Know those times when you look at someone’s profile on LinkedIn and immediately, that person is in your email asking if you want to hire them?
That happened to a writer chum of mine recently. She happened upon someone who claimed to be a writer, so she looked. The response came shortly after.
“Hi (person’s name). I’m looking for some freelance writing opportunity. Please feel free to share if you have any opening. Thanks and Regard.”
It’s not even a case of this person not realizing what my writer chum did for a living. They clearly knew, for they went to her profile page. Alas, they didn’t read it, or they’d realize that she had no work for which they were qualified. Nor work that required someone with limited grasp of English grammar. As my friend says, the entire message can be boiled down to this:
“Hi. I sell words. Would you like to buy some from me?”
Oh my, isn’t that appealing? I’ll just drop my hard-won client list right in your lap!
Couple of things went wrong here. Thankfully, this appeal did something good — it’s serving as an example of what not to do in order to find work. Here’s how:
“I’m looking for some freelance writing opportunity.”
Anyone else notice the problem? Well, besides the “opportunity” being singular. Unless this person is interested in just one job, that’s a misstatement. But that’s not the real issue here. Notice the word “some” in there. Not very specific, is it? It smacks of someone piecing it together at best and not giving enough of a damn to do even an inch of research. “Some” could mean anything. In fact, this person is hoping for anything. Wrong approach.
Instead, this should have been the email: “I saw your profile and see that you work with a lot of overseas companies in the sustainable manufacturing industry. Could I ask you a few questions about how to get into this field?” That’s going to get you noticed. You’ve shown that you can do simple research (a.k.a. read someone’s LI profile), and that you’re not begging for work. You’re asking if you can ask pointed questions that may help you do your own heavy lifting, channeling in the right direction.
“Please feel free to share if you have any opening.”
Translation: I can’t be bothered to build a relationship with you. Just send me work.
Better way: “I’ve been interested in this particular field for a while, but I’m not sure if my efforts are targeting the right people in the right way. May I run my pitch by you?”
You may not get a yes, but you’ve also not embarrassed yourself by appearing to be lazy and waiting for a handout.
Thanks and Regard.
Bad punctuation, a capital where it shouldn’t be, and a misspelling all in just three words. That indicates a few possibilities. Either you’re: 1) not a writer at all (shocker!), 2) a writer who doesn’t use Spell Check (for shame) or 3) not a native English speaker. The last one is forgivable, but not if you intend to write for English-speaking audiences. You must have a basic grasp of English sentence structure and word usage. Otherwise, the text reads like it does on a bottle of skin cream I bought recently.
- Store at room temperature.
- Stay away from children.
- Avoid contact with wound.
- Please perform a ear skin test before use.
I rest my case. (No, I did not perform “a ear” skin test because nothing in my being thinks that’s a good idea.)
Writers, you can do better. And you most likely have.
For those of you who are new to freelance writing or are struggling to win over new clients, here are a few ways to approach them that don’t say “I sell words. Hire me.”
1. Get personal.
People buy from other people. They don’t buy writing from a menu, so don’t hand them a menu and expect them to trust you to feed them the right stuff. Get to know them. Learn a little about them before you reach out for the first time. Include something about them in your note or call — “I was reading your latest thought leadership article. I love how your expert connected the dots between sports injuries and the lack of proper stretching techniques.”
And please, do not think that every LinkedIn view is someone to sell to. The “I saw you looking at my profile” sales pitch is just too stalker-ish.
2. Focus on the relationship.
I go on about this a lot because it’s important. You aren’t just scoring a gig — you’re building a relationship, a partnership. You will be entrusted with this client’s image, messaging, and brand reputation to some degree. When you treat that job like a partnership, you telegraph your commitment to give them your best and help them, not just write and forget about them.
3. Know their business.
If you want “some” work, not knowing the industry the client works in is a guarantee that it will remain just some work. However, your value boost comes by understanding the client’s entire industry on a more familiar level than you may be used to. Learn their business (read their website and articles). Follow the industry news. Get to know what their competitors are talking about (social media makes this simple). Follow the industry groups. Be part of the conversation. That’s knowing their business, and that’s invaluable to someone who needs a writer who “gets” them.
It’s not hard. It’s a few extra steps that can add real payoff now and down the road. Sure, you sell words. But you’re really selling your value.
Your turn.
What change did you make in your freelancing career that boosted your client acquisition or earnings? How long did it take you to see the results?