How to Gain Clients as a Freelance Proofreader

Are you having trouble gaining clients in your new freelance proofreading career? Keep reading for tips and advice on how to gain clients as a freelance proofreader. (It’s easier than you might think!)

One of the hardest parts of being a new freelance proofreader for me was finding clients. I had no idea how to go about putting myself out there. I’m not that great at marketing because I’m an introvert and not a very outgoing person. Letting the world know about my new career was a tad scary and very outside of my comfort zone. However, once I created my website and started writing blog posts and articles on Medium, I gained more confidence. Sometimes all it takes is one small step.

I also have a fear of rejection, so that also made it a little harder for me to put myself out there. I soon realized that for every “no” there is a “yes” out there somewhere! The main thing to remember is: not to give up.

After building my confidence and overcoming my fear of rejection, it became a little easier to market myself as a freelance proofreader to gain clients. How did I do this? Keep reading and I’ll give you some tips and advice on how you can gain clients as a freelance proofreader.

How to Gain Clients as a Freelance Proofreader

1. Start a business website.

Having a business website is not a requirement. However, it helps your business by making you look more professional and proving that you take your work seriously. A website is a great way to promote yourself and your services. With a business website, you can:

• Have a services page where you list the services you offer and your rates in clear and simple terms.
• Have a testimonials page allowing your clients to leave reviews of the work you completed on their projects.
• Create a portfolio where you can include samples of your work. (Be sure to ask clients for permission before sharing any documents.)
• Have a “contact” page so potential clients can contact you easily.
• Look professional to potential clients.

You can also include a blog on your website where you can share tips and advice about proofreading-related topics. This allows you to demonstrate your knowledge and skills about proofreading and helps other proofreaders learn, too. Adding a blog to your website can attract new visitors, bring in more clients, and help boost your online profile.

Be sure to keep your blog and site updated. Not only is an updated site good for business, but it’s also great for SEO, especially if you are targeting high-value keywords.

Don’t forget to add your website address to any social media sites you are on, on your LinkedIn profile, and business cards. Business cards are nice to have to hand out to local book publishers in your area.  

2. Use social media to gain clients as a freelance proofreader.

Social media is a great way to promote your freelance proofreading business and attract clients.

Tip: Create a business account so that you can keep your professional and personal lives separate.

Setting up social media accounts allows you to:

• Promote yourself professionally
• Show off your skills and knowledge by sharing free writing and proofreading tips and advice
• Network and engage with other proofreaders and editors as well as content creators
• Share your blog posts
• Keep up with editing and writing news and events

3. Network with other proofreaders and writers.

Networking with other proofreaders allows you to share advice and ask and answer questions. Other proofreaders can also be quite a valuable resource for finding clients. Proofreaders who cannot accept any more projects may be willing to pass the work on to you.

Facebook groups are one way to network with other proofreaders, editors, and content creators. Also, look for writing groups for potential clients.

One of the most important social network sites to be a part of is LinkedIn due to its professional focus.

Be sure to fill out your entire LinkedIn profile and consider focusing on a niche. The people who are searching for a proofreader on LinkedIn are looking for someone who specializes in the kind of content they need edited. Also, make sure you have your profile set to be searchable for hiring managers and recruiters, if you’re open to working for a business. LinkedIn also has a job board that allows you to search for opportunities that are remote only.

4. Cold-contact potential clients.

Reaching out to potential clients that you would like to work with is a great way to find work. It may not be the most favored way to gain clients as a freelance proofreader, but it can produce results.

For example, if you’re shopping on Amazon.com and come across some poorly written product descriptions, reach out to the seller(s) and let them know how you can polish their product descriptions so potential buyers can understand what is being said.

Cold-contacting may be a little intimidating at first. Here are some helpful steps to make it easier for you:

First, identify clients that are likely to need a proofreader, such as publishers, marketing agencies, real estate agents, bloggers, or any other business or person who produces a lot of written content. You can focus on clients that are local to you if you wish.

Second, write a polite and professional email by introducing yourself and explaining why your services have value to them and how you can help them. Even though generic emails are faster, try to stay away from them. You’ll have a better chance of gaining a new client with a customized email. Don’t come across as too “salesy” in your email. Compliment their content (book, article, blog post, etc.) and be thoughtful and polite in your email.

Also, if you’re just starting as a freelance proofreader, you may want to offer to proofread a short document for free in exchange for a testimonial and referral.

Finally, you may need to follow up with the potential client to get a response. Remember not to overdo it, of course. You don’t want to come across as annoying and cause clients to delete your email before even reading it. However, a little persistence can sometimes go a long way.

5. Consider establishing a niche.

Focusing on a specific proofreading niche can help you build experience as well as attract more clients. You’re more likely to get offers from clients who are looking for specific types of proofreaders. It’s great for marketing purposes as well.

Establishing a niche will help you gain targeted testimonials which in turn help you gain trust and authority in your area of expertise.

Remember: Writers typically look for a proofreader who is knowledgeable about a specific topic or a certain type of document.

6. Ask your clients for a referral.

Try your best to impress your clients. Not only will they be more likely to hire you again, but they’ll also be more likely to refer you to a colleague. 

Don’t be afraid to ask for a referral. If you have established a solid relationship with a client, it will make it much easier to as them for a referral.

And don’t forget to reach out to former clients. Let them know you enjoyed working with them. Also, be sure to let them know how you can continue to help them in the future.

7. Search popular job boards to gain clients as a freelance proofreader.

If you’re looking for a job proofreading for a business, then job boards are the best place to search. Keep in mind that a lot of boards are for on-site work, but some are looking for remote freelance proofreaders. You can find these jobs by typing “remote” into the job location section of the search bar.

Some examples of free job boards that have remote listings include:

• Glassdoor (Includes employer and freelancer ratings)
• MediaBistro
• Indeed
• Simply Hired

FlexJobs is another great job board to search for remote freelance proofreading jobs. However, they require a subscription fee because they take the time to screen every job posted on their site. They do this to make sure that opportunities are legitimate.

Tip: Search job boards designed for bloggers, too.

ProBlogger and BloggingPro are two of the most popular job boards bloggers use.

8. Create a profile on freelance marketplaces.

Another option to gain clients as a freelance proofreader is to create a profile on a freelance marketplace. Some popular ones include:

• Upwork
• Fiverr
• Freelancer
• Guru
• PeoplePerHour

Freelance marketplaces are excellent for new freelance proofreaders just starting.

If you’re a proofreader just starting your business, then freelance marketplaces are a great way to gain clients. It’s also a good way to boost your confidence and help you gain proofreading skills and experience. And it’s a great way to get testimonials to add to your portfolio and business website.

To attract clients, you may want to start out charging low rates, but after getting more traction you can raise your rates.

Fiverr clients come to you if they’re interested so no need to “win” them with a proposal letter. They do require 20% of your earnings, but it does have a great success rate when you’re just starting your business.  

Lindsay at Om Proofreading has written an excellent article on how to succeed on Fiverr. She has 41 super helpful tips! Be sure to read that before creating your Fiverr profile.

There are some pros and cons of using freelance marketplaces to find jobs.

Pros:

1. The marketing is already done for you.

2. Lots of potential clients will see your profile.

3. The marketplaces manage all aspects of payment.

Cons:

1. You will have a lot of competition.

2. The marketplaces require that you give them a small percentage of your earnings (typically 10%-20%).

3. Most potential clients are seeking someone to do a job for them one time only (although some may return as the need arises).  

4. Most marketplaces require you to send a written proposal to “win” each job you are interested in.

5. There are quite a few scammers on freelance marketplaces. The best way to avoid scams is to communicate with clients through the platform.

9. Visit libraries and bookstores to find potential clients as a freelance proofreader.

Occasionally our local library holds author speaking events from locally published book authors. If your library does the same, this is a great opportunity to meet local authors and get your business card in their hands.

Also, attend author signings and events at bookstores and make sure they receive your business card as well.

Be sure to check out Sean Ogle’s Ultimate Guide to Finding Online Proofreading Jobs in 2023!

Do you have more ideas to add to my list? I’d love to hear them! Please add them to the comments below so we can help each other out.