I can’t draw, read tarot cards, or understand family trees. My real girlfriend would be furious and confused if I hired myself as a Facebook girlfriend for a stranger. I am also afraid of fire. Still, for a while now I’ve been earning my portfolio work and a small amount of second income by selling my services (called “gigs”) on Fiverr. I also met some interesting and downright weird characters, of which there were many more. Here’s my take on how Fiverr can help you build your copywriting career.
1. Build Trust:
On Fiverr, you can be whoever you want. Links to personal websites are not allowed. A username was used, not a real name. You can set up a gig where you write a 300 word article or blog post for $5, and people will come and pay you. That’s how I set it up, and so far I’ve written about the Houston school system, how to brew beer at home, and various city guides. I was once asked by a gentleman to write a copy for a device he was selling called a “personal bio-protector” which is a little green thing that the user wears on their body to protect against destructive signals that disrupt their thinking. Essentially a tin foil hat in a box.
You can schedule gigs to write press releases or rewrite lyrics. People will buy your gig because they can risk $5 for an unknown amount, and if your work is the best you have a role model they can take to another market.
2. Launch Your Portfolio:
Your amazing copywriting makes your mom swoon. cool. big. But wait. Potential clients want to see portfolios. Fiverr can help you. I set up a gig to write web copy. I’ve written direct marketing emails for used caravan showrooms, flyer copies for Marillion cover band (Similaririllion) and dozens of mobile phone product descriptions. When looking for new freelance work, I make this work a top priority because it is measurable proof of my writing skills. Even if you only sell one of these pieces a week, it’s still a new piece to hone your style on and then put in your portfolio.
3. Learn How To Sell Yourself:
A great way to find buyers is to check out Fiverr’s buyer requests. For example, if you’re writing a press release, type those words into the search bar and dozens of press release requests pop up. Get your gig in front of buyers with the click of a button. Fiverr only allows you to send auto-generated generic responses to these requests, but the solution I’ve found is to go to your Fiverr inbox and find the auto-generated email and follow up in your own words explaining why you should be the people doing the work.
4. Earn Money:
Money flows, not flows, through Fiverr. Even the guy who sold the gig “I’m going to show you a surefire way to make a top selling gig for $5” only had a dozen sales. My Fiverr gig per bushel is enough to cover my board bills. I tend to view my Fiverr work more as an investment in the future. For example, if I felt like they were going to offer me a future job, I’d take a low-paying job and offer more money for their money. A few low-paying web copies I made through Fiverr landed me my first paid freelance job, and the developers in question still send me emails asking for copies to this day. I hope this will be a permanent thing. What started as a low paying job has now grown into a high paying job outside of Fiverr.
5. Get Referrals:
When buyers are happy with your service, they leave warm compliments that make your heart glow. Okay? Don’t hesitate and put it on your website. Let others know how much you’ve made previous customers happy.
Fiverr won’t get you rich. You may be doing a lot of work with little to no effect. If you want to become a copywriter like me, this is a great place to test the waters and find some work for your portfolio. If you’re serious, you might get past Fiverr as your skills develop, but it’s not a bad place to start.
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