6 Fast Ways to Get Your Foot in the Door with Dream Clients
By Rebecca Matter

Have you gotten your foot in the door with a new client yet?

I’ve already heard back from AWAI members who successfully used every method I shared this week …

The Money-Making Website Method – where you get your foot in the door by showing your expertise in the industry, and giving potential clients an opportunity to reach their target audience through you.

The Basic Audit Method – where you get your foot in the door by uncovering a list of opportunities the client could take advantage of or challenges you can help them fix.

And, the New Idea Method – where you make the client take notice by presenting a new idea to achieve his goals, and making it easy for him to say, “Yes, please do that for me.”

Every one of these methods will give you a very good shot of getting your foot the door with any client. But, as I mentioned on Monday, they all do take a bit of work. And, while they may be my favorite ways – simply because the response is so high – I’m still going to share with you six more ways to get your foot in the door – just in case you’re feeling anxious to do it faster …

Here are six things you can try today – all of which AWAI members have used to get their foot in the door with me:

1. Comment on the client’s online content.

   Editors and authors read the comments on their audience posts online. A great way to get their attention is to provide valuable comments and demonstrate your expertise. That way, when you reach out to them, they already “know” who you are and how professional and experienced you are in your field.

   They may even reach out to you directly to submit content for the site, or get more involved in their membership site or forum. Which leads me to the next way …

2. Participate in their groups/forums.

   Just like on the content, the people who hire writers are often watching their groups and forums to see what their audience is talking about, and to look for possible writers. My marketing team is constantly linking me to threads to see firsthand who the good writers are, and have their personal “top three favorite participants” whenever I’m looking for someone new.

3. Submit guest blog ideas.

   Guest blogging – while it may not pay as well – can be a great way to get your foot in the door and demonstrate your value and expertise. Plus, it gives the client a chance to experience what it’s like to work with you. With guest bloggers, clients can see if you meet deadlines, how well you take feedback, if you can follow directions, and if you’re good at coming up with new ideas.

   Hint: Many websites have a page where you can get instructions on submitting ideas for their guest blogs. Just make sure you read them and follow the instructions to a “T.” This is usually a test!

4. Find a champion or referral.

   Make friends with everyone you meet in the business – whether it’s their social media manager, their member services team, the person who answers the phones, the moderator on the forum – everyone! Often this can be more effective than getting to the person in charge of hiring you …

   A simple email from anyone on the AWAI team saying, “Rebecca, you should check out this person’s work,” goes VERY far in my reviewing it and responding. Having someone recommend you internally can be just what you need to get your foot in the door. Which leads me to the next technique …

5. Have someone “recommend” who you should contact.

   I got this idea from Nick Usborne, who got it from a coaching client. Simply call the company and ask whoever answers the phone, who they recommend you talk to about the services you provide. (Be specific.) When they give you the name, thank them, and get their name, too. Then reach out to that person directly and say “so and so” recommended you talk to him.

   It immediately lowers any resistance to the “cold call” and gives you the opportunity to pitch your services.

   Give this one a try … it’s amazing how many times I hear how well it works!

   And finally, the classic way to get your foot in the door …

6. Write a sales letter about you.

   If you’re a copywriter, what better way to demonstrate your ability to persuade someone to take action, then to persuade a client to hire you? Just make sure you follow all the key principles taught in The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting.

So, there you have it …

This week I’ve shown you 3 really strong ways to get your foot in the door, and 6 more techniques you can try if you’re looking to get in faster with a little less work.

What was your favorite? Which one(s) do you think you’ll try? I’d love to hear your feedback, and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have, too. Post a comment here.

Some closing thoughts …

Remember, your goal is to get your foot in the door. Show your value at every turn, and don’t be pushy. It may take a few efforts, and you want the client to look forward to hearing from you.

First impressions are crucial when it comes to landing clients!

And, once you get your foot in the door, make sure you work to turn the first engagement into more and more work. I can’t tell you how many times this step is missed …

Once your foot is in the door, assume the door is open for you to pitch more and more ways you can work together. That’s how you turn each client into a mutually profitable relationship, and how you effectively build a freelance writing business that can have you living the writer’s life of your dreams.