For newbies and seasoned copywriters
If you need leads:
❌ DO NOT do something for free for a potential client
❌ DO NOT do personalized outbound to 10-20 ideal companies per week
❌ DO NOT create aimless content on social media
If you want to fill your pipeline with great leads, it’s time to step out of your comfort zone. And focus on 10x lead-gen tactics.
Before I share those tactics, there’s one uncomfortable truth about how copywriters attract leads that most people completely overlook.
Before I share those tactics, let’s first look at one glaring truth that most don’t realize.
Your Lead Problem Isn’t Actually a Lead Problem
I know because I have been leadless myself, and if I stop doing some of the things in this list, I end up with a dry pipeline, too. This reality holds true for both new copywriters and seasoned pros.
As a new copywriter, I often saw people sharing those enviable screenshots. You know, the ones with high ticket retainers and fun projects.
I would think to myself, “Maybe I’m not as good at this as I thought.” But that wasn’t true. I was wasting hours on the wrong tactics.
As I became more established, my pipeline slowed to a scary trickle.
And that’s when I realized my lead problem wasn’t a lead problem at all. It was an exposure problem.
But here’s the truth no one bothers to say out loud.
You may think you’ve tried every lead gen tactic under the sun. And maybe you have tried a lot.
But you have to be absolutely honest with yourself and ask:
Was I playing small? Did I choose the safe, comfortable 2x option instead of aiming for a 10x breakthrough?
I strongly recommend you choose just ONE of the 10x strategies below. But be sure it’s the one that challenges you most—and commit to it.
One more thing. There’s no lead gen strategy that is completely hands-off.
When I stop doing these things in my business, the pipeline dries back up.
Let’s do this!
The 10x Strategies That Show How Copywriters Attract Leads
1. Guest teach in someone’s paid masterclass or membership
Guest teaching in paid communities is a quick way to reach eager, ready-to-buy people.
These students have already spent money to solve a problem. They are action-takers with budgets, and they want clear, practical solutions.
When you show up as the expert, you instantly borrow the trust of the person who brought you in.
You don’t start from zero. Their credibility lifts you, and their audience is already primed to listen and learn.
Paid communities convert better because members are used to investing in their growth.
In fact, paid memberships have been hands down one of the BEST strategies for Jess Haney, a Saas copywriter and CSP member. Here’s what she told me:
“Leading trainings inside group coaching programs has been one of the fastest and most consistent ways that I’ve gotten clients.”
And it can work for you, too.
How to start
Find memberships, masterminds, paid communities, or cohort programs that serve your ideal clients. Pitch a workshop that solves a problem their founder wants solved for their students. Keep it useful, concrete, and easy to implement.
2. Run a signature workshop once per month
Running a live monthly workshop is one of the smartest ways to build a warm audience on repeat. Instead of waiting for leads to find you, you create your own stage.
Workshops give you an easy way to show how you think. People get to see your process, your clarity, and how you solve real problems. This builds authority quickly.
Plus, they can ask you questions in real time, which strengthens their perception of you as the expert.
This process keeps your pipeline moving:
- It attracts. Registration funnels warm leads onto your email list.
- It qualifies. Anyone who attends live is showing they have a real pain point. They’re also willing to invest time to fix it. That’s one of the strongest signals of a ready-to-buy client.
- It builds authority. You show your value right away and prove your expertise before they hire you.
When you tailor the workshop to your ICP (ideal customer profile OR ideal customer persona) and the main problem you solve, it becomes a reliable lead-generation engine.
How to start
Choose one problem your ideal clients want solved. Keep the workshop short and actionable, about 30 to 45 minutes. Promote it on LinkedIn, your email list, and through partners. Use a simple slide deck and a clear call to action at the end. Run it every month and refine as you go.
3. Guest on podcasts
This interview-style lead gen tactic can create thousands of warm listeners. Plus, it keeps working for years.
This is where your exposure problem starts to vanish.
Guesting on a podcast is the ultimate exercise in borrowing audience and authority.
A single interview can reach hundreds or even thousands of engaged listeners over time. This sets it apart from pitching a blog post, which AI summaries are nearly making obsolete.
When you’re introduced as the expert on someone else’s platform, you skip the entire trust-building phase. The host’s credibility instantly transfers to you.
Here’s what the Queen of Evergreen, Abi Prendergast, says about podcasting for lead gen:
“Aside from referrals, podcasts have been the single best lead gen source for me. I’ve had clients at 10, 20, and 50K price points come to me directly from a podcast. Many of these creators… they hadn’t just heard me on a podcast. They heard me on one podcast, then another. They’d start Googling Evergreen Funnels. Next, they’d find me on yet another podcast. So it created that stacking effect. They literally said to me, you’re everywhere. Because people are sold on working with me before they even come to me.“
– Abi Prendergast, founder APT Content and author of Day #1 Evergreen
Abi also mentioned that her third-best lead source is ChatGPT. She links this directly to being a guest on podcasts. When people search for Evergreen Funnels in ChatGPT, all her podcast interviews tell AI that she’s the expert.
So while podcasting isn’t the quickest lead gen tactic, it does pay off in more than one way, especially with AI recommendations.
How to start
Focus on niche podcasts that speak directly to your ICP (e.g., “The D2C Founder Show” or “SaaS Marketing Today”). Pitch a hyper-specific, actionable topic where you can provide immediate value. Make sure to include one clear call-to-action at the end of the interview. This could be where listeners can find you or access a lead magnet.
4. Collaborate with complementary experts (designers, media buyers, CRO, etc.)
This is the fastest, lowest-friction referral engine you can build.
You are not an island. There is a whole ecosystem of experts who get hired right before you or right after you.
Think of designers who’ve been brought in on a project but don’t write copy. Or media buyers who need landing pages that convert their traffic. These are natural partners because you solve connected problems.
These relationships become your “big kid table” network.
The key is reciprocity. You do not ask for leads. You promote their services to your audience and clients, and they do the same for you.
When you cross-promote and share audiences, you tap into a pool of leads that are already primed, funded, and ready to hire a professional. These are the opposite of cold leads.
This is a reliable lead source. It’s high-quality because a trusted peer makes the introduction.
Referral leads convert 3 to 5 times better than those from other channels. Also, 84% of B2B decision-makers begin their buying journey with a referral.
Source: DemandSage / Influitive
How to start
Identify three to five experts in complementary niches whose work you genuinely admire. Reach out with a simple, generous offer that does not depend on audience size. You can review their landing page, share insights from your niche, co-create a small resource, or interview them for LinkedIn.
The goal is to start a relationship, not make a big ask. Start by offering value. Show you care about their success. Keep the door open for future collaborations.
5. Host a mini challenge (e.g., “Fix your landing page in 5 steps”)
Not as leveraged as a complete workshop, but crazy good for rapid audience warming and visibility.
A mini challenge aims to engage people emotionally and prompt quick action. It offers a quick win, like “Fix Your Landing Page in 5 Steps.” This feels much easier than a complex workshop.
By delivering a small, tangible result quickly, you prove your expertise. But more importantly, the interactive format shows them how much time, focus, and expertise even simple steps need.
When they see how much work even the “easy” stuff takes, they realize they need an expert for the full job.
Here’s why this tactic is a high-conversion, high-trust engine:
- Quick Wins Build Trust: They tackle a small, high-impact problem. This quick win shows that your process is effective and that your advice works.
- It Shows the Gap: They realize they don’t have this level of expert focus in their entire marketing system.
- It Filters Action-Takers: Those who stick around are your hottest prospects for full services. They are eager action-takers. After seeing your process, they are now excited to pay you to continue.
How to start
Keep the duration short (1-2 hours). Use a platform like Zoom or a private group. Add pauses for participants to apply each step right away.
Crucially, dedicate time for live Q&A or feedback on their work. This interaction is the high-commitment element that converts attendees into paying clients. Your topic must be hyper-specific to your niche. And the final call to action should be an easy next step for those seeking a full high-end fix. For example, you could say, “Ready for me to audit the rest of your page?”
6. Post buyer-led content on LinkedIn 2–3x per week
This strategy is non-negotiable. LinkedIn is where your ICP looks for solutions—not entertainment.
Buyer-led content means you are not sharing generic tips or trying to be an influencer.
Buyer-led content addresses a problem your ICP wants solved. It also shows how you approach finding a solution.
It’s often a slow burn… but not always. It only takes a second for a prospect to think, “Yes, I should hire them.”
Here’s how you make buyer-led content that converts:
- Focus on the Pain: Talk about the cost of poor copy. Highlight frustration from low conversion rates. Call out doubts about their current agency.
- Reverse Engineer Your Process: Don’t just show off finished copy. Instead, take a piece of a client’s work (or an imaginary client’s) and reverse engineer it back to their problem. This shows them how you think and why your process is worth paying for.
- Tie It All Back to the Problem: Your goal is to make your service feel like the natural next step to solving the problem your ICP cares about most.
How to start
Simple. Pick one real problem your ICP cares about and show the hidden cause behind it. Then give them one small fix they can apply today. That quick win builds trust and leads naturally to your full paid process.
7. Build relationships with portfolio partners
When done with precision and care, networking is more than just a simple 2X task. It’s a strong 10X growth engine.
The key is to be extremely picky:
- Choose High Caliber: Connect with people who influence many businesses — not peers at your level.
- Find Portfolio Partners: Network with your clients’ investors, suppliers, or business partners. These people sit inside your ICP’s supply chain. One relationship can unlock an entire portfolio of clients.
- Be the Helpful Friend: Nurture the relationship. Help them feel good about referring you. Call them. Show you care about their success. Share your expertise freely. Don’t hold back your best ideas.
- Show Up as a Powerhouse: The more you show up as a helpful expert who cares about their success, the more they’ll trust you. That makes them want to send clients your way.
Advanced Search Tip for Portfolio Partners
Use LinkedIn’s search bar. Combine relationship terms with your niche to find high-leverage partners. Try searches like “Venture Partner” AND [Your ICP Industry]. This helps you find people connected to many potential clients.
How to start
Be selective. Target 3–5 investors or suppliers who already work with your ICP. Lead with value and focus on building trust, not making a pitch.
8. Host an in-person entrepreneur meet-up in your local community
This is the quickest way for a new copywriter to gain local credibility and build social proof.
Who needs to pitch when you’re the host of a casual, recurring entrepreneur meetup in your local community? Your goal is to be the one who brings people together.
- The Attraction: Entrepreneurs come to talk about their marketing and acquisition problems.
- The Diagnosis: Casually join their conversations. If you hear a local business is having trouble with conversion, acquisition, or messaging, say something. Let them know you’re a copywriter who specializes in solving those challenges.
- The Credibility Engine: The real leverage here is proof. Help 1-2 local businesses tackle a big problem. For example, you could rewrite a short, high-visibility ad or improve a key section of their website. Once they get a noticeable result (e.g., more calls, higher conversion), document it and post it on social media. This gives you instant, real-world social proof and credibility-something every new copywriter needs.
How to start
Find a local coffee shop or quiet coworking space. Then, announce a monthly meetup using the Meetup app or local LinkedIn groups. Focus on a common issue, like a “Monthly Marketing Challenge Group.” Your priority is to cast a wide net to get the biggest turn out. A bigger turnout increases your chances of landing a client.
9. Contact old clients and ask if they or anyone they know needs help
This is your simplest and least complicated lead generation tactic. Yet many copywriters overlook it.
Old clients know your process, trust your work, and get your pricing. They represent a high-trust, low-friction entry point for repeat business or referrals.
The trick is how you ask.
Don’t just check in. Connect your question to their past success. That makes it easy to ask for referrals confidently.
How to start
Email three past clients. Say: “Just checking in to see how that [Project Name] is performing. Also wondering if you or anyone you know is tackling [Specific Problem Your Copy Solved For Them] right now?”
10. Niche Facebook groups
It was common in 2018, and many think this strategy is dead. It’s not. I have gotten leads from this exact strategy even in 2025.
The days of posting cheesy offers in big “Copywriter Job Board” groups are gone. But high-quality leads are still on Facebook. They’ve just shifted to niche groups where your ideal customer profile gathers. These include software user communities, founder circles, D2C brand groups and more.
The tactic is surgically precise indirect promotion:
- Answer the Root Problem: Don’t wait for a “copywriting question.” Look for posts about high CAC, low conversions, or high refund rates. These are the issues that good copywriting can solve.
- Drop Your Specialty: When you answer, weave in a strategic mention of your niche expertise. Frame your response by saying, “As a [Your Niche] Copywriter, this is the mistake I see most often…” This is how you promote your services without pitching.
- Evergreen Authority: The need for daily consistency is often overstated. Valuable posts and comments from months ago often resurface. Prospects look for that one person who gave the best, specialized answers.
When a prospect is ready to hire, they look for someone with the right skills. That someone will be you.
Copyhackers has a training about using Facebook groups to get clients over on Youtube.
How to start
Find 3-5 niche groups that are relevant to your ICP and have high engagement. Set a goal to answer 3-5 questions per week with genuine, non-salesy advice. Focus on building reputation over making a quick sale.
Now, go get exposed (in the best of ways)
These are the methods that show how copywriters attract leads without chasing, discounting or burning out on cold outreach.
The same methods that top copywriters use every single day to keep their pipelines full.
We’ve cut through the noise, dismissed the low-leverage traps, and given you the map for ten strategic 10X breakthroughs.
This entire guide boils down to one simple truth:
You need to solve your exposure problem.
Stop thinking small, stop playing it safe, and stop settling for 2x results. Your dream retainer is waiting for you to step into the spotlight.
Choose the 10X strategy that pushes you the hardest: the workshop, the networking blitz, or the buyer-led content.
Commit to it for the next 90 days. It’s time to show the market what you’re capable of.
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