In 2019, I got booted off Upwork.
(More on that another time.)
Not long after, the one client I could count on to fill my calendar emailed to say they were moving most of their activity in-house.
They were ‘sorry’. But there simply wasn’t enough work to go around.
*Cue the alarm bells.*
Then came the pandemic. And with it came the budget cuts and more templated apology emails.
Just like that, my calendar began to look as empty as the toilet roll aisles. I had no income. And in my mind, no way to find new projects.
So I updated my idle LinkedIn profile as “available for work” and went back to tutoring kids. All the while hoping that things would go back to normal and my $20/hour clients would rehire me.
^^Me desperately clinging onto my last freelance client^^
Was this it? The end of my delightful $18K/year freelancing career?
Actually… almost.
Fortunately, I was on the verge of something bigger and better. I just didn’t know it yet.
Just as I thought all hope was lost, I stumbled onto something that I WISH someone had told me sooner…
Facebook groups are a GOLDMINE for freelance copywriters
Forget funnel hacking, Facebook ads and cold emails.
Abandon the notion that “consistent posting” is the key to social media success.
Give me 5 minutes of your time and I’ll show you why – if you want to get your next freelance invoice paid TODAY – Facebook is the place to be.
Even if you’ve tried and failed in the past.
Allow me to hit you with some statistics…
In 2022, more than 200 million small companies are using Facebook for marketing.
1.8 billion people use Facebook Groups every month. Groups like Women Helping Women Entrepreneurs, a group filled exclusively with scaling female entrepreneurs, contain more than half a million members.
That’s a hell of a lot of opportunities to connect. And you can bet your favorite copywriting statistic that 99% of the entrepreneurs among this 200 million are:
a) looking for a copywriter
b) in need of a copywriter but don’t know it yet
c) know someone that needs a copywriter
It’s no wonder that Facebook groups have allowed me to turn my humble $18K/year freelance thing into a six-figure copywriting business in the space of two years.
Or that in the last 30 days, I’ve used Facebook to close:
>> a $3,900 blog contract
>> a $2,400 sales page
>> a $4,800 funnel project
>> $5,900 in VIP days
That’s $17,000. More or less what I made for the whole of 2020.
Could I be charging more than $2,400 for a long-form sales page?
Probably. And this year, my goal is to do more guest posting so I can get more clients reaching out to me.
But the point is, if I hadn’t found a way to land clients on Facebook, I wouldn’t have the funds to invest in amazing training like Copy School by Copyhackers. And I wouldn’t have built the portfolio that gets prospects signing the dotted line without needing to “go away and have a think”.
So if, like me, you’re not yet at the stage where you have a waitlist of clients who caught your TED talk on how you unlocked $563K of hidden revenue for Amazon…
Facebook groups could be the missing key.
And if you’ve had zero luck landing clients on Facebook, my guess is that you’re making one (or three) of these pesky mistakes:
3 Mistakes preventing you from getting clients from Facebook groups
Mistake #1 Hanging out in the wrong groups
If the only job opportunities you’re finding on Facebook are scammy posts like this one:
Chances are, you’re hanging out in the wrong Facebook groups.
When it comes to joining groups, there are two red flags to look out for:
- The group is exclusively for freelance writers
- Anyone can post
Let’s unpack that.
Naturally, groups that are exclusively for freelancers are saturated. More often than not, you get hundreds of freelancers competing for jobs that, well, stink.
Take this post inside a popular freelance writing group:
More than 170 folks scrambled to pitch their services… for a job that pays $0.013 per word. And that’s only if the client deems them to be a “professional.”
Otherwise, it’s $2.50 for a 500+ word article on a topic that requires research and an understanding of finance.
(Yikes!)
Groups like these are filled with heartbreaking posts like this one.
There are no rules against spam or MLM, meaning anyone can post. This means that employers looking to shell out for the top talent tend to steer clear.
They don’t have time to read through 170 comments on the off-chance someone fits the bill.
And if it’s a waste of their time… it’s a waste of yours too.
Mistake #2 Leaving boring-ass comments
Every time I see someone make a post on Facebook explicitly requesting a copywriter, I just know that it’s going to be filled with comments like:
“I’m interested.”
“I’d love to help.”
“I’ve sent you a DM.”
Maybe you’ve seen it too. Maybe you’re guilty of it yourself.
When you leave comments like this, you waste a crucial opportunity to showcase your ability to do what copywriters do best – sell.
You haven’t shown them that you know how to stand out in a saturated market. In fact, you’ve demonstrated the opposite.
More importantly, you don’t give the client a compelling reason to follow up with you. And based on my own experience, if you don’t give them a reason to follow up… they won’t.
Take a look at a post I commented on back in November 2021:
44 users commented but in the end, I was the one the client reached out to.
And if you’re thinking “OK… but $40 a Facebook ad is hardly a big win…”
After I posted that comment, I sent a five-minute audit to the company’s founder explaining why their landing page wasn’t quite ready to run Facebook ads.
He purchased my $497 web audit.
Three other entrepreneurs in the same group saw my comment and sent me a DM.
One booked a call with me and sent me this:
She hired me to audit her sales page and write a sales sequence. A week later, she purchased my $1497 VIP Day. And later this year, I’ll be writing the copy for her entire funnel.
So yeah, $40 for a Facebook ad is no big win.
But two new clients and $10K+ in freelance copywriting work?
I’d say that was worth the sixty seconds it took to pitch myself in the comments.
So next time you comment on a job post, remember this:
You are a copywriter. Your job is to sell things. So sell yourself, dammit.
Mistake #3 Not optimizing your Facebook profile
When I began interacting in Facebook groups, I received a bunch of friend requests from other entrepreneurs. Mostly because they wanted to sell me their program.
(Spoiler alert: This still happens… but 2 out of 3 times I flip it around and end up pitching them. More on that later…)
Anyway, when I started getting friend requests, something dawned on me.
The entrepreneurs I was pitching were heading over to my Facebook profile to learn more about me.
Here’s what they found:
My profile picture was a blurry snap of sunburned me posing in a giant nest. And my cover photo was me and my mates hanging out drinking cans of Kronenbourg.
^^Me wondering why no one was taking me seriously^^
If you think first impressions don’t matter, think again.
In a study on the impact Facebook profile pictures had on recruiters, Stijn Baert found that candidates whose photos scored highest on traits that indicated high productivity received 38% more job invitations than candidates who scored the lowest.
Worse still, business development leader Christopher G. Nowak blames a loss of $500K in revenue on a service engineer’s refusal to cut his hair.
When it comes to landing clients, the question of whether first impressions “should” matter is irrelevant. Just assume they do. And optimize your Facebook profile accordingly.
In the end, I wasn’t prepared to delete my nostalgic photos for potential clients.
So I created a separate Facebook profile to use for business.
This way, I get to include an ad in my cover photo without my grandad asking when I’m gonna get a “real job.”
And my high school friends can still scroll back and find pics of us in our glory days so they can mock my Robert Smith haircut.
Moving swiftly on…
“How DO you land clients on Facebook Groups?”
Ok, so now we’ve covered how *not* to land clients on Facebook, you’re probably wondering if there really is a secret formula for success inside Facebook groups.
Well, kinda.
Only that formula is essentially taking well-established marketing principles and leveraging them to sell your copywriting services. (Well… duh).
Everything else I’m about to reveal is based on my own success as a freelance copywriter. And I near-exclusively use Facebook to land clients.
Attract qualified leads by posting in the Facebook groups your ideal clients hang out in
Earlier, I explained why you should stay away from groups made for freelancers.
Instead, choose the groups your ideal clients hang out in.
These groups are more common than you think… especially since there are 625 million Facebook groups to choose from.
Ultimately, the question isn’t:
“Are my ideal clients on Facebook?”
Your ideal clients ARE on Facebook. So the question is:
“How do I find them?”
Relax boo, I’ve got you covered.
A quick-start guide to uncovering the Facebook groups where your ideal clients hang out
STEP ONE: Identify your ideal clients
Before you start joining a bunch of random groups, get clarity on your ideal clients.
For example, I serve course creators that help people (mostly female entrepreneurs) create financial freedom by monetizing a skill they love.
A group of this exact description might not exist, but I can find similar groups based on the keywords “female entrepreneur” and “course creators”.
Once you’ve found a keyword that accurately describes your ideal client, stick it in the Facebook search bar. Then narrow your search down to only include groups, like so:
Note: Answer the admin questions. Some groups won’t let you in if you don’t.
STEP TWO: Jumpstart your list by joining 5-10 groups
Once you’ve joined a few groups, Facebook will start recommending similar groups (aka doing the work for you).
A little bonus advice from moi…
Instead of joining hundreds of groups in one go, start by joining 5-10 that contain your keyword.
This way, you can keep track of which posts are filled with spam vs relevant opportunities.
Instead of spending hours commenting on random posts, you’ll get to focus your attention on the groups with high engagement among members you want to connect with.
What’s more, the pickier you are about which groups you join and engage with, the more relevant Facebook’s recommendations will be.
So you’ll save yourself time all around. #winning
STEP THREE: Join the groups your clients use for tech support
An alternative way to find the groups your ideal clients engage in is to join the official support communities for the platforms they use.
As an example, my clients use the Clickfunnels and Samcart Facebook groups to get support on building and promoting their courses.
Keep in mind that these communities often have pretty strict rules around self-promotion.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t show up as a service provider.
After all, when someone is asking how to change the color of the button on the checkout page because their conversion rate is 0.01%…
9/10 times, what they’re really asking is:
“How can I get more sales?”
And where there’s a demand for more sales, there’s demand for a freelance copywriter.
Sarah Sal, who peer-reviewed this article, has a different experience. She built her career by being active in paid groups (FB, Google, or even old-style discussion forums).
For example, she was part of a $997 course on FB ads by Perry Marshall. if someone pays for $997 for a course, you know:
- They have money.
- They are serious about making FB ads work for their business.
She didn’t pitch. Instead, she demonstrated value by answering questions and sharing what worked for her.
A referral from Perry Marshall’s Google group got her ClickFunnels as a client. A referral from a paid marketing discussion forum got her Strategyzer as a client – and wrote a case study about boosting their sales to a ROI of 1,866%.
Being active in Jon Loomer’s monthly membership is how she got Hootsuite & AdEspresso as a client for years. It’s also how she got a Shark Tank company as a client and wrote a blog post to brag about how she used FB ads & copywriting to help them get the most advertising sales in a single day.
When Hootsuite/AdEspresso recruited her, she was told: “If I made a post looking for an expert, many would say: I am an expert, please hire me. But for months reading your posts, case studies, and answers to people’s questions, I knew you are really good at FB ads“.
Groups helped her get clients and multiple case studies. And now, when pitching, instead of saying: I can do it for $50, she directs people to case studies she wrote on Copyhackers, The Copywriter Club, Hootsuite, ActiveCampaign, Adweek, and so on.
2) Use AIDA 2.0 to stand out in the comments
Any time you find yourself linking your website or pitching your services on Facebook, treat it as an opportunity to show off your copywriting skills.
Be attention-grabbing. Be persuasive. And leverage copywriting tactics where appropriate.
My personal favorite formula for pitching via Facebook comments is AIDA (with a twist).
Before leaving a comment, take a sneak peek at the prospect’s profile to see what kind of business they have.
(See? Your profile really will get eyes when using Facebook for business!)
That way, you can determine if they’re even a good fit. And customize your pitch according to their business.
AIDA 2.0 for Facebook ends up looking a little like this:
- Grab attention by quoting back the problem the client needs solving/ the result they want
- Pique interest by showcasing how you’ve achieved results like these for businesses like theirs
- Increase desire by mentioning the gargantuan profits or effortless success they stand to gain
- Trigger action by offering instant gratification or leveraging scarcity/urgency
Let’s revisit the post that generated $10K in revenue for me back in November:
It worked because I grabbed the client’s attention by showing him I’m more than just “pro”. I live and breathe Facebook ads copywriting.
Then I engaged his interest and desire by referencing the six-figure results that rouse the entrepreneurs inside the group this was posted in. And I prompted him to take action by letting him know I can work with his budget and get the job done ASAP.
A similar principle applies to pitching on promo threads:
I’m still exclusively targeting my ideal clients by getting specific about who I help.
Only this time, I’ve focused on my unique process. And I’ve done it by positioning myself against the “sleaze tactics” my clients frequently complain about.
Comments like this one account for 50% of the form submissions I get via my website.
So even if you think no one is reading your comments. Someone almost always is.
And the way to pique their interest is by getting specific about what you do and how you can help your ideal client get the outcome they want. #trust
3) Expand your reach by building a referral network
The biggest objection I get from my copywriting peers when it comes to using Facebook to get clients is that it’s too time-consuming.
“You have to spend so much time on Facebook, I always miss these posts.”
Truth is:
I spend less than 10 minutes a week actively looking for opportunities.
I have a roster of web designers, VAs, and previous clients in my network that are happy to tag me when they see a post that mentions copywriting.
They know I’m available to work. And they know if I see an opportunity that’s a good fit for them, I’ll return the favor.
This li’l referral system I’ve got going on is the reason I get emails like this:
That ^^ same client has invested $10K in my copywriting services. And she has been an absolute dream to work with.
The takeaway:
You don’t need to spend hours on Facebook to avoid missing opportunities to land clients.
Get on virtual coffee chats with web designers and other entrepreneurs in your niche.
And when you offboard clients, let them know you’re available for projects and you appreciate recommendations in Facebook groups.
The benefit is that you kinda get to be everywhere at once… AND you’re likely to grab the attention of silent observers perusing job threads.
After all, people are 4X more likely to buy from you if you’ve been referred to them by someone in their network.
4) Use your Facebook profile like any other social media platform
Earlier, I said that you don’t need to post consistently on social media to land clients. And I stand by that.
That said, if you’re working on building your online visibility (as you should be), your Facebook profile is a powerful platform to leverage.
My argument is twofold:
- People don’t friend you for your content
Your Facebook profile isn’t like your Facebook page. People friend you for connection, not content.
This removes the pressure to post consistently. Unlike Instagram, people are unlikely to unfriend you because you haven’t posted or engaged in a while.
So if you struggle to fit in marketing time around client time, you won’t be penalized by your network.
- There’s no shelf life on your Facebook profile
I rarely post, but when other entrepreneurs check out my profile, they can see that the content I do post is about high-touch copywriting techniques.
If you can’t bring yourself to post 5X a week, create a few intentional cornerstone posts.
This way, you can control what entrepreneurs find after they land on your profile via the Facebook groups you’ve been engaging with.
5) Close the deal fast by making the next steps easy-peasy for your prospect
Once you’ve piqued your prospect’s interest, the next challenge is to get them on a call with you before they hire someone else.
My golden rule for closing is to make it as easy as possible for your prospect to say yes.
This means I try to keep the steps between connecting and closing to a minimum.
As soon as you’ve determined if the prospect is a good fit, send them to your Calendly page.
(If you don’t have one, you can create your free account in minutes here).
To keep the process streamlined, I don’t offer custom quotes.
I have a set of productized services that I pitch to prospects on our initial call.
Since they don’t need to wait on my proposal, 9/10 times I close the deal on our initial consultation.
And once they’ve given the yes, I send them to a checkout page on SamCart. So they can lock in their space by paying my fee right away.
(Example checkout page)
Advanced tips for hitting
the six-figure milestone
I have no doubt that the tips I’ve shared today will help you land clients on Facebook next time you need a quick win.
But if you plan to use Facebook to hit the six-figure milestone, you’re gonna need to play the long game.
Here are some advanced tips for when you’re ready to uplevel…
Build meaningful relationships
Never underestimate the power of building meaningful connections.
Yes, there are entrepreneurs on Facebook looking for copywriters now. But there are also entrepreneurs you can collaborate with in the future.
Case in point:
Co-founders of Traffic & Funnels Taylor Welch and Chris Evans met in a Facebook group. And they credit their multi-million dollar empire to organic marketing.
More importantly (to me)…
I met my business partner, Mary Blackiston in a Facebook group. And we recently launched a digital product together. (Yay!)
So if you’re serious about scaling your business, don’t limit yourself by exclusively pitching your services.
Be open to creating connections with entrepreneurs that share your values and passion for serving your target audience.
Speak on podcasts
Every day, I see dozens of posts from entrepreneurs looking for guest speakers on their podcast.
You probably already know that being a guest speaker is a great way to expand your reach and grow your network.
But it’s also an opportunity to build those all-important meaningful connections.
So far, I’ve only spoken on a handful of podcasts. But more than half of these podcast hosts have ended up hiring me to write their copy.
When you think about it, this makes a lot of sense.
By speaking on an ideal client’s podcast, you’re setting the tone of the relationship by showing up as an expert.
And you get to spend half an hour teaching them (and their audience) about the little-known benefits of working with a freelance copywriter.
Identify ideal clients
Spending time inside the groups my “ideal clients” hang out in has taught me a lot about who these clients really are.
At first, I assumed the clients I wanted to work with hung out in groups for “six-figure course creators”.
Turns out, these groups are filled with new course creators trying to scale to six figures.
My actual ideal clients are the masterminds behind the six-figure course creator groups.
When these coaches message me to welcome me to the group and sell me on their coaching program…
I flip it around and ask if they’d like feedback on their sales page.
All it takes is a quick Loom to show your prospect (not tell them) how much they would benefit from working with a copywriter.
More specifically, you.
Collect VOC
My Airstory is jam-packed with juicy Voice of Customer (VOC) from the entrepreneurs my ideal clients serve.
The kind of VOC I used to hunt for now pops up on my timeline every day.
Entrepreneurs post in these groups to get advice when they’re hurting from a problem they can’t solve.
When copywriting isn’t the solution, don’t waste your time pitching. Instead, make life easier for your future self by setting aside sticky copy for later.
This will give you words to use when pitching your services later.
Sell a digital product
Over the Christmas period, my biz partner and I sold 20 courses by sharing our sales page in a couple of Facebook groups.
Sure, 20 isn’t much to brag about. But it takes sixty seconds to drop a comment on relevant posts. And those 60 seconds transformed into a more than a $1,000 profit.
When you’re ready to uplevel, you can diversify your income by leveraging your online reputation to sell your own digital products.
And if at this point, you’re tired of competing with other copywriters, avoid the problem altogether by creating your own Facebook group.
Conclusion: Your next client is on Facebook. Go find ‘em.
Hopefully, I’ve demonstrated that finding clients on Facebook doesn’t mean you’ll be competing with a hundred other freelancers, scavenging for scraps.
You can use my proven method to fill up your calendar with clients that pay your invoice the same day.
Of course, if you want clients to reach out to you, there’s a lot to be said for building your audience and authority.
Buuuut (and it’s a big 🍑)…
If you want to land a client TODAY, there are thousands of entrepreneurs using Facebook groups that could really benefit from your services.
It’s about time you introduced yourself, don’t you think?
Pssst… here are 10 Facebook groups I recommend if you write copy for coaches and solopreneurs!
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