How I Make $1ooo Per Month as a Freelance Writer (without Fiverr, Upwork, etc.)
Updated: May 24
My name is Simon (Taki) Zaku and I made my first $1,000 as a freelancer in 2020 and I'll show you how to make $1000 as a freelance writer.
Plus, I didn't need to join or use Fiverr, Upwork, Peopleperhour, or any of those websites.
Thus, in this week’s article, I’ll be showing you the 2 most powerful freelancing systems to get your first freelance client within 7 to 28 days.
How do freelance writers (and freelancers in general) earn 5, 6, and 7 figures online?
How I Make $1ooo Per Month as a Freelance Writer (without Fiverr, Upwork, or PeoplePerHour.)
You see, to make money by offering freelance writing services online, there are two (2) major elements that you need:
Content that provides top value
A monetization system set-up
Here’s what I mean:
To hit $1,000 monthly as a freelancer, I did these;
Content (which is mostly given out for free),
The value is given away, and;
Emails and DMs inquiring about my freelance services (I get to pick who I work with).
When I got started, I was trying so hard to get freelance writing clients but nothing ever worked. I joined loads of freelance job boards and tried LinkedIn jobs and many more job platforms but nothing worked.
I got so frustrated that I set out to send out cold emails to 1000 businesses in just 4 weeks and still ended up with zero clients!
About 20 people replied to me back with a “NO”, 7 jumped on a call with me but no one hired me for my freelance writing services. In fact, 11 sent back really harsh replies.
If you want to get high-paying clients for your freelance writing side-business, you should:
Create consistent content strategically.
Design and lead your clients through a simple funnel.
Have a platform or portfolio website where you publish your content.
Let’s use this very website for example:
Since I am a freelance writer and I target b2b startups, I create exceptional content (around content marketing) that startups, company owners, directors, managers, etc derive huge value. Here’s an example:
Startup Content Marketing: How to Brainstorm & Validate Lucrative Blog Ideas for Your Startup
When my target client lands on that blog page, they get absolute value (for free) from my content, and at the end of the content, I just give readers a chance to contact me to work with me.
A single post could generate thousands of real visitors without much effort.
My Simple 5-Step Formula for Landing Your First High-Paying Freelance Client
Here’s a breakdown of what it takes to make $1,000 per month as a freelance writer:
Research & publish detailed blog posts OR Videos weekly for the next four weeks.
Drive 5,000 real visitors to your website (content marketing, paid ads, referral, etc).
Convert 2 to 5% into email subscribers.
Send free content and build trust (3 emails in 3 days).
Pitch your freelance writing services to these subscribers and keep your rates high.
GOAL: 5,000 monthly visitors. Convert just 2 to 5% to subscribers and get JUST ONE client to pay you $500 to $1,000 monthly.
For example, say I’m a Freelance Graphic Designer, here’s how to produce and attract 100s of people interested in your services.
How do I promote my freelance graphic design business?
Find graphic (or logo) design questions your people are asking online (Quora is very effective)
Publish 4 detailed content pieces around those questions on your website.
Attract 5,000 to 10,000 visitors.
Create an incentive for people who sign up for your email list (free ebook, the course just like this training…) and get your target to sign up for your list.
Send 5 emails. (3 emails building trust & providing value. 2 emails selling your services (discount, promo, offers).
I use a free tool, Google keyword planner, to find interesting questions and hot and trending topics in any industry. Another tool is Buzzsumo. It shows you popular content pieces in every industry.
Create content that helps your ideal target client and gives your unique perspective using your epiphany story.
How to Generate Content Ideas for Your Freelance Website?
How do I find content ideas for my freelance website?
Use your epiphany story and you must use it effectively in selling your services. Stories are so easy to sell that even a beginner can start closing 5 figure deals effortlessly.
What freelance services do you wish to provide and get paid heavily?
How did you come about learning it? Why did you learn it?
The first thing you want to do is to find profitable content ideas for your freelance business. For example, here’s a template that could work in almost any niche.
“How to hire a [your freelance work]”
“How to hire a freelance graphic designer”
OR
“Factual Reasons You Need a Freelance [your work]”
“10 Reasons You Need a Freelance [Graphics Designer]”
You want to check to see what content format works in your industry.
This is pretty simple and you can do that by using search engines to search a few hot keywords in your industry and then go through the top-performing posts to see if more videos, infographics, blog posts, presentations, or books would come up first.
top-performing.
How to Create Viral Content for Your Freelance Website?
The easiest way to get 2000 people to read a post (video, Slideshare, article, guide, ebook), is to get social media influencers to share your links.
And you do this online by finding their business emails and reaching out to them.
I mean, I still remember the very first time I published good content online. It was an expert roundup post and it’s got 3.9k shares and over 10,000 visits.
How was I able to do that on my new website?
I found a way to reach social media influencers and since I didn’t have any money, I had to get them to share my posts for free.
I reached out (via email) to 100s of social media influencers (in my industry, which is the marketing industry) to help me with my new website.
I was fortunate (and with the help of a few strategies) to get close to 100 to help.
If you don't know how to drive people to a website, don't worry, I'll show you.
I was simply just like you years ago when I launched my freelance website, simonzaku.com.
I was completely new to online marketing, traffic, making money, and all that.
I never had trained just like this to guide me through how to go about making money from the internet.
Coming up with excuses for not making money from freelance jobs sites like Fiverr or Upwork.
Now, you have learned how to select a profitable service to offer people online, you have also learned how to design a freelance portfolio website to display your freelance works, experiences, and expertise.
And in this guide, I showed you how to attract people (who want your services) to your freelance portfolio website.
But you might still have a lot of unanswered questions like:
I'm not sure how to go about creating useful content and promoting it. Can you show me?
OR
What tools or apps should I use to set up my email marketing?
Or you are probably wondering how to ask a potential client for a sale.
I mean, when someone contacts you through your website? What steps do you take?
What should your reply be?
Should you just simply reply with random prices for your services?
How do I write articles that attract my target clients? I don't even know how to write - I hate it!
And dozens more rubbing off your mind right about now and which is why I decided to invest over 70 hours of real work, sweat, tears, and lifetime experience, to take this training deeper and better for you by creating a flagship course for beginner freelancers that are just at the same point like you.
And it's called "Freelance to $1k"
Freelance Coaching: "Freeelance to $1k" - Go from $0 to $1,000/Month
I decided to take things forward and only create this course for serious-minded entrepreneurs who are ready to change their lives by starting a 4-5 figure freelance writing business within the next few weeks.
I still remember the very time I got an email from a client saying he wanted to pay me for my services every month.
I was super excited that I began working for the client immediately.
The client broke down our payment agreement and we later agreed on the weekly payment plan.
I was very excited and I worked happily and one-heartedly.
At the end…
Guess how much I made at the end of that month?
$0!
Yes, not $1k, $500, $100, $10, or even $1!
After working my ass off, for about a month and not getting paid, I decided I need a strategy to scam-proof my website.
Now, what do I mean?
I came up with a unique strategy to ensure that whoever contacts me is a real person with a real business and a good motive.
I started "Qualifying my Clients" and in no time, I was able to charge 4 figures for singles gigs and even get paid even without moving a muscle.
In the "Freelance to $1k" 1-1 coaching program, you will have access to one of the modules (one of my favorites), which will show you how to set up your website in a way that only sends you qualified clients that will pay you.
I have been fortunate to be able to start and build a five-figure freelance writing business with no budget, mentors, courses, or programs.
These are the modules that you'll get when you decide to increase the chances of changing your life:
Module #1: Introduction to "Freelance to $1k"
Module #2: The Anatomy of a 5-6 Figure Freelancer
Module #3: Setting Strategic Prices for Your Services
Module #4: Creating Video or Written Content
Module #5: Evergreen Funnels
Module #6: Closing Leads
Your goal here is: to build a 5 figure freelance business.
And to attain your goal, you must have a unique service that you offer at a good price to a specific audience.
Good!
After you have thought about the service to offer online, the next question that pops up is how do you set prices people agree with?
Should I charge $10/hour Or should I charge every month?
Which payment methods do clients prefer?
"Freelance to $1k" will teach you what to do step by step.
Now, after you've set strategic prices, the next possible question that pops up is how do I market myself online?
How do I get people to find me online?
Do I need to create an Instagram account for your business?
Do I need to be on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook groups to get clients online?
How do you know when someone is interested in your services even without contacting you?
"Freelance to $1k shows you how to set up a few pages (known as a funnel) on your website to send in dozens of people and businesses interested in your service."
Freelance to $1k will walk you through the email templates and a simple ask method to command your clients to pay you 4 or 5 figures as a new freelancer.
This program is 5 years of experience, hard work, mistakes, failures, lessons, wins, and failures throughout my freelance career and you can get this very program for $300 which is about half the normal price.
Now here's the call:
If you are upset about the life that you currently have, understand the power of building an online freelance writing business, and want to create one for yourself and scale it to 5 figures, but want a tested blueprint to just follow step by step, then I want you to say a big "I am ready for this!"
Have you said that? Yes?
Now, all you need to do to get instant access to the program is to click the button below or click here to send me an email to join my 1 on 1 coaching freelance program.
This freelance coaching program may not be for you!
And that's the plain truth. I never created this program for everyone out there.
Instead, I created it specifically for people who are upset about the life that they currently have, understand the power of building an online service-based business, and want to create one and scale it to 5 figures, but just want a tested blueprint to follow step by step.
Now, I like to look at things in 2 simple ways:
You can close this video training and try to figure out what works all by yourself. There's no doubt you'll eventually be successful but that might take you years of failures, frustrations, and uncertainty.
OR you can enroll in this exclusive program, "Freelance to $1k", and dramatically increase your chances of succeeding online and getting that dream life that you deserve (not having to ask anyone for money).
And you can simply stop procrastination right now and take action and join me in this training program that shows you a crystal clear blueprint to make money by starting a service-based business and scaling it to 4 or 5 figures just like I did.
Finally, here are the lessons you get access to for just $197 today!
These are the modules that you'll get when you decide to increase the chances of changing your life:
Module #1: Introduction to "Freelance to $1k"
Module #2: The Anatomy of a 5-6 Figure Freelancer
Module #3: Setting Strategic Prices for Your Services
Module #4: Creating Video or Written Content
Module #5: Evergreen Funnels
Module #6: Closing Leads
This step-by-step blueprint will help you build your wealth so you can enjoy the awesome life you've always secretly admired.
Click here or the button below to enroll for the "Freelance to $1k" program for a one-time fee of $300 or email me via simonzaku com at gmail dot com.
Click here to join my exclusive coaching program!
And NEVER FORGET, You are just 1 client away from your income goal!
Have a great day and stay safe!
See you inside!!!
Best,
Simon Zaku
Founder. SimonWrites Agency.
