Are you scared to send cold pitches to drum up new business clients?
It made me nervous, too, when I quit my salaried job to write.
But my monthly income from freelancing was a disappointing $200 – I had to attract new business clients fast.
Cold pitch emails were my solution. In four months, my income skyrocketed to $4,200 and I had four new clients.
Here are five strategies I used to conquer cold pitching with only a few writing clips under my belt.
1. Study cold pitches
At its heart, a strong cold pitch is a sales conversation starter. Study any pitches you can find, then tweak to include your personality.
Remember: a freelance pitch is the first glimpse of your writing that your potential client sees. Make it count.
2. Build a freelance pitch template
Create a strong template to save you time, but personalize it for every lead.
Point out why you’re perfect to write for their company. It could be your background, your interests, or even a family connection. My litigation software experience was a good fit for software and technology businesses, so that is where I focused my pitching.
Here’s my pitch template that got a “yes.”
Hi [First name],
Congratulations on [company’s news or launch]!
I noticed on [company’s website] that you have just one [writing that you’re pitching, ex. case study].
With your new [product launch], I imagine you have lots more great stories to tell about [results they’ve gotten for clients].
As a [your title], I can help you [specific action to get specific result]. For example, [insert research from their website that you could use as foundation for a case study, blog article or marketing piece].
Recently, I helped [a similar client’s win].
When are you open for a 15-minute call about how we can work together?
3. Include three essentials in every pitch
These keys help you get more success from your pitches.
- Keep them to 200 words or less. Make every word in your pitch count. Would you carve out 30 minutes to read a stranger’s 10-paragraph email?
- Personalize the message. Create a connection with your lead from your research on them and their company. It’s a special touch that matters.
- Make it easy to say yes. Your pitch’s one goal: for your lead to set up a call with you. Have a clear call to action: “Are you open next Tuesday to chat about working together?”
4. Follow up
If you haven’t gotten a reply to your first pitch, it’s likely buried in your recipient’s inbox, so follow up 4-5 business days later.
I like to follow up on Wednesdays or Thursdays, but you should pick the day that works for you. Avoid Fridays, though – the weekend is too close.
Still no response?
Send follow-ups every 7-8 business days. I send five follow-up emails before deciding that lead is not interested.
5. Edit and try again
No response even after following up? Edit your pitch to make it more compelling.
Or do what I did: target different businesses.
When my first pitches went unanswered, I changed my strategy. Instead of pitching multi-million dollar businesses, I targeted start-ups with 6- to 7-figure revenues. Suddenly I started getting replies.
Keep testing different tactics until you hit on the one that works for you – so you can increase your chances of success with each cold pitch.
What’s helped craft a successful freelance pitch? Tell us in the comments below.
Laura Lopuch is a freelance copywriter and writer based in Denver. She specializes in direct response, travel, and real estate.
