Freelance Writing: Sales Letters
Yesterday, I wrote a post on freelance writing and keyword articles. Today, I am going to move onto another type of writing that I do a lot of, sales letters. Although creating sales letters can be difficult, if you get good at these types of projects you will most definitely be able to find work. After all, every company in the world is trying to sell something. No, they do not all use sales letters, but a large number of them do.
What is a Sales Letter?
Generally speaking, a sales letter is exactly what it sounds like. This is a letter that you put together for a company that is trying to increase sales through direct mail or email. In many cases, you may even be asked to create one letter for a direct mail campaign and another for email marketing. This has happened to me more times than I ever imagined.
When writing a sales letter, the main thing that you need to keep in mind is that you are trying to push a product or service. In other words, this type of writing it not the same as a basic keyword article. Instead, you will turn into a salesman/freelance writer. Of course, you will be able to get direction from your client. Some clients tell me to go over the top with the sales pitch, and others tell me to keep things more laid back. Make sure that you gather as many details as possible from your client before starting.
Sales Letter Payment
Are you searching for freelance writing jobs that pay a lot of money? If so, sales letters will probably suit you just fine. When compared to other types of projects that I accept, sales letters are always among the highest paying. For a 500 to 750 word piece I have been paid in upwards of $1,000. And when this rate is compared to others in the industry, it is quite low. I know several top notch writers who charge $3,500 + for a single sales letter. I am not yet to that point, but as you can see, there is room for growth and big earnings.
How to Find Clients
If you are interested in writing sales letters, you need to find clients who hire writers for this task. Most will agree that this is the most difficult part of breaking into this niche. There are two things that I do to increase the amount of sales letter jobs that I bring in:
1. Cold call and cold email as many prospective clients as possible. Although I feel that cold calling is the better of the two options, I put time into both. Remember, you are going to get turned down time after time. But it only takes one client to get started and to make a nice chunk of change.
2. Network, network, network. If possible, network with business owners and high level executives. These are the people who hire writers for sales letters. Once you establish a reputation, your name will begin to make the rounds. I receive a lot of sales letter inquiries from people who have been referred by current clients. Get your name out there!
If you are looking for a way to increase your freelance writing income, consider getting involved with sales letters. As you can see, these pay good money and there is a demand for writers who can create quality letters that bring results.
