How to Ask for Content Work

How to Ask for Content Work As the co-founder of one of the UKs oldest content agencies, Ive received hundreds of emails from freelance writers looking for content work. Here are my tips for standing out from the crowd If youre looking to secure marketing content work, you need to be able to demonstrate that you can write to sell. The covering email you send us with your CV – or your LinkedIn summary – tells me a great deal about whether youre likely to have that skill, because those few paras are your opportunity to sell yourself, explaining why we should give you work, what you have to offer that we need, and how you stand out from the crowd. Here are some handy dos and donts Pay attention to your style and language.   It sounds obvious, but youd be amazed how many emails we get from people who get our name wrong, fail to spot a typo in the first line or begin their message with a 65-word sentence. None of this will do you any favors, alas. Dont write a lot. f youve worked for 50 clients already, dont list them all. List the five most impressive ones. Summarize sectors and skills, dont provide a shopping list. I love a crisp email thats four or five lines long, with a couple of highlights, and a link to a CV or better still an online showcase of work. Dont tell us all the jobs youve done before, or all the things youd rather be doing instead.   Content agencies get that content work isnt always a writers number one choice, but wed rather not feel you were emailing us on sufferance Show your digital knowledge.   Little things like the way you handle links or format your email give us a good idea of your familiarity in writing for digital. Even non-work experience of a digital nature – say, for instance, you have a very active Instagram presence, or you run a successful hob Be pragmatic.   Even where it looks editorial in flavor, content work is at heart about getting marketing materials in front of target audiences and driving actions, such as sales or downloads. As a result, we like people with business experience, commercial acumen, and a practical, no-nonsense approach. We tend to be less well-disposed towards people who write that language is in my blood or I want to work for you because I love playing with words. Customize your approach.   Dear sir or madam is an unpromising start. Find a name to write to, and dont leave the impression that we are just one of 50 agencies you are writing to. Dont forget to follow up.   Writers we think might have potential for us are asked to complete a test. It takes about 30 minutes and is a great way for us to assess your fit. If we offer the test, its a sure sign that we think we might be able to give you work. Yet, I estimate that over 50 percent of people who are offered the test never bother to take it. Showcase your sector knowledge.   Many people who write to us offer to provide content in the areas of film, culture, and travel. Well, sure. But what we need are people who arent afraid to write content about (off the top of my head) electric car legislation or working with a private equity house or sustainable property development. You dont need to be a specialist in any of these areas, but you do need to be unafraid of them. And of course, if you have worked in any niche areas yourself its an advantage – especially anything to do with the perennially content-heavy areas of finance and tech. Final thought: Fake it till you make it. Sometimes we get a message like this: Hey, I dont know if you remember me, but we once met at a conference about two years ago and you said to send in my CV. I know you have a great team already, but I thought Id share my details just in case something might ever come up This sort of message has an apologetic, defeated air. Dont feel confident? Use your writing skills to pretend otherwise. No one likes a pushy person, but if you dont sound confident about your skills, how do you expect anyone else to believe in you?