5 Outreach Strategies for Freelancers
Embarking on a freelance journey doesn’t have to be daunting! Here is a quick outreach cheat sheet to get you started.
Getting clients ranks among freelancers’ biggest struggles. However, thanks to technology, it is easier to reach clients and influencers nowadays. While networking and referrals can land you customers, these techniques don’t guarantee clients all-year-round. This is why you need an outreach plan to take charge of and transform your freelance career into a thriving business.
Know Who to Contact
Your outreach email success depends on the recipient. Answer these questions before sending an outreach message.
Who’s the prospect, and what’s their work position?
What’s the company name, and what do they sell?
What are their challenges and strengths?
What makes you perfect for the client?
Don’t pitch a client if you don’t identify with their brand. For example, health writers wouldn’t be a fit for a finance company. Also, be sure to reach out to the people in charge. For instance, content marketers can send their outreach message to the editor, marketing director, or content marketing VP. On the other hand, designers can pitch to the creative director. Though you can use outreach software to obtain a prospect’s contact details, this information is usually also available on LinkedIn. Just type a job title on the platform’s search bar and filter the results until you find your target company.
Build Trust before Pitching
You’re more likely to close a deal if a prospect knows you. Clients want people who view them as individuals, not just a number Apart from reading the company’s about page, find out the stakeholder’s personality and communication style. You could engage them on Twitter, comment on their blog posts, or order their books.
Another approach is demonstrating what you know about the client’s business before sending the outreach email. For example, congratulate the client on their new product instead of asking them about their current projects.
You can also arrange a meeting with the client. In addition to smiling, you can build trust by giving firm handshakes, and mirroring the prospect’s body language. You could also hold a virtual meeting, ensuring you note the client’s concerns and maintain a friendly tone. But don’t be too direct when asking for a meeting. Rather, present the chance to “talk to a professional”.
Personalize Your Message
Since companies receive numerous outreach emails, personalized messages stand out from generic applications. Because humans are attracted to similarities, you resonate with people who share your interests. You can check the prospect’s social media pages for commonalities. Moreover, referencing respected mutual contacts could increase your credibility.
Another outreach tip is using the candidate’s name. Saying “Hi Kevin” instead of “Dear sir” tells the client the email is meant for them and not part of mass outreach. While at it, compliment your client to leave a positive impression of your company. You can single out particular achievements and describe why they’re impressive. Again, conciseness in your outreach is key. Start your outreach message with important details lest the client loses interest midway. But the pitch shouldn’t be too short. Otherwise, the prospect won’t know what you want.
Offer Value
Outreach activities are useless if you don’t solve your prospect’s problems. Although selling your products is the main goal, clients won’t gamble with their businesses. Asking a stranger to buy your services doesn’t cut it.
Supposing your outreach campaign targets journalists, spotting broken links could acquaint you with editors for guest posting opportunities. You could also comment on a publication’s social media posts with story ideas. Additionally, social proof could be of outreach help, as it tells clients that other people trust your brand. Likewise, social proof sets you apart from competitors offering similar products at the same prices. The good news is social proof is easy to gather. For instance, include testimonials in your outreach message. Since they’re more thorough than reviews, testimonials confirm exemplary services and a close customer relationship. You can also direct the prospect to your blog and social handles if you have a large audience. Don’t forget to mention awards in your outreach message.
Follow Up
A lack of response doesn't necessarily mean a prospect is not interested. They may have just been too busy to see your message. That’s why you need follow up emails for clients to notice you. However, there’s a difference between reaching out to prospects and being annoying. Five outreach attempts are perfect for cold emails, leaving 4-5 business days between each follow up.
You could also try to salvage the conversation with a phone call. If you don’t close a deal after several attempts, proceed to the next prospect. Don’t give up when one client turns you down. The freelancing industry has many opportunities.
Moreover, don’t be too serious with your follow-up email. You can add humor to your outreach voice to make your brand memorable. Just be sure to understand your audience before trying to be funny. Most importantly, try different pitching and follow-up strategies until you land a client.
Outreach to customers may be difficult, but it’s worth it. Apart from enhancing brand image, outreach increases your customers and income. Don’t be afraid to start. Even successful freelancers learned some things on the job. Also, draft outreach goals, breaking them into executable steps. This goes hand in hand with monitoring your progress. That way, you can change your pitching strategy if your outreach strategies are ineffective. What are your outreach success rates? Share your outreach ideas in the comments.
Archie was a builder for more than 40 years. Mainly after his retirement the enthusiastic electrical works in his garden and writes for the blog Homemakerguide.com to keep himself occupied.