One of the questions I’m regularly asked by people looking to get into this industry is “How do I get clients?”
The simple answer is that you have to market yourself.
The more complex answer is that you have to take key steps to ensure that you continually promote yourself and your business so that when clients need dental content, you’re the one they turn to.
With this in mind, I’m going to show you exactly how to market yourself as a freelance dental writer and the steps you need to take.
So let’s get started…
Step #1 – Create a solid portfolio of work
I know what you’re thinking. “How can I have a portfolio of work, when I’ve yet to work with a client?”
It is a bit of a catch-22 situation I know, but here’s the thing… at this point, you’re simply demonstrating that you can write compelling and engaging content. There’s nothing to say that it has to be for a paying client. Instead, it simply needs to show you understand how to write engaging and informative articles, blogs and copy.
So, before you do anything else, you’ll need to create a range of content that demonstrates your skill and diversity as a dental writer.
Content can include:
- Blog posts
- Landing pages
- On-site content including treatment and service pages
- Dental product reviews like water flossers
- Email campaigns
But make sure they’re your very best work with no typos or grammar errors. After all, you’re a writer, right?
So how big should your portfolio be?
It doesn’t need to be overly large. I would aim to start with somewhere between 5-10 pieces of content. Then, as you land client work, you can always add it to your portfolio, provided you have your client’s permission of course.
So now you have your initial content, what do you do with it?
Upload it to an online portfolio like:
This way you have a designated online page where you can direct potential clients to view your work.
You could, of course, have your own website and put all your content there (and this is something you should work towards) but for now, a designated online page where you can upload your work is fine.
So, that’s step one. What do you do next?
Step #2 – Maximise your LinkedIn profile
Optimising LinkedIn is one of the key steps in understanding how to market yourself as a freelance dental writer.
Why?
Because LinkedIn is the best social media platform for freelancers, bar none!
Think about it this way, if you’re looking to get your name out there and land dental clients, where do you think those clients are going to be? That’s right, LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is the world’s largest online professional network and people use it to find jobs, strengthen professional relationships and connect with like-minded individuals.
You can be sure that the very people who are looking to hire you are already there, so it pays to be part of the crowd.
Start by completing your profile. Make sure it’s well-written and includes a clear professional headshot. Don’t forget to use keywords like ‘medical writer’, ‘dental writer’, ‘dental copywriter’ or ‘dental content writer’ in your header. This is one way of getting found.
Next, upload your portfolio here too.
Then, look to create meaningful connections with dental professionals or dental businesses. Find LinkedIn groups that are unique to your field, join them and start commenting.
Finally, look to post regular insightful information to build authority and kudos over time.
If you want to know more, here’s a detailed article from Search Engine Journal on how to boost your brand on LinkedIn.
So, we’ve created our portfolio and we’ve gotten down and dirty with social media. The next stage is to utilise a technique known as cold outreach.
Stage #3 Pitching
Reaching out to potential clients via email is one of the most fruitful ways to land dental clients. A carefully crafted pitch explaining how you can help with their specific content needs is incredibly effective when done right.
So what do we mean by ‘done right’?
Essentially a good pitch is;
- tailored to each specific client,
- identifies the problems that a specific client has
- provides solutions to solve that problem.
Do those three things and you’re on to a winner.
It could be that they don’t have an up-to-date blog, or they have a poorly written website,
So, after giving a quick introduction, you could say something like:
“I notice that you don’t currently have an up-to-date blog. Is this something you need help with? If not, that’s totally cool, but if so, feel free to drop me a line.”
It’s non-threatening and more specifically, non-salesy.
Oh, and don’t forget to throw in a link to your portfolio, so they can see what you can do.
On the flip side of that, if you want to know how not to write a pitch, I’ve written an entire blog on the subject.
Essentially, refine and tweak your emails until you get the right balance.
So, how often should you be pitching?
Every single day! You should be looking at sending between 5-10 tailored pitches per day.
And how do you find contacts?
Do a Google search for dental clinics or dental businesses in a specific area and start to build up a database of contacts. It really is that simple.
So there you have it. These three simple steps are essentially how you market yourself as a freelance dental writer 101!
Is marketing sexy? Nope
Is it repetitive? Yes
But along with repetition comes success and that means a steady stream of dental clients.
That’s how you build an online business!
If you value the content I provide, visit my website, Dental Writers Club, and download my extensive free guide. It walks you through the entire process of starting a dental content writing business from scratch.
In it, I cover every aspect from setting up, to getting your first client and everything in between.
I also have a ton of informational blogs, just like this one that you can use to help you on your journey. You can also subscribe to my blog so you never miss a post.
Thanks, and here’s to your success.