Offering Consulting Services: A Viable Option

Some of my copywriting colleagues choose not to engage in consulting services. They prefer to initiate, execute, and wrap up projects without direct client interaction. For them, guiding clients can feel daunting.

I understand that many professionals excel when working independently. However, if your goal is to significantly increase your side hustle income—by 30% to 60%—consider adding consulting services to your offerings.

Why should you do this? Because you already grasp your clients' needs from a task-oriented perspective, meaning no extra prep is required. Moreover, you likely have insights into their unspoken challenges. Clients invest in consulting to tackle the issues that impede their progress.

Identifying Your Ideal Clients

I've previously discussed how to find ideal clients for consulting work, so I won't repeat those insights here. Instead, let’s conduct a quick evaluation of client compatibility during direct interactions. Think of this as a "first-impression qualification."

Start by targeting clients with high expectations for themselves and their work. You can spot them easily—these are the individuals who consistently seek quality in your copywriting drafts and constantly inquire about improvements.

I often tell my mentees: "Clients with high expectations of you likely have high standards for themselves. They are always looking to better themselves and will invest in achieving that."

Pay attention to those attending professional development classes; they choose to be there, regardless of the lecture quality. Your chances of success in offering consulting services are higher when dealing with such motivated individuals.

Designing a Sustainable Value Chain

Focus on your next steps. Here’s a formula you can adopt:

Writing Assignments -> Copywriting Projects -> Consulting Services

Always keep the next offer ready. This allows you to respond quickly when opportunities arise.

For illustration, I'll reference my own journey in copywriting alongside consulting services.

Initial Offer—Single Writing Assignments (Fixed Pay)

When meeting clients for the first time, trust is minimal, and deals are typically low-ticket, especially if you’re not yet known. Remember, this is a common experience. The key is to deliver exceptional work in this phase to build trust and facilitate future contracts.

Next Stage Offer—Bundled Projects (Higher Fixed + Variable Compensation)

Once you establish credibility, transition from one-time assignments to project work. This shift is crucial because single assignments are limited and place you in a competitive landscape on platforms like Fiverr and Upwork.

Projects extend your engagement, allowing for stable income over a longer period. I usually manage copywriting projects over four to six months, which also grants me time to pursue lucrative consulting opportunities.

Ongoing Retainer—Consulting Services for Copywriting and Beyond

At this stage, your expertise is recognized, and clients trust you. They value your contributions because you've consistently met their expectations and understand their goals.

Your role is to anticipate their needs. For example, I offer to review the content on their websites—not by making edits myself, but by charging for advisory services that enhance their editing process. I also propose consulting workshops as demand arises, preparing them for future success.

Next, I assess their entire digital copywriting ecosystem, identifying gaps and suggesting solutions. This is where I can offer services like Newsletter-as-a-Service and social media campaign consulting.

The cycle of my consulting value chain looks like this: Writing Tasks -> Copywriting Projects -> Consulting Services -> Writing Tasks -> Copywriting Projects -> Consulting Services -> ...

You get the idea.