Managing your copywriting business via email

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Friday, December 21st, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

As Scott Karp says, “Email Is NOT Dead”:

Inboxes are getting flooded by email from other online communication services like Facebook, Twitter, Pownce, etc. because EVERYONE HAS EMAIL — it’s the only truly universal form of online communication. So much so that all of these web services have to use it as a proxy.

But these flooded inboxes are a challenge when it comes to running your copywriting business, whether you’re interacting with clients on projects, or are prospecting for new business.

So, how do you keep your messages out of Junk-box hell?

With established clients, I prefer to use Basecamp and HighRise, because it means that we can track projects and milestones, so if I get a message from Basecamp, for example, I know it’s client-related, as does the client when he gets a message from me.

It’s been several years since I needed to prospect for business via email, but I’ve asked my copywriting students to test some methods for me, and here’s what works.

When you’re prospecting for new business via email:

* Get a name - whether of the Creative Director, or whoever’s hiring freelancers, and send the message to him/ her;

* In your subject line, be direct. Use something like “Enquiry about freelance copywriting opportunities”. Say exactly what the message is about, right in the subject line;

* At the end of your message, add your name and complete contact details, including a phone number. Ensure that your message looks genuine.

Join a social network and become known

You’ll have the most luck with email prospecting if you get people to refer you to their contacts. This is where some of the social networks are useful.

People do business with people they know, so if you know someone via a network, contact them in the network, and then take your communications to standard email.