. Finally, you should think about article marketing too. Post expert articles on sites just like this and start to build a following. There are plenty of people out there searching for the kind of answers you'll be able to provide via your article writing. Your articles will link back to your