Content Marketing Expert Interview: Series 2

Ross Simmonds: Create once, distribute forever

Ross Simmonds

1. Tell me more about yourself and how you got started in SaaS and marketing. What was your journey like?

I'm Ross Simmonds, I'm an entrepreneur and marketing strategist who helps B2B & SaaS brands use content marketing, SEO, content distribution and technology to unlock new levels of organic growth. I'm the founder of Foundation Marketing, a B2B content marketing agency that combines data and creativity to support successful and ambitious software brands in the world. In addition to running Foundation Marketing; I'm also a founder of a wide range of different businesses including Hustle & Grind, an eCommerce brand described as the voice of modern entrepreneurs. I have been named one of the most influential marketers in the world by multiple marketing publications and firms like BuzzSumo, SEMRush, and more, and received the Harry Jerome Young Entrepreneur Award and named one of the Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada.

Foundation Marketing started as the evolution of RossSimmonds.com. The website was originally a fantasy football blog that I started as a university student, but its content changed over time to digital and content marketing, as my passion for all things tech grew. I and the team at Foundation have helped SaaS and B2B brands build content marketing engines that generate millions of visits a year, build content cultures that thrive against competitors, and generate over $110M worth of new business.

2. What advice do you have for others to land clients? What are some of the best ways they can build their business?

Prioritize Relationship Building: Establishing strong relationships with potential clients is paramount. Take time to engage in meaningful conversations, show genuine interest in their needs, and find common ground. Demonstrating that you care about their business and can provide value is key to building trust

Adopt a Chess Mindset: Approach high-paying gigs like a game of chess, thinking several steps ahead. Don't feel the need to invoice for every interaction; instead, use smaller interactions as opportunities to showcase your value and build lasting relationships.

Create Quality Resources and Content: Curate and share relevant content from reputable sources to establish credibility. Additionally, create your own high-quality resources, such as blog posts, presentations, ebooks, and research studies, to demonstrate your expertise and attract potential clients.

Engage in Pro-Bono & Charity Work: Participate in community initiatives and charitable projects. Giving back to the community can help you connect with potential clients on a different level and expand your network.

Pursue Industry Awards & Recognition: Awards and industry recognition can significantly boost your reputation and open new doors for your business. Seek out awards that have a history of recognizing respected professionals in your field.

Engage in Public Speaking Opportunities: Speak at industry events, conferences, and conventions to showcase your knowledge and expertise. Public speaking can position you as an authority in your domain and attract potential clients.

Seek Traditional Media Interviews: Establish yourself as an expert by offering insights on topics that interest the media and their audience. Appearances on radio, TV, and other media outlets can help you gain visibility and credibility.

In the end, securing high-paying clients is not just about pricing your projects correctly; it's about building strong relationships, demonstrating expertise, and delivering value. By adopting a strategic approach and focusing on long-term success, you can position yourself for successLeeza Ochsner

1. Tell me more about yourself and how you started as a freelance copywriter. What was your journey like?

After a decade of working as a full-time copywriter for several in-house house companies and advertising agencies while freelancing after hours, I realized I was pouring my heart and soul into building someone else’s dream. While I genuinely enjoyed my craft and many of the amazingly talented people I got to work with and learn from, I can honestly say I was living to work and not working to live.

So, in February 2020, I faced my fear and limiting beliefs head-on and walked away from corporate life (and my identity) as I knew it. I spent the next few months freelancing, applying for the occasional corporate gig, and asking myself what if…

What if I could freelance full-time without sacrificing a life of purpose, balance, and joy?

What if I could have a life that aligns with who I am, my core values, and what I love to do?

What if I could support other business owners who feel like I once felt to bet on themselves and go all on their dream?

By November 2020, I finally had the answer I was searching for and decided to launch Freshly Brewed Copy, a boutique creative & copywriting studio that helps fuel businesses with more clarity, confidence, and calm. Since then, I’ve been running the business full time, rolled out my first summer internship program, built incredible relationships with designers to offer copy with design in mind, and have helped clients from Duluth to Dubai step into the phase of their business.

While my journey hasn’t always been without fear or failure, when I look back on it now, I can honestly say that building a thriving copywriting business is less about following someone else’s roadmap and more about having the courage to redefine your version of success so you can become who you’re truly meant to be.

2. What advice do you have for freelancers to land clients? What are some of the best ways they can build?

Like most things in life, I believe there’s more than one way to get to the same destination. However, one of the best ways freelancers can land clients is by providing value without asking for anything in return. Whether it’s sharing some ideas around how a client can improve their website copy over the initial discovery call, sending a valuable resource, or providing a strategy that can help clients garner more testimonials that, in return, generate leads, providing value upfront is one of the best ways to build trust and confidence with clients in your abilities. Because at the end of the day, people don’t buy products or services; they buy outcomes from people they trust and feel seen, heard, and understood by.

Another way freelancers can land more clients is to continually deliver a thoughtful and memorable experience that sets them apart. When selling something less tangible, like copywriting, it’s even more essential to have exceptional communication. From a welcoming onboarding process with clear expectations to regular updates on the progress of the project and timely feedback requests to offboarding with a thoughtful gift, a memorable experience can do wonders for helping freelancers turn that one-time project into a long-term client relationship and referrals for years to come.

And last but not least, another great way for freelancers to land more work is through networking. By investing in building meaningful relationships with other writers, designers, and creatives, freelancers can drum up additional projects that could lead to recurring work. In fact, some of my longest-standing clients have come from the relationships I’ve built with other excellent writers, designers, and creative entrepreneurs over the years.

Rochi Zalani

1. Tell me more about yourself and how you got started as a freelance writer. What was your journey like?

Ever since I realized books are written by people (and not magic! ), I wanted to write. I did a lot of digital marketing internships in college, but never thought writing could pay my bills. Fresh out of college, I started working in a customer success role in a B2B SaaS startup. I loved the software, the industry, and my team. The only problem: I hated my job. It didn't play to my strengths. I'd rather be thinking, typing, tootling from behind my Google Doc than speak to customers all day long. I decided to take a leap of faith and quit. The first year was a rollercoaster. Deciding a rate, finding my niche, landing clients, managing my finances I had to learn a lot, fast. I started by subcontracting for established freelancers (including Ashley!) and then ventured into finding clients for myself. This was the best business decision I've made till date. Not only did I learn how to improve my writing, but also how to run my business. Three years in, things are a lot smoother now! It's still a rollercoaster, but I'm in the driver's seat.

2. What advice do you have for freelancers to land clients? What are some of the best ways they can build?

For someone who's just starting out: Reach out to your old contacts and network, post on LinkedIn, and cold pitching. For someone who's been freelancing a while but is stuck in a rut: Ask for recommendations from other clients & freelancers, cold email dream clients, and reach out to old clients/contacts. No matter what the stage, if you have some free time and no money stress, start guest posting on notable publications in your industry. It has intangible benefits like boost in reputation and credibility even if it's done for free. I'd always recommend cold emailing as one of the best ways to find clients. It gives you more control over your business and pushes you outside of your comfort zone. In the beginning when you have no portfolio, cold emailing is more of a quantity game. As you get more bylines and experience under your belt, it's a quality game. Focus on building relationships and staying active online after you have a few clients to sustain yourself. It pays off big time in the long run! I have written a detailed blog post on how to find, attract, and retain high-paying clients which might help too.

Lex Roman

1. Tell me more about yourself and how you got started in small business growth marketing. What was your journey like?

My background is in building and running growth teams for venture-backed startups. I spent 10+ years working with companies on their growth from within strategy, leveraging deep customer understanding and experience design to get, convert and keep customers at scale. I worked with companies like Gusto, The Black Tux, Prosper, AbleTo, Toyota, Nissan, Macys and Burner. I was early to the lean startup movement and I actually didn't identify as a marketer until recently; I was primarily what's known as a "product-led growth" practitioner. While they share a ton in common, growth is about creating an engine that fuels itself, while marketing can feel like an endless treadmill.

Fast forward to 2020, the pandemic brought digital marketing to the forefront for businesses outside tech so I decided to pivot my growth consulting business to focus on small business owners. Now, I work with creatives who left a corporate role to consult or coach and are looking to get booked out so they can stop selling so much and do more of what they love.

2. What advice do you have for freelancers to land clients? What are some of the best ways they can build their business?

My first tip is to network from the inside out. Newer freelancers often look to meet strangers while ignoring the trust capital they've built throughout the years. You may think no one you know can help your business, but you'd be surprised how many rich connections lie within the ones you already have. I've had recent bites and introductions from a former sorority sister, from a high school friend and from someone I volunteered with a couple years back. Stop thinking of people as targets for a sale and think about who knows who and who can get you warm intros to the ideal clients, partners, connectors who need to know about you. Does your cousin know someone at McDonald's HQ? Or does a former coworker run an excellent Slack group? Get in there! Relational strategies are critical for freelancers (networking, emails, DMs, live events, podcast guesting, etc) so figuring out how to cement and grow your ideal business circle will serve you well for years.

My second tip is to consider everything you do to reach and keep your clients as an experiment. Write down your ideas for channels, audiences and messages and assign a time limit to them. Generally, things that are unproven should take less than a month. As you build evidence something is working (maybe an email outreach hits well or you find a lot of interested clients through a webinar), you can go bigger and bolder. When you build incrementally with evidence, you learn faster what actually works for you than doing a copy/paste on what worked for someone else and hoping for the best.

Michelle Garrett

1. Tell me more about yourself and how you got started with your career.

I’m a freelance writing and public relations consultant working with B2B clients. I have a Journalism degree and have always enjoyed writing.

Before I went out on my own, writing was always a part of my role, but I wanted to do more of it. After I gained experience working in-house and also at an agency - and talking to others who were successfully working for themselves - I decided the time was right for me to launch my own freelance business.

Once I made that decision, I told everyone I knew that I was going out on my own. I started with three clients on day one of my freelance business, thanks to referrals.

I’ve been freelancing for 20+ years now. It has its ups and downs, but the freedom and flexibility are unmatched.

2/ What advice do you have for freelancers to land clients? What are some of the best ways they can build?

I say - always take the meeting! Even when you’re busy with client work, try to talk to prospective clients. You never know what may happen. Even if you decide not to work together right now, it could lead to an opportunity down the road. Over time, you build your network so that opportunities are continually coming your way.

I also find social media is a great way to help bring in clients. I think it’s best to pick one or two platforms to be active on so you don’t get overwhelmed (which is easy to do).

Another way clients find me is through my blog posts and also contributed articles. I don’t do any paid marketing/advertising, but I enjoy marketing my skills this way - and all it costs is my time.

One other tip is to start a newsletter. I only did this about five years ago and wish I had done it sooner. You can start building a subscriber list even before you’re ready to launch your newsletter. I have a sign-up box on my site. My list grows slowly but steadily as my network grows. (One note: never add anyone to your email list without their permission.)

Lily Ugbaja

1. How did you get started in freelancing and when did you really start experiencing growth?

The first time I looked into freelancing was in 2010. I was looking at gigs on Truelancer, and Elance and gave up after trying for a bit.

Fast-forward to 2015 when I started a blog so I could quit my admin job to stay home with my son. The blog was doing well trafficwise, but I wasn't monetized and couldn't afford the hosting fees, so I started pitching and wrote for some gossip sites and product review blogs. Some of those gigs were brutal and I stayed just long enough to raise the money I needed for my blog.

Fast-forward again to 2019 and a SaaS brand reached out to recruit me after they saw one of the guest posts I'd written to promote my blog. I started writing for them and things just snowballed from there.

2. What is the number one thing that contributed to your growth as a freelancer?

I think it was my curiosity and desire to be seen as excellent (especially in the beginning). I always did more than was necessary and spent the extra time to over-deliver. That led to glowing testimonials, repeat work, and referrals.

I also had my own testing environment (my blog). There’s a confidence I feel when I've done something on my own before, I've never had that from just ‘knowing’ how to do it. I think that points to self-awareness as an important thing. Learning and leaning into your strengths is key.

I think it’s also important to always be learning, challenging yourself. I've been able to grow from a clueless blogger to a Fractional Content Manager and Marketing Advisor because I was always asking ‘What’s next?’

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