How do some freelance writers demand $1/word while you’re stuck at $100/article (or less)?

Maybe it’s their decades of experience. Or their poetry-dripping prose. Perhaps they just have a magic wand to make these high-paying clients appear out of thin air.

It might be either of those things (magic wand being the most probable).

But what’s more likely: those freelance writers have learned how to find, attract, and retain high-paying clients. Trust me, it’s no magic—although it sure appears like it. I have done it, and with these tips in your client acquisition toolkit, you can too.  

Doing the homework: Determine your ideal high-paying client 

Before we get our hands dirty with the secret sauce of getting a wad of monies for your work, you have to pencil out what your ideal high-paying client looks like.

Because if you don’t know what you’re looking for, how will you find it?

Step 1: Find a well-paying industry 

First thing to look at: industry. Some niches generally pay more than others—tech and cybersecurity, for instance, are the top two high-paying niches. Research a bit about the type of companies that:

• charge their customers a premium
• get the most VC funding (can run a filtered Crunchbase search for this)
• are profitable
  

💡Learn more: 23 Surprisingly High-Paying Freelance Writing Niches + Their Rates

Writing about travel with sand between your toes might be dreamy, but it won’t make your wallet as obese as writing about tool roundups. (Sorry for the reality check.)

Step 2: Determine a profitable type of content  

I recommend choosing a niche not just by industry, but by your service offering too—especially if you want more high-paying clients, fast. Why? It positions you as more of an expert in the industry, helps you make an enviable portfolio, and makes marketing your services easier.

Which type of freelance writing jobs lead to the biggest pot of gold? It depends on how much value a content type brings to your client. 

For instance, you can demand a premium for case studies because clients use them directly to close more sales. Similarly, research reports, long-form blogs, and landing pages help clients bring more revenue or visibility to their company—making them highly lucrative.

💡Learn more: Why Having a Freelance Writing Niche Can Double Your Income (and How to Choose One)

Step 3: Define the intangible values of your ideal high-paying client

You don’t want a high-paying client that’s all about the money. More $$$ in your pocket isn’t worth disturbing your headspace.

Set criteria of intangible values your clients must meet. This can be:

• Respecting your time and not exceeding the scope of work 
• Appreciating the value you bring to the table
• Paying well and on time 
• Being async-friendly
  

There is no right or wrong here. Some freelancers prefer a hands-off approach because they do their best work independently. Other writers might want more direction, meetings, and belongingness of a team. Choose what you value and look for it in your high-paying clients.

After completing these three steps, you’ll have a rough persona of your ideal client. Narrow it down to a sentence. For example: in the B2B SaaS industry, needs long-form content, and has solid asynchronous communication policies.

With your homework done, you know exactly what to look for. Next, let’s cover where you can find your ideal high-paying clients. 

9 ways to find high-paying clients

Freelancing is calmer, enjoyable, and lucrative when you have a solid strategy in place (as opposed to throwing stuff on the wall and seeing what sticks).

Here are the top, no-BS, nine strategies to find high-paying clients:

#1: Cold pitching 

You’ll be surprised at how many doors a thoughtful cold email can open. For those who don’t know: cold pitching is emailing potential clients about how they can benefit from using your services.

Essentially, selling.

🤩 Helpful resource: Identify, find, and sign high-paying clients with this successful pitching framework

The key to cold pitching is personalization. No one likes mass broadcasts. Do a little digging and find some common ground with your prospect. See their work and choose specific things you like about them. Maybe you both love the same book. Perhaps you see eye-to-eye on a common industry trend.

But let it come naturally. If it feels forced, your prospect will feel like you’re buttering them up to get a job. And that ain’t a good look on a business owner.

⚡ Pro-tip: if possible, interact with the client you’re pitching a few times on social media before jumping on their inbox (called warm pitching). This way, you’re a familiar name, not someone who came out of the blue.

The most crucial step most freelancers miss when cold pitching? The follow-up.

I pitched creator Matt D’Avella to write for his company Slow Growth. I wrote a classic cold email, but didn’t get a response. One week later, I followed up with some content ideas I had for his blog, and we signed a retainer contract after one project together.

But Matt gets 100s of emails each day. What made him open mine? I asked him that, and he said two words: subject line.

Craft the most personalized, compelling, value-driven email in the world, and your prospect will delete it before even opening it if you have a dull subject line. Harsh, but true. 

Most high-paying clients you aim for will get hundreds of pitches each day. The way to grab their attention is through a solid cold email subject line:

• Hit the client’s pain point 
• Make it about them, not about you 
• Entice curiosity by asking a question 

(If you’re curious, my follow-up email subject line to Matt was, “You should write about this.”)

Everyone will tell you cold pitching is a number’s game. But when it comes to bagging high-paying clients through cold emails, quality beats quantity every time.

💡 Learn more: How to Write a Cold Email That Gets the Attention of High-Paying Prospects

#2: Reconnect with old clients and freelance buddies 

What if I told you some of the best high-paying freelance writing gigs are sitting in your own inbox? 

If this isn’t your first freelance writing rodeo, you’ve likely built a freelance network of old clients, freelance pals, and industry friends.

It’s time you catch up with them.

• Old clients: ask if they need any content help or know anyone else who does
• Freelance pals: ask for referrals if they know anyone who is looking for freelance writers
• Industry friends: ask if they know anyone in the industry who can benefit from your services
  

Here’s an email I recently sent to one of my old clients that you can tweak based on your relationship with them:

And don’t worry: old clients understand contractors raise their rates. You can ask for revised pricing and see if their budget aligns.

Simply raising your hands and asking for what you want is more powerful than you think. Go to your inbox from a few years ago and try it.  

#3: Job boards (but with a sneaky trick)

Job boards are great at earning your first $1,000 as a freelancer. But they’re usually very competitive for high-paying gigs. But if you have a solid portfolio and social proof, you stand a chance at winning the job…with a sneaky trick.

First things first: ensure you fit the job description like a glove. High-paying clients don’t look for freelancers who meet only half of their criteria. They want someone who aligns with their requirements perfectly. Leave the application alone if you don’t match the job description at least 80%. 

(But follow them on social media and start forming a relationship. Your future self—who’s equipped to work with them—will thank you for doing this legwork. Promise.)

To find good job boards, search “[your industry] job board” on Google and start vetting for the best ones. Some job boards I’d recommend for freelance writers:

• Best Writing Jobs
• ProBlogger
• Superpath
• Contena

And for the trick: it’s a good-old thoughtful cold email, but more direct because you know they’re looking for freelance writers like you.

Why does this work? Everyone fills out the job application. No one takes the time or goes out of their way to reach out personally.

I landed one of my most profitable (and favorite!) clients through this method. Here’s the email I sent:

Notice how I handpicked not only relevant samples, but past clients? It’s because I knew this specific client was acquainted with these names—which provides me instant credibility. 

⚠️ Note: don’t send an email if the application specifically prohibits you from doing so. 

#4: Agencies

Agencies often get a bad rep for being too demanding, low-paying, and a hellhole to work with. I’d argue those who say that probably didn’t find the right agencies.  

In my experience, good agencies—like MarketerHire or Omniscient Digital—pay well (and on time), allow autonomy & independence, and help you keep a steady roster of varying freelance clients.

The best part? Many high-paying companies hire big-name agencies. By working with these agencies, you get your foot in the door and start building valuable relationships with folks inside these brands (if the agency allows direct contact with clients).

Agencies are a great stepping stone if you’re a newbie freelancer still learning the ropes and looking for better-paying gigs. Find the best ones in your niche through Google and then research the hell out of their website—what kind of clients do they work with? What projects do they take up? How do they treat their freelancers?

💡Learn more: How to Use Agencies to Top Up Your Freelance Client List

#5: Online communities

There are plenty of virtual communities for freelance writers—often filled with potential freelance friends and high-paying writing jobs.

For example, Superpath has a Slack channel specifically for people looking for freelancers. 

There’s even an uno-reverse channel where freelancers can share they’re “open to work” with details about their specialization, rates, and availability.

You might need to pay to be a part of many of these freelance communities, but they’re worth it. They help lay the groundwork for building relationships, staying active in your industry, and learning from other pros in the same field. Some communities I’d recommend for freelance writers:

• Creative Freelancers Unite
• Freelance Writer’s Den
• Peak Freelance
• Write the Docs
• Superpath
  

⚠️ Note: landing high-paying clients from online communities requires participation, nurturing, and time. Don’t go overboard and join each of these communities and only speak up when you want something. Be a good person—help other freelancers out, focus on forming relationships, and give before asking. 

#7: Attend events and workshops

If you want to amp up your community and networking efforts, tie your shoes and go to workshops and events in person. SaaStr is a big event for SaaS writers, and Inbound by HubSpot is another great one you can attend to meet many well-known people.

Find local or nearby events you can participate in. If you need a challenge, try to find an event where you can be the speaker—nothing like building thought leadership by speaking to attract dream clients. 

Again, don’t turn yourself into a sales billboard. A high-paying freelance career is about building genuine relationships that dominoes onto greater things. 

#8: Ask for an intro from a mutual

Imagine someone reaching out to you randomly and demanding a job. Now imagine the same person being introduced to you by a reliable friend. In which scenario you’ll trust this person more?

Asking for an introduction is underrated—it instantly lends you the trust of someone who has already done the hard work of building credibility from scratch. High-paying clients especially rely more on referrals from their network than on other methods.

If you have a freelance buddy or a friend in the industry who knows your targeted high-paying client, ask them to introduce you.

Here’s a script you can tweak:

“Hey {name},

I hope your day is going well so far!

{enter a personalized line about their work here or follow up on your last conversation}

I notice you’re on good terms/write for/work with {someone from your target high-paying brand}. I’d love to get an intro—I can really help them with {write a phrase about how your service can help this client}.

No worries if not! Thanks.”

💛 Remember: thank the person who introduced you and return the favor whenever you can. 

#9: Increase rates for your current clients

New isn’t always better—or necessary. When was the last time you raised your prices with your current clients? If it’s been a while, consider increasing your freelance rates.

The end of the year is often a good time to inform your clients of increased rates in the new year. But any other time of the year also works just fine.

💡Learn more: Here’s How to Know If You Should Charge More as a Freelancer

Remember to inform your clients at least a month in advance and be prepared to find a new client if your old client’s budget doesn’t match your new rates.

Don’t go overboard in justifying why you want to increase your rates. Clients expect contractors to up their prices at least once a year. 

Don’t believe me? I recently emailed a client about my new rates for 2023—and they mentioned they were already accommodating for it.

Besides, your freelance writing skills, network, and workflows improve as you gain more experience under your belt—and demanding more for that is only fair. 

💭Remember: raising your rates doesn’t always mean asking for more money. A decrease in the scope of work for the same amount of rates is also increasing your prices—this way, you free up valuable time you can use to work for other clients.

All these nine methods are foolproof ways to find high-paying clients. But what if you could make high-paying clients come to you?

5 methods to attract high-paying clients 

As a freelancer, nothing beats the rush you get from receiving an email from a potential client in your inbox. Even better when it’s a big-name, high-paying, and long-term opportunity.

Wondering how to get to this stage? Here are five methods to attract high-paying clients in your inbox like a moth to a flame: 

#1: Have a professional website 

Having your freelance writing website is an underrated way to look more professional, attract high-paying clients, and elaborate on your services.

It doesn’t have to be very big and fancy. Ensure you get the basics right:

• The loading time should be as less as possible 
• Clearly lay out your services and your availability  (keep updating this!)
• Don’t make it about you, you, you—share how you can help your ideal client
• Display client logos you’ve written for and some client testimonials to back you up
• Have a portfolio for potential clients to scour through and contact details to reach you
   

Selling your services through a freelance writing website also aids in saving you time in filtering out low-paying clients. Set a minimum monthly project rate for yourself and display it on your website—like Elise Dopson. 

Anyone who can’t afford you automatically sees themselves out. 

⚡Pro-tip: optimize your website for SEO to be discoverable on Google whenever someone searches for “[your industry] freelance writer.”

#2: Have an online presence 

Look: having an online presence as a freelancer isn’t necessary. But it comes with killer benefits.

The good news? There are plenty of options to build your online presence. You can go en-route social media and get clients from Twitter, participate in podcasts, or do guest blogging—whatever rocks your boat.

I’ve personally seen huge success with LinkedIn and Twitter. It’s a low-maintenance way to build relationships, get in front of high-paying clients, and establish expertise. I landed an enterprise client within the first month of getting seriously active on LinkedIn. 

An understandable (but costly) mistake I see many freelancers make while building an online presence: producing content their prospects would scroll through, but other freelancers would find interesting. 

Talking about the tidbits of freelancing is valuable when you’re selling a service, products, or courses to other freelancers. But your potential clients—content managers and marketing leaders—aren’t interested in those posts.

Even if you choose to talk about freelancing, write it in relation to your client and how it benefits them. For instance, if you’re talking about how you manage your freelance writing workflow:

✅ speak to your ideal client about how this process helps you stay on top of things at all times and deliver A+ work to your clients 

❌ instead of focusing on how this workflow can inspire other freelancers

A good litmus check is to ask yourself:

• What would my ideal high-paying client want to see?
• What kind of content would make them trust me?
• What are their pain points I can help with?
  

🤩  Helpful resource: 13 no-brainer LinkedIn post prompts

#3: Create (and maintain) a referral engine

Having referrals come to you instead of asking them for yourself isn’t a pipe dream (although it sure sounds like one).

The easiest way to get referrals is by becoming memorable and getting some street cred—both things take some time.

When you specialize in one type of content in a specific industry, you automatically become top-of-mind whenever an opportunity that fits your description arises. You build a solid reputation in your industry when you have attractive brand logos on your website and raving testimonials on your LinkedIn. 

Above all: referrals land in your lap when you consistently do a great job for your clients.

💡 Learn more: How to Get Amazing Freelance Clients Through Referrals

#4: Humblebrag with social proof

Social proof is the well-told secret to getting high-paying clients with minimal to no hiccups. When a potential lead sees your praise directly from the horse’s mouth, they’ll have minimal objections to your high rates.

There are many ways to showcase social proof to your ideal high-paying clients:

• Display the logos of established brands you’ve written for on your website
• Highlight testimonials in your portfolio, cold pitches, and social media
• Share the results you have achieved for your clients 
  

The psychology of social proof is simple—high-paying clients want to pay for results. Ask for testimonials and stats about your work proactively from your current clients. 

#5: Sell value, not cost

Phrasing is everything. When you brand yourself as a freelancer—whether in cold pitching, social media, your website, or author bio—focus on the value you provide to your client instead of making a dry statement about your rates.

It’s the difference between:

• ❌ “I write SEO-driven long-form content for SaaS companies” vs. 
• ✅ “I help SaaS brands get more brand visibility through engaging and SEO-driven long-form content.”
  

Try filling in the blanks for yourself in this simple formula: “I help [businesses you help] [thing you do for them] to [results you get for them].”

It’ll help you cha-ching on premium rates and position yourself as an expert who provides $$$-worthy services to their clients.

Finding and attracting high-paying clients isn’t enough. You want to work with these gems long-term and have a steady flow of solid income, right?

5 strategies to retain high-paying clients

It might look like the work is over once you’ve championed a high-paying client. But the work has only just begun. Because you know what’s the crucial step in keeping the constant loop of high-paying clients running? Retaining them.

Here are five strategies to avoid client churn from your best clients: 

#1: Consistently provide excellent work on time

Meaningful client relationships are your most profitable asset to keep the high-paying client engine running. Sounds obvious, I know. But you’ll be surprised how many freelance writers start to slack off once they get their name in the hat for a high-paying client.

Don’t stop trying—continue providing your clients with wow-worthy pieces (within deadlines) and stay in their good books.

Consistently delivering great work lays the groundwork for referrals, testimonials, social proof, and no arguments when increasing or negotiating higher rates.

Deliver meh content enough times, and you’ll leave a sour taste in your client’s mouth—spelling disaster for your freelance business in the future. 

#2: Overdeliver within guardrails

Being a business owner is about making strategic decisions and forming valuable, genuine relationships with your clients.

One of the easiest ways to please your high-paying clients is by overdelivering. This could be as simple as delivering work before deadlines—a pleasant surprise—or more nuanced, like providing content ideas.

⚠️ Remember: use this tactic wisely. If you overdeliver every time, your client will expect those extra services as part of your package. Going above and beyond should be the exception, not the norm. 

#3: Be easy-peasy to work with

Being a human goes a long way. Aim to make your client’s life easier and always focus on building a humane relationship instead of a transactional one.

Responding to emails on time, sharing morsels from your personal life, interacting on social media, and addressing edits quickly are simple things that make your client happier. 

#4: Fire low-paying clients

Firing clients as a freelancer is hard. But the “What if I never find work again???” panic frenzy holds you back from letting go of clients you’ve outgrown.

How will you deliver top-class work to your high-paying clients if you’re swamped with work from low-paying ones? Not to mention: you dampen your relationship if you provide subpar work.

Instead of holding resentment against clients who can’t afford you anymore, let them go when your workload can’t handle them. Refer them to another freelancer if you can and end on friendly terms. 

#5: Set up consistent workflows and systems

Having a predictable schedule is part of making your and your editor’s life easier. Outline your writing process after you’ve landed a new client, set up systems for when you expect briefs, and when your editor can expect drafts & edits addressed. 

Something I bookmarked from Laura Bosco’s process is sharing a “helpful information about me” doc with new clients, detailing my working style, working hours, and how they can enable me to do my best work.

No nasty surprises means you set yourself up to deliver your best work—something in the best interest of both you and your client. 

Make high-paying clients the norm for your freelance business 

High-paying clients aren’t a far-fetched dream. With these methods on your radar, they’ll become the benchmark for all your ideal clients.

And they don’t have to be one-hit wonders either: take this (free!) training to color your calendar full of high-paying clients.

Blog post by Rochi Zalani