Written by Shelcy Joseph

Whether you have a few years of experience as as a freelance writer or you’re just starting out, clients are the bread and butter of your business.

The truth is, no matter where you are in your career, you will have to hustle to get new writing clients. Cold calling or emailing, networking, social media marketing are just a few of the well-known practices. But if your goal is to land high-paying writing gigs and regular clients, you’ll have to think beyond the traditional methods. Here are 6 ways to maximize your client search:

1. Writing on LinkedIn

I started writing on LinkedIn last year  and grew my audience to 1,500+ people in a little over 6 months. I documented my  post-grad experience in a series of advice-driven posts and modeled them after the most popular articles on the platform. Once I gained initial traction, people consistently responded to my writing, visited my website and started inquiring about my services.

To this date, LinkedIn is my second biggest traffic source and I eventually acquired two permanent writing clients from it. They cold emailed me and after a few conversations, we started working together. The first one is a startup company that hosts a platform for young professionals to find temporary work. I am in charge of their content marketing, from blog writing to SEO optimization. This gig pays about $1,000 a month (250 weekly). The second client is a women’s accessory brand for which I blog on a weekly basis for about $500 a month. I was able to add $1,500 to my income from writing on LinkedIn. As much as monetary compensation is good, the other perks such as authority, media coverage and networking opportunities are just as great!

As a freelance writer, you want to be perceived as an authority. In other words, become the go-to person for questions about your particular topics. A great way to do this is using LinkedIn Publishing to demonstrate your knowledge and showcase your personal brand. A lot of people are still confused about how to leverage the platform to advance in their career. They set up their profile then leave the management up to whenever they remember to log in. You should not only have a great page, but also be active on the network in order to achieve your professional goals.

2. Guest posting

Nothing expands your audience and builds your credibility faster than writing for other people’s blogs or publications. You should certainly have a website, but you will also benefit from leveraging already existing audiences on other platforms (where your clients potentially are). You have to be selective with the places you pitch, though. I leveraged my LinkedIn portfolio to be featured on The Muse and Social Media Week, and to contribute to Huffington Post. This not only makes me more marketable, but also allows me to price higher in most cases

Through marketing and SEO tactics, you can attract a lot of traffic on your own. Maximize your growth with guest posting as it has the potential to instantly double or triple the size of your audience and generate business leads.

3. Going to pitch events

A great way to meet new clients is going to networking events and genuinely connecting with people. However, because you only have so much time, you should be strategic about the events you attend. Before you RSVP, ask yourself if the event will attract your prospective clients. Any writing-related events (conferences, workshops, seminars etc.) are a given, but chances are, you’ll have more people to compete with there. This isn’t to say you should stop going to those, but think broadly in terms of where your potential clients could be.

I scored a few writing gigs from going to entrepreneurship events where startup founders pitch their company and compete for funding. Since most of them are still building their team, it’s easier to get a job with them. I’d listen to their idea and later approach them to offer my services.

4. Joining Facebook groups

Facebook groups are the new social media. They are highly curated and bring together like-minded people who have the same profession or share similar interests. For a freelance writer, these blogging/writing groups provide a supportive community where they can ask questions, promote their work, continue their education and find new opportunities.

Once you join a few of them, be sure to monitor ongoing conversations, participate in the threads and bring value. Make it part of your to-do list to check each group daily as opportunities come up regularly.

5. Posting ads on Craigslist

Love it or hate it, Craigslist is a legitimate way to secure work and increase your income. The site hosts millions of daily visitors who are either service providers or customers. Posting an ad is a direct way to market your services and find clients. An ad runs for 7 days and you may renew it as many times as you’d like. You can post up to 3 ads a day so I recommend writing different versions of the same ad to maximize effect.

6. Book speaking engagements

Whether it’s giving a presentation at your university or speaking at a local conference, seize every opportunity to put yourself out there and meet people in real life. Once you get over your fear of public speaking, give a talk at local events and let people know you’re available when they need your assistance.

What are some ways you’ve landed clients in the past? What continues to work for you? Let me know in the comments!

About the Author: I’m Shelcy, a freelance writer and the voice of A Millennial’s guide to life – a career destination for multi-passionate creatives who want to make a living by doing all the things they love.