Attract Freelance Clients With A KISS 💋 Pitch
Freelance pitching isn’t easy. Especially when you are new. You tend to go on several first dates, hoping to find a long-term engagement. You need to sell yourself without coming across as arrogant. You have to find the sweet spot. A KISS – Keep It Simple Sweetheart.
A good pitch needs to grab the attention of the client, communicate your unique value proposition, and convince them that you can satisfy the criteria they are looking for. You need to be confident without being cocky and you have to convey a lot of information easily, elegantly, and effectively.
Ultimately you are pitching yourself as well as your work. Not only do you need to prove that your abilities align with their work criteria; your own personal brand needs to be professional, integrous, and punctual. People want to enjoy your company as much as your work.
These top tips will set you apart from the competition while ensuring you’re a good match.
Research The Client
Know who you are pitching to. Research their brand, website, and previous work. What is the company’s mission statement and what do they support or show interest in?
Check out their social media profiles, especially LinkedIn. (It’s 2022. It’s not called stalking anymore, it’s called groundwork!) Who do they have as contacts and what do they engage in?
Pay attention to the language they use in their content, especially tone. Are they serious, savvy, or sassy? Mirror their language in your pitch so it sounds like you’re compatible, as if you already work for them. Of course, remember this is a professional document, if they tend to be too spirited, this is a tone they earned, so be mindful.
Tell Your Story
People remember stories over a series of facts. Weave your skillset, education, and work history into a story, or a theme. Think of a narrative structure that is relevant to your career path and something the client resonates with. This can require additional thought, but it does hook people in and if you engage them, they remember you.
Most importantly, they need to show that you can satisfy the criteria and specify the exact value you will provide. Include work samples, examples, and portfolio pieces.
Prove Your Productivity
You need to demonstrate how you will be an asset to the client.
If you can be clever and concise, consider adding a brief success story for another similar client and how you’ve contributed to their achievements.
Nail the deadline. Try getting your application in before the deadline. This proves that your time management skills are superior to other applicants.
If possible keep your pitch to a page. Everyone is busy and while they are prepared to invest in your application, no one really wants to turn over to page two. Revise and rewrite until you say the absolute most with the least amount of words. Lean and clean.
Confirmations, Contacts, and Closing
Remind them of your enthusiasm to complete their work and your experience as a freelancer – that it’s a perfect match. Hit them with your contact information, website, and social media. And finally, thank them for the opportunity to apply, which has been a rewarding process in and of itself.
Initially, this can be a frustrating document to compile. However, once you have the foundation you can always pivot to pitch to every single freelance client. It’s like swapping one outfit for another, depending on your date. Kiss, kiss, dear freelancers.
