by Jodee Redmond
One of our readers sent an e-mail recently wondering about writing samples and what you should share with potential clients. I’ve been giving this some thought and this is what I’ve come up with:
If you know what topic or theme the client wants to hire a writer for, then provide a sample along the same lines. Now, some ads are not that specific about the topic that a client wants you to cover, so check the ad closely for the type of writing the client is looking for and provide them with a sample that reflects it.
A client wanting to hire a writer for web content will want to see samples of either SEO writing or general articles. For your SEO samples, tell the client what keywords you were given and the keyword density. For a client looking to hire a copy writer, technical writer, or what have you, give them something that showcases your abilities in that area gives them an idea of your writing voice. It will help them decide whether you are a good fit for the project.
In addition to providing samples, I include a list of topics that I have written about in the past in my cover letter. I want to give the person looking at my application some idea about the different things that I have done, because you never know what will pique someone’s interest and make them decide that you are the writer they want to work with.
When it comes to providing writing samples, do you have a stock portfolio that you show people or do you send a different set with each application? Do you have a sense of which strategy is most successful?
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