Stop Sliding in the DMs: How to Get Copywriting Clients on Social Media

So, you’ve taken copywriting courses, you’ve created a copywriting portfolio, and you’ve determined your pricing and created a business plan. 

Now it’s time for you to go scouting for copywriting clients.

You know that you can use social media to get clients (because that’s where your target audience is spending their time!), but there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about doing it. 

So, how do you get copywriting clients through social media, and, more importantly, how do you do it effectively?

Cold Pitching vs. Warm Pitching on Social Media

Before we get into how to find copywriting clients on different social media platforms, let’s first talk about cold pitching vs. warm pitching and what each one actually means.

What is Cold Pitching in the DMs?

Think of cold pitching in the DMs like when a door-to-door salesman comes strolling up to your front porch and bangs on your door:

You don’t know this person.

You didn’t invite them over. 

And unless there’s some familiarity there (like recognizing the logo stitched onto their shirt), you’re either not going to answer the door or you’re going to turn the lights off and pretend there’s nobody home.

Cold pitching in the DMs works the same way.

If you go all “slidey-slidey” into the DMs with absolutely zero rapport built beforehand, you’re probably gonna see all the lights shut off at once––the digital equivalent of that is being left on read.

But, much like door-to-door salespeople, you’ve probably done at least some research on your potential clients before hitting that send button. 

Maybe you saw a post on their LinkedIn where they talked about how they really needed to strengthen their messaging.

Or maybe you noticed that their social media captions could use a tune-up. 

So, something told you that you’d be a really good fit for their needs.

But firing cold sales pitches into their inbox isn’t necessarily the way to go about doing it if you want a better shot at landing the client.

That’s where “warm pitching” comes in.

What is Warm Pitching in the DMs?

Warm pitching is building a relationship with your prospect before you pitch to them. It’s building rapport and getting your potential clients to know, like, and trust you before you offer your services. 

And with warm pitching, you might not even have to pitch at all. You’ll find that a lot of your prospects will start asking to work with YOU.

So, how do you go about warm pitching? Let’s get into it!

Ditch the Pitch: Here’s How to Really Get Copywriting Clients on Social Media

Want to know how to send DMs that get clients? Let’s go.

Make a Connection First

It should go without saying, but if you’re not even following your potential clients but you’re blowing up their DMs asking for their money, it’s a bad look.

If you’re not following the people you’re pitching to before you send them a message, it shows that you really haven’t put any effort into figuring out what they’re all about.

Support

Show your prospects that you’re invested in their mission by supporting their content. 

It’s as easy as hitting like and sharing their posts.

And, you definitely need to do this more than once. Show your prospects that you have a genuine interest in their work.

Trust me, they’ll notice.

Respond

Take the time to not just hit like, but to actually engage in conversation with your prospect ON THEIR POSTS before you take the leap into the DMs. 

Answer their questions. Comment something other than an emoji. Be intentional. Comment with relevant, well-thought out responses that pertain to what they’re talking about. 

Break the DM Seal With a Question

Here’s where you make your way over into the DMs. Send them a message about something they’ve posted. Start a real conversation. Ask them to elaborate on something or thank them for sharing specific information.

But, be genuine about it.

I’ll give you an example.

Recently, I had a business coach send me a DM that was clearly an “ice breaker” style DM that had the intention of just getting me to respond. It was something to the effect of “It looks sunny where you are. What’s your favorite thing to do in the Summer?” 

Keep the small talk out of the DMs. It doesn’t do anything to build the know, like, or trust factor at ALL. Plus, this message was so completely unrelated to anything I’d posted, it was obvious that they were going to segue into selling me something. And, what in the first-day-of-sixth-grade kind of BS question is that, anyway? 

If you want to build a genuine connection, here’s the thing: you have to actually BE genuine. 

Show Your Value

People are getting DMs all day long asking them to enroll in a program or sign up for a mastermind or buy some kind of service.

If you want to stand out, actually provide your prospect with something of value. 

For example, maybe you read one of their posts where they ask their audience to sign up for their email list, and you just happen to have a welcome sequence template that could totally help them out. Send it.  

Chances are, they’ll ask you to write the entire sequence.

When you show people you know what you’re doing, they’re more likely to hire YOU as their freelance copywriter to do it for them, even if they already know how to do it themselves.

Because one thing that most business owners don’t have is time.

And that’s content marketing, baby.

Timing is KEY

Timing is EVERYTHING when it comes to landing clients in the DMs. You don’t want to engage with 2 posts, send a “hello” message, and then jump immediately into your pitch.

Getting clients through social media DMs is a long game, and it’s definitely one worth playing.

Familiarity breeds trust.

Keep messaging. Keep engaging. Keep the conversation flowing (as naturally as possible). 

And when the time is right, let them know you’d love to work with them and support their goals.

That is, if they don’t ask you first.

Want to know what to do once you’ve finally caught their attention and you have a prospect on your calendar? Here’s how to nail your discovery call!

Can You Really Get Clients Through DMs?

Sending DMs to your prospects on social media can absolutely get you clients–IF you do it right. Remember, social media is meant to be social, and it’s meant to spark conversation and build relationships. People are more likely to invest in services from someone that they are familiar with, like, and trust. By engaging with your prospects and building rapport BEFORE you pitch your services, you’ll build a solid foundation for a business relationship.

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