6 Email Sins That Are Killing Your Freelance Writing Business

In this week’s in box alone, I’ve received close to 60 pitches from PR people, most of whom did not do their homework.

“…, 63% of millennials say the desire to travel is the primary reason they work, second to paying for basic necessities (83%), and well ahead of saving for retirement (58%) and paying off debt (51%).”

“There’s a slate of new changes on the horizon for the Affordable Care Act and Medicare, but what do they really mean for Americans?”

“Access to health insurance for the rideshare labor force is often out of reach. A unique partnership aims to change that.”

—

Fact:

I don’t write about millennials.

I don’t write about Medicare or ACA, and definitely not for consumer-facing publications.

I don’t write about health insurance in general.

While these ideas weren’t miles off the mark, the senders clearly saw the word “insurance” in near my title and didn’t see the word “commercial” or “corporate” in my job description.

There’s a big distinction they missed. How big? Like playing the Steelers anthem at a Chargers home game. That big.

Yet these ideas weren’t the worst.

Domestic workers aging out (I think they mean retiring)

How Does Each Generation Budget Its Monthly Income?

How Successful Entrepreneurs Can Rock the Recession!

You get the idea. Not really an insurance focus, are they? At least the first batch were within the same industry. Well, except for the millennial stuff. Still not sure why I’m on that list.

I know this:

Emails that don’t relate to what I do go straight to the Trash unopened.

Freelance writer, are you making these same mistakes with your emails? You are if:

Your greeting is generic.

How many “Good morning” or “Hi” emails are actually relevant to you? That’s how many are relevant to your recipients. Want to fix it? Find a name — any name — of someone at that company. Direct your email to them. Suppose that’s the admin, and you’re trying to reach the marketing director. Then just say so — “I noticed your marketing team handles X and Y types of projects. Would you be able to connect me to them?” That doesn’t insult their intelligence and the chances of your email being ignored completely is reduced.

Your message doesn’t fit. At all.

I love fitness and biking, but I don’t write about it. So the offers of an interview with your authors aren’t going anywhere. I don’t do book reviews unless they pertain to the industry I write within. I don’t write about nutrition. I don’t write about video technology and how consumers can “monetize their memories.” Yet there they are, sending me these emails that are going to be ignored until I write a post about the inappropriate crap that floods my email every day. How’s that for going way off your message?

Freelance writing pros, don’t do that. If you’re approaching a new area of specialty, don’t fake it. Give the client “Here’s where I’ve been and how that experience translates into what I can do for you” kind of messaging. It’s honest, and it won’t have you explaining yourself once they’ve caught you in a lie.

You can’t stop shouting.

Paula Hendrickson knows well my loathing for the exclamation point. In some advertising, it may be okay in small doses. But if you’re reaching out to a Fortune 500 company and you’ve put just one exclamation point in your copy, that silence is the sound of you shooting yourself in the foot. Time, place, situation — take your cues from your potential clients. What do their communications look like? And here’s a hint — if they have exclamation points everywhere, don’t follow their lead — fix their mistake. Stop shouting.

Your focus isn’t where it ought to be.

I know a writer who goes around the forums and social media sites answering every single question with a “I just covered this on my blog not long ago!” and an accompanying link. Honey, that’s sleazy. That’s not serving anyone but you, and yes, others see right through it. The same thing goes for emails — if the focus is on how freaking special you are, how you’ve basically reinvented writing and editing to the point where the clients should be thanking you for existing, you’re doing it wrong.

[bctt tweet=”The focus of #freelancewriting communication should always be on the client’s needs. Always.” username=”LoriWidmer”]

You send a “personalized” note to as a group email.

Tell me you didn’t. Even if it was an “undisclosed recipients” list, that’s not saying “I’m focused on you.” That says “I’m too lazy to make this personal.” Yes, I’ve received these emails. So have you, I’d bet.

Take the time to give each potential client your individual attention. It may be for exactly three or four minutes, but in those minutes, no one else but that client should matter to you. Respect them enough to put them first in those moments.

Your Subject Line just plain sucks.

Don’t send a “Looking for freelance help?” or a “Hire me!” titled email. You can’t start by asking for that which you haven’t bothered to convince them they need.

Connect the Subject Line to something relevant to them. Not you — you don’t matter one damn because you’re still a stranger to them. Typically, I’ll mention the conference they’re attending, or I’ll mention a tweet they put out, a chat….. Personalize it. Connect with them by revealing how you’re already connected, even if the connection is an article you’d read in which they were quoted.

Writers, what email sins have you hitting Delete?
How has your own email improved over time? What advice would you give others for improving their email communications?